ROG’s Xbox Handheld is Coming October?! - Kinda Funny Games Daily 06.17.25

Summary

Kinda Funny Games Daily: Video Games News Podcast Episode: ROG’s Xbox Handheld is Coming October?! - Kinda Funny Games Daily 06.17.25
Release Date: June 17, 2025
Hosts: Blessing Adeoye Jr. and Tim Gettys, with guest appearances from other industry veterans.

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1. Rog Xbox Ally Handheld Launch and Pricing

Overview:
The episode kicks off with an in-depth discussion about the anticipated launch of the Rog Xbox Ally handheld device, rumored to debut in late October 2025. Hosts Blessing Adeoye Jr. and Tim Gettys delve into the speculative pricing, potential market reception, and the strategic implications for Microsoft's gaming ecosystem.

Key Points:

• Launch Date & Pricing:
  Francesco DeMaio from WCCF Tech reported that the Rog Xbox Ally is slated for a late October release. However, Microsoft has not confirmed the pricing due to economic uncertainties and tariffs from manufacturing in China and Taiwan.

  Blessing Adioye Jr. [00:00]: "Rog Xbox Allies reportedly launching in late October."

• Price Speculation:
  Tim expresses skepticism about the rumored prices of $499 for the base model and $799 for the premium version, suggesting the actual cost might soar up to $900 due to added tariffs and advanced hardware features.

  Tim Gettys [13:18]: "I bet $400 on Switch, it ended up being 450. So I'm looking at this now. This is being even more powerful. Part of me is like, oh, the Xbox branding and partnership is going to make them want to try to get on the low end and maybe subsidize here or there. The realistic part of me is like, nah, this thing's $900."

• Target Audience:
  The handheld is perceived as targeting hardcore gamers who are deeply invested in the Xbox and PC ecosystems. Blessing raises concerns about the device's high price point being a barrier for the average consumer, noting his own hesitation to purchase at such costs.

  Blessing Adioye Jr. [16:21]: "I look at the Xbox handle. I'm like, man, that looks really cool. But I don't think I'm ready to spend another 800."

• Market Potential & Sales Projections:
  Tim posits that selling up to 4 million units in the first year might be overly optimistic, suggesting a more realistic target of around 1 million units. Blessing concurs, emphasizing the limited appeal to a niche market despite Microsoft's strong studio and platform presence.

  Tim Gettys [21:51]: "I think they're being realistic about this and they know that this is probably going to top out at best."

Conclusion:
The hosts agree that while the Rog Xbox Ally represents a significant advancement in handheld gaming technology, its success hinges on pricing strategies and effective marketing to a dedicated Xbox audience.

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2. PlayStation The Concert Tour Announcement

Overview:
The podcast transitions to announcing the US tour dates for "PlayStation The Concert," a multimedia concert experience featuring a blend of classical and modern instruments, enhanced with multi-layered visuals and immersive surround sound.

Key Points:

• Tour Details:
  Wesley LeBlanc from Game Informer reveals that the US leg begins on October 11th at Madison Square Garden, extending to over 60 additional stops across 2025 and 2026.

  Blessing Adioye Jr. [50:07]: "PlayStation the Concert finally gets US tour dates."

• Critical Reception:
  Tim shares his mixed feelings after reviewing early feedback, praising the music selection but critiquing the overall production quality for being overproduced and underperforming in live execution.

  Tim Gettys [50:45]: "I am a little let down with how much they've been hyping this up... it's just a bunch of sacred symbols flying around in ways that I'm like, I literally use that b-roll for edits that I've done."

Conclusion:
While "PlayStation The Concert" promises a rich auditory and visual experience, the hosts remain cautiously optimistic, acknowledging the strong musical offerings but wary of the production execution.

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3. Red Dead Redemption Teasers from Voice Actors

Overview:
Excitement builds around potential announcements related to the Red Dead Redemption series as key voice actors drop tantalizing hints about upcoming news.

Key Points:

• Teasers from Voice Actors:
  Fox from WCCF Tech shares that Rob, the voice of John Marston, teased an announcement during a live stream, expressing immense excitement about revealing something related to the Red Dead series by the end of the week.

  Rob [54:00]: "I've got such exciting news. I can't wait to I can't share it with you right now..."

• Additional Hints:
  Other actors like Roger Clark (Arthur Morgan) and Nashir Dalal (Charles) also contributed cryptic messages, amplifying speculation among fans.

Conclusion:
The community eagerly anticipates a significant update or release related to Red Dead Redemption, buoyed by the enthusiastic hints from beloved characters' actors.

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4. Fortnite Launches New Four-Player PvE Mode

Overview:
Fortnite is set to expand its gameplay offerings by introducing "LEGO Fortnite Expeditions," a mission-based PvE mode that blends Fortnite's dynamic gameplay with elements inspired by Helldivers.

Key Points:

• Mode Features:
  The new mode allows up to four players to collaborate in missions that emphasize teamwork and strategy against waves of enemies, reminiscent of Helldivers' cooperative play.

  Blessing Adioye Jr. [56:51]: "Fortnite's returning to its roots with the LEGO Fortnite Expeditions, a fresh mission-based PvE mode for up to four players."

• Previous LEGO Collaborations:
  This mode follows Fortnite's earlier partnerships with LEGO, including LEGO Odyssey and LEGO Brick Life, positioning Expeditions as the third major LEGO experience.

Conclusion:
"LEGO Fortnite Expeditions" aims to reinvigorate Fortnite's PvE offerings by leveraging the enduring popularity of LEGO collaborations, providing players with fresh and engaging cooperative experiences.

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5. Marathon Development Delayed

Overview:
Bungie announces a delay to the highly anticipated release of "Marathon," citing the need for extended closed testing to refine gameplay features and incorporate community feedback.

Key Points:

• Official Delay Announcement:
  The release date for Marathon has been postponed beyond the initially scheduled September 23rd, with no new date provided. Emphasis is placed on improving AI and other gameplay elements.

  Tim Gettys [57:26]: "After much discussion within our dev team, we've made the decision to delay the September 23rd release."

• Community Reactions:
  The hosts discuss potential impacts of the delay on the game's reception and future promotional strategies.

Conclusion:
The delay of Marathon underscores Bungie's commitment to delivering a polished and engaging gaming experience, although it inevitably dampens immediate excitement among the fanbase.

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6. WE News: New Game Pass Announcements and Updates

Overview:
The WE News segment covers the latest additions to Xbox Game Pass, including new game releases, updates, and reviews.

Key Points:

• New Game Releases on Game Pass:

  • FBC Firebreak
  • Crash Bandicoot 4
  • Lost in Random
  • Blueprints (now supporting Mac)
  • Golden Tea Arcade Classics launching July 17th on multiple platforms

  Blessing Adioye Jr. [60:06]: "And on the air, you're getting rematch. On the 24th, you're getting volcano Princess..."

• Game Updates:

  • Expedition 33 is receiving accessibility improvements and expanded localization options, enhancing its inclusivity and reach.

  Blessing Adioye Jr. [61:07]: "Expedition 33 is getting accessibility updates. This was tweeted by the Expedition 33 Twitter account..."

• Game Reviews:

  • Tron Catalyst: Metacritic score of 69, praised for competent action but noted as "just good" (IGN: 7/10).
  • FBC Firebreak: Metacritic score of 66, recognized as a significant project for Remedy Entertainment (Gamerant: 6/10).

  Tim Gettys [62:22]: "Tron Catalyst reviews are here right now. On Metacritic is sitting at a 69..."

Conclusion:
The latest Game Pass additions offer a diverse range of titles catering to various gaming preferences, while updates to Expedition 33 reflect Microsoft's ongoing commitment to accessibility and user experience improvements.

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7. Listener Super Chats and Discussions

Overview:
Listeners actively participate through Super Chats, contributing opinions and questions that shape the hosts' discussions, particularly around the Xbox brand and its strategic moves.

Key Points:

• Fire Emblem vs. Pikmin Debate:
  The conversation between Blessing and Tim centers on whether Fire Emblem or Pikmin should be considered Nintendo's "Big Five" IPs. Listeners weigh in, with polls showing a preference for Fire Emblem.

  Blessing Adioye Jr. [09:03]: "Fire Emblem is just one of them, boys..."

  Street Shadow [64:57]: "Tim's right. PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo have stronger brands than Steam even with fewer features..."

• Xbox Marketing Concerns:
  Calvin Perez expresses skepticism about the Xbox handheld's mass-market appeal due to its high price, suggesting it might flop. Blessing counters by highlighting Xbox's strategic positioning and broad studio control.

  Calvin Perez [31:25]: "Price will be a big barrier. Tbh. I think this will flop."

• Brand Strength Comparison:
  Listeners like Street Shadow argue that PlayStation and Nintendo have stronger brand loyalties compared to Xbox, potentially impacting the handheld's success.

  Street Shadow [65:30]: "PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo have stronger brands than Steam even with fewer features..."

Conclusion:
Listener input reveals a divided perspective on Nintendo's IP hierarchy and skepticism regarding Xbox's handheld strategy. The hosts navigate these opinions, emphasizing the complexity of brand loyalty and market segmentation in the gaming industry.

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8. Breaking News: Xbox's Next-Generation Hardware Announcement

Overview:
A significant update unfolds as Xbox publicly announces a strategic partnership with AMD to co-engineer silicon for next-generation Xbox devices, encompassing consoles, handhelds, PCs, and cloud gaming services.

Key Points:

• Official Announcement:
  A tweet from Xbox unveils the collaboration with AMD aimed at advancing gaming silicon, enhancing graphics, AI-powered gameplay, and ensuring unmatched compatibility across the Xbox ecosystem.

  Sarah Bond [24:26]: "You to play the games you want with the people you want, anywhere you want..."

• Hosts' Reactions:

  • Tim: Enthusiastic about the integration of Xbox and PC gaming, envisioning a unified ecosystem without traditional console boundaries.

    Tim Gettys [25:44]: "The next generation is going to be the least crossing of generations we've ever seen."

