The Fantasy Critic 2026 DRAFT - Kinda Funny Gamescast

Summary

Kinda Funny Gamescast: The Fantasy Critic 2026 Draft (Jan 6, 2026)

Overview

This episode of Kinda Funny Gamescast centers on the much-anticipated annual Fantasy Critic 2026 Draft. Greg, Tim, Blessing, Andy, Mike, Barrett, Roger, and guests Paris Lilly engage in a live, snake-style draft where each participant selects upcoming 2026 video games they believe will earn the highest review scores throughout the year. The draft mixes fierce friendly competition, strategic mind games, deep gaming knowledge, and plenty of playful banter, all overseen by Commissioner Blessing.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Opening Ceremony & Champ’s Privileges (02:03–07:00)

• Snowbike Mike relishes his status as 2025 winner, demanding first introduction and recapping how he “saved the league against Barrett” in dramatic fashion.
• Barrett Courtney enters with a “heel turn” persona, describing his ‘evil’ plans as the new Tim Jr. His first “evil” act: using his winner’s granted wish to force Roger’s team name to become “Barrett is my best friend,” purely to mess with Mike’s head all year.
  • Barrett: “I want to change Roger's team name so every time Mike goes on FantasyCritic.com and sees Roger's team name, it stings a little bit.” (05:36)
• Playful, wrestling-style promos set the tone for the friendly but competitive proceedings.

What is Fantasy Critic? (08:00–10:50)

• Greg and Blessing break down the league: each player drafts 5 games, scoring points for each point their picked game scores above 70 on Open Critic.
• Points double above 90; fall below 70 for negatives.
• Counter Picks: After drafting, each player picks a rival’s game they believe will flop or be delayed for points.
• Additional picks are made throughout the year via secret $100 bidding.
• Rules include bans on partial remakes, ports, early access, remasters, etc. Trading is allowed again this year with caveats against shady IRL deals.
  • Blessing: “We heavily frown upon in real-life deals… You’re playing the game of Fantasy Critic.” (13:34)

New Rules & Stakes (11:19–17:42)

• Last place this year must complete a challenge or punishment live, decided by the winner.
• Winner’s perks: the reigning champ (Mike) gets 3 rule requests (subject to commish blessing) and first draft pick.
• Draft order is partially random but seeded for the champ.

Draft Order & Team Names (17:42–19:38)

Draft order is set:

1. Snowbike Mike
2. Andy Cortez
3. Barrett (Evil)
4. Roger
5. Tim Gettys
6. Paris Lilly
7. Blessing
8. Greg Miller

• The draft proceeds in a “snake” order (last picks twice in row, reverses).

Players announce whimsical, sometimes strategic team names for extra flair.

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2026 Game Draft: Highlights, Picks, & Strategic Moments

Round 1 – The Big Gambles (19:55–27:40)

#1: Mike passes on GTA 6!

• Despite the obvious allure and risk of GTA 6, Mike goes with Forza Horizon 6: Japan, citing its likely high critical floor and certainty.
  • Mike: “Instead of GTA 6… I feel very confident with that pick” (21:35)
• Others agree: Forza was their #1 if they had the pick.

#2: Andy shocks with Fire Emblem

• Andy Cortez avoids the “GTA 6 hot potato,” picking Fire Emblem: Fortunes Weave, arguing its sequel status and strong pedigree.

#3: Barrett’s Wolverine Over GTA

• Barrett lets GTA 6 slip further(!), instead opting for Marvel’s Wolverine for its critical hype and recent development buzz.

#4: GTA 6 Falls to Roger

• Roger finally snaps up GTA 6 with the #4 selection, though he voices concerns about risk of delay and technical bugginess.
  • Roger: “What if it doesn’t live up to the hype? What if there’s some bugs?” (26:39)

Other Notable Picks

• Tim: Resident Evil: Requiem
• Paris: Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight (impressed by Gamescom preview)
• Blessing: Mixtape
• Greg: Soros (believes the developer is “a first-round stud”)

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Rules Recap & Draft Banter (27:40–39:52)

• Reminders: trading, drops, extra picks, and banned game tags get extra emphasis.
• Lots of self-deprecating humor about previous draft failures.

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Strategy & Snake Draft: Rounds 2–5 Highlights

Round 2–3 Hot Moments & Quotes

• Players wrestle over risk vs. reliability, especially with big-name games lacking clear dates (Marvel, Wolverine, Silksong, Control 2, 007).

• Mike laments how fast his planned picks disappear: “You guys have selected a lot of them. Roger taking the only game I know about!” (46:47)

• Blessing focuses on “niche with big potential” games (Slay the Spire 2 — Early Access will get reviewed?).

• Barrett continues his new ‘Evil’ streak, making bold, sometimes meta picks (e.g. counterpicking Mouse PI for its possible shallowness).

• Paris plays for proven pedigrees (Gears, Control), but also surprises by taking a shot on Blood of Dawn Walker.

Notable Team-Building & Risk Picks

• Minna the Hollower (Andy) – strong but possibly delayed.
• Adventures of Elliot (Mike) – controversial due to an “ugly red hat” but chosen for confidence.
• Super Meat Boy 3D, Vampire Crawlers, Halo: Campaign Evolved (Mike) – creative swings for indie breakout and faith in Xbox’s single-player revival.
• Cult of the Lamb: Woolhaven (Greg) – picks for “points”, citing strong indie history.

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Fifth Pick: “Swing for the Fences” (81:16+)

Players take last-round flyers:

• Tides of Annihilation (Tim) – huge risk, high reward “[my most anticipated], even if not 2026, then when?”
• Blood of Dawn Walker (Paris) – ex-CDPR devs, “ambitious double-A striving for triple-A.”
• Deltarune Chapter 5 (Blessing) – based on creator Toby Fox’s tweet.
• Pokemon Gen 10 30th Anniversary (Greg) – the perennial wildcard; jokes about “hopium”.

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Memorable Quotes & Banter

• Barrett, on Roger’s forced name change:
  “Every time Mike goes on FantasyCritic.com and sees Roger's team name, it stings a little bit. Slowly, slowly... making him break down throughout the year.” (05:36)

• Mike, about the stress of going first:
  “When you go first it is... a heavy is the crown, they say.” (46:36)

• Andy, debating risky picks:
  “There's just a lot of, a lot of the games that you would expect to be drafted right now. I just don't think are going to hit very high.” (44:54)

• Blessing, on counter-pick strategy:
  “We need to lock him [Mike] into like one of his lowest picks... If he drops stupid hat man, if he drops that, his team is looking so good.” (97:53)

• Greg, on Pokemon Gen 10:
  “It's Hopium for sure... I think there's a lot of upside to it. It's not like I'm gonna lose points on it.” (87:37)

• Tim, justifying a risky final pick:
  “I don't really want two or three points that these might get me. So I'm going for a swing...I believe in this so much. This is my most anticipated video game possible.” (81:16)

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Counter-Picks: The Final Gamble (91:39–110:11)

• Greg: Counter-picks Paris’ Blood of the Dawn Walker “High chance it slips out of the year.”
• Blessing: Counter-picks Greg’s Mainline Half-Life – “A big gamble. 30/70 shot of seeing it this year.”
• Paris: Counter-picks Tides of Annihilation for its uncertain date.
• Tim: Counter-picks Greg’s Marvel Token Fighting Souls due to beta feedback and delay risk.
• Roger: Counter-picks Barrett’s Mouse, PI for Hire– “Is this just a gimmick? I don’t know.”
• Barrett: Counter-picks Greg’s Pokemon Gen 10, “recent Game Freak track record is mixed; will they clean it up for the big anniversary?”
• Andy: Counter-picks Mike’s Adventures of Elliot, directly targeting the “ugly red hat” and saying the demo “just wasn’t it.”
• Mike: Counter-picks Paris’ Duskbloods—predicting it "will not release this year.”

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:03–07:00 – Posturing, intros, Barrett’s evil birth, wish used
• 08:00–10:50 – League rules, overview, scoring, counter-pick explained
• 11:19–17:42 – New rules: punishments, champ’s wishes, seeding
• 19:55–27:40 – First round of draft: major picks, GTA 6 saga
• 33:03–39:52 – Banter, drafting strategy, rules refresh
• 43:09–49:00 – Indie/creative picks: Reanimal, Silent Hope, Witchbrook
• 54:35–72:08 – Mid-draft: risk picks, Xbox/PlayStation representation, Bloodborne-style games
• 81:16–88:22 – Final picks: unannounced games, “hopium”, Deltarune, Pragmata, Witcher 3 DLC rumors
• 91:39–110:11 – Counter-picks, in-depth debate on delay risk, points floor, Halo/Elliot hat discourse

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Notable Moments

• Barrett’s heel turn and team name prank, which sets the chaos tone early.
• GTA 6 repeatedly “hot-potatoed” (not picked by top 3, despite being obvious juggernaut).
• Elongated, anxious counter-pick deliberations—demonstrates how seriously the crew takes their possible negative points.
• Multiple references to “Hopium” when picking high-upside, risky titles.
• Constant cross-referencing of past years’ heartbreaks—a running history and meta-commentary.
• Running meme: the “ugly red hat” of Elliot, invoked by nearly all panelists.

