Ooh, look at all those Playpen profits going up.
Our wealthy foreign friends are gonna love that.
They're this close to making a huge investment in MQ.
Yeah. All thanks to me.
- And? - I was also going to say,
and you Rachel, you interrupted me.
You know, are there... are there no rules about interrupting men?
David, I was talking about the Playpen creators.
You know, the ones that make us billions of dollars.
Some of us actually care about the young people making these games.
- Rachel. Um... - Yes?
- ...y-you're doing that thing again. - What?
You know. Well, you're just... you're just killing the buzz.
We're all feeling good and then you just start bringing us all down.
David, I care about these kids.
That's why I live stream on Instagram, to educate and empower them.
And one of them reached out to me.
His name is Tyler, and he suffers from anxiety,
and he said making games in Playpen really helps him.
Isn't that nice?
Not really. It doesn't move the needle for me if I'm being honest.
Oh, my God, it's not about money. Okay?
- What we do here matters. - Hmm.
Screw this shithole! I am out!
Dana. Um, I... I just want to say,
I'm... I'm sorry about how all the contract stuff shook out.
I hope there's no hard feelings
and... and just let me know if there's anything I can do.
Uh, David, you can eat a dick.
Uh-huh. I understand you're taking it a bit personally.
Maybe because you stole my game.
Yeah, I have... I have to make the difficult financial decisions.
I mean, I killed Ian and Poppy's expansion,
and they haven't complained once.
You know, they respected my decision as their boss,
and they just moved on to, uh, cleaning up legacy code.
Respect this, David.
Will you flip him off? My hands are full.
Of course.
Thanks, babe.
[Rachel] You got it, babe.
Take care.
- [Rachel] Don't talk to her. - Uh, David Brittlesbee?
Yeah, that's me.
Ooh, look an orchid.
A gift from our wealthy foreign friends excited for their new acquisition? Hi.
- [chuckles] - [chuckles] You've been served.
- I'm sorry? - [employee chuckling] Oh, shit.
You've been served.
[gasps] It's a...
It's a subpoena to appear in front of C-Congress
about the serious issue of child labor in the gaming industry.
See, this is what happens when you only care about profits, David.
Shut up, Rachel. Shut up.
Wait. Rachel? Rachel Meyee?
- Yes. Do you follow me on Instagram? - [chuckles]
- No. You've been served. - [Rachel gasps]
[gasps]
This is it. [sighs]
- Oof. All the big players are here. - Wow.
- EA, Activision, Rockstar. - [gasps]
David. They have mugs. Do you think we can keep these?
What? No. Put that down. This is Congress. It's property of the government.
Sorry, I'm just excited. [chuckles]
This is our chance for our voices to be heard.
What? No, this is our chance to blend in.
Why do you think I picked these suits for us?
- I thought you wanted us to match. - Yes. Match the chairs in the Congress.
They're the exact color. See?
- [scoffs, groans] - Got it from a C-SPAN screen grab.
Nailed it.
[sighs] I don't want to blend in.
We're actually in the room where it happens.
Oh, enough of that, please.
I already had to listen to you sing Hamilton in the Uber from the airport.
Okay. Well, we're on the right side of history here, David.
Look, if we let Congress legislate user-generated content,
the kids that make these games are gonna lose out.
We have to stand up for them and speak truth to power.
You will not speak. Okay?
There is no truth, and we are the power.
All we need to do is make a fake statement that says nothing
and inspires no follow-up questions. Got it?
[scoffs]
Oh, Christ, there's Dan Williams.
- Who? - He's top dog over at, uh, Cold Alliance.
Shit. He's coming this way. [chuckles]
- David, we gotta stop meeting like this. - [chuckles] Hey.
- Yeah. - [Dan chuckles]
Hi. Dan Williams. And you are?
- Hi, I'm... - She's nobody. Never mind her.
- Oh, okay. - Okay.
[chuckles] Uh, nice suits.
Did you call each other, or did you forget to call each other?
