Best AC Directs Podcasts (2026)

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DF Direct Weekly #242: Ghost of Yōtei Big Upgrades, AC Shadows Switch 2, Death Stranding 2 PC Coming 1:34:15

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1M ago1:34:15

1:34:15

In this week's Direct, Rich gets to grips with Ghost of Yōtei's unlocked frame-rate and balanced mode upgrades, discovering some excellent results. The team discuss the seemingly soon arrival of a PC port for Death Stranding 2, while mulling over Ubisoft's details on its upcoming Assassin's Creed Shadows Switch 2 port. John's highly excited by eXoW…

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DF Direct Special: Digital Foundry's Best Game Graphics of 2025 1:36:08

16h ago1:36:08

1:36:08

Need we saw more? As we draw to the end of another remarkable year in video games, the Digital Foundry team sit down to pore over the technological showcases of the last 12 months in an attempt to answer the immortal question: What were the best game graphics of the year? 0:00:00 Introduction0:02:09 Honourable Mentions: Kirby Air Riders, Mario Kart…

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S9 E19 - Can You Diggs It? 1:35:08

5h ago1:35:08

1:35:08

The only time it's probably better to be a Bosa brother.By Universehead Podcast Network

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S9 E18 - Run The Grimace 1:09:33

1d ago1:09:33

1:09:33

It's when you got to beat both purple teams; each is a leg you see.By Universehead Podcast Network

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DF Direct Weekly #245: Half-Life 3 Steam Machine Launch Game? Skyrim Switch 2 Lag Patch, Marathon! 2:12:09

11d ago2:12:09

2:12:09

A critical mass of rumours is strongly suggesting that Half-Life 3 will be a launch title for Steam Machine - but how does that work when the RAM crisis is making any kind of hardware launch so challenging? Meanwhile, Oliver pops in to talk about an actual patch for the woeful Switch 1 port of Batman: Arkham Knight, while Tom makes a similarly came…

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Understanding Modern China, From AI to Taiwan | Shannon Vaughn 1:11:35

6d ago1:11:35

1:11:35

Shannon Vaughn breaks down how modern China actually works, why the CCP’s primary objective is regime survival, and how that shapes everything from AI policy to military strategy. Order Jeffrey Ding's book, Technology and the Rise of Great Powers. In this episode, we’re joined by Shannon Vaughn, non-resident fellow at the Foreign Policy Research In…

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S9 E17 - AC you Later 1:11:21

7d ago1:11:21

1:11:21

So many knees failing this week, sending our favorite stars away till next season!By Universehead Podcast Network

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S9 E16 - Direct Confrontation 1:14:26

13d ago1:14:26

1:14:26

We are head to head this week in multiple games. Will the friendship make it?By Universehead Podcast Network

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Scaling Edge AI and Robotics in the Real World | Hunter Dunbar (Audio Only) 1:39:49

9d ago1:39:49

1:39:49

Defense tech, robotics, and edge AI are moving fast, but scaling them in the real world is hard. Hunter Dunbar, Chief Product Officer at Luxonis, joins the show to break down embedded computer vision, AI hardware, and perception systems used across drones, robotics, and defense applications. Hunter Dunbar on LinkedIn Luxonis We discuss why Luxonis …

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DF Direct Weekly #244: The Game Awards Reaction, First PS3 Emu on PS5, FSR Redstone First Look! 2:06:03

18d ago2:06:03

2:06:03

It's that time of the year! The Digital Foundry team discuss the big reveals and the games that caught their eye at The Game Awards, with the traditional complaints about the volume of CG trailers. Beyond that, Rich shares his impressions on the first PS3 emulator for PlayStation 5, Alex gets to grips with the wobbly performance of FSR Redstone fra…

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Building Low-Cost Deep Strike Weapons for Modern War | Mike Weigand 1:03:46

13d ago1:03:46

1:03:46

Mike Weigand, Founder and CEO of Aventra Defense Systems, joins the show to unpack a radically different approach to long-range strike and mass precision. Aventra Defense Systems Mike Weigand on LinkedIn Aventra is building low-cost, modular guidance systems that turn standard munitions into AI-enabled, stratospheric-range weapons using high-altitu…

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DF Direct Weekly #243: Metroid Prime Switch 1 vs 2, The Witcher 4-6, Crucial RAM Dead, 32-bit PhysX! 1:57:38

25d ago1:57:38

1:57:38

Nintendo didn't release Metroid Prime 4 Switch 1 review code to journalists, so how does it stack up against Switch 2? Rich does some digging. Meanwhile, the team lament the end of the iconic Crucial RAM, but there's better news about the return of some kind of 32-bit PhysX support for RTX 50-series GPUs. Oliver talks Sonic Racing Crossworlds on Sw…

