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In this podcast exclusive interview, we sat down with Leslie Harwood (Principal Scene Coordinator) and Jessica Harra Campbell (Design Director) from Telltale Games to discuss the long-awaited development of The Wolf Among Us 2!During our exclusive interview, the dev team breaks down the decision behind their major tech reset—shifting away from Telltale's proprietary engine to Unreal Engine while building a custom "Telltale Renderer" to retain the iconic visual identity of the original. They also detail key gameplay evolutions, including moving to an over-the-shoulder third-person camera for exploration, how their choice and reactivity systems go deeper than simple "consequences," and why all episodes will release simultaneously despite keeping the episodic chapter structure.
Danny Peña, Parris Lilly, and Riana Manuel-Peña sit down to share their hands-on impressions of the single-player campaign preview for Gears of War: E-Day!The team dives deep into playing Chapter 1 and parts of Act 2, highlighting key gameplay updates, performance on Xbox Series S vs. PC, new class-based mechanics, and the return to the series' dark, gritty roots.In this episode, we cover: First Impressions: How Gears of War: E-Day feels on Xbox Series S and PC running on Unreal Engine 5. New Mechanics & Features: Dynamic destructible cover, class abilities (Marcus, Dom, Reyes, Mags), and verticality. Open Districts: Exploration, secondary side objectives, and earning weapon upgrades/mods. Tone & Narrative: A darker sci-fi tone, seeing a younger Marcus Fenix, and initial reactions to Emergence Day. Campaign Details: Single-player preview details vs. full release features (4-player online & 2-player split-screen co-op). Connect with us: Danny Peña Parris Lilly Pete Toledo Riana Manuel-Peña Send us questions - fanmail@gamertagradio.com | Speakpipe.com/gamertagradio or 786-273-7GTR. Join our Discord - https://discord.gg/gtr chat with other GTR community member.
Imagine Battlefield, but dying matters. That's the WARDOGS closed alpha in one sentence — and after a weekend in it, we're calling it the most polished alpha we've ever played. WARDOGS is Bulkhead and Team17's 100-player tactical shooter: three factions, one randomized control zone, first side to 100 points wins. You start with $10,000, you buy your loadout from in-game vendors, and when you die you lose the gear AND the money you spent on it. The money carries between matches. You can loot the guy you just killed and walk away with a level 30 kit you couldn't buy for another six hours. In this episode: what the alpha actually plays like, why the economy isn't the gimmick people think it is, how three-way faction warfare changes your strategy, the 256 square kilometre map, destructible towers, the reviving system Battlefield should steal, TTK and gunplay, why an Arma 3 King of the Hill mod is the reason none of this feels half-baked — and the two things that genuinely pissed us off. Plus the final verdict, the scores, and the one thing that could still ruin this game. Raz thinks it's a flawless alpha. Jake wants free look. Neither of us can stop playing it. 0:00 - Intro 1:14 - Patreon, free trials and the hangout 3:58 - What WARDOGS actually is 4:21 - Two things we had wrong before playing 6:07 - Unlock fees and gear progression 7:51 - The NDA that stopped us streaming 8:23 - Control zone, hot zone and how you score 11:01 - You can't group with your friends 12:59 - "It's so fun I don't recommend you play it" 14:33 - Jake's first impressions 18:07 - The best-performing alpha we've ever played 20:20 - How three factions changes your strategy 23:38 - Battlefield, but dying matters 25:43 - Looting kills and juicer kits 30:39 - Does the control zone actually move? 33:44 - Destructible towers and the M1 Abrams 35:59 - FOBs, spawn trucks and sandbags 40:00 - Infantry desperately needs free look 42:57 - The tutorial is actually good 43:58 - Does 100 players feel full? 47:26 - The log truck last stand 50:19 - Snipers and no scope glint 52:12 - Onboarding and the backpack system 55:15 - The loadout presets they need to add 57:06 - The kill cam that shows too much 58:18 - The milsim/arcade sweet spot 1:02:27 - Why it works: 10 years of Arma King of the Hill 1:04:45 - Visibility matters more than audio 1:08:50 - TTK, armor and ammo types 1:11:04 - Weapons: AK vs T21 1:14:15 - Gunfights that are actually gunfights 1:16:44 - Movement and traversal 1:20:56 - Reviving, defibs and why Battlefield gets it wrong 1:25:01 - Spawn trucks and the ride back to the fight 1:26:26 - Vehicles handle weird 1:28:58 - The first Unreal Engine 5 game that actually runs 1:29:32 - The money mechanic explained 1:35:02 - Is there gear fear? 1:37:56 - Why the economy isn't a gimmick 1:42:34 - What a max-level meta kit will cost 1:44:52 - Wipes, seasons and gold bars 1:47:31 - Selling ammo to your own team 1:49:42 - 256 square kilometers 1:56:30 - Time of day and future maps 1:57:59 - Who is this game actually for? 2:02:12 - Why Tarkov is too complicated 2:06:58 - Will we still be playing in six months? 2:10:00 - The one thing that could ruin it: anti-cheat 2:12:11 - Final verdict and scores 2:15:21 - Outro _Note: timestamps may be slightly misaligned on podcast apps (but not on YouTube) due to dynamic ads._ The podcast is available wherever you listen to podcasts, and ad-free & early access versions - as well as bonus episodes - are available to all of our Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/thedropshot) supporters. We stream the podcast live on our YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/c/thedropshotpodcast) every Saturday morning at ~9 o'clock Pacific Time. We typically start the stream 30 minutes early to answer viewer questions, banter, and chat. Links for everything are below. Thanks for checking us out!
I interviewed Mo Huang & Eric Zhao about Mulan2125 on Sunday, August 31, 2025 at Venice Immersive in Venice, Italy. Here is the story synopsis for Mulan2125: "In 2125, a century after the green-comet “Emerald Fall,” the alien substance Muk still taints Earth. Two powers remain: Ant City and PAC, a militarised regime ruling from the sea fortress, the Crown. Ant City's flagship, the ARK — a retrofitted WWII battleship — carries a giant repair mecha meant to restore the city's shield. PAC plans to hijack the ship, impersonate its crew, and deliver the mecha embedded with malware to disable the shield from within. 18-year-old Mulan, raised aboard the ARK by her father, Captain Hua Muzhi, is unknowingly the only human fully bonded with Muk. Anticipating sabotage, Hua hides in a panic room and locks the engines. As long as he remains hidden, PAC cannot proceed. When the assault begins, AI drone MUV-I is activated and executes Hua's secret Shan Hai Guan protocol, guiding Mulan through hidden corridors. But her search for Hua accidentally helps PAC mole Aiden trace his location. Aiden detonates charges, separating them, and PAC regains control. Hua reaches the bridge to destroy the mecha but is killed. Mulan awakens Muk's power, defeats Khan, and fires the main gun — vaporising the Trojan mecha. Muk glows again as PAC retrieves her body. She lives." Here are the contextual domains that are explored: On some sort of military [10] ship at the sea [9], but also set in the future in a speculative sci-fi world [9]. Dynamics of father [4] and his daughter [5] and the various people who are trying to capture or kill her [7]. A pitched battle between these two main opposiing forces [7] Here is the Elemental Center of Gravity: 1st Center of Gravity of Emotional Presence: Described as "Cinema 2.0" & "pioneering the future of storytelling." Episodic cinematic immersive story experience with "ultra-high audiovisual standards and interactive design." First episode. Sci-Fi, Action Thriller Genre -- Attack forces 18-year old Mulan into an escape that was prepared by her father"2nd Center of Gravity of Earth Element / Environmental and Embodied Presence: Crafted for Immersion - Sci-Fi futuristic universe set in 2125. A comet shattered the world and two powers are fighting each other. Mostly a ghostly character throughout, but you do have an embodiment at certain points. Unclear as to who you are. Are you a main character? I forget, Real-time Unreal Engine with mocapped actors3rd Center of Gravity of Fire Element / Active Presence: Some light interactions at various points in this storyworld -- They say, "As traditional film nears the limits of its century-old form, we aim to chart a new path — where stories aren't just watched, but lived." Still mostly a cinematic universe as it is more about light interactions that are within a very tightly bound possibility space of the film. More about the story than your agency4th Center of Gravity of Air Element / Mental and Social Presence: A lot of dialogue within the context of a story. Possibility space very much leans towards authored narrative, as there doesn't seem to be very many different choices involved Archetypal Themes and Character Explored: '"It's all about who are you when everything is falling apart, and the invisible bonds that keep us together" Artist Statement: "MULAN 2125 is a bold step toward Cinema 2.0 — a genre-driven, emotionally resonant narrative built for immersive media. Unlike many XR projects that feel experimental, niche, or underpowered, it combines cinematic storytelling with ultra-high audiovisual standards and interactive design. This is not a tech demo in disguise, but a sincere attempt to bring the emotional depth and visual polish of commercial cinema into the XR space. As traditional film nears the limits of its century-old form, we aim to chart a new path — where stories aren't just watched, but lived." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8z1hFV8Pag This is a listener-supported podcast through the Voices of VR Patreon. Music: Fatality
