Shack Together

Welcome to episode 65 of Shack Together! We're joined by special guests Donovan Erskine and Greg Burke to discuss their impressions of Universal's Epic Universe theme park. Today's show features our review of Elden Ring Nightreign, as well as our new "Mount Switchmore" segment, where we match Nintendo Switch first-party games to Mount Rushmore presidents based on their leadership qualities and legacy. The Nintendo Switch 2, launching next week, continues to dominate headlines with Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake's October release window and an upcoming Pokemon Presents showcase announced for July 2025. Meanwhile, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 celebrates an impressive milestone of 3.3 million units sold in just 33 days, while EA makes waves with the cancellation of their Black Panther game and the closure of Cliffhanger Games. We also explore new previews of Persona 5: The Phantom X and review several recent releases including Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon and The Siege and the Sandfox. Industry news brings record-breaking results from NVIDIA's Q1 2026 earnings, with gaming revenue hitting an all-time high of $3.8 billion. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy!   Timestamps 00:01:27 Asif On Assignment 00:03:30 It's Shack Together! 00:03:59 Greg and Donovan's Universal's Epic Universe Grand Opening Trip 00:36:39 Joe's PC, Clair Obscur 00:38:30 Asif's Games: Blue Prince, Doom: The Dark Ages 00:55:36 Mount Switchmore Draft: Matching Nintendo Switch Games to Mount Rushmore Presidents 01:30:00 Story Time! 01:30:04 Previews: Persona 5: The Phantom X, Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake 01:33:49 Reviews: Elden Ring Nightreign, Tainted Grail, F1 25, The Siege and the Sandfox, Scar-Lead Salvation 01:56:21 News: Black Panther Game Cancelled, Star Wars Battlefront 2 Record, Clair Obscur Sales, Pokemon Presents July 2025 02:11:08 Industry: NVIDIA Q1 2026 Earnings, Record Gaming Revenue 02:13:34 Community Notes   Articles mentioned in this episode Universal Epic Universe park impressions Elden Ring Nightreign review Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake preview Pokemon Presents showcase July 2025 Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 sales milestone Black Panther canceled, Cliffhanger Games closed NVIDIA Q1 2026 gaming revenue record Persona 5: The Phantom X preview Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon review The Siege and the Sandfox review

Welcome to episode 64 of Shack Together! We're joined by special guest Sam Chandler as we discuss Bungie's ongoing copyright controversy with an artist claiming unauthorized use of assets in Marathon, while also sharing our continued experiences (and Sam's divisive take) on DOOM: The Dark Ages. Today's show features our "2015 MetaGames" segment, where we compare critic and user scores from that landmark year in gaming, analyzing the sometimes significant disparities between professional reviews and player reception for titles like Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain and Halo 5: Guardians. In Story Time, we cover major industry developments including Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2's surprise PS5 announcement and the ongoing Epic vs Apple saga as Fortnite briefly returns to iOS before being blocked again. We also explore new previews of Lies of P: Overture's frozen zoo and Yakuza 0: Director's Cut coming to Switch 2, while discussing OpenAI's acquisition of Jony Ive's AI startup. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy!   Timestamps 00:01:07 TikTok Salsa   00:04:26 It's Shack Together!   00:05:15 Sam's Games: Oblivion Remastered, The Finals, DOOM: The Dark Ages   00:34:12 Joe's Games: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33   00:41:09 Asif's Games: DOOM: The Dark Ages, Blue Prince (Spoilers?)  00:48:34 The 2015 MetaGames: Critics VS Users   01:14:40 Story Time!   01:14:45 Previews: Lies of P: Overture, Yakuza 0: Director's Cut, Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S, Gimmiko   01:20:36 Reviews: Deliver At All Costs, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown, Monster Train 2, Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny, Blades of Fire, Roadcraft   01:32:40 News: Mario Kart World Info Dump, Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 to PS5   01:40:15 Industry News: OpenAI acquires Jony Ive Startup, Marathon Art Theft, Fortnite to iOS Issues Continue   02:05:39 Community Notes    Articles mentioned in this episode Artist claims Bungie used assets for Marathon without permission Lies of P: Overture DLC preview Yakuza 0: Director's Cut Switch 2 preview Monster Train 2 review Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 PS5 reveal Mario Kart World free roam jukebox features Fortnite returns to iOS App Store Apple blocks Fortnite's re-submission OpenAI acquires Jony Ive's AI startup

Welcome to episode 63 of Shack Together! We're joined by special guest David Craddock to discuss his review of DOOM: The Dark Ages, who shares insights from his extensive time with the entry's new parry mechanics and combat mechanics. Afterward, we dive into everyone's favorite "DOOM: The Darth Plagueis" segment, where we compare and contrast the lore between DOOM and Star Wars universes, from ancient civilizations and powerful artifacts to legendary warriors and dimensional portals. In Story Time, we cover the crew's most recent PAX East previews including Shadow Labyrinth's Metroidvania-meets-Pac-Man approach and FBC: Firebreak's return to the Bureau of Control. Industry news brings significant developments with Take-Two's optimism for Nintendo Switch 2, Microsoft's 3% workforce reduction, and Sony's $1.7 billion share buyback program. We also discuss Palworld's monster glider removal and Epic Games' official Fortnite iOS submission. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy!   Timestamps 00:01:09 NBA Playoffs Update   00:04:02 It's Shack Together!   00:04:42 David's Games: Doom: The Dark Ages, WWE 2K25   00:34:21 Joe's Games: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Fragpunk   00:42:47 Asif's Games: DOOM: The Dark Ages, Blue Prince, F-Zero 99   00:49:47 Doom: The Darth Plageuis   01:06:13 Story Time!   01:06:18 Previews: Tony Hawk 3+4, Shadow Lbyrinth, Hank: Drowning on Dry Land, Patapon 1+2, Battle Train, God Save Birmingham, FBC: Firebreak, Gex Trilogy   01:27:04 Reviews: DOOM: The Dark Ages, The Midnight Walk, Capcom Fighting Collection 2, Deedlee Doo! Carkour!   01:37:24 News: Mafia: The Old Country Release Date, Palword Concessions to Nintendo, NTDOY Sales Forecast, Bam Margera in THPS3+4, Fortnite Submitted to iOS   01:43:38 Industry News: Twitter AI, TTWO Q4 Earnings, Microsoft Layoffs, Super Mario World, Sony Supply Chain out of China, Sony Share Buyback   02:02:15 Community Notes     Articles mentioned in this episode DOOM: The Dark Ages review Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 preview Shadow Labyrinth PAX East preview FBC: Firebreak hands-on preview Bam Margera confirmed for THPS 3+4 Palworld removes monster glider mechanics Take-Two CEO on Nintendo Switch 2 Microsoft laying off 3% of workers Sony announces $1.7B share buyback Epic Games submits Fortnite to Apple

Welcome to episode 62 of Shack Together! We're joined by special guest TJ Denzer to break down the newly released GTA VI trailer and discuss its May 2026 delay announcement. Our game segment features "GTA Which?", testing our knowledge of Grand Theft Auto series firsts, from GTA III's groundbreaking 3D world to GTA V's character-switching mechanics. Major announcements dominate today's news, including Destiny 2: The Edge of Fate's July 2025 release date and Gears of War: Reloaded coming in August 2025. Meanwhile, the industry sees significant financial developments with EA's strong Q4 bookings and AMD facing $1.5 billion in revenue impacts due to chip sale restrictions. In Story Time, we explore The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered's review and discuss GameStop Canada's acquisition by Stephan Tetrault. Electronic Arts and AMD's earnings reports reveal interesting trends in gaming industry financials, with EA spending $2.5 billion on share buybacks in FY25. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy!   Timestamps 00:01:03 NBA Playoffs   00:05:58 It's Shack Together!   00:08:08 TJ's Games: EVE Vanguard, Fatal Fury   00:19:49 Joe's Games: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, GTA IV   00:27:25 Asif's Games: Blue Prince, F-Zero 99, Schedule I   00:40:28 GTA Which?   00:54:58 Story Time!   00:55:02 News: GTA VI Trailer, Destiny 2: The Edge of Fate, Gears of War: Reloaded Announced, teamLFG Studio, Split Fiction Sales   01:28:27 Previews: EVE Vanguard   01:35:39 Reviews: Oblivion Remastered, Tempest Rising   01:39:05 Industry News: GameStop Canada Acquisition, EA Earnings, AMD Earnings   01:46:38 Community Notes   Articles mentioned in this episode GTA 6 Trailer 2 highlights GTA 6 delayed to May 26, 2026 Destiny 2: The Edge of Fate expansion release date Gears of War: Reloaded announcement The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered review Stephan Tetrault GameStop Canada acquisition Electronic Arts Q4 FY25 earnings results EA stock buybacks FY25 AMD Q1 2025 earnings results AMD revenue hit from China restrictions

Welcome to episode 61 of Shack Together! We're joined by special guest Ozzie Mejia to discuss Microsoft's surprising Xbox price hikes and dive into this week's massive list of tech earnings reports. EA enacts significant shifts with Respawn Entertainment announcing layoffs and game cancellations, while impressive sales figures roll in for titles like Oblivion Remastered, Elden Ring, and more. Today's show features our "Warframe or Soreblame" segment, testing the crew's knowledge of the popular free-to-play game's extensive weapons arsenal, from the widely-used Tenet Envoy to the fan-favorite Opticor. Ozzie also shares insights from his interview with Towerborne's Game Director about the game's Xbox debut and future plans. In Story Time, we cover major industry developments including Fortnite's return to iOS, Apple's court ruling in the Epic Games case, and Nintendo's latest (and perhaps final) System Update preparing for Switch 2. The tech sector dominates our industry news with comprehensive earnings reports from Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, and Apple, revealing significant developments in gaming revenue, AI initiatives, and hardware sales. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy!   Timestamps 00:01:09 Intro 00:10:44 It's Shack Together! 00:11:26 Ozzie's Games: Star Wars Outlaws 00:19:25 Joe's Game: Selling The Xbox 00:21:45 Asif's Games: Blue Prince, F-Zero 99 00:40:24 Warframe or Soreblame 00:49:29 Previews: Towerborne, Wartorn 00:53:54 Reviews: Shotgun Cop Man, Skin Deep 00:58:48 Gaming News: Oblivion Remastered Sales, Clair Obscur Sales, Elden Ring Sales, RE4 Sales, Xbox Price Hikes, Fortnite Mobile Returns, Nintendo Switch V20 01:24:11 Industry News: Respawn Layoffs, Tesla Seeks to Oust Musk, Meta Earnings, Microsoft Earnings, Amazon Earnings, Apple Earnings 01:48:48 Community Notes   Articles mentioned in this episode Towerborne Xbox Game Preview interview Xbox console & game price increase Respawn Entertainment layoffs & cancellations The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion 4 million players Elden Ring 30 million copies sold Fortnite mobile return to US iOS App Store Nintendo Switch Update 20.0.0 Microsoft Q3 FY25 Gaming revenue Meta Reality Labs Q1 2025 earnings Apple Q2 FY25 earnings results