- [all chuckle] - I like your suit too.
- Yeah. Nice color. - Thank you very much.
Yeah, the purple in the tie brings out the color of my lies.
[chuckles]
- Oh. Oh. Okay. - I'm kidding. I was just...
- Congressional... Congressional joke. - C-Congress.
This whole thing is kind of crazy, right?
I'm not sweating it, neither should you.
- No, no. - And hey, we're all in this together.
Indeed. Well, good luck, David, and whoever you are.
[Rachel, Dan chuckle]
[chuckles, inhales sharply]
Dumbass. Navy suit? Is he nuts?
I hope he likes it 'cause they are gonna bury him in it.
- [chuckles] - Hey, don't copy me though.
[orchestral music playing]
And that is Elysium.
Poppy, we have put so much work into this.
[stammers] This expansion has drained my body of more nutrients
than the baby has.
Which makes me really hesitant to say this,
but I think we're both thinking it.
[sighs]
It's incredible.
- It's the greatest thing we've ever made. - The best thing.
- Oh, my God. I can't believe it. - It's really good.
- My heart is... The goose bumps are... - Same. I feel dizzy.
- [chuckles] - Holy shit. All right.
Well, I mean... [stammers] ...what should we do next?
I don't know. Lunch, I reckon. Something cheesy. [chuckles]
Oh, yeah. Well, yeah. Uh, sure. We'll have lunch.
But I mean, like after that, what's the next project?
Uh, well, we really... we just finished this one.
- Yeah. Yeah. But-But we're like jamming. - [chuckles]
- Yeah. Uh-huh. - We've never worked this well together.
I just want to keep the party rolling, you know?
I don't want it to end.
Yeah. W... Yes. Well, actually...
Hey, guys.
Ooh, what you working on?
- [stammers] Uh... - Just some legacy code.
- ...legacy code. - Yeah. [chuckles]
Right. 'Cause you respected David's decision to kill your expansion.
- She knows. - [groans] Damn it.
- [sighs] - What, you gonna rat us out?
- No. I hate David. [scoffs] - [Poppy] Oh.
Is this it?
- [Poppy] Yeah. In all its glory. - Ooh.
- [Poppy chuckles] - Wow.
How much does it mean to you?
Because if I don't get my game back,
I am going to fucking smash this thing.
- [laughs] - [chuckles]
Come on. You think we have one copy of it,
and it's just sitting on a random hard drive on my desk?
Please. I am a professional.
That expansion is backed up six ways to Sunday. [chuckles]
Honestly, Dana. Like, it's a little bit sad. I mean...
- I'm embarrassed for you. - If you want to smash it,
- go ahead and smash it... - Yeah. Fun for all of us.
...but this is more about Mythic Quest than it is about us.
- They own your game, not us. - Mmm. Mmm. Mmm.
[groans]
[gasps] Thank God! [pants]
Are you serious?
I meant to back it up!
I didn't think that we have to worry about in-house hammer-wielding terrorists.
Okay. I'm sorry, you guys. I don't know what to do!
I lost my job and Twilight Forest all in the same day.
We wouldn't mind helping you.
It's just that we're a little bit busy right now
because we were talking about our new expansion and...
You know what? Actually, though, no.
We-We will help you.
- You will? - Mm-hmm.
We... We will?
Yeah. Yeah, because, um... [clicks tongue]
Well, we are Dana's mentors.
[chuckles] That you are.
- Right? And-And we made her what she is. - Mmm.
Uh...
She's come to us on her knees...
I am literally standing on my feet.
...begging for our help.
And I feel like we should help,
but we should leave the premises 'cause we can't talk about, um,
- new games on MQ property. - Ah.
Why can I not remember that?
- 'Cause you're stupid. - Yeah. Okay.
- [Dana] You're being really mean today. - Geez. Again. So mean for no reason.
I think my reputation within the industry speaks for itself,
but here's my updated resume.
And here's mine. Thank you so much for the opportunity.
What opportunity?
We're here to betray Dana.
