Season 20, Episode 09

We took a week off and we wish we came back with good news but it’s still depressing week after week. This seems likely to be the case going forward. Studio closures and lay offs. It’s just a question of how big each one is and which studio goes next. We didn’t even cover the recent story about the money being spent with triple A studios. That reminds me – I need to remember to talk about the story next week. Oh, and more bad news: Nintendo and Sony are raising their prices. Nintendo on their games and Sony on their consoles. Listen, we’d love to just talk about the games we play and enjoy and we do get around to that, but this industry keeps shooting itself in the foot. And it isn’t the developers. It’s the studios, the corporates, the higher ups making the mistakes and the screw ups and everyone below paying the price for that. It’s the constant need to improve AI and replace people with it. It’s massively over spending and the consequence is laying off over 1000 people in a DAY. It isn’t the nature of the beast. It isn’t just the way the world works. It can be changed and it NEEDS to be changed. And if it ever does change we’ll talk about it, but until then we’ll keep pointing it out how it still hasn’t. Every week. I don’t want to tie in the Splinter Cell clock into such a serious topic so I won’t. But here’s where we stand with waiting on Splinter Cell: 4,605 days. Also, there’s been 2,883 job losses in the gaming industry since January 1, 2026.

You’ll have to forgive me for getting completely sidetracked as we turn to someone who bought a pre-built PC. But not just ANY pre-built. Dude went ALL out with 64 gigs of RAM and a massive 5090 GPU. So, yeah, that kinda grabbed my attention a bit there. Given the times we currently live in when we talk about RAM prices going way up and causing the prices of graphics cards to also increase. All of this was after we started talking about what the next Xbox would likely cost. And what Valve’s Steam Machine might also cost. New tech is always exciting but no matter the thrills, the specs, the bells AND the whistles…it’ll all get kind of buried under the weight of whatever the price tag is. And that’s currently unknown for us. And may be for some time. At any other point in time previous, we’d already know the price. We’d already have the details. But they’re taking their time on getting there and it’s because of the price of RAM. Full stop. The Switch 2 got in under the gun and, for now, was able to avoid the spike in prices. But that won’t last much longer before they have to replenish stock and the price will likely affect that. But Valve’s new PC will be our first look at just how bad it has become. And give us a better idea of what to expect from the next Xbox and the PS6. Start saving. Ubisoft, it’s been 4,591 days since a new Splinter Cell game (non-animated series or guest spot in another game franchise, remake, BBC radio drama, or VR exclusive) was released. Also, there’s been 1,626 job losses in the gaming industry since January 1, 2026.

Listen, there is still bad news. More AI stuff and more studio closings and people losing their jobs. It’s still pretty bleak. And it isn’t likely to change for quite some time. But, in an effort to not yet again sound like a broken record of just horrible news every week, I’d like to pose a question to you. If you could wipe the memory of any game you’ve played, so that you could experience it again for the very first time, what would you pick? What game made such an impression on you that going through it again, with a fresh mind and fresh eyes, would be your choice? Half-Life 1/2 were amazing games with mechanics we’d never seen before at the time, but if only your memory of it was wiped, would it be what it was then by playing it today? I had a few picks for myself. Mark Of The Ninja was one. It’s a game I’ve not played in a long time and would likely feel like playing it for the first time. Another was Bioshock Infinite (probably Bioshock 1, as well). Those two games, while playing them wouldn’t seem at all much different than anything else out there…it’s their stories that I want to experience again for the first time. And it’s a bit hard for me to find something else like that – although I’m sure they exist. I just can’t think of them at the moment. Maybe Braid. Maybe. So let us know what your picks are. And maybe for a little bit we aren’t thinking about job losses and AI running up the tab on all our fun stuff and everything else going on at the moment. At least for a little bit. At this point playing ANY Splinter Cell game would feel like I’m playing it for the first time again. Ubisoft, it’s been 4,584 days since a new Splinter Cell game (non-animated series or guest spot in another game franchise, remake, BBC radio drama, or VR exclusive) was released. Also, there’s been 1,626 job losses in the gaming industry since January 1, 2026.

I’d love to be able to write one of these and NOT talk about how bleak things are, but that ain’t happening this week. There’s more studio closures and people losing their jobs. More price increases or flat out shortages because of RAM due to AI – which is also a part of the job losses. Microsoft just made a big shakeup in their leadership, which brings us back to AI again given who took over the Xbox side of things there was formally the head of AI for Microsoft. Like I said, it’s not great news. And hasn’t been for a while. On the less important side of things but adding a cherry on top of the news – we almost certainly now know we’ll likely never get that Bloodborne remake. But we came close. I’d say it’s great to be back but I really wish things weren’t so bad right now – and that extends beyond the world of gaming at the moment given the recent news. I’d love to be able to have a show where we played something fun and didn’t feel guilty telling you about it without remembering how horrible things currently are. And normally I’m not this much of a Debbie Downer in my write up’s but THAT’S HOW BAD THINGS ARE! Look, if you want a break away from the bad news, gaming isn’t a bad place to start, but at this point I’d recommend anything – hell, you got a good book sitting around? READ IT! A new demo from the next fest to try out? PLAY IT! Whatever you need to do to keep you mentally healthy right now, just give it a go and fall into that world instead of this one at the moment. Also, there’s still no Splinter Cell – because I have to keep the tradition going I guess. Ubisoft, it’s been 4,577 days since a new Splinter Cell game (non-animated series or guest spot in another game franchise, remake, BBC radio drama, or VR exclusive) was released. Also, there’s been 1,525 job losses in the gaming industry since January 1, 2026.

