The Training Stage

EVO 2022 returned to Las Vegas with one of the best fighting game tournaments in years. John, our resident FGC expert, breaks down all of the biggest announcements from the event. In addition, we discuss Nintendo's latest announcements for Bayonetta 3, Splatoon 3, and Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, and discuss why the Nintendo Switch still has a vibrant future ahead of it. All of this and much, much more on this packed episode of the Training Stage Podcast! Follow us on Twitter: @TTStageMusic by Rukunetsu and used with permission.TIMESTAMPS04:00 - Thank you for the warm welcome back, guesses for the *SECRET PROJECT*09:23 - Tyler watched a documentary on Woodstock '99. You are, in fact, listening to a video game podcast, not Decibel Boost. 13:53 - Whatcha Been Playing, Tyler? (Dark Souls Remastered, Xenoblade Chronicles 3)42:35 - Watcha Been Playing, John? (Chess, Pokemon SoulSilver Version, Slime Rancher)59:57 - News Lightning Round - Gamescom Opening Night Live, Marvel's Midnight Suns delay, Tactics Ogre: Reborn, and more.1:09:20 - The big EVO 2022 recap and news roundup from DashFight.2:01:20 - Bayonetta 3 launches on October 28th for Nintendo Switch. PlatinumGames has huge ambitions for its future, boasting several unannounced projects. 2:14:21 - New information on Pokemon Scarlet and Pokemon Violet. The Paldea region, rideable legendaries, new creatures and characters, and more were revealed during the latest Pokemon Presents broadcast. 2:24:33 - Recap of the recent Splatoon 3 Direct. 2:33:19 - Aspyr Media’s remake of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is allegedly in deep trouble according to Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier. 2:36:31 - Ubisoft has delayed Massive Entertainment’s Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora into their 2023-2024 fiscal year, which runs from April 2023 to the end of March 2024.

After a year hiatus, The Training Stage returns with a packed two and a half hour episode. Your hosts, Tyler and John, discuss the games they've been playing recently, this year's Summer Game Fest events, Square Enix's stacked lineup of titles, and the game release calendar for the rest of 2022 and early 2023. We even tease something new coming in the future. We are sincerely excited to be back to produce a fun, bi-weekly show for your enjoyment. Follow us on Twitter: @TTStageMusic by Rukunetsu and used with permission.TIMESTAMPS00:50 - State of the Stage, New Project Tease 12:26 - Whatcha Been Playing, John? (Online Chess, Minecraft, The Messenger, Disco Elysium)57:19 - Whatcha Been Playing, Tyler? (Xenoblade Chronicles, Omori, Dragon Quest Builders)1:13:15 - Our thoughts on Summer Game Fest 20221:37:45 - The game release calendar for the rest of 20221:53:58 - Publisher Spotlight: Square Enix2:09:30 - What games are coming in 2023? Could it be a better year than 2022?

The madness that is Blue Box's Abandoned continues, though could there be another marketing stunt happening at the same time? We investigate. We also offer updated information on the Activision-Blizzard lawsuit and other legal news in the video game industry. On the news front, Nintendo has set record-breaking numbers for Nintendo Switch hardware and software, and recently streamed an eventful Indie World showcase. It's also being reported that Rockstar Games is remastering the PlayStation 2 titles in the Grand Theft Auto series.Follow us on Twitter: @TTStageMusic by Rukunetsu and used with permission.TIMESTAMPS01:47 - What happened with that last episode? Describing a "nightmare edit."03:50 - John played DOOM on Hard Drive (yes, the satire website). Why?? 08:58 - [John] Final Fantasy XIV, Dicey Dungeons, and coffee?!32:38 - [Tyler] Grand Theft Auto V, Axiom Verge 2, and more.49:38 - The latest from the Activision-Blizzard lawsuit; several major departures from the company in recent weeks. 56:19 - Quantic Dream was sending death threats to whistleblowers, according to the French union suing the company.58:34 - U.S. Democrats are advising game publishers to avoid predatory loot box designs in their games.1:01:02 - The latest regarding the Blue Box Game Studios and Abandoned situation. Is there a second ARG tied to this madness? 1:16:40 - Pokemon Presents will air on August 18th with new footage of both Pokemon Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl and Pokemon Legends: Arceus.1:19:26 - Microsoft is hosting an Xbox showcase for Gamescom 2021 on August 24th at 1pm EST.1:21:21 - Rockstar Dundee is reportedly porting the PS2 Grand Theft Auto trilogy to modern platforms later this year.1:23:34 - The official schedule for QuakeCon 2021 has accidentally alluded to a new Quake project from Machine Games and id Software.1:25:37 - Nintendo Switch hardware sales have surpassed 89 million units worldwide; software sale updates.1:37:50 - A brief recap of the Indie World broadcast for August 2021.1:42:48 - Dotemu (Streets of Rage 4, Metal Slug Tactics) has been acquired by Focus Home Interactive.1:44:00 - Life is Strange Remastered Collection delayed into early 2022; True Colors still on track for launch on September 30th.1:44:56 - A new "3D" South Park game is currently being developed within a new internal group at South Park Studios.

