Kinda Funny Games Daily – November 24, 2025
"Prince of Persia: Sands of Time Remake Coming January?!"
Hosts: Blessing Adeoye Jr., Andy Cortez, Tim Gettys (special appearance), and others
Primary Topics: Prince of Persia remake release leak, Ubisoft’s financial rumors, JRPG “3.0”, Wild Blue Skies impressions, and recent games industry news.
Episode Overview
Today’s episode of Kinda Funny Games Daily dives deep into the breaking news that the long-delayed Prince of Persia: Sands of Time remake may finally launch in January 2026. Blessing and Andy lead a lively, comedic breakdown of Ubisoft’s wild journey with the remake, debate what “JRPG 3.0” could mean, analyze Ubisoft’s recent financial turbulence, and deliver impressions on the Star Fox-inspired indie shooter, Wild Blue Skies. Rounding out the episode are tributes to beloved actor Udo Kier, industry labor coverage, and a segment riffing on how games like Persona are driving the evolution of RPGs.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Prince of Persia: Sands of Time Remake – Release Leak
- [08:15] Blessing (A) reads out an Insider Gaming report: The much-delayed Sands of Time remake is currently set for a January 2026 release, with a possible gameplay reveal at The Game Awards on December 11, 2025.
- The hosts recount the remake’s troubled development: announced in 2020 with widespread criticism of its art style, originally slated for early 2021, then fully rebuilt after negative feedback.
- Andy (B): “People were like, ‘ew, the art style’… It kind of looks like butt. And then they’re like, oh, never mind, we’re delaying it.” [10:17]
- The trailer’s evolution: The first remake footage looked like “early PS3… announced at the same showcase as Resistance 2” [12:19], but the most recent teaser looks far more promising and modern.
- Extensive discussion about Ubisoft’s motivations for sticking with the project, given how other IPs like Splinter Cell continue in limbo.
- Blessing asks what Ubisoft needs to show at The Game Awards: “Does it have to look like a modern game? They’ve been working on this for four years.” [14:58]
- Andy: “It’s gotta look similar to what we’ve seen them do with Mirage… going for realism… It’s so bizarre they spent four to five years to go back to the drawing board.” [15:27]
- Hosts agree that after this many years, the remake needs to set a new gold standard for reviving classic action-adventure games.
2. Ubisoft Financial Rumors Debunked
- [19:29] Andy summarizes rumors after Ubisoft delayed its quarterly report and paused stock trading—leading to wild speculation about a catastrophe or acquisition. In reality, it was a dull technical issue involving new auditors and financial reporting adjustments.
- Ubisoft had to quickly pay off €286 million in loans due to technicalities, “which is, I’m sure you’ll concur, very boring and not at all as apocalyptic as online prophesiers were forecasting last week.” [20:30]
- Ubisoft reports Assassin’s Creed Shadows is performing above expectations, but specific numbers remain secret.
- Extended riffing on British-isms in the industry press: “Chuffed is good. It sounds bad.” [21:15]
- Ubisoft’s future slate is discussed, with a cryptic “unannounced title” on the upcoming release list, which the team speculates is likely the AC4: Black Flag remake.
3. Reflections on Ubisoft’s Strategies & Portfolio
- [23:27] Blessing: “Doesn’t feel like the conversation (on AC Shadows) is still going, but maybe that’s just because… with most ACs, it’s buried in a busy fall season. Shadows launched later, so it feels out of step.”
- Discussion about Ubisoft’s uncertain overall direction, their unusual willingness to stick with troubled projects (Prince of Persia, Splinter Cell), and what games are actually coming in the next few years.
- Riff on the idea that Ubisoft could use its own “Kevin Feige” to lay out a clear roadmap, as Marvel does with its Cinematic Universe. [29:43]
4. Wild Blue Skies – Indie Star Fox Successor
- [35:06] Tim Geddes (H) joins to give hands-on impressions of Wild Blue Skies, an indie shooter heavily inspired by Star Fox 64.
- “The first level of this… is almost a one-to-one recreation of Corneria… That’s a good thing, because they’re just giving people exactly what they want!” [35:57]
- Praises the game’s art style, controls, and “just enough personality in your animal squad mates.”
- Only criticism: the soundtrack doesn’t quite meet the high standards set by Star Fox’s legendary music.
- “If you’re gonna steal from Smash Bros., just steal from Smash Bros.—this game is Star Fox 64 with a different coat of paint.” [38:34]
- No release date yet, but highly anticipated in the indie space.
5. JRPG 3.0 Debate – What’s Next?
- [40:49] Blessing reports on Persona/Metaphor director Katsura Hashino’s comments that JRPGs are moving into a “3.0” era—without concrete details on what that even is.
- Panel debates the divide between “JRPG 1.0” (classics), “2.0” (heightened visual fidelity, more responsiveness), and what might truly constitute a “3.0”. Is it Final Fantasy VII? Persona 5? Mechanics, art, culture?
