Sacred Symbols: A PlayStation Podcast

For years on this show, we've put forth the logic that Game Pass would ultimately find its way to PlayStation, fulfilling Microsoft's goal of ubiquitous access to its popular subscription service. And you may recall that -- during the FTC hullabaloo with Activision -- Xbox executives all-but-confirmed these intentions, adding fuel to the fire. But now that Microsoft CFO Tim Stuart has explicitly and publicly spoken about Xbox's desire to get Game Pass on PlayStation by name, we're no longer in the realm of hypotheticals. Perhaps not surprisingly (and as you may imagine), this gives us plenty to discuss on today's episode. But there's more! An ex-Rockstar North employee spilled the beans on just what happened to vaporware PS3 exclusive The Agent, Sony signs agreements with two key South Korean partners, Dragon's Dogma 2's release date is official, The Game Awards' Future Class doesn't realize no one cares what they think, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! What are our memories of our respective first experiences with the original Metal Gear Solid? Is it possible to deliver a war game with true reverence? Has the games industry been too consumed with subjects that are decidedly not fun? Can the pronunciation of GIF ever truly be settled, even amongst civilized people? Head to https://www.tryfum.com/SACRED and use code SACRED to save an additional 10% off your order today. Get 25% off your first order, plus free shipping at https://www.meundies.com/sacred Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A new leak seems to confirm what was already fairly obvious: Insomniac can only put so much on its shoulders, and its Wolverine game won't arrive on PlayStation 5 until 2025. But if this source's testimony is true, it means PS5's lack of upcoming first party games is even more stark in the near-and-mid-term, not to mention longer. Yes, The Last of Us: Part II Remastered is en route in January -- and with a $10 upgrade charge, there's literally nothing to complain about -- but even the rosiest amongst us must admit that it sure is looking barren from a PlayStation Studios perspective. Whether or not it matters or not to the wider market, of course, is another thing entirely, as the vacancy of exclusives hasn't halted PS5's sales dominance whatsoever. Other news this week includes conflicting reports concerning Sony's one-time timed PS5-exclusive KOTOR remake, the leak of Dragon's Dogma's 2 release date, the exit of Returnal's director from Housemarque, and more. As always, listener inquiries help us wrap everything up. Can Netflix really produce a quality BioShock film? Which game series really hit their stride with the second release? What happens to our digital games libraries when we die? Did Colin watch Oppenheimer on his phone simply to annoy Chris? Head to https://www.tryfum.com/SACRED and use code SACRED to save an additional 10% off your order today. Build your credit up at https://www.chime.com/sacred Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rocksteady's long-in-development multiplayer-centric Suicide Squad project has finally reemerged in anticipation of its February 2024 release on PlayStation 5, and the reception has been mixed at best. Kill the Justice League is entering a tough market wielding an oft-failed commercial strategy, but it's also true that DC products have the potential to be huge, and WB yearns for this style of game to truly hit. There's another possibility too, though: That everyone involved has made a very bad mistake and wasted nearly a decade on a boondoggle. Let's talk it through. Then: PlayStation Portal finally arrives, our beloved PlayStation 4 turns 10, Spider-Man 2 and PlayStation 5 dominate the sales charts, and more. Plus: Is DLC, expansion, and MTX pricing officially out-of-control? Will PlayStation premiere a game at the upcoming Game Awards? Could skill-based matchmaking be backfiring on audiences? Will one listener accept that he's attending a furry convention because he's in love with his best friend? Head to https://www.tryfum.com/SACRED and use code SACRED to save an additional 10% off your order today. Get 25% off your first order, plus free shipping at https://www.meundies.com/sacred Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

 Sony Corp's quarterly financials have finally arrived, and they carry within good news for the PlayStation brand. PS5 is selling briskly, third party games are moving, monthly active users are steady, and so on. But this recent report portends rougher times ahead, too, especially when it comes to PlayStation's vaunted dozen-or-so 'games-as-a-service' that once promised to help shepherd in a new era of Sony exclusive. And all of this against the backdrop of a mysteriously-exiting CEO? With Concord confirmed for 2024, Bungie looking a little bit like a lemon, and a potential Twisted Metal teaser embedded in a recent live-action trailer, the reality is: We have much to discuss. Plus: Grand Theft Auto VI's reveal trailer is coming in December, Sony will be co-funding and co-producing Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda film, BioWare continues to tease Mass Effect for some reason, Embracer's collapse continues unabated, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! PlayStation Portal is right around the corner. What's our excitement level? Nearly a million people have already Platinumed Spider-Man 2. Does this data have significance? PSVR2's coverage is virtually non-existent on Sacred Symbols. Is a lack of media attention partially responsible for the peripheral's soft reception? World War III lurks right around the corner. Which military job would be the best fit for us as individuals when we inevitably get enlisted? Head to https://www.tryfum.com/SACRED and use code SACRED to save an additional 10% off your order today. Get 20% off your first order and a free gram at https://www.hellomood.com and use code SACRED This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy at try at https://www.betterhelp.com/symbols and get on your way to being your best self  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Layoffs at Bungie are just the latest in a line of labor issues for PlayStation and its studios in recent months, but as usual, there's great dissonance afoot. Consider this: PS5 is selling briskly, Spider-Man 2 is a critical and commercial smash-hit, and high demand for Sony's product persists as we enter the generation's fourth year. So how can the day-to-day news be so bad when the end result is so positive? Between employee tribulation, an exiting CEO, a fired legendary producer, and more, just what's going on behind-the-scenes, anyway? Are Sony's hard-earned years of goodwill evaporating? Other news this week includes word of a fresh PlayStation 5/Modern Warfare III bundle (and peculiarity about the game's Trophies), rumors of an expansion for God of War: Ragnarok, vague updates on SEGA's mega-expensive so-called 'Super Game,' and more. Listener inquiries end our show, as always. Is 2023 an unusually good industry year specifically because of COVID delays? Would Sony ever put PlayStation Stars on PS5? What does the future hold for Capcom's behemoth Resident Evil franchise? Will Chris get a vanity license plate that reads SACRDBOY? Head to https://www.tryfum.com/SACRED and use code SACRED to save an additional 10% off your order today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

