Data & Dimensions is a podcast dedicated to exploring the transformative evolution of the internet into immersive 3D virtual spaces.
Guided by S&P Global's coverage of the metaverse, where the tools and tech of video games shape the next phase of the internet into shared 3D virtual spaces, where humans and machines interact with one another and with data, enhancing and augmenting the physical world as much as replacing it.
We delve into the multifaceted implications of this digital frontier for industry, enterprises, consumers and society in general.
Qualcomm used Snapdragon Summit 2026 to argue that the smartphone will remain at the center of personal computing, even as AI agents begin acting across glasses, watches, earbuds, PCs, cars and other connected devices. In this episode, Neil Barbour examines Qualcomm's agentic AI strategy, the new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 platforms and demonstrations that showed how on-device intelligence could remember context, coordinate apps and take action on a user's behalf.
Key topics include:
Why Qualcomm believes the smartphone will remain the launchpad for the agentic age
How smart glasses, hearables, watches and other wearables could provide the context that makes personal AI more useful
Demonstrations from Joshua Timothy, AGI Inc., Memories AI and Liquid AI showing agents organizing media, operating apps, remembering context and acting proactively
Why trust, privacy, connectivity and cloud-to-edge orchestration remain central challenges for agentic AI and commerce
Credits:
Host: Neil Barbour, Industry Analyst TMT, S&P Global Market Intelligence Kagan
Produced & Edited By: Neil Barbour, Carl Schmidt
Published With Assistance From: Feranmi Adeoshun, Patrick Moroney
23 Sept 2026
The End of the Average Gamer
The era of the "average gamer" may be coming to an end. In this episode, Neil Barbour is joined by Bain & Company partners Anders Christofferson, Yohann Plantec and Tom Rowland to discuss Bain's latest gaming report, The End of the Average Gamer, and what it says about fragmentation, player spending, personalization and direct-to-consumer monetization in the video game industry.
Key topics include:
Why Bain argues that the video game market has moved beyond a single "average gamer" profile
What Grand Theft Auto VI and other platform-scale franchises reveal about exceptions to market fragmentation
Why AI may accelerate development without necessarily solving the challenge of finding an audience
How personalization, contextual bandit algorithms and first-party data are reshaping player engagement
The rise of direct-to-consumer monetization in mobile gaming, including web stores, personalized offers and reduced dependence on app stores
Credits:
Host: Neil Barbour, Industry Analyst TMT, S&P Global Market Intelligence Kagan
Guests: Anders Christofferson, Yohann Plantec and Tom Rowland, Partners Bain & Company
Produced & Edited By: Neil Barbour & Neri Reyes
Published With Assistance From: Feranmi Adeoshun, Patrick Moroney
9 Sept 2026
The Data Behind Gaming's Eight-Quarter Rally
The video game industry has now delivered eight consecutive quarters of year-over-year growth, a result that stands in contrast to the narrative of stagnation that often dominates headlines. In this episode, Neil Barbour and Eiman Hussain break down second-quarter results from the gaming sector to identify the trends actually driving the market, from surprise hit titles and platform dynamics to the growing importance of PC gaming and direct-to-consumer monetization.
Key topics include:
Why Nintendo's Tomodachi Life became one of the quarter's biggest success stories
Microsoft's gaming performance, Forza Horizon 6, Game Pass pricing changes and the outlook for Gears of War: E-Day
Highlights from Gamescom, including The Duskbloods, The Witcher 3 update, Where Winds Meet, Ananta and other upcoming releases
Direct-to-consumer monetization in mobile gaming and how publishers are reducing dependence on app stores
Credits:
Host: Neil Barbour, Industry Analyst TMT, S&P Global Market Intelligence Kagan
Guest: Eiman Hussain, Account Manager, S&P Global Market Intelligence
Produced & Edited By: Neil Barbour & Neri Reyes
Published With Assistance From: Sophie Carr, Feranmi Adeoshun, Patrick Moroney
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