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Day Zero Podcast

Day Zero Podcast

By: Day Zero
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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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Episodes
  • Steam Update: How Indie Devs Survive the New Algorithm & Wishlist Velocity

    Steam Update: How Indie Devs Survive the New Algorithm & Wishlist Velocity
    Jun 23 2026
    While Summer Game Fest brought with it a stellar line up of games reminiscent of the best days of E3, Valve dropped what’s likely the most consequential update for game developers in recent memory. After being in beta for a few months, the Company that Can’t Count to Three revealed a Steam store refresh that changes how industry conducts business on the biggest storefront for PC games.For this special episode of Day Zero, we have Lokesh Joshi, marketing lead at Tathvamasi Studios, the developers behind Suri: The Seventh Note, an upcoming PlayStation India Hero Project game for PS5 and PC. Disclosure: Day Zero podcast host Rishi Alwani has consulted with the studio in the past.From the personal calendar coming in clutch closer to release date for some publishers (such as Loopr Partners who were generous enough to let us talk about Zombutcher as a current case study) to harnessing wishlist velocity and timing the right release date, we got you covered. Time stamps as follows.Introduction and Guest Welcome* 00:00:03: Host Rishi Alwani introduces the episode and guests: Rahul and Lokesh Joshi (marketing lead of Tathvamasi Studios).* 00:00:52: Introduction to the main topic: Big changes and updates to Steam.The Steam Client Refresh (June 5th Update)* 00:01:32: Overview of the June 5th update, including UI changes and backend management for developers.* 00:01:54: Details on the new homepage, featured section, and general usability improvements.* 00:01:59: Introduction of the personal calendar feature for players to track release dates and wishlist games directly.* 00:03:07: Changes to the “Popular Upcoming” algorithm, requiring higher wishlist counts to appear on the list.Impact on Wishlists and Discovery* 00:04:12: How the personal calendar affects niche genres by recommending games based on user taste.* 00:04:30: Speculation on whether wishlists are still the primary metric for success.* 00:05:21: Discussion on how the calendar might help developers acquire “meaningful wishlists” with higher conversion rates.* 00:07:12: The concept of “Wishlist Velocity”—the importance of recent wishlists over older ones.* 00:08:05: Setting context on the “previous meta” where wishlists were the sole driver of visibility and funding.* 00:10:53: Identifying the bottleneck for developers: the requirement of a hard release date to appear on the personal calendar.Platforms and Visibility Case Studies* 00:14:25: Case study of the game Zombutcher and how the Steam update affected its launch visibility.* 00:15:58: The role of Steam Next Fest as a source of free visibility for indie developers.* 00:18:04: Comparison of developer support between Steam and PlayStation, highlighting Sony’s YouTube slots and blog posts.* 00:23:24: Discussion on Steam’s algorithmic nature compared to PlayStation’s storefront.Marketing Strategies for Indie Developers* 00:24:18: The importance of community building and organic content.* 00:24:32: Leveraging Instagram Reels for wide reach and using Reddit for organic feedback.* 00:27:53: Utilising Twitter for the indie community, specifically “Screenshot Saturday”.* 00:29:18: Advice on paid advertising: Don’t do it until you have a playable demo.* 00:31:46: Examples of “gold standard” social media accounts, including No Man’s Sky and Among Us.* 00:32:50: Using Steamworks data to track impressions, conversion rates, and “wishlist deletions”.* 00:35:14: Tips for standing out during Next Fest, including working with content creators and using the Tagging Wizard.* 00:40:40: A reminder that product quality and QA are more important than marketing efforts.What We’re Playing This Week* 00:41:08: Lokesh discusses playing Space Marine 2.* 00:41:44: Rahul discusses the demo for 1666 Amsterdam and the backstory of creator Patrice Desilets and Ubisoft.* 00:44:16: Rahul discusses Echoes of Aincrad (a Sword Art Online title).* 00:46:15: Rahul discusses Valor Mortis, a first-person French “souls-like” set in the Napoleonic era.* 00:49:16: Rishi discusses playing Dishonored 2 and his frustrations with the pacing of Alan Wake 2.Closing and Recommendations* 00:50:31: Final recommendations for games to wishlist: Suri: The Seventh Note, Zombutcher, and Arms Dealer.* 00:51:25: Outro and where to find the hosts and guests on social media.Welcome to Day Zero. This is a podcast 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:* Linkedin - Lokesh Joshi* Instagram - @Lokesh Joshi* 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 mins
  • The Xbox Reset: Analysing Asha Sharma and Satya Nadella’s Strategic Turnaround