These are undoubtedly strange times in the PlayStation world. As if getting a new CEO next fiscal year wasn't enough of a shakeup, the brand has also lost (in an apparent firing) their long-time Head of Internal Production Connie Booth, someone who has been with Sony since the late '80s and who helped bring to market such titans as Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, Ratchet & Clank, Uncharted, The Last of Us, and more. With fresh layoffs hitting in-house teams like Media Molecule and support hubs like Visual Arts -- and with an increasingly barren upcoming exclusive schedule made even worse by Factions' apparent cancellation -- is it time to panic? Signals are mixed, after all. Spider-Man 2 is PlayStation Studios' fastest-selling title ever and a banger in its own right, and PlayStation 5's console sales are meteoric with or without first and second party offerings. Naturally, we take time to talk about both the big news and the big game in great detail. Plus: Listener inquiries! How're we feeling about Alan Wake 2? What in god's name is going on with the Metal Gear Solid Collection? Should Sony attempt to replicate Nintendo's development continuity in order to extract similar results? Just what is Dustin doing with that figurine in the jar? Build your credit up at https://www.chime.com/sacred Get 20% off your first order and a free gram of flower at https://www.hellomood.com and use code SACRED Get 25% off your first order at https://www.meundies.com/sacred Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We've talked about it ad nauseam on this very show: With a competitor like Microsoft, Sony has every reason to be concerned. The Xbox brand is willing to spend however much on whatever's out there, and whether or not it all adds up in the end doesn't exactly matter. After all, only 6¢ of every dollar Microsoft earns comes from gaming, and that's something they want to enhance no matter the price. But in cobbling together its hodgepodge skinsuit of developers over the years, is their expansion now complete? And -- perhaps more interestingly -- will Sony respond? If yes, how? The Activision situation is finally behind us, so let's reflect, predict, and celebrate as we move beyond one massive distraction. One of the biggest in industry history, actually. Other news this week includes Minecraft's bonkers sales milestone, rumors of PC Trophies, murmurings of a Rise of the Ronin playtest in London, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! What's the perfect FPS to play if you've never played a shooter before? How does a game like Skull Island: Rise of Kong even come to exist at all? Should the Metal Gear Solid franchise be played in order of release, or chronologically? Is Dustin intrigued by the return of Chris Chan? Head to https://www.tryfum.com/SACRED and use code SACRED to save an additional 10% off your order today. Get 20% off your first order and a free gram of flower at https://www.hellomood.com and use code SACRED This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://www.betterhelp.com/symbols and get on your way to being your best self Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The new era of PlayStation 5 is here, at least in terms of a hardware revision. Like every PlayStation console before it, PS5's upgrade comes packing a smaller form factor, and increased storage and an optional disc drive sweetens the deal. But this so-called PS5 Slim comes with a peculiarly stubborn price that isn't reflective of generations past. Could it be that the dueling pressures of inflation and monetary conversion rates have finally come to bear? Either way, one thing's for certain: These new consoles will sell by the millions upon millions in the months to come, and if you want an old-style PS5, you better act before it's too late! Other news this week revolves around crescendoing rumors concerning a PS5 port of The Last of Us: Part II, fresh PS+ offerings, and more. Listener inquiries close our show, as is tradition. Is there anything actually there with these Disney/Electronic Arts rumors? Could right-of-repair change the way we interact with our hardware and peripherals? How come PlayStation doesn't get any credit for Sony's mobile success with Fate Grand Order? Does Chris think Brazillian is a language? Head to https://www.tryfum.com/SACRED and use code SACRED to save an additional 10% off your order today. Get 50% off plus free shipping at https://www.hellofresh.com/50sacred Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

 A light smoke is emitting from sunny Santa Monica, but is there cause for concern? Sony's crown jewel studio Naughty Dog has recently let some contractors go, and -- worse yet, if reporting is to be believed -- its long-awaited Factions spin-off has been shelved, with an exiting bigwig and an unknown future. When combined with SEGA's cancellation of Creative Assembly's Hyenas, which was apparently the publisher's most expensive project ever, we simply have to ask: Do games-as-a-service have the bright and airy future once widely-assumed? Or is there a significant deficit of collective attention, time, money, and inclination necessary to support the long-tail of all of these games? Maybe Jim Ryan made the wrong bet, after all. Plus: Spider-Man 2 is the perfect length, GT Sport is going offline, KOTOR's PS5 remake enters a new and even more mysterious phase, Bungie's virtue signaling backfires, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Will Assassin's Creed: Mirage satiate the old-school AC fanbase? How do we feel about the proper pronunciation of Final Fantasy VII's Cait Sith? If your girlfriend is jealous of your in-game relationships, is that a red flag? Has Colin's psychosis grown to such a degree that it rarely surprises his co-hosts anymore? Breakup habits with FUM. Save 10% at https://www.tryfum.com and use code Sacred Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan -- sometimes known on this show as Cryin' Jim for whatever reason  -- is officially retiring from Sony next spring. Why? The demand of incessant travel, which is wearing him awfully thin after all these years (he's expected to be on three continents each and every month, an absurdity). He's been with the company since before the original PlayStation launched in '94, and his business and marketing acumen saw him rise the ranks of Sony's gaming outfit, first in Europe and then globally. A far cry in presentation from other notable personalities from within his ranks like Jack Tretton, Shuhei Yoshida, or even Shawn Layden, Ryan's more austere approach was undeniably sterile. But the results of his tenure also speak for themselves. He leaves PlayStation in an even more dominant position than he found it when he ascended to the CEO position in 2019 -- PS5's success throughout the pandemic in particular is already the stuff of industry legend -- and naturally, we have a lot to say about what the future holds following his exit. Plus: News about the recent Sony hack, Helldivers II's price, layoffs at Epic and SEGA, Far Cry 7 details, Capcom's stance on game pricing, trouble in the world of collectibles, and much more. Then: Listener inquiries. Is reaction fodder the lowest form of content imaginable? How do we feel about product placement in games? Will review bombing ever be mitigated? When can we expect Chris to join OnlyFans (and for how much)? This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://www.betterhelp.com/symbols and get on your way to being your best self Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We have PlayStation news to get to and through, of course -- and lots of it! -- but so many of you wrote into the show about the recent Xbox leak that we couldn't just ignore it. And really, nothing we learned from the treasure trove of documents one way or the other should come as much of a surprise, so we'll let a famous Coach Green quote do the talking instead. Has the games industry let Microsoft off the hook?! Plus: PS5 sales surge in Europe, The Division 3 is real, Final Fantasy VII Remake surpasses seven million copies sold, NES' Contra is getting a remake, and more. And yes, we talk about the biggest news of all: Spider-Man 2 is gold! We're only a month away now. As usual, we wrap things up with listener inquiries from you, our dear audience. Does it make more sense to wait for a game to be patched and content-complete instead of succumbing to day one pressure? Remember Invizimals? Will Final Fantasy VII Rebirth really be 100 hours long? Did Dustin return from Japan penniless and inundated with anime figurines? Get started at https://www.chime.com/sacred Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

