Remap Radio

It’s a week of weird/downer news in video games, between Star Wars Outlaws not selling well, Assassin’s Creed Shadows feeling the weight of an entire company, Nintendo going after emulation (again), and more. But Janet, Patrick, Rob, and Cado are here to guide you through it, alongside impressions of The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, an update on playing Space Marine 2, and more. In The Question Bucket, we consider getting into the Battle Pod.Discussed: Nintendo comes for the emulators 2:22, PS5 Pro preorders are all over the place 20:20, Troubles at Ubisoft 43:38, Janet's Star Wars History 1:00:31, Outlaws is a hard pitch 1:09:36, Space Marine 2 1:34:03, Echos of Wisdom 1:50:23, Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown 2:21:38, Epic Mickey Rebrushed 2:42:53, The Question Bucket 2:53:47See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A few weeks into the latest NFL season, Patrick and Rob aren’t sure what to make of their Chicago Bears. Is it good when your offensive line is going viral for falling on the ground? Are your most important players supposed to have a “team meeting” during “communication week” with the offensive player caller? Why, for god’s sake, can’t this team just be normal for once?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s a busy week of news, as Patrick, Rob, Janet, and Cado convene to discuss Sony’s latest State of Play, the delay of Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, the latest on Concord, and more. Plus, Janet and Patrick finished Astro Bot, Rob’s continued to pull apart Frostpunk 2, and Cado’s compelled by Star Wars Outlaws. Oh, and despite agreeing no one else should probably do it, Patrick beat The Plucky Squire. And in The Question Bucket? Oh, let’s get agile, baby.Discussed: Playstation State of Play 0:52, PSVR 2 1:18, Ghost of Yotei 9:12, Monster Hunter Wilds 23:06, Hell is Us 26:08, Alan Wake 2 DLC 29:18, Stellar Blade Nier Automata DLC 31:25, Dragon Age Veilguard 35:56, Palworld Lawsuit 44:22, The New Flappy Bird Situation 59:54, Ubisoft Shadows Delayed 1:04:31, Concord Director Steps Down 1:17:32, Like a Dragon: Pirate Dragon in Hawaii 1:23:19, Astrobot 1:44:05, Frostpunk 2 1:57:22, The Plucky Squire 2:20:36, The Question Bucket 2:34:07See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rob, Patrick, and Cado are psyched to be joined by Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, who’s also the author of an upcoming book about the complicated legacy and uncertain future of Blizzard. With Janet traveling, the rest of the group mulls the strange blowup at Annapurna Interactive and the equally strange and crypto-infused return of Flappy Bird. Both Patrick and Jason have spent time with the audacious UFO 50, while Jason, sadly, hasn’t exactly been blown away by The Lucky Squire. Rob, meanwhile, is busy managing a never ending winter in Frostpunk 2. At the very end, we indulge in some light sports, given that Jason is a long suffering fan of the Jets.Discussed: Annapurna Interactive Staff Resign Enmasse 5:21, Flappy Bird is Back? 18:20, Frostpunk 2 39:36, The Plucky Squire 1:03:56, UFO 50 1:05:28, Play Nice 1:17:08, Outro and Announcementnts 1:55:29See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With Sony finally announcing its long rumored PlayStation 5 Pro, the crew gathers to figure out what exactly you’re buying with $700 and what it says about the future of hardware. Elsewhere, Patrick and Janet are continuing to enjoy Astro Bot, while Rob has fully given into his most authentic tank self in Gunner, HEAT, PC! Oh, and everyone’s really digging Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2, even if we’re spending a lot of time asking questions about the mythology.Discussed: PS5 Pro 2:42, Astrobot 1:15:21, Gunner,Heat,PC! 1:40:09, Space Marine 2 1:55:58, Valley Peaks 2:13:58, Nine Sols 2:13:58, The Question Bucket 2:20:03, Outro and Announcements 2:38:12See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Janet and Patrick are freshly back from PAX, ready to share stories of panels, riding trains, and playing games like The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Life Is Strange: Double Exposure, and more with Rob and Cado. Beyond trying to pick apart Sony’s decision to shove Concord into a digital locker mere weeks after launch, we’ve also got a shockingly positive Star Wars: Outlaws update from Rob, while Patrick and Janet are both over the frickin’ moon for Astro Bot.Discussed: The Question Bucket 0:45, Concord Shuts Down 