Hakuro Matsuda さんをゲストに迎えて、サブスク、Claude Fable 5, GPT-5.6, Herdr, Kimi K3, Unreal Engine 5.8, メモリ株、電子ペーパー、Galaxy Z Fold8 などについて話しました。 Show Notes West Coast Brewing うちゅうブルーイング Lunch Money Monarch Plaid Claude for Open Source OpenAI cuts prices for two of its AI models as cost worries mount Herdr TypeWhisper Industry Leaders Join Open Secure AI Alliance for AI Safety and Security MoonshotAI/Kimi-K3 deepseek-ai/DeepSeek-V4-Flash Hugging Face: Security incident disclosure — July 2026 Anthropic says its own AI models breached three companies during security tests DHH: I'm sorry, Dave アイドルがAIと配信のシステムを全部作った話 Reimagine the world with Nano Banana in Google Earth Unreal MCP in Unreal Editor Google search is indexing public Claude artifacts Coder Leopold Aschenbrenner Situational Awareness fund: $45B to fire sale NocFree Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition E Ink Kaleido 3 BLOOMIN8 EinkCanvas コレステリック液晶電子ペーパーの原理 TRMNL Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Fold8 and Flip8 Get to know the new Google Home Speaker OpenAI: Introducing GPT-Live 村上春樹『夏帆─The Tale of KAHO─』 攻殻機動隊 THE GHOST IN THE SHELL Apple TV: Neuromancer Blade Runner 2099 Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 Stellar Blade: BLOOD RAIN - Wanna Be in LOVE ft. Evie ラッダイト運動 『たけしの挑戦状』もし伝説のゲームが日本映画になったら さよならララ これ描いて死ね 急に具合が悪くなる 映画ちいかわ 人魚の島のひみつ MECCHA CHAMELEON Steam Machine XG: FUJI ROCK '26
This week, the discussion centres on several significant developments across the machinima community, from community news and preservation of machinima history to new creative tools and the future of filmmaking platforms. The strongest recurring theme is how classic machinima practices are re-emerging through contemporary game engines and software, suggesting a renewed interest in machinima as a creative medium.The episode opens with a tribute to Mike Joyce, longtime collaborator of Kate Fosk and member of the Moviestorm-era machinima community. The hosts reflect on his generosity, his contribution to Machinima Expo productions, and the supportive nature of earlier online machinima communities.The panel discusses a PC Gamer feature covering a GTA V filmmaker who is livestreaming their production process.Halo Campaign Evolved and the Return of "Machinima Mode" - we examine Microsoft's remake of the original Halo, noting the inclusion of an officially branded Machinima Mode. The conversation broadens into a discussion of machinima history. Tracy observes that the remake is more than nostalgia—it is introducing machinima to third- and fourth-generation creators, demonstrating how enduring the medium has become.Ricky argues that Red vs. Blue legitimised machinima as entertainment, while Damien explains how watching the series inspired his own filmmaking career. The discussion concludes with an invitation for creators to use Halo creatively rather than simply reproducing Red vs. Blue.Tiny Bookshop - a lighter discussion follows around the success of Tiny Bookshop.State of Unreal 2026 - Phil highlights a technical demonstration from Unreal Engine featuring highly detailed urban environments. The conversation highlights how production values in virtual filmmaking continue to approach traditional film set design.Reallusion AI Studio and Free iClone Personal Edition - we discusses Reallusion's biggest software announcement. Tracy suggests that Reallusion may be moving toward an Unreal-style ecosystem, where the software becomes a gateway to a scalable marketplace rather than the primary revenue source. We agree that making professional animation software freely available could significantly expand the machinima community.Phil introduces the free personal version of Massive, the crowd simulation software used in The Lord of the Rings. The segment ends humorously with Ricky imagining an absurd "massive household" comedy requiring crowd simulation simply to go shopping.The major themes across the Episode are summarized as -Remembering and celebrating machinima pioneers.Evidence that machinima continues to influence commercial game development.Lowering technical barriers for new creators.Free creative software and accessible production pipelines.Preservation of machinima history while encouraging new generations.The continuing importance of storytelling over technology.Key Timestamps -01:00 Tribute to Mike Joyce03:57 GTA V filmmaking livestreams05:40 Halo Campaign Evolved announced06:20 Machinima Mode, Red vs. Blue, Halo's legacy and new creators14:06 Tiny Bookshop discussion18:51 State of Unreal 2026 technology showcase20:40 Reallusion AI Studio and iClone Personal Edition29:17 Massive crowd simulation software becomes free33:15 Closing remarksCredits -Co-hosts: Phil Rice, Ricky Grove, Damien Valentine, Tracy HarwoodProducer: Damien ValentineEditor: Phil RiceMusic: Phil Rice & Suno AI
ConnectedClaude to Unreal Engine, and everyone asked the same thing: how much did it cost? So this time we tried a free local model running on our own machines, no subscription and no data leaving the computer. The result taught us exactly what you are really paying for with Claude and ChatGPT. Then we tested invideo Agent 2, an AI creative director that storyboards a whole commercial from a single idea. And we reacted live to the Ramayana trailer, a 500 million dollar.Try invideo Agent 2: https://invideo.io/
The Fork In Your Ear Ep#218 Jimonthy Crickets! - Podcast Show Notes & Summery 8-1-26 Quick Summary Tim and Nate open with the usual technical chaos—Nate's ancient camera older than his kids, USB hub murders, Windows being Windows, and a new meshy chair—before Tim scrapes himself off the floor with minimal coffee. The big gaming bombshell is Nintendo snagging a FromSoftware exclusive (Dustbloods) led by Miyazaki himself: Bloodborne-vibes, industrial revolution setting, up to eight-player PvE, and Tim is currently in the closed NDA network test. Microsoft brings four original Xbox classics to PC (Fusion Frenzy, Crimson Skies, Conker's Live and Reloaded), sparking preservation vs. "just sell it again" debate. Nate digs into the new Halo campaign on PC while Tim's wrist is still sidelining him. Entertainment covers Spider-Man: Brand New Day (Tim is all-in), American Psycho after a four-and-a-half-hour serial-killer museum visit, and the couple literally dodging the Bite of Seattle shooting by having a fight and going home. Life wraps with raccoon babies, the local "Jimmathy" meme, and Nate's wife getting back on two wheels with a nearly-new 2025 Triumph Speed Twin 900. Classic Fork energy from start to duck-call finish. Detailed Show Notes
Episode #613: Halo: Campaign Evolved is finally here, and we jumped into legendary four-player co-op to see if the magic still holds up.The good news? The main campaign is a blast. Sprint feels great, the weapons hit harder, friendly fire makes everything funnier, and the whole thing captures that classic Halo chaos with the boys. It feels like going back to the college dorms — grenades everywhere, Marines flying through the sky, and nobody playing responsibly.The not-so-good news? The new prequel missions are rough. They have a few cool moments, but overall they feel flat enough to make us wonder what they say about the future of Halo. We also get into the weird internet outrage around the game, the Cortana model debate, awkward cutscenes, Unreal Engine 5 rough edges, and what Halo Studios should do next.Who are the XoneBros?We are your exclusive Xbox Series X & Game Pass weekly podcast. We are more than just a podcast though, we are a positive gaming and Xbox community. We are a group of friends who love gaming, comics, fantasizing about superpowers, and making lame jokes.We strive to bring you news, informative discussion, and rocking good times on a weekly basis all while discussing the world that is Xbox. We are the brothers you never had and the sisters you always wanted... we are the XoneBros. If you are looking for a positive gaming environment, you are always welcome here!Support Us On YouTubeJoin our DiscordX1TheGamer Daily Xbox News MrMcspicey Know Your Game
Seedance 2.5 launched exclusively through CapCut, so we bought an account and pushed it through real editing tests, swapping a can, changing a body, and moving the camera, and we show the wins and the failures. Flux 3.0 Preview got the exact same prompt through the Hermes agent, and the results were very different. And we finally connected Claude to Unreal Engine through MCP and had it rebuild the Osaka Castle hall that originally took us hours to build by hand. We also launched our Ultimate AI Program today.
