Podcast appearances and mentions of stephen totilo

Jordan Middler, Andy Robinson and Stephen Totilo venture further into the Switch 2's gooey innards, and scream 'How much for a tutorial?!'If you'd like to hear more from the talented and hardworking Stephen check out his work here: https://www.gamefile.news/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The lads grab their golf clubs and make for Seattle as they hop on the Ellie murder train that is Naughty Dog's 2020 revengeapalooza: The Last of Us Part II. Topics include the chaotic development process, the CW-fication of the writing, and the inescapable conservatism at the core of The Last of Us universe. Media Referenced in the Episode: The Last of Us Part II. Dir. Neil Druckmann. Naughty Dog. 2020. 220: Josh Boerman and Dylan Rank Game Mechanics With Us | Anime Sickos - Podcast for Geniuses “The Evolution of Ellie” by Elise Favis. The Washington Post. July 1st, 2020. Grounded II: The Making of The Last of Us: Part II. “The Not So Hidden Israeli Politics of 'The Last of Us Part II'” by Emanuel Maiberg. Vice. July 15h, 2020. “We Talked To The Last Of Us Part II's Director About The Game's Violence (And More Treacherous Stealth)” by Stephen Totilo. Kotaku. June 12th, 2018. Interstitial: “The CW's The Last of Us: Season Two” // Written by A.J. Ditty // Feat. A.J. Ditty as “CW Announcer/Barnaby Bozo” (edited) 

Thank you so much to our Patreon community for supporting this channel. Join us today at http://www.Patreon.com/KitAndKrysta for exclusive content including predictions and reactions to the latest Switch 2 news *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Hello! We have very special guest Stephen Totilo joining us today to talk about his experience playing Nintendo Switch 2 games at Nintendo's media event earlier this week. Stephen shares his thoughts about Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza, Metroid Prime 4 and MORE! He also goes into detail about Nintendo's mood at the event as the pricing controversy and fan frustration reaches a fever pitch. Be sure to check out Stephen's awesome newsletter GameFile where he goes into even more detail about his time at the event. Thanks so much for watching this video! 0:00 - Welcome Stephen 0:59 - General event vibes and structure 14:33 - Hands on game impressions (Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza, Metroid Prime 4 and more) 47:40 - Nintendo's mood at the event as the price discourse hit Subscribe to GameFile: https://www.gamefile.news/ Follow Us! https://www.patreon.com/kitandkrysta https://twitter.com/kitandkrysta https://www.tiktok.com/@kitandkrysta https://www.instagram.com/kitandkrysta/ http://www.facebook.com/kitandkrysta/ https://bsky.app/profile/kitandkrysta.bsky.social -Kit & Krysta

Thank you to Raycon for sponsoring this episode. Go to http://www.ShopRaycon.com/KitAndKrysta to get 15% off + FREE shipping *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Hi and welcome to episode 109 of the Kit & Krysta Podcast! This week we're joined by our good friend Stephen Totilo - games journalist extraordinaire! Stephen has been covering video games and Nintendo for decades and has so many insider stories. When we were at Nintendo, there were so many people on our team who were scared at the prospect of talking to Stephen and we never understood why! We dig into all of that with him today. Also in this episode, we recap all the news that came out during Mario Day and reflect on the tragic passing of the legendary Akira Toriyama. We've also been playing some other games other than Final Fantasy VII Rebirth so we tell you what we think of those. We wrap it all up with questions from our wonderful Patreon subscribers. 0:00 - Kit's industry heartbreak 17:55 - Welcome Stephen Totilo! 1:19:32 - Games we are playing (Balatro, Mediterrenea Inferno, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth) 1:45:23 - News news news (Mario Day announcements, Akira Toriyama, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth sales) 2:07:35 - Questions from our Patreon subscribers Follow Us! https://www.patreon.com/kitandkrysta https://twitter.com/kitandkrysta https://www.tiktok.com/@kitandkrysta https://www.instagram.com/kitandkrysta/ http://www.facebook.com/kitandkrysta/ -Kit & Krysta

#VideoGames #Journalism #Xbox In this interview Luke Lohr and Captain Logun are joined by journalist Stephen Totilo (GameFile.news) to discuss the state of games journalism as well as how games coverage has changed over the course of his 20+ year career. Enjoy! XEP has a Patreon! If you enjoy XEP please consider supporting us financially to help us look, sound, and podcast better. Patreon.com/XboxExpansionPass XEP has Merch! If you're interested in snagging some Xbox Expansion Pass merchandise, please check this out: https://wren-works.myshopify.com/collections/xbox-expansion-pass-merch The Xbox Expansion Pass (XEP) is a podcast dedicated to interpreting the goings on in the world of video games and analyzing how they impact the Xbox ecosystem. Luke Lohr, the InsipidGhost, plays host and discusses various topics throughout the industry. The guests on the show are meant to help gamers expand their knowledge of the gaming industry.

There are more than 3 billion video gamers worldwide. Many come--and stay--for the community. Today: AI is changing gaming for these communities, and the head of one major video game developer says we need to advance gaming for users through responsible AI. Niala talks with Songyee Yoon of NCSoft, from the Axios House at the World Economic Forum, and gets context from Axios' global technology correspondent Ryan Heath. Plus: Stephen Totilo, author of the Game File newsletter, with a reality check on the human vs. AI touch in gaming today. Guests: Songyee Yoon, president and chief strategic officer of South Korean-based video game developer NCSoft; Ryan Heath, Axios global technology correspondent and co-author of Axios AI+; Stephen Totilo, author and founder of Game File and former gaming reporter at Axios. Credits: 1 big thing is produced by Niala Boodhoo, Alexandra Botti, and Jay Cowit. Music is composed by Alex Sugiura. You can reach us at podcasts@axios.com. You can send questions, comments and story ideas as a text or voice memo to Niala at 202-918-4893. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stephen Totilo has been a games journalist for two decades now, making him one of the most experienced people in the field. His career spans a stint at MTV News as its first ever games reporter, nine years as Kotaku's Editor-in-Chief and until recently, he wrote a twice-weekly gaming newsletter for Axios.Today, Stephen is looking to strike out on his own with Game File, an independent newsletter published on Substack and funded directly by his audience."I have concerns about a younger generation of reporters finding a footing, coming up, because we are seeing in the elimination of a lot of these jobs, lesser opportunity for people who are still trying to make a name for themselves and do it in a way that is sustainable. But, what I see in aggregate is more outlets, right now, committed to covering games than I saw several years ago."Support the show

Alice Caldwell-Kelly (Trashfuture, Kill James Bond!, WTYP) books the lads a helicopter ride straight to the heart of Hope County as they bring about the Collapse of Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft Toronto's Far Cry 5. Topics include the game's divisive ending, the art of AAA game writing, and the rotten politics seeping out of one of the most morally compromised games ever made. Want more TWOAPW? Get access to our full back catalogue of premium/bonus episodes and add your name to the masthead of our website by subscribing for $5/month at Patreon.com/worstofall! Alice Caldwell-Kelly: Twitter / Instagram / Patreon Trashfuture is a podcast about business success and making yourself smarter with the continued psychic trauma of capitalism. Website / Twitter / Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts Kill James Bond! is a comedy film review/pop culture commentary podcast about the eponymous English spy, James Bond. Alice Caldwell-Kelly, Abigail Thorn, and Devon watch a different Bond movie every fortnight in an attempt to give 007 the socialist, feminist comeuppance he so richly deserves. Free episodes are released every fortnight on all major podcast platforms and bonus episodes are released for supporters on Patreon on the interstitial weeks. Website / Twitter / Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts Well There's Your Problem: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Youtube Media Referenced in this Episode: Far Cry 5 by Ubisoft Monstreal and Ubisoft Toronto “Far Cry 5 Is a Game About Resisting An American Militia, Will Be Out in February” by Stephen Totilo. Kotaku, May 26th 2017. “Far Cry 5 First Look: A Montana Uprising” by Ryan McCaffrey. IGN. May 16th, 2017. “Far Cry 5 Director on Social commentary, cults, and bull testicles” by Thomas McMullan. Alphr. March 19th, 2018. “Far Cry 5: The Kotaku Review” by Ethan Gach. Kotaku, March 26th, 2018. “Far Cry 5 review” by Ben Kuchera. Polygon. March 28th, 2018. TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com Commercial: “The Project at Eden's Gate feat. Melvin Abercrombie of the Hope County Abercrombies”

