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Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Today's stories include Pokemon Go has been acquired by Scopely. The new skate already has microtransactions and Netflix Games sees a major loss. We'll have all this and more because this is Kind of Funny Games Daily. Yo, what's up? Welcome to Kind of Funny Games daily for Wednesday, March 12, 2025. I'm one of your host blessing Addy. Oh yea Junior. Joining me is Lacroix Poppy Tim Ma.
Tim Gettys
Bugging Yetis God, the cold open fuller downer stories, you know what I mean?
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Just back to back news days for me and you. Just banger after banger, you know, I mean we got so much to talk about. God, we're going to have such lively discussion.
Tim Gettys
Here's the thing though, you saying March 12th did make me think that we are less than a month away from the Switch too.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Oh, from the Rev? Yeah, from the showcase. From the direct.
Tim Gettys
That's wild.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
That's exciting.
Tim Gettys
In about three weeks we're going to know it all. What weird decisions are going to be made.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
That's the thing is like what will we know?
Tim Gettys
At what point do I start getting really scared?
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Because like, is it going to be a thing of like, you know, we come out of that showcase being like man, they did it again. Or is it going to be one of those things where we're like oh God, what's happening? Why are they doing it like this?
Tim Gettys
That's interesting. I mean because remember that's what it was like with the Switch one. Super excited for the announcement commercial thing. And then when they did the showcase everyone was kind of like, I'm a little more trepidations of this. They had some really big wins overall. But when their biggest win was a Breath of the Wild trailer, which was essentially the launch trailer for a game that we had been anticipating for years at that point for the Wii U, you know. Yeah, it hit different.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Now I'll ask the question that might be a curse question. Is there a way they can this up?
Tim Gettys
There's many ways they can.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
What are the ways they can this up?
Tim Gettys
I mean I feel like if they were to, to come out and not actually announce a couple major first party Nintendo games for this year, I think that would be a very big problem. Like I think if we, if we don't have a, a idea of a roadmap through 2025 after April's event, I think that that is when I'm going to be like, ah, fuck. Bad. I'm getting bad.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
What kind of roadmap? Because I. We all expect Mario Kart. That feels like such a given. Like, there's no way they don't watch a Mario Kart.
Tim Gettys
Well, that's my thing is I'm not convinced they launch with Mario Kart, but.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
It'S gonna be this year.
Tim Gettys
This year.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
This year. Yes, yes, yes. So let's say. Let's say I don't think they show Mario Kart in the initial reveal trailer of the Switch 2 and not launch with Mario Kart.
Tim Gettys
I don't think they'd show a 3D Mario in this original Switch reveal trailer and not launch with it. But they didn't. And I was shocked watching that Nintendo direct when we saw Mario Odyssey. And it was not at all around launch.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
The only difference is, is that they also showed Zelda in that initial thing.
Tim Gettys
Right.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Whereas Mario Kart was the only thing showed in this initial reveal for the Switch to. I think you can get away with it in the first, like, three months having it in that Switch reveal. I think you have in that Switch to reveal. You got to have it in, like a good pace of switches out. All right, cool. You don't have to wait that long before you play Mario Kart. But either way, right, they're going to talk about Mario Kart. Probably most likely, I'm going to say 95% is coming out this year. Let's say. I don't want to invoke it because I. But 3D Mario. Yeah, that's gotta happen, right?
Tim Gettys
I think this year. I think so.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
So let's say those two are somewhat locks, which is gonna fuck my fantasy critic, but it is what it is.
Tim Gettys
Yeah.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
And let's say we get like one arms. Ish. Uip. Is that enough for you?
Tim Gettys
Absolutely.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Okay.
Tim Gettys
Yeah. Yeah. That's what we need.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Because there's no way we don't get at least those.
Tim Gettys
I don't think so. Yeah, yeah. No, I. I'm hopeful. I'm saying they could fuck this up. I don't think they're going to. And I just want this clear because I don't want any I told you so motherfuckers coming at me if Mario Kart ends up being a launch game. I'm not saying it's not going to be a launch game. I'm just saying everybody that's so sure it's going to be a launch game, you might be disappointed. I think Mario Kart is real, and I think it's coming this year.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
I can't believe you're saying Mario Kart is fake, Tim. Wow. It's fucked up.
Tim Gettys
It is fucked up.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
I don't know. I'm going to regret these words.
Tim Gettys
Mario Kart was also in that original reveal, and it wasn't even a launch title for this switch. When did Mario Marard Deluxe?
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Oh, yeah, it was like a few weeks after, right? Yeah. And that's how I frame it. Yeah. That's actually exactly what I'm talking about with the Switch 2 reveal, where even if it's not launch day, I expected in the first couple months, like, if it's not launch day, then a couple weeks out. Right. If. If, say for some reason, they're like, oh, Metroid Prime 4 is going to be the launch day title. Cool. Next month, Mario Kart. I don't think that's bad marketing or, like, I don't think that's a bad idea.
Tim Gettys
I'm going to. I think that's where my predictions were.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Yeah. And I think that makes a lot of sense. I'm going to go as far as to say, I don't think they can fuck this up.
Tim Gettys
Yeah. I.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Because I. The. Here's the thing. The things that you would fuck up. They've already confirmed that they have. Right. Backwards compatibility. They said. They said backwards compatibility is the thing here.
Tim Gettys
Yeah. That's like the main backwards enhancement. Because that's what we really want.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Listen, I'll take what I can get. It's Nintendo. All right. I don't think they know what the word enhancement means.
Tim Gettys
Yeah.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
I don't think they understand what the fucking up res is. I'll just take the game being playable. I'm okay with that.
Tim Gettys
So, like, I mean, that's a big.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Ask, but they said it's going to happen. Backwards compatibility. Boom. Mario Kart. Boom. At least one other big first party game. Boo. I know I'm getting Metroid Prime 4.
Tim Gettys
I know the boom.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
I'm getting a Pokemon Zaw.
Tim Gettys
I don't know that they're going to show Pokemon Saw.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Yeah. But I know I'm going to get.
Tim Gettys
You going to get it?
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Yeah, I'm going to get it. Yeah, I'm good. I'm chilling.
Tim Gettys
Yeah.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Yeah.
Tim Gettys
I'm feeling good, But I just remember feeling good the night before that event. I remember feeling great the night before that event.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Yeah. Somebody says, what if it launches in fall? Listen, I'll take what I can get.
Tim Gettys
Yeah, that would be. That would be a bummer. But I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility as well.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Could be a bummer, because I'm expecting summer. I'm expecting summer. Enough about that rhymed. Let's talk about today's news because remember this is Kind of Funny Games Daily. Each and every weekday we run you through the nerdy news you need to know about live on YouTube, Twitch and on podcast services around the globe. If you love what we do, support us with the Kind of Funny membership on Patreon, YouTube and now Spotify and Apple Podcasts to get all of our shows ad free, watch us record them live and get a daily exclusive show show for a chance to be a part of the show. Some of your thoughts and opinions as YouTube super chats as we go. Housekeeping for you Monday. It's the annual team up between the Mix and Kind of Funny. Come see more than 60amazing indie games when we kick off Spring Games showcase at 9am Pacific Time on Kind of Funny Games. Followed by an all day live stream of devs rotating in and out to show off their games. It's going to be a blast and you can catch it on our Twitch and YouTube channels. Remember, we're an 11 person business all about live talk shows. So today after KOTD, you're gonna get the WWE 2K25 review and then following that it's a screencast. It's gonna be Daredevil. We're gonna be talking about the new episode and then after that is the stream and it's gonna be more of that there Pokemon. Nick Locke. You're a Kind of funny member. You can get today's Greg Way, which is something about something. Here's the thing. I'm gonna hold Greg's feet to the flame here. Yeah, because he changed the doc template because. Because he is specifically trying to be more intentional about telling you what the Greg ways are. And so Greg got DM me the Greg Way so I can put him in the doc.
