The Debrief, January 2025

A new year, a new format for The Debrief

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Welcome to the first Debrief of 2025 and say hello *gasps* to the new format for this newsletter.

As part of a dastardly effort to match the name of the newsletter to the content contained within, I’ve ditched last year’s tripartite essay structure in favour of something new.

For the rest of 2025, The Debrief will round-up the past month in the games industry in five minutes flat by handing you:

• Three short summaries of the biggest news stories from the past month.

• Key developments in the policy landscape that could shake up the industry.

• A round up of major investments and acquisitions within the sector.

• Quick links to games data and research created by leading boffins.

• A round-up of thought provoking games criticism shaping the cultural agenda.

If you’d like to dive into The Debrief - and grab other exclusive subs only content, first access to VGIM events and a 10% discount on all VGIM purchases - become a VGIM Insider for less than a fiver a month or £40 a year via the button below.

And with that sales pitch concluded, let’s get on with the first Debrief of 2025.