At least 100 million Americans have some sort of medical debt. But, the group with the highest rates of medical debt might surprise you. The big picture: Nearly 1 in 4 middle-class Americans, people who earn $50,000-$100,000 a year, have unpaid medical bills, according to a new report from the think tank Third Way. We take a look at why middle-class Americans have the highest rates of medical debt. Plus, we follow our teacher shortage reporting with teachers' own stories. And, a lack of bus drivers adds to the back-to-school chaos. Guests: Axios' Tina Reed and Stephen Totilo. Credits: Axios Today was produced by Niala Boodhoo, Alexandra Botti, Fonda Mwangi and Alex Sugiura. Music is composed by Evan Viola. You can reach us at podcasts@axios.com. You can send questions, comments and story ideas to Niala as a text or voice memo to 202-918-4893. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Men used to go to war. Today they are keyboard militias, defending the sanctity of video games and the Gamer™ identity from hysterical women and their evil feminine wiles. ... If you didn't know about Gamergate before today, we're jealous. In this episode, Hannah and Maia provide an excruciatingly detailed breakdown of the 2014 mass harassment campaign which led to the abuse, threatening, and doxxing of countless figures in the game development, journalism, and academic industries. Was there really a feminist conspiracy against video games? Was it just a bunch of men feeling threatened by the fact that, surprise, games are fun for everyone? Or was it just faceless trolls throwing stink bombs all over social media? Listen for an illuminating interview with special guest Fūnk-é Joseph, who offers some much needed insights into just what the hell happened with Gamergate, and what the hell it did to ~the culture~.  Support the Patreon and get juicy bonus content!: https://www.patreon.com/rehashpodcast Intro and outro song by our talent friend Ian Mills: https://linktr.ee/ianmillsmusic Sources: Shira Chess and Adrienne Shaw, “A Conspiracy of Fishes, or, How We Learned to Stop Worrying About #GamerGate and Embrace Hegemonic Masculinity” Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media (2015). Caitlin Dewey, “The only guide to Gamergate you will ever need to read” The Washington Post (2014). Zackary Jason, “Game of Fear” Boston Magazine (2015). Torill Elvira Mortensen, “Anger, Fear, and Games: The Long Event of #GamerGate” Games and Culture, vol. 13 (8) (2016). Stephen Totilo, “A brief note about the continued discussion about Kotaku's approach to reporting.” (August 26, 2014).

Sorry about the extended gap in uploads! Our hosting service migrated ownership and broke uploads for a few weeks, awesome. Support Inside Games! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/insidegamesYT YouTube Membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFHQlasvjQ0JMOHoKOz4c0g/join Hosted by: Lawrence: http://twitch.tv/sirlarr | Bruce: http://twitch.tv/brucegreene | Charlotte: http://twitch.tv/whatashow Edited by: ShooklynTV: https://twitter.com/ShooklynTV Written by: Lawrence Sonntag Sources -- [TheVerge] Microsoft acquired Bethesda after hearing Starfield would be exclusive to PlayStation - https://bit.ly/3rbZW6o [IGN] Xbox Boss Phil Spencer Tells Judge 'I Will Do Whatever It Takes' to Keep Call of Duty on PlayStation - https://bit.ly/3qZuOad [Twitter, Imran Khan] https://bit.ly/4300M3G [IGN] The Elder Scrolls 6 Still 'Five+ Years Away', PlayStation Version Undecided - https://bit.ly/432Dp9D [IGN] Microsoft Expects the Next Generation of Consoles to Come Out in 2028 - https://bit.ly/42XjBnT [IGN] PlayStation Boss Jim Ryan Admits Starfield Xbox Exclusivity Is Not 'Anti-Competitive' - https://bit.ly/3Xv4cKl [IGN] PlayStation Boss Jim Ryan 'Pretty Sure' Call of Duty Will Remain on PlayStation in Bombshell Email - https://bit.ly/442FiUU [UK Competition & Markets Authority] SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT OBSERVATIONS ON THE CMA'S ADDENDUM TO THE PROVISIONAL FINDINGS - https://bit.ly/41lHpRV [Reuters] Microsoft, Activision ask judge for speedy schedule in FTC challenge - https://reut.rs/3prmVKq [IGN] Sony Boss Jim Ryan: Many Publishers Believe Xbox Game Pass Is 'Value Destructive' - https://bit.ly/3PyUN2B [IGN] Xbox Seriously Considered Acquiring Sega, Bungie, IO, and Others to Fill Content Gaps - https://bit.ly/442Ftj2 [Twitter, Stephen Totilo] https://bit.ly/442FvHG, https://bit.ly/3Py2NAM [Twitter, Tom Warren] https://bit.ly/3CNriCA Music — Switch It Up - Silent Partner https://youtu.be/r_HRbXhOir8 Get Back - Silent Partner https://youtu.be/iQYmgOrPEvs Kula - Topher Mohr and Alex Elena https://youtu.be/0bywp0qTVNo Funk Down - MK2 https://youtu.be/SPN_Ssgqlzc

Latinos remain the country's youngest and fastest-growing demographic and the next president will need to appeal to these voters. Especially Democrats, who've been losing ground to Republicans. Plus, the challenges of caretaking. And, the new Zelda game smashes records. Guests: Axios' Sophia Cai, Stephen Totilo and NBC's Richard Lui. Credits: Axios Today is produced by Niala Boodhoo, Alexandra Botti, Fonda Mwangi, Lydia McMullen-Laird, Robin Linn and Alex Sugiura. Music is composed by Evan Viola. You can reach us at podcasts@axios.com. You can text questions, comments and story ideas to Niala as a text or voice memo to 202-918-4893. Go Deeper: Inside Biden's plan to win back Latino voters Nintendo's Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom sells 10 million copies in 3 days Unconditional movie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After years of stumbling in the mobile space, Sega decided to throw $775M at the problem with the acquisition of Rovio. Also: Lots of layoffs, some acquisitions, a bunch of earnings, and the March Circana report on U.S. video game spending. You can support Virtual Economy's growth via our Ko-Fi and also purchase Virtual Economy merchandise! TIME STAMPS [00:01:06] - Epic v Apple… The End [00:04:03] - Microsoft Earnings for Q3 FY23 [00:14:21] - Sony Earnings for FY23 [00:18:13] - Remedy Earnings for Q1 FY23 [00:21:02] - Paradox Earnings for Q1 FY23 [00:23:14] - Sega Earnings for FY23 [00:26:32] - Investment Interlude [00:42:23] - Quick Hits [00:55:35] - Labor Report [01:03:59] - Circana U.S. Video Game Spending report for March 2023 [01:15:57] - FAFO SOURCES UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT | Court Listener Microsoft - Earnings Release FY23 Q3 | Microsoft Sony - FY2022 Earnings Announcement | Sony REMEDY ENTERTAINMENT PLC'S BUSINESS REVIEW JANUARY-MARCH 2023 | Remedy Paradox Interim report January – March 2023 | Paradox Sega Consolidated Financial Results for the Year Ending March 31 | Sega SEGA to Acquire Rovio Entertainment Oyj | Business Newswire Paradox closing Umea and Malmo studios to veer away from decentralized development | Game Developer Amazon Lays Off About 100 Employees in Its Gaming Divisions | Bloomberg (Paywall) InnoGames lays off 75 staff | GamesIndustry Ready at Dawn and Downpour Interactive impacted by Meta layoffs | Game Developer Sega of America is the latest video game studio to organize | The Verge Sega of America president reacts to unionization | Stephen Totilo (@stephentotilo) on Twitter Phoenix Labs cuts staff | GamesIndustry Documents in Activision Blizzard, Case No. 31-CA-316279 | NLRB INVESTMENT INTERLUDE Devolver Purchased Doinksoft | Devolver Digital (@devolverdigital) on Twitter Savvy Games Group To Acquire Leading Games Company Scopely | Savvy Games Focus Entertainment acquires the acclaimed UK-based Dovetail Games Group | Dovetail Games Sony is Fueling the Gamer Lawsuit Against the Microsoft / Activision Acquisition | Stephen Totilo (@stephentotilo) on Twitter Welcoming Firewalk Studios to the PlayStation Studios family | PlayStation Blog AQUIRIS is Joining Epic and Becoming Epic Games Brasil | Epic Games Atari Announces Acquisition of More than 100 PC and Console Titles from the 80s and 90s | GlobeNewswire