As the end of summer draws near, we took some much needed time to discuss the biggest games of the summer, including Final Fantasy XIV. We also discuss our thoughts on Valve's Steam Deck console, the recent Annapurna Interactive Showcase, and the latest in Ubisoft's Tom Clancy franchise. Follow us on Twitter: @TTStageMusic by Rukunetsu and used with permission.TIMESTAMPS04:33 - [John] Final Fantasy XIV 29:10 - [Tyler] Skyward Sword HD, Chicory: A Colorful Tale1:07:10 - Congrats to Kojima Productions on shipping over 5 million copies of Death Stranding.1:08:03 - Ghost of Tsushima's Iki Island expansion detailed.1:10:33 - Our thoughts on Valve's Steam Deck, a new handheld gaming PC capable of running high fidelity games.1:21:20 - Annapurna Interactive Showcase recap (Stray, Solar Ash, Neon White, The Outer Wilds, and more).1:32:47 - Ubisoft announces Tom Clancy’s XDefiant, a free-to-play 6v6 arena shooter.1:35:58 - Sumo Digital purchased by Tencent in a $1.27bn deal.1:38:06 - Kena: Bridge of Spirits delayed to September 21st, 2021.1:39:22 - Horizon: Forbidden West allegedly delayed into 2022 according to multiple sources.1:41:00 - PlayStation 5 sold 10 million units since launch, despite shortages across the entire tech industry.

The State of California has filed a lawsuit against publisher Activision-Blizzard over widespread sexual harassment and discrimination towards female employees of the company. We discuss this issue in great detail, including how we as a game-playing community can support those being abused within the game development community. And it's only fitting that we invited Angie, a moderator of the Competitive Overwatch Discord server, to add her thoughts on the matter. If this situation is too upsetting for you to hear more about, we completely understand. We have timestamps below so that you can skip that conversation entirely. The same applies for those who only want to hear about the serious matter and avoid the more trivial topics of conversation.Follow us on Twitter: @TTStageMusic by Rukunetsu and used with permission. Thumbnail photograph: David McNew/AFPTIMESTAMPS01:24 - Opening and discussing Tyler's trip to the Zoo.13:27 - #ActiBlizzWalkout1:26:47 - EA Play recap (Dead Space from EA Motive, GRID, Battlefield Portal, and more).

The monkey's paw curls as Nintendo announces the Nintendo Switch (OLED Model) for release later this year. It has a new OLED screen and some nifty new features for an extra $50, though lacks any new internal components or performance enhancements. What do we think? And what happened with all those insider scoops about a 4K Switch? We also discuss the recent PlayStation State of Play broadcast, the delay of Ghostwire: Tokyo, and Atlus' plans for celebrating the 25th anniversary of Persona. Follow us on Twitter: @TTStageMusic by Rukunetsu and used with permission.TIMESTAMPS02:38 - Favorite school lunches?14:20 - [John] Dicey Dungeons, reading manga, and more.32:19 - [Tyler] Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, Luigi's Mansion (3DS).40:15 - Nintendo Switch (OLED Model) announced; no new chipset upgrade from the current models. 51:41 - PlayStation State of Play - July 2021 (Moss Book II, Sifu, Jett: The Far Shore, Death Stranding, Deathloop, and more). 1:14:50 - Ghostwire: Tokyo delayed into early 2022.1:15:54 - Ubisoft announces the future of the Assassin’s Creed franchise, codenamed “Infinity.”1:22:03 - Lost Judgement may be the last game in the series, due to a dispute between Sega and Takuya Kimura’s talent agency.1:23:40 - Xbox heads Phil Spencer and Matt Booty reassure players that narrative-driven, non-live-service titles are still being developed within Xbox Game Studios.1:24:49 - Atlus teases seven new Persona announcements to celebrate the franchise’s 25th anniversary, starting this Fall.1:28:06 - Warner Bros. Games denies rumors that they are selling NetherRealm Studios and TT Games.1:28:38 - DICE LA officially rebranded as Ripple Effect. 1:29:21 - Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl announced, a new "platform fighting game" featuring Nicktoons characters.

