Is Xbox Hardware DEAD? - Kinda Funny Games Daily 06.30.25

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Is Xbox Hardware DEAD?" - Kinda Funny Games Daily 06.30.25

Release Date: June 30, 2025
Hosts: Greg “GameOverGreggy” Miller, Tim Gettys, Blessing Adeoye Jr., and Ben Starr

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1. Introduction and Host Banter (00:00 - 02:36)

The episode kicks off with Tim Gettys celebrating his birthday and achieving a milestone in Pokémon Go. Joined by Ben Starr, the hosts engage in light-hearted chatter about their current unusual recording environment, featuring a marathon Death Stranding stream by team members Mike and Roger. Tim emphasizes the importance of supporting the team through Twitch subscriptions to prolong their marathon efforts.

Notable Quote:

• Tim Gettys [01:18]: "Your support is going to continue to fuel these big beautiful men over here."

2. Roper Report: Top Gaming News Stories

a. Is Xbox Hardware Dead? (10:00 - 25:40)

The primary focus of the episode centers on the controversial claim that Xbox hardware is on the decline. Citing insights from Laura Fryer, a former Xbox executive, the discussion delves into Microsoft's shift towards a multi-platform gaming strategy under the "Xbox Anywhere" initiative. Fryer suggests that this move might signal a gradual exit from the traditional gaming hardware market.

Notable Quotes:

• Laura Fryer [10:10]: "Xbox hardware is dead."
• Tim Gettys [12:10]: "Personally, I think Xbox hardware is dead. The plan appears to be just drive everyone to Game Pass."
• Ben Starr [16:45]: "Xbox is a platform through which you can play Xbox games. Xbox need to have games. They do, they do in droves at this point."

The hosts debate whether this strategic pivot will benefit or harm Xbox's long-term position in the gaming ecosystem. They highlight the saturation of physical media's relevance and speculate on future hardware releases, emphasizing that Xbox's identity seems to be evolving from console manufacturer to a broader gaming service provider.

b. Assassin's Creed Black Flag Remake Hints (25:40 - 32:45)

The conversation shifts to rumors surrounding a potential remake of Assassin's Creed Black Flag. Tim references comments made by Matt Ryan, the voice actor for Edward Kenway, who hinted at the possibility of revisiting the beloved title. The hosts debate the merits and drawbacks of remastering classic games versus investing in new IPs.

Notable Quotes:

• Matt Ryan [29:11]: "Well, you have to beat it again. You might have to beat it again."
• Ben Starr [30:30]: "It's a very beloved video game. Again, a video game that I believe straddled console generations..."

They also touch upon Ubisoft's broader strategy, critiquing the company's focus on reboots rather than pioneering new titles, and discuss the potential impact on the gaming community.

c. EA Sports Teasing NCAA March Madness Game (36:33 - 44:10)

EA Sports has reignited excitement by teasing the return of college basketball with an NCAA March Madness edition, marking the first time in 16 years the franchise ventures back into collegiate sports. The hosts express enthusiasm over the potential fresh competition for the dominant NBA 2K series.

Notable Quotes:

• Mike Ibarra [36:33]: "It's a big deal... breathe of fresh air in the basketball genre."
• Roger [37:34]: "This is a celebration to celebrate NCAA football... nothing bigger here in the US than March Madness."

They speculate on EA's strategic positioning, suggesting that focusing on college basketball allows EA to carve out a unique niche without directly challenging NBA 2K's stronghold.

d. Sonic Adventure Remakes Put on Hold (47:11 - 51:09)

The hosts discuss the Sonic team’s stance against remaking or remastering the classic Sonic Adventure series. Takashi Iizuka, Sonic Team boss, indicates a preference for developing entirely new titles over revisiting older ones, citing the extensive resources required to meet modern gaming standards.

Notable Quotes:

• Takashi Iizuka [47:11]: "I'd rather put the energy required into making entirely new titles."
• Mike [48:28]: "It's such a seminal part of the culture of video games."

Tim and Ben debate the cultural significance of Sonic Adventure and its potential for successful remakes, balancing nostalgia with the practicality of modern game development.

e. Backyard Baseball 2001 Launch (55:02 - 58:59)

In the final news story, Backyard Baseball 2001 is set to launch on PC and mobile platforms. The hosts express excitement over nostalgic revivals and discuss the game's heritage and its appeal to both old fans and new players.

Notable Quotes:

• Roger [55:11]: "They've worked really hard to get a lot of the former pros into this game."
• Ben Starr [58:54]: "I love opening packs and watching people open packs."

3. Interactive Segment: Gummy Bear Challenge (45:19 - 59:00)

Adding a fun twist to the episode, the hosts engage in a gummy bear-catching challenge where Ben Starr attempts to catch gummy bears thrown by Mike while walking on a treadmill. This segment is filled with lighthearted competition and humorous interactions, showcasing the casual and entertaining side of the podcast.

Notable Quote:

• Ben Starr [52:40]: "I caught how many gummy bears? Five, maybe six."

4. Shoutouts and Community Engagement (59:00 - 68:22)

The episode wraps up with numerous shoutouts to listeners, celebrating Tim Gettys' birthday and acknowledging various fan contributions. The hosts encourage audience participation and continue to build a sense of community among listeners.

Notable Quotes:

• Ben Starr [60:00]: "Shout out to Ray Chase and Robbie Daymond and Max Mittelman who made it."
• Tim Gettys [64:07]: "Keep it up, guys."

5. Conclusion and Upcoming Events (68:22 - End)

As the episode concludes, Tim promotes the upcoming one-on-one Gamescast interview with Greg Miller and announces a marathon stream to support their ongoing projects. He also teases the premiere of his "Wedding Getty's Live on Stage," inviting listeners to join and celebrate.

Notable Quote:

• Tim Gettys [69:14]: "We go till the timer runs out."

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Key Takeaways:

• Xbox's Strategic Shift: Former executives suggest Xbox is moving away from hardware to focus on broader gaming services like Game Pass, sparking debate on the platform's future.

• Assassin's Creed Rumors: Hints of a Black Flag remake generate excitement, though the hosts caution about the balance between nostalgia and innovation.

• EA Sports Expansion: The return of NCAA March Madness signifies EA's attempt to diversify its sports gaming portfolio amidst NBA 2K's dominance.

• Sonic Adventure's Future: The Sonic team prioritizes new developments over remakes, highlighting challenges in meeting modern gaming expectations.

• Nostalgic Revivals: The launch of Backyard Baseball 2001 underscores the continued interest in retro game revivals.

• Community Engagement: Interactive segments and shoutouts strengthen listener connection, emphasizing the podcast's community-centric approach.

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This episode of Kinda Funny Games Daily offers a comprehensive look into the evolving landscape of the gaming industry, blending insightful discussions with engaging community interactions. Whether you're passionate about console strategies, eagerly awaiting game remakes, or simply enjoying the camaraderie of the hosts, this episode delivers a well-rounded experience.

Transcript

[Tim Gettys]

You know that one friend who somehow knows everything about money? Yeah. Now imagine they live in your phone. Say hey to Experian, your big financial friend. It's the app that helps you check your FICO score, find ways to save, and basically feel like a financial genius. And guess what? It's totally free. So go on, download the Experian app. Trust me, having a BFF like this is a total game changer. Foreign what's up? And welcome back to Kind of Funny Games daily for Monday, June 30, 2025. It is my birthday. I hit level 50 in Pokemon Go. And I'm here with one of my favorite people in the entire world, Ben Starr.

[Ben Starr]

That's me.

[Tim Gettys]

We're in a weird place.

[Ben Starr]

Yeah, we really are.

[Tim Gettys]

Can you describe the vibe right now, Ben?

[Ben Starr]

I'm surrounded by more nut bars than I ever thought I would be on a Monday morning.

[Tim Gettys]

Yes. Yes.

[Ben Starr]

It's crazy. I didn't know what to expect when you asked me to come here and I didn't. Also didn't expect this, but it's a joy to be here. Congratulations to Mike in the background there.

[Tim Gettys]

He's freaking it. Absolutely freaking it.

[Ben Starr]

I hope you bear with us. It's going to get crazy. We're going to do some weird stuff.

[Tim Gettys]

We're doing a lot of weird stuff. They've been doing weird stuff for a couple days now. They've been doing a marathon stream of death stranding to a literal marathon stream. Mike is on the treadmill. Roger is playing the game. We're in the lab. They were sleeping on the studio set in a tent. It's been nuts. And that's continuing. They are still going. And your support is going to continue to fuel these big beautiful men over here. You can help support them. Continuing to go by twitch subs and gifted subs are the ones that matter today. They will push the clock. So every single sub and gifted sub today is gonna go towards making that number at the bottom of the screen go up and making them go even longer. I hope that they're okay.

[Ben Starr]

The man needs nut bars.

[Tim Gettys]

The man does need nut bars. There are an insane amount.

[Ben Starr]

There's so many.

[Tim Gettys]

Why are there so many?

[Ben Starr]

I cannot be understated. How many nut bars there are right now.

[Tim Gettys]

Oh, man, I love it. Absolutely. Ben, how are you doing?

[Ben Starr]

I'm really good. I have been doing a lot of transatlantic travel. This is my third time being over here in the month.

[Tim Gettys]

In the month. Yeah. You are back and forth about because. Yeah. You were here for summer game Fest Magicon Yep. Now you're here now. Yes. Insane stuff. Are you okay? Is your body falling apart from the travel?

[Ben Starr]

There's something about making hay and sunshine. I have, over the past couple of years been afforded a lot of amazing opportunities, and a lot of them are over here. And I just think, why not? You know, it's a. It's a really, really, like, fun, fun career to be a part of. And I get to travel a lot and I get to travel and see you guys and it's an opportunity for me to do work, see friends, have a nice time, and just enjoy the world that is video games.

[Tim Gettys]

Well, your life just keeps getting crazier and crazier. The world of video game games keeps getting crazier and crazier. Yeah. Last time I saw you, Expedition 33 hadn't even come out.

