Gamified

Topics on today's show - 143 million Pokemon Go players unknowingly built a 30 BILLION image AI dataset. Microsoft announced Gaming Copilot for Xbox - an AI that can play the game for you. NVIDIA showed DLSS 5 and the internet lost its mind (in a bda way). Slay the Spire 2 sold 3 million copies at $25 - did they leave millions on the table? GDC rebranded as a "Festival" and nobody cared or noticed. And Roblox accounted for 67% of ALL gaming growth outside China.This is Gamified, breaking down the biggest stories in the industry, one game mode at a time.0:28 - Pokemon Go selling data11:58 - Xbox is getting Microsoft Copilot27:40 - Slay the Spire TOO CHEAP?38:49 - GDC "festival" buy or sell?57:36 - Nvidia's DLSS 51:08:53 - Is Roblox the only stock worth buying in Gaming?Game Modes + Topics for this episode:1. Red Flag or Green Flag - Is it okay for gaming companies to use player behavior as covert data collection? Pokemon Go produced 30 billion real-world images for Niantic's AI. Players had no idea.2. Bullish or Bullsh*t - Microsoft's Gaming Copilot is coming to Xbox. Voice assistant, real-time tips, and patents for AI that takes control of gameplay. One week after Xbox's new CEO said they'd be careful with AI.3. Sentiment Score - NVIDIA showed DLSS 5 at GTC 2026. Transformer-based scene reconstruction. Photorealistic output. YouTube comments were near 100% negative. Bethesda walked back Starfield's implementation. 0-10, what's your score?4. Over/Under - Slay the Spire 2 launched at $25 and sold 3 million copies. Over or under $35 as the right price point?5. Buy or Sell - GDC rebranded as the Festival of Gaming. 20,000 attendees, down from 30K. Studios closing, layoffs compounding. Buy or sell the new format?6. Explain Like I'm a Shareholder - Roblox hit $4.9B revenue, $6.8B bookings, 144M DAUs in Q4, and more hours played than Steam, PlayStation, and Fortnite combined. It represented 67% of all non-China gaming growth. Break it down.Follow our panelists:Host - Sam Steffanina https://x.com/SamSteffaninaChris Heatherly - https://x.com/chrisheatherlyJerry Singer - https://x.com/JerrySingerOliver Maroney - https://x.com/OliverMaroneyWills Spangler - https://x.com/WillsSpanglerGnoc (Matt Biamonte) - https://x.com/itsGnocWatch instead of listen on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UJ3DB-zf2E

Game Modes + Topics for this episode:0:37 Netflix Valued Warner Bros Games at Zero13:55 Marathon's Massive Sentiment Reversal26:44 NY AG Sues Valve Over CS2 Loot Boxes43:33 Where Does Gaming UGC Go From Here?59:30 Pokemon Gen 10 Revealed1:22:09 Should Celebrities Be Making Games?Red Flag or Green Flag — Paramount just acquired Warner Bros Discovery, including Mortal Kombat, Batman Arkham, and LEGO Games. Netflix walked away and said they attributed zero value to the game studios. Red flag or green flag for Warner Bros Games?Sentiment Score — Marathon had plagiarism accusations, a boring alpha, and an indefinite delay. Then Bungie ran the Server Slam and 143,000 people showed up on day one. Score it before and after. Both numbers before you explain.Big Deal, Little Deal, No Deal — The New York AG just sued Valve, calling CS2 loot boxes illegal gambling. The skins market is worth $4.3 billion. A single skin sold for over a million dollars. Big deal?Finish the Sentence — Roblox has 88 million daily active users and represents 67% of all net growth in gaming. In 5 years, gaming UGC will be ___?What's the Word — Pokemon Day just happened — the 30th anniversary. Generation 10 is officially Pokemon Winds and Waves. Switch 2 exclusive. Underwater exploration. What's the word?Bullish or Bullshit — Last Flag is a free-to-play hero shooter that had 100K Steam wishlists before Imagine Dragons ever got involved. Then the band signed on, the trailer hit 280K YouTube views in a week, and Tyler1 joined the party. Should celebrities be in games?Watch instead of listen on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdASe58sCAkFollow our panelists:Host - Sam Steffanina https://x.com/SamSteffaninaKohji Nagata - https://x.com/ParallelTCGpodJerry Singer - https://x.com/JerrySingerOliver Maroney - https://x.com/OliverMaroneyMichael Christine - https://x.com/MichaelSatoshiGnoc (Matt Biamonte) - https://x.com/itsGnocPayton - https://x.com/paytkaleiwaheaBehind the scenes - Lemz https://x.com/Lemz_42