25:48, Remedy teams up with Annapurna 1:23:05, Astro Bot 1:30:39, Space Marine 2 2:00:50, Pax West 2:24:13, Life is Strange Double Exposure 2:24:16, The Legend of Zelda: Echos of Wisdom 2:34:18, Star Wars Outlaws 2:40:54, Outro and Announcements 2:53:06See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s nearly, folks: another chance for the Chicago Bears to break our hearts. Rob and Patrick gather around the sportsball to peer into the future, and discover that despite the Bears’ best efforts, they’re (once again) optimistic. But before that, we discuss how fans process rooting for mediocrity as an achievable goal, before transitioning it previewing the entire NFL season as a whole. In The Question Bucket, we determine the NFL’s saddest team—and it’s not the Bears!Discussed: No Cursing Please,  0:31, Quarterback Character,  18:09, The Upcoming Bears Season,  40:45, The NFL SAD Club,  1:06:00, The Rest of the NFL Season,  1:13:58See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Fresh off watching Nintendo’s latest Indie World showcase, Remap Radio gathers to mull the endgame of the Nintendo Switch. Join Janet, Patrick, Cado, and Rob as they also wonder: hey, was that Apple TV Tetris movie any good? Elsewhere, Rob and Patrick work through some mixed feelings on Star Wars Outlaws, we try to unpack Concord’s failure to launch and what it says about Sony’s broader live service strategy, and everyone’s feeling Tactical Breach Wizards. In The Question Bucket, we asked and you delivered: more delicious corporate jargon.Discussed: Nintendo Direct 2:44, Star Wars Outlaws 32:02, Deadlock Exists 1:10:20, Concord 1:16:10, Stormgate 1:44:03, Age of Mythology Retold 1:49:16, Tactical Breach Wizards 2:03:24, Janet's Jak II Adventures 2:21:36, The Question Bucket 2:26:06, Outro and Announcements 2:45:12See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Somehow, Peter Molyneux returned. But so did Remap Radio, as Patrick, Janet, Cado, and Rob gathered to discuss Gamescom. In fact, Janet had a chance to play some of those games, including Avowed, Little Nightmares III, Winter Burrow, and more. Patrick’s spent time with gaming’s latest culture war, Black Myth: Wukong, while Rob’s been stuck in digital submarines in UBOAT. Elsewhere, Patrick and Cado have both been enjoying the tactical pixel RPG Arco, and in The Question Bucket, we ponder more about Molyneux and our favorite corporate jargon.Discussed: Gamescom Opening Night 2:20, Monster Hunter Wilds 20:14, Directive 8020 35:26, Lost Records 39:29, Avowed 55:57, Funko Fusion 1:05:39, Winterburrow 1:07:07, Black Myth: Wukong's Whole Deal 1:09:50, Arco 1:38:01, Destroyer: The U-boat Hunter 1:51:43, The Question Bucket 2:06:33See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Here's a preview of this week's HOA! Listen to more by upgrading to the Library tier at remapradio.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Why can’t there be more weird sports games? What’s wrong with an athlete having a lil’ cult, as a treat? It’s these questions and more with Janet, Patrick, Cado, and Rob this week, as we start by celebrating/questioning the surprising news that Tango Gameworks and Hi-Fi Rush aren’t dead anymore. Also, we wade into the Deadlock discourse, which prompts a discussion on Steam’s role in the PC ecosystem and what the proper response to a monopoly is. Elsewhere, Janet’s been playing Fields of Mysteria, Rob’s into Conscript, and Patrick’s looking for love.Discussed: The Motorsports. Managers Have Logged On 2:11, Krafton acquires Tango Gameworks 51:42, The Verge's Deadlock Article 1:04:59, The Question Bucket 1:36:21, Fields of Mistria 2:06:19, The games Patrick isn't quite playing 2:21:44, Conscript 2:22:57, Steamworld Heist 2 2:34:27See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re not ready to give up the Olympics yet, which is why Rob and Patrick have convened the Sports! council to chat about what it’s been like having Olympics fever the past two weeks, and spend a bunch of time talking about women’s soccer, men and women’s basketball, and cycling. And we definitely do not overhype a handful of pre-season passes from Caleb Williams. No, sir.