Some Patches Required

This week, Zak and Aaron take a moment to celebrate the runaway critical and commercial success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33... and then dig into why it won't matter at all to big publishers and the money-making machine behind them. Tragically, the narrative that breakout hits in the singleplayer space can somehow make them appealing to investors again is misguided, and Clair Obscur is just the most recent example. This is why we can't have nice things.Please, enjoy.Watch: The games industry is screwed - Alanah PearceRead: The State of Video Gaming in 2025 - Matthew BallListen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out MosscatMarket on EtsyCheck out even more MosscatMarket on Instagram

This week, Zak and Aaron sit down to discuss Bungie's newest project, Marathon! The dig into everything from the upcoming extraction shooter's aesthetic to its narrative to its choice of genre in service of answering one question — will this finally be the game to make good on Sony's lofty live service ambitions? Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out MosscatMarket on EtsyCheck out even more MosscatMarket on Instagram

This week, Zak and Aaron dive into a new controversy that may have long-lasting implications for the industry at large — Nintendo's decision to price some first-party AAA games at $80.The duo discusses why this price increase is not only unnecessary and bad for consumers, but also how it stands to open the floodgates for greed among big publishers looking to make the all-powerful line go up for shareholders. They also spend some time dissecting why the argument that games need to increase in price to keep up with inflation is myopic at best, and completely misguided at worst.Please, enjoyListen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out MosscatMarket on EtsyCheck out even more MosscatMarket on Instagram

This week, Zak and Aaron sit down to discuss the newly formed United Videogame Workers Union — a brand-new collective attempting to bring the power of collective bargaining to every corner of the industry, regardless of company or position.They spend some time outlining the circumstances that brought us to this crossroads, and then dissect some of the potential positives of the movement as well as the challenges it may face moving forward. There are still a lot of questions left to answer, but one thing is for certain: this is a significant moment in video game history.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out MosscatMarket on EtsyCheck out even more MosscatMarket on Instagram

This week, Zak and Aaron sit down for a delightful conversation with Kevin Messenhimer, one of the co-founders of the indie game studio Fiveamp. The trio covers a broad range of topics as they follow Kevin's journey from a member of Intel's hardware team to his time at Gearbox Software and eventually to the recent release of NIMRODS on Steam Early Access. It's chock-full of insights into the development process, humorous anecdotes, and entertaining asides that the whole family is sure to love. Well, maybe not the whole family, but the point stands.Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out MosscatMarket on EtsyCheck out even more MosscatMarket on Instagram

This week, Zak and Aaron revisit the world of Marvel Rivals, albeit tangentially and under less than pleasant circumstances. In the wake of some unexpected and unfortunate layoffs at NetEase's Seattle-based studio, the duo noticed some hyperbolic headlines circulating online that not only felt slightly misleading, but also contrasted with the titles for similar articles about the much more severe job cuts recently suffered at the hand of Warner Bros.So, they set out to have a (hopefully) nuanced discussion about the importance of headlines, what we should expect from good reporting, rage-baiting, and profit motives, among other things. Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out MosscatMarket on EtsyCheck out even more MosscatMarket on Instagram

This week on Some Patches Required, Zak and Aaron sit down to do something they've never done before: review an episode of another podcast. Then again, they've never encountered one that prominently features ex-Activision-Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick sharing anecdotes from his career, drumming up wild accusations against the CWA Union, and loudly eating celery into a microphone before today. Suffice it to say, they have some opinions to share.Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

This week, Zak and Aaron return to the world of gaming topics not as friends, but as rivals... Marvel Rivals™!Inaccurate and misleading introductory statements aside, your intrepid hosts sit down to discuss the latest chart-topping game in the highly saturated hero shooter genre, Marvel©'s Marvel Rivals™, a Marvel© product, presented by Marvel©. More specifically, they dig into some of the issues inherent to the game's aggressive content release cadence and whether or not its current pace is sustainable without eventually sacrificing quality.Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

As 2025 begins in earnest, we have some phenomenal news for you! Everybody's favorite dewy salamander, Mark Zuckerberg, is going FINALLY going to rebuild trust in our most hallowed institutions, enrich your social life, and help stave off those pesky feelings of loneliness, isolation, and general ennui. How will he accomplish this, you ask? By flooding all of Meta's social media platforms with AI bots, of course!This week, Zak and Aaron take a break from discussing the games industry to chat about why dumping a bunch of artificial intelligence all over Facebook and Instagram is, in fact, a terrible idea. From eroding people's ability to trust in anything to creating even more division during a tumultuous time, Meta's big bet on AI profiles stands to cause magnitudes more problems than it will solve.Content Warning: Self-harm - 32:08 - 36:47Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