Welcome to episode 60 of Shack Together! We're joined by special guest Sam Chandler as we discuss the surprise release of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered and dive into the ongoing Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order situation, where demand has far exceeded Nintendo's launch supply expectations. Today's show features our Video Game Character Draft segment, where we select from an impressive roster including iconic figures like Lara Croft, Master Chief, and Samus Aran. Meanwhile, F-Zero 99 receives a substantial Ver. 1.6.0 update, adding Mini World Tour mode, new decals, and additional customization options. In Story Time, we explore Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny's remaster preview and review several new releases including Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves. We also cover major industry news with Discord's CEO resignation, Remedy's FBC: Firebreak release date announcement, and Ghost of Yotei's October 2025 launch window. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy!   Timestamps 00:01:00 NFL Draft 00:09:55 It's Shack Together! 00:10:52 Sam's Games: Marathon, Oblivion Remastered, Blue Prince 00:36:36 Asif's Games: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, F-Zero 99 00:43:08 Video Game Character Draft 01:00:28 Story Time! 01:00:33 Previews: Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny Remaster 01:02:20 Reviews: Clair Obscur, Steel Seed, The Hundred Line - Last Defense Academy, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves 01:17:52 News: Nintendo Switch 2 Preorders, Phasmophobia Sales, Ghost of Yotei Release Date, Oblivion Remastered Shadow Drop, FBC: Firebreak Release Date Announced 01:35:58 Industry: Discord Co-Founder Resigns, TSLA Earnings, GOOGL Earnings 01:41:16 Community Notes   Articles mentioned in this episode F-Zero 99 Ver. 1.6.0 patch notes Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny Remastered preview Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 review Nintendo Switch 2 launch supply Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order volume The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered is out now Remedy FBC: Firebreak release date Ghost of Yotei release date Discord Jason Citron CEO resignation Google Q1 2025 earnings results

Welcome to episode 59 of Shack Together! Today's show features our inaugural "Blue Switch" segment, where we test our knowledge of Nintendo Switch Metacritic scores, comparing titles like Super Mario Odyssey and Breath of the Wild against surprising high-scorers like [redacted - you'll have to listen!]. The latest news from Nintendo's Mario Kart World Direct dominate our news coverage, with exciting revelations about character skin unlocks through Yoshi's restaurant, free-roam fast travel features, and new items including Coin Shells and Hammers. We also discuss the Nintendo Switch 2's camera technology, capable of recognizing and tracking up to four faces simultaneously. In Story Time, we explore new previews of Capcom Fighting Collection 2 and Palia's expansion to PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, while covering reviews of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage and the Lunar Remastered Collection. Industry news brings significant developments with Google's advertising technology monopoly ruling and OpenAI's reported social network plans. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy!   Timestamps 00:01:25 Food Poisoning 00:04:58 It's Shack Together! 00:05:27 Donovan's Game: MLB The Show '25 00:12:18 David's Games: Animal Crossing New Horizons, WWE 2K25 00:17:27 Joe's Games: Blue Prince, Joe's PC 00:30:24 Asif's Games: Schedule I, F-Zero 99 00:43:43 Blue Switch 01:08:53 Story Time 01:08:57 Previews: Capcom Fighting Collection 2, Palia 01:11:41 Reviews: Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, Lunar Remastered Collection, Rusty Rabbit 01:16:14 News: Nintendo Switch 2 Camera, Mario Kart World Direct, RTX 5060, Star Wars Zero Company 01:39:31 Industry: Google's Advertising Monopoly, NLRB Whistleblower, OpenAI Social Network 01:49:57 Community Notes   Articles mentioned in this episode Capcom Fighting Collection 2 preview Palia Elderwood PS5 & Xbox Series X/S impressions Lost Records: Bloom & Rage review Lunar Remastered Collection review Nintendo Switch 2 camera face tracking Mario Kart World skin unlocks Mario Kart World free roam fast travel Star Wars Zero Company reveal Google ad market monopoly lawsuit OpenAI social media network

Welcome to episode 58 of Shack Together! We're joined by special guest Lucas White to discuss his recent reviews of SaGa Frontier 2 Remastered and Bleach: Rebirth of Souls, while also exploring Ozzie's review of the newly released Blue Prince, a game making waves as an early GOTY contender. Today's show features our first and likely only "Donkey Kong Sixty-Farce" segment, where we separate fact from fiction about the N64 classic, before diving into the latest Nintendo Switch 2 news. The upcoming console's pre-orders face delays due to tariff concerns, with Nintendo, the ESA, and even protesters in NYC responding to Trump's proposed 90-day tariffs on video games and tech. In Story Time, we go on to cover announcements including Marathon's April 2025 gameplay reveal, Hades 2's Switch console exclusivity, and the Nintendo Switch 2's achievement system, or lack therof. We also discuss Microsoft's AI Quake 2 Copilot demo, Vampire Survivors' free Emerald Diorama update, and Doug Bowser's comments on Nintendo game prices. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy!   Timestamps 00:03:44 It's Shack Together! 00:07:22 Lucas's Games - Vampire Survivors: Emerald Diorama, SaGa Frontier 2 Remastered, Bleach Rebirth of Souls, Inayah - Life After Gods   00:29:14 Joe's Games: Super Mario RPG   00:35:18 Asif's Games: Schedule I, F-Zero 99   00:43:25 F-Zero   00:53:55 Donkey Kong Sixty-Farce   01:06:59 Story Time!   01:07:03 Previews: Monster Train 2, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, The Midnight Walk, Doom: The Dark Ages   01:16:00 Reviews: Blue Prince, Disney Villains: Cursed Cafe, Commandos: Origins, Grit and Valor, SaGa Frontier 2 Remastered, South of Midnight   01:28:38 News: AI Quake, Marathon Gameplay, Localthunk loves Blue Prince, Xbox Games Showcase coming, Hades 2 exclusive to Switch 2 at Launch, Hollow Knight: Silksong coming to OG Switch, No Trophies on Switch 2   01:38:45 Industry: Tariff impact on Gaming, Nintendo delays Switch 2 Pre-Orders, Doug Bowser speaks on Switch 2 Game Prices   Articles mentioned in this episode SaGa Frontier 2 Remastered review Bleach: Rebirth of Souls review Blue Prince review AI Quake 2 Copilot Microsoft fail Marathon gameplay save the date April 2025 Hades 2 Switch console exclusive Nintendo Switch 2 achievement trophy Donald Trump tariffs 90 days video games tech stock Nintendo delays Switch 2 pre-order date due to tariffs Nintendo Switch 2 game prices Doug Bowser

Welcome to a special episode of Shack Together! Today's show is entirely dedicated to the Nintendo Switch 2, as our host Asif Khan shares his exclusive hands-on experience with Nintendo's next-generation console, set to launch on June 5, 2025. This two-hour deep dive explores every aspect of the new hardware and its launch lineup. The Switch 2 represents a significant leap forward with 1080p handheld gaming at up to 120 FPS, HDR support, and 4K output in docked mode. New features include an innovative camera peripheral for GameChat and a redesigned Pro Controller sporting additional buttons and an audio jack. The system will even support mouse input (via the JoyCon 2) for compatible games, reminding us once again of their pedigree for fun, strange hardware design. The launch lineup is headlined by Mario Kart World, alongside an impressive roster of titles including Donkey Kong Bananza, The Duskbloods, and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment. Third-party support is robust with announcements for Elden Ring, Borderlands 4, Hades 2, and Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade. The long-awaited Silksong also finally gets a 2025 release date on the platform. And that about covers things for today's special episode! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy!   Articles mentioned in this episode Nintendo Switch 2 will launch on June 5, 2025 GameShare lets you share games on Nintendo Switch 2 Nintendo Switch 2 will be 1080p up to 120 fps and feature HDR Nintendo Switch 2 4K docked mode Mario Kart World is a Switch 2 launch title Nintendo Switch 2 confirmed games Silksong gets 2025 release date Elden Ring is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade will start Cloud's journey on Switch 2 Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller new buttons audio jack

Welcome to episode 56 of Shack Together! We're joined by special guests Donovan Erskine and Ozzie Mejia to share insights from GDC 2025, while we also dive into Nintendo's final Direct for the original Switch, packed with exciting updates on Metroid Prime 4 Beyond, Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake's release date, and even more info on the new Pokémon Legends title. Today's show features our "Final Nintendo Direct: Wii U Edition" segment, where we test our knowledge of Nintendo's historic announcements from the Wii U era. Afterward, we explore an extensive lineup of GDC previews, including promising titles like Dreams of Another, Revenge of the Savage Planet, and TMNT: Tactical Takedown, while discussing the newly announced ShackMaps feature. Next, we cover significant industry developments including Game Informer's return independent from GameStop, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle's PS5 release date announcement, and ESA's new accessible games initiative. We also discuss GameStop's convertible notes situation and Ubisoft becoming a Tencent subsidiary. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy!   Timestamps 00:01:19 Hustle Culture   00:10:17 It's Shack Together!   00:11:24 Ozzie's Games: Hearthstone: Into the Emerald Dream, The Rogue: Prince of Persia 00:15:12 Donovan's Games: MLB The Show 25   00:19:11 John's Games: Assassin's Creed: Shadows   00:23:13 Joe's Games: What should I play?   00:24:57 Asif's Games: Retro Slam Tennis, Last War, F-Zero 99, Nintendo Music, Nintendo Today!   00:28:33 Asif's 11th F-Zero 99 Victory   00:45:26 The Final Nintendo Direct: Wii U Edition   00:59:45 Story Time!   00:59:51 Preview: Dreams of Another, Mindwave, Wildgate, Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults, Clawpunk, LUCID, Forestrike, Revenge of the Savage Planet, TMNT: Tactical Takedown, Cairn, Jay and Silent Bob: Chronic Blunt Punch   01:16:37 Reviews: Bubble Ghost, PS5 Pro, Look Outside   01:22:53 News: Cristiano Ronaldo comes to Fatal Fury, Shackmaps, Nintendo Direct, GI is Back, Indiana Jones to PS5   02:12:58 Industry: Accessible Games Initiative, GME's Convertible Notes, GME Crash, Ubisoft Subsidiary   02:19:51 Community Notes    Articles mentioned in this episode Watch Nintendo Direct March 2025 Introducing ShackMaps Dreams of Another preview impressions Revenge of the Savage Planet preview PlayStation 5 Pro review Game Informer returns without GameStop Indiana Jones and the Great Circle PS5 release date ESA accessible games initiative tagging awareness GameStop GME convertible note 2025 Ubisoft becomes Tencent subsidiary