Dana Studios is a sinking ship and we're the rats hoping to scurry back aboard MQ.
[sucks teeth]
I'd like to assist someone powerful, but less erratic.
Mmm. And I'm willing to take any position
as long as I don't have to interact with creatives,
unless, of course, I'm punishing said creatives.
Okay.
Even if I wanted to create two new jobs
which I don't, we don't have the money.
[Andy] Hey, lady.
Andy, I'm in a meeting. Please leave.
Got it.
L-Leave when you don't need me and make love to you when you do.
Do you have a sticky note? Can I write that down?
Andy, stop it.
Carol. You didn't.
Seems like she did.
Are you drunk?
I-I had a nip.
I'm so distraught. I-I-I need you.
No, you don't.
What you need is to leave.
I'll leave right after I don't.
- [Jo gasps] - [Brad] Uh-oh.
Handcuffs? What the hell are you doing?
I bought these for our pleasure, but I shall use them for my pain.
Incredible.
- [groans] - [Brad] Carol.
Jo and I might be willing to help you with, uh, this situation
if you'd be willing to help us with ours.
That sounds like quid pro quo.
You know, we have a strict company policy against that.
And what's the company policy on this?
Okay, fine. Fine. Deal.
Don't do it.
- [Jo] Mmm? - She breaks all her promises.
I never promised you anything, you fool.
Your body made a promise to mine.
Get him out of here.
We at Mythic Quest
stand ready to collaborate with members of this committee,
and our colleagues across the gaming industry
to engage in a meaningful dialogue that propels necessary change.
Child labor is a serious issue that we at Mythic Quest wholeheartedly condemn
and it's only through concerted efforts and collective action that we can create
a safer, more responsible gaming environment for our youth.
Agreed.
O-Obviously, it is a nuanced issue.
[softly] What are you doing?
I am not throwing away my shot.
Ms. Meyee, what exactly is the nuance in child labor?
Uh, Senator, if I may answer that...
Sorry. This question is for Ms. Meyee.
Unless, of course, you were trying to speak for a woman.
Uh... No, ma'am.
I-I have not nor will I ever speak for a woman.
Um, w-what I mean is that I-I think it is,
um, a bit black-and-white thinking to call this child labor.
It's complicated.
What exactly is the good in profiting off of an unregulated marketplace,
especially one made by children?
[stammers] Uh... Well, they're gonna play video games anyway,
might as well make some money off of it, right?
[senator] Well, your company makes money off it too.
The gaming industry made over 60 billion last year.
Yes, it did. Um, thank you.
Uh, but you know... [stammers]
... we pro... we provide a platform for artists to be able to make money.
That-That's what my boss is always saying.
Right, David?
I do not recall.
Look, all I'm saying is there's whole villages of kids who lose limbs
digging diamonds out of the earth.
This is not that. [chuckles]
But people have to feed their families. So...
So, for the record, you're also defending blood diamonds now?
[crowd murmuring]
I do not recall.
Okay, so Twilight Forest is dead.
It's gone. MQ owns it. Gotta move on.
But that doesn't mean you can't do a version of it.
What do you mean a version?
Well, you just Friends With Benefits it.
Am I supposed to know what that means?
Have you ever heard of twin films?
- Mm-hmm. - Oh, you have? What is it?
Oh, I was just... I was just liking...
- She's got no idea. - ...the train you were on.
She's got no idea what I'm talking about.
It's when two movies come out the same year with the same basic premise,
like Friends With Benefits and No Strings Attached.
Or, uh, Armageddon and Deep Impact.
- A Bug's Life and Antz. - Exactly.
Okay.
Yeah, you just have to make small adjustments to it.
Like, instead of calling it Twilight Forest,
you call it Evening Woods.
Ew. No, don't call it that, though.
That-That sounds like a-a shower gel for your privates.
I agree with Poppy.
- Okay. Well, yeah... - Do a brainstorm.
...work... workshop the name,
but either way you just gotta get it out to market before MQ.
