The Nextlander Podcast

Brad's on the mend this week, so Giant Bomb's in-house counsel Jeff Bakalar is filling the rotating chair this week as we discuss PAX East, recent video game releases, and the gambling industry's ongoing contribution to the degeneration of society.CHAPTERS(00:00:00) | NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate for versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening.(00:00:10) | Intro(00:01:29) | Welcome back Jeff Bakalar(00:09:54) | What a fun PAX East this year(00:15:13) | Oh, you want to buy some dice? They've got dice.(00:20:55) | Slay the Spire (The board game)(00:22:10) | Slay the Spire | [PC (Microsoft Windows), Linux, Mac] | Jan 23, 2019(00:31:41) | Jocks and nerds living together. It can happen.(00:34:13) | First Break(00:36:40) | Screamer | [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S] | Mar 26, 2026(00:43:08) | Raccoin: Coin Pusher Roguelike | [PC (Microsoft Windows)] | Mar 31, 2026(00:50:10) | Bakalar and Alex are (still) not happy with sports betting(01:08:04) | Marvel MaXimum Collection | [Nintendo Switch, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S] | Mar 27, 2026(01:13:31) | Resident Evil Requiem | [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2] | Feb 27, 2026(01:17:45) | Second Break(01:17:50) | PlayStation price increases(01:27:20) | Nintendo confirms price differences between digital and physical releases(01:29:14) | Time for Star Fox to shine(01:36:49) | Does Disney want to own Epic Games?(01:48:21) | Shinji Mikami's new(ish) studio is bought(01:50:38) | Eidos-Montreal has more layoffs(01:51:49) | Konami increases salaries for employees(01:53:28) | MindsEye continues to be a concern(02:00:17) | Some game announcements(02:00:34) | Hunter: The Reckoning - Deathwish | [PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC (Microsoft Windows)] | Q3 2027(02:00:49) | Hades II | [Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5] | Apr 14, 2026(02:00:56) | The Eternal Life of Goldman | [Nintendo Switch, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S] | 2026(02:01:27) | Boxroom (Early Access) | [PC (Microsoft Windows)] | Q2 2026(02:03:11) | Emails(02:22:17) | Wrapping up and thanks(02:25:53) | Mysterious Benefactor Shoutouts(02:27:13) | See ya!

Start Menu's Lex Luddy drops by to chop it up with us about Pokemon Pokopia, the "joy" of reviewing Crimson Desert, the actual joy of RE Requiem with unlimited ammo, the state of Marathon's Cryo Archives and late game, some more unfortunate industry-downturn news, another installment in the great FMV game debate, and more!CHAPTERS(00:00:00) NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate for versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening.(00:00:10) Intro(00:00:41) Welcome back Lex!(00:03:23) Pokémon Pokopia  |  [Nintendo Switch 2]  |  Mar 05, 2026(00:27:21) First Break(00:27:26) Crimson Desert  |  [PlayStation 5, Mac, PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox Series X|S]  |  Mar 19, 2026(00:53:37) Marathon  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  Mar 05, 2026(01:11:22) Resident Evil Requiem  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2]  |  Feb 27, 2026(01:23:40) Dirt 3  |  [PlayStation 3, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 3, Xbox 360]  |  May 24, 2011(01:26:39) Second Break(01:26:44) Epic Games lays off over 1,000 people(01:42:00) Nintendo Switch 2 production to slow down(01:48:10) Sony closes Dark Outlaw Games(01:50:55) Marathon sales numbers(01:57:24) UK game development(02:08:13) Let's all just live in Minecraft World(02:16:41) Email(02:27:07) Wrapping up and thanks(02:31:04) Mysterious Benefactor Shoutouts(02:32:36) Thanks again to Lex Luddy!(02:33:59) See ya!

We're out this week, so the Nextlander Podcast will return in its normal slot next week, but for now we bring you another NBABP classic, in which Jeff Bakalar and Austin Walker join us to talk about the funny pages, technology running amok, and electronic drum kits?CHAPTERS(00:01:07) Intro(00:02:31) Sah-caucus vs Sea-caucus(00:03:21) All the good podcast memories are Beastcast related(00:05:56) The internal politics of carving out studio spaces(00:08:14) "I'm a human and I don't work there anymore"(00:23:56) First Break(00:24:05) Do we live in Cyberpunk Version 3.0?(00:27:14) Why do giant tech companies always seem evil?(00:31:46) The Coleco Chameleon and the Intellivision Amico(00:32:36) Tommy Tallarico(00:34:39) The last 10 years of the internet have been good(00:39:01) Don't mess with whatever hope people have of a retirement(00:41:50) Masterful transition into the funny pages(00:47:22) Second Break(00:47:35) How is Gary Larson?(00:52:50) Getting deep into Heathcliff(01:01:43) Bakalar had a comic strip?(01:07:15) And he bought an electronic drum kit?!(01:21:51) Wrapping up and thanks!(01:22:14) See ya!