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Draft Results: Complete First Five Picks (see [90:12–91:13])

Mike (Team Snowbike Mike #1):

• Forza Horizon 6
• Adventures of Elliot
• Super Meat Boy 3D
• Vampire Crawlers
• Halo: Campaign Evolved

Andy (Nitro Rifle):

• Fire Emblem: Fortunes Weave
• Mina the Hollower
• Reanimal
• Witchbrook
• Planet of Lana 2

Barrett (Team Barrett/Evil):

• Marvel’s Wolverine
• Hollow Knight: Silksong DLC
• Sea of Sorrow
• Phantom Blade Zero
• Pragmata

Roger (Barrett is My Best Friend):

• GTA 6
• Trails in the Sky: Second Chapter
• Neo 3
• Yakuza Kiwami 3: Dark Ties
• Witcher 3 Unannounced DLC

Tim (Let Tim Publish):

• Resident Evil: Requiem
• Dragon Quest 7: Reimagined
• 007: First Light
• Onimusha: Way of the Sword
• Tides of Annihilation

Paris (Paris Born Again):

• Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight
• Control: Resonant
• Gears of War: E Day
• Duskbloods
• Blood of Dawn Walker

Blessing (Level 67):

• Mixtape
• Slay the Spire 2
• Crimson Desert
• Mugenics
• Deltarune Chapter 5

Greg (Ecto One Games):

• Soros
• Marvel Token Fighting Souls
• Cult of the Lamb: Woolhaven
• Unannounced Mainline Half-Life
• Pokemon Gen 10

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Tone & Language

The panel maintains a casual, fun, ultra-nerdy, competitive locker-room vibe. Inside jokes, mock bravado, and genuine knowledge are on full display. Quoting past heartbreaks and celebrating smart, if spicy, picks are constant.

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Closing Thoughts

This episode is a must-listen for anyone who loves strategic fantasy leagues, deep video game knowledge, or just wants to hear a crew of friends go all-in on their gaming predictions. The draft sets the tone for a year of playful rivalry, upsets, and high-stakes gaming drama.

Favorite Quote (Barrett, 05:36):

“I want to change Roger's team name so every time Mike goes on FantasyCritic.com and sees Roger's team name, it stings a little bit. Slowly, slowly... making him break down throughout the year.”

Counter-pick Drama (Mike, 110:00):

“I have to go with the Dusk Bloods because it will not release this year.”

Peak Banter (Blessing, 98:00):

“Somebody needs to lock him [Mike] into one of his lowest picks… If he drops stupid hat man, his team is looking so good.”

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For More:

• Check out the Kinda Funny Gamescast league on FantasyCritic to track teams, points, and new bids all year.
• Look for ongoing draft recaps and surprise upsets on future episodes—this competition is just heating up!

Transcript

[Roger Pokorny]

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[Snowbike Mike]

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[Roger Pokorny]

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[Greg Miller]

Hey.

[Blessing]

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[Snowbike Mike]

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[Greg Miller]

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[Greg Miller]

The end of an era. And don't miss Taylor Swift.

[Snowbike Mike]

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[Tim Gettys]

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[Greg Miller]

What's up everybody? Welcome to the Kind of Funny Games cast for Tuesday, January 6, 2020 26. I'm one of your hosts, Greg Miller, alongside Forbes.

[Snowbike Mike]

No, no, no, no, no, no, no. You don't introduce him first. I'm the champion, champ. I'm the champion. Let's run it. Run it. You remember it. The man who brings the boat.

[Greg Miller]

I thought you had.

[Snowbike Mike]

Undisputed champion of 2025. Two zeros on the board. Saved the league against Barrett. Courtney taking Donkey Kong banana

[Greg Miller]

when you have.

[Blessing]

I don't like them when I do.

[Tim Gettys]

I even wrote it all down on

[Snowbike Mike]

the bottom of my trophy just so everybody knows what happened.

[Roger Pokorny]

And he's wearing his glasses so he can read it.

[Andy Cortez]

Wow. What is this?

[Snowbike Mike]

I'm gonna do it for you today.

[Andy Cortez]

Oh, okay.

[Snowbike Mike]

This says do it for him, Andy.

[Andy Cortez]

Thank you. Okay.

[Snowbike Mike]

Thank you, Greg, for announcing me first. I Appreciate.

[Greg Miller]

Well, you know, we could have talked about it when you said roll it. I thought you had a clip. I thought. I thought you had to hear from the boom song or something. Now there's a song showdown champion. There is a man entering this room right now, the real hero of generation, the real man who saved this company. He saved us as CEO Junior. And now he will save us as Tim junior. It's the boss, baby. Evil Barrett. Courtney, thank you.

[Barrett Courtney]

Thank you so much, Greg. I felt like the first piece of evil I needed to do obviously was steal someone's walk on music, so.

[Snowbike Mike]

Oh, okay.

[Barrett Courtney]

That's my first act of 2026 being evil.

[Blessing]

The jacket fits yesterday, if y' all

[Snowbike Mike]

missed

[Barrett Courtney]

does it does if you missed it. I won the championship to become Tim junior. And I was granted a promise.

[Andy Cortez]

A wish.

[Snowbike Mike]

One wish.

[Barrett Courtney]

One wish.

[Roger Pokorny]

Only get one.

[Barrett Courtney]

And I only get one.

[Roger Pokorny]

Only get one.

[Barrett Courtney]

And I went to blessing at AOA Junior and I. I asked him my one wish. Our great commissioner for the fantasy critic is to change the team name for one Roger Pokorny.

[Roger Pokorny]

Now, why me?

[Blessing]

Yeah, for those who missed out yesterday. Why? Why Roger?

[Roger Pokorny]

Why me and why Roger?

[Blessing]

Why?

[Barrett Courtney]

Why Roger specifically, indeed, you know, Roger and Mike, because it's these two together all the time. You know, I'm someone who is constantly good to these two.

[Snowbike Mike]

Very good.

[Barrett Courtney]

And the payback that I get for the last year is. Is torment, mental torment, physical torment by

[Roger Pokorny]

dunking on your ass. You know what I mean? Fucking breaking ankles. Everything nuts. Everything, Every corner.

[Barrett Courtney]

And that's the thanks I get, which just turns me evil for 2026. And with that, I have to start playing the game and I have to start thinking the long game, the mental game.

[Andy Cortez]

It's time to play the game.

[Barrett Courtney]

And my decision to change Roger Por's name, which right now is titled Team Snowbike Mike number two.

[Snowbike Mike]

Perfectly legal.

[Roger Pokorny]

Perfectly legal.

[Andy Cortez]

It's in the rule book. It's fine.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah.

[Barrett Courtney]

It wasn't even really targeting Roger because you know what? A lot of. There's some suggestions on how I should change Roger's name. Greg had a great one. Lienza deserves better. But my target at Roger Picorney isn't really about Roger because his new team name he's going to look at throughout the year. He's going to roll his eyes, he's going to be annoyed every once in a while, maybe chuckle. But really, it's about the man at the center of it all.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Barrett Courtney]

It's about playing the mind games.

[Greg Miller]

I like that, champ.

[Barrett Courtney]

With the true ringleader.

[Andy Cortez]

Our goat.

[Roger Pokorny]

We love him.

[Barrett Courtney]

And I want to change Roger's team name so that every time Mike goes on to fantasy critic.com and sees Roger's team name, it stings a little bit. Slowly, slowly. Making him break down throughout the year

[Andy Cortez]

trying to break down the team.

[Snowbike Mike]

That's 365 tournament right there.

[Barrett Courtney]

I've spent the last few weeks being evil or learning to become evil for this year to win Fantasy Critic. And my first move for fantasy critic 2026 is to change Roger Pokorny's team name to Barrett is my best Friend.

[Snowbike Mike]

I can't handle this.

[Andy Cortez]

I knew you wouldn't. That's really good.

[Blessing]

I don't like that at Barrett is my best Friend.

[Roger Pokorny]

Wow.

[Blessing]

That's the name.

[Andy Cortez]

That is the name.

[Barrett Courtney]

Barrett is my best friend.

[Blessing]

As I'm editing it, there's like a warning at the top and it says this feature is intended to fix mistakes and other exceptional circumstances.

[Andy Cortez]

There you go.

[Snowbike Mike]

Exceptional.

[Blessing]

I. I count this as exceptional. It was granted.

[Greg Miller]

Tim Ju.

[Tim Gettys]

There we go.

[Snowbike Mike]

D. Clap it up. He's gone full evil this year. That was very good.

[Roger Pokorny]

Has a ring to it.

[Snowbike Mike]

It is. It is very powerful.

[Blessing]

It's a great promo bear, by the way.

[Roger Pokorny]

That was good.

[Blessing]

He's good at this.

[Roger Pokorny]

I thought it was going to be. I counterpicked exhibition third game of the

[Greg Miller]

year,

[Roger Pokorny]

which I thought would have been very.

[Greg Miller]

Welcome, everyone, to the kind of funny games cast. I'm one of your hosts, Greg Miller alongside, as you know, the champ Snowbike Mike from last year's fantasy critic 2025. Next to me, of course, Tim Gettys. Of course, blessing Eddie O. Yay. Good day, Greg, Paris, Lily on the wall. Hey, Paris.

[Paris Lilly]

Happy New year.

[Greg Miller]

Happy New year to you too, sir. Roger Pokorny and then Andy Cortez.

[Andy Cortez]

Third place, baby.

[Greg Miller]

It is our time to throw away the history. All right, move forward and drive with one of our favorite events of the year and that's the Fantasy Critic draft. But before I do that, let me remind you this is the kind of funny games cast. Of course, if you didn't know you're watching it and you can be part of it live, you can super chat on YouTube.com kindafunnygames right now with what you think we should be picking, what you think should be going on. They can't see the chat. I can talk to what's going on over here and bring in some of that stuff over there saying use a

[Blessing]

super chat with what they think we should be picking. But he. And he only sees it Interesting.

[Tim Gettys]

Don't worry about it.

[Greg Miller]

He only sees interesting. Bless. Don't worry. I'm a former champion, all right? I don't have to worry.

[Roger Pokorny]

You can trust him.

[Blessing]

Is that why you got.

[Greg Miller]

I didn't realize we were all bringing our trophies out. I got my trophy out. M got his trophy out.

[Blessing]

He's like the recent.

[Greg Miller]

Right there in the center. Of course 2026 trophy. That will be going to somebody trophy this year. Of course in 365 or what is. Of course I win one time. Where's your trophy? Where's your trophy?

[Andy Cortez]

Where's my trophy? That's a good.

[Blessing]

That's a good question.

[Tim Gettys]

They know.

