Day Zero Podcast cover art

Day Zero Podcast

Day Zero Podcast

By: Day Zero
Listen for free

About this listen

 Day Zero is a podcast on video games featuring Rahul Majumdar and Rishi Alwani breaking down the bytes and bits behind the decisions that make and break the world's greatest entertainment industry.

dayzeromedia.substack.comDay Zero Economics Science Fiction
Episodes
  • Is PlayStation Turning Into Xbox With Its DRM Screw Ups?

    Is PlayStation Turning Into Xbox With Its DRM Screw Ups?
    Apr 29 2026
    Xbox promises a return to form with a chatty new memo while PlayStation’s silence suggests a heel turn no one wanted or asked for. All while Pragmata and Saros have us feeling that video games, unlike the industry that makes them, are alright actually.It’s been a loaded week in the games business and we’re here to break it all down. Unlike most of our usual episodes that focus on a single topic, there’s a lot to unpack this time around so we got timestamps for your perusal.Xbox Strategy — or Lack Thereof* 00:01:00 – The Xbox memo: We break down Asha Sharma’s leaked-and-then-revealed memo on the future of Xbox.* 00:02:08 – The “Northstar” metric: Xbox identifies daily active players as their primary metric for success. Not the first time engagement became a cornerstone metric. Some of us are old enough to remember it first introduced in 2015.* 00:03:08 – Hardware priorities: Xbox Series X|S plans ahead of a Project Helix launch.* 00:04:37 – Game Pass price drops: Apparent efforts to lower the cost of Xbox Game Pass and why it’s a bizarre idea at this point.* 00:06:09 – Global distribution critique: We berate the Xbox’s lack of hardware availability in India, Asia, and the Middle East amidst a memo that calls for more console hardware focus.* 00:08:52 – Feature Deprecation: Criticism over the removal of Xbox social features like Clubs.* 00:10:00 – Mobile storefront rumours: Discussion on potential plans for a mobile APK storefront.* 00:10:53 – State of Halo: Analysis of the management and current status of the Halo franchise.* 00:12:31 – Personal Xbox Series X experiences: Rishi explains why he has owned three different Xbox Series X consoles this generation.* 00:14:50 – Next-Gen OEM partnerships: Rumours regarding third-party partners like ASUS manufacturing Helix-based hardware.* 00:17:22 – Corporate culture: It’s wild how much heavy-lifting the memo does in terms of making Xbox cosplay as a startup rather than a subsidiary of a megacorp.* 00:19:39 – Call of Duty profitability: We parse through the strategic decision to remove Call of Duty from Game Pass to protect retail sales.PS5 DRM and What Could Happen Next* 00:31:52 – PS5 DRM: Details on the 30-day login requirement for digital purchases on PS4 and PS5.* 00:36:34 – The Crew 2 offline mode: Ubisoft’s response to the Stop Killing Games community initiative via the EU regarding live service games.Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced: Everything We Know So Far* 00:37:39 – Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag Resynced: Official announcement and details of the remake.* 00:40:54 – Assassin’s Creed roadmap: Discussion on Shadows, Hexe, and the rumored AC1 remake.* 00:43:16 – Gameplay overhaul: Improvements to stealth, tailing missions, and ship customisation.* 00:45:38 – Pricing & Indian retail: Details on the 4,999 INR price point and the legitimacy of the steelbook offer at Games The Shop.Pragmata, Saros, and the End* 00:47:37 – Pragmata: Rahul discusses playing Capcom’s Pragmata via GeForce Now.* 00:50:15 – Saros: Rishi reviews Housemarque’s spiritual successor to Returnal, featuring actor Rahul Kohli.* 00:52:48 – Saros mechanics: A look at the laser-focused gameplay and DualSense haptic feedback.* 00:57:05 – Outro & Giveaway: Information on the Marathon controller giveaway and closing out the podcast.Welcome to Day Zero. This podcast is about video games breaking down the bytes and bits behind the decisions that make and break the world’s greatest entertainment industry. Have a request? Hot take? Insider tip? Reach us at the handles mentioned below:* Twitter/X - @rishialwani* Threads - @rishi.alwani* Instagram - @rishi.alwani* Twitter/X - @darthrahul* Threads - @darthrahul* Instagram - @darthrahul This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dayzeromedia.substack.com
    Show More Show Less
    58 mins
  • Is Nvidia’s GeForce Now India Launch the Right Compromise—or Just More Friction? We Review.