[Ben Starr]

No.

[Tim Gettys]

You were talking to me about it and you were being very like, I hope it's good. Like, I feel good about it, but we'll see. And now it's taken the world by storm.

[Ben Starr]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

What's that done?

[Ben Starr]

What's that done for me? I. It's a game that I loved for a very, very long period of time, but I loved in secret. And I tell people about it. I was like, this is a really special game. I think it's. I think people are going to like it. I didn't expect it to be picked up in the way that it has. I thought that it would sell a few copies and the people that adore it, adore it. But I think the level of mainstream appeal was very unexpected. And when you start seeing music covers, when you start seeing, like, amazing artwork, when you start seeing keychains and like, it's. It's art that has inspired other people's art, and that's the most rewarding thing. I think that this is a game that is a critical success, but I think also it has this kind of emotional impact on a lot of people that it really resonates with them. It's a story that they really like and characters that they really latch onto. And I'm very lucky that I've been able to kind of like, give my two cents to this game. Yeah, there are. Everyone who's contributed to this game has clearly excelled, and it's amazing that I kind of get to be a part of it.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah, man, it is. It's such a special game and, like, such a special world. Like, I was talking to Jake Baldino and I've repeated this a couple of times on the show now, but I. It sits with me so much. I was hanging out with him at Summer Game Fest and he is utterly obsessed with this game as well. And he was saying that this is the first time in a very long time, as long as he can remember, that he's played a game that immediately makes him want to consume every single thing about it. Of like, make a comic book, make a novel, make a expand this world and like we want to just be in it more. And I'm like, damn, I could not agree more.

[Ben Starr]

It exists as well. Like the Jenn Svedberg Jen, who's the writer, has done so much amazing amount of research because in this game, you know, you play the story and then there are all of the little journals about all the other expeditions and stuff. And so she has done this extensive amounts of research and that's why the world feels incredibly lived in and full. Because even though you just experienced the story of Expedition 33, there is so much world out there to discover. And you know, I think Guillaume and the team are very, very smart and they know what they want to do and they know what they want do they know what they want to do next. But they, they're very, very smart and they're only going to do stuff that they want to make. They're not going to be forced to make something that they don't want to. That's why this game is so brilliant, because they said we want to make this specific game for us and clearly people have latched onto it and hopefully whatever it is that they do next, it'll be in that same vein. I don't think they're going to lose the sandfool. Have that very particular ethos and I don't think they're going to lose it.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah. God. So special. Everybody, this is kinda funny. Games Daily, each and every weekday we run you through all the video game news you need to know about live on YouTube, Twitch and podcast services around the globe. If you love what we do, please support us with the kind that funny membership on Patreon, YouTube and now Spotify and Apple podcast. It gets you all of our shows ad free and a daily exclusive show. I'm okay. Thank you so much.

[Ben Starr]

I'm fine. Thank you. Do you insist?

[Tim Gettys]

I am a little concerned with how much Mike has been able to eat because every time I've tuned into the stream, Mike has something.

[Mike]

He's a healthy boy.

[Tim Gettys]

He's a healthy boy.

[Mike]

He's growing.

[Ben Starr]

Face is full of cream. Yeah.

[Roger]

Yeah.

[Mike]

You don't like that? You don't like cream?

[Ben Starr]

Well, I have to have it now?

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah.

[Roger]

Do you want some more?

[Mike]

You want another one?

[Ben Starr]

No, I'll have this one.

[Mike]

Okay, cool.

[Tim Gettys]

For a chance to be part of this show, submit your thoughts and opinions as we go. A little housekeeping for you. We are an 11 person business. All about live talk shows today. After Games Daily you'll get a very special kind of funny games cast. It's a one on one interview with Greg Miller interviewing Ben Starr. Cause you got to interview him for the Pax east panel a couple weeks ago. Months ago. Yeah. And reversing it. How you feel about that?

[Ben Starr]

I'm a little nervous because every time someone talks about it, they make it sound like a threat.

[Tim Gettys]

It is. Speaking as somebody that this weekend had a parade essentially thrown against me. It was in support of him, but it was also in my dishonor.

[Ben Starr]

That is one of the coolest things I have seen. 500 people or something turned up.

[Tim Gettys]

Not quite 500.

[Ben Starr]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

I mean real talk, it was a much bigger show up than we ever would have expected. There was, I want to say north of a hundred people there. Yeah, 500,000 people screaming fans.

[Ben Starr]

It was crazy.

[Tim Gettys]

Auditorium. Yeah, it was wild. So yeah. Thank you all for coming out. Honestly, that was incredible. It went so well. Everyone had such a good time. Meeting everyone was lovely. Seeing people I haven't seen in years was very, very, very nice. So thank you all for showing up. After that though. It will be at noon. Noon Pacific Time today, June 30, 2025. The wedding of Tim and Gia Getty's live on stage is premiering. I've worked so hard on this. It is the one year anniversary of the actual wedding. Ben Starr does the vo.

[Ben Starr]

Yeah, I was there.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah, you were there too. Yeah. You had a couple shots here and there.

[Ben Starr]

You put me to work as well. Yeah, you can come if you do some work.

[Tim Gettys]

Exactly. You did the VO for the intro and for my intro. So very excited for y' all to see. See that this also includes all of the performances and speeches from everybody. So it's. It's the whole kid and caboodle. It's about I think an hour and 45 minutes total. But after the like hour mark and the speeches start, like you don't need to stay for all. It was wild. Like there's cool stuff for sure. But the show's the first hour and then there is speeches by some awesome people for. They're all awesome people but like Greg and Nick and Joey and stuff. But like. Yeah, you know, you don't need to watch the whole thing if you don't want to. But I would really appreciate if y' all hung out in the live chat and just, just had some fun. If anything, just say Happy Birthday to me. You know what I mean? Just spread some positivity. Let's get that, get that going in there. Happy birthday to you. Thank you. Thank you. Then after that, this stream, I guess at the same time it's gonna be this Death Strategy 2 stream. They're gonna continue. Oh my God.

[Ben Starr]

I just don't think this is how it works. Yeah, I don't think this is. This is. You shouldn't drink this much stuff. Little and often is better as opposed to lots and often.

[Tim Gettys]

Oh my Lord. If you're a kind of funny member, of course you get today's Greg Way. It's all about 20 minutes of Greg celebrating Tim's birthday. No fooling, he says. And we'll see. We'll see. Thank you to our Patreon producers, Karl Jacobs, Omega Buster and Delaney Twining. Today we're brought to you by Cash App and moodboltown. You all about that later. For now, let's begin with what is and forever will be the Roper Report. It's time for some news. We have five stories today. I never thought that we'd be doing kind of funny games daily in camping chairs.

[Ben Starr]

No, it's kind of cool though.

[Tim Gettys]

But I love that we can.

[Ben Starr]

Has it made you think that maybe you should do more games dailies outside? Actually.

[Tim Gettys]

Just actually outside?

[Ben Starr]

Yeah, just like at camp.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah. We should do a week of capcaf.

[Ben Starr]

Full survival.

[Tim Gettys]

Story number one. This is a two story in one type of situation. Former Xbox execs speak on Xbox man. They really do. We say it a lot.

[Ben Starr]

They do say a lot of things.

[Tim Gettys]

I think Xbox hardware is dead, says Microsoft gaming veteran. This comes from Andy Robinson at vgc. One of the founding members of the Xbox team has questioned Microsoft's multi platform gaming strategy and said they believe the Xbox hardware business is effectively dead. During her lengthy Microsoft career, Laura Fryer shipped numerous games as a producer, including the original Gears of War games, and was the director of the Xbox Advanced Technology Group. After leaving Microsoft in the late 2000s, she was general manager of WB Games Seattle and later Epic Games Seattle. Fryer's latest video ponders the future of Microsoft's Xbox business with the platform holder championing a new cross platform strategy under its Xbox Anywhere marketing and explains why she's concerned it could represent the start of a slow exit from the gaming hardware business for Microsoft in the video, Fryer calls the Xbox anywhere message. Just marketing and style with no substance. Sorry, my doc jumped. All good. All good. And says she believes that you're on. Thank you. The wrong Xbox ally is essentially one one of ASUS portable PCs rebranded offers little attraction to consumers. Obviously, as one of the founding members of the Xbox team, I'm not pleased with where things are today. I don't love watching all the value that I helped create slowly get eroded away.

[Ben Starr]

Damn, that's Hardshots fired.

[Roger]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

I'm sad because from my perspective it looks like Xbox has no desire or literally can't ship hardware anymore. So this Rog Ally partnership is about a slow exit from the hardware business completely. She continued, Personally, I think Xbox hardware is dead. The plan appears to be just drive everyone to game Pass. And let's be clear, it has a lot of value. I'm thinking that might be why they decided to charge $80 for Outer Worlds 2. And here's the thing, maybe it'll work. But what's the long term plan? Where are the new hits? What will make people care about the Xbox 25 years from now? I was excited to see Clockwork Revolution in the showcase, but will something like that be enough? Do they have more? Let's stop there. Any initial thoughts to that?

[Ben Starr]

She's not wrong, but she's not wrong. Like that's all she's done is laid out exactly what Xbox are clearly doing. I was at Summer Game Fest. I got to actually get my hands on the Xbox Ally. It was cool, but this isn't anything new. Xbox have been very clear about what their strategy is. Also, I don't want to say physical media is dead. It's not dead, but it's certainly not.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah. I mean it is trending towards death.

[Ben Starr]

Yeah. We're at a point now death might.

[Tim Gettys]

Be a little too much out of relevance.

[Ben Starr]

Yeah. I think that like I've been talking about this a lot with my friends about the way that the pivot from. I really miss physical games. I used to be such a fan of physical games. I bought my PlayStation 5 with the disc drive because I wanted to use it. I don't use the physical disk drive.

[Tim Gettys]

Have you ever?

