Podquisition 570: Kirb

Back on our bullshit Games we played this week include: (0:11:10) Skate Story (0:15:55) Octopath Traveler Zero (0:27:45) Terminator 2D: No Fate (0:41:15) Horses (0:55:45) Kirby Triple Deluxe (0:57:10) Final Fantasy VII Remake --- News things talked about in this episode: (0:58:25) Larian Studios to use AI for their games https://www.eurogamer.net/larian-is-using-generative-ai-confirms-ceo-but-divinity-wont-contain-anything-ai-generated (1:04:50) id Software employees vote to fully unionize https://www.eurogamer.net/developers-microsoft-owned-doom-studio-id-software-form-union-with-cwa --- Buy official Jimquisition merchandise at https://thejimporium.com Find Laura at LauraKBuzz on Twitter, Twitch, YouTube, and Patreon. All her content goes on https://LauraKBuzz.com, and you can catch Access-Ability on YouTube every Friday. Follow Conrad at ConradZimmerman on Instagram/BlueSky and check out his Patreon (https://patreon.com/fistshark). You can also peruse his anti-capitalist propaganda at https://mercenarycreative.com.

Who knew there were so many kinds? Games we played this week include: (0:33:55) Metroid Prime 4 (0:52:20) Pokémon Legends: Z-A (0:57:30) Blood: Refreshed Supply (1:00:25) Octopath Traveler Zero --- News things talked about in this episode: (1:04:45) Even Kier Starmer is talking about Rockstar’s alleged union busting https://www.eurogamer.net/gta-developer-rockstars-firing-of-union-staff-deeply-concerning-says-uk-prime-minister-keir-starmer (1:06:40) Russia bans Roblox to “protect” kids https://www.eurogamer.net/roblox-banned-russia-lgbtq-propaganda-child-safety-measures (1:07:20) SEGA knows people don’t like AI, will keep using it https://www.eurogamer.net/sega-acknowledges-strong-resistance-as-it-turns-to-ai-but-says-itll-use-technology-appropriately (1:18:30) European game unions hold a summit, show solidarity https://www.eurogamer.net/video-game-workers-europe-fight-back-against-exploitation-ai-layoffs-historic-milestone-union-efforts --- Buy official Jimquisition merchandise at https://thejimporium.com Find Laura at LauraKBuzz on Twitter, Twitch, YouTube, and Patreon. All her content goes on https://LauraKBuzz.com, and you can catch Access-Ability on YouTube every Friday. Follow Conrad at ConradZimmerman on Instagram/BlueSky and check out his Patreon (https://patreon.com/fistshark). You can also peruse his anti-capitalist propaganda at https://mercenarycreative.com.

This episode contains hidden references to a Monty Python sketch. Can you find them all? Games we played this week include: (0:12:10) Metroid Prime 4 (0:23:35) Marvel Cosmic Invasion (0:32:00) Cleared Hot (0:37:15) Lander 23 (0:45:55) Dispatch --- News things talked about in this episode: (0:51:05) Roblox CEO sees an opportunity https://www.eurogamer.net/roblox-boss-says-problem-of-predators-is-an-opportunity-for-the-platform-in-disastrous-interview-following-latest-child-safety-measures (0:55:45) Epic's Tim Sweeney rails against AI disclosure https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ai-disclosures-make-no-sense-for-game-stores-tim-sweeney-says/1100-6536526/ (0:59:45) Beyond Good & Evil 2 job listing indicates game is, inexplicably, still in development https://www.eurogamer.net/unbelievably-17-years-after-its-original-announcement-ubisoft-appears-to-still-be-hiring-for-beyond-good-and-evil-2

But will we remember them next week? Games we played this week include: (0:21:45) An Unplayable Game (0:27:20) Wildwood Down (0:29:50) Sektori (0:37:25) Kirby Air Riders (1:05:00) Tomb Raider Definitive Edition --- News things talked about in this episode: (0:44:40) Rockstar’s union busting allegedly due to sharing of company Slack policy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TvWNFBBwuY --- Buy official Jimquisition merchandise at https://thejimporium.com Find Laura at LauraKBuzz on Twitter, Twitch, YouTube, and Patreon. All her content goes on https://LauraKBuzz.com, and you can catch Access-Ability on YouTube every Friday. Follow Conrad at ConradZimmerman on Instagram/BlueSky and check out his Patreon (https://patreon.com/fistshark). You can also peruse his anti-capitalist propaganda at https://mercenarycreative.com.

