Game Scoop! 822: Discouraging Nintendo Switch 2 News

Date: August 29, 2025
Host: Damon Hatfield
Guests: Sam Claiborne, Justin Davis, Mark Medina

Episode Overview

In this lively episode, the Game Scoop crew dives into the latest Gamescom reveals, including Lego Batman and Resident Evil: Requiem, and discusses some concerning news around Nintendo limiting Switch 2 development. They also share fresh hands-on impressions of sequels and remakes (like Metal Gear Solid Delta and Shinobi: Art of Vengeance), celebrate Hollow Knight: Silksong’s surprise release date, and, as ever, round things out with gaming trivia and plenty of friendly ribbing.

Key Discussion Points

1. Gamescom Recap

[02:16–21:10]

• Personal Travel Adventures: Damon shares his near-miss experience with European train culture and airport sprints, leading to a group discussion on the oddities of public transport in Europe and the US.
• Lego Batman Hype:
  • Team celebrates the announcement—describes it as a "family friendly Arkham game" ([11:47], Mark Medina).
  • Discusses its tighter roster of playable characters compared to previous Lego games (“only seven, but each is more substantial”—[12:08], Mark).
  • Wonders about WB's strategy with Lego properties (expect LEGO Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones next, etc.).
  • Notable Quote: “It’s like a LEGO Batman parody of Arkham Asylum… so clever.” ([11:50], Sam)
• Resident Evil: Requiem –
  • Positive hands-on impressions, especially for the stalker enemy ("scary as heck"—[19:08], Damon).
  • Noted Capcom’s knack for modernizing while honoring legacy.
  • Applauded dual first-person/third-person gameplay.
  • Memorable moment: Remembering infamous Capcom box art blunders like Okami’s Wii IGN watermark ([22:28-22:46]).
• Hollow Knight: Silksong Release Date –
  • Release date (September 4) was a genuine Gamescom shocker ([23:10], Damon).
  • Discussion about its long development cycle, transition from planned DLC to full sequel.
  • The community jokes about old Wii U Kickstarter goals.
  • Sam plugs IGN’s comprehensive Hollow Knight guide with "an incredible interactive map" ([29:31], Sam).

2. The Curious Case of Nintendo and Switch 2

[33:49–42:02]

• Digital Foundry Report: Nintendo is limiting supply of Switch 2 dev kits, encouraging some studios to keep making Switch 1 games and rely on backwards compatibility.
• Panel Analysis:
  • Mark suggests the root cause is production constraints, not a business strategy (“...Nintendo is having trouble sourcing and making as many Switch 2 dev kits as they would like”—[34:54], Mark).
  • All agree allocation seems tight, possibly to shield the system from poor early third-party ports.
  • Noted irony: Switch 2 is selling 75% faster than the original, but devs can’t get hardware ([34:19], Damon).
  • Notable Quote: “Maybe they want the dev kit to be handed over with guidelines... maybe dev kits are only in the hands of studios that sort of have a proven track record of being able to optimize for the hardware.” ([38:13], Mark)
  • The group laughs about tasting Switch cartridges and how "Switch 2 games taste gross—but in a different way.” ([41:43], Sam)

3. What We're Playing

[47:00–66:00]

Metal Gear Solid Delta

• First Impressions: Sam and Mark experienced the intro ("suffered through the first hour"—[47:27], Mark), noting the iconic Kojima long cutscenes and stealth challenge curve.
• Panel consensus: The remake is faithful, but if you weren’t a fan before, this may not win you over.
• Nostalgia Factor: Mark highlights how much the PS2 original's mechanics wowed at the time (“You can injure your leg and you move slower...that was special back then”—[54:34], Mark).
• Sam’s Caution: “This game is not Mario 64. You cannot play this game and enjoy it unless you learned to have nostalgia for it.” ([50:19], Sam)

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance

• Damon raves about the hand-drawn 2D visuals (“I was in awe just sitting on my couch”—[57:17], Damon).
• Lauds the level design and combo system, reminiscent of Streets of Rage 4.

Donkey Kong and Mafia

• Sam completed Donkey Kong and is deep into Mafia, awed by the latter’s visuals on PS5 ([58:32], Sam).

Gears (on PS5)

• Justin is impressed by its technical polish; a classic that “just feels like a modern game” ([62:55], Justin).

The Alters

• Mark’s pick: an indie surprise involving creating clones of yourself with branching backstories. Appreciates its exploration of ethical dilemmas (“Why are you the Yan that’s in charge? I should be the one that’s in charge”—[64:08], Mark).

Airpods & Lost Things

• Lighthearted aside about cats and lost AirPods, including Sam’s tale of finding a 1944 penny but never the missing pod ([44:44]).

4. Hollow Knight: Silksong's Long Development

[23:27–36:05]

• Discussion on the transition from DLC to full sequel.
• Mark explains this was natural “re-scoping... it feels bigger and more substantive” ([25:52], Mark).
• Justin notes industry trend of sequels being derided as ‘glorified DLC’, but that’s “nonsense when you start with a great game” ([26:24], Justin).
• Sam describes IGN's updated interactive guides for the series ([29:31], Sam).

5. Video Game 20 Questions

[67:39–73:44]

• After a series of deft questions and Red Herrings about Australia, the game is revealed as Dragon's Dogma 2.
• Amusing confusion over Capcom’s RPGs, and brief digression about mixing it up with Asura’s Wrath ([71:51], Mark).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Lego Batman’s new direction:
  “It’s a LEGO Batman parody of Arkham Asylum… so clever.”
  – Sam, [11:50]
• On industry nostalgia:
  “Games age in different ways… one still feels like a 9 out of 10 twenty years later, the other one doesn’t necessarily… norms change.”
  – Mark, [55:34]
• On Nintendo’s dev kit policies:
  “Maybe they want the dev kit to be handed over with guidelines... maybe dev kits are only in the hands of studios that have a proven track record.”
  – Mark, [38:13]
• On Metal Gear Delta’s accessibility:
  “This game is not Mario 64...you cannot play this game and enjoy it unless you learned to have nostalgia for it.”
  – Sam, [50:19]
• Humor about lost AirPods:
  “I found a 1944 penny. That was just the end of the story. I never found the AirPod.”
  – Sam, [44:44]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:16 — Gamescom recap, European train misadventure
• 11:47 — Lego Batman hands-on impressions
• 19:08 — Resident Evil: Requiem preview reactions
• 23:10 — Hollow Knight: Silksong release date discussed
• 33:49–42:02 — Nintendo Switch 2 Dev Kit Reports and Backwards Compatibility debate
• 47:00–56:58 — Metal Gear Solid Delta hands-on, nostalgia, accessibility
• 57:04–58:32 — Shinobi: Art of Vengeance review
• 58:32–59:20 — Mafia on PS5 impressions
• 59:45–64:08 — The Alters exploration
• 67:39–73:44 — Video Game 20 Questions: Dragon's Dogma 2

Tone and Language

The episode is candid, irreverent, and camaraderie-filled, with deep dives into industry trends, nostalgia-fueled debates, and plenty of side-jokes. The cast shares both constructive criticism and unabashed fan excitement—especially around retro gaming and sequels.

Summary

Game Scoop! 822 delivers a jam-packed hour-plus of impressions from Gamescom, takes Nintendo to task over Switch 2 dev kit drama, dishes out retro love (and caution) to Metal Gear Solid Delta, and celebrates the indomitable anticipation surrounding Hollow Knight: Silksong. The crew’s blend of expertise, humor, and nostalgia is as strong as ever, with quotes and deep dives that make the latest industry news both accessible and fun—even for listeners who missed the live excitement.