Well, we finally did it: one hundred numbered episodes of The Training Stage have been released! Between two iterations of the show running over the last 5 years, we have achieved triple digits. To help celebrate the occasion, we invited Angie (@angdacat) to join us for an extended games talk segment and to discuss the latest news, including new PlayStation acquisitions and the future of the Silent Hill franchise. Thanks for sticking with us for all this time. We hope you stick around for many more years to come!Follow us on Twitter: @TTStageMusic by Rukunetsu and used with permissionTIMESTAMPS11:27 - Show announcements!16:24 - Tyler has finished playing Octopath Traveler.26:36 - What John has been playing: Pokemon Platinum, Overwatch, and more.44:38 - What Angie has been playing: Final Fantasy XIV, DOOM Eternal, and more.1:09:29 - Sony has acquired two new studios: Housemarque and Nixxes.1:33:06 - Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut arrives on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 on August 20th, which will include the brand new “Iki Island” expansion.1:35:35 - Remedy and 505 Games partner to develop a new multiplayer game set in the Control universe.1:41:59 - Konami and Bloober Team announce a “strategic cooperation agreement” to develop new games.1:58:19 - Lightning Round (EA Play news, new studios, AI: The Somnium Files sequel, JP Games, The Elder Scrolls VI)1:15:43 - NetherRealm Studios officially ends development on Mortal Kombat 11 and now focusning on a new project.

This time of the summer is usually fairly quiet, so we spend some time catching up on what games we've been playing. John has been playing his usual vices of Overwatch and Trials Fusion, while Tyler has become determined to finish Octopath Traveler. On the news front, rumors have suggested that EA Motive is currently developing a Dead Space reboot. Are they up to the job, or are they simply an imposter amogus? Follow us on Twitter: @TTStageMusic by Rukunetsu and used with permission.

E3 2021 has concluded and we discuss our favorite announcements and biggest disappointments. We also review our predictions and cover the latest regarding Blue Box Game Studios and their supposed relationship to Hideo Kojima and the Silent Hill franchise.Follow us on Twitter: @TTStageMusic by Rukunetsu and used with permission.

E3 2021 is officially over, but there's still one last event for us to discuss: the Nintendo Direct broadcast. Safe to say, Nintendo stole the show with exciting new projects like Metroid Dread and WarioWare: Get it Together, and a brand new look at the highly anticipated sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Joining us to discuss the Nintendo Direct and the future of the Nintendo Switch, we invited Sketch from the Toonami Faithful Podcast and Nick from the DAM Podcast! It's a another packed show, so grab a snack and enjoy the discussion!Follow us on Twitter: @TTStageMusic by Rukunetsu and used with permission. Follow Sketch on Twitter: @Sketch1984Check out the Toonami Faithful Podcast on Soundcloud!https://soundcloud.com/toonamifaithfulpodcastCheck out the Dallas Anime Meetup channel on YouTube!https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG3HtpJF36M0hYezPI8KEgw

After a day of fairly lackluster showcases, Tyler and John needed backup to help them work through the emotions. So, we arranged a well-rounded panel, with Kory and Jhamar from the DAM Podcast joining to discuss all of the biggest announcements from the Microsoft and Bethesda Games Showcase, Square Enix Presents, and the PC Gaming Show. Starfield, Redfall, Halo Infinite, Guardians of the Galaxy, Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, and much, much more are discussed in detail on this episode. And it wouldn't be an evening E3 discussion episode without a train visit, cats, and plenty of jokes. Follow us on Twitter: @TTStageMusic by Rukunetsu and used with permission. Follow Kory on Twitter: @aceofwar20 Follow Jhamar on Twitter: @JhamarHCheck out the DAM Podcast on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OAkOGdPjUc

It's the third day of our E3 2021 coverage, and we have two big showcases to discuss: Ubisoft Forward and Devolver Digital. Ubisoft shared new information on Rainbow Six Extraction and Rider's Republic, while announcing Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. Devolver introduced several new titles, including a brand new IP from Flying Wild Hog. Follow us on Twitter: @TTStageMusic by Rukunetsu and used with permission.