Tim Gettys
Do it Greg.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Or just put it in the dock yourself. But you're going to get a Greg way today. It's going to be good.
Tim Gettys
Greg.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Thank you to our Patreon producers, Delaney Twining, Carl Jacobs and Omega Buster. Today we're brought to you by Monster Hunter. Now Built rewards and stash. But we'll tell you about that later. For now, let's begin with what is and forever will be the Roper Report. It's time for some news. We have six stories today, a baker's dozen, starting with our number one, Pokemon Go. Developer Niantic is to sell its gaming business to Saudi Group. This is Jess Weatherbed at the Verge. Niantic Labs has announced that it's selling its video game division to Saudi Arabia owned mobile developer scopely for $3.5 billion after struggling to replicate the success of Pokemon Go across its other AR games. The newly inked agreement includes Niantic, Pokemon Go, Monster Hunter now and Pikmin Bloom mobile gaming titles. Quote Niantic games have always been a bridge to connect people and inspire exploration and I am confident they will continue to do both as part of Scopely, said Niantic CEO John Hank. Quote, I firmly believe this partnership is great for our players and is the best way to ensure our games have the long term support and investment needed to be forever games that will endure for future generations. End quote the acquisition is subject to regulatory approval and other closing conditions should the deal go through. It'll also bring Niantic's social companion apps for Pokemon Go, Campfire and Wayfarer under Scopely ownership. Scopely says it'll gain Niantic's entire team of exceptional game makers and category leading games. However, the Peridot and Ingress AR gaming titles. Is it Peridot or Peridot? I feel like I've been through this before.
Tim Gettys
I think it's Peridot.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
But is it Peridot?
Tim Gettys
I don't know.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Kind of com since you're on the latter of which talking about Ingress is also supported by the Wayfarer mapping app will remain under the ownership and development of Niantic Spatial. Now you might be asking what is Niantic Spatial? I'm going to pull directly from the Niantic website where they talk about what's going on today and they say our second announcement is that we are spinning off our pioneering geospatial AI business into a new company, Niantic Spatial Inc. Enabling it to accelerate and scale even more rapidly. Led by John Hank, Niantic Spatial will be funded with $250 million of capital, including $200 million from Niantic, Niantic balance sheet and a $50 million investment from Scopely. All of Niantic's original investors will also continue to be shareholders of Niantic Spatial, the little spin off company from Niantic.
Tim Gettys
Handle them more. Makes sense for for how they're they've been doing things in our and the announcements they made a couple a month ago, two months ago, whatever that was. Well look at this. Obviously it's still in the regulatory approval and all that stuff. You got to assume this is going to go through. Yeah. Also a wild amount of money. They were talking about $3.5 billion, almost as much as Star wars cost for.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Disney Yeah, I mean it makes, man, it makes sense.
Tim Gettys
It makes Pokemon Go.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
I mean, when you're talking about the biggest IPs in the world. Right. Like, I mean it is different when Disney is literally buying Star Wars. Yeah, but you're getting a big, a big piece of IP with Pokemon. Pokemon, one of the biggest IPs in the world.
Tim Gettys
I can say that from experience. My wallet has been, I can't say stolen from because I, I willingly have given it to them time and time again. And it's very unfortunate because like, here's the thing with this. The amount of acquisitions and consolidations we've been seeing specifically with the Saudi Arabia owned groups, what comes from that, how we've seen that already affect other games and other movies and TV shows and just everything out there when it comes to media and entertainment. And it hasn't necessarily been great. And scopely, we've heard a lot of things about in terms of Monopoly Go, I personally don't have experience with it, but I know enough people and I've heard very conflicting things. Some people are like, hey, I get to play. Yes, there's a lot of things you can do to monetize, but you don't need to do them. And then I hear other people being like scopely are the absolute worst. They are what people talk about when we're talking about how bad microtransactions can be in mobile games. And I just got to be honest, as a Pokemon Go player, I can't imagine it getting worse. And that scares me because something tells me it is going to.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Do you think so? Because that was my first question as the Pokemon Go correspondent here. Kind of funny, Tim, like, what are. Can Pokemon Go go further in terms of what it does for microtransactions? Do you like, what do you expect coming out of this? I know it's a tough thing because obviously scope is a known thing as far as Monopoly Go, but I'm very fascinated by does a transition to underscope Lee, I guess magnify issues that might already be underlying.
Tim Gettys
I'm sure, I'm sure, yeah. And Pokemon Go has, I think, always tried to at the very least come up with monetization levers that fit the game. But I think over the years they kind of lost sight of it a bit. And I think that during the pandemic there was a very, very big moment where the game could have died. Right?
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Yeah.
Tim Gettys
Like people can't go outside. They can't Pokemon Go, you know, and because of that they allowed people to remote raid, which is kind of like the biggest exciting gameplay thing of Pokemon Go. And so you get all the legendaries and stuff for the most part. And allowing people to remote raid as opposed to having to go out and raid was a huge thing, obviously. And it created a surge again for Pokemon Go, even during pandemic times. And then once we kind of got out of that, little by little, they like monetized it more and more and more and then limited it and it just turned into a thing of just like, oh, wow, like you gave everyone a taste of what this should be like and it still was monetized, but then you took that away and over monetized it even more. And so now it kind of feels like in a lot of ways we're paying more for even less, which is not good. But then that becomes the standard and then you just are stuck in the cycle. So I think that you can apply that logic to many different levers that this game has to get you to entice you to want to pay for stuff. Luckily, I'm almost at the end of this journey for the grind at least. But who knows? They can always add some bullshit and any day now they're going to be like, we're going to level 60, baby. I mean, like, I'm going to have to really think about.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
I was going to say, what will it take to make Tim Gettys go? I can't do this anymore. I quit.
Tim Gettys
I mean, there for me, it really comes down to are, is there gameplay that I'm interested in? Is there something here that I. I want to do? I want to catch them all. So far I've had a lot of fun catching them all. It's cost me a lot of money, but I. To say, is it worth it or not is a silly thing. Just because, like, at the end of the day, no, it is not worth it. But at the same time, I, I've enjoyed it and I find value in it. So if they can continue that, then sure. But again, that's all just the personal, my wallet side of this conversation. Like, looking at this overall, having scopely have even more of the biggest mobile game brands, like that creates a monopoly.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Yeah. Oh, wow. Wow. This guy, he's on it. I mean, speaking of which, right, Like, I think a conversation we had about Niantic is, wow, okay, you had Pokemon Go, but then you had these shots that you were taking that weren't going in the basket, right? Like you look at Pikmin Bloom, Monster Hunter now, like. And granted, I'm not the Expert necessarily on, like, how well Monster Hunter now is doing. I could probably call in Greg Miller.
Tim Gettys
Doing pretty well.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Doing pretty well. Okay, there you go. But, like, I feel like post Pokemon Go, it's tough when you start at the top. You know what I mean? Of, like. All right.
Tim Gettys
Ip.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Yeah. Of ip. We had Pokemon Go. Where do we. No pun intended. Pun intended. Where do we go from here? Like, what is the next step after Pokemon Go? All right, let's try it with. I forget if Niantic was the ones. Again, I'm so not in this world. But they did Harry Potter, right? Wasn't there a Harry Potter?
Tim Gettys
There was. I don't remember if it was Niantic, but there was Harry Potter. There was.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Yeah.
Tim Gettys
Ghostbusters. There was NBA.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Oh, yeah. There was the NBA thing. The NBA thing never came out, I think. Or it got canceled.
Tim Gettys
There's a Marvel one that you announced that got canceled.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Yeah, see? And that would have been. See, the Marvel thing. Even though I think it's a weird idea, because Pokemon is such a. Is an IP that is so fit for what Pokemon Go is. Go around and catch things, go around and collect things. That is all Pokemon. That's the core ethos of Pokemon, is collecting cool Pokemon Go is such a slam dunk for that. But, yeah, is the NBA a slam dunk for that intended punch? Is Marvel a slam dunk for that? Like, I could see how you could maneuver it in there, but I don't think anything was going to.
