YoVideogames!

In this weeks episode we talk rumors and how I got got by a Zelda rumor. We talk insane pricing and while the RAM crash has begun, we doubt it'll ever drop back to pre-AI craze pricing. Plus we talk about the Disney/Epic Games rumors. Then, we dive into how exciting 2026 is for FGC. Marvel Tokon, Invincible VS, and Avatar are all coming very soon this year. And pricing is reasonable on all three games. Especially reasonable on Avatar. So, while the bad news, and the rumors still swirl - it is still shaping to be a great year for games.

Epic laid off a bunch of leads on the Fortnite Team. Does this signal that Fortnite is slipping? Is this related to Epic going after Google and Apple app stores? We talk about this and more in this episode!

The guys at Digital Foundry put themselves in a bit of hot water because they absolutely glazed DLSS 5 - the new technology shown by NVIDIA - and it amounts to an advanced Snapchat filter. I'm willing to give them a pass if only because geeking out about tech is what they do, and I am sure this is very impressive on a technical level. However, NVIDIA is calling it "content control Generative AI" and they say it is just a tool. In one breath, they say it doesn't change anything about the art style or graphics, and in the other they proudly announce it makes changes at the "geometric level". But it's just a tool, guys. The devs have the control and it isn't meant to replace a team member, duh. Ofcourse then one need ask: why does it generate geometry, rather than say enhance/smooth like DLSS4.5?

Apparently this has been a thing for a few years now, but I just noticed it. March 10 - MAR10 - Mario Day. You get it. This caused us to start talking about the mainline Super Mario games and... Is there any other franchise as consistently good as Super Mario? And if there is: is it as long running as Super Mario? Probably not on either count. Additionally, we talk about current industry news (spoiler: more layoffs) and why Nintendo seems immune to making the same blunders everyone else is making.

We're talkin RE9 (mostly spoiler free). We're talking Capcom Spotlight (could have been a text). We're talking Xbox announcing Project Helix. (It's a PC).

It's like news breaks in chunks these days. Is that planned? It feels planned. In this episode we cover: Saudi Arabia buys the rest of EVO and announces plans for multiple cities worldwide to host their own. Phil Spencer has retired and his replacement is definitely a signal of what is to come. And Aussies are fun to hang with wherever you meet them. (Okay we don't really cover that but I do mention it.) In this episode we reference these articles a few times, and I recommend you read them if you have time because they add a ton of context: The Verge article about Xbox Leadership shake up (Sarah Bonds abrupt exit): https://www.theverge.com/tech/883015/microsoft-xbox-new-ceo-shakeup-notepad Seamus Blackley says Xbox is being sunsetted: https://gamesbeat.com/what-an-xbox-founder-thinks-of-the-new-xbox-ceo-seamus-blackley-interview/ Do I think Xbox is being sunsetted? No. If it gets back on track it is a big earner, and it fits with Satya Nadella's goals. Namely consumer cloud compute and AI adoption. I expect the next iteration of Xbox to have an AI assistant that you can't opt out of, and of course AI "tools" will be used in all projects moving forward. I expect it will be used as a selling point on every game. "New AI makes bots behave naturally!" "AI learns and adapts to how you play!!!!" " GenAI generated levels mean every playthrough is unique!!!!!!!!" Stuff like that. Do I think Xbox is being brought in line with Satya Nadella's AI push? Absolutely. Do I think Asha Sharma is going to bring about a new Xbox Golden Age? No. But I do think we need to wait a year to see what she actually does. Because this year will mostly be finishing up Phil's plans. We won't know her real priorities for 6 months minimum, and I am saying a year to be generous.  

In the 90's and early 00's you typically saw multiple (2 or more) entries into a series per decade. That meant you could really fall in love with a series, and it also meant you could overlook an entry that sucked. This is a story about DragonQuest. It's a story about Final Fantasy, Resident Evil, Mario, Zelda. Basically all of the beloved franchises today. As development costs soar, development time does too, and that means you aren't getting as many games in a series per decade. There's pros and cons to that I guess, but one major con is that any single game that releases can tank a franchise, or company. Is there anyone who still has an output that looks like this? We think there is, and they are clearly doing something right.

Sony's State of Play 2026 finally delivers a show worth watching. If it were a competition (it is), this would be the first big win of 2026! 30+ games over 70 minutes. Some weird, some wonderful. Lets dig in!

No big surprises this time, but not a bad direct. I think we all know partners will mostly be porting games for Switch 2. We talk about the direct, what Nintendo's year is looking like and then finally: the rumored Xbox Magnus.