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S9 E15 - The Final Rest 1:21:44

27d ago1:21:44

1:21:44

Bye Weeks cease after this week; and from that point on it's all about survival.By Universehead Podcast Network

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The Rare Earths Problem: Inside America’s Supply Chain Fight | Drew Horn 1:02:54

27d ago1:02:54

1:02:54

Drew Horne, founder and CEO of GreenMet, joins the show to break down the rare earth crisis and what the United States needs to do to remain competitive. He previously led critical minerals policy work inside the White House, DoD, and DOE, and offers a direct view into how mineral sourcing shapes defense, energy, and emerging technologies.We cover …

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S9 E14 - Gathering Round the Football 1:23:35

1M ago1:23:35

1:23:35

Please pass the Pass Rush. Are there any 3rd down completions left? These 50+ yard FGs are better than last year!By Universehead Podcast Network

1
DF Direct Weekly #241: Steam Machine Price Concerns, Win 11 Update Kills Perf, Proton FSR 4, RDR1! 2:04:54

1M ago2:04:54

2:04:54

A meaty new episode of DF Direct Weekly kicks off with a Valve double-header - reaction to news that Steam Machine may be heading for PC pricing, plus news of Linux FSR 4 support via Proton... including old GPUs. Meanwhile, Angry Alex is back and he's measured just how bad Windows performance in AC Shadows is impacted by a rogue update. Red Dead Re…

1
S9 E13 - Game of Inches 1:11:22

1M ago1:11:22

1:11:22

Sometimes the game is making them think you got it allBy Universehead Podcast Network

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DF Direct Weekly #240: Steam Machine - Pricing, Specs, VRAM, ARM Ambitions + More 1:37:14

2M ago1:37:14

1:37:14

Valve's reveal of the Steam Machine has proven phenomenally popular to the point where our coverage is by far and away the biggest DF video of the year. But there's more information emerging post-embargo we had to share, plus plenty of discussion points to wade through. How much will it cost? Does this really cause problems for Microsoft? What is t…

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Defense Production, China, and American Power | Morgan Murphy 59:22

1M ago59:22

59:22

Morgan Murphy joins the show to talk national security, defense manufacturing, and why he’s running for U.S. Senate in Alabama. Murphy is a 26-year Navy Reserve captain, former Pentagon press secretary, and national security advisor who has worked across the White House, State Department, and Senate. He shares his perspective on restoring America’s…

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DF Direct Special: Valve's Steam Frame VR Headset - Hands-On + Impressions, Specs + Tech Breakdown 44:17

2M ago44:17

44:17

While the new Steam Machine PC/console hybrid has taken centrestage, it's not the only major hardware launch revealed by Valve today. Steam Frame is a state-of-the-art VR headset that not only streams games from your PC but can actually run them on the headset itself, with an x86 to ARM translation layer working in addition to Proton. Oliver's been…

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DF Direct Special: Hands-On With Steam Machine: Valve's Beautiful PC/Console - Specs, Impressions And More 51:47

2M ago51:47

51:47

It's the hardware we've been waiting for. Built on SteamOS, Valve's brand-new Steam Machine runs the same games that Steam Deck does, with 6x the graphics horsepower - all built into a super-cute, premium, cube-like design. Oliver visited Valve HQ to go hands-on with both the new PC/console hybrid and the new Steam Controller, reporting back with i…

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S9 E12 - The Lawrence Line 1:35:43

2M ago1:35:43

1:35:43

Drawn in the sand, what side do you land on?By Universehead Podcast Network

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DF Direct Weekly #239: GTA 6 Delayed, Silent Hill 2 Xbox, Switch 2 Biggest Console Launch Ever? 1:52:15

2M ago1:52:15

1:52:15

Aside from the monumental release of our brand new website, it was looking like a quiet week until the gigaton news that Grand Theft Auto 6 was delayed again quote-unquote dropped. The team discuss the implications in this week's Direct, before moving onto PS Portal cloud streaming impressions and the AMD marketing debacle that is the RDNA 1/2 driv…

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PlayStation 5 Pro: Year One - Was It Worth It? The Best/Worst Games, PSSR + More - DF Direct Special 1:13:26

2M ago1:13:26

1:13:26

At the time of uploading this video, it has been one year to the day since PlayStation 5 Pro was available to buy. In a DF Direct Special, John, Oliver and Tom compare notes on a massive range of Pro-enhanced titles, putting them into buckets: successful, good but not great and straight-out bad. And with that out of the way, it's time to talk about…

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Why True Drone Swarms Don't Exist Yet | Emma Bates 1:18:22

2M ago1:18:22

1:18:22

Emma Bates, co-founder and CEO of Cachai, joins the show to break down what true drone swarming actually means and why almost no one has achieved it. Drawing from her background in defense modernization and distributed systems, Emma explains how her team is building software that enables drones and autonomous systems to operate without a single poi…

