Kinda Funny Games Daily: Insomniac’s Wolverine Reportedly Next Year, Venom Spin-Off After

Date: September 15, 2025
Hosts: Blessing Adeoye Jr. (“A”), Greg Miller (“B”), Barrett Courtney (“C”)
Main Theme: Breaking down the latest gaming news—heavy focus on Insomniac’s upcoming Wolverine and Venom games, Borderlands 4 controversy, and the challenges of indie releases amid hit launches.

Episode Overview

On this episode, Blessing and Greg dive deep into major headlines shaking up the video game sphere:

• Rumors that Insomniac’s Wolverine is set for a 2026 release (with a possible Venom spin-off to follow)
• Randy Pitchford’s controversial responses regarding Borderlands 4’s PC performance woes
• The challenges mid-sized games like Hell Is Us face when blindsided by major indie launches like Silksong
  The crew intersperses industry insight, KFGD house business (including Game Showdown teases), and listener Q&A, all in their signature candid, banter-rich tone.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Insomniac’s Wolverine & Venom Rumors (08:28 – 19:46)

• Wolverine Release Rumors:
  According to MP1st, Insomniac’s Wolverine is aiming for a 2026 release—followed by a Venom spin-off game. The team discusses both skepticism and anticipation, especially given leak fallout and silence from Insomniac.

  • Greg (09:27):
    “I won’t believe anything till I see it...I’m anxious for Wolverine, as you’d expect from someone who loves superhero games and Insomniac.”
  • Blessing (11:30):
    “If you’d ask me, when do I think Wolverine is coming out? I would’ve told you at any point...Oh, next year. Next year.”

• Venom Spin-Off Possibilities:
  The Venom rumor is especially surprising, as previous industry whispers suggested this wasn’t happening. The crew speculates on its likely scale and pricing.

  • Blessing (13:09):
    “That’s the news here—Venom resurfacing as a thing people say is happening.”

• Spider-Man 2 Reception & Franchise Evolution:
  Lively debate on public perception of Spider-Man 2, its relative “safeness,” and whether it holds up as an all-time PlayStation title.

  • Blessing (15:41):
    “I view Marvel’s Spider-Man games...as I would a Spider-Man movie in terms of movies: I wouldn’t give this Best Picture, but I had a blast playing it.”
  • Greg (16:13):
    “It’s rare for a Sony first-party game where when I think of it I immediately think of gameplay instead of narrative, but Spider-Man is that exception.”

• Venom Game Hopes:
  Exploring what makes a Venom title compelling and its potential for open-world destruction fun (e.g., comparing to Prototype or Hulk: Ultimate Destruction).

  • Greg (17:45):
    “Give me another game like (Hulk: Ultimate Destruction)...If Venom’s gonna feel like that? Let’s go.”

• Spin-off Pricing & Structure:
  Consensus: If Venom releases as a smaller-scale Miles Morales-style game, it should be priced accordingly (around $40–$50, not full price).

  • Greg (18:37):
    “Words matter...To talk about a ‘Venom spin-off’ reminds me of a Miles Morales spin-off. Can’t be charging 80 bucks for this, IMO.”

2. Borderlands 4 PC Performance & Pitchford Controversy (25:16 – 32:18)

• Randy Pitchford’s Internet Outbursts:
  Recap of Pitchford’s direct, sometimes combative replies to players frustrated with Borderlands 4’s PC performance issues. He called the game “a premium game made for premium gamers,” and told critics to “code your own engine and show us how it’s done” (25:40–28:33).

  • Pitchford (28:27):
    “It is a mistake to believe...PCs between minimum and recommended spec can achieve...extremely high frame rate, maximum ultra features, and extremely high resolution.”

• Technical Realities:
  The KFG team recounts their own struggles getting the game to run amidst absurd CPU utilization—even on high-end rigs—making streaming and playing nearly impossible. Console performance is also called into question.

  • Barrett (30:17):
    “It was, like, 7% of the GPU being used and 90% of the CPU. What are we doing here, man?”

• Community/Reviewer Impressions:
  Borderlands 4 is “fine,” according to the team—fun in co-op, but not breaking new ground, with reviews hovering around 7–7.5/10.

3. Indie Release Woes: Hell Is Us vs. Silksong (34:44 – 50:33)

• Dev Outcry Over Silksong Shadow Drop:
  Hell Is Us creative director lamented Team Cherry’s surprise Silksong release as “a little callous,” claiming it directly hurt their game’s sales and visibility (36:33–41:15).

  • Greg (38:31):
    “Anybody who didn’t move from Hollow Knight had a—that had an effect on it...There’s only so much oxygen and bandwidth for enthused press and everything else.”

• Impossible Release Windows:
  Discussion about the futility of finding a “quiet launch window” amidst today’s non-stop release schedule. The unique challenges faced by double-A and indie titles are dissected in depth.