On April 26, the United Kingdom's Competition and Markets Authority announced its intent to block the $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft, the largest merger and acquisition deal ever in gaming. The regulating body argues that with franchises like Call of Duty in tow, Microsoft will take over the small-but-growing cloud gaming market. The deal's not dead, but how will the challenge in the U.K. affect its ability to close by July? Will Microsoft and Activision Blizzard push forward and dare regulators to sue them? Axios' reporter Stephen Totilo joins Jacob to discuss the monumental deal and the hurdles it will face moving forward. You can follow Stephen here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Commerce Department released on Thursday that the U.S. economy grew at a 1.1% annual rate in the first quarter. And there's another big Fed meeting coming up next week. Axios' Courtenay Brown gives us a look at where our economy is right now. Plus, why gamers keep leaking sensitive military info online. And, the surprising run for the Miami Heat. Guests: Axios' Courtenay Brown and Stephen Totilo. Credits: Axios Today is produced by Niala Boodhoo, Alexandra Botti, Fonda Mwangi and Alex Sugiura. Music is composed by Evan Viola. You can reach us at podcasts@axios.com. You can text questions, comments and story ideas to Niala as a text or voice memo to 202-918-4893. Go Deeper: The GDP report's silver linings Gamers keep leaking sensitive military info How Jimmy Butler, No. 8 Heat made history with upset of No. 1 Bucks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nicolle Wallace discusses the new investigation by the New York Times that takes an in depth look at the former president's private residence and shows how easy it would have been for the thousands of guests at Mar-a-Lago to obtain the classified documents, how video games could be the next battleground in combating hate and extremism, where the DOJ stands before the January 6th Select Committee's final hearing and more. Joined by: Mike Schmidt, John Heilemann, Clint Watts, Stephen Totilo, Michael Steele, Barry Berke, Barry McCaffrey, Michael McFaul, Mike Memoli and Rev. Al Sharpton.

Labor Day is just around the corner, and unions haven't been this popular in 50 years. Almost 71% of Americans now say they approve of unions. That's up almost 10% from pre-pandemic levels. And this week, the California Senate passed a bill that could raise wages for fast food workers to as high as $22 per hour. It has the potential to revitalize the way unions work in the US. Plus, players in The Sims are bringing abortion to their virtual world. And, Serena's last twirl. Guests: Axios' Emily Peck and Stephen Totilo. Credits: Axios Today is produced by Niala Boodhoo, Sara Kehaulani Goo, Alexandra Botti, Lydia McMullen-Laird, Robin Linn, Alex Sugiura, and Ben O'Brien. Music is composed by Evan Viola. You can reach us at podcasts@axios.com. You can text questions, comments and story ideas to Niala as a text or voice memo to 202-918-4893. Go deeper: California fast-food bill marks pivotal moment for low-wage workers Popular game mods add abortion to The Sims Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, John enlists the help of Axios games reporter Stephen Totilo to fill in important gaps in the week's top stories, including a new lawsuit filed against Activision-Blizzard, Square-Enix dumping some Western studios to Embracer, and Reggie Fils-Aime's book tour. We also get you ready for the upcoming week's game releases including some Xbox Game Pass you won't want to miss. Check out the Axios weekly newsletter here! Listen to John's other shows 99 Potions and Friends Reunion. Additional Reading: New York City sues Activision, targeting CEO Bobby Kotick Square Enix Sells Good Studios to Focus on Blockchain, AI, and the Cloud Outriders, Square Enix's Answer To Destiny, Didn't Turn A Profit In Its First Year Ubisoft Montreal is Taking Over Prince of Persia: Sands of Time Remake AEW Fight Forever Coming to PC With Little Else Known Bungie Unequivocally Comes Out For Not Losing Abortion Rights Más Fanbyte: Fanbyte Podcast Network (Like this show and want more like it? Check out our other podcasts!) Talk to us on Discord (Join our after show discussions in the Discord.) Rate and review our show (If you're listening on an iPhone, hook us up with a rating and a review if you like the work that we do!) Get in touch if you want to advertise with us -- advertising@fanbyte.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Inflation is now at 7.9 percent and has been causing financial hardship for millions of American families for months. But it's getting harder for food banks to get the staples they need in order to help. Plus, a historic release from the US oil reserve. And, how Wordle is bringing families together. Guests: Axios' Torey Van Oot, Jason Clayworth, Taylor Allen, and Stephen Totilo. Credits: Axios Today is produced by Niala Boodhoo, Sara Kehaulani Goo, Julia Redpath, Alexandra Botti, Nuria Marquez Martinez, Alex Sugiura, Sabeena Singhani, and Lydia McMullen-Laird. Music is composed by Evan Viola. You can reach us at podcasts@axios.com. You can text questions, comments and story ideas to Niala as a text or voice memo to 202-918-4893. Go deeper: Neighbors in need: Inflation squeezes Minnesota food banks Dashboard: Russian invasion of Ukraine Wordle used to have a much harder wordlist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MARKETPLACE: As Europe tries to wean itself off Russian natural gas, it's moving toward imports from the United States and renewable energy sources. The U.S. produces a lot of natural gas, but liquefying it to make it shippable is a roadblock, and significantly upping production could take years and cost billions. Also on today's show, the number of multigenerational households soars. Plus: Interrogating a potential 0.5% interest rate hike and the end of globalization in the Weekly Wrap.MARKETPLACE TECH: Video game developers, programmers and artists are gathering in San Francisco this week for the first in-person Game Developers Conference since 2019. One topic getting a lot of attention is non-fungible tokens — digital certificates showing ownership of digital assets like a picture or video. It's a topic for Quality Assurance, where we take a closer look at a big tech story. Marketplace's Kimberly Adams speaks with Stephen Totilo, who covers gaming for Axios and is attending the conference.Marketplace airs on Heartland Newsfeed Radio Network weeknights at 10 PM Eastern/7 PM Pacific (9 PM local time), featuring the Marketplace Tech episodes during each daily broadcast. The show, inclusive of Marketplace Tech, is five segments long. The programs are a production of American Public Media.BROADCAST SCHEDULE:Monday-Friday (live): 10 PM Eastern/7 PM Pacific (9 PM local)Revised live broadcast from March 25, 2022, on the Heartland Newsfeed Radio Network, online at heartlandnewsfeed.com, Spreaker, the Heartland Newsfeed Alexa radio skill, and other platforms.Listen Live: https://www.heartlandnewsfeed.com/listenliveFollow us on social mediaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/hlnfradionetworkTwitter: https://www.twitter.com/HLNF_BulletinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/heartlandnewsfeedMastadon: https://liberdon.com/@heartlandnewsfeedDiscord: https://discord.gg/6b6u6DTSupport us with your financial supportStreamlabs: https://streamlabs.com/heartlandmediaPayPal: https://www.paypal.me/heartlandmediaSquare Cash: https://cash.app/$heartlandnewsfeedPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/heartlandnewsfeed

Video game developers, programmers and artists are gathering in San Francisco this week for the first in-person Game Developers Conference since 2019. One topic getting a lot of attention is non-fungible tokens — digital certificates showing ownership of digital assets like a picture or video. It's a topic for Quality Assurance, where we take a closer look at a big tech story. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams speaks with Stephen Totilo, who covers gaming for Axios and is attending the conference.

Video game developers, programmers and artists are gathering in San Francisco this week for the first in-person Game Developers Conference since 2019. One topic getting a lot of attention is non-fungible tokens — digital certificates showing ownership of digital assets like a picture or video. It's a topic for Quality Assurance, where we take a closer look at a big tech story. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams speaks with Stephen Totilo, who covers gaming for Axios and is attending the conference.

Video game developers, programmers and artists are gathering in San Francisco this week for the first in-person Game Developers Conference since 2019. One topic getting a lot of attention is non-fungible tokens — digital certificates showing ownership of digital assets like a picture or video. It's a topic for Quality Assurance, where we take a closer look at a big tech story. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams speaks with Stephen Totilo, who covers gaming for Axios and is attending the conference.