Welcome to episode 55 of Shack Together! We're joined by special guest TJ Denzer to discuss his review of Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition, while also diving into the inexplicable announcement of Taco Bell's partnership with NVIDIA for AI integration. The show features the lovely, slightly belated "Operation Siege or Sham" segment, testing our knowledge of Rainbow Six Siege's numerous operations. Today's episode covers several major releases, including our review of Assassin's Creed Shadows and an extensive preview lineup from GDC 2025 featuring titles like FBC: Firebreak, Winter Burrow, and The Finals Season 6. We also discuss Balatro's big win at the IGF GDC Awards 2025, where it took home Game of the Year honors. In Story Time, we explore significant industry developments, including EA Sports College Football 26's player likeness payout details, Silent Hill F's platform reveal, and the formation of a united US-Canada video game workers union under CWA. We also cover NVIDIA's new partnership with GM for AI factory vehicles and Tesla's recall of 46,000 Cybertrucks. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy!   Timestamps 00:01:12 Japanese Public Holidays 00:07:22 It's Shack Together! 00:09:35 TJ's Games: Deadlock, Xenoblade Chronicles X 00:33:15 John's Games: Pirate Yakuza, Assassin's Creed Shadows 00:58:00 Joe's Games: None! 00:58:50 Asif's Games: Wreckfest 2, F-Zero 99, Retro Slam Tennis, Bubbletron 01:07:04 Operation Siege or Sham! 01:18:43 Story Time! 01:18:59 Previews: FBC Firebreak, Winter Burro, Out of Sight, Clair Obscur, The Finals 6, To a T, The Knightling, Hero's Hand, Is This Seat Taken? 01:23:51 Reviews: Xenoblade Chronicles X, Assassin's Creed Shadows, FragPunk, Atelier Yumia 01:29:17 News: MLB + Nintendo, College Football 26, Game Dev Choice Awards 25, Atlus Games Are Hard, Nightdive's I Have No Mouth, Silent Hill f 01:37:53 Industry: Taco Bell AI, NVIDIA + GM, Tesla Recall, CWA Union, BYD Fast Charging 01:54:59 Community Notes   Articles mentioned in this episode Taco Bell & Yum Brands partner with NVIDIA for AI integration Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition review Assassin's Creed Shadows review FBC: Firebreak preview The Finals Season 6 Team Deathmatch preview EA Sports College Football 26 player likeness payout IGF GDC Awards 2025 winners Silent Hill F reveal platforms NVIDIA & GM AI factory vehicle deal Tesla recalls 46,000 Cybertrucks over exterior panels US-Canada united video game worker CWA union announced

Welcome to episode 54 of Shack Together! Today's show kicks off with John sharing his excitement about his new tabletop SEGA arcade, while we dive into major gaming news including Death Stranding 2's release date announcement as well as Josh Broadwell's (who was not able to join us today) emphatic reception of Wanderstop. The gaming industry sees some significant shifts this week, with Niantic selling Pokemon GO to Scopely and Nintendo announcing their San Francisco location's opening date. We also explore new previews of Rainbow Six Siege X Dual Front and Mandragora, while touching on our review coverage for Wanderstop and The Hungry Lamb. In addition, we discuss several curious announcements, including Katamari Damacy Live coming to Apple Arcade and the unfortunate shutdown of Mountaintop Studios' Spectre Divide. We also cover Apple's AI Siri delay and other industry developments. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy!   Timestamps 00:01:07 First Ever Cold Open Audio Unboxing: Astro City Mini by SEGA 00:06:23 It's Shack Together! 00:07:02 John's Games: Pirate Yakuza 00:12:48 Joe's Games: PC Parts! 00:27:40 Asif's Games: Retro Slam Tennis, Super Mario Maker 2, F-Zero 99 00:39:42 No Game Today 00:39:59 Story Time 00:40:03 Previews: Rainbow Six Siege X, Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree 00:49:35 Reviews: Wanderstop, The Hungry Lamb: Traveling in the Late Ming Dynasty 00:56:53 News: Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, Space Marine 3 in development, Katamari Mobile, Spectre Divide shut down 01:17:56 Industry: Niantic Sells Portfolio, Nintendo SF, Apple Delays Intelligence 01:37:26 Community Notes   Articles mentioned in this episode Rainbow Six Siege X Dual Front Preview Mandragora Preview Wanderstop Review The Hungry Lamb Review Death Stranding 2 release date Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 3 announced Katamari Damacy Live Apple Arcade announcement Spectre Divide shutdown at Mountaintop Studios Niantic sells Pokemon GO to Scopely Nintendo San Francisco opening date Apple AI Siri delay

Welcome to episode 53 of Shack Together! We're joined by special guest TJ Denzer to discuss his review of Split Fiction, while we all buzz with nostalgic excitement over the (formal) announcement of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 Remake. Today's show also features an in-depth look at Metacritic's 2024 publisher rankings, where a certain prolific publisher, famous for a certain Blue Blur, claimed the top spot. The show features our Publisher Draft segment, breaking down Metacritic's comprehensive ranking system that evaluates publishers based on their average Metascores, quality ratios, and ability to avoid critical failures. From industry giants like Capcom and Sony to smaller publishers like Aksys Games and Gamera Games, our squad competitvely drafts last year's top players in an effort to come out on top. In Story Time, we cover major industry developments including Monster Hunter Wilds reaching 8 million sales, Neil Druckmann's comments on The Last of Us Part 3, and the revival of the Acclaim publishing brand. We also discuss Pokemon TCG Pocket hitting 100 million downloads and explore several Steam Next Fest demos including Fumes and Curiosity. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy!   Timestamps 00:01:11 LinkedIn Jump Scare 00:08:50 It's Shack Together! 00:09:35 TJ's Games: MH Wilds, KCDII, Split Fiction, Atomfall 00:26:36 John's Games: Pirate Yakuza 00:32:25 Joe's Games: Mother 3 Complete, XDefiant, PC Shopping 00:43:20 Asif's Games: MH Wilds, Retro Slam Tennis, Mario Maker 2, F-Zero 99 01:01:41 Shack Together's Metacritic Publisher Draft 2024 01:29:09 Story Time 01:29:19 David Craddock's Long Read: Catacomb 3-D 01:30:16 Previews: FUMES, Sims 4 DLC, Warframe Techrot, Curiosity 01:33:36 Reviews: Split Fiction, WWE 2K25, Slime Heroes, Knights in Tight Spaces, Carmen Sandiego 01:42:51 News: THPS3+4, TLoU 3, Absolum, MH Wilds Sales, Pokemon TCG Downloads 01:47:49 Industry News: Discord IPO, Acclaim is Back, Sasanqua Launch, Digg Returns 01:53:54 Community Notes   Articles mentioned in this episode Split Fiction review SEGA named top publisher of 2024 Living the Dream: The Making of Catacomb 3-D Fumes Demo - Steam Next Fest The Sims 4: Businesses & Hobbies Preview WWE 2K25 Review: Island of Relevancy Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 Remake announced Neil Druckmann: Don't bet on The Last of Us Part 3 Monster Hunter Wilds reaches 8 million sold Pokemon TCG Pocket hits 100 million downloads Acclaim publishing brand revived Studio Sasanqua opening with Kenji Ozawa

Welcome to episode 52 of Shack Together! We're joined by special guest Bill Lavoy to discuss his take on Monster Hunter Wilds, while Pokemon fans worldwide buzz with excitement over the newly revealed Pokemon Legends: Z-A gameplay and the announcement of Pokemon Champions. Today's show features Asif's mystery game segment which does feature a Monster Hunter flavor, alongside discussions of fresh previews from Steam Next Fest including Monaco 2 and Splitgate 2. We also dive into reviews of recent releases like Two Point Museum and Omega 6, while covering major industry news including Fable's delay to 2026 and Bloober Team's mysterious new collaboration with Konami. In Story Time, we explore NVIDIA's impressive Q4 2025 earnings report and growing demand for their Blackwell GPUs, while also discussing devestating industry developments like Warner Bros. Games shutting down Monolith Studios. PlayStation VR2 gets a significant price cut for March 2025, and the Annapurna Interactive Showcase brings exciting new announcements and gameplay reveals. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy!   Timestamps 00:01:19 John's Airpods 00:02:20 Intro 00:06:32 Bill's Games - Monster Hunter Wilds 00:21:38 John's Games - Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii 00:27:16 Joe's Games - Mother 3 00:27:55 Asif's Games - REKT Party, Retro Slam, Omega 6, ToTK, F-Zero 99 00:33:10 Game! Monster Hunter or Make Believe 00:51:21 Previews - Monaco 2, Splitgate 2 00:54:48 Reviews - MH Wilds, Omega 6, PGA Tour 2K25, Two Point Museum 01:04:27 News - Pokemon Day, Fable Delayed, Bloober + Konami, + more 01:27:02 Industry News - NVIDIA Earnings, PSVR 2 Price Cut, Monolith Shuttered 01:56:06 Community Notes   Articles mentioned in this episode Monaco 2 Preview - Steam Next Fest Demo Splitgate 2 Hands-on Preview Monster Hunter Wilds Review Omega 6 Review PGA Tour 2K25 Review Two Point Museum Review Pokemon Legends: Z-A gameplay reveal Pokemon Champions reveal Fable delayed to 2026 Bloober Team and Konami announce new game Annapurna Interactive Showcase 2025 recap NVIDIA (NVDA) Q4 2025 earnings report PlayStation VR2 March 2025 price cut Warner Bros. Games shuts down Monolith & Player First Games

