Kinda Funny Games Daily – January 16, 2026

Main Theme

Today’s episode, hosted by Snowbike Mike and Gary Whitta, is an Excast reunion packed with analysis, banter, and community engagement. The main topics revolve around a rumored Nintendo Switch 2 model leak, major industry moves (notably the Division 3 director’s departure from Ubisoft to EA), live service shutdowns (New World), and the latest gaming news, with a healthy dose of personal anecdotes and offbeat humor.

Episode Breakdown

1. Friendly Catch-Up & Current Gaming

• Hosts: Snowbike Mike, Gary Whitta
• Vibe: Lighthearted, playful roast, exchanging life and gaming updates.

Memorable Quotes:

• “These Forza games, they always do look great, but like it's very unlikely we're going to be—yep, that is an awesome looking Forza game set in Japan… not going to be like any big curveballs in that one.” – Gary Whitta [03:29]
• “For me, the action is the juice.” – Gary Whitta quoting Heat, on Snowbike Mike’s PvP style [57:27]
• “I'm the only one around here that knows anything about movies. The rest of you…” – Gary Whitta [59:45]

Notable Segments:

• Gary discusses his new podcast See You in Hell’s early success [06:05] and the scramble to produce episode two after a strong showing at launch.
• Arc Raiders is dissected in depth – its sweaty, high-stakes approach compared to Helldivers, the tension of PvPvE encounters, and matchmade toxicity.
  • “If I log into Arc Raiders there’s very likely at least one person I know is on… loving it.” – Gary Whitta [15:02]

2. Major News – The Roper Report

Story #1: Mystery Product Code Sparks Switch 2 Model Rumors [17:05–23:45]

Source: Ollie Reynolds, Nintendo Life

• Rumor: A new ‘OSM’ product code on Nintendo’s official site may hint at a Switch 2 variant.
• Discussion points:
  • Tradition of iterative Switch models (OG, Lite, OLED).
  • Both hosts expect a Switch 2 Lite and/or OLED in the future, but caution it’s “way too early” for an imminent reveal.
  • Product code could also point to a menu or prototype, not actual hardware.
  • “Unless... there’s some technological or economic reason not to, I think it makes sense for them to follow the very successful playbook they had with Switch 1...” – Gary Whitta [19:22]
  • “They already knew what they were doing. These companies plan way ahead.” – Gary Whitta [20:44]
  • Consensus: A “Switch Lite makes sense,” but no release soon.

Story #2: Division 3 Boss Julian Gerighty Leaves Ubisoft for EA [26:52–35:33]

Source: Andy Robinson, VGC

• Headline: The creative force behind The Division and Star Wars Outlaws moves from Ubisoft Massive to lead Battlefield Studios at EA, soon after hyping up Division 3.
• Impact:
  • “Big get for EA, big loss for Ubisoft.” – Gary Whitta [28:47]
  • Ubisoft is still promising ongoing support for The Division, new creative directors named.
• Dark Zone chat: Mike & Gary reminisce about the Division’s mix of PvE and PvP, and speculate Division 3 could lean harder into the extraction shooter genre.
• Broader reflection on Ubisoft’s recent struggles, successful franchises, and need for fresh wins.

Story #3: Amazon’s New World Aeternum MMO Shutting Down [36:39–42:57]

Source: Sophie McEvoy, GI Biz

• Fact: After lackluster long-term performance, New World and in-game purchases shut down by Jan 2027.
• Themes:
  • The sadness of MMO worlds ending and communities dissolving.
  • “I don't think of them as a game I play, but as a place that I go.” – Gary Whitta [40:04]
  • References to the closures of earlier MMOs (Asheron’s Call, Matrix Online), and the perilous life of live service games.
  • “When that world goes away, there’s something really sad about it… like switching off the life support.” – Gary Whitta [41:53]

Story #4: LEGO Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Set Announced [43:16–45:43]

• Announcement: LEGO set (1,003 pieces, $129), re-enacts the climactic final battle of Ocarina of Time, launches March 1.
  • Gary guesses the exact price, recounts his household’s Zelda fandom.
  • Discussion of whether Ocarina of Time still holds the “best Zelda” crown.

3. WI-News: Lightning Round [46:09–52:22]

Short Stories & Updates:

• Netflix lands streaming rights to the live-action Legend of Zelda film.
• CM Punk reportedly headlining WWE 2K26’s showcase mode — is he S-Tier? Heated debate!
• Ace Combat 7 sells 7 million copies.
• No Rest for the Wicked (by Ori’s Moon Studios) sells 1 million in Early Access.
• Coffee Talk: Tokyo delayed; original comes to mobile.
• Subway Surfer City launches Feb 26 — the youth are hyped.

4. Superchat Q&A & Community Banter [52:34–63:35]

• “Gary, loved See You in Hell.” – Fan message, celebrates Gary’s writing work [52:48]
• On old game merch: Gary reminisces about a Triple Play Baseball ’98 hoodie [53:53]
• Birthday shoutouts: Mike & Gary (“Boom Boom!”) [58:33]
• Fantasy book rec: The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss [62:43]
• Movies: Gary volunteers to join the crew for a rewatch of Heat or Pulp Fiction [62:05], critiques the pressure to make others watch your fave films.

5. Show Closer: Party Games and Industry Chat [63:35–66:50]

• Mike teases the next Party Mode episode: the frantic Overcooked-like Unrailed, a Gary favorite.
• Discussion of how franchises like Mario Kart and Minecraft spawn nearly indistinguishable clones (Sonic Racing, Lego Party, Hytale), and the legal/creative gray area this creates.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “It's OLED or no-lead in my house.” – Gary Whitta on Switch screens [19:48]
• “You bring the cheese to me. I eat the cheese”—Snowbike Mike, on extraction shooter rat tactics [12:38]
• “They call them rats... You bring the cheese to me. I eat the cheese.” – Snowbike Mike [12:38]
• “I want to see you and Nick sit down and watch Heat for content... that's a banger movie.” – Gary Whitta [57:47]

Timestamps for Key Segments:

• [06:05] – Gary details the success of his podcast See You in Hell
• [17:05] – Switch 2 (OSM code) speculation begins
• [26:52] – Division 3 director departure news
• [36:39] – Closure of New World MMO segment
• [43:16] – LEGO Zelda set announcement
• [46:09] – WI-News/Quickfire segment starts
• [52:34] – Superchat Q&A

Tone & Energy

• Energetic, honest, irreverently insightful.
• Hosts riff on each other’s quirks (Mike’s PvP “juice,” Gary’s Gen X pride, old game merch).
• Genuine industry knowledge blended with personal anecdotes (and a healthy skepticism toward PR spin).
• Community questions, jokes, and shoutouts are woven throughout.

For Listeners Who Missed It: Key Takeaways

• No imminent Switch 2 hardware release, but expect the ‘Nintendo Playbook’ of iterative models.
• Division 3 is still coming, but Ubisoft loses a crucial leader to Battlefield Studios.
• The world of New World will sunset in 2027, a reminder of the fragility of live-service communities.
• Legendary franchises endure, whether through LEGO, new modes, or franchises that refuse to die (hi, Ace Combat and Subway Surfers).
• Hosts are excited, skeptical, and full of gamer nostalgia—if you want industry talk with sharp wit and a dash of “action is the juice,” this was the episode.