Remap Radio

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.

Are you ready to spread some freedom, son? The Remap crew is, with Patrick, Janet, Rob, and Cado dropping into their individual hellpods to discuss, of course, Helldivers 2, alongside the increasingly murky futures of both PlayStation and Xbox. We also share early thoughts on Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden, and whether Don’t Nod has pulled off another Vampyr.Discussed: Playstation and the arc of the games industry 5:39, VGD Union complaints against DontNod (https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/stjv-union-claims-don-t-nod-mismanagement-causing-staff-burnout) 53:45, Yoshitaka Murayama passes 1:09:08, Helldivers 2 1:11:28, Banishers: Ghost of New Eden 1:40:21, Xbox Exclusivity News 2:03:07, Outro and Announcements 2:40:08See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The gang considers their upcoming demobilization from service in the console wars as they reckon with rumors that Xbox will be ditching console exclusivity in the future and bringing major titles like Starfield and Indiana Jones to the PlayStation. Patrick and Janet have been playing loads of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Finally, Patrick and Rob dig into some emails.2:35 - Console Wars and the Xbox59:55 - Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League1:34:15 - MailbagSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We begin where we always do: talking about the latest drama in F1. Unexpected, right? Wow! Anyway, we also found time to discuss our reactions to PlayStation’s State of Play showcase, make sense of the latest layoff news from several companies, mope about the cancellation of an unannounced Deus Ex game, and more. We also dig into Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown’s endgame, puzzle over the output of the studio Dontnod, and briefly touch on Suicide Squad.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What happens when a game you’ve spent the last five years making doesn’t take off? Immortals of Avenum, last year’s magic-infused shooter with elements of Call of Duty and Doom, was hardly a hit. It was the opposite. Remap liked it, but most people didn’t play it. The developer behind Immortals of Aveum, Ascendant Studios, was soon hit with layoffs. But Ascendant isn’t dead, and CEO Bret Robbins, once the creative director for Dead Space, came through Remap Radio to talk about what happens when you realize that bad news is on your doorstep.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 familiar story this year: layoffs. Sometimes the number is bigger, sometimes the number is smaller, but it’s a tragedy all the same, and Patrick, Janet, Rob, and Cado are here to try and unpack the horror of it all. Elsewhere, we talk through our time with, and the toxic conversation around, 2024’s surprise hit, Palworld. In happier news, Patrick and Rob have utterly fallen for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, while Janet is less high on the Jungle Book-inspired The Cub.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The full crew—Rob, Patrick, Janet, Cado—is back. We recorded this ahead of the Xbox Direct, but there’s still plenty to chew on, including Square Enix openly talking about using generative AI in a game, Ubisoft+ training people to become comfortable with not owning their games, and more. We also unpack Home Safety Hotline, Trepang2, the endgame of Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, and consider a deep question: so, how long should you hold onto a document?Discussed: Ubisoft+ 9:59, Thunderful lays off 30% of its employees 38:12, Square Enix uses AI in Foamstars 45:40, Epic vs Apple suit 1:01:13, Home Safety Hotline 1:30:56, Prince of Persia:The Lost Crown 1:46:20, The Question Bucket 1:59:04See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Patrick and Rob get together to unpack the stark realization that the Green Bay Packers may, in fact, have done it again, while talking through the shocking amount of high-profile coaching firings in the NFL and the series of blowout games that ultimately defined NFL’s Wild Card weekend. We also consider what it would mean to meet the athlete who broke your heart.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Janet joins Patrick and Cado for the first time since the holidays, as we wade through a surprisingly busy January, including the news that SAG-AFTRA has signed a controversial AI deal, more than 2,000 people have already been laid off in the games industry, and more. Plus, Patrick and Janet are extremely high on the new Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, and we unearth and reckon with some surprising trauma related to Janet’s time with Metroid Dread.Discussed: Layoffs Continue Across the Games Industry 27:55, SAG-AFTRA Deal with AI Voice Company 47:02, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown 1:15:50, The Question Bucket 1:59:03See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the 90's Google changed the way people found things on the internet, and now they're incorporating AI to "help" people by showing them answers without needing to actually go to the website that they scrapped that information from. Patrick is joined by Alex Donaldson, Owner of RPGSite.net to go over the changes and track the history of Google's influence over the entire internet and more specifically game websites.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Patrick, Rob, and Cado convene after winding down 2023 to reflect on how absolutely nothing went wrong over their respective breaks. Things? Done. Drinks? Drank. Vacations? Taken. No notes. But we do have notes on beating Alan Wake II in the wake of James McCaffrey’s passing, indulging our fullest selves in many hours of the overlooked Immortals of Aveum, and basking in the power of a Steam Deck while sick. (And don’t worry, Janet will return next week.)Discussed: James McCaffrey Passes Away 27:26, Alan Wake 2 35:30, Immortals of Aveum 52:51, Mobile Suit Baba 1:19:53, The Question Bucket 1:50:01 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There has never been a doubt here on Sports!, but folks, Da Bears are back. Though out of playoff contention, the arrow on the team is pointing up, with Justin Fields playing better and control of next year’s first overall pick in the draft. But questions remain about the coach, the ceiling of Justin Fields, and how long Patrick can convince his daughter to stay at a cold Bears game until they need to go home. Rob and Patrick kick off 2024 answering these and more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

