Let’s talk a bit about Marathon’s Cryo Archive weekend, Crimson Desert, DRIV3R, Epic’s massive layoffs, PlayStation pulling a grand opening/grand closing sort of thing, Switch 2 manufacturing, how leadership changes lead to strategy shifts, Borderlands 4 performance boost, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The talking flower from Super Mario Wonder now exists in physical form. Terrifying! Also: Marathon is still extremely great, PSSR gets an update, Nvidia does some astoundingly dumb stuff, Starfield heads to PS5 with new content, Subnautica 2 leadership changes back, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Marathon has me in a real chokehold, let’s talk about how cool this game is. Also, let’s talk about how cool Pokémon Pokopia is! Cool games! In the news, Nintendo wants a refund, a bunch of questionable Xbox rumors are everywhere now, GDC gets underway, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Adam Boyes (Vivrato, PlayStation, Iron Galaxy) joins us to discuss the finer art of extraction in Arc Raiders. We’re also talking a lot about the Marathon Server Slam and how that’s really turning me around on this whole “extraction” thing. Also: highlights from the Steam Next Fest including Awaysis, some Resident Evil 9 talk, the grand opening and grand closing of Highguard, the state of the industry, the future of AAA games, the true end of the console wars, Xbox’s chances in the years ahead, ...
A wild week in news as Xbox honcho Phil Spencer retires and is set to be replaced by someone from one of Microsoft’s AI divisions. What does this mean for the future of Xbox? Also: Sony shutters Bluepoint Games, Evo expands, and my son got way into Knack? Aw man. Use code 50jeff to get $50 off plus free shipping on your first order at goodchop.com/podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Jeff is fresh (?) back from Las Vegas with some thoughts about the future of video games. Also: interviews with Greg Kasavin, Amir Rao, Evan Wells, and Chris Kohler recorded moments after their wins at the DICE awards! Then we’ll get into the news, including layoffs for 2XKO and HIghguard, the new God of War game, PlayStation’s latest State of Play, the threat (?) of a new Metal Gear, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Another Nintendo Direct has come and gone, let’s talk about the third-party games on display. Also: Sony officially announces the multiplayer Horizon game, Epic wants to be on the next Xbox on day 1, Baldur’s Gate is coming to TV, and the MindsEye saboteurs are… going to get theirs? Plus some more talk about the future of video games and your emails! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
We’ve been talking about it so much that I finally had to try Bazzite out for myself, let’s talk about some of the early impressions of that! Also: Apex ditches the Switch, 2K announces way too many different editions of this year’s WWE game, Sony gets a patent on AI podcasts that tell you you’re bad at games, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Out of Action is out on Early Access and it’s neat, let’s talk about it! Also: Highguard, the talk around HIghguard, and the talk around the talk around Highguard. Exhausting. Hey, Nintendo’s going to release some unreleased Virtual Boy games! That’s bananas! Also: Xbox Developer Direct, some recent chatter about the PlayStation 6, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Playing Astro Bot with the kids leads me to the next natural evolution… replaying Super Mario Bros. Special. Pretty direct cause and effect, there, really. Also: is it just me or is Microsoft kind of messing up at everything right now? Far Cry games now run at 60fps, New World gives an eviction notice to players, and lots of “Roblox is a crime” talk from you in the emails section. Get 50% off 1 month of Trade at drinktrade.com/JEFF Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adcho...
This week’s topics include the Commodore 64 Ultimate, Nintendo’s thoughts on RAM prices, the future of the Xbox Ally X, The Division 3, 2 Live Crew, "coinslop," and the need for a new Wolfenstein game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Let's try another one of these AI Energy Drinks. The last one was garbage, surely this one will be different, right? Also: CES is here and it kinda doesn'tt matter. NVIDIA rolls out a DLSS update but here at headquarters the results have been pretty bad. Sony wants to play games for you, game designers love Portal, and Anthem is on its final week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Finally, the rivalry that defined the early 2000s can be settled! Let’s talk about GOG splitting off of CD PROJEKT, RAM prices, the PlayStation 6, and Actually Important things. Like, for example, what it was like to review The Guy Game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Will I ever make it through all of Tron: Ares? Going to guess no on this one. In the news, the game industry loses a legend, the future of Forza clears up a bit, EA shareholders do the thing, and Bits & Bops is pretty incredible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Terminator 2D wins the award for Best Amiga Game of 2025! Let’s talk about the awards and announcements of The Game Awards along with Skate Story, the desperate-seeming state of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Marathon’s date and price, the insane pitch for Atari Hotels, the future of MOBAs, and more. Head to http://Fabletics.com/JEFF and sign up as a VIP to get 80% off everything. Stop putting off those doctors appointments and go to http://Zocdoc.com/JEFFG to find and instantly book a top-rated doc...
Horses! I experienced Horses, let’s talk about it and the idea of it being banned from Steam and the Epic Game Store. I also played Metroid Prime 4, which also isn’t on Steam or the Epic Game Store. Hmmmm! VERY INTERESTING, I think? Also: what does the Warner Bros. sale mean for the future of Mortal Kombat? Harada plans his escape! PEGI rates an Assassin’s Creed Black Flag remake of some kind! Take-Two brings on some Perfect Dark developers to start a new studio. And more! EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal...
