Maddy and Kirk talk about what they're playing; in Maddy's case, that involves a brand new gaming monitor that makes Outer Wilds look so, so good. She's also playing Madden NFL 20 . Meanwhile, Kirk beat Death of the Outsider , started up Wolfenstein: Youngblood and Fire Emblem , and tried Burgle Bros with his tabletop group. We then bring in Kotaku senior reporter Cecilia D'Anastasio (35:06) for discussion about her article, " For Men Who Hate Talking On The Phone, Games Keep Friendships Alive ,...
Aug 01, 2019•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 190
Kirk and Maddy talk about the games they're playing (still without Jason): Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 in Maddy's case, and Dishonored: Death of the Outsider on Kirk's end, as well as Tetris Effect . Then, Kotaku 's newest staff writer Joshua Rivera comes on for a segment (22:27) about the concept of being "tilted," (or frustrated by a game), and also, the perfect squad size . We close with off-topic discussion (58:57) of Billions , Good Omens , and Veronica Mars (again). Music pick of the week :...
Jul 25, 2019•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 189
Maddy and Kirk, left to their own devices, talk shop about the best gaming monitors and Kirk's continued Google-free lifestyle. Then they get into games they're playing, with Maddy on Outer Wilds , House Flipper , and a few board games including a bluffing game called Skull . Kirk's still playing Betrayal Legacy and has gotten back to playing Dishonored: Death of the Outsider . After that, they invite in Kotaku 's Gita Jackson (34:28) for a segment about Fire Emblem: Three Houses , which sounds ...
Jul 18, 2019•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 188
Episode 187: Jason, Kirk, and Maddy talk about the games they've been playing, including Metro Exodus, West of Loathing, Mario Maker 2, and Dragon Quest Builders 2. Then it's time to talk about news (33:25) on Nintendo's new Switch Lite... Lite Switch?... as well as G2A shadiness (would YOU give up your integrity for $50 million?) and a Wind Waker discovery in Breath of the Wild. Then the gang talks Stranger Things, Veronica Mars, and Spider-Man: Far From Home (54:23). Music pick of the week: “C...
Jul 11, 2019•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 187
Episode 186: Happy fourth of July! Kirk, Jason, and Maddy talk about some video games (Mario Maker 2, Metro Exodus, Cadence of Hyrule) before cracking open the mailbag (22:32) for some listener questions about video game streaming in schools, how to review video games, whether Final Fantasy VII Remake will still be going until the 2030s, and much more. Then, off-topic chat (1:20:18) on Fullmetal Alchemist, Veep, and a very important question about Toy Story's Woody. See Privacy Policy at https:/...
Jul 03, 2019•1 hr 45 min•Ep. 186
Episode 185: Jason, Kirk, and Maddy speedrun their way through a new episode of Kotaku Splitscreen, starting with some ranting and raving about Outer Wilds before talking Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, the Xbox Elite controller, and Bloodstained. Then they get into news (29:01) on Tifa's boobs, Auto Chess, and Jason's recent article about Treyarch's treatment of contract staff and the development of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. They close things out with off-topic chat (52:16) on Evangelion, Veep, a...
Jun 27, 2019•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 185
Episode 184: Jason and Maddy are back from E3, regaling Kirk with tales of sweaty convention controllers and all the video games they played in Los Angeles. First, everyone talks about the games they're currently playing, like Outer Wilds, Cadence of Hyrule, and Collection of Mana. Then it's time for E3 chat (34:29) about The Avengers, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Cyberpunk 2077, Link's Awakening, Astral Chain, and many, many more games, followed by off-topic talk (1:17:18) on Dark Phoenix, Billions,...
Jun 20, 2019•1 hr 40 min•Ep. 184
At the Devolver lot across the street from E3, Maddy sat down with Cullen Dwyer and Joseph Bourgeois, two of the developers of Gato Roboto and also the Devolver Bootleg, which features eight faux-bootleg versions of Devolver games like Hotline Miami and Ape Out. This is Cullen and Joseph's first E3, which they celebrated by buying themselves cool robes to wear. We spend a not insignificant portion of this interview talking about the robes. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Cali...
Jun 19, 2019•31 min•Ep. 183
E3 2019: Jason Schreier chats with Mateusz Tomaszkiewicz, quest director at CD Projekt Red on the much-anticipated RPG Cyberpunk 2077, about the scope of this massive game, how their approach to quest design has changed from The Witcher 3, and the importance of communication in game development. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Jun 19, 2019•19 min•Ep. 183
E3 2019: Jason Schreier talks to Dave Lang, founder and C3PO of Iron Galaxy, about what it's like to run a large game studio that avoids excessive overtime, how to create a culture of healthy work-life balance, and why his title is C3PO. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .
Jun 18, 2019•33 min•Ep. 183
E3 2019: Jason Schreier talks to Obsidian's Leonard Boyarsky, co-creator of the original Fallout and now co-director of The Outer Worlds, about what it's been like to go back into post-apocalyptic sci-fi after a decade at Blizzard, how his new game explores fascism and corporate governance, and how video game development has changed over the past 30 years. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Jun 17, 2019•26 min•Ep. 183
E3 2019: Jason Schreier sits down with Marcin Iwiński, founder and co-CEO of Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Projekt Red, to follow up on their conversation about crunch a few weeks ago. They also talk about Cyberpunk 2077's ambitious scope, controversies over trans issues, racial stereotypes, Keanu Reeves, GOG financial issues, and whether Cyberpunk will come to Switch. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Jun 14, 2019•27 min•Ep. 184
At E3 2019, Maddy sits down with Alex "Goldenboy" Mendez, esports commentator and event host best known for his work on Overwatch League, Call of Duty, and Halo. Mendez actually used to cover esports for Kotaku years ago; now, he commentates and hosts massive esports tournaments in stadiums around the country. We talk about the traditional sports influences on the esports industry, the wide spectrum of esports personalities out there, and whether Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games will be the ...
Jun 13, 2019•33 min•Ep. 183
E3 2019: Jason Schreier sits down with Destiny bosses Luke Smith and Mark Noseworthy for a deep dive into the future of Destiny 2, which is an MMO now. They talk about RPG elements, story loose ends, technical challenges, cross-play (or lack thereof), whether there will ever be a Destiny 3, Stadia latency, and what 2020 looks like for this franchise. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Jun 12, 2019•55 min•Ep. 183
E3 2019: Jason Schreier talks to Larian Studios boss Swen Vincke and D&D creative chief Mike Mearls about how the Baldur's Gate 3 deal came together, what it's like to make a video game based on Dungeons & Dragons in 2019, and whether Minsc and Boo will be in the game. They talk about the confusion of D&D spell slots, the "infinite possibilities" in a game like this, and how great role-playing games are made. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Noti...
Jun 12, 2019•45 min•Ep. 182
Nintendo just announced a sequel to Breath of the Wild?? Also, a bunch of other E3 press conferences happened, with some good-looking games, some Keanu-shaped surprises, a very good dog, and a lot of loud music. Kirk, Jason, and Maddy get together to talk through it all, breaking down highlights from Microsoft, Bethesda, Ubisoft, Square Enix, and Nintendo. Jason and Maddy will be back all week with interviews from the E3 show floor, so stay tuned to your feed for more. PRESS CONFERENCE ROUNDUPS:...
Jun 11, 2019•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 183
Episode 182: Hell yeah, it's time for E3! Kirk, Jason, and Maddy talk about the games they've been playing (Outer Wilds, Timespinner, Gato Roboto) before jumping into E3 guesses, hopes, predictions, and rumors (32:46) involving EA, Microsoft, Bethesda, Ubisoft, Square Enix, Nintendo, and much more. Will The Avengers and FF7 live up to the hype? With Sony skipping this year's show, can Microsoft blow us all away as it fights for console dominance? And what kind of whispers has Jason heard about U...
Jun 06, 2019•1 hr 52 min•Ep. 182
Episode 181: Baby Ghost... Recon? Kirk, Jason, and Maddy talk video games, from Dark Souls 3 to Observation, then dive into news of the week (29:00) including Death Stranding's ridiculous new trailer (and 2019 release date!), Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, and EA Play. The crew hears from a listener who does game analytics for a major video game company, then they get into off-topic talk on Veep, Educated, Fleabag, 24, 24, and 24 (1:04:54). Music Pick of the Week: “Grey Seal” by Elton John from h...
May 30, 2019•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 181
Episode 180: We've gotten so many interesting listener e-mails about privacy in gaming, we just had to keep talking about it! First, the Splitscreen gang talks about some of the games they're playing including Phoenix Wright, Rage 2, and Destiny. Then they get into the news of the week (28:18) on Minecraft Earth, the God of War documentary, and a major shakeup in Call of Duty-land. After the news, Kirk, Maddy, and Jason read some listener emails and talk more about advertisers using our data, ta...
May 23, 2019•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 180
The game of thrones has ended, and so has Game of Thrones . On this final bonus episode, Jason and Kirk wrap up their coverage of HBO's grand fantasy series by recapping the events of "The Iron Throne," then looking back at the show as a whole. LINKS: Zeynep Tufekci on the series' shift from sociological to psychological storytelling: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/the-real-reason-fans-hate-the-last-season-of-game-of-thrones/ Zach Kram on its shifting relationship with consequ...
