Kinda Funny Games Daily – 01.14.26

Episode: Forza Horizon 6 Release Date Leaked?!
Date: January 14, 2026
Hosts: Tim Gettys, Blessing Adeoye Jr, with Barrett Courtney and guest caller Paris Lilly

Episode Overview

The crew breaks down the hotly rumored Forza Horizon 6 release date leak and spins into a freewheeling, in-depth discussion of upcoming Xbox and Nintendo releases, market strategy, and the state of the games industry in early 2026. Along the way, they swap stories about their gaming backlogs, the allure of classic RPGs, and how calendar traffic jams (hello, GTA 6) are shaking publisher decisions.
Throughout, the mood is classic Kinda Funny: insightful, fast-paced, and brimming with banter and memorable one-liners.

Major Discussion Points & Insights

1. What We're Playing & Backlog Season (01:41 – 09:56)

• Blessing is Streaming Final Fantasy X for the First Time

  • Blessing shares early impressions, surprised by the Sphere Grid and the game's ambition for its era.
  • Tim offers advice: "Don't let the Sphere Grid overwhelm you... It's just a skill tree, but it's the dopest" (02:56).
  • Both reflect on the game's visuals, music, and combat, noting its influence on modern RPGs.

• Tim Revisits Chrono Trigger

  • Playing the Steam version—now much improved—with thoughts on why the original still holds up.
  • "We really don't need a remake... but I think an HD-2D version would be good for the IP" (08:32).
  • Brief banter on dream casting voice actors if it were remade ("Ben Starr is Frog!").

2. News - The Roper Report (09:58 onwards)

Story #1: Forza Horizon 6 Release Date Leak (10:05 – 29:50)

• The Leak & Industry Context

  • Forza Horizon 6 reportedly set for May 19, per an internal FH5 notification leaked by an X (formerly Twitter) user and sourced via The Verge.
  • Early Access May 15. Premium edition will offer typical perks plus various car packs and expansions.

• Hype and Setting

  • Both Tim and Bless put Forza 6 in their top 5 most anticipated of 2026, energized by the Japan setting:
    • "Every open world game needs to go to Japan... Forza in Japan does something special" – Blessing (11:24).
    • "We're about to see some vistas, sunsets, so many cherry blossom trees!" – Tim (13:20).

• Release Date Analysis & Xbox's 2026 Problem

  • Blessing: "The only bad day would be the same day as GTA."
  • Tim: "Forza feels immune to sales slumps...the prestige it has now, it’s a must-play."
  • Conversation shifts to Xbox’s stacked calendar (Fable, Halo, Gears, etc.) and hazards of crowding the schedule around GTA 6’s gravitational pull.

• Caller Paris Lilly's Xbox Release Predictions (24:33 – 27:19)

  • Forecasts a relentless fall schedule: “Halo in August, Fable in September, Gears in October, Call of Duty before GTA 6 in November.”
  • On anniversaries/fan expectations: “The 25th is about celebrating Xbox. Maybe tease the next Halo, not necessarily release it.”
  • Paris is more confident in Fable launching in 2026 over Gears E-Day.

Story #2: Nintendo Share Price Drops 33% in 5 Months (34:08 – 41:45)

• Share price fell from record highs following Switch 2’s huge launch—now dropping, mainly due to:
  • So-so holiday numbers
  • No “killer app” six months into Switch 2
  • Hardware cost fears (RAM prices, US tariffs)
• Bless: “Switch 2’s first-year lineup just doesn’t compare to Switch 1... there’s not a Zelda or Mario at launch.”
• Tim: "Not a concern—new consoles spike share prices, then normalize. If anything, maybe we get a black screen announcing 'Zelda in development' for shareholders."

Story #3: Hytale - Surprise Breakout Twitch Hit (43:33 – 44:57)

• The Minecraft-adjacent sandbox (from Hypixel devs) becomes the most watched game on Twitch during Early Access.
• Bless: “There are whole worlds out there I just don’t know—like, a Minecraft follow-up launches and hits 420,000 viewers?!”
• Rapid turnaround: Riot Games canceled it, then devs reacquired and launched it months later.

Story #4: Rockstar’s Mod Marketplace (46:22 – 49:38)

• Rockstar launches official marketplace for mods (CFX Marketplace), following an acquisition.
• Bundles can cost hundreds; Bless isn't sold: “Every time someone explains making money off mods, it ends in a scam.”
• Prediction: GTA 6's online may become more like Roblox or Fortnite's user-generated content platforms.

