Podcasts about Black wolf

Welcome to the Fall 2025 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books!   Today, Catherine and Sarah share 14 of their most anticipated books releasing from mid-August through December.   This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Announcement One of the many benefits to supporting the podcast through either our Patreon Community or our Substack Community (both for just $7/mo) is that you get access to several bonus podcast episode series, including Book Preview Extras! In these episodes, Catherine and I share at least 4 bonus books we are excited about that we did not share in the big show preview episode. Get more details about all the goodies available and sign up here for Patreon and here for Substack! Highlights A lightning round of some big releases coming this fall that we're not featuring in today's preview. Odd fall pickings meant they both chose to feature 7 books each. Catherine's choices are a grab bag mix: academia, mysteries, a love story, and a snarky lighter read. Of Sarah's seven books, there are 3 debut authors and 1 repeat author — and 2 sports books! Some of Sarah's picks slide her right from sad girl summer into sad girl fall.  Sarah has already read and rated one of her picks — and it was a success! Plus, their #1 picks for fall. Big Fall Releases Wreck by Catherine Newman (October 28) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [1:15] King Sorrow by Joe Hill (October 21) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [1:22] Son of the Morning by Akwaeke Emezi (November 4) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:25] What We Can Know by Ian McEwan (September 23) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:29] Palaver by Bryan Washington (November 4) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [1:32] Replaceable You by Mary Roach (September 16) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:35] Circle of Days by Ken Follett (September 23) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [1:51] People Like Us by Jason Mott (August 5) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [2:14] The Black Wolf by Louise Penny (October 28) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [2:33]  All the Way to the River by Elizabeth Gilbert (September 9) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [2:38]  Queen Esther by John Irving (November 4) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [2:46]  Hot Wax by M. L. Rio (September 9) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [3:02]  Cursed Daughters by Oyinkan Braithwaite (November 4) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [3:51]  Among the Burning Flowers by Samantha Shannon (September 16) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [3:55]  Other Books Mentioned Sandwich by Catherine Newman (2024) [1:18]  The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett (1989) [2:06]  Hell of a Book by Jason Mott (2021) [2:20]  If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio (2017) [3:06]  The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon (2019) [4:04]  Fall 2025 Book Preview [7:26] August Sarah's Picks Dominion by Addie E. Citchens (August 19) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [8:09] We Loved to Run by Stephanie Reents (August 26) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[14:09] Catherine's Pick Katabasis by R. F. Kuang (August 26) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [11:19] Other Books Mentioned God Spare the Girls by Kelsey McKinney (2021) [9:49] Search by Michelle Huneven (2022) [9:58]   The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw (2020) [10:08] Olga Dies Dreaming by Xóchitl González (2022) [10:12]   Inferno by Dante (c. 1321) [11:36]   Babel by R. F. Kuang (2022) [13:30]  Yellowface by R. F. Kuang (2023) [13:32] Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel (2024) [14:57]  The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue (2023) [14:59]  Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett (2022) [15:53]  The Mothers by Brit Bennett (2016) [15:54]  Good For a Girl by Lauren Fleshman (2023) [16:20]  The Longest Race by Kara Goucher (2023) [16:22]  September Sarah's Picks Buckeye by Patrick Ryan (September 2) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [19:17] Hot Desk by Laura Dickerman (September 2) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [24:31] The Wilderness by Angela Flournoy (September 16) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[29:23] Underspin by E. Y. Zhao (September 23) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [37:14] Catherine's Picks The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai (September 23) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [17:08]  Guilty by Definition by Susie Dent (US release: September 30) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [22:07] Other Books Mentioned Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (2022) [18:15]  Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano (2023) [20:05]  Slanting Towards the Sea by Lidija Hilje (2025) [20:38]  The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary (2019) [24:46]  Younger by Pamela Redmond Satran (2005) [26:10] (The book upon which the television series is based.) Writers & Lovers by Lily King (2020) [26:12]  The Turner House by Angela Flournoy (2015) [29:49]  Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel (2024) [38:49]  October Catherine's Picks Workhorse by Caroline Palmer (October 14) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [27:25] The Wayfinder by Adam Johnson (October 14) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:14] November Sarah's Pick Lightbreakers by Aja Gabel (November 4) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [43:31] Catherine's Pick Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino (November 25) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[40:02] Other Books Mentioned The Ensemble by Aja Gabel (2018) [43:57]  December Catherine's Pick The Day I Lost You by Ruth Mancini (US release: December 2) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:19] Other Books Mentioned The Woman on the Ledge by Ruth Mancini (2024) [47:22] 