- Andy: “When does 2.0 start? Was it 3D? Was it PS3? What does responsive even mean—Mario & Luigi? Paper Mario?” [41:59]
- They discuss the meaningless nature of “JRPG” as a term:
- “Do you think Elden Ring is a ‘JRPG’?” — Blessing [47:31]
- “Absolutely not.” — D [47:39]
- “Genre terms like JRPG and CRPG—they’re so outdated now… Action RPG, turn-based RPG, those make more sense.” — Blessing [48:48]
- Conclusion: The genre is vast and increasingly blurry; new boundaries need to be drawn based on mechanics, not nationality.
6. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On the failed 2020 reveal:
- “People were like, ‘ew, the art style’… This looks like early PS3. Like it was announced at the same showcase as Resistance 2.” — Blessing [12:19]
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On Ubisoft's financial drama:
- "Which is, I'm sure you will concur, very boring and not at all as apocalyptic as online prophesiers were forecasting last week." — Joshua Wolens reading [20:30]
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Ubisoft’s mysterious internal planning:
- “I want to sneak into the Ubisoft offices. Andy shows up as Vero. I just want to see whatever calendar they have: ‘Hey, this was our proposed plan’—because I don’t understand.” — Blessing [28:58]
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Wild Blue Skies Impressions:
- “It’s just Star Fox 64 and that is the highest compliment I can give because Star Fox 64 is one of my favorite games of all time.” — Tim Gettys [38:34]
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On JRPG definitions:
- “Do you think Elden Ring is a JRPG?” — Blessing [47:31]
“Absolutely not.” — D [47:39] - “We can’t just keep adding J to everything because it was made in Japan. They’re the birth of the industry—they carry this shit on their back.” — Blessing [68:37]
- “Do you think Elden Ring is a JRPG?” — Blessing [47:31]
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On performance in games and awards:
- “You’re getting great line deliveries from Charlie Cox, that’s a big percentage of the performance—but you’re getting so much nuance in the eyes and the way the body’s reacting.” — Andy [57:50]
- [Charlie Cox, about his Game Awards nomination:]
“Any nomination or any credit I get, I really have to give to him [motion capture actor Maxence Carzol]. The performance is really down to him.” [56:08]
7. Other Noteworthy Segments
Udo Kier Tribute [53:38]
- Blessing reads Hideo Kojima’s moving statement mourning the death of actor Udo Kier, who was set to appear in Kojima’s next game, OD.
People Make Games – Rockstar Labor Coverage [59:23]
- The hosts spotlight a new People Make Games investigation into mass layoffs at Rockstar, applauding the channel for its journalism and boots-on-the-ground reporting during industry union actions.
WeNews (Mini News Roundup) [61:38]
- Hollow Knight’s future: all sequels will be standalone
- New HoYoverse open world project announced
- David Grivel returns to direct Splinter Cell remake at Ubisoft Toronto
- Skate Story hits PlayStation Plus Extra/Premium on Dec 8
- Power World Home Sweet Home gets an “Ultra Kill” colab update Dec 19
- Notable: Reggie Watts reacts live to a Kinda Funny intro song [63:53]
Super Chats & Community Q&A
- Extended riffing on whether Monster Hunter is a JRPG, audience debates over genre semantics, and recurring jokes about sports scores/bragging rights. [67:03, 67:36]
Timestamps for Important Segments
| Segment | Timestamp | |---------------------------------------------|-----------| | Prince of Persia Release Leak | 08:15 | | Ubisoft Financial Rumors | 19:29 | | Ubisoft's Portfolio and Strategy Debates | 23:27 | | Wild Blue Skies Impressions (with Tim) | 35:06 | | JRPG 3.0, Definitions & Debate | 40:49 | | Udo Kier Tribute (Kojima’s Statement) | 53:38 | | Best Performance – Game Awards Discussion | 56:08 | | People Make Games: Rockstar Labor Report | 59:23 | | WeNews (Mini News Roundup) | 61:38 | | Reggie Watts Reacts to Kinda Funny Song | 63:53 |
Summary Takeaways
- Prince of Persia fans should finally mark their calendars for January 2026—Ubisoft seems ready to deliver after years of struggle and a major visual overhaul.
- Ubisoft’s so-called financial “turmoil” turned out to be routine accounting, though the company’s current portfolio and planning remain deeply opaque.
- The panel skewers outdated genre naming, calling for RPGs to be classified by how they play—not just where they’re made.
- Wild Blue Skies is the rare Star Fox-inspired game that nails the classic formula and could become an indie darling.
- Industry stories ranged from heartfelt tributes (Udo Kier) to serious reporting (People Make Games’ union coverage).
- Throughout, the podcast’s signature humor, camaraderie, and deep-nerd energy (bantering about “We them boys!”, football, and decades-old RPG minutiae) keeps the show lively and accessible—even for listeners who missed the live broadcast.
For the Complete Picture...
Check the above timestamps for segments you're most interested in, and listen for the banter and quotables—Kinda Funny keeps gaming news fun and accessible, no matter how technical or arcane the topic gets.