In recent years, the video game industry has rapidly extended its presence into film, television, and music. Today, as part of the E3 2021 season, Netflix highlighted a number of upcoming video game adaptations and anime titles coming to their platform. To help us work through these announcements, we invited Alex from PodcastONA to discuss The Cuphead Show, Castlevania, the new Shaman King, Godzilla: Singular Point, and much more! We also discuss the delay of Rune Factory 5 and the announcement of Doki Doki Literature Club Plus. For a day without much news, we still managed to record an hour of discussion. That fits the spirit of E3 season, right?Follow us on Twitter: @TTStageMusic by Rukunetsu and used with permission. Follow Alex on Twitter: @auraofazureCheck out PodcastONA on Surreal Resolution! https://www.podcastona.surrealresolution.com/

E3 2021 (unofficially) kicked off today with Geoff Keighley's Summer Game Fest, and he brought some great appetizers. Elden Ring, Death Stranding: Director's Cut, Tiny Tina's Wonderlands, Metal Slug Tactics, Sable, a new PlayStation partner studio, and so much more revealed. Join us as we discuss every high and every low of the event. And be sure to stay tuned throughout E3 2021 for additional content, as we cover each day's major news in the world of video games!Follow us on Twitter: @TTStageMusic by Rukunetsu and used with permission.

After skipping last year due to obvious reasons, E3 is back in action! And that means it's also time for our E3 predictions. What do we think Nintendo, Microsoft, Square Enix, and other publishers have planned for the event? And before we get to those predictions, we discuss the latest gaming news, including the recent interview between Sid Shuman and Hermen Hulst. Follow us on Twitter: @TTStageMusic by Rukunetsu and used with permission. TIMESTAMPS05:12 - Guerrilla Collective stream highlights, courtesy of John who actually watched it.08:38 - Did you know that DC Super Hero Girls: Teen Power was produced by Nintendo EPD? Apparently they didn't either!16:01 - The next God of War has been officially delayed into 2022; also coming to PS4.19:12 - Gran Turismo 7 will also launching on PS4 in 2022. 21:51 - Bend Studio is officially working a new AAA open-world IP.27:13 - Hulst on Horizon Forbidden West launch timing.28:23 - Team Asobi has been officially introduced as PlayStation Studios' premiere Japanese development team. 31:13 - Nintendo has confirmed their Nintendo Direct broadcast for E3, which will air on Tuesday, June 15th at 12pm EST.34:47 - Square Enix has announced their E3 2021 showcase plans, which will air on June 13th at 3:15pm EST. 37:54 - Devolver Digital will stream their showcase on June 12th.40:27 - A rundown of the E3 2021 schedule.43:30 - RUMOR: 2K Games’ E3 2021 lineup will include a new Borderlands spin-off title, a Marvel-themed XCOM game, and a new IP from Hangar 13.46:43 - Shin Megami Tensei V release date leaked by Atlus website.47:48 - E3 2021 Predictions!

The pre-E3 news cycle has ramped up with several key gaming events. Dragon Quest 35th anniversary stream, Sonic Central, and a State of Play focused on Horizon Forbidden West all brought exciting information on upcoming games. Nintendo has revealed release dates for two upcoming Pokémon releases. Virtua Fighter is finally back! Plus, Microsoft and Bethesda have detailed their joint E3 2021 plans, and Geoff Keighley has announced kick-off plans for Summer Game Fest 2021. Oh, and Macarena disc launchers in Far Cry 6! A packed episode for it being two weeks before E3.Follow us on Twitter: @TTStageMusic by Rukunetsu and used with permission. This week's outro song is Kirin J. Callinan's "Screaming Cowboy" bit. TIMESTAMPS04:20 - Returnal and the brilliance of rogue-likes24:13 - Getting nostalgic about Pokemon38:02 - Xbox and Bethesda will host their first combined Games Showcase for E3 2021 on Sunday, June 13th.50:23 - Geoff Keighley has announced a kickoff live event for Summer Game Fest, set to stream everywhere on Thursday, June 10th.56:55 - Pokemon Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl and Pokemon Legends: Arceus release dates.1:02:57 - Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown announced by Sega, releasing exclusively on PS4 on June 1st. 1:08:30 - RUMOR: Square Enix will announce Final Fantasy Origin during its E3 2021 showcase, a souls-like action RPG developed by Team Ninja.1:13:00 - Dragon Quest 35th Anniversary stream recap (Dragon Quest III 2D-HD Remake, Dragon Quest XII, and more).1:21:38 - Sonic Central stream recap (Sonic Colors Ultimate, Sonic Origins, new Sonic Team title, and more).1:32:04 - First gameplay footage of Horizon: Forbidden West revealed.1:37:48 - Dying Light 2 Stay Human launches on December 7th, 2021.1:38:55 - Far Cry 6 launches on October 7th, 2021; first gameplay revealed.1:42:05 - Electronic Arts is building a new studio to produce open world action-adventure games.

