Kinda Funny Games Daily (11.07.25)

Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra DELAYED, Mass Effect Update, and the Game Awards’ Future Class Dropped

Hosts: Greg “GameOverGreggy” Miller & Blessing Adeoye Jr.

Date: November 7, 2025

Overview

On this episode of Kinda Funny Games Daily, Greg and Blessing cover three major stories shaking up the video game industry:

• The next high-profile delay: Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra slips past early 2026.
• BioWare finally gives an update on the future of Mass Effect—the new game and the upcoming TV show.
• The Game Awards officially abandon their “Future Class” diversity initiative, igniting passionate reflection and criticism from alumni (including Blessing).

Additional discussions span from Borderlands’ waning appeal, indie dev rumors, and the joys of chill gaming in Arc Raiders, to the cultural moment surrounding DEI programs in gaming.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra—Delayed Again

(Starts ~08:00)

• Breaking News: Skydance Games delays Marvel 1943 past early 2026—no new release window. The decision came hours after Rockstar pushed GTA 6 from May to November 2026.
  • “If you had a delay to announce, yesterday would have been the funniest time to do it. As soon as GTA opened that door, everybody should have run out there.” – Greg (09:22)
• Game in Question: Narrative action adventure set in WWII Paris, starring 1940s Captain America, Black Panther (Azuri), Gabriel Jones (Howling Commandos), and a Wakandan spy (Nanali).
  • Story revealed by Amy Hennig’s Skydance, notable for unannounced Star Wars project as well.
• Skepticism About the Game’s Existence: Neither Greg nor Blessing truly believe it was close to release, noting the lack of gameplay, previews, or deep dives to date.
  • “What is it about this game that makes us not believe in its existence?” – Blessing (09:47)
  • “We just haven’t seen enough of it.” – Greg (10:54)
• Critique of Marketing and Title:
  • “Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra does not scream ‘that’s a banger.’ That sounds like I’m reading a history book.” – Greg (11:43)
  • Expectations: Uncharted-style, narrative-driven, playing as four characters with varying gameplay. Concern over how enjoyable “non-hero” sections will be.
    • “I really don’t give a shit about the other two people… I can’t wait to be Captain America and I can’t wait to be Black Panther.” – Greg (13:07)
• Comparison to Other Big Games:
  • Will likely launch after GTA 6, possibly even after Arkane’s Blade. Skepticism that Skydance can nail story and gameplay with equal finesse.
  • Both hosts long for a gameplay deep-dive before launch, maybe at a PlayStation State of Play or Comic-Con panel.

2. BioWare’s Mass Effect Update: Game & Amazon TV Show

(Starts ~19:22)

• N7 Day Statement: Executive Producer Mike Gamble reassures fans:
  • Next Mass Effect is in full development; BioWare/EA still committed.
  • Team is “heads down and focused exclusively on Mass Effect.”
  • Amazon TV series officially in the works, set after the original trilogy—won’t retread Shepard’s story.
• Notable Quotes:
  • “The show will explore a brand new story within the universe’s timeline and will be set after the original trilogy… after all, [Shepard’s] your story, isn’t it?” – Mike Gamble (21:13)
• Hosts’ Analysis:
  • Excitement for new stories outside of Shepard, lauding Fallout’s recent TV adaptation as the blueprint.
    • “Fallout’s the perfect blueprint to follow here.” – Greg (31:47)
  • Concerns about political implications of EA’s rumored buyout by Jared Kushner/Saudi Arabia on LGBTQ+ representation in games.
    • “If we don’t get it published by the time the papers are signed, though, probably won’t be any gay stuff in it.” – Greg (26:09)
    • “They’re looking for… [Mass Effect] is maybe number one on the list for a video game that does socially progressive things with its relationships that the… grifters would go after.” – Blessing (28:08)
  • Speculation: Which releases first—Mass Effect, Marvel 1943, or Blade? Both agree: probably Marvel 1943, if it happens at all.
• Cynical But Realistic Tone:
  • Greg repeatedly notes games often get canceled after a string of delays or are caught up in industry shifts.
    • “Let’s not act like I’m not right about it a lot of times.” – Greg (24:46)
  • Blessing highlights the way marginalized content, especially LGBTQ+ stories, are always at risk during buyouts or under new, politically-motivated ownership.