Recorded Friday, August 1, 2025 at the Bearly There Bunkhouse in Canyon Creek Montana KNTTING Barb is working on charity hats, A Hat Called Hudson x4 by Alison Shuman, and Bankhead Hat #34 (by Susie Gorlay) Eileen has been working on Maize by Tin Can Knits, fingerless mitts in Black Wolf fiber and Simple Summer Tweed Top Down V-Neck by Heidi Kirrmaier in Urth   Monokrom Worsted Susan has made  4 The Knitted Rib Watch Caps by the American Red Cross for charity and is making the Sixteen Hearts Baby Hat by Natasha Childers Kate is making the Botanic Shawl by Stephen West and The Gathering Hat by Kate Salomon Tracie has been very indecisive about yarn but is going to make the Summer Sky Tee by Comfort Zone Knits in Juniper Moon Farm Zooey Spray BOOKS Eileen:       Kate Shugak - Kate Shugak series by Dana Stabenow Sebastian St Cyr series by CS Harris Susan:       The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline Kate:             Spitfires: The American Women Who Flew in the Face of Danger in WWII by Becky Aikman  Population 485 by Michael Perry Tracie:         DS George Cross series by Tim Sullivan Cormac Reilly series by Dermal Mctiernan Barb:           Facing the Extreme: One Woman's Story by Ruth Anne Kocour   Our whole group recommends Great Falls, Montana for yarn shopping! Yarn & Honey Farmer's Daughter Fibers  

I will be at Dragon Con in Atlanta on Labor Day Weekend, moderating Dragon Con's first ever Speedrun Showcase, speaking with the Dad of Boy himself Christopher Judge, and moderating a panel with the cast of SYFY's The Magicians! (Sadly, the Mortal Kombat panel was dropped from the schedule the day after this was recorded!) Sony has raised the price of all models of the PS5 by $50 in the USA due to the tariffs. Gamestop made a PR move saying they would cover the difference if you traded in a last gen console - but that deal was only for 24 hours. Steam now calculates the review score based on reviews in your spoken language to prevent review bombing from other territories - but they give you the option to go back to including all reviews. Then we talk about games that people were excited for at Gamescom, and to Rob about Dragon Con.

I will be at Dragon Con on Labor Day weekend - and I couldn't talk about my schedule as we were recording, but its out now if you go look. Blizzard's Story and Franchise Development team successfully formed a union! Gamescom is bigger than it ever has been before, and it's a model that ESA should have tried with E3. Then we talk more about Dragon Con and why it's different than other conventions.

Sony has announced that the PS5 has sold over 80 million units, which is better than anyone expected. Sony also said that live service games were not going so great, but they are pushing ahead with their plans. Nintendo has denied speedrunning marathon RTA In Japan permission to showcase any Nintendo games. Then we talk to Rob about UFO 50 and Nintendo's survey about why people like physical games (and did not offer my reason as an option!)

In this conclusion of a two-part episode, Frank and guest co-host Dan Pasternack talk to Emmy-winning writer-actor-director Robert Smigel about his lifelong obsession with Charles Schulz and Peanuts, his preference for "specific" comedy, his working relationship with Lorne Michaels and his unusual friendship with Blackwolf the Dragonmaster. Also, Triumph debates Carl Bernstein, Jesus meets Kathie Lee Gifford, Mr. T auditions for "A Doll's House" and Robert stresses the importance of "embracing oddballs." PLUS: Anne Beatts! Shel Silverstein! The brilliance of Darlene Love! Paul Simon weighs in! Robert turns into Ed Grimley! And Frank and Dan praise the inventiveness of "Leo"! Subscribe now on  Apple ⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fun-for-all-ages-with-frank-santopadre/id1824012922⁠⁠⁠ Spotify ⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/18EQJNDwlYMUSh2uXD6Mu6?si=97966f6f8c474bc9⁠⁠⁠ Amazon ⁠⁠⁠https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/13b5ed88-d28d-4f0c-a65e-8b32eecd80f6/fun-for-all-ages-with-frank-santopadre⁠⁠⁠ YouTube ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgvlbF41NLLPvsrcZ9XIsYKkH_HvUXHSG⁠⁠⁠ iHeart ⁠⁠⁠https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-fun-for-all-ages-with-fran-283612643/⁠⁠⁠ TuneIn ⁠⁠⁠http://tun.in/pxOWO Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We first hear from a viewer about the Microsoft Movies & TV store going away and why they are particularly disappointed in its removal. Itch.io is currently seeking new payment processors to replace the ones who are forcing content guidelines on their service. Itch.io has started to reindex free content that they originally pulled, since you don't need a payment processor to distribute that content. Nintendo is raising hardware prices of OG Switch hardware and some Switch 2 accessories, but not that of the Switch 2 - yet. Then we talk with Rob about how ESPN8: The Ocho should feature speedrunning and why we think esports hasn't really broken into the mainstream despite valiant efforts by the industry.