 A State of Play stream was announced right before this week's episode, so naturally we watched it, and our thoughts are within. Topics of interest from Sony's showing include release dates for Helldivers II and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, new PS5 and DualSense colors, an open beta for Foamstars, Resident Evil 4 Remake DLC, and more. However, all of that news is covered in a pickup, because we recorded a huge show for you without all of that. Have you heard what's going on with the popular engine Unity? You should familiarize yourself with the situation, because it's a fascinating one that best represents the strained nexus between creating games and paying for them. Plus: Roblox is finally coming to PlayStation, Square Enix is 'in trouble,' but not really, PS5 gets new firmware while fresh PS+ games come to the Extra and Premium tiers, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Should Colin finally break down and play Skyrim? Are artists really more important than the suits that often oversee them? Have cinematic trailers gone too far? Will Dustin be kidnapped by the Yakuza in Japan, forcing a hefty cash payment? Join us for an unusually old-school episode of Sacred Symbols. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hollywood's labor problem may not be an isolated event in the entertainment industry for much longer. A recent press release from actors union SAG-AFTRA indicates that their members will vote to authorize a strike upon further negotiations with 10 major entities in gaming, including the likes of EA, Take Two, and even Sony-owned developer Insomniac. After all, the guild represent voice and performance actors in many of our favorite games. Yes, the consequences for not getting a deal done could extend far and wide. But it's also important to make note of an important fact: Otherwise-soulless mega corporations that exist entirely to propagate creative content should appropriately pay the creative people that fuel them. And yes, AI plays an inevitable -- but dangerous! -- role in the future of the humanities, and needs to be accounted for. Other news this week hinges on Final Fantasy XVI DLC chatter, tons of Starfield-related talk (since Chris is obsessed), and some new announcements, release dates, and so on. We wrap things up with listener inquiries touching a myriad of topics, including hoarding items in RPGs, the importance of playing a game right when it launches, the preposterous GTAVI/$150 rumors, and fighting back against a neighbor who won't leave your lawnmower alone no matter how much you may want him to. Go to https://www.hellofresh.com/50sacred and use code 50sacred for 50% off plus 15% off the next 2 months Download DraftKings with code SACRED and get $200 in bonus bets Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For the first time since 2016, Sony has increased the price of its PlayStation Plus subscription, and the torches and pitchforks are out en masse. See, there's no doubt the increases are large -- $20 a year more at minimum is nothing to sneeze at -- but it's also important to assess what the service was when it launched in 2010 at $50, and what it's become today at $80 and above. Now's a better time than ever to truly assess what you even get out of PS+ to begin with; the answers people arrive at will be vastly different, as you'll witness during our extensive conversation. We also touch on other big news this week -- PlayStation Portal gets dated, Volition closes its doors after three decades, Sea of Stars does big numbers, and more -- and we wrap things up with a litany of listener inquiries, as is our tradition. What are our current thoughts on PlayStation Stars? Is the console gaming gender gap officially closed? Could big sites and creators do more to avoid spoiling products? Will Colin ever recover from Dustin and Chris not understanding his Can't Hardly Wait reference? This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://www.betterhelp.com/symbols and get on your way to being your best self Download DraftKings with code Sacred and get $200 in bonus bets Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The long-awaited Project Q is officially called PlayStation Portal, and the reaction to it has been surprisingly divisive. Priced at $200 and intended purely as a remote play option for PS5, some potential players see obvious use cases while others think this entire initiative is a waste of time and money. Here on Sacred, we have three different opinions to present you with about the future of Portal, and why it might be a mightier machine than some think. Plus: Sony announces new high-end audio devices for PlayStation while gobbling up a boutique headphone company, release dates have been revealed for games like Granblue Fantasy: Relink and Persona 3, BioWare lays off 50 employees, Geoff Keighley finds himself under siege on-stage at Gamescom, and more news followed -- as always -- by listener inquiries. Has game writing hit an all-time low? Which game world (if any) would we like to visit? Will we ever escape the era of the sequel? Is Colin a secret glizzy gobbler? Start building your credit at https://www.chime.com/sacred Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In early September, prominent CRPG Baldur's Gate III migrates from PC to PlayStation 5, and it sounds like it may just be what the doctor ordered. A deep role-playing experience chock-full of choice and consequence -- and layered with a thick patina of polish -- could potentially sell millions of copies on PS5. Will the critically acclaimed, purportedly amazing experience successfully catapult from computer to console? And should we expect it to stem the tide until Spider-Man 2 arrives? Other items this week include fresh release dates for Assassin's Creed: Mirage and Alan Wake II, the reveal of new TMNT and South Park games, a horrible-looking Walking Dead title arriving this fall, and an inopportune quote from Square Enix executive producer Yoshi-P that unintentionally fed eager fanboys. Listener inquiries round things out, per usual. Why do people encumber themselves with a backlog? How do we navigate our personal relationships when it comes to making the time necessary to play games? Is Sony's silence starting to become conspicuous, and even worrying? Will Colin strike back on Dustin's bad take-calling? Get 50% off plus free shipping at https://www.hellofresh.com/50sacred Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is PlayStation doing well? It's easy to answer "yes" after reading Sony's recent quarterly financial reports, which shows exploding levels of revenue, with a lower-than-expected profit margin scaring markets (even as the Japanese behemoth remains in the black). Then again, that something as relatively cheap as Bungie's acquisition could in part affect the firm's wider earnings is a sign that Sony simply isn't on the level of its competition when it comes to purchasing power, and thus it needs to be more deliberate and cautious. Should we be worried about PlayStation's trajectory, specifically with a seeming dearth of known first and second party games beyond Spider-Man 2 and Helldivers 2? Heck, did Final Fantasy XVI undersell after all, potentially fracturing their relationship with Square Enix? As usual, we've much to discuss. Other news this week includes an analysis of Rockstar's questionable Red Dead Redemption PS4 port, controversy surrounding PSVR2, Twisted Metal's excellent performance on Peacock, and much more. Listener inquiries wrap things up, as usual. Should we tip our cap to Fortnite for a job well done? Are Nintendo's recent patents a step too far for game development? Why do some people think Starfield will fail when it's obvious it won't? Will Colin survive hearing a list of his perceived worst takes? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this week's episode of Sacred Symbols, we delve into a series of perplexing and puzzling enigmas. Will Helldivers launch in October, as rumors indicate? Could PS5's new firmware update allow desperate husbands to dodge the ire of their angry wives? Should Anita Sarkeesian's sunsetting Feminist Frequency brand hold a positive legacy in our industry? Why is EA bringing Star Wars Jedi: Survivor backwards to PS4 in the year of our lord 2023? All of that, plus more news and a series of listener inquiries that will simply add more question marks to an already question mark-laden description. Are people who invert the Y-axis (like Colin) touched in the head? Is Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart too short? Will PS5 Pro disrupt the development flow of regular PlayStation 5 games? Is Chris racist against aliens from space? This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://www.betterhelp.com/symbols and get on your way to being your best self Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

