Pixel P&L: GTA 6 Record, Nintendo Bet, Brain Implants
When Rockstar Games dropped their second GTA 6 trailer, they didn't just break viewing records, they also orchestrated one of music's most dramatic streaming revivals ever. The Pointer Sisters, a group that peaked in the '80s, suddenly found their 1984 track 'Hot Together' experiencing a massive increase in Spotify streams overnight. We uncover all the details in today’s Pixel P&L.
Also in today's email:
🎮 Nintendo is betting big on its $450 console despite profit plunge
🌐 Indian esports giant S8UL enters StarCraft II
🧠 Brain implants help Shanghai teen game without hands
Nintendo Projects Profit Growth on Switch 2 Launch Despite Annual Decline
Nintendo forecasted a 7.6% profit increase to ¥300 billion ($2.09 billion) for fiscal 2026, despite reporting a 43% profit drop to ¥278.81 billion ($1.94 billion) for the year ended March. The Japanese gaming giant exceeded analyst expectations despite declining sales of its aging Switch console.
The company projects it will sell 15 million units of its Switch 2 console, set to launch June 5 at $449.99, along with 45 million software copies. Annual revenue fell 30% to ¥1.165 trillion ($8.11 billion), but Nintendo expects a 63% surge to ¥1.9 trillion ($13.22 billion) in the coming year.
Nintendo shares hit record highs earlier this month, climbing 30% this year on expectations the new console will revitalize earnings. The company continues diversifying revenue streams through entertainment ventures, including planned films based on its "Super Mario" and "Legend of Zelda" franchises.
Market optimism remains strong despite potential U.S. tariff concerns that could impact profits and demand.
GTA 6 Trailer Shatters Entertainment Industry Viewing Records
Rockstar Games' second trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6 amassed an unprecedented 475 million views across platforms within 24 hours of release, the company reported to The Hollywood Reporter, claiming that it's the biggest video launch of all time. .
The viewing figures significantly exceed comparable entertainment releases, outperforming major film trailers including "Deadpool & Wolverine" (365 million), "Spider-Man: No Way Home" (355.5 million) and "Avengers: End Game" (289 million views) in their respective first-day performances. The new trailer also substantially outpaced Rockstar's initial GTA 6 teaser, which drew 93 million views in its initial 24-hour period.
This unprecedented performance underscores the franchise's growing market dominance as it approaches its May 26, 2026 release on Sony's PlayStation 5 and Microsoft's Xbox Series X/S consoles, following a recently announced postponement from its original 2025 target date.
The trailer's commercial impact extends beyond just viewership metrics. The Pointer Sisters' 1984 track "Hot Together," which features prominently in the trailer, experienced a 182,000% increase in streaming activity on Spotify following the video's release.
⚡Quick Bytes
Indian Esports Giant S8UL Enters StarCraft II
Indian esports organization S8UL announced Thursday its expansion into StarCraft II with the signing of South Korean veteran Pyung Jae "GuMiho" Koh. The acquisition of the 2017 GSL Code S champion marks S8UL's first venture into real-time strategy gaming as the organization continues its global growth across competitive gaming categories ahead of EWC 2025.
Sony Forms New Gaming Studio Despite Live Service Setbacks
Sony PlayStation established teamLFG, a new Washington-based development studio focused on multiplayer action games. The team includes veterans from Destiny, Fortnite, and Roblox, working both on-site and remotely across North America. This expansion comes despite Sony's recent scaling back of live service ambitions, including canceling Concord and closing multiple studios last year.
Unity Reports Revenue Decline Despite Exceeding Expectations
Unity announced a 6% drop in Q1 2025 revenue to $435 million, with both Create Solutions and Grow Solutions segments declining 8% and 4% respectively. Despite posting a $78 million net loss, the company exceeded guidance by 5% for revenue and 29% for adjusted EBITDA, bolstered by strong Unity 6 adoption and early rollout of its AI platform, Unity Vector.
⚔️Side Quest.
📺 Watch: I love the new Mafia: The Old Country gameplay trailer. It just could be the crime game fix we need while counting down the days until GTA 6’s launch!
🎮 Play: I recently tried out Hordes of Hunger and I am pretty impressed with its blend of Vampire Survivors' addictive loop and Dynasty Warriors' satisfying chaos, wrapped in a dark story with excellent voice acting.
📚 Read:Niko Partners' collaboration with Esports Charts delivers a comprehensive analysis across various Asian markets, highlighting MOBA's continued dominance in the region.
💡Did You Know
A 19-year-old epilepsy patient in Shanghai recently demonstrated the remarkable ability to play complex video games like Honor of Kings and Black Myth: Wukong using only their mind. Following brain-computer interface surgery with a 256-channel flexible implant, the patient achieved reaction speeds approaching those of conventional mouse users after just 20 hours of training. Researchers believe this breakthrough technology could revolutionize rehabilitation options for individuals with motor impairments.
📜 Quote of the Day
"Everybody likes a bad idea when it works"
-Cayde-6, Destiny 2
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