Xbox and PlayStation, two brands locked in what may be an eternal conflict for market superiority, seem to have found yet another field on which to clash: the rapidly growing world of handheld gaming. This week, Zak and Aaron sit down to discuss the landscape for handhelds at the end of 2024, what new entries from Sony and Microsoft may look like, and what each is likely to do to achieve success. They also dig into the key differences between handheld consoles and handheld gaming PCs, as well as how those key factors position each competitor in a space that already includes both Nintendo and Valve.Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

Well, would you look at that? It's consolidation time again in the games industry! Who knew 15 minutes could pass so fast?Jokes aside, this is a big one: Sony is looking to acquire Kadokawa Corporation, which is best known as the owner of From Software, the industry titan behind generation-defining hits like Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Elden Ring.This week, Zak and Aaron sit down to discuss why this particular buyout could be a game-changing deal, from expanding Sony's media empire even further in the realms of anime and manga to what a PlayStation-exclusive future may look like for one of the most beloved studios on the planet.Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

This week, Zak and Aaron take some time to discuss Grand Theft Auto VI, but not in the "WHEN FOR THE LOVE OF GOD WILL IT FINALLY RELEASE" way to which you may be accustomed on the internet. Instead, they dig into the industry-wide perception that Rockstar's newest will be some sort of savior for the whole business of games.Between driving the adoption of current-gen hardware and giving the industry at large a billion-plus dollar shot in the arm, the hopes for GTA VI are sky-high. But how did we end up relying on one title to pull the whole medium out of the doldrums? And is it a good idea to do so in the first place?Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

This week, Zak and Aaron take some time to discuss the newly renamed Halo Studios (so long, 343! We're sure Xbox didn't rename you because of all that bad press you've accumulated!) and chat about some of the big changes coming down the pipe for future titles. The most notable of these is the sunsetting of the Slipspace engine in favor of the shiny and ever-so-popular Unreal Engine 5, which will power all new Halo installments for the foreseeable future. But will this fresh direction be enough to shake off the franchise's funk? Only time will tell.Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

Brace yourselves for a shocking revelation: Ubisoft is in serious trouble again. Or still... or, maybe, both.This week, Zak and Aaron sit down to discuss the newest plan to wrest control of the storied French studio/publisher away from the Guillemot family — this time at the hands of activist-investor group AJ Investments — and what that all-too-possible future may look like. They also discuss Ubisoft's many failures, a few of its more telling strategy shifts, and just how we got here in the first place.Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

This week, Zak and Aaron sit down with notable Austinite John Henderson, who has shipped numerous games and made a name for himself in the local development community for hosting Game Dev Beer Night and supporting aspiring professionals as they try to make sense of their careers.John was kind enough to share his insights on a wide range of topics from advice on finding fulfillment in your job to maintaining motivation to the state of the industry at large. A few technical difficulties during the recording may have changed the shape of this episode a bit, but John's perspective and honest opinions are well worth the listen.Also, apparently Aaron doesn't know what the word "erstwhile" means, and he deserves your scorn and derision.Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

Alas, poor Concord, we hardly knew thee.That's right, Sony's next big foray into the wild world of live service shooters, is no more. And the real kicker? It barely lasted two weeks. This week, Zak and Aaron sit down to discuss the unprecedented failure of Concord. In addition to enumerating some of the factors that led to the AAA game's unceremonious sunsetting (namely questionable character design and a general lack of innovation in a decade-old genre), our intrepid hosts also speculate on the title's tentative future. Just for good measure, they also spend some time dunking on internet imbeciles who blame this mess on Concord being "too woke."Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

When you look at a game like Monopoly Go!, your first thought is probably not that its marketing budget was nearly twice the annual GDP of the Marshall Islands. That's right, Hasbro and Scopley spent a borderline-obscene $500 million to get their new mobile title in front of as many eyes as possible... and it seems to have worked. This week, Zak and Aaron sit down to talk about the cost of marketing games both huge and humble, and why the mobile sector tends to see such enormous price tags when compared to their AAA counterparts.Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