Tim Gettys
It's like, well, that's why Monster Hunter, I think, is finding success, because it makes sense from a gameplay perspective.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Exactly. But I wonder if. I wonder if there was a different route, a different timeline in which Niantic was able to find the flow and actually find success with the right IPS or with different ideas. Like, I don't know what the alternative would have been for Niantic if not what we're seeing here.
Tim Gettys
Oh, yeah. Well, I mean, I'm just not doing this and just being okay with the. Just the Pokemon money that's coming in. Yeah, that, like, that is the answer. But people don't like that answer. They want more. They need more. Bless. But yeah, no, I think that's. That's kind of it. I think that the. The problem is. And we see this a lot in. And pretty much everything that we do, if you have one giant cash cow and it. It sets a standard for how much money can be made from something, if you make another project, you expect it's going to do that.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Yeah, right.
Tim Gettys
And Even if you budget it smaller and have different considerations for what you're expecting from it, I still think at the end of the day, it's easy to look at it and be like, well, sure, we only spent 200 and we're making a million, but here we only spent 5 million, but we're making a billion. And it's like, what's the point of even investing in this?
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
You look at Pippin Bloom and you sigh a little bit.
Tim Gettys
Yeah, just a little, you know? But yeah, I don't know, man. This. This is news that kind of came fast. I feel like last week there was rumblings of this and where there's smokes, everybody. Sometimes there's fires, there's fires. And here we are now. The many Reddits that I'm a part of this morning are in complete meltdown mode. Um, most people are Monopoly Go players as well. And I'm like, well, there's some signs here. You know what I mean?
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Yeah.
Tim Gettys
Broken people. We're here for each other. Okay.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
We'll be there for each other, I hope, man. Microtransactions. What a crazy thing.
Tim Gettys
What a crazy thing.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Like story number two, EA Skate gets microtransactions before its release date. This is Wesley Yenpool at ign. EA has added microtransactions to Skate during its latest alpha test and ahead of a release date announcement. As reported by Insider, Gaming developer Full Circle added microtransactions to the ongoing closed Alpha test of EA's Free to Play Skate revival. You can spend real, real world money on a virtual currency called San Van Bucks, which in turn is used to buy cosmetic items. Stop.
Tim Gettys
What the fuck? This story's happening. I feel something over there. I look over and it's just Snow Bike Mike. Like this, like, yeah, Mike's dreams are coming true.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
It sounds like Full Circle wants to test Skate's microtransaction purchase system as it states it wants players to have a positive experience when purchasing items from the Skate store. Quote, your feedback will be greatly appreciated in providing a great experience at early access launch. The message continues. According to Insider Gaming, Full Circle has warned testers that progress will be fully reset before Skate launches into early Access and any purchases you make will be converted back into Sand Van Bucks and made available again at the start of early access. Skates early access launch is set for 2025.
Tim Gettys
Sick, man. Everything I've heard about this game just, like, sounds awesome.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Was this game ever going to come out without microtransactions, though?
Tim Gettys
I know there's literally by design. Like, that's what this was going to be. They told us that, hey, this is going to be a free to play.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Free to play. It's skate. So you got to have the brands in there 100%.
Tim Gettys
Like, we knew it, but like it being in the, the early, like the game's not even out yet version. And sure, there's. I'm seeing the chat saying they're giving rec refunds and all that. It's like, all right, cool.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
I, that's my thing is if I'm taking, if I'm going to take the positive angle on this. I do, I, I do like the messaging of, hey, we want people to have a positive experience when they're purchasing items from the skate store. So that's why we're testing this. Like, we want to make sure that everything is fairly priced and like the, the microtransaction experience isn't getting in the way of the fun.
Tim Gettys
Yep.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
I like that communication. Fingers crossed that it actually works out that way.
Tim Gettys
Right.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Like, this is one of those things that I think at first blush you read and it's like, I don't know how I feel about this. And honestly, the thing I like the least about this story is the fact that they're called Sand Van Bucks.
Tim Gettys
Yeah.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
That doesn't roll off the tongue.
Tim Gettys
I know. And this is such bullshit, man. They're getting right in the way of our announcement that I was going to make later in the week, but I guess I'll make it. Now we are introducing funny bucks. Funny money, as they say. Yeah, either way you can get it. The translation is five real world dollars for one funny money that you can then use to go fuck yourself.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
I missed the meeting on this one. I've been, I've been off. I was out on Friday, so I didn' what we're doing crazy here.
Tim Gettys
Thank you.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
What a value, Tim.
Tim Gettys
That's such a great value, man. Mike has already bought.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
You know, man, I, I love that you're still thinking about them. Wait, no. What was the one that you learned a couple years ago? Okay. Was it the Turtles?
Tim Gettys
It was the Turtles.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
I loved seeing you in real time learn about that. Of what they're doing over there.
Tim Gettys
God, they had a show, the Sandy Dollars.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Sand Van Bucks. But yeah, ultimately, I'm not mad at this. I am very curious about what this is going to look like in the final game. Mainly for what cosmetics are we going to get? And then also like, what's the pricing there? I don't even know what cosmetics I want For a skate game. It's the. It's the weird thing where when I think about the brands I expect, I'm like, they're not going to. They're not going to charge me for some, like, skate brands, right? Like, it's got to be some, like, crossover content.
Tim Gettys
Did you see the island recently when we were playing it out there? Did you see what they were doing? Their virtual currency of like, how much it costs to buy a pair of Jordans. And mind you, not a pair of Jordans that anybody is aware of or knows of. Not the classics. No, no, no, no, no. The ones that you would find at like a flea market. You're like, I don't think these are real.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
I'm not. Listen, you're not going to get me to pay $10 on 100 Sand Van Bucks so I can buy an Aeropostale shirt. Like, give me Spider Man. Like, give me. I want to be on. I want to be a Pikachu doing kick flips and shit. Okay, Grinding.
Tim Gettys
I have a game for you. It's called Tony Hawk's Pro Skater. Not Skate.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
I. You know, you can do both. You know, I mean, they're different. They're different.
Tim Gettys
Yeah, yeah.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Different vibes. Aeropostale.
Tim Gettys
That's what you went to, you dork.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
What's this game? Sorry, What's Escape Brand?
Tim Gettys
Bear Apostle.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
I was being funny, but also like, Aeropostale is the closest thing that I can think of. Well, Vans, like these skate brands. Vans did come to mind, but I was like, is. It was vans. I used to work there. That's where my. That's where I met my wife. You're.
Tim Gettys
You're.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
I'm so bewildered I can't even speak right now. You're married. I also wear hats. Did you know that about me? You wear hats? Yeah. Somebody said next he was going to say Hollister. Listen, it was between Hollister and Air. It was between Hollister Classic skate for Head Hollister. We got a super chat from Ricardo Gonzalez who writes in and says funny money, finally a virtual currency I can get behind.
Tim Gettys
Someone had to do it.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
This is one from the last news story I want to get to. But before I get there, I want to tell you about patreon.com kindafunny and YouTube.com kind of funny games where you can go and get the kind of funny membership which allows you to get shit ad free using real money. But guess what? If you don't have that, Here's a word from our sponsors.
Tim Gettys
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Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Individual results may vary.
Tim Gettys
Tremphya is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis. Serious allergic reactions and increased risk of infections may occur. Before treatment, your doctor should check you for infections and tb. Tell your doctor if you have an.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Infection, flu like symptoms or if you need a vaccine.
Tim Gettys
Ask your doctor if Tremphaya can help you manage the cycle of UC symptoms. Call 1-800-526-7736 to learn more or visit tremphyaradio.com I'm ready for my life to change. ABC Sundays.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
American Idol is all new.
Tim Gettys
Give it your all.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Good luck.
Tim Gettys
Come out with a golden ticket. Let's hear it. This is a man's world.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
I've never seen anything like it.
Tim Gettys
And a new chapter begins.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
We're going to Hollywood.