July 24, 2005 was when the first episode of this podcast was broadcast live via Shoutcast internet radio, so we spend some time looking at how the last 20 years have been with this show. Itch.io has deindexed every title that had sensitive content on its storefront, in response to payment processors who have given in to very small activist groups. Xbox has announced that some titles that were going to be $80 will now be $70 instead. Then we talk to Rob about 20 years in podcasting and $80 titles going away - for now.

I was at ATL Comic Convention and hosted a panel with the actors from Red Dead Redemption 2! Steam has banned many adult games due to guidelines from credit card processors. Microsoft has abruptly killed their Movies and TV store on Windows and Xbox. Then we talk to Rob about buying movies and TV shows directly from consoles rather than streaming.

I'm going to be at ATL Comic Convention on Saturday, July 19th, running a panel with the performance actors from Red Dead Redemption 2 at 2PM! Last week, I was at Summer Games Done Quick 2025, reading donations and helping raise over $2.4million for Doctors Without Borders. The SAG-AFTRA strike against video game companies is now officially over, and everyone is back to work with better pay and more AI protections. Subnautica 2 was delayed despite being ready, the founders of the studio outsted, and a $250million bonus not hit because they will not make their revenue targets by the contracted deadline due to the delay. Then we talk to Rob about the news I missed while I was at SGDQ.

I will be hosting at Summer Games Done Quick 2025 on Thursday and Saturday! I'll be hosting a Super Metroid race, DOOM: The Dark Ages, Super Mario 3, and a Kirby Super Star Ultra TAS! I will also be at the ATL Comic Convention on July 19th to moderate a panel with the performance actors of Red Dead Redemption. I was at Southern-Fried Gaming Expo and played some games (including a dual screen Commodore 128 game!), helped run a panel about obscure games, and moderated a panel with video game voice actors. It was rumored (and proven true after recording) that Microsoft was going to lay off thousands of people in their Xbox division. Beat Saber is ending support for PlayStation platforms, and will only allow multiplayer and new DLC for the Steam and Meta Quest platforms going forward. Then we talk to Rob about SFGE and Fantasy Life i.

I'll be at the Southern-Fried Gaming Expo speaking on a panel about obscure games and hosting a panel with video game voice actors! A PSA if you have a Nintendo Switch 2 - update your controllers firmware! There is a firmware update and the console does NOT automatically update your controllers. The Switch 2 is now officially Nintendo's fastest selling device, and is most likely the fastest selling video game console ever. The SAG-AFTRA voice actors strike over AI protections has been suspended, which means voice actors are now returning to work. Then we take suggestions from chat about obscure video games that you might have missed, none of which we actually used in the presentation, but it was good hearing them!

BIGFEETS Episode 48 - The AIMS team vs. The Black Wolf Gather up yer huntin' jerky, yer huntin' flossing knife, yer huntin' fae maze, and all three of your teeth... we're huntin' the Black Wolf! The AIMS team is gonna get them some native American grim reaper, and THAT'S good eatin' reaper! Strap on yer huntin' diaper for another super sopping episode of BIGFEETS!

We attempt to do two hours of gaming talk in one hour, so buckle up! The ROG Xbox Ally is the handheld Xbox, announced at Summer Game Fest. Geoff Keighley misled at the Summer Game Fest Kickoff Showcase by claiming that dev teams were smaller than they actually were - erasing the many outsourced parts of the game development process. Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection is coming from Digital Eclipse, but is not Gold Master Series #4. The Nintendo Switch 2 is both plentiful and hard to find, depending on who you ask. We then talk about the transfer process, gameshare, clip sharing, the official carrying case, and what I played first. Then we talk to Rob about the Nintendo Switch 2.

I was at MomoCon working with the Momentum 2025 speedrun marathon! I will be back at Summer Games Done Quick 2025 as a host! SAG-AFTRA is now pushing back over Fortnite's use of James Earl Jones' voice to say generative AI voice lines instead of trying to work with existing voice actors who have taken over the Darth Vader character in other games. There are a few games that can't run on the Switch 2, but it's really not as surprising or bad as you think. Then we talk to Rob about how we're going to be at the Southern-Fried Gaming Expo in Atlanta on June 18-20th and also running a panel about overlooked classic games.