Xbox Game Pass has been called the best deal in gaming, and for a while that was hard to dispute. But the times are changing, and with it comes a new era for Microsoft's subscription service - one that costs considerably more than it used to.This week, Zak and Aaron sit down to discuss the Xbox Game Pass price hike, and why it's far more significant than it may seem at face value. Between the impact of Call of Duty, flagging growth numbers, freefalling console sales, and the full weight of the Activision Blizzard merger all in play at once, there's a lot to unpack here.Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

Every few years, notoriously sadistic game studio From Software releases a new title, and with it comes a heated debate about game difficulty. Well, that time has come again with the launch of Shadow of the Erdtree, the one and only (massive) expansion for auteur director Hidetaka Miyazaki's magnum opus, Elden Ring.So, with some people conflating the DLC's brutal skill requirements with a legitimate accessibility issue, Zak and Aaron sat down to discuss game difficulty, easy modes, artistic integrity, and the difference between impairments and impediments. Aaron also complains a lot about the Tree Sentinal. So there's that.Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

Among the bombastic trailers showcased in the Xbox showcase at Not E3™ — er, I mean Summer Game Fest™ — was one particular reveal that some fans have been waiting for for the better part of a decade: Dragon Age: The Veilguard. And boy oh boy, was it ever a bewildering first look. This week, Zak and Aaron sit down to discuss their impressions of the newest iteration of Dragon Age 4, and why it seems to feel so little like the beloved games that came before it. They also discuss what's lost when IPs that used to have a strong identity throw what made them unique by the wayside in favor of mass appeal.Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

Hello, everybody, and welcome to the latest episode of Consolidation Watch - a show where we puff out our proverbial chests and celebrate all of the excellent acquisitions that mega-corporations have completed recently! This week, we've got a doozy for ya' from the world of games media, where IGN successfully ate up the Gamer Network, home of mainstays like GamesIndustry.biz and Rock Paper Shotgun!Clearly this is all for the best, and won't in any way damage the media landscape at large by winnowing down the diversity of content on the internet until we're left with one voice and one opinion, communicated through the broken language of AI and overseen by the editorial integrity of shareholders. So join us as we celebrate this milestone and don't think or talk critically about what it means at all.Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

This week, Zak and Aaron chat with Josh Bowlby, a UI/UX designer (user interface and user experience, for the neophytes out there) who has experience at companies like Virtuix and Wayfinder developer Airship Syndicate, among others.Not only was he kind enough to speak on some of his experiences in that space, but also his active role in the Austin, TX, game development community. From tips on networking to thoughts on how to get through a rough layoff, Josh proved to be a font of wisdom and good advice.Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

War. War never changes... but the media landscape sure does. With Amazon's new Fallout show dominating headlines and streaming charts alike, Zak and Aaron returned to the vault this week to dust off an old favorite topic: video game adaptations. This time, the question at hand isn't the program's quality (spoilers: it's pretty good), but rather what its success means for the future of some of your favorite IPs. Namely, are we moving towards a world where successful games will be forced to operate as multimedia franchises to maximize profit? And how will that ultimately impact the already troubled world of AAA development?Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

Ahh, Apple. Creators of the smartphone, pioneers of industry, the gold standard for excellence, the last bastion of inspiration in a world that's gone dull, and... an illegal monopoly? That's what a recent set of lawsuits allege - and they're gaining traction.Between an all-out assault from Epic Games' Tim Sweeney and an 88-page treatise on illegal practices from the US Department of Justice, Apple's lawyers almost certainly have their briefcases full to the brim. But what does any of this mean for the games industry and the future of the platforms you use every day? Maybe everything.Please, enjoy.Editor's Note: Episode 69. Nice.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

Rejoice, RPG fans, for Dragon's Dogma 2 is finally here! The reviews are in, and the consensus is... well, complicated as hell. While critics are stoked overall, fans seem to have some grievances — and they're quite happy to share them. This brings Zak and Aaron to the ever-relevant topic of review bombing, or the practice of leaving droves of negative reviews on a product as a response to some real or perceived slight at the hands of its makers. The whole endeavor is a political, economic, and ethical mess, but does it ever actually work? And while we're at it, is the term "review bombing" even useful as a catch-all for several vastly different forms of feedback? There's only one way to find out.Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