Oh, Ian. That is smart.
Okay, let's, uh... let's Friends With Benefits this bitch.
- [Dana chuckles] - Yeah! [chuckles]
Yeah. I mean, not us though. You.
We did our part, and um, you go work on that
and we're gonna leave and go work on our thing,
- which is our next big expansion. - Uh-huh.
What-What-What's the rush?
We should be celebrating.
I mean, you and I just achieved two big things today.
We finished the expansion, and we saved Dana's life.
Uh...
I mean, you guys just got more drinks. I mean...
Can we get some more chips over here?
I don't think we should leave until I finish my chips.
No problem. If that's what my partner wants,
- that's what my partner's gonna get. - [chuckles]
You guys seem really good.
You know what? We did the work.
Mm-hmm. Boundaries, baby.
Boundaries.
- Good for you. - [Poppy] Mmm.
What are you gonna do when the baby comes?
Well, I'm gonna take some time off.
Yeah, which is perfect.
Because that'll give her some time to recharge with the newborn baby.
- Come back fresh... - [Dana] Smart.
... and then she'll be ready to work.
Well, yeah. Yeah. I mean, we'll have to see.
Yes.
See what?
Well, just things are gonna be different, right?
Because I-I gotta raise a kid.
Yeah. Which I think is a-awesome.
- I mean, it'll be great. - Yeah.
We'll have a baby in the office and then...
Ooh, maybe I can design a crib.
Ooh. You're gonna... You're gonna design a crib?
- Yeah. And then you could build it. - I don't think so.
Well, either way, we'll make it work.
Kinda sounds like you're gonna make me work.
Oh, you're Poppy Li. All you do is work.
No kid's gonna slow you down.
Don't say that.
- Say what? - Don't-Don't say that all I do is work.
You-You don't know what I'm gonna be like.
I'm changing. I mean, for all I know I might end up living in the Netherlands.
But I don't want to live in the Netherlands.
You wouldn't, I would. With Storm.
What about me?
Look, I'm the one that's thinking about the baby here so...
[Poppy] Why are you pointing at yourself when you say the baby?
[Andy grunting, groaning]
Well, this is a new development.
All right, since we can't talk sense into you, Mikey,
we brought Andy here to help.
Uh, no, I'm Mikey. He's Andy.
Whatever. Just do your thing.
Oh. Uh.
Hey, bud.
Fell off the wagon, huh?
[Andy sighs] Yeah.
- Hey. - [Andy] What?
- Where are you under there? - [grunting]
There he is. There's my guy.
Everyone in this room loves you like crazy.
- I do not. - No, we don't, do not say that.
Everyone in this room wants you to get better.
I don't really care.
[Mikey] Everyone in this room wants you to leave?
- [Brad] That's fine. - [Jo] That would be great.
Okay. [chuckles]
Look, as much as this pains me,
if you don't stop drinking, I can't be friends with you anymore.
I don't care.
Your breath smells like an onion factory.
He can be a mean drunk.
Most of them are.
Okay.
Why any woman in this world wouldn't just wanna scoop you up is beyond me.
- [scoffs] - [Andy] Hmm.
But here's a simple truth:
if you don't get help, we can't be roommates anymore either.
- Okay. I'll go. - [Mikey] Mmm.
Especially if it means
saving the relationships of the ones that mean the most to me.
To be clear, our situationship is done.
I'll do it for Mikey then.
That's a relationship I can't bear to lose.
Dear Lord. Give him the key, Andy.
He can't because he swallowed it.
[both chuckle]
You know me too well.
[both chuckle]
I love you, roomie. [chuckles]
Call Janitorial. Get a hacksaw.
- Brutal. I like it. - Mmm.
You know, for the cuffs.
- Oh. Of course. - [groans]
After you do that, we can discuss our new job reassignments.
What reassignments? I told you, there's no money to hire anybody.
But we helped you.
Yeah. And you promised that if we help you, you'll help us.
- I don't recall that. - [sighs]
- [Brad, Jo] Carol. Carol. - I tried to warn you.
