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Day Zero Podcast

Day Zero Podcast

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Day Zero is a podcast on video games featuring Rahul Majumdar and Rishi Alwani breaking down the bytes and bits behind the decisions that make and break the world's greatest entertainment industry.

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  • The State of PlayStation 2026: Few PS5 Exclusives, Many PSN Hacks

    The State of PlayStation 2026: Few PS5 Exclusives, Many PSN Hacks
    May 31 2026
    This episode of the Day Zero Podcast is out earlier than expected simply because we wanted to discuss all things PlayStation before the big PS5 State of Play later in the week. In this episode, we dissect ongoing security concerns that plague PlayStation users which can essentially have your entire digital library taken away from you. Along with this we also talk about the ungodly pricing for PS5 hardware (which doesn’t need be given how much money the megacorp makes), the PlayStation retreat from PC which makes exclusives the norm at the cost of accessibility, and high PS Plus Subscription costs to name a few.It’s not all doom and gloom though, we also highlight some of the good the company is doing through its India Hero Project programme, which is, in our opinion, the gold standard in how indie game devs should be treated. Time stamps as follows:Introduction and Overview* 00:00:03: An overview of the “State of PlayStation” discussion.* 00:00:25: Summary of topics to be covered: PSN security, the state of exclusives, anti-consumer hardware pricing, and indie studio support.PlayStation Network (PSN) Security* 00:00:59: Discussion on reported PSN security vulnerabilities and account theft.* 00:01:21: Detailed account of games media personality Colin Moriarty’s account hack, including how hackers spoofed official support numbers.* 00:04:37: Insights into how easily hackers can gain access using rudimentary information, such as credit card receipts from restaurants.* 00:05:52: Discussion on the high value of early PSN accounts and Sony’s lack of public acknowledgement regarding these security issues.* 00:06:58: Recommended security measures for users, such as using 2FA authenticators and removing payment information from the store.Future Hardware and Digital Strategy* 00:13:29: Discussion on evidence of Sony’s next-gen plans, including two versions of the PS6 and a PS6 handheld.* 00:13:51: Analysis of the shift toward a digital-only ecosystem and the push for PS Plus and cloud streaming.* 00:15:32: Comparison with Nintendo’s handheld success and Valve’s Steam Deck.PlayStation Exclusives and PC Strategy* 00:17:52: News regarding major exclusives like Wolverine and Saros potentially no longer coming to PC.* 00:18:35: Critique of Sony’s “territorial” move regarding accessibility and the mixed success of previous PC ports like The Last of Us Part 1.* 00:26:52: Discussion of the ballooning budgets and labor costs of AAA development in North America.Sony Studio Management and Live Services* 00:28:12: Analysis of studio mismanagement, such as using Bluepoint for live service pitches and the cancellation of The Last of Us online project.* 00:31:04: Critique of the “Jim Ryan era” focus on live services and the waste of specialized single-player talent.* 00:31:31: Discussion of the Bungie acquisition, the end of support for Destiny 2, and the failure of Concord.Hardware Pricing and Indie Support* 00:36:43: Discussion on why PS5 hardware prices have remained high years after launch and the increase in PS Plus subscription costs.* 00:39:57: Overview of Sony’s positive work with the India Hero Project and other regional indie initiatives.* 00:41:14: Recognition of Shuhei Yoshida’s influence on the indie division and second-party deals for games like Kena: Bridge of Spirits.Favorite Games of First Half 2026* 00:44:05: Segment on the best games worth playing from the first half of 2026.* 00:44:11: Rahul’s highlights: Resident Evil 9 Requiem, Nioh 3, and Pragmata.* 00:47:37: Rishi’s highlights: Fishbowl, Dosa Divas, and War Drum.* 00:49:14: Discussion of other notable titles: Esoteric Ebb, Romeo as a Dead Man, and Forza Horizon 6.Conclusion* 00:50:36: A look ahead to upcoming releases like Phantom Blade Zero and Gears of War: E-Day.* 00:51:27: Final wrap-up and social media handles.Welcome to the Day Zero podcast. 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 - @rishialwani* Threads - @rishi.alwani* Instagram - @rishi.alwani* Twitter/X - @darthrahul* Threads - @darthrahul* Instagram - @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
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    52 min
  • Tencent’s India Strategy, PS Plus Price Hikes, and AC Black Flag Resynced Preview