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A simple question: how do you best organize your digital life? Patrick, Janet, Rob, and Cado have already got it figured out, clearly. But soon enough, we’re chatting about games, with Patrick having conquered the known universe after completing The Game of Sisyphus, and both Janet and Patrick having a blast with the whimsical (but hard!) Valley Peaks. Meanwhile, Rob’s connecting orbs in World of Goo 2. In video game news, there’s the unexpected departure of Luke Smith and others from Bungie, the tragic closure of Game Informer, and the increasing weirdness about What’s Going on at Intel. And in a brief Question Bucket, we ponder parries.Discussed: Rob's Power Outage Story 3:36, The Game of Sisyphus 22:57, Valley Peaks 33:38, Surmount 55:43, World of Goo 2 1:09:32, Game Informer Closed 2:03:18, Luke Smith and Mark Noseworthy Out at Bungie 2:23:35, Intel's No Good Very Bad Financial Quarter 2:39:23, The Question Bucket 2:58:18See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The NFL approaches, which means soon enough, Patrick and Rob will grapple with the reality of the Chicago Bears actually playing football, instead of wondering about it. History has taught us the former is better. Can Caleb Williams and co. change that? We’ll see, and our first glimpse into the future comes via HBO’s documentary series Hard Knocks, which is following the Bears at training camp this year. We also touch on the NBA Finals, Olympics, and a few other topics.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is failing to throw a football while streaming College Football 25 a sign of weakness, or merely an illustration of the stressors associated with public sport? Rob, Patrick, Cado, and Janet ponder this question and more, while trying to make sense of Bungie’s latest set of layoffs, SAG-AFTRA going on strike, and EA’s questionable use of the term “AI.” Elsewhere, Patrick’s both high and low on the comedic Thank Goodness You’re Here, while Janet doesn’t want the oceanic Loodlenaut to ever end. In The Question Bucket, we consider entering a sound pod.2:35 - College Football 2537:16 - Loddlenaut45:09 - Thank Goodness You're Here1:00:42 - Bungie Layoffs1:45:52 - SAG-AFTRA Strike, AI2:14:24 - XBox 360 Store Closing2:28:28 - Question BucketSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Unionization is spreading throughout Microsoft, and it’s glorious. Patrick, Janet, Rob, and Cado chat about the formation of unions at Bethesda Game Studios and Blizzard, before [deep sigh] unpacking Ubisoft’s decision to acknowledge the nontroversy with Assassin’s Creed Shadows put forth by bad faith actors. Also, Patrick and Janet have spent time with Clickolding and Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure. By the end, we drink deep from The Question Bucket. Discussed: Unions are being formed across the gaming industry 3:01, Ubisoft Responds to Criticism and Trolls 19:08 Google Signs AI Deal with Reddit 42:57, Arranger 1:04:39, Tangent about Homework 1:18:43, Clickolding 1:27:31, Humble Games Shuttered 1:47:25, The Question Bucket 2:03:28See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

College Football is back as a surprise hit of the summer... and it appears to have awakened something in Rob. He's traveling the Midwest recruiting for Notre Dame, concealing from all those kids that their head coach doesn't know what a "hot route" is much less how to call one. Janet's got a head full of soccer as she explains EA FC 24 and how it's trying to be all things to all players. The gang discuss the ominous letter a laid-off DEI team lead sent to colleagues at Microsoft before Janet shares tales of being charmed by Flock, and Rob builds his own new F1 team in F1 Manager 24. Finally, a reader shares all the dark secrets of the Bionicles.Discussed: College Football 25 4:24, FC 25 56:11, Microsoft Lays of portion of DEI Team 1:48:01, Flock 2:00:51, F1 Manager 24 2:10:25, Hauntii 2:31:35, The Question Bucket 2:35:17See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We begin where all good podcasts begin, of course, with Patrick, Rob, Janet, and Cado talking about Bionicle. Eventually, this all starts to make sense, as Rob has been playing a lot of Cataclismo, a strategy game with some Lego-like mechanics. We also unpack Microsoft’s recent (but unsurprising?) shifts with Xbox Game Pass, what “success” means for a game in Early Access, and why we’re so drawn to goofy games liked Chained Together and The Game of Sisyphus. And finally, listeners wrote in with more tales of dealing with conspiracy theories.Discussed: Cataclismo 40:06, Game Pass Pricing Changes 1:15:35, Manor Lords Publisher Defends Dev 1:50:14, Chained Together 2:12:42, Question Bucket 2:26:32See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

