Episodes

  • #361 | The Most Natural Thing, But Nothing We'd Expect

    #361 | The Most Natural Thing, But Nothing We'd Expect
    Jun 2 2025
    The global economy is in a tumultuous state, inflation has carved away everyone's purchasing power, and prices are almost universally going up. So naturally, PlayStation will follow suit and jack its rates up too, right? Well, no. Instead, they're doing the exact opposite of what seems natural: For their annual, weeks-long Days of Play sales event, Sony has slashed prices on PS5 and PS5 Pro, PSVR2 and DualSense, and even DualSense Edge and the Access controller. Is Sony's boldness in risking economic erosion worth it? Is its strategy simply to put its boot on Xbox's neck once and for all? We discuss. Plus: If all went according to plan, The Order: 1886 would have gotten two sequels, EA cancels its Black Panther project while shutting down the studio behind it, Build A Rocket Boy suggests there may be a paid, organized campaign against its upcoming title MindsEye, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! What does Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's success mean for the future of global JRPGs? Could Star Wars Battlefront be revived on the basis of a recent resurgence in popularity? Is Colin ignoring an obvious connection between Souls games and his beloved Castlevania? Should we invest thousands in a commemorative Concord plaque, currently for sale on an online auction site?Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. Timestamps: 0:00:00 - Intro0:39:27 - Store bought pasta0:47:19 - Micah cooked Colin0:49:13 - **TLOU2 spoiler** Jerkin Joel0:53:34 - New YouTube censorship words0:58:50 - Concord plaque found1:07:37 - Days of Play 20251:17:56 - The Order's canceled sequels1:26:43 - EA cancels Black Panther game1:39:50 - MindsEye under attack?1:57:53 - PS+ for June2:05:40 - Dragon Quest 1 and 2 HD release date2:09:53 - Video game sales numbers2:38:38 - What We've Been Playing (Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Shovel Knight Dig, Powerwash Simulator Shrek DLC, Borderlands 2, Death Stranding)2:47:09 - Gaming "moment of clarity"2:52:29 - More JPRG settings3:07:37 - PlayStation's return to handheld2:08:32 - Watching a playthrough to catch up3:14:16 - Battlefront 2 resurgence3:22:31 - When will Colin play a Souls game? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    3 hrs and 51 mins
  • #360 | I'll Confess This: You're My Tragedy

    #360 | I'll Confess This: You're My Tragedy
    May 26 2025
    The last couple of weeks for Bungie have been nothing short of catastrophic, calling into question whether their upcoming extraction shooter Marathon has any chance at all in finding market success. We've long discussed whether Sony should have bought Bungie at all (they shouldn't have), but now that they're so deeply invested, how do they get the team out of this mess? And what does all of this hullabaloo -- about stolen art, poorly-reviewed gameplay, and lackluster audience reaction -- say about the team's future, full stop? Meanwhile, things aren't much better north of the border, where Quebec-based Haven recently parted ways with founder and once-famous producer Jade Raymond, who has now left three different teams without any sort of release. Is Fairgame$ DOA? Maybe not, but we have lots of new information on the recent closed test of the game under the moniker Project Hearts, and... well... it's not sounding great. Also: MLB: The Show is seemingly getting a mobile release, PlayStation Stars is going away unceremoniously, Stellar Blade 2 is in active development, Xbox's Hellblade II is coming to PS5, Kojima's Physint is at least five more years away, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Keeping in mind Sony's typical naming conventions, what will PlayStation 6's controller be called? Do we also find delight in Darth Vader's AI voice in Fortnite? Is the PS5 Pro truly worth purchasing before prices likely go up? Has Chris ever seen a ghost?Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.Timestamps: 0:00:00 - Intro00:44:13 - Best man bromance00:46:03 - ghoul-ing01:04:41 - Haven/Jade Raymond reflections01:37:51 - Bungie art theft reflections02:33:15 - MLB: The Show mobile02:38:25 - PlayStation Stars is over02:51:24 - Stellar Blade sequel coming02:56:49 - Kojima's next game is far off03:01:41 - Hellblade 2 is coming to PS503:05:56 - Randy Pitchford on Borderlands 4 pricing03:26:21 - Circana data03:35:21 - New Naughty Dog logo03:37:18 - Doom: The Dark Ages surpasses three million players03:40:44 - What Are We Playing (Doom The Dark Ages, Stardew Valley, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Shovel Knight Dig)04:05:34 - Iconic PlayStation Games04:16:19 - ChatGPT game hints04:19:15 - DualSense 2?4:22:38 - AI Vader in Fortnite04:28:19 - "Editions" releases04:35:04 - Current thoughts on PS5 Pro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    5 hrs
  • #359 | Such A Beautiful Lie to Believe In