  • Blessing: Highlights the strategic shift towards a versatile gaming platform, discussing the potential for seamless gameplay across multiple devices.

    Blessing Adioye Jr. [29:11]: "But where they're at position wise and finding a space that actually fits for them and works for them..."

Conclusion:
The partnership with AMD marks a pivotal moment for Xbox, signaling a move towards a more integrated and flexible gaming platform. While this strategy aims to enhance user experience across various devices, the hosts contemplate the complexities of market reception and the future landscape of gaming ecosystems.

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Closing Thoughts

The episode of Kinda Funny Games Daily provides a comprehensive exploration of current trends and announcements in the gaming industry. From the ambitious rollout of Xbox's new handheld device and strategic hardware partnerships to PlayStation's foray into multimedia concerts and Fortnite's continuous evolution, the hosts deliver insightful analysis enriched by active listener engagement. While excitement abounds for upcoming releases and technological advancements, challenges such as pricing strategies and brand positioning remain focal points of discussion.

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Notable Quotes:

• Tim Gettys [13:18]: "I bet $400 on Switch, it ended up being 450. So I'm looking at this now. This is being even more powerful."

• Blessing Adioye Jr. [09:03]: "Fire Emblem is just one of them, boys..."

• Street Shadow [65:30]: "PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo have stronger brands than Steam even with fewer features..."

• Sarah Bond [24:26]: "You to play the games you want with the people you want, anywhere you want..."

• Tim Gettys [25:44]: "The next generation is going to be the least crossing of generations we've ever seen."

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Note:
This summary captures the essence of the podcast episode, highlighting key discussions and perspectives shared by the hosts. For a complete experience, tuning into the full episode is recommended.

Transcript

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Today's stories include Rog Xbox Allies reportedly launching in late October. PlayStation, the concert is coming to the US and Red Dead's actors are teasing an announcement. We'll have all this and more because this is kind of Funny Games Daily. Yo, what's up? Welcome to Kinda Funny Games daily for Tuesday, June 17, 2025. I'm on your host, Blessing Adioye Jr. Joining me is Lacroix Poppy. Tim Muh bugging Yetis.

[Tim Gettys]

Oh, what a pleasure to be here today. We got some fun stuff to talk about. Some Xbox and PlayStation. Everything in between.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Everything in between. Nintendo. Is that the thing?

[Tim Gettys]

Is there some Nintendo? I don't know.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I don't think there's anything Nintendo.

[Tim Gettys]

Nintendo's been having so many goddamn things recently. So, yeah, it's nice.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

It's like, take a seat, Nintendo. We're gonna talk about Fortnite instead.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah, yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

That's an exciting one. It's gonna be very exciting one. Tim, how are you doing?

[Tim Gettys]

I'm doing great. You know, the Switch 2 is here. I've been playing so much of it. So much of it to the point that a couple days ago I had a headache all day long. And I'm sure it was because of the Switch.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Oh, just sitting. You're really playing it that much? It's all day.

[Tim Gettys]

Oh, I've been on it. So. On Mario Kart, I've put around. I mean, we'll do in a whole. What we've been playing episode of gamescast after this. So I don't want to spoil too much, but I've been playing a little Pikmin one. Oh, a game that, like, I've never fully given a shot. So I'm like, Nintendo's treating this like one of their. Their big five. So I'm like, I gotta show it a little bit.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

One of their big five.

[Tim Gettys]

Well, that's what I.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

The big five. Ips.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah. I mean, think about it.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

What's Nintendo's big five?

[Tim Gettys]

I mean, what we would say and what they would say are different things.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

You think so?

[Tim Gettys]

Well, what I'm saying is who's walking to the Nintendo store on the side of the store? We got Link, we got Mario, we got Inklings, we have Pikmin, and we have.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah, but like, that's because the Pikmin audience will buy merch. You know who won't buy merch? The Metroid audience. You know what I mean? Like, I feel like that's a different conversation.

[Tim Gettys]

Well, I mean.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Well, I guess. Am I putting Metroid in the big five?

[Tim Gettys]

Here we are.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Wes, listen, it's a slow news day, so we can have this conversation.

[Tim Gettys]

The conversation for me is I need to show more respect to Pikmin and to Animal Crossing.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Well, Animal Crossing for sure, but all that means.

[Tim Gettys]

Why are you hating on Pikmin?

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Is not it. Okay, I have a feeling.

[Tim Gettys]

I have a feeling Pikmin is a better game for you than Animal Crossing.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yes, but we're. You. You said the Big Five, and I'm.

[Tim Gettys]

Saying it based on Nintendo. I ain't saying Nintendo's not.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Pikmin might be Big seven.

[Tim Gettys]

Everywhere. Dude, they're hiding. I'm going to listen right now.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

All right, you got Mario.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

You got Pokemon.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah, they don't count Pokemon because, you know, it's a little bit iffy. Otherwise it should be absolutely.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Pokemon is. Pokemon only shows up on Nintendo platforms. That has to be Big Five.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah, yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Is there Pokemon merch in the Nintendo Store?

[Tim Gettys]

Oh, yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Oh, yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

That's half the store. Oh, that.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I'm for sure counting Pokemon.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah, I would, too, but they're not. They're not on the side of the store.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

So. Mario, Pokemon, Zelda, Animal Crossing.

[Tim Gettys]

Come on, show some love to your boy, Donkey Kong.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

That's. That's five right there. Yeah, and I say Donkey Kong. Even, like, not thinking about it. I feel like if I thought about it more, there might be somebody before Donkey Kong.

[Tim Gettys]

I don't think so. You don't think there's somebody before the Smash Brothers roster? The problem is we start talking about spin offs because, like, if we're being real, what's the big five if we're being real?

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Mario Kart.

[Tim Gettys]

It's Mario, Mario Kart. Smash Brothers, Pokemon. And I guess, fuck it, we'll give it to a battle cross.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I mean, here's the thing. I mean, somebody in chat says Splatoon. Splatoon might be before Donkey Kong.

[Tim Gettys]

Well, Splatoon's in there.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Wait, well, I didn't.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

But, yeah, if I'm. If I'm thinking objectively. Objectively, I think the thing with Donkey Kong is that he's grandfathered in. You know what I mean? Like, if Nick Scarpino passed away tomorrow.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Five years from now, we're still gonna be like, I. Like, when do you think of. Kind of funny.

[Tim Gettys]

You're making a point that I'm following. I mean, I need somebody to Photoshop. Nick is Cranky Kong. I need that in my life. But yeah, again, like, what's this even fucking matter? Like, what. What does any of this mean? Cause Samus will always number one girl in my life.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Listen, I appreciate that, but the point.

[Tim Gettys]

Is, I. I am woefully ill equipped to speak on Animal Crossing and Splatoon. And I want to just give him a shot. Give him more of a shot. Splatoon.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I'm sorry, Pikmin.

[Tim Gettys]

Sorry. Pikmin. Pikmin and Animal Crossing. Splatoon's on that list too. Although I played the campaign of Splatoon 2.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

The next platoon. This platoon. Rangers, Raiders.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

If it's more single player focused, I might hang out with it longer than I have the other ones. Right.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I mean, same. Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

But Pikmin 1, I beat Pikmin 1 back in the day, you know, But I feel like I need to give it this son of a. You know what I mean?

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Just look, the Donkey Kong kind of funny if you say. If I see if I can say so myself.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah, he'll always. The amount of Fire Emblems I'm seeing in the chat, like, I. The problem with this is there's. There's interest, there's sales, there's entry of volumes, and then there's just like the level of like. But let's be real. When we're saying Big five, like Fire Emblems. Not in the goddamn big five, but.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Like Fire Emblems above Pikmin. Fire Emblem was above Pikmin.

[Tim Gettys]

I mean it.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Fire Emblem. And Xenoblade is probably above Pikmin. Just because Xenoblade isn't in the Nintendo store. It's because they're not buying merch like that. The store.

[Tim Gettys]

But I think that's kind of like. That's. If. If that's not what we're talking about, then what are we talking about? Because if we just talk about the best, and this is dumbass Mount Rushmore conversation. Like, what are we actually saying here? Because we're saying best Nintendo franchises. Yeah, that's a very different.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Even if we're saying profitable, Fire Emblem is more profitable than Pikmin. Right.

[Tim Gettys]

I don't know, man.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I feel like that's.

[Tim Gettys]

Here's the thing. There's no way that Yamoto loves those little.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

You know, because they're cute.

[Tim Gettys]

Because they're his babies. They're one of his big five babies.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

You know what I mean? Like, that they're good. They're good to put them on the front of a box.

[Tim Gettys]

Do we have the ability to put it in the chat? A poll between Pikmin versus Fire Emblem. And I'm saying this. I'm a Fire Emblem fan.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

I love Fire Emblem.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Is. The question is which one is Nintendo's favorite? More favorite child than the other.

[Tim Gettys]

Yes.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Okay.

[Tim Gettys]

Right.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

That's the question.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

I mean, I think which one is.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Which one is like a more top IP for Nintendo between Fire Emblem and Pikmin. It's Fire Emblem.

[Tim Gettys]

A more top.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Also, Chappie keeps bringing up Zelda. I said Zelda. Zelda was my number two or three.

[Tim Gettys]

I think they made a Pokemon Go for Pikmin. That's crazy.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

It's because it's a different IP than like if you could do that for Fire. They made.

[Tim Gettys]

They made a bulk. Very, very successful. Yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

It's just a different audience. Got to treat it in a different way. Pikmin, it's like you're just looking for things to do. Oh, oh. What do we do with these little guys? I guess we'll try to make a Pokemon Go that won't be anywhere near as successful as our top. An actual top five ip. They really did that.

[Tim Gettys]

They did that.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

They did that.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

They didn't do that because Pikmin was.

[Tim Gettys]

Popular, but because they want it to be.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

They want it to be.