It's a very full show this week, with discussion of Marathon, late-game Resident Evil Requiem, WWE 2K26, and Esoteric Ebb, plus chatter in the news about Microsoft's Project Helix, PlayStation surge pricing, Nagoshi Studio's loss of funding for Gang of Dragon, and the final round of Mario Galaxy movie casting, plus another stack of FMV emails and more!CHAPTERS(00:00:00) NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate for versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening.(00:00:10) Intro(00:02:35) Resident Evil Requiem  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2]  |  Feb 27, 2026(00:02:53) [SPOILER WARNING] Some open and spoiler-ish RE9 talk ensues!(00:05:35) We get a little deeper into actual spoiler territory(00:43:07) First Break(00:43:11) Marathon  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  Mar 05, 2026(01:00:11) WWE 2K26  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  Mar 13, 2026(01:18:13) Esoteric Ebb  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  Mar 03, 2026(01:19:36) Second Break(01:27:01) Welcome to Project Helix(01:37:14) Valve still plans to keep to its 2026 hardware date(01:50:01) Sony's stab at dynamic pricing?(01:56:53) NetEase to stop funding Gang of Dragon(02:05:44) Make way for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie(02:16:31) Emails(02:32:21) Wrapping up and thanks(02:35:12) Mysterious Benefactor Shoutouts(02:38:43) Nextlander content updates(02:39:44) See ya!

This week we discuss the hottest Resident Evil releases, like Outbreak and 6 (and also Requiem), Reanimal, Steam Next Fest demos like Vampire Crawlers, Awaysis, and Forbidden Solitaire, Sony's reported decision to stop porting its first-party games to PC, the Bloodborne remaster that almost was, RedOctane's new guitar game, the God of War live action show, and a bunch of other stuff!CHAPTERS(00:00:10) Intro(00:02:20) No power, (almost) no problem!(00:12:50) Resident Evil Requiem  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2]  |  Feb 27, 2026(00:56:37) First Break(00:59:12) Reanimal  |  [Nintendo Switch 2, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  Feb 13, 2026(01:02:43) Steam Next Fest Demos(01:03:34) Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard from Vampire Survivors  |  [Xbox Series X|S, Android, iOS, PC (Microsoft Windows), Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5]  |  2026(01:11:45) Replaced  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S]  |  Apr 14, 2026(01:14:00) Awaysis  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  TBD(01:16:19) Titanium Court  |  [Mac, PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  TBD(01:21:09) The Ratline  |  [Mac, PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  Mar 17, 2026(01:23:09) Forbidden Solitaire  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  Q1 2026(01:29:51) Second Break(01:29:55) The news(01:30:35) Sony wants you to buy console games, not PC games(01:47:54) Almost everyone wanted a Bloodborne remake!(01:56:48) Stage Tour is the newest plastic instrument game!(02:07:10) Highguard is officially going offline(02:20:23) Breaking Build a Rocket Boy news(02:21:25) First look at the live-action God of War(02:31:59) Emails(02:37:39) Wrapping up and thanks(02:39:46) Mysterious Benefactor Shoutouts(02:42:47) Nextlander content updates(02:43:58) See ya!

There's a lot going on: Phil Spencer's time at Xbox is coming to an end, Microsoft is appointing former AI exec Asha Sharma to replace him, Sony is shuttering Bluepoint Games, and more. We dig into all that, plus Alex and Brad nerd out over the new Star Trek: Voyager game, Vinny names his FMV Mount Rushmore, and other stuff on this week's show!CHAPTERS(00:00:00) NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate for versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening.(00:00:10) Intro(00:01:16) The Next Era of Xbox(00:46:17) First Break(00:46:22) More about the future of Xbox(01:26:04) Sony shutters Bluepoint Games(01:35:43) Bungie to institute permanent bans for Marathon cheaters(01:38:00) Nacon files for insolvency(01:40:49) Everything changes, all at once(01:44:46) Second Break(01:44:51) Some video games we played(01:45:01) Star Trek: Voyager - Across the Unknown  |  [Nintendo Switch 2, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  Feb 18, 2026(02:02:56) God of War Sons of Sparta  |  [PlayStation 5]  |  Feb 12, 2026(02:04:38) Heart of the Forest  |  [Android, iOS, Mac, Nintendo Switch, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One]  |  Feb 12, 2026(02:05:19) Emails(02:25:38) Wrapping up and thanks(02:29:04) Mysterious Benefactor Shoutouts(02:30:48) Nextlander schedule updates(02:31:54) See ya!