Tim Gettys
Carrie Underwood joins Lionel Richie, Luke Bryant.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
And Ryan Seacrest on American Idol News.
Tim Gettys
Sundays, 8, 7 Central on ABC and stream on Hulu. Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile. I don't know if you knew this, but anyone can get the same Premium Wireless for $15 a month plan that I've been enjoying. It's not just for celebrities. So do like I did and have one of your assistant's assistants switch you to Mint Mobile today. I'm told it's super easy to do@mintmobile.com.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Switch upfront payment of $45 for 3 month plan equivalent to $15 per month.
Tim Gettys
Required intro rate first 3 months only.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra. See full terms@mintmobile.com and we're back. I want to pull in a super chat. Here we go.
Tim Gettys
I can't explain to you the feeling like it's the opposite of chills.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Yeah.
Tim Gettys
It starts in the wrong place. It ends in the wrong place.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
It's like it of frustration, I think.
Tim Gettys
Yeah, frustration's a great word.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Yeah.
Tim Gettys
Here it comes.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
We're having such a good time.
Tim Gettys
How wet am I gonna get? What smells am I gonna feel?
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Yeah, I've heard this makes a lot of people get.
Tim Gettys
I was just in your car. Your lights were still odd.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Oh my. How much paper did you waste?
Tim Gettys
But is that all I did in there? You are not safe.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
It's just. He's walking out. For audio listeners, Greg came in, of course. He's Mr. SARS in the bank. That's his. His Entrance music and he came through and handed him a bunch of papers that he just read off. Just now.
Tim Gettys
Yeah, yeah. It was, ironically, a helpful message. I did need to lock my car, but I don't feel safe.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
I don't feel like we have enough paper in here to be doing this.
Tim Gettys
Yeah.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
You know, cuz half the time I want to print something out of that printer, something goes wrong. Yeah, I mean, oh, no ink. Oh, we got to replace the paper. So just to be. To be wasting it on this.
Tim Gettys
Also, you are not safe with a period after every single word.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
I think today was where I crossed the threshold of regret of making this a thing. Putting the stars of the bank out there is a thing.
Tim Gettys
I've been thinking that for a while. Bless. Didn't want to say anything to you. I know you've been there. I respect you as a host.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
I know you've been there. But I think today was the tipping point for me. All right, I want to bring in a super chat from Chuki Kappa, who writes in and says, how do you think the Pokemon company factors in here? This is again referring to story number one, talking about Niantic being bought by Scopely. Do you think they have some say over what the new owners will be able to do? Slash, not do. I kind of like this question of. You're talking about the microtransactions. You're talking about how far the Pokemon company, or not Pokemon company, sorry, Niantic, with Pokemon Go. Kind of how it already has gone and how much further that probably could go with Scopely, makers of Monopoly Go or the publishers. Do you think the Pokemon company would stop that from happening?
Tim Gettys
No.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Fair enough.
Tim Gettys
Here's the thing. I. I think that they probably could have some say. I don't think they're going to. I don't think that that's a good thing for anybody. I don't think. I don't think that the Pokemon company is the company that were like, you know what, they were going to go too hard and try to take all of our money, but we're going to stop that.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
You don't think the Pokemon company cares about the quality of Pokemon? A Pokemon game?
Tim Gettys
That's crazy.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
It's a Pokemon game. You think, you think the Pokemon company doesn't care about the.
Tim Gettys
But Pokemon game, man.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
You think. You think they don't care about, like a negative perception of Pokemon based on the experience of playing one of your most popular Pokemon games? Nah, man. That's not my Pokemon company. My Pokemon company cares about quality.
Tim Gettys
Can you imagine Them putting out with.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
A straight face, like the Pokemon company cares.
Tim Gettys
The best thing about what you're saying, Bless, is they do that and they don't just put out. They put out Scarlet and Violet. You know what I mean?
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Technically, they put out two of those games. I've never heard it said exactly quite like that. That's fucking funny.
Tim Gettys
You're right.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
They put out Scarlet and they put out Violet. Fuck, that's so good.
Tim Gettys
Holy shit.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
I mean, Thomas Pena writes in and says, give me my. My funny money. We might have to make this a thing.
Tim Gettys
Oh, okay.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
We might actually have to launch a funny buckle. Can I have Kevin's face on it?
Tim Gettys
I think it has to.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Yeah, it kind of has to. And then Ian Aronoff writes in and says, please tell me you guys are gonna do a reaction to the Stitch trailer. Is this. This trailer out? Is there a new one?
Tim Gettys
I think it must have dropped because.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
We haven't gotten a full trailer. Right. It's just.
Tim Gettys
No, we just keep seeing him walking around doing stuff. Wait, no, I hate how much. I don't hate it. You know what I mean?
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
What did I see? Stitching. Oh, you know what I think, because.
Tim Gettys
I was super commercial. He crushed a sandcastle.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
No, I want. Well, yes, but also I watched the Lion King live action Mufasa movie.
Tim Gettys
What'd you think?
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Yeah, it was. It was fine. It was fine. But I think before that there was a trailer. It wasn't a trailer, but it was like a tease of.
Tim Gettys
You saw Mufasa in theaters?
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Yes. Oh, shit.
Tim Gettys
That changes my perspective of you.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Oh, I'm a big Lion King guy. I love Lion King. And then also. Oh, I didn't see this bear. Yeah, this is the super bowl spot. Oh, yeah, I totally missed this one. Honestly, like, I was really worried about them adapting Stitch into, like, cg, but so far it kind of works.
Tim Gettys
It kind of works. It kind of works. Look at this little fucker.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Here's the thing. They're doing the thing now where, like, if you remember the original Lilo and Stitch, like, marketing, right. They would do the thing where they put Stitch in all the different Disney IP is like a bit. Yeah, they did that. Yeah. Where it's like, oh, here's Stitch. But he's like, in the Lion King world, which I love. I think that's awesome.
Tim Gettys
Kingdom Hearts. You could summon Stitch. Cool. I love Kingdom Hearts.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
That's cool. I mean, if we do a Stitch reaction, would that get us claimed?
Tim Gettys
There's.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
It's.
Tim Gettys
We're rolling dice, though, you know, what?
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
I mean, okay, maybe because Disney is usually pretty cool about us live reacting, but like what music is being played?
Tim Gettys
That's the, that's the thing, you know, the roller coaster ride.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
If this was, yeah, if this was universal, it'd be a no go. We'd be taken off air and they would come in and kidnap Greg. Yeah, it's not worth it. Oh, if they kidnap Greg, it's worth it. But outside of that, I don't want you to go down on YouTube. Let's move on to story number three. Netflix's first gaming boss exits following a 2024 leadership shift this is Steven Totillo at Game File. Mike Verdu, the executive who led Netflix's foray into gaming before changing roles at the company last year, is no longer at Netflix, a rep for the streaming giant confirmed to Game File. Verdu joined Netflix in 2021 to launch its gaming offering. That effort included the release of dozens of new or ported mobile games for paying Netflix subscribers, as well as the creation of a formidable internal game development operation through the purchase of startup through the purchase and startup of several studios. While Netflix's gaming efforts are ongoing, Verdu's involvement had been War had been waning. Last year, Netflix pivoted, or focused, depending on who you asked. In July, the company brought in former Epic, EA and Ubisoft exec Elaine Tuscan to helm the gaming division. Verdu was not immediately out. When his successor arrived four months ago, he announced he had taken on a new role as VP of Generative AI for games at Netflix. It is unclear what has become of that role. Verdu did not return a request became redundant. They found an AI to do his job for him. Damn, that sucks. Verdu did not return a request for comment by press time. Since Diskon took the reins, Netflix's gaming operation has seen major changes. Last fall, the company shut down Team Blue, the studio that was developing the company's first AAA game. It is nixed several previously announced game releases and reduced. Most senior colleague on the gaming team, Leanne Loom, who ran third party relations with outside game makers, left for Annapurna in January. Netflix execs keep talking up their game gaming plans in quarterly calls, with investors, most recently teasing additional emphasis on couch co op party games as well as games that tie into Netflix shows. The company launched a Squid game video game in December. That game skipped the Netflix subscriber requirement to allow all mobile users to play it. Netflix will have a presence next week at the gd at the game Developers conference in San Francisco.