[Tim Gettys]

They believe in Pikmin. They with Pikmin so hard. And that's why I'm like, I should with Pikmin. Pikmin I want, you know, right now. Bless. I'm not really with Pikmin.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Pikmin. I'm so wrestling pilled right now because in my brain I'm like, Fire Emblem is like the old reliable Fire Emblem is the one that star that doesn't even need the championship. But they're always Randy Orton. His Fire Emblem. Pikmin is the one you're trying to push.

[Tim Gettys]

You're a crazy person. But I kind of like Pikmin is.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

The one where it's like, give him the championship because we want. We want Pikmin up.

[Tim Gettys]

See, now here's the thing though. There's the Orton doesn't work for Fire Emblem. And even what you're saying doesn't work for Fire Emblem because I think Fire Emblem, while it's had now not one, but two breakout moments in the US with Fire. Fire Emblem awakening, waking people up, getting woke to Fire Emblem.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Oh, yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

And then three houses on the Switch really being the. Like, this is. Oh my God, like blow it up. I still think they're non believers. I still think there are a ton of gamers out there, Nintendo or otherwise, that if they gave a Fire Emblem a shot, they'd be all in. So.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah, but I mean It's a fun. This is a fun conversation because I think it's just the nature of the genre, which I think Fire Emblem is like, for the kind of game that it is. Is broken through because it's that good. Right? Because it's like that iconic for, like, what it means, the Nintendo catalog. And also because of Smash Brothers and how much Smash Brothers put those characters on the map and really made people recognize, like. Oh, man. I know. I. I know. You know, Martha, whatever. What. What games are these? Fire Emblem three Houses comes out and turns out is a game that a lot of, like a lot of the core audience is going to fuck with. I think Pikmin is. Pikmin is like. This is the fun thing where I don't want to insult Pikmin because Pikmin also. I. I have hella respect for. Just for this right there with you. Hella respect for Pikmin. But I think it's that combination of. It's the cozy game that's always. That's also like, been there since the GameCube. And so there's nostalgia involved in it. And also it's one of a kind as far as the kind of game that it is. And so I think it's always going to have a place at the table.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

There's no other Pikmins out there.

[Tim Gettys]

It's a Miyamoto, baby. Man. Yeah, that. That makes it. That's a game changer.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Fire Emblem is out here competing with games that are similar to Fire Emblem and is still outshining them.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Because it's just one of them, boys. You know what I mean?

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Fire Emblem is just one of them ones.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Put some respect on. I'm gonna play Fire Emblem when I get home. I've never played. I've never played Fire Emblem.

[Tim Gettys]

Oh, my God.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Does three Houses have, like, one of those boosts?

[Tim Gettys]

I don't think so, but it's still gonna have a boost. You'll be fine. It'll be fine. It'll be fine. That's exciting.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

That's just. I might need a code. I don't think I own that game. How much is it? $60. Because everything on Nintendo Switch is buying. Still gonna be 60.

[Tim Gettys]

Man. I wish there was a way for you to play Awakening. I feel like you'd really fuck with it. 3ds 1.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

We need to rally for Nintendo to do more deals. Paying $60 for fire.

[Tim Gettys]

You got us some deals. Give us the greatest hit.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

2025. I'm not going to buy it for $60. I'm sorry, your Fire Emblem. Maybe I'll come back around. We'll see. For now, remember, this is Kind of Funny Games Daily. Each and every weekday we run you through the nerdy news you need to know about live on YouTube, Twitch and on podcast services around the globe. If you love what we do, support us with the kind of funny membership on Patreon, YouTube and on Spotify and Apple podcasts to get all of our shows ad free, watch us record them live and get a daily exclusive show for a chance to be a part of the show. Some of your thoughts and opinions as YouTube super chats as we go. Before we continue, Kevin does have the poll two polls. Oh, I see. Because there's one on the YouTube and there's one on the Twitch. The audience has spoken. Fire Emblem is the better pick.

[Tim Gettys]

Which is better? Fire Emblem.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Oh, I guess the poll's still going. Oh, I see. 633 votes on YouTube because the phrasing on the YouTube one is not the question. Which is better between picking and Fire Emblem. I don't think I made that one. I was making one. Yeah, for the other one I just wrote choose which is which is Fire Emblem. So it looks like Fire Emblem is the winner. Yeah. Fire emblem on the YouTube side for the witches, better is winning at 60% to Pikmin's 40%. And then on the Twitch side for just choose, Fire emblem is up 50, 54% to Pikmin's 46% which is a lot closer. Yeah, that was also I only put it at a two minute poll so that has ended.

[Tim Gettys]

Ok. Roy's our boy. We like guy get fucked Pikmin. You know what I mean? Fire Emblem for life. Sakurai, put more Fire Emblem characters in Smash next time. Let's go.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

We need to start spelling Olimar with a lowercase o and a big old L. Big old L. That's what I'm talking about.

[Tim Gettys]

Let's go.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Housekeeping for you. We're an 11 person business all about live talk shows. So today after KHD you're to get Gamescast, which like Tim mentioned before is a big what you been playing episode. And then after Gamescast is a sponsored Nvidia FBC firebreak stream followed by Jack and Daxter with me and Barrett. My first time picking up.

[Tim Gettys]

Very exciting to see you do it.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah. And if you're a kind of funny member, today's Greg way is 20 plus minutes on why you shouldn't have a kid unless. Dot, dot dot. And then later today is the Kind of funny. Happy hour for our $25 and above supporters on Patreon. Thank you to our Patreon producers, Carl Jacobs, Omega Buster and Delaney Twining. Today we're brought to you by Shady Rays, but we'll tell you about that later. For now, let's begin with what is and forever will be the Roper Report. It's time for some news. We have five stories today. Bakers does it, starting with our number one. Rog Xbox Ally is reportedly launching in late October. Microsoft has yet to commit to a price. This is Francesco DeMaio at WCCF Tech. I got a super chat question for y' all. How much are you willing to pay for the Xbox Ally? Let me know in the super chats. The Rog Xbox Ally is launching in a few months, but Microsoft reportedly has yet to commit to a price due to the uncertainty of the current economic situation. In a new report shared today, Windows Central corroborated the rumored October launch window for the two handhelds, clarifying they are tentatively slated for late October, according to the outlet's sources. However, the rumored prices of $499 for the base model and 799 for the premium model may not be accurate as Microsoft has yet to commit to a price due to the tariffs imposed by the United States on products manufactured in countries such as China and and Taiwan, where Asus manufactures its products. Tim, what you think about that?

[Tim Gettys]

There's a lot going on here. I will say I don't believe these numbers. The $800 for the premium model, that's the same price currently of the Asus Ally X. And I feel the same way about this as I did Switch and I was wrong. I bet $400 on Switch, it ended up being 450. So I'm looking at this now. This is being even more powerful. Part of me is like, oh, the Xbox branding and partnership is going to make them want to try to get on the low end and maybe subsidize here or there. The realistic part of me is like, nah, this thing's $900. Yeah, I think it's 900.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

And is that like, factoring in the tariffs in mind?

[Tim Gettys]

Not really.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Okay. Yeah. Scary. Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

I mean, again, I feel like that's the type of stuff that, like, you can't really at all predict or anything.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Sure.

[Tim Gettys]

I'm just saying more just like industry trends of where we're at with this level of tech. I would not be surprised, especially with them offering two models of it. I would not be surprised if it was $900? I. 8 or 9. Honestly, if it ends up being 8, it's not like the biggest shocker in the world. I will be literally shocked if it's anything lower than that though. And if it's higher, if it crosses that thousand dollar mark. Oh boy. But I don't think it's going to.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah, I mean at this point for like talking about that thousand dollar mark. Right. Like I, I don't think I'm surprised anymore when things are priced that high. Like, I think that's just where we're at as far as the world and also just electronics and with the tariffs and all that stuff factored in, it's like I'm, I've been prepped to expect the worst. Right. When we're talking about Mario Kart being $80, we're talking about like, you know, this, the switch, pre orders being paused while they had to assess the situation. And like I said, I feel like we're at that place of expect the worst for all of this. And so like based on what you're saying, I would probably lean more toward the thousand dollar mark.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah, I, I just, I don't know.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Those four digits are hard.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah, they really are.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Those four digits are.

[Tim Gettys]

But at the same time they're not for what type of product this is. Like this is going to, I think sell very well to the market that it's going for. Even at $11,000, I don't think it's going to hit that. But we need to realize that like take tariffs out of it and take like the entire conversation. Of course we want everything as cheap as possible. These are expensive products. Like there's just no getting around it. Like you were paying for tech. This is the equivalent of like buying a PC. And like yes, you could buy the cheaper PC, but this is the high end version of the thing. Like this is them trying to give a high end model of gaming handheld PC. So we had a whole episode on handhelds yesterday on gamescast that you could check out for, for more thoughts on the whole situation. But I, I think that the Xbox Ally X specifically is for an audience that really does want the best of the best when it comes to Windows handheld gaming. Performing as high as possible with as nice a screen and like all the dude ads and whatnot. But you got to pay for that. Like you compare that price even to the highest Steam deck which is right now is at 650. And I was saying I don't recommend buying that. I Recommend buying the 550 OLED one because the only advantage you get are an extra terabyte of storage that you could just buy SD card for.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

And an anti glare screen that I prefer the cheaper screen anyway. So really comparing the steam deck at 550, then you start going up at the high end model to the high end model of this. This thing is demonstrably more powerful than the Steam deck.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

So you're getting what you pay for.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah. I, I'm fascinated by the. What the chat is going to say as far as what they're willing to pay for this. Because I think a thing that I've realized over the course of talking about the Xbox handheld and my expectations for just it being super expensive is that for me it's made me think of, I just don't think I'm gonna get one. Like, I don't like for how many handhelds there are out there currently and for how much the price is going for. Right. Like I'm so happy with my Steam Deck and I'm so happy with my Switch too that I look at the Xbox handle. I'm like, man, that looks really cool. But I don't think I'm ready to spend another 800. And I. And that's where I get fascinated as far as the conversation for how well is this thing going to do? How much is how, how many people are they selling this to? Are they going to sell this to? Because like my assumption is that this is for the hardest of the hardcore.