[Ben Starr]

Yes, I have. When I first got it, I bought loads of things on disc and then I stopped because it was just easier to do that because it was you. It was just hard. It was harder to get physical games. Also when I wanted to play them, I wanted to play them on day one. I wanted to be able to download loads of games. And just make this thing a lot easier. It's my. My life is kitted around. I have a Steam deck therefore I download things on my Steam deck. I have Apple music now that I use use. It's just a lot more convenient. And that fits into how our lives are more convenient. And Xbox are recognizing that. Is it a good thing? It really depends on how much you love this. Are you going to pay for physical media? I don't know. And so they're going. Do you actually need a box?

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah.

[Ben Starr]

Are we going to make it even more convenient? Are we ahead of the curve?

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah.

[Ben Starr]

And it's sad because it's literally called Xbox and there isn't really a box anymore.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah. That I honestly think that the most important unfortunate thing about all of this is the box in the name of Xbox because there's no getting away from it. I also don't think it's really the biggest deal. I think that's the type of thing people will look at and kind of feel like there's no box. But it's like Xbox at this point does mean what it needs to. It is a. It's one of the major branches of gaming. I don't see that changing. Like, here's the thing. I. I'm with you. That like she's not wrong. Like what she's saying here. It's like. But to your point too, this is just what Xbox is telling us to an extent. I do think though that the. The slowly eroding away. Like I don't love watching all the value I help create slowly get eroded away. I disagree with that. Like I think that the value there we're clearly seeing like they don't have that value anymore. Like they. They don't have the positioning that they once did. And that's due to a ton of different factors. But I do think that. I imagine that this strategy is going to work better than the strategies were working for Xbox the last decade or so. To the point about the Clockwork Revolution. I think we're going to see more of those. I think even when you look just this year at the output that Xbox has had like avowed was this year. You know, we have outer worlds later this year. Like there's so much output coming from the Xbox teams and Xbox now owns the majority of the teams in the world. Period. Yeah. So it's going to continue. Expedition 33 partnerships of coming to Game Pass. I don't see a world where Xbox is ever committing to this plan and not still releasing hardware to some extent. It's just the hardware is not going to be the flagship thing and the only way to play it. That's okay.

[Ben Starr]

Also, platform exclusivity doesn't really exist in the way that it did. It's kind of been proved to not really work in the way that it maybe did 10 years ago. Things shift, they change. Laura Fryer worked on building a very robust system clearly for Xbox. She knows exactly what she's talking about. Talking about. And she's talking about. I don't like the fact that the work that I put in fundamentally from my position is being devalued in this way. I put this hard work in to build the Xbox brand and I feel like you are essentially eroding it away by making these choices. But also she doesn't work at Xbox anymore. She doesn't know the internal climate. She probably doesn't have access to the analytics and they've gone well. I don't want to build Xbox for now I'm building. I want Xbox to be able to survive in the next five to 10 years. And actually in order for us to be nimble, it's going to cost a huge amount to build another Xbox. We didn't. We've kind of fumbled the bag quite clearly. Phil's come out and said that a number of times, like this isn't working the way that we wanted it to. But actually what we've realized is people want to be able to have access to Xbox games and play them anywhere. And this is an Xbox is a. Is a fascinating thing because people are arguing that this isn't an Xbox. It is just an. It's a Rog ally with an Xbox button on it. But actually I think it's a lot more than that. And Xbox is a platform. A platform through which you can play Xbox games. Xbox need to have games. They need to have games.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah.

[Ben Starr]

And that's the.

[Tim Gettys]

They do.

[Ben Starr]

Yeah, they do.

[Tim Gettys]

They do. They do in droves at this point. Like it's. And yeah, like you say, like the exclusives thing. It is funny to see exclusives do still matter when that is your business plan. You look at Nintendo and you look, look at PlayStation. That is their business plan and it's working for them. That has not been Xbox's business plan. I think they took too long to get to that point and it used to be, but now their strategy clearly. Look at the sales of Forza, look at the sales of Indiana Jones. Like being on PlayStation 5 it all. It's a sheer numbers game. There were significantly more PS5s in the wild than Xbox Series NRS.

[Ben Starr]

Yep.

[Tim Gettys]

Cool. You're going to sell more games on that platform when that's where the core console gaming audience is.

[Ben Starr]

Yeah. And what are you looking at? Xbox are going well, actually. Right. If you look at people's, you know, say, fireplaces, where everyone plays, you look at people's living rooms and you go, well, people have PlayStation fives under their TV. They're not going to change that for an Xbox. So how do we say, well, keep. Keep that under your tv. We can actually have it attached directly to your tv. We can actually go to handheld because, let's be honest, the portal isn't all that, like, it isn't. It isn't a great, great solution to handheld gaming for the. For the PlayStation.

[Tim Gettys]

I disagree.

[Ben Starr]

Yes.

[Tim Gettys]

Great.

[Ben Starr]

Absolutely. But, like, I think that it isn't. It isn't as a convenient method as, for instance, having an Xbox handheld. They've beaten PlayStation to the punch. They've said, you can play Xbox games right now in your hand. Like, well, not right now, but when it comes out in your hand. So they're trying to beat them to the punch and they're doing it in the way that they think they can with partnerships. Does it dilute the brand? I'm like, maybe, but I think.

[Tim Gettys]

I think the dilution at a certain point is the goal of just drowning the. Everything you get. I'm saying when everything is an Xbox and we're not questioning what that is, when we just believe it.

[Ben Starr]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

And it's accurate, then it's like, all right, cool. The dilution is now you think gaming, you think Xbox, you know, like, you, you. If you invest in any part of the Xbox ecosystem, it's going to benefit you because you're going to get the benefits of being able to play in all the different places you want to and how you want to, and at different entry points. Whether it's subscription models like game pass or actually buying the game physically or digitally, we'll see the physical side. I think Xbox is over that. Like, there's so many signs that they are just like, not even releasing their first party games physically at all.

[Ben Starr]

Is this. Is this a mountain out of a molehill, really? Is this. People who have. And I get this, we all do. We tether ourselves to a brand, we decide, we. We pin our colors to the mast and we say, I'm PlayStation, I'm Xbox, blah, blah, blah. And people who have been devoutly part of the Xbox brand, and I would imagine creators who have helped feel like they have helped build this brand, are feeling a little bit hard done by. So everyone needs to have discourse. This is discourse to talk about, really. In the. In the wild is. Is they're trying to get new players in. If it's easier than ever to go and play on an Xbox because you can just pick up one, like a handheld to do it, maybe that'll work, maybe it won't.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah.

[Ben Starr]

Like, because we are the hardcore, right? We listen, we listen, read the discourse every single day. It seems like it's really something to talk about.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah, I mean, I think. I think it is. Like, let's make no bones about it. Xbox lost the console wars. The console wars that like, have turned into this thing that for decades at this point have had fanboys and these wars and these Internet flame battles and all of this stuff. It's like it's a real thing. How relevant is that thing? I don't know. But clearly, like, with where we're at, the console wars are over when it comes to Xbox. We are now in a new era. We are in the ecosystem wars. We are in the. What is gaming in 2025? Like, I don't even know what we're gonna call this. Like, in the same way that we saw it happen with movie and there's the streaming wars that we're dealing with. The ramifications of all of that. Like, there's going to be winners, there's going to be losers. And just because you lose doesn't mean you can't get up and try something else and win that way. And I think Xbox is building for that. Like, I don't want to.

[Ben Starr]

I do kind of want to. This is. I don't want to change the subject ever so slightly, but I feel like it is worth, like, having a little look at is the launch of the Switch 2 in. That was. That is a physical thing. And obviously it sold what, 3, 3 million units in a weekend or something? It did amazing numbers. But the one thing at Summer Game Fest is everyone was saying is this is the most disappointing, uneventful console launch ever. That was the feeling of there's no buzz around it, there's no excitement. It feels like a. Like an iteration or a slight upgrade. That was what people were saying about it. And yet at the same time, it is still the most successful launch of all time.

[Tim Gettys]

I know, because the realities of who's playing games and how they're playing, because.

[Ben Starr]

It'S the discourse around it, it's the. It's the pomp and circumstance that maybe is lost but actually it's easier than ever to buy a Switch too. It's. Well, it's not, but it's, you know, I mean.

[Tim Gettys]

Well, right. It is, it's easier to buy a new console that's this recently released that it's ever been. And that's because of how great Nintendo did with the supply of everything.

[Ben Starr]

And it also, it just doesn't feel, it doesn't feel like we're going, we, we're going to this big launch. It's just, it's the Switch too. It feels like a minor upgrade. Even though there are many, many things above it. We want to feel, feel like we're going from PS2 to PS3, PS3 to PS4 each time it's diminishing returns of this feels like we're just kind of maybe upgrading our computer ever so slowly. And I think maybe Xbox are recognizing that and figuring out that these, these upgrades are going to actually become smaller and smaller and smaller and smaller and minor upgrades are important.

[Tim Gettys]

I mean they are. And like I wouldn't need to get too far down this rabbit hole because I agree with every single thing you're saying. I just do want to point out that sure, there might have been more fervor and acceptance excitement around the launch of the Xbox and PlayStation last generation, but if we're real, look at it. What is the difference between Nintendo Switch to Switch 2 versus PS4 to PS5 or Xbox One to the Xbox series? Like that jump. It was iterative and we all bitched about how iterative it was at the time. But now we look back at it with these weird rose tinted glasses of like, oh, that was a real upgrade. No it wasn't. And I'm saying this is someone that loved those upgrades. Like I got. It was just the same thing that I loved, but better. But you could have played Miles morales on your PS4.

[Ben Starr]

Oh my God. Could you? Yeah, when I played, I played all of the PS5 launch games on my PS4 because I didn't get a PS5 until much after because I couldn't get one.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah.