Research shows that 55% of Americans picked up a video game during the pandemic, and by December 2020, the global gaming industry was estimated to have generated $160 billion in revenue that year. In short, gaming has never been bigger and keeps growing — and that means the stakes of gaming as a digital economy and as a social ecosystem keep getting higher. Dan is joined by Axios Gaming newsletter writers Stephen Totilo and Megan Farokhmanesh to discuss the launch of their newsletter and why gaming matters now more than ever. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we're tearing into our bosses—video game bosses of course. First, we kick things off by reviewing a few boss origin stories. Then, we discuss the best and worst video game bosses in great detail. And finally, we grill our former boss (and special guest), the one and only Stephen Totilo.

Logan and Trevor discuss the impressive Switch sales numbers and E3 planning an all digital event. Time Stamps and Related Links: 00:00 - Intro 00:01:32 - "Nintendo Switch sales overtake 3DS as Nintendo raises forecasts again" by Christopher Dring, GamesIndustry.biz https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-02-01-nintendo-switch-overtakes-3ds-as-nintendo-raises-forecasts-again 00:27:17 - "E3 pushes forward with plans for a digital 2021 event" by Andy Robinson, Video Games Chronicle https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/e3-pushes-forward-with-plans-for-a-digital-2021-event/ Shoutouts: 00:44:26 - "Here's How Video Game Embargoes (And Other Restrictions) Work" by Stephen Totilo, Kotaku https://kotaku.com/how-video-game-review-restrictions-work-and-dont-1846199977 00:46:46 - "For The Streamer From The Last of Us Bunny Meme, Virality Led To Death Threats Over Things She Never Did" by Nathan Grayson, Kotaku https://kotaku.com/for-the-streamer-from-the-last-of-us-bunny-meme-virali-1846183478 00:54:59 - "Tom Brady vs Colin Kaepernick: Super Bowl LV Conjures QB Political Debate" by Scott McDonald, Newsweek https://www.newsweek.com/tom-brady-vs-colin-kaepernick-super-bowl-lv-conjures-qb-political-debate-1564347 01:04:23 - Outro Support on Patreon: patreon.com/thatnerdysite Follow the Nerds: Logan: @LeftyLoggy Trevor: @TrevorJStarkey That Nerdy Site: @thatnerdysite

Game journalists this week were quick to shame Mass Effect fans who are upset the upcoming trilogy remake will remove camera angles that focus on Miranda’s butt. We discuss the double standard the gaming industry has when it comes to sexualization (see: Jin Sakai’s celebrated naked cheeks in Ghost of Tsushima), Stephen Totilo’s departure from Kotaku, IGN rehashing the Rowling transphobia controversy, The Gamer complaining about fat shaming in Resident Evil Village, the backfire of The Medium’s trigger warning, and hypocrisy about the term “blind playthrough.”

Logan and Trevor respond to the news that Google is giving up on Stadia's first-party game development and give an update to last week's Scavengers Studio story. Time Stamps and Related Links: 00:00 - Intro 01:04 - "Google Stadia Shuts Down Internal Studios, Changing Business Focus" by Stephen Totilo, Kotaku https://kotaku.com/google-stadia-shuts-down-internal-studios-changing-bus-1846146761 35:06 - "Scavengers suspends co-founder Simon Darveau" by Brendan Sinclair, GamesIndustry.biz https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-01-27-scavengers-suspends-co-founder-simon-darveau Shoutouts: 40:55 - "How Harry Potter Fans Are Coping With J.K. Rowling" by Joshua Yehl, IGN https://www.ign.com/articles/how-harry-potter-fans-are-coping-with-jk-rowling 43:14 - Hades Developing Hell #06: What Happened After Launch, Noclip Video Game Documentaries https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WG4vg-WyjNw 44:43 - Outro Support on Patreon: patreon.com/thatnerdysite Follow the Nerds: Logan: @LeftyLoggy Trevor: @TrevorJStarkey That Nerdy Site: @thatnerdysite

#175 "Kapow?"Roundtable 2020.05.19 Your nice hosts talk big picture and get deep into the weeds this week. Mark runs Flash at 60fps on the Switch, Ellen makes a Star Trek reference, and Stephen wants more games that aren't fun.Hey you! If you're porting a project, whether it's just to a new Unity build target, or to a whole new codebase, we want to hear about it! contact@noblerobot.com or @NiceGamesClub.GDC's summer event will be digital only - Megan Farokhmanesh, The VergeNeat things that Star Trek Online did with Star Trek lore - Eliot Lefebvre, Massively Overpowered Fun in Games 0:11:09 Ellen Burns-JohnsonGame DesignAssassin's Creed Valhalla Is Bringing Back The Instakill Hidden Blade, In A Sig… - Stephen Totilo, KotakuAssassin's Creed Odyssey Developers Say Breaking Series Traditions Made For A B… - Stephen Totilo, Kotaku15 things you can do to make Breath of the Wild feel new again - Patricia Hernandez, PolygonRaph Koster's Theory of Fun, ten years on - Leigh Alexander, Game DeveloperSolaris (1972) - trailer Porting Your Game 0:44:11 Mark LaCroixHardwareProgrammingYour Indie Game on Console: A Practical Guide to Porting - Thomas O'Connor, GDCOUYA works with Xbox 360 and PS3 controllers - Rik Henderson, Pocket-lintMicrosoft Windows Astoria bridge for Android is dead - Jan Vermeulen, MyBroadbandHaxe (programming langauge) - WikipediaPost-Mortem on Transitioning from Flash to Haxe - Doug Pearson, GameDaily ConnectC-- (programming language) - WikipediaIntroduction to OpenFL - HaxeFlixel documentationEpic Games' Unreal Engine Heads To Flash - Kris Graft, Game DeveloperAdobe Flash Player Export in Unity 4.0 - Ralph Hauwert, UnitySunsetting Flash - David Helgason, UnityDevelopment of Duke Nukem Forever - Wikipedia

#175 "Kapow?" Roundtable 2020.05.19 Your nice hosts talk big picture and get deep into the weeds this week. Mark runs Flash at 60fps on the Switch, Ellen makes a Star Trek reference, and Stephen wants more games that aren't fun. Hey you! If you're porting a project, whether it's just to a new Unity build target, or to a whole new codebase, we want to hear about it! contact@noblerobot.com or @NiceGamesClub. GDC’s summer event will be digital only - Megan Farokhmanesh, The Verge Neat things that Star Trek Online did with Star Trek lore - Eliot Lefebvre, Messively Overpowered Fun in Games 0:11:09 Ellen Burns-Johnson Game Design Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Is Bringing Back The Instakill Hidden Blade, In A Sig… - Stephen Totilo, Kotaku Assassin’s Creed Odyssey Developers Say Breaking Series Traditions Made For A B… - Stephen Totilo, Kotaku 15 things you can do to make Breath of the Wild feel new again - Patricia Hernandez, Polygon Raph Koster's Theory of Fun, ten years on - Leigh Alexander, Gamasutra Solaris (1972) - trailer Porting Your Game 0:44:11 Mark LaCroix Hardware Programming Your Indie Game on Console: A Practical Guide to Porting - Thomas O'Connor, GDC 2018 OUYA works with Xbox 360 and PS3 controllers - Rik Henderson, Pocket-lint Microsoft Windows Astoria bridge for Android is dead - Jan Vermeulen, MyBroadband Haxe (programming langauge) - Wikipedia Post-Mortem on Transitioning from Flash to Haxe - Doug Pearson, GameDaily Connect C-- (programming language) - Wikipedia Introduction to OpenFL - HaxeFlixel documentation Epic Games' Unreal Engine Heads To Flash - Kris Graft, Gamasutra Adobe Flash Player Export in Unity 4.0 - Ralph Hauwert, Unity Blog Sunsetting Flash - David Helgason, Unity Blog Development of Duke Nukem Forever - Wikipedia

Kirk and Maddy start by congratulating Jason on his new fatherhood, then get straight to the heart of the matter: video games. Maddy's still playing Fire Emblem and also tried two cool tabletop games, Sheriff of Nottingham and Escape from Aliens in Outer Space. Kirk's tabletop group is still playing Betrayal Legacy; Kirk also played the new Hitman level and... drumroll... Destiny 2: Shadowkeep. After a break (28:32), we bring on Kotaku's editor-in-chief Stephen Totilo to talk about Ghost Recon: Breakpoint and also attempt to define a sidequest (and shout out some of our favorite ones). We then close out with off-topic talk (1:08:15) about Elementary, Star Trek: The Next Generation and Can You Ever Forgive Me?Music pick of the week: "Oh My," Natalie Prass