[Blessing]

I don't think I got a trophy.

[Tim Gettys]

Everyone knows.

[Blessing]

Keep that in mind.

[Greg Miller]

Where'd you put yours, Tim?

[Tim Gettys]

It's in my drawer.

[Greg Miller]

Go get it. Oh my God, the disgusting. Going to get it. God, this is what it's like. When Ben asked me to play him on my phone. I'm like, fuck off, kid.

[Roger Pokorny]

He's got senioritis right now.

[Snowbike Mike]

I know, right?

[Greg Miller]

Yeah, I know.

[Andy Cortez]

He's.

[Greg Miller]

He keeps checking the phone to geotags to geotext. Of course. Remember, we couldn't do this show without Our Patreon Producer, patreon.com kindafunny so thank you to Delaney the Psalm Twining, Carl Jacobs and Omega Buster. But we're already into it. But still, let's dive into what is and forever will be topic of the show. It is time for the Fantasy Critic Draft 2026. If you have been living under a rock and don't understand what Fantasy Critic is, it is an amazing website. You should check out Go right now to kindafunny.com league and you'd be dropped right onto our kinda funny Gamescast league that's been going for many a year now, run by the honorable Commissioner Blessing.

[Blessing]

Of course.

[Greg Miller]

The idea here is that we will sit with you right now in draft five games. A snake draft. We'll go through and do things come back that are coming out supposedly in 2026. When those games come out in the year, we will then be awarded points like fantasy football. For every point on Open Critic it gets above 70, you get a point. Once you cross 90, the points start doubling. But don't worry about that. That's too in the minutia for you right now. If it was below 70 on open critic you would lose points from your team. There's called counter picks. So we draft our five games today. Then from the ones we've drafted, we off to pick one game from someone else's team that we think will either be a bad game and then the negative points would become positive points on our team, or usually we think it'll be delayed. It won't come out, so it'll just be a zero and not affect anybody's score. There's trading, there's shenanigans, as you can see. Bless as commissioner, what have I missed that the audience needs to know about? Fantasy Critic?

[Blessing]

I mean, I think you nailed all the big points. Right. Today we're drafting five games, but then throughout the year, we have five more spots that we can fill in with other games by bidding. And we start off with $100, and we had to bid at least $1 on a game. They're secret bids. They process on Saturday. And so if I bid for a game $5 today and then tomorrow, Mike thinks, oh, man, I want to get that game. And Mike doesn't know that I bid for it. Mike thinks, oh, I'm going to put in $10 just to be safe. Mike at the end of the week would end up getting that game on his team. There are drops you can drop. Drop three games that will not release this year. Confirmed. Right. So if I bid for GTA 6, for example, and GTA 6 gets delayed to 2027, I can then drop that game. That'll count as one of my three drops. I then also have one drop for any unreleased game. So if I bid for GTA 6 and for some reason something goes wrong, we learned that half the map just fucking falls off a cliff or whatever, and we think this game is going to be terrible. I can drop one of those.

[Greg Miller]

But remember, they have to say publicly it's not coming out.

[Snowbike Mike]

Well, no.

[Roger Pokorny]

Well, for the first.

[Blessing]

For the first three.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Blessing]

But then there's one. Any unreleased.

[Andy Cortez]

Right.

[Greg Miller]

For the Will not release ones, though, they have to say that last season, that got me with, like, me of the Hollower. Like, we're delaying it to sometime. They never said not last year, which meant I couldn't drop it.

[Blessing]

Correct? Correct. Correct. In order to score points, the game has to get a score. That mainly applies when we get into the early access conversation. We'll get into that in. In one second. In fact, we'll get into it now. So we have a list of banned tags. It's the same as last year if you watched and listened to last year. Except there's one new one which we'll get to. The current list of banned tags are as follows, currently in early access. So games that are already in early Access you cannot bid on Director's Cuts. Partial Remix, which is the new one, which we'll talk about deeper in a second. Ports released internationally already. So if a game's out in Japan currently and it's about to release in the us, you cannot bid on that. And then straight up remasters you cannot bid on Partial Remix are the new ban for this year, as was voted by the people playing examples of partial remakes that I'll pull from Roger's last.

[Andy Cortez]

Oh, Roger's roster last year.

[Blessing]

Final Fantasy Tactics, the Evil East Chronicles is a partial remake. The Talis Principle Reawakened is a partial remake. Xenoblade Chronicles X, actually, I don't think that was actually counted as a partial

[Roger Pokorny]

remake, but no, yeah, I think was a full remake.

[Blessing]

The website defines a partial remake as hard to define. There are a lot of games that are a little too remade to be a remaster, but too similar to be a remake. They live here. So more examples would be demon Souls in 2020, Shadow Colossus 2018, Diablo 2, resurrected GTA, the trilogy, and the Legend of Zelda, Skyward Sword HD. So it makes our rules slightly stricter, but in the spirit of trying to avoid those weird categories of games that we think might be remastered but other people might think might be newer. Another new one for this year is trading. Trading was off last year. Trading is on. Standard rules for trading. It just needs to be between two consenting adults.

[Greg Miller]

Is that all the commission? Is that all that it needs to be?

[Blessing]

Well, here's what I'll say, okay. Is that we heavily frown upon in real life deals.

[Greg Miller]

Okay, so what does that mean, though?

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah, you have to define that I like something.

[Blessing]

You are trading game for game. You're playing the game of fancy critic. I can't go to Greg and be like, greg, I like your sandwich. You give me your sandwich and I'll give you Elden Ring, the new game or whatever.

[Greg Miller]

So that is. It's not frowned upon. It's banned. We can't do that.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah. If I'm gonna rob a person in the streets and the cops goes, we frown upon that. I'm like, all right, but you're not gonna rob.

[Greg Miller]

I don't care if the cop doesn't like me. The Fantasy critic panel in San Francisco. Damn it, I'm so tired. Representative so fucking recognizes Paris Lilly from down South. What appears so.

[Paris Lilly]

My question with the trades, and I am specifically talking about Mike and Roger because I see this happening.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah, he sees it.

[Paris Lilly]

Roger knows he's going to lose so late in the process, he trades Wolverine to Mike for. I don't. I don't know, some Whatever indie game. Yeah.

[Greg Miller]

You know what I mean?

[Paris Lilly]

Like, clearly an unfair trade. Like, is there any. Do we get a chance to veto, you know?

[Andy Cortez]

Like.

[Paris Lilly]

Yeah, to veto it.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Greg Miller]

Can the commission, the honorable and wise commission, step in?

[Blessing]

Here's the thing. Because that is. That's a gray area. What if Roger really likes the fucking dumbass game that he's about to get?

[Roger Pokorny]

Yeah, I think we can. I think genuinely, if there is, like, a, hey, this person is probably tanking, we can put the flag down and have a conversation.

[Blessing]

I think that's what happens if we see that happen. Because it's all. It's all automated in the website.

[Andy Cortez]

Right.

[Blessing]

They don't have to come to me to trade. Just go to the website, figure out the trade yourself. If you're having trouble with it, then come to me, but trade yourself. If we start to notice that Roger's tanking for Mike, then we have a conversation, which I wouldn't, and we kick Roger out.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah, we do.

[Blessing]

We get rid of it.

[Barrett Courtney]

This is why I recommended they be on the same team.

[Roger Pokorny]

Well, what we did last year was.

[Greg Miller]

Saved your wish.

[Roger Pokorny]

I got. I got Crimson Don, and then. And then he got ninja gaiton 4. Fair trade.

[Blessing]

Fair enough.

[Andy Cortez]

Send Mike picks.

[Greg Miller]

Don't send Mike anything.

[Blessing]

The one more thing I'll add, and this comes from Mike, as the winner of last season, this is one of his requests that I'm granting. The winner of this season will be able to make last place, do whatever they want.

[Snowbike Mike]

I love that. Yep. And you guys did something for me. I'm excited for next year, who will win, so.

[Greg Miller]

And then let's. Let's get that. What the fuck does that. I assume, as a fan of somebody who's played fantasy sports, it's the. You wear the weird shirt, you go to the bar, and every drink you drink takes time off of the clock.

[Andy Cortez]

But you have to be there like that.

[Greg Miller]

But it's not like, mow my lawn, change my oil.

[Roger Pokorny]

Mowing a lawn.

[Greg Miller]

I'll tell you, I'm gonna keep that

[Andy Cortez]

one in my back pocket in here,

[Greg Miller]

let Kevin lose, and then I get to.

[Roger Pokorny]

I'd love to if I was last place, and you tell me, mow a lawn. I'll be so happy.

[Blessing]

This is what I'll say. All of us here are content creators. Make it fun for the content.

[Andy Cortez]

That's all I'm saying.

[Blessing]

Make it fun for the content.

[Roger Pokorny]

I feel like it should be that

[Andy Cortez]

it has to be content on a stream.

[Blessing]

Yeah, IRL stream has to be content.

[Paris Lilly]

Stream.

[Greg Miller]

Okay.

[Blessing]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure that covers it all.

[Greg Miller]

We always catch up as we go.

[Blessing]

One more thing. Mike, again, this is one of his requests as winner that I'm granting because I like. And also, we kind of voted on what rules should be as well. Mike will get first pick as the winter of champions.

[Snowbike Mike]

Winner of playing for something.

[Greg Miller]

Right?

[Snowbike Mike]

That's what we talked about. We're playing for it.

[Blessing]

We will then randomize the picks thereafter. I sent Barrett a wheel that will use to determine the random.

[Roger Pokorny]

Wow.

[Greg Miller]

Dumb.

[Blessing]

Anything else?

[Roger Pokorny]

So every year, the winner now gets to basically say their three wishes to you, and then you get to say yes or no.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Roger Pokorny]

Okay.

[Andy Cortez]

I like that.

[Roger Pokorny]

I genuinely like that.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah.

[Blessing]

If you win and you're like, I want to change this rule.

[Andy Cortez]

Okay.