Tim Gettys
Who could have seen this coming?
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
What was the.
Tim Gettys
Who could have possibly seen Netflix games not working when they've promoted it really badly? When they were very ambitious with their plans. But what were their plans?
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
What were their plans?
Tim Gettys
Also, wait, they have Hades. They have access to some of the best games ever, but they're not letting people know that.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
What. Why, why did you. Why did you start a AAA studio? Why? And then shut it down? Like, what was the plan? I really. I really need the Jason sh. Breakdown of like, hey, this was their dream just for us to go. Oh yeah, that dream was never going to work because I. If Netflix were to go fully into gaming, right? If you're to fully do it, if you were to. Okay, Leah, hey, Triple A studio got all the way there. We're ready to launch. Are you launching on Netflix? Are you not? Are you launching it on all platforms and just having Netflix make them like, where does the gaming dream fit into your structure as Netflix? Because my idea from the get go, when Netflix games felt like it was ramping a bit. A bit ramping up a bit more, was for them to be aimed a bit more at family audiences. I think the squid game thing makes sense as a mobile game. I think exploding kittens, because they have an exploding kittens cartoon that's happening and they developed a game for that that makes sense because these are mobile games.
Tim Gettys
There's a suite of games for all the dumb reality shows on Netflix that like the people fucking love selling Sunset and all the Love is Blind and all that. Yeah, cool. That makes sense. Like when we load up Netflix, you see those things, I'm like, I ain't playing that shit. But, like, I can see people.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
You can see people in like, I think back to my nephew who just loved playing games on Roku. Like, you put any games on his Roku and he's using the remote, he's playing that shit. Like, I think that would be a value add for so many families with children that like, oh man, now they can get actually good games on Netflix and play that off the TV or play that on my phone. I think that is a good value add. But it feels like it just got unwieldy and like, unwieldy in a way of not even understanding what your own vision is. Because I don't understand how a AAA studio was factoring into this. I didn't. I don't understand necessarily, like, where the generative. Generative AI need is for this. It's a tech company. I get it. Like Every tech company is using generative AI. But how was this going to make sense?
Tim Gettys
How you know, like all this story, I feel like we're like one step away from like, who's going to replace it? Jade Raymond, that's going to fix everything. You know, this story just feels like we've heard it a million times over and over and over again. And it's just like, why are people expecting a different result? And that's just not going to happen. And again, we. We keep saying this, but, like, Netflix Games has an incredible lineup. Like, yeah, they're offering. If you just have Netflix, you have access to immortality. And I keep going to Hades, but.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Hades and Free Oxen Free. That's the one I was trying to think of.
Tim Gettys
And a ton of other stuff. I remember last year at Summer Game Fest, I forgot what it was, but it was like a X Com style, like, volleyball game and it was super fun.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Yeah, yeah, I remember that.
Tim Gettys
So, yeah, there's like a lot of stuff there, but it's like it. Unless you really freaking know, you would never know how to access it. And it's still confusing to access it even if you do know.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Yeah.
Tim Gettys
And I feel like if that's all the case, like, what's the point of even having it if you can't market it and people don't know it's going on? And then bigger than that, why would you have a aaa?
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Why did you have a AAA studio? Did you ever play Far Cry?
Tim Gettys
GTA games are there.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Yeah. Did you ever play Far Cry 3?
Tim Gettys
Yes. Not fully through, but yes.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Did you ever get to like, the Voss scene where he's like, talking about the definition of insanity and whatever and he's like doing the same thing over and over again and then he like, tries to kill you again. He pushes you down. Cool. I love Boss so much.
Tim Gettys
I love Far cry far car 3 on Netflix. I don't solve it.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
That's such like a. It's. It's crazy how. How Far Games have come because I feel like if I see that same cutscene today, I'm like, okay, that's okay.
Tim Gettys
Cool.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Right? But like in 2011, for 2012, probably 2012, right? That hit different. Yeah, it was cool.
Tim Gettys
God, that reminds me of like the.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Twist Metal Michael Mondo too. The actor who ended up being in Better Call Saul. Yeah. And Walking. Was he in Walking Dead? Oh, he was Scorpion.
Tim Gettys
Oh, he what? Yeah, you're right.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
That's crazy.
Tim Gettys
Yeah.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Sorry, what were you saying?
Tim Gettys
I don't know.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
He said something about remembering something oh.
Tim Gettys
Twisted Metal Black back in like 2000. What, one or two? Probably. Probably two. It. It was like rated him and it had all these fucking things, all the cutscenes. Like, they said motherfucker, and I want to see you bleed and all stuff. I was like, holy, video games are crazy, man. Now it's like, all right, that is either corny as.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Yeah.
Tim Gettys
Or we've seen it a million times and it's like not even special at all anymore. Like, yeah, it's.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
It's great, but it's. I don't know. There's something to be said about your memory of those things, right? Like, I was thinking about this. I forget what prompted this feeling of yesterday. I was just thinking about like old games that I love that like, I couldn't. Like, it'd be so tough to show that to like a young person nowadays who like, wasn't there. Like you weren't there when I actually, I was going to say Portal. I feel like I could still give somebody Portal. Be fucking.
Tim Gettys
I think I have a good example for you. And maybe I'm crazy here, but I had a similar feeling yesterday about this very game, NBA Street Volume 2. I'm sure it still holds up in a way where it's still a fun game or whatever, but you can't explain to somebody how special that game.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
You know what? Yeah, you're probably right. You're right, I think because yeah, like, I play NBA Street Volume 2 a lot. Like even still, like, yeah, probably a few times a year I'll pick up my Steam deck or my PlayStation 2. That's still. I still own.
Tim Gettys
Plug it in with the disc. Red, white and yellow.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Yeah. Because I have a TV that works with that. And like, that game is so fun. But you're right that like, I don't know if I could give that to somebody, like give that to my 10 year old nephew and have it resonate with him the way that it resonated with me when I was 10 years old. You know, something different.
Tim Gettys
Something different. Man.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Story number four, the team that is co developing the metal Gear Solid 3 Remake is opening a new studio. This is Jordan Midler at Video Games Chronicle. One of the development teams behind the upcoming metal Gear Solid 3 Remake is opening a new studio. Virtuous, a support studio that has worked previously with 2K Bay 9AMCO and most recently co developed Metal Gear Solid Delta. Snake Eater, is opening a branch in South Korea. Virtuous has said that the studio aims to serve as a hub for other South Korean developers to expand their reach across the world. Quote Gaming is deeply ingrained in Korean culture. As the world's fourth largest games market, South Korea has produced some of the world's, some. Some of the world's biggest hits and remains a top gaming hub, said Sean Yoon, the general manager of the newly formed Virtuous Seoul. Quote Establishing the physical studio in Seoul enables Virtuous to directly address the unique challenges faced by Korean studios. With the proximity facilitating closer co development and collaboration, we look forward to helping bring more Korean games to the global stage and vice versa. Unlocking new audiences for studios and new content for players alike. End quote I love this for multiple reasons. Yeah one hit me because so far from I mean watching trailers, I'm so looking forward to Metal Gear Solid Delta.
Tim Gettys
And the previews right. Remember VGC and a couple others got to actually play the game and everyone's glowing about it. And like to think back to 2015 when we got all the videos from the pachinko machines in Japan of seeing the metal gear solid 3 like iconic moments like done in a very similar style to what we're seeing here and just being like but can you imagine if it was just an actual video game and now it seems to be an actual video game and it looks as good as it plays it sounds like. And it's giving people fans of Metal Gear Solid 3 what they want and those are lofty expectations. So with all that so far, shout out to Virtuous.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Yeah and I hope I think this game comes out and is success which all signs point to it being so I would expect they get more at bats like that of oh snap. All right, let's give you Metal Gear Solid two. Let's give you. I don't know like let's just give.
