In the video games industry, the talent can usually be bigger than the brand itself. Companies would do their best to keep them around as long as possible just to stay relevant.
Such is the case of prolific virtual YouTuber (VTuber) Ironmouse, whose former talent agency needs to rethink its business decisions.
A Puerto Rican Twitch streamer, gamer, and singer, Ironmouse made her debut in 2017 and has been a founding member of USA-based VTuber talent agency VShojo. She has also been a prominent advocate for common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) and has done several charity livestreams for this cause.
So when VShojo and its higher-ups decided to take advantage of her fame and pressure up-and-coming talent to work for them under allegedly not-so-favourable terms, the company signed its own death warrant – especially when your brand relies heavily on a number of talents who are big enough to thrive on their own without being bogged down by an agency.
On July 21, Ironmouse left VShojo because she wasn’t paid what she was owed, and because the agency did not pay up the donations amassed for the recent Immune Deficiency Foundation. Ironmouse came out unscathed. Following this episode, a mass exodus of VTubers is taking place.
Short Beats
Nintendo and LEGO are teaming up to release the LEGO Game Boy for US$59.99. The build consists of 421 pieces, is size-accurate to the original Game Boy console back in the 90s, and will be out on Oct 1.
Sony has acquired a 2.5 per cent stake of Bandai Namco in a strategic partnership.
Microsoft is selling The Outer Worlds 2 for US$69.99 instead of US$80.
The Pokémon Company will be opening a PokePark Kanto theme park slated for next year. In addition, the upcoming Pokémon Legends: Z-A action role-playing game title will be out for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 on Oct 16.
Game studio Supermassive (Until Dawn, Dark Pictures) has laid off 36 employees as of late, and is delaying its sci-fi horror game Directive 8020 for an early 2026 release.
Julian LeFay, one of the creators of The Elder Scrolls series back in the 90s, has died due to cancer.
Op-Ed
We reviewed Wuchang: Fallen Feathers and Upin & Ipin Universe.
We also made an audio comparison of Street Fighter 2’s Sagat’s main theme, since his new Street Fighter 6 music just went public on YouTube.
Games Out This Week
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is a new hardcore action RPG that takes place in a fictionalised version of the Ming Dynasty. Deal with warring factions and fight monstrous creatures while sorting out the mysterious illness plaguing the land. The game is out for PC and consoles, though we suggest avoiding the PC version for now due to its bugs and instability.
BlazBlue: Entropy Effect is a 2D action game based on the BlazBlue fighting game franchise; it is now out for iOS and Android.
Monument Valley 3 is a new puzzle title from Ustwo Games, featuring isometric views and tons of creative challenges for the brain. Set sail for a world-changing adventure as you guide Noor in their quest through a series of mind-bending illusions and atmospheric puzzles. It’s out for PC and consoles.
Wildgate is a new PC player-versus-player multiplayer shooter that blends tactical ship-to-ship combat with fast-paced first-person action.
Killing Floor 3 is the third entry in the co-op action/horror first-person shooter franchise where you play rebel group Nightfall as you deal with bioengineered monsters called zeds.
Recommended Viewing
YouTuber OtherFrost has differing thoughts on Microsoft’s current one-Xbox-in-all-your-media-machines strategy.
The “Stop Destroying Videogames” initiative has received official accusations of violating EU rules. Here is a video debunking all the made-up evidence.