    #359 | Such A Beautiful Lie to Believe In
    May 19 2025
    PlayStation is booming, at least depending on how you look at things. On the one hand, Sony's annual financial results are incredibly strong: PlayStation drove more revenue last year than any gaming entity ever has in the entire history of the industry. Meanwhile, PS5 will surpass 80 million units sold soon, and has become the default console for most players this generation. But there's a downside; indeed, Sony is doing all of this damage with one hand tied behind its back, as major exclusive releases have slowed down to a trickle, while the level of behind-the-scenes mismanagement becomes ever-starker. As we were wrapping our episode up, word dropped that first party studio Haven lost its founder and biggest name, Jade Raymond, apparently after a tumultuous testing of Fairgames, boding poorly for the future of that product and team. Maybe this entire initiative was a bad idea, after all? Plus: Death Stranding 2 goes gold, Stellar Blade is coming to PC, rumors percolate about a Grand Theft Auto IV remaster, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Will Final Fantasy XVII be turn-based? What does the 11th hour saving of Giant Bomb mean for the future of games media? Could Game Pass' undeniable value proposition begin peeling away the Sony hardcore? Who should we cast Obesaga on, so that we can have an overweight cast member for representation's sake?Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. Your browser is holding you back. Level up here: https://operagx.gg/SacredSymbols Sponsored by Opera GX! Timestamps: 0:00:00 - Intro0:19:30 - No more sad write-ins0:22:20 - How are we doing?0:31:22 - LSM needs more diversity0:43:46 - This week's "situation"0:47:08 - HBO MAX0:54:09 - Guy waking up meme0:59:22 - Sony FY2024 financials1:20:50 - Capcom continues to dominate1:26:38 - Death Stranding 2 goes gold1:37:18 - Stellar Blade coming to PC1:44:33 - Tati Gabrielle trained on online hate1:57:10 - GTA IV Remaster?2:04:34 - Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra delayed2:10:21 - PS Plus updates2:13:51 - Fallout Season 2 in December2:17:01 - What We’ve Been Playing (Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Doom Eternal, Doom: The Dark Ages, Tomba!)3:16:24 - Final Fantasy returning to turn based3:20:16 - Gatekeeping3:35:18 - Giant Bomb goes independent3:42:44 - Moon Studio in trouble?3:55:14 - More Xbox games to PlayStation4:03:13 - Will the value of Gamepass convert PlayStation users?4:13:43 - Jade Raymond leaves Haven Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    4 hrs and 34 mins
  • #358 | Like the MAC Got a EZ Pass

    #358 | Like the MAC Got a EZ Pass
    May 12 2025
    Grand Theft Auto VI promises to be the biggest video game (and likely entertainment product, full stop) in history. But unfortunately, it's been delayed. It'll come out just over a year from when this episode publishes, and a brand new trailer indicates it'll launch with all of GTA's essential trappings: Cars, guns, insane characters, a crazy story, and -- of course! -- lots and lots of crime. What are our fresh thoughts on GTA6? And do we think it'll make its new May 2026 release date? There's a lot of other news to get to this week, too. For starters, a new PlayStation first party studio has been revealed, though we already sorta knew about them. They're called teamLFG, they've been splintered off from Bungie, and they're making a more lighthearted multiplayer game. Is there cause to be optimistic about this project? Plus: The next Xbox domino falls, as Gears of War will arrive on PlayStation 5 this August, something that was completely unthinkable just a couple of years ago. But what about the other Gears games? And when's Halo coming over, too? Later: Mafia: The Old Country gets a release date, EA indicates Battlefield 6's reveal is imminent, Death Stranding 2 is getting its own DualSense controller, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Are we ever going to get another PlayStation Showcase? With the US threatening tariffs on foreign movies, should we be worried about foreign games suffering a similar fate? Why does Colin fail to see the intrinsic value of the modding community? Is Bradley Ellis slowly-but-surely taking Last Stand over from the inside?Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.Timestamps: 0:00:00 - Intro 0:06:46 - Mumu 0:16:12 - The Man Who Sold the World 0:32:40 - Sacred in space 0:46:20 - Punching Up takeover 0:49:06 - PSN horror story 0:58:14 - GTA VI delayed 1:35:50 - teamLFG 1:55:48 - Gears of War Reloaded coming to PS5 2:26:33 - Xbox games dominated PSN 2:36:36 - Mafia: The Old Country releases August 8th 2:46:24 - Destiny 2 expansion revealed 2:57:38 - EA gets ready for Battlefield 3:04:56 - Death Stranding 2 Dualsense 3:08:23 - Game sales 3:09:58 - What We’ve Been Playing 3:55:34 - Remaster/remake naming 4:01:45 - PlayStation Showcase 4:08:11 - PS5 identity 4:13:33 - Tariffs on video games 4:20:14 - Live service pricing 4:28:31 - Modding projects Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    4 hrs and 50 mins
  • #357 | It's Magic, It's Tragic, It's A Loss, It's A Win