Featured Film: Severance Opening Titles Recreated in Portal by Brian KissigThis episode explores an exceptional reinterpretation of the title sequence from Severance, recreated using Portal assets in Unreal Engine and Cinema 4D. Rather than simply assessing the technical achievement, the discussion develops into a broader conversation about adaptation, symbolism, machinima as an artistic practice, and the relationship between filmmaking and game-making.Phil introduces the film as a painstaking recreation of the Severance opening titles, explaining that although it uses Portal assets, it extends well beyond simple gameplay capture. He highlights the remarkable fluid simulations, sophisticated editing, and careful adaptation of the original sequence's symbolism into the Portal universe, arguing that the work becomes an interpretation rather than a straightforward imitation.Ricky praises the craftsmanship and recognises it as an example of machinima at its highest technical level, while also reflecting on his personal preference for films that retain more visible traces of the game's constraints. He suggests that technical perfection can sometimes lose the handcrafted qualities that give traditional machinima its distinctive charm.Tracy provides an extended analysis by first examining the original Severance title sequence. She argues that it functions as a psychological and symbolic introduction to the series rather than a conventional credit sequence, exploring themes of fractured identity, loss of agency, corporate control and the uncanny through recurring visual metaphors including looping architecture, duplicated identities and the mysterious black fluid.Building from this analysis, Tracy argues that Brian Kissig's recreation does considerably more than reproduce the original. By replacing the psychological architecture of Severance with the systemic logic of Portal, the film transforms the central metaphor. Portal's mechanics become a new visual language through which bureaucracy, institutional power, identity and labour are explored. She argues that the Companion Cube, portals themselves and Aperture Science all deepen the thematic reading rather than simply referencing the game. She concludes that the filmmaker demonstrates how games can function as conceptual systems capable of generating entirely new meanings.Damien echoes this reading, explaining that after watching the original sequence he appreciated just how carefully the recreation preserved the structure while allowing Portal to reinterpret its ideas. The discussion also convinces him to move Severance higher on his viewing list.The conversation concludes by broadening into a reflection on machinima itself. The panel discusses the distinction between filmmaker-led machinima and game-native machinima, debating how creative limitations influence artistic practice. Ricky, Phil and Damien argue that technical constraints often stimulate creativity rather than restrict it, and that the problem-solving mindset developed through machinima translates into wider creative practice and filmmaking.Key Timestamps01:20 Phil introduces the featured film and explains its relationship to Severance and Portal.05:00 Ricky reflects on the film's technical perfection versus the appeal of traditional handcrafted machinima.07:10 Tracy begins an in-depth analysis of the original Severance title sequence and its symbolism.13:40 Analysis shifts to Brian Kissig's Portal recreation and how it transforms the original's meaning.16:55 Discussion of Portal as a metaphor for institutional systems, identity and bureaucracy.20:00 Brian Kissig's filmmaking background and why the recreation succeeds artistically.22:30 Damien compares the recreation with the original and discusses its effectiveness.24:10 Phil discusses looping as a structural and musical metaphor in Severance.24:45 Broader discussion on filmmaker machinima versus game-based machinima.27:15 Conversation turns to creativity, artistic limitations and the role of technical constraints.30:00 Final reflections on how machinima develops creative problem-solving beyond filmmaking.Credits Co-hosts: Phil Rice, Ricky Grove, Tracy Harwood, Damien ValentineEditor/Producer: Phil RiceMusic: Phil Rice & Suno AI
TIME STAMPS:00:00:01 Community Guest Intros00:00:35 HALO CAMPAIGN EVOLVED | The OG XBOX Classic Gets the Unreal Engine 5 Treatment It Deserved!00:45:00 Panel Outros and Special Message to the Community!
The Gamertag Radio crew reviews Halo Campaign Evolved! Danny, Parris, and Riana break down the Unreal Engine 5 visuals, modern mechanics like sprint, and the brand new bonus prequel missions featuring Sergeant Johnson. Plus, they share platform performance details and discuss what this means for the future of Halo.Episode Highlights Visuals & Engine: Built in Unreal Engine 5 (4K, 60+ FPS) featuring improved visuals, richer sound, and added environmental details like wildlife. Modern Mechanics: Adds sprint, clamber, ground pounds, vehicle hijacking, and improved enemy AI. Rebalanced Arsenal: Weapons feel refreshed; the Needler and Needle Rifle are far more effective, while the iconic pistol remains strong. Bonus Prequel Levels: Set one year before the main story, these new missions omit Cortana, feature Sergeant Johnson, and support chaotic four-player co-op. Performance: Plays great on PC and ROG Ally X, but performance is poor on the original white ROG Ally. No Microtransactions: All cosmetics, such as alternate Master Chief skins, are earned strictly through gameplay. Connect with us: Danny Peña Parris Lilly Pete Toledo Riana Manuel-Peña Send us questions - fanmail@gamertagradio.com | Speakpipe.com/gamertagradio or 786-273-7GTR. Join our Discord - https://discord.gg/gtr chat with other GTR community member.
Mit unserem heutigen Gast und Halo-Veteran Tobias Kirchner besprechen wir heute das brandneue Remake der allerersten Halo-Kampagne. Halo Campaign Evolved nennt sich die Neuauflage und zeigt den Master Chief auf dem Ringplaneten in einem neuen, wunderschönen Unreal-Engine-5-Licht. Ob die 25 Jahre alte Kampagne auch 2026 noch funktioniert und wie gut die drei neuen Prequel-Missionen sind, darüber sprechen wir ausführlich im Review-Cast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Unity revealed Unity 7, a major engine update that renders a Unity game live inside Unreal Engine and adds native AI agents through MCP, CLI, and API access. Lumistar launched an AI powered training machine that reads where you are on the court and returns basketballs and tennis shots with adjustable speed and spin. And a new Chinese open weight model called Qwen 3.8 is arriving with 2.4 trillion parameters, benchmarked second only to Fable 5 at a fraction of the cost.
AI news: Moonshot AI's Kimi K3 is a big AI model and Moonshot's early benchmarks put it surprisingly close to GPT-5.6 Sol and Claude Fable 5. And… Kevin's Opus 5 SCOOP!! Also: OpenAI's reported screenless AI speaker, a Seedance 2.5 preview, the Suno hack, robot fights and AI-built games in Unreal Engine and Blender. On today's AI For Humans, Kevin Pereira and Gavin Purcell unpack Kimi K3's benchmarks, pricing, Flappy Bird and Minecraft tests, and giant-model economics. Then, Kevin DRIPS Opus 5 alpha and says it's VERY good and blows the doors off of Fable but it's… slow. Plus Demis Hassabis's AI-governance proposal, AI 2040's Plan A, OpenAI's reported screenless speaker, Codex Keyboard, a Seedance 2.5 preview, the alleged sources exposed by the Suno hack, spectacular robot violence, polite office-robot dabbing, and what happens when GPT-5.6 Sol meets Unreal Engine, Blender and two hosts with free time. THE AI FRONTIER IS MOVING AGAIN—AND CHINA IS RIGHT THERE WITH IT. // Show Links // AI FOR HUMANS Survey https://aiforhumans.beehiiv.com/forms/b7c77287-2cfd-4b64-a278-eb1a2ccb5744 Official Moonshot AI Kimi K3 launch video https://x.com/Kimi_Moonshot/status/2077521842080817296 Official Kimi K3 launch and benchmark thread https://x.com/Kimi_Moonshot/status/2077830229968683203 Official Kimi K3 technical launch article https://kimi.com/blog/kimi-k3 Kimi K3 head-to-head with GPT-5.6 Sol https://x.com/chetaslua/status/2077701096924229744 Kimi K3 Flappy Bird test https://x.com/jun_song/status/2077396996865003739 Demis Hassabis on a new framework for AI governance https://x.com/demishassabis/status/2076957440109625718 AI 2040: Plan A https://ai-2040.com/ Bloomberg's report on OpenAI's first device https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-07-14/openai-s-first-device-will-be-moveable-screenless-speaker-built-as-ai-companion OpenAI Developers' Codex Keyboard post https://x.com/OpenAIDevs/status/2077425991790870644 BytePlus Seedance 2.5 World Cup preview https://x.com/BytePlusGlobal/status/2077321849806234080 Variety's report on the Suno hack and training data https://variety.com/2026/music/news/suno-hack-youtube-music-deezer-genius-data-trained-ai-music-1236811772/ Ultimate Robot Knockout Legend (UKRL) Fight https://x.com/ErenChenAI/status/2077750358302921029 Soft floating robot demo https://x.com/clankrmedia/status/2076593164744376707 Two NEO robots talk to each other—and then one dabs https://x.com/BerntBornich/status/2077749438630805648 GPT-5.6 Sol plus Unreal Engine experiment https://x.com/NomadsVagabonds/status/2077577815684202960 Gavin's first GPT-5.6 Sol plus Blender attempt https://x.com/gavinpurcell/status/2076736788320927925 Kevin's Find The Cursor Game: CURSED https://us-lax-8710957c.colyseus.cloud/ Gavin's Fig + Moss Watch autonomous studio https://x.com/gavinpurcell/status/2077155825274229122 Fig's stand-up set https://x.com/gavinpurcell/status/2076382092842475948 // Join the AI For Humans community // Join the AI For Humans Discord https://discord.gg/muD2TYgC8f Support AI For Humans on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AIForHumansShow Subscribe to the AI For Humans newsletter https://aiforhumans.beehiiv.com/ Follow AI For Humans on X: @AIForHumansShow https://x.com/AIForHumansShow Follow AI For Humans on TikTok: @aiforhumansshow https://www.tiktok.com/@aiforhumansshow Speaking and booking https://www.aiforhumans.show/
In today's Daily Fix:Another casualty in the big Xbox reset of 2026 is reportedly an unannounced Halo multiplayer project. The game was in development at Certain Affinity, who is a support studio with credits on several other Halo and Call of Duty titles. Halo 5's Warzone mode was apparently an inspiration for the game, and was to be built in Unreal Engine, like the soon-to-be-released Halo: Campaign Evolved. In other news, Matt Reeves' The Batman Part 2 is being delayed to 2028 (!) which would make it about six years since Part 1 dropped in 2022. For comparison, all three of Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight movies were released in a seven-year period. And speaking of Christopher Nolan, The Odyssey will be journeying to theaters this weekend, as well as in Fortnite. Skins for Matt Damon's Odysseus and Benny Safdie's Agamemnon will be available in the game starting tomorrow.