[Tim Gettys]

It is.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

And for Xbox and for Asus. Right. Like how big is that audience as far as like the people that are willing to spend that much for an Xbox handheld?

[Tim Gettys]

There is the lower end one though.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Which is how much do you think that's going to be?

[Tim Gettys]

So right now, rumored price 500. It's like I do think 5 or 600, which again is still a lot of money, but it is a lot more reasonable compared to 9 or 10.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Hundred. There was so many chat, I was like bless is not. It's three. It's still three digits because it'll be 999. But colloquially like we're going to say $1,000. You know what I mean?

[Tim Gettys]

But yeah, in addition to this, these are just the first two officially partnered ones. We're about to see so many more of these devices and whatever user interface Xbox is working on, Microsoft's working on, we're going to see on the Legion and the other handheld devices as well.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I think that's going to do so much for it. I think it's a tough Pill for me to swallow. I know fucking Greg, just standing in.

[Tim Gettys]

The shadows, halfway out the door, just standing there until we look at him. He needs it. He needs the eye contact and attention.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Hate him. But for me, I just lost my train of thought too. No, it's all good, I think. Oh yes, it's a hard pill to swallow this early on with it and I think this early on in the conversation as far as the Xbox ecosystem, Xbox, PC, that transition of your library and all that stuff, I think I'm still in the early place of it where even when we're talking about a $600 thing, and this is me speaking as somebody who at this point, when it comes, if I'm ordering the places that I mostly play, it's Steam, PlayStation, Nintendo maybe tied right now because this, what you just came out, you know what I mean? But like Steam has become my, my place that I'm playing mainly for the function of. All right, cool. I have my, my 4080 on my PC desktop where I'm getting that good experience as far as like getting that fidelity. And then I have my Steam deck and those talk seamlessly to each other as far as cloud save and all that stuff. And like my library is there and I have that ecosystem with me. I know that I am probably a far cry as far as like what they're aiming for here, but even still, it's tough to think about that 600, maybe 700 price point for a lower end handheld and think of, all right, well, what am I really getting out of this?

[Tim Gettys]

Well, compared to what I'm going to. I think you kind of answered your own question, like maybe this isn't for you. Yeah, like, like I feel like it's a much tougher sell when you're already in this ecosystem, Steam that you're enjoying and you have all your questions answered, your use cases are covered, you don't need this. But I do think it's for the people that don't have a Steam library, do have an Xbox library, do have Game Pass, do have an Xbox and just want or do have a badass, like let's take Xbox out of it, have a 4080 in their PC or whatever and want to be in the Xbox ecosystem. This is the answer. Like we'll wait and see how good it actually is. But based on how good the ally so far is, they've lived up to expectations. Like it is a very high quality machine. It has its quirks, everything does. But like I do think that like we know the audience for this. And it's not you. It would be you if you hadn't already committed.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Sure. Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

Right.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I'm just fascinated by, like, how. I'm not. I'm not. I'm fascinated by, I guess, the amount of Xbox audience that are going to go all in on this thing. And I guess the transition for Xbox is like, hey, this is where the ship's headed no matter what. Like, we are an ecosystem. And so to follow along on this path, right, like, you just have to get used to having that freedom of. All right, you got an Xbox console, or we have Asus manufacturing a handheld, or we have Lenovo giving you this thing, or we have a PC tower that is Xbox branded. Like, it's a. It's a wild feature we're entering. I'm just so fascinated by how that looks years down the line and like, how much buy in you have from the audience as far as what that is. Because I think overall, that final product could be so cool and so.

[Tim Gettys]

Absolutely. And I just think that we should set expectations correctly of. All right, like, this thing, let's say it comes out at 900 or it $1,000. Let's say it comes out $1,000. How many units are they actually expecting to move and what are they considering a success? I have a feeling they're being realistic about this and they know that this is probably going to top out at best. And it is Xbox marketing and pushing one for the first time. What will that end up looking like and how successful could it possibly be for them? I don't know. Over the first year, if everything works out perfectly, 4 million units sold for this thing.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I mean, that's a lot. I don't know. Four million units.

[Tim Gettys]

That's a lot.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

How many. I mean, how many Xboxes are like Xbox Series X's slash S's are out there? Yeah, I mean, I feel like that's my thinking as far as.

[Tim Gettys]

Do you think I'm over or undershooting it there?

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Because I think you're overshooting.

[Tim Gettys]

Okay. Well. Yeah. Okay, cool. Yeah. I mean, that's. That's me literally saying, like, max it out there.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah, okay, sure.

[Tim Gettys]

What can we, like, what can we expect from it? Like, it'll be less than 5 million, less than a handful of million.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

And man, this is gonna be me undershooting it. Okay. Kevin's brought up 32 point, 32.46 million units of the Xbox Series X s have been sold. And this is from VG Charts from February 2025. So that should be up to date for the most, most of the generation.

[Tim Gettys]

Let me, let me clarify what I'm saying here. I am aware of how many Steam decks are out there. That's the point I'm trying to make.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

I'm saying this is the first time we're getting Xbox pushing one of these handhelds and this is going to be in best buys. This is going to be pushed officially by Xbox in storefronts in a way that Steam's not. So I do think that it has a better chance of selling more than a Steam deck simply due to marketing. So I don't know that it's going to. But I'm saying like that's kind of the top level of what this can even be.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

My immediate prediction that I would throw out there is a million.

[Tim Gettys]

I think they'd see that as a success.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah. And that's my thing is I, I wonder if they see that as a success. And I would hope that like those are the kind of numbers that they're. They're working with over there. Especially if the plan is to license, continually license this out. Because if you sell a million of the Xbox allies and then a million of another thing and then a million of another like those numbers do add up as far as what that does for the Xbox ecosystem. Yeah. Which I think is what the goal trying to do. Speaking of the Xbox ecosystem, we have breaking news everybody. This comes from. Oh man. Kevin, I might need you to pull up there's in the Slack channel. Roger has. It is breaking. There's a video that accompanies this tweet but there's a tweet from Xbox that went live at 10am this morning that says announcing that we're building the next generation of Xbox first party devices and cloud including our future Xbox consoles together with AMD next level performance, cutting edge graphics, breakthrough gameplay and unmatched compatibility. Stay tuned for what's next. Unmatched compatibility.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah man. We're here. We were talking about the future. It's now.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

This crazy. It's crazy how much this fits in the conversation we're having as far as licensing this thing out.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Wow. Can you press play with sound? I want to hear what Sarah Bond is saying in this video is for.

[C]

You to play the games you want with the people you want, anywhere you want. That's why we're investing in our next generation hardware lineup across console, handheld, PC, cloud and accessories. I am thrilled to share we've established a strategic multi year partnership with AMD to co engineer silicon across a Portfolio of devices, including our next generation Xbox consoles in your living room and in your hands. Together with amd, we are advancing the state of art in gaming silicon to deliver the next generation of graphics innovation to unlock a deeper level of visual quality and immersive gameplay and player experiences enhanced with the power of AI. All while maintaining compatibility with your existing library of Xbox games. This is all about building you a gaming platform that's always with you. So you can play the games you want across devices, anywhere you want, delivering you an Xbox experience not locked to a single store or tied to one device. That's why we're working closely with the Windows team to ensure that Windows is the number one platform for gaming. The next generation of Xbox is coming to life and, and this is just the beginning. We can't wait to show you what's next.

[Tim Gettys]

I'm going to be so annoying saying the same goddamn thing over and over. But I believe it so much that I'm going to continue to do that. Bless.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Go for it.

[Tim Gettys]

The next generation is going to be the least crossing of generations we've ever seen. It's going to be just more continuing the same. I think the biggest difference on the Xbox side is they're finally going to be able to hit that point of it's not Xbox console and Xbox PC. It's just Xbox. And that means the console is gone. It is PC. It is a PC in your living room, is a PC in your hands, it is a PC. Whatever it is, it is a computer and we can say, oh, consoles are like computers or whatever. It's like there's clearly a difference though. When there are console games and computer games and all this stuff, that's going to be the difference of next gen and that's just going to be, oh, there's the standard of whatever the next gen hardware that they're talking about here. Yeah, that'll just be a high end thing for you to buy to play these games well. And then there's going to be so many more SKUs than there's ever been to play Xbox games. We're here already. They're just telling us it loud and clear that they are partnering with AMD to make sure compatibility works as they do this and continue to do this. They're already doing it. Yeah, like I really don't think we're going to see a huge difference of. Let me say this, I don't necessarily.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I don't think it's going to be about power.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah, I don't think. I don't Think we're going to get Xbox next generation exclusive games.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Okay, okay, I see what you're saying.

[Tim Gettys]

And like that's already kind of been what Xbox has been doing. But I do think at a certain point they'll have to be some cutoff point. It'll be a PC. It'll be just like a PC of there'll be minimum system specs.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah. I mean it's funny because, yeah, as I read this and as I heard Sarah Bond talking that video, right, like the word she's saying in the tweet, them saying next level performance, cutting edge graphics, breakthrough gameplay and unmatched compatibility. One most of that maybe outside of unmatched compatibility because I think I can read into that in different ways. But all those other words I'm like, all right, cool, that sounds like any console upgrade that sounds like anything, right? But like Sarah Bond mentioning AI as well. My brain automatically goes through like all the stuff that we've been talking about with Nvidia, dlss and all that stuff. But then also the pisser for on the PlayStation side, right? Like a lot of these words could also just apply to a pro console with which Xbox didn't do this generation. Right? They didn't do the Xbox Pro thing or PS5 Pro thing. But also I think that is because things are becoming just really different compared to previous generations where yeah, those lines aren't as clear cut and I don't think it's as exciting like the PlayStation 5 Pro. It's in the same way that we're talking about like the Xbox Handheld stuff being for the hardest of the hardcore. Right. Like PS5 Pro I'd also say is for the hardest of the hardcore or people that really care about that visual fidelity experience. But I think it's a weird slash, hard, hard thing to market as far as like telling people that are playing a console that already still looks fantastic that AI is going to make their game look so much better or whatever this is. Like, as somebody who like, you know, I look at the GTA 5 GTA 6 trailer that says is running on a base PS5 Pro. I look at the Destiny 2 trailers or like even the Destiny 2 gameplay I had when I got to preview the game and I'm like, brother, the PS5 base console still looks phenomenal. It's really tough to push power. I think Xbox is doing it the right way where I look at this and I'm like, hey, that's a really exciting prospect for next generation. Is it for be. Is. Is for it to be about what you're. Everything that you're saying, Tim. It to be about the PC stuff, it to be about, all right, give people the power to make Xbox whatever they want. And it's going to be about essentially flooding the market with our like ways to get into our ecosystem as opposed to like trying to sell a box that is getting harder to harder. Harder and harder to sell.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah. I truly think that we're a point and we've been here a while and I think the Switch 2 is evidence of it from the Nintendo side that the next gen hardware being the exciting part I think is a thing of the past. I think it is a promise of the games you're playing are going to play better there. The games are the exciting part. This is actually a good thing.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yes.