Welcome to episode 51 of Shack Together! We're joined by special guest Sam Chandler to discuss his in-depth (and belated - our fault, not his) review of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 and share insights on the latest S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 update. In addition, TJ Denzer (not present) has published their review of Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, which we touch on during today's episode as well. Our main segment today introduces "NOW! That's What I Call Trivia: Volume Gaming," a game that tests the crew's knowledge on everything from Marvel Rivals to Annapurna Interactive's catalogue of releases. In Story Time, we cover significant industry developments, including NetEase Games' Marvel Rivals layoffs despite the game's enormous popularity, GameStop's sale of its Canadian and French operations, and Pacific Drive reaching 1 million units sold. We also discuss the newly announced Annapurna Interactive Showcase 2025 and share impressions of the Delta Force: Black Hawk Down campaign. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy! Timestamps 0:00.000 Episode Summary 0:58.060 Chicken Chain Restaurants 13:43.046 It's Shack Together 14:44.963 Sam's Games - KC:D2, Elden Ring Neightreign 19:11.734 John's Games - Pirate Yakuza, GT7 on PS5 Pro 30:41.164 Joe's Games - Mother 3 36:02.404 Asif's Games - Balatro, F-Zero 99, Tokyo Xtreme Racer, Mario Maker 2 46:24.326 NOW! That's What I Call Trivia: Volume Gaming 1:15:08.506 Previews - Delta Force 1:16:51.511 Reviews - Pirate Yakuza, Warriors: Abyss, Stories from Sol: The Gun-Dog 1:23:09.464 News - Annapurna Interactive Showcase announced, Pacific Drive sales numbers 1:25:13.497 Industry News - Unity Stocky, Rivian Stock, Cliffy B's Panic Garden, Marvel Rivals and NetEase, + more 1:54:42.227 Community Notes   Articles mentioned in this episode Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 review S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Update 1.2 patch notes Delta Force: Black Hawk Down campaign impressions Stories from Sol: Gun Dog review Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii review Annapurna Interactive Showcase 2025 date and time announced Pacific Drive reaches 1 million units sold StreamElements State of the Stream January 2025: Marvel Rivals NetEase Games Marvel Rivals layoffs NetEase Games issues statement on Marvel Rivals layoffs GameStop sells Canada and Micromania France stores Humane AI Pin end date, bought by HP

Welcome to episode 50 of Shack Together! We're joined by special guest TJ Denzer to break down the latest PlayStation State of Play showcase, which brought major announcements including Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater's release date and Housemarque's new project Saros. TJ also shares his hands-on impressions of Killing Floor 3, giving us insight into the next chapter of the zombie-slaying franchise. The State of Play dominated our discussion with its packed lineup of reveals, from Sonic Racing CrossWorlds to the intriguing Shinobi: Art of Vengeance. We also got a demo release announcement for Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii along with the announcement of Lies of P: Overture, a snowy expansion of the beloved title. In Story Time, we explore previews of South of Midnight and Elden Ring: Nightreign, alongside reviews of unique titles like Rift of the NecroDancer and Urban Myth Dissolution Center. The industry news rounds out with PS5 reaching an impressive 74.9 million units sold and Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii providing an update on the mysterious Dragon Quest 12. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy! Articles mentioned in this episode Killing Floor 3 Hands-on Preview South of Midnight Hands-on Preview Elden Ring: Nightreign Preview PlayStation February 2025 State of Play Sonic Racing CrossWorlds announced Shinobi: Art of Vengeance release date announcement The Dark Pictures Anthology: Directive 8020 release date Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater release date Saros game announcement from Housemarque Lies of P: Overture reveal trailer Dragon Quest 12 Yuji Horii February 2025 update PS5 sales reach 74.9 million units

Welcome to the 49th episode of Shack Together! This week, we're thrilled to have fan-favorite David Craddock joining us for our "49er or Capcom Fighter" segment. In this segment, we challenge the crew's knowledge of San Francisco 49ers players and Capcom video game characters. Why this particular combination, you ask? Sometimes the best ideas start with a catchy title. Also sometimes mediocre ideas start with a catchy title. I'm not sure this title's even catchy. In Story Time, we dive into hands-on previews of upcoming titles including WWE 2K25, Apex Legends: Takeover Season 24, and Dune: Awakening. We also cover major reviews of anticipated releases like Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Civilization 7, and Citizen Sleeper 2. The news brings some interesting developments, including Forza Horizon 5's surprise PS5 release announcement and Steam's new warning system for abandoned Early Access games. Industry updates include ESA's announcement of IICON 2026, Nintendo Switch reaching new lifetime sales milestones, and EA's latest live service revenue reports. We also discuss Google's removal of their AI pledge and the slow sales figures for Mario and Luigi: Brothership. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy! Articles mentioned in this episode WWE 2K25 Preview: Throw your ones to the sky Apex Legends: Takeover Season 24 Preview Dune: Awakening Hands-on Preview - January 2025 Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Review Spirit Swap Review Civilization 7 Review Steam adds warning system for abandoned Early Access games Forza Horizon 5 coming to PS5 ESA announces IICON 2026 event Nintendo Switch lifetime console sales update Google removes AI pledge EA reports 2024 live service revenue

Welcome to episode 48 of Shack Together! We're joined by special guest Donovan Erskine to break down all the exciting announcements from the Xbox Developer_Direct, including the highly anticipated DOOM: The Dark Ages. The presentation brought several major reveals, including Ninja Gaiden 4, South of Midnight's release date, and an in-depth look at what's next for the DOOM franchise. In Story Time, we cover a wide range of topics including Ted Price's retirement from Insomniac, the winners of the New York Game Awards 2025, and reviews of interesting new titles like Synduality: Echo of Ada and Mika and the Witch's Mountain. We also cover some discouraging industry news, with the cancellation of both the God of War live service game and Extremely OK Games' Earthblade, while celebrating Balatro's impressive milestone of 5 million copies sold. Last, we discuss Netflix's latest subscription price hike and Samsung's AI-focused Galaxy S25 announcement. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy! Articles mentioned in this episode Watch Xbox Developer Direct January 2025 Ninja Gaiden 4 reveal South of Midnight release date DOOM: The Dark Ages release date God of War live service game cancelled Extremely OK Games cancels Earthblade Balatro hits 5 million copies sold Assassin's Creed Shadows final preview Insomniac CEO Ted Price announces retirement New York Game Awards 2025 winners Netflix subscription price hike 2025 Samsung Galaxy S25 AI smartphone  

Welcome to episode 47 of Shack Together! Our gaming adventures continue as I wrap up Astrobot with a decidedly above average score and subsequently dive into Yakuza Kiwami, while Greg Burke joins us to share his continued thoughts on Marvel Rivals. John's been splitting time between Marvel Rivals, Fortnite Ballistic, and completing God of War Ragnarök, while Asif maintains his ever-eclectic mix of Disco Elysium, F-Zero, Balatro, and (you guessed it) Marvel Rivals. Today's show, however, is dominated by the recent Nintendo Switch 2 announcement. We dive deep into the reveal, discussing our expectations for the launch lineup (including potential titles like Red Dead Redemption 2, Silksong, and Metaphor ReFantazio), backward compatibility concerns, and our hopes and fears for Nintendo's next generation of gaming. In Story Time, we cover a range of news including hands-on previews of Civilization 7 and Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, AGDQ 2025's impressive fundraising total, and Sony's intriguing AI player input lag patent. We also discuss the upcoming Nintendo Sound Clock: Alarmo release and TikTok's preparation for potential USA server shutdowns. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy! Articles mentioned in this episode Nintendo Switch 2 reveal Switch 2 Nintendo Direct coming April 2025 New Mario Kart teased for Switch 2 Civilization 7 preview Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii preview Donkey Kong Country Returns HD review Dynasty Warriors Origins review EA Sports College Football 26 announced Sony AI player input lag patent Nintendo Sound Clock: Alarmo release date AGDQ 2025 final total DICE Awards 2025 nominations TikTok USA servers shutdown prep

Welcome to episode 46 of Shack Together! Today's show features our first-ever Gaming Resolutions Draft, where we compete over a set of insane pre-defined gaming goals for 2025. It's a chaotic way to start the year, as we each try to draft the most achievable (or least ambitious) gaming goals for the many months ahead. In Story Time, we cover some exciting developments, including AGDQ 2025's ongoing charity marathon, Ubisoft's potential strategic changes, and NVIDIA's reveal of their RTX Blackwell 50-series GPUs at CES 2025. We also discuss LocalThunk's Golden Thunk GOTY award going to Animal Well, and Valve's interesting move to bring SteamOS to the Lenovo Legion Go S. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy! Articles mentioned in this episode Freedom Wars Remastered review Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana review Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Complete review Awesome Games Done Quick 2025: Watch Day 5 Ubisoft pursuing strategic options Assassin's Creed Shadows delayed Xbox Developer Direct announcement Animal Well wins Golden Thunk GOTY Steve Gibson joins Cooldown Games NVIDIA RTX Blackwell announcement Valve bringing SteamOS to Lenovo Legion Go S

Welcome to episode 45 of Shack Together! Today's episode breaks from our usual format as we dive deep into the Shacknews Awards 2024, celebrating an incredible year in gaming. As your producer, I'm excited to guide us through our comprehensive awards coverage, which features an impressive 24 winners each in both our Game of the Year and Indie Game of the Year categories. This special episode showcases the breadth and depth of gaming in 2024, from major releases like Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Astro Bot, and Black Myth: Wukong to standout indie titles like Balatro, Animal Well, and The Plucky Squire. We'll be discussing everything from technical achievements in categories like Best Graphics and Best Water to our cherished "Do it for Shacknews" award, which recognizes individuals and groups who went above and beyond for the gaming community - including nominees like The Zelda Orchestra, Brandon Cole for his accessibility advocacy, and the dedicated developers at GSC Game World. As we wrap up our final episode of 2024, we want to thank all our listeners for another fantastic year of gaming discussions and community engagement. We'll see you in 2025 for more Shack Together! And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy!  