And now, the conclusion of Patrick’s ongoing interview series from Summer Game Fest, featuring conversations with the developers of Bounty Star (mechs!), Hello Kitty (cats!), SteamWorld Heist 2 (tactics!), and Cairn (rocks!).See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s impossible to begin anywhere but with the ongoing, evolving, and increasingly upsetting story surrounding the popular streamer Herschel "Guy" Beahm, aka Dr. Disrespect, and what it says about applications of justice at places like YouTube and Twitch. We touch on the Elden Ring difficulty discourse, in light of Shadow of the Erdtree dropping, before chatting about Janet revisiting Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, Patrick digging deep into Nine Sols, and the group wondering if the game of the year is The Game of Sisyphus, a game about rolling a boulder. Oh, and there’s another installment in Landlord Talk (™). This one somehow involves a funeral.Discussed: Remap's Anniversary Stream 16:28, Dr. Disrespect Was Twitch Banned for Sexually Explicit Messages to a Minor on Twitch 30:26, The Difficulty Discourse Returns around Elden Ring DLC 1:10:30, An Early Question Bucket 1:28:17, One Million Checkboxes 1:42:53, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth 1:43:30, Nine Sols 1:59:41, The Game of Sisyphus 2:02:13, Farm Simulator 19 2:15:57, Outro and Announcements 2:27:45See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s time for another round of interviews from Patrick’s time at Summer Game Fest earlier this month. Today, it’s conversations with the developers behind Sony’s tremendous-looking platformer Astro Bot, Blumhouse’s debut into video games Fear the Spotlight, and the exceptionally quirky but undeniably charming indie romance game Building Relationships.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rob, Patrick, and Janet discuss the Nintendo Direct, the cancellation of Life by You and the cycle of missteps at Paradox Interactive, the ups-and-downs of Eugen Systems’ RTS games, and life aboard a haunted oil rig in Still Wakes the Deep. But first, the gang show what it means to live the Good Life by discussing Selaco, the Doom-derived FEAR-like that has been kicking butts and (trailer voice) BLOWING THEIR MINDS.Discussed: 3:32 - Selaco, 28:42 - Nintendo Direct, 1:13:07 - Life by You & Paradox Interactive, 1:27:43 - A brief Bloodborne Interlude, 1:32:08 - CATO, 1:38:50 - CONSCRIPT, 1:44:34 - Glyphica: Typing Survival, 1:50:23 - Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn, 1:54:16 - I Am Your Beast, 2:02:42 - WARNO, 2:14:24 - Still Wakes the DeepSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Patrick recently attended Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest in sunny Los Angeles, California, and came back with a whole bunch of interesting interviews with interesting developers about interesting games. You’ll hear those interviews over the next few weeks, starting with conversations featuring the developers of Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure, Harmonium: The Musical, and Neva. There’s more to come, including, of course, Astro Bot!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Over the past weekend, Janet and Patrick spent many hours wandering Geoff Keighley’s latest Summer Game Fest event, playing and seeing games like Astro Bot, Zoochosis, STALKER 2, While Waiting, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and many more. Elsewhere, Cado, Patrick, and Rob have been dipping their toes into Steam’s Next Fest celebration. Oh, and we’re prepping for next week’s big in-person Remap first anniversary stream that kicks off on Friday evening!Discussed: Summer Game Fest 4:18, Zoochosis 22:53, STALKER 2 32:25, Marty O'Donnell loses his congressional race 43:39, break 51:19, Flock 51:31, AstroBot 58:28, Lego Horizons 1:12:53, Dragon Age Voidguard 1:16:59, Shadow of the Erdtree 1:44:05, Harmonium 1:49:54, While Waiting 1:54:47, Perfect Dark 2:05:23, Steam Next Fest 2:13:01, Pinball Spire 2:14:50, Keylocker 2:18:40, Thank Goodness You're Here 2:21:24, Golden Lap 2:27:28, Tactical Breach Wizards 2:36:12, Demonschool 2:38:46, Dungeons and Degenerate Gamblers 2:42:56, Outro and Announcements 2:48:10See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We kick off by recapping Sony’s State of Play, in which Rob unfairly asks the rest of the group to restrain themselves from spending the entire hour talking about Astro Bot. But that gives Cado, Patrick, and Janet plenty of time to unpack Infinity Nikki and consider gaming’s open world dress up future. Elsewhere, we chat about Amazon making a Yakuza TV show and Google workers leaking