Tim Gettys
You more name all the Metal Gear Solid.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Let's give you Solid five. Fuck it. But I think more at bats for the studio are inevitable with this game being a success. Hopefully when it's a success. Right. And so I think being able to expand out to accommodate for that is cool and awesome and I want to see the studio be able to get more projects like this and you know, I think refine that skill. I love when studios have a special. A specialized talent being Blue Point would be the other one I look to as like oh man, you guys are the goats at making remakes and remasters and stuff.
Tim Gettys
Capcom.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Capcom.
Tim Gettys
Yeah.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Like another one of like man you guys can remake the fuck out of a game. And it is so awesome to see I think a studio like this find that and hopefully maybe hone that and yeah, take that further. And they, they've been slowly building to stuff like this over the years. Like they were the ones that worked on the fucking. I remember the Return to Arkham collection.
Tim Gettys
That's right.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
For PS4 and Xbox One. And like I like, I just love any excuses to be able to play those games on a modern console. But like there was were a lot of criticisms of those ports or remasters of what was changed from the originals. So to see them go from that to helping out with a game that looks beautiful as a remake is very cool. Yeah. And then like the other reason I'm excited too is you know, getting another studio opening in South Korea. Like that's fucking awesome. We've seen games come, come from there in recent years. Like big AAA stuff that makes waves that people are loving. You know, I look towards something like Stellar Blade. I look toward. I believe Liza P was also Korean developed. And when you're looking at a, according to this article, right. A market that is as big as that that is into video games. You have a lot of people that want to get into video game development. But you know, I don't video game develop. The video game development scene is only just growing there in a bigger way. And so I think the more you can make studios in an area like that, the more you're going to capture really talented people that probably wouldn't have that opportunity otherwise. And so like yeah, make put game studios in places that are, that have that demand and like those people are going to make fucking great games for you.
Tim Gettys
Absolutely.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Story number five, Wild Blue was announced at the Humble Games Showcase is a bit of a different one.
Tim Gettys
It is.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Yeah.
Tim Gettys
I. Before we even get into this real quick, I just want to say I saw, I'm very excited for this. I saw the, the, the teaser video that they put out yesterday or that I, that they sent me yesterday. Barrett. I put the video, the YouTube link there I actually want to watch. It's a minute ish long and I want to watch it. But read this first and then we'll watch it. Yeah, it's not what you expect.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
So the reason why I add this to the story is one I've been. I, I was thinking about this yesterday during the games cast of like Greg going through his whole Steam wish list and I'm like man, we got to start highlighting like upcoming games more and I feel like I got to do a better job of putting in stories that are just cool as because it's always fun to like Check out new indie games or new games in general that are coming out I the words I have here I'm pulling from the Steam page to describe what this game is. Wild Blue is an exciting and modern take on the classic on rail adventures of the 90s. Soar over oceans, desert ridges and perilous caves. Battling waves of enemies and pushing back the Baron's forces with the help of allies, you'll fight to restore peace while experiencing the thrill of classic arcade flight combat. Easy to learn controls make Wild Blue accessible for newcomers and genre veterans alike. While the game's stunning visuals immerse you in a handcrafted anime style universe. With this compelling gameplay loop, branching paths and thrilling missions, every fight is an adventure. Now if you hear those words, you're probably thinking, man, that sounds familiar.
Tim Gettys
Sounds foxy.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Sounds foxy.
Tim Gettys
Very, very, very Inspired by Star Fox 64 specifically. It's a love letter to that game. I of course, am obsessed with that idea. I feel like Star Fox is the most fumbled IP that that Nintendo has access to. I think it'd be so simple for them to turn that around and turn Star Fox into a animated series animated movie, like an IP that's bigger than just games and like to. To raise its quality bar across the the scene. But there's been a couple of these more indie Star Fox style things. First Squadron is another one coming later this year for Steam and Switch. Definitely have my eyes on that. That one looks very cool. But this one, them specifically Calling out star Fox 64. I was like, okay, cool, cool. Like I want to see what y'all have to offer here. And then I watched the teaser and it was just there's no gameplay in the teaser, which I'm always a little surprised by. There's screenshots of the game though and I'm like, okay, cool, this looks good. I'm excited for this. I want to watch this teaser with you though because. Okay, I like it.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
All right, I love that. So Bear, can you bring up the teaser, the YouTube link that Tim put in there first? All systems go.
Tim Gettys
Keep your eyes open.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
What the heck? Enemy on my tail.
Tim Gettys
Evasive maneuvers to a barrel. We don't call them that here.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
That's really good. I love that. Also. Great logo. Yep, great logo and great name. Wild Blue.
Tim Gettys
Wild Blue. Sick.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Hi, I'm Giles Godard and I'm the only person that worked on Star Fox and I'm making a new game that I'm making all by myself.
Tim Gettys
Again. Shut up.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Interesting. GS.
Tim Gettys
Hi, I'm Mark Lentz from The Kyoto Japan based indie game studio Too High Labs. This is our studio behind me. Our team is hard at work on a great ass new title called Wild Blue Great ass. And frankly, I shouldn't have said great ass, but here we are. Humble. I hope you like that. Without a doubt, this is our biggest title today. We're really excited about it and we think a lot of people out there will too. Head on over to Steam right now. Hit that wish list button. Tell your friends and from all of us here at Chuhai Labs, we want to wish you a Merry Chumas. It's not. It's not Christmas.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
It is really fun. I'll just put a middle fingers. That's really funny.
Tim Gettys
Hey, look, I'm here for it. I do think they should have had some gameplay. They're gonna have all of that. But I like the vibes whoever this dude is have with it.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
That's really fun. I. That's really funny. And yeah, I. So I saw this posted on Twitter and yeah, I went to the video and I. I didn't watch the video, honestly. I scrolled through it just to see if there's any gameplay and I was like, oh, there's no gameplay. Let me just go directly to the Steam page. So I didn't see that, but there is gameplay that's out there. Baird, if you can pull up the Steam page so we can give people like a little. A little shot of how it looks, because it does look cool. I want to play this game. Yeah. So we got screenshots here. Oh, is it only screenshots? It might only be screenshots.
Tim Gettys
Yeah. I don't think there's any video. I was looking, I couldn't find video, but.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
But it looks good. Yeah, I want to play this.
Tim Gettys
I'm super stoked for it, man. I mean, look, the. The thing for me, Star Fox is it's a delicate thing because there's like a lot of factors that have to go into it to make it great. And I do think that voice acting and like well written lines. I'm not saying like this is freaking Shakespeare, but it's like it either hits or it doesn't hit. And like hearing everything that they have in the beginning there, which was 90 just ripped off lines from Star Fox 64, it's like, oh, yeah, cool. Clearly they get that because I feel like a lot of the other Star Fox likes that I've played D. Davis in the chat brings up Ex Zodiac is one inspired by Super Nintendo Star Fox on Steam. I love that. But I'm not really a fan of the Super Nintendo game compared to the N64, because of the voice acting and performances and more orchestral style to the music. And it feels more like Star Wars. Like, it feels like you're playing a movie. And it feels like the entire thing's a set piece as opposed to an arcade game, you know? But anyways, this one's the one I'm most excited for.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Oh, yeah.
Tim Gettys
Yeah. I love that Wild Blue.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
I hope Wild Blue comes out, and I hope it's a big success. But if I wanted something smaller, say the tiniest news I need to know about. Where'd I go?
Tim Gettys
You go to our last story, the WE News Channel, where we cover all the small news items that you need to know about.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Story number six, We News, PlayStation Plus Extra and premium games for March 2025 have been announced. On Extra, you're getting UFC 5, Prince of Persia, the Lost Crown, Captain Subasa, Rise of New Champions, Mobile Suit Gundam Battle Operation Code Fairy, Arcade Paradise, Bang on Balls Chronicles.