[senator] Do you believe that it is ethical to exploit children
if they like doing the work, as you say?
Yes. N-No. I mean, no. No. No.
Uh, what I... what I was saying was, um,
these kids, they-they get so much more out of Playpen than just money.
Uh. There-There's a young developer named Tyler, who's ten years old.
He reached out to me on Instagram and told me that he suffers from anxiety,
and making games on Playpen is one of the few ways that he finds peace.
And so I ask you, Senators, who are we to take that from him?
Congress, Ms. Meyee.
We are the United States Congress.
Regarding your young mentees, I've collected a few pieces of advice
that you've been doling out on your Instagram account.
Can we bring the monitor over here please?
Thank you.
Mmm. Yeah. [swallows]
If you wanna make more money,
you've gotta add skins to your games. Okay?
S-E-X it up.
[passes gas]
[clicks tongue] Oh, I just farted. Did you guys hear that?
Yogurt gives me the toots.
- Yogurt toots. Hashtag yogurt toots. - [passes gas]
Aw, I'm so glad that Playpennies are helping you save for college,
FragMaster666.
Although higher education is a total scam.
Trust me, I've been there three times.
[chuckles]
- [dog barking] - Bu-Butter, Butter, Butter. No, no, no.
Sir, I'm so sorry. It's not you. He hates men.
- Butter! No, no! - [dog growling]
Oh, my God, I know. Anxiety is the worst. I have it too.
Although honestly, even if you don't have anxiety,
you should take Lexapro because it's like a miracle.
Trust me, kids, some drugs are good. [chuckles]
[resident] Hey! Get off my lawn, asshole.
I'm doing a live, dude.
- [resident] Go! Get! - [sprinklers spray]
[shouts] Hey!
- [resident] Go home! - Whatever.
All land should be public anyway, you colonizing bitch.
If I can, um...
H-How do we know, uh, that those clips are even real?
You know, because videos can be manipulated.
I mean, you guys have been doing it since the '60s.
I'm sorry?
[scoffs] I mean, you get a soundstage
and a... and a couple of guys dressed as astronauts
and, you know, Stanley Kubrick...
[stammers] Are you saying that the US government faked the moon landing?
If I may interrupt a woman, uh, she is not saying that.
No, I am saying that.
- That's not what we... - No, I'm saying that.
Look... [stammers] ...I give you a piece of evidence, okay?
So, Neil Armstrong, who you guys love so much, right?
If you shorten his name? Neil A., right?
What happens when you spell that backwards?
What's that spell?
Alien. Alien.
- [crowd gasping, muttering] - Mic drop.
Don't you think we should have talked about this?
W-Well, I haven't figured it out yet.
There's nothing to talk about. I don't know what I'm gonna do.
What's to figure out? Can't Storm take care of the baby?
No, Storm has a career.
He has to make money like a normal person.
Yeah, I hadn't thought about that. I don't really do money.
The reason that you can say you don't do money is because you have so much of it.
I make money, okay?
- What is the difference? - And it trickles down.
I am not having the trickle-down conversation
- with you again. - Voodoo economics.
Dana, back me up here.
I cannot hear you. I am working.
Look, the point is we're partners and so we should have
- had a conversation about it. - Uh-huh. Storm is my partner too.
He's a fling. That's what you said. That's what you said.
- You said he was a fling. - Yeah, yeah, yeah.
But Storm and I were able to create something that you and I never could.
I could get you pregnant.
- Ew. - Dana.
- Dana, tell Poppy... - No. Tell him to stop talking...
- ...I could get her pregnant. - ...about getting me pregnant
'cause that's not what I'm talking about.
I'm talking about the art piece.
Storm was able to help me see my vision through.
He was able to put my needs first.
That's something that you have never been able to do.
[scoffs] Are we really talking about Hera again?
- I mean, haven't we been through this? - [sighs]
I ate the pizza. It is what it is. You agreed.
But what if I don't want it to be what "it is" anymore?