Gamified brings 6 game industry workers from founders to business developers to discuss what's going on each week in 60-second bursts. Every topic has a 'game mode' that makes the topics more entertaining and the takes a little hotter.Game Modes + Topics for this episode:1. What's the Word -- Sony quietly shut down Bluepoint Games, the studio behind some of the most beloved remakes in gaming history. 70 people out. No warning.2. Devil's Advocate -- Xbox just appointed an AI executive with zero gaming experience as its new head. 5.6 million people are not happy. We argue the other side.3. Sentiment Score -- Blizzard announced Overwatch Rush, a brand new top-down hero shooter built from the ground up for mobile. Zero to ten, what's your number?4. Change My Mind -- Friend Slop is oversaturated. Unicycling sausages, airport security simulators, Super Battle Golf. The genre has hit the wall. Change our mind.5. Explain like I'm a Shareholder -- A new report says gaming is losing your Friday nights to gambling, OnlyFans, and online casinos. Why buy gaming stocks?6. Red Flag or Green Flag -- Nintendo is charging $20 for Pokemon games outside their subscription. Microsoft is stuffing more into Game Pass and raising the price. Both are getting roasted. Red flag or green flag for gaming subscriptions?Watch instead of listen on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2IL2aKNgk0Follow our panelists:Host - Sam Steffanina https://x.com/SamSteffaninaKevin Lambert - https://x.com/kevinlambertKohji Nagata - https://x.com/ParallelTCGpodWills Spangler - https://x.com/WillsSpanglerMichael O'connor - / mjoc9 Gnoc (Matt Biamonte) - https://x.com/itsGnocdub (Andrew Wian) - https://x.com/uhhdubBehind the scenes - Lemz https://x.com/Lemz_42

Gamified brings 6 game industry workers from founders to business developers to discuss whats going on each week in 60-second bursts. Every topic has a 'game mode' - that make the topics more entertaining and the takes a little hotter. Game Modes + Topics for this episode:1. What's the Word — Blizzard surprise-dropped a brand new class for a 25-year-old game, Diablo 2 Resurrected2. Ship It or Rip It — Over half of game industry professionals think generative AI is hurting the industry. Is the backlash justified?3. Sentiment Score - Overwatch 2 drops the 2 and becomes Overwatch... again?4. Red Flag or Green Flag — Five, six, seven-year dev cycles are becoming the norm. Is that a sign of ambition or a broken industry?5. Who's to Blame? — Highguard launched, got destroyed by the internet, and the devs hit back. We dig into who's actually responsible.Watch instead of listen on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkd6RlMyJAwFollow our panelists:Host - Sam Steffanina https://x.com/SamSteffaninaKevin Lambert - https://x.com/kevinlambertKohji Nagata - https://x.com/ParallelTCGpodWills Spangler - https://x.com/WillsSpanglerJerry Singer - https://x.com/JerrySingerGnoc (Matt Biamonte) - https://x.com/itsGnocMichael Christine - https://x.com/MichaelSatoshiBehind the scenes - Lemz https://x.com/Lemz_42

What’s the Word on Highguard trailer revealed at The Game Awards?Off the Grid launches ranked mode 1 year after launch - is it too little too late?Sentiment score for Steam’s new discovery systemWhich side is winning in 5 years - indie or AAA?2025 was the year of the ______?MVP of the YearToday’s Panelists:- Dub @uhhdub- Kohji @ParallelTCGpod- Chris @chrisheatherly- Jerry @TGIFresco- Sinjin @SinjinMAYG- Gnoc @itsGnoc- Kevin @kevinlambert- Wills @willsspangler- Matthew @BuxtonMatthew