[Roger Pokorny]

Let's have a conversation.

[Blessing]

Let's have a conversation. Let's have a conversation. Yeah. Let's have some fun.

[Andy Cortez]

I like it.

[Greg Miller]

All right, everybody, if you want to follow along, if you're live kind of funny.com league will take you to our page. If you're watching later, maybe don't follow along because you ruined it for yourself. And see what we did then everybody logged in. Everybody ready to go. And then we turn our lonely eyes to Mike, I believe, to figure out

[Tim Gettys]

what pick number one is.

[Blessing]

Well, we gotta figure out.

[Greg Miller]

I'm sorry. I thought you were doing it, like, one by one. No apologies.

[Blessing]

Yeah, we gotta do it before.

[Greg Miller]

All right, all right. So Mike's number one. Number two will go to.

[Roger Pokorny]

I'm giddy me,

[Andy Cortez]

Baby.

[Roger Pokorny]

Oh, I was looking at.

[Tim Gettys]

I was looking at the top weird wheel.

[Snowbike Mike]

I was like, okay.

[Greg Miller]

All right.

[Blessing]

So arrow didn't give it away.

[Roger Pokorny]

What the hell?

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah.

[Roger Pokorny]

I've never seen arrow on the right.

[Tim Gettys]

Have you ever watched Wheel of fortune?

[Greg Miller]

Whoa.

[Tim Gettys]

Have you ever spun a wheel?

[Greg Miller]

Everybody, we gotta calm Tim down. He's. He's cranking up right now, you know, Barrett, Barrett.

[Blessing]

Tim Jr. Is the third pick.

[Greg Miller]

With the fourth pick, it goes to. Okay, Roger.

[Blessing]

Well, here's my. Here's my thing, right? I'm like. Now I'm hoping left side of the.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah.

[Blessing]

No, Now I want that double pick.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah, yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

You want to flip.

[Greg Miller]

Fifth pick goes two, tim.

[Snowbike Mike]

Okay.

[Andy Cortez]

Timmy.

[Paris Lilly]

Tim.

[Barrett Courtney]

Spinning this wheel makes me miss the 99 bananas.

[Snowbike Mike]

Oh, yeah.

[Greg Miller]

Goes to Paris. Now it's down to you and me. Blast. Who's getting that sneak peek?

[Blessing]

Fascinating. I like the guy in the background.

[Roger Pokorny]

Yeah, it's nice.

[Blessing]

Ah, damn it.

[Greg Miller]

That's no, it's good for you. You got it. Oh, no, no.

[Barrett Courtney]

You get the.

[Blessing]

I go number six.

[Greg Miller]

Slept about four hours, had a funny day, and I'm feeling it, y'.

[Snowbike Mike]

All.

[Blessing]

So that is the draft order. It goes Snow Egg Mike, then Andy Cortez, then Sad Boy Barrett, then Roger, then Tim Geddes, then Paris Lilly, then Blessing, then Greg. In that order.

[Tim Gettys]

All right.

[Blessing]

Then it snakes back all the way up.

[Greg Miller]

Love it.

[Roger Pokorny]

Let's do this, gentlemen.

[Blessing]

What's up?

[Tim Gettys]

Let's do it.

[Paris Lilly]

All right.

[Greg Miller]

Start drafting when you get in there to announce your team name for our audio listeners.

[Barrett Courtney]

Yeah. Very clearly as well.

[Roger Pokorny]

Yes, Roger, absolutely.

[Blessing]

All right, we start with the one and only Snowbike Mike.

[Snowbike Mike]

Andy, can you please give me the ESPN beat? Do you remember it? With the first draft of the 2026 fantasy critic kind of funny games cast draft, Snowbike Mike has been handed a very special envelope.

[Andy Cortez]

Wow.

[Snowbike Mike]

With the winning pick, you handed it to yourself. These picks are the picks. Okay.

[Blessing]

I know Michael. I know inside Mike before this that he went to jrpg.com I have some

[Snowbike Mike]

very special picks and I'm very excited to get into the first pick because last year I had the second pick and there was the big conversation.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Snowbike Mike]

Does first pick take GTA?

[Andy Cortez]

The elephant in the room.

[Snowbike Mike]

Do you believe that GTA 6 will release this year in the fall or will it be pushed once again? And if I don't pick GTA 6, first pick, will Andy then be forced into it or will he be confident enough to skip it because there's another game out there that might be, you know, dare I say, just as big in the ratings as GTA 6. A game that was a game of the year contender that surprised many. But you knew in your heart of hearts this is one good ass game. And this year they travel to a country that we all.

[Blessing]

He's so smart.

[Snowbike Mike]

This year you get behind the wheel.

[Blessing]

Yeah.

[Snowbike Mike]

And the song plays. Tim Gettys, Your favorite Forza Horizon 6 heads to Japan.

[Blessing]

That's for sure.

[Greg Miller]

Great pick.

[Snowbike Mike]

Instead of GTA 6. Now, of course, as I feel very confident with that pick and I feel safe with it, I am going to lock that pick in right now, of course, as I kick it over to my good friend Andy Cortez for the second pick. Once I lock in here one second, Andy, you now get stuck with the fun moment of will you pick Grand Theft Auto 6?

[Blessing]

I'm curious, was that anybody else's first pick? Yeah, that was my first pick.

[Roger Pokorny]

That was my first pick.

[Paris Lilly]

It would have been mine.

[Snowbike Mike]

Oh, wow.

[Roger Pokorny]

Oh, we're in an interesting position now.

[Snowbike Mike]

And I'll pass it to you.

[Blessing]

This feels like GTA hot potatoes.

[Andy Cortez]

I just assumed, you know what? I'm like the present. I'm like the person winning an award. Then they didn't write a speech. You know what I mean? I didn't expect to have the opportunity to even have gta. And I look at that, and it's a golden goose.

[Snowbike Mike]

You gotta take that.

[Andy Cortez]

And there's no way you could say

[Blessing]

how to take it.

[Barrett Courtney]

You gotta have.

[Andy Cortez]

You have to gta.

[Paris Lilly]

However.

[Snowbike Mike]

Oh, no, you didn't.

[Andy Cortez]

I'm looking at some choices out there. And I'm bobbing and I'm weaving and I'm seeing the Fortune. Fortunes Weave. Fire Emblem.

[Snowbike Mike]

Nice.

[Greg Miller]

My choice.

[Snowbike Mike]

Come on. They put in the work. Everybody come on. Top.

[Greg Miller]

I can't.

[Blessing]

No, they did some studying.

[Snowbike Mike]

That was my number one pick.

[Andy Cortez]

I am picking Fire Emblem Fortunes Wii. Wow.

[Blessing]

That's crazy.

[Tim Gettys]

Wow.

[Snowbike Mike]

The G, that was also my pick. Under this is. I mean, Bear. You gotta take gta, Bear.

[Andy Cortez]

You got to.

[Blessing]

You have to. For the record, Fire Emblem, Three Houses on Metacritic has an 89.

[Tim Gettys]

Check out.

[Snowbike Mike]

Engage.

[Tim Gettys]

Fire Emblem.

[Andy Cortez]

Engage.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah, I know that Fortune's Weave is more of a sequel to three houses,

[Blessing]

but I know Engage did worse.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah.

[Blessing]

Fire Emblem Engage on Metacritic has an 80.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah,

[Barrett Courtney]

Different director, though, right?

[Tim Gettys]

Like, Fortunes Weave feels way more mainline.

[Blessing]

For sure.

[Barrett Courtney]

And I think it's the same, like, creative, like directors or heads from three houses. So it might have a comeback.

[Greg Miller]

Don't call it a company.

[Andy Cortez]

Here's a question for everybody. How do I, like, draft the game?

[Blessing]

It's on the left side.

[Snowbike Mike]

Go back to the home.

[Blessing]

Here, I can draft this one for you.

[Roger Pokorny]

Let him learn how to fish.

[Blessing]

I'll let him learn how to fish.

[Tim Gettys]

You're right.

[Greg Miller]

You're right.

[Andy Cortez]

He's a man of fish. Oh, Draft game.

[Snowbike Mike]

He was deep in the crowd.

[Andy Cortez]

I was in the Colonels.

[Roger Pokorny]

This is scary, guys.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

Bam.

[Snowbike Mike]

Oh, and my apologies. My team name is Team Snowbike Mike Number one. Oh, what's your team name?

[Andy Cortez]

Nitro Rifle. Whoa.

[Blessing]

What was your. Andy, what was your team name last year?

[Andy Cortez]

Not Trifle. Games, I think.

[Tim Gettys]

I don't know.

[Blessing]

Just kept it. You dropped the games?

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah, the games.

[Tim Gettys]

Cleaner.

[Blessing]

Cleaner.

[Andy Cortez]

We got bought up by, like, a conglomerate.

[Roger Pokorny]

Got embraced.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Barrett Courtney]

All right, now there's the big question for Team Barrett. Parenthesis, Evil. Somehow. We're in the third pick of the first round. No GTA 6. And I'm in a precarious position Here because I'm in between two members of one team, Mike and Roger, and it's like, do I, do I let them have it? And the answer to that is yes, I'm gonna let them have Grand Theft Auto 6 because I'm gonna pick up Marvel's Wolverine.

[Andy Cortez]

Yes. Wow. Okay, okay, okay. Wow. Holy this. I mean, Mike, right now GTA is, you know, the Patrick Mahomes coming out of the draft, but towards ACL in the final game, you're like, is he going to be good or not?

[Snowbike Mike]

It's. It's funny because everyone rode my ass last year.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Snowbike Mike]

About picking GTA second pick. And I had the conundrum. Here we are, it's now been pushed down to the fourth pick.

[Tim Gettys]

I want it so bad. Let's let it get so, you know, let it get to me.

[Blessing]

I think last year though was the thing was there was enough word of mouth internally that we knew, we knew that game was going to get delayed here. It's like, we don't know, but you

[Barrett Courtney]

can easily so far in the year, though.