  • Greg (43:33):
    “This is gonna continue to be a game that hits hard with the audience it has...but it’s going to fall on that Spec Ops: The Line thing—resonated with a few, overshadowed by a million other things.”

• Slow Burn Success?
  The team ponders whether slow-burn word of mouth, sales events, or a platform like Game Pass could give Hell Is Us a second wind—but admits the reality is tough when the big “first impression” moment is missed.

4. Other News Roundup

a. LEGO Voyagers Review Roundup (51:43)

• Critical Reception:
  Sitting at a 79 on Metacritic, the new co-op LEGO puzzler is praised for its charm, great foundation, but short runtime (~3.5hr campaign).
  • Ryan McCaffrey (IGN, paraphrased at 51:43):
    “Lays down a fantastic foundation...simply cries out for more.”
• Perfect for Co-op Night:
  Multiple hosts highlight the appeal for couples, families, or friends looking for a short, sweet co-op session.

b. Netflix’s The Witcher: Season 4 Teased with New Lead (54:42)

• Liam Hemsworth now stars as Geralt, taking over from Henry Cavill. Hosts reminisce and debate whether recasting will sink or save the show.
  • Greg (56:17):
    “I couldn’t remember—at one point there was a rumor of maybe...trying to figure out how they would do this.”

c. “We News” Quick Hits (57:02)

• Expedition 33 Sells 4.4M:
  Major indie success for Sandfall Interactive.
• Day of the Devs x Game Awards:
  Showcase set for Dec 10, the day before the Game Awards.

5. Listener Q&A and Notable Community Quotes

• Best PS5 First-Party Game Debate (22:17–23:54):
  [Returnal vs. Ragnarok vs. Horizon]

  • Blessing:
    “Can I say my favorite’s Returnal and the best is Ragnarok?”

• Social Media/Industry Mental Health (61:12):
  On Randy Pitchford’s Twitter activity—advice for creators:

  • Greg:
    “When you want to get in and wade into an argument on social media, anywhere is quicksand. The more you thrash, the deeper you sink.”

• Perfect-Release “Lightning in a Bottle” Games (58:32):
  Community brainstorm on games that found breakout success due to perfect timing (e.g., Blueprints, Fall Guys, Rocket League, Dying Light).

Notable Quotes by Timestamps

• Wolverine Development

  • Greg: “Eventually, you’re going to see a Wolverine game from them. That’s exciting. I want to see this game. I’m anxious for this game.” (10:41)

• Spider-Man 2’s Legacy

  • Blessing: “I view Marvel...Spider-Man games in terms of video games the same way I view a Spider-Man movie...I wouldn’t give it best picture, but I had a blast playing it.” (15:41)

• Venom Game Pricing

  • Greg: “To talk about a Venom spin-off reminds me of a Miles Morales spin-off...Can’t be charging 80 bucks for this.” (18:37)

• Borderlands 4 Performance

  • Barrett: “It was like 7% of the GPU is being used and 90% of the CPU. What are we doing here, man?” (30:17)

• Indie Release Crunch

  • Greg: “There’s only so much oxygen...for enthusiast press and everything else like that.” (38:31)
  • Greg: “Hell Is Us is one of those games that, to be a success...needs to come out when there’s little to no competition and you need people to be able to talk about it.” (39:55)

Important Segment Timestamps

• Opening Banter / Game Showdown Hype: 00:00–05:47
• Insomniac Wolverine/Venom Rumor & Spider-Man Franchise Talk: 08:28–19:46
• Borderlands 4 PC Controversy & Performance Rant: 25:16–32:18
• Hell Is Us Dev on Silksong Shadow Drop / Indie Release Timing: 34:44–50:33
• LEGO Voyagers Review Roundup: 51:43–53:50
• The Witcher Season 4 Preview / Recasting Concerns: 54:42–56:40
• Quick News: Expedition 33 Sales, Day of the Devs Announcement: 57:02–57:30
• Listener Q&A, Best PS5 Game Debate, Social Media Dangers: 57:31–end

Memorable Moments

• Game Showdown Banter: Playful debate about “collusion” and “competence” among teams, setting up stakes for the next showdown event.
• Pitchford Twitter Drama: Laughter over his infamous tendency to “fall into quicksand” online (61:12).
• Hell Is Us Post-Mortem: Candid, empathetic industry insight on how even good games get left behind during crowded launches.

Closing Thoughts

This episode is a rich mix of news, industry reflection, inside jokes, and thoughtful analysis. The hosts openly dissect why some games rise and fall—from AAA rumors to indie heartbreaks—offering real talk for anyone who cares about how games hit the market (or disappear from it). As ever, their blend of hype, skepticism, and humor makes it a must-listen for gaming news junkies.