Tim Gettys
Hell, yeah.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Love it.
Tim Gettys
Chronicles. We need more.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
You suck at parking. And then Siberia, the World Before. And then on premium, you're getting Arcade paradise VR, Armored Core. Armored Core. Project Phantasma. And Armored Core, Master of Arena Power World Crossplay Update launches late March. This is from Gamatsu. Capcom trademarked dino crisis on March 4 in Japan, which went public today.
Tim Gettys
This is a big deal.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Yeah.
Tim Gettys
Because last time they did this for Animusha. The remastered Onimusha game was announced not too far later.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Okay. All right.
Tim Gettys
And here we are, years later. We're getting a new Animusha.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
All right, listen, I'm here for you. I support you.
Tim Gettys
Yeah.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
We already got a new Dino Crisis. It was called Exoprimal.
Tim Gettys
Very different.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
It was very.
Tim Gettys
Just because they have the Dinos doesn't make the same same.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
There's Dinos and guns, man. I don't know what more you could ask for.
Tim Gettys
What if we went to space? That was Dino Crisis 3.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
I was going to say that would be a crisis. That would be a crisis. And then lastly, most important news. Hello Kitty island adventure sales top 500,000. Come on. Congratulations. Roger McCorney. I don't think he plays it, but like, he cared about it.
Tim Gettys
Supports.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
He supported it. And so there you go. And that is it for WE News. We're gonna hop right back into Super Chats. Of course, write in with the Super Chat if you have a question or comment you want us to read on the show. And if we see it, we'll read it. Just like Dylan Hopkins did. He says, just wanted to say hey from always know. I never know how to pronounce this one. Is it New Foundland or New Finland?
Tim Gettys
Second one.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Second one. So he says, hey, from Newfoundland, Canada. Been watching for years. Have you guys played Dragon Quest 3 remake? It's amazing. I'm greatly waiting for news on Dragon Quest 12.
Tim Gettys
No. But very big fan of the HD 2D games and I hope they continue to do well and serve the audiences that that they are. And one day our time will come. One day I will get my Final Fantasy 6 for Chrono Trigger.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Oh my God. I hope we get that Chrono Trigger. But that game Threads of Time though.
Tim Gettys
But we learned about time, man. I thought about it a lot yesterday.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Yeah, that really piqued my interest.
Tim Gettys
Yeah, like, it looked cool. It looked like, all right, I get it. But then the moment that she jumped down into the future and like we saw like the transition and then it cut to the apocalypse and there's the giant like mech thing. I was like, all right, cool. Yeah, this looks freaking incredible.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Yeah, I need this one. It's crazy how much I. I love the 2D HD like art style that Octopath Traveler came through and kind of, you know, put on the map. But I've only played through all the way through Live Alive. Like Live Alive just had something different for me and I think it is just like the tone of the writing is more humorous. It's more like my vibe writer reminds me of like an earthbound or Undertale or like something that is a bit more comedically driven. I think that's got like the different time eras and like that. Yeah, this is a really quirky, really interesting game. And I. With really interesting games, just give me like Chrono. Just do this for Chrono Trigger.
Tim Gettys
Just do this for Chrono Trigger. That.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
It's literally.
Tim Gettys
That's that simple.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Yeah. We got another one. So beautiful. I forgot how good this game. Yeah, this game is hot. This is definitely one I will pick up and try out.
Tim Gettys
Yep, me too.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
CJ Split writes in and says after watching the Dust Raining two and MGS three trailer, do you think MGS need Kojima Slash Shinkawa to be Melagiri?
Tim Gettys
Tough question there because I think the answer is yes. I think metal gear solid 3, since it's already designed by Shinkawa and Kojiva, that. No, like, I think like they're, they're pulling this off. But if they were to make a new Metal Gear, I, I. Yeah, I feel like not having them it look, it'd be different. At the very least. I'm not saying it would be bad. They could do something new and cool, or they could do something that is in the spirit of and a great homage to what came before. We've seen that a million times where creators create something that. I mean, I think Top Gun Maverick is a fantastic example of, hey, Top Gun classic. Everybody freaking loved it. But then there's a new one directed by somebody totally different. Like, story about someone totally different, and it's way better, but it doesn't take away the quality of how people feel about the first one.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Yeah, I mean, I think Blade Runner 2049 probably like another good example of, hey, you know, people can find their own interpretations of things and still make them as special, if not just as special, if not even better sometimes.
Tim Gettys
Yep.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
With Metal Gear, I think. I don't know. It's a tough one because I think for a remake. I'm with you as far as, like, hey, Shinkawa and Kojima already made. They made the game, right? They're just remaking it with new assets. But I also. I guess I tend to think of, like, Demon Souls as an example of Man Blue Point knocked it out the park. As far as bringing a game from 20 2009, I'm going to say 2009, correct me if I'm wrong, and like, bringing it forward, making it look great on the fidelity side. But then, like, if somebody wants to, if, like a super fan of Souls, or if even, you know, Miyazaki himself wanted to critique them on the art direction or critique them on the vibe or, like, I totally understand where that comes from, but I feel like there's a space for either. You know what I mean? Like, I look at MGS3 or MGS Delta, the remake, and I'm like, that look that has everything that I love from metal gear solid 3, and it looks incredible. So I'm sure I'm going to love it. But, like, I don't know, is it gonna capture the tone perfectly? Is it going to? Like, if Kojima was working on this game or if Yoshi Shinka was working on this game, would certain things look different? Probably, but I don't know. I'm. I'm fine with playing this version of it. Right. Like, I think at certain points with these things, I have to be like, all right, this is the only way I'm gonna get this. There's no reality in which Kojima is coming back and remaking MGS3. And so I'm gonna take what I can get and I'm gonna love it, especially if it lives up to that standard of just give me a better looking game.
Tim Gettys
And the reality too is even if Kojima was involved doesn't mean it's going to be better. Like I think look at Twin Snakes. Kojima was involved with the remake of Metal Gear Solid one and I feel like the majority of people, not me, I'm a twin snake sicko but would say that the better than the remake because they overdid and over Kojima it and added just too much that didn't need to be there.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Yeah, that's fair.
Tim Gettys
I like him backflipping personally.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Backflips are always cool in my opinion.
Tim Gettys
Thank you.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Jen seven writes in and says lilo's sister not thick. I'm not watching it.
Tim Gettys
But how will we know if we don't watch it? Are you assuming.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Oh, she'll be in the trailers. They gotta put in the like. Yeah, you can't false market.
Tim Gettys
Well, I'm just saying how like how it. I don't know. Is he watching the trailer or not watching the trailer?
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
He's probably gonna watch the trailer. He's watching the trailer to see if little sister.
Tim Gettys
Okay, that makes sense then.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Yeah, it's not avoiding the trailer but.
Tim Gettys
I thought he was talking about if.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
She appears in the trailer, she's. He's not watching the movie.
Tim Gettys
I get that. People need to have conviction.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
We need to move on from this conversation. D. Davis writes in and says Ex Zodiac is one inspired by. Oh you. I think you already mentioned this one earlier, but yeah, inspired by the SNES star Fox Steam. And then Lucid Dream says if Tim needs a Star Fox play chorus. It's good. You remember course Is cool. Yeah, cool chorus with Darling is cool. Is chorus. Does that have a V? Is that spelled with a V? We were really doing that a lot in like why not from like 2019 to 2021? We loved replacing U's with V's things.
Tim Gettys
You can't take back.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Now it's time. Kind of funny dot com. You're wrong where you write in. Let us know what we got wrong as we got it wrong so we can correct it. For those watching later on YouTube and listening later on podcast services around globe, we only have one from Impossibilium who writes in and says New New Funler. Here it is pronounced. Oh fuck New Finler. Here it is pronounced. Oh wait. Okay, I'm just gonna read the thing. It is pronounced New Finland or New Funland not. Wait, we gotta figure out a better way to write these. Next time, if you have a thing like this, just call in with a voice note. All right, I'm gonna reread this from the beginning. It's pronounced New Finland or New Fun Land, not New Fin lind or New Fun Lund.
Tim Gettys
Okay, so the Linden Lund is the problem.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Yes.
Tim Gettys
You gotta keep the land.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
You gotta keep the land. In other words, speed up the middle. But pronounce land like you'd pronounce it on its own. So land. Newfoundland. Newfoundland.
Tim Gettys
Yep.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Newfoundland either. Nailed. There we go. You learn a thing every day.
Tim Gettys
Every single day.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
Every single day we learn a thing. All right. It was nice learning here with Tim. Tim, it was nice learning with you.
Tim Gettys
It was nice learning with you. Bless.
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
It was nice talking about video game news with you. Of course. This has been kind of funny. Games daily, each and every weekday, we run you through the nerdy news you need to know about live on YouTube, Twitch and on podcast services around the globe. If you love what we do, support us with the kind of funny membership on Patreon or YouTube to get all of our shows and free watch us record them live and get a daily exclusive show. Enjoy the game's cast next and the screencast after that and the stream after that. But until next time, Game Daily. New Funnelers. New Funnelers, Funlanders.
Kinda Funny Games Daily: What’s Going To Happen to Pokémon GO? – Episode Summary
Release Date: March 12, 2025
Kinda Funny Games Daily is the world’s most popular daily video game news podcast, hosted by Greg “GameOverGreggy” Miller, Tim Gettys, and Blessing Adeoye Jr., alongside a cast of industry veterans. In the March 12, 2025 episode titled "What’s Going To Happen to Pokémon GO?", the hosts delve into significant developments in the gaming world, ranging from major acquisitions to controversial microtransaction implementations. This summary captures all key points, discussions, insights, and conclusions from the episode, enriched with notable quotes and organized into clear sections for easy navigation.
Overview: Niantic, the developer behind the immensely popular augmented reality game Pokémon GO, has announced the sale of its gaming division to Scopely, a Saudi Arabia-owned mobile game developer, for $3.5 billion. This acquisition includes several of Niantic's flagship titles such as Pokémon GO, Monster Hunter Now, and Pikmin Bloom.
Key Details:
Notable Quotes:
Discussion: Tim Gettys voices concerns about Scopely's reputation regarding microtransactions, stating, "I just got to be honest, as a Pokémon GO player, I can't imagine it getting worse. And that scares me because something tells me it is going to." This sentiment reflects apprehensions about the future monetization strategies under new ownership, especially considering Scopely's track record with titles like Monopoly Go.
Implications: The acquisition brings Niantic’s successful AR titles under Scopely's umbrella, potentially leading to increased investment and support. However, the shift raises questions about the direction of Pokémon GO, particularly regarding microtransactions and game balance.
Overview: EA's long-awaited Skate revival, developed by Full Circle, has integrated microtransactions into its closed alpha test stage. Players can purchase a virtual currency named San Van Bucks to buy cosmetic items within the game.
Key Details:
Notable Quotes:
Discussion: The hosts express mixed feelings about the introduction of microtransactions so early in the game's development. Tim Gettys remarks, "Was this game ever going to come out without microtransactions, though?" while Blessing Adeoye Jr. appreciates the transparent communication from Full Circle, hoping the system remains fair and unobtrusive.
Implications: Introducing microtransactions in the alpha phase signals EA's strategy to monetize Skate from the ground up. This move could influence player perception and acceptance, especially if the cosmetic items are perceived as either enhancing or detracting from the core gameplay experience.
Overview: Netflix has announced significant changes in its gaming division. Mike Verdu, the executive who spearheaded Netflix's entry into gaming, has exited the company. Elaine Tuscan, formerly of Epic, EA, and Ubisoft, has taken over leadership of the gaming division.
Key Details:
Notable Quotes:
Discussion: The hosts critique Netflix's gaming endeavors, questioning the rationale behind launching a AAA studio only to shut it down shortly after. Tim Gettys muses, "Why are people expecting a different result? And that's just not going to happen." Blessing Adeoye Jr. highlights the potential of Netflix games for family audiences but acknowledges the misalignment in strategy leading to operational challenges.
Implications: Netflix’s restructuring indicates a reevaluation of its gaming strategy, possibly moving away from high-budget AAA titles to more accessible, family-friendly games. This pivot may affect the overall perception and success of Netflix’s gaming initiatives, raising doubts about its long-term viability in the competitive gaming market.
Overview: Virtuous, one of the development teams behind the upcoming Metal Gear Solid 3 Remake, is opening a new studio in Seoul, South Korea. This expansion aims to support other Korean developers in reaching a global audience.
Key Details:
Notable Quotes:
Discussion: The hosts express excitement over Virtuous's expansion, with Blessing Adeoye Jr. stating, "I love this for multiple reasons," highlighting the positive impact on the Korean gaming industry and the anticipation for the Metal Gear Solid Delta Snake Eater remake. Tim Gettys adds, "Virtuous has been building to stuff like this over the years," emphasizing the studio’s expertise in remakes and remasters.
Implications: The establishment of Virtuous Seoul signifies a strategic move to tap into South Korea's robust gaming market and talent pool. It also underscores the importance of high-quality remakes in revitalizing classic franchises like Metal Gear Solid, potentially setting a new standard for future projects.
Overview: Wild Blue, an indie game developed by Too High Labs, was unveiled at the Humble Games Showcase. The game is a modern take on classic on-rail adventure games from the '90s, drawing heavy inspiration from Star Fox 64.
Key Details:
Notable Quotes:
Discussion: The hosts are enthusiastic about Wild Blue, appreciating its homage to Star Fox 64 and its potential to resonate with fans of classic arcade flight combat games. Tim Gettys remarks, "This is the one I'm most excited for," while Blessing Adeoye Jr. adds, "I want to see what y'all have to offer here."
Implications: Wild Blue represents a resurgence of retro-inspired gaming, blending nostalgic elements with modern design and accessibility. Its success could pave the way for more indie developers to explore similar concepts, bridging the gap between classic gameplay and contemporary gaming standards.
Overview: PlayStation has announced its lineup for the March 2025 release under the PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium tiers, featuring a mix of new titles and remasters.
Key Details:
Notable Quotes:
Discussion: The hosts express excitement over the diverse range of games, from fighting titles like UFC 5 to nostalgic franchises like Prince of Persia and Dino Crisis. Tim Gettys notes the strategic significance of Capcom's trademark filing, implying a potential revival of the beloved Dino Crisis series.
Implications: The diverse offerings under PlayStation Plus reflect Sony's strategy to cater to a wide array of gamers, combining beloved franchises with innovative new titles. The inclusion of remasters and VR experiences signifies an emphasis on both nostalgia and forward-looking gaming technologies.
Throughout the episode, the hosts engage with listeners through Super Chats, addressing questions and comments from the community. Notable interactions include:
Pronunciation of "Newfoundland":
Metal Gear Solid 3 Remake Leadership:
Game Recommendations and Nostalgia:
Notable Quotes:
Discussion: The hosts foster a sense of community by addressing listener inquiries and sharing personal anecdotes, enhancing the podcast's relatability and engagement.
In this episode of Kinda Funny Games Daily, the hosts navigate through a spectrum of gaming news, from major industry acquisitions and strategic shifts to indie game announcements and community interactions. The discussion surrounding the acquisition of Niantic by Scopely and its potential impact on Pokémon GO stands out as a central theme, reflecting broader concerns about monetization and game quality under new ownership. Additionally, the episode highlights significant changes in Netflix's gaming division, the expansion of Virtuous studio, and exciting indie game developments like Wild Blue. Through insightful commentary and engaging interactions, Blessing Adeoye Jr. and Tim Gettys provide listeners with a comprehensive and entertaining overview of the current gaming landscape.
For those who missed the episode, be sure to catch future broadcasts on YouTube, Twitch, and your preferred podcast platform to stay updated with the latest in gaming news.