Video games journalist/editor @inversedotcom previously at @washingtonpost @CNN subscribe to my newsletter for bespoke stories ✨ email: shannon@flashinfics.com
Nov 11, 2022 • 15 tweets • 7 min read
NEW: Under Elon Musk, Twitter Gaming cut all five marketing employees. “The end of an era,” said a former Twitter employee with knowledge of how Twitter Gaming worked. “Bird ain’t gonna be the same.”
Gamers say they'll stay on the new, chaotic Twitter:
washingtonpost.com/video-games/20…
If you've never heard of Twitter Gaming, that was on purpose, a source told me. Gamers hate when brands are shoved down their throats. The social media account has over a million followers and would help promote events like E3, Summer Game Fest and Game Awards.
Dec 28, 2021 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
BREAKING NEWS: Riot Games settles the 2018 California gender discrimination suit for $100 million. $80 million will go to women employees and contractors at Riot who worked there between 2014 and now. washingtonpost.com/video-games/20…
Originally, Riot agreed to settle the suit in 2019 for $10 million, but California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing intervened, arguing that victims should be entitled to $400 million.
Sep 10, 2021 • 18 tweets • 3 min read
Epic v. Apple verdict is out today, the judge ruled that Epic must pay Apple over $4 million at least and that Apple must allow developers to provide alternative payment methods. She wrote a nearly 200 page order explaining why, and here are some highlights. Thread 1/?
First off, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers writes that Epic described Apple as a monopoly. Apple argued that it competes in video games, where it's not monopolistic. The court disagrees with both — instead, it says the relevant market is digital mobile gaming transactions.
May 14, 2021 • 70 tweets • 11 min read
Day 10 of the Epic v. Apple trial starts in 15 minutes. Epic witness David Evans returns to the stand, followed by Berkeley Research Group director Ned Barnes, UCLA marketing/econ/stats professor Peter Rossi, and Harvard compsci professor James Mickens. Thread below:
There was some discussion before David Evans took the stand on how Epic and Apple can make their arguments clearer to Judge YGR (who says the experts haven't been that helpful). They're going to present the best arguments on May 24. Epic likely to finish its case by this Monday.
May 13, 2021 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
What's with naked Peely? How does it relate to Epic's claims Apple is running a monopoly and Apple's claims that it won't loosen App Store rules because it's protecting people from "inappropriate content? We dived in an analysis of Epic v. Apple's memes. washingtonpost.com/video-games/20…
Retweeting because the other tweet didn't show this marvelous graphic by @JoeMoore1984.
May 13, 2021 • 22 tweets • 3 min read
Day 9 of the Epic v. Apple trial kicks off in 25 minutes. We've got UPenn Wharton's operations professor Lorin Hitt taking the stand for Apple then Michael Cragg, chairman at The Brattle Group for Epic, and finally David Evans returns for Epic. Thread starts here:
Going to stream the new Teamfight Tactics set, Reckoning, starting at 7:30PM ET. Hyper Rolls only and we'll see how far I can climb. I'm honestly very tired so won't go on very late. If you have questions about Epic v. Apple feel free to drop in the chat: twitch.tv/shannonliao
hope to see you there!
May 7, 2021 • 35 tweets • 7 min read
Day 5 of the Epic Games v. Apple court trial in California kicks off at 11:15 AM ET. We're going to continue hearing from Apple's senior director of marketing, and two executives from Epic who oversee the Epic Games Store and marketing, respectively. Today's thread starts here:
So far, Apple's senior director of marketing Kosmynka is explaining why Roblox is allowed in the App Store while other games within a single app are not. I'm also (you might've guessed) working on a story at the moment, so will be tweeting summaries every hour or so.
May 6, 2021 • 10 tweets • 3 min read
Going to do one master thread for easy access to days 1 through x of the Epic v. Apple trial. Day one is here:
Day 4 of the Epic v. Apple trial starts at 11:15 AM ET again. First up, we'll hear from Epic head of online biz strategy Thomas Ko, senior director, then Apple's VP of the App Store Matthew Fischer and Apple's senior director of marketing Trystan Kosmynka.
If there's time, Epic has two VPs to call on as additional witnesses today: Epic Games Store general manager Steven Allison and marketing VP Matthew Weissinger.
May 5, 2021 • 34 tweets • 7 min read
Day 3 of the Epic v. Apple trial starts at 11:15 AM ET.
We're expecting to hear more from Nvidia's product management director Aashish Patel. Then Xbox biz development VP Lori Wright will take the stand, followed by Epic Games engineering fellow Andrew Grant.
First off, the press line sounded like someone dropped their phone into a washing machine. Joining the public dial-in today, seems that one is working. Info can be found here: cand.uscourts.gov/cases-e-filing…
May 4, 2021 • 23 tweets • 5 min read
It's Day 2 of the Epic Games v. Apple trial and I'm expecting to tune in for another sevenish hours today starting at 11:15AM ET, with a slight break in the middle for a call/lunch. Will thread observations here and link to coverage we publish today.
Judge thanked her court staff and said they will try to track how many people are tuning in, to make the case that there should be greater public access to federal proceedings. Dial-in info can be found here: cand.uscourts.gov/cases-e-filing…
May 3, 2021 • 37 tweets • 7 min read
For live updates on today's Epic Games v. Apple trial, you can follow along here and @ReedAlbergotti@LeaderGrev and I will be updating throughout the day. I'm already on the call which is set to kick off at 11:15 AM ET. washingtonpost.com/technology/202…
So far, the trial has run into technical difficulties and still hasn't started yet. (Although everyone on the public line appears to be muted now.)