1
S9 E11 - Trading Looks 1:25:23

2M ago1:25:23

1:25:23

You're looking to make a move to make your team better; all the Jets want is a future.By Universehead Podcast Network

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DF Direct Weekly #238: MGS Delta Fixed? Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines 2, AC Shadows Switch 2! 1:43:20

2M ago1:43:20

1:43:20

A new patch has "dropped" for Metal Gear Solid Delta and there are big performance and feature improvements in some areas, but is the game actually fixed? Meanwhile, Oliver gets to grips with Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 and comes away disappointed, while John is highly impressed with Lumines Arise. The team try to work their way through a …

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How to Redefine Battlefield Logistics with 3D Printing | Dan Magy 27:34

2M ago27:34

27:34

Dan Magy, co-founder and CEO of Firestorm, returns to the show for a live episode recorded at Battlefield 2027. Firestorm is building deployable, modular 3D printing systems that can manufacture drones, parts, and tools directly at the edge of operations — a game-changing capability for contested logistics. We discuss how Firestorm’s portable manuf…

1
S9 E10 - Scared of Commitment 1:02:32

2M ago1:02:32

1:02:32

Getting married to your QB, will it be ‘til 'Death'?By Universehead Podcast Network

1
DF Direct Weekly #237: Halo Campaign Evolved Reaction, "Premium" Next-Gen Xbox, New DF Retro Show! 2:21:37

2M ago2:21:37

2:21:37

A gigantic new episode of DF Direct Weekly sees the team's reaction to the big Halo Campaign Evolved reveal - and some unfortunate Unreal Engine 5 issues already coming into view. Meanwhile, what does Microsoft actually mean by its "very premium, very high-end" next-gen comments and is the Xbox Ally X interface really the best way forward? Meanwhil…

1
Jet Engines & Reinventing Oil Systems for Next-Gen Weaponry | Rob Sladen 1:26:26

2M ago1:26:26

1:26:26

Rob Sladen is the Chairman and CEO of Zulu Pods, a company pioneering next-generation lubrication and fluid delivery systems for aerospace and defense. Before founding Zulu Pods, Sladen spent 13 years at Pratt & Whitney designing jet engines — experience that now fuels his startup’s role as the “picks and shovels” behind future weapon systems.In th…

1
S9 E9 - Indiana Jones vs The Butter Bolts 1:17:33

2M ago1:17:33

1:17:33

He has fought so many bad folks from history, now he takes on his brightest enemy yet!By Universehead Podcast Network

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DF Direct Weekly #236: Xbox Ally X Review-In-Progress, Next-Gen Spec Leak Comparisons, New PS5 Pro! 1:47:45

2M ago1:47:45

1:47:45

ROG Xbox Ally X is "in the house" and Rich describes his first couple of days in the review process. Alex answers the big question as to whether new PC games stutter more than older ones, while Oliver gets to grips with Black Myth Wukong's latest patch on PlayStation, complete with Lumen-free performance mode. Finally, next-gen Xbox and PlayStation…

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DF Direct Weekly #235: Microsoft Re-Confirms Next-Gen Xbox, Red Dead 2 Remaster Heavily Rumoured 1:31:44

2M ago1:31:44

1:31:44

In this week's DF Direct, Microsoft deny rumours that its next-gen console has been cancelled - but to what extent are its statements credible in the wake of the infamous "four games" messaging? The existence of ports of Red Dead Redemption 2 for PS5, Xbox and Switch 2 are confirmed by the most reliable leaker in the business, while John shares his…

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The GovCon Game: Relationships and Red Tape | John Ferry 1:30:12

3M ago1:30:12

1:30:12

John Ferry returns to the show for one of the most blunt conversations yet about the defense startup ecosystem. From the realities of selling to government and surviving the “valley of death” to the cultural dysfunction inside acquisition, Ferry lays out why so many startups die before getting their product fielded and what it actually takes to win…

1
S9 E8 -All My Rowdy Friends 1:30:17

3M ago1:30:17

1:30:17

Brian Callahan 'falls on the sword' this week.By Universehead Podcast Network

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Inside AV Inc: Drones, Directed Energy, and Defense Innovation | Church Hutton 1:10:06

3M ago1:10:06

1:10:06

Church Hutton, Chief Growth Officer at AV Inc. (formerly AeroVironment), joins the show for a deep dive into the future of autonomous systems, directed energy, and defense innovation. A retired Army officer and longtime Hill staffer, Church brings an insider’s view of how national security priorities, procurement, and industrial competition with Ch…

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DF Direct Special: Sony/AMD Project Amethyst Update - Next-Gen Tech Revealed + Mark Cerny Q&A 32:01