Well... [sighs] ...that would mean that you changed your mind.
Well, I changed my mind. People can change their minds.
So you pivoted?
That's sort of my thing.
If you need to think of this as being your idea to understand it, then sure.
I've pivoted away from wanting it to be what "it is."
Okay. I'll allow that.
Great. Thank you.
Wh-What way do I have to pivot to get you to stay?
I don't... I don't think that we should be...
Do we really need to talk about this right now in front of...
Okay. She's gone.
Well, I hope our foreign friends don't get, uh, C-SPAN or Fox
or any other news outlet on Earth.
David, can I just...
Don't ever speak again.
David.
Wow, tough room.
Um. But hey, thanks for taking the heat off of the rest of us.
I mean, we-we owe you one. [chuckles]
Fuck off, Dan Williams.
Mythic Quest, always a class act.
By the way, really nice to meet you, Rachel Meyee.
- [chuckles] - I'm never gonna forget that name.
Mmm.
[whistles]
Oh, and, uh, he died.
Alexander Hamilton.
He stood up for what he believed in and he got shot dead.
And we are not sharing an Uber to the airport.
- [knocking] - Hey there, little update for you.
Uh, I just dropped Andy off at a meeting. So, back on the wagon.
Sorry about all the drama yesterday. I did not mean to get you involved.
Yeah.
I'm just going through a lot right now.
Say no more. [chuckles]
Unless you want to. I'm a good listener.
Terrible singer, so, karaoke's out.
[both chuckle]
Seriously though, if you ever need anything, I'm around.
Always got a minute.
[scoffs] How about an hour?
How about it?
- Poppy. Hey. [chuckles] - [screams]
[sighs] I am pregnant.
Don't scare me like that unless you want me to leak all over your shoes.
- [sighs] Look, I'm really sorry about... - [sighs]
...how things got heated back there.
Yeah. Look, it was probably mostly hormones.
Oh. Yeah, I would n-never say that about a pregnant woman.
- I was talking about your hormones. - Mine?
Yeah, I have walked in on you injecting yourself.
Those are B vitamins.
I think they be horse hormones.
[stammers, sighs] Look, I...
I'm sorry, I didn't know what to say to you to make things better.
So I did something.
Okay?
Come with me.
What the hell?
[sighs]
[Poppy] What is my art piece doing in the bullpen?
I bought it. I-I paid a shitload of money for it. [chuckles]
I-I can't believe this.
Yeah. Yeah. I-I-I know.
It's kind of a big move but it felt like the right thing to do.
And, I mean, I think this kind of solves all the problems, doesn't it?
I mean, it-it-it gives Storm a really big sale
and-and-and then he won't have to worry.
And now you won't have to worry and... and then maybe we can get back to work.
Ian, do you know what this piece is about?
Uh. Robots?
It's about me.
I'm the machine and the machine can't be fixed.
No matter how hard it works and works and works, it can't fix itself.
Making this thing made me realize, I don't wanna be the machine anymore.
Oh.
Maybe that's why I get sad when I look at it.
Yes. Maybe that's why.
Because maybe, deep down, you knew what this represented.
I mean, like in your subconscious.
No.
No, I've done a ton of work to bring my subconscious to the conscious.
Oh, my God. You are never gonna get it.
[sighs] What? Are you... Are you angry?
Yes.
I-I don't understand. I fixed your problem.
You fixed your problem.
I did something good.
You did something selfish.
How is me spending so much money on your art project
anything but good for you?
You know what, I'm gonna leave you and your conscious-subconscious
to figure that out.
Wait. Poppy, don't go.
Just...
Just don't leave me.
I'll give you whatever you want.
Anything I want?
Yeah.
Ian.
[inhales deeply]
I want to put as much distance between you and me as possible.
That's what you want?
That's what I want.
I'm sorry, but that's what I need.
[inhales deeply, sighs]
I'm taking my leave of absence starting now, okay?
Yeah.
[elevator bell dings]
["Cherry" playing]