At 40 million units sold after 32 months, PlayStation 5 is only half-a-quarter behind PS4's prodigious sales pace. This is a big deal for a console that was launched into a pandemic economy that made it extremely difficult for people to find a machine for nearly two straight years, not to mention afford one, what with eroding purchasing power due to inflation. Now, the question becomes -- with Project Q and a PS5 Pro around the corner -- can PlayStation 5 continue its meteoric sales trend? Plus: Sony's investment into China continues to pay off, with a trio of new China Hero Games revealed for PlayStation 5, while it appears that Insomniac is making a third AAA game concurrent to Spider-Man 2 and Wolverine, which is mighty intriguing. We wrap up our recording, as we always do, with listener inquiries. What does the word "retro" mean in today's gaming environment? With recent happenings, is it high time we get a UFO abduction game? Will Sekiro go down as one of FromSoft's most-revered titles? Is Arizona about to disintegrate off the face of the Earth? Sign up for Chime at https://www.chime.com/sacred Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It looks like we can finally -- finally! -- stop talking about Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, at least on this podcast. That's because PlayStation settled on what it frankly could have always had, namely a 10 year deal for access to Call of Duty that runs into the mid-2030s, keeping the cash-cow franchise on Sony hardware for a long time to come. Is this an ideal situation for Sony? Certainly not. But that's their problem, not ours, and at least we can flip the page to make way for more interesting topics! Other news this week includes an interesting, years-late update to Dreams that could have at one time saved it from inevitable failure, drama surrounding the PC launch of Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, release dates for Firewall Ultra and Goodbye Volcano High, and -- perhaps most importantly -- PlayStation 5's meteoric sales, as it continues to move at an extremely brisk pace around the globe. Listener inquiries wrap the show up, per usual, touching on topics like Baldur's Gate III, the potential return of Einhander, the PlayStation-centric censorship of indie title LISA, and thoughts on whether Colin compliments Dustin enough, which apparently he doesn't. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sony finds itself in a pickle, or so it seems from the outside. With ever-burgeoning development costs comes the reality that new IP is an increasingly-risky endeavor. The safer and more reliable route, it could be argued, is in doubling-down on what works. And let's be real: Guerrilla-developed Horizon works. The two core games have sold 33 million units combined across PS4, PS5, and PC. The question, though, is how much does Horizon work? Could a good thing become a bad thing through simple repetition? This week, we discuss the future of Horizon (not to mention the past of Killzone) via reporting from an enlightening panel conducted with the leadership of Guerrilla, and we're forced to confront a reality where Horizon never truly disappears. Other notable news this week includes the retirement of legendary Naughty Dog co-president Evan Wells, The Last of Us' ridiculously successful run of Emmy nominations, Sony's new investments into live service, and more. Inquiries from the audience end the show, as usual. What does SEGA's unionization mean for the future of industry labor? Can 2D games simply be too difficult for some people to handle? Is D&D more nerdy than anime? If you had to stop at a gas station right now, what would be your go-to snack and drink choices? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Like a meteor from the sky -- or perhaps a capsule drop from orbit -- Sony second party partner Arrowhead randomly released new information about its upcoming co-op-based third-person shooter Helldivers II, including new gameplay footage. Arcadey, difficult, and sarcastic, Helldivers II aims to recognizably evolve 2015's PS4, PS3, and Vita original, and a 2023 release window has thankfully been reiterated. Let's discuss the promise of killing bugs and fellow humans (intentionally or otherwise) in the name of Super-Earth. We also go through recent rumors surrounding a purported The Last of Us: Part III and the upcoming Team Ninja PS5 exclusive Rise of the Ronin, chronicle ongoing troubles with PlayStation's nascent mobile initiative, and more, and we wrap things up with a salvo of listener inquiries. What are our feelings on 2D Soulsborne games? Do box office bombs in the movie space portend a rough future for our AAA industry? How could Sony best celebrate its various IP in a single product? Will Daffy Duck star in Kingdom Hearts IV? This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://www.betterhelp.com/symbols and get on your way to being your best self Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Whether Microsoft completes its acquisition of Activision or not, the FTC's legal assault on the company has nonetheless exposed Sony's archrival's strategy for all to see. Xbox's argument is a simple one: Thoroughly outclassed by their competitors with access to orders of magnitude fewer resources over a continuous period of more than two decades, their only way to compete is through brute force. Microsoft isn't wrong for acting like a corporation seeking profit. The bigger question is why anyone would root for them when they've shown little true feel for the business, as evidenced by their lack of success relative to their competition. We spend more than two hours going through all of the interesting tidbits from the FTC vs. Microsoft, not through the lens of whether the deal will go through, but via all the interesting information we've garnered through discovery, deposition, and testimony. We also spend more than an hour talking about our time (so far) with Final Fantasy XVI, which very easily slides into the Game of the Year category with its exceptional gameplay and riveting story. We bounce around to other news items, too, before leaving you -- as always -- with listener inquiries. How can PlayStation salvage the early-damaged reputations of Concord and Fairgames? Will there ever be a single-player FPS renaissance? Should increased dev time equal the end of gaming trilogies? Could Colin and Chris write a successful remake of Billy Joel's classic We Didn't Start the Fire? Get a 1-year supply of Vitamin D and 5 travel packs at https://www.drinkAG1.com/sacred Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Great intrigue surrounds Bungie's upcoming revival of its long-dormant FPS IP Marathon, first confirmed (but long-rumored beforehand) at the recent PlayStation Showcase. Post-show reporting outlines an ambitious service title, but questions linger about Bungie's current and continued handling of Destiny 2, not to mention if the storied developer finds itself newly-distracted by a demanding parent company. Let's take some time to dissect current-day Bungie and get to the heart of Marathon's promise (or lack thereof). Plus: PlayStation Studios loses its head of mobile gaming before he ever releases a game, Konami's upcoming Metal Gear Solid collection sounds pretty awesome, Electronic Arts' studios split into two separate entities, and more news, rounded out -- as always -- by inquiries from the audience. Have we ever encountered a spiritual or religious issue with a game? Why, exactly, are turn-based games fun? Does voice chat give us anxiety? Did Colin really need to learn about the true wonders of "marinating"? Thanks to our sponsors! Get 20% off at https://www.liquidiv.com and use code Sacred Build your credit up at https://www.chime.com/sacred Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In another legendary Colin Was Right moment, Embracer Group has officially broadcast an SOS. The mega-publisher is in significant debt and severely overleveraged, with 17,000 mouths to feed over 131 studios making something like 250 games. But few of its products matter, it can't release enough quality fare to draw the requisite income to sustain its Ubisoft-sized headcount, and its products inevitably compete with each other, too. Embracer was always an absurd proposition, one that almost no one made a peep about while its teetering tower was built ever-higher. Let's discuss their future, one markedly different from the one they planned just a few years