Welcome to episode 44 of Shack Together! We've got a packed house today with Sam Chandler exploring Isles of Sea and Sky, Greg Burke and Donovan Erskine both diving into Marvel Rivals, David Craddock adventuring through Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and John trying out [checks notes] Musk Sticks. As your faithful producer, I'm excited to announce I've completed Final Fantasy IX putting my franchise count at three titles finished in the past 12 months. Asif, of course, ends his Mario Kart 8 Deluxe journey and continues his F-Zero 99 one and tells us all about them before we dive into today's special main segment. The first ever Games of 2024 Trivia Bonanza, where we put our gaming knowledge to the test with questions about 2024's most coveted releases, has arrived and our contestants delivered the goods. Featuring a two-team battle for the ages, you'll want to stick around for this one and play along if you so dare. Hit us up on Chatty and let us know how you performed, while you're at it. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and we'll see you toward the end of December for one final installment of Shack Together in 2024!

Welcome to episode 43 of Shack Together! Today's episode is particularly special as we dive deep into The Game Awards 2024 results and announcements! The show centers around our comprehensive breakdown of The Game Awards winners, where Astro Bot dominated multiple categories including Game of the Year and Best Family Game. The competition was fierce across all categories, with standout victories for Balatro as Best Debut Indie Game and Best Mobile Game, while Helldivers 2 secured both Best Multiplayer Game and Best Ongoing Game. In Story Time, we unpack an absolutely gargantuan slate of game announcements from last night's Game Awards, including some truly exciting reveals like Elden Ring: Nightreign, a new Ninja Gaiden game from Dotemu and The Game Kitchen, and the surprising announcement of Naughty Dog's Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. We also covered some significant industry news, including Nintendo's full acquisition of Monolith Soft and the latest Cyberpunk 2077 update adding car customization. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy! Articles mentioned in this episode Everything announced at Day of the Devs: The Game Awards Edition 2024 Hyper Light Breaker Steam Early Access release date Thick As Thieves preview Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound announcement Elden Ring: Nightreign announcement Split Fiction preview Steel Hunters announcement Killing Floor 3 release date Blackfrost: The Long Dark 2 announcement Turok Origins announcement Warframe: 1999 update release date Onimusha: Way of the Sword reveal Mafia: The Old Country release date Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet announcement Okami sequel announcement Infinity Nikki review Marvel Rivals review Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind review Fairy Tail 2 review Cyberpunk 2077 Update 2.2 details Foamstars ending season updates Tesla stock hits new all-time high Nintendo acquires Monolith Soft

Welcome to episode 42 of Shack Together! Today we're joined by TJ Denzer, who's been exploring Two Point Museum and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, while I've been diving into a diverse gaming menu of 1000xResist, Jedi Survivor, and Final Fantasy IX. As always, Asif keeps his F-Zero skills sharp, making for a truly unforgettable "What we've been playing" segment. The show features our special Handheld Trivia segment, which couldn't be more timely given the breaking news about Sony reportedly working on a new PlayStation handheld device! Story Time was packed with exciting developments, from Path of Exile 2's promising early access plans to major industry shifts like Ubisoft canceling XDefiant and Shuhei Yoshida's departure from PlayStation after an incredible 31-year tenure. We also covered some impressive milestones, including Cyberpunk 2077 surpassing 30 million copies sold and Balatro's mobile success with $4 million in revenue. Plus, Baldur's Gate 3 fans have plenty to look forward to with cross-play and 12 new subclasses coming in 2025. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy! Articles mentioned in this episode Path of Exile 2 final early access preview Two Point Museum preview Sniper Elite: Resistance preview Fitness Boxing 3 review Fantasian Neo Dimension review Monument Valley 3 review PlayStation handheld device rumor Ubisoft cancels XDefiant Baldur's Gate 3 2025 updates Shuhei Yoshida leaving PlayStation Elon Musk to create AI game studio

Welcome to episode 41 of Shack Together! Today we're joined by our regular crew of Asif Khan, myself Joe Stasio, and special guest Sam Chandler. We're excited to talk to Sam today about his time with S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl before Asif dives into his most recent (successful) adventures in F-Zero. Today's show features a shallow dive into The Game Awards nominees, sparking heated discussions about this year's contenders, along with some opportunity to predict where we think Geoff's proverbial chips will fall next month when the show airs. Story Time is packed with exciting updates, including our hands-on preview of Avowed's dynamic combat system, reviews of highly anticipated titles like the aforementioned S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl and LEGO Horizon Adventures, and breaking news about Final Fantasy 14's mobile version. We also cover NVIDIA's impressive Q3 2025 earnings and some exciting Half-Life 2 20th anniversary celebrations. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy! Articles mentioned in this episode • Avowed hands-on preview • Rage of the Dragons NEO review: They are comin' back! And fighting! • S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl review • Lego Horizon Adventures review • Final Fantasy 14 is coming to mobile • Pokemon TCG Pocket hits 120 million downloads • Control 2 confirmed as action RPG • Sony in talks to acquire Kadokawa • Half-Life 2 20th anniversary update • Star Wars Outlaws 1.4.0 update • Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth DLC • NVIDIA Q3 2025 earnings coverage

Welcome to episode 40 of Shack Together! We're excited to bring you another fantastic episode featuring our regular crew of Asif Khan, co-ghost John Benyamine, and special guest Lucas White, who's been crushing it lately with his in-depth reviews of Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake, Tetris Forever, and Death Note: Killer Within. The centerpiece of today's show is our highly competitive Dragon Draft segment, where the crew goes head-to-head selecting video games with "Dragon" in the title, each hoping their picks will yield the highest combined Metacritic score. As your steadfast producer, I can finally truly focus on the task at hand now that my journey through Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is complete, allowing me to keep everyone in line during this heated and important competition. In Story Time, we dive into a packed lineup of gaming news and reviews. From our comprehensive coverage of Rise of the Golden Idol and Luma Island in Reviews Palooza, to breaking news about GOG's new preservation program and Super Nintendo World's exciting Donkey Kong Country expansion. We also tackle some serious industry developments, including the Bethesda union strike and NVIDIA's GeForce Now policy changes. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy! Articles mentioned in this episode Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake review: Guess who's back, back again Tetris Forever Review Death Note: Killer Within Review Rise of the Golden Idol Review Luma Island Review GOG launches preservation program Stellar Blade PC Release Super Nintendo World's Donkey Kong Country opening December 11 Tony Todd discusses Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Trump Department of Government Efficiency Bethesda Union Strike NVIDIA GeForce Now 100-hour play limit

Welcome to the 39th episode of Shack Together, everyone's favorite Shacknews video games podcast! Join host Asif Khan and co-ghost John Benyamine, along with myself producer Joe Stasio and special guest TJ Denzer as we kick off our weekly audio adventure with our classic "What we've been playing" segment, including Joe's experiences with FFVII Rebirth and Asif's ongoing F-Zero 99 saga. Mark those off your bing cards, folks! In our main segment "19Q Magoo," the team plays an alternative version of 20 Questions before heading over to our news segment. As always, Story Time delivers a comprehensive roundup of gaming news, previews, and reviews, covering everything from the Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D remake preview to major industry developments like Death Stranding's Xbox release and Nintendo Switch hitting 146 million units sold. The team also covers industry news, including Apple's acquisition of Pixelmator and more. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy! Articles mentioned in this episode Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake Preview Metal Slug Tactics Review Death Stranding Xbox Release Nintendo Switch 2 Backwards Compatibility Confirmed Nintendo Switch 146 Million Sold Legends of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom 2.5 Million Sold Take-Two Interactive Private Division Sega Virtua Fighter Star Wars Outlaws Creative Director Drew Rechner Ubisoft NFT Game Cheat Pokemon TCG Pocket 10 Million Downloads Apple Pixelmator Acquisition

Join hosts Asif Khan, co-ghost (wow, very spooky) John Benyamine, and Joe Stasio on this, the 38th installment of Shack Together, featuring special guests TJ Denzer + Bill Lavoy. In this episode, TJ shares his thoughts on "Dragon Age: The Veilguard," an action RPG that impresses visually but might lack a bit of focus. Next, we play Game Guillotine 2024, a competition where contestants navigate alliances and betrayals to keep their favorite video games in the running. After the bloodbath, we head over to Story Time. Get a sneak peek at upcoming releases like "Indiana Jones and the Great Circle" and "Alien: Rogue Incursion" in Story Time, plus catch up on the latest industry updates, including the launch of the new M4 iMac. And that'll do it! Thanks as always for listening, and enjoy! Articles in this episode: Dragon Age: The Veilguard review: Very pretty... What was I doing again? Indiana Jones and the Great Circle shoots for the cinematic Indy experience Alien: Rogue Incursion challenges you to watch your step Tetris Forever is a history lesson, a stunning collection, and a new version of Tetris all in one Life is Strange: Double Exposure review: Framed Ys X: Nordics review: Dynamic duo Phasmophobia review: I have no pockets and I must scream The Fear Business review: What's old is new again A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead review: Shush New World: Aeternum review: Settling in Metal Slug Tactics will be on Xbox & PC Game Pass on release day Sony shuts down Concord developer Firewalk Studios Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition announced for Switch, coming in March 2025 Yakuza Kiwami has sold far over studio director's expectations on Switch Marathon Director says more playtests are coming in 2025, store pages are live now Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Complete is arriving in December EA Sports College Football 25 has reportedly crossed all-time best sales of a US football game Sonic x Shadow Generations passes 1 million units sold on day one Apple announces iMac with M4 chip & Apple Intelligence starting at $1,299 Oregon Trail movie in the works at Apple AMD Q3 2024 earnings results beat revenue expectations on in-line EPS AMD Q3 2024 Gaming segment revenue plummeted 69% from prior year

