Day Zero Podcast

Nintendo India Timeline, Krafton ChatGPT Drama, and Forza Horizon 6 Impressions

It’s been a hot minute since the last episode of Day Zero, which we’ve been told, broke certain parts of the internet due to our reporting on all things Nintendo in India. For those of you that tuned in, subscribed, and reached out — thank you for supporting independent media. And for those of you that shamelessly stole our work without crediting it us for clout — may you be blessed with the sound of nails on chalkboards between your ears for all eternity. With that out of the way, this episode has us answering all your questions regarding Nintendo’s India entry. Along with this we also break down the company’s recent history of attempts to enter the country, its relationship with Indian developers, and discuss the surprisingly vibrant and vocal Nintendo India community. We also examine the subscription numbers for PlayStation Plus and Xbox Game Pass in India too. Furthermore, Subnautica 2 finds itself in the spotlight. Amidst a decline in the battle royale genre that Krafton itself pioneered and a CEO that’s more clanker than human — to the point of disregarding human legal advice in favour of ChatGPT leading to an embarrassing lawsuit with Subnautica 2’s developers — there’s joy to be had in the Korean megacorp’s comeuppance. Finally we discuss Xbox’s critical and commercial masterpiece that is Forza Horizon 6 in addition to what we played this week, including Dead As Disco. Time stamps as follows: Welcome to the Show, Here’s Why You Should Listen * (00:00:03): Introduction to episode 25 of the DayZero Podcast with hosts Rishi Alwani and Rahul Majumdar. * (00:00:13): Rishi’s career history, including his time as a games journalist at NDTV, IGN India, and his current work with games business newsletter [https://0451games.substack.com] and consulting [https://linktr.ee/0451games]. * (00:01:43): Rahul’s career history, including running the site TechQuila, working at IGN India and GLHF, his experience in the Indian film industry, and his current site, The Screen Zone [https://thescreenzone.com]. Nintendo’s Arrival in India * (00:03:45): Initial discussion on Nintendo officially entering the Indian market. * (00:04:32): History of Nintendo in India, specifically how consoles like the Wii and Switch have been available for years through the grey and parallel markets. * (00:06:30): Piracy vs. Spending Power, addressing the audience that chooses to spend on entertainment and the convenience of digital subscriptions like Nintendo Switch Online. * (00:07:34): The Indian Nintendo Community, highlighting the Super Smash Bros. scene [https://web.archive.org/web/20200615215814/https://themakoreactor.com/featured/nintendo-switch-india-story-price-warranty-sales-launch-super-smash-bros-game-development/10893/] and international representation. * (00:08:03): Comparisons to Sony’s PS2 strategy, discussing why Nintendo might launch the Switch 1 late in India. * (00:10:51): Logistics of the launch, including potential partnerships (Redington), the importance of the eShop, and after-sales service/warranties. * (00:12:30): Nintendo’s relationship with Indian developers [https://www.gadgets360.com/games/news/nintendo-switch-made-in-india-games-1802345], mentioning their support for games like Raji and interactions at the India Game Show [https://0451games.substack.com/p/nintendo-switch-2-india-price-analysis]. * (00:14:23): Manufacturing and BIS certification, discussing the possibility of local assembly and the hurdles of the Bureau of Indian Standards process. * (00:15:25): Broader state of the Indian gaming market, covering the dominance of PlayStation, PC gaming trends (laptops with 3050/4050 cards), and the small Xbox user base. * (00:17:09): Spending habits and the second-hand market, explaining the popularity of physical games due to resale value. * (00:18:49): Nintendo’s transmedia push, discussing how movies like Super Mario Bros. and the upcoming Zelda film factor into their expansion. * (00:20:26): Subscription numbers in India, estimating 100K-110K Game Pass subs and roughly 500K PlayStation Plus subscribers. Subnautica 2 and Krafton Controversy * (00:22:27): Overview of Subnautica 2’s successful early release and the drama involving studio Unknown Worlds and its parent company, Krafton. * (00:22:57): Hostile takeover attempt, detailing how the Krafton CEO allegedly used ChatGPT to consult on business decisions and tried to “kneecap” the studio to avoid paying a $250 million bonus. * (00:27:32): The state of the Battle Royale genre, noting its decline