Sony ran an all-timer of a State of Play last week, so we spend a bunch of time digging into a bunch of news and demos about God of War Trilogy Remake, Control Resonant, and Konami's impressive bundle of Castlevania, Silent Hill, and Metal Gear games. Also, games like God of War: Sons of Sparta, Menace, Heart of the Forest, and Avowed on PS5. Also, Vinny's questionable encounter at the Outback Steakhouse. Sounds like a podcast, alright!CHAPTERS(00:00:00) NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate for versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening.(00:00:10) Intro(00:00:56) A touch of "comedy" at the Outback?(00:09:55) Other, non-Outback food options(00:12:09) God of War Sons of Sparta  |  [PlayStation 5]  |  Feb 12, 2026(00:21:50) First Break(00:24:14) Heart of the Forest  |  [Android, iOS, Mac, Nintendo Switch, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One]  |  Feb 12, 2026(00:31:57) Menace (Early Access) |  [PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  Feb 05, 2026(00:38:41) Avowed  |  [PlayStation 5]  |  Feb 17, 2026(00:50:34) Species: Unknown (Early Access) |  [PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  Oct 23, 2025(00:58:47) Silent Hill f  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  Sep 25, 2025(01:00:46) Second Break(01:00:50) Sony's latest State of Play(01:04:09) Castlevania: Belmont's Curse  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch]  |  2026(01:09:48) Silent Hill: Townfall  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5]  |  2026(01:15:46) Metal Gear Solid Master Collection: Volume 2  |  [Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  Aug 27, 2026(01:23:41) The rest of Konami(01:24:18) God of War Trilogy Remake  |  [PlayStation 5]  |  TBD(01:31:43) Kena: Scars of Kosmora  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5]  |  2026(01:32:58) Untitled John Wick Game  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5]  |  TBD(01:37:18) Saros  |  [PlayStation 5]  |  Apr 30, 2026(01:37:59) Control Resonant  |  [Mac, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  Q2 2026(01:39:33) 007 First Light  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2]  |  May 27, 2026(01:40:54) Star Wars: Galactic Racer  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  2026(01:41:56) Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5]  |  Aug 06, 2026(01:42:15) Neva: Prologue  |  [PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S]  |  Feb 19, 2026(01:42:55) Pragmata  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2]  |  Apr 24, 2026(01:44:43) Rayman: 30th Anniversary Edition  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch]  |  Feb 13, 2026(01:45:14) Project Windless  |  [PlayStation 5]  |  TBD(01:46:29) Yakoh: Shinobi Ops  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5]  |  2027(01:46:59) Death Stranding 2: On the Beach  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  Mar 19, 2026(01:48:09) Marathon  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  Mar 05, 2026(01:50:11) Steam Deck shortages are here(01:52:39) A bit more on that future Resident Evil movie(01:57:45) Emails(02:09:03) Wrapping up and thanks(02:11:30) Mysterious Benefactor Shoutouts