You didn’t think we could record this discussion of a year like 2023 in a single session, did you? You know us! Join Patrick, Janet, Cado, and Rob as they work through the second half of their top 10 lists, as they begin to diverge and converge in increasingly interesting ways. And let us take this moment to also thank you, Remap supporter, for everything you’ve done this year. We wouldn’t be here without you, and we’re so glad the end of Waypoint was not the end of all this.Discussed: Patrick's #6 8:31, Janet's #6 13:28, Cado's #6 26:22, Rob's #6 31:08, Patrick's #5 40:53, Janet's #5 41:06, Cado's #5 53:25, Rob's #5 1:04:45, Patrick's #4 1:10:53, Janet's #4 1:21:48, Cado's #4 1:22:17, Rob's #4 1:22:46, Patrick's #3 1:34:35, Janet's #3 1:51:44, Cado's #3 1:53:55, Rob's #3 2:04:28, Patrick's #2 2:007:39, Janet's #2 2:07:51, Rob's #2 2:22:25, Patrick's #1 2:32:44, Janet's #1 2:36:15, Rob's #1 2:55:28, Cado's #1 3:05:53See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s that time of year again, and it’s certainly been an interesting year for this group of people. Join Patrick, Janet, Cado, and Rob as we talk through the year that was without individual top 10 lists, round-robin style. Here’s how it works. Starting at number 10, we rotate from person to person. But if someone else has the game mentioned higher on their list, we pause the discussion until we reach the highest point. It’s a little confusing, but it’ll make sense—promise!Discussed: Patrick's #10 27:42, Janet's #10 32:47, Cado's #10 33:13, Rob's #10 40:08, Patricks #9 48:12, Janet's #9 1:06:09, Cado's #9 1:14:04, Rob's #9 1:15:12, Patrick's #8 1:18:52, Janet's #8 1:25:51, Cado's #8 1:32:03, Rob's #8 1:40:19, Patrick's #7 1:47:19, Janet's #7 1:47:20, Cado's #7 1:56:59, Rob's #7 2:01:45See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s time to close out the year with Janet, Patrick, Cado, and Rob, as we discourse on what The Game Awards means in a world where events like E3 are going away, try to make sense of Kojima teaming up with A24 for a Death Stranding movie, and more. We also spend a lot of time unpacking our thoughts on Alan Wake 2, and run through a bunch of other games, including Lunacid, The Last Train Home, Station to Station, Cryptmaster, and, yes, more. We conclude with thanking you for supporting the launch of Remap, while dipping into The Question Bucket.Discussed: The Game Awards 2:51, Kojima is making a Movie with A24 30:51, The Day After Devs Implode 39:34, Total War Devs Apologize 53:32, Google vs Epic outcome 1:04:08, Alan Wake II 1:12:32, Highland Song 1:39:05, 40k Rogue Trader 1:51:21, Lunacid 2:02:06, Cryptmaster 2:10:42, Station to Station 2:18:03, The Last Train Home 2:23:06, The Question Bucket 2:30:19See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.