George's VGIM Update: August 2025

The August 2025 update for the Video Games Industry Memo serves as a status report on the publication’s operational trajectory and the author’s professional projects. The primary focus is the completion of the manuscript for Power Play: Video Games, Politics, and the Battle for Global Influence, a work exploring the intersection of gaming and geopolitical power. With the writing phase concluded, the author has opened pre-orders for the book, which is scheduled for a June 2026 release.

Regarding the publication’s operations, the author is extending a planned hiatus until October 2025 to accommodate the final editing and proofreading stages of the manuscript. To maintain content continuity, contributors George Young and Tom Regan will continue to manage the newsletter throughout September. The publication reports steady growth, noting that free subscriptions have surpassed 5,000 and paid memberships have increased by 10% since the beginning of the summer.

The update also outlines strategies for sustaining the newsletter through the end of 2025. These include promoting paid Insider memberships, soliciting corporate sponsorships for the newsletter, and seeking partners for an upcoming end-of-year industry event. The author intends to resume regular operations on October 2, 2025, following a period of leave, and plans to initiate discussions regarding future projects for 2026 during the month of November.