Doodles mint stallsBEST AND WORST OF 2025One thing to be excited about in 2026Today’s Panelists:- Dub @uhhdub- Hantao @Hantao- Jonah @JonahBlake- Slayer @SlayerXgg- Charlie @0xChuckstock- Gorilla @CryptoGorilla- Oliver @OliverMaroney

What’s the word for Netflix trying to acquire Warner Bros?Keep or kill - should Steam drop the “made with AI” label?Bullish or bullshit on Fableborne “buying back” token allocation from NFT holders and airdropping USDC?Sentiment Score on Trump game launching on Open LootWhat’s the word for Cambria generating over 1m in just a couple of days?Today’s Panelists:- Dub @uhhdub- Jerry @TGIFresco- Sinjin @SinjinMAYG- Gnoc @itsGnoc- Kate @kateirwin- Kevin @kevinlambert- Chris @chrisheatherly- Wills @willsspangler- Michael @MichaelSatoshi- Voh @vohvohh

Is Gaming SO back?ZACH XBTIs Decentralized social media dead?Today’s Panelists:- Jordan @JordanEureka_- Matthew @BuxtonMatthew- Iceyyy @iceyyy_gaming- Dub @uhhdub- Hantao @Hantao- Jonah @JonahBlake- Slayer @SlayerXgg- Charlie @0xChuckstock- Tony @Tvalc

Bullish or Bullshit on Kill Bill short film being released in Fortnite?What's the Word for a web3 game framing themselves as an olympic esport?What’s the Word for Roblox CEO saying prediction markets in Roblox is a “brilliant idea”? Who’s side are you on: Square Enix who are replacing most of their QA team with AI, or Balder’s Gate 3 team member who says replacing human QA with AI is stupid?What will be GOTY? Marry 1, dump the rest: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, Donkey Kong Bananza, Hades II, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Kingdom Come: Deliverance IISentiment Score on Wilder World N3o’s tweet responseToday’s Panelists:- Dub @uhhdub- Wills @WillsSpangler- Kevin @kevinlambert- Chris @chrisheatherly- Gnoc @itsGnoc- Kohji @ParallelTCGpod- Michael @MichaelSatoshi- Jesus @JesusMartinez

WTF is a Kabuto King? Is $MSTR about to collapse?$JESSE launchToday’s Panelists:- Dub @uhhdub- Chris @chrisheatherly- Slayer @SlayerXgg- Jonah @JonahBlake- Payton @paytkaleiwahea- Matthew @BuxtonMatthew

What’s the word for “husbando” dating sim with almost 1B in revenue?77 bit founder putting personal funds on the line for 77 days of life for his company to succeed or else it dies - what are the odds he succeeds?What’s the word for Philippines being the #1 revenue generating country for Legend of YMIR over the last 30 days?Games with anticheat as well as non-steam games cant be played on the steam machine AKA gabe cube. Does this change your sentiment?Today’s Panelists:- Kohji @parallelTCGpod- Michael @MichaelSatoshi- Dub @uhhdub- Jerry @TGIFresco- Spang @WillsSpangler- Sinjin @SinjinMAYG- Jonah @JonahBlake- Gnoc @itsGnoc- Oliver @olivermaroney

Today's Panelists:- Matthew @BuxtonMatthew- Slayer @SlayerXgg- Jerry @TGIFresco- Dub @uhhdub- Jonah @JonahBlake- Tony @tvalc- Chris @chrisheatherly- Kate @kateirwin- Jordan @JordanEureka_

