Going Off Mic

The newsletter Push to Talk, authored by industry veteran Ryan K. Rigney, is transitioning from a weekly publication to an irregular schedule. Over the course of 90 editions spanning two years, the project served as a platform for analyzing the interactive entertainment industry, blending professional insights on marketing and communications with reported stories and interviews. The author concludes that video games have firmly established themselves as the preeminent art form of the 21st century.

The publication’s archive includes 28 essays focused on the commercial and strategic aspects of game development, alongside 51 interviews with figures across the industry. The author’s professional background includes work on major titles such as League of Legends, Teamfight Tactics, PUBG, Apex Legends, and Omega Strikers. This experience provided the foundation for the newsletter’s analytical perspective on the medium as both a commercial enterprise and an artistic endeavor.

The final weekly installment will feature an interview with composer Grant Kirkhope, highlighting his contributions to iconic titles such as Goldeneye 007 and Banjo-Kazooie. While the weekly cadence is ending, the author intends to maintain the platform for occasional future content. Additionally, the author is collaborating with publisher Tune & Fairweather on a new, undisclosed project. The newsletter, which grew to over 7,000 subscribers, remains a repository for discussions on industry trends, including the deprofessionalization of the games sector and the competitive landscape between legacy and modern titles.