Send us Fan MailSplatoon Raiders Direct, The Drifter, 8BitDo Arcade Controller Pro announced, Mythmatch, MY HERO ACADEMIA: All's Justice, Arcade Archives 2 TEKKEN, Sonic Frontiers: Definitive Edition, Two Point Hospital: Full Health Collection, Rhythm Heaven Groove, JSAUX 6-in-1 Nintendo Switch 2 dock announced, 007 First Light, My Mario Japan clothing range expansion, Mega Man: Dual Override, Nintendo Museum SUPER FAMILY RESTAURANT announced, KINGDOM HEARTS Collection [I-III], Nintendo Switch Sports Resort, EA Sports FC 26 Game Trial, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, Glover, SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance Switch 2 edition, Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch'd & Pichu, Fortnite, Unreal Engine 6 Lumen Lite Nintendo Switch 2 support, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment added to Nintendo Music, Nintendo Switch 3 Intel GPU rumour, Nintendo Switch 2 Pokémon Pokopia bundleSupport the show
The first question digs into how a 3D generalist attracts higher-quality clients, and why marketing yourself is the skill most creatives neglect. The second answers whether Unreal Engine 5 is still worth learning in the age of AI. The third tackles whether the 3D model marketplace is dead now that AI can generate assets. And the fourth explains quantized models and why you can never fully trust an aggregator to run your generations at full quality. This is our first Q&A episode.
Welcome to Generation X Gaming Podcast #493!Join 30nstillgaming and Sgt Mclusky as we break down the biggest gaming and entertainment stories of the week. From the latest Grand Theft Auto 6 pre-order news and the ongoing situation surrounding Bungie, Destiny, and Sony, to Microsoft's continued restructuring efforts and the future of cloud gaming, there's plenty to discuss.We also examine Epic Games' Unreal Engine 6, compare the business models of GeForce NOW and Xbox Game Pass, and share what we've been playing this week—including a few unexpected indie titles.Later in the episode, we dive into the current state of AAA gaming, discussing corporate influence, studio layoffs, the rise of independent developers, and how AI could reshape game development over the coming years.#podcast #gaming #podcasting 00:00 Welcome to Generation X Gaming #49301:47 GTA 6 Pre-Order News02:04 Bungie, Destiny & Sony Update02:06 Xbox Restructuring & Microsoft's Strategy02:40 Unreal Engine 6 Discussion03:06 GeForce NOW vs. Xbox Game Pass08:56 What We've Been Playing14:59 Cozy Game Restoration17:11 Jeff Kaplan's New Survival Game1:58:14 The State of AAA Gaming2:03:19 AI, Indie Developers & The Future of GamingApparel:https://spreadshop-admin.spreadshirt.com/30nstillgamingStream or Purchase Album:_______________________________________________Apple Music: https://geo.music.apple.com/album/perk-up-press-play-the-daily-grind-vol-1/1823682141Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/5mYKl3qw2HZBWLYlrP7PP6iTunes: https://geo.music.apple.com/album/perk-up-press-play-the-daily-grind-vol-1/1823682141Youtube Music: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lGuR4ijtGNpKwYzQcBrvMeSPx6z48ezcQ&si=ZtmjvEClVeB4qT6L________________________________________________Become a Subscribe: www.youtube.com/@30nsg?sub_confirmati...Become a 30NSG YOUTUBE MEMBER Here:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJJqcCHl70Y8z3QGKMAQIKw/joinJoin Our Discord: https://discord.gg/ansqERtcmhTwitter: https://x.com/30nstillgamingSpotify: GXG Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3nEYqXh8aTMzxdNQC9BTYB?si=91a17d7a356249b6
Why is Yuga Labs' CEO the same guy who produced Lady Gaga's Super Bowl halftime?Figge went from co-founding POSSIBLE (creative studio behind arena tours for Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Paul McCartney and 200 other arena shows) to a 2020 Emmy for the world's first Unreal Engine extended reality stage. Then he created WENEW with Beeple. Then four C-suite roles at Yuga Labs in under four years, now CEO of the company behind Bored Ape Yacht Club, CryptoPunks, and Beeple's HUMAN ONE.In this episode of #UpgradeMe with Dana Leong, Figge walks through the white hat rescue of millions of dollars in NFTs (29 Bored Apes and 2 CryptoPunks), leadership upgrades, why he hires for curiosity over pedigree, and transitioning to running one of the world's largest digitalized art clubs: Yuga Labs.CHAPTERS00:00 Cliffhanger cold open00:38 Welcome to #UpgradeMe00:41 Figge intro02:48 Kanye West Glow in the Dark Tour11:11 The phone might stop ringing12:07 Emmy nominations and VMAs17:49 BAYC — best club on the internet28:00 2020 Emmy for Unreal Engine XR stage34:27 The CEO paradox35:18 The $69 million JPEG at Christie's1:01:08 Films aren't finished. They're abandoned.1:03:12 White hat rescue — 29 Bored Apes, 2 CryptoPunks1:09:33 Pressure is a privilege1:11:27 9-minute mornings1:12:07 RPM — Result Purpose MapABOUT FIGGECEO of Yuga Labs (BAYC, CryptoPunks, Meebits, Otherside, HUMAN ONE). Rose through four C-suite roles in under four years. Co-founder of POSSIBLE, the creative design studio behind 200+ arena-scale shows including Lady Gaga Super Bowl LI halftime, VMAs, Coachella, and tours for Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Paul McCartney, Childish Gambino. 2020 Emmy for the world's biggest extended reality stage on Unreal Engine. Lead creative on Louis Vuitton's "Louis The Game." Co-founded WENEW with Beeple and Guy Oseary in 2021.Watch on YouTube: youtu.be/B76Z1Pqt9WsFollow Figge: LinkedIn · X @mfigge · IG @mfigge · yuga.com━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━Welcome back to #UpgradeMe. It's a podcast about the never ending self improvement journey, ideas and life hacks to help you level up and the people who make it happen! Hosted by Dana Leong, a 2x Grammy Winning Musician, US Music Ambassador and World Economic Forum Young Global Leader.Support #UpgradeMe: patreon.com/UpgradeMePodJoin our communities online at:Instagram: @UpgradeMePodTikTok: @UpgradeMePodFacebook: UpgradeMePodYouTube: @UpgradeMePodX: @PodUpgradeLinkedIn: DanaLeongSubscribe: bit.ly/upgradeytsub#UpgradeMe is sponsored by TEKTONIKmusic.org (Harmony Heals)
With the rumors and reports continuing to swirl regarding the bloodletting that is due to ensue next week from Xbox, even more information has been released this week, narrowing down the studios that could be affected even further. Not only that, but now XBOX is cutting funding to projects and even Xbox Game Pass third-party deals, plus they even raised console prices AGAIN. As XBOX evaluates everything, actual employees are already reporting they are looking for work. Bad news all around for the green brand. Sony also had its share of bad news with the major Bungie layoffs and the removal of purchased digital content due to licensing agreements, and more rumors that the PlayStation 6 will be rather expensive, and apparently they still want live service stuff too. Plus, Grand Theft Auto costs $80, and the special edition is $100. Persona is getting a live-action show from Netflix, NBC Universal may get into gaming, Unreal Engine 6 is really going heavy on A.I. and more. You can also watch this episode in video form on the W2M Network Youtube Channel, please give us a like, comment on the episode, and give the channel a subscribe and follow as well: https://youtube.com/live/WTnJuo1STPY