This episode delves into a wide array of gaming topics, beginning with Jeff's humorous struggles with his kids' video game habits and his strong opinions on games like Goat Simulator 3 and Kirby Air Ride. He then explores the business landscape of console sales, the complexities of anti-cheat technology's impact on Windows and Linux gaming, and upcoming game news for titles like Dead Rising and Hitman. The discussion culminates in a passionate critique of Final Fantasy VII's influence on the JRPG genre and a look at the evolving energy drink market.
Eminem comes to Hitman in a promotional opportunity that feels at least a year late! Also, Sektori seems to be very red, Timesplitters gets a cool new fangame, the Xbox 360 turns 20, Far Cry gets a TV series, Black Ops 7 sales seem down (and with good reason), and the Steam Machine is certainly not going to be like 400 bucks. EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal: https://nordvpn.com/jeffgerstmann Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com...
Time to take a big hit of whatever this evil red gas is and talk about Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. They say it’s the biggest Call of Duty ever, which is probably true? Kind of a big mess, really. Also: Valve is back in the box-making game and it’s exciting! The Game Awards nominees are announced, Final Fantasy XI’s dev environment is updated, and that GameTap Lady Sovereign video came up yet again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Between Q-Up and It Takes A War it’s been a good little stretch for games that might not quite be what they seem. Let’s talk about those along games that are very much what they seem, like Lumines Arise, Powerwash Simulator 2, and Grand Theft Auto VI. Plus: The five-year anniversary of the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 is upon us. Wow! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
This episode delves into reviews of recent game releases, including the flawed but interesting Once Upon a Katamari, the extraction shooter Arc Raiders, and the Mortal Kombat Legacy Collection's documentary and online play issues. Jeff also covers the surprising launch of Double Dragon Revive, Battlefield 6's new modes, and a unique half-keyboard. News segments explore Xbox's full screen handheld experience, Animal Crossing updates, The Simpsons' Fortnite integration, and the implications of EA's acquisition by a Saudi consortium. Listener emails spark discussions on the value of innovative "7/10" games and nostalgic memories of the Commodore 64.
Once Upon a Katamari is finally out and we have something resembling a review from an expert in the field. Speaking of fields, Wreckreation is out and it’s probably about as close as you’re going to get to a Burnout Paradise-like anytime soon. Let’s talk about that, Halo’s campaign remake, some more details around Xbox’s next hardware, Battlefield’s new battle royale, Toshinden?!??!?!?! And more?!?!! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Double Fine shows us that a lighthouse can walk! Ball X Pit illustrated the various ways to merge your balls with other balls! Ninja Gaiden 4 shows the perils of merging Platinum’s sensibilities with the legacy of Ninja Gaiden! The ROG Xbox Ally X is out and it’s a computer! Is this the future of Xbox? If so they’ve got a lot of work to do… Also: Mindseye hits the BBC, Smash TV might be for sale, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
The PlayStation 6! The Xbox 5? Let’s catch up a bit on some next-generation hardware leaks. Also: Battlefield 6 is out and it’s cool! Plus: The final days of Windows 10, Absolum, Netflix gets into video games (again), The Union needs The Benz (to formally apologize), and your emails on what you plan to do about this Game Pass price hike. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Xbox turns Game Pass upside-down and the deal seems bad. Did Call of Duty on Game Pass really cost $300 million? No, right? Do you care about Fortnite Crew? Also: The Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Beta, Marathon gets a new test, PlayStation: The Concert gets canceled, and meanwhile there’s Nintendo over here, just posting random videos to the internet for some reason. What the heck is happening around here??? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Electronic Arts delivers exciting news about its future. Nintendo delivers exciting news about its future! Xbox delivers… but not to Costco? Also: Ghost of Yotei, Megabonk, and much, much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jeff and Ben explore the bizarre world of TikTok rapture prophecies and the history of online grifting, before Ben shares his surprising addiction to a complex Pokémon fan game due to a broken wrist, detailing its intricate breeding and competitive strategies. They then pivot to discuss the state of modern video game combat, contrasting Souls-like mechanics with character action games, and review new titles like "Hell is Us," "Don't Die, Collect Loot," and "Unfair Flips." The episode also covers major industry news, including Xbox price hikes, PlayStation's new physical trophy rewards, updates on Kojima Productions' upcoming horror and espionage titles, and changes coming to Call of Duty Black Ops 7, all while examining the cultural impact of Roblox and evolving internet slang.
Silly me, I thought we’d get through a Gearbox launch without getting a fresh round of Gearbox’s leadership acting up on social media. Let’s talk about the game, the reaction to the way the game performs, and the reaction to the reaction of the way the game performs. Also: Virtual Boy is back, you sickos! Plus Skate is out today, there are rumblings of an impending Valve announcement, and your e-mails! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
This episode delves into the evolving nature of video game difficulty and accessibility, examining the impact of titles like Silksong and FromSoftware games. It also covers the history and ongoing challenges of the Borderlands franchise, a deep dive into the 30th anniversaries of the PlayStation and Dreamcast, and discussions on current industry trends like Switch 2 cartridges, Unreal Engine 5 performance, and video game preservation.
This episode delves into the early access state of the new Skate game, criticizing its soulless monetization, buggy online features, and disappointing design, despite solid core mechanics. It also covers the delay of the Mortal Kombat 2 movie and Atari's acquisition of several Ubisoft IPs, sparking a discussion on dormant franchises. Additionally, the host shares thoughts on Tim Sweeney's comments regarding Unreal Engine 5 optimization and the announcement of a Call of Duty movie and TV series.