    The Xbox Reset: Analysing Asha Sharma and Satya Nadella’s Strategic Turnaround
    Jun 17 2026
    At this point we might as well call this the Xbox Podcast rather than Day Zero what with the sheer number of times we’ve had to discuss the platform’s ups and downs on the podcast. After a successful Summer Game Fest showcase, it appears that Microsoft realises that a paltry three percent margin isn’t enough to run the Xbox business and cuts are afoot. To the point where not only did Xbox CEO Asha Sharma surface the business margins publicly, but Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella called out that Xbox makes more money from YouTube than games. Yikes.In this episode we discuss what to expect from the House of Halo. As well as highlight one of the cooler indie games out of India, Malhaar. It’s a slice-of-life RPG that warrants a wishlist or 20.Time stamps as follows. Xbox Leadership and Initial Reset (February – May 2026)* 00:01:04: Introduction to Asha Sharma’s timeline starting from her joining as Xbox CEO in February 2026.* 00:01:18: Asha Sharma’s first internal memo prioritising human art over “AI slop”.* 00:01:33: Leadership overhaul, including Matt Booty’s promotion to Chief Content Officer.* 00:01:43: Strategic realignment with the hiring of Matt Ball as Chief Strategy Officer.* 00:01:49: Shift in success metrics from Game Pass subscriber counts to Daily Active Users (DAU).* 00:02:03: Rebrand of “Microsoft Gaming” to “XBOX” in all caps.* 00:02:18: Internal discussions regarding the return of console exclusivity.Major Announcements and Fiscal Transparency (June 2026)* 00:02:34: Asha Sharma’s major Bloomberg interview discussing an internal reset and reaching players across all platforms.* 00:02:48: Global price decrease for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.* 00:02:53: Leaks regarding the next-gen hardware codename, Project Helix.* 00:03:05: Xbox Fan Fest highlights, including the translucent green Xbox and announcements for Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution.* 00:04:04: Detailed breakdown of Asha Sharma’s memo regarding a three percent accountability margin and a half-billion-dollar revenue decline over five years.* 00:05:20: Critique of the “toxic positivity” of previous management (Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond) compared to Sharma’s transparency.* 00:06:11: Analysis of the unsustainability of the Game Pass model and the difficulties of keeping publishers happy in a subscription service.Strategic Challenges and Future Revenue Models* 00:09:40: Matt Ball’s comments to The Game Business regarding the challenges facing the company.* 00:10:27: Discussion on the failed “This is an Xbox” campaign and the lack of a clear reason to buy a $500–$650 console.* 00:12:10: Exploration of potential revenue streams, including ad-supported tiers similar to Netflix and Prime Video.* 00:14:07: Identification of the target audience for these executive statements: investors and VCs rather than gamers.* 00:16:10: The expansion of the Xbox Game Studio Store and physical merchandise (e.g. Halo: Campaign Evolved and Fable Collector’s Editions),.Satya Nadella’s “Hard Fork” Interview and Structural Changes* 00:18:27: Detailed look at Satya Nadella’s interview with the Hard Fork podcast.* 00:19:02: Nadella’s “nuke”: Asserting that Xbox must become a sustainable business after 25 years of investment.* 00:19:34: Nadella’s admission that Microsoft has been subsidising entertainment, noting that monetisation is happening more on YouTube than on Microsoft platforms,.* 00:21:00: Rumours from The Information regarding spinning off the Halo franchise to external studios.* 00:21:32: Criticism of Microsoft’s failure to capitalise on the success of the Fallout and Halo TV shows with timely game releases.* 00:24:52: Concerns over the loss of institutional knowledge following the closures of studios like Arkane Austin.Hardware Future and Developer Impact* 00:25:46: Disclosure of A-B testing showing that pushing individual games sometimes performs better than pushing Game Pass.* 00:27:42: Potential risks to the Developer Acceleration Program (XDAP) and funding for developers in regions like India and Southeast Asia,.* 00:29:03: Discussion on rising component prices (up to 5x–7x).* 00:29:56: Estimated timeline for Project Helix hardware (late 2027 or early 2028).* 00:30:18: The possibility of Xbox moving to a reference design model, allowing third-party OEMs (like ASUS or HP) to build Xbox consoles.* 00:32:02: Rumours of over 1,000 layoffs planned for July 2026, specifically targeting marketing and regional teams.* 00:33:30: Mention of the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X20 announcement.* 00:34:55: Final thoughts on Xbox entering its “Dreamcast era”.* 00:35:21: Wishlist callout for Indian indie game, Malhaar and wrap-up.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 the handles mentioned below:* Twitter/X - @rishialwani* ...
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    36 mins
  • Why FF7 Revelation, GoW Laufey, & Xbox Exclusives Won Summer Game Fest