[Blessing]

But like, I've not had anybody come up to me like, oh, no, that game's not.

[Andy Cortez]

I think it's going to be. I think it's going to be shit.

[Roger Pokorny]

Hi, everybody. Barrett is my best friend is here. Just the entity is here. Again, a lot of good picks to go here. Of course, GTA 6 is the number one. But it's November. It's a November game. And it's like, oh, fuck. You can see that just being pushed just a little bit.

[Barrett Courtney]

Even just two months.

[Roger Pokorny]

Just a. Yeah, it's. We're so close. We're so close to that being pushed. But I gotta pick it.

[Greg Miller]

You did what you had to do.

[Roger Pokorny]

I have to pick GTA 6. So I will, I will pick GTA 6. So I'm going to draft the game. I'm going to go into here. It's. And I, I, I don't know.

[Blessing]

I know it's.

[Andy Cortez]

There's nothing wrong with that, Roger.

[Roger Pokorny]

There's not. There is nothing wrong with it. And someone's going to probably counterpick it and, you know, egg on someone's face. Right. But I just, I think my biggest fear passes being delayed is just what if, what if it doesn't live up to the hype? What if, what if there is some issues? What if there is some bugs? What if they do rush it out because at the end of the year and there is some bugs and there is issues with it? I don't know.

[Blessing]

But guarantee you can't you.

[Roger Pokorny]

I know.

[Blessing]

I worry about that.

[Roger Pokorny]

I know, I know, I know. I have pressed the draft button. Did it go like.

[Blessing]

I think. I think Vice City or GTA 6 could disappoint. I don't think it'll. Like.

[Roger Pokorny]

You're not getting below an 85.

[Greg Miller]

No. Yeah. Okay.

[Blessing]

You're probably not getting below an 89.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Roger Pokorny]

I think they're so hyper aware of the cyberpunk situation of it all and how this is that times a million.

[Blessing]

But even like cyber. I'm curious on what cyberpunk got on Metacritic at launch. That wouldn't be. Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if it got a pretty good Metacritic. Despite it.

[Paris Lilly]

Did it actually score pretty high?

[Andy Cortez]

That's why everybody got all mad. Because they're like, what the fuck? Why are the ratings so high? And we're like, well, we played on good PC.

[Snowbike Mike]

Okay. Wow.

[Roger Pokorny]

I didn't expect to get GTA 6.

[Andy Cortez]

That's kind of crazy.

[Roger Pokorny]

I didn't even write it down.

[Snowbike Mike]

I can't believe I was.

[Tim Gettys]

I'm this late into it and I almost had it because I would have went at it for sure. But I will be going with Resident Evil Requiem. Writing the sins of last year. I bet big on it. I failed, but I will win.

[Roger Pokorny]

I thought you were trying to psych me out.

[Tim Gettys]

No, I wasn't. I was. I was trying to play reverse reverse psychology. Like, it didn't work.

[Greg Miller]

I was just trying to play psychology

[Tim Gettys]

is what it is. Selecting it. Resident Evil Requiem. I believe we have a winner on our hands.

[Greg Miller]

All right. We turn our eyes to Paris Lily and Paris. Born again.

[Paris Lilly]

Yes, I am born again. And a game. I'm actually surprised did not already get picked. Lego Batman. Legacy of the Dark Knight.

[Snowbike Mike]

That's a good.

[Blessing]

I thought about it, Paris.

[Barrett Courtney]

I've been thinking about it. Yeah, it's just one of those, like, they're. They're evoking a time in an era, and I'm very excited about that in Lego form. But do they pull it off, Roger? Like, I feel like this is a game made for you and me, and it's like.

[Andy Cortez]

I don't know.

[Barrett Courtney]

I'm nervous.

[Roger Pokorny]

Tell me, Paris, why'd you choose that one? Why first round pick?

[Paris Lilly]

Because I. Well, I cheated a little bit because I did get to see it at Gamescom and I was pretty impressed. And it's a Lego game. These Lego games have just progressively gotten better and better with each iteration, and I think this Batman one's going to nail it. So I think this is something that's going to score very high. 80 makes a lot of sense.

[Roger Pokorny]

82 for Skywalker Saga. You know, you think that they've learned from the years of, you know, and

[Barrett Courtney]

that was like, how many years ago at this point? Like, they've took a pretty.

[Greg Miller]

April 2022.

[Barrett Courtney]

Yeah, yeah, they've. They've taken a hefty break and yeah, I think that's one where they stretch themselves too thin. And maybe they. If they make this one a bit more focused, they can bring it back.

[Roger Pokorny]

It's 86.

[Paris Lilly]

Yeah.

[Blessing]

Okay.

[Roger Pokorny]

Not bad.

[Tim Gettys]

I think it gets an 83.

[Blessing]

Say 85.

[Paris Lilly]

Oh, Resident Evil is a 70.

[Snowbike Mike]

In your face.

[Greg Miller]

Fuck you. I can say stuff too. Paris, are you picking on your end or do you need bless to lock it in on his.

[Paris Lilly]

Oh, yeah, I need to learn how to fish. I don't know what I'm doing. Can you just pick this one for me, please?

[Blessing]

Yeah, I got you on this one.

[Snowbike Mike]

All right.

[Blessing]

You said Lego Batman?

[Paris Lilly]

Yep.

[Blessing]

Legacy of the Dark Knight.

[Andy Cortez]

The main page of the league pairs on the very, very top. When it's your turn, it'll say you draft.

[Paris Lilly]

Yeah, I see. Yeah, I see it now.

[Roger Pokorny]

You play.

[Blessing]

So this is an interesting moment for strategy for me.

[Roger Pokorny]

Well, what's your team?

[Blessing]

Sorry, my team name is Level 6 7. Inspired by Level 5, the developer, nothing else. I am in an interesting place because I'm second to last pick, which means it's going to go to Greg. It's going to go to Greg again, and then it's going to come back to me.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Blessing]

And so I have a pick in mind that in a different circumstance, wouldn't be my first pick, but I have to think about locking out Greg because I think Greg is most likely to be the other person.

[Snowbike Mike]

Wow.

[Blessing]

To pick this gamer's gamer. This is a game that last year turned out to be my downfall, but I think this year will turn out to lift me up in that game is Mixtape.

[Snowbike Mike]

Mixtape.

[Blessing]

Oh, Mixtape is my first pick.

[Snowbike Mike]

I love that.

[Paris Lilly]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

I thought you were gonna do like a play on. Words got lifted.

[Blessing]

I drafted Mixtape last year. Of course, the previews came out. Everybody was super jazzed about it, super excited about it. Seems like that game is going to be incredible when it comes out, but it delayed and it was locked into my team. It was the game that was counterpicked on my team. Now that we're in 2026, I have way more faith that the game's actually come out this year. And I got faith that the game's going to Be good. Not even good. I think the game is going to be amazing by review standards. And so that's my first pick.

[Andy Cortez]

Very, very solid. I just. I just keep on glancing over and seeing Mike and Roger just looking at

[Roger Pokorny]

their notes, individual notes, not each other's notes.

[Snowbike Mike]

Big deal.

[Roger Pokorny]

Scratching things out.

[Tim Gettys]

Here we go.

[Andy Cortez]

Greg.

[Greg Miller]

It's me, Greg Miller. Ecto 1 games on the clock, as we all have. I've assembled quite the watch list here. And now as you enter in, you say, who do you believe in the most?

[Snowbike Mike]

Who do you believe in?

[Greg Miller]

Who is the one? You look at your list and say, this is the one.

[Tim Gettys]

This is the one.

[Greg Miller]

The first round. And when I think of a first round stud, I close my eyes, say it, Greg. And I see him.

[Barrett Courtney]

Yep.

[Greg Miller]

Eyebrow a little slit in there. Yeah. Accent a little anguish. Developer a little finish. I'm gonna go with Soros and pick Sorrows.

[Andy Cortez]

Great pick. That's a good.

[Paris Lilly]

Yep.

[Roger Pokorny]

I thought you're gonna say double oh, seven.

[Greg Miller]

No, I don't trust that. I do not trust 007.

[Andy Cortez]

I'm gonna, I'm gonna say like a wild take right here. I don't know where I just from. For some reason, I feel like Soros will be the third highest rated game of the year.

[Blessing]

Wow.

[Greg Miller]

I mean, well, I looked at it. I've already offered, but it was like, what, 85, 86.

[Blessing]

86 on open.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah. For Eternal. Yeah. So just don't, don't, don't mess that up.

[Blessing]

It's gonna. Yeah. Do better than that. But how much better is the question.

[Greg Miller]

I mean, I'd be happy with it, doing that better. You know, just doing the same. Just do the same. At that point. I'm not trying to mix things up too much. And then again, you look at this list. Studs left and right studs, just asses that don't quit. And I get into that. That space where like, it's a little bit like, what was the souls multiplayer one I took last year where I was like, I don't about this. I know you guys love those kind of games and that, like, I would expect that to be good. I look at this and I see a game staring me in the face. Blessing at. I see it staring me in the face.

[Blessing]

I'm not saying anything.

[Greg Miller]

And I see Captain America shield.

[Blessing]

Yeah. Yeah, you do.

[Greg Miller]

And I see Iron Man.

[Snowbike Mike]

Wow.

[Greg Miller]

And I go, do I want to take Marvel to. On Fighting Soul?

[Snowbike Mike]

Love that. I love this.

[Blessing]

Tim.

[Andy Cortez]

I thought he was doing the Amy Hennick game.

[Greg Miller]

I look in World War I or whatever. It is Black Panther's dad. And I go, no, I'm not doing that. No. Fighting souls is what I think of. Like, again, though, I'm not that guy. I'm not. But it's so. I'm. But it's also the mic thing where you fall into these things. And I know that, like, the fighting game community loves this game so far. They're all about it.

[Snowbike Mike]

You got to stretch out of your comfort zone.