When you think of AAA games, does your mind fill with excitement imagining what spectacular worlds dedicated artists have crafted for you with the benefit of near-limitless resources? Or do you imagine boardrooms filled with disinterested people demanding endless compromises in pursuit of maximum profit?This week, Zak and Aaron sit down to politely inform you that option A is likely a nice dream you once had, while option B may very well be playing out somewhere right now. With high-profile failures like Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and Ubisoft's AAAA fumble Skull and Bones simultaneously generating disastrous headlines and serving as the model for future "safe investments," there's a lot to talk about.Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

At this point, trying to find a new or clever way to say that the games industry is in turmoil is a profound exercise in futility. There is no one way to "fix" the problems that seem to follow developers from studio to studio, but there's one pretty clear step in the right direction: unions.This week, Zak and Aaron sit down with former union organizer and current Austin, TX City Council candidate Adam Powell to chat about — you guessed it — unions. How do they benefit workers? What makes them so offensive to businesses at large? Where do you start if you feel it's time to organize at your workplace? And, most relevant to us, can they help get us closer to the industry devs deserve?Please, enjoy.Learn more about Adam's platform and City Council campaign at AdamforAustin.comListen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

If you've spent any time on the internet as of late, odds are you've stumbled across something about a new game called Palworld - otherwise known as "Pokémon with guns." Hell, with north of 19 million downloads and record-breaking player counts on Steam, it's easily set to be one of the biggest games of the year. But what is it, really?This week, Zak and Aaron talk about the nitty-gritty of Palworld, from its borderline-plagiaristic use of Pokémon designs to its disjointed art style to its... surprisingly competent gameplay? They also try to quantify the fine line between inspiration and imitation and nail down why this particular mashup was such a runaway success.Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyListen to Electric Guitar on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on InstagramListen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

Hello, everybody, and welcome to season three of Some Patches Required! Our intrepid hosts have been away for a while, but the games industry certainly didn't take a break with them, as mass layoffs, leaks, hacks, studio closures, and more dominated the headlines. This week, Zak and Aaron tackle the messy topics of true early access and the recent boom in paid "early" access as a pre-order bonus. Long story short, one is a frequently misused tool with incredible potential and the other one is the laziest money-making scheme in recent memory. You can guess which is which.Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyListen to Electric Guitar on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

Have you ever felt exhausted by the neverending onslaught of updates, microtransactions, generic mechanics, and performance issues that seem to define modern AAA games? Well, do we ever have a new title for you!This week, Zak and Aaron discuss the myriad ways that the newly released Baldur's Gate 3 - and Larian Studios - break the mold established by the major players in the AAA game market. They even dip into some AA and all-indie examples for a healthy dose of contrast.You'll hear them again (with a few exciting new guests) next season! In the meantime, please enjoy some exquisite music, incredible art, and a few fun, insightful podcasts. To be continued...Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyListen to Electric Guitar on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on InstagramListen to: Triple ClickListen to: The BestiesListen to: Play, Watch, Listen

The world is changing, and media is changing with it. What do you own? What does renting even mean in the era of subscription services and online storefronts? More importantly, what happens to a work of art when it's lost to time?This week, Zak and Aaron dive into the topic of game preservation in the (Alan) wake of several high-profile games going exclusively digital and try to dissect the importance of preserving games for both entertainment and education.Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

After a few unfortunate delays, Zak and Aaron are back to ask you a simple question: Do you value visual extravagance over gameplay excellence, or do you think they can work together? Moreover, is there a seat for style at the table?Between the blocky art of BattleBit, the breathtaking but broken Jedi Survivor, and an endless supply of Aaron's useless opinions on films like Avatar, this is the episode for anyone who has ever engaged in the "gameplay vs. graphics" debate. Or, someone who just wants it to finally end.Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

This week, Zak and Aaron chat about what the semi-recently-announced Apple Vision Pro could mean for the VR, AR, and MR market. Will it fall flat on its face like Google Glass? Will it spur on competition like the original Oculus or HTC Vive? Or could it change the game entirely through the power of brand cachet and good marketing? Only time will tell.As an addendum, Zak's new recording space isn't fully set up yet, so there may be a smidge of echo on his side. Meanwhile, Aaron's computer and hard drive decided to scream their mechanical lungs out during the first 10 minutes or so, even as his cat tried to break down the door. We're genuinely sorry for the audio quality in certain spots, but we're only human.Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