The AIMS team have entered a new paradigm, a stupid realm known only as, "The Dark Forest" among cast and crew. The boys are on the hunt for... the Raven Mocker? Wait.. maybe the little ghost girl? Er.. AH! The Black Wolf! Whaddya mean "...the what?" The Black Wolf! No... no that's not it. It's Jeff's dignity! The deadliest prey. It's another piss soaked free for all on this week's episode of BIGFEETS!

We start off remembering friend of the network Kurt Boutin, who went by "VOByKurt" in our community and on TikTok. Fortnite introduced Darth Vader and utilized an AI trained on James Earl Jones's voice with permission - however this made Vader say some very naughty things. Hideo Kojima wants a game that forgets what it was doing the longer you step away from it as a player. Then we talk to Rob about forgetting things after putting games down, and how to effectively parry in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

  This week on Traveling Culturati,  we're diving into summer travel wellness, ancient wonders, and trailblazing journeys on the waves. In Staying Healthy While You Travel, Yalanda Comeaux shares essential summer skincare tips to keep your glow intact on the go. Then, we explore ancient Egypt with Anthony Brower of the IKG Cultural Resource Center, followed by a vital conversation on safe ride-hailing with Kerry King Brown of BlackWolf. And finally, Rhonda Harper, founder of Black Girls Surf, joins us to share the powerful story behind her love for surfing and how she's making waves for Black women in the sport. Pack your curiosity — it's another culturally rich and inspiring journey on Traveling Culturati! We'll also have Ja'Vonne's Travel Minute and The Culture Report featuring host and travel pro Ja'Vonne Harley!

We start talking about what was actually leaked regarding the internet cult film Kung Fury, and why you shouldn't be holding your breath for it to come to theaters anytime soon. Giant Bomb has bought itself from Fandom and has become an independently owned media outlet once again. Nintendo has released a new EULA that gives them more power to go after people who engage with piracy. Then we talk to Rob about Super Nintendo World and the Mario Kart ride's seat sizes.

I spent a week on the Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady cruise ship, which actually has an impressive board game collection on board. Grand Theft Auto VI has been delayed to May of 2026 in a tradition that has been happening since GTA3. EA lays off 300 employees and cancelled the upcoming game in the Titanfall universe. Polygon has been sold from Vox Media to Valnet, and lays off 2/3rd of their staff. Valnet claims that it will still be the quality that is best for Polygon, despite all of its other sites being click-farms. Fandom abruptly shut down all Giant Bomb livestreaming after sending new brand guidelines making everything PG, which caused some influential people to leave the outlet. Unfortunately, my DNS servers went down half way through the show so the show is a little bit shorter and disjointed. (I merely rebooted my router right after going off the air and everything was fine.)

The Nintendo Switch 2 Preorders will finally go live, and while the console hasn't gone up in price, the accessories have. Greater Than Games, the producer of the board games Sentinels of the Multiverse and Spirit Island, is suspending operations in the face of tariff uncertainty in the US. An Atlanta-area game developer is finally entering early access with their retro-styled platform brawler, so take a look at Elemensional Rift. Then we talk to Rob about the Switch 2 prices and preorders.

Nintendo is assessing the tariff situation, and made a statement that the Switch 2 price was not made with the tariffs in mind. The 46% tariffs on Vietnam were paused for 90 days, but the 10% tariff went into effect. If you ask Google and Reddit, the physical version of Mario Kart World is $90 in the US - however, if you ask Nintendo, it is only $80. The confusion is because the internet is broken. Then we ask the multi-million dollar question - how could Mario Kart World's price have been lowered? You probably wouldn't like the answer as a consumer - but it's a reckoning a lot of AAA titles that are feature-filled or take innovation and risks will have to come to grips with. Then we talk to Rob about the price of everything gaming related, even though our wages haven't gone up to pay for it.

The Nintendo Switch 2 was announced on the same day the United States announced sweeping tariffs across every other nation on the planet. This caused the initial pre-orders for the Switch 2 to be delayed in the US. Vietnam, where Nintendo moved production to from China, had come to the negotiating table as of the recording of this show, and after recording this show, the reciprocal 46% tariff has been paused for 90 days (however the initial 10% still remains.) Board Games designed in the US are affected, too, because there just isn't the manufacturing capability or capacity in the US to do the specialty parts that many board games need. This means that board game prices will either soar, or people will just stop designing new board games. Tabletop Game makers are also facing some tough decisions about how to go forward with their business when the only good manufacturing for their niche product is in a highly tariff'd country.