ago. We also take the time to get deep into this week's other news, as there are a lot of announcements emerging from various showcases. Star Wars: Outlaws, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, Persona 3 Reload, Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, and Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth are just some of the upcoming titles we touch on, as well sharing lots of thoughts about Final Fantasy XVI's well-received demo, and listener inquiries on topics like the arcade ticket economy, the perfect game length, and Last Stand licensing its content to a big media company. Plus: Can we get Boar's Head to sponsor this show? Probably not, as it turns out. Thanks to our sponsors! Get a free 1-year supply of Vitamin D and 5 free travel packs at https://www.athleticgreens.com/sacred Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The PlayStation Showcase left many fans disenchanted, but can Geoff Keighley's Summer Game Fest deliver some positive energy? It turns out that yes, it certainly can. Spider-Man 2 now has a release date, Prince of Persia, Sonic, and Like A Dragon are all getting new entries, known titles like Mortal Kombat 1, Witchfire, Remnant 2, Lies of P, and Banishers all look great, and new IP were revealed and elaborated on, too, like Toxic Commando and Sandland. Let's catch up on all of that, plus much more from the week, including Final Fantasy VII Rebirth details, NCAA Football licensing issues, Octopath Traveler 2's solid sales, and more. Then, let's wrap things up with listener inquiries, as we're wont to do here on Sacred. When do we know it's time to abandon a game? Is Spider-Man 2's map too big? Why hasn't anime fully captured Colin? Did a man named Mark really kill the Vita? Thanks to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://www.betterhelp.com/symbols and get on your way to being your best self Get a free 1-year supply of Vitamin D and 5 free travel packs at https://www.athleticgreens.com/sacred Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're more than a week distant from the recent, highly controversial PlayStation Showcase. And because we recorded our last episode directly after it, we did the best we could shooting from the hip. But with time to think, have our opinions on Sony's event evolved? We spend a lot of time talking about the fallout from the showcase, the various games that caught our eye (or otherwise), and where we think everything sits, now that we've pondered. But there's one thing we certainly agree on: A lot of people are overreacting while completely forgetting (or perhaps just being ignorant of) the brand's history. We also take time to delve into recent reporting surrounding PlayStation's crown jewel first party studio, Naughty Dog. News indicates that none other than Bungie has come off the top rope to potentially throw the kibosh on their standalone multiplayer game, indicating that it may not be ready for primetime. Has Sony mismanaged Naughty Dog into a BioWare-like situation, or is this much ado about nothing? Other news rounds out our show, as well as listener inquiries. How do we balance objective and subjective analysis? Is PlayStation focusing too heavily on sci-fi? Will PC players need PlayStation Plus to play Sony's games-as-a-service? Is Colin about to return to his roots as a deli worker? Thanks to our sponsors! Get 20% off at https://www.liquidiv.com and use code Sacred Get up to 55% off your subscription at https://www.babbel.com/sacred Get a 1-year supply of Vitamin D and 5 travel packs for free at https://www.athleticgreens.com/sacred Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We've waited so long for a fresh PlayStation Showcase that it came as a bit of a shock to be sitting there watching a new one. Yet we did just that, and frankly, we were left feeling a little bit underwhelmed. It's not to say that potentially-amazing games weren't shown-off, because they were. Out of the 34 titles seen, many of them looked great. But a lack of a truly meaningful first and second party presence coupled with gameplay scarce makes it's hard to feel too excited about what Haven or Firewalk are toiling away on when we somehow still don't have a release date for Spider-Man 2, when Factions remains as much of a mystery as it was before, when a predictable reliance on new PvP products nonetheless leaves some fans distressed. We take the time to go game-by-game, from Fairgame$ and Helldivers II right on through Marathon and Concord, covering all that the event had to offer. We also do a 'regular show' around that, touching on the other news from the week, with plenty of listener inquiries, too. Are you feeling better than you were pre-Showcase, PlayStation fans? As usual, it's likely just a matter of perspective. Thanks to our sponsors! Get 20% off at https://www.liquidiv.com and use code Sacred Get started with Chime at https://www.chime.com/sacred Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Unbelievably, the moment has finally come: A PlayStation showcase draws near. By the time the hour-plus event concludes, it'll have been more than 600 days since the last showcase in '21. In other words, Sony simply has to bring the heat, and we suspect they will. This week, let's take the time to dissect PlayStation's potential first, second, and third party plans for its mid-gen coming-out, and get into some other news in the ecosystem, too, including the reveal of a Mortal Kombat reboot and strong indications that Grand Theft Auto VI is nearing its end-phase of development. Listener inquiries help us explore other interesting topics as well, including nudity in games, Sony's potential to sell Zelda-like numbers, and how we "earn" our gaming time. Colin also nails himself in the nuts mid-show, much to everyone's delight. Thanks to our sponsors! Get 20% off at https://www.liquidiv.com and use code Sacred This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://www.betterhelp.com/symbols and get on your way to being your best self Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A minor culling is underway at and around PlayStation, with a smaller first party studio going away and an in-production second party FPS seemingly cancelled. But it's unclear why this would necessarily be looked at as a bad thing. If teams and products aren't living up to their promise -- and if they presumably don't reach an ever-increasing quality bar internally -- shouldn't they be cut loose? Still, at a time when consolidation and headcount means anything, that Sony is taking these risks indicates there's more at play, with the potential of a brighter future on the other side. Let's discuss. Other news this week includes massive numbers for the Horizon franchise, now Sony's sixth best-selling series ever, while Pokémon studio GameFreak gets into bed with Take Two and PS+ gets its strongest slate of new additions in months. Finally, we wrap things up -- as always -- with listener inquiries. Was IGN wrong to say that games its staff has never heard of aren't worth your attention to begin with? Have the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters invoked a new interest in Stranger of Paradise? Can anything be done to halt the death of game rentals? Will we ever recover from how hard The Good Doctor makes us laugh? Thanks to our sponsors! Get 20% off at https://www.liquidiv.com and use code Sacred at checkout Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a recent interview, Hermen Hulst -- the head of PlayStation's first party studios -- spoke extensively about Sony's plans with its vaunted 10 in-development games-as-a-service. Through his words, we can begin to formulate a vision of a future where PlayStation first and second party games are both of the expected and unexpected variety, a marked change from a brand known first-and-foremost for marquee single player experiences. And in the wake of Xbox's disastrous launch of Redfall and the obviously-plateauing numbers of GamePass, a conversation about the very philosophy of PlayStation seems as timely as ever. We also take the time this week to go over the trailers for the Gran Turismo movie and Twisted Metal TV show, celebrate some recent Square Enix sales successes, discuss the continued destruction of games media, touch on new PS5 Pro rumors, and more. Listener inquiries round things out, per usual, on topics