Best Western Devs Podcasts (2026)

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E111: Why Western Game Dev Is Breaking — What Leaders Do Next 1:08:49

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2h ago1:08:49

1:08:49

If you're a leader in game dev who feels stuck, there is a path forward that levels up your leadership and accelerates your team, game, and career. Sign up here to learn more: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 30,000 Layoffs. Solid prototypes can't get funding. Western Game Dev Is Breaking. In this episode, Rich Vogel explains why Western game de…

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Sony Patents New AI Tech That’ll Play Your Video Games For You! - Beyond 928 56:58

3d ago56:58

56:58

The year is 2026 AD and cybergaming super-corporation Sony has created new technology that would allow video games to play themselves. Well, sort of. We dig into PlayStation’s latest tech patent that would provide AI-driven assistance to players, both in the form of “ghost” characters that demonstrate the right way to beat part of a game, or a feat…

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PlayStation’s 2025 Year in Review - Beyond 927 53:47

11d ago53:47

53:47

This week, we’re taking a look back at PlayStation’s 2025, from game releases to hardware announcements, corporate reorgs to global politics. The PS5 has had a wonderful year, breaking the 80 million sales mark, but it also saw price hikes at a time in the console life cycle when hardware usually gets cheaper. With this in mind, we’re in no hurry f…

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The Game Awards Were... Weird | Dev Heads 2:03:55

17d ago2:03:55

2:03:55

This week on Dev Heads, JM8, Tina, and Mikee close out 2025 by chatting about The Game Awards. Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/SecondWindGroup⁠

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26 Awesome PlayStation 5 Games Coming in 2026 - Beyond 926 1:24:50

24d ago1:24:50

1:24:50

2026 is shaping up to be a big year for games! Let’s take a look at just a few of the many upcoming releases slated to hit PlayStation 5 in the new year! From heavy hitters like Grand Theft Auto 6, Marvel’s Wolverine, 007 First Light and LEGO Batman Legacy of the Dark Knight to some weirder smaller titles like Romeo is a Dead Man, Mouse: P.I. For H…

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E110: The Truth About Game Studio Politics (And How to Win Without Becoming a Monster) 45:20

21d ago45:20

45:20

If you're a leader in game dev who feels stuck, there is a path forward that levels up your leadership and accelerates your team, game, and career. Sign up here to learn more: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 You're doing the work, fighting for your team, but your ideas stall in meetings and people with less context somehow have more influence t…

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Hideo Kojima, Leon Kennedy and Muppets: Our Wildest Game Awards 2025 Predictions - Beyond 925 59:06

1M ago59:06

59:06

The Game Awards are the last big gaming event of 2025, and they always come with a fair share of surprises and announcements, so why not have some fun with it? We’ve prepared an extremely unofficial Beyond edition of legally-distinct The Game Awards Bingo. What will we see this year? Muppets? (Yes) Hideo Kojima? Flute Guy? More importantly, will be…

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What’s Next for CG Boss in 2026? 22:10

1M ago22:10

22:10

In this video I talk and discuss 2026 for CG BOSS and What I feel would be the next steps for Game Dev and Some thoughts about Valve Steam Machines for Indies. #gamedev #goals #2026 Looking forward to the Next Year with 2026.Videos Used in Screen share:Dragon Hound, Scalebound🟨 👉 FOLLOW: Web: https://cg-boss.com Newsletter: https://cgboss.beehiiv.c…

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The Cosmic Invasion of Marvel Games That Don't Suck - Beyond 924 1:10:58

1M ago1:10:58

1:10:58

This week Max and Brain look back on the recent crop of Marvel games that are suprisingly pretty good. From Spider-Man to Blade, theres a lot of cool stuff headed to consoles and PC if you're a Marvel fan (or just a fan of fun games). One could even say theres a cosmic invasion of superhero games that dont suck...speaking of cosmic invasions, Max a…

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E109: Is Ethical AI in Game Dev Even Possible? 1:43:28