[Ben Starr]

And so I played Demon Souls was the exclusive. Yeah, yeah. I mean I played Resident Evil village on my PS4. Ran fine. Yeah, absolutely fine. The only one I wanted to play was Fraternal was the first thing that I got. Like that was. That is an amazing game. Still think it's one of the best PS5 exclusives you can play. It's astonishing. Like. But yeah, it really didn't feel like a moment. There were two or three and you know, as you see with the switch, it's like, yeah, you can play. It's like, what are people playing? They're playing Tis the Kingdom. They could have played, albeit in a worse state.

[Tim Gettys]

I'll go on record right now saying we will never get a console ever again in. Ever in the future. That feels like it used to. Yeah. In even a almost way. Yeah, it is. I think those days are over. It is iteration. We have hit the point that smartphones hit that, yes, there's new ones every year and yes, there's more megapixels and more this and more features. And, like, now we're talking about AI. There's all this. But, like, at the end of the day, we peaked. We. We hit where we needed to hit.

[Ben Starr]

And maybe Xbox have recognized that and that's why they're pivoting.

[Tim Gettys]

I mean. Yeah, so let's keep going with this. Former Blizzard president and Xbox exec says Xbox needs to pick their lane and stick to it. This comes from Chris Scullion at bgc. Former Blizzard president Mike Ibarra says Xbox should decide what its identity should be going forward, instead of trying to be a jack of all trades. Ibarra, who served various roles at Microsoft for 20 years, culminating in a role as corporate vice president of Xbox Live and Xbox Game Pass before becoming Blizzard president for three years, took to X to give his views on the Xbox's current situation. Tough to see Xbox confused about who it is and what it should be. Some great people there. Still, they have to figure out what needs to change, and fast. I'm a big fan and will always bleed green, cheering the team on from the sidelines. Pick your lane and stick to it. Asked by a follower what he thinks Xbox should do, Ibarra said he felt like they should focus on being a publisher rather than a console manufacturer. It's simple to me. Xbox should strive to be the world's largest publisher of entertainment content. Get rid of everything else and get focused. Do not be afraid to say what you are. Embrace the lane. Asked how that aligned with Xbox's identity as a console manufacturer replied, from what I see, they are no longer that straddling the fence is not a winning plan.

[Ben Starr]

There you go.

[Tim Gettys]

I could not disagree with what he's saying more just because they're clearly. They picked the lane and they're sticking to it. I feel like this. It's so confusing to me how confusing all of this is because Xbox are telling us what they're doing. They want you to be able to play your games. On a bunch of things. And the Xbox doesn't matter. The box doesn't matter. So they're focusing on the games and they're focusing on making sure that they're playable in a ton of different places. And when they're seeing markets that are. That are in their infancy, like the handheld gaming, PC market, jump on that, grow that. The cloud streaming stuff for TVs, jump on that, grow that. Like, they are, I think, very clearly choosing a lane and sticking in it.

[Ben Starr]

I mean, what we've had is these are two. These are two opinion pieces. Look, we're giving our opinions. Like, this is. It's very easy to take this and make this a conversation point and then be a vector of what we think they should do next. Mike Yubari used to work there, like Laura Fry used to work there. It's always, I wouldn't have done that.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah.

[Ben Starr]

And it's very easy to give that opinion and then. And sit back and when you don't really have any skin in the game of being like, well, this is how I feel. It is like we've just sat here and probably run over a little bit discussing what we think we would do or how we feel about that scenario, but ultimately we're not the ones calling the shots.

[Tim Gettys]

Totally.

[Ben Starr]

And whether it's a good thing or a bad thing, we don't know. But I agree, you know. You disagree with what he's saying? Quite rightly. But again, he, you know, he's going, well, I've known. I've been in the business for a long time. This is what I built. It's not what I would have done personally.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah, yeah, totally. Of course. Entitled to opinions, for sure. Lucid dream says Tim. Are you forgetting they've already committed to another console That's. They're Microsoft. Like, they've been making hardware. We're surrounded by it. Like, they've been doing this forever. Like, I don't. I just don't think that it's going to be their main point of focus. It's just going to be anything that you can. A way to play the game.

[Ben Starr]

What they committed to, though, wasn't necessary. They did commit to a console, but let's be really specific. They committed to a partnership with amd, Right?

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah.

[Ben Starr]

They committed to a relationship with. I mean, what do AMD make? They make. What do they. Graphics cards. Graphics cards and processors. They committed to a partnership which is going like, we will continue to work on hardware together and collaborate together. And I think what we've kind of inferred from that is like it is going to be a new console. But what is that console going to be? And we've said before it is not going to be the same thing that we remember and in doing so it's not going to be the same thing that people want. It's never going to be what people want. It's going to be what they give you because consoles, graphics cards, everything are just getting stronger and stronger and stronger and they're going to have to commit to at some point and they have to build a console around it. And because this is it's changing at such a rate, everything is just accelerating. It's never going it's going to be three years behind when it gets released. So why should you commit to one thing when already you're going to be outdated, then release a pro model in two, three years time?

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah, yeah man. Interesting times for sure. Let's get to story number two though. Assassin's Creed Black Flag Star just gave fans the biggest hint at a remake yet. This comes from Tom Phillips at ign. While Ubisoft keeps quiet about a potential Assassin's Creed Black Flag remake, the actor behind the game's hero, Edward Kenway, has offered up some teasing words to fans. A souped up version of Ubisoft's piratical never heard that word. Assassin's Creed entry has been the subject of numerous leaks over the past few years and is now widely expected among fans, but Ubisoft itself has never confirmed the project and declined to comment on the matter when contacted by IGN last month when an Assassin's Creed merchandise maker also dropped an obvious Black Flag remake hint. Now, at a fan convention, Edward Kenway voice actor Matt Ryan has given perhaps the most obvious tease so far that something might be on the horizon. Quote have you beaten the game? Ryan asked a fan, as captured on video by TikTok user the Rebel Archive. Well, you have to beat it again. You might have to beat it again. When the fan replies, is this true? I have to run through all of them again. Ryan responds with a knowing wink and then says, well, especially this one. There's a reason I say that, but I can't say anything. Multiple reports charting the game's development have surfaced over the past couple of years, with the Black Flag remake allegedly being worked on by Skull and Bone Studio Ubisoft Singapore, with work underway to offer something ultimately more substantial than just a simple remaster lot to break down here. Where do you want to start, Ben?

[Ben Starr]

Firstly, actors shouldn't be allowed to say anything. I say this as A person like, is. I've just noticed this more and more, actually, when you go to conventions, people have the little cameras, and I always get very nervous when they do. I think it's because they want to capture the moment and relive the moment again. But suddenly you go, oh, gosh, it stops being a private moment, and it starts being something else. And. And it's totally fine if you want to do that, but I'm always very, very alarmed. Matt. I think it's Matt Ryan. He plays Constantine, right, On the CW show.

[Tim Gettys]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Ben Starr]

Yeah, it probably is.

[Tim Gettys]

There you go.

[Ben Starr]

He's just. He's just giving it away.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah, exactly. Which, again, you know, where there's smokes, there's fire.

[Ben Starr]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

Like, we've. We've heard a lot about this, and, yeah, it is just unfortunate that he got caught up in this one, but also, it's like, hey, this is an exciting, cool thing. Like, I. I hope that. That there's no problems for him with this, but also, I feel like we're not too far away from hearing about this officially. Also, I think this is a good thing. I think this is a smart project for Ubisoft to put out, especially to have that team working on after Skull and Bones. Yeah. People are like, hey, just do this. Just do it.

[Ben Starr]

It's the high watermark of the series. Well, I mean, people might say of Assassin's Creed 2, but, like, this is a very, very beloved video game. Again, a video game that I believe straddled console generations, getting back to the.

[Tim Gettys]

Last generation, IPS 3 to 4.

[Ben Starr]

It was good. You know, I mean, I'm glad that Ubisoft are committed to this. Clearly, they're going like, we have made a very successful Assassin's Creed this year, but let's kind of, like, go back to it and revisit something that's really beloved. I personally like new stuff. I like people committing to that. But obviously, it's very hard to build something new from the ground up. It's a lot easier to go and revisit it. Yeah, I believe. I like new things. I like people investing in the future as opposed to going back and nostalgically looking at the past. That's a personal thing. I think that is the strength of the industry is in us looking to the future and investing in what the next 10 years are not. What are the 10 years that we've just experienced? Because I think that's maybe where we're at in 2025 is an industry that, suffering from an intense investment in nostalgia and not a commitment to future nostalgia.

[Tim Gettys]

I love nostalgia, baby. And I love future nostalgia. Yeah, that's the thing is I. I do feel like there. There has to be a balance. And I do think that, like, when you really look at the year, there's been a lot of new IPs, and I think there's going to continue to be that. There's also a lot of remakes, and there's also a lot of sequels. I think you need all of this to make the world go round. You need the successful projects to be able to bet on the bigger swings of new things. And I think we've talked a lot about Ubisoft in the last couple years, and it hasn't often been positive. There's been a lot of not having faith in them and not believing where they're going to go. And. And so here's the thing, like, yes, this is a great idea, but we're now talking about. This hasn't even officially been announced, but Assassin's Creed, Black Flag remake, Prince of Persia, Sands of Time remake.

[Ben Starr]

You've been excited for that for so long.

[Tim Gettys]

For so long.

[Ben Starr]

Oh, yeah, Splinter Cell. Yeah. But the Sprint itself was a call to arms, wasn't it? It was like, please come and work for us because we want to make that.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah. But I mean, I feel like we've had it like, four times. Yeah, I feel like we just keep getting those three green dots. Like, it's. It's interesting that right now, like, we're talking about three very smart business decisions, like, let's go back to the. Well, on three very popular franchises and specific entries that people love in those franchises. But it is pretty scary. So just look at the overall of Ubisoft and. And how much faith do I have in this coming out anytime soon when Prince of Persia and Splinter Cell have been talked about for years at this.

[Ben Starr]

Point, I mean, it's absolutely possible that they, you know, he.

[Mike]

He.