It's another show bursting at the seams this week, touching on Romeo Is a Dead Man, The Run, and Species: Unknown, with further thoughts on Dragon Quest VII, Cairn, and some Silent Hill f endingsmaxxing. And in the news, the rubber is meeting the road on the RAM crisis for Valve, Sony, and Nintendo, there's a new live-service Horizon game coming, Ryu Ga Gotoku's response to sexual assault allegations on the cast of the new Yakuza is... questionable, and more.CHAPTERS(00:00:00) NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate for versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening.(00:00:10) Intro(00:04:07) I got my AYN Thor (not-DS) and checked it out!(00:15:39) Earth Must Die  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  Jan 27, 2026(00:16:08) The Run  |  [Mac, PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  Feb 05, 2026(00:26:57) First Break(00:29:13) Romeo is a Dead Man  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  Feb 11, 2026(00:41:55) Relooted  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox Series X|S]  |  Feb 10, 2026(00:48:20) Cairn  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5]  |  Jan 29, 2026(00:59:27) Species: Unknown (Early Access) |  [PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  Oct 23, 2025(01:10:27) Dragon Quest VII Reimagined  |  [Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox Series X|S]  |  Feb 05, 2026(01:11:20) [Possible DQ7 SPOILER] Abundance of caution with this marker(01:13:31) Silent Hill f  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  Sep 25, 2025(01:13:42) [SPOILER WARNING] Silent Hill f endings talk, mostly about items and less about story.(01:26:05) Second Break(01:26:10) How are those RAM prices affecting hardware?(01:28:04) Valve says their Steam Machine pricing is being affected(01:31:16) Sony says they've got some RAM, but maybe PS6 could be affected?(01:37:52) Nintendo says they are making bank, but think your concern is cute.(01:40:40) Epic Games says they will have a marketplace on the next Xbox(01:49:58) Guerrilla debuts Horizon Hunters Gathering!(02:10:15) Riot lays off around 80 workers from 2XKO(02:17:24) A brief aside about Valve's Deadlock(02:19:13) Yakuza Kiwami 3 has some issues(02:27:13) Emails(02:30:34) Wrapping up and thanks(02:33:49) Mysterious Benefactor Shoutouts

What a chockablock episode this week, touching on games like Dragon Quest VII Reimagined, Cairn, and Vinny's Silent Hill f ending extravaganza, plus how the Epstein files intersect with gaming, alarming layoff stats in game development, Switch sales' major new milestone, things we miss from the pre-Internet gaming era, and the AI-powered Parappa the Rapper podcast coming soon to a PlayStation near you.CHAPTERS(00:00:00) NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate for versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening.(00:00:10) Intro(00:05:00) That video is fantastic and you should watch the whole thing!(00:05:36) There's even more of that terrible Captain America movie?(00:13:16) Cairn  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5]  |  Jan 29, 2026(00:23:52) First Break(00:23:57) Dragon Quest VII Reimagined  |  [Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox Series X|S]  |  Feb 05, 2026(00:50:08) Earth Must Die  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  Jan 27, 2026(00:53:26) Absolum  |  [Nintendo Switch, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5]  |  Oct 09, 2025(00:56:22) TR-49  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac]  |  Jan 21, 2026(00:57:05) Silent Hill f  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  Sep 25, 2025(00:58:14) [SPOILERS] Ok, we are going to talk about SOME Silent Hill f narrative stuff(01:16:29) Second Break(01:16:33) The Epstein Files and Gaming(01:30:47) Sony patents AI podcasts?(01:39:34) Over a quarter of game developers have lost their jobs(01:47:13) Obsidian not working on Outer Worlds 3...(01:51:03) The Switch is Nintendo's biggest seller! Ever!(01:54:41) Finally, a use for you Labo VR!(01:59:51) Apex Legends shutting down on Switch(02:01:14) Grand Theft Auto 6 may indeed have a physical release at launch!(02:02:16) Highguard gets a five versus five mode!(02:05:22) Emails(02:27:38) Wrapping up and thanks(02:29:57) Mysterious Benefactor Tier Shoutouts(02:30:58) Nextlander Content Updates(02:33:14) See ya!

On the show this week: Highguard is out, Brad finished Silent Hill f (once), Grand Theft Auto VI might not get a physical release at launch, Double Fine announced a pottery-brawling online game, Battlefield 6 did extremely well, Nintendo has strong feelings about Dispatch, and a series of truly shocking revelations about the Hollywood Walk of Fame.CHAPTERS(00:00:00) NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate for versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening.(00:00:09) Intro(00:05:35) The Best 80s Cartoon Intros(00:11:45) Highguard  |  [PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  Jan 26, 2026(00:39:39) First Break(00:39:43) TR-49  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac]  |  Jan 21, 2026(00:45:11) Absolum  |  [Nintendo Switch, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5]  |  Oct 09, 2025(00:46:42) [SPOILERS] Silent Hill f ending and story spoilers!(00:47:17) Silent Hill f  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  Sep 25, 2025(01:12:58) Second Break(01:13:03) Yes it's true, this game has no disc (maybe)(01:29:34) Xbox Developer_Direct(01:30:52) Kiln  |  [Xbox Series X|S, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5]  |  Q2 2026(01:37:10) Battlefield vs Call of Duty in terms of sales(01:40:53) Not of all Congress seems OK with the EA sale(01:46:58) Dispatch on the Switch might be a bit... blurrier(01:52:36) Emails(02:13:25) Wrapping up and thanks(02:18:16) Mysterious Benefactor Shoutouts(02:21:16) See ya!