1M ago1:43:28

1:43:28

If you're a leader in game dev who feels stuck, there is a path forward that levels up your leadership and accelerates your team, game, and career. Sign up here to learn more: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 Leadership in game dev is hard, but choosing to ignore the biggest technological shift of our generation is a high-stakes gamble. In this …

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PUBG Creator Spills the Beans on His New Titles (ft. Brendan Greene) | Dev Heads 1:44:00

1M ago1:44:00

1:44:00

This week on Dev Heads, JM8, Tina, and Mikee are joined by Brendan Greene (PlayerUnknown) to chat about his new projects. Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/SecondWindGroup⁠

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13 Awesome Games To Grab Cheap Black Friday - Beyond 923 1:04:17

1M ago1:04:17

1:04:17

With the holidays fast approaching and Black Friday just around the corner (or later this week if you're reading this when the episode releases) its finally that most wonderful time of the year where you can buy a bunch of games you didnt get a chance to play for dirt cheap. Brian and Max have compiled a list of recent PlayStation releases that are…

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Valve Has Entered The Console Race, Should PlayStation Be Afraid? - Beyond 922 48:54

2M ago48:54

48:54

In a surprise move, Valve has announced plans for a Steam Machine console, taking PC gaming from desktops into living rooms in a big way. Sony’s had the market cornered this console generation, but does the introduction of a device that simplifies PC gaming for more casual players (while still allowing more tech-savvy ones to get under the hood) po…

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E108: 3 Leadership Mistakes Quietly Crippling Your Game Studio 31:23

2M ago31:23

31:23

If you're a leader in game dev who feels stuck, there is a path forward that levels up your leadership and accelerates your team, game, and career. Sign up here to learn more: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 Are you leading a team that has plenty of people but can't seem to get moving? You care deeply about your team and your game, but projects…

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Nightreign DLC, Marvel Tokon, New PlayStation Hardware | Sony State of Play Japan 2025 - Beyond 921 41:21

2M ago41:21

41:21

This week, Sony surprised us with a nice little State of Play presentation focusing on PlayStation games coming from Japanese and Asian studios, which included a tease of Elden Ring Nightreign’s first major DLC, The Forsaken Hollows as well as what’s in store for Marvel Tokon Fighting Souls’ upcoming closed beta test. We also got a look at some coo…

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E107: Stop Hiring "Testers." Start Doing QA. 1:01:27

2M ago1:01:27

1:01:27

If you're a leader in game dev who feels stuck, there is a path forward that levels up your leadership and accelerates your team, game, and career. Sign up here to learn more: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 You can't just test quality into a game at the end. You have to build it in from the start. Ignoring your Quality Assurance team's full va…

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The Sad State of GTA-Like Games (That Aren't GTA) - Beyond 920 1:00:09

2M ago1:00:09

1:00:09

This week, we’ve heard Rockstar games co-founder Dan Houser talking about cancelled GTA 5 story DLC and Saints Row 1 design director Chris Stockman sharing his pitch for a Saints Row reboot, which has us lamenting the lack of open-world action games set in contemporary settings. Specifically, the kind where you can steal cars and cause mayhem - you…

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E106: Why Jira Hurts Game Studios 33:10

2M ago33:10

33:10

If you're a leader in game dev who feels stuck, able to spot problems but struggling to make a real difference, there is a path forward that levels up your leadership and accelerates your team, game, and career. Sign up here to learn more: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 Are you inadvertently forcing your team to serve a tool, instead of lettin…

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The Horror Games That Defined Each PlayStation Console - Beyond 919 1:14:43

2M ago1:14:43

1:14:43

It’s almost Halloween, so what better excuse to geek out about horror games? Max and Brian take a look back at the horror franchises that dominated each generation of PlayStation console. From the birth of Resident Evil on the PS1 to Silent Hill and Fatal Frame’s numerous outings on the PlayStation 2, to the PS3/360 era that gave us Dead Space, Con…

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E105: Your "2-Day" Task Takes 2 Months. Here's the Fix. 1:04:30

2M ago1:04:30

1:04:30

If you're a leader in game dev who feels stuck, able to spot problems but struggling to make a real difference, there is a path forward that levels up your leadership and accelerates your team, game, and career. Sign up here to learn more: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 How much is your bad code costing you, and how much is your team's sufferi…