Story #5: Echo the Dolphin Returns (49:47 – 53:17)

• Several new Echo titles, incl. remasters and a new game, are in development by original creators.
• Panel nostalgia: "Did you ever get past level one?... Why does this game sound so haunted?"
• Jokes on childhood memories and challenging final boss ("huge praying mantis alien?").

3. Quick Hits: “WE News” (53:17 – 55:12)

• Animal Crossing: New Horizons 3.0 launches (early for Switch 1).
• Ubisoft lays off 29 people at its Abu Dhabi studio—"year sucks."
• Aerial Knight’s Drop Shot out Feb 17.
• PlayStation Plus January 2026 lineup headlined by Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Resident Evil Village.
• It Takes Two crosses 27 million sold.
• Pocket Mortys (Rick & Morty Pokémon-like) shutting down April 13.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

| Timestamp | Quote / Moment | |-------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:56 | “Don’t let the Sphere Grid overwhelm you…It’s just a skill tree, but it’s the dopest.” – Tim | | 11:24 | “Every open world game needs to go to Japan... For some reason, there's just a hype to that.” – Bless | | 13:20 | “We’re about to see some vistas, we’re about to see some sunsets, we’re about to see so many cherry blossom trees.” – Tim | | 24:33 | Paris joins to break down Xbox schedule: “From August to end of year, they got a game every month.” | | 34:08 | “I think you still had the thing with Switch 1—Zelda, Mario Odyssey, Mario Kart 8. That was such a trilogy of high sellers…” – Bless | | 44:04 | “There are whole worlds out there that we just aren’t in... I never had a Minecraft era!” – Bless | | 46:38 | “Every time someone’s explained making money off of mods, it always ends in a scam. Always.” – Tim |

Other Notable Discussions

• Racing Game Renaissance:
  • Excitement for new and unique racing games like Screamer; wishes for a Burnout return.
  • Tim and Bless swap favorite arcade racer memories—Auto Modellista, Blur, Split/Second.
• Industry Calendar Shuffles:
  • Deep dive into publishers playing “date chicken” with GTA 6, Halo anniversaries, and how next-gen hardware might be pushed later due to tariffs/RAM costs.
• Podcast Friendship & Banter:
  • Running jokes about “not wanting to know what Roger did in Minecraft” and childhood stories of Echo the Dolphin at church.
  • Bless and Barrett debate their next tattoos, album covers vs. games, and fearful first-timer stories.
• Listener Superchats:
  • Outer Wilds tattoos, building a PC for Game Pass, Neon White love, and what games you'd "uncancel."

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:41 – 09:56: Opening chat & What We're Playing
• 10:05 – 29:50: Forza Horizon 6 Release Date Leak & Xbox Calendar
  • 24:33: Paris Lilly calls in
• 34:08 – 41:45: Nintendo Share Price/Lineup Speculation
• 43:33 – 44:57: Hytale Twitch Breakout
• 46:22 – 49:38: Rockstar Mod Marketplace Launch
• 49:47 – 53:17: Echo the Dolphin Returns
• 53:17 – 55:12: WE News (Quick Headlines)
• 55:14 – end: Superchats, random banter (tattoos, canceled games, etc.)

Tone & Style

• Fun and conversational: The show keeps things upbeat, irreverent, and occasionally tangential without losing focus on the news.
• Banter-rich: Playful digs, in-jokes (“Why does this sound so haunted?” re: Echo) and honest opinions abound.
• Industry-savvy: Deep dives into why decisions are made, skepticism about publisher promises and game delays.

Summary Takeaways

• Forza Horizon 6 leak seems legit—May 19, with Japan setting, high anticipation, and little genre competition.
• Xbox’s fall may be too stacked; Fable and Gears launch timing likely dictated by GTA 6's massive shadow.
• Nintendo’s share drop reflects natural post-launch cooling and market fears, not lack of future momentum.
• Hytale and the Return of Echo the Dolphin are examples of gaming’s cyclical surprise comebacks.
• The industry is prepping (or dreading) GTA 6’s arrival, reshaping release schedules like few games before it.

End Note:
If you miss an episode, this is the perfect way to catch up—analysis, context, comedy, and all the bread brother energy you expect from Kinda Funny.