In this deeply reflective episode, Kaleah explores the art of surrender and what it truly means to walk the soul path in a world driven by ego, achievement, and material gain. Drawing upon personal experience, spiritual insight, and the wisdom of “The Good Red Road,” she shares how letting go of control and aligning with your authentic self can lead to true abundance, purpose, and peace. You'll discover:

Before the Switch 2 reveal, Nintendo revealed the Virtual Game Card system, a solution to a problem not many people were having - which caused confusion. We break down who it's for and why it might not be something you would use, since you can opt out of it. Game Informer is back! At least the magazine and staff is - thanks to a crypto company. No word on the amazing Game Informer Vault, though. Sony is preserving PlayStation history on tape backups in a cold storage vault at an undisclosed location, but it's not for researchers - only for internal company use. Then we talk to Rob about the Virtual Game Cards and who they're for.

Are you an empath or highly sensitive person who often feels overwhelmed, misunderstood, or like you don't quite belong in this world? In this powerful episode, Kaleah LaRoche explores the deep and often challenging journey of the empath — from childhood wounds and emotional overwhelm to spiritual awakening and soulful empowerment. You'll discover how being highly sensitive is not a flaw, but a sacred calling. Kaleah shares insights into the empath's role in humanity, the connection between sensitivity and the Soul Path, and how to transform emotional pain into purpose. Learn how to protect your energy, recognize the spiritual gifts within your sensitivity, and walk a path of authenticity, healing, and truth. Whether you're navigating the dark night of the soul, recovering from narcissistic abuse, or simply searching for deeper meaning, this episode is a guide to embracing your empathic nature and reclaiming your spiritual power.

Yakuza is leaving Game Pass and it's all one of our listener's fault. The United Videogame Workers union has started to help the game industry unionize. Standard accessibility labels are coming across several online storefronts. SNES's are faster now, and it's because of Nintendo skimping on a resonator, so it speeds up over time. Portal is getting a new pinball machine courtesy of the Multimorphic P3 platform. Then we talk to Rob about Arcade1up and how it sounds like they are about to go under - and how our TRON cabinets are now worth a lot of money.

Discord is in talks to go public, which means that we're nearing the time when the platform might become less usable as profits will become more necessary. Forza Horizon 5 on the PlayStation 5 will require an Xbox account linked to your PSN account to play. Classic game publisher Acclaim is returning! While everyone is talking about which games they could resurrect, the reality is only the trademark was purchased, and the new company doesn't own any of the former Acclaim catalog. There's a lot of live investigation about who owns what rights to what games, with a lot of attention to Wizards & Warriors. We still aren't positive who owns it. Then we took a call about Jeff Jarrett's involvement with Acclaim and why that is a red flag. Then we talk to Rob about Acclaim and my old Flappy Bird clone that maybe Acclaim can publish.

Are you truly living in alignment with your soul's purpose, or have you been following a path shaped by fear, societal conditioning, and external expectations? In this episode of Pandora's Box, we dive deep into The Soul Path—what it means to walk your true, authentic journey and why doing so is the key to abundance, success, health, and happiness. We explore: ✨ The difference between the ego's voice (the Black Wolf) and the soul's voice (the White Wolf) ✨ How early conditioning leads us away from our true calling ✨ Why life crises—such as loss, illness, or emotional turmoil—often serve as wake-up calls ✨ The different stages of soul awakening and how to break free from societal programming ✨ The biggest regrets of the dying and how to ensure you live a purpose-filled life Most people never take the time to uncover who they truly are, waiting until it's too late to realize they were living for someone else's expectations. But you don't have to be one of them. If you're feeling stuck, unfulfilled, or questioning whether you're on the right path, this episode will challenge you to look deeper and take the first steps toward true alignment. Are you ready to explore your soul's purpose?

In this episode of Pandora's Box Podcast, we take a deep dive into the profound story of the Black Wolf and the White Wolf. This ancient Cherokee wisdom teaches us about the two forces within us—the part that thrives in fear, survival, and ego, and the part that aligns with love, purpose, and soul-driven guidance. But is the Black Wolf truly "evil"? Through my own exploration, I realized that labeling our darker aspects as evil only pushes them further into the shadows. Instead, the key to transformation is integration—finding balance between these two forces rather than attempting to eliminate one. In this episode, we explore:

We start off talking about preservation of television video from the late 90's and 2000's - and why it looks a lot worse today than we remember when it first aired. PEGI has reclassified Balatro and Luck Be A Landlord down to a PEGI-12 rating from a PEGI-18, which was given because it had elements of gambling. PEGI's statement described how it was modifying its rating rules to account for "fantastical elements" in games like Balatro. EA has released the source code for many of their Command & Conquer titles, which are fun to go through and will help the modding community greatly, but won't really teach you how to make a game in 2025. Warner Bros is closing Monolith Productions, Player First Games, and WB Games San Diego, and cancelling their projects, including a Wonder Woman game. Monolith Productions had patented the "Nemesis" system from Shadow of Mordor, and now Warner Bros holds on to the patent until 2036, while most likely not using it in any more games - but will stop other games from incorporating the same mechanic. Then we talk about how March is gonna have a lot of great game releases.