May 20, 2019•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 179
Episode 179: Jason's wisdom tooth removal has left Kirk and Maddy by themselves to discuss Phoenix Wright and the music of mystery games. Kirk is also playing Rage 2 , Destiny 2 , and a tabletop game about bluffing called Sheriff of Nottingham . This week's news (33:32) includes a very pretty Final Fantasy 7 teaser and the announcement of Ghost Recon Breakpoint , which Kirk is excited about. We also discuss the Vox article “ Angry Birds and the end of privacy ” and our own concerns about games a...
May 16, 2019•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 179
With each new episode of Game of Thrones, the gods toss a coin and the world holds its breath. Too bad for us, "The Bells"' coin landed on the "unfortunate plot developments" side. Kirk and Jason talk through the ins and outs of Dany's big day, along with the highs and lows of what was, in the end, a pretty disappointing episode. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
May 13, 2019•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 178
Episode 178: Jason, Kirk, and Maddy talk about the new Kotaku piece about what it was like to work on Mortal Kombat 11's ultra-violent scenes, then get into the games they're playing: Danganronpa , Assassin's Creed Odyssey , and a potpourri of Kirk video games. This week's big news (35:05) includes a U.S. senator introducing an anti-loot box bill, Riot employees walking out, and the Sonic movie changing course. Finally, lots of off-topic talk (1:01:28) on all sorts of TV shows and movies. See Pr...
May 09, 2019•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 178
Kirk and Jason discuss the fourth episode of the final season of Game of Thrones, "The Last of the Starks." Jon's secret gets out, Brienne has some wine, Dany has a latte, Varys and Tyrion scheme, Cersei does evil stuff, and no one pets the dog. Let's discuss. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
May 07, 2019•1 hr•Ep. 177
It's time for Teeth Talk with Kirk, Maddy, and Jason! First the Splitscreen gang talks about some video games they've been playing, like Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy XII, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, and Danganronpa, along with dropping some wisdom about just letting games go (like Days Gone) when you've had enough. Then they bring on former Kotaku writer and current comics writer Evan Narcisse (30:49) for a big spoilery chat about Avengers: Endgame, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where the futur...
May 02, 2019•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 177
Squint and turn up your monitor's brightness, and you'll see that our special coverage of Game of Thrones season 8 continues with episode three, the nightmarish "The Long Night." Our surviving heroes wage a desperate battle against the Night King's overwhelming zombie army - will the walls of Winterfell hold? Could the good guys possibly win? And in a battle like this, what does "winning" even look like, anyway? Let's discuss. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privac...
Apr 29, 2019•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 176
Kotaku Splitscreen's special Game of Thrones coverage returns with a double-header recap of the first two episodes of the show's final season. Kirk and Jason go over what they liked (and didn't like) about both "Winterfell" and "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms," then share their hopes for the future, make some wild predictions, and guess who'll live and who'll die this coming Sunday. We'll be back to recap that episode on Monday, and will be publishing Monday recaps from there on out to the end. ...
Apr 25, 2019•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 176
Episode 176: Jason's back from vacation to talk about all sorts of video games with Kirk and Maddy, including Mortal Kombat 11, Baba Is You, Hitman 2, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, and Phoenix Wright. Then the trio dives into Days Gone ( 42:16) , the new PS4-exclusive that's all about killing zombies -- sorry, freakers -- and being sad on a motorcycle. Finally, some off-topic talk ( 1:02:10) on Avengers: Infinity War, Carmen Sandiego, and Barry. Music Pick of the Week: “First it Giveth” - Queens of ...
Apr 25, 2019•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 176
Jason's on vacation, so Maddy and Kirk get the podcast to themselves. We start with a listener email about how we'd react if our significant others broke our game consoles, then we cover the news, from the PlayStation 5 announcement (!) to the way that the Notre Dame fire has brought Assassin's Creed: Unity back to the forefront. We then talk about games we're playing (32:15); Maddy's enjoying a Switch indie puzzle game called The World Next Door, and also some good old Street Fighter. Kirk's st...
Apr 18, 2019•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 175
Episode 174: Lots of video game news this week! Maddy talks about her trip to Disney World, Jason describes the new Danganronpa-ish game Zanki Zero, and Kirk raves a bit more about Sekiro and The Division 2. Then the Splitscreen crew gets into a newsy week (39:57) full of info on the next Dragon Age, the next Assassin's Creed, and a few listener questions, followed by off-topic talk (1:16:31) on Golden Girls and Veep.Music Pick: “Sight of You” by Sigrid from her 2019 album Sucker PunchLearn more...
Apr 11, 2019•1 hr 32 min