outside of mobile-heavy markets like India and China. Forza Horizon 6 * (00:31:07): Impressions of Forza Horizon 6, including performance on gaming laptops and the Xbox handheld (ROG Xbox Ally X), plus a weird launch bug requiring an “Alt-Tab”. * (00:31:34): Indian pricing concerns, comparing the high cost of Forza Horizon 6 (₹5,499) to Forza Horizon 5 (₹3,299) and the lack of a physical Xbox release. * (00:32:59): The “Fable Engine” debate, debunking the idea that Forza’s high optimisation automatically means the upcoming Fable game will run well on mid-range hardware. Games Played This Week * (00:37:00): Game of Thrones: King’s Road, an action RPG from Netmarble currently unavailable in India on certain platforms. * (00:38:13): Dead As Disco, with impressions of its “Arkham-style” combat and Suda 51-esque vibe. * (00:40:17): Replaced, a brief mention of picking up the game. Closing * (00:40:23): Social media handles and sign-off. Every week we break down the bytes and bits behind the decisions that make and break the world’s greatest entertainment industry in the Day Zero Podcast. Have a request? Hot take? Insider tip? Reach us at the handles mentioned below: * Twitter/X [https://x.com/RishiAlwani] - @rishialwani * Threads [https://www.threads.com/@rishi.alwani] - @rishi.alwani * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/rishi.alwani/]- @rishi.alwani * Twitter/X [https://x.com/darthrahul] - @darthrahul * Threads [https://www.threads.com/@darthrahul] - @darthrahul * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/darthrahul/] - @darthrahul This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dayzeromedia.substack.com [https://dayzeromedia.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Nintendo India Switch Launch Plans, Rockstar GTA 6 Crunch and the Mixtape "Controversy"

Another week, another reason for GTA 6 to be in the news cycle. And like every generational pairing, be it peanut butter and chocolate, America and oil, or AI and circular funding, a Rockstar-developed game and crunch is one you can definitely count on. In this episode of the Day Zero podcast we discuss rumours of Rockstar’s India team crunching to meet the GTA 6 release date along with taking an “insider” to task for confusing a company with a long history of mismanagement as an “Indian work culture issue” [https://x.com/RishiAlwani/status/2053198106066628620?s=20]. Along with this we talk about Nintendo’s imminent India arrival. Potential timelines, release dates, prices, and what to expect (spoiler: not the Nintendo Switch 2 it seems) are all laid bare complete with our thoughts on the company’s belated India return. Also, we weigh in on the controversy surrounding Mixtape, the latest game from indie publishing powerhouse Annapurna Interactive. Like most things in life, this too seems exaggerated by a set of grifters. Finally we round things off with what we’ve been playing this week, namely: Forza Horizon 6, Pragmata, Saros, and Mixtape. Time stamps as follows: Introduction and Overview * 00:00:11 – Overview of the episode’s main topics: GTA crunch, Nintendo’s India plans, and the Mixtape indie game controversy. GTA 6, Rockstar India, and Industry Crunch * 00:00:36 – Discussion begins regarding Glassdoor reviews of Rockstar Bengaluru alleging intense crunch (3am work hours). * 00:01:00 – Reaction to claims by “insider” Kiwi Talkz that crunch is simply “normal day-to-day work in India”. * 00:01:33 – Refutes the claim that extreme crunch is the standard across the Indian games industry. * 00:02:16 – Contextualising Rockstar’s history of crunch, specifically during the development of Red Dead Redemption 2. * 00:03:19 – Confirming that crunch is happening on GTA 6 and discussing how Rockstar has “exported” the problem to countries with less games journalism oversight. GTA 6 Release and PS5 Bundles * 00:04:37 – Discussion on the projected November release and a potential PS5 bundle. * 00:05:10 – Updates on PS5 supply issues in India and expected price hikes for the disc and digital versions. * 00:06:50 – Analyzing the “worst of both worlds” where US crunch culture meets Indian entertainment industry work habits. * 00:07:57 – Personal anecdotes about crunch in gaming journalism and the impact of the lack of specialized talent in India. Nintendo’s Official India Entry Plans * 00:10:02 – Introduction of the rumor regarding Nintendo officially launching in India. * 00:10:20 – Details on the planned launch: early next year at a price point of approximately 20,000 rupees. * 00:10:33 – Clarification that this launch is for the Switch 1, likely the base model, not