Let’s see big tech disrupt this. Games we played this week include: (0:03:45) Grand Theft Auto IV (0:12:40) Sacred 2 Remaster (0:18:55) Dispatch (0:24:35) Dragonball Z Sparking Zero (0:38:55) Bridge Command (0:43:00) Halls of Torment --- News things talked about in this episode: (0:44:40) Rockstar’s alleged union busting hits the floor of Parliament https://www.eurogamer.net/rockstars-controversial-dismissal-of-31-employees-is-such-a-big-deal-its-made-its-way-to-uk-parliament (0:59:50) Krafton is deep in AI nonsense https://www.eurogamer.net/after-south-korean-publisher-krafton-announced-its-transforming-into-an-ai-first-company-its-now-offering-employees-voluntary-resignation https://www.eurogamer.net/krafton-ceo-allegedly-asked-ai-to-brainstorm-ways-to-avoid-paying-earnout-bonus-to-subnautica-2-devs (1:02:40) Megabonk developer asks to be removed as nominee for Game Award https://www.eurogamer.net/mystery-megabonk-developer-withdraws-from-the-game-awards-following-incorrect-nomination (1:01:51) Rebecca Heineman, 1963-2025 https://www.gamedeveloper.com/programming/obituary-interplay-co-founder-rebecca-ann-heineman-has-passed-away-at-62 --- Buy official Jimquisition merchandise at https://thejimporium.com Find Laura at LauraKBuzz on Twitter, Twitch, YouTube, and Patreon. All her content goes on https://LauraKBuzz.com, and you can catch Access-Ability on YouTube every Friday. Follow Conrad at ConradZimmerman on Instagram/BlueSky and check out his Patreon (https://patreon.com/fistshark). You can also peruse his anti-capitalist propaganda at https://mercenarycreative.com.

Damn this month. Games we played this week include: (0:05:00) Sacred 2 Remaster (0:16:30) Good Night Universe (0:20:25) Powerwash Simulator 2 (0:23:20) Lumines Arise (0:31:00) Dispatch (0:33:15) Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment --- News things talked about in this episode: (0:48:30) Further details on Rockstar firings emerge https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-11-05/-grand-theft-auto-studio-says-fired-employees-were-leaking-information (0:59:50) Square Enix shifting QA to AI https://www.eurogamer.net/after-chasing-nfts-and-the-metaverse-square-enix-wants-generative-ai-to-do-70-of-its-qa-by-2027 (1:02:40) YouTube thinks Dawn French eats Pokémon https://www.eurogamer.net/no-dawn-french-isnt-eating-pokemon-in-the-new-ms-christmas-ad --- Buy official Jimquisition merchandise at https://thejimporium.com Find Laura at LauraKBuzz on Twitter, Twitch, YouTube, and Patreon. All her content goes on https://LauraKBuzz.com, and you can catch Access-Ability on YouTube every Friday. Follow Conrad at ConradZimmerman on Instagram/BlueSky and check out his Patreon (https://patreon.com/fistshark). You can also peruse his anti-capitalist propaganda at https://mercenarycreative.com.   Photo Credit: Bryan Ledgard / CC BY 2.0