Logan and Trevor are joined by Frank this week to discuss the Series S price and date reveal, the end of Kotaku UK, and Nintendo's baffling sales strategy. This week's stories and time stamps: 00:00 - Introductions 00:30 - Xbox Series S Info Dump "Microsoft confirms $299 Xbox Series S console" by Sam Byford, The Verge: https://www.theverge.com/2020/9/8/21426934/microsoft-xbox-series-s-announcement-price "Xbox Series S Price, Design, Release Date..." by Adam Bankhurst, IGN: https://www.ign.com/articles/xbox-series-x-xbox-series-s-release-date-and-price-reportedly-revealed 27:53 - Kotaku UK Ending "Kotaku UK Shutting Down" by James Batchelor, GamesIndustry.biz: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-09-07-kotaku-uk-shutting-down "Farewell from Kotaku UK" by Rich Stanton, Kotaku UK: https://www.kotaku.co.uk/2020/09/07/farewell-from-kotaku-uk "Thank You, Kotaku UK" by Stephen Totilo, Kotaku: https://kotaku.com/thank-you-kotaku-uk-1844975243 35:53 - Super Mario 3D All-Stars "Super Mario 3D All-Stars is already Amazon's second biggest game of 2020" by Matthew Handrahan, GamesIndustry.biz: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-09-08-super-mario-3d-all-stars-is-already-amazons-second-bestselling-game-of-2020 53:14 - Shoutouts "Premier League new kits 2020-21: every shirt ranked" by Thom Gibbs, The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2020/09/08/premier-league-new-kits-2020-21-every-shirt-ranked/ 54:28 - Outro Support on Patreon: patreon.com/thatnerdysite Follow the Nerds: Logan: @LeftyLoggy Trevor: @TrevorJStarkey Frank: @irrelevantjokes That Nerdy Site: @thatnerdysite

Your nice hosts talk big picture and get deep into the weeds this week. Mark runs Flash at 60fps on the Switch, Ellen makes a Star Trek reference, and Stephen wants more games that aren't fun. Hey you! If you're porting a project, whether it's just to a new Unity build target, or to a whole new codebase, we want to hear about it! contact@noblerobot.com or @NiceGamesClub. GDC’s summer event will be digital only - Megan Farokhmanesh , The Verge Neat things that Star Trek Online did with Star Trek lore - Eliot Lefebvre , Messively Overpowered Fun in Games 0:11:09 Ellen Burns-Johnson Category Game Design Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Is Bringing Back The Instakill Hidden Blade, In A Sig… - Stephen Totilo , Kotaku Assassin’s Creed Odyssey Developers Say Breaking Series Traditions Made For A B… - Stephen Totilo , Kotaku 15 things you can do to make Breath of the Wild feel new again - Patricia Hernandez , Polygon Raph Koster's Theory of Fun, ten years on - Leigh Alexander , Gamasutra Solaris (1972) - trailer Porting Your Game 0:44:11 Mark LaCroix Category Hardware Programming Your Indie Game on Console: A Practical Guide to Porting - Thomas O'Connor , GDC 2018 OUYA works with Xbox 360 and PS3 controllers - Rik Henderson , Pocket-lint Microsoft Windows Astoria bridge for Android is dead - Jan Vermeulen , MyBroadband Haxe (programming langauge) - Wikipedia Post-Mortem on Transitioning from Flash to Haxe - Doug Pearson , GameDaily Connect C-- (programming language) - Wikipedia Introduction to OpenFL - HaxeFlixel documentation Epic Games' Unreal Engine Heads To Flash - Kris Graft , Gamasutra Adobe Flash Player Export in Unity 4.0 - Ralph Hauwert , Unity Blog Sunsetting Flash - David Helgason , Unity Blog Development of Duke Nukem Forever - Wikipedia

GDC Was Postponed Because Of The Coronavirus“GDC postponed to later this year over coronavirus concerns,” by Megan Farokhmanesh and Nick Statt, The Verge: https://www.theverge.com/2020/2/28/21156037/gdc-2020-canceled-coronavirus-gaming-event-san-francisco“GDC 2020 is officially canceled due to coronavirus.” by Richard Lawler, Engadget: https://www.engadget.com/2020/02/28/gdc-2020-coronavirus/“The year's biggest video game development trade show just got 'postponed' due to concerns over the ongoing coronavirus outbreak,” Ben Gilbert and Kevin Webb, Business Insider: https://www.businessinsider.com/gdc-postponed-coronavirus-game-developers-conference-2020-2“GDC ‘postponed’ as multiple participants pull out over coronavirus fears,” by Jeff Grub, VentureBeat: https://venturebeat.com/2020/02/28/gdc-postponed-as-multiple-participants-pull-out-over-coronavirus-fears/“Indie developers are struggling after GDC’s cancellation, but relief funds can help,” by Nicole Carpenter, Polygon: https://www.polygon.com/2020/3/2/21161418/gdc-relief-fund-indie-developers-gdc-postponementHorizon Zero Dawn Is Coming To PC“Sony confirms Horizon Zero Dawn is coming to PC”, by Monica Chin, Polygon: https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/10/21173240/horizon-zero-dawn-pc-sony-playstation-ps4-exclusive-game-release“Horizon: Zero Dawn confirmed for PC,” by Christopher Dring, Gamesindustry.biz: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-03-10-horizon-zero-dawn-confirmed-for-pc“Hermen Hulst Q&A: Interview with Head of PlayStation’s Worldwide Studios. What's next for Guerrilla, upcoming TV and film projects, and the guiding principles that drive PlayStation’s network of world-class game studios,” by Sid Shuman, PlayStation Blog: https://blog.eu.playstation.com/2020/03/10/hermen-hulst-qa-interview-with-head-of-playstations-worldwide-studios/First-Party Xbox Series X And Select Third-Party Games Will Get Cross-Buy“Cyberpunk 2077 supports Xbox One and Series X cross-buy,” by Jeff Grub, VentureBeat: https://venturebeat.com/2020/02/24/cyberpunk-2077-xbox-cross-buy/“'Cyberpunk 2077' studio commits to a free Xbox Series X upgrade,” by Jon Fingas, Engadget: https://www.engadget.com/2020/02/24/cyberpunk-2077-xbox-series-x-free-update/“Cyberpunk 2077 Xbox One players can upgrade to Xbox Series X for free,” by Paul Tamburro, Gamer Revolution: https://www.gamerevolution.com/news/634899-cyberpunk-2077-xbox-one-players-can-upgrade-to-xbox-series-x-for-freeE3 Ain’t Looking To Hot“E3 loses its creative director three months before the show,” by Brett Makedonski, Destructoid: https://www.destructoid.com/e3-loses-its-creative-director-three-months-before-the-show-582545.phtml“Industry vet Geoff Keighley is skipping E3 for the first time in 25 years,” by Andrew Webster, The Verge: https://www.theverge.com/2020/2/12/21134836/geoff-keighley-skipping-e3-2020-the-game-awards“E3 Host Geoff Keighley Bows Out Of Show, Criticizes Event’s Direction,” by Stephen Totilo, Kotaku: https://kotaku.com/e3-host-geoff-keighley-bows-out-of-show-criticizes-eve-1841647234“Iam8bit pulls out as E3 2020’s creative director,’ by Jeff Grubb, VentureBeat: https://venturebeat.com/2020/03/05/iam8bit-e3-2020/“ESA moves ahead with E3 2020 despite coronavirus concerns,” by Rebekah Valentine, Gamesindustry.biz: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-03-02-esa-moves-ahead-with-e3-2020-planning-despite-coronavirus-concernsReggie Fils-Aimé Joins The GameStop Board“Reggie Fils-Aimé joins GameStop’s board of directors,” by Charlie Hall, Polygon: https://www.polygon.com/2020/3/9/21172177/reggie-fils-aime-joins-gamestop-board-of-directors-nintendo“GameStop appoints Reggie Fils-Aimé to board of directors,” by Jeff Grubb, VentureBeat: https://venturebeat.com/2020/03/09/reggie-fils-aime-gamestop/“Former Nintendo Of America President Reggie Fils-Aimé Joins GameStop's Board Of Directors,” by Liam Doolan, NintendoLife: http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/03/former_nintendo_of_america_president_reggie_fils-aime_joins_gamestops_board_of_directors“GameStop Has Appointed Ex-Nintendo Head Reggie Fils-Aime to Board of Directors,” by Brittany Vincent, Bleeding Cool: https://www.bleedingcool.com/2020/03/09/gamestop-has-appointed-ex-nintendo-head-reggie-fils-aime-to-board-of-directors/“GameStop Appoints Reginald Fils-Aimé, William Simon and James Symancyk to Board of Directors and Enhances Corporate Governance to Drive Ongoing Business Transformation,” by GameStop Corporate, GameStop Press Release: https://gamestop.gcs-web.com/news-releases/news-release-details/gamestop-appoints-reginald-fils-aime-william-simon-and-jamesQuestions? Comments?Email us at GreetingsFromCast@gmail.comCall us at +1-FIRM-GAMERS (+1-347-642-6377)Follow Us OnTwitter at https://twitter.com/greetingsfrompcFacebook at https://www.facebook.com/greetingsfromcast/Tumblr at https://blog.greetingsfrom.zone/Discord at https://discord.gg/fn8hVehYouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs2Q7mpzlKYY24IY5i_8r2AOr Individually AtOlivia: https://twitter.com/LivjqRebecca: https://twitter.com/RebeccafayTyler: https://twitter.com/WorldjumpinVisit us at http://www.greetingsfrom.zone/ for more episodes or to subscribeOur intro and outro music is an edited version of “Deep Fried Space Food” by SubstituteSandwiches under a Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcode)Download the song at: https://soundcloud.com/substitute_sandwiches/deep-fried-space-food