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Halo's Coming to PlayStation And PlayStation's Going to Magic: The Gathering - Beyond 918 59:01

3M ago59:01

59:01

In the video game equivalent of Hell freezing over or pigs flying, the original Halo is coming to PlayStation. Halo: Campaign Evolved is a full Unreal Engine 5 overhaul of the 2001 Xbox original, and in honor of the 25th anniversary, it’s going multi-platform sometime next year. Nick got a chance to play it, and shared his impressions about new fea…

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E104: Game Dev Leaders: Save Weeks of Thrash in 20 Minutes 16:18

3M ago16:18

16:18

If you're a leader in game dev who feels stuck, able to spot problems but struggling to make a real difference, there is a path forward that levels up your leadership and accelerates your team, game, and career. Sign up here to learn more: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 How do you save weeks of thrash when your team is busy and perhaps even cr…

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Is Pokemon Stagnating? | Dev Heads 2:10:04

3M ago2:10:04

2:10:04

This week on Dev Heads, JM8, Tina, and Mikee dig deep into the current state of the Pokemon franchise. Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/SecondWindGroup⁠

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Ghost of Yotei Devs Discuss That Ending, Story Changes, Easter Eggs & More | Spoilercast! - Beyond 917 50:16

3M ago50:16

50:16

SPOILER ALERT! This week, we’re talking Ghost of Yotei yet again, but delving deep into late game content, including the ending. Joining us to unpack all that, and answer some more questions about how the open-world samurai epic came together are creative director Jason Connel and lead writer Ian Ryan from Sucker Punch Productions. We discuss story…

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E103: Leadership Under Fire: Surviving a $100M Game Studio Crisis 57:29

3M ago57:29

57:29

If you're a leader in game dev who feels stuck, able to spot problems but struggling to make a real difference, there is a path forward that levels up your leadership and accelerates your team, game, and career. Sign up here to learn more: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 What happens when doing the right thing could get you fired? Every game de…

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Digesting the Spaghetti Western Vibes of Yotei - Beyond 916 1:05:22

3M ago1:05:22

1:05:22

This week on Beyond Jada Griffin is hosting yet again! Joined by Michael Higham, and Nick Maillet to talk more about Ghost of Yotei. We dive into how the Japanese community is embracing Yotei for how it quintessentially feels like Hokkaido, a few of the smaller touches of things we liked such as the various minigames in Yotei, and a couple of plati…

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E102: 5 Game Dev Delusions That Kill Studios 28:09

3M ago28:09

28:09

Stop leaving reality behind and ship better games! If you're a leader in game dev who feels stuck, able to spot problems but struggling to make a real difference, there is a path forward that levels up your leadership and accelerates your team, game, and career. Sign up here to learn more: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 Is your studio living i…

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Devs React to the $55 Billion EA Buyout | Dev Heads 2:12:08

3M ago2:12:08

2:12:08

This week on Dev Heads, JM8, Tina, and Mikee dig deep into the news of EA's $55 billion buyout. Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/SecondWindGroup⁠

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Ghost of Yotei Devs Explain Lessons Learned From Tsushima, Cinematic Influences & More - Beyond 915 44:20

3M ago44:20

44:20

Ghost of Yotei is almost out, and this week we’re joined by to members of the team at Sucker Punch Productions who were behind it. Creative director Jason Connell and art director Joanna Wang tell us about how the studio approached their follow-up to Ghost of Tsushima, from the cinematic inspirations to the real world research that informed this ne…

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E101: How Layoffs Go Wrong—and the Right Way to Do Them 1:28:39

3M ago1:28:39

1:28:39

Ready to take your game development career to the next level? Join the Game Dev Leadership Accelerator: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 Do layoffs mean studio leadership is bad? While the popular answer is often "yes," the truth is more complex. Layoffs can reveal many things, from bad times in the market to failures to manage finances to corpo…

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Ghost of Yotei: A Leaner, Meaner Sequel That Doesn't Reinvent Open-World Samurai Games - Beyond 914 1:13:09