[Tim Gettys]

And it's exciting that we can play our games in more different ways on lower end things. So people have lower barriers of entry to playing so many games. But then also on the high end things of how far do you want to push this and how many options do you have to push it that high? And with the advent of all of this AI tech in different ways, like we're seeing so many strides happening and so many amazing things and is it perfect? No. None of this is. Does that help keep the price down for a lot of stuff? Yes. Does it get the results we need better than not? I'd say overall, yes. Looking at all the digital foundry, Switch 2 coverage has been so fascinating where there's multiple games, not all there, but there are multiple games like Hogwarts Legacy that are running better on the Switch 2 and looking better on the Switch 2 than other systems because of the DLSS. Like it's just interesting that like there when you use the tech correctly, even a underpowered system can look pretty. You can get the most out of it. And guess What? Buying a PS5 Pro, it's going to look better on that. Buying a $4,000 PC, it's going to look way better on that. Yes. But it's about being able to look really good at different levels for different price points and different entry points, but running well all the same. So I also think that amd, great partner AMD has been really taking over the processor game when it comes to the PC gaming side of things for a long time where like people my generation has been so tied on to intel because they were the ones. And now whenever you look at like what are the best gaming PC builds, everyone's talking amd, you know, the thread ripper, the rise and all this stuff is like there's. There is a focus there that yeah, Microsoft like leaning into them and making these partnerships and kind of fill in the voids that they have technologically. I think is all great news. I still wish it was all happening now. I can't believe we are 10 years into having this same conversation and them adding more and more attempts to make this all make sense. But thing is, if you're paying attention, it already is.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yes, I want to bring in some super chats. A lot of people wrote in. Let's start with Calvin Perez that says as someone who used to have to sell game pass Xbox struggles to mass market these things. Price will be a big barrier. Tbh. I think this will flop. I think I have multiple thoughts on this. I think one, yes, Xbox is going to struggle. I think marketing it, but I think it is the. It's going to be repetition. I think for me this comes back to conversations we had during the Xbox showcase where like we're talking about Xbox play anywhere. We're talking about the cloud, we're talking about. Well, we weren't talking about smart delivery, but I even throw smart delivery and like all the buzzwords of it. I think you're going to have to either refine down some of those marketing pushes to be a bit more like. Like I think planning where might be the thing that you focus on the most of. Like, all right, this is what we're saying and this is what we're pushing because it's the most true. Or this is an Xbox. Right. Like we have to choose one and roll with it.

[Tim Gettys]

They're different things though.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah, but it's.

[Tim Gettys]

They're different things.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Are they? What's different about those.

[Tim Gettys]

What's different about them is that this is an Xbox. Is saying that like any so many different devices, not every Device, not a PlayStation 5, not a Switch, not. Not at this but so many.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

You have the ability to play.

[Tim Gettys]

Have the ability to play Xbox, PC games. Yes, that's important. Play anywhere. Is you can play on PC or Xbox. This is an Xbox. Doesn't have to do with the Xbox, the console and it's gaming features and games.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

It has to do with cloud though. Right.

[Tim Gettys]

But see now we're adding extra things to it.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Is that Xbox is cloud a different thing than this is it. This is an Xbox. Like is cloud not included in that conversation?

[Tim Gettys]

I mean I feel like that starts getting really, really vague about it all and sure, if you want.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

That's how I've always been.

[Tim Gettys]

I mean, yeah. Yes, via the Cloud, you could do all of this. Yes, that is true.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

My thing is we're going to have to get to the place and I think this is the future. Right? Like just not right.

[Tim Gettys]

That's true. That everything's a PlayStation too, then everything's a.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

But I think, but I think Xbox is trying to do that thing where everything really is an Xbox. Like I think they're trying to make those mean the same thing as far as play anywhere. And this is an Xbox and you have to get those.

[Tim Gettys]

I guess here's the thing, you got to take cloud out of it because people are expecting that that means that you can play it, you can execute the thing on the system. And if they don't, if we are just talking about cloud, I think Xbox doesn't want that.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I think Xbox is trying to wipe that part of it because that's how you.

[Tim Gettys]

Then that's. That is marketing that you're never going to get across to people because the. If you lined up 10 different people that have different levels of game in them and you ask them like, oh, you tell them, hey, this is an Xbox. Like you can just play anything in Xbox and you ask them what questions do you have? I feel like out of the 10, you're gonna get at least three or four of them that ask a question that the thing that they're asking. Well, you can't do that.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I mean, but that this is the exact problem I think that we're having with the Xbox stuff. Because when they say this is an Xbox, my, my phone, my Samsung Galaxy S25, this is an Xbox, right?

[Tim Gettys]

My iPhone and that's.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

That's via cloud. My Samsung smart TV at home is. I think it could be an Xbox, but I don't think it's the most recent one. But pretend I have an advanced smart tv, right? Like that's an Xbox. My. I, yeah, I should be able to transfer from playing my box like my console to my TV to my phone to my PC and it all works seamlessly. And the. That's where the. This is an Xbox has to meet play anywhere because play anywhere is what's going to meet the save data like the Xbox PC version of the game to the Xbox consoles version version of the game. Those have to be able to speak and talk to each other in a way that's seamless. And we've been talking about this, right? I think the future is no more Xbox console. Xbox PC is just the way to go. The next Xbox console is going to be a PC and it's that is all this stuff is confusing. Like, all this stuff is, like, I think, hard to navigate from a marketing perspective. I think we understand the bulk of it because we're so paying attention to it and we're so, like, we're in the weeds on this stuff. And but for Joe Schmo, who's at home, who doesn't pay attention to this stuff and like, Xbox does a commercial that is plane where this is an Xbox or whatever. Right. Like, they're gonna have questions. What's up, Greg Miller?

[D]

I'm listening on a delay, so I've probably lost the last 30 seconds. But you're talking about the seamless experience of going between them. Like that exists. Like that happens. That exists. In terms of jumping all around. Not every game as you're talking about. This is a conversation from yesterday of, you know, the play anywhere thing being a big deal going forward. But there are so many games that are there. But, like, right now, when I'm playing something on cloud and I turn it off and go to my Xbox downstairs or whatever, I turn on my Xbox, I go to Starfield or whatever, oblivion, it'll say, hold on, syncing your save, and I'm done and I'm in. I pick up where I left off, and if I boot it up, like, if I'm playing on my Rog ally and then I go to the X and I still have my session open, the X will open and be like, oh, hey, you have a Windows session going. Are you good to close that? I'll say, yup. And it'll bring my save over there. So that's happening already in terms of that ubiquitousness of it, of you saying going from the cloud to your phone to this. And you also brought up your phone of like, the cloud, this is the Xbox bit, also works on the phone because of course, remote play, which I think is a big part of what they're pitching when they're talking about this for having zero thing.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah, yeah. I always loop in the remote playing cloud into the same thing, even though I know they're different.

[D]

Yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

You're playing off of something on their.

[D]

Server, but cloud, you have nothing.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah, yeah. Tim, I saw you shaking your head for a second.

[Tim Gettys]

Oh, I just think it's so funny, like, how clear this is when the entire chat can't agree and everyone's saying, this guy's right, this guy's right, this guy's right. We're not even disagreeing necessarily. I don't think anything we're saying.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

Which is hilarious. Unless you do disagree with something being said.

[D]

No, I just wanted to clarify that.

[Tim Gettys]

Like, so this is hilarious, but whatever.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

So do you. Here's my one thing, right. Based on what you just said, Greg versus I think what me and Tim are going back and forth on what you said to me sounds like Xbox play anywhere and Xbox, or this is an Xbox already have that. Like, I feel like those could be morphed into one thing is. Is the conversation that.

[D]

And they will be.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah, you're.

[D]

We're at a point.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

We're already kind of there.

[D]

We are. I really think the turn, you know, the turning point you saw at SGF where they were like, he third parties are putting this into Xbox play anywhere. That's the future. And so now it's going to be fewer and fewer and fewer until hopefully there are no games that aren't playing anywhere going forward.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yes.

[D]

It's just the fact that we've had so many not false starts, but programs and trials and things Xbox has done that you get to this weird part of, you know, the old example of, all right, cool, I'm playing the outer worlds, but there's an Xbox version and a PC version and they don't talk to each other even though they're both on Game Pass. So it's not a play anywhere title. So I started up like, what the fuck am I doing? Yes, but that's grandfathered in, Right. That's the fact that technology is constantly changing. Business agreements are constantly changing. Sarah, today, them at sgf, clearly going forward, this is what they're trying to do. This is the future of Xbox. But it means there's going to be some things in the past that don't work out the way they want them to.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

All right, cool. Appreciate it, Greg. Thank you for the clarification. I want to bring in the second half of the super chat that I was reading from. Where is it? Where is it? Was it Calvin Perez? Oh, no, I lost the super Chat. Those are. The super chat that I read was the first half was about what we're talking about as far as it being messy. And then the second half was saying that they think it's gonna flop. I don't think it's gonna flop. I think that's the part where I differ. I do think that this is a very forward looking plan as far as like where everything is going right. But to bowl it down more, I think it's meeting the audience where they're at. It's looking at where Xbox is at in the quote unquote. Console race that just doesn't exist anymore.

