You mean the Walkman guys?! Okay, good luck… Sam invites on fellow Nintendo community alum Dylan (@DekuDeluxe) to chat all things PlayStation, and specifically the golden age of creativity in the PS2 days. There’s examinations on Team Ico, Japan Studio, the EyeToy, and big-name executives “doing backflips down the corridor”. There’s also lamentations on what the hell Sony have become in the years since, and our prods and nudges on where they perhaps go from here. Contains no more than the medically-advised dosage of Jim Ryan patter.

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Topics discussed: PlayStation Memories, Pokémon Legends Arceus, Donkey Kong ‘94; Team Ico, Japan Studio, Demon’s Souls, Bloodborne; the EyeToy, London Studio

Music used:

Ape Escape - Mission Briefing [ft. audio from the UK dub]
Mario vs. Donkey Kong (2024) - Mario Toy Company A
Face Raiders - Main Menu
Ico - heal
PaRappa the Rapper 2 - Noodles Can’t Be Beat (Instrumental)
EyeToy: Play 2 - Bubble Pop Theme
Wii U Chat - Menu
Ape Escape - Oceana ~ Crabby Beach
When I’m Cleaning Windows - George Formby [as heard in “EyeToy: Play - Wishi Washi”]

Further reading:

“Military fears over PlayStation 2” - BBC News (2000): http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/716237.stm
“Smile, Gamers: You're in the Picture” - The New York Times (Noah Robischon, 2003): https://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/13/technology/smile-gamers-you-re-in-the-picture.html
“EyeToy Springs From One Man’s Vision” - LA Times (Alex Pham, 2004): https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-jan-18-fi-eyetoy18-story.html
“PlayStation cam proves a hit” - BBC News (Alfred Hermida, 2003): http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3123993.stm
“The Making of EyeToy Play” - Time Extension (Matt Poskitt, 2023): https://www.timeextension.com/features/the-making-of-eyetoy-play-the-ps2-casual-hit-that-predated-wii-and-kinect