Let it wash over you.   Games we played this week include: (0:19:10) Dispatch (0:30:10) Absolum (0:38:15) Powerwash Simulator 2 (0:39:25) Don’t Look at Grandma (0:46:05) Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment (0:52:15) Arc Raiders --- News things talked about in this episode: (0:57:20) The Pokémon Company’s patent strategy isn’t going so smoothly https://www.eurogamer.net/could-palworld-triumph-over-pokemon-in-lawsuit-japans-rejection-of-nintendo-patent-might-make-things-more-interesting https://www.eurogamer.net/nintendos-palworld-lawsuit-suffers-another-potential-blow-as-us-takes-rare-step-of-re-examining-previously-granted-pokemon-patent   (0:58:55) Warhammer 40k Survivors announced https://www.eurogamer.net/warhammer-survivors-is-an-officially-licensed-vampire-survivors-game-coming-2026   (1:00:50) Rockstar fires dozens of employees in alleged union busting action https://iwgb.org.uk/en/post/staff-at-rockstar-fired-en-masse/   --- Buy official Jimquisition merchandise at https://thejimporium.com   Find Laura at LauraKBuzz on Twitter, Twitch, YouTube, and Patreon. All her content goes on https://LauraKBuzz.com, and you can catch Access-Ability on YouTube every Friday. Follow Conrad at ConradZimmerman on Instagram/BlueSky and check out his Patreon (https://patreon.com/fistshark). You can also peruse his anti-capitalist propaganda at https://mercenarycreative.com.

Unspoken rules abound. Games we played this week include: (0:04:20) Double Dragon Revive (0:15:20) BALL x PIT (0:26:30) Once Upon a Katamari (0:36:05) Let it Die (0:45:55) Good Night Universe (0:49:45) Alien Storm (0:51:00) Painkiller --- News things talked about in this episode: (0:52:25) Microsoft’s outrageous profit targets for Xbox are killing it https://www.eurogamer.net/microsofts-push-for-high-xbox-profit-margins-behind-job-cuts-publishing-on-playstation-and-cancellation-of-projects-like-perfect-dark-claims-report (0:58:15) Halo social media nonsense https://www.eurogamer.net/will-microsoft-be-able-to-stop-the-white-house-using-ai-generated-halo-imagery-to-depict-trump-as-master-chief-and-to-promote-and-recruit-for-ice-depressingly-i-doubt-it --- Buy official Jimquisition merchandise at https://thejimporium.com Find Laura at LauraKBuzz on Twitter, Twitch, YouTube, and Patreon. All her content goes on https://LauraKBuzz.com, and you can catch Access-Ability on YouTube every Friday. Follow Conrad at ConradZimmerman on Instagram/BlueSky and check out his Patreon (https://patreon.com/fistshark). You can also peruse his anti-capitalist propaganda at https://mercenarycreative.com.

But don’t ask where we’ve hid the pickle. Games we played this week include: (0:15:55) BALL x PIT (0:28:05) Little Witch in the Woods (0:32:25) Pokémon Legends: Z-A (0:49:15) Yooka-Replaylee (0:54:20) Painkiller --- Buy official Jimquisition merchandise at https://thejimporium.com Find Laura at LauraKBuzz on Twitter, Twitch, YouTube, and Patreon. All her content goes on https://LauraKBuzz.com, and you can catch Access-Ability on YouTube every Friday. Follow Conrad at ConradZimmerman on Instagram/BlueSky and check out his Patreon (https://patreon.com/fistshark). You can also peruse his anti-capitalist propaganda at https://mercenarycreative.com.

We deserve a better class of criminal. Games we played this week include: (0:16:15) Pokémon Legends: Z-A (0:29:35) Little Witch in the Woods (0:33:35) Ghost of Yotei (0:47:25) Xenotilt --- News things talked about in this episode: (0:49:00) Hacker who claimed to have hit The Pokémon Company seems to have the goods https://www.eurogamer.net/another-devastating-pokemon-leak-reveals-plans-for-future-games-but-its-the-reported-development-budgets-that-have-left-players-stunned (0:50:55) Ubisoft canceled Assassin’s Creed set in Reconstruction Era US out of fear https://www.gamefile.news/p/scoop-ubisoft-cancelled-a-post-civil (0:58:35) Survey finds majority of video game players buy two or fewer games a year https://www.eurogamer.net/if-you-buy-more-than-two-new-games-a-year-youre-in-the-minority-new-report-reveals --- Buy official Jimquisition merchandise at https://thejimporium.com Find Laura at LauraKBuzz on Twitter, Twitch, YouTube, and Patreon. All her content goes on https://LauraKBuzz.com, and you can catch Access-Ability on YouTube every Friday. Follow Conrad at ConradZimmerman on Instagram/BlueSky and check out his Patreon (https://patreon.com/fistshark). You can also peruse his anti-capitalist propaganda at https://mercenarycreative.com.