the Switch 2. * 00:11:14 – Discussion on distribution, with Redington named as the likely partner. * 00:12:12 – Targeted launch window of February or March and details on the Nintendo India team. * 00:13:06 – Discussion on the “weird decision” to launch a 10-year-old console and how it compares to current grey market prices. * 00:15:44 – The challenge of brand awareness in India and how consumers want to be treated as “first-class citizens” regarding global release dates. * 00:17:38 – The hurdle of piracy and the potential “big win” for Nintendo’s IP like Pokemon and Zelda. The Mixtape “Controversy” and Online Discourse * 00:18:16 – Transition to discussing the indie game Mixtape. * 00:18:50 – Contrasting the game’s critical acclaim (including 10/10 scores) with the “culture war” attacks it has faced online. * 00:19:59 – Evidence of review bombing on Steam and the debate over “games as art” vs. traditional gameplay. * 00:22:33 – Personal impressions of the game. * 00:24:43 – Addressing the controversy surrounding Annapurna’s ownership and their connection to AI and surveillance. * 00:27:52 – Analysing the backlash to the IGN 10/10 review and the general misunderstanding of how media outlets review games. * 00:30:09 – Discussion on the harassment of journalists, such as Gene Park, following positive coverage of the game. What We’re Playing This Week * 00:31:04 – Rahul discusses finishing Pragmata, noting its short length and Resident Evil-style progression. * 00:32:25 – Rahul shares his experience with Saros, comparing its difficulty and accessibility to Returnal. * 00:34:41 – Rishi discusses playing Forza Horizon 6 on PC and checking out Mixtape and Saros. Outro * 00:35:22 – Social media handles and sign-off. This is the Day Zero podcast. Every week we break down the bytes and bits behind the decisions that make and break the world’s greatest entertainment industry. Have a request? Hot take? Insider tip? Reach us at the handles mentioned below: * Twitter/X [https://x.com/RishiAlwani] - @rishialwani * Threads [https://www.threads.com/@rishi.alwani] - @rishi.alwani * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/rishi.alwani/]- @rishi.alwani * Twitter/X [https://x.com/darthrahul] - @darthrahul * Threads [https://www.threads.com/@darthrahul] - @darthrahul * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/darthrahul/] - @darthrahul This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dayzeromedia.substack.com [https://dayzeromedia.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Saros PS5 Review, Valve's $100 Steam Controller, and May's Massive Game Releases

Another week, another episode. This time we’re focusing on Valve’s latest hardware drop: the new Steam Controller. It’s been a hot minute since the House Gaben built released its first-generation Steam Controller, only to be discontinued four years later. Fast-forward to now and the company’s second stab at it might be its most promising yet. We also discuss how you could get your hands on it if you aren’t living in a market Valve is selling the new Steam Controller in like India. Along with this, we discuss PS5 exclusive Saros’ gameplay chops and the early commercial response to it thus far, May Madness — our term for the veritable deluge of gaming goodness hitting shelves digital and physical this month such as 007 First Light, Dead as Disco, Thick as Thieves, and Forza Horizon 6, and Xbox’s revenue from games making it to the PS5 courtesy Alinea Analytics [https://alineaanalytics.substack.com/p/which-xbox-games-have-sold-over-100k]. Finally, we round off the episode with what we’ve been playing this week. Namely Crimson Desert, Pragmata, and Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred. Time stamps as follows: Introduction and Overview * (00:00:00): High-level overview of topics: Steam Controller, Saros, and the May Madness of game releases. Valve’s New Steam Controller * (00:00:31): Initial impressions and discussion of the $100 price tag. * (00:01:21): Hardware features, including dual trackpads and new TMR analog sticks to reduce stick drift. * (00:01:46): Discussion on software limitations, specifically that it only works natively through Steam without workarounds. * (00:03:34): Challenges of buying Valve hardware to India, including grey market imports and lack of official distribution. * (00:09:03): Speculation on future “Steam Machines” from third-party manufacturers like Asus and HP. Saros Deep Dive * (00:11:01): Introduction to Saros, the spiritual successor to Returnal by Housemarque. * (00:11:53): Impressions of the Saros haptic feedback and sound