Big Red Barrel Podcasts

Usually at this time on a Thursday evening, I'd be sitting down to record BRB UK with my good mates Tim and Coleman. As you may know, Tim has been unable to join Coleman and I for the past few weeks as he has been unwell. It is with profound sadness that I have to let you all know that Tim passed away on Wednesday 18th February 2026, surrounded by his friends and family. I have had the absolute privilege of being able to count Tim as one of my closest friends for the past 20 years. Long-time listeners will know that Tim and I have been talking absolute nonsense at one another for over 700 episodes, stretching from the days of On Her Majesty's Sarcastic Service, SG UK all the way through to BRB UK. Tim enriched the lives of so many of us. He was selfless, supportive and kind. His love for life, and love for those around him, shone through in everything he did. He was at his happiest when connecting with you all, whether that was through the podcast or at one of our live events like Tabletop Tuesday. All of us here at Big Red Barrel are still coming to terms with this devastating news. This community is something that Tim was instrumental in building, and everyone at the site will be honoured to keep it going in his memory. Coleman and I will be back in a couple of weeks with a new episode, but we do need to take a little bit of time out for ourselves. If you're able, we'd love to hear your favourite Tim moments – you can leave a comment on BigRedbarrel.com, mention us on X, Threads & Bluesky or drop us a note on Discord. We'd be honoured to celebrate Tim's life with every single one of you. We'll be back soon. But until then, toodle-bye.

Coleman's been revisiting a classic as he reviews Dragon Quest VII Reimagined, while Dan returns to the longhouses of Valheim to see how survival life's treating him in 2026 In the news, things are a lot less cosy. Ubisoft staff stage strikes across Europe amid restructuring, Wildlight Studio is hit with layoffs, and Riot trims the team behind 2XKO just weeks after launch. Time Stamps 00:00:00 Start 00:00:21 Intro 00:02:19 Dragon Quest VII Reimagined 00:15:39 Valheim 5th Anniversary Update 00:24:17 Ubisoft Staff Strike Across Europe 00:28:53 Highguard Studio Hit With Layoffs 00:31:02 Riot Lays Off 2XKO Developers 00:33:52 No Man's Sky Gets Spider-Mechs and Gravity Guns 00:36:59 Microsoft Reportedly Planning Game Pass Changes 00:43:25 Check out our Merch at BigRedBarrel.com/Store 00:44:02 Go to BigRedBarrel.com and get in contact with us 00:44:45 Tabletop Tuesday at Loading Stoke Newington 00:45:43 I HAVE A QUESTION… 00:47:40 Outro – Fighting Spirit from Dragon Quest VII Reimagined Thanks for listening to another episode of BRB UK. You can grab the MP3 for this episode and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, via RSS, or wherever you get your podcasts.

