Kinda Funny Games Daily 02.03.26 – Summary

Episode Overview

In this February 3, 2026 episode of Kinda Funny Games Daily, hosts Greg “GameOverGreggy” Miller and special guest Keza McDonald (author of Super Nintendo) discuss the latest and hottest news in the video game world. The headline topics include Obsidian’s struggles and uncertain future post-Outer Worlds 2, union unrest and leadership troubles at Ubisoft, Sony’s eyebrow-raising AI podcast patent, and a flurry of quick-hit industry news. The show's tone is conversational, candid, and peppered with humor and personal anecdotes.

Major Discussion Topics & Key Insights

Keza McDonald’s New Book: Super Nintendo

• Keza discusses the origins and goals of her new book, designed to provide a "lively cultural history" of Nintendo (02:57-07:42).
  • She structured the book around Nintendo's celebrated franchises, blending developer interviews and personal stories.
  • Notable anecdote: Her quest to obtain a GameCube and Animal Crossing as a teenager—imported from Canada! (05:05-05:51)
• Quote:

  “Even when she didn’t always understand it, [my mom] always supported my passion for video games.” — Keza McDonald (05:51)

  “I think Nintendo being so vital to our industry and so vital to video games overall, it’s worth a read even if you’re not a Nintendo person.” — Greg Miller (07:42)

• Availability: Book is out now in North America, UK release the following week, and as an audiobook narrated by Keza.

The Roper Report: News & Analysis

1. Obsidian’s Future: No Outer Worlds 3; Avowed to Continue Despite Disappointments

(08:16-17:41)

• Bloomberg reports Obsidian’s RPGs (Outer Worlds 2, Avowed) underperformed sales-wise; no plans for Outer Worlds 3 but more Avowed-universe games may be coming.
• Both titles were in development over six years—Obsidian now aims for three-to-four-year dev cycles to improve outputs.
• Releasing three games in one year (per Josh Sawyer) “wasn’t necessarily a good thing” and “meant the studio support teams were stretched thin.” (11:47)
• Discussion on the challenges of big RPGs, industry expectation, and the value of smaller, tightly-focused experiences:

  “We really need to get rid of this idea that the RPG has to be this huge go anywhere world.” — Greg Miller (14:12)

  “I don’t have 300 hours anymore, man.” — Keza McDonald (15:15)

  • Greg champions “smaller, powerful experiences,” referencing Obsidian’s success with Pentiment.
  • Both hosts express anxiety about studio stability in an era of mass layoffs and Microsoft’s profit-margin targets.

2. Ubisoft Union Calls for CEO Yves Guillemot’s Resignation

(23:32-32:30)

• Following layoffs, studio closures, and controversial back-to-office mandates, Ubisoft’s union reps say trust cannot be rebuilt with Guillemot in charge.

  “Ubisoft. What a shit show, yo.” — Greg Miller (26:07)

• Both reflect on Ubisoft’s lost creative direction, over-reliance on legacy IP (Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry), and the diminishing “Frenchness quotient.”

  “They…consolidated everything into Assassin's Creed, essentially." — Keza (27:04)

  • Avatar’s disappointing performance is called out.
  • Question over when Ubisoft lost its “family company” soul—agreed it’s been at least 5–10 years.

3. Sony Patents AI Podcasts Voiced by Game Characters

(33:32-43:04)

• Sony’s patent details a system to auto-generate personalized podcasts voiced by in-game characters using AI.
• Universal skepticism and mockery by both hosts:

  “Fuck me, Keza. …Do you want to be roasted by Parappa the Rapper?” — Greg Miller (36:59)

  “All [AI] can do is reflect what you've already told it… that's how the technology works.” — Keza (38:08)

• Concerns about voice actors' rights, creative redundancy, and patent absurdity.

  “Why are you telling me to update? … The whole thing sucks.” — Greg

Other Noteworthy Segments

What Are You Playing? (17:41-20:44)

• Keza prefers shorter indie games on Steam Deck or Switch; recently enjoyed Cairn and remains determined to beat Silksong.
• She appreciates her Guardian role lets her chase personal interests rather than the review grind.

The State of the Industry (Throughout)

• Recurring theme: ongoing studio closures, pressure for profits, layoffs, and the bleak realities for developers.
• Both champions indie creativity and urge supporting devs through purchases.

Epic Games Store Admits Shortcomings

• Epic’s GM Steve Allison says “The launcher sucks. Let’s call it what it is,” promising major speed and user experience improvements this year (49:57-52:08).

  “It's the forgotten little one…” — Greg (50:31)

  • Hosts note Steam’s dominance and the dangers of near-monopoly.

Nintendo Switch & Software Sales Milestone

• Switch overtakes DS as Nintendo’s top-selling console ever (53:13–54:13).
• Mario Kart 8 Deluxe continues to break sales records; delight and bafflement from the hosts.

  “Is there anyone in the world who doesn't own Mario Kart 8 Deluxe now?” — Keza

Memorable Quotes

• On AI Podcasts: “Stop putting more fat on the fucking goddamn meat…just make games.” — Greg (39:08)
• On Ubisoft’s downturn: “The Frenchness has died. … The general Frenchness quotient just kind of declined over time.” — Keza (58:40)
• On Obsidian RPGs: “We really need to get rid of this idea that the RPG has to be this huge go anywhere world.” — Greg (14:12)
• On Industry Fatigue: “I don’t have 300 hours anymore, man.” — Keza (15:15)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Keza’s Book & Nintendo Deep-Dive: 01:34–08:16
• Obsidian Discusses Future, No Outer Worlds 3: 08:16–17:41
• Games Industry Burnout and Future: 15:46–17:41
• Choosing What to Play (Keza Interview): 17:41-20:44
• Ubisoft Union & CEO Troubles: 23:32–32:30
• Sony AI Podcast Patent: 33:32–43:04
• Epic Games Store Admittance & Roadmap: 49:57–52:08
• Nintendo’s Massive Switch Milestone: 53:13–54:13

Final Thoughts & Tone

The hosts keep things candid, snarky, sometimes exasperated with industry nonsense (especially around AI and corporate creative floundering), but ultimately passionate about gaming and creative voices. The show closes out with encouragement to support creators, Keza promoting her work and Guardian’s newsletter, and a lighthearted rundown of personal projects and fan interactions.

Useful Links & Further Reading

• Keza McDonald’s Super Nintendo: Available now in the US/Canada, UK release next week.
• Bloomberg Feature on Obsidian / Studio Reinvention: [Inside Xbox: A Game Studio Is Trying to Reinvent Itself]
• Ubisoft Union Statement: Chris Kerr at game developer
• Sony AI Patent Reporting: Chris Scullion at VGC

Next Up: Blessing sits down with Suda51 on Gamescast.

“It’s been our pleasure to serve you.”