Level up your leadership: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 What if the secret to leveraging AI in game development isn't about just writing code faster, but getting your team to be more rigorous before a single line is even written? In this episode of Building Better Games, Ben talks with Landon (CTO) and Jean-Eric (Product Lead/Producer/Tech Artist) from Believer. Together, they pull back the curtain on how agentic coding tools and custom internal bridges like Claireon didn't just accelerate their systems development from months to a single week—they completely flipped their production pipeline on its head. They dive deep into why AI forces game dev teams back into a structured setup at the start, how it alters the role of engineering leaders, and why the ultimate bottleneck has officially shifted back to human creativity and polish. What You'll Learn in This Episode: What shifted when a veteran studio integrated agentic coding directly into the Unreal Engine editor, reducing a three-to-six-month development cycle to one week Why relying on AI to "one-shot" solutions fails, and why true velocity requires human experts to break down tasks into strict decision-making frameworks How to build customized, dynamic production dashboards that match your personal mental model rather than getting bottlenecked by the default constraints of Jira and tools like it Why the traditional middle-of-the-pipe engineering grind is disappearing, forcing studio leaders to double down on upfront alignment and end-of-pipe playtest validation If you're a leader in game dev who is skeptical of the generative AI hype but drowning in backlog management and long engineering cycles, this episode is for you. Learn more about our guests:
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/AnalyticJoin The Normandy For Ad-Free NME, Additional Bonus Audio And Visual Content For All Things Nme+! Join Here: https://ow.ly/msoH50WCu0K In this segment of Notorious Mass Effect, Analytic Dreamz delivers a concise breakdown of Meccha Chameleon, the 2026 indie viral sensation that redefined multiplayer hide-and-seek. Developed by just two Japanese creators in roughly two months, Meccha Chameleon replaces traditional Prop Hunt mechanics with a real-time painting camouflage system. Players become artistic chameleons, sampling colors, painting textures, and blending into environments using Unreal Engine 5 and full Steam Workshop support.Analytic Dreamz explores the game's explosive growth: 10 million copies sold in 16 days at $5.99, a peak of 340,535 concurrent Steam players, and its rise as the 44th most-played game in Steam history. From the Mona Lisa phenomenon and viral TikTok clips to popular maps like Hide-and-Seek Mansion, Osaka, and community creations, this segment covers gameplay modes, streamer chaos, sales milestones, and why a low-budget indie outperformed major titles through pure creativity and shareability.Tune in for the full story behind 2026's biggest surprise hit. Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/AnalyticJoin The Normandy For Ad-Free NME, Additional Bonus Audio And Visual Content For All Things Nme+! Join Here: https://ow.ly/msoH50WCu0K In this segment of Notorious Mass Effect, Analytic Dreamz reacts to the Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls Samurai Outriders Trailer for PS5 and PC.Analytic Dreamz delivers a detailed first-look breakdown of the latest trailer for the upcoming Marvel fighting game. The Samurai Outriders Trailer introduces a striking new team of characters blending traditional Japanese warrior aesthetics with Marvel's most powerful heroes and villains. Viewers witness intense combat sequences, unique special moves, team-based mechanics, and high-fidelity visuals powered by Unreal Engine.Analytic Dreamz examines the gameplay systems, character design philosophy, roster potential, and how this new entry differentiates itself in the competitive fighting game space. From fluid animations and destructible environments to the fusion of samurai culture and Marvel lore, this reaction covers every major highlight and fan speculation point.Join Analytic Dreamz for an honest, in-depth reaction and analysis of the Samurai Outriders Trailer for Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls.Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
What's up Guardians, and welcome to the newly branded Guardian Down Roundtable! We've spent nearly seven years as the Guardian Down Cast show focusing on Destiny, but now we're taking a more broad overview of the entire gaming hobby. Every week, my co-host Mr. Kingsleymac and I sit down with two rotating guest hosts to tackle topics of discussion—covering everything from the gaming industry and tech to social media…or whatever our guest co-hosts have on their mind. Our mission is simple: To create a dialogue with topics/news that impact our gaming hobby…all while keeping the focus on our community.We go live every Thursday at 9 PM Eastern on my ToddtheGatr YouTube and Twitch channels, as well as our Discord Live Stage. Once a month, we invite a new member from our Discord community to pull up a chair and share their own story with us. We are a live video show with an audio version available every Monday morning. We love the live shows but we love interacting with the live chat even more, so jump in, give us your input!Join us LIVE on YouTube!Join us LIVE on Twitch!Join our Discord Community!Follow ToddtheGatr on X:Follow Guardian Down on Instagram:Our Official Website:Send us a Voicemail!Join Our Patreon Community!
Eline Van Der Velden did musical theatre, then got a master's in physics with plans to work in nuclear fusion, then went back to acting, built a BBC award-winning YouTube comedy series, started a production company, and just four years ago converted it into an AI production company called Particle6. That backstory alone would make for a good Marvel backstory. Then, she created Tilly Norwood.Tilly is a synthetic AI actress, and when Particle6 dropped her into the world, Hollywood reacted in a way it hadn't reacted to digital humans in twenty years of trying — Tupac, Lil Mikayla, Epic's Unreal Engine characters, Magic Leap's Mica, none of them landed the same way. Eline's explanation is simple: Tilly was the first one that looked really real. She arrived at a moment when emotions in the industry were already running high, and she became the lightning rod for everything people feared AI would do to actors and the creative workforce.The conversation goes deep on what it actually takes to build a synthetic performer, where the IP and copyright lines are, why Eline built clear internal AI ethics policy for Particle6, and why Tilly wasn't modelled on any existing actor by design. The episode opens with AWE wrap-up from Charlie, Ted, and Rony — Snap Spectacles at $2,200, the gray zone problem that has haunted every headset since HoloLens, Project Aura from XREAL finally impressing Charlie, Cosm getting $100 million from Sony, and why Rony thinks building XR has cost more money than going to space.Note: Charlie's audio dropped near the end of the episode, so Ted and Rony close out the conversation.Key Moments:[00:01:30] AWE wrap — starting with Snap Spectacles debut at $2,200[00:08:00] The gray zone — Rony on why AR headsets have cost more to develop than SpaceX, and why consumers won't go to the gray zone[00:12:45] Project Aura from XREAL[00:13:30] Cosm gets $100M from Sony — Is it the next Top Golf or a financial trap?[00:22:00] Introducing Eline Van Der Velden[00:26:00] Why Tilly caused a nuclear reaction; every other digital human got a shrug; Tilly got an industry meltdown[00:45:00] The IP and copyright question & Particle6's internal AI ethics policy[00:57:00] AI is replacing the entire international dubbing workforce in real time[00:59:30] The case for AI Animation image rehab & name change Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
I went to two World Cup matches this week, so we start the show talking about sports and the cultural exchange that is happening. We remember Bobby Prince, the composer who worked on many 90's era DOS games like Doom and Commander Keen. He passed away at the age of 81. Xbox is possibly closing Double Fine, Compulsion Games, and Ninja Theory, in order to "reset" the business. Unreal Engine 6 will be removing blueprints and C++ and replacing them with new technologies that are more friendly for LLM's. They are also wanting to bring every UE6 game into the Fortnite ecosystem. Then we talk to Jamie about Pokemon and Transformers pinball.