    Why FF7 Revelation, GoW Laufey, & Xbox Exclusives Won Summer Game Fest
    Jun 11 2026
    E3 is dead only in name. The Summer Game Fest has embodied the spirit of what used to be the convergence of the video games industry. And while everyone and their grandma’s cat has given a blow-by-blow account of what was, this episode of Day Zero takes a slightly different approach. We discuss what we believe are the biggest announcements from the week that was the Summer Game Fest. From Sony’s State of Play to Xbox’s exercise in exclusivity and even a sterling third-party showing from the likes of Capcom, Square Enix, and Sega, there’s a lot to unpack. And despite rising hardware prices and dubious decision-making, there’s some gaming goodness yet to be had this year.Bear in mind this was recorded before the Nintendo Direct or Microsoft’s ongoing public relations disaster that is its Xbox leadership. We’ll probably touch on those next week. Oh and if you were expecting us to opine on the India Game Showcase, we explain why we don’t in the first minute or so. Time stamps as follows:Introduction and Overview* (00:00:03): Welcome and introduction by hosts Rishi Alwani and Rahul Majumdar.* (00:01:04): Analysis of Sony’s State of Play (or what the hosts argue should be called a “PlayStation Showcase”).* (00:01:55): Discussion of major Sony first-party showings: Wolverine, Until Dawn 2, and God of War: Laufey.* (00:02:40): Commentary on missing Sony announcements like Fairgames (potentially renamed Break In) and the focus on Marathon Season 2.* (00:03:05): Analysis of the slump in exclusive sales and the unsustainable cost of game development.* (00:04:31): Frustration over the high pricing of PS5 consoles in India, which have reached 80k–90k INR ($800–$900) at exclusive stores in 2026.Xbox Strategy & Messaging* (00:06:03): Transition to Xbox’s “exclusive pivots” and confusing messaging.* (00:06:35): Comparison of exclusivity stances: Gears of War: E-Day remaining exclusive while Halo Campaign Evolved is announced for PS5.* (00:10:12): A historical look at Xbox’s 25-year relationship with exclusivity, noting that major IPs like Halo and Fable have historically been ported to PC.* (00:12:28): Discussion on the difficulty of buying Xbox hardware in India and the reliance on the used market.* (00:13:10): Reaction to strategist Matthew Ball’s admission that Game Pass lost millions of subscribers after price hikes.* (00:13:25): Critique of new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma and the narrative surrounding her “first 100 days”.* (00:15:24): Surprise announcement of Senua coming to PS5.* (00:20:55): Announcement of 25th Anniversary Xbox Series X and controller in translucent green.Summer Game Fest Highlights* (00:22:52): Deep dive into Final Fantasy VII Revelation, including its use of Unreal Engine 4 and its simultaneous multi-platform release.* (00:24:50): Note on Travis Willingham replacing Tyler Hoechlin as the voice of Sephiroth.* (00:27:47): Technical discussion of Gears of War: E-Day, highlighting new movement mechanics (manual jump, prone cover) and ray-traced global illumination.* (00:32:52): Highlight of the Thief Remaster from Night Dive Studios, expected at the end of 2026.* (00:34:09): Discussion of God of War: Laufey, confirming it is a side-narrative taking place concurrently with the 2018 and Ragnarok titles.Final Segment: What We’re Playing* (00:42:43): Rahul’s impressions of Mouse: PI for Hire, noting its serious narrative balance and noir inspirations.* (00:45:29): Rishi’s experience with the rhythm strategy game War Drum and a “high chaos” run of Dishonored 2.* (00:46:40): Closing remarks and social media handles for Rahul Majumdar and Rishi Alwani.Day Zero is a video games podcast from Rahul Majumdar and Rishi Alwani. We break down the bytes and bits behind the decisions that make and break the world’s greatest entertainment industry.Comments? Opinions? Good takes or bad? Find us with yours at the handles 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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    47 mins
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