Ubisoft is doing a big old reorg, delaying and canceling games, and talking about "billionaire brands," Marathon gets a release date, Highguard is out next Monday, Life Is Strange is getting an unexpected sequel, some consoles get ranked from prettiest to ugliest, and we spent time with games like Hack and Climb, Whiskerwood, and Silent Hill f's new game plus mode. All that and more on this week's show!CHAPTERS(00:00:00) NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate for versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening.(00:00:10) Intro(00:02:04) Do you want a missile or a mansion?(00:05:33) Getting ready for the snow?(00:11:25) Are website ads as thumbnails new to YouTube?(00:12:46) [Spoilers] Silent Hill f(00:13:29) Silent Hill f  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  Sep 25, 2025(00:33:23) First Break(00:33:28) Hack and Climb  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  Jan 20, 2026(00:42:22) Whiskerwood (Early Access) |  [PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  Nov 06, 2025(00:49:38) Absolum  |  [Nintendo Switch, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5]  |  Oct 09, 2025(00:50:59) Road to Empress  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  Sep 08, 2025(00:56:55) Second Break(00:57:00) Ubisoft makes some moves for 2026(01:13:48) Marathon gets a release date and new trailer(01:20:20) Highguard still has a lot of question marks around it(01:27:18) A new Life is Strange game has been announced(01:35:46) Hitman is getting cross-progression!(01:51:21) Emails(02:08:47) Wrapping up and thanks(02:11:42) Mysterious Benefactor Shoutouts(02:14:04) Nextlander content updates(02:15:14) See ya!

This week's show features everything from zombie screening in Quarantine Zone to modding your Switch 2 Joy-cons, making video game documentaries from primary research, our hopes for a third Wolfenstein game (and maybe a StarCraft shooter?), a sad farewell to Twisted Pixel, a long-ish deep dive on sequels in film and video games, and a bunch more.The VGHF's NES documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJvpRGibFhgCHAPTERS(00:00:00) NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate for versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening.(00:00:10) Intro(00:02:07) How expensive is the noise your house is making?(00:05:48) People walking around on your property(00:14:39) The Untold Story of the Nintendo Entertainment System(00:24:58) Mosa Lina  |  [Linux, Mac, PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  Oct 17, 2023(00:29:01) First Break(00:29:05) Quarantine Zone: The Last Check  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  Jan 12, 2026(00:41:20) Absolum  |  [Nintendo Switch, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5]  |  Oct 09, 2025(00:46:48) The Séance of Blake Manor  |  [Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  Oct 27, 2025(00:48:51) Tetris 99 and replacing Switch 2 d-pads(00:56:44) Silent Hill f  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  Sep 25, 2025(00:59:44) Second Break(00:59:50) Sounds like we'll get a Wolfenstein 3(01:09:48) Avowed is getting a PS5 release(01:13:17) They are taking another stab at a StarCraft shooter?(01:18:22) Oh Meta, do you deserve such ire? Almost certainly.(01:38:54) Emails(02:01:27) Wrapping up and thanks(02:03:05) Mysterious Benefactor Shoutouts(02:04:51) Nextlander Content Updates(02:09:37) See Ya!

Let's start 2026 by chatting about games we played over the break, including Miles Morales, Civ 7, Absolum, and Vinny's... feelings about Metroid Prime 4. We also round up the the news over the holiday, like the tragic passing of Vince Zampella, next-gen consoles maybe getting delayed, possible new DLC for The Witcher 3, changes in GOG's ownership, and more.CHAPTERS(00:00:00) NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate for versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening.(00:00:10) Intro(00:03:00) 2026 and the business of video games(00:06:10) Some purchases during our break(00:13:38) Professor Layton still rules(00:18:15) What the heck are the kids reading these days?(00:19:18) No more generations, except Generation Remix(00:21:47) Metroid Prime 4: Beyond  |  [Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2]  |  Dec 04, 2025(00:32:52) First Break(00:35:13) More of the games we played during break(00:35:46) Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales  |  [PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5]  |  Nov 12, 2020(00:42:12) Death Stranding 2: On The Beach  |  [PlayStation 5]  |  Jun 26, 2025(00:45:43) Sid Meier's Civilization VII  |  [Mac, PC (Microsoft Windows), Linux, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch]  |  Feb 11, 2025(00:51:51) Absolum  |  [Nintendo Switch, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5]  |  Oct 09, 2025(00:58:35) Second Break(00:58:40) Vince Zampella's death(01:05:55) RAM prices and next gen planning(01:13:56) The Witcher 3 is getting more DLC?(01:16:52) GOG is being sold... sort of?(01:19:52) Yoji Shinkawa designs some real gear!(01:27:02) Alex has some breaking news(01:28:55) Emails(01:40:32) Wrapping up and thanks(01:44:07) Mysterious Benefactor Shoutouts(01:46:32) See ya!