Falamos sobre o singelo The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales e voltamos ao checkpoint de Trails com The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak 1 & 2. Também comentamos a IA na Unreal Engine 6, o (novo) possível fechamento do Nagoshi Studio, demissões em Luna Abyss e rumores de remake de Devil May Cry.Blocos00:08:56: IA na Unreal Engine 600:24:33: Saída de veterano da Unreal00:27:30: Mais IA no PlayStation00:35:33: Nagoshi Studio fechou?00:41:00: Fechamento do estúdio de Luna Abyss00:50:34: Remake de Devil May Cry em produção?01:06:01: Nova patente de controle PlayStation01:12:22: Preço do Steam Machine01:20:09: The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak 1 & 201:59:23: The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales02:29:45: Perguntas dos ouvintes Apoie e acompanheContribuaYouTubeTwitchBlueskyContato
GTA 6 finally has a price tag, Steam Machine lands with a $1,000+, and Tencent is quietly pulling out of Japan.In this episode, we break down:● Why GTA 6's $80/$100 pricing is good news for the industry● What the deluxe edition actually includes (and what it's missing)● The attach rate debate for GTA 6 on PS5 and Xbox● Why Tencent is exiting its Japanese gaming investments● Who's actually still buying game studios right now● Unreal Engine 6 and what it means for developers● Epic's new AI tools shown at Unreal Fest● Tim Sweeney's "Team Open" pitch and his war on Roblox● Who the Steam Machine is actually built for● General Intuition's $320M raise and what it means for AI in gaming● Roblox's new brand integration tax and why creators are worried● Why Queen Digital Entertainment shut down after burning $50MCHAPTERS:00:20 Welcome and Agenda02:14 Canada and World Cup Banter03:40 Seattle Roundtable Plug05:07 Mishka LinkedIn Apology07:42 LA Roundtable Recap10:15 Audience Polls and GTA Hype11:38 GTA 6 Pricing Details14:32 Deluxe Edition and Monetization17:05 Attach Rate and Online Revenue20:23 Tencent Divestment Rumors22:22 Who Still Buys Studios25:47 Bull Case and Buyouts26:06 Tencent Strategy Shift26:35 Unreal Fest Highlights26:55 Unreal Engine 6 Roadmap27:53 AI Tools in Unreal28:36 Tim Sweeney vs Roblox29:04 Team Open Vision31:26 Interoperability Debate35:00 Epic Reality Check40:53 Valve Steam Machine Pricing46:41 Who Is It For48:05 General Intuition Funding50:21 Roblox Brand Runtime Fees54:38 Creator Impact and Risks58:26 Queen Digital Shuts Down01:00:14 Wrap Up and Goodbye
Valve just dropped a HUGE news bomb on the gaming industry. What do the price mean for Nintendo and the gaming industry? Also, we talk about the next Unreal Engine and what that means for our games, especially on Switch 2.Join the community:https://twitter.com/DripGeebhttps://discord.gg/edkZZDxJbf----------YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/DripMediaGaminghttps://www.youtube.com/UncleGeebProductions----------Twitch:https://www.twitch.tv/unclegeebhttps://www.twitch.tv/dripmedia
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where this week we start a new series on 2005's Psychonauts. We stay in the same year as our last game, and dive into a little of the prehistory of the game before diving into the game proper. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: Coach Oleander's Brain Issues covered: making something for someone else to own, spinning off from LucasArts, staying true to their persona, being a more open studio, documentaries about the studio, the possibility of the studio closing, how the game starts, a super stylistic game, clear identity, bringing individuality to each character, asymmetry, offending the efficient developer, hand-crafting everything, impeccable writing and voice acting, themes coming through later, trailblazing, an indie scene in San Francisco, changing guards at publishers, drawing on psychology for its setting, a cohesive and pure game, exploring two tutorial areas, customizing buckets of figments of imagination, building engine game and studio together, crunch-tastic development, a variety of action and platforming primitives, an underimplemented feel and polish, fighting the camera, systemic cameras that have trouble covering everything, a big swing, asymmetric multiplayer modes, mutators, an internal mail alias, voice over IP, what do you need to support an MP game post-launch, inventory tetris, risk to return to get a loot item, a vestigial element of games, forcing hard choices or loops, re-examining genre "defaults," informing our own work, Octavia's gadget system, giving more agency to the player, a shifting meta, a wide tunnel of known options. Games, people, and influences mentioned or discussed: Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, Tim Schafer, Grim Fandango, Full Throttle, LucasArts, Microsoft, Ed Fries, Majesco, 2015, Metal of Honor: Allied Assault, Infinity Ward, Call of Duty, Jason West, Vince Zapella, Nihilistic, Infinite Machine, Zombies Ate My Neighbors, Phantom Menace, Dean Sharpe, Kalani Streicher, Broken Age, Unreal Engine, Kiln, Two Player Productions, Scott Campbell, Disney, Warner Bros, Studio Ghibli, Peter Chan, Day of the Tentacle, SW: Republic Commando, Beyond Good & Evil, Monkey Island (series), Spyro, Super Mario (series), Illumination, Braid, Celeste, Choice Provisions/Gaijin Games, Super Meat Boy, Team Meat, World of Goo, Crystal Dynamics, Prince of Persia: Sands of Time, Ocarina of Time, Ashton Herrmann, Unreal Tournament, Quake, Duke Nuke'em, Hunt: Showdown, Repo, Peak, Matthew, Outlaws, Aliens vs Predator, Starcraft, Matthew, Diablo, Animal Crossing, Resident Evil (series), Harley Baldwin, Halo, DOOM (1993), Maas, Project: Octavia, Troy Mashburn, Thief (series), Kirk Hamilton, Aaron Evers, Mark Garcia. Next time: more Psychonauts! Twitch: timlongojr and twinsunscorp YouTube Discord DevGameClub@gmail.com
Big anniversaries this week for the N64 and for Quake! Let's talk about those, also the FUTURE OF SCIENCE, the future of Unreal Engine, a review of the Beitong Pangu, the Steam Machine, goblinAmerica, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
On this week's episode LevelCap and Matimi0 https://www.twitch.tv/matimi0 discuss Squadron 42's upcoming in-person events, the struggles of the AAA games industry, Unreal Engine 6 controversy, and much more! Support us on Patreon for bonus content! https://www.patreon.com/LevelWithMePodcast Join Our Discord and make suggestions for our next episode topics https://discord.gg/nxBQZ6eh8H
PlayStation Network has once again been targeted by nefarious actors, this time exposing flaws in Sony's online infrastructure that we never even considered. If you've noticed weird games popping-up in your recently played list, titles that don't belong in your library, cluttered PSN widgets, and other oddities, you were affected. And while Sony seems to have begun to mend the issue, it feels like they're unable to accept their solemn corporate obligation to protect their customers. Will they ever even publicly admit their problems, nonetheless solve all of them? We discuss. Plus: Other news! Grand Theft Auto VI's pre-orders are imminent, rumors are circulating about a potential delay of PlayStation 6, Housemarque talks about its post-Saros future, Halo: Campaign Evolved's Trophies have been surreally revealed, Mark Hamill is set to appear in Twisted Metal's third season on Peacock, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Is PlayStation at risk of losing its hard-earned prestige? Why aren't more at-risk studios sold instead of shuttered? Should Capcom get more credit for their runaway success with RE Engine? Will Dustin ever return to the show, or will Sacred forever move forward as a duo? Timestamps: Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00 - Intro37:04 - Leon the Great38:35 - Dustin's weeb degeneracy45:27 - Colin adopts Joshua's wife52:17 - Long Island history55:40 - LSM's extra content58:35 - GTA VI pre-orders1:09:05 - PS4 got a new firmware update1:13:39 - Yet another PSN security issue1:37:16 - Will PS6 be delayed?1:52:02 - Housemarque's future2:07:50 - Halo's first trophy list2:13:29 - Mark Hamill joins Twisted Metal2:18:25 - Black Ops 1 & 2 are coming to Playstation2:23:53 - EA reveals EA Advertising2:32:16 - Rockstar retires PS4 players2:33:20 - Sony patents DualSense with button hardness2:41:21 - Unreal Engine 6 releases in 20272:54:54 - Capcom disempowers its authors3:04:38 - Devil May Cry 5 sold more copies in 20253:06:03 - Sony speaks on PC cancellations3:08:49 - What We're Playing (007 First Light, Pragmata, Crazy Taxi 2)3:14:03 - Has Playstation lost its riz?3:20:25 - Could Sony relocate?3:25:58 - Why are studios shut down?3:33:26 - Should Playstation exit the A and AA space?3:43:51 - RE Engine praise3:51:36 - Grifting doesn't earn much Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jeff welcomes Adam Leonhardt from Mega Dads and Anthony Taormina from Gamerant to discuss Xbox studios coming under the axe, Grand Theft Auto 6's pre-order price, and all the AI going into the next version of the Unreal Engine.The Playlist:Adam: 007 First Light, Dave the DiverAnthony: Destiny 2 RIP, Pokemon GO, Control ResonantJeff: Steam Next Fest: Echoes of Mystralia, Ascenders Beyond the Peak, Blood Dungeon, Grass Chopper and Don't Stop the Pop, Order of the Sinking Star, Furyball Rogue RevengeParting Gifts!
Halo is on PlayStation. Let that sink in. On this one we get into Halo: Campaign Evolved — the full Unreal Engine 5 remake landing on PS5, Xbox and PC on July 28 — and why cutting the multiplayer to protect the "next mainline Halo" might be the dumbest part of the whole thing. Plus the AI controversy Halo Studios can't stop being squirrely about. Then it's GTA 6: pre-orders go live June 25, November 19 release, no PC version, and the $100 price question nobody wants to answer honestly. Spoiler: if you'll pay $70, you'll pay $100, and we explain exactly why. But the one we're actually hyped about is WARDOGS — Bulkhead addressed the "too arcadey" killcam feedback head-on instead of going quiet like every AAA studio does. We break down the ghillie-suit compromise, the hardcore servers, and why devs who actually play their own game are so rare right now. Lightning round: CoD 2026 bringing DMZ back as the third mode, Black Ops 1 & 2 hitting PlayStation, and where the extraction-shooter graveyard leaves Marathon. Jake's optimistic. Raz sees the greed trap coming. Same as always. 0:00 Intro — back in the saddle 1:31 It's all about shooters 2:27 WARDOGS & the killcam controversy 7:07 Can't have it both ways: the killcam debate 7:49 The ghillie suit & hardcore server compromise 15:56 Devs who actually play their own game 19:59 The greed trap: how good shooters get ruined 29:50 Halo: Campaign Evolved comes to PlayStation 30:54 Cutting multiplayer to protect the next Halo 33:23 Are you a Halo or a Call of Duty guy? 45:52 The Halo AI controversy 1:05:09 GTA 6 pre-orders are live 1:05:40 No PC version — the PC wait 1:10:35 The $100 question & CEO spin 1:13:31 If you'll pay $70, you'll pay $100 1:15:56 Lightning round: CoD 2026 & DMZ returns 1:17:12 Black Ops 1 & 2 hit PlayStation 1:23:40 Marathon & the extraction graveyard 1:28:30 Patreon, wrap-up & goodbye _Note: timestamps may be slightly misaligned on podcast apps (but not on YouTube) due to dynamic ads._ The podcast is available wherever you listen to podcasts, and ad-free & early access versions - as well as bonus episodes - are available to all of our Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/thedropshot) supporters. We stream the podcast live on our YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/c/thedropshotpodcast) every Saturday morning at ~9 o'clock Pacific Time. We typically start the stream 30 minutes early to answer viewer questions, banter, and chat. Links for everything are below. Thanks for checking us out!