[Greg Miller]

Yep.

[Andy Cortez]

Do it, Greg.

[Barrett Courtney]

Dude, I don't let blessing be.

[Greg Miller]

Oh, no, it's not a blessing thing. I'm just looking at my other list now. Now the strategy becomes, though, is like the other games that I want because I want to be spicy this year. Will they get back to me in the draft, or are they going to be gone by the time I get here? Yeah, that's what I got to work.

[Snowbike Mike]

Long draft.

[Blessing]

Good question.

[Greg Miller]

I'm gonna do. I'm taking Marvel.

[Andy Cortez]

Wow. Wow.

[Snowbike Mike]

For you.

[Paris Lilly]

Okay.

[Snowbike Mike]

I like that. I like that.

[Greg Miller]

Do we not believe in that?

[Snowbike Mike]

It's risky.

[Blessing]

Here's what I'll say, is that the last beta they did.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Blessing]

Had a lot of feedback. Is what I'll say. Had a lot of feedback. The audience wasn't the happiest with it. It also isn't appearing at Evo this year, which means that it'll be second half of the year if it comes out.

[Greg Miller]

Okay.

[Blessing]

I think there's a chance this game gets delayed because of all the feedback.

[Greg Miller]

Gotcha, gotcha, gotcha, gotcha.

[Roger Pokorny]

Did you think he was talking about something else when he was mentioning.

[Blessing]

No, I didn't.

[Roger Pokorny]

Okay.

[Blessing]

No, I knew as soon as he said Night Rain, I knew he was gonna go marvel to a con, because I think that's the easy, like, oh, this is such a contender here, which puts me in a very interesting position because it's the thing where I have picks that are, like, more niche, but, like, niche with big potential that I don't know if they're gonna come back around to me. And I have two in mind. One that I think somebody else would pick, so I should go with it. But the other, onish the other day, it's a little bit more niche. But if y' all know ball, you know ball.

[Snowbike Mike]

You know ball. We know ball.

[Roger Pokorny]

We know ball.

[Snowbike Mike]

Inside of the table, we know ball. Okay. You're looking at a champ.

[Andy Cortez]

Third place ball, no ball. I gotta look at bronze.

[Blessing]

I gotta make sure. I gotta commit. I gotta make sure.

[Barrett Courtney]

Also, Mike and Andy.

[Greg Miller]

What are you.

[Snowbike Mike]

What were you two.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah, they were talking.

[Snowbike Mike]

We're talking ball.

[Andy Cortez]

I'm just talking about.

[Snowbike Mike]

You got to talk, boss. Sometimes the Giants pick up the phone, they talk to the Bengals.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Snowbike Mike]

Say, what are you doing?

[Tim Gettys]

What are you doing?

[Blessing]

Sometimes.

[Snowbike Mike]

And sometimes it's to throw the other team off too. You know what I mean?

[Tim Gettys]

You don't know.

[Andy Cortez]

Do we want Joe Shiesty or not?

[Greg Miller]

I don't know.

[Andy Cortez]

Joe Burrows.

[Snowbike Mike]

They loved Shisty. Yeah. They loved.

[Blessing]

Yeah.

[Snowbike Mike]

He was smoking cigars in the locker room. People love that guy.

[Blessing]

Here's the question, because I have one that I've locked in on.

[Snowbike Mike]

Okay.

[Blessing]

But the question is, will slay the spire two reviews and early access.

[Greg Miller]

Early access 100 will.

[Snowbike Mike]

Oh, yeah. And this.

[Barrett Courtney]

That's a big enough real.

[Snowbike Mike]

For real. Yes, it will, Blessing. Yes, it will.

[Roger Pokorny]

How many.

[Andy Cortez]

This isn't some reverse or triple or quadruple reverse psychology.

[Blessing]

This is Mike.

[Andy Cortez]

And it 1 million percent will get. Because we've seen way smaller games get early access reviews.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah.

[Barrett Courtney]

And even if like the audience, like excitement for slay the Spire 2 is still like, early, with that being in early access, I think there's still such a fervor from like journalists who want to cover that game because of the first one.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Roger Pokorny]

We also don't know how, what type of early access it is, how deep it goes.

[Blessing]

Yeah. Will the early access be like a

[Roger Pokorny]

high quality early access? It's like a dip in the toe thing. We're testing some new ideas. They have a brand new engine as well. He's trying to, he's trying to believe they moved over. He's trying to push you up. The dough is brand new.

[Blessing]

We're swinging for the fences. I'm going slay this fire too.

[Snowbike Mike]

Wow.

[Blessing]

I dropped to slay this fire too.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah. Wow.

[Snowbike Mike]

Love that for you. Bless.

[Blessing]

All right, up next, Paris. Lily. We're back to him.

[Snowbike Mike]

Paris reborn. Come on, Paris. Like a phoenix.

[Paris Lilly]

I am going to go with a proven developer that has. What was it, two years ago? They had a game of the year. Contender had a game last year. Not, not so much.

[Greg Miller]

Damn it.

[Paris Lilly]

But I think this sequel, ah, it's gonna be big.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah. You know where he's going?

[Roger Pokorny]

Yep.

[Paris Lilly]

Control resonance.

[Roger Pokorny]

I didn't go for that one. Blessing.

[Barrett Courtney]

I'm surprised that wasn't a first round pick. Honestly.

[Paris Lilly]

I'm surprised too.

[Blessing]

Me too. Control resident. I I, it's on my list, but it's really low on my list.

[Andy Cortez]

Why?

[Greg Miller]

I feel like we don't know enough about it.

[Blessing]

You don't know enough about it. It's a different place. Control one came out.

[Greg Miller]

What game that they just missed.

[Roger Pokorny]

Oh, that's.

[Snowbike Mike]

We don't even think.

[Roger Pokorny]

That's so different.

[Snowbike Mike]

That's a fun project. That's a side.

[Greg Miller]

Okay, yeah. Make all the excuses you guys want. Go ahead. Go for it.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Blessing]

Control has an 84 on open critic.

[Roger Pokorny]

And then what was Allen weight too, like a 90?

[Blessing]

Yeah, but this is an Allen wake. This isn't Alan Wake.

[Tim Gettys]

That was a good one, Paris. You got me.

[Greg Miller]

Good job, Paris.

[Roger Pokorny]

That's a really good one.

[Blessing]

Until it gets delayed, you know what I mean?

[Paris Lilly]

While your games get a 62.

[Roger Pokorny]

I love this energy. Come join our team

[Blessing]

here on Single Individuals.

[Greg Miller]

We're split in a half while Tim Gettys looks for his next pick. I'll remind you that we couldn't do this without your support by getting a kind offunny membership. YouTube.com kind of funny games, patreon.com kind of funny apple, Spotify. You toss us 10 bucks, we give you 80 episodes a month ad free. You get your daily dose of me, Greg Miller in a series we call Greg. And of course you get good karma for supporting an 11 person 11 year old business. But right now you're not using your benefits. So here's a word from our sponsors.

[Tim Gettys]

This episode brought to you by boot.dev. if you're listening to this show, there's a solid chance that you one, like video games and two, at some point in your life have been interested in learning software development. Boot.dev combines those things because they know that the smartest way to learn is to never get bored. It takes your coding from beginner to expert, the fun way through a hands on RPG like experience. If you're ready to put in the time it takes like Kevin is.

[Blessing]

So I'm learning to code Python and the best thing about this is I

[Barrett Courtney]

don't have to read anything.

[Blessing]

It plays audio files for everything. It's awesome.

[Tim Gettys]

With a curriculum designed for builders with gamer sensibilities in mind, boot.dev welcomes you to the most captivating way to learn to code. Bored learners quit. Smart learners never get bored. That's why you'll learn by doing what you'd actually be doing at a real job. Building real projects. Go to boot.dev and use code kinda funny to get 25% off your entire first year on the annual plan. There's no better time to give your coding dreams a chance. Just like Kevin Coelho's doing. Again, go to boot.dev and use code kinda funny to get 25% off your entire first year on the annual plan.

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[Greg Miller]

And we are back. Timothy, how you feeling?

[Tim Gettys]

I'm feeling pretty good. A little rattled. I was. I didn't. I thought I was next and I thought I was going to get control,

[Snowbike Mike]

so got me there.

[Tim Gettys]

But it's not bad because I'm going to go with one that I'm pretty confident in, the success of, which is Dragon Quest 7.

[Andy Cortez]

Damn.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yes.

[Roger Pokorny]

That game looks beautiful.

[Tim Gettys]

Damn.

[Blessing]

Yeah.

[Barrett Courtney]

Roger.

[Tim Gettys]

All the tags. Yeah, I clear the test. This one is a reimagining up by name and by definition.

[Barrett Courtney]

Roger, your preview made me really excited for that game. I'm really thankful.

[Roger Pokorny]

Yeah, I'm very. I'm very, very excited for that game. I'm excited to try it out.

[Snowbike Mike]

I'm going to try that game.

[Roger Pokorny]

That's.

[Greg Miller]

I'm going to try that game. I think it's a little risk trying the game.

[Roger Pokorny]

We'll try the game.

[Tim Gettys]

It's a little riskier than the HD 2D remix that have been coming out that I feel like we're a bit more surefire. We're going to get the points. But people love Dragon Quest 7, so I think that there's a lot of good energy with this one.

[Roger Pokorny]

All right, Team Barrett is my best friend. Up next. There's a lot of places I can go.

[Snowbike Mike]

A lot of places.

[Roger Pokorny]

A lot of places. A lot of exciting ideas. But I just want to apologize.

[Snowbike Mike]

Don't do it. Don't do it. Don't do it, Roger. I'm doing it for the people and they love me for it.

[Roger Pokorny]

I'm sorry.

[Snowbike Mike]

Dare do this. They'll revolt against you. I'll tell right now. They're going to go up against you.

[Andy Cortez]

They will.

[Snowbike Mike]

They will be pitchforks. They're coming after you.