    #357 | It's Magic, It's Tragic, It's A Loss, It's A Win
    May 5 2025
    While the Xbox console brand continues to wane, Microsoft's wise pivot to third party publishing is already paying dividends. According to recent financial reports, Xbox is now PlayStation's single biggest publishing partner, dominating PSN's very own pre-order and pre-load charts on the backs of Forza Horizon 5, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and Doom: The Dark Ages, not to mention strong performance across its brands, from Activision Blizzard's Call of Duty to Mojang's Minecraft and beyond. It's weird, to be sure, but predictable, too: These one-time rivals are now intrinsically linked, with both sides benefiting mightily from this new normal. With Halo, Gears, Fable, and virtually everything else Xbox-related no doubt en route to PlayStation 5 as we move forward, how deep and fruitful can this new, unusual relationship become? Plus: Long-in-development China Hero Project darling Lost Soul Aside gets delayed, Borderlands 4 experiences the extremely rare move-up in release date, Electronic Arts lays off hundreds and cancels projects at Respawn, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Is it high-time for Sony to explore asymmetrical sticks for its controllers? Does PC gaming represent an existential threat to the console space? Should Sony tap Chinese mega-studio Virtuos to revive its old IP? Are we willing to endorse the new term "remakester?"Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.Timestamps: 0:00:00 - Intro 0:22:22 - Girl crying in the bathroom Part 3? 0:23:58 - Hi Jimi 0:24:35 - Sacred Wives 0:26:14 - Best man's speech gone wrong 0:38:04 - nerd slop 0:44:09 - Xbox is PlayStation's top publisher 1:07:11 - Lost Soul Aside delayed 1:13:25 - Borderlands 4 release date moved up 1:21:17 - EA and Respawn layoffs 1:35:38 - Video game sales numbers 1:39:18 - New PS+ essential games 1:49:36 - Split Fiction movie 1:53:23 - Until Dawn original writers not credited in the movie 1:59:07 - Polygon is done, Giant Bomb next likely 2:05:26 - What We’ve Been Playing 2:07:43 - Marathon 2:34:20 - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 3:00:05 - Dualsense with asymmetric sticks 3:07:50 - Virtuos remakes 3:15:29 - Remakester 3:20:24 - Goofy games we liked 3:31:42 - PlayStation's future errors 3:39:27 - The best case scenario for the big three going forward Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    4 hrs
  • #356 | Can You Hear the Rumble That's Calling?

    #356 | Can You Hear the Rumble That's Calling?
    Apr 28 2025
    It's been a very busy week in PlayStation Land. For starters, Sucker Punch's long-awaited follow-up to Ghost of Tsushima -- Ghost of Yotei -- has a release date. It'll be coming to PS5 on October 2nd, alongside a non-linear, almost Mega Man-like gameplay structure. We're excited! Let's discuss. Then: Bethesda's Oblivion Remastered has finally arrived, PS5's new firmware memorializes the 30th anniversary celebration once an for all, Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders light up the internet, Star Wars is getting a strategy RPG, and lots of others news, too. Finally: Listener inquiries! How come Sony subsidiary Aniplex isn't publishing Danganronpa-like The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy on PlayStation 5? Which existing entertainment properties would best benefit from the Supermassive/Quantic Dream "CYOA" formula? Is the Catholic Church really canonizing a "gamer saint"? Which Last Stand contributor should we replace with AI first?Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. Timestamps: 0:00:00 - Intro 0:17:17 - AI replacement 0:23:33 - Crying Woman Part 2 0:36:25 - Skull lining at a funeral? 0:37:28 - Divorce proceedings 0:41:25 - Dave Ramsey 0:53:45 - Letting each other talk 0:55:37 - Ghost of Yotei releases October 2nd 1:24:35 - Switch 2 1:36:01 - Oblivion Remaster released 2:13:18 - New PS5 Firmware 2:20:45 - Devolver Digitals stats 2:28:59 - Star Wars: Zero Company 2:32:50 - Football games release dates 2:34:31 - Onimusha 2 "Hell mode" 2:36:07 - US Sales for March 2:40:50 - What We’ve Been Playing (Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Lunar: Silver Star Story, Oblivion Remastered, Marathon Alpha, Blue Prince)3:28:48 - Engagement bait 3:47:22 - Non-stop games 3:55:37 - The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy 3:59:20 - Choose your own adventure dream IP 4:03:48 - Indexed archives 4:09:31 - Saint of Gaming Your browser is holding you back. Level up here: https://operagx.gg/SacredSymbols Sponsored by Opera GX! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    4 hrs and 27 mins
  • #355 | In Violent Times, You Shouldn't Have to Sell Your Soul