We're excited to welcome Donovan Erskine as our special guest on this week's episode of Shack Together! He joins host Asif Khan and co-ghost John Benyamine, along with myself Joe Stasio, for an extended chat on the latest in gaming and tech news and reviews. The episode features "Metacritic Re:ScoreGuessio", a segment where the crew competes to guess the Metacritic scores of this year's most and least beloved games. From highly anticipated titles like Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth to lesser known entries like Bleak Faith: Forsaken, this game really tests the depths of the team's knowledge. Our Story Time segment covers a wide range of topics, including previews of the new Mighty Morphin Power Rangers game and Masahiro Sakurai's confirmation of his next project. We dive into reviews of recent releases like Sonic x Shadow Generations and Zero Sievert, discuss industry news including It Takes Two reaching 20 million sales, and cover Tesla's extensive Q3 2024 earnings report and various legal challenges. The episode also features updates on studio closures, including Netflix's SoCal team and the disbanding of Ubisoft's Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown team. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy! Articles mentioned in this episode Until Dawn Remake Review Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Preview Sakurai Next Game Confirmation Nintendo Sound Clock Alarmo Review Romancing SaGa 2 Review The Jackbox Survey Scramble Review Sonic x Shadow Generations Review Metal Slug Tactics Release Date Marvel's Spider-Man 2 PC Release Date It Takes Two 20 Million Sales Banjo-Tooie Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pass Tesla Q3 2024 Earnings Results 2K Motion Capture Workers Union

Welcome to another exciting episode of Shack Together! Host Asif Khan and co-ghost John Benyamine are joined by myself Joe Stasio and special guest TJ Denzer for a lively discussion on the latest in gaming news and reviews. Our main segment, "UFO Shifty," challenges the team's ability to distinguish between real and fake names. Our jam-packed Story Time segment covers a wide range of topics, including the 1st-party release of Shackpets Version 2, the announcements that came as a result of Xbox's Partner Showcase, the pre-order launch of Analogue 3D, impressive sales figures for Metaphor ReFantazio and Silent Hill 2, and exciting previews of upcoming titles like S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl and Phantom Blade Zero. We also discuss the announcement of Summer Eternal, a spiritual successor to Disco Elysium, and share impressions of various game updates and demos. That about does it for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy! Articles mentioned in this episode Shackpets Version 2 Update Patch Notes Analogue 3D N64 Pre-order Metaphor ReFantazio One Million Sold Silent Hill 2 1 Million Units Hades 2 Olympic Update Patch Notes S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl Final Preview RetroRealm Arcade: Evil Dead Halloween Impressions Life is Strange: Double Exposure Impressions Phantom Blade Zero TGS 2024 Preview Summer Eternal: Disco Elysium Successor Unknown 9: Awakening Review Starfield: Shattered Space Impressions Super Mario Party Jamboree Review Neva Review: Parental Discretion is Revised UFO 50 Review FTC Passes Click-to-Cancel Rule Tesla We Robot October 2024 Livestream Tesla Cybercab Robotaxi Reveal Tesla Reveals 20-Person Robovan

Welcome to a special and spine-tingling episode of Shack Together! Our host, Asif Khan, is joined by co-ghost John Benyamine, myself Joe Stasio, and News Editor Donovan Erskine for an exhilarating discussion on the latest happenings in the gaming world. We begin by sharing our recent gaming adventures, featuring the newly released Metaphor ReFantazio and upcoming Mario & Luigi: Brothership. Donovan, who reviewed Metaphor, generously shares his insights and experiences with us. In our main segment, we introduce a thrilling twist on our classic trivia game with "Final Jeop-horror-dy!" This Halloween-themed challenge invites contestants to test their knowledge of horror games in the style of a typical Shack Together trivia session, but with a spooky Final Jeopardy twist. Our ever-lengthening Story Time segment explores a diverse array of stories, including the arrival of Resident Evil 2 on iOS, Nintendo's whimsical Alarmo clock, and the delisting of LittleBigPlanet 3 DLC. We also touch on reviews of recent releases like Undisputed and the Silent Hill 2 remake. And that wraps up today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy! Articles mentioned in this episode Metaphor ReFantazio Review Resident Evil 2 coming to iPhone, iPad, and Mac Nintendo's Alarmo clock LittleBigPlanet 3 DLC delisting from PSN Halo Studios' Project Foundry using Unreal Engine 5 Alien: Isolation sequel announced Red Dead Redemption PC release date Day 4 Night Studio announcement Halo Infinite 3rd person mode announcement Undisputed review impressions Master Detective Archives: Rain Code Plus review Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero review NHL 25 review Silent Hill 2 remake review SEGA and Universal Pictures Shinobi movie Epic Games mobile app with 50 games DOJ considers Google breakup over monopoly concerns FromSoftware employee 12% raise Google Android mobile app injunction Saudi Arabia PIF reduces Nintendo stock Tencent and Guillemot family considering Ubisoft buyout Ubisoft buyout statement

We're excited to welcome TJ Denzer as special guest on this week's episode of Shack Together! TJ joins hosts Asif Khan and co-ghost John Benyamine, along with myself Joe Stasio, for an in-depth discussion on the Shacknews crew's experiences in Japan, for the Tokyo Game Show (TGS) and much more. TJ shares first-hand accounts, offering insights on titles like Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater and Monster Hunter Wilds. Next, our "Whence I Hail" segment challenges the crew to match video game characters with their respective titles in something of a “reversi” of last week's game. In our ever-packed packed Story Time segment, we cover updates to F-Zero 99, reviews of recent releases like The Jackbox Naughty Pack and Hollowbody, and exciting announcements such as the Avatar: The Last Airbender RPG and Masahiro Sakurai's final episode of his game development series. We also discuss industry news like Hideo Kojima's involvement with the Metal Gear Solid Delta demo and OpenAI's massive funding round. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy! Articles mentioned in this episode Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater TGS 2024 Preview Monster Hunter Wilds TGS 2024 Preview Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth preview - Yakuza in Hawaii F-Zero 99 Ver. 1.5.0 Patch Notes F-Zero Climax & GP Legend coming to Nintendo Switch Online The Jackbox Naughty Pack Review Hollowbody Review I Am Your Beast Review Disney Dreamlight Valley Jungle Getaway Update Avatar: The Last Airbender RPG Announced Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games: Last Episode Nintendo Switch Emulator Ryujinx Ceased Development Devolver Digital Big Fan Games Label EVE: Galaxy Conquest Mobile Release Date Hideo Kojima Joins WME Agency Hideo Kojima & Konami Collaboration on Metal Gear Solid Delta TGS 2024 Demo Starship Troopers: Continuum VR Release Date Epic Games UE5 Launch Everywhere GreedFall 2 Preview: An Intriguing Inversion of a New World Story Palworld Mobile Version by Krafton OpenAI Raises $6.6 Billion at $157 Billion Valuation

We're excited to welcome David Craddock, our Long Reads editor, as a special guest on this week's episode of Shack Together! David joins host Asif Khan and ghost John Benyamine, along with producer Joe Stasio, for an in-depth discussion on the latest gaming news and reviews. Most notably, we're all about Asif's recently published review of The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. Today's episode features a segment called "PMC: Playable Main Characters," where our hosts test their gaming knowledge by guessing game titles and characters based on cryptic clues. In our packed Story Time segment, we cover a range of topics, including previews of upcoming titles like Tales of the Shire and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, and a comprehensive recap of the recent PlayStation State of Play event. We also cover industry news such as the SAG-AFTRA strike against Riot Games and the latest developments at OpenAI. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy! Articles mentioned in this episode Metaphor ReFantazio prologue demo available now on PS5 The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Echoes of the Past Review: Echoes of Wisdom The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Echoes of the Past Dungeon Maker detailed The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Echoes of the Past directed by Tomomi Sano The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Echoes of the Past developed by Grezzo How long to beat The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Echoes of the Past Star Wars Outlaws won't be on Steam at launch Assassin's Creed Codename Red reportedly delayed to 2025 SAG-AFTRA authorizes strike against Riot Games Final Fantasy 16 PC port is 'in the final stages' Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game preview - Cozy Hobbit life Like a Dragon: Yakuza in Hawaii Preview Ara: History Untold Review: Rewriting the 4X genre Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed Review: A fresh coat of paint OpenAI CTO Mira Murati leaves company Meta Quest 3 VR headset reveal PlayStation State of Play Coverage Rise of the Ronin developer Team Ninja announces Ghost of Tsushima-like Ghost of Yotei Monster Hunter Wilds announced for 2025 release Sonic x Shadow Generations announced, features Keanu Reeves as Shadow Palworld coming to PlayStation 5 in 2024 Alan Wake 2 The Lake House expansion announced Metro Awakening announced for PS VR2

We're thrilled to welcome Sam Chandler as our special guest on this week's episode of Shack Together! Sam joins respective host and ghost Asif Khan and John Benyamine, along with myself Joe Stasio, for an exciting episode covering the latest in gaming news and reviews. After our usual round of “What have you been playing?”, focused primarily on Sam's time with Frostpunk 2, the crew dives into the second ever installment of "TV Toys: The Game" where the team test their gaming knowledge by trying to guess popular video game titles from synonym-laden clues. In our ever-jam-packed Story Time segment, we cover a wide range of topics including reviews of recent releases like Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster and The Plucky Squire, the ongoing Pokemon vs Palworld controversy, previews of upcoming titles like Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and industry news such as Diablo 4's impressive sales figures and AMD's potential involvement with the PS6. We also dive into the recent $1 million antitrust fine for GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy! Articles mentioned in this episode Frostpunk 2 Review Score F-Zero 99 Anniversary Livestream Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster Review Score The Plucky Squire Review Score Castlevania Dominus Collection Review Score Tiny Glade Review Score NBA 2K25 Review Score Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions Review Score Nintendo & Pokemon Company Lawsuit Against Palworld Dragon Age: The Veilguard Hands-On Preview Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Impressions Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered ESRB Rating Diablo 4 $1 Billion in Sales, $150 Million in MTX AMD PS6 Chip & Intel $30 Million Contract GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen $1 Million Antitrust Fine