Nintendo information. On the games front, Rob’s finished up F1 23’s campaign, Cado’s trying to play Destiny, and Patrick’s really digging two new indies, RKGK and Nine Sols.Discussed: Yakuza Game In the Works 3:23, Playstation State of Play 18:43, Silent Hill 2 Remaster 19:22, Concord 21:56, Marvel Rivals 34:36, Infinity Nikki 37:41, Until Dawn Remaster 45:42, Astro Bot 49:29, Google Contractor Used Admin Access to Leak Info From Private Nintendo YouTube Video 1:09:01, Rob's Tire Woes 1:19:20, F1 Flashpoint 1:30:53, RKGK 1:50:46, Nine Sols 1:52:44, Destiny 2: The Final Shape 2:06:29, The Question Bucket 2:13:33, Outro and Announcements 2:41:14See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How do you weave narrative into gameplay? How do you balance the two, and when should they overlap? Join a roundtable discussion with developers behind the exciting upcoming games Cryptmaster (Lee Williams), Nirvana Noir (Evan Stark), and Wander Stars (Andie Gallo) as they unpack their individual approaches to this topic.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The great fear is that AI will replace tons of jobs, including journalists, which makes the decisions by Vox Media, The Atlantic, and others to actively partner with AI companies all the more puzzling to Patrick, Rob, Janet, and Cado. It neatly lines up with confusing (and wrong?) comments from Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann about AI that Sony have since retracted. We also consider news that Steam won’t let you transfer ownership upon death, before chatting about beating games like Animal Well, Hellblade II, and Homeworld 3. Remap? Beating games?Discussed: Vox Media Signs Deal with OpenAI 16:25, Why 404 Media Needs Your Email 59:24, Neil Druckmann misquoted in Sony Interview 1:17:10, Valve confirms your Steam account cannot be transferred to anyone after you die 1:35:12, Duck Detective 1:57:00, Animal Well 2:08:24, Homeworld 3 2:15:37, Senua's Saga: Hellblade II 2:29:29, Destiny 2 The Final Shape Leaks 2:43:38, Outro and Announcements 2:49:21See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Few things are more important to a story-driven game than the writing. This becomes even more paramount when you hand over decisions to the players. Join the developers of Citizen Sleeper, Times & Galaxy, and Slay the Princess as they provide insight into the process of writing and player choice.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We open in a familiar place, with Rob, Patrick, Cado, and Janet talking about the ongoing tumult in video games media, after hearing IGN has acquired a bunch of new websites. Rob also gets a chance to ruminate on what a rumored Total War: Star Wars game might look like, before he discusses the fascinating, if understandably polarizing, Hellblade II: Senua’s Saga with Patrick. We also chat about Crow Country, racing wheels, our relationship with clutter, and more.Discussed: IGN Buys Gamer Network Websites 8:47, Slay the Spire Boardgame 1:06:03, One Final Redfall Update 1:07:03, Creative Assembly Is Making Total War: Star Wars 1:09:27, Rob's Thoughts on Star Wars Battles, Hellblade 2 1:17:12, Crow Country 1:52:55, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown 2:06:58, Rob's Steering Wheel Adventures 2:09:28, The Question Bucket 2:44:16, Outro and Announcements 2:57:46See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Patrick sits down to chat with Jordi de Paco of Deconstructeam about his path through the games industry, creating games at a small scale, and finding ways to create without overworking.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Who’s the puzzle master now? It feels like it might be the people in the accounting department, after hearing about Square Enix going multiplatform and Xbox sales slumping. Patrick, Cado, Rob, and Janet break down the week’s news, alongside in-depth discussions of Animal Well, finally finishing Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, the surprising response to Homeworld 3, and more.Discussed: Animal Well 45:50, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth 1:19:01, Animorphs Spoilers 1:28:14, Homeworld 3 1:35:59, The Question Bucket 2:29:12See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rob has a chat with Xalavier Nelson Jr. as a part of Ludonarracon! They discuss the difficulties of writing stories for games, how narrative can be transformed by mechanics, and the art of writing NPC barks.