    #355 | In Violent Times, You Shouldn't Have to Sell Your Soul
    Apr 21 2025
    After years of hard work (and tons of external speculation), Sony-owned developer Bungie has finally revealed gameplay from and tons of details concerning its next project, Marathon. An extraction shooter that will be sold for a mid-range price ($40 seems to be the going guess), reactions to the project have been mixed. Does a large market for a game like this exist? Is the cost of entry too prohibitive? Is it DOA like Concord? Honestly, we feel like a lot of people are overreacting one way or another, but one thing's for sure: For some, any payment is too much. Speaking of cash-money, prices for PlayStation 5 hardware and/or PS+ subscriptions alike are going up in various parts of the world, including Europe, Australia, and Canada. Is Sony trying to inoculate itself from American tariff threats by exploiting safer markets? Or are global currencies and economies really doing that poorly? Amongst other news comes, of course, listener inquiries. As Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 draws ever-nearer, what's our collective gut-check? Could rumors of a Prototype 3 actually be real? Have we gotten to the point where trashing games has become tropey? Are we closer than ever to discovering the identity of the woman who was crying in the bathroom during Sacred 200? EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/sacred Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. Timestamps: 0:00:00 - Intro 0:30:49 - Sacred is here for you 0:33:24 - Crying woman revealed 0:37:55 - Sacred Lore 0:48:38 - More Sacred dating advice 0:58:59 - Marathon revealed 1:52:25 - PS5 price increase in certain regions 2:18:44 - Last of Us Season 2's strong start 2:23:05 - Oblivion remake is real 2:35:32 - Chronos: The New Dawn 2:41:38 - Minecraft movie domination 2:45:24 - Ubisoft making an Apex Clone 2:50:23 - What We’ve Been Playing (Blue Prince, Death Stranding, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle) 3:13:40 - Clair Obscur gutcheck 3:18:00 - Most toxic fanbase 3:24:09 - Fan service complaints 3:39:21- Prototype 3 rumors 3:46:55 - New Naughty Dog game? 3:49:36 - Final gaming experiences Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    4 hrs and 10 mins
  • #354 | You Have No Idea What Loss Is

    #354 | You Have No Idea What Loss Is
    Apr 14 2025
    If something never goes away, you're never able to miss it. That's why there's an incredible amount of cynicism surrounding The Last of Us Complete, yet another re-release of the 2013 original and its 2020 sequel, a package that combines both games into something more accessible and affordable for PlayStation 5 owners. Naturally, this is heavily tied into the return of The Last of Us on HBO, and clearly this sort of thing isn't really aimed at us at all. In fact, it's likely very smart business. But that doesn't mean we're longing for something else. Anything else, really. For once. Plus: PS+ price increases slam headlong into Latin America, Portal gets some key UI and UX updates catered toward streaming users, PlayStation's concert series seemingly suffers poor ticket sales, and more. Then: Listener inquries! Should console manufacturers limit hardware sales to their most hardcore audience first? Considering the length of both Uncharted 4 and TLoU2, should be expect Intergalactic to be a very long game? Is the "games are too expensive" argument ultimately a dead end? Can Colin mystify his sons with the '90s tech magic of WYSIWYG? Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. Timestamps: 0:00:00 - Intro 0:37:06 - Larger shirts selling out 0:42:17 - Dealing with grief 0:44:51 - Kids listening to Sacred 0:46:02 - Espresso tips 0:52:04 - Lawn boys rise up 0:56:21 - Timestamps on what we're playing (no) 1:00:21 - Dustin's art of the deal 1:03:19 - PS+ price increase in Latin America 1:12:52 - Marathon reveal incoming 1:30:30 - HBO renews Last of Us for Season 3 1:38:28 - PS Portal update 1:41:06 - Animated background on PS5 1:43:58 - Vampire Survivors cross-save wont come to PlayStation 1:51:23 - PlayStation Concerts being canceled 1:56:08 - Death Stranding film details 2:03:06 - What We’ve Been Playing (The Last of Us: Part II, Breakout Beyond, Ready or Not, Blue Prince, Marathon 2: Durandal, Assassin’s Creed Shadows) 2:35:58 - The Last of Us Complete 2:44:21 - New PlayStation+ games 2:52:47 - PSN Top Downloads 3:02:15 - Post-apocalyptic media 3:11:34 - Preorders looking at accounts 3:18:27 - Intergalactic's runtime 3:23:20 - Best weather in videos games 3:29:25 - Games industry and economics 3:40:48 - Lilymo and Kickstarter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    3 hrs and 58 mins
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