Welcome to another monumental episode of Shack Together, the one-and-only Shacknews video games podcast! This week, we're excited to welcome Video Editor Greg Burke to our regular crew of host Asif Khan, co-ghost John Benyamine, and me, Joe Stasio. Greg brings an ever-faithful bounty of insights, including his love affair with Space Marines II. In our main segment, we dive into a fun game of Name That Robot! where our hosts test their knowledge of iconic robotic characters from video game history. It's a challenging journey through gaming's famous metal companions and heroes. Let's see if generative AI makes it nearly impossible to validate the results of this contest like it did last week's. Story Time is jam-packed with gaming news this week. We cover everything from the release of Shacknews' own Dreamcast 25th Anniversary Documentary (which Greg had a major role in) to the impressive 2 million player milestone for Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2. We've got reviews for games like Ace Attorney Investigations Collection and Wild Bastards, plus updates (and a review, for that matter) on Satisfactory reaching version 1.0. The team also talks industry news, discussing Apple's latest announcements and the reveal of the PlayStation 5 Pro. That's all for today's show! Thanks as always for tuning in, and enjoy! Articles mentioned in this episode Shacknews Presents: Dreamcast - 25 Years of Thinking documentary Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 hits 2 million players Ace Attorney Investigations Collection review score Wild Bastards review score Spectre Divide review score Yars Rising review score Satisfactory version 1.0 launch Satisfactory review score iPhone 16 and Apple Watch updates PlayStation 5 Pro revealed with November release date

Welcome to another exciting episode of Shack Together, the best and only Shacknews video games podcast! This week, we're thrilled to have News Editor Donovan Erskine joining our regular crew of host Asif Khan, coghost John Benyamine, and producer Joe Stasio. Donovan brings his fresh perspective and gaming insights to the show, making for a lively and engaging discussion. In our main segment, we dive into what everyone's been playing lately. Donovan shares his thoughts on his recent reviews of The Casting of Frank Stone and Concord, while Joe excitedly recounts his 82-hours-so-far journey through Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Asif's been enjoying some F-Zero 99 action as alway while he salivates and idly waits for Echoes of Wisdom. Our Story Time segment is packed with gaming news this week! We cover everything from the newly released Minecraft movie teaser to industry moves like Hideaki Itsuno leaving Capcom. We've got a slew of previews from PAX West 2024, including looks at The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Dragon Quest's HD-2D remake, Little Nightmares 3, and more. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy! Articles mentioned in this episode The Casting of Frank Stone review score Concord review score Minecraft movie teaser trailer Hideaki Itsuno leaves Capcom Hopoo Games devs working at Valve Sumerian Six review score Guilty Gear Strive Nintendo Switch release date Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom - Still World Swordfighter Form Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom PAX West 2024 preview Dragon Quest HD-2D remake Gamescom 2024 preview Fantasian Neo Dimension PAX West 2024 preview Little Nightmares 3 PAX West 2024 preview Undisputed preview PAX West 2024 Life is Strange: Double Exposure PAX West 2024 preview Concord shutdown, purchases refunded

Welcome to another episode of Shack Together! Today, we kick off with our host Asif Khan, myself Joe Stasio, and managing editor Bill Lavoy. We're eager to hear Bill's thoughts on the much-anticipated Star Wars Outlaws and whether Ubisoft delivered on their ambitious vision. Our main segment features a game called "Star Wars or Farce Lore," where our hosts test their knowledge of Star Wars characters and lore. How well do you know the peripheral characters who linger in the cantina and pose idle threats? In our "Story Time" segment, we cover exciting news and reviews from the gaming industry. From the reopening of GameStop's retro locations to the remastering of classics like Croc: Legend of the Gobbos, we dive into the latest happenings. We wrap things up with a recap of the recent Nintendo Direct before signing off and wishing you a wonderful weekend. Thanks as always for listening and enjoy! Articles mentioned in this episode GameStop retro locations now open Croc: Legend of the Gobbos remaster Star Wars Outlaws review Bloodless review Emio: The Smiling Man review Age of Mythology Retold review Visions of Mana review Gundam Breaker 4 slug Core Keeper review Watch the September 2024 Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase and Indie World Showcase here Yakuza Kiwami Nintendo Switch release date Tetris Forever Nintendo Direct announcement Sea of Stars: Throes of the Watchmaker DLC Pizza Tower Nintendo Switch release Balatro gets free Witcher 3, Vampire Survivors, Among Us content later today Suikoden 1 & 2 HD Remaster release date Capcom Fighting Collection 2 reveal

We're thrilled to welcome senior editor Ozzie Mejia to this week's episode of Shack Together! Joining hosts Asif Khan and the will-he-won't-he John Benyamine, along with myself Joe Stasio, Ozzie brings his gotta-catch-em-all insights to your favorite podcast. Today's exciting segments comes in the form of "Name That Game", where our hosts test their video game knowledge across a wide range of titles. Aftewards, in Story Time, we dive into the latest gaming news, including extensive coverage of Gamescom Opening Night Live 2024. We discuss exciting announcements like Borderlands 4, the new Dying Light game, and the reveal of Mafia: The Old Country. We also explore a variety of game previews, from indie darlings like The Plucky Squire to AAA blockbusters like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy! Articles mentioned in this episode Watch Gamescom Opening Night Live 2024 Xbox Series X White Digital release date & preorder Borderlands 4 announced for 2025 Dying Light: The Beast reveal Marvel Rivals release date Civilization 7 release date Mafia: The Old Country reveal trailer - Gamescom 2024 Reanimal announcement from Tarsier Studios The Plucky Squire final preview (PC) Stormgate's Early Access release makes me want to play StarCraft II again, and that's good (I think) Emio: The Smiling Man preview King of Meat Gamescom 2024 preview Avowed Gamescom 2024 preview Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Gamescom 2024 preview Indiana Jones: The Great Circle release date (Xbox & PS5)

Welcome back to another exciting episode of Shack Together, the official and only Shacknews video games podcast! This week, we're joined by our fantastic crew - host Asif Khan, myself Joe Stasio, and Senior News Editor TJ Denzer. Get ready for another lively discussion as we dive into the latest in gaming. Our main segment this week asks the age-old question: "Can it run DOOM?" We explore the most unexpected devices that have been modded to play the classic FPS, from refrigerators to pregnancy tests. The team buzzes in with their name to see if they know know wether each device can handle the legendary software. In Story Time, we cover a wide range of gaming news, including hands-on impressions of Visions of Mana, the release date for Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and the acquisition of Tango Gameworks by Krafton. We also touch on some industry news, like the passing of former YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy! Articles mentioned in this episode: DOOM: The Dark Ages - QuakeCon 2024 Hands-Off Preview Visions of Mana - Hands-On Impressions Dragon Age: The Veilguard release date Splitgate 2 Alpha Preview Two Point Museum announcement Borderlands film opening weekend box office Krafton acquires Tango Gameworks (Hi-Fi Rush) YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki dies at 56 Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster impressions Roto VR Explorer next-gen VR chair price

Welcome to another exciting episode of Shack Together, where we're joined by News Editor Donovan Erskine to discuss the best and brightest in gaming. Our host Asif Khan leads the conversation with everyone's favorite apparition John Benyamine as well as myself, producer Joe Stasio, as we dive into what we've been playing and the latest gaming news. This week's main segment features a Zelda Item Fantasy Draft, where we select our favorite items and abilities from across the Legend of Zelda series. From the iconic Master Sword to the versatile Sheikah Slate, we ruthlessly cling to our favorite gadgets in a draft so dramatic it should have had it's own combine. In Story Time, we cover a wide range of topics, from the closure of Game Informer after 33 years to new details about The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. We also discuss Avowed's delay, the latest on Star Wars Outlaws, and Sony's recent PS5 sales figures. Beyond gaming, we touch on some tech and business news, including Reddit's earnings and Berkshire Hathaway's pulling out of Apple. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy! Articles mentioned in this episode Game Informer potential shutdown after 33 years Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Zora details Avowed delayed to February 2025 Deathbound review score Star Wars Outlaws roadmap Balatro free update coming in 2025 Sony sold 2.4 million PS5 consoles in Q1 2024

Welcome to episode 25 of Shack Together! I'm your producer, Joe Stasio, and today we're joined by host Asif Khan and Shacknews Managing Editor Bill Lavoy. We kick things off with our usual "What Have You Been Playing?" segment. Bill shares his thoughts on Fallout London, while I give the crew my quick impressions of Valorant and update everyone on my continued journey through Thedas in Dragon Age: Inquisition. Asif also gives us a glimpse into what he's been playing recently, and spoiler alert, it involves a certain pixelated racing revival. Our main segment today is "Annie Guess Your Gun," a game where the crew tries to identify weapons from both the Fallout and Metro series. Over in Story Time, we delve into a range of recent gaming news, detailed below, before addressing some feedback from the Shacknews community. And that's going to do it for today's show. Thanks as always for listening and enjoy! Articles Mentioned in This Episode Fallout London Impressions SAG-AFTRA Video Game Strike GTA 6 and SAG-AFTRA Strike Mario & Sonic Olympics Paris 2024 Thank Goodness You're Here Review Bungie Layoffs Xbox Content Service Q4 2024 Growth Xbox Hardware Revenue Drop Facebook/Meta Daily Active Users Q2 2024 Facebook/Meta Reality Labs Losses OpenAI Announces SearchGPT

In this episode of Shack Together, we're joined by Senior News Editor TJ Denzer and Senior Editor Ozzie Mejia to discuss all things EVO. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Today we've got Asif Khan, a will-he-won't-he cohost in John Benyamine and of course myself, producer Joe Stasio. Today we've got some hard-hitting trivia for the fighting game literate among you. Questions range from identifying famous competitors from EVOs past to naming unique mechanics in some of the most beloved fighting games of all time. Who will emerge victorious? You'll have to listen to find out. Story Time includes it's usual slew of both fun and occasionally demoralizing industry news, most of which is listed below for your convenience. And, that will do it. Thanks as always for listening and enjoy! Articles Mentioned in This Episode Punk's EVO performance in Street Fighter EVO's expansion to France and Singapore Astro Bot's EVO 2024 preview The Run Got Next: NBA Street Mortal Kombat 1 Takeda Preview DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO Preview CrowdStrike and Microsoft Windows BSOD Dungeons of Hinterberg Review Assassin's Creed Shadows Backlash Statement Skull and Bones Steam Release Date Tesla Robotaxi Event Delay Fortnite Tesla Cybertruck Humble Games Layoff Twitch Unbans Trump