[Ben Starr]

They're going to do it and they're going to shadow. Drop it. That's also a possibility, I think. Ubisoft, when we. When people criticize that as a company, they're not criticizing the people who work there, who. And there are an immense amount of talented people who work there. I think it's just difficult to talk about Ubisoft with that. Not without. Without not mentioning the management of it. It seems to be very misguided. A lot of misguided things have been said by management that are very unfortunate and certainly to the health of the industry. They've also suffered from what most companies, a lot of companies suffer from, which is the unfortunate investment in unsuccessful live service games. So a large portion of that has happened. And here we are 2025 and we don't have the, the single player games that people maybe want to play as much. I mean, you look at this year, what are some of the highest rated games of this year? They are single player games, some with multiplayer elements. I mean like one's being played right now and that is an investment in story driven single player games that people can get on board with. And I think that has been to, that has been looked to the side of the past five years of investment that even though people are going back into it now, we don't have those single player games. And so you're going back and you're looking at a remake of Black Flag as opposed to making new stuff. I do want to emphasize, I do love nostalgia. I think it's great. I just think we can have both.

[Tim Gettys]

At the same time. Yeah, I'm a firm believer in that. I'm also a firm believer in you and your support of us. Thank you so much for all your support. You get the kind of funny membership and get the shows ad free. But for everyone else, this episode is brought to you by Cash App. We've all had those moments getting meals out with people that always end in some kind of awkward experience of having to figure out the least complicated way to just get it done. Or even after figuring it out, have you used an app and ended up having to wait days for your money to finally show up? What if we could solve all of that easily? Cash App is a completely different experience. Fast, easy and safe and a great way to receive and transfer money to family and friends. And it's incredibly easy to set up. You just enter your phone or email and some other basic information. No bank account needed. And then there's no waiting around for days. It's your money. You shouldn't have to wait. We love using Cash App because it's fast, it's safe, and it just makes life way less stressful. For a limited time, only new Cash App users can use our exclusive code to earn some additional cash. For real. There's no catch. Just download Cash App and sign up. Use our exclusive referral code. Kind of funny in your profile. Send $5 to a friend within 14 days and you'll get $10 dropped right into your account. Terms apply. That's money. That's Cash App. This episode is brought to you by Mood. Let me tell you about the online cannabis company that's revolutionizing how we deal with life's challenges. From sleepless nights to stress filled days, Mood.com has created an entire line of functional gummies that target specific health concerns. With 100% federally legal THC blends, they'll deliver them discreetly right to your doorstep. And you can get 20% off your first [e-mail] with promo code Kinda funny. I've been having a great time trying out all their different gummies and I'm loving how each one feels. Their sleepy time gummies will knock you out in about 15 minutes flat. No hangovers, no grogginess, and their epic euphoria. Gummies are perfect for those days when nothing's going right. And best of all, not only does Mood stand behind everything with an industry leading 100 day satisfaction guarantee, but as I mentioned, listeners get 20% off their first order with code kind of funny. So head to mood.com browse their amazing selection of functional gummies and find the perfect gummy for whatever you are dealing with. And remember to use promo code kind of funny at checkout to save 20% on your first order.

[Mike]

And we're back with story number three. EA Sports is teasing its first NCAA March Madness college basketball game in 16 years.

[Roger]

Let's go.

[Mike]

This is from Chris Scullion at VGC. EA Sports has teased that basketball will be returning to its lineup with a college basketball game. The official EA Sports account on X formerly known as Twitter posted on an image of a basketball with the EA Sports logo on it. It has joined by a message Bring the madness. Let's run it back. Hashtag cbb, hashtag it's in the game. First of all, hashtag it's in the game is fire.

[Roger]

Hashtag it's in the game.

[Mike]

And all of my tweets with hashtag.

[Tim Gettys]

It'S in the game.

[Roger]

I like that.

[Tim Gettys]

I like that.

[Roger]

I like that.

[Mike]

Mike, what an amazing day to be be here and to actually talk about this with you because this has been, this has been in the ether for a minute and the fans are excited. Mike, how you feeling?

[Roger]

I got next hashtag it's in the game. Roger. I could use all the hashtags. I could use all the taglines. This is so exciting. This is a really a breath of fresh air. This is excitement to see it return. We celebrated college football last year with the big return with the A sport sports and just the idea that we might run back NCAA basketball is a big deal to me and I'm sure many other Hoopers out there. They saw great numbers, great sales, great performance. They're coming back for year two here in just a couple of weeks. We're right around the corner from NCAA Football 2025. So it's a big deal and it's right. Roger, we are desperately needing a break, breath of fresh air in the basketball genre as NBA 2K continues to dominate and it's also the only game in town.

[Mike]

Well, that was the thing that I saw in the comments the most where I was more focused on the NCAA aspect of it.

[Tim Gettys]

Right.

[Mike]

Like, that's exciting that that's back. I know that that's a huge franchise for a lot of people. Right? Like college football.

[Tim Gettys]

Football is.

[Mike]

But specifically all the comments were like, fucking rip2k f it is. The comments are so excited for the death of 2K or at least something new inside of this field. How much do you think that one, this is going to be that replacement for a lot of people? Or two, do you think that this is the start of maybe them being like, what if, what if we come back?

[Roger]

Don't you bring it up.

[Mike]

What if.

[Roger]

Don't you call back? Don't you call back NBA Live.

[Mike]

Oh, I was thinking the cadet game they made.

[Roger]

Oh, NBA baller beats. You know, I love NBA Baller beats. Yeah. Rog, let's first start off with the college side of things.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Roger]

It's been such a celebration to celebrate NCAA football. We're finally paying those kids what they deserve. On the flip side, nothing is bigger here in the US Than March Madness. For the whole month of March, we are talking about college basketball. And so they already have a gigantic market. Sixteen years since the last NCAA basketball. Right. So, like, there's going to be a whole lot of excitement for this on the basketball side of things. Roger, I think if you are a sports fan, if you love basketball, you are dying for something new.

[Tim Gettys]

Yes.

[Roger]

You are trying to get off the treadmill that is NBA 2K. Right. Like, I am trying to just find something different, just jump on. And I think it is going to be a compliment to 2K. I don't think you are going to rattle 2K whatsoever. Right. Like NBA 2K will be NBA 2K for years to come. Because even if there's even those are.

[Mike]

An actual competitor, even if, if with college basketball or I'm saying, like, oh.

[Roger]

You think if they bring back NBA.

[Mike]

Live, that's what I'm pitching to.

[Roger]

Well, NBA Live once died because of NBA 2 games.

[Mike]

You don't think that there is. There is now this dominant Force of tk. And people are looking, they see the issues with it and they're looking for something brand new. And they're on a hot streak right now with EA Sports. EA Sports is right now. They're killing it when it comes to at least the college, the college stuff. And now they're coming to ncaa.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah.

[Mike]

Can we level up?

[Roger]

Not at this moment. If you came out with NBA Live.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Roger]

You would not kill 2k. Right. It would take a lot of work and a lot of time to pull people out of 2K. Because you got to remember, Roger, I've invested a lot of Money in the NBA 2K now from my players to my teams, all of this ecosystem players are in. And now, mind you, year after year, we kind of get off that and we have to restart. I think NBA for EA Sports. The right move is to come out with college basketball and say, hey, we're giving you something similar but different. We're not technically competing with NBA. We know you love those 30 teams. We know you want to come back to 2K. We're not going to go at the King, but we're going to sidestep them by giving you college basketball. And that's the right move to do. Give me a good foundation. Prove to me that you can bring back the things that Hooper's loved about about NBA Live. Show us in the college, you know, college world kind of uniform and then we can build off of that. So maybe a couple years down the road if you prove to me, hey, the basketball is good. Yeah. I'm somebody who loved NBA live before 2K.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Roger]

I want Live to return, but like, that market is already tough enough. We saw it die once. I wouldn't be looking around going, we're going to bring back NBA Live. We're going to attack the King. This is the right move. Just do college basketball first.

[Mike]

So really quick, what do you think are the things that people are looking for out of NCAA Basketball coming back?

[Roger]

Yeah. So you build off of what you have right now with college football.

[Tim Gettys]

Right.

[Roger]

There is a big emphasis on dynasty mode. Everybody loves to build their dynasty. You take Middle Tennessee State and you go from a one star to a five star college town. Right. I want to be the next Kentucky, but Middle Tennessee State. And so you got to focus on dynasty. You also have to look at my player. Right. Like the big one is the road to glory. Being able to create myself, go through four years of college, earn those awesome accolades. And you're seeing it right now with college football of like, hey, dynasties Are bread and butter. And people love that. But how do we give love to that road to glory? How do we get better at some of these? Because we know where's the money average my player in the city, in the neighborhood. So how does ea. The island. Thank you, Tim. How does EA expand that of like, hey, we know you love this mode, but trends are showing. Money's being made over there. How do we make this good enough where you want to play it? Cut off a little change, you know what I mean? Give us a little bit of your pocket money. And so I think you have to double down on, of course, dynasty. You have to find. Find a way to make my player fun. The catch is with EA Sports and football is my player can now go from college football for four years into Madden, which is sick. Like, that's the coolest stuff. You know, it's always been. The thing is you make your player and then you import him over to Madden.

[Mike]

What?

[Roger]

And you keep the career going.

[Tim Gettys]

Cool.

[Roger]

That's what you want.

[Mike]

You got to have both games, though.

[Roger]

Yeah.

[Mike]

Okay.

[Roger]

No, I'm not giving you a free game. But they do a good job at selling so and so. Like, you would of course want this to happen, but there's no NBA Live. So you stick to your guns, you double down, you make sure that fun career mode is dope. You're already seeing this.

[Ben Starr]

I.

[Mike]

You don't think that there's a. What do you think? The possibility, percentage wise?

[Roger]

Yeah.

[Mike]

NBA Live comes back in the next five years because of this.

[Roger]

I mean, this is going to sell like hotcakes.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Roger]

The first two years is going to blow up. The issue is, is you're going to be feeling that now. Do you have what it takes?