The VirtuaBoy re-release is one of those things where the more you look at it, the dumber it gets, but also if it brings someone a lot of joy to own: who am I to judge? I hope it DOES make someone out there deliriously happy. But all the games will be on the e-shop only, and only accessible via a subscription. And THAT is downright criminal. Because there will come a day when you lose access to that. Then, the VirtuaBoy becomes detritus that sits on your desk or in a closet. All of this to say the High Seas will be the only place to find these things and it'll be (insert company here)'s fault piracy makes the comeback it does.

Are we burned out? Probably yes. 2026 has started with 20 days of constant churning news. But there are good games coming this year. Games we should be seeing lots of hype for. Instead it seems like the hype train has derailed. So, why is that? What brings the hype back?

Clickbait title is clickbait. Sorta. Because Matt is back from his honeymoon, and maybe the industry is entering a new spiral phase... But the title is about Matt's honeymoon. We cover a lot this episode. Matt finally saw Titanic and he's got some feelings. I go a little overboard talking about Billy Zane. We discuss games we waited to play and are happy we did because they are great. It's an eclectic but fun episode. And it won't make sense until you listen to the episode all the way, but I just want everyone to know I pronounce Appalachia correctly and Matt is wrong :P

As the year comes to a close we like to review the past twelve months in gaming with an eye on what to expect next year. What games missed the mark? What games ended up sticking with us (sometimes to our great surprise)? Was it overall a good or bad year for the industry? For the gamer? Happy New Year! We hope you guys are having a wonderful holiday. Here's to 2026 being a great year for games, but also a great year for each of us in our personal endeavors!

A Christmas Carol themed holiday episode? That's right. It's a Christmas Carol themed holiday episode. But... What does that mean? It means we are going to look at ghosts of Christmas Past (1995), Christmas Present (what it's looking like this year) and Christmas Future (if nothing changes) to try and figure out what is going on with the industry and where it might be going. So, if you're stuck driving to your in-laws, visiting family, or have to work this Christmas Eve and need the company of foul-mouthed nerds - we are here for you. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Small bomb dropped when indie darling Larian revealed it uses AI in the preproduction and ideation phase of game development. Naturally, opinions deviate strongly, especially because artists have left Larian over their use of AI. In this episode, we discuss Jason Schreier's Bloomberg interview with Larian CEO Swen Vincke. Specifically, we discuss Vincke's quote about how Larian uses AI, and what, if any positive effect it has had. For the full context and a great read - check out the full article here: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2025-12-16/-baldur-s-gate-3-maker-promises-divinity-will-be-next-level It is no secret that neither of us are fans of AI, but I take the devil's advocate position this episode. I do actually think there are spots where AI could help creatives with busy work. (Our problem is: we all know that isn't what AI is targeting.)

Recently, both Marvel Tokon and Avatar: The Last Airbender had their beta weekends. In a shocking turn - the perception of each game FLIPPED. Where players expected Tokon to dominate attention, and Avatar to be a fun but forgettable curio tie-in game; we instead watched people lose their minds at just how good Avatar was while also being underwhelmed by Tokon. Nothing is set in stone and Tokon is by no means bad, but I don't think anyone was expecting how good Avatar has turned out to be.

Like all gamers, we sometimes get hit by ideas we just NEED to see made into a game. From extraction shooters to racing games, here are some ideas we have been noodling on for a while. Comment with your burning idea (unless of course you are currently developing it)!

Next year looks pretty cool for the FGC. Three promising games, from promising teams, are coming at some point in 2026. An interesting connection between all three games? They are all based on animated shows/comic books IP... Huh. Is this a good thing? Or is this a trap?   To all our listeners in the USA - Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you have a wonderful meal with family and friends.

Handhelds are on the rise! Where once the only option was a Switch or a Steam Deck, now we have Android devices like Ayn's ODIN line, Lenovo's Legion Go, and ROG's Ally series. Plus, Playstation and Xbox are expected to commit to hybrid or handheld consoles in the near future. So, how do you know where to start? Do OS's matter? Do price points differ greatly? Here's a casual guide to handhelds on the market today or coming very soon. Their price points, who we think they are for, and why you might choose one over the other. We aren't trying to be Digital Foundry. We aren't going in depth into tech specs. This is just an overview of what we like and don't like of each.

Sony dropped a State of Play just for its Japanese Developers. Matt and I are split on this one. He feels it fell flat, I feel it says: Sony is finally waking up to the type of games it should be pushing harder. Plus: We debate horror elements and their effectiveness. I love ambience and build up, he loves sudden unavoidable terror. We score the State of Play out of TEN. We talk Marvel Tokon and how maybe Sony didn't think this was going to get much attention (Kpop Demon Hunters all over again!?) And we close talking about alleged Rockstar Union Busting.