[Tim Gettys]

Right.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

But where they're at position wise and finding a space that actually fits for them and works for them and isn't going to be them constantly chasing the other two platforms like this is a unique space that they're occupying. I also think they just have too much, they have control of too many pieces for this to be not successful. They have more studios than any publisher right now, I'm pretty sure.

[Tim Gettys]

Absolutely.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

And they have the platform and they have Windows.

[Tim Gettys]

They're doing it. They're winning already in their lane.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

Like, and they're only going to win more unless they royally it up, which they very much can. We've seen them do in the past and I do think that they are clearly already at a point that this is unruly. There are too many things to handle at once and too many things you have to message at once. But because they've had to do this for so long and because they've made so many choices and committed to them, like I, we're already there and we're only going to get more there and it's only going to get better and only going to get more seamless and, and the Internet's only going to get better. So cloud's only going to get better. All these things are just going to improve. And the people that are investing or have invested in the Xbox system for a long time, they're going to be very happy because they're going to only have more ways to play better.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

The one more thing I'll say to this too is I, I think the important thing, one of the important things here is meeting the consumer where they're at. Right. Consoles are getting more expensive, hardware is getting more expensive, expensive software is getting more expensive. Games are going to go to $80. Games might go up more. Like, let's see what GTA 6 launches for and what ripple effect that makes as far as how much the stuff costs. Make at the same time where again, I've shouted out this video from Alana Pierce a million times. Right. But like a lot of Pierce has a very good video kind of talking about like where the video game industry is at as a, I believe as like a matured business and like how the money that's being made has started to even out in a way where shareholders and investors are pulling their money out. Right. Like as that is happening, one of the big challenges and one of the things that factors into that is where how do we find more people to be video game fans like what more people can we sell video games to? The biggest barrier to entry for so many, for so much of the audience is going to be money. I can't afford the new PlayStation. I can't afford the new Switch. I can't afford to buy the new Switch and then buy games for $80. Xbox in real time is figuring that out. And I'm not saying they're doing this out of the goodness of their own hearts. They're doing this to figure out how to make more money out of the industry. But as a result, right, like they're putting in real work into figuring out, okay, we have Game Pass, which gives people a membership so they can play our big first party games. We have Cloud so that they, you don't have to have a console if we can make your phone into it. Like that's why they're going after phones. Everybody does have a console, everybody has a smartphone. Like that is the way to get it, get your game in front of people. And I think it's a, it's a very good strategy. I would think that it would work. It's not 100% guaranteed, but I, I see the vision. I think the vision is there as far as why they're doing this and like why there's a high potential for success with them doing it.

[Tim Gettys]

Absolutely.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Oh my God, we got so many super chats, y' all. Thank you for writing in. You know what, we're going to go to a commercial because I got to read these super chats to filter out which ones are really worth talking about here. So of course you can go to kindafunny.com patreon or you can go on YouTube, get the kind of funny membership there which allows you to get shows ad free. And speaking of ads, let us tell you about our sponsors.

[Tim Gettys]

This episode's brought to you by Shady Rays. Get ready for the season ahead with quality shades built to last. Our friends at Shady Rays have you come covered with premium polarized shades that won't break the bank. Shady Rays is an independent sunglasses company offering a world class product rated five stars by over 300,000 people. They have hundreds of options to choose from so you're bound to find the perfect pair to match your style. If you don't love your shades, exchange them for a new pair or simply return worry free within 30 days. There's no risk. When you shop, their team are always there to have your back with personal and fast support. Y' all know I've been outside a lot playing Pokemon Go and it's such a great experience wearing Shady Rays when I'm out and about looking dope. Exclusively for you. Shady Rays is giving out their best deal. Head to shadyrays.com and use code funny for 35 off polarized sunglasses. Try for yourself the shades rated 5 stars by over 300,000 people. Again, go to shadyrays.com, use code funny to get 35% off polarized sunglasses.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

And we're back. Let's hop in to a super chat from George Corona the third, who says, I like where Xbox is going, but tbh, this marketing re chips, silicon, this is an Xbox, et cetera, starts to get confusing. How do they market this plan with simplicity of what console gaming brings to the table?

[Tim Gettys]

I honestly think that they just. It needs to get just a little bit more clear and it needs to just work in a way that how you expect things to work. It does. And we're close. We're just not there right now. Yeah, but I think we're very, very close. The I think, truthfully, the biggest problem is that a lot of these systems and services started around the release of Crackdown 3. And after Crackdown 3, there was a couple just meandering titles that came out. And it wasn't until the one that Andy really liked. Recore.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Recore.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah. That was even before this. I'm talking about, like the first games that were available as day one, first party Xbox games on Game Pass.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Gotcha.

[Tim Gettys]

When they announced Game Pass, it was like, for reals. This is crazy. But their offering was kind of like, all right, cool. But when this is Gears and when this is Halo and when this is Forza, it's going to be a much bigger deal. And then Gears 5 happened, and then they continued. And we got Halo and Infinity, we got Forza, and we got more Forza, and we got a lot of stuff. We're at a point now that, like, the train has left the station, the dominoes have been falling.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

And we are at a point now that there is already a lot of the questions answered. It's just not all of them. And you add third parties, you add other things. That's where it gets complicated. But for the bulk of things that matter to the core Xbox audience, it already makes sense. The question is, how do you get somebody that's not in that audience in there?

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

And I think that that is a tough sell until you are at a best Buy at storefronts and able to explain to the random people, yes, you can play your Xbox games on this. You get what I'm saying like that's how you sell them and that is the marketing push. And I think that getting these into stores and Xbox, them being Xbox branded is going to go such a long way. We've seen so many devices like think about the backbone controllers. They sell well then you slap a PlayStation thing on it, it sells better because it feels more like, oh, this is something I need as a PlayStation fan. If they can sell people that are Xbox fans or people that want to get into Xbox. I think there are more people that are just like wanting a gaming PC that are willing to buy a handheld device with the Xbox logo on it than the Steam logo. Because if they. Because if they wanted the Steam logo, they'd have a PC and they'd already know this stuff.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

We don't need to convince them.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

See, I think that's the only place where I differ. But like I think in what way? I think Steam. I think that stuff makes more sense, I think to the person who's wanted to buy a PC handheld. Right. Like I think Steam has such a domination on the PC.

[Tim Gettys]

You don't need to market to them.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Sure.

[Tim Gettys]

About marketing to people that. That don't know about these products or they aren't. That you're trying to convince them to buy.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

You don't need to convince people to buy a Steam Deck.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I guess that maybe that is more the point that I'm making. Right. Is I think a PC handheld with a Steam logo versus a PC handheld with an Xbox logo. Like the Steam handheld just has more potential for selling just because that audience is more I guess tuned to what that is. And like I think it's. It's an easier.

[Tim Gettys]

The Steam handheld.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

Not a chance.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Really.

[Tim Gettys]

Not a chance, man.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I don't know. I think the PC market is. Has grown like a lot like by a C market.

[Tim Gettys]

Yes. But I think that. But the PC, the handheld gaming side, that is still a console.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Not anymore. I think.

[Tim Gettys]

How can you say that? And I know that we were going long on this. But like the switch to a console handheld.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Sure.

[Tim Gettys]

In. And it's Nintendo. But what caveats do we have to give this like in couple days is already outselling this stuff. Right.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah, but that's Nintendo. I think Xbox is a different beast as far as like where Xbox sits is for marketability, especially on a PC platform. Currently like Steam is just the number one platform on PC. On PC. Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

On a computer.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

And when you make a PC handheld. Right. Like that Steam. I think Steam just makes the most sense for marketability. And for that audience understanding. And I think that audience is huge. In the last 10 years, like Steam has only gone up, whereas Xbox has kind of like hasn't had that same, I guess, upward trajectory.

[Tim Gettys]

I think that's, that is my point somewhere in there is that I think that gaming PCs have a much shallower market ceiling than gaming handhelds. Like gaming console handhelds, however you want to think about it, where, yes, Steam is dominant on PC, but we're seeing how much these things are selling and it's not that much. So I feel like the, the, a portable Xbox, I think has a higher ceiling.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I'm fascinated by how much it sells.

[Tim Gettys]

PlayStation Portal as how well that thing sells. Like, like, I think there's something about the way that people play console games and the way they think about the handheld experience with those games is different than the PC side, despite the PC side being there and doing it and proving that they can.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah, but I, I think the Nintendo aspect of it, in the PlayStation aspect of it makes it a way different thing. I think Nintendo has the history of handhelds and also that's the only way now that you can play Nintendo is via a handheld. I think a PlayStation portal counts more as an accessory. But even with that, right, like we know what PlayStation does as far as their ecosystem, where it all fits in that hardware lineup.

[Tim Gettys]

Right.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

They're making these premium products that are enhancing the way you play on your PlayStation. Xbox is making, is partnering with a PC handheld maker to make a PC handheld, which I think is unprecedented territory, territory for them. And also it's going to pose just, I think, a lot of challenges, especially for where Xbox, the brand of Xbox is at versus where PlayStation Nintendo is at.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah, we'll see, we'll see where the numbers land. It's an uphill battle. But yeah, we should check in on this because I do think that the, to answer the question here of how you market it, you market it as a portable Xbox, and if they can do that, they're going to get sales.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Let's, let's move on. The story number is actually story number two because we had breaking news. So we want one breaking. Breaking in now. Story number two. PlayStation the Concert finally gets US tour dates. This is Wesley LeBlanc at Game Informer. The US leg of PlayStation the Concerts tour starts in New York City on October 11th at the Theater at Madison Square Garden, no less. And tickets will go on sale June 20. But the tour includes more than 20 other stops in 2025 before another 40 stops around the country in 2026 PlayStation. The concert showcases a stunning fusion of multi layered visuals, immersive surround sound, and an all star ensemble featuring classical and modern instruments. A press release reads, and Tim, I broke this out. February 15, 2026 is when they. They come to San Francisco, California. Golden Gate Theater. Hell, is that the one that had the Sonic concert in it?