    Tencent’s India Strategy, PS Plus Price Hikes, and AC Black Flag Resynced Preview
    May 28 2026
    Welcome to a special episode of Day Zero. With us this time around is friend of the show and editor-in-chief of Story Mode, Karan Pradhan to discuss Ubisoft’s upcoming remake of historical murder ‘em up, Assassin’s Creed 4 Black Flag. Rechristened as Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, he’s played a close to final build of the game in the run up to its July 9 release date. Be it Resynced’s faithfulness to the original (or lack thereof), comparisons to newer games like Assassin’s Creed Shadows or Ghost of Yotei, we got you covered.In addition to this, we also talk about Tencent’s India ambitions following its big event with the Indian government. Then again calling Tencent’s efforts here as ambitious is charitable given that the megacorp has committed a paltry USD 1 million over three years versus the likes of Krafton, Garena, Xbox, and PlayStation spending a whole lot more with a lot less noise.Along with this, the event had the Indian games industry’s lobbying for government funding into the sector (which is an exceptionally bad idea) which we touch upon as well.Finally, we dissect PlayStation’s price hike for its PS Plus subscriptions for IndiaWelcome to the Show and What to Expect* 00:00:03 – Welcome and host introductions (Rishi Alwani, Rahul Majumdar, and Karan Pradhan).* 00:00:25 – Overview of the episode’s main topics: Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, PlayStation Plus price hikes, and Tencent’s investment in India.Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced Preview* 00:01:03 – Karan discusses his hands-on preview at Ubisoft Pune.* 00:02:07 – Initial impressions: The game feels like a modern 2026 title rather than a simple remaster.* 00:03:10 – Discussion on controls and parkour mechanics, including changes to the sprint and jump buttons.* 00:05:11 – Confirmation that the modern-day sections are removed and replaced by the Animus Hub.* 00:06:31 – Analysis of moment-to-moment gameplay, planning missions, and the “insta-fail” eavesdropping missions.* 00:08:42 – Deep dive into combat mechanics, including parry windows, “ugly but effective” sword fighting, and comparisons to Ghost of Tsushima.* 00:10:02 – Discussion on the nature of preview events and how being “overpowered” in a demo can skew early opinions.* 00:13:08 – Technical details: Playing on high-end PCs, visual optimization, and the quality of water effects.* 00:15:41 – Gear and Progression: A shift from stat-based DPS to rewarding player skill and flare, plus the introduction of trinkets similar to Far Cry 6.* 00:18:23 – Tailing and Eavesdropping: How mission structures have been tweaked to be more fluid and less punishing than the original game.PlayStation Plus Price Hikes in India* 00:20:42 – Introduction to the subscription price increases in the Indian market.* 00:21:12 – Pricing Breakdown:* Essential: Increased from ₹4,000 to approximately ₹5,100 yearly.* Extra: Jumped from ₹6,700 to ₹8,700 yearly.* Deluxe: Increased from ₹7,600 to nearly ₹9,900 yearly.* 00:23:49 – Impact on accessibility and the “sweet spot” of the middle-tier subscription.* 00:25:12 – Discussion on cloud saves being “held hostage” and manual workarounds for backing up PS5 save files.* 00:27:31 – Strategic concerns regarding a surge in interest for jailbreaking consoles due to rising costs.* 00:28:31 – Comparison between PS Plus and Xbox Game Pass, focusing on library depth versus day-one releases.Tencent’s ₹100 Million Investment in India* 00:31:30 – Details of the MOU signed with the Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC) to develop India’s AVGC ecosystem.* 00:33:59 – Critique of the investment amount (approx. $1.2 million), noting it is relatively small compared to other industry players like Krafton.* 00:35:08 – Debate on whether the Indian government should provide grants for game development versus relying on venture capital.* 00:39:06 – Analysis of Tencent’s institutional approach to engaging with the government to prevent “overnight bans”.* 00:39:39 – “Hawkish” vs. “Dovish” views on Chinese corporate influence in creative outputs.* 00:41:02 – Rumours regarding Valorant Mobile being published by Tencent in India instead of Riot Games.What Have You Been Playing This Week?* 00:42:22 – Rahul: Saros (review), Mouse PI for Hire, and anticipation for Lego Batman and 007 First Light.* 00:43:30 – Karan: Zero Parades and initial impressions of Lego Batman.* 00:46:22 – Rishi: Thick as Thieves and Forza Horizon 6.Closing and Socials* 00:50:11 – Final notes on physical game pricing for 007 First Light and consumer advice for day-one purchases.* 00:50:50 – Where to find the hosts and their work (The Screen Zone, Story Mode)Welcome to 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...
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    52 min
  • Nintendo India Timeline, Krafton ChatGPT Drama, and Forza Horizon 6 Impressions

    Nintendo India Timeline, Krafton ChatGPT Drama, and Forza Horizon 6 Impressions
    May 20 2026
    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 and consulting.* (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.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 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, mentioning their support for games like Raji and interactions at the India Game Show.* (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 ...
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    41 min
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