Ep 532 - After pampering fans at their summer showcase, Xbox doesn't want the innovative studios it bought anymore. The GTA VI hype is about to start ratcheting up. Unreal is integrating AI, and Isla checks out the new Stronghold 4 demo. Get the extended cut and support Easy Allies: https://www.patreon.com/EasyAllies/posts/extended-xbox-vi-161501254 00:00 - Intro 02:39 - GTA VI Cover Art Reveal 06:40 - Xbox Plans to Dump Multiple Studios 01:04:26 - Unreal Engine 6 to Integrate AI 01:21:54 - A Word From Our Sponsors 01:25:24 - Damiani's My One Piece 01:36:37 - My One Thing 01:37:21 - Stronghold 4 Demo Impressions 01:42:26 - L&R: Strange Shopping Habits 01:48:34 - L&R: Video Game Crush 01:52:39 - L&R: Ocarina Remake Speculation 01:58:33 - L&R: Video Game Comebacks 02:05:01 - Bets 02:07:58 - Closing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
There comes a time in every person's life when they must contend with the question: which golf game is for me? For Rob, well he and his dad spent some time this past week hitting the links in PGA 2k25. Patrick and Chia were both won over by a totally Normal Golf Game, (which they will make Rob play next week when the crew gathers at Highground). Unfortunately, there's only so much golfing that can distract from Xbox closing multiple studios, Epic putting AI in Unreal Engine 6, and Don't Nod teetering on the edge of shutting down for good. As bleak as the AAA space is, at least Steam Next Fest has given Patrick and Chia games to look forward to in the indie zone, including Penguin Colony, the next game from the folks who made Umurangi Generation, and even more golf in the form of Sting and Swing, a stylish looking metroid-vania golfing game.Reminder: Last year, the pro-Palestinian human rights movement BDS that's pressuring Israel by promoting boycotts, divestment, and sanctions against the country added Xbox to its boycott list. Learn more here: https://www.bdsmovement.net/news/boycott-microsofts-xboxLinks: Normal Golf Game Screenshot, Studios in Microsoft's Xbox Division Brace for Closures, Xbox's reverse-2018, Vampire Survivors Fortnite Crossover Might Not Happen Due To GenAIDiscussed:00:00:00 - Intro00:09:00 - PGA 2K2500:30:49 - Normal Golf Game00:42:23 - IRL stream next week00:53:11 - 4th and Goal00:59:33 - Compulsion, Ninja Theory, and Double Fine closed by Xbox01:17:18 - Dont Nod will run out of money in November01:30:57 - Unreal Engine 6 will include AI01:44:33 - Onimusha: Way of the Sword02:09:53 - Steam Next Fest02:14:13 - Sting and Swing02:16:18 - Pact Warden02:17:48 - Hellraiser: Revival02:30:03 - Slap Out of It02:30:38 - Mr Records02:33:43 - Rob's new mouse02:43:50 - Question Bucket03:07:32 - Outro and announcementsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
AI NEWS: AI Image company Midjourney just unveiled Midjourney Scanner, a full-body medical scanner, and it might be one of the first real signs that the AI science era has arrived. This week on AI For Humans, Midjourney does the most unexpected pivot of the year, trading anime babes for anatomy with a new AI driven full body scanner. Is the era of AI actually changing science finally here? We break down why this hardware is a big deal, Plus, Snapchat's SPECS are coming but they are expensive and… kind of ugly, Unreal Engine 5.8 ships with MCP support, and the AI talent wars heat up as Noam Shazeer leaves Google for OpenAI. Oh, and Claude Fable 5 might be back soon. Maybe. AI IS COMING FOR YOUR ORGANS. IN A GOOD WAY. WE THINK. SHOW LINKS Midjourney's New AI Driven Full Body Scanner https://x.com/midjourney/status/2067421950314688759 Midjourney Medical blog post https://www.midjourney.com/medical/blogpost Technical deep dive video https://x.com/midjourney/status/2067422898407837797 Hank Green's excited but check yourself post https://x.com/hankgreen/status/2067471250159448305 Eric Topol with some healthy skepticism https://x.com/EricTopol/status/2067607995882799169 Anthropic confident Fable 5 access returns in coming days https://www.koreajoongangdaily.com/business/anthropic-confident-of-reenabling-mythos-fable-5-access-in-coming-days-executive/12727522 Former Trump official Dean Ball heads to OpenAI https://www.axios.com/2026/06/18/dean-ball-openai Noam Shazeer leaves Google for OpenAI https://www.theinformation.com/articles/star-google-ai-researcher-shazeer-joins-openai Snapchat SPECS first look https://x.com/NathieVR/status/2066967928495640729 Funny edit of the CNBC SPECS interview https://x.com/bubbleboi/status/2067490438144254055 Unreal Engine 5.8 ships with MCP support https://x.com/UnrealEngine/status/2067251500900839735 Headroom https://x.com/tonysimons_/status/2067082761605648858 Personal Training Prompts https://x.com/Hawks0x/status/2039438255653806526
Send us Fan MailSpectator Mode Podcast returns with a packed episode as we talk about the games we've been playing, Epic Games revealing Unreal Engine 6, Bungie adding PvE modes for Marathon, our impressions of Forza Horizon 6, and why PlayStation's PC strategy continues to frustrate players. We also get into why exclusives still matter in today's gaming landscape and break down the latest Echoes of Aincrad system trailer.Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction01:45 - Games we've played12:13 - Epic Games revealed Unreal Engine 623:17 - Bungie to add PVE modes to Marathon31:32 - Forza Horizon 6 impressions52:00 - PlayStation continues to frustrate PC gamers1:03:20 - Yes, exclusives still matter1:32:01 - Echoes of Aincrad system trailerSupport the showYou can find the Spectator Mode podcast on the following podcast platforms. Please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcast, as it will go a long watch in more people discovering us. Thank you!Apple PodcastsYouTubeSpotifyAmazon Music
Video Game Town, a truly indie website that is constantly striving to employ and pay some of your favorite writers to build a new community for smart and fun gaming coverage. Check them out at http://videogame.town for daily pieces! You can directly support them on Patreon at http://patreon.com/videogametown for exclusive articles and podcasts.Experience HITS technology with the new PRO X2 Superstrike, the fastest mouse Logitech G has ever built. Head over to http://kindafunny.com/logitech to grab yours and start clicking faster than the competition. Why Microsoft announced Ninja Theory's new game despite planning to shut it down, Epic spills a bunch of details about Unreal Engine 6, and a studio behind a brand new Game Pass shooter closes. Thank you for the support! Run of Show - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Claude's Fable 5 just got yanked, and the story why keeps shifting by the hour. A contested jailbreak, an export-control, crackdown, and a lot of fingers pointing. This week on AI For Humans, Anthropic's Claude Fable 5 is still unavailable and the explanations keep changing. We dig into the contested jailbreak report, the export-control directive that pulled it, and the reporting that Amazon raised concerns before the crackdown. Then we get into why this matters far beyond one model: what happens when the government steps into the AI world, why Fable 5 was such a leap, and what it signals for whatever comes next. Plus, Epic's game designers are using AI tools alongside artists and the internet is furious, Disney Imagineering is testing Adobe Firefly in the parks, ChatGPT's market share slips under 50 percent for the first time, a fake Mistral model called Le Chaton Fat takes over the internet, and PJ Accetturo breaks down exactly how he made his viral AI short film with prompts. THE BEST AI WE EVER USED IS BEHIND BARS. AND NOW WE WAIT. SHOW LINKS Original Anthropic statement on Fable and Mythos access https://www.anthropic.com/news/fable-mythos-access Full timeline of the Anthropic, Amazon, and White House story https://www.axios.com/2026/06/13/anthropic-amazon-white-house Amazon CEO reportedly raised Anthropic model concerns before the government crackdown https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/13/amazon-ceo-reportedly-raised-anthropic-model-concerns-before-government-crackdown/ Simon Willison on the contested Fable jailbreak report https://x.com/simonw/status/2066722034491789720 ChatGPT market share slips below 50 percent for the first time https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/16/chatgpts-market-share-slips-below-50-for-first-time/ GPT-5.6 next week? Polymarket odds https://x.com/Polymarket/status/2066644087340495081 Possible new ChatGPT voice mode leak https://x.com/testingcatalog/status/2066919098236146167 Space X Buys Cursor https://www.cnbc.com/2026/06/16/spacex-spcx-cursor-acquisition-ipo.html Epic explores using NanoBanana and GPT-Image-2 in workflows with humans https://x.com/UnrealEngine/status/2066686216779509850 SEGA's Crazy Taxi AI statement https://x.com/SEGAInforment/status/2063990392085766622 PJ Accetturo breaks down how he made his three minute short film with prompts https://x.com/PJaccetturo/status/2066582776934289438 Le Chaton Fat, the fake Mistral model that took over the internet https://x.com/AlexanderKnigge/status/2066267845546442762
At Summer Game Fest 2026 I went hands-on with Annapurna's lineup, and there's a lot to be excited about — starting with my most anticipated of the show, Silent Hill: Townfall.Townfall makes a bold move from third-person to first-person horror on Unreal Engine 5, with one-to-one scale, a CRT-style signal device, and a no-HUD design where your character's thoughts surface as on-screen text — and it looks gorgeous. Then The Lost Wild from Giant Ape flips the script on dinosaur games with an “anti-kill,” stealth-survival approach that treats dinosaurs as creatures rather than enemies, plus a supernatural twist. And Demi rounds it out as a cute, casual, Zelda-esque dungeon crawler.
