Inside Blizzard’s Tumultuous History w/ Jason Schreier

Hey, it's a bit bonkers out there! Why not retreat for a moment into the human race's oldest form of escapism; video games! Games like Stardew Valley are no-brainers but you may be surprised what kinds of games our panel takes comfort in when it feels like the world is burning down around them. All this and more on this week's Axe of the Blood God! Tune in to live recordings of the show every Saturday morning at https://www.twitch.tv/bloodgodpod and subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod Also in this episode: Mario and Luigi: Brothership Mass Effect! Now for TV! Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket Star Trek beef Kat's Persona 3 update! Timestamps: 00:00 - Main Topic - Cozy RPGs 44:40 - Random Encounters 1:01:36 - The Tavern 1:35:44 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook Music Used in this Episode: Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III] A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana] Town Theme - [Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone look under your chair and put on your custom "Kiss the Rook" aprons I've made for you because it's time to dig into another of the massive RPGs of the year -- Dragon Age: The Veilguard! From character creation to romance, from classes to dungeon design, the writing and the role-playing, the good and the bad; Kat, Nadia, Eric, and special guest Leana Hafer cover it all on this very special episode of Axe of the Blood God! Tune in to live recordings of the show every Saturday morning at https://www.twitch.tv/bloodgodpod and subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod Also in this episode: Xenoblade Chronicles X is back! Dragon Quest III HD-2D Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket Monster Hunter Wilds Timestamps: 07:12 - Main Topic - Dragon Age: The Veilguard 1:06:40 - Random Encounters 1:11:12 - The Tavern 1:40:00 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook Music Used in this Episode: Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III] A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana] Leliana's Dance - [Dragon Age: Origins] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's been a dragon's age since we've had a new Dragon Age but the time has finally arrived. Kat, Nadia, and Eric discuss the entire series, its influences, its impact, and more as we get closer to the launch of Veilguard! Tune in to live recordings of the show every Saturday morning at https://www.twitch.tv/bloodgodpod and subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod Also in this episode: Monster Hunter Wilds Beta The retro collecting rabbit hole You all need to save the Saturn talk for a Victor episode More Emio: The Smiling Man! Halloween stories Timestamps: 00:00 - Main Topic 1:06:40 - Random Encounters 1:13:20 - The Tavern 1:34:24 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BAT! Join Kat, Nadia, and your old pal from the edit bay Victor Hunter as they discuss the hottest (and sometimes the most mechanically interesting) characters in RPGs; the dhampir! They're not JUST for bisexuals! Tune in to live recordings of the show every Saturday morning at https://www.twitch.tv/bloodgodpod and subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod Also in this episode: Come play FFXI with us Astar, a robot from Planet Danger More Metaphor! Timestamps: 00:00 - Main Topic 1:14:00 - Random Encounters 1:18:16 - The Tavern 1:31:20 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook Music Used in this Episode: Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III] A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana] Solar Boy Django - [Boktai 2: Solar Boy Django] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's time to Fantazio. Again! Kat, Nadia, and Eric, are joined by IGN's Michael Higham to discuss the biggest RPG release of October, Metaphor: ReFantazio. Take a shot every time someone mentions Persona, or for the full effect take a shot every time someone doesn't mention SMT. All that plus leaks, anime recommendations, passionate pleas from Nadia to end the console wars, and more on this week's jam-packed episode of Axe of the Blood God! Tune in to live recordings of the show every Saturday morning at https://www.twitch.tv/bloodgodpod and subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod Also in this episode: The Game Freak hack Waypoint's corpse Before Your Eyes Persona 3 Update! Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO Timestamps: 04:16 - Main Topic 1:03:28 - Random Encounters 1:15:44 - The Tavern - Waypoint 1:53:56 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook Music Used in this Episode: Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III] A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana] Cinematic Tale - [Persona Q2] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Unionizations, lay-offs, tragic passings! It's been A Year! Eric, Nadia, and special guest Jesse Vitelli discuss the biggest headlines of the year and take a look at the latest Legend of Zelda! It's an episode of tonal whiplash and fond reminiscence! Tune in to live recordings of the show every Saturday morning at https://www.twitch.tv/bloodgodpod and subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod Also in this episode: Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games were fun! Mrs. Incredible. I'll say she is. Subscribe to Jesse's newsletter: Send News Dragon Quest at the centre of the culture war Cadet Kelly Timestamps: 00:00 - Main Topic 1:03:56 - Random Encounters 1:09:58 - The Tavern - Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom 1:33:52 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook Music Used in this Episode: Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III] A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana] Skull Pirates - [Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's extra beefy episode of Axe of the Blood God, we welcome special guest Jason Schreier and talk about his upcoming book, Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard Entertainment. Tune in for a preview that brings context to some of Blizzard's biggest successes, mishaps, and controversies, including its campus culture, the sexual harassment lawsuit leveled against it, and the infamous Cosby Suite.  Also in this episode: First impressions of The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Gosh, the PS5 Pro sure exists Nintendo! Put a GBA game slot on Switch 2, you cowards! See a horse? Download a horse How Nadia lost her pocket money to rigged potato chip giveaways Time Stamps 0:00 - Intro/Main topic [Blizzard] 52:34 - Random Encounters 1:18:50 - The Tavern 1:29:07 - Further Blizzard Discussion: The Cosby Suite 1:54:24 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook Music used in this episode:  Do your Best! [Breath of Fire III] Patty's Pub [Dragon Quest XI] A Curious Tale [Secret of Mana] Battle Theme [Metaphor: ReFantazio] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No, you see these are uh... Pocket Buddies! And we don't catch'em. We seal'em! In uh, Pocket Orbs! Kat, Nadia, and Eric discuss Nintendo's suit against the creators of Palworld and what this means for patents and Pokemon-esque projects going forward. Plus, the crew has been playing some Dragon Age Veilguard! Tune in to live recordings of the show every Saturday morning at https://www.twitch.tv/bloodgodpod and subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod Also in this episode: The appeal of fine Pokemon china You'll never guess where these Pirate Yakuza are! UFO50 Final Fantasy VII Orchestra Timestamps: 03:12 - Main Topic 36:36 - Random Encounters 44:18 - The Tavern - Dragon Age 1:31:07 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook Music Used in this Episode: Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III] A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana] Virbank City - [Pokemon Black and White 2] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

And it doesn't even have a new Ridge Racer. Kat, Nadia, and Eric discuss the PS5 Pro, it's fascinating price point, Astrobot, Sony's future, and more on this week's episode of Axe of the Blood God! Tune in to live recordings of the show every Saturday morning at https://www.twitch.tv/bloodgodpod and subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod Also in this episode: Emio: The Smiling Man Where are there squirrels? Praise Bahamut! A Baldur's Gate III Co-op update! When did YOUR eyesight start going, listener? Timestamps: 04:56 - Main Topic - PS5 Pro 40:32 - Random Encounters 44:32 - The Tavern 1:17:04 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook Music Used in this Episode: Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III] A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana] Jungle - [PlayOnline Viewer] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the first time since 2006's Dawn of Mana (a totally fun game, don't let anyone tell you otherwise) we have a new mainline entry in the storied Seiken Densetsu series. Does Visions of Mana prove that the mana tree still has plenty of good years left in'er, or is the vision getting blurry? Kat, Nadia, and Eric discuss this colourful action RPG and more on this episode of Axe of the Blood God! Tune in to live recordings of the show every Saturday morning at https://www.twitch.tv/bloodgodpod and subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod Also in this episode: Witch Hat Atelier Bring back Slayers! More Final Fantasy VI discussion Everyone definitely agrees Legend of Mana is the best Timestamps: 03:12 - Main Topic - Visions of Mana 39:08 - Random Encounters 43:12 - The Tavern 1:16:32 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook - CONTENT WARNING 1:22:24 - End of Content Warning Music Used in this Episode: Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III] A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana] Cliff Town Gato - [Legend of Mana] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices