Switch 2 Will Be the Biggest Console Launch EVER?! - Kinda Funny Games Daily 04.25.25

Summary

Summary of Kinda Funny Games Daily Episode: "Switch 2 Will Be the Biggest Console Launch EVER?!" – April 25, 2025

Kinda Funny Games Daily, hosted by Greg Miller, Tim Gettys, Blessing Adeoye Jr., and Andy Cortez, delivers an engaging and comprehensive discussion on the latest developments in the gaming industry. This episode delves into the anticipated launch of the Nintendo Switch 2, notable movie adaptations, industry layoffs, the dynamics of live service games, significant legal battles involving AI, and impressive sales milestones in the gaming world.

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1. Nintendo Switch 2 Set for Record-Breaking Launch

The episode kicks off with exciting news about the Nintendo Switch 2. According to Pelham Smithers of Pelham Smithers Associates, the Switch 2 is poised to achieve the biggest console launch ever, boasting an estimated 6.6 million pre-orders globally, with Japan contributing a third of this base. This surge is attributed to the Switch 2’s stellar pre-order campaign in Japan, mirroring the region's substantial engagement with Nintendo's platforms.

Notable Quote:

• Greg Miller [14:57]: "Pelham Smithers Associates believes this. But we only listen to one analyst. Kind of funny."

Despite the optimistic projections, the hosts express concerns about potential challenges such as supply chain logistics, reminiscent of the PlayStation 5’s initial stock shortages.

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2. Sydney Sweeney to Star in "Split Fiction" Movie Adaptation

Moving to entertainment news, Sydney Sweeney is confirmed to star in the highly anticipated movie adaptation of the video game Split Fiction, directed by John M. Chu. The screenplay is being crafted by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, known for their work on Deadpool and Wolverine. The game, which launched on March 6, has already exceeded 2 million copies sold in its first week, showcasing its massive popularity and critical acclaim.

Notable Quotes:

• Andy Cortez [35:35]: "She's also going to be in the Gundam movie, which is huge."
• Greg Miller [36:57]: "That's exactly what this is. You know, that's a great point."

The hosts discuss the potential impact of this adaptation on both the gaming and film industries, highlighting the seamless transition of popular video game IPs into mainstream cinema.

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3. Skate 2 Will Lack Offline Mode

A significant topic of discussion is the upcoming Skate 2. Full Circle, the developer behind the Skate series, announced that the reboot will be an always-online, massively multiplayer experience set in San Vansterdam. Unlike its predecessors, Skate 2 will forgo an offline mode to support live events and continual updates, aligning with the live service model prevalent in today’s gaming landscape.

Notable Quotes:

• Greg Miller [42:55]: "Skate will always require a live connection, Full Circle says."
• Andy Cortez [44:19]: "I think that it will disappoint some and I think that it will be a big deal and there will be an outcry for maybe four days that people will forget and then people will end up just moving on and then buying skate whenever it comes out."

The hosts debate the merits and drawbacks of this approach, comparing it to successful live service games like Monster Hunter and contrasting it with less successful models like Animal Crossing.

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4. Industry Layoffs Continue Amid Financial Challenges

The conversation shifts to concerning news about layoffs within the gaming industry. Meta's Reality Labs division, formerly known as Oculus, has reportedly laid off over 100 employees, facing a staggering loss of $17.7 billion in the last fiscal year. Additionally, Mighty Yell, the developer behind The Big Con and Night in the Attic, has also initiated layoffs as it prepares to release its upcoming title, All Systems Dance.

Notable Quotes:

• Greg Miller [54:37]: "They keep financing games like Batman, Arkham Shadow that we loved. They're doing it."
• Andy Cortez [56:13]: "I think VR is such a closed off experience that I think it just dampens the excitement of it again."

The hosts express empathy for affected employees and discuss the broader implications of these layoffs on the future of gaming technologies like VR.

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5. Ziff Davis Sues OpenAI Over Copyright Infringement

A major legal battle is highlighted as Ziff Davis—a prominent digital publisher behind sites like IGN and PCMag—files a lawsuit against OpenAI. The lawsuit accuses OpenAI of "intentionally and relentlessly" reproducing exact copies and creating derivatives of Ziff Davis's content to train its AI models, specifically for the ChatGPT chatbot.

Notable Quotes:

• Andy Cortez [61:21]: "Ziff a person?"
• Greg Miller [59:47]: "Ziff Davis is one of the largest publishers in the United States and..."

This lawsuit underscores the growing tensions between content creators and AI developers, raising questions about intellectual property rights in the age of artificial intelligence.

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6. Resident Evil 4 Surpasses 10 Million Sales

Capcom celebrates a significant milestone as Resident Evil 4 surpasses 10 million units sold worldwide within two years of its 2023 release, marking it as the fastest-selling title in the series. Additionally, Obsidian's Expedition 33 has achieved impressive sales, with 500,000 copies sold.

Notable Quotes:

• Greg Miller [65:58]: "Number six on the Roper Report. Skate won't be Playable Offline..."

The hosts commend these achievements, highlighting the enduring popularity and commercial success of established franchises alongside promising new titles.

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7. Game Reviews and Recommendations

The hosts share their passion for various games, recommending titles like Expedition 33, Monster Hunter, and Elden Ring. They discuss the appeal of immersive open-world RPGs compared to the fast-paced action of popular games like Fortnite and Roblox, emphasizing the importance of engaging game mechanics and storytelling.

Notable Quotes:

• Andy Cortez [48:18]: "Its policies are similar."
• Greg Miller [70:38]: "I think the wait with bated breath to find out."

Their recommendations cater to a broad audience, encouraging listeners to explore diverse gaming experiences beyond mainstream offerings.

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8. Community and Personal Stories

The episode also features heartfelt interactions, including Greg’s 25th birthday celebrations and congratulations to listeners celebrating new additions to their families. Additionally, expressions of sympathy are extended to listeners dealing with personal losses.

Notable Quotes:

• Greg Miller [71:02]: "CJ splits on super chats for and says two dollar tax for doubting Greg about PSVR2 viability. I accept your apology and your tax. Thank you. Remember, I'm rarely wrong."
• Blessing Adeoye Jr. [48:47]: "No, no. I'm just wondering like your school of thought on this because I think a lot of people have drawn the line on now this is a live service product when it should just be skate four, right?"

These personal stories foster a sense of community among listeners, highlighting the hosts' connection with their audience.

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Conclusion

In closing, Greg Miller encourages listeners to support the show through memberships and highlights upcoming content, including an Elder Scrolls Online podcast and a birthday stream featuring Monster Hunter. The hosts express gratitude for their listeners' support and emphasize their commitment to delivering daily gaming news and engaging discussions.

Notable Quotes:

• Greg Miller [75:30]: "Until next time, everybody, it's been our pleasure to serve."

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This episode of Kinda Funny Games Daily offers a thorough exploration of current gaming trends, significant industry movements, and interactive discussions, making it a valuable listen for enthusiasts seeking comprehensive insights into the gaming world.

Transcript

[Greg Miller]

Today in the nerdy news you need to know about, analysts say The Nintendo Switch 2 is gonna crush console records. Sydney Sweeney is set to star in the new It Takes Two movie. And we got a double dose of layoffs. Laughs. Not a good one. But of all this and more because this is Kinda Funny Games Daily. What's up, everybody? Welcome to Kinda Funny Games daily for Friday, April 25, 2025. I'm one of your hosts, Greg Miller, alongside the Hispanic heartthrob Texas Treat Latino Heat. Clicking heads and ripping them to shreds. The Globetrotting Head Shot Three Point Shooting Rootin Tootin'nitro Rifle from Twitch tv. Andy Cortez.

[Andy Cortez]

Greg Miller. Greg E. Greggy. Greggy. How you doing, man?

[Greg Miller]

I'm good. I'm okay. Greg, something's happening.

[Andy Cortez]

What's up?

[Greg Miller]

You got your keyboard out. Typical Andy fashion bear. It's like, are you ready to go? You're like, wait, I forgot something and you ran off and came back.

[Andy Cortez]

Well, it's, you know, it's obviously a very momentous occasion. Everybody. I'd love for you all to put your phones up in the sky. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Greggy Happy birthday to you every birthday.

[Greg Miller]

Greg, that was beautiful.

[Andy Cortez]

Thank you so much.

[Greg Miller]

Beautiful. I love that.

[Andy Cortez]

Thank you so much. You're. You're turning the young age of 25.

[Greg Miller]

That's right.

[Andy Cortez]

You are celebrating on Sunday, but today's our big day.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah. Well, yeah, my birthday's on Sunday, so. Yeah, today we had to celebrate here.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah, today we're celebrating. And I'd also love to celebrate your child with a brand new.

[Greg Miller]

No.

[Andy Cortez]

Alarmo.

[Greg Miller]

No.

[Andy Cortez]

For your baby. For your little baby. For your.

[Greg Miller]

Is that really. Is it yours?

[Andy Cortez]

I'm g. Yeah. Well, that's mine. Yeah. But I'm giving away.

[Greg Miller]

You sure you want to give it away?

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah. Oh, yeah. I'm giving. Gifting it to Ben. Yeah.

[Greg Miller]

Positive. He's going to flip. And I. And I. I thank you.

[Andy Cortez]

Turns out the ladies don't love it.

[Greg Miller]

Greg.

[Andy Cortez]

Okay. You know.

[Greg Miller]

They come like.

[Andy Cortez]

It doesn't work with more than one.

[Barrett Courtney]

In one person in the bed.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah. Yeah. It doesn't know how to read the. The motions.

[Greg Miller]

Oh, man.

[Andy Cortez]

Happy birthday.

[Greg Miller]

Thank you, Andy.

[Andy Cortez]

Birthday. Greg.

[Greg Miller]

Give me a hug. Come here.

[Andy Cortez]

Love you.

[Greg Miller]

Love you too.

[Andy Cortez]

Everybody. Happy birthday to Greg.

[Greg Miller]

Of course we're celebrating my birthday today by streaming Monster Hunter for like five hours. So get ready for that, everybody, in the afternoon.

[Andy Cortez]

Oh, really?

[Barrett Courtney]

Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

You're excited about that?

[Greg Miller]

I am.

[Andy Cortez]

Andy, you have Twitch Prime Hit it. Well, hold on. I'm trying to do the. Trying to really get the. Because we need to remind people that's true. You have to. Its prime and hold on, you have Twitch Prime.

[Greg Miller]

All that for that. It's the Thanos thing. All that for a drop of blood. You could have just said it seven times. We have Amazon prime, you got Twitch Prime.

[Andy Cortez]

We need to harmonize over it. So everybody, if you have Amazon prime, you have Twitch prime. And we gotta help, you know, keep the company in business so that Greg can have one more year as an employed. Yeah, as an employed person.

[Greg Miller]

You too?

[Andy Cortez]

Well, me too as well. I would love to stay employed as well.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. If you got Amazon prime, you got Twitch Prime. Give us that free sub. But of course, there's a million ways to help because this is kind of Funny games daily, each and every weekday on a variety of platforms, we run you through the nerdy video game news you need to know about live on YouTube.com kind of funny games, twitch TV, kind of funny games and podcast services around the globe.

[Andy Cortez]

Let's do that one more time. Podcast services around what the glow.

[Greg Miller]

Oh, okay. Podcast services around the globe. I like that. It kind of sounds like a heartbeat too, you know. Do it again. It's my birthday. We're celebrating me. It's my birthday. We're celebrating me. How many peas does one body hold? What if we counted them until we got old? We'd be up in the thousands by now. When will it end? Oh, no.

[Andy Cortez]

Poop train really fell off at the end. Producers in the room, like, I don't know if we want to use that part of the chorus.

[Greg Miller]

Oh, my God. We couldn't do this kind of stuff without your support. So please pick up a kind of funny membership on patreon.com kindafunny YouTube.com kind to funny games, Apple or Spotify. You can toss US$10 a month, get all of our shows. That's more than 80amonth ad free. You get good karma for supporting a small business. And of course, you'd get your daily dose of me, Greg Miller in a podcast series I call Greg Way. No bucks tossed away. No big deal. Plenty of free ways to support, of course, like subscribe, share, tell your friends, leave a review, leave a comment. You know how it is. Hit the bell if you want to go and be part of this show while we are live. YouTube.com kindafunnygames you can super chat with your thoughts and opinions like Samson did. Who said it's my cat Misty's. 17th birthday today, too. This is my day. All right. I need to share it with Misty as well. All right. Golden spider says, got to pay the birthday tax. Happy birthday to Greggy, too. Thank you very much.

[Andy Cortez]

Happy birthday.

[Greg Miller]

No, no.

[Andy Cortez]

Happy birthday.

[Greg Miller]

It's Greg's day. We're celebrating Greg. It's Greg's Day. It's the observed Greg day.

[Andy Cortez]

Misty, happy birthday to you. Harmonies are off right now, but it's a little. It's really cold outside.

[Greg Miller]

It is cold. Yeah. It's getting your vocal cords cold. And we had a walk, too. The gate isn't working. Ricardo Gonzalez says happy birthday to the greatest heal in history. Hope you have a time with Tim's three stars. You know I will. You know I will. I'll be doing just obscene things to those stars. Don't worry about that.

[Andy Cortez]

You're going to take those on a tour. Like the way the Stanley cup winners in hockey will. They. They all the stars get, like, a week with it, and they all go on vacation with it, and they take it everywhere.

[Greg Miller]

Push your mic away. Okay.

[Andy Cortez]

Put my. Okay, that's crazy.

[Greg Miller]

And, I mean, it might be small or I might go like, hey, everybody in, like, the city.

[Andy Cortez]

Really good.

[Greg Miller]

I'm a psychopath, so I gotta win now. I gotta win Portland. Kevin says, happy birthday, Mr. Seven Stars, Greg Miller. And then Mellow fellow says, happy birthday, Misty and Greg.

[Andy Cortez]

Or were they Missy?

[Greg Miller]

Can I at least see a photo of Misty Samson? L. Can you Blue sky me?

[Andy Cortez]

Why are you trying to, like, approve of whether the cat is pretty enough.

[Greg Miller]

To get a. I mean, there's some cats serving. There's some cats that I'm like, yeah. And then there's other cats are like, nah. Yeah, similar.

[Barrett Courtney]

What's the example of a nah cat?

[Greg Miller]

You know, I don't like them when they got, like, the triangular fur.

[Andy Cortez]

You don't like the furry ones? I mean, I like them.

[Greg Miller]

I don't like hairless cats.

[Andy Cortez]

Hold on. Is your Palico a furless one? A furless?

[Mike Howard]

No, no, no.

[Greg Miller]

Again, it's not furless. I'm not saying they need to be hairless.

[Andy Cortez]

No, but not. Not. But you know what I mean. Like, you know, when you're creating your palette, you can make the real fluffy furry one, or you could do normal.

[Greg Miller]

I got a normal one. I got the one with, like, 40. Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

Like the one that uses the five.

[Greg Miller]

The one you had at first. Honestly, Barrett, I'm more offended by you, really. Come on, rein it in.

[Andy Cortez]

Go fuck yourself.

[Greg Miller]

You need to look like Garfield put up the black cat there with the pink ribbon, now that's a cat you can set your watch to. That seems.

[Andy Cortez]

That seems even more aggressive in the other way that you don't like.

[Greg Miller]

Listen, I call him like I see him. Get it together. You're not a wolf. You're not a snow leopard. It thinks it is Samson. I'm refreshing my mentions on Blue sky if you want to get in there.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah, get in there, Samson.

[Greg Miller]

Get in there. I gotta see what you're cat.

[Andy Cortez]

What flavor drinking? I'm drinking Monster Blue Ultra Blue Hawaiian. This one tastes like pineapple. It's so delicious. Was drinking a lot last time. Playing marathon, huh?

[Greg Miller]

You enjoy?

[Andy Cortez]

We're playing a lot of marathon. Can't wait to talk more about it. We have a game about marathon. Yeah, marathon. I like it with the pink girls. We. Yeah, I've been enjoying it. But last night was a one of those moments where when we played with Nick and Mike having the most amount of fun, winning some fights, losing some fights. Last night was not a vod that you want to watch or stream you want to watch. If you in any way want to be encouraged to play this game.

[Greg Miller]

Got it.

[Andy Cortez]

Last night was me and Mike. Now granted, we were dropping duos in a trio's thing for a bit and then eventually we got the homie Khalif. But to be our third in the trio. But the first four matches or so Greg, it was like oh, what was like we just ran into a building. No, not even that. Ran into a building. What the fuck are the. Oh, we're dead. We're just that we're dead. We didn't know that anybody was here.

[Greg Miller]

Got to get your head.

[Andy Cortez]

And we weren't even. It was just really bad. It was like don't watch this if you want to feel like, oh, maybe I can get into this genre.

[Greg Miller]

Gotcha.

[Andy Cortez]

Last night was very deflating and then we eventually had some better fights, but it was still pretty bad overall. A lot of the players doing the Call of Duty jump, Greg called the jump. Yeah, like when you run into a building in war Zone and you see someone just like running around a corner.

[Greg Miller]

And they go, okay, okay, okay, okay.

[Andy Cortez]

It's the worst, dude. The worst. I was like, get out of this game. Go, go play Warzone, you fucking freak. You know goddamn 12 year olds.

[Greg Miller]

We're an 11 person small business. All about live talk shows after kind of funny games daily. You're going to get the kind of funny games cast. It is episode two of our Elder Scrolls Online podcast. Sorry, I don't mind, of course. This is us, me and Mike sitting down with Rich and Matt from ESO doing the deepest dive of my career. This is a four part series we're doing in partnership with ESO. It's already up on their Bethesda's YouTube. Of course we'll have it up. Like I said, after this. You can listen to it on our Gamecast feeds, you can watch it on YouTube, watch it on Twitch, hang out with the other people. Most importantly, I encourage you to do it. Obviously. I know not a lot of ESO crossover necessarily. I'm surprised by how much there is. But ESO is not everybody's game. But again, this is about the business of making a game and we have gotten now to, hey, we're launching this game and oh shit, everybody hates it. So it's gonna be an interesting response to what that was, like, how they changed what they did and how they've managed to go for 10 years. So please check it out.

[Andy Cortez]

It's like when people weren't interested in F1 and they started watching the F1 show on Netflix, you know, because you're not into it, start to get into it because of just the ins and outs and the trials and tribulations and the big successes and then the. Oh, shit.

[Mike Howard]

Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

It reminds me of like way back in the day watching indie game the Movie. That being one of the first like video game documentaries I'd ever watched.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

And you know, watching the, the devs of Super Meat Boy being like, I did not, you know, expect any of this. And then we were like, why is our game not on the Xbox Live Store? Yeah.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

Really, really cool moment. I just love hearing stories like that.

[Greg Miller]

And then after that, like you said, it will be a very long Monster Hunter birthday stream for me, Greg Miller. We'll hang out together. It is of course also Misty's birthday. We do have images of Misty from Samson. I have sent them over to Assets.

[Andy Cortez]

That's a. That's a pretty cat.

[Greg Miller]

Misty's cute.

[Andy Cortez]

That's a cute little kitty.

[Greg Miller]

See first off, that's always cute. The face down thing. I used to have that bed too. And then, yeah, Misty, that like, Misty's cute. That's a great photo of Misty right there. Happy birthday, Misty.

[Andy Cortez]

If I wasn't allergic, I would, I would vibe with Misty.

[Greg Miller]

The amount of Jen's allergic to cats and the amount of times Ben goes, I wish I could have a kitty, but mom is allergic. He knows, he knows he can't have it, but he has that moment of Like, I really wish I could. And then yesterday I picked him up from school, I get him in the car, he starts sucking his thumb like, Ben, you shouldn't suck your thumb. And he goes, but I want to. I go, I know buddy, but that's what makes your tummy upset. And he goes, well, it's my choice. And put it back into his mouth.

[Andy Cortez]

Like, damn, my body, my choice.

[Greg Miller]

He just got me on that one. I can't argue that. You know what I mean?

[Andy Cortez]

I did see a commercial the other day of this guy who's like, you know, I married my. I'm a scientist or whatever. Marry my wife. She has a. She has a cat and I'm allergic. So I developed this medicine, this pill that like really helps with allergens and things like that. And I'm really looking into it.

[Greg Miller]

Oh yeah, please do. Jen's definitely. I mean she has. Her parents have cats at home and so when she goes home, she will cuddle these cats and then be like, yeah, she. And she's done thing. I could. We, we could get a cat. I'm like, no, we cannot get a cat, Jen. We cannot.

[Andy Cortez]

It's so funny looking back and not understanding why I was in constant like pain and punishment. Not being able to breathe when I'd go to my grandma's house because my parents were on vacation or whatever. My parents were doing whatever. My dad had to work things so I'd. We'd be in my grandma's house and my aunt had her cat there and it was like. I just think back to never being able to sleep because I'm a runny nose, just bat red eyes.

[Barrett Courtney]

Same with. That's me for dogs. Really weirdly short haired dogs. Really allergic to like pit bull. Anytime I go to my aunt's house. It was rough. Yeah, Andy's the reason we got a dog instead of a cat.

[Greg Miller]

So congratulations, Lulu. That worked out for you. If you're a kind of funny member. Today's Greg Way is 23 minutes about friendships or lack thereof in my post IGN life. Thank you to our Patreon producers, Anatoly Ass Delaney Twining, Carl Jacobs and Omega Buster. Today we're brought to you by Imperial and Aura Frames. But we'll tell you about that later. For now, let's begin the show with what is and forever will be the Roper Report. Time for some news. Six items on the Roper Report. A baker's dozen. Oh, I like that.

[Andy Cortez]

Thank you. I like that.

[Greg Miller]

That's good. Number one on the Roper Report. Nintendo Switch 2 will be the biggest console launch ever, according to one analyst. Jordan Midler. VGC reports. Nintendo Switch 2 is set to enjoy the biggest console launch in history according to an analyst. Previously, analysts had predicted that the Nintendo will that Nintendo will likely produce between 6 and 8 million units of the console by the time of the June launch. Now analyst has claimed that there's the console that the console's incredible popular pre order campaign in Japan may point to the Nintendo Switch 2 enjoying the biggest console launch in history. Quote as Japan accounts for a third of global Switch installation base, it implies 6.6 million pre orders globally, said Pelham Smithers of Japan focused equity research house Pelham Smithers Associates.

[Andy Cortez]

Man, Pelham, Pelham.

[Greg Miller]

Talk about, you know, Nepo baby, you know, Right?

[Andy Cortez]

Am I right?

[Greg Miller]

Pelham?

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah. Oh you're right. Maybe.

[Greg Miller]

No, I'm saying what you said. Right? What did you say?

[Andy Cortez]

Nothing.

[Greg Miller]

Well, you say Pelham though.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah, we'll go. Pelham. Yeah.

[Greg Miller]

What was I saying? Pelham.

[Andy Cortez]

Pelham.

[Greg Miller]

I'm such an idiot.

[Barrett Courtney]

Add it to the board.

[Andy Cortez]

Ghost of what it's all. What's the sequel to Ghost?

[Greg Miller]

Okay, somebody. Someone in the subreddit yesterday was saying that I was saying you tay at some point, which is completely.

[Andy Cortez]

They were hearing wrong.

[Greg Miller]

Okay, thank you.

[Andy Cortez]

They got to get a whiteboard for their hearing.

[Greg Miller]

Also, you know what the comments said yesterday? Best duo Greg and Andy. You know what I mean?

[Andy Cortez]

Fucking Andy, dude.

[Greg Miller]

At the time of writing, the two biggest console launches in history both belong to Sony. With the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 tied at a reported 4.5 million units during the first two months on the market. It's worth noting the PlayStation 5 faced constant stock issues during its first year, meaning the PS5 would have likely eclipsed the PlayStation 4 if stock had been available. Earlier this week, Nintendo president Shuntaro Kurokawa warned that a significant number of players in Japan will miss out on Nintendo Switch 2 pre orders after 2.2 million applied for its my Nintendo pre order lottery. Pre orders for the console opened in the US this week with players reporting constant issues with attempting to pre order the console online. Pre orders in the UK and Europe went live earlier this month following the Nintendo Switch to Direct presentation. How have I not heard what I know? We got people over there from the uk. Did you have a bunch of problems? Was it easy? Smooth sailing for everybody else?

[Barrett Courtney]

It sounds like it, yeah. At least like people from our chat would check in and be like, oh yeah, I don't live in the us I already pre ordered mine.

[Andy Cortez]

I think Is that just an issue with website design?

[Greg Miller]

Like, are we.

[Andy Cortez]

Do they have like the metric system of websites and we have the, the other one, Imperial.

[Greg Miller]

Remember, it's so much smaller over in the uk.

[Andy Cortez]

Less people. Less. Less computer, isn't it?

[Greg Miller]

Why, like, you know, England's like England, Texas or some shit. Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

I think it's the size of Rhode Island.

[Greg Miller]

So it's just a lot of castles too. They can't have wi fi.

[Blessing Adeoye Jr.]

Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

How are they going to run a hard line?

[Greg Miller]

You got the surfs out there. They don't have WI fi.

[Andy Cortez]

Terrible out there. The. The numbers here, Greg, are, you know, not a lot of people speaking with their wallets, I guess, like, you know, in terms of the price raises. But I remember there was a, There was a bit of time where people were like, man, this could just be another Wii U. Watch out, Nintendo idiots. And I think we're just in a different era. I don't know if. And more importantly, I think these high estimates and these high predictions really speak to people that are like, yeah, I'm kind of tired of this old machine looking like garbage.

[Greg Miller]

And also, I mean, the, the way Switch has become so mainstream.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Greg Miller]

Where it really is the ubiquitous console, where, you know, even we talk about console wars and Xbox, PlayStation, you never can count for Nintendo because they're winning their own race and they've got. You know, my friends back in Missouri have three boys and they all have their own Switch. Right. Like, that's how it's got to be.

[Andy Cortez]

Can you, can you imagine how, how things would be on a, like, not even just sales level, but fervor and excitement if Apple waited like seven years to put out the next iPhone, you know what I mean? Like, I feel like, you know, once, once Americans have had this piece of hardware for long enough, it's. This is such a different thing of hardware sales where they look at this next upgrade and don't feel like, I don't need that new one. I don't need that new one. I can wait, you know, but this one, it's like, no, I've had this long enough. I'm ready for the next thing.

[Greg Miller]

There's been a lot of great responses to my UK jokes over there, but Nick here gets the best. Nick says UK here traded my family donkey and a suede in for mine. No issues.

[Andy Cortez]

A suede. Singular suede.

[Greg Miller]

Of course. This is all well and good. I'm gra. I'm glad that. What's his name for? Oh, Pelham.

[Andy Cortez]

Pelham.

[Greg Miller]

Pelham. Pelham Smithers. Of Pelham Smithers Associates believes this. But we only listen to one analyst. Kind of funny. All right. And his name is Matt Piscatella from Circana. I didn't know. I did not reach out to Matt. I could have done that. I should have done that. But instead he blue skied and so we can just read that Matt says there are two things you need to have. There are two things you need to have to reach the biggest console launch in history of whatever demand. But you also need the units to sell. Having the biggest console launch ever would be cool. Sure. But it primarily be a reflection on production. Can't read more into it than that really. Real test comes in year two when the price insensitive enthusiasts are satiated and units have to start selling to mass market all the dynamics change. Great starts don't guarantee great finishes and vice versa etc. Etc. TL Dr. The supply chain logistics and operations folks at the console manufacturers are the real people that make this happen and deserve love and props. Very true.

[Andy Cortez]

Remember how hard it was to just the amount of time and how long it lasted to get a PS5 during the pandemic.

[Greg Miller]

Sure.

[Andy Cortez]

And it was not just websites being busted or whatever. It was just a supply chain issue and just a lot of issues with manufacturing. I if those issues don't really crop up here then yeah we could see these numbers be absolutely nuts but it's really just all dependent like Matt's saying on production and manufacturing.

[Greg Miller]

So my question to you Andy becomes this in super chat of course I want to know what you think of all this. Do you think they hit these numbers? Isn't most likely. Have you pre ordered what's your preorder story been since pre order day? How many donkeys have you sold for yours in the uk but my question for you Andy becomes this. When do you think you're able to walk into a Target because that's all we have out here. A Best Buy. No Walmart and buy a switch off the shelf.

[Andy Cortez]

Switch two off the shelf readily available type. Yeah I would say within. Within the the year. Within a year of launch.

[Greg Miller]

You don't think I feel like when we start to go down out of.

[Andy Cortez]

Okay cool outside of holiday season that's my thing.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah I think you have to get through into I would think you're looking at and I don't know but people.

[Andy Cortez]

Celebrate Andy's birthday month in February and we'll be buying them up non stop.

[Greg Miller]

You know I think you got to get to 2026. Yeah. Cause I think by the time the launch hype dies down, that's when the Christmas hype ramps up. And I think it's now you have it where it's like what would have been, you know, nerds like us, the kids that go to school with their switch, then they infect the kids there of like, oh, I need this for Christmas. And then you get a whole new hype train going.

[Andy Cortez]

Gosh, I hope so.

[Greg Miller]

I hope so too.

[Andy Cortez]

Get the kids off of Fortnite, man. You know?

[Barrett Courtney]

Well, there's still Fortnite on the switch.

[Andy Cortez]

I know, but buy them Claire Obscure on PS5 or Xbox, you know what I mean? We gotta help the kids. I tried.

[Barrett Courtney]

I've tried, Andy.

[Greg Miller]

Gosh, yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

Kids playing Roblox all the damn time and it's like, that's cool. But like there's other games, man. Yeah, check, check out this game called Doom. You know what I mean? Like it is so metal.

[Greg Miller]

It's hard to imagine for those kids how you cross them over. I know, it's another conversation we had with Matt Piscatello when he came in for our amazing games cast with him. And I mean dialed in. But you know, how do you get the people who are playing Fortnite and Roblox and Minecraft, how do you get them to actually go outside of their comfort zone and play something else and then fall in love with games? Beyond that one thing, beyond.

[Andy Cortez]

Honestly, I think that, I think that the last of us TV show has been helping out can continue to help out. And if we continue to have really good serious adaptations of serious ip, it just teaches people more that games are more than this. I, I'll, I will never forget going back home and having a PS5 that I had sent back to my parents house. And when I was finally back home for Christmas, I booted up God of War Ragnarok. And I'm playing through that and I'm just like showing the whole family look how crazy this is, like how amazing this experience is so far. And then my sister in law going, so what do you do in the game? I was like, well it's, it's a, it's a story. Like it's, it's a cinematic thing. You're, we're watching cutscenes, we're seeing these amazing interactions with, you know, what's a little boy's name?

[Greg Miller]

Trace.

[Andy Cortez]

Trace. That guy. Kind of funny, kind of feudy or game showdown. Last place, name a character.

[Greg Miller]

God of War. I forgot one guy.

[Andy Cortez]

I think I said Demetrius for the trip for the head guy. Like, and we're seeing these amazing moments play out, right? And then my sister, I'll be like, so, what is the. What do you do? Because all she's used to seeing my nephew run around an Apex show to the people die. Yeah, run around a Fortnite show, other people die. And I was like, well, it's a story that unfolds. It's this, your character, and you get stronger and you have this bond with your son that you're kind of exploring. You're like, it is a really adult sort of situation, but you're also fighting as the method of getting through all that. And it was just. It blew me away that that isn't like. That isn't fully knowledgeable to a lot of people out there to where they just look at video games and think, yeah, Mario Kart World or a Mario Kart. And of course, you know, the kids playing Roblox and Fortnite and Call of Duty.

[Greg Miller]

I was thinking about this last night, actually, of like, how strange video games are game to game. And this is even from my own perspective. But it was that thing of like, okay, after today's Monster Hunter stream, I think I'm going to have kick the junk from my system where I'll be cool. I've accomplished what I want to accomplish for right now.

[Andy Cortez]

You're going to uninstall?

[Greg Miller]

No, no, no. God, no. Fuck, no. I'll be checking in. There's. They do events and all these things, but it's like, I. Last night playing it, I was like, I'm in a great place with what I wanted from the Blossom Festival, what I want my gear to be what I want. I don't need to be logging in. And I'm like. I was like, all right, what am I going to do next? I'm like, I'm going to go to Oblivion. Because we're doing an Oblivion review so far next week. I want to get back to that. I've played here and there since then. But then it was that idea of like, I was like, I wonder how many hours I'm actually going to sink into Oblivion. And then I was thinking about, like, if you were to there and actually take and do the math of an open world Bethesda rpg, how many. How much time is me just walking to the next thing versus when you're playing. I was thinking of Ben playing Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze on his switch, where it is. There's always. You're. You're constantly doing something right. But when Ben looks at me playing an Oblivion which he hasn't. But if he was to, I think he see me play Starfield, right? Me just running across the planet. Me just running out into Tamriel, right. And it's like, yeah, okay, I fight a wolf or whatever, but I'm not on to the next thing immediately like you are in that kind of game and how that, you know, juxtaposition is for people when they start to actually consider what games are. Yeah, Barry, you popped in something.

[Barrett Courtney]

I also just considered that. I don't know if a lot of people have is kind of with the free to play stuff that is easy access for kids to get into. I feel like there's less incentive of like kind of the hand me down culture in terms of video games. A lot of interesting getting into video games growing up was babysitters either giving me N64 cartridges they didn't want anymore or you know, playing on my dad's like PS1 or whatever. And so I, I think in terms of that there's something interesting where so much of my gaming history is from old, old hardware that people didn't want anymore. Because like I got an N64 on my fifth birthday in 2000. I think the Gamecube came out like that year, the year after or whatever. I think like I didn't have my own next console because my stepdad had the PS2 until the 360. And so I think there's something to be said there because there isn't like a, hey, I'm gonna give you this old switch and then all these old games. Yeah, you know, the switch has Fortnite, you know, so there's something there as well.

[Andy Cortez]

That's also hopefully, I mean hopefully, like I was mentioning these awesome TV adaptations kind of showing people that like, hey, the gaming is more than what you think it is. But also we have Grand Theft Auto 6 and that going to be the massive phenomenon that it's going to be and kind of maybe just hopefully reignite and make people kind of remember you hope so. But it's also medium.

[Greg Miller]

It's just so. I think we've talked about this in a million different ways. But it's just also the economy of the attention economy where it is. I can't like, you know, when Ben sits down in the morning and he. I'm like, what do you want to watch like legitimately? You remember when it's before school and you'd wake up to have your cereal and watch tv? It's whatever was on VR, crappy VR.

[Andy Cortez]

Troopers, Beetleborgs Power Rangers.

[Greg Miller]

I'm watching this old ass Dennis the Menace cartoon. I don't like it, but it's on. I gotta watch something. God forbid I talk to somebody and now he has everything at the tip, you know, fingertips. He can go get whatever he wants.

[Andy Cortez]

Oh my God. Before church my parents would have a Johnny Canales and I'm like I don't want to watch Johnny canales. I'm an 8 year old kid. I don't want to watch this show.

[Greg Miller]

And so it's such an interesting thing of like I wonder if that you know, on demand nature also that keeps away like Ben, you know. There's been many a Greg way question that I think I've only, it's only infiltrated once or twice of like if I would, you know, before when Ben was super small when I started on like an NES and then bring him up to like modern games and then now it's been more like how do I pick what to show him? And it's very much he picks based on his interests, right? Like he sees Sonic on TV and I'm like oh well, Sonic's a game. And then we play a bunch of different Sonic games and then that leads to Mario games at least Donkey Kong.

[Andy Cortez]

Because he picks based on characters and.

[Greg Miller]

Exactly, it's IP and stuff like that, right?

[Andy Cortez]

Like when you're kind of walking down the, you know, they'll look at being like yeah, I'm going to, you know, buy this game or buy this.

[Greg Miller]

And so it's interesting, you know, we've had a couple of different super chats and regular chats come in. One of them came from Jacobra I believe over on Twitch who said peer pressure is how you get them into playing other stuff. Which on one hand is true, but on the other hand I think is completely false because I always go back to when Jack Poston 10 year old was here last summer, right? And we were playing Hell, we were playing Fortnite with him and we kept trying to get him to play Helldivers. Helldivers and they finally started playing Helldivers and loved Helldivers and he streamed Helldivers with us all week. And on that final day Kevin was like so you're going to play this with your friends when you get home? And he goes oh no, they'll never play this. And it was that idea of like he can't peer pressure his friends. I was on Twitch all week long in front of thousands of people playing this game and had a great time. And it's funny and it's this and it's that. But I can't convince you, I guess, to buy it, to play it, to break away from Fortnite. And it's the same thing for jumps004 in the live chat on YouTube said a story that I'll butcher, I'm sure, but I think it was that his nephew is playing. He saw his friends playing his friend. His nephew is obsessed with the JRPG and Roblox, and no matter how hard he tries, he can't get him to play a real jrpg. Like, he just won't touch it. He just wants to play this one in Roblox over like this from Mellow Fellow too, in a Super Chat. In anime, there are gateway anime like Death Note, Cowboy Bebop and Attack on Titan. What are the gateway games?

[Andy Cortez]

Well, I mean, I mean, I. I.

[Barrett Courtney]

Think there's different definition of gateway, though.

[Andy Cortez]

Because it's genres at that point.

[Barrett Courtney]

And also, like, who's your audience in terms of age?

[Greg Miller]

Yeah, I think Mario is a great one. I do think again. Ben loves all Mario games, and we've gone through all of them and he wants to go back to 64 some days, and some days he wants to play Wonder, like, and knows what that is and likes that.

[Barrett Courtney]

And honestly, like, another thing that I know was popular for my friends and I growing up was like, IP games. That's another way to like, a gateway.

[Greg Miller]

For Matthew Hidalgo says Super Smash Brothers ultimate got my kids interested in so many games like Mega Man, Pac Man, Cuphead and the Nintendo Doc.

[Barrett Courtney]

Well, I was at, like, license games and stuff, right? Like, I like Star wars. So then it was easy for me to get into, like, Star wars is.

[Greg Miller]

The whole reason I like video games. Right. Because I saw that and I was like, oh, I want to play that.

[Barrett Courtney]

But then that's also tough when Fortnite literally has every franchise inside what IPR out there.

[Andy Cortez]

Like, even for kids at this, you know, they're not watching iCarly or whatever. You know what I mean? Like, what are the things growing up that they do? They have their. This is going to sound insanely ignorant and I, you know, apologize. But, like, do they have their version of what Spongebob is? Or are they just opening TikTok and.

[Greg Miller]

Or. I think they do. I mean, blame Rob.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah, I guess so.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah. Young kids, Paw Patrol. Like, you know, I mean, like, yeah, there's all this stuff happening.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Greg Miller]

But, yeah, we have lost that. You come home from school and what's on. It's Ghost Rider. It's fucking Carmen San Diego because they're.

[Barrett Courtney]

All watching anime now.

[Greg Miller]

Yep.

[Andy Cortez]

I think Marvel has a big portion as well. You know, there's a lot of kids that would look at a superhero game and go, oh shit that. You know, I love watching the Spider man cartoons or the movies or whatever. We buy that Spider man game. Well, I was gonna say Elden Ring, but we were raising the kids correctly.

[Greg Miller]

Oh sure, if we raise them correctly.

[Andy Cortez]

Of course.

[Greg Miller]

I'm sick of talking about video games. I want to talk about video game movies after I tell you about the kind of funny membership. Of course, with the kind of funny membership you kick US$10. You get good karma for supporting a small business. But more importantly, you get all of our shows ad free and your daily dose of Me Greg Miller in a series I call Greg Way. But right now you're not using the benefits you can get on patreon.com kinda funny YouTube.com kinda funnygames apple or Spotify so here's a word from our sponsor.

[Mike Howard]

This episode is brought to you by Imperial. We've told you all how important it is to developers to wishlist games you're interested in on Steam. So if this game sounds cool to you, make sure that you wish list it. In Imperial, you play as a mercenary sent to a distant planet to discover the mysteries of an ancient civilization. Powers unknown lie within the Monolith, but those are no mere ruins as an expedition has already ventured inside with only a few survivors. Why was it built? What powers reside within who is at the center of the Monolith? All these secrets and more will be uncovered if you are brave enough to take on Imperial. Imperial features a unique blend of RPG systems and skill based combat across three weapon archetypes the Acrobatic Glaive, the defensive but devastating Mace and Shield, and the powerfully ranged cannon. With a deep ability system and extensive customization. Every battle is an opportunity to refine and optimize your combat style. Form relationships with each of the few surviving expedition members who all have their own personal quest lines. Whether you choose to help or not can have drastic consequences for them. The Monolith is guarded by powerful automatons, each with distinct attack patterns and weaknesses that demand precise execution and strategy to be victorious. Create your mercenary, enter the Monolith, learn powerful abilities, defeat the automatons, and uncover the secrets that lie within Imperial Imperial is available May 8 on PC, Xbox S&X and PS5, but you can wish list now. Do it Wishlist Imperial this episode's brought to you by Aura Frames. If you haven't called your mom in a while, here is your reminder to do it. But then, if you want to go above and beyond, Mother's Day is coming up and I have the perfect gift idea. Rframes are incredibly smart and easy to use, allowing you to upload unlimited photos and videos directly from your phone to the frame. Plus you can order the frame online and preload it with photos and videos using the Aura app so it's ready to go right out of the box. It's a gift so special they'll use it every day. Trust me. Gia's dad does. Greg and Kevin and a ton of people here are kind of fun. 20 are obsessed with their aura frames it takes about two minutes to set up a frame using the Aura app and I know that from experience. Ara has a great deal for Mother's Day. For a limited time, listeners can save on the perfect gift by visiting auraframes.com to get 35 off plus free shipping on their best selling Carver Matte frame. That's a U R A frames.com promo code. Kinda funny. Support this show by mentioning us at checkout. Terms and conditions apply.

[Greg Miller]

And we're back. A shout out to Cyborg TV, who over on YouTube commented on the Elder Scrolls podcast episode two on the Bethesda Channel. Kind of funny brought me here. I never played eso, but the talk is so interesting it kept me coming back. I think I should pick up eso.

[Andy Cortez]

I had it earlier.

[Greg Miller]

Greg Number two on the Roper Report Sydney Sweeney to Star in Split Fiction film Adaptation from director John M. Chu this is Jennifer Moss at Variety. Sydney Sweeney is set to star in a film adaptation of hit video game Split Fiction, with John M. Chu directing. Variety has learned the script for the movie is being written by Deadpool and Wolverine screenwriters Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. The split fiction film will be produced by Mike Goldberg and Dimitri M. Johnson's Story Kitchen, formerly DJ2 Entertainment, which is taking out the talent package now to studios and choose Electric somewhere. Sydney's oh okay, that's producing. Sydney is set to executive produce. Sources tell Variety it has yet to be decided which lead role Sweeney will be playing, Zoe or mio. Released on March 6, the game quickly became a hit, with players and critics alike receiving positive reviews and massive sales. According to Hazelight, the game sold more than 2 million copies in the first week following its launch, and that number continues to rise at a rapid clip. Andy Cortez Thoughts?

[Andy Cortez]

I mean, she's also going to be in the Gundam movie, which is huge. I I'm at a weird place with even the split fiction news being a thing.

[Greg Miller]

I really thought you're gonna be City Sweeney.

[Andy Cortez]

Real racist family. But like, it kind of reminds me how I felt when you go, oh, they're making a. They're making a twisted metal TV show. Like there's are. Am I in that weird universe where twisted metal is like the number one ip. Like I understand split fiction. Great video game.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah. And that's who she's got to be, right? She's got to be the redhead. The. The fantasy one.

[Andy Cortez]

The. I mean, can she do an English accent? Because that girl's in English.

[Greg Miller]

Zoe. I forget if that was Zoe. Is that Zoe?

[Andy Cortez]

No, I think the other one other.

[Greg Miller]

Way around, that was Mio.

[Andy Cortez]

No, maybe you're right.

[Greg Miller]

I think Mio is the dark haired.

[Andy Cortez]

Well, maybe we don't care about axes at this point because that's not. You know, maybe they're just casting people.

[Greg Miller]

But like, remember, if I'm right, Mia was the one. She said, oh man, I've had. It's so rough out here because of my personal life and I don't find joy in anything until I find my friend and we go through this. I don't.

[Andy Cortez]

I never.

[Greg Miller]

I appreciate that. No one's been able to correct.

[Andy Cortez]

No played the game.

[Greg Miller]

No one is corrected or. So finally someone at the Neo. As she says, Mio is the dark. I was right. Nailed it. Okay.

[Andy Cortez]

Never beat the game. I have.

[Greg Miller]

Mio's the tortured dark soul. Not dark souls.

[Andy Cortez]

I have. Yeah, Like, I just think it's kind of odd. Like I'm happy that video games are getting more attention to.

[Greg Miller]

I'm sorry. I got stabby. TJ Electronica says Jenny Ortega is me. Oh, you're right there. You got a motion picture.

[Andy Cortez]

That's not bad.

[Greg Miller]

That's. That's really good fan.

[Andy Cortez]

Fucking real good, actually.

[Greg Miller]

Casting.

[Andy Cortez]

I'm happy that more and more adaptations are, you know, we're. We're sort of. We've eclipsed the comic book movie and we're going into video game movie and more. More and more of these IP are going to get greenlit. And that's cool because that puts more of a focus and that will hopefully lead to more sales and things like that. But I do think it's. It's kind of odd that a game that came out this year is already kind of getting this level of attention for a movie.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

Maybe it's just because of. Maybe it's the source material. Maybe it's like, you know, it's Easy, more easily adaptable because of the different situations they're going through. Because it's, you know, two characters that get pushed into a video game, and that's kind of every video game movie.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah, that's exactly what this is. You know, that's a great point.

[Barrett Courtney]

And I think just the premise of genre blending and stuff, I think that's kind of an easy pitch to Hollywood for them to be like, ooh, we can get sci fi and fantasy fans together in the theater.

[Andy Cortez]

You could put your Tron in here, and we could put, you know, Warcraft or what? I don't know.

[Greg Miller]

I call that. I think you're 100% right. I think, again, like, they see that success, those 2 million units in the first week, let alone, of course, the success of Hazelight with Game of the Year last time around for It Takes Two. You know that you see that they've got the juice and, like, again, remember what we're talking about here and how movies work there. They've announced this with Sydney Sweeney attached and John Chu attached. Right. So. And now we're going to studio. So, like, you're still quite a ways from the next step of this getting made. I remember when they optioned an antler movie back in the day when I was at Mizzou. Like, somebody wrote a script about this thing, and it was gonna have one of the first bachelors in it. And, like, I had a good. I was in charge of the antlers at the time, so I had to give interviews and stuff. That movie never happened. You know what I mean? It's just things getting snatched up and what's going on. I think, again, to your point, what you're. What you and Barrett are talking about, like, it makes sense why you can show this trailer to someone and they go, I get what this movie would be.

[Andy Cortez]

Right. And, you know, it's also important to note that it's April 2025. You got to assume this movie will come out in 2027 or 2028, and we'll have, like, five different directors and producers and writers that have been laid off or left a project, whatever.

[Greg Miller]

Of course. Of course.

[Andy Cortez]

Maybe Sydney Sweeney leaves in two years. Who knows? Because that just kind of seems to be the story with a lot of these things. You bringing up the antler thing always reminds me of way back in the day, reading that freaking. I'm Mark Wahlberg, Mark Wahlberg's production company buying the rights of the coheating Cambria story for a movie rights.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

And I was like, holy, they're making it and then like it never that. Of course.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

Buying rights.

[Greg Miller]

Do nothing with it. In the chat, you had mentioned you've never finished Split Fiction. Alex Frazier does super chat and say, what are those unaccounted four hours. Andy.

[Andy Cortez]

I really cursed him for bringing up this unaccounted hours thing.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

Because now it's just become Mike's staple.

[Greg Miller]

Sure.

[Andy Cortez]

And it's just. Yeah, yeah. It's like that time that he definitely heard a. A phrase, a folly of errors, and then repeated it. Yeah. Like he. You know, that's not something he ever learned in school.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah. So you have no answer for words.

[Andy Cortez]

I mean, the unaccounted for hours are just. I saw you for 12 hours today. Give me time, give me space. You know what I mean?

[Barrett Courtney]

Where's Mike?

[Andy Cortez]

Text back to Andy last night. You know, last night after, I'm like, all right, that was my last one in marathon. No, no, no, it's not.

[Greg Miller]

You both you fuck.

[Andy Cortez]

You hit the button like, no, I have games daily. I need to start sleeping.

[Greg Miller]

Joe Farah.

[Andy Cortez]

Joseph Faris.

[Greg Miller]

No, no, no. Farrelli. I think I got it. It's not Farrelli, but Pharrelli. Maybe it is Farrelli. Anyways, Joe says Sydney Sweeney doing Split Fiction outrun with Michael Bay and the live action Gundam movie. Sydney. Come on the podcast. Anybody knows Sydney Sweeney and wants to put in a good word for us, go for it.

[Andy Cortez]

Of course. Yeah. Yeah. The pop culture princess. You know, the word on the street is she's single, though. Tmz. I don't know if I thought about.

[Greg Miller]

I thought she was. She went to Glenn Powell's wedding. His. She went as his date to his sister's wedding and every flipped out.

[Andy Cortez]

When was this?

[Greg Miller]

It was like right after they broke the. The news of her and her.

[Andy Cortez]

Was it when she showed that photo with the. With the no ring on her hand or whatever?

[Greg Miller]

No, I don't think so. But maybe I haven't seen that.

[Andy Cortez]

You gotta come here for all your news, everybody, like we.

[Greg Miller]

We should do. You know, she's so tied in now, right? We start doing this Sydney Sweeney report. You know what I mean?

[Andy Cortez]

I'm done. I'm done, everybody.

[Greg Miller]

When Bless gets back, let him know we need to be posted on Sydney Sweeney news as well. Sydney Sweeney, Glenn Powell sister's wedding. Here.

[Andy Cortez]

Are you making sure this wasn't in your multiverse?

[Greg Miller]

No, I'm just making. I'm going to read to you the real thing. You know what I mean?

[Andy Cortez]

Okay.

[Greg Miller]

Well, this is. I haven't heard this. This is breaking news to me. Oh shit.

[Andy Cortez]

From when?

[Greg Miller]

This is from April 2nd. OK, Glenn Powell says this is why Sydney Sweeney was actually at a sister's wedding.

[Andy Cortez]

I don't believe it. Don't try to cover up, Glenn.

[Greg Miller]

He assisted. He insisted there's a simple explanation for why she was there. And no, it wasn't as his date. Quote Leslie and Sidney, the sister, are obviously great friends and it was a hell of a wedding. The pals know how to do it right?

[Andy Cortez]

He said, okay, I don't. I'm not buying it, Glenn. You're too pretty for that. I'm not buying it, Glenn.

[Greg Miller]

We'll get to the bottom of that, you know. Okay, we'll get Glenn Powell on here. Cross examination. We'll get some real answers on this one. Moving on. Number three on the ROPA report Skate won't be Playable Offline this is Victoria Kennedy at Eurogamer. Skate developer Full Circle has stated its upcoming reboot won't have an offline mode. This is because, quote, the game and city known as San Vansterdam.

[Barrett Courtney]

I like it.

[Greg Miller]

Are designed to be a living, breathing, massively multiplayer skateboarding sandbox in both our always online and always evolving. According to a recent column by the developer, Skate players will notice changes to sandvansterdam itself as time goes on, as well as, quote, smaller things like live events and other in game activities, and so the studio can deliver on its vision. Skate will always require a live connection, Full Circle says. This may not be a surprise to anyone who has been part of Skate's playtest, but it may still be a surprise to those who haven't been partaking. After all, the original games were offline. Then again, the Skate Revival will be a free to play title on its release, so perhaps some were already expecting an online connection as standard. In addition to chatting about the lack of an offline mode, the Skate team also addressed the Playtest microtransactions. As reported in March, microtransactions were added during the game's closed alpha test. Quote we know that using real money during a playtest is a little unusual, but we think it's the best way to properly assess and adjust the system before launch, full Circle said today. If you see prices or other things changing over time, please understand that this is normal and of course you will receive the amount you spend during playtest in San Van Bucks SVB when we.

[Barrett Courtney]

I like that less when we reset.

[Greg Miller]

For early access launch. End quote as to when we will be able to get our hands on Skate, Full Circle remains committed to its 2025 early access release window. Although it hasn't shared a more specific.

[Andy Cortez]

Date yet, the last portion of this article felt like parody.

[Greg Miller]

It sounds like something we. It's an article they'd be reading in GTA 6 on the Internet.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah, the sand van bucks and everything. I'm not surprised by this. I think that it will disappoint some and I think that it will be a big deal and there will be an outcry for maybe four days that people will forget and then people will end up just moving on and then buying skate whenever it comes out. Now these play tests, hold on.

[Greg Miller]

Jay Shogo says this game is going to be DOA. I want super chats on YouTube.com kind of funny games. Do you think this game is going to be doa? Are you excited for Skate? Do you care about any of the stuff we just talked about? Sorry, back to you.

[Andy Cortez]

I mean you're. I, I don't disagree with that when it just with you mentioning, you know, it's a. Everybody's fighting for time and yeah, it's a different era and there's a lot of different video games that people can be playing out there. But yeah, I don't. When are these plates has. Who's. Are they embargoed? I gotta assume.

[Greg Miller]

But PlayStation February.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah, people are spending money. It just feels like I've. There's been a lot of missed emails like why has nobody here participating in the play test?

[Barrett Courtney]

Bullshit.

[Greg Miller]

I have a skate guy. I'm texting him right now. Hello, sir. I'm writing this on kfgd. Why the fuck are we not in our. I should put fucking all caps. Why the fuck are we.

[Barrett Courtney]

I thought he was gonna stop himself to say I shouldn't put fuck in this email.

[Greg Miller]

Skate Alpha is alpha, right?

[Andy Cortez]

Alpha, yeah. Or Playtest or whatever.

[Barrett Courtney]

Alpha Play test.

[Greg Miller]

Thank you. Please respond on air. This is this. This is live.

[Andy Cortez]

I think, I think what mainly sucks about a lot of, you know, the DOA talk with a lot of different games that are trying to exist and trying to have a living, breathing economy, for lack of a better word, is it's never an indictment on the quality of the game. It's just always where people are at. And, and I hope that developers know and understand that, you know, amazing games get canceled and have their servers shut down and it's never because the game was of bad quality. It's because people would rather be in their spaces where they already were and where their ecosystems are and where their money and their accounts are. Tied to.

[Greg Miller]

So let me bring in a question or a statement here from the chat, which is Fox of the Future who says there's no way this will be DOA? People still play skate 3 online to this day. I think as we found time and time again, there's always a way something could be doa. As you're saying, how much there is to play, how much is going on, all the different things that are happening in our world. I also am of the belief that where we get into trouble with will this be doa, will it not? Blah, blah, blah is ea. What is EA expecting out of this? What does EA need out of this? What does even the developer for what developer Full Circle need for this to be a success? I look at that and that excites me. I like Skate. I've missed Skate. I've. When I hosted the ea thing, the EA E3 play, EA play before Xavier woods killed it, I was always making jokes about skate because I wanted skate to come back. And I got to announce skate was back and I was so excited. So, like it coming back and being this always online and this thing and the other. That isn't a downer to me because maybe I'm totally wrong. Maybe it'll be garbage, blah, blah, blah. But to think about what I would want out of this. It kind of sounds exciting if it was that I'm gonna pop in for 15, 20, 30, whatever, minutes. Maybe a bigger, bigger sessions, but it is. What are the dailies today? Go do this thing, earn a cool shirt, whatever. Even the microtransactions. I'm the kind of guy who is like, I will not buy the overwhelming majority of them. But when there is a cool shirt that makes my character look more like me. When there is a Ghostbusters tie in, when they whatever, you know, I'd be.

[Andy Cortez]

Like, yeah, sure, that's a Ghostbusters pie.

[Greg Miller]

Let's not get our hopes up. Let's not get our hopes up. When I get a slime or deck. You know what I mean? When I get a slime.

[Andy Cortez]

Oh, man.

[Greg Miller]

Like, that's the kind of where I'll be like, yeah, I want to do that and I want to pop in. But I don't see that being a game either that I would want to do launch 40 hours of or would I want to be. Don't worry, you know, putting in a gajillion hour. Hey, Mike, you're here. What's up?

[Blessing Adeoye Jr.]

Hey, homie. What's the difference than just playing the game normally? If it was a normal Game. Hey, I'm going to do two or three missions today and call the day. You know, it's like just a different way of thinking when you bring that up. It's like, well, why not just play? If it was a normal 60 title, it dropped. Oh, I'm just going to play three missions today and call.

[Greg Miller]

Well, I still, I imagine there's going to be a bunch of missions and stuff already. Are you, Are you Connor? Are you me or you?

[Blessing Adeoye Jr.]

No, no. I'm just wondering like your school of thought on this because I think a lot of people have drawn the line on now this is a live service product when it should just be skate four, right? Like $70 out the bag. Give me the full experience. Because I think my worry goes to now with this live service thing is we're gonna play early access and all of a sudden I'm gonna jump in the San Fansterdam and it's gonna have four dudes with missions and then eventually those missions will run out and it's like, well, now I'm jumping into an open world to skate, which is what I want to do. But it's like I would rather just have a full world that is already created and I play at my time, not on your time.

[Greg Miller]

So you're coming in with a very worthy argument and I appreciate that, I love it. But you're fucking wrong. No, I'm kidding. No, of course, if they launch in early access and there's four gibronis giving you things and that's it. That sucks. I hate that. And now of course that can be the full game when we get to launch and it is 1.0. Whatever my counter to that would be two examples of I think that do it well so far and that don't do it well. Number one being Monster Hunter, where you know how much I. I love Monster Hunter and how much I've played Monster Hunter vanilla. And here's this Blossom Festival with new shit to go earn and no stuff to do. And they're gonna put. They've already put in more monsters and they're putting in more monsters. I'm gonna put Monster Hunter down. Like I was saying right after our stream today, until there's the next big update I want to come back to because that's exciting for me, right? I like being able to come back to a world I'm invested in my counter. So like that's right there of like why I wouldn't want it just to be, hey, here's the package Skate and it's done. I'd rather have a reason to come skate over and over again. My other example of doing it wrong, I think, is Animal Crossing. Animal Crossing was the biggest fucking thing in the world. Had a tiger by a tail. We all love that. I love that so much. We majority of us all loved it so much. Right? Played the fucking shit out of it. Was it checking in every day and then it was like, oh, this is. That's it. There's nothing happening anymore. This isn't alive. This isn't changing. This isn't. There's never been beyond the first Halloween event where I was like, yeah, oh, wait, I have to. I don't get the shit until Halloween. Like, this sucks. And I bounce and I've never been back. Like, I'd rather it be that, hey, there is a full game. There is a skate game and experience they're putting out after early access, which I still don't. I don't want to judge them on. Right. And then there is all this other stuff to go earn and events and this and that.

[Andy Cortez]

I think it comes down to, do you want a smaller amount of people paying $70 and having that hardcore audience be like, I care about this. This game is back. It's. It's sort of like the. The Madden kind of thing where it's like football fans and Madden fans want to get the Madden game every year. Right?

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

Do you. Can you sell a smaller amount of people on a $70 product and is that worth it for your studio to then fund the next thing or whatever. Or the live service game that's free and we hope a lot of y'all people are spending money on it in order to fund whatever this is, because if you're not funding it and if you're not keeping alive, it will die. And that looks like a failure. And I think it's a lot easier to frame the live service stuff. Our servers are going down a year and a half after. It's easier to frame that as a failure. And like, man, what a fucking. They took a big L there. Then we put out a campaign game. We sold however many copies for 70 bucks. We still made money. Sure, we're doing like online things or whatever, but it's, it's. I always go back to the Outriders thing. Them framing it as. This is not a live service. You play, you beat the game.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

Friends. And when you're done with the game, you're done with the game and it. And because of that, you can't frame this as an L because the game is Done, you know.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Barrett Courtney]

And like another wrinkle of just like the always online and all this stuff of like I think for a skate game, especially with the. The first three, you know, my memories aren't like playing really online Skate three. It's having friends over and we're playing offline and doing all the fun modes and stuff is like, you know, Greg, you're talking about like going back and stuff for your dailies. Like I would like the idea of being able to just go back to that game five years down the road. Like people still are with Skate three to this day. Right. And then also with the dead on arrival thing. I don't think it'll be dead on arrival because I think what that game is offering is a bit more unique than a lot of other like live servicey games that are usually more like shooter focus. I think it'll be something similar that was also released under EA was Knockout City. I. I don't think Knockout City was free to play to start, but that was definitely one that lived for a bit because of its uniqueness being a dodgeball game.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah, I think it was like 20 or 40. I forget.

[Barrett Courtney]

Yeah, it was something like that. I think they might have pivoted to free to play and they're like less kind of last legs and then they withered away and I could see that easily being the story of skate.

[Greg Miller]

We will wait with bated breath to find out. Joey says Skate3's community is still big on TikTok. And then super chat from Jake, Jake and Bake. If there will be other players knowing me in the world with weird skins like I see here. I am so out on skate. I do not think Skate's gonna be for you. And what happens when these games completely fail? Andy, layoffs number four on the ROPA report. I have a pair for you. Layoffs. What about this? The first one comes from Chris Kerr at game developer reporting. 100 plus at Meta's Reality Labs have been laid off. Meta has reportedly laid off over 100 employees across its Reality Labs division. The embattled business unit houses Meta's wearable hardware and software business formerly known as Oculus and lost over $17.7 billion during the last fiscal year. Bloomberg is reporting that over 100 workers have been laid off across the division. That number comes from a source familiar with the situation. Those impact include staff working on a Meta Quest fitness application called Supernatural, which I used a lot during Pandemic and really enjoyed it for about four days. You did?

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah, yeah.

[Greg Miller]

What?

[Andy Cortez]

Put it aside next to my We Fit or whatever the fucking Switch Fit adventure chili.

[Greg Miller]

Quote we're deeply saddened to share that these changes have resulted in a loss of some of our incredibly talented team members, reads a Facebook post from the Supernatural team. Meta neglected to comment on the exact scope of the layoffs, but confirmed downsizing is taking place. Quote Some Some teams within Oculus Studios are undergoing shifts in structure and roles and have impacted team size, said a spokesperson. These changes are meant to help studios work more efficiently on future mixed reality experiences for our growing audience while still delivering great content for people today. The representative added that Meta remains, quote, committed to investing in mixed reality experiences, including fitness and games, end quote. How long do you think they're committed to that? Oh God, they keep making matter quests. Yeah, hats off to them. They keep doing it. They keep financing games like Batman, Arkham Shadow that we loved. They're doing it.

[Andy Cortez]

I mean, at one point the Money Pit will run dry, the well will run dry and you just kind of. Yeah, I don't know how long this shit lasts. I think that there's still the market out there, but they have to severely change and rethink what the strategies are because it's clear that this technology will never be a ubiquitous thing. I don't think these headsets or anything until they get to the point of your Ray Bans with the, with the, you know, the camera until they become way less cumbersome. This will never become a cell phone. This will never become something that is always on you until it's something that isn't gonna hurt your head or leave marks on your face or.

[Greg Miller]

Yep.

[Andy Cortez]

You know, get your head sweaty or get you motion sick or whatever because I still deal with like motion sickness stuff as well. I, I think they just have to. It seems like they're doing. Obviously with these layoffs, there is a reshift in what are we doing and who are we even going after anymore?

[Greg Miller]

Yeah, I still think, I think VR is such a closed off experience that I think it just dampens the excitement of it again. Like when I finally get time to go play downstairs, I don't feel like putting. Or when I went playing on the couch next to Jen, I don't want to strap a headset on.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Greg Miller]

I don't want to move everything. Or like when I was doing Supernatural, you know, we live in SF apartments, right. I had to get up and move the kitchen.

[Andy Cortez]

How sweaty was that forehead?

[Greg Miller]

I bought a special one.

[Andy Cortez]

Oh, okay.

[Greg Miller]

So yeah, VR is an interesting case, but we're talking about laughs we'll get back to that. Don't worry about it for now. Next one comes from Samuel Roberts at GamesIndustry Biz. The big Con Developer Drops an Unconfirmed Number of Employees the Big Con developer Mighty Yell has laid off an unconfirmed number of employees as it approaches the release of its next title, All Systems Dance, as shared on the Toronto based company's Blue sky account. The statement pointed to financial challenges being the reason behind the studio laying off a few of its developers. Quote this is not a decision we came to easily and we know the impact it will have on our team and community. We want to be transparent. We want to be as transparent as possible regarding the layoffs and the difficult state of funding in games. We are still on track for the release of All Systems Dance and we will share news about the launch very soon. But right now what's important is supporting our team through this tough time. While we wish layoffs could be avoided, we are hopeful that we will get through this difficult chapter and bring as many members of the dev team as possible in the near future. End quote. Mighty Yellow has put out two games so far. The Big Con in 2021, an adventure game set in the 90s, while Night in the Attic is a 2023 first person VR game about interacting with an intricate labyrinth board game. All Systems Dance, meanwhile, is a rhythm action adventure game set in a dystopian world.

[Andy Cortez]

I would like to think I know more than the average person about the goings on in the industry. I have not heard of any of what you just read.

[Greg Miller]

Oh yeah, the Big Con was one I was I liked at a preview session. I can't remember. I actually touched that release though because of everything we talk about. Right. But it was.

[Andy Cortez]

When was this preview session?

[Greg Miller]

Oh, I mean years ago. It was 2021, so 2020, probably something, but it was like it kind of looked like a Nickelodeon cartoon and it was set in a mall in the 90s. It had a good vibe but again it didn't make waves and I don't know if I even played it enough to care about it or not care about it but to have an opinion on it.

[Andy Cortez]

Right.

[Greg Miller]

So yeah, they're a small team though, so hard squad to them in terms of that. And obviously everybody who got laid off over it.

[Andy Cortez]

That sucks.

[Greg Miller]

Number five and maybe better news. IGN publisher Ziff Davis is suing OpenAI. This is Benjamin Mullen at the New York Times.

[Andy Cortez]

Go get him Ziff. Is Ziff a person?

[Greg Miller]

No. Ziff Davis, the digital publisher behind Tech sites like Mashable, PCMag and Lifehacker in IGN, even though new York Times doesn't want to give credit to that, sued OpenAI on Thursday, joining a wave of media companies accusing the artificial intelligence giant of stealing its content. Ziff Davis is one of the largest publishers in the United States and. I'm sorry, with more than 45 sites globally that together attract an average of. Jeez, I can't read. Today, 292 million visitors per month and is among the biggest media companies pressing a claim against OpenAI.

[Andy Cortez]

You want me to read for you?

[Greg Miller]

No, I got it. I just for some reason stalled out there. I don't know why. It's okay. They put a little, you know, declaration here of the course. The New York Times is also or has sued it as well. So, you know, take it with a grain of salt if you want.

[Andy Cortez]

In a 62 were also pissed.

[Greg Miller]

Hey, we hate these fucking guys. In a 62 page complaint filed in federal court in Delaware where OpenAI is incorporated, Ziff Davis says the tech company has, quote, intentionally and relentlessly reproduced exact copies and created derivatives of Ziff Davis works, infringing on the publisher's copyrights and diluting its trademarks. It claims that OpenAI used Ziff Davis content to train its artificial intelligence models and generate responses through the popular ChatGPT chatbot. OpenAI has taken each of these steps knowing that they violate Ziff Davis intellectual property rights. And the law of the complaint says the company is seeking at least hundreds of millions of dollars in its lawsuit, according to two people familiar with the matter. A spokesperson for OpenAI in a statement said the models were grounded in fair use, referring to the legal standard for use of copyright material. Many executives in publishing industry which are profoundly disrupted by the widespread adoption of technology such as search and social media, have regarded the growing popularity of artificial intelligence with increasing unease. Powerful AI systems built by companies like OpenAI have been trained on copyright content, drawing an outcry for many media companies. Those companies have generally responded in one of two ways. Striking deals to license their content to companies like OpenAI for millions of dollars, as is the case with News Court, the publisher of the Wall Street Journal, or filing lawsuits to seek damages and reaffirm their rights to intellectual property. Executives at Ziff Davis have been considering for months which path to take. One of the people said the company decided to sue in part in hopes that other publishers would follow.

[Andy Cortez]

Damn, putting a Wall Street Journal on blast like that.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah, right.

[Andy Cortez]

Being like these cowards selling their souls or whatever.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah, Crazy Scorpion.

[Andy Cortez]

Good.

[Greg Miller]

Go get them. Ziv Davis.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah. I mean, this is great. This is. Hopefully when you have such a large entity like that kind of joining the fray with a lot of other people, you know, small things like this could start a change to battle back a little bit, you know, it needs to start somewhere. And I'm still super, you know, pessimistic about the whole situation. Sure. But man, I really hope that some of this stuff can be fought back. You know, anytime I see one of these stupid, you know, ad agencies would pay millions of dollars. And I made this on whatever platform you're using to create a generated AI commercial in 10 seconds. I did this in five seconds. It's like. Or, you know, film. Film studios and directors are fucked. Graphic designers are fogged. It's like, okay. But I look at this and I'm impressed that a computer could do this. But I watch to be impressed by people's creativity.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah, yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

I watch it consume media to be like, God damn, a person made this. Holy. How did. Like, I'm not watching to be entertained by a computer making whatever. It's always like the, the human element is why I consume art and media. And man, it's just. It. God damn. You just sometimes you just seeing those.

[Barrett Courtney]

Ads of like, oh, these people are. It's like cool. It's really haunting to see how many people out there don't understand the point of art, you know, and.

[Greg Miller]

And by the time they do, it'll.

[Andy Cortez]

Be too late and are normalizing it. I legitimately had such a depressing weekend, the weekend that I think it was Twitter AI or I don't know who, who was doing it, that when all of the. The Ghibli films started popping up or the Ghibli AI images, that whole weekend was like some of the saddest I felt in a long ass time. Not only because of what it's doing, but the amount of people normalizing it and then thinking like, man, you're stealing the, you're stealing the art style and using a computer to do what at the White House? Making fun of the immigrants, whatever the hell is going on. And it's. You're still in the style of a person who's like, sole existence was to be an environmentalist and to be creative. And the things that you're doing are killing the planet faster because of how much energy it requires. It's just like, it's such a movie plot.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

It feels like just the most evil thing possible.

[Greg Miller]

Huh?

[Andy Cortez]

You can't write this shit.

[Greg Miller]

You Know, if it was, you'd be like, oh, this is so hackneyed. You know what I mean? Yeah, Come on.

[Andy Cortez]

Images. And it costs extra energy to do that bullshit. But it's like the amount of energy and water from local lakes to power coolers, to power computers to then, you know, be able to render these images like it's doing so. It's taking away so much. And, you know, you know, don't let anybody ever scold you for using a straw. That's not what's fucking killing the planet. It's this sort of stuff and it's just. God, I just think of. I think of not this beard, but Bear From Final Fantasy 7 Every time the planet's crying out. Cloud. Yeah, listen to it, you know?

[Greg Miller]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Barrett Courtney]

That game was 30 years old at this point.

[Andy Cortez]

Sad.

[Barrett Courtney]

It's crazy.

[Andy Cortez]

God, I nailed it right there the first try.

[Greg Miller]

Ben's got it. You know what Ben's got? I bought it. But it's like he's got the I Am Superman book that I like a lot. And like, when, you know, we're doing the. When Superman's narrating his whole story, like, you know, page two is just like, you know, my father was a scientist and he warned the government of Planet Krypton that they were destroying it, but they wouldn't listen.

[Andy Cortez]

It's like.

[Greg Miller]

But frankly, I'm sick of this big news that is the collapse of Western civilization and the death of the planet. Andy, if I wanted something smaller, say the tiniest news I need to know about, where would I go?

[Andy Cortez]

You'd go to our last story, the WE News channel, where we cover all the small news items you need to know about.

[Greg Miller]

Number six, the Wii News. Capcom announced today that the worldwide sales of Resident Evil 4 surpassed 10 million units in the approximate two years since the 2023 release, making it the fastest selling title in the series. To hit the milestone via noble Clair obscure, Expedition 33 has already sold 500,000 copies.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah, goaty.

[Greg Miller]

Make sure you check out our review on the kind of funny gamescast of it.

[Andy Cortez]

That's the game of the year, Andy.

[Barrett Courtney]

I thought more about it since our review and I'm a little now because I said very confidently, blueprints is still my game of the year, but now I'm a bit. Now I'm a bit back and forth.

[Andy Cortez]

Come on, man. What a. What a piece of art.

[Greg Miller]

Joshua Bowen writes in with the super chat, says, happy birthday, Greg. I'm about to start Claire Obscura. I know the combat has Paper Mario elements. Would you guys recommend controller or mouse.

[Barrett Courtney]

And keyboard for a place controller, Control.

[Andy Cortez]

Controller and hey, Polygon. Shame on you, Polygon Video Game Outlet Polygon. Big fan of you guys. I got a bona pit.

[Greg Miller]

Get him. How dare you.

[Andy Cortez]

Tell them to forget about parrying. Yes, you can dodge a whole bunch.

[Greg Miller]

You gotta parry. But I was working on pairing.

[Andy Cortez]

Pairing is way too hard to win. The. The window is not as small as you think it is. It's like, you know, I. I think Elden Ring trained people. Greg.

[Greg Miller]

To hold the last second.

[Andy Cortez]

No. To do it way too early. Because in Elden Ring, when you're doing like your shield bash parry, you want to hit the button, and then you want their attack to hit your shield while it's up here. So you got to do it way earlier.

[Greg Miller]

Okay.

[Andy Cortez]

In Clar Obscure, you lean later in towards the attack. So it's like.

[Greg Miller]

When it's like coming down.

[Andy Cortez]

No eat right when that.

[Barrett Courtney]

Right when it hits right where. That's why it's like so Sekiro feeling in that sense.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Greg Miller]

And I was doing it too early. I. I'm not way later. I. I had a lot to learn, but I was in the groove of it when I was playing before I switched off to oblivion.

[Andy Cortez]

Anytime I've missed the parries, it's always because I'm doing it way earlier. And there's even times when I'm nailing parries that it looks like the attack hit and then the Perry happens like milliseconds after and it's like, oh, that was probably too late, but it still works. So maybe I can try that towards later into it. Because those parries and those counter. And then getting health back from the counter attack. Oh, it's just the. It's the best feeling.

[Greg Miller]

Bobby Dang says, just paying my birthday tax, about to smash pizza and then hop into oblivion. Or Expedition 33, I'm leaning more towards oblivion. You can't go wrong. And they're both on game pass. And you can get back to whenever. I'm gonna smash a pizza too, after.

[Barrett Courtney]

This one's an old game, though, but.

[Greg Miller]

It'S new, as we know from Open critic and of course our fantasy draft. Somebody will answer for that. Alex Frazier says shout out to Expedition 33 though. Game is Unreal Engine 5 Danger Daddy D super chats and says. Picked up Expedition 33 yesterday after listening to the review. Loving it so far. Already care so much about these characters after only a few hours. Reminds me of playing OG Final Fantasy 7 for the first time. And I think that's everybody who wanted to come out of the woodworks to talk about how much they love expedition 33 throughout the show before they even knew we'd talk about it right here. Wild Story is out now on Steam. Dragon Ball Sparking zero adds eight New Dragon Ball Daima. No, hold on. It's psy. So Die Daima.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Greg Miller]

Playable characters.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Greg Miller]

In new deals. I forget what it was. I almost interrupted your stream yesterday though because something happened. It popped up and I was like, it's like it clicked.

[Andy Cortez]

Even think of the way you say artificial intelligence. AI. AI like it's like the AI like.

[Greg Miller]

Side, you know, sure that one's gonna throw me off. Then also, there was a Play ism Direct today. Playism, of course, a video game publisher. They sent a million emails to me. It was a good show. Apparently Shuhei Ushida was on it. There was a bunch of different stuff like they're talking about Mind Divers coming to Steam in 2025. Valkyria Phantasm is coming to Switch and PS5 in 2025. But they had a game called Kato Buttered Cat that I was originally like, did you even hear about this? And then it was like coming to Switch and PS5 May 1. It looks goofy as hell. This is what plays and does. Go look for the plays and direct. They have a ton of games like Nitro Express coming to Steam on May 19. Cute art style playism's got something going on over there, everybody. And they put out a whole bunch of news about a whole bunch of games today. There's your butter. So you got the cat and you got the butter.

[Andy Cortez]

I want to see more 3D style games. Even though this is like 2, but it's like 2.5D. But I want to see more games using that really sort of hard style anti aliased or aliased look rather in this case because I think back to playing a short hike.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

And just like I love the jaggies. I love that old retro look 100%.

[Greg Miller]

And that's your we news to close out your week as many of you have been super chatting. Let's get a whole bunch in here. Charlie Nuggets says Happy birthday, Greg and good morning Andy.

[Andy Cortez]

Hello.

[Greg Miller]

In music news today, we got a new Sleep Token single Day Seeker single and Ghost album. Have a happy weekend.

[Andy Cortez]

Real big. I need a. I hear so much about Sleep Token and everybody being in love with them.

[Greg Miller]

What kind of music are they?

[Andy Cortez]

I don't even know. But I know that I always see Echo, Chloe, Chloe posting about them and Other people in my circles, super into Sleep Token. It's like, man, I got. I don't know what they are, but the look and everything that they're posting visually, I'm like, I feel like that's something I'd vibe with maybe.

[Greg Miller]

Okay.

[Andy Cortez]

But I also, like, whenever it's time to, you know, listen to music. My listening to music for me is like playing Expedition for you where it's like, I could just play Monster Hunter. That's me with like, I was put on my podcast. You know, I need to catch up.

[Greg Miller]

CJ splits on super chats for and says two dollar tax for doubting Greg about PSVR2 viability. I accept your apology and your tax. Thank you. Remember, I'm rarely wrong.

[Andy Cortez]

And because of that, you'll have. I'm giving you my alarmo.

[Greg Miller]

Thank you.

[Andy Cortez]

I appreciate that.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah, he's gonna lose it. Like, I'm gonna have to set it up.

[Andy Cortez]

You need the cable. I don't know what the cable is.

[Greg Miller]

Usbc.

[Andy Cortez]

Usbc? Yeah.

[Greg Miller]

It's easy.

[Andy Cortez]

Aren't you shocked? It's usbc. Would have. Would have assumed they'd still put a micro in there like the switches.

[Greg Miller]

USBC says. Andy. I finally played Hyper Light Drifter and loved it. I beat Death's Door last year. What should I play next? It's got to be Expedition 33. After everything we've said.

[Andy Cortez]

I mean, I mean, that's a phenomenal game. But if you're looking for something more that. In that vein, that's sort of that isometric type vibe. Tunic. Real good. I would even say a game that I gave up on this at the end of last year because of just other kind of came through. Crypt Custodian was an awesome one that I'm. I. I'm so bummed out that I didn't give more time to. And I'm so. I feel angry at myself that I started it way too late in the year.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

Because I loved the vibes in the combat and just the. I think the game loop was such a cool idea. And yeah, that's one that I would recommend for a top from that same developer.

[Barrett Courtney]

I really loved Eyelets from a few years back, which is a Metroidvania. I remember that one where the Metroidvania map are broken up into pieces. And the whole kind of loop of the game is you bring it slowly bringing the map together. So the Metroidvania going back to certain places is you just connecting certain parts of the map finally together. It's such a smartly designed game that's.

[Andy Cortez]

So fascinating because Crypt Custodian, the way it operates, it's a top down obviously isometric Zelda like is what I would call it. And there are certain elements of it that are roguelite inspired, but it's not a roguelite. It is still a story. But you'll walk up to a little, little shrine or totem or whatever and you walk up to it and it'll be like, hey, you'll get this sick ass power right now. But you have to kill five people without getting hit. And so they implement those things in their campaign story game and that are kind of like roguelite inspired of like, all right, big risk, big reward right here. And it'll be a sick ass power. But if you die, you're dead and you never get this power. So I love how they kind of mix genres, but this game is so cool, man.

[Greg Miller]

Indeed. Two super chats to close you out. Yeah, a lot of people super chat and wish me happy birthday. Thank you so much. But two touching ones here. Austin earned super chats and says catching y'all live for once. My daughter was born on the 14th and after some complications, mom and baby Beverly are finally home and healthy. So congratulations there, Austin. Some symbols for you. And then blue haired protagonist says, hey guys, first lost a friend this week. Just tell everyone you love them. And second, Andy can't retire from game showdown. I will riot and start protests. Thank you.

[Andy Cortez]

Oh shit.

[Greg Miller]

Well, first off, we're sorry to hear about your friend, blue haired protagonist.

[Andy Cortez]

I'm sorry to hear the second part as well because you have to retire.

[Greg Miller]

Because I'm going to get your star if I can make that happen. That's what you said.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah, I did say that.

[Greg Miller]

Hell yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

I am playing into the evil, everybody.

[Greg Miller]

That's another episode of Kinda Funny Games Daily in the bank. We will be away until Monday of course, because we're here each and every weekday to run you through the video game news you need to know about. However, Kinda Funny is far more than just games daily. We are a live talk show network. So right after this you are getting episode two of the Elder Scrolls Online podcast. This one talking about a very rough launch in how Zenimax Online Studios course corrected to keep this game afloat and of course succeeding since it's celebrating more than 10 years now. Please, even if you don't like eso, check that out. It means a lot to me because I love that interview and I love being able to talk to people for this long about one game and you have two more episodes after this, so there's a lot going on. It's a labor of love over here for that one. And after that it'll be my birthday stream playing a bunch of Monster Hunter with Mike and Joey. Of course, no matter where you get the show, please consider picking up the kind of funny membership 10 bucks gets you all of our shows ad free and the ability to watch my exclusive podcast, Greg Way each and every weekday. It's 15 to 20 minutes. Yesterday was 25, I think today's 24. I'm out there. I'm crushing it for you to give you big old podcasts. Andy, excellent work today.

[Andy Cortez]

And Greg, excellent work.

[Greg Miller]

Until next time, everybody, it's been our pleasure to serve.