3M ago32:01

32:01

Could this be the foundational GPU technology for the PlayStation 6? Mark Cerny's latest Project Amethyst update describes the building blocks of future graphics technology, with a strong focus on ray tracing and machine learning capabilities, along with bandwidth-enhancing features designed to reduce the need on massive memory controllers. John, R…

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Autonomous Fighter Drones and the Next Era of Air Superiority | Jeff Wright, SplashOne Robotics 1:25:52

3M ago1:25:52

1:25:52

Jeff Wright, founder and CEO of SplashOne Robotics, joins the show to discuss how his company is developing small, purpose-built fighter drones to redefine air superiority. A former Marine and Air Force Special Tactics Officer, Wright brings a warfighter’s perspective to modern defense tech — from the limits of current counter-drone systems to the …

1
S9 E7 - QB1 and the Case of the Sharp Decline 1:20:58

3M ago1:20:58

1:20:58

When you retire thinking the 'Butt Fumble' will be the worst of your legacy.By Universehead Podcast Network

1
DF Direct Weekly #234: Huge Game Pass Price Hike Causes Outrage, New PS5 Teardown 2:12:09

3M ago2:12:09

2:12:09

By Digital Foundry

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Solid Rocket Motors and America’s Hypersonic “Sputnik Moment” | Max Vozoff 1:18:45

3M ago1:18:45

1:18:45

Max Vozoff, Chief Technology Officer at X-Bow Systems, joins the show to discuss the urgent challenges and opportunities in America’s solid rocket motor industry. With decades of experience, including early work at SpaceX, Vozoff explains why the U.S. is facing a “Sputnik moment” in hypersonics and energetics — and how X-Bow is building new manufac…

1
S9 E6 - Is That A Pigeon? 1:13:41

3M ago1:13:41

1:13:41

Some analogies just make sense.By Universehead Podcast Network

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DF Direct Weekly #233: Wolverine Gameplay, Forza Horizon 6, Xbox ROG Ally X Pricing, Saros! 2:03:55

3M ago2:03:55

2:03:55

Yes, it's another episode of DF Direct Weekly and yes, once again it's two hours of content discussing the latest gaming and technology news. Marvel's Wolverine, Saros, Flight Sim 2024 and Deus Ex Remastered cover off what we want to talk about from the latest Sony State of Play, while there's reaction to what was essentially the non-reveal of Forz…

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FAA, DJI, and the Next Era of U.S. Drone Innovation | Todd Graetz, CEO, Aerolane 1:30:02

3M ago1:30:02

1:30:02

Todd Graetz, co-founder and CEO of Aerolane, joins the show to share how his aviation startup is reimagining air cargo with autonomous glider-based aircraft. From his early work launching one of the first large-scale drone programs at BNSF Railway to building Aerolane's innovative “air cart” system, Graetz has been at the forefront of UAV and aeros…

1
S9 E5 - Block Party! 1:13:57

3M ago1:13:57

1:13:57

Who knew Jordan Davis could run that fast?By Universehead Podcast Network

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DF Direct Weekly #232: Dying Light: The Beast, Intel/Nvidia Partnership, Borderlands 4 Controversy 1:56:37

3M ago1:56:37

1:56:37

In the latest exciting episode of DF Direct Weekly, Alex and Oliver share impressions on the PC and PS5 versions of Dying Light: The Beast in the wake of review code problems stopping us from delivering a full review. Meanwhile, the shocking news of an Intel/Nvidia partnership demands attention from the team, before Rich shares his experiences of t…

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Advanced Radar Detection, Modular Sensing, and Dual-Use Innovation | Jon Dandrow, CEO, Radenso 1:26:04

3M ago1:26:04

1:26:04

Jon Dandrow, CEO of Radenso and Strikeman, joins the show to talk about building advanced radar detection systems, modular sensing hardware, and consumer-to-defense innovation. From hacking traffic cameras in his college years to leading dual-use technology companies, Dandrow shares the unconventional path that brought him into the defense world. W…

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S9 E4 - Rear-End Zone 1:16:38

4M ago1:16:38

1:16:38

Funky Buttloving! It's not the time to fall behind. Gotta cover your ass.By Universehead Podcast Network

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DF Direct Weekly #231: Borderlands 4 Perf Issues, Nintendo Direct, PS6 BD Drive, GeForce Now 5080! 2:22:20

4M ago2:22:20

2:22:20

In this week's gigantic DF Direct, Alex shares first impressions of Borderlands 4 PC performance, Oliver pops up for a guest appearance as the team summarise Nintendo's latest Direct, Rich enthuses about GeForce Now's new 5080 tier, while cloud coverage continues with a hands-on look at Microsoft xCloud's new 1440p streaming. Meanwhile, there's a c…