Twitch is going to be destroying a decade of gaming history by limiting all Twitch channels to only 100 hours of highlights on their account, affecting only 0.5% of active channels, which apparently include everyone I know in the speedrunning community. An entire US based team of designers has been laid off by Chinese company NetEase, even though they worked on the hugely successful Marvel Rivals. Limited Run Games has put out a warning regarding some recently released NES cartridges that may damage the cartridge or the console due to faulty voltage regulation. Then we talk with the chat about asset reuse and the Yakuza/Like A Dragon series, now that Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is out.

A malware infected game was released for free on Steam and delisted - but not before a thousand gamers downloaded and launched it. Valve recommends you format your PC. The creators of E3 have a new industry trade show, and seem to be doing everything in their power to not make the consumers interested - which is great. Former Activision CEO claims that buying Bizarre Creations, the creators of Project Gotham Racing and Blur, was a "bad decision". Then we talk to Rob about if he bought Civilization VII, and about how No Man's Sky's previous expedition rewards got wiped out on consoles.

I visited the Sonic The Hedgehog Speed Cafe pop-up restaurant in Atlanta - a place where you are paying for the experience and not for the culinary excellence. (But the food was fine!) We had a listener correct me on calling the Meta Quest 3 a "low-end" VR headset, and then point me to Arcade Time Capsule, a five story VR arcade. (Bring your own games!) Forza Horizon 5 is coming to PlayStation this year. Then we talk to Rob about the Video Game History Foundation and what he searched for when it opened its digital library.

The first part of the podcast is actually about me getting two new kittens! It takes up the first 15 or so minutes. EA is retiring the Origin PC client, which means that they are no longer supporting DRM for titles on 32-bit PC's, so older computers won't be able to launch The Sims anymore. US spending on physical video games has halved since 2021, spelling doom for people who don't want to lose access to their purchases. The Video Game History Foundation has brought most of their library online for research purposes - magazines, dev notebooks, and other things that aren't the games themselves. Then we talk to Rob about the Video Game History Foundation and what he'd search for first when it goes online.

I was at the tabletop/board gaming convention Dice & Diversions this weekend, run by the same folks behind the Southern Fried Gaming Expo. The government ban on apps by Chinese-owned ByteDance included the popular mobile game Marvel Snap, which surprised its California based developers. The Nintendo Switch 2 was finally unveiled in a CG rendered trailer, with a full reveal occurring April 2nd. Gaming outlet Nintendo Life released a "Better eShop" after a week of development, and silenced many highly rated, award winning indie games in the process. Then we talk to Rob about the Better eShop and the name of the Nintendo Switch 2.

CES was this weekend, but the big news were the leaks of the Nintendo Switch 2, which had not been formally announced at the time of reporting. Nintendo did, however, say that the Genki mockups shown at CES were not official. Meta is discontinuing their higher end Quest Pro headset, instead concentrating on the Quest 3 and Quest 3S line. Valve has announced that SteamOS is coming to other handhelds sooner than you think, with the Lenovo Legion Go S being the first device to get official support. Then we talk to Rob about other CES announcements, like a mini virtual pinball machine from My Arcade.

We are back! It is now 2025, the holidays are over, and it's time to get back to talking about video games. I was in Las Vegas over the Christmas holiday, and went to AREA15 (along with Meow Wolf's Omega Mart as well as the Asylum Bar and Arcade) as well as the Pinball Hall of Fame. I also picked up Balatro. I won on my second game, and I will now retire from the game forever. (Or will I?) Apple has halted production on their Apple Vision Pro headset because they believe they have produced enough units to meet the demand over the headset's lifetime. Stern Pinball has announced a new Dungeons & Dragons pinball machine with celebrity voiceovers as well as a procedurally generated dungeon that changes every Sunday. Then we talk to Rob about my virtual pinball cabinet, and how Zen Studios unlocked the cabinet mode for free for Pinball FX3 users, rather than forcing you to jump through hoops to get a free activation code.

