Hostile Beards & Platform Divides

Matt and Nick tackle the truly important cultural debates — like whether a trip to Frankie & Benny’s can ever stack up to the chaotic carb paradise of Olive Garden — before pouring one out for the closure of Highguard. On the gaming front, there’s unexpected love for Pokémon Pokopia, questions as to our time with World of Warcraft as of late, and early thoughts on Bungie’s extraction shooter revival, Marathon. It’s comfort food, comfort games, and a little existential MMO fatigue — all in one tidy chat.

It's our biggest and weirdest yet! This week, Nick and Matt discuss the state of the industry, covering Xbox's recent leadership scuffle, Sony's mismanagement of Bluepoint Games and, crucially, Disney Lorcana. Because Nick.

After a short break, Matt and Nick return to talk books, Blizzard, and the ever-shifting state of gaming. From romance novels and tabletop RPGs to Diablo IV on Steam Deck and Overwatch 2’s big shake-up, the duo dive into FOMO, subscriptions, raiding with friends, and why the worth of a game is always personal. It’s an honest chat about playing what you love — and knowing when to step away.

This week on Backlog Breakers, Nick and Matt chat about what they’ve been playing lately, from Final Fantasy and the joys (and struggles) of RPG storytelling to restarting tough games and getting unexpectedly hooked on AFK Journey. Things get silly with a game built around weird Steam reviews, touching on everything from Stardew Valley to No Man’s Sky, before wrapping up with some thoughts on what they’re playing next and why gaming communities matter so much.

In this episode of Backlog Breakers, Matt and Nick ramble (in the best way) through card games, gaming backlogs, and the joys and frustrations of gaming communities. They chat about Disney Lorcana and Magic: The Gathering, card art and controversies, local play struggles, and plenty of nostalgia, alongside updates on Final Fantasy, Animal Crossing, and streaming. Expect tangents, laughs, and some honest reflections on gaming and the journey of the podcast itself.

It's only natural to come up with some gaming-oriented New Year's resolutions for us, but are we actually going to stick to them this time around? Well...

So... that there Clair Obscur Expedition 33 is a tad popular, right?

It's all kicking off this week, with mispronunciations galore, explorations into platform biases, and yet more rapping... No need to thank us, honest!

Nick and Matt bounce from 2024 game hype to Fortnite’s never-ending celebrity circus, confess their holiday gaming sins, and wonder if a God of War TV show is genius or madness. It’s chaotic, nerdy, and typically non-typical.

In this episode, Matt and Nick unpack everything from Nick’s triumphant (and only slightly chaotic) return to streaming to the eternal struggle of telling people you exist on the internet. Along the way, they dive into nostalgic gaming memories, the wild history of platforms like Mixer and Kick, and why authenticity matters more than pretending you have your life together. It’s a whirlwind of hot takes, self-promotion guilt, and heartfelt chaos - and yes, somehow, Guild Wars gets yet another mention.