In our second and final year-end wrap-up, we detail numbers 4 through 1 on our personal GOTY lists, and then dive into an array of honorable (and not too many dishonorable) mentions before pondering the year ahead. Happy new year! CHAPTERS (00:00:00) NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate for versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening. (00:00:10) Intro (00:01:17) Brad's recap from last episode (00:01:55) Vinny's recap from last episode (00:02:10) Alex's recap from last episode (00:02:29) Number 04 [Brad] (00:10:04) Number 04 [Vinny] (00:16:18) Number 04 [Alex] (00:22:55) Number 03 [Brad] (00:31:03) Number 03 [Vinny] (00:31:21) Number 03 [Alex] (00:38:12) First Break (00:38:17) Number 02 [Brad] (00:45:34) Number 02 [Vinny] (00:52:49) Number 02 [Alex] (00:57:38) Number 01 [Brad] (01:16:09) Number 01 [Vinny] (01:29:34) Number 01 [Alex] (01:38:21) Second Break (01:38:26) Honorable Mentions (02:17:56) The games that missed the mark for us (02:24:05) ...and nobody talked about Maro Kart World (02:25:05) There's always more to talk about... (02:27:06) Brad's Top Ten Games of 2025 (02:27:25) Vinny's Top Ten Games of 2025 (02:27:53) Alex's Top Ten Games of 2025 (02:28:13) Wrapping up and thanks for 2025 (02:31:20) See ya (02:31:41) Mysterious Benefactor Shoutouts

For our final two podcasts of 2025, we're getting together to lay out and discuss our personal top 10 lists. This week we reflect a bit on the state of games over the past year before running through numbers 10 through 5 on our lists. Hope you're having a happy holiday! CHAPTERS (00:00:00) NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate for versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening. (00:00:10) Intro (00:11:15) Number 10 [Brad] (00:17:34) Number 10 [Vinny] (00:24:01) Number 10 [Alex] (00:28:27) Number 09 [Brad] (00:30:58) Number 09 [Vinny] (00:31:42) Number 09 [Alex] (00:36:28) Number 08 [Brad] (00:46:32) First Break (00:46:37) Number 08 [Vinny] (00:47:57) Number 08 [Alex] (00:49:44) Number 07 [Brad] (00:50:24) Number 07 [Alex] (01:06:38) Number 07 [Vinny] (01:07:14) Number 06 [Brad] (01:16:14) Number 06 [Vinny] (01:22:26) Second Break (01:22:30) Number 06 [Alex] (01:26:29) Number 05 [Brad] (01:37:25) Number 05 [Vinny] (01:37:48) Number 05 [Alex] (01:46:43) Brad numbers 10 through 05 recap (01:47:05) Vinny's Number 10 through 05 recap (01:47:23) Alex's Number 10 through 05 recap (01:47:38) Wrapping up (01:49:35) See Ya! (01:49:48) Mysterious Benefactor Shoutouts