[Tim Gettys]

No, unfortunately it's not Golden Gates, the smaller one. It's where they did the. Did you go to the Spider Verse Orchestra concert?

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

No, I did go to the Avatar one, which. I forget.

[Tim Gettys]

No, Avatar was the Sonic one. So you're telling me that it's a smaller one? The.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

The PlayStation concert is getting a smaller theater than the Sonic the Hedgehog concert?

[Tim Gettys]

I am.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Oh, what a shame.

[Tim Gettys]

I am.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

What a shame. We're back. We're fucking back.

[Tim Gettys]

Dude. Dude, let's go. God, I want that show to come back. The Sonic round two, baby. Let's go.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Come on.

[Tim Gettys]

Core obviously very excited about this. I've been excited since they announced PlayStation the Concert. I've said this a little bit on shows. I'm pretty significantly let down by this show though.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Really?

[Tim Gettys]

I've watched it all on YouTube at this point. I've read a bunch of reviews of it. I obviously it's cool. It's a lot of great PlayStation songs and they're orchestrated and I love that they got a medley on the. The intro and outro combining things and it's pretty damn cool. But the overall presentation of this thing, not great. I think that it's overproduced in the wrong ways. Under produced in the actual performance of music. Like they do the thing where the majority of the tracks are pre recorded and there's like, you hear 10 violins but there's two violins on stage. A lot of stuff like that that I'm like, oh yeah. And it's at the Golden Gate Theater in sf. Like they just ain't trying that hard.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Are you gonna go?

[Tim Gettys]

I'm still going. Oh yeah. And like it's still so great music and it's still like that's. I'd rather hear two violins than none. But yeah, I am a little let down with how much they've been hyping this up of like this is about to be a concert experience like you've never seen. Like all their trailers are very like, we're doing this crazy tech or whatever. And then you see it and you're just like, all right. There's just a bunch of sacred symbols flying around in ways that I'm like, I literally use that b roll for edits that I've done. Like this isn't as special as you made it out to be.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Dang.

[Tim Gettys]

So definitely let down on that front. But it's great songs. I mean, I'm not going to be mad hearing the Ragnarok theme and Last of Us. It's great stuff.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Story number three Red Dead Redemption Voice actors seem to be teasing a Red Dead related announcement coming this week. This is David Carcassel at WCCF Tech Rob we thought the actor who plays John Marston in Red dead redemption and RD RDR2 teased in a live stream this past Saturday while playing Red Dead Redemption that there's something coming this week related to the Red Dead series, likely closer to Friday, that he's incredibly excited to share and discuss with players once the news is made public. Quote I've got such exciting news. I can't wait to I can't share it with you right now and it's absolutely killing me, he began. I love people that can't keep secrets. They're my favorite. Oh yeah, quote by the end of this week. Hopefully sooner. Not this week, I guess probably not as soon as tomorrow, but definitely before Friday. Oh my goodness, the news that I have to share. He's bursting at the seams. He's bursting at the seams and I won't be the only one sharing it. I cannot wait for you to know what's going on. That's all I can say. End quote. What made it seem like a direct reference to Red Dead and Red and a Red Dead related announcement coming this or coming is that he ended his vague and excited statement by saying, quote I'm so excited, but I truly cannot think of anything else. Especially playing this game. I can't think of anything else. End quote.

[Tim Gettys]

I love it.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I love it so much. Adding to his vague statements after the live stream was Roger Clark, the actor who plays Arthur Morgan in red Dead Redemption 2. When asked if he knew what Wythoff was talking about on X, he replied with a simple quote, yes, and a gif of a grinning dog smiling like they have a secret no one else knows. Then Nashir Dalal, the voice actor for Charles in red Dead Redemption 2, replied to Clark's tweet with his own vague teaser, adding even more weight to the pile.

[Tim Gettys]

Dildo in the chat no. Yeah, no. Yeah, dildo. It's dildo with a Y, says him and Mark. Sorry, him and Roger Clark are gonna do a stream or something. I doubt it's anything big. And then Jake Colado says it's a podcast. I bet maybe they're doing something like Troy and Nolan did of like, you know, streaming, playing through the games or something. That would make sense for the level that they're hyping it. Like them too.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

But there has been a lot of.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Rumors of the streets have been talking about red Dead Redemption 2.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

The Marine Master.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah. 60 FPS switch twos out. I don't know.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I hope, I hope so. Tim. What? What? Where's the Nintendo Switch direct for like the third party direct? Are we getting one of those?

[Tim Gettys]

No, I mean not right now.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Like not by the end of June.

[Tim Gettys]

No. We got the third party games that are like the next couple months, I think.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Like where are they going to talk about the new Just Dance, But I. I don't know.

[Tim Gettys]

I just don't know. Ubisoft will figure it out, but I feel like we have Star Wars Outlaws, right? That's coming. There are still third party games this year that they announced that aren't out yet. So I do. I think we're pretty locked in third party wise.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

More.

[Tim Gettys]

Not really. Like, I think once we. We already have a couple questions like when's remake coming? Fantasy 7 remake?

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

Like it's announced but we don't have a date.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Did they say this year?

[Tim Gettys]

They did? Okay, I think we clarified. They did recently. But yeah, there's that, there's Star Wars. There are a couple other like heavy hitters.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

We got more breaking news. Hold on. We got. Let's Google this one. Let's Google this one. Let's see. Let's see. Okay, I just gotta. It's not on Google yet, so I'm just gonna go to Blue sky, see what pops up. Chad. Oh man. Tim restory number four.

[Tim Gettys]

I'm reading story number four. Fortnite launches new four player PvE mode that's essentially Helldivers with Lego. That's a lot of brand names. This comes from Tom Phillips at ign years before Fortnite became a battle royale phenomenon. Epic game shooter Originally launched as a PvE game with an offering now dubbed Save the World that saw teams working together to survive against waves of zombies. Now Fortnite's returning to its roots with the LEGO Fortnite Expeditions, a fresh mission based PvE mode for up to four players. Which looks like a mix of the game's existing lego gameplay with PlayStation console hits. Hell divers. Pretty sick. Developer Epic Games is positioning Exped Expeditions to be another permanent Fortnite mode and the game's third major LEGO experience after the survival focused LEGO Odyssey and simlike Lego Brick Life. I love that they're still doing this.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

Goddamn. Fortnite continued to expand as a platform of games.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Fortnite continuing to look at what other games are doing and going, we should make a mob. We should do that, too.

[Tim Gettys]

Let's make money from this.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Oh, they got Helldivers. All right, let's make it Lego and put it out to children. Good for you, Fortnite. I guess I can't find people. Okay, so the breaking news seemingly from chat, and so don't take this as a confirmation yet, but people in chat are saying marathon is delayed. I can't find it.

[Tim Gettys]

Paul Tassie's being name dropped in the chat. I'm searching for the Tasselator.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I might. I'm gonna have to go to the forbidden place.

[Tim Gettys]

Update from the Marathon team.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

There we go.

[Tim Gettys]

Bungie.net here. Let's go through here. Marathon development Updates. This was 11 hours ago.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

It probably was. Oh, man. Yeah, that was scheduled from 11 hours ago, but I think it just went live.

[Tim Gettys]

There's a lot of words here. I'm gonna.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I mean, I can read them. I got in front of me.

[Tim Gettys]

They don't look interesting.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

They don't look.

[Tim Gettys]

No, this doesn't seem like.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Here's the thing. I got a tweet from Shinobi who links to the same thing that says marathon has been delayed. Bungie to focus on feedback over the next several months. Areas of focus include better AI.

[Tim Gettys]

So they don't. They don't officially say, okay, hold on. Here we go. After much discussion within our dev team, we've made the decision to delay the September 23rd release. Over the next few months, we'll continue closed testing, including participants from the alpha to deploy gameplay updates and test new features as they come. So there's no actual idea on when.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

This is happening, but it's officially been delayed. Yeah, man.

[Tim Gettys]

Man.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Oh, I think this is what we're gonna do. What's tomorrow? Because I know tomorrow is also a weird day.

[Tim Gettys]

Tomorrow's Donkey Kong day.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Tomorrow's Donkey Kong game day. We still have KFC tomorrow, just after. We're gonna talk about this on KFG tomorrow.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Because we're at the. We're at the end of this show, sadly, because I would love to break this down with you. There's a lot to talk about, but let's sit. Let's let this simmer. Let's form our opinions over the next 24 hours.

[Tim Gettys]

I love that.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

And come back as informed people. Really have a good conversation. About this for now, though, Tim, if I wanted something small, say the tiniest. God, Greg's coming here. Let's not transition. He's got the handle mic with a mic. He doesn't know.

[Tim Gettys]

Bad news.

[D]

It's not bad news. I hear the Bungee thing happened and then you were like, oh, I mean, like, we could just do a Gamescast about it. We could roll into here if we wanted to. Like, I mean, we're talking about what we've been playing on gamescast. It's not like. It's like the biggest thing. We could. We could ride the thing here of.

[Tim Gettys]

Do you have that much to say?

[D]

Do you, Bungie Cook?

[Tim Gettys]

I don't know that I have that much to say.

[D]

I'm just saying it was just an opportunity.

[Tim Gettys]

Is that the conversation people want? Let's. Let's see. Let's put up a poll.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah.

[D]

Do you want that or hot takes on links? Awakening.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Like, Andy's got to talk about. Oh, where'd it go? He's got to talk about doing Awakening. Let Andy talk about doing Awakening.

[D]

I'm just putting out there. We could do. We can still talk.