like reviews taking into account the technical performance of a game, Sony's dearth of WRPG heft, players' toxic relationship with publishers, and Colin's increasingly dramatic southern man voice. Thanks to our sponsor! Get a 1-year supply of Vitamin D and 5 travel packs for free at https://www.athleticgreens.com/sacred Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Naughty Dog and Insomniac are the two studios often looked at as the bulwarks of PlayStation's first party family. But it's clear that -- over in Europe -- a third team is quickly climbing the depth chart: Guerrilla. In recent days, the team revealed a complete shakeup of their executive staff, and for the second time in just a few years, they're losing their leader to PlayStation proper. In other words, many compliments are being paid to a studio not only working on Horizon 3, but a Horizon multiplayer game as well, in addition to shepherding the increasingly-important Decima engine. What's the future look like for Sony with Guerrilla in increasing control? We've much to chat about. Plus: The CMA surprisingly blocks Microsoft's acquisition of Activision, a new Sony patent seemingly confirms a detachable PS5 disc drive is en route, Burning Shores' review bombing convinces Metacritic to clean up their site, and more. Then: Nearly three years out, what are our thoughts on Ghost of Tsushima? Are we ever tempted to try Final Fantasy XIV? How come Colin loves sports so much, but hates competitive gaming? Will Chris' and Colin's portraits hang in an Ohio deli like two communist dictators? Thanks to our sponsors! Get 20% off at https://www.liquidiv.com and use code Sacred at checkout Sign up for a Chime Checking Account at https://www.chime.com/sacred Get up to 55% off your subscription at https://www.babbel.com/sacred Get a 1-year supply of Vitamin D and 5 travel packs for free at https://www.athleticgreens.com/sacred Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As it comes to grips with the new realities of an ever-consolidating market, Sony has opted to increase its aggressiveness by purchasing Firewalk Studios. Like Haven and Nixxes before it, buying Firewalk is an unusually premature move for a company that typically likes to conduct extensive second party dances before putting a ring on it. But its arch-rival and third party publishers alike have made it clear that the old rules of buying teams no longer apply, and that courtships can no longer span the production of multiple titles. Will this increasing embrace of size benefit PlayStation or hinder it? Only time will tell, but we've obviously much to discuss. Other big news this week includes PlayStation 5's staggering sales figures, the exit of more high-level talent from Media Molecule, and much more, and we round things out -- as always -- with listener inquiries. Is enemy scaling really necessary? Could Ubisoft be readying a low-key banger with XDefiant? Do players rerally 'graduate' from Nintendo to PlayStation? Is Colin developing a hankering for gardening? Thanks to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://www.betterhelp.com/symbols and get on your way to being your best self Get a 1-year supply of Vitamin D and 5 travel packs for free at https://www.athleticgreens.com/sacred Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After witnessing its death in slow motion, Media Molecule is mercifully pulling the plug on its beleaguered project Dreams. And it's sad, no doubt. But here's the reality: Dreams was a bad idea and a waste of time. Sony voluntarily hamstrung its most creative team for the better part of two generations on a dead end, and you can't really blame artists-types for taking all the corporate rope you'll give them. After all, Media Molecule hasn't released a AAA game in more than 12 years, an unfathomable gap. How that's even possible is anyone's guess. Who's responsible for Dreams' abject failure? Why was this idea allowed to go along so staggeringly beyond its expiration date? And what's next for the House of Sackboy? Other news this week includes tacit confirmation of a Persona 3 remake, Sony's aggressive push into cloud gaming, an official delay for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, and more. The conversation's rounded out with listener inquiries sent from Patreon, touching on topics like the Redfall 30-frames controversy, the cost of putting Call of Duty on PlayStation Plus, the best order to play the original Final Fantasy games, and a continued ode to a deli that's become a central icon of show lore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

 A new Sony handheld is rumored to be in the works, but don't get all hot-and-bothered. It's not another PSP or Vita, but rather a device codenamed Q-Lite, essentially a DualSense controller with an 8-inch screen affixed to it that facilitates (presumably high quality) local remote play. But with PSVR2 seemingly floundering, is it a good idea to release another distraction from the main goal? That being the production and release of the highest-quality AAA games imaginable. We discuss Sony's presumed strategy. We also delve into awesome Final Fantasy-related news, including word that XVI has gone gold on PS5, with the Pixel Remasters right around the corner for PS4, while the Saudi Arabian government is preparing tens of billions of dollars in new gaming investments that will undoubtedly encroach into our space. Also: Listener inquiries! Will Spider-Man 2 be co-op? Why aren't Monster Hunter fans showing Wild Hearts any respect? If Sony purchased Square Enix, would it be left alone (a la Bungie)? Was Queen Elizabeth II a closet Sacred Symbols listener? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's a week of surprise turnarounds and unexpected outcomes. First up: Has Sony flown too close to the sun? In trying to halt Microsoft's acquisition of Activision, it may have exposed itself to critical governmental and social attention it would have otherwise never garnered. And the deal's probably going to go through anyway. Meanwhile, reporting indicates PSVR2 is bombing in its first month on the market, which our eyes and ears were already telling us. Meanwhile, E3 is cancelled (probably forever) after the promise of a triumphant comeback, The Last of Us: Part I on PC wildly misses the Naughty Dog bar of quality, once-accused games writer Chris Avellone clears his name, and more news rounds our upside-down episode, dotted as always with listener inquiries. Your topics this week? The potential of animated PlayStation TV series and films, the best third-party publisher ever, a defense of day one DLC, and much more. Thanks to our sponsors! Get a free 1-year supply of Vitamin D and 5 travel packs at https://www.athleticgreens.com/sacred Get up to 55% off your subscription at https://www.babbel.com/sacred Get 20% off anything you order at https://www.liquidiv.com/sacred Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In September of 2018, one of the biggest PlayStation games of all-time -- Insomniac's Spider-Man -- came to PlayStation 4. Along with its '1.5-style' follow-up Miles Morales, the fledgling franchise has sold somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 million copies, and it seems like the original's direct sequel will launch five years to the month of its street date, in September of 2023. Word comes by way of the loose-lipped voice actor playing Venom, who would absolutely and obviously know these details in preparation for his press tour, so we believe what he says to be true, and it all begs the singular question: When will we see more? Other news this week revolves around Horizon: Forbidden West's upcoming DLC Burning Shores, the sunsetting of a trio of Battlefield games on PSN, Sony's ability (or lack thereof) to make a viable Call of Duty competitor, and more. Listener inquiries help us round things out, as always. What's up with all of the 10s being given out by games media? Is Ubisoft's Ghostwriter technology a harbinger of things to come? Why the heck won't some games let you pause? Will you bet cold-hard cash on Chris in his Creator Clash bout? Thanks to our sponsors! This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy at try at https://www.betterhelp.com/symbols and get on your way to being your best self.  