4M ago1:13:09

1:13:09

Ghost of Yotei isn’t out for a little while, but the reviews are in, and we’re joined by IGN’s Michael Higham to discuss Sucker Punch’s highly anticipated samurai sequel stacks up compared to its predecessor. Ghost of Tsushima was one of the last great first-party exclusives of the PS4 era, but Ghost of Yotei takes full advantage of the PlayStation…

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We Finally Saw Wolverine! Our Sony State of Play September 25 - Beyond 913 48:52

4M ago48:52

48:52

Sony suprised everyone with their September State of Play and Max, Jada, Brian, and Nick broke down every major game announced. Starting off with the first look at the long awaited Marvel's Wolverine, and it didnt dissapoint. Wolverine is definitely earning it's likely M rating, and everyone on the show (espically Jada) was impressed with the small…

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E100: Don't Hire Until You See These 3 Signs 1:09:42

4M ago1:09:42

1:09:42

Ready to take your game development career to the next level? Join the Game Dev Leadership Accelerator: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 In this special Q&A episode for Episode 100, we're answering your most pressing questions from the Game Production Community Discord! Join Ben Carcich as he dives into critical topics that every game developmen…

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Can Early Access Still Be Trusted? | Dev Heads 2:14:44

4M ago2:14:44

2:14:44

This week on Dev Heads, JM8, Tina, and Mikee chat about the current state of Early Access games. Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/SecondWindGroup⁠

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Borderlands 4 and Battlefield 6 Are Playing it Safe, But Playing to Their Strengths - Beyond 912 1:22:04

4M ago1:22:04

1:22:04

This week we’re joined by notorious tie-guy Travis Northup, who just dropped his review of Borderlands 4, and who also went hands on with some large scale maps in Battlefield 6 at a preview event. What do these two games have in common, besides being shooters? They’re both shaping up to be returns-to-form for a couple series that haven’t stuck the …

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E99: Stop Using 2-Week Sprints - Here's Why They're Failing You 38:40

4M ago38:40

38:40

Stuck in slow loops and broken systems? The Game Dev Leadership Accelerator can help you make lasting change. Sign up to learn more: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 Why do most teams default to two-week sprints, even when they're wrong? In this episode, Ben Carcich breaks down a simple model with three dials that you should use to tune your ite…

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25 PlayStation Games Still Coming in 2025 - Beyond 911 1:21:03

4M ago1:21:03

1:21:03

The year is far from over, and some of the biggest game releases are still yet to come - so let’s run down 25 games of various shapes, sizes, genres, flavors and configurations that have our attention for one reason or another. From the obvious big sequels like Ghost of Yotei, Ninja Gaiden 4, and Vampire The Masquerade Bloodlines 2, to smaller offb…

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E98: Why Most Game Launches Flop (And How to Avoid It) 1:41:08

4M ago1:41:08

1:41:08

Is there a way to predict whether a game will hit or flop? In this episode, Ben is joined by Colan Neese, who has spent a lot of time looking at how audiences relate to products at companies like Twitch and Nielsen. Colan's work at Mind Game Data is focused on "puzzling through the problem of anticipating which games are likely to take off at launc…

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What the Hell Do You Want From a Sequel? | Dev Heads 2:12:50

4M ago2:12:50

2:12:50

This week on Dev Heads, JM8, Tina, and Mikee chat about what makes a good sequel.Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/SecondWindGroup⁠

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007: First Light Gameplay Reveal Gives us a View To a Killer James Bond Game - Beyond 910 1:00:38

4M ago1:00:38

1:00:38

This week we break down Sony's surprise 007 First Light state of play and why the game looks like it's going to be Hitman With a Dash of Uncharted, Sleeping Dogs & GTA. It's been a while since we've had a good 007 game and thats looking to change thanks in part to the game's developers history making the Hitman games (which are basically 007 games …

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E97: The 3 Tools Your Team Needs To Deliver Great Games 31:16

4M ago31:16

31:16

🎮 There are tons of "game dev tools" out there promising to fix your problems… but too often, teams end up serving the tool instead of the tools serving them. In this video, I'll break down a simple, practical guide to streamline your process. You'll learn not just what you need, but why it matters whether you're running a team, starting a game stu…

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LEGO Batman Looks Like The Best Batman Game in Years - Beyond 909 52:06

4M ago52:06

52:06

We’re back from gamescom, jetlagged, but excited to have some new and upcoming games to discuss. Capcom had a solid lineup including Pragmata, which doesn’t put puzzles above shooting, but still has puzzles, and probably isn’t a Mega Man prequel. The Resident Evil Requiem demo we had didn’t blow us away, but it also didn’t show too much, and maybe …

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E96: Setting Goals: It's Not Just About Shipping A Game, with Melissa Phillips 59:12

4M ago59:12

59:12

Setting goals is harder than you think. In this episode, Ben Carcich is joined by Melissa Phillips, founder of Games Leadership, to dive deep into a topic that leaders often approach with little understanding: goal setting. From a professional perspective, goal setting is about helping people find fulfillment in what they are doing. Melissa discuss…

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E95: The Challenge Of Live Service Games And How To Win with Ryan Scott 1:27:57

5M ago1:27:57

1:27:57

Are live service games truly dying, or are we just seeing a new era of evolution? In this episode, we sit down with game designer and product thinker Ryan Scott to unpack the difficult world of live service titles. Ryan brings a wealth of knowledge from his time working on major titles, sharing his unique insights on what makes a live service game …

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Battlefield 6 Looks Like Donkey Kong Bananza Directed By Michael Bay - Beyond 908 1:15:37

5M ago1:15:37

1:15:37

This week, we’re talking about the literally groundbreaking new destruction physics in Battlefield 6, which looks to be almost on par with Donkey Kong Bananza’s smashability, but in an obviously very different way. We’re also chatting with the developers of Ninja Gaiden Ragebound about the throwback platformer’s NES roots, and sharing some of the g…

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E94: Why You Should Think About Publishing More In Game Dev with Elizabeth Howard 1:09:45

5M ago1:09:45

1:09:45

Do you need game publishing to ship your game successfully? What does a leader in a publishing organization truly do? Join us for a conversation with Elizabeth Howard, an industry veteran with over 20 years of experience across Aspyr, 2K, and Bungie, where she led publishing and production. Elizabeth views game development and publishing as two par…

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Fighting Yourself is Fun in Wuchang Fallen Feathers - Beyond 907 45:07

6M ago45:07

45:07

From forgotten peripherals to bizarre trends, we're taking a wild trip through PlayStation's strangest hardware. Plus, Jada shares her early impressions of Wuchang: Fallen Feathers. This week we're going retro, weird, and very PlayStation. 00:00 - Intro01:00 - Wuchang: Fallen Feathers18:06 - PlayStation’s Best, Worst and Weirdest Experimental Produ…

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How Does EA's Skate Compare to Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 - Beyond 906 49:12

6M ago49:12

49:12

It’s a good time to be a fan of skateboarding video games, between Activision’s remakes fo Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 out now, plus EA’s long-awaited reboot of Skate (Sorry, “skate.”) arriving sometime in the foreseeable future. Nick had a chance to spend a few hours in the open world, and while the free-to-play live-service aspect is rubbing a l…

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E93: The Collapse of the Games Industry with Trent Kusters 1:35:17

6M ago1:35:17

1:35:17

How will the game industry adapt? Are we hurtling towards a gig economy? In this powerful conversation, we sit down with Trent Kusters, co-founder and studio head of League of Geeks, to talk about the future of our industry. Trent takes us on a deep, honest exploration of the game industry's current state, from platform power struggles and algorith…

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Ghost of Yotei Looks Like a Bigger, Meaner and Prettier Spin on Tsushima - Beyond 905 57:41

6M ago57:41

57:41

Sucker Punch finally gave us our long-awaited look at Ghost of Yotei in action, and while it’s certainly looking like a gorgeous successor to Tsushima that’ll put the PS5 through its paces, it’s hard not to compare it to one of this year’s other big open-world samurai game, Assassin’s Creed Shadows. While there will definitely be some familiar them…