The Witcher TV Show“The Witcher 3 mods bring Henry Cavill and ‘Toss a Coin’ to life in the game,” Owen S. Good, Polygon: https://www.polygon.com/2020/1/5/21050480/the-witcher-3-henry-cavill-mod-toss-a-coin-pc-video“PS Store Sales Charts: The Witcher 3 Returns on the Back of Netflix Series,” Sammy Barker, Push Square: http://www.pushsquare.com/news/2020/01/ps_store_sales_charts_the_witcher_3_returns_on_the_back_of_netflix_series“Netflix’s The Witcher has made The Witcher 3 way more popular,” Bijan Stephen, The Verge: https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/30/21043014/netflix-the-witcher-3-henry-cavill-game-steam-twitch“That Damn Witcher Song Is Now Playable In Beat Saber,” Mike Fahey, Kotaku: https://kotaku.com/that-damn-witcher-song-is-now-playable-in-beat-saber-1840775346Redbox No Longer Renting Video Games“Redbox no longer rents video games, and it will end game sales this year”, by Jay Peters, The Verge: https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/9/21003320/redbox-video-games-rentals-purchases-movies-business“Redbox no longer lets you rent video games,” by Carrie Mihalcik, CNET: https://www.cnet.com/news/redbox-no-longer-lets-you-rent-video-games/The Game Awards“The Game Awards 2019: Every result, world premiere, reveal and surprise,” by Jackson Ryan, CNET: https://www.cnet.com/news/the-game-awards-2019-live-results-world-premieres-reveals-and-big-surprises/“The 12 biggest announcements from The Game Awards 2019,” by Andrew Webster, The Verge: https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/12/21012552/the-game-awards-2019-biggest-announcements-trailers-xbox-series-x“All The Big Announcements At The 2019 Game Awards,” by Stephen Totilo, Kotaku: https://kotaku.com/all-the-big-announcements-at-the-2019-game-awards-1840403731The Xbox Series X Announcement/Details“Microsoft’s next Xbox is Xbox Series X, coming holiday 2020,” by Tom Warren, The Verge: https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/12/21016575/microsoft-xbox-series-x-next-xbox-console“Power Your Dreams with Xbox Series X, Available Holiday 2020,” by Phil Spencer, Xbox, https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2019/12/12/microsoft-unveils-xbox-series-x/“Xbox Series X rewrites the rules of console design - and the power level should be extraordinary,” by Richard Leadbetter, Digital Foundry: https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2019-xbox-series-x-reveal-analysis“Xbox Series X Specs: Twice As Powerful As Xbox One X,” by Peter Brown, Gamespot: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-series-x-specs-twice-as-powerful-as-xbox-one-/1100-6472198/“Xbox Series X console: Everything you need to know about from release date to specs, and more,” by Sam Loveridge: https://www.gamesradar.com/xbox-series-x-release-date-games-cost-specs/“The next-generation Xbox has a much simpler name than you might think: It's actually just 'Xbox',” by Ben Gilbert, BusinessInsider: https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-only-using-xbox-name-going-forward-2019-12Questions? Comments?Email us at GreetingsFromCast@gmail.comCall us at +1-FIRM-GAMERS (+1-347-642-6377)Follow Us OnTwitter at https://twitter.com/greetingsfrompcFacebook at https://www.facebook.com/greetingsfromcast/Tumblr at https://blog.greetingsfrom.zone/Discord at https://discord.gg/fn8hVehYouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs2Q7mpzlKYY24IY5i_8r2AOr Individually AtOlivia: https://twitter.com/LivjqRebecca: https://twitter.com/RebeccafayTyler: https://twitter.com/WorldjumpinVisit us at http://www.greetingsfrom.zone/ for more episodes or to subscribeOur intro and outro music is an edited version of “Deep Fried Space Food” by SubstituteSandwiches under a Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcode)Download the song at: https://soundcloud.com/substitute_sandwiches/deep-fried-space-food

Imran and Tim talk about Red Dead Redemption 2 coming to PC, House of the Dead Remakes, and new Nintendo job listings. 00:01:26 - Housekeeping Thank you to our Patreon Producers: Black Jack Mohammed Mohammed The Roper Report - 00:02:34 - Red Dead Redemption 2 Coming To PC This November, Rockstar Games 00:21:11 - Some Ghost Recon Breakpoint Microtransactions Pulled After Being Posted in "Error," According to Ubisoft, Mike Williams at USGamer 00:27:10 - Randy Pitchford 'Exonerated' In Legal Battle With Ex-Gearbox Lawyer, Matt Kim over at IGN 00:35:38 - Departing ArenaNet President Was Working On Potential Guild Wars Sequel, Stephen Totilo at Kotaku 00:42:10 - House of the Dead 1 and 2 Remakes Confirmed, Alysia Judge at IGN 00:48:25 - Nintendo Hiring For New 2D And 3D Games At Tokyo Studio, from me 00:55:12 - QUIP 00:56:20 - THIRD LOVE 00:58:38 - Out today Reader mail - 01:00:55 - - The Hylian Guard 01:06:20 - - The Nano Biologist 01:09:20 - Squad Up: Nino Cimino(Twitch) - The American Cancer Society 01:10:08 - You‘re Wrong Next Week’s Hosts: Monday and Tuesday: Greg and Bruce Greene Wednesday: Greg and Whitta Thursday: Greg and Imran Friday: Greg and Tim Gamescast: Tim, Greg, Fran, and Imran

Kirk and Maddy start by congratulating Jason on his new fatherhood, then get straight to the heart of the matter: video games. Maddy's still playing Fire Emblem and also tried two cool tabletop games, Sheriff of Nottingham and Escape from Aliens in Outer Space. Kirk's tabletop group is still playing Betrayal Legacy; Kirk also played the new Hitman level and... drumroll... Destiny 2: Shadowkeep. After a break (28:32), we bring on Kotaku's editor-in-chief Stephen Totilo to talk about Ghost Recon: Breakpoint and also attempt to define a sidequest (and shout out some of our favorite ones). We then close out with off-topic talk (1:08:15) about Elementary, Star Trek: The Next Generation and Can You Ever Forgive Me?Music pick of the week: "Oh My," Natalie Prass