3. Game Awards Future Class Abandoned

(Starts ~37:22)

• News: Game Awards have quietly ended their “Future Class” initiative—no new honorees, no networking/events, and removal of honoree list from the website. Decision relayed only in a Discord server message; organizers no longer engaging with alumni.
• Reactions and Reflection:
  • Blessing (a 2020 Future Class member) recounts how the program started strong—with networking, industry calls, discounts to the awards, a sense of inclusion—but rapidly faded after 2021.
  • Members felt abandoned, especially after using their collective voice for causes (e.g., asking for a Gaza ceasefire mention, more post-nomination support).
  • “I think that’s f-ed up. Namely because you can’t create a program where you’re trying to highlight marginalized people… and then when you don’t feel like doing it anymore, just abandon it.” – Blessing (45:36)
  • Both hosts agree: No matter the motivation, the PR/communication was handled “poorly, period.” (Greg, 46:11)
• Broader Critique:
  • Blessing locates the abandonment of Future Class within a “post-DEI moment”:
    • “They launched this thing at a time where it was cool to support people of color… and now, it’s not even just Keighley, it’s everybody… sunsetted their DEI efforts.” – Blessing (48:40)
• Takeaway: This trend reflects bigger cultural shifts, with companies moving away from diversity programs now that political winds and public attention have shifted.

4. Other Gaming News

(Starts ~53:42)

• Mafia: The Old Country
  • Outperformed internal sales predictions for Take-Two. Short but sweet (12-14 hours), $50, strong narrative, shows the “contained single-player game” isn’t dead.
  • “You can have the perfect result… if you give consumers a great narrative experience, that’s a lot of fun, somewhat contained and a fair price.” – Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick, quoted by Greg
• Borderlands 4 Sales Soft
  • Both hosts agree apathy has set in; the series’ humor and style, once divisive but distinct, feels diminished.
    • “I have not thought about Borderlands… outside of it coming up in an article… I have not been like, ‘was I too hard on it?’” – Greg (55:30)
  • Borderlands may need a long hiatus or a re-invention.
• Obsidian News Rumors
  • Chris Avellone tweets suggest no Outer Worlds 3 is coming soon, but Avowed 2 is in the works.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Marvel 1943 Delay:

  “Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra does not scream ‘that’s a banger.’ That sounds like I’m reading a history book.”
  — Greg Miller (11:43)

• On Future Class’ Demise & Allyship:

  “You can’t create a program where you’re trying to highlight marginalized people… and then when you start to not feel like doing this anymore, just abandon it. That for me is the exact opposite of being an ally.”
  — Blessing (45:36)

• On Mass Effect’s TV Show:

  “The show will explore a brand new story within the universe’s timeline and will be set after the original trilogy… after all, [Shepard’s] your story, isn’t it?”
  — Mike Gamble, BioWare (21:13)

• On Industry Shifts in DEI:

  “They launched this thing at a time where it was cool to support people of color… and now… everyone is pulling out… it’s them being like, ‘we ain’t gotta do this.’”
  — Blessing (48:40)

• On Borderlands’ Identity Crisis:

  “When they watered this one down… I felt like I was playing a very generic game… I’m not saying it all needs to be fucking dick and fart jokes, but I just didn’t get the color of it.”
  — Greg (55:14)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Marvel 1943 News & Skepticism: 08:00 – 19:22
• Mass Effect Updates (Game & TV): 19:22 – 32:06
  • Extended discussion of politics in game publishing: 26:00 – 32:06
• Game Awards/Future Class Discourse: 37:22 – 52:08
  • Blessing recounts internal dynamics: 41:57 – 44:27
  • Reflection on DEI retreat in the industry: 48:07 – 52:08
• Mafia, Borderlands, and Other News: 53:42 – 58:37
• Random Super Chats & Rapid Fire News: 58:37 – 63:06

Final Thoughts & Tone

This episode blends Kinda Funny’s signature banter with raw, informed industry critique and genuine frustration over recurring industry failures—especially regarding diversity and communication. The hosts’ skepticism, humor, and willingness to confront uncomfortable industry truths shine through, making the episode essential listening for gaming news fans and industry watchers alike.

Next Episode:
Gamescast PS2 Sh*t List, Game Showdown, and Arc Raiders stream up next.

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