Make your financial dreams a reality at https://www.chime.com/sacred Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rumors are percolating anew of a PlayStation 5 Pro console that may launch as soon as 2024, but in reality, this isn't news at all. Our very own tech analyst told us about PS5 Pro last year right here on this very show, and with more information now garnered, it sounds like this thing is really happening. Or is it? Deep economic pain lingers (with more potentially on the way). And how much more power does the PS5 need, anyway? Let's discuss the freshest hardware murmurings. Then: Neil Druckmann spills the beans on The Last of Us' future on HBO and the potential of a third core game, Konami's Project Zircon indicates Castlevania is about to return, Chinese developers voluntarily submit to self-censorship in a new pact, and more, buttressed -- as always -- by listener inquiries. What's going on with Capcom's Pragmata? Could gaming magazines ever make a comeback? How long should a game be? Has Dustin's coffee snobbery gone a step too far? Thanks to our sponsor! Right now, get up to 55% off your subscription when you go to https://www.babbel.com/sacred Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Interesting news broke while we were recording the episode, and we made sure to incorporate it: Rocksteady's beleaguered Suicide Squad game (Kill the Justice League) has been indefinitely delayed from its May release on PlayStation 5, no doubt a response to the drubbing-by-consensus it recently took. Is such a move necessary, and could it right the game's trajectory? Did it even need saving it all? Other news items this week include a wild Jim Ryan quote regarding the Activision-Microsoft deal, a huge firmware update for PS5, the potential of Spider-Man 2 going head-to-head with Starfield, and more. We intersperse our show, as we always do, with listener inquiries, ranging on issues like a remake's eligibility for Game of the Year, skipping cutscenes, playing a single-player title via multiple roles, and the reveal of the soon-to-be-famous Sacred Symbols-themed sandwich at a very special Ohio deli. Thanks to our sponsors! Get a free 1-year supply of Vitamin D and 5 free travel packs with your first purchase at https://www.athleticgreens.com/sacred Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As you well-know, Sacred Symbols doesn't work with any publishers, developers, or manufacturers. As such, we're excited to talk about PSVR2 for the very first time now that we've gotten our own purchased units in the mail. We go into some of our varying experiences so far, particularly with Horizon: Call of the Mountain, and Colin in particular wonders if his unit is broken or just permanently blurry ('sweet spot' be damned). We also get into all of the week's news, of course, starting with IO Interactive's big reveal of a new fantasy RPG in the works, Elden Ring's mysterious upcoming DLC, the closure of Square Enix's Luminous Productions, and more. As usual, listener inquiries round things out for us on topics like 3D platformers, endemic industry negativity, the potentially offensive nature of the term 'JRPG', and one funny anecdote from our live show in Houston about a few mystified men who thought they were there to see Moulin Rouge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Xbox's pursuit of Activision Blizzard reached a new crescendo in recent days, as Microsoft President Brad Smith gave both private and public presentations to the European Commission about the virtues of the proposed deal. In its persistent recalcitrance and total unwillingness to get out of the way (particularly when it comes to Call of Duty's availability on PlayStation), Sony's strategy of silence may actually be paying off. Is Cryin' Jim really Thrivin' Jim? As always, we go deep into the weeds of this never-ending saga. Other news this week includes word of Diablo IV's open beta, Bungie suing cheaters into oblivion, and Embracer's presumably overleveraged position. Listener inquiries round things out, touching on topics like games that solve puzzles for you, our favorite so-called Sony-isms, the upcoming biblical title I Am Jesus Christ, and a potential Sacred Symbols sandwich at an Ohio-based deli. (Remember: We recorded a day earlier than usual because of our live event in Houston.) Thanks to our sponsor! Shop spring designs at https://www.tommyjohn.com/sacred and get 20% off your first order Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sony has never so much as acknowledged the existence of the British team known as Ballistic Moon, but that hasn't stopped sleuths from figuring out as far back as last summer that they're working on a PlayStation exclusive called Project Bates. But in recent days, something interesting happened: Sony kinda-sorta referred to Ballistic Moon as a first party team in a job listing, which they later amended. And you may remember that Sony in fact clumsily leaked their acquisition of Bluepoint months before they properly revealed it. Is something up here? Possibly so; we'll let you decide. Other news this week includes an awesome new array of games on PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium, rumors of PlayStation-branded earbuds, the approach of the long-shambling Dead Island 2, and more. Listener inquiries round things out, as always. Is it okay to dislike BioShock? How come Colin thinks it's weird when media-types jump to publishers and developers? What exactly does the term 'survival horror' actually mean? Just what's happening at Wal-Mart, anyway? Thanks to our sponsors! Shop spring designs at https://www.tommyjohn.com/sacred and get 20% off your first order Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The brand-new Harry Potter adventure Hogwarts Legacy will very easily go down as one of 2023's best-sellers, a testament to its high quality and faithful treatment of the so-called Wizarding World. But its success is also a triumph for reason and truth, and a major defeat for the outrage machine that tried to destroy it via a distorted game of telephone. Nestled within the maelstrom is nonetheless a heck of a game, and we're eager to talk about Avalanche Software's release in-depth. Plus: BioWare's continuing troubles, PixelJunk's triumphant return to PlayStation, and much more news. Then: Listener inquiries! Should we be more mindful of old game spoilers to help the younger generations 'go in fresh'? Was the Nier: Automata Platinum Trophy a step too far? Did Take Two announce Ken Levine's Judas too early? Will Colin ever recover from the precipitous decline in almond volume in his Honey Bunches of Oats... With Almonds? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In only about 10 weeks on the market, God of War: Ragnarok has grossed (give or take) around $750 million. At 11 million units sold and counting, it's a stark reminder that -- yes indeed! -- people will buy games, buy them at a high price point, and buy them in great quantities. All that's necessary is for that product to be special. Having already made back Ragnarok's development and marketing costs several times, what's next for Santa Monica Studio? Behold yet another Sony money printer! Plus: PlayStation 5 sales are very strong, a sequel to an older PlayStation game is quietly (but blatantly) revealed, PSVR2's strengths and weaknesses are called into question weeks before launch, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! How do we feel about James Gunn's attempts to tie DC games into their larger entertainment universe? Will changes to Resident Evil 4 ruin the remake? Does Amy Hennig get too much credit for Uncharted? Can we learn to embrace the power of the badger? Thanks to our sponsors! For a free 1-year supply of Vitamin D and 5 free travel packs go to https://www.athleticgreens.com/sacred This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://www.betterhelp.com/symbols and get on your way to being your best self  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Think back a ways, to the lead-up to The Last of Us' launch on PlayStation 3. There wasn't one name -- but two! -- oft-invoked in media: Neil Druckmann and Bruce Straley. The duo's work was well-established in the Uncharted series, and they would later rescue Uncharted 4 from development tribulations as a team. But the team split apart, and these days, Druckmann is the focal point of PlayStation's internal development efforts while Straley is a ghost of