Video summary

AJSN WK25B- SUPERGIRL BOMBS!, XBOX INCREASES Prices AGAIN?, GTA Price, A24 A.I., Sea of Thieves Film

Main summary

Key takeaways

News and Commentary

Summary of key points and arguments

Sponsorship / setup

  • The video opens with a Helix Sleep ad, highlighting cooling pillows, a sleep quiz to match mattress firmness, a sleep trial, and a July sale—framed as helpful for recharging between gaming sessions.
  • The hosts then shift into the rest of the show as “even more bad news,” arguing that gaming had a rough week with multiple interconnected stories about pricing and industry cutbacks.

Sea of Thieves movie announced (good news)

  • A Sea of Thieves video game adaptation is reportedly in the works.
  • The production is attributed to a major studio figure associated with films such as Shang-Chi and Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
  • The hosts debate the tone and style:
    • They prefer animation or at least something that doesn’t feel too “kids-cartoony.”
    • They express skepticism because the IP is often handled for a younger, family-oriented audience.
  • They speculate about whether Jack Black might be involved (not presented as confirmed).
  • Wishlist-style hopes include more pirate/monster visuals and a more fitting aesthetic.

A24 signs a $75M Google AI deal (bad news)

  • The hosts criticize A24 over a reported $75 million partnership with Google AI.
  • Main complaints include:
    • Fans and Hollywood creatives worry it indicates AI involvement in production workflows.
    • The concern isn’t just tools—it’s the fear AI diminishes the role of human talent in art-making.
    • They claim A24 has already used AI for posters and marketing assets, and is now “going deeper” into AI research/production.
  • A24’s defense is quoted in spirit: “We’d rather have a seat at the table than on the sidelines.”
    • The hosts respond sarcastically/negatively, framing it as betraying A24’s reputation for auteur-driven work.
  • They also reference comments attributed to an A24-associated filmmaker (paraphrased), warning that AI resources shouldn’t be used for “their” projects/sequels—suggesting directors fear losing creative control.

DC’s Supergirl performance and “flop” analysis

  • The hosts focus heavily on Supergirl (DC Studios), treating it as likely to be a financial failure despite reasonably strong numbers.
  • Reported opening and projections (as cited by subtitles/host estimates):
    • $38M opening weekend estimated domestic.
    • ~$68M worldwide opening weekend emphasized.
    • They contrast overseas performance vs expectations, arguing the film lacks the international draw of prior Superman branding.
  • Budget and break-even logic:
    • Budget cited as about $170M.
    • They argue it likely needs $300–350M total to break even.
    • They mention Warner Bros’ alleged “happier” threshold being lower when factoring HBO Max value, though they frame this as unclear/rumor-like.
    • They predict it won’t reach the needed total and will likely lose significant money.
  • Why they think it underperformed:
    • They argue Supergirl is less culturally relevant than Batman/Superman.
    • They criticize the decision to introduce her as a major early character in the DCU.
    • They claim adaptation choices missed key elements of the source material.
    • They argue competition will worsen decline: Minions is coming the following week, and word of mouth/character popularity will matter more than the film’s quality.
  • Rotten Tomatoes discussion:
    • They cite critic/audience scores in the mid-50% range.
    • They discuss “review-bombing” and online culture-war dynamics, while insisting the core issue is that the film “failed to be entertaining,” not only controversy.

GTA 6 pricing + “download-only” framing

  • The hosts discuss GTA 6 launching at $79.99, including:
    • Download-only delivery even if a physical box is sold (a code is provided).
    • The code is tied to the country of purchase, aimed at stopping cheaper cross-region code buying.
  • They stress how this:
    • Improves control over ownership/access.
    • Reduces or eliminates the usefulness of the secondary market (used game resales).
  • Speculation about online:
    • They say Rockstar/communication emphasizes single-player, and theorize GTA Online may not be included at launch and could cost extra later.
    • They mention potential microtransaction bait (e.g., shark card incentives).
  • They express anger that the approach blocks “wait for used copy” behavior and could raise the effective entry cost to play GTA.
  • Final take:
    • It’s framed as potentially worth it for GTA’s long play value.
    • But it’s also treated as a major industry precedent that could pressure other publishers to follow.

Microsoft/Xbox increases prices again (major industry focus)

  • The biggest non-movie story: Xbox system prices rose significantly.
    • No longer offering a certain lower model.
    • Pricing for remaining models increases by hundreds overall.
    • Examples cited from subtitles/estimates include:
      • Series X up to about $800.
      • Series S in the $500–$600 range.
  • Explanations offered by the hosts (citing Microsoft statements):
    1. Component shortages, especially memory/storage chips, worsened by AI-driven demand for data center hardware.
    2. Tariffs (roughly 10–40%, with higher rates on some Chinese imports) impacting manufacturing and supply chains.
    3. Corporate greed, arguing companies pass costs to consumers rather than absorbing them.
  • They also argue pricing won’t necessarily drop after shortages because companies can keep higher prices once consumers adjust.

Xbox Game Pass deal pause (industry consequences)

  • The hosts mention reports that Xbox paused third-party Game Pass deals, with studios uncertain whether funding/agreements are truly over or merely delayed.
  • This is framed as part of broader pressure on Game Pass, including criticism that Xbox pays studios upfront and then receives rushed or lower-quality output.

Possible layoffs / studio survival window at Xbox

  • They argue Microsoft’s fiscal timing (end-of-year around June 30) means more studio closures or layoffs could be announced within the “next 48 hours.”
  • They list studios described as at risk (e.g., Compulsion Studios, Ninja Theory, Double Fine mentioned), while noting studios could also be spun off or acquired.

“One good news” game: Star Wars Outlaws? / Star Wars “Zero Company” at $50

  • As a counterbalance to rising costs, the hosts mention a Star Wars tactical/strategy-style game (named in subtitles as “Star Wars Zero Company”) launching for $50.
  • They view it as refreshing because it’s less aggressively priced than the $80 trend for major releases.
  • They mention:
    • Strong production and cutscenes for the genre.
    • A concern that it may have limited replayability/duration, but they argue a shorter game can still be worth the price if the quality is high.

Presenters / contributors

  • Joe (co-host; also referred to as Angry Joe / “Joe” in subtitles)
  • OJ (co-host)
  • Alex (co-host)

Original video