It’s been a bit since I’ve sort of been excited for upcoming games. The game awards reveals weren’t all that spectacular this year and there’s so many of them that you hardly have time to drink them in and remember them. Compare that to what we got from Sony’s recent State Of Play from this past week and it’s a night and day difference of what a good show should look like. A lot of video and very little talk in between. It likely could have been shortened just a hair but with things like this you sort of have to cater to all tastes a little bit. So the boring parts for me are the exciting parts for others. Still, all around, this was a good showing. Even more so because a lot of what was shown was not exclusive to the PlayStation platform. My two biggest stand outs were the John Wick game (jury is still out on how it’ll play – what we got seemed mostly NOT actual gameplay. It’s not a red flag but I’ll wait and see) and Star Wars Galactic Racer. Let’s focus a bit on that racer, shall we? It’s made by a studio that has mostly employed folks from Criterion. The old Criterion from the Burnout days. And if what we saw was anything to go by (again, did we see gameplay? Are we sure? I’m still gonna wait but I’m hopeful) there is a heavy sense of Burnout DNA in that game. I don’t mind that it’s adorned in Star Wars clothing, I’ll take it. For me, you could have wrapped it in a Sesame Street Kart racer but if the Burnout DNA was there, I would be to – day one. Nothing to dismiss from Wreckreation – another game with Burnout devs. I haven’t played it yet and it didn’t sell well but it exists and I’ll eventually get around to playing it. I’ll take any and all comers when it comes to my Burnout. Someone’s bound to get it right and I’ll probably still enjoy their attempts. Then there’s that Shinobi Ops game with the Tenchu vibes. You know, seeing how that game plays, I wouldn’t mind an isometric stealth title in a Splinter Cell package. Ubisoft, if you’re listening (you aren’t). It’s been…4,563 days since a new Splinter Cell game (non-animated series or guest spot in another game franchise, remake, BBC radio drama, or VR exclusive) was released. Also, there’s been 1,280 job losses in the gaming industry since January 1, 2026.

I didn’t know but apparently, in some other timeline we should have been talking about the release and pricing of the Steam Machine and all those other gadgets Valve had planned to release. And while they are still planned to be released, seemingly, this year, we don’t know when or what they’ll cost. Because Valve doesn’t know. The reason for this takes us back to what we talked about last week and likely what we’ll be talking about in the weeks to come: AI. When announced last year the Steam Machine was really something to look forward to. Valve seems to be of the mind that they sort of want everyone to experience PC gaming. The Steam Deck was the first attempt at this and it’s done wonderfully. People who had a PC now had something portable and people without a gaming PC of any kind now had something to experience PC gaming with. The Steam Machine was set to follow suit. Something, likely, affordable that wasn’t overly powerful but had decent specs and could run games at mid to upper settings. The speculation on price was the biggest factor of anything about the device itself. And we’re still left waiting on that. Because of RAM. This is, sadly, going to be a running theme for us this year I’m afraid. The whole RAM thing is a result of AI, as we’ve stated before and that’s just going to lead to a whole world of hurt as far as…well, probably everything. I’m really hoping next week I’ll have something else to write and talk about. Maybe a Splinter Cell game, but probably not. Ubisoft, it has been 4,556 days since a new Splinter Cell game (non-animated series or guest spot in another game franchise, remake, BBC radio drama, or VR exclusive) was released. Also, there’s been 1100 job losses in the gaming industry since January 1, 2026.

The gaming industry is kind of in a bit of dire straits at the moment. It’s odd that in the same show we talk about how many billions of dollars Steam made in only two weeks and then we end by talking about Ubisoft restructuring, Paradox losing 162% of profits, and Microsoft having pretty abysmal hardware sales. And just as I was writing this the night before posting, Intrepid studios have closed their doors and laid off all 250 odd employees. Then there’s the whole RAM and AI issue that’s just screwing up pretty much everything when it comes to this hobby and industry. The AI situation is affecting the price of RAM and now hard drives, solid state drives, and just drive space altogether. Prices have skyrocketed. AI is also affecting jobs in the industry as it is everywhere else. I’m not saying games are going to start drying up but advancement will hit a wall. Because in order to keep moving forward better computers will be needed and RAM is a part of that. As is, apparently, AI, sadly. Console generations are going to stretch beyond what we’ve previously known, as will PC upgrades. It’s all a bit gloomy really. And it’s probably going to get worse and worse before it even slightly gets what you might call “better”. So what do you do? Well, there’s very little you can do. Stop using AI is a small solution but it won’t change anything. Maybe if we all could on a global scale, sure, but that’s just wishful thinking. We’re all just going to have to ride this train to whatever station it’s taking us to and then decide if we want to stop there or keep going. Eventually, things will change. But I can’t even begin to predict when it might. All I can do is just dig into my backlog, find the indies, and pick up games or hardware on sale when it hits a price I can afford. Some of that, however, also feels like wishful thinking. Speaking of wishful thinking, Ubisoft it has been 4,549 days since a new Splinter Cell game (non-animated series or guest spot in another game franchise, remake, BBC radio drama, or VR exclusive) was released. Also, there’s been 1006 job losses in the gaming industry since January 1, 2026.