design on the DualSense controller. * (00:12:40): Comparison to other roguelikes like Hades regarding permanent progression and difficulty. * (00:13:30): Breakdown of new gameplay mechanics: shields, movement speed, and the Eclipse risk/reward loop. * (00:18:10): Analysis of the game’s sales performance and marketing in India,. Every Video Game You Should Care About in May 2026 * (00:19:21): Overview of the major titles releasing in May. * (00:20:22): Forza Horizon 6: Discussion on its Day 1 release on PS5. * (00:20:44): Lego Batman: How it differs from the Arkham series with a populated open-world Gotham. * (00:22:16): Thick as Thieves: Excitement for the new game from immersive sim veteran Warren Spector. * (00:23:06): Dead as Disco: A viral rhythm-based brawler entering early access. * (00:23:38): Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Discussion on the upcoming Switch port. * (00:25:11): Other notable mentions: Zero Parades for Dead Spies, Paralives, and Romestead. Xbox Game Sales on PS5 * (00:25:40): Breakdown of sales data from Alinea Analytics, highlighting that Forza Horizon 5 has sold 5.8 million units on PlayStation. * (00:26:49): The total gross revenue for the 13 analyzed titles reaching $667 million. What We’re Playing This Week * (00:28:01): Rahul’s progress in Pragmata via GeForce Now. * (00:28:20): Updates on Crimson Desert and its frequent patching. * (00:29:55): Rishi’s thoughts on Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred and its “MCU-style” story. Closing and Giveaway * (00:31:21): Housekeeping and announcement of the Marathon Controller winner. * (00:31:41): Social media handles and sign-off. This is Day Zero, a podcast is about video games breaking down the bytes and bits behind the decisions that make and break the world’s greatest entertainment industry. Have a request? Hot take? Insider tip? Reach us at the handles mentioned below: * Twitter/X [https://x.com/RishiAlwani] - @rishialwani * Threads [https://www.threads.com/@rishi.alwani] - @rishi.alwani * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/rishi.alwani/]- @rishi.alwani * Twitter/X [https://x.com/darthrahul] - @darthrahul * Threads [https://www.threads.com/@darthrahul] - @darthrahul * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/darthrahul/] - @darthrahul This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dayzeromedia.substack.com [https://dayzeromedia.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Is PlayStation Turning Into Xbox With Its DRM Screw Ups?

Xbox promises a return to form with a chatty new memo while PlayStation’s silence suggests a heel turn no one wanted or asked for. All while Pragmata and Saros have us feeling that video games, unlike the industry that makes them, are alright actually. It’s been a loaded week in the games business and we’re here to break it all down. Unlike most of our usual episodes that focus on a single topic, there’s a lot to unpack this time around so we got timestamps for your perusal. Xbox Strategy — or Lack Thereof * 00:01:00 – The Xbox memo: We break down Asha Sharma’s leaked-and-then-revealed memo on the future of Xbox. * 00:02:08 – The “Northstar” metric: Xbox identifies daily active players as their primary metric for success. Not the first time engagement became a cornerstone metric. Some of us are old enough to remember it first introduced in 2015 [https://www.geekwire.com/2015/microsoft-stops-reporting-xbox-console-unit-sales-shifting-focus-to-xbox-live-active-users/#:~:text=Microsoft%20Photo,Xbox%20team%20about%20the%20change.]. * 00:03:08 – Hardware priorities: Xbox Series X|S plans ahead of a Project Helix launch. * 00:04:37 – Game Pass price drops: Apparent efforts to lower the cost of Xbox Game Pass and why it’s a bizarre idea at this point. * 00:06:09 – Global distribution critique: We berate the Xbox’s lack of hardware availability in India, Asia, and the Middle East amidst a memo that calls for more console hardware focus. * 00:08:52 – Feature Deprecation: Criticism over the removal of Xbox social features like Clubs. * 00:10:00 – Mobile storefront rumours: Discussion on potential plans for a mobile APK storefront. * 00:10:53 – State of Halo: Analysis of the management and current status of the Halo franchise. * 00:12:31 – Personal Xbox Series X experiences: Rishi explains why he has owned three different Xbox Series X consoles this generation. * 00:14:50 – Next-Gen OEM partnerships: Rumours regarding third-party partners like ASUS manufacturing Helix-based hardware. * 00:17:22 – Corporate culture: It’s wild how much heavy-lifting the memo does in terms of making Xbox cosplay as a startup rather than a subsidiary of a megacorp. * 00:19:39 – Call of Duty profitability: We parse through the strategic decision to remove Call of Duty from Game Pass to protect retail sales. PS5 DRM and What Could Happen Next * 00:31:52 – PS5 DRM: Details on the 30-day login requirement for digital purchases on PS4 and PS5. * 00:36:34 – The Crew 2 offline mode: Ubisoft’s response to the Stop Killing Games community initiative via the EU regarding live service games. Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced: Everything We Know So Far * 00:37:39 – Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag Resynced: Official announcement and details of the remake. * 00:40:54 – Assassin’s Creed roadmap: Discussion on Shadows, Hexe, and the rumored AC1 remake. * 00:43:16 – Gameplay overhaul: Improvements to stealth, tailing missions, and ship customisation. * 00:45:38 – Pricing & Indian retail: Details on the 4,999 INR price point and the legitimacy of the steelbook offer at Games The Shop. Pragmata, Saros, and the End * 00:47:37 – Pragmata: Rahul discusses playing Capcom’s Pragmata via GeForce Now. * 00:50:15 – Saros: Rishi reviews Housemarque’s spiritual successor to Returnal, featuring actor Rahul Kohli. * 00:52:48 – Saros mechanics: A look at the laser-focused gameplay and DualSense haptic feedback. * 00:57:05 – Outro & Giveaway: Information on the Marathon controller giveaway and closing out the podcast. Welcome to Day Zero. This podcast is about video games breaking down the bytes and bits behind the decisions that make and break the world’s greatest entertainment industry. Have a request? Hot take? Insider tip? Reach us at the handles mentioned below: * Twitter/X [https://x.com/RishiAlwani] - @rishialwani * Threads [https://www.threads.com/@rishi.alwani] - @rishi.alwani * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/rishi.alwani/]- @rishi.alwani * Twitter/X [https://x.com/darthrahul] - @darthrahul * Threads [https://www.threads.com/@darthrahul] - @darthrahul * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/darthrahul/] - @darthrahul This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dayzeromedia.substack.com [https://dayzeromedia.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Is Nvidia’s GeForce Now India Launch the Right Compromise—or Just More Friction? We Review.

After a solid press event a few months ago, Nvidia finally lifted the lid on its GeForce Now streaming service India release. Following a couple of weeks of media previews, players can check it out from April 16 onwards in early access. In this episode of the Day Zero Podcast, we discuss our thoughts on GeForce Now after trying it out pre-release across a host of devices ranging from TVs to Steam Decks and a smartphone or two. We also discuss the state of the games business in India what with resurgent PS5 and Nintendo Switch (yes, Switch, not Switch 2) sales. Furthermore, we also address the RTX 5090-sized elephant in the room — if renting high-speed, performant servers [https://thescreenzone.com/blog/nvidia-geforce-now-india-cloud-game-streaming-review/] to stream video games is all GeForce Now is, and if you still have to buy your own games — who is it really for in a market that’s dominated by free-to-play mobile games [https://0451games.substack.com/p/indian-esports-is-a-tale-of-two-games] and value-conscious spenders [https://0451games.substack.com/p/nvidia-geforce-now-price-release-date-ps5-sales-nintendo-switch]? Finally, we discuss what we’ve been playing this week, including Pragmata, Dosa Divas, and to no one’s surprise, Starfield. This is Day Zero. It is a podcast on video games breaking down the bytes and bits behind the decisions that make and break the world’s greatest entertainment industry. Day Zero is hosted by Rahul Majumdar [https://substack.com/@darthrahul] and Rishi Alwani [https://substack.com/@0451games]. We’d love to hear your objectively good takes — they surely can’t be worse than some of ours. Find us with yours at the handles below: * Twitter/X [https://x.com/RishiAlwani] - @RishiAlwani * Threads [https://www.threads.com/@rishi.alwani] - @rishi.alwani * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/rishi.alwani/]- @rishi.alwani * Twitter/X [https://x.com/darthrahul] - @darthrahul * Threads [https://www.threads.com/@darthrahul] - @darthrahul * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/darthrahul/] - @darthrahul This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dayzeromedia.substack.com [https://dayzeromedia.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]