[Andy Cortez]

Don't blame my.

[Roger Pokorny]

I'm not listening.

[Snowbike Mike]

You'll turn the tide on him.

[Roger Pokorny]

I'm gonna pander to the audience as well.

[Snowbike Mike]

You're not part of.

[Greg Miller]

Because I'm part of them.

[Roger Pokorny]

They don't accept trails in the sky.

[Blessing]

This guy went to jrpg.com.

[Snowbike Mike]

that's crazy. You do that.

[Roger Pokorny]

Should have went for your first pick.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah, Mike.

[Barrett Courtney]

If it wasn't going to Roger, it was going to go to me.

[Roger Pokorny]

Yeah.

[Snowbike Mike]

They don't get down with the Weebs like I do.

[Roger Pokorny]

Did you finish that game?

[Snowbike Mike]

Not.

[Greg Miller]

No.

[Snowbike Mike]

He's the fucking fraud father, man.

[Roger Pokorny]

He played the demo for an hour.

[Andy Cortez]

Don't you fucking do that, Roger.

[Barrett Courtney]

A lot of great picks here because. Yeah. Trails in. This guy in second chapter was a priority for round two there.

[Roger Pokorny]

Yeah.

[Barrett Courtney]

Which is why I was happy to be somewhere around here to be right before Mike. Or a little bit before Mike. Now, there's a couple different plays I can make here. And you know what? It's going to be a risky move, but sometimes you got to risk it for the Biscuit.

[Greg Miller]

Risk it for the Biscuit, and I'm

[Barrett Courtney]

going to believe in this team that takes so long to make.

[Roger Pokorny]

Suck my ass, but good job.

[Barrett Courtney]

Their DLC that is slated for this year seems to be cut content from the main release. And I'm confident that they will hit 2026, which is hollow Knight, Silksong, Sea of Star.

[Blessing]

Nice job, man. Everybody studied. Good for y'.

[Greg Miller]

All.

[Roger Pokorny]

I'm excited.

[Blessing]

I've had it chopped down so much. My list.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Roger Pokorny]

I'm having a.

[Snowbike Mike]

Damn it.

[Greg Miller]

We turn our eyes to Natural Rifle who curses under his breath.

[Andy Cortez]

And DLCs have popped off the past couple years.

[Barrett Courtney]

Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

With the.

[Barrett Courtney]

That's what lost me last year was dropping Sea of Stars.

[Andy Cortez]

DLC of Stars. Mike popped off with Kingdom Deliverance. Damn it.

[Blessing]

Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

Okay. There's just a lot of, A lot of the games that you would expect to be drafted right now. I just don't think are going to hit very high. I think a lot of when I think of something like Pragmata, that's like. Yeah, that's like a, that's like a top spot. How do I spell? How would it be two T's or one T with Spot? Andy. One would be Spoder. I just feel like a lot of these games are probably going to be like, 82, 83. However. There is no however.

[Snowbike Mike]

You need to phone a friend because I'll help you.

[Andy Cortez]

No, I, I, I'm gonna go ahead and do another Risk it for the Biscuit move, and I'm going to select Mina the Hollower.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

Wow.

[Blessing]

Nice.

[Paris Lilly]

Okay.

[Snowbike Mike]

Andy.

[Tim Gettys]

I believe I. Despite all of the conversations, I believe in me of the Hollow.

[Roger Pokorny]

I believe in that, too.

[Andy Cortez]

I mean, me too. More than the other titles, but, like, maybe one or two points more. Yeah, I Don't think it's I don't know.

[Barrett Courtney]

Yeah I mean I really getting in a definite delay scares me Bear really

[Andy Cortez]

me with that dlc.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah what that Shrier article right about it though made a team make or break the studio so I really do feel all hands on deck. They you know we scrapped everything and restarted kind of thing. I think that's going to be a great game. We now look at your reigning champion Snowbike Mike. Team Snowbike Mike number one.

[Snowbike Mike]

Hello everyone. I'm looking for the top spot and you know Roger really hurt me there. I'm going to remember this day. I'm going to remember this pain that I currently feel deep down inside.

[Andy Cortez]

I'll never forget Mike.

[Snowbike Mike]

And when you go first it's a long wait. I will tell you that for next year when you go first it is

[Greg Miller]

a heavy is the crowd they say

[Snowbike Mike]

Mike that I have to sit here and wait for and you guys have selected a lot of them. Roger taking in particular the only game that I know about you know I

[Andy Cortez]

have a lot that was all he

[Snowbike Mike]

studied it's all all bet on I bet a lot on that one but I'm happy to say that I believe in myself and I believe in some of my picks and I I I've gone deep I've gone deep into the Internet for this one.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah you had to let me let

[Snowbike Mike]

me just type it out first.

[Greg Miller]

That's what champions before I reveal oh

[Snowbike Mike]

no know what it is.

[Greg Miller]

Okay Andy is screen sniping what letter

[Blessing]

does it start with? Andy.

[Roger Pokorny]

No it's not what you think.

[Andy Cortez]

It's not what you think.

[Blessing]

Okay.

[Andy Cortez]

He's he's looking for stuff what the are you doing?

[Roger Pokorny]

It's an eligible

[Snowbike Mike]

I don't I was gonna go with the legend of heroes trails beyond the horizon because it released

[Barrett Courtney]

in Japan last year.

[Snowbike Mike]

That's unfortunate.

[Andy Cortez]

I knew you were gonna have that

[Snowbike Mike]

that I fraudulent fraudulent January just go

[Andy Cortez]

to jrpg.com 1/15 this year but it's ineligible.

[Snowbike Mike]

Well then I'm going to go with my main man Big E. Okay. I'm going to go with my main man Big E right here.

[Greg Miller]

Oh wow.

[Andy Cortez]

Here we go. Wow.

[Snowbike Mike]

I'm going to go with the adventures of Elliot.

[Andy Cortez]

Wow.

[Paris Lilly]

Wow.

[Greg Miller]

A great pick.

[Snowbike Mike]

I thank you. Thank you.

[Andy Cortez]

Thank you.

[Snowbike Mike]

Really confident with that one.

[Andy Cortez]

I'll say this M I don't think that game's gonna be good.

[Roger Pokorny]

Yeah

[Snowbike Mike]

it's gonna get me wrong remember

[Greg Miller]

how D looks in his hat.

[Andy Cortez]

I played the demo I was like

[Snowbike Mike]

knows about this guy the other day.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah, we popped on what.

[Barrett Courtney]

What's the land he lives in Philadelphia or some.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah, something like that.

[Andy Cortez]

Oh, yeah, that is right. Yeah.

[Snowbike Mike]

And then now I'm gonna have some fun with you. Oh, man. I got. I got some fun picks and I just need to know who did their homework, Tim, because I'm going deep. Deep.

[Blessing]

Go deep.

[Snowbike Mike]

Like the. You want me to go deep?

[Blessing]

Go deep

[Snowbike Mike]

level.

[Blessing]

Yeah. Okay.

[Snowbike Mike]

You ready for this Super Meat Boy 3D?

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Snowbike Mike]

Okay.

[Blessing]

I thought you said.

[Andy Cortez]

Good. That's good.

[Greg Miller]

I saw it out there in the field.

[Blessing]

I played that at.

[Andy Cortez]

What was it?

[Blessing]

Pax at the Xbox event.

[Andy Cortez]

I really like that show.

[Tim Gettys]

Was fun.

[Blessing]

A lot of fun with it.

[Barrett Courtney]

I'm so excited for that.

[Snowbike Mike]

I will take Super Meat Boy 3D for Team Snowbike. Mic one.

[Andy Cortez]

Okay.

[Snowbike Mike]

I kick it over to my 1.1 Andy Cortez, because Roger's definitely in the dog. Yeah. Okay. You're definitely one point. I know. Yeah.

[Barrett Courtney]

He named me as his best friend. He took trails from you.

[Snowbike Mike]

Crazy.

[Blessing]

Crazy about to win.

[Andy Cortez]

Okay, there's a game.

[Blessing]

I'm shocked. Nobody's picked yet.

[Greg Miller]

There's a lot of games.

[Paris Lilly]

Me too. That's why I'm trying to be quiet.

[Andy Cortez]

Okay.

[Snowbike Mike]

Call me if you need me.

[Andy Cortez]

No, like, I mean, I have a lot of choices. I just wish I had two. Back to backs coming up right now.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah,

[Andy Cortez]

looking at the list. Looking at the list. I am going to take.

[Greg Miller]

Hey, one second. Sorry, Andy, go ahead. Hey, Jack Quaid, it's Greg Miller. You're live on the kind of funny gamescast. How are you?

[Andy Cortez]

Well, well, well.

[Snowbike Mike]

It looks like you thought Jack Quaid

[Andy Cortez]

was calling you, but it's actually me, Vegeta, Prince of the Saiyans. Hey, so I know Evangeline Lily, primarily from Ant man and the Wasp.

[Greg Miller]

You, I'm looking up on you. Fuck you. You're supposed to be. You're in cinema. This is cinema.

[Blessing]

Oh, boo.

[Snowbike Mike]

Hell, that was the greatest response.

[Greg Miller]

Impossible.

[Snowbike Mike]

All we can ask for.

[Andy Cortez]

What a followup.

[Snowbike Mike]

Like what a what?

[Greg Miller]

A call back, please do the edit and then It'll be like 15 hours later.

[Tim Gettys]

Oh, that's so good.

[Andy Cortez]

Okay, I. I hate where I'm in. Where I'm at right now. I don't like where I'm at right now. In life in general.

[Roger Pokorny]

Same.

[Andy Cortez]

But I'm going to go with.

[Roger Pokorny]

Just feel it.

[Andy Cortez]

I'm going to select a game that I played and I really, really like.

[Tim Gettys]

There we go.

[Andy Cortez]

I'm going to pick Reanimal.

[Tim Gettys]

Oh,

[Andy Cortez]

okay,

[Barrett Courtney]

great.