The Masters of the Universe movie is finally here, and it lands a lot closer to Guardians of the Galaxy than anyone expected. This week we break down the live action He-Man swing in full, from Nicholas Galitzine's early Chris Pratt energy as Prince Adam to a Skeletor performance that turns into the most fun anyone has had hiding Jared Leto behind a mask, then we tear through the biggest gaming week of the year across three separate showcases. We rank PlayStation State of Play, Summer Game Fest and the Xbox Games Showcase, and the order might surprise you. Marvel's Wolverine and God of War Laufey carry the PlayStation side, Summer Game Fest leaves us cold outside of Guild Wars 3 and the Resident Evil Code Veronica remake, and Xbox makes the strongest argument for itself in years with Gears of War, a slicker Fable, Clockwork Revolution and Halo Campaign Evolved running on Unreal Engine. We close with the new Xbox exclusivity push, what AI showing up in Crazy Taxi could mean, and a Dungeon Crawler Carl recommendation worth your time. Timestamps and Topics 00:00 Intro and Best of 2026 So Far 02:30 Masters of the Universe Movie Review 23:30 Final Grades for Masters of the Universe 25:23 PlayStation State of Play: Wolverine and God of War Laufey 36:41 Summer Game Fest Reactions 45:16 Xbox Games Showcase: Fable, Gears, Halo and More 1:01:26 Ranking All Three Showcases 1:05:08 Network Update and Weekly Recommendations Key Takeaways Masters of the Universe leans fully into its cheesy 80s cartoon DNA, and that commitment is exactly why the one liners and over the top tone work instead of feeling forced. Skeletor is the surprise of the movie, with the bone effects and tuned voice landing as a cackling, failing upward villain, and the Evelyn dynamic adds a real layer to him. Marvel's Wolverine and God of War Laufey were the PlayStation standouts, with Laufey's faster, more aerial combat and direct ties back to the 2018 God of War opening the door to new mythologies. Summer Game Fest underwhelmed overall, though Guild Wars 3 reads like a serious MMO contender with no subscription and no battle pass, and the Resident Evil Code Veronica remake got real excitement. Xbox made the loudest case for its own brand, leaning into true exclusives, with Gears of War, a more polished Fable delayed to February 2027, Clockwork Revolution, and Halo Campaign Evolved moving to Unreal Engine for a July 28 release. The new Xbox direction raises bigger questions, from undoing the Game Pass price increase to Crazy Taxi becoming an early test case for AI as a development tool. Quotes "Idris Elba, eternally a badass. I just love that dude." On Skeletor: "almost like an evil drag queen laughing and cackling 80s cartoon Skeletor." "People say the gaming console wars is over. No, it's not, because that's what drives us, dammit." "Don't skip any Geek Freaks." On AI in Crazy Taxi: "If you laid off anybody for AI, then go screw yourself." Call to Action If you had fun with this one, follow the show, leave us a five star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and share the episode with the gamer or He-Man fan in your life. Tag us when you post using #GeekFreaksPodcast so we can find you. Snap a picture of your review and we will send you something for the merch shop. Links and Resources GeekFreaksPodcast.com is the source of all news discussed in this episode. Everything covered across the PlayStation, Xbox and Summer Game Fest showcases is rounded up there. Follow Us Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegeekfreakspodcast Threads: https://www.threads.net/@geekfreakspodcast Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GeekFreakspodcast Listener Questions Got a hot take on the Masters of the Universe movie, a showcase reveal we slept on, or a game you want us to cover next time? Send us your questions, reactions and future topic ideas. We read them on the show. Apple Podcast Tags Geek Freaks, Masters of the Universe, He-Man, Skeletor, Marvel's Wolverine, God of War Laufey, PlayStation State of Play, Summer Game Fest 2026, Xbox Games Showcase, Gears of War, Fable, Halo Campaign Evolved, Clockwork Revolution, Guild Wars 3, Resident Evil Code Veronica, gaming podcast, geek culture, movie review, video game news, pop culture
This week: Lego Batman, Yerba Buena, TerraTech Legion, the Steam Deck price increase, lamenting the end of Destiny, Unreal Engine 6, our early PC-building memories, and other stuff!CHAPTERS(00:00:00) NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate for versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening.(00:00:10) Intro(00:02:54) Vinny's ready for the next career move. Well, maybe not.(00:11:08) Vintage mice and remembering cleaning them(00:15:12) "Jack of All Trades" redemption(00:16:50) Yerba Buena | [PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5] | May 26, 2026(00:22:00) LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight | [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S] | May 22, 2026(00:32:17) First Break(00:37:19) Saros | [PlayStation 5] | Apr 30, 2026(00:39:04) [General Spoilers] Nothing big, just general flow, mechanics, and levels(00:48:58) TerraTech Legion | [PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox Series X|S] | Apr 30, 2026(00:56:40) Directive 8020 | [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S] | May 12, 2026(00:58:53) Second Break(00:58:54) A big increase on the Valve Steam Deck(01:06:17) Destiny 2 is ending updates(01:21:44) Media Molecule is hiring and probably making a game!(01:24:23) The Witcher 3 is getting new DLC!(01:29:52) Make way for Unreal Engine 6(01:38:48) Emails(02:12:29) Wrapping up and thanks(02:19:15) Mysterious Benefactor Shoutouts(02:21:26) Nextlander content updates(02:23:38) See ya!
This week the Punching Up crew discusses Warhorses' new projects, including a game set in Middle-earth, Dragon Quest Direct, the new Mario Movie release, Crazy Taxi, and more!Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.0:00:00 - Intro0:25:53 - Dragon Quest Stream0:34:26 - Warhorse Working on Middle-earth Game0:46:29 - Next Mario Movie release0:50:49 - SEGA teasing Crazy Taxi0:54:13 - Nintendo Wants to Produce More Switches0:58:23 - What We're Playing1:10:55 - The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine Anniversary Stream1:17:27 - Unreal Engine 6 Announced1:20:16 - Closing Questions1:43:30 - BBQ Questions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Sweet Side of Tasty Caffeine™. Your go-to flavors when your treat cravings call for a boost! The sweetest 5-hour ENERGY flavors are back. Three mouthwatering flavors: Confetti Craze, Fruity Rainbow, and Cotton Candy, full snack break vibes with zero-sugar and a Tasty Caffeine boost. Add some fun to your caffeine break. Taste the Fun: https://click2cart.com/274100bu?utm_campaign=swtflvr&utm_medium=paid_video&utm_source=kf&utm_content=allLet Rocket Money help you reach your financial goals faster. Join at https://rocketmoney.com/kindafunny 007 First Light reviews have arrived, Is the new Witcher 3 DLC finally happening, and Unreal Engine 6 is revealed through Rocket League! Thank you for the support! Run of Show - - Start - 007 First Light Review Round Up - Ad - Is it finally time for that rumored Witcher 3 DLC? - Unreal Engine 6 Revealed as Rocket League Gets a New Coat of Paint - Michael Cripe, Michael Peyton @ IGN - Remedy's new CEO says Alan Wake and Control ‘should have sold more' – and movie/TV deal will ‘help us do that' - Andy Robinson @ VGC - Report: Dreams and LittleBigPlanet studio Media Molecule developing new open-world IP - Dave Aubrey @ VGC - Wee News! - SuperChats & You‘re Wrong Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Destiny 2 is headed for more of a maintenance-style mode, Rocket League's going to get updated with Unreal Engine 6, the new Modern Warfare is coming, James Bond has returned, Yoshi has also returned, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
This week the Gi crew talk Lego Batman: Legacy of The Dark Knight, Zero Parades, Ethos being bullied into playing Lies of P, Destiny 2 layoffs, Unreal Engine 6, Empulse, Assassin's Creed Hexe and more!