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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
  • Everything Nvidia Got Wrong With Its Big DLSS 5 AI Slop Reveal

    Everything Nvidia Got Wrong With Its Big DLSS 5 AI Slop Reveal
    Mar 24 2026

    AI slop and its proponents can’t stop clinging to an already hollowed-out games industry and this time it’s courtesy of Nvidia. By now the megacorp’s AI piss filter reveal or “DLSS 5”as its officially known has been universally panned to the point where our favourite leather clad CEO Jensen had to claim to hate AI slop after calling his audience wrong, all while the company has admitted that the level of control developers have isn’t as granular as it could be.

    In this episode of Day Zero we discuss everything wrong with Nvidia’s DLSS 5 reveal. From the games chosen to how it was framed and even the amusingly hilarious attempts at astroturfing to boot. Suffice to say, we had opinions aplenty.

    And for game developers, publishers, and industry execs listening, we also discuss if you should disclose if AI was used in making your game — or not. Spoiler alert: you should to understand why and how: we got you covered from 32:54 onwards.

    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:

    * 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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    45 mins
  • Is Xbox Speedrunning an Exit With Project Helix?

    Is Xbox Speedrunning an Exit With Project Helix?
    Mar 17 2026

    Halo and Destiny hitmaker Bungie released Marathon earlier this month. It’s the legendary studio’s first game following Sony splurging $3.6 billion to acquire it. While there’s a lot of things in this extraction shooter that make it compelling to play, there’s also a lot of friction that make it impenetrable for some. And while certain sections of the internet might croon that it’s Concord 2.0 (probably the same lot fetishising Nvidia’s DLSS 5), Marathon’s actually a pretty solid game. We explain why in the first half of the Day Zero Podcast. Oh, and if you want to win a limited edition Marathon DualSense controller, subscribe to us on Substack if you haven’t already. Winner to be announced in two weeks.

    After that we talk about Microsoft’s new Xbox moves or lack thereof. At GDC 2026 Xbox revealed more details on Project Helix, the next iteration of its consoles. While a slew of technical information was made public, there was little in the way of innovation spoken and even less in terms of Xbox Game Pass, likely lending credence to the deprioritisation of a service some have referred to as ‘Welfare Pass’.

    Furthermore, the way forward seems to indicate lip service in terms of video games preservation rather than an earnest attempt at it.

    Finally we discuss Xbox’s duality in terms of keeping AI away from game development but still shoehorning it into Xbox Series X|S with Copilot coming in an update to the consoles.

    This is Day Zero. It 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:

    * 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
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr
  • Everything You Need to Know About Roblox and Fortnite User Generated Content

    Everything You Need to Know About Roblox and Fortnite User Generated Content
    Mar 10 2026
    After a recent Shark Tank India episode featuring a father and son duo making $221,000 in Roblox, we’ve been inundated with requests from our listeners — mainly those working in the video games industry — to break down what user generated content is for platforms like Roblox and Fortnite, and how that differs from (or complements) existing live service pipelines for such games. For what it’s worth, Roblox’s leadership is still cringe and can do better with its safety standards, our position on this has not changed and we’ve discussed this on a previous episode.That said, to break down the nuance behind user generated content on Roblox and Fortnite, we got special guest Rishabh Sabarwal to break down everything you need to know. Currently a gaming editor at Beebom India, focussing on live service games, he’s previously consulted studios making games in Fortnite. He sheds light on how game developers are making the switch and what are the common pitfalls of doing so.We also dive into how creators are earning millions by developing brain rot games that prioritise instant gratification and viral trends over complex design. This includes a deep dive into revenue which is primarily driven by engagement metrics and the sale of virtual items using in-game currencies like Robux.Finally, we also discuss how these kind of games/experiences built on Fortnite and Roblox live or die on basis of their update cadence and mobile accessibility rather than traditional gameplay loops. Time stamps as follows:Market Scenario* 0:00 – Introduction to the UGC Ecosystem* 1:30 – The Billion-Dollar Scale: we discuss how top UGC games on both platforms have already exceeded $1 billion in revenue, often outperforming traditional high-budget titles that are being shelved.* 2:45 – Monetisation: revenue streams breakdown including those where creators can keep up to 100% of the in-game currency spent.Case Studies: Brain Rot Performance Metrics* 5:00 – High-Performance Experiences: we look at Steal a Brain Rot the top-performing game driving 6 million concurrent users (CCU) daily on Roblox.* 7:30 – The Fortnite Inflection Point: how UGC experiences in Fortnite broke records with 6.5 million CCU, surpassing the player count of Fortnite’s own core Battle Royale mode.* 8:45 – Platform Marketing Shifts: insight into Fortnite’s decision to rebrand its App Store presence to feature UGC characters, highlighting a creator who earned $50 million in five months.User Psychology and Retention* 10:15 – Demographics and the “iPad Kid” Economy: why 15-minute dopamine loops are more effective for younger audiences than 30-minute battle royale matches.* 11:45 – Advanced Retention Tactics: discussion on “offline progression” (e.g., Grow a Garden) and live events, such as the Bruno Mars concert, used to drive exclusive cosmetic sales.Where Studios Fail and India Insights* 13:30 – Common Studio Failures: why traditional studios fail by over-investing in “perfect” game design documents rather than chasing viral TikTok trends and memes.* 15:00 – The “Live Ops” Mandate: the requirement for daily updates to maintain UGC momentum, contrasting with the multi-week cycles typical of mobile or PC gaming.* 16:30 – Regional Market Insights (India): analysis of the gap in the Indian market where local studios are failing to target the primary 7-year-old demographic already playing brain rot games.What Next?* 18:45 – Why Creators Don’t Go Solo: Roblox and Fortnite handle all server infrastructure, publishing, and marketing, making it risky for successful creators to build independent games.* 20:00 – The Disney Play: early indicators of how Disney is licensing official IP to creators within Fortnite’s Unreal Editor (UEFN), signalling a new era of corporate-UGC collaboration.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:* 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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    25 mins
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