Kinda Funny Games Daily – February 19, 2026

Episode: PlayStation Shuts Down Bluepoint
Hosts: Blessing Adeoye Jr. & SnowBikeMike
Main Theme: Breaking News – PlayStation Shuts Down Bluepoint Games; Key Video Game Industry Updates

Overview

This episode started as a regular KFGD, unspooling the latest stories in the game industry—God of War casting news, Elder Scrolls VI details, and Sony’s PlayStation 5 strategy—before being overtaken live by breaking news: PlayStation is shutting down Bluepoint Games, the acclaimed studio behind modern remakes of classics like Demon’s Souls and Shadow of the Colossus. Blessing and Mike react in real-time, analyze the consequences for PlayStation and the industry, and field community superchats. The episode is marked by genuine shock, frustration, and reflection on the state of development studios in 2026.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. God of War & Christopher Judge’s “Leak”

• (05:56–12:14):

  • God of War’s Kratos actor, Christopher Judge, mentioned his next big project will be announced in "late summer." Although originally interpreted as possibly tied to Santa Monica Studio, the hosts question whether this means a new God of War, DLC, an animated project—or Judge simply being a “company man.”
  • The context was a fan-recorded conversation at a convention, sparking debate on etiquette and trust between actors and fans.
  • Notable speculation:
    • God of War remake with a “new fighting system.”
    • Cory Barlog’s unannounced project—whether it ties back to God of War or is a new IP.
    • When the next PlayStation State of Play would fit these teases (likely September).

  "Late summer. Summertime. What is it?"
  —Mike (08:21)

  "[Voice actors] keep getting hit at conventions. Maybe if you're at a bar, that's different. But at a con, if you say something you shouldn't, you should expect to be recorded."
  —Blessing (07:16)

  • Later (63:12), Christopher Judge publicly walks back the God of War implication:

    "Let me be crystal clear. I have zero involvement with the original games and what they involve, full stop... More info this summer."
    —Christopher Judge via X (63:15)

2. Elder Scrolls 6 Details from Todd Howard

• (22:52–29:34):

  • In a new interview, Todd Howard confirmed Elder Scrolls 6 is being built on Creation Engine 3, a significant upgrade after Starfield’s Creation Engine 2.
  • Elder Scrolls 6 marks a “return to classic style” after Starfield and Fallout 76’s more experimental structures.
  • Key discussion:
    • Starfield was seen as too segmented—unlike classic Bethesda open worlds.
    • Hosts hope Elder Scrolls 6 is more RPG than simulation, wary of another “settlement system” being crammed into Tamriel.
    • Expectation: Elder Scrolls 6 release is still “three years out”—estimate of 2029.

  "Starfield, in the way it approached open world, felt segmented—and that’s the antithesis of what I want out of a Bethesda game."
  —Mike (24:04)

  "I want a giant Tamriel map, I want to be wowed by walking into some random cave..."
  —Blessing (26:19)

3. Sony’s Strategy – Monetizing the PlayStation 5 Base

• (35:51–41:31):

  • Sony will resist PS5 price hikes due to rising RAM prices, instead focusing on “monetizing the installed base”—i.e., raising the price of services like PlayStation Plus.
  • Blessing posits Nintendo will similarly raise Switch Online prices to offset hardware costs.
  • Tabletop discussion on how expensive PS Plus would have to get before users cancel—hypothetical thresholds at $100–$120/year.

  "They’re gonna try to keep PS5 prices down... The problem is, we who have already invested in Sony—now we're probably going to foot the bill here in a second."
  —Blessing (37:05)

4. (LIVE) Breaking News: PlayStation Shuts Down Bluepoint Games

• (44:14–55:35):

  • Jason Schreier at Bloomberg breaks the news: PlayStation is shutting down Bluepoint Games. Blessing and Mike learn and process this live.
  • Bluepoint’s history: renowned for top-tier remakes (Uncharted Collection, Shadow of the Colossus, Demon's Souls). Briefly, they were developing original content (later revealed as a now-canceled God of War multiplayer project).
  • Analysis:
    • Bluepoint’s closure is a casualty of Sony’s “live service pivot” and the industry’s current economics; the God of War multiplayer cancellation left the studio with nothing in the pipeline.
    • No clear path for acquisition: Unlikely for another publisher to step in and buy a 70-person team with no proprietary IP.
    • Deep sadness—the talent/skills at Bluepoint, plus fan frustration at the missed opportunity (“You couldn't just give them Bloodborne?”).
    • View that PlayStation’s focus on live service games has resulted in a “colossal mistake” and significant wasted years/burned studios.

  "You couldn't just give them Bloodborne. Like, what are we doing here?"
  —Blessing (48:21)

  "This has been a colossal failure for PlayStation... the timeline where they just kept making the things they’re good at would look completely different."
  —Mike (52:04)

  "Colossal mistake."
  —Blessing (53:33)

Community & Superchat Response

• (58:37) Debate on whether Bluepoint even wanted to stay a remake studio—or got “pushed” to multiplayer work.
• (57:07) Chat questions the perpetual “Bloodborne” riddle: why not allow Bluepoint to remake it?
• (63:52) Hosts: "I think he's lying" (regarding Christopher Judge’s walk-back on his summer tease).

5. Other News in Brief

• (42:20–44:12) Dust Bloods from FromSoftware for Nintendo Switch 2: Store listing suggests March 27 2026, but hosts dismiss this as a placeholder, not a real date.
• (59:38–62:20) Rapid-fire “Wii News”: Xenoblade Chronicles X surprise Switch 2 edition, Destiny 2 expansion delayed, Ubisoft Toronto layoffs, NetEase’s Spliced Inc. layoffs, and some lighter Nintendo news.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Fan-Con Leaks:

  "Now the trust is broken. He’s never gonna say anything to anyone else. I hope you’re happy."
  —Mike (07:01)

• On Modernizing Combat:

  "I don’t think modernizing should be erasing the character action style of the original games. For me, that’s not even modernizing anymore. That’s just changing what the game is."
  —Mike (19:34)

• On PlayStation’s First-Party Direction:

  "If PlayStation just let their studios do what they do best—if Bluepoint could just make remakes—the whole generation looks different."
  —Blessing (52:04)

• On Industry Burnout:

  "Every week something like this happens. All these companies are colossally failing their employees."
  —Blessing (61:43)

Timestamps & Segment Guide

• 00:17 – Hosts intro, banter, energy check
• 03:56 – News begins, God of War/Christopher Judge “leak” breaks down (05:56–17:44)
• 22:52 – Elder Scrolls VI/Creation Engine 3 details, Todd Howard interview recap (22:52–29:34)
• 35:51 – PlayStation 5, RAM crisis, PS Plus price speculation (35:51–41:31)
• 44:14 – LIVE: Bluepoint Games shutdown reaction, analysis (44:14–55:35)
• 59:38 – “Wii News” (lightning round) (59:38–62:20)
• 62:47 – Christopher Judge responds to “leak” on social media (63:12)
• 66:44 – Community wrap, closing reflections

Takeaway Summary

This episode quickly transformed from a regular industry roundup into a breaking-news think piece on PlayStation’s first-party studio strategy—a must-listen for anyone invested in gaming’s evolving business realities. The hosts’ real-time shock and anger highlight the underlying anxieties across game development and fandom alike. Bluepoint’s closure is emblematic of a volatile industry where creative teams are whiplashed by shifting corporate priorities, and where nostalgia and talent sometimes don’t stand a chance against executive pivots and spreadsheet logic.

For further context, the rest of the episode (esp. after ad breaks) featured more lighthearted banter and Q&A, plus a Pokémon Day tease.