Football.Fun - is it a web3 game?Sentiment Score - Mystic Axie sells for 3 ETHWhat's the word? Web 3 gaming vs Crypto Gaming vs Blockchain Gaming vs GamingDump / Date / Marry - Parallel TCG, Parallel Colony, Parallel SanctuaryGallaxia / Planet X - What are the odds of it's success?Play or Pass? - Atia's Legacy, Grand Arena, Pudgy PartyWith panelists:- Payton @paytkaleiwahea- Jerry @TGIFresco- Kohji @ParallelTCGPod- Oliver @OliverMaroney- Omar @yoitsOG- Matthew @BuxtonMatthew- Michael @MichaelSatoshi- Dub @uhhdub- Iceyyy @Iceyyy_gaming- Hantao @Hantao

What's the word for Payday going back to focus on an older title? Bullish or Bullshit on Community Gaming sunsetting support for their token to focus on their other product Forkast?Dump, date, marry - Steam’s new hardware Bullish or Biased - Atia’s legacy feedbackSentiment Score - Animoca finding a way to get listed on the Nasdaq without an IPOGAM3S Awards - predictions for Game of the yearToday’s Panelists:- Dub @uhhdub- Chris @chrisheatherly- Jerry @TGIFresco- Kevin @kevinlambert- Michael @MichaelSatoshi- Sinjin @SinjinMAYG- Gnoc @itsGnoc- Wills @WillsSpangler

Is Azuki’s IP expansion the right move?IcoBeast said that “airdrop farmers” are the single worst foundation for a community - was he wrong here?Potential dividend cheque - should we expect this to move the market?Today’s Panelists:Dub @uhhdubChris @chrisheatherlySlayer @SlayerXggTony @tvalcPhin @PhinTottenJonah @JonahBlakeJerry @TGIFrescoGorilla @CryptoGorillaYTJon @jradoff

Sentiment score on Legend of Ymir What’s the bigger deal - Kuroro Beast stealth launching their token on the Believe platform on Solana OR Moonfrost abruptly announcing they are leaving web3 to launch the game on Steam with no crypto or NFTs?Agree or disagree with Jonah - "All of entertainment competes with all of entertainment"Predictions for the GAM3S.GG rewardsToday’s Panelists:- Jerry @TGIFresco- Dub @uhhdub- Chris @chrisheatherly- Gnoc @itsGnoc- Michael @MichaelSatoshi- Tony @tvalc- Kevin @kevinlambert- Jonah @JonahBlake- Kohji @ParallelTCGPod- Sinjin @SinjinMAYG

YouTube is coming after Crypto?Is ETHOS the ultimate version of InfoFI?NFL on FDF is right around the corner…what do we expect?Today’s Panelists:- Charlie @0xChuckstock- Gorilla @CryptoGorillaYT- Chris @chrisheatherly- Dub @uhhdub- Jonah @JonahBlake- Slayer @SlayerXgg- Jordan @JordanEureka_- Matthew @BuxtonMatthew- Hantao @Hantao

What’s the word for Halo releasing on PlayStation?What was Iceyyy talking about in his post? What’s the great marketing strategy no one is replicating?What’s the word for Counterstrike’s skin changes?ParagonsDAO Parallel assets all being acquired for $220kFor or against microtransactions in games? In 2024, they accounted for 58% of revenue and Ubisoft claims it makes the games “more fun”Today’s Panelists:- Kohji @ParallelTCGpod- Dub @uhhdub- Kate @pixiekate13- Jerry @TGIFresco- Spang @WillsSpangler- Kevin @kevinlambert- Gnoc @itsGnoc- Chris @chrisheatherly

The MegaETH presale is finally openCan BAYC actually deliver on the hype they just created?Today’s Panelists:- Oliver @OliverMaroney- Charlie @0xChuckstock- Jonah @RealJonahBlake- Matt @BuxtonMatthew- Slayer @SlayerXgg- Dub @uhhdub- IcoBeast @beast_ico- Hantao @Hantao- Chris @chrisheatherly

What’s the word for Netflix saying not enough people know they offer games, yet they had a Gamescom activation with no games at it…Sentiment score on Tale of Meteora, a game using liquidity pools as a core part of their loop to try solve the sustainability problemOh Baby Games mint and strategyTrading is the ultimate game vs everything is gaming is a bs quote