# AJS News- Marathon ART THEFT is SETTLED, Saudi Arabia OWNS 93.4% of EA, Total War Medieval 3, MetaVR Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrfbfNz_E_M Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/KrfbfNz_E_M Generated: 2025-12-08T23:35:14.462+00:00 --- ## Quick Overview The Angry Joe Show crew discusses several recent news items, including the settlement of the Marathon art theft case involving Bungie, the Saudi Public Investment Fund's near-total buyout of Electronic Arts, the announcement of Total War: Medieval III, the surprising departure of Tekken boss Katsuhiro Harada from Bandai Namco, and Meta's delay of its Reality Labs glasses, all while reacting to various game trailers and clips. **Key Points:** - The Marathon art theft dispute between Bungie and an artist has been resolved to the artist's satisfaction, likely involving financial compensation and the artist retaining the IP for their work (3:39). - Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund plans to own 93.4% of Electronic Arts if the deal closes, which the hosts note is a large portion of the company (2:27:18, 2:28:28). - Creative Assembly announced Total War: Medieval III, which the hosts are excited about because they prefer historical settings over sci-fi like the Total War: Warhammer series (8:16, 10:34). - Tekken boss Katsuhiro Harada announced his departure from Bandai Namco after 31 years, stating it was the fitting moment to bring one chapter to a close (2:58:00). - Meta pushed back the release of its new mixed-reality glasses, codenamed 'Project Cambria' or 'Phoenix,' to 2027 due to budget cuts and the high cost of the hardware (21:13). - The hosts reacted positively to trailers for Dragon Age: The Veilguard (11:58) and a new title called 'Split Fiction' (23:05), while expressing mixed feelings about an EA Originals title. - The group jokingly highlighted the strange advertising for Quiznos subs featuring animated rodents (26:27) and the absurdity of VR experiences being used for training AI (25:18). ![Screenshot at 2:58: 00:The screen displays a news headline confirming Tekken boss Katsuhiro Harada is leaving Bandai Namco after 31 years, quoting him saying, "I felt this was the most fitting moment to bring one chapter to a close."](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/KrfbfNz_E_M/00-02-58.png) **Context:** This episode of The Angry Joe Show features the usual hosts discussing recent news from the gaming and tech industries. The segment transitions between discussing industry acquisitions (like the Saudi fund buying EA stock), major creative departures (like Tekken's Katsuhiro Harada leaving Bandai Namco), game announcements (Total War: Medieval III, Dragon Age: The Veilguard), and technology news (Meta's delayed VR glasses). The hosts intersperse their commentary with clips from various game trailers and old commercials to illustrate their points. ## Detailed Analysis The hosts began by discussing the settlement of the Marathon art theft controversy, noting that the artist received satisfactory compensation and retained IP rights (3:39). They then moved to the news that Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund is set to own 93.4% of Electronic Arts if the buyout deal closes, noting this investment is massive, even if it is only 5% of their total portfolio (3:03, 3:33). The discussion shifted to video game announcements, starting with the reveal of Total War: Medieval III, which elicited excitement from the hosts who prefer historical titles over sci-fi like Warhammer (8:16, 10:34). Following this, they covered the departure of Katsuhiro Harada, the long-time boss of Tekken, after 31 years at Bandai Namco, quoting his statement about bringing a chapter to a close (2:58:00). The hosts expressed sadness but respect for Harada's career, mentioning he also oversaw projects like Tekken Tag Tournament. Next, they covered Meta's delay of its mixed-reality glasses (Project Cambria/Phoenix) until 2027, citing budget constraints and the high cost of the hardware, leading to jokes about people needing VR-like glasses for everyday tasks (21:13). The news segment concluded with reports that Meta is facing cash flow issues despite massive spending on the metaverse, leading to job cuts (2:52:25). The hosts then reacted to several game trailers, including Dragon Age: The Veilguard (11:58), which they felt had strong visual potential, and the announcement of 'Split Fiction' (23:05). They also commented on the absurdity of old Quiznos commercials featuring animated rodents (26:27) and the high cost of game development relative to budgets. ### Industry News & Acquisitions - The Marathon art theft case settled with the artist receiving compensation and retaining IP rights - Saudi Public Investment Fund's impending 93.4% ownership of EA discussed - Meta delays Reality Labs glasses release to 2027 due to budget cuts and high hardware costs (21:13) ### Game Announcements & Departures - Total War: Medieval III announced, generating excitement for historical settings - Tekken boss Katsuhiro Harada leaves Bandai Namco after 31 years, citing a desire to close a chapter (2:58:00) - Dragon Age: The Veilguard announced for Fall 2024 (11:58) ### Game Trailer Reactions - Hosts react positively to trailers for Dragon Age: The Veilguard and 'Split Fiction' (23:05) - Game footage shown for a title featuring dragons and fantasy elements (23:01) - Hosts express concern over EA's spending habits despite financial struggles (2:52:25) ### Miscellaneous Commentary - Hosts mock old Quiznos commercials featuring animated mascots (26:27) - Discussion on the high cost of modern game development versus past titles (23:33) ![Screenshot at 00:08: The Angry Joe Show title card appears over futuristic holographic interface elements during the opening.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/KrfbfNz_E_M/00-00-08.png) ![Screenshot at 00:16: The hosts begin the segment by introducing the sponsor read for Ekster wallets during the Christmas sale promotion.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/KrfbfNz_E_M/00-00-16.png) ![Screenshot at 01:57: A news headline is displayed: 'Amazon's God of War TV show enlists veteran director of Shogun, The Boys, and Fallout as it starts casting Kratos and Atreus.'](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/KrfbfNz_E_M/00-01-57.png) ![Screenshot at 05:35: The screen displays a news headline regarding the Marathon art theft settlement: 'The Marathon art theft debacle has been "resolved to my satisfaction," according to the artist Bungie stole from' \(05:35\).](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/KrfbfNz_E_M/00-05-35.png) ![Screenshot at 13:03: The screen shows a headline about the Saudi Fund potentially owning almost all of Electronic Arts after a buyout, with an image of the EA headquarters building.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/KrfbfNz_E_M/00-13-03.png)