This week, Zak and Aaron chat across three different time zones! Was that sensationalist enough to grab your attention?? Good, because the third time zone is occupied by Alex Malcolm, who works in music licensing for Warner Music Group. This fella has brokered deals for numerous games, and was kind enough to share some insight into the process of what it takes to get your favorite songs into your favorite entertainment products. As they always say in Hollywood, "it's a good time for your ears." They always say that, right?Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

This week, Zak and Aaron sit down to talk with the profoundly talented Cameron Paxton - the composer for the game Dome Keeper - about the intricacies of writing music for games. Naturally, Aaron rambles on about esoteric ideas, Zak stays on topic, and our guest brings insight to spare. If you're interested in musical composition, creativity, or just hearing about how someone found their gateway into the industry, this is the episode for you.Oh, and we'll let you guess who wrote the opening and closing music for this one. Your only hints are that the song was originally meant to hype you up to keep some domes, and may or may not be called Laser Party. Take that for what you will.Check out Cameron's WorkTake a Peek at Dome Keeper on Steam Hey! It's Bippinbits!!Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

At this point, it's only a few degrees shy of impossible that you haven't heard of the newest Legend of Zelda game, Tears of the Kingdom. Was that sentence confusing? Well, so is trying to evaluate what makes a good sequel. And yet, Zak and Aaron dive into the murky depths of media to discuss what makes a successful sequel, especially when it comes on the heels of a game-changing work of art. Be prepared for opinions aplenty, hot takes, and a (magical right) handful of puns.Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on Etsy

This week, Zak and Aaron hop right back into the maelstrom that is the modern games industry. Wait, were you expecting something different? Maybe you don't know their particular brand.On this particular, acronym-filled venture, Zak and Aaron try to unpack the evolution of UGC, especially as it pertains to Fortnite and the Unreal Engine. Between the Unreal Engine for Fortnite, CoD in Roblox, and a million other examples, it seems like user-generated content is poised to become the next big thing in games. What does that mean? Who knows.Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyAlso, thanks to Bo Burnham. Please don't be mad at Aaron for clipping your song. He really respects you.

Hello everybody, and welcome to an unseasonably spooky episode of Some Patches Required! This week, Zak and Aaron dive back into the murky waters of microtransactions, this time within the context of the Resident Evil 4 Remake. Is it okay to add pay-to-win mechanics after launch? Why would a developer or publisher decide to do so? How many times can Aaron use the same word in one sentence? There's only one way to find out.Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

Well, would you look at that!? This one's on time! And it's interesting, to boot.This week, Zak and Aaron have a chat about Jason Schreier's exceptional book "Press Reset," and each chooses a few topics that fascinate them. Zak is mostly articulate and focused. Aaron rambles a bit and bloviates a lot. But, all-in-all, the conversation incorporates everything you could want from an episode of SPR.Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

This week on SPR, Zak and Aaron team up with the crew from the Undercommon Taste podcast to discuss the lasting impact and influence of TTRPGs (or table-top roleplaying games for you neophytes out there) on the world of video games. It's a fun conversation full of laughs, relatable anecdotes, good vibes, and a lower-than-normal number of curse words. Plus, Aaron resisted the urge to list off all of the great D&D character names he's come up with over the years. You're welcome.Please, enjoy.Learn more about Undercommon TasteListen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

With all evidence pointing to The Last of Us being HBO's next big hit, Zak and Aaron decided to take a moment to discuss a few things surrounding the show, especially the difficulties intrinsic to translating games to film and TV. Naturally, Aaron bloviated beyond belief (after one successful sentence) and steered the conversation in the wrong direction a few times while Zak desperately tried to keep things concise. Aaron also mistook episode 8 for episode 7, and in doing so confirmed his incompetence. Otherwise, this one's pretty solid. Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

Hello everybody and welcome to season two of Some Patches Required! If you're new to the show, we're happy to have you! If you're already familiar with our particular brand of games-industry coverage/conversations, we're thrilled that you stuck around. It's only going to get better from here.This time around, we're talking about the endearing mess that is Pokemon; specifically Scarlet and Violet. While we both enjoyed the game(s), its flaws are hard to ignore. Moreover, they say a lot about the industry at large, consumerism, innovation, fandom, and much, much more.Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

This week on Some Patches Required, Our intrepid hosts tackle a slightly out-of-date topic that sends them down a rabbit hole that may just take them a few months to get out of.* Of course, the inciting incident is the controversy surrounding Bayonetta 3 and the voice actress who claimed that Platinum Games offered her a paltry sum to reprise her iconic role. The aforementioned rabbit hole is a deep dive into how voice actors are paid throughout the industry, as well as an evaluation of how we quantify value in game development. There's also an important announcement towards the end, so make sure to stick around for the whole show.Please, enjoy. Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram*This is a hint. Also, sorry for ending a sentence with a preposition.