[Mike]

And I think you talk about the ecosystem, Right. If you have people in the ecosystem of building a character, they're gonna be fiending.

[Roger]

Yeah.

[Mike]

Having these characters inside of NBA Live.

[Roger]

The thing is, NBA 2K is very good, Roger. Like, on the outside, we talk a lot of trash about NBA 2K and their monetization techniques. The gameplay itself is really freaking good. The presentation is really freaking good. And so EA would have a big uphill battle, like a chance to lose a lot of money if you fail, which is a high probability here.

[Tim Gettys]

Right.

[Roger]

So I think you stick to college basketball. You probably have to wait three to five years and go, is now the time? And there is a good. There's an opening. It's like Tom Cruise and Top Gun Maverick.

[Mike]

Yes.

[Roger]

Okay. We got to drop the first bomb and then we Drop the second bomb and it's a miracle. Or like America one and America.

[Mike]

Or like just Star Wars.

[Roger]

Okay.

[Mike]

Just want to put that out there.

[Roger]

It's. It's going to be a deep shot from three, but they can do it. And so to have the news, the idea that. The idea that we're going to do this big deal. So you focus on March Madness mode. You focus on Dynasty. You focus on my player. You show me that you got what it takes to bring back NBA Live, and I think you'll get a good percentage of players. It's just a scary move. They dominate all the other sports except for basketball.

[Mike]

Yeah. Ben, how you feeling?

[Ben Starr]

I'm feeling great. Thank you so much.

[Mike]

Yeah. Do you want to keep walking? Do you care about Sonic?

[Ben Starr]

Pardon?

[Mike]

Do you care about Sonic?

[Ben Starr]

I mean. Yeah, go on.

[Roger]

Yeah, get him on. Sonic.

[Ben Starr]

No. Is this about the. The Gathering?

[Mike]

No, this is about the Sonic Adventures.

[Ben Starr]

Oh, no.

[Tim Gettys]

You have a.

[Ben Starr]

You have a.

[Tim Gettys]

Okay.

[Mike]

Yeah, Tim, you come in.

[Roger]

I don't know about Sonic.

[Mike]

So this is what we're gonna do. Ben has been talking a big game about catching gummy bears in his mouth. Mouth.

[Roger]

Okay.

[Mike]

So Mike is going to throw gummy bears at Ben Starr as he's walking on the treadmill. We're going to see how many he can get.

[Ben Starr]

People have tuned in for Games Daily.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah, Tim, you're going to read this either, buddy. Games Daily.

[Mike]

Yeah, Tim, you're going to read this because I don't know how to read.

[Tim Gettys]

Okay.

[Mike]

Chat. What's the. Let's get a poll. Let's get a prediction here. How many gummy bears is Ben Star going to catch in his mouth during this entire section? Yeah, I'll see. That sounds good. You need this.

[Tim Gettys]

You have?

[Roger]

Yes.

[Mike]

Can't find the papers. No misses.

[Tim Gettys]

No misses.

[Mike]

No misses.

[Ben Starr]

Okay. It's going to be quite a few.

[Tim Gettys]

Thank you.

[Ben Starr]

Are you ready? Roger.

[Roger]

You ready?

[Tim Gettys]

Talk it out.

[Mike]

Here it is. Oh, no. This is not wrong. Yeah. You guys going?

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah. You ready? We're not.

[Mike]

Oh, they're throwing. I think it's.

[Tim Gettys]

Then get there.

[Mike]

One of them.

[Tim Gettys]

No, he's giving me the laptop.

[Mike]

Sorry, I didn't realize. Oh, Already?

[Tim Gettys]

We did it.

[Mike]

Holy. Let's keep on going. Remember, everybody, we. Oh.

[Ben Starr]

Holy. Let's go.

[Mike]

Keep going.

[Roger]

Go, go.

[Tim Gettys]

D. Swallow.

[Mike]

For God's sake.

[Roger]

We're going to the championship.

[Tim Gettys]

Going to the championship.

[Mike]

Game.

[Tim Gettys]

Story 4 Sonic Adventure. Director says don't expect remakes or remasters anytime soon. Sonic team boss Takashi Iizuka says has told fans not to expect remakes of classic entries in the Sonic Adventure series anytime soon. Sonic Adventure won from 1998 and it's sequel it was in 98. Dreamcast came out in 99. 9, 9, 99 maybe in Japan. I think it was the first worldwide launch.

[Ben Starr]

I could be wrong.

[Tim Gettys]

I could be wrong. And its sequel in 2001 remained two of Sega's mascot's most beloved 3D adventures and introduced open world elements to the series for the first time.

[Mike]

90 in Japan's almost as oh wow, I am wrong.

[Tim Gettys]

Egg is on my face. Speaking in a recent interview with Shaq News, Auka, who directed both Dreamcast Sonic Adventure games, was asked about the possibility of bringing the series back as remakes or remasters, but said he'd rather put the energy required into making entirely new titles. I'm really appreciative of everyone who likes Sonic Adventure, but when I think about what it would take to bring that game up to the standards and expectations, a lot of what the modern gaming audience would want, I think it would be about as much time and energy as it would to make a new title. So part of me is thinking maybe I should just make a brand new title and that's why there are currently no plans.

[Mike]

I don't like this, Tim.

[Tim Gettys]

What don't you like about you got to.

[Mike]

You got to bring the honesty. Well, yeah, I appreciate the honesty, but also like, you got to just make Adventure two.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah.

[Mike]

You got to just do it. Like I know it's going to take a lot of time, a lot of effort. It's going, it's going to be probably harder to make this adventure two reasonable game in 20, 20, 25 that people can buy and feel like, man, I spent 60 bucks. That's well worth my money than making Frontiers too. But you got to just do it for the fun, for the memes, for the moments. Because it is, it is such a seminal part of culture of just culture of the culture of video games. Exactly. I mean, at this point, real time, like.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah, exactly. No, no, I'm with you there. It's funny though. And you know me, I am a Sonic Sicko. I am an adventure 2 enthusiast. But. But I am also a realist where like I've always been like, the game's not that good. Yeah. But it's also the best thing ever because of how awful it is. But there's people that like legitimately love it and don't think it's awful and are just falling in and I love that for them. You know, I think that's that's great. The thing is, for as culturally significant as Sonic Adventure, specifically two is I do not expect that that actually translates to purchases and enthusiasm in the way that it would need to.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

And. And I wish that I was wrong. And me, you and Bless and a couple others went to a Sonic concert a couple years ago.

[Mike]

And you know what sucks about this is that like when you started saying like, we went to a Sonic and I was like, there's multiple things that I could have said. It could have been top golf. There's so many things that we Sonic adventures that, that you and I have been.

[Tim Gettys]

We've had. We've had our own adventures. And I plan to remake and remaster those all the time. Roger. But no, like, no joke. The Sonic fan base is powerful and they will show up to things. Like, you see that concert. I have never experienced anything like that. And I've been to.

[Mike]

It's incredible.

[Tim Gettys]

A hundred video game music concerts at this point. And I love them all for different reasons. The Sonic one, it might be the best out of sheer love and passion and just energy that that all has. There's a community there and they show up, they dress up, they care about this stuff. I just don't know if they're gonna buy the games. And like, the thing is we. Because I look at this, I'm like, all right, cool. A full on remake, I truly don't think is worth it. I don't think. I don't think that they can make that.

[Mike]

But also you lose a lot of the charm.

[Tim Gettys]

Exactly.

[Mike]

Because that game is so janky. And that is the fun of it. That's why. Sorry, I don't want to cut you off.

[Tim Gettys]

No, no. Go for it.

[Mike]

That's why I think there's this middle ground that you can do. You can do a remaster.

[Tim Gettys]

But here's my problem. The they did you get what I'm saying? It's like they did an HD remaster of Sonic Adventure 2. Like, yeah. And it's janky and it's broken. But guess what?

[Mike]

I just want the game.

[Tim Gettys]

Oh, you just want the game to feel better?

[Mike]

I want the game to feel better.

[Tim Gettys]

You want to fix the broken game?

[Mike]

Yes, I want the games. The fans have already done it. That's the funny part.

[Tim Gettys]

I know. I know. And so that's the thing is like, it's out there. I just feel like.

[Mike]

And I know you collab with the team, you paid the money, you take what they're working on and then you add on top of it. Or honestly, they're not gonna do that. They would just take kind of the ideas that they take, and they just.

[Tim Gettys]

Do it, do it themselves.

[Mike]

It's possible. At the very least, it is possible to make that game feel a little bit better. And then you can still put it. Maybe just change the models out. Maybe change the models out and that's it. Like, you could do some things that are just a little bit better. Looks a little bit nicer, but it still has that jig.

[Tim Gettys]

It's fun. I think it's a damned if you, damned if you don't situation, because the people that are sickles about this game are gonna complain about any little change possible. And if that's the only audience that's actually going to enjoy this, I just think it's lose, lose. Right. But I also do think that Sonic Adventure 2 is incredibly important.

[Mike]

Yeah, it is. It is. It should be in the Smithsonian. It might already be.

[Tim Gettys]

It might. Maybe. Yeah. The cultural significance is strong with that one. Well, Rog, that was great. You want to trade back? Do you want to get on the treadmill now?

[Mike]

No. Yeah, I'll get on the treadmill.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah. Man, so many episode. So many crazy juice.

[Ben Starr]

Pen star. Oh, what is that?

[Mike]

It's an orange one.

[Ben Starr]

Oh, I don't know what that is.

[Mike]

It's orange. You want it?

[Roger]

It's an overpriced American smoothie.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Roger]

A lot of sugar.

[Ben Starr]

Sweet. Yeah.

[Mike]

I swear to God.

[Tim Gettys]

Let me grab my job. Oh, God, I love my job so much.

[Ben Starr]

It's a cool job, isn't it?

[Tim Gettys]

What a. What a fun, fun time. How are you doing?

[Ben Starr]

I'm doing so well. I caught. I caught how many gummy bears?

[Tim Gettys]

Five.