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The biggest news of the week, obviously, is Sony’s fight to add PSN to Helldi…no, wait, it’s actually Nintendo confirming the next Swi…huh, no, it’s Microsoft shutting down Tango Gameworks and creating a (new) existential crisis for the Xbox brand. Phew. But Patrick, Rob, Janet, and Cado are here to unpack it all, including thoughts on Indika, Manor Lords, and Little Kitty, Big City. We also spend a shockingly long time talking about Apple’s weird new iPad ad.Discussed: Microsft closes several Bethesda Studios 12:49, Sony's Helldivers' Horrible No Good Very Bad Week 55:09, Switch 2 announcement 1:10:08, The iPad Pro Ad Controversy, 1:23:04, Indika 1:47:47, Manor Lords 2:10:04, Little Kitty Big City 2:19:44, Rusty's Retirement 2:30:21, John Wick Pinball Game 2:38:44, Outro and Announcements 2:50:37See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Recently, Patrick journeyed into his own backyard to pay a visit to the Chicago-based Stern Pinball, creators of the upcoming John Wick pinball game. Besides playing John Wick, Patrick had a chance to spend time talking with Stern Pinball lead software engineer Tim Sexton about what it means to make pinball games in the modern age, the ongoing evolution of technology inside today’s pinball games, and how the heck someone becomes a pinball creator in 2024.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What to make of Square Enix canceling $140.8 million of in-development games? How exactly is (or isn’t) Microsoft going to capitalize on Fallout-mania? Remember when Razer tried to sell people a bogus RGB-filled N95 gamer mask? All this and more on Remap Radio, as Patrick, Janet, Rob, and Cado break down the news, plus thoughts on Pools (a spooky video game), Another Crab’s Treasure, Stellar Blade, Manor Lords, and the rare IMAX/furniture store combo.Discussed: Razer Sued for Fake N95 Masks 3:50, Square Reports $140 Million Loss from Canceled Projects 22:35, Take Two Shuts Down Two Game Studios 30:41, Fallout Show Has Record Viewership 1:01:34, Pools 1:11:28, Another Crab's Treasure 1:28:30, Tales of Kenzara 1:41:34, Manor Lords 1:45:13, The Question Bucket 1:57:05, Outro and Announcments 2:21:11See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hope springs eternal at Remap Sports HQ, with the one-two punch of QB Caleb Williams and WR Rome Odunze providing Rob and Patrick with a sense of optimism about the future. Please do not remind us of this conversation a year from now. Elsewhere, we discuss the shifting winds on the public financing billionaire toys like sports stadiums, the wild NBA first round of the NBA playoffs, and how gambling and obnoxious advertising are impacting the joy of watching sports.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We start by digging into the shockingly hopeful news that the FTC has declared non-competes illegal, before trying to make sense of Embracer splitting itself into pieces. Elsewhere, Patrick and Janet have been playing—and trying to make sense of—Tales of Kenzera: Zau, a new Metroidvania centered on grief. Rob, meanwhile, just keeps playing Balatro, while Cado has been taking out cultists in the puzzle shooter (??) Children of the Sun. Finally, we talk about the very brave concessions we make for the partners in our lives. Or, in Rob’s case, getting tricked. (edited)Discussed: FTC Bans Non-Compete Clauses 4:32, Embracer Group Balkanized 31:06, Tales of Kenzara: Zau 55:22, Hidden Folks 1:25:50, Dragon's Dogma 2 1:35:53, Balatro 1:44:03, Children of the Sun 1:47:06, The Question Bucket 1:58:37, Outro and Announcements 2:43:40See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s time to pour one out for our friend and colleague Austin Walker, whose own game studio recently joined the ongoing wave of layoffs in the video game industry. Patrick, Janet, Cado, and Rob unpack the strangeness of this particular layoff and why people responded so sharply to it, before taking a deep breath and talking about the recent Nintendo Indie World event. We also talk about loving the Fallout TV series, Pepper Grinder, stitch., and some early time with Hades II, before answering a reader question about our relationship with “easy mode” in games.Discussed: The Bulls 1:59, Possibility Space Closes 13:44, Nintendo Indie World Showcase 1:05:20, Info on the PS5 Pro 1:19:22, Stitch 1:32:51, Pepper Grinder 1:49:14, Hades 2 1:56:23, The Fallout Show 2:09:03, Blue Eyed Samurai 2:16:51, The Question Bucket 2:24:00, Outro and Announcements 2:38:28See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Recently, Remap has been watching a lot of Godzilla. To better understand him, Rob and Patrick are joined by Sean Konrad, visual effects supervisor on the recent Apple TV+ show Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, to talk about the state of the visual effects industry, what it means to scale a creature like Godzilla, and much more. Konrad was an artist on the spectacular Godzilla (2014), and has worked on movies like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Furious 7, and TV shows like Loki and For All Mankind.