When Ubisoft announced the long awaited release of "raid" level content for its hit game The Division 2 this week, it did so with one major caveat: the game would not support matchmaking for this new content. While concerning enough for those interested in matchmaking, the issue is more than simply one of disappointment, as Ubisoft had solicited sales for the game by releasing marketing materials which made it clear that the game would support matchmaking "for all activities and at all difficulties". Is Ubisoft's claim that The Division 2 would support matchmaking "deceptive advertising" as that term is understood by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)? How likely is it that purchasers of the game could bring a claim against Ubisoft, and what could they get if they succeed? And, at bare minimum, when will live service providers realize that roadmaps and express promises of future content/functionality just simply aren't a good idea given normal developmental challenges? Don't be deceived, it's time for Virtual Legality. CORRECTION: The second site (Division Zone) referred to by me in this video as an official Ubisoft source, is, in fact, an unofficial site which collected and commented on officially released information. As such, my comments regarding Ubisoft being responsible for taking down or altering such site do not apply. That said, the information discussed on such site (like the information discussed by Kotaku) *was* officially released by Ubisoft, and its presence on such site goes to how effective Ubisoft was at disseminating this information to the base of fans who might otherwise purchase The Division 2. All other portions of my commentary remain applicable, and I apologize for the error. CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AT: #Division2 #DeceptiveAdvertising #VirtualLegality *** Discussed in this episode: "The Division 2's First Raid Won't Have Matchmaking, Even Though Ubisoft Implied It Would" Kotaku - May 15, 2019 - Stephen Totilo (https://kotaku.com/the-division-2s-first-raid-wont-have-matchmaking-even-1834784141) "The Division 2’s Improved Online Experience and Anti-Cheat Measures" "Division Zone" - February 16, 2019 (https://division.zone/2019/02/16/the-division-2s-improved-online-experience-and-anti-cheat-measures/) "Advertising FAQ's: A Guide for Small Business" Federal Trade Commission (https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/advertising-faqs-guide-small-business) *** FOR MORE CHECK US OUT: https://youtu.be/tiPJTORwhdE On Twitter @hoeglaw At our website: https://hoeglaw.com/ On our Blog, "Rules of the Game", at https://hoeglaw.wordpress.com/ On "Help Us Out Hoeg!" a regular segment on the Easy Allies Podcast (formerly GameTrailers) (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZrxXp1reP8E353rZsB3jaA) Biweekly on "Inside the Huddle with Michael Spath" on WTKA 1050

For our fifth episode we’ll be digging deep into a beautiful miniature world of strategic retrievals and intense brigade battles. They’re cute, they’re colorful, and their adorable cries of death will haunt your dreams. Special guest, Kotaku editor-in-chief Stephen Totilo.

Kirk and Jason briefly gush about the new Wonder Woman emulator Assassin's Creed Odyssey before bringing on Stephen Totilo for a lengthy chat about microtransactions (21:43). The three talk about how Assassin's Creed Odyssey's microtransactions work, whether they affect the game, whether their sheer existence plants a seed of skepticism inside the player's head, the "poisoning the well" argument, how video games have always been after your money, whether games should still cost $60, and much, much more. Finally, Kirk and Jason briefly chat about some off-topic stuff (1:19:55) like Better Call Saul and the new season of American Vandal.

Jason's eating pain au chocolat on the Seine this week, so Kirk is joined instead by Kotaku's Heather Alexandra and Stephen Totilo to talk over some recent news, as well as the games they've recently been playing. (Stephen: Assassin's Creed Origins. Heather: Far Cry 2.) After that (22:17), Kirk talks with award-winning composer Austin Wintory (Journey, Assassin's Creed Syndicate) about his upcoming stage production A Light in the Void, as well as the arduous process of auditioning to be the composer for Star Trek: Discovery, and why he feels like it was worth it even though he didn't get the gig. Music and Audio Clips Used: "Nascence" and "Apotheosis" from Austin Wintory's Journey Soundtrack "This is Saturn," a 2007 TED talk by Carolyn Porco "Wonder Woman Main Theme," performed by Tina Guo Three clips from Austin's Medium post "Star Trek Discovery, In a Parallel Universe." "Ai Giochi Addio," performed by Natasha Marsh

Jason and Kirk jump right into the news of the week (2:39) which includes Steam review bombing, Fortnite accidentally getting cross-play, and the Nintendo Direct. Then they bring on Kotaku boss Stephen Totilo (26:59) to talk about his love for Metroid, the new game Metroid: Samus Returns, and the remake of Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. Finally, Jason and Kirk reconvene for a big ol' Destiny 2 spoilercast (58:02) to dig into the campaign, the raid, and the crazy rollercoaster ride that is the Destiny community.

Welcome to another extra-long episode of Kotaku Splitscreen, which is apparently what happens when Jason's on vacation. Kirk and guest host Stephen Totilo start off talking about Kotaku's expanded video team, then discuss the news of the week (11:08) including No Man's Sky's big 1.3 patch, real estate strife in GTA Online, and Nintendo's decision to lock a Metroid difficulty setting behind an Amiibo.Then Kirk sits down with Kotaku Compete reporters Maddy Myers and Eric Van Allen (34:33) to talk about how they've been approaching esports coverage over the past six months, Eric's trip to the Dota 2 International last weekend, Maddy's case that Mario Kart AI is rigged, and whether PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds is esports. (It is.) Stephen and Kirk wrap up (1:10:16) with some discussion of Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, Nioh, and The Division.

In this episode, you nice hosts discuss some current events and engage in some future prognostications. Plus: more puns than reasonable.Apologies for the slightly odd audio quality on this one. The band playing at the bar downstairs was a bit louder and started a bit earlier than we expected. Much sound modeling. So noise reduction.Discuss this episode on Reddit using this thread on r/gamedev! Future Projects 0:04:31 Stephen McGregorIRLA Way Out blew us away at E3, but can the devs keep pace with their own ambitio… - Charlie Hall, Polygon Our episode about Serial Game Design, featuring Lane Davis. "I am a Juice Journeyman!"BloodRayne: Betrayal Review - Colin Moriaty, IGNStar Fox Guard: The Kotaku Review - Stephen Totilo, KotakuFinishing A Game - Derek Yu, Make Games tumblr Steam Direct 0:37:40 Mark LaCroixHardwareMarketingValve sets Steam Direct self-publishing fee at $100 - Samit Sarkar, PolygonValve is not your friend, and Steam is not healthy for gaming - Tim Colwill, Polygon Way back in our second episode, we talked with Beth and Andy Korth about Steam Greenlight. Steam GreenlightThe hidden world of Steam trading - Mitch Bowman, Polygon Racing Games 0:53:02 Martha MegarryGamingHydro Thunder Hurricane Review - Justin Calvert, GameSpotRetrospective: Star Wars Episode I Racer - Martyn Carroll, EurogamerStar Wars Episode 1 Racer: Watto Hums Cantina Song - EventHorizon5, YouTubeMark talked about the original PlayStation's wonky affine texture mapping, which was not “perspective correct.”

In this episode, you nice hosts discuss some current events and engage in some future prognostications. Plus: more puns than reasonable. Apologies for the slightly odd audio quality on this one. The band playing at the bar downstairs was a bit louder and started a bit earlier than we expected. Much sound modeling. So noise reduction. Discuss this episode on Reddit using this thread on r/gamedev! Future Projects 0:04:31 Stephen McGregor Category IRL Announced at E3, "A Way Out" has similar qualities to Stephen’s co-op concept. A Way Out - Charlie Hall , Polygon Our episode about Serial Game Design, featuring Lane Davis. "I am a Juice Journeyman!" BloodRayne: Betrayal Review - Colin Moriaty , IGN Star Fox Guard: The Kotaku Review - Stephen Totilo , Kotaku Finishing A Game - Derek Yu , Make Games tumblr Steam Direct 0:37:40 Mark LaCroix Category Hardware Marketing "Valve sets Steam Direct self-publishing fee at $100" - - Samit Sarkar , Polygon "Valve is not your friend, and Steam is not healthy for gaming" - Tim Colwill , Polygon Way back in our second episode, we talked with Beth and Andy Korth about Steam Greenlight. Steam Greenlight "The hidden world of Steam trading" - Mitch Bowman , Polygon Racing Games 0:53:02 Martha Megarry Category Gaming Hydro Thunder Hurricane Review - Justin Calvert , Gamespot 2 "Retrospective: Star Wars Episode I Racer" - Martyn Carroll , Eurogamer Star Wars Episode 1 Racer: Watto Hums Cantina Song - EventHorizon5 , YouTube Mark talked about the original PlayStation’s wonky affine texture mapping, which was not “perspective correct.”

For our 50th episode, special guest Stephen Totilo joins Kirk to talk about PlayStation VR and Gears of War 4 horde mode.

