We talk about how PC game hardware increases might also stretch the game biz in similar ways to console, discuss how Xbox and PlayStation are in some ways getting 'less multiplatform' - or at least signaling that they are. And we also look at some great points from Arrowhead's CEO and chat about August's top new PC & console games.
Join Simon Carless & Chris Plante in the latest GameDiscoverCo Show as they look at these questions and more. Mentioned in this episode:
We often reference console hardware price hikes, but how about PC? PC Gamer helps us understand: “Before the memory crisis, there was quite an abundance of RTX 5060 gaming PCs… [as low as] $749… these days you're looking at almost $1,000 for the same thing, and that's if you're lucky.” (PCs can be upgraded more modularly, but..) https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/gaming-pcs/ive-checked-gaming-pc-deals-every-week-for-two-years-and-im-not-exaggerating-when-i-say-there-isnt-a-single-well-priced-pc-left/
Two story combo on companies getting 'less multiplatform': After signaling it would, Xbox is cutting out other platforms from trailers on the Xbox YouTube channel, with no mentions of the non-Xbox SKUs for Minecraft Dungeons II: https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2026/08/xbox-heard-you-purges-ps5-logos-from-multiformat-game-trailers + PlayStation’s latest State Of Play streaming showcase had a reveal or two, and lots of third-party multiplatform games. But it was mainly interesting re: showing first-party titles/DLC (Marvel’s Wolverine, Gran Turismo 7, Until Dawn 2, Saros, Ghost of Yotei) that we suspect won’t be on PC or Steam soon: https://thisweekinvideogames.com/news/playstation-state-of-play-september-2026-all-the-announcements-and-trailers/
Some smart points in this interview with Arrowhead (Helldivers 2) CEO Shams Jorjani. #1: “The only thing that really, really mitigates risk… is brand and recognisability.” #2: for new games, even as a bigger studio, they’ll be “putting it in the hands of players right away - as soon as possible.” https://www.gamesindustry.biz/the-things-that-we-based-our-assumptions-on-have-changed-fundamentally-arrowhead-ceo-shams-jorjani-on-the-games-industrys-rapid-transformation
August's top new PC/console games revealed by GameDiscoverCo - https://newsletter.gamediscover.co/i/213900042/aug-2026s-top-new-pcconsole-games-revealed - 'The 2x million sellers? Less expensive friendslop-adjacents: the absolute smash, albeit at USD $5-$7, was the Landfall-backed ‘fish & then shoot ‘em’ How To Fish, which we have at >6.3m units (!) And the $15-$20 linear co-op hit Big Walk, which we talked about, we’ve got at >1.6m on Steam alone in August. (Not bad.)' (And lots more info...)
Also discussed: last week and this week's new Steam releases, and Chris' surprise question of the week for Simon.