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dead Space was cool, right? Who wouldn’t want Dead Space 2? Rob, Patrick, Janet, and Cado react to the game of telephone about if/when Dead Space 2 was ever in development, before reacting to Destiny’s big announcements and some cool indie news, like Prince of Persia: The Rogue. Elsewhere, Janet and Patrick have been playing Botany Manor, and, of course, more Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth. They also dig into your questions regarding office kitchen snafus.Discussed: Rob's Top 10 List 6:37, Dead Space 2 Remake Cancelled 7:03, Immortals of Aveum Staff Furloughed 32:43, Destiny 2: The Final Shape Announcement Stream 39:43, Slay the Spire 2 Announcement 57:47, Triple-i Initiative Showcase 1:03:43, Botany Manor 1:20:04, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth 1:38:39, The Question Bucket 1:50:46, Outro and Annoucnements 2:23:28See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jacob Geller joins Rob, Patrick, and Janet to discuss Microsoft's new "new AI assistant" and how we expect AI to be deployed to make everyday experiences easier and definitely less frustrating. Plus, Jacob's publishing a book with Lost in Cult, and we talk about the two Stellar Blades: the one that's being treated as a reactionary victory, and the character action game that actually exists. 0:33 - How a Game Lives11:22 - XBox AI45:19 - Total War but also Fort Condor59:40 - Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth1:19:52 - Princess Peach: Showtime!1:36:12 - Stellar Blade1:56:08 - Rise of the RoninSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s time to celebrate a great achievement: Dragon’s Dogma 2 has become discourse. Patrick, Janet, Rob, and Cado return from afar—GDC, PAX East, and even Disneyland—to discuss the latest details on Ken Levine’s Not BioShock Game, Judas, and what’s happening over at Sega with Relic, union contracts, and more. We also chat about the games we played at both PAX East and GDC, and Rob reveals he’s surprisingly into both Rise of the Ronin and Unicorn Overlord.Discussed: The Microtransactions of Dragon's Dogma 2 1:25, Larian isn’t making a new D&D Game 23:07, Judas revealed at IGN 27:14, Sega Workers Ratified First Union Contract in AAA Studio 54:32, Gearbox sold to Take-Two 1:03:39, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth 1:07:40, Dragon's Dogma 2 1:14:20, Princess Peach: Showtime! 1:19:10, Unicorn Overlord 1:27:13, PAX East and Janet's GDC Roundup 1:46:32, Animal Well 1:57:47, Inkonbini 2:09:21, Sopa 2:10:58, Harold Halibut 2:12:07, Rise of the Ronin 2:21:07, Cado's PAX shoutouts 2:33:53, Outro and Announcements 2:44:03See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Duncan Fyfe has written a review of Jordan Mechner's family memoir, Replay. It's a terrific piece, but also one that adds a lot of background detail on Mechner's career as a game designer. In this wide-ranging discussion, Rob and Duncan discuss Duncan's article, and their own understanding and regard for Mechner's work.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rob and Cado sit down for a quick episode before PAX and end up shooting the breeze for over two hours about Musk's embrace of the absurd Sweetbaby witch hunt, layoffs at IGN and the challenges of unionizing in the face of a declining media ecosystem, Ron Howard's classic journalism adventure The Paper and what it means to have institutional capacity. Then Austin and Patrick talk Dragon's Dogma before Rob and Cado return to talk about their successes in Balatro and Motorsports Manager, plus the upcoming race team management game from Funselektor and what a management game set in the most dangerous years of racing will have to get into. Finally, Rob thinks there should probably be a Total War Shogun 3 by now, and finally the duo dive into questions.Discussed: Coffee Talk 2:40, Gamergate "2.0" 6:38, IGN Lays off Union Members 1:05:27, Austin and Patrick talk Dragon's Dogma 2 1:19:59, Balatro 2:10:44, Motorsport Manager 2:28:28, Total War: Shogun 2 2:42:14, The Question Bucket 2:53:06See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In-between a surprisingly lengthy aside on Best Buy’s Geek Squad, the Remap Radio crew discusses Insomniac’s abandoned multiplayer Spider-Man game, Warner Bros. coldly erasing Adult Swim games from Steam, the formation of a huge new games union, and more. Elsewhere, while Patrick remains parked in mini-game city in Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, he has seen the (gaming) light with Moonlight on his PC. We also discuss the more toxic elements of the Helldivers 2 community, bemoan a lack of Balatro wins, and answer some questions.Discussed: Warner Bros. Deleting Adult Swim Games 1:52, Spider-Man Live Service Game Canceled 18:54, Super Mario Movie Getting a Sequel 32:06, QA Workers Unionize at Microsoft 35:26, MOONLIGHT 41:43, Helldivers 2 1:21:17, Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth 1:40:52, Persona 5 Royale 1:47:34, Balatro 1:50:02, The Question Bucket 1:55:51, Outro and Announcement 2:17:28See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you’re unaware of the Sweet Baby Inc. “controversy” that’s stirred online, bless you. But Gamergate wasn’t all that long ago, prompting Patrick, Janet, Rob, and Cado to mull the latest attempt by gamers to invent a boogeyman over their own insecurities. We also chat about Nintendo suing Yuzu into the ground, wonder if Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth’s overflowing mini-games are too much, and find a new passion: getting stuck in the mud in SnowRunner.Discussed: Balatro 1:34, Sweet Baby Inc. Is Being Targeted 19:18, Yuzu Emulator Settles for $2.4 Million 1:03:59, Marty O'Donnell is Running for Congress 1:14:36, Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth 1:24:26, Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth 1:34:21, Dark Forces Remaster 2:09:42, Persona 5 Royale 2:16:55, Expeditions: Mudrunner 2:21:08, The Question Bucket 2:34:02, Outro and Announcements 2:49:42See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s another week of layoffs, this time at Electronic Arts, PlayStation, Supermassive, and Deck Nine. Sadly, there will probably be more by the time this podcast is edited and released. Is this all part of a great realignment in video games? Where does the industry go from here? Patrick and Janet, at least, are continuing to have a great time in Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, while Cado has been fully unleashed in the poker-inspired Balatro, and Rob contemplates a PSVR2 (??).Discussed: Massive Layoffs Continue Across The Game Industry 6:49, Saber Interactive Leaves Embracer 1:06:32, Helldivers 2 1:11:55, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth 1:17:38, Balatro 1:52:42, The Question Bucket 2:30:13🌏 Get Exclusive NordVPN deal here → https://nordvpn.com/remapradio It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee! ✌️See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Amidst rumors of Xbox winding down discs and the increasingly shaky future of physical media everywhere, Patrick sits down with Jon Smith, head of retail at Limited Run Games. If you’ve bought a collector’s edition of an old game lately, there’s a decent chance Limited Run Games made it. Patrick and Jon chat about how Limited Run Games has scaled up over the years, what it’s like running a physical store, and, naturally, how to change the rules of a claw machine.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nintendo (Partner) Direct! Elden Ring DLC! Helldivers 2 queue campers! This episode of Remap Radio has it all, with Rob, Janet, Patrick, and Cado working through their feelings on this week’s many announcements, alongside spicy speculation about Nintendo’s next console. Elsewhere, Patrick and Janet have spent dozens of hours in Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, and have come out the other side realizing they’ll, uh, be spending a lot of time in this world. We also touch on The New York Times hilariously “spoiling” a major moment in the Squaresoft classic.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rob and Patrick welcome Giant Bomb’s Jeff Grubb to the podcast a few weeks after Grubb’s beloved Detroit Lions collapsed against the San Francisco 49ers. The group works through Grubb’s history with the Lions, what it’s like to root for a team worse than the Bears, and wonder what the heck the rest of the league is supposed to do while Patrick Mahomes is still alive.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.