In this special episode of Shack Together, we're celebrating our 23rd episode by welcoming a fan-favorite guest, news editor Donovan Erskine. We've got host Asif Khan and myself Joe Stasio on the mic today, too. Donovan shares what he's been playing lately, including insights from his reviews and previews such as Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus and Concord, alongside his excitement for EA Sports College Football 25. In our main segment, we introduce the Shack Together World Championships with a series of both challenging and laughably easy trivia questions. We'll test the crew's knowledge on topics ranging from the Apple Vision Pro's unique input methods to the most backlogged game of all time. As always, We then head over to Story Time to discuss the latest news and reviews from the past week. Toward the end, Asif goes on a rant about GameStop, satisfying a certain chatty user's thirst for such content. And that's it! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy! Articles Mentioned in This Episode Nintendo's EMIO Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess Review Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus Review TMNT: Splintered Fate Review Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn Review Nintendo World Championships NES Edition Review Flock Review Gestalt: Steam and Cinder Review Not Like Us Video Game Apple, Nvidia, Salesforce, YouTube AI Training Xbox Game Pass Price Increase 2024

In this episode of Shack Together, the ultimate (and currently only) Shacknews video games podcast, your hosts Asif Khan, (maybe) John Benyamine, myself Joe Stasio, and guides editor Sam Chandler dive into another exciting (read: slow) week of gaming news. Asif, John, and Sam share what they've been playing recently, while I talk about finally tackling my own white whale, one long-time listeners will be plainly aware of. Prompted by the Xbox Game Pass price increases, we a play a little game that dares to ask what are gamers actually playing on Xbox. The crew tries to guess the fifteen most played Xbox games for the week ending July 7, with our reigning champ Sam kicking things off, proving it pays to win Shack Together games. Articles covered in Story Time this week include: Nintendo's EMIO Horror Teaser Sony Music and Palworld Joint Venture Zenless Zone Zero Hits 50 Million Downloads SGDQ 2024 Final Total Raised The First Descendant Review Score Samsung Galaxy Ring We wrap up with some comments from the Shacknews community, as we're wont to do before signing off. Thanks as always for listening and enjoy!

Join us for a riveting installment of Shack Together, brought to you by Shacknews! Today, our lovely team—host Asif Khan, mysterious and invisible cohost John Benyamine, myself Joe Stasio, and senior editor Ozzie Mejia—kick things off with a discussion about what we've been playing recently. Ozzie dives deep into his experiences with Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, Stray Gods: Orpheus DLC and the much-anticipated Nintendo World Championships NES Edition. You can read his full previews and impressions on Shacknews. Meanwhile, I share some quick thoughts after completing Animal Well and exploring Excavation of Hob's Barrow. Finally, Asif updates us his time with [checks notes] F-Zero 99 and more. Next, we play a few rounds of "One Bid," where our contestants try and guess some of the hottest deals from the Steam Summer Sale in the style of The Price is Right. From here, we pivot over to our usual story time segment where we cover the latest news in gaming and tech. Finally, we close with a segment where we look into our souls and try and figure out what on earth is happening over at Gamestop. And that's it! Thanks as always for lisetning and enjoy!

Join us for the latest episode of Shack Together, where we delve into all things gaming with our special guest, Donovan Erskine! This week, our hosts Asif Khan, John Benyamine (will he show face?), and myself, Joe Stasio, along with Donovan, chat about what we've been playing and share our latest gaming experiences. Most importantly, I give my long-awaited take on the Metroid Prime Remaster and recap my time at the Distant Worlds NYC concert this past weekend. We then have some fun with Dead Rising Trivia, testing our panel's knowledge of the beloved zombie game series. From the original game's release date to the protagonist's profession, we test the crew's knowledge of this no-longer-dormant franchise. In Story Time, we bring you quick updates on some of the hottest news in gaming, including the Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster announcement (which I am choosing to give copious airtime, as you can see), Super Monkey Ball's latest review as well as Asif's impressions on it, and more. Since we weren't able to record last week, we also dive deep into the recent Nintendo Direct, with exciting announcements such as Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. Thanks as always for listening, and enjoy!

Welcome to the nineteenth episode of Shack Together, the ultimate Shacknews Extended Podcast Universe podcast for video game enthusiasts and skeptics alike! Join your host Asif Khan, a wild John Benyamine, myself Joe Stasio, and senior editor Ozzie Mejia, as we dive into the latest and greatest from Geoff Keighley's Summer Game Fest. But first, Ozzie takes center stage to discuss Ubisoft's upcoming titles, Star Wars Outlaws and Assassin's Creed Shadows, providing a sneak peek into these two behemoths. Next, we stroll down memory lane with a retrospective look at E3 2014, revisiting some of the most significant game announcements from that year, including The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Bloodborne, and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. We take a beat to reflect on how these groundbreaking titles shaped the gaming landscape and set the stage for the next decade of video game innovation. While we're at it, we rewind an additional ten years, too, because I personally never miss an opportunity to trash Twilight Princess. In our Story Time segment, enjoy an exhaustive recap of this year's Summer Game Fest, the E3 replacement that brought us announcements like UFO 50, Cairn, and Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind. Plus, stick around for highlights from the Xbox Games Showcase and Apple WWDC 2024. Why are you reading this instead of tuning into this jam-packed episode full of insights, nostalgia, and the latest in gaming news. While you're at it, subscribe and join us every Friday for more Shack Together!

Thanks for joining us for another episode of "Shack Together," the most-together Shacknews video games podcast there ever was! Asif Khan, possibly John Benyamine, myself Joe Stasio, and managing editor Bill Lavoy are today's crew and we're all stoked to bring you the latest and greatest in gaming. We kick off with what we've been playing lately: Bill gives us the down low on Destiny 2's latest DLC and how launch has fared, I finally finished the Three-Body Series, both the book and the show which means I will now shut-up about it, while Asif brings his usually litany of dramatic F-ZERO 99 victories and defeats along with a few other treats. Next up, we play a little game called “D2ceives: Is this a Destiny 2 God Roll or did I make it up?” before diving into our Story Time segment where we cover the latest gaming and tech stories from the past week, including such topics as the Elden Ring DLC preview, Cat Quest 3, and Skydance's Behemoth for PSVR2. This week's Story Time includes: Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Hands-On Preview Wild Bastards Impressions Preview Cat Quest 3 Impressions Preview Skydance's Behemoth Preview (PSVR2) Yacht Club Games Presents: A Decade of Shovel Knight Metal Gear Tactics 2024 Release Window Like a Dragon Yakuza Prime Video Game Trader Live - May 31, 2024 Last, we share a post or two from the Shacknews community. Don't forget to subscribe to Shack Together on your favorite podcast app and catch us every Friday for more Shack Together. Thank you as always for listening and enjoy!

In this seventeenth episode of Shack Together, we bring you your weekly does of gaming chatter, predictions, and community interactions. Join us as your host, Asif Khan, is joined by myself Joe Stasio, and News Editor Donovan Erskine. As always, we kick things off with what we've been playing, including titles like MultiVersus, Killer Klowns From Outer Space, Animal Well, F-Zero 99, Vampire Survivors, and more. Our Summer Games Fest predictions are red hot, featuring bold takes and plenty of (possible) excitement. From updates on F-Zero 99 and Kojima's next games to brand-new horror movie adaptations and potential teasers from XCOM 3 and Dragon Age IV, we cover a wide array of (potential, hopeful) announcements. It's a thrilling ride through the future of gaming - or rather it might be. We'll find out this September. Stick around for our Story Time segment, where we cover the latest gaming highlights including Sony's recent State of Play, as well as previews on upcoming releases like EA Sports College Football 25 and Frostpunk 2. We wrap things up with community questions, so make sure to join the discussion on Shacknews.com/chatty or reach out to us via email! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy! Stories Mentioned: Shack Chat: Fighting Game Final Boss Killer Klowns Game Review Score Stolen Playdates Found EA Sports College Football 25 Gameplay The Rogue Prince of Persia Early Access Impressions Frostpunk 2 Preview Astor: Blade of the Monolith Review F1 24 Review XDefiant Review PlayStation State of Play May 2024 Astro Bot PS5 Reveal Trailer Silent Hill 2 Remake Release Date God of War Ragnarok PC Concord Gameplay Reveal Black Ops 6 Xbox Game Pass

Welcome to another episode of Shack Together! Today's show is brought to you by your host, Asif Khan, myself Joe Stasio, and Senior Editor TJ Denzer. In this episode, we dive into what games we've been playing, including Vampire Survivors: Operation Guns and Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2, and the mystifying Animal Well. Plus, we play a few rounds of a brand new game called TV Toys, where Asif and TJ go head-to-head and try to decipher stylized re-mixes of popular video game titles. During Story Time, we cover news about Tesla ending Steam support in its vehicles, Larian Studios opening a new studio in Warsaw, Jason Voorhees joining the roster of MultiVersus, and of course a whole bunch of updates on what's happening in AI, as is our recent prerogative. That'll do it for today's episode. Thanks so much, as always, for listening and enjoy!

Welcome to Shack Together, the definitive Shacknews podcast experience where we discuss all things gaming, entertainment, and technology. Asif Khan, a belated John Benyamine, myself Joe Stasio, and TJ Denzer team up and dive into the latest news, reviews, and discussions. In this episode, the crew discusses their thoughts on indie-sensation "Animal Well”, TJ's overseas Day-Z adventure, and Asif's F-Zero resurgence before challenging themselves to an exciting game of AI Captain where contestants have to guess which AI-forward video game I'm describing based on a (severely) redacted summary. From [redacted] to [redacted], the crew tests their gaming knowledge in this fun segment. Over in Story Time, we cover the latest news from the gaming world, including reviews of games like Paper Trail and Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, as well as updates on EA Sports College Football 25 and Dead by Daylight's upcoming Castlevania content. All this before our requisite tech and finance industry deep dive in the last section of the show. As always, thanks for tuning and enjoy!