Halfway through the FPL season and lots of reasons to celebrate. We are kicking off 2025 in style, Brian is on cloud 9 as his dream season continues, Bux is finally over the flu, and Dan aka Blackwolf is taking the Wolves loss in good spirits as he rings in his 36th birthday. With GW21 not for another full week, Bux and Blackwolf recap GW20, discuss key learnings from the first part of the season and preview the winter transfer window. All smiles, fun, and green arrows ahead in 2025!

It's a magical time of year and we'd like to thank our listeners for tuning into the Tiny Town Library Podcast for 50 EPISODES! Listen in to this episode to recap 2024 and hear from our town welfare officer Juli Harvey. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, and have a Happy New Year Tiny Town! Amy's Top 24 of 2024 Horse by Geraldine Brooks North Woods by Daniel Mason Prophet Song by Paul Lynch The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden Family Family by Laurie Frankel The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon Martyr! By Kaveh Akbar After Annie by Anna Quindlen The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger Sandwich by Catherine Newman The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett The God of the Woods by Liz Moore The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny The History of Sound by Ben Shattuck By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker Leaving by Roxana Robinson The Friend by Sigrid Nunez 12 Books Coming out in Jan/Feb/March I'm looking forward to: 1/14 - More or Less Maddy by Lisa Genova (Still Alice) 1/14 - Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney (Daisy Darker, Rock Paper Scissors) 1/14 - Witchcraft For Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix (The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires, How to Sell A Haunted House) 1/21 - Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros (3rd in Empyrean, follows Fourth Wing and Iron Storm) 1/28 - Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson (Black Cake) 2/11 - We All Live Here by Jojo Moyes (Me Before You, The Giver of Stars) 3/4 - One Good Thing by Georgia Hunter (We Were the Lucky Ones) 3/11 - The Jackal's Mistress by Chris Bohjalian (The Flight Attendant, Hour of the Witch) 3/11 - Kills Well With Others by Deanna Raybourn (Killers of A Certain Age) 3/18 - Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins (Hunger Games #5!) 3/25 - Elphie: A Wicked Childhood by Gregory Maguire 4/1 - A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett (2nd book after The Tainted Cup) BONUS BOOK: I called it! Louise Penny's 20th Armand Gamache book comes out October 28th- the name…The Black Wolf!

The indie game storefront itch.io was taken down by Funko earlier this week due to a fraud report by Funko that was executed after itch.io removed the offending content. We talk about games being inaccessible, and somehow this devolves to yet another love session for the racing game Blur. The Game Awards was this week, and we talk a lot about the winners and trailers. During this, we wonder aloud why College Football 25 was not nominated for Best Sports Game when it was such a cultural phenomenon this summer. Then we ask what YOUR GOTY was.

We start off talking about where Microsoft Flight Simulator gets its maps - and why the game may be years behind what you can find in the web version. iFixIt now sells official Xbox parts, marking another win for Right to Repair. EA has made 23 accessibility patents free to use for any studio. The Dragon Quest creator wants you to loan your copy of the HD-2D Remake to kids when you're done with it so they will appreciate the genre like we did when we were kids. Then, thanks to chat, we talk about the legacy of Dani Bunten with 80's era multiplayer innovations with Seven Cities, M.U.L.E., and Modem Wars.

I was on the Dragon Con Digital Media Track's "Be Awesome Together" livestream this week, go check it out! Shuhei Yoshida is leaving Sony after over three decades. Sony has officially announced that the PlayStation 2 has sold over 160 million units worldwide, keeping it as the best selling game console of all time. Microsoft will be removing the Xbox Avatars App from the Xbox One and Xbox Series consoles in January of 2025 because nobody was using it. Then we talk to Rob about our previous gaming setups, including Bobby's dorm room in college.

We start off by talking about Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 and its current performance in VR, which has a long way to go to become stable. I finally went through Digital Eclipse's Gold Master Series of Tetris Forever, and I loved it, but people who just want the games may not be feeling it. Sony has submitted a proposal to purchase Kadokawa Corporation, which owns many anime and manga companies, but also FromSoftware, the developers behind Dark Souls and Elden Ring. Steam has issued new rules about DLC and season passes which are very pro consumer but make things more difficult for publishers who can't accurately predict release dates. Itch.io now requires AI disclosure for all products, and are making every project declare if they used GenAI in the development of what they are selling. Then we talk to Rob about Pikmin Bloom.