This week's podcast is all about PlayStation and the recent controversies surrounding the brand. Store shutdowns, acquisitions and partnerships, and mismanagement of studios. What happened over the last couple of months? And what does it mean for the future of PlayStation 5 on the first-party front? We cover the good, bad, and everything in between. But of course, that's not all, as we begin with a healthy dose of personal life updates, COVID vaccine talk, and some Resident Evil Village thoughts. Follow us on Twitter: @TTStageAll music by Rukunetsu and used with permission. TIMESTAMPS06:55 - Talking about COVID vaccines.15:24 - Resident Evil Village20:40 - Famicom Detective Club28:25 - John got a Fitbit and new IEM headphones.40:02 - PlayStation partners with Haven, a new studio headed by Jade Raymond, to work on an original IP for PlayStation Studios.46:05 - First images released of the next-generation PlayStation VR controllers.50:01 - Sony fully purchases EVO in partnership with new esports venture RTS. 54:24 - TheGamer first reports that Sony will permanently close the PS3, PSP, and Vita storefronts.57:30 - MLB The Show 21 announced to be launching on Xbox Game Pass on launch day.58:45 - VentureBeat reports that Microsoft has been in talks with Kojima Productions.1:03:36 - Schreier details some recent on-goings with PlayStation Studios, mostly revolving around studios Naughty Dog and Sony Bend.1:19:12 - Sony London Studio posts new job listings with references to a “brand new, next-gen IP” for PlayStation 5.1:20:40 - Sony reverses their decision to close the PS3 and Vita storefronts.1:24:27 - PlayStation partners with Firewalk Studios to publish a new multiplayer IP.1:27:41 - Speaking to Wired, PlayStation Studios head Hermen Hulst claims that there are over 25 first-party titles in development for PlayStation 5.

We are back at it again after another patented podcast hiatus. We discuss what's been going on in our lives (moving, work, family, COVID vaccines, so much!). We also cover a few news topics, including our expectations for E3 2021 and release dates for some highly anticipated JRPGs. Look, sometimes one has to take a two month nap, alright? Follow us on Twitter: @TTStageMusic by Rukunetsu and used with permission.

We start this week by discussing the wonderful game of life for the first 30 minutes. Tyler is packing up and moving to a new place, so John will be receiving the hosting chair for the entirety of March. But there is a bunch of gaming news to cover before then. Tons of PlayStation news, including official confirmation of a next generation PSVR unit and a new State of Play. Nintendo finally broadcasted a general Direct and The Pokémon Company announced two new mainline Pokémon RPG titles.Follow us on Twitter: @TTStageMusic by Rukunetsu and used with permission.TIMESTAMPS06:27 - Tyler is moving into a new place!16:18 - What this all means for the show (TL;DR John will be hosting for March)23:50 - Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart launches on June 11th, 2021.29:25 - Gran Turismo 7 has been delayed to 2022.36:11 - Sony officially confirms a next generation of PlayStation VR is being developed for PS5.38:47 - VGC: SIE Japan Studio is downsizing and winding down original game development, except for Team Asobi which will continue to operate as a standalone studio. 45:17 - Highlights from the February 25th broadcast of State of Play (Oddworld, Kena, Final Fantasy VII Intergrade, and more). 1:07:45 - Footage from an unreleased trailer of FromSoftware’s upcoming action RPG Elden Ring has leaked online.1:11:48 - Nintendo Direct - February 17th, 2021 (Mario Golf: Super Rush, Skyward Sword HD, Splatoon 3, Triangle Strategy, and more).1:52:54 - Pokémon Presents for February 26th, 2021 (Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, Legends: Arceus)2:00:26 - Some details on projects cancelled by Google, including an episodic horror game by Kojima Productions.2:03:50 - BioWare has cancelled work on Anthem Next, shifting focus to the next Dragon Age and Mass Effect titles.2:06:36 - Forever Entertainment (Panzer Dragoon Remake) has announced plans to produce multiple remake projects for a Square Enix IP.

On this special solo episode, John runs down all of the big news from BlizzConline 2021. Overwatch 2, Diablo IV and Diablo II Resurrected, and the latest from World of Warcraft and Hearthstone.Follow us on Twitter: @TTStageMusic by Rukunetsu and used with permission.