My backlog has backlogs. I am drowning in options of games to play. Especially on PC, but if you want to throw in Gamepass and PS+ go right ahead and increase those numbers. It’s a massive library of games awaiting me to play. And 99% of them I have never played before. They’re fresh and new and maybe the lot of them could suck but how would I know – I haven’t played them. As time goes on that backlog only gets larger. Having options is always a good thing but there’s a point of saturation. I crossed that point YEARS ago. I enjoy having a backlog, don’t get me wrong. It means at any given time I have something available to play. If anything pulls me, a racing game or a puzzle game or a shooter, I’m good – I’ve got something to scratch that itch if need be. But then I keep adding to the pile. This past holiday season, for instance, I added more titles to my library and I’ve yet to play near a one of them. I’ve selected two that I’ve put time in and both of those are very sort of casual, non-story-like games. It’s been a while since I dove into something meaty with a great story and compelling gameplay that keeps me coming back. Spider-Man 2 seems to be a once a week play thing and that’s fine but it’s also console and not taking advantage of ALL of my PC games that I could be playing. Again, this isn’t a complaint. It’s just an observation that each year I add to my library of games on my PC and each week on the show I tell you, mostly, of the same games I’ve been playing with nothing new to add. I really should do something about that. New year. New me. New playlist. Right after I grab this game I want that’s on sale. New year. Same Ubisoft. It has been 4,535 days since a new Splinter Cell game (non-animated series or guest spot in another game franchise, remake, BBC radio drama, or VR exclusive) was released. Also, there’s been 871 job losses in the gaming industry since January 1, 2026.

Welcome to Season 20. Yeah, for TWENTY years now we’ve been doing this thing. Or will have by the end of this year. That’s…well, kind of a lot. For anything. And it’s all your fault. I mean, we wouldn’t be doing this if it wasn’t for you continuing to support us every single weekend. Showing up is enough but you show up live and you show up for the YouTube videos and the podcasts. You show up when we stream (which we should do more of) and you’re even there when we can’t be (my gallbladder removal, heart attack, and Covid). You being here for us means we’ll continue to be here for you. I know that I mostly use this space to talk a bit about something we talked about in the episode or elaborate on something else within the industry but I sort of wanted to just take a moment, out of twenty years, and be very heartfelt when I say thank you. Personally, and this is just myself, Scott, speaking, you’ve all given me an unknown dream come true. I’d never dreamed I’d be able to attend events such as E3 but you got me there. Got me to London for a visit with Criterion studios and that was also a dream come true. Got me to Spokane to visit Cyan Worlds and that was also a dream come true. Far beyond what I could have ever imagined when their games set the tone for my gaming experience standard. I’ve made countless friends as both listeners and professionals in the industry. I’ve been to Seattle, Boston, and San Antonio for PAX. All of these things because of this show. That would not exist without you. And this is why I thank you all so very much for being a part of our lives for 20 years – as much, maybe, as we’ve been a part of yours. It has been an honor. Thank you so much for listening.

And so ends another year of the show. We’ve gathered some friends to talk about their year in gaming and what they’ve been playing and enjoyed. It’s a nice wrap up that doesn’t involve news of any kind be it good or bad, it’s just friends talking about games and going over the year end lists. It’s fun to reflect at times. Therapeutic almost, even with gaming. Especially when you listen to others and discover something new. Or, perhaps, you discover a different point of view on a game you had a completely different experience with. Which is, obviously, exactly how communication works. Especially among friends. All of us here at the show consider every single listener our friends. From those who just casually listen, tune in from time to time, the die-hards who show up in chat every single episode, to the ones who never say a word but still tune in down the line on YouTube or wherever. As well as everyone who’s joined our discord. We cannot thank you enough for your support not only throughout the year but throughout the life of this show as we head into our 20th season in 2026. We appreciate you. We love you. And we can’t wait to see you again on January 10th. Have a wonderful holiday season and we wish you all a fantastic new year. Listen Ubisoft, I know it won’t happen but if you could put a little speed up on that Splinter Cell to get it released next year, I could stop tracking how horrible you are treating an exceptional franchise. I’m tired of counting the days but I’m not stopping. Get it done. It has been 4,507 days since a new Splinter Cell game (non-animated series or guest spot in another game franchise, remake, BBC radio drama, or VR exclusive) was released. Also, there’s been 5,300 job losses in the gaming industry since January 1, 2025.