This week, Dan and Coleman spend some time with a trio of games: Super Woden: Rally Edge, Mario Kart World, and Donkey Kong Bananza — and one of us may have quietly acquired a Nintendo Switch 2. There's also a lot of news to get through. Nintendo's latest Partner Showcase brings a slate of new announcements, Valve has delayed its Steam Machine plans, and updates on The Outer Worlds series and Beyond Good & Evil 2 continue to raise questions. Elsewhere, Take-Two is still reaffirming a 2026 release for GTA 6. Time Stamps 00:00:00 Start 00:00:19 Intro 00:02:57 Super Woden: Rally Edge 00:11:25 LEGO Game Boy 00:20:15 Coleman Did a Thing… 00:22:49 Mario Kart World 00:26:18 Donkey Kong Bananza 00:27:06 Nintendo Switch 2 So Far 00:36:25 Nintendo Direct: Partner Showcase – February 2026 00:48:28 Valve Delays Steam Machine and Steam Frame 00:52:24 The Outer Worlds Series' Future Unclear 00:55:08 Beyond Good & Evil 2 Still in Development 00:57:29 Take-Two Reaffirms November Release for GTA 6 00:58:58 Check out our Merch at BigRedBarrel.com/Store 01:00:02 Tabletop Tuesday at Loading Stoke Newington 01:00:39 Go to BigRedBarrel.com and get in contact with us 01:03:56 Outro – Drive Or Die by DJ DeVito Thanks for listening to another episode of BRB UK. You can grab the MP3 for this episode and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, via RSS, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Dan and Coleman dig into Earth Must Die, a game that escalates from odd to unhinged with impressive confidence. Ubisoft is back in the headlines for more layoffs, a popular Cyberpunk 2077 VR mod has been taken down, Monster Hunter: World players are dealing with fresh performance issues, and Rockstar Games does something genuinely decent. Time Stamps 00:00:00.000 Start 00:00:18.277 Intro 00:02:33.809 Earth Must Die 00:20:30.733 Sands of Time Remake Finally Put Out of Its Misery 00:26:48.626 Cyberpunk 2077 VR Mod Pulled After DMCA 00:33:01.379 Monster Hunter Wilds Performance Issues Explained 00:38:24.935 Rockstar Grants GTA 6 Play Session for Terminally Ill Fan 00:40:48.645 Amazon Games' New World Set to Close in 2027 00:45:25.852 Check out our Merch at BigRedBarrel.com/Store 00:46:34.044 Tabletop Tuesday at Loading Stoke Newington 00:47:32.423 Go to BigRedBarrel.com and get in contact with us 00:52:16.293 Outro – Dallas by Jerrold Immel Thanks for listening to another episode of BRB UK. You can grab the MP3 for this episode and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, via RSS, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Dan and Coleman are back, attempting to make a dent in their ever-growing piles of shame and discovering, once again, that free time is a myth. Anthem is heading for its final shutdown, Rockstar finds itself in the courtroom spotlight, Bobby Kotick continues to be Bobby Kotick, Ubisoft trims more staff, and the ongoing argument over AI in game development refuses to settle. Time Stamps 00:00:00 Start 00:00:34 Intro 00:04:30 What Did We Play While We Were Off? 00:05:04 Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 00:10:27 Ghost of Yōtei 00:14:56 Star Wars Outlaws 00:17:25 Steam Deck Shenanigans 00:26:34 Anthem Falls Silent 00:34:15 Rockstar Clears First Legal Hurdle in GTA 6 Dispute 00:37:11 Rockstar Opens the Door to Paid Mods… 00:38:09 …Then Slams It Shut Elsewhere 00:39:40 Kotick Continues to be a Smug Git 00:44:35 Ubisoft Cuts Deeper as Swedish Studios Feel the Pinch 00:46:40 Shift Up Boss Backs AI as a Survival Tool 00:48:10 No Clankers in the Warhammer Room 00:54:40 Check out our Merch at BigRedBarrel.com/Store 00:55:47 Tabletop Tuesday at Loading Stoke Newington 00:56:31 Go to BigRedBarrel.com and get in contact with us 00:58:49 Outro – The Titan by Sarah Schachner Thanks for listening to another episode of BRB UK. You can grab the MP3 for this episode and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, via RSS, or wherever you get your podcasts.

In 2025, the Xbox 360 quietly passed its 20th Anniversary, and it got us thinking about just how much that console shaped our gaming lives. From sprawling RPGs and genre-defining shooters to late-night multiplayer sessions and games that soundtracked entire friendships, the 360 era hit differently. Dan and Coleman take a trip back to Microsoft's most influential console, digging into the games they loved playing on it and why those experiences have stuck around long after the discs stopped spinning. Editor's note: We're all on our Christmas/New Year break until next year, but we've left you with a handful of special shows to keep you company while we're gone. See you next week. Time Stamps 00:00:00 Start 00:00:29 Intro 00:07:29 Halo: Reach 00:11:07 Dead Rising 2 00:13:15 Mass Effect Trilogy 00:18:44 Rock Band 00:22:24 Batman: Arkham City 00:25:08 Fable II 00:28:04 Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion 00:30:25 Bioshock 00:34:34 Gears of War 00:40:24 Outro – Xbox 360 Startup (Soulful Remix) by Smooth4Lyfe Thanks for listening to another episode of BRB UK. You can grab the MP3 for this episode and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, via RSS, or wherever you get your podcasts.

We're another year down, which means it's time to start placing our bets. Dan and Coleman sit down to run through their Ones to Watch for 2026. Hype will be poked, assumptions will be challenged, and will all be holding on to the hope that we've made choices that don't get delayed into 2027. Editor's note: We're all on our Christmas/New Year break until next year, but we've left you with a handful of special shows to keep you company while we're gone. See you in 2026. Time Stamps 00:00:00 Start 00:00:34 Intro 00:01:45 The Ones to Watch 2026 00:02:40 Forza Horizon 6 00:05:11 Slay the Spire 2 00:06:53 Saros 00:09:56 High On Life 2 00:12:51 Marvel's Wolverine 00:14:57 Grand Theft Auto VI 00:18:17 Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Soulst 00:20:51 007 First Light 00:22:52 Star Wars Zero Company 00:25:30 Outro – Auld Lang Syne by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes Thanks for listening to another episode of BRB UK. You can grab the MP3 for this episode and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, via RSS, or wherever you get your podcasts.