We spend most of this week's show unpacking all the announcements and trailers out of the Game Awards, including Control Resonant, Ontos, Gang of Dragon, Divinity, the Street Fighter movie, Mega Man: Dual Override, Star Wars: Galactic Racer and Fate of the Old Republic, and a ton of other stuff. Plus, games we plan to dig into over the holidays, some final thoughts as we approach the end of 2025, and more! CHAPTERS (00:00:00) NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate for versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening. (00:00:10) Intro (00:04:30) The Game Awards get A LOT of views (00:07:54) Physical games and hardware sales (00:10:52) Let's talk about the announcements (00:11:07) South of Midnight  |  [PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2]  |  Q2 2026 (00:11:36) Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  TBD (00:16:21) Star Wars: Galactic Racer  |  [Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  2026 (00:19:59) The Street Fighter movie trailer (00:31:25) First Break (00:31:30) Warlock  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  2027 (00:33:42) Divinity  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  TBD (00:35:18) Ontos  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  2026 (00:38:09) Warframe: The Old Peace  |  [Nintendo Switch, PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, PlayStation 4]  |  Dec 10, 2025 (00:39:04) Soulframe (Beta) |  [PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  TBD (00:40:02) Bradley the Badger  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  TBD (00:41:51) TankRat  |  [PlayStation 5, PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  Q2 2026 (00:42:40) Screamer  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  Mar 26, 2026 (00:43:17) Gang of Dragon  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  TBD (00:45:02) The expected announcements (00:45:15) Mega Man: Dual Override  |  [Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  2027 (00:46:28) Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  2026 (00:46:46) Tomb Raider: Catalyst  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  2027 (00:47:45) Control Resonant  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Mac]  |  2026 (00:51:11) Total War: Warhammer 40,000  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  TBD (00:52:50) Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve  |  [PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  2026 (00:53:42) Coven of the Chicken Foot  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  TBD (00:54:34) 007 First Light  |  [Nintendo Switch 2, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  Mar 27, 2026 (00:57:08) Forest 3  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  TBD (00:59:27) Out of Words  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  2026 (01:01:42) A few other games we'd like to mention (01:02:17) Pragmata  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2]  |  Apr 24, 2026 (01:02:47) Audiomech: Your Music Transformed  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  TBD (01:03:22) Solasta II (Early Access) |  [PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  Mar 12, 2026 (01:03:28) Highguard  |  [PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  Jan 26, 2026 (01:08:14) Our highlights (01:08:57) Anything missing we thought might be there? (01:12:49) Second Break (01:12:54) Games we want to play during the break (01:22:24) Metroid Prime 4: Beyond  |  [Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2]  |  Dec 04, 2025 (01:32:09) Silent Hill f  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  Sep 25, 2025 (01:33:51) Light Up the Town  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  Dec 07, 2025 (01:39:16) Emails (01:43:31) Wrapping up and thanks (01:46:42) Mysterious Benefactor Shoutouts (01:48:58) Nextlander content updates (01:50:14) Goodbye 2025, Hello 2026! (01:50:29) See Ya!

Brad got a Switch 2, and played Metroid Prime 4 on it, and we talk about that, Skate Story, the end of Silent Hill f, a bunch of Game Awards announcement speculation, the resurrection of Romero Games' latest project, whatever the hell is going on with Call of Duty right now, the immortal might of Shang Tsung, our love of Roger Ebert, a shocking revelation about controller face buttons, and a bunch more on this week's show. CHAPTERS (00:00:00) NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate for versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening. (00:00:09) Intro (00:14:13) Metroid Prime 4: Beyond | [Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2] | Dec 04, 2025 (00:42:07) First Break (00:42:11) Skate Story | [Nintendo Switch 2, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Mac] | Dec 08, 2025 (00:49:28) Silent Hill f | [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S] | Sep 25, 2025 (00:57:30) The Séance of Blake Manor | [Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows)] | Oct 27, 2025 (00:57:53) Marvel Cosmic Invasion | [Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Linux] | Dec 01, 2025 (00:58:10) Absolum | [Nintendo Switch, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5] | Oct 09, 2025 (00:59:30) Void Crew | [PC (Microsoft Windows)] | Nov 25, 2024 (01:03:59) Second Break (01:04:03) The Game Awards is soon and news is swirling (01:04:24) Larian may have a new game in the Divinity series (01:07:49) Capcom wants more Mega Man (and other) games! (01:12:29) Tomb Raider will have something to show at The Game Awards (01:17:16) Warner Bros. and Netflix... What will it mean for the games? (01:29:01) Katsuhiro Harada retires from Tekken (01:31:46) John Romero's latest project is still alive (01:35:02) Tim Cain returns to Obsidian (01:37:28) Call of Duty will slow down with the releases (01:45:36) Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa has passed away (01:47:58) Emails (01:57:32) Wrapping up and thanks (01:59:31) Mysterious Benefactor Shoutouts (02:01:08) Nextlander Content Updates (02:02:46) See ya!

We're chock-a-block with stuff to talk about this week, from the Analogue 3D to Horses (both the game and its banning), Marvel Cosmic Invasion, the Fortnite chapter 6 ending bonanza, more with Silent Hill f, a surprising amount of news about the possible futures of franchises like Dead Rising, Control, Metal Gear, and Hitman, your emails, and more! CHAPTERS (00:00:00) NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate for versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening. (00:00:10) Intro (00:01:46) Podcast Celebrities vs Celebrity Podcasters (00:11:38) Alex got an Analogue 3D! (00:28:57) First Break (00:33:34) Marvel Cosmic Invasion  |  [Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Linux]  |  Dec 01, 2025 (00:46:51) Horses  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  Dec 02, 2025 (01:06:51) Silent Hill f  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  Sep 25, 2025 (01:21:06) The Séance of Blake Manor  |  [Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  Oct 27, 2025 (01:24:34) Hollow Knight: Silksong  |  [Linux, Mac, Nintendo Switch 2, PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One]  |  Sep 04, 2025 (01:24:59) Fortnite  |  [Android, iOS, Xbox One, Mac, Nintendo Switch, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4]  |  Jun 29, 2020 (01:49:40) Second Break (01:49:44) New Dead Rising in the works? (01:56:31) Control: Resonant is trademarked ahead of the Game Awards... (02:03:00) Of course they are still going to make Hitman! (02:08:55) Should we better recognize the performance capture for characters? (02:17:12) What's next for Metal Gear? Probably nothing around Sons of the Patriots (02:22:37) Emails (02:31:52) Wrapping up and thanks (02:36:28) Mysterious Benefactor Shoutouts (02:39:02) Nextlander content updates (02:42:41) See ya!

Brad and Vinny produce the rare duos podcast this week with deep(er) dives into Silent Hill f and Hollow Knight: Silksong, a look at The Séance of Blake Manor, the new Vampire Survivors quasi-sequel, Valve's comments on Steam Machine pricing/Linux anti-cheat/Half-Life 3, the passing of Udo Kier, Thanksgiving turkey (and other fowl) strategies, our annual recitation of Final Fantasy character names, and more! CHAPTERS (00:00:00) NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate for versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening. (00:00:10) Intro (00:06:07) Silent Hill f  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  Sep 25, 2025 (00:23:50) First Break (00:23:54) The Séance of Blake Manor  |  [Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  Oct 27, 2025 (00:31:54) Hollow Knight: Silksong  |  [Linux, Mac, Nintendo Switch 2, PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One]  |  Sep 04, 2025 (00:33:29) [SPOILERS] Some Silksong items, areas, and encounters (00:50:47) Fortnite: Chapter 6 - Mini Season 2: The Simpsons  |  [Android, iOS, Mac, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S]  |  Nov 01, 2025 (00:55:05) Second Break (00:55:09) More updates about the Steam Machine (01:15:55) What's next for the Vampire Survivors folks? (01:19:29) Will we see more of Naughty Dog's Intergalactic soon? (01:24:40) Udo Kier has passed away at 81 (01:28:01) Emails (01:51:05) Mysterious Benefactor Shoutouts (01:55:24) See ya!

This week we dig into hot, brand-new video games like Metal Gear Solid and Nier: Automata, plus Lumines Arise's multiplayer, the ending chapters of Dispatch, Sektori, whatever's going on with Ubisoft, the loss of "Burger" Becky Heineman, Megabonk's stand-up Game Awards move, a "will it come out in 2026" quiz, and more! CHAPTERS (00:00:00) NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate for versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening. (00:00:10) Intro (00:01:23) Some pure personal project nonsense (00:05:57) That TV project is almost done! (00:12:22) Extra Life 2025! (00:18:25) Dispatch  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5]  |  Oct 22, 2025 (00:32:58) First Break (00:36:49) Lumines Arise  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, PlayStation VR2, SteamVR]  |  Nov 11, 2025 (00:54:36) Sektori  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  Nov 18, 2025 (01:01:05) Plenty of games too play! (01:02:07) Hollow Knight: Silksong  |  [Linux, Mac, Nintendo Switch 2, PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One]  |  Sep 04, 2025 (01:03:12) Morsels  |  [Nintendo Switch, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  Nov 18, 2025 (01:05:46) Metal Gear Solid  |  [PlayStation]  |  Oct 20, 1998 (01:19:07) Silent Hill f  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  Sep 25, 2025 (01:22:22) Second Break (01:22:32) What is happening at Ubisoft? (01:32:10) Rebecca Heineman has passed away (01:38:54) Yoko Taro is still trying to make games! (01:42:34) Megabonk and The Game Awards (01:52:03) Will Concord be playable again? (02:01:16) Emails (02:32:21) Wrapping up and thanks (02:37:57) Mysterious Benefactor Shoutouts