The second DLC for Atari 50 is out, about the first console war, and it has some interesting games - as long as you have a second player on the couch with you. Tetris Forever is also out now, and I give some early impressions of the games included and the start of the documentary portion. SEGA is delisting many classic games on all platforms, probably to sell them back to you at a higher price. Epic Games has said they are supporting the Internet Archive's hosting of Unreal and Unreal Tournament. GOG announced a preservation program that has them taking on tech support and updates for older games. Then we talk to Rob about game archival and when holiday lights should come up.

A new rideshare service featuring armed drivers is launching and Dallas and two other Texas cities. BlackWolf, a small ridesharing startup that gained fame through TikTok, is recruiting drivers in Dallas, Houston and Austin and hopes to launch by the end of this year or early 2025; In other news, at least 78 changes were made to University of North Texas courses in attempts to comply with the state's DEI ban. Faculty members fear the law — which bans diversity, equity and inclusion offices and programs from public colleges and universities — is leading to censorship of classes despite the exemptions for course instruction and research; River Central, a planned $2 billion mixed-use development near the DFW airport, is moving forward. The Fort Worth City Council unanimously approved rezoning nearly 57 acres on State Highway 360 in eastern Fort Worth from agricultural to high-density mixed use earlier this week; And an internet-famous spider monkey named Jorgie Boy faces a long recovery but is settling into his new home, says the owner of a sanctuary that took him in. Jorgie Boy has metabolic bone disease caused by poor nutrition, lack of Vitamin D, elevated liver levels and pancreatic levels. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I finally got to the part in Metaphor: ReFantazio with the mandatory stealth section...I don't like stealth. Nintendo has launched a new music app, and it has a feature that Spotify doesn't - extending the game loop for up to an hour. However, they don't credit the artists on any of the songs, and this is partially due to how Japanese companies work. Sony has closed Firewalk Studios, who made Concord, and Neon Koi, a mobile game studio, just two years after purchasing them. Then we talk to Rob about the Nintendo Music App and the Like A Dragon: Yakuza series on Amazon Prime.

On this episode of the FPLUSA Press Play Podcast, hosts Blackwolf & Bux are finally joined by @FPLPaz. It's all laughs and good fun coming off a strong GW10 with a full set of green arrows. Paz describes his wild night out, Dan soars up the ranks after a minus -8 hit, Bux gets his Ola Aina victory lap, and Brian is many espresso martinis poorer in Australia. We highlight Liverpool's dream start and re-evaluate teams like Arsenal, City, Forest and Newcastle. The podcast is closed out with us answering #FPLCommunity listener questions and our plans for GW11. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fplusapressplay/support

Its a Down Under themed episode hosted by Bux & Blackwolf. Brian is away on holiday in Australia and our scheduled guest host ditched us last minute. No worries, we power through and knock on wood to have plenty of quality FPL banter to cover. On this therapeutic and at times NSFW episode, we recap the highs and lows of GW9, discuss the fallout from some comical refereeing, and debate whether it makes sense to cast off Haaland to bring in the premium midfielders. Join the fun happening in #FPLUSA and let's ride into a well deserved green arrow this coming weekend in #FPL #GW10 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fplusapressplay/support

Tina and Hillary talk FEMA, SCOTUS rulings, Obama's speech, JD Vance's election denial, and more! Sources AP Supreme Court declines Biden's appeal in Texas emergency abortion case (https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-emergency-abortion-texas-bf79fafceba4ab9df9df2489e5d43e72) NBC News Supreme Court allows Oregon city policy that punishes homeless people for sleeping on public property (https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-rejects-challenge-oregon-city-laws-targeting-ho-rcna153249) Rolling Stone Florida Republicans Who Voted Against Funding FEMA Are Now Facing Disaster (https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/florida-republicans-funding-fema-hurricane-helene-milton-1235130244/) Salon "This dude will even outsource God": Walz blasts Trump for making Bibles in China (https://www.salon.com/2024/10/11/this-dude-will-even-outsource-god-walz-blasts-for-making-bibles-in-china/) Photos SCOTUS allows homeless bans in Oregon (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gq-KdzffLVk)--screenshot via Face the Nation on YouTube SCOTUS upholds emergency abortion ban (https://www.kswo.com/video/2024/10/07/scotus-rules-uphold-tx-ban-emergency-abortions/)-screenshot via ABC 7 Obama giving speech in Pittsburgh- (https://www.instagram.com/p/DBAOPyYvnEo/)-screenshot via Obama's Instagram Walz giving speech in Michigan (https://www.instagram.com/p/DA_kGUiJ0Lz/)--screenshot via Walz's Instagram