It's that time of year when the conversation stops drifting, and decisions finally have to be made. In Episode 662, Dan and Coleman (Sadly, no Tim) sit down to lock in their Game of the Year picks. Editor's note: We're all on our Christmas/New Year break until next year, but we've left you with a handful of special shows to keep you company while we're gone. See you in 2026. Time Stamps 00:00:00 Start – Jingle Bell Rock by The Isotopes 00:00:25 Intro 00:03:00 Our Ones to Watch from 2025 00:03:55 Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 00:07:13 Slay The Spire II 00:09:21 Doom: The Dark Ages 00:12:54 Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii 00:15:52 Death Stranding 2: On The Beach 00:18:22 Fable 00:20:16 Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra 00:23:11 Avowed 00:25:15 Ghost of Yōtei 00:26:28 Our Best Games of 2025 00:27:40 Hades II 00:30:21 Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 00:35:15 The Séance of Blake Manor 00:37:05 Dispatch 00:42:17 Hell is Us 00:45:52 Death Stranding 2: On the Beach 00:49:17 Ghost of Yōtei 00:51:06 Ball X Pit 00:53:15 Indiana Jones and the Great Circle 00:56:24 Outro – Castle Castellations from James Pond II – Codename Robocod by Richard Joseph Thanks for listening to another episode of BRB UK. You can grab the MP3 for this episode and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, via RSS, or wherever you get your podcasts.

This week on BRB UK, Dan and Coleman have been hands-on with Skate Story and Rhythm Doctor, digging into two very different games built around movement, timing, and strong creative intent. We also cover Marathon's sudden return to the conversation, id Software staff moving to unionise, and Terminator: Survivors slipping into an indefinite delay. Plus, we round things off with everything that caught our eye from The Game Awards 2025. Time Stamps 00:00:00 Start 00:00:26 Intro – It's Hostile. by Blood Cultures 00:02:18 Rhythm Doctor 00:10:17 Skate Story 00:20:39 Marathon Inches Closer… 00:26:40 id Software Staff Unionise Under Microsoft 00:29:23 Hasta La Delay, Terminator: Survivors 00:33:09 The Game Trailers of The Game Awards 2025 00:34:58 Bradley the Badger 00:37:16 Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic 00:39:20 Star Wars Galactic Racer 00:41:22 Divinity 00:44:10 Screamer 00:46:19 Control: Resonant 00:49:03 Street Fighter Movie 00:52:08 Tomb Raider Catalyst 00:53:21 Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis 00:57:06 Orbitals 00:58:43 Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred 01:02:09 And the Rest! 01:04:41 Check out our Merch at BigRedBarrel.com/Store 01:05:07 Tabletop Tuesday at Loading Stoke Newington – Back in 2026! 01:06:24 Go to BigRedBarrel.com and get in contact with us 01:07:43 I Have a Question! 01:11:11 Outro – The Alpha, The Omega by Blood Cultures Thanks for listening to another episode of BRB UK. You can grab the MP3 for this episode and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, via RSS, or wherever you get your podcasts.

It's that time again, as Tim and Coleman return with a fresh pile of games and a fair bit of news. This week, the lads dig into Octopath Traveller 0, Where Winds Meet, and the closed beta for Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls. We're also taking a moment to acknowledge the sad passing of Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (the iconic Shang Tsung himself) before picking through another batch of headlines: Harada stepping away from Bandai Namco, Black Flag's remake sailing under a new name, former Perfect Dark heads reuniting in a brand-new 2K studio, and a Postal project getting called out for sneaky AI visuals. Time Stamps 00:00:00 Start 00:00:22 Intro 00:01:17 Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls – Closed Beta 00:09:27 Octopath Traveler 0 00:20:08 Where Winds Meet 00:37:11 Shang Tsung's Sorcerer Has Fallen 00:38:36 Harada Bids Farewell to Bandai Namco After 30 Years 00:40:12 Black Flag Resynced Sets Sail (Again) 00:42:54 Perfect Dark Veterans Resurface at New 2K Studio 00:43:54 Postal Project Collapses After AI Row 00:49:04 Check out our Merch at BigRedBarrel.com/Store 00:49:58 The final Tabletop Tuesday of 2025 at Loading Stoke Newington – Crumbs 00:53:43 Go to BigRedBarrel.com and get in contact with us 00:55:49 Outro – Meet Again_Shadow Puppeteer Batttle_Floral Expanse Beyond by Yida, & 星戈音樂 Thanks for listening to another episode of BRB UK. You can grab the MP3 for this episode and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, via RSS, or wherever you get your podcasts.