[Ben Starr]

Right. I'm actually going to say that technically we did six, and because one of the first one came in my mouth. And then it came in my mouth.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah.

[Ben Starr]

And then left. Hello, everyone.

[Tim Gettys]

Hello, Ben. Man, you just. You just walked your little heart out over there.

[Ben Starr]

I did. I, I. The room was moving after I stepped off because I was like, oh, that's very strange.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah. Yep, yep, yep.

[Ben Starr]

Yeah. Good for Mike, though. He's doing a great job.

[Tim Gettys]

Oh, dude, Mike, I'm so proud of him. Big man over there. One of the biggest men I've ever seen. But I want to know. I don't know about big things right now. I want to know about the smallest things I could possibly know. Ben, where would I look?

[Ben Starr]

You go to the WE News Channel, where we cover all the small news items that you need to know about.

[Tim Gettys]

That is true. Here we are in WE news. I don't know what's happening. I doubt there's anything is the music is whatever. No cool. Yeah. No Gorgeous From VGC Bandai Namco has announced the summer showcase live stream for Wednesday, July 2. Blessings birthday.

[Ben Starr]

Wow.

[Tim Gettys]

Blessings birthday in two days everyone get one hyped get exactly a fresh 21. The Bandai Namco Summer showcase will include the announcement of a new My Hero Academia game, plus new looks at Tower and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree and Digimon story time. Stranger it said. And then Roger Clark is going to be streaming red dead redemption 2. He tweeted out. Please join me Join me playing red Dead Redemption 2 on my first ever game stream tomorrow Saturday at 2pm Eastern on Twitch and YouTube links in bio. That was over the weekend. I put this in here because we had been covering this for a couple weeks of Roger kind of talking about teasing something happening with Red Dead. There was a lot of questions of like, are we actually getting the 60fps patch or is it somewhere?

[Ben Starr]

Don't let them do it. We will ruin it for everyone.

[Tim Gettys]

And so here they are now. Me and Bless were hypothesizing it was going to be either a podcast or a streaming thing similar to what Nolan and Troy did years ago with retro replay. So very cool to see. Roger's awesome. So go support that.

[Ben Starr]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

The rogue Prince of Persia has been rated in Australia for Xbox Series, PS5 and Nintendo Switch. That is awesome. I played the hell out of that when it was in its like initial like beta phase or early access phase. And then they like made a lot of changes. Not purple anymore and the full games coming out, which is exciting. I don't know how much I'm gonna jump back into it though. Yeah, I might have got my fill.

[Ben Starr]

Well, I've got. I've got. I've got the ultimate Prince of Persia game, which is the last crown. I know just one of the best games this generation.

[Tim Gettys]

Superb. Superb. Backyard Baseball 2001 launches July 8th on PC and mobile mike. Yeah, it's a big deal.

[Roger]

Kevin's turning on my microphone, Tim. Big deal. They've worked really hard to get a lot of the former pros and into this game. That's what this company's been doing is trying to sign deals, bring back a lot of the names. That is what is synonymous with backyard sports is the kids playing with the pros. But here's the catch, Tim. Do you see the big three names that aren't going to be on the list? Ken Griffey Jr. The kid not Going to be there. Back up the Brinks truck. He's got to be in the video game. What are we doing?

[Tim Gettys]

Oh, man.

[Mike]

Also, by the way, where the fuck is my car? I gave you the controller for five seconds, Tim. And my car.

[Tim Gettys]

I didn't know. Dude, you just gave me the controller. I didn't know what I was doing.

[Mike]

I have all of my. My metals and my alloy there. And you just destroyed.

[Tim Gettys]

I had one goal, okay, don't fall, don't drop your stuff. And I didn't.

[Mike]

You just kept on watching.

[Tim Gettys]

I had everyone wander around.

[Ben Starr]

I was going, this is not what he wants. He does not want this.

[Roger]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

I didn't get hit by anything. I didn't fall. I had to change my shoes, though. That is the one thing I did. Cuz I broke your shoes.

[Mike]

Jesus Christ.

[Tim Gettys]

Well, thank you for that.

[Mike]

Appreciate that.

[Ben Starr]

Thanks of you.

[Mike]

Thank you.

[Tim Gettys]

All right, we got some your wrongs here.

[Ben Starr]

Whilst you're looking, I know this isn't sponsored, but has anyone tried Jamba Juice before? It's delicious. Oh, my God. $15.

[Tim Gettys]

Do you not have those over there?

[Ben Starr]

No, we.

[Tim Gettys]

Wow. You can get boosts in them. Like you can get like an energy boost.

[Ben Starr]

Oh, what have I got in here? Just orange, I don't think.

[Tim Gettys]

I don't know.

[Ben Starr]

This is nice, guys. You should try it.

[Tim Gettys]

You should try it. Jamba Juice, everyone.

[Ben Starr]

They'll get a sales boost from theirs.

[Tim Gettys]

Zaxon says, regarding the Mica Barra quote, the full saying is, jack of all trades, master of none is oftentimes better than master of one. So he's misusing the quote like many people do. That's wild. I didn't know that, dude. Did you?

[Ben Starr]

Yes, I did. Yeah, you're the type person that would know that. Yeah, I'm a little sicker for that sort of stuff. But also it's. Yeah, it's. It's an interesting phrase that has been misquoted many times.

[Tim Gettys]

That's wild.

[Ben Starr]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

Like the opposite meaning of how we often use it.

[Ben Starr]

Yep, absolutely.

[Tim Gettys]

Did you know that, Roger?

[Mike]

No, I didn't.

[Tim Gettys]

That's crazy, man.

[Mike]

You know, the blood is thicker than water. One's the same thing.

[Tim Gettys]

Blood's thicker than water.

[Mike]

What?

[Tim Gettys]

Okay. How, why? How so is it not.

[Mike]

Let me, let me turn up.

[Ben Starr]

Have you had thick water before? It's just incredible.

[Mike]

No, no, no, because it's blood of the. No, Blood of the covenant is thicker than water of the womb. So it's like the blood of the, like, you know, the covenant group. Yeah. Is thicker than the water of the womb, as in your siblings. Oh, yeah.

[Ben Starr]

Wow.

[Tim Gettys]

Dang. Water of the womb. That is. That's a subtitle to a game Kebab says Sonic Adventure 1 was specifically released December 23rd, 1998 in Japan, one month after the systems release in November 23rd 7th. That's wild. I totally had that wrong in my head. I thought that Dreamcast was the first worldwide console launch on that sacred day of September 9, 1999. Let's see what we got here. What super chats do we have to close out the show here so we can get. Oh, wow. We have a lot. Matt BO says birthday tax. Also, happy birthday to my birthday twin Tim. Did you know that we share a birthday with a bunch of celebrities? Cody Rhodes, Mike Tyson, Vince Vincent d' Onofrio, Michael Phelps, among others. And BB No Money, the popular artist. He also has the same birthday. Yeah, that's pretty cool. I always forget about Cody Rhodes. It's kind of cool. That's good, Roger. You see Cody Rhodes is in the movie trailer for. What's it called?

[Mike]

For Naked Gun.

[Tim Gettys]

Naked Gun, Yeah.

[Mike]

I'm excited about that.

[Tim Gettys]

I saw that trailer for the first time in theaters last week, and I was like, is that Cody?

[Mike]

Yeah. You excited for that movie?

[Tim Gettys]

Not really. I don't have any ties to the.

[Mike]

Originals, but gotta watch the original.

[Tim Gettys]

Okay.

[Ben Starr]

They're so good.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah.

[Ben Starr]

So good. Yeah.

[Mike]

Good.

[Ben Starr]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

It's. Topher says, ben Starr, you are a gem and should be protected at all costs.

[Ben Starr]

Thank you.

[Tim Gettys]

I agree.

[Ben Starr]

People say I should be protected at all costs, as if people are trying to kill me and it's a threat.

[Mike]

Look.

[Tim Gettys]

Look where you are right now. Yeah, like, you look like you're in a saw trap.

[Ben Starr]

You tried to choke me on some gummy bears, but I was not to be choked.

[Tim Gettys]

So Nugget says, how many gummy bears have you found so far?

[Roger]

We don't talk about that.

[Mike]

Yeah, it's an Easter egg situation. Find them forever.

[Ben Starr]

Was I the most successful gummy bear consumer?

[Roger]

100%.

[Tim Gettys]

I mean, dude, five in a row is absolutely wild.

[Ben Starr]

Generational run.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah. Dean says a sweaty mic. The tastemaker Roger. A handsome Ben. And the second best baby blues. What more could we ask for? Can Keep it up, guys. The frog night says keep. Great meeting you at Oticon last year, Ben. Oh, yeah. Had to ask. Who's your favorite strand Game streamer.

[Ben Starr]

These guys right here.

[Tim Gettys]

There we go. There we go. Freaking it. Geraldo says, hi, Ben. Love all of your voice roles.

[Ben Starr]

Thank you.

[Tim Gettys]

My girlfriend's first intro to you as A voice actor was when we played Date Everything together. Also today's our one month anniversary. Shout out to Jenna.

[Ben Starr]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

Shout out to y' all. Shout out to love and Jenna and everyone. Everything. Yeah.

[Ben Starr]

Thank you.

[Tim Gettys]

Date Everything. How's that going?

[Ben Starr]

Oh my God. It's. It's. It's more wild than I could ever imagine. I play like an adore. Well 17 doors but particulars. One door that everyone's really loving is a guy called Trap Dorian and he's a thirst. He's a thirst trap door and basically asmr. He's got his shirt off and the. The fan art is wild. So thank you to my. My day everything freaks. I love you all.

[Tim Gettys]

Hell yeah. Big Massan, Big Mason says love you. Ben. What. What does your everyday carry look like? So what do you have on you at all times?

[Ben Starr]

Oh, my phone, my keys, my headphones and a wallet and that's it.

[Tim Gettys]

What headphones are you rocking?

[Ben Starr]

So I'm a little weirdo. I always have like wired little earphones because I loved being able to talk to people on the phone.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah.