This week on Some Patches Required, Zak and Aaron take on a topic of particular interest related to the rocky launch of Overwatch 2. No, it's not 2016, so Tracer's butt has nothing to do with it. Instead, our intrepid hosts try to dissect the challenging transitions games undergo when they shift from premium, pay-upfront experiences to free-to-play ones. There are hot takes, contrarian opinions, and more than a few digs at Activision Blizzard's leadership. But, really, what else did you expect?Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

This week on Some Patches Required, our intrepid hosts take on one of the more complex issues in the modern gaming world - gambling. Spurred by the news that Twitch has banned most gambling streams, Zak and Aaron break down some recent controversies and try to illustrate how games of chance can be particularly dangerous for Twitch's young audience, as well as the way more and more games seem to be implementing "surprise mechanics" in potentially exploitative ways.Please, enjoy.Source: How should the UK video game industry self-regulate loot boxes?Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

It's safe to say that this episode didn't quite go according to plan. Instead of tackling topics like Halo Infinite's missing features, a high-profile developer leaving 343, and Ubisoft's ongoing issues with workplace misconduct allegations, our intrepid hosts spent roughly 50 minutes talking about Assassin's Creed. Well, they also didn't talk about D23 - Disney's annual self-love festival - but that was on purpose. But rest assured, it's still very fun.Please, enjoyListen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

Just when you thought the fine individuals at SPR industries couldn't make a conversation about the games industry sound even more casual than usual, they strike back with an episode so off-the-cuff that even they aren't quite sure where it's going. This week, Zak and Aaron sit down to discuss the various nuances of the "games as a service model," as well as other oddities like Netflix canceling the "Resident Evil" show, the PS5 price hike, Aaron's enduring hatred of "Rogue One," and the very idea of hate. If that sounds like a lot to cover in a scant 66 minutes, you're right. But it's also a lot of fun.Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

Brace yourself, this one gets a bit esoteric. That's because this week, Zak and Aaron take a good long look at the very real issue of diversity in the games industry and some of the implications of consuming media made predominantly by white males. They also touch on the new wave of workplace misconduct allegations rocking Nintendo of America. It's all a bit heavy, but hey, those patches won't install themselves.Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on Instagram

In this very special - and especially long - episode of Some Patches Required, Zak and Aaron were lucky enough to sit down with Levi and Hassan from The Nerd Alternative to talk about The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. It's got laughs, it's got insights, it's got analysis. Unlike the movie the guys focus on, though, it's noticeably short on overt racism and there are no 45-year-olds pretending to be high school students. In short this episode is a bounty for the ears.Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on InstagramFollow The Nerd Alternative on Twitter and check out the show on your favorite platform

If you couldn't get enough of Austin's unique perspective in episode 42, you're in supremely good luck! This week, Zak and Aaron were happy to continue their conversation, this time focusing more on the indie development side of Austin's story, as well as his experience finding his place in the industry. There's lots of good stuff in here, not the least of which is a reminder that you can play New Future Kids' first official release, "Gone Wandering," right now. And you should. It's honestly really, really fun.Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on InstagramBask in the majesty of Austin's work by following @NewFutureKids and @austindrozin on Twitter,  or by playing one of New Future Kids' games on itch.io.

This week on SPR, Zak and Aaron sit down with their mutual friend Austin, who has some cool stuff to say. What, you need more? Alright, Austin is a Course Director at Game-U - an organization devoted to teaching youngsters and people with special needs the fundamentals of game development - and part of the dynamic duo that makes up the indie studio New Future Kids. They discuss everything from the ins and outs of Game-U's approach to teaching to the value of higher education in this, the first part of their conversation. Stay tuned for the rest in the near future.Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck out edouggieart on EtsyCheck out even more edouggieart on InstagramBask in the majesty of Austin's work by following @NewFutureKids on Twitter