Kirk is joined by Kotaku editor in chief Stephen Totilo, filling in for Jason, who is currently sitting on a beach somewhere playing Vita games. Stephen and Kirk talk about new video games, new gaming controversies, and what it’s like to have a bucket of tears strapped to your face.

I’m delighted to discuss The Witness with Matt Peckham from Time.com and Stephen Totilo from Kotaku, both of whom loved The Witness, a game I didn’t like. The model for our discussion is the latest Republican debates. I’ll be playing the role of Donald Trump. Peckham plays Jeb Bush and Totilo plays Marco Rubio. None […] The post Qt3 Games: The Witness with Matt Peckham and Stephen Totilo appeared first on Quarter to Three.

I’m delighted to discuss The Witness with Matt Peckham from Time.com and Stephen Totilo from Kotaku, both of whom loved The Witness, a game I didn’t like. The model for our discussion is the latest Republican debates. I’ll be playing the role of Donald Trump. Peckham plays Jeb Bush and Totilo plays Marco Rubio. None […] The post Qt3 Games: The Witness with Matt Peckham and Stephen Totilo appeared first on Quarter to Three.

Welcome to Interstitial Episode 1 of The Cluttered Desk Podcast! In this episode of The Cluttered Desk Podcast, Andrew and Colin discuss Superman's new secret identity and the necessity of the secret identity in superhero comic books. Here are links to some of the things we discuss in this episode: Michael Chabon's essay “Secret Skin” James Whitbrook's reporting on Superman's new secret identity Stephen Totilo's reporting on Lois Lane's decision Please find us on Twitter and Facebook. You can find Andrew on Facebook and you can find Colin on Twitter @ColinAshleyCox. The podcast is now on Twitter @TheCDPodcast. Please email us with thoughts, questions, and suggestions at thecluttereddeskpodcast@gmail.com. We would like to thank Test Dream for supplying The Cluttered Desk Podcast's theme music. You can find Test Dream at their website, testdream.bandcamp.com, on Facebook, and on Twitter @testdream. This episode is available here through iTunes. 

Kotaku editor-in-chief Stephen Totilo debates with us over the validity of video game nostalgia, online comment systems, and the sanctity of the Warthog.Questions this week:All of your games and consoles have been stolen, but you do have a $1,000 GameStop gift card that expires at the end of the week. How do you spend it? (03:14)Which games have most innovatively used the DualShock controller? (09:46)Has a video game ever made you cry? (16:08)What are the most embarrassing comments you've seen on an online video game article? (22:16)What can we the viewers expect from the upcoming Metal Gear Solid movie? (28:36)What are the biggest mistakes to avoid when designing a dungeon? (37:36)How can the Tony Hawk franchise stage a comeback? (43:59)JOEX111: How would you design a great game around a daytime soap opera while staying true to the spirit of the show? (50:15)Create a mixtape of video game music to listen to while driving your car. (56:38)What's the best video game quote to put on your tombstone?(01:03:00)LIGHTNING ROUND: Corporate Slogans (01:04:04)Edited by Tim Rogers.

Kotaku editor-in-chief Stephen Totilo debates with us over the validity of video game nostalgia, online comment systems, and the sanctity of the Warthog.

Downhill Jam!

We're joined by Geoff Keighley, Ed Boon, Rich Gallup, Rocco from Mega64, Iron Galaxy's Dave Lang, Sony Computer Entertainment's Adam Boyes, Disney Interactive's John Vignocchi, Stephen Totilo, DrinkBox Studios, Alphonso, and, of course, Hawkman.

When Jorge and I found out that someone is making a Gears of War board game, we were a bit puzzled.  We're both fans of the series, but Marcus and company never really seemed like the tabletop types.  This week, we use this odd development as a chance to discuss the relationship between video games and board games.  Topics include the cultural overlap between the board game and video game communities, the strengths of tabletop gaming, and whether the forthcoming Gears of War board game will be "SWEET!"  We look forward to hearing about some of your favorite cardboard campaigns in the comments!Some discussion starters:- A Gears of War board game: terrible idea, or terribly-awesome idea?- For primarily video game folks: what keeps you away from board games and what could draw you in?- For board gaming folks: what sorts of lessons can video games learn from board games?To listen to the podcast:- Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes here. Additionally, here is the stand-alone feed.- - Listen to the podcast in your browser by left-clicking here. Or, right-click and select "save as link" to download the show in MP3 format.- Subscribe to this podcast and EXP's written content with the RSS link on the right. Show notes: - Run time: 32 min 28 sec- "Gears of War Board Game Still In The Works," by Stephen Totilo, via Kotaku- "A Guide to Board and Card Games Based on Video Games (1971 to 2007)," by Yehuda Berlinger, via Jergames- Board Game Geek- Music provided by Brad Sucks

The amazing Thrustmaster T500 RS is finally in the house, and Ara gives his initial impression of the build quality. Alon dissects Geometry Wars Retro Evolved 2 and explains why it's the perfect, all-around gamer trainer. And Colin, well, he hates Stephen Totilo because Stephen is dead inside.

The amazing Thrustmaster T500 RS is finally in the house, and Ara gives his initial impression of the build quality. Alon dissects Geometry Wars Retro Evolved 2 and explains why it's the perfect, all-around gamer trainer. And Colin, well, he hates Stephen Totilo because Stephen is dead inside.

For many folks, September means having to relinquish the last strands of summer and head back to school.  However, trading the couch for the classroom doesn't mean you have to abandon video games.  This week, we are pleased to welcome Michael Abbott of The Brainy Gamer and Wabash College to the show.  Michael is in the process of launching “Enduring Questions,” a course “devoted to engaging students with fundamental questions of humanity from multiple perspectives and fostering a sense of community.”  In addition to more traditional texts, some sections of the course will have Portal on the syllabus.  We were thrilled to learn this and invited Michael to join us in discussing the course, how video games function as academic texts, and the challenges involved in teaching games.     Some discussion starters:   - Have you ever taken any classes in which video games were on the syllabus?  What games would work well as teaching tools, and for what subjects?   - Establishing gaming literacy is challenging.  How is critical playing best taught?  How did you learn to analyze games? - What kinds of challenges arise from using games in the classroom?  How do we overcome things like generational stratification in regards to certain genres or games in general?     To listen to the podcast:   - Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes here. Additionally, here is the stand-alone feed. - Listen to the podcast in your browser by left-clicking the title. Or, right-click and select "save as link" to download the show in MP3 format.   - Subscribe to this podcast and EXP's written content with the RSS link on the right.     Show notes:   - Run time: 1 hr 2 min 28 sec - “Portal on the booklist,” by Michael Abbott, via The Brainy Gamer   - “Portal and the Deconstruction of the Institution,” by Daniel Johnson, via Gamasutra - “In Search of History's Best Video Games: Canon Fodder, Season 2,” by Stephen Totilo, via Kotaku - Music provided by Brad Sucks

Stephen Totilo just spent half a day with the retail version of Halo: Reach in New York City. I spent some time with Bungie last week at GamesCom. We're also going to be talking about the oodles of games we saw and played at last week's GamesCom and the ones we expect to see at next week's Penny Arcade Expo.

Hello readers and listeners.  This week Scott and I branch off of neat panel discussion Stephen Totilo held with Ken Levine of 2k Boston and Todd Howard of Bethesda Softworks.  Each panelist was asked to comment on their game endings, Bioshock and Fallout 3 respectively.  We take their comments and run with them, discussing our thoughts on cut scenes, interactive conclusions, and more.  As always, we encourage you to take a look at the original article and footage in the show notes.  Comments are appreciated and we've got some discussion starters just below if you need some momentary inspiration. Some discussion starters: - Do traditional game endings feel like a payoff? Have you ever cheated and watched an ending online?- What do you think the future holds for videogame endings? Do you think there is an easier or better way to end games?- What have been your favorite and least favorite videogame endingsTo listen to the podcast:- Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes here. Additionally, here is the stand-alone feed.- Listen to the podcast in your browser by left-clicking the title. Or, right-click and select "save as link" to download the show in MP3 format.- Subscribe to this podcast and EXP's written content with the RSS link on the right.Show Notes:-Run time: 31 min 12 sec- Original MTV Multiplayer article with footage from Ken Levine and Todd Howard Comic-Con panel.-Music provided by Brad Sucks