[Ben Starr]

So that's what I have. I'll always have some AirPods just in case I want to go to the gym or something. But I love wired. So actually. Because you can actually hear me when I'm talking because. Because I do a lot of my like chatting to my friends and stuff whilst I'm out and about. So I always do that. But if you have got my wallet and my keys, I'm pretty much good to go.

[Tim Gettys]

Dale says pay my birthday tax. Happy birthday to my birthday Twin Tim. Happy birthday. A lot of birthdays in June 30th 30th man. Like people nine months ago getting their fuck on. My best fuck on. Fuck on. It happens.

[Ben Starr]

Oh. Used to get their fuck on. Got their fuck on them nine months ago. Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

You know, in their respective years.

[Ben Starr]

I like to think people are getting the fuck on every day of the year.

[Tim Gettys]

You know, I like to think so too.

[Ben Starr]

I don't want to disparage people who.

[Tim Gettys]

Nine months twice on leap year.

[Ben Starr]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

Muggle princess, my best friend passed away unexpectedly on Saturday. Please hug your loved ones. I'm so sorry to hear that. I also, I'm sorry that I transitioned from what I was saying to that. But much love to you. That is very, very hard. Our hearts are with you. Count on me, says Ben. They wouldn't let me in your crazy life at Magicon. I wanted you to sign my Clyde card. You're awesome and I loved your panel.

[Ben Starr]

I'm really. I'm really sorry about that. There were lots of people who wanted to meet me at Magicon but weren't able to. But thank you for coming and making the trip, and I hope that it was worth it. Anyway, I. I loved Magicon. Everyone was so lovely who I met there. So.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah.

[Ben Starr]

Oh, you got some packs.

[Roger]

Yeah, boys, you guys are some of my favorite Final Fantasy guys. And I have some packs here to open. I've pre opened them.

[Tim Gettys]

All right. We gotta do it. We gotta do it. Hell, yeah. Hell, yeah.

[Ben Starr]

Okay, so gonna do this. We've got. We've got food. Oh, no, you've done it that way. Let's have a look. Thunder Magic. Blitzball shot. Choco Comet is nice. Oh, we got a Steiner card. Lovely Steiner. We got a Sid here. We've got a really kind of nice foil elixir there. Here you go. It's my favorite. Nice little. Nice little foil here for me. No card, unfortunately, for those people.

[Tim Gettys]

Oh, man. Okay, hold on. We got. We got a foil of the opera scene.

[Ben Starr]

Oh, six, baby.

[Tim Gettys]

I love that. And then, of course, shout out to my girl Tifa. Super cool.

[Ben Starr]

Yeah, I love it. I'm obsessed. I'm obsessed with opening packs and I'm obsessed with watching people open packs. The way that people do it is kind of crazy to see them do it. And then they price them up immediately.

[Tim Gettys]

They. Oh, yeah, that's.

[Ben Starr]

That's like. They have, like, machines that price them up straight away.

[Tim Gettys]

Crazy, man. How does it feel to be in the magic world now? Like, this is like you were just, like, making your way into all these different fandoms, like.

[Ben Starr]

Yeah, I love it. It's a seemingly impenetrable world, but actually, everyone who exists in the magic world is so lovely. I love the content creators. I love the people who play the game. They're so passionate about it. I've never felt kind of. I didn't think I would be. Feel as welcomed into the community as I have, and I just. Yeah, I love it. And I'm kind of a little bit obsessed now.

[Tim Gettys]

So cool. So cool. Aggravated and he says, sending my birthday tax. June 30th birthday is on top. Always. Happy birthday, Tim. Happy birthday, Andy.

[Ben Starr]

Yes. Birthday to your parents. That fuck nine months ago.

[Tim Gettys]

Exactly. It's so cool. New Mateo says the saw trap I think is so confusing. It really does.

[Roger]

Look.

[Tim Gettys]

And then we got Norm Chacho says, shout out to 1440p, 60 frames per second, games daily. Is that right, Kev?

[Mike]

Yes, that's right.

[Tim Gettys]

Pretty cool.

[Ben Starr]

Finally Can I give a shout out to Jamba Juice?

[Roger]

Yeah.

[Ben Starr]

Huge fan. Not sponsored, but please go down to your local Jumbo Juice and say Ben sent you.

[Tim Gettys]

I love it. Jonesy says, I told my wife the plot of Expedition 33. I like how he says Exposition 33. Slip there and she would love to read a novel on since she doesn't play games. I love you, Ben. I also took Gia for an incredibly long walk. It was supposed to just be like a quick little walk around a lake and we had to cycle it like four times. I told her the story of the entire game.

[Ben Starr]

Yeah, it's just. I think what's so great about it is it's an amazing combat design that is really addictive to play and also the story is amazing, but it's a, it's a character driven story. I think if you, if you don't fall in love with the characters and Jan and Guillaume have created the, this amazing roster of brilliant people and whoever's your favorite character, you can fall in love with them and the assorted people. But yeah, it's a good game. Game is good. Go play it.

[Tim Gettys]

Robbie Robb says Xbox Ally is the debut of a handheld os. Once it becomes public for everyone to use cheaper devices can use it. Xbox is a service exclusive platform. Yep. Great way to put it. Melodic Quest says. We got to talk about the real issue. Where is Expedition 33's photo mode? They're small teams, they're working. I'm sure they could not have prepared for this.

[Ben Starr]

So I'm gonna say something right.

[Tim Gettys]

Hold on, hold on, Ben. Don't do something that we just said we shouldn't do. Don't be a voice actor saying stuff you're not supposed to say unless you want it.

[Ben Starr]

I will say this. I will say this. I am so impressed by people. We thought, well, there can be no digital photos. There's an amazing community of digital photographers who, who take amazing photos of all types of games. And there is no photo mode in Expedition 33, but people have still been taking the most insanely beautiful photos. I don't know how, but like some of the stuff we get back and we get tagged in is incredible. So thank you to all the people who've spent a lot of time probably like going through the ringer to try and get these photos. They look amazing.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah. I'm so stoked for that team though. Like, I really feel like whatever their next, whatever update they have for the game and stuff, like they're just again, like the success that they had. I'm sure they're not prepared for and so they have to have that moment of like, what do we do, dude?

[Ben Starr]

They're so cool. They're such great people that they're just like weird little nerdy gamers who love what they love what they love. And I just love spending. I was spent a little bit Christmas with them and I just. I love them all dearly. They're amazing people.

[Tim Gettys]

Golden Spider says Ubisoft said in recent press release that their AC plan going forwards. A remake one year and then a new game the next for 10 years. Interesting.

[Ben Starr]

Great remake.

[Tim Gettys]

2 Adam 2 Time says I'm at the Death Stranding 2 tour in London with Kojima and Jeff. I can't wait. Support the marathon stream all day. Oh, it's great. Hi. You have a kangaroo.

[Ben Starr]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

I heard Ben saying stuff he's not supposed to say. No, look at this. Oh, I got this embargoed thing about Ben star tomorrow. Tomorrow. Oh, wow. So I emailed them and I'm like, hey, can we talk about it today on the Gamescast with Ben? And they're all British. They're probably asleep. I don't know. Casual Vader says Tim played like Roger handed the controller to a kid brother. Ah, man. There was a lot more stress and fear. Kid brother.

[Mike]

I had to go in there and I had to go to the last 30 minutes of PlayStation 5 recording to find my car and I did. You kind of walked away from it, which I appreciate it.

[Ben Starr]

Do you know what this looks like right now is, you know the TikTok trend of. Please listen to my son who wants to talk to you about. He wants to show his Pokemon collection. This is literally what we're looking at right now.

[Tim Gettys]

Yep. I love it so much. Danny Tortoly. Danny Tortelli says it was my birthday this past weekend, the 28th. Happy birthday, Danny. That's all this is.

[Ben Starr]

Shout out to your parents who fucked nine months before.

[Tim Gettys]

Woo. Shout out to fucking everybody. And Ben, shout out to you. Thank you so much for coming to hang out with us.

[Ben Starr]

Thank you.

[Tim Gettys]

On your. Your vacation. It's your holiday. One of your many times abroad.

[Ben Starr]

This isn't work. Yeah, he's just hanging out with friends.

[Tim Gettys]

We just hanging out, talking about stuff. Where can people find you? What should they be looking forward to in the world of Ben Starr?

[Ben Starr]

I don't know. I seem to be too many places at the moment.

[Tim Gettys]

Just.

[Ben Starr]

Yeah, play whatever you like. I'm in a load of games at the moment. If you haven't tried Expedition 33 and you're worried about it. Like just play it is as good as people. Hello. Say it is. Also try out date everything. There's loads of cool. It's a brilliantly written game. The artwork is stunning and there's probably so many actors in it that you like. We've got like Matt Mercer, Laura Bailey, Troy Baker, anyone you love. It's really fun. It's really silly. Shout out to Ray Chase and Robbie Daymond and Max Mittelman who made it.

[Tim Gettys]

Hell yeah.

[Ben Starr]

It's made by people who love games and it's, you know, it's a celebration of that.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah, go check it out if you wanted. Hey, this is not the end of Ben. Him and Greg are about to do a one on one gamescast with all these shenanigans still happening. So I'm sure fun is to be had. After that. Of course they're going to be streaming for at least five hours and 40 minutes. All of your Twitch subs and gifted subs will go to raising that number. So maybe they'll go all night. How long will you go up to Rog? Do you know?

[Roger]

Then we go till the timer runs.

[Mike]

We go to the timer runs out.

[Tim Gettys]

Until the timer runs out. So if you want this to keep going another night, we'll see. And then at noon, my Wedding Getty's Live on Stage is going to premiere. If you could pull that up on YouTube and hang out in the chat, that would be so awesome. I'm incredibly excited. I worked incredibly hard on this edit and it is very, very, very cool. Obviously I'm stoked about it, but I would love if you would check it out as well. But until next time, I love you all and.