    Is Nvidia’s GeForce Now India Launch the Right Compromise—or Just More Friction? We Review.
    Apr 21 2026

    After a solid press event a few months ago, Nvidia finally lifted the lid on its GeForce Now streaming service India release. Following a couple of weeks of media previews, players can check it out from April 16 onwards in early access.

    In this episode of the Day Zero Podcast, we discuss our thoughts on GeForce Now after trying it out pre-release across a host of devices ranging from TVs to Steam Decks and a smartphone or two. We also discuss the state of the games business in India what with resurgent PS5 and Nintendo Switch (yes, Switch, not Switch 2) sales.

    Furthermore, we also address the RTX 5090-sized elephant in the room — if renting high-speed, performant servers to stream video games is all GeForce Now is, and if you still have to buy your own games — who is it really for in a market that’s dominated by free-to-play mobile games and value-conscious spenders?

    Finally, we discuss what we’ve been playing this week, including Pragmata, Dosa Divas, and to no one’s surprise, Starfield.

    This is Day Zero. It is a podcast on video games breaking down the bytes and bits behind the decisions that make and break the world’s greatest entertainment industry. Day Zero is hosted by Rahul Majumdar and Rishi Alwani.

    We’d love to hear your objectively good takes — they surely can’t be worse than some of ours. Find us with yours at the handles below:

    * Twitter/X - @RishiAlwani

    * Threads - @rishi.alwani

    * Instagram - @rishi.alwani

    * Twitter/X - @darthrahul

    * Threads - @darthrahul

    * Instagram - @darthrahul



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dayzeromedia.substack.com
    Show More Show Less
    41 mins
  • Will There Be a GTA 6 Release Date Delay After the ShinyHunters Hack?

    Will There Be a GTA 6 Release Date Delay After the ShinyHunters Hack?
    Apr 14 2026

    Episode 20 of the Day Zero podcast is out. As the title suggests, we break down what to expect from the ShinyHunters hack of GTA 6 developer Rockstar. Keep in mind that this was recorded on April 12, a day before the hackers leaked details early. That said we parse what you can expect in the aftermath of this reveal and ponder how a company with more money than god can’t get its cybersecurity in order (what with this being the second known major hack since 2022).

    Along with this we also discuss friend of the podcast Kirk McKeand’s awesome interview with industry legend and Bethesda game deliverer of sick day notes Pete Hines, which pretty much confirms what we already know when mega-corps try to make sense of video games.

    Apart from this, we get into the weeds of one of the more ridiculous pricing moves for a video game in India — 007 First Light courtesy of IO — and make the argument for not buying anything from the publisher given its focus on live services.

    Finally, we also talk about what we’ve been playing this week, namely the excellent Dosa Divas and the not so excellent Starfield to name a few.

    The Day Zero podcast breaks down the bytes and bits behind the decisions that make and break the world’s greatest entertainment industry. It’s run by Rahul Majumdar and Rishi Alwani.

    Comments? Criticisms? Industry tips? Leather jackets? You can find us at the following handles to discuss all of that and then some:

    * Twitter/X - @RishiAlwani

    * Threads - @rishi.alwani

    * Instagram - @rishi.alwani

    * Twitter/X - @darthrahul

    * Threads - @darthrahul

    * Instagram - @darthrahul



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dayzeromedia.substack.com
    Show More Show Less
    45 mins
No reviews yet