[Tim Gettys]

I was just, you know, Joey's been.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Playing Animal Crossing on the switch too. Give the people what they want. All right, Tim.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

We got a lot of big decisions to make as far as are we keeping the ship, Are we changing the ship? Or we're going to talk about Marathon. What are we going to do? Big decisions. But if wanted something small, say the tiniest news I needed to know about, where would I go?

[Tim Gettys]

Go to our last story, the WE News Channel, where we cover all of the small news items that you need to know about.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Story number five is WE News. New game pass games have been announced. Coming out today is FBC Firebreak, Crash Bandicoot 4, and Lost in Random. The internal. The eternal Die.

[Tim Gettys]

Dude, Fuck yeah, man. Crash Bandicoot 4. Awesome game. Bless. Barrett and I played a little Crash 2 and Crash Team Racing yesterday and we kept talking about Crash 4. Like, dude, Crash 4 is legit awesome. And other Wii news for you. Crash Team Racing. As we were playing yesterday, their account tweeted out that they've crossed 10 million sales.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Oh, yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

Crash Team Racing. Nitro few shield.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Good for them.

[Tim Gettys]

And why'd they announce it yesterday? Were they watching Barrett's stream? Are they prepped for Barrett's Naughty Dog video at the end of the week? Wow, cool stuff.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

A lot to think about. On the 19th, you're getting rematch. On the 24th, you're getting volcano Princess. And this is of course, new Game Pass games. On the 26th, you're getting against the Storm and Warcraft 1, 2 and 3. On the 30th you're getting Call of Duty, World War II, and then July 1st you're getting Little Nightmares 2 and Rise of the Tomb Raider. And then for standard Game Pass, you're Getting on the 18th, Star Trucker and Wildfrost. Expedition 33 is getting accessibility updates. This was tweeted by the Expedition 33 Twitter account where they said bonjour. We're currently exploring. That's how they say it over there. We're currently exploring a wide range of feature improvements, from accessibility features to new content and all sorts of bits and bobs. We're actively assessing. Naturally, this also includes expanded localization options. Well, we don't have specific timelines or confirmed languages to share just yet. Wanted to let you know that it's very much on our radar.

[Tim Gettys]

We.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Because that's what makes me feel we for sure.

[Tim Gettys]

I'm so stoked about this then. Now official confirmation. We're getting new content. What's that look like? Future improvements. There's a lot of improvements. I'd love to see a lot of things. I'd love to see them. Even simple things like retry for different battles. Just make it a lot snappier. I would love a mini map. I know that that would be a lot more work, but I think that a lot of people agree with me. Not everybody, but I think that might be something that they decide to add. And I am hopeful for a Switch 2 announcement because I think the game will thrive there and I might be willing to replay it.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Wow.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah. I mean, I want to replay Expedition for sure.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I agree. That's.

[Tim Gettys]

I'm like. I feel like that's one of them.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Games that you replay for sure. So Tron Catalyst reviews are here right now. On Metacritic is sitting at a 69. Nice. And on open, critic is sitting at a 68. IGN gave it a 7 out of 10 and says tron Catalyst competently gets the job done as an action game, but it's rarely more than just good. Speaking of reviews, early FBC Firebreak reviews are in too. On Metacritic is sitting at a 66. And on open, critic is sitting at it 68. Gamerant gives it a 6 out of 10 and says FBC Firebreak is a big swing for Remedy Entertainment. That's definitely worth a few cheers.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah, we're about to do a stream of it in a couple hours right after Gamescast.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Let's go Golden Tea Arcade Classics launches July 17th on Xbox, PS4, PS5, Switch and PC. And finally blueprints is getting some Mac support. And that is it for Wii News again.

[Tim Gettys]

Love seeing Both blueprints and Expedition 33 find even bigger and bigger audiences, like get out there. So like, congrats, Blueprints. I think on Mac that's going to be. That's the type of game that I think you can get a lot of people that just have a MacBook but are kind of interested in games.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah, I like that. I like that category of person.

[Tim Gettys]

That's a freaking giant market share out there.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Good for them.

[Tim Gettys]

Good for them.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Still using MacBooks, it's like, how about a PC, you loser? You know, what are you doing on there? What are people still doing with MacBooks? Is that a MacBook?

[Tim Gettys]

Yes.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

My bad, bro, my bad. Oh man, that's awkward.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah, first it was the Pikmin, then It was the MacBooks. What's next everyone but like I feel.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Like Pikmin people and MacBook people. There's a big Venn diagram there.

[Tim Gettys]

No, there's not for sure.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

A big Venn diagram Chat. If any of y' all play Pikmin, let me know. What kind of computer you use.

[Tim Gettys]

Lakers Head. What computer you use? Lakers Head.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Let me know. Let's see. Street Shadow says, oh, I forgot for a second. I was going to like be like, yo, this is, this is your wrong. You're right. It's not. You're wrong. Street Shadow for Super Chat says, Tim's right. PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo have stronger brands than Steam even with fewer features. For example, a dedicated PlayStation handheld could reach far more people like Switch due to brand trust and loyalty. I disagree with some aspects there, but then also some aspects I think are just a very different thing. A dedicated PlayStation handheld is gonna sell fantastic, especially depending on the amount of first party dedication to it. Right? Like if all of the PlayStation games that we have are playable on a PlayStation handheld, yes, it's gonna sell phenomenally because of the PlayStation brand. I think my argument comes back to the power of the PlayStation brand and the Nintendo brand versus the power of the Xbox brand. In a gaming handheld space, I think it's just different. But also this is gonna be a wait and see thing of like let's see how the numbers speak. Kobe aren't says PlayStation wheeling around Bloodborne's corpse at these concerts is going to make me huff an obscene amount of copium. Are they really playing Bloodborne music over?

[Tim Gettys]

They're playing Bloodborne bro. They're doing it. There's a whole bloodborne suite. They make the medley.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I don't like that. You know what I mean? I hear representing bloodborne when you want to like picking and choosing make a remake already. Killian C says this is cool. I just wish they were including more classic PlayStation games. Games like Parappa. Vib Ribbon. Parappa.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah, dude. Parappa. Twisted Metal. ParappaJammer. Lemmy. Parappa.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

He's a big old fan of Parapp. Apple over here. Let's see, let's see, let's see.

[Tim Gettys]

I'm with you though. For reals. I don't want to like take away from the fact that what's a PlayStation concert? It's like, oh, it's all the music from the PlayStation 4. Generations of games that we all love so much. Which feels kind of boring, you know?

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

But also some of the best music ever. Can't complain.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Are they. Are they playing previous generations too? Like, is there PS1? PS to is it shadow Colossus? I guess.

[Tim Gettys]

Yo. They do. They do Shadow. They do Shadow. They do.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Is there Brave Fencer Musashi?

[Tim Gettys]

No, there's not. There's no Crash. There's no Final Fantasy. There's no Metal Gear. There's none of that stuff. It's like, oh, it's very PlayStation. There's Helldivers. There's Horizon. There's Last of Us 1 and 2. Uncharted gets a couple.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Sure.

[Tim Gettys]

God of War gets a couple.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Here's the thing. I was excited to go to this. You like you have thoroughly unsold me on going to this thing. Maybe I'll see how I feel in February 2026.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah, I'm going for sure. I'm a sicko.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

All right. We have so many super chats. Sadly, we do not have the time of the show to get to all of these. But there's gonna be one. I'm reading one more. I'm reading one more.

[Tim Gettys]

Give me one more.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Trevor writes in make it good, Trevor. And says, I would argue against a one thousand dollar price. Marketing will focus more on console players that have been tempted by handheld PC gaming. So they do not want it to be that high. I'm praying for $800.

[Tim Gettys]

I'm with you. I'm totally with you. But the one thing people don't want to hear are the facts. And we can talk all about, hey, like gaming's pricing people out. When things are selling out in incredibly high prices, the market's saying something different.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah, but when you make 30 of those things and they sell Out. It's like cool. 30 people paid $1,000.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Those suckers.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah. Yeah. That's not what's happening.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I don't know why I'm playing a character today. I don't know who this person is. I don't even.

[Tim Gettys]

I don't even.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Dislikers. I don't have an opinion on Pikmin. I never played Pikmin. I'd probably like it if I played it. Omar looks cute in the Smash games.

[Tim Gettys]

He's doing things.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

But I'm just saying Fire Emblem has a million characters in Smash.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

You know what I mean? I don't want them to make individuals.

[Tim Gettys]

You blessing are out here fighting for Fire Emblem, a game you've never played.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah, but like. But like I meet the gamers where they're at and the gamers are horrible.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Okay, let's go, Tim. That brings us to kind offunny.com you're wrong where you write in let us know what we got wrong as we got it wrong so we can correct it for those watching later on YouTube and listening later on podcast services around the globe. Oh, man, these are a lot of. These are opinions, guys. All right, let me reiterate. What you're wrong is facts. All right? I want facts that we got wrong. If I said that there have been five PlayStations and there have been six off, I fucked that up already. If I said there was four PlayStations and there have been five, I want that as a correction. Hey, this is their chance right now.

[Tim Gettys]

Get in there, kebabs.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Let's see. Tim said nothing to see. That's not. You're wrong either, Tim. We got nothing wrong.

[Tim Gettys]

We got nothing wrong in that whole show. That's how I felt. So it's nice to be confirmed.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah, well, most we're getting are people disagreeing with certain points.

[Tim Gettys]

But like, which is our point.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah. Which is. Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

So really we're right.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah, that's it.

[Tim Gettys]

That's it.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

That's been kind of fun. At Games Daily, there's a games cast after this, we're going to talk about. You're going to have to wait and see. All right, tune into the gamescast. Of course, this has been kfcd. Each and every weekday we run you through the nerdy news you need to know about live on YouTube, Twitch and on podcast services around the globe. If you love what we do, support us with the kind of funny membership on Patreon or YouTube to get all of our shows ad free. Watch the them live and get a daily exclusive show. Enjoy the games cast next and the stream after. But until next time, Game Daily.