times past. A recent LA Times piece allowed Straley to elaborate on the situation, which led us to a Sacred Symbols-style deep discussion on Naughty Dog, credit, Neil and Bruce's seeming divorce, and what's fair and isn't when it comes to game development. Of course, news also plays a central role in this week's episode, as it always does. Square Enix is finally squashing its questionable Avengers game, BioWare loses arguably its most prolific writer, Spider-Man 2 rumblings have everyone excited, Forspoken launches into a questionable environment, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Have we ever managed to score a game at retail before its street date? What would a modern Nintendo and PlayStation collaboration look like? Would Colin ever interview Adam Sessler on Sacred+? Are people making up tall tales specifically to be included on our show? Thanks to our sponsors! Get up to 55% off your subscription at https://www.babbel.com/sacred Start your credit journey with Chime at https://www.chime.com/sacred Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Long-percolating rumors have been confirmed: Housemarque's wonderful third-person PS5 shooter Returnal is headed to PC, and you're going to need a beefy rig to enjoy all it has to offer. But not all is well in the stars. Krafton's The Callisto Protocol, released in December to middling reviews, was also met with soft sales. Somehow, the publisher spent something like $160 million over three years making the game, and the project is very much in the red. How could things have gone so poorly for such a promising title? And how is it possible that something like Callisto cost literally 10 times what it took for Remedy to make Control, and five times what they're spending on its sequel? Tons of sales data, discussions about Atomic Heart and Hogwarts Legacy, and more round out this week's news offerings, as we then delve into listener inquiries from Patreon. Should we expect Sony to make more acquisitions this year? Are recent layoffs at Microsoft at all emblematic of issues with the Xbox brand? Is the end nigh for GameSpot and Giant Bomb? Will one listener ever find out who the mystery person in the bathroom was? You know, the one listening to Sacred Symbols while doing his business? Thanks to our sponsors! Get 20% off your first purchase at https://www.tommyjohn.com/sacred Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Not too long ago, Ubisoft was one of the most powerful publishing entities in all of video games. Today, it's a beleaguered entity haunted by an absurdly high headcount and a development pipeline ill-suited for modern trends. The result has been an in-progress collapse notable enough to warrant an extensive update from the company itself, alongside a flurry of cancelled projects and ominous adjusted financial expectations in a worsening economy. The long and the short is: Ubisoft has big changes coming, and we're eager to talk about all that's gone wrong, and what may go right in the future. Other news includes rumors of a second party People Can Fly-developed shooter for PS5, the faux story about vertical PS5s breaking, and the embarrassing Limited Run Games fiasco, plus more. We then end this week not as we traditionally do -- with six questions from the audience -- but rather with our Game of the Year awards, the most prestigious and important you can possibly imagine. We also focus-in on a listener who wrote in about his teeth-brushing habits, and... well... we'll leave it for the show. Thanks to our sponsors! Get 20% off your first order at https://www.tommyjohn.com/sacred Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's easy enough to forget (especially these days) that Sony is, first and foremost, an electronics company. So perhaps we shouldn't be surprised that the company showed up to CES not only to show off its upcoming PlayStation VR2, but also something brand new: A fresh controller codenamed Project Leonardo, one designed with maximum accessibility in mind. By leveraging the power of tech, video games can reach even more people if they simply cater to them, and when it comes to the disabled, Microsoft proved nearly five years ago that their so-called adaptive controller represented something real. It's finally time for Sony to follow suit. Plus: PlayStation 5 surpasses 30 million units sold, The Last of Us: Factions gets teased yet again, Hitman turns into the World of Assassination, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Is gaming culture broken? How important was Shuhei Yoshida to PlayStation's first party output? When can we expect to (at last!) play Six Days in Fallujah? Is hand sanitizer essential, or a prophet of dryness? Thanks to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://www.betterhelp.com/sacred and get on your way to being your best self Reclaim your health with a FREE 1-year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase at https://www.athleticgreens.com/SACRED. Get up to 55% off your subscription at https://www.babbel.com/sacred Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

2022 is but a fleeting memory. Thus, as the calendar turns over, we thought it would be best to look ahead. As is our tradition, it's time for Sacred Symbols to talk about our most-anticipated games of the next 12 months. 2023 is shaping up to be a far, far stronger year than 2022, an especially bold proclamation considering we know virtually nothing about what's coming from either first or second party. Indeed, none of our 15 selections are PlayStation-published games, but -- naturally -- all of them are coming to PS5, PS4, or both. Without further ado, we present to you the upcoming adventures that've piqued our interest the most. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's time once more for our annual Sacred Symbols tradition: Recounting and discussing the most memorable and interesting moments from the last 12 months of PlayStation. The reality is, this year was quiet on the first and second party front, at least when it comes to news (the games were dope, as always). But much happened that's worth going over again: Sony's acquisition of Bungie, Haven's potential promise, PS+'s struggles, and more. Then, there's everything in orbit around PlayStation: The Abandoned saga, Cyberpunk's revival, Square Enix's firesale, EA's gambit with Koei Tecmo, and so much more. We appreciate your support, as always, on Sacred Symbols. Happy Holidays! Thanks to our sponsors! Start your credit journey with Chime. Get started at https://www.chime.com/sacred This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://www.betterhelp.com/sacred and get on your way to being your best self Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Word of a third core The Last of Us game emanates from a reliable film industry-based source. If true, The Last of Us: Part III is one of at least two games in-development at Naughty Dog, news that is being met with equal parts excitement and disappointment. With other happenings pointing towards a God of War TV show at Amazon, and with so much of Sony's strategy seemingly relying on PlayStation's existing IP, it makes sense to wonder something very simple: Where are the new could-be franchises? When it comes to AAA fare, we've gotten one from the first and second party in PlayStation 5's entire lifecycle to date in the form of Returnal. Should we be concerned? Or should we put our faith into a brand that -- let's be honest -- has largely treated us very well over the last decade-plus, particularly when it comes to what matters most. Other news this week includes official word of the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters' imminent PS4 release, the announcement of Ys X: Nordics, the exit of one of Media Molecule's co-founders from the studio after 16 years, and much more. Listener inquiries wrap things up as always, touching on topics like noisy controllers, the proper way to play Death Stranding, the commercial triumph of Sonic Frontiers, and a compelling suggestion that Chris may in fact be a time traveller with an uncanny predictive flair. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://www.betterhelp.com/sacred and get on your way to being your best self Shop Tommy John's end of year sale for up to 70% off at https://www.tommyjohn.com/sacred Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices