Welcome to the long-awaited return of The NPCs, where we’re back to discuss video game news, video game insights, provide commentary, and oh so much more.

In our absence, a lot of things have happened in the video game universe: Roguelike’s have taken over the Steam charts, Elden Ring got a multiplayer game, Fortnite still exists, and we still don’t have Grand Theft Auto 6…

But one thing has been on our minds for at least half of the year: have we finally reached the end of the console wars? Microsoft has doubled down on a marketing campaign where “Everything is an Xbox,” making it so phones, TVs, even your smart fridge can play Xbox games without needing an Xbox at all. In tandem, we also saw bridges built with core first-party titles like Forza, Gears of War, and even Halo showing up on the PlayStation 5. With the possibility of Nintendo also receiving similar treatment, has Microsoft finally bowed out of the console race? Do we even need consoles anymore given more of a transition to PC-based architecture? Let’s talk about it in our great return episode: The Console Wars Concludes…

Intro: Run by J+1

Post-Break Intro: Getaway by J+1

Outro: Haunt by J+1