THE STICK REPORT — ISSUE #1
Gaming Isn’t Dying… It’s Spreading Out
A weekly reset for gaming.
What mattered. Why it matters. What you can ignore.
🎮 The Part I Almost Cut
This week didn’t really have one big moment.
And usually that means nothing happened.
But the more I sat with it…
the more it felt like the opposite.
It wasn’t loud.
But it might’ve said more than most weeks do.
This is what gaming still looks like at its best.
🧠 The Part That Didn’t Fit In The Video
We talked about Epic layoffs.
We talked about Fortnite struggling to hold attention.
But the part that stuck with me wasn’t the layoffs.
It was why they happened.
If one of the biggest games in the world is struggling to hold players…
that’s not a one-game problem.
That’s an industry problem.
🔍 What I Kept Thinking About
The more I thought about it…
the more it feels like the problem isn’t content.
There’s more to play than ever.
It’s not access either.
It’s commitment.
The problem isn’t getting players…
it’s giving them a reason to stay.
📊 Extra Context That Didn’t Make The Video
There’s a weird tension happening right now.
On one side:
bigger games
longer roadmaps
more systems
On the other:
shorter play sessions
more switching
less commitment
🧭 Stories We Didn’t Cover (But Matter)
🏴☠️ Assassin’s Creed Black Flag
There are now multiple reports pointing to a Black Flag remake targeting 2026 (report).
But what matters isn’t the remake.
It’s the direction.
A more focused, character-driven experience.
And that’s the part that actually matters.
That’s a shift back toward something simpler… and easier to stay in.
And after years of rumors, Ubisoft has started openly acknowledging the project’s existence (more context).
🎮 PlayStation 6 (Early Direction)
Then there’s the PS6 rumors.
And these are starting to feel less like speculation…
and more like direction.
Right now, the idea is:
multiple devices
different price points
potentially even a handheld
Not one upgrade path.
An ecosystem.
Not just a console you upgrade to…
something you enter.
🔍 The Connection
At first these feel unrelated.
But they point to the same shift.
the industry is lowering the barrier to entry
players are raising the bar for what they stay with
🎯 What This Means Going Forward
If this continues, you’ll see:
more mid-tier success
fewer long-term “main games”
more rotation instead of commitment
🧹 What You Can Ignore
You’ll probably see takes like:
“gaming is dying”
“this game saves everything”
That’s not what’s happening.
Players are just more selective with their time now.
🎯 Save Point
A lot of people feel like they’re falling behind.
Too many games.
Too many updates.
Too much to keep up with.
But honestly…
You’re not behind.
You’re just realizing something earlier than most.
You don’t have to keep up with everything.
💬 What Stuck With You?
What’s one game you thought you’d stick with…
but dropped faster than expected?
If this keeps finding you back…
you’re probably starting to see the same patterns too.