[Roger Pokorny]

Wow, That's A great call.

[Andy Cortez]

I really. I had a good time with it.

[Tim Gettys]

That means Andy knows something that we

[Blessing]

don't know that over the other game.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Blessing]

It's kind of crazy.

[Roger Pokorny]

I mean, that's the little nightmares now.

[Blessing]

I might pick that game. I didn't think I'd get the chance.

[Andy Cortez]

That's it for me.

[Snowbike Mike]

Great pick.

[Greg Miller]

We turn our eyes to Barrett.

[Blessing]

Parentheses, evil it. I gotta change up.

[Tim Gettys]

I change things, man.

[Greg Miller]

Barrett with his third pick in the 2026. Kind of funny fantasy draft.

[Blessing]

Yeah.

[Barrett Courtney]

Being kind of in the middle here is very precarious. I'm not a fan of it.

[Greg Miller]

It so far. Barrett's team is Marvel's Wolverine, Hollow Knight, Silk Song, CF Sorrow.

[Andy Cortez]

I see a Sorrow pick. That's going to be the one that gets Barrett like 91.

[Barrett Courtney]

We're going to rock with it. Andy.

[Andy Cortez]

What.

[Barrett Courtney]

What was last year? Was it the year of the Snake?

[Tim Gettys]

Yes.

[Andy Cortez]

Yes.

[Blessing]

Damn it.

[Barrett Courtney]

And this year is the year that Phantom Blade zero is going to come out.

[Blessing]

Just moved it up. Yeah.

[Barrett Courtney]

I think that'll be my third round pick.

[Blessing]

I just moved it up to my next pick.

[Tim Gettys]

Andy. Why wasn't it yours?

[Andy Cortez]

There's still part of me that wonders like, can it deliver on the full experience? Y. Like I. And I'm surprised it's even still coming out next year. Like that. That still shocked me with how early the date though.

[Blessing]

Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

I know. It just. Everything they were saying just felt like.

[Barrett Courtney]

Like.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah. These couple of boss fights are proof of concept. I. I don't know. I'm like, I'm happy to be proven wrong. I'm more than happy to be proven wrong because I loved playing it.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

But I'm also worried about optimization and how it's going to look and run because that was. Those are some big things that I had issues with.

[Barrett Courtney]

Totally fair. But also when we see those bosses or the.

[Andy Cortez]

The one that you showed me, like this is something I would even dream of counter picking. Don't get me wrong. Yeah.

[Roger Pokorny]

Hi, everybody. Barrett is my best. I just zoned out there. I was like. Was Barrett's on the screen. No one's talking. Bear is my best friend is my team name. I'm gonna go with something tried and true. A franchise that is going on its third entry that gets around the 85 range, which is where I'm looking for. That is Neo 3.

[Greg Miller]

Oh, yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Barrett Courtney]

That's okay. Okay.

[Greg Miller]

Okay.

[Paris Lilly]

Okay.

[Andy Cortez]

That is very good. Good.

[Barrett Courtney]

I was going between Phantom Blade and Neo 3 in my head. Roger. Just because.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Roger Pokorny]

I'm going for the trial Since I can't get Marshall remake right, we come

[Greg Miller]

back to let Tim publish with his third pick, sir. Currently his team is Resident Evil Requiem, Dragon Quest 7. Reimagine.

[Tim Gettys]

I was right there with you. I'm just trying to get them points, Raj. And I was gonna go Neo3, but you took it from me. I'm gonna go somewhere crazy where I am kind of risking it. But yo.

[Greg Miller]

Oh, it's the Biscuit.

[Tim Gettys]

People like IO I'm going 007. Wow. It might pay off and it might really hurt, but yeah, going double oh, seven.

[Greg Miller]

I just. Yeah, I look at it and I feel 80.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah.

[Greg Miller]

Best case scenario, 78.

[Tim Gettys]

10 points.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah, yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

You know what I mean?

[Greg Miller]

Eight to 10 points. That gets you something.

[Roger Pokorny]

Maybe Lenny Kravitz.

[Greg Miller]

Maybe Lenny Kravitz. Lenny Kravitz.

[Andy Cortez]

When's he going to invite Mike to the compound?

[Greg Miller]

Terrace Lilly with Team Paris Born Again is back on the clock. Looking for their third. Looks like Lego Batman, Legacy of the Dark Knight and Control Resident.

[Paris Lilly]

So with my third pick, I'm going to have a little fun with it because I am wearing my X cast hoodie. So we need to go Xbox. And Mike, smartly with the first pick, took Forza Horizon 6.

[Snowbike Mike]

You know, it pairs.

[Tim Gettys]

Let's box.

[Paris Lilly]

I think. I think it's going to be a big year for Xbox. They got a lot of titles coming this year. There's one that I am not touching because I. I picked it last year and it didn't come out in Fable, but this game is coming out in 2026. Or knock on wood, they said it's

[Andy Cortez]

coming out in 2026 and that clock is ticking.

[Paris Lilly]

And it is Gears of War.

[Snowbike Mike]

Good selection.

[Roger Pokorny]

Good for you.

[Tim Gettys]

Clockwork.

[Greg Miller]

It's not this year.

[Snowbike Mike]

You weren't supposed to say that. Paris. I like that selection. It has. It's been fun, right? The conversation of Xbox games, the selection of Xbox games, especially last year with Roger and his selections. And now we move into here. What do you go know? Fable. I love that you avoided Fable. Paris. When I look at the year for Xbox, that is the one that I could see slip. Right? I think we know Halo will definitely be there. That's a very smaller scale size project there. And then Gearside feels strong for that. But out of those three with Fable included, I was worried about Fable as well there. Paris, I think you did a good choice on that.

[Blessing]

Paris, what was your pick again?

[Paris Lilly]

Here's a war E Day.

[Blessing]

Okay, cool. You want me to put that in for you?

[Andy Cortez]

You did.

[Blessing]

I just did it? Oh, okay.

[Roger Pokorny]

And Gears has the opportunity with it being a prequel to I think really hit and have that moment of like, oh, the nostalgia. Picking up the lancer for the first time is going to. Is going to make everyone fucking cream their pants.

[Greg Miller]

We turn our attention to level six seven. That's blessing our fair and just commissioners team currently with their first pick. They took mixtape followed by Slay the Spire 2 blessing your third pick will be.

[Blessing]

So far my team's kind of risky and I'm going to continue that trend.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah. Hell yeah.

[Blessing]

I'm going Crimson Desert.

[Greg Miller]

Wow.

[Paris Lilly]

Coming back around.

[Blessing]

It has a release date, so that fills me with confidence. Even if it gets delayed, I don't see it getting delayed out of this year. I think that would just be an insane story for this game. And from what I hear, from what I've heard from even directly from Andy or Mike. Right. Who've gotten to see the game up close, this game sounds like it's doing crazy. It sounds like it's really trying to push the boundaries. And I think even on the review conversation of it, certain parts, even if they don't come together, I do think reviewers respect the game that's innovating and pushing things forward. And so I'm hoping that it's swinging for the fences enough to get me there in points. But I know it's risky. I know it's a risky one.

[Snowbike Mike]

I like that pick. Bless. I. I have it here on my little whiteboard for fun. Every game in one game, right? That is what Crimson Desert kind of shows you. And it's a. A exciting pick for sure. It's going to be an exciting game when it gets to launch for all of us to get our hands on and see if the dream truly becomes reality. Right. There's a lot of tech on the back end that really does some incredible stuff that makes the promise of, hey, we can deliver something really cool. Then of course it's going to come down to gameplay, story, the narrative.

[Andy Cortez]

Right.

[Snowbike Mike]

We've seen the tech behind the game, but like we haven't really seen it in motion. The storytelling with it all. But I'm super excited for this game.

[Andy Cortez]

That's the biggest question is will this character be somebody we give a damn about at all?

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

And will this story world resonate where when you play a game like that, you kind of hope that that's the case because they are focusing a lot on it and will. And if they don't, then we. Will the tech be able to kind of carry the weight? Yeah.

[Snowbike Mike]

It's just the wow factor. Enough is right, Greg.

[Greg Miller]

The draft comes to me for my back to back third and fourth pick. Currently Ecto one Games has Soros with the number one pick. Marvel Token Fighting Souls with the second pick. With my third pick I'm going to go for points. With my fourth pick, I'm going to go for headlines. So for my third pick I am in fact going to take Cult of the Land. Cult of the Land. Haven.

[Andy Cortez]

Okay.

[Barrett Courtney]

Indie dlc.

[Greg Miller]

You know, the original. Well, it's so much more than just dlc. Right. I think. And I think that's part of my narrative for picking it where I think Cult of the Lamb and 84 and open critic right now. The original. Right. But years of DLC and additions and things they've put into that game and done it and you know, found such a sweet spot within the community, making such a big deal like they are with Wool Haven. I think it's gonna be all those lessons they learn and people's chance to really say, hey, look where this game has gone and come from and what it is and yada yada and why you should do it. And then. Hold on, let me. I want to make sure my watch list is then. There, there it is.

[Andy Cortez]

So you're going for headlines with that one. What?

[Greg Miller]

No, that was the points.

[Andy Cortez]

Oh, now headline.

[Greg Miller]

Now headlines.

[Snowbike Mike]

Oh, okay.

[Greg Miller]

Ladies. Oh, gentlemen.

[Andy Cortez]

He's doing it.

[Greg Miller]

And enbies, when you bring home your brand new Steam machine.

[Tim Gettys]

Oh my.

[Greg Miller]

Wow. You are going to need a game to play.

[Tim Gettys]

Wow.

[Greg Miller]

You are going to need need a game that has been gestating in the Pacific Northwest for what seems like hundreds of years. And it will be an unannounced mainline half life.

[Andy Cortez]

And that is what I'm thinking right there. I like that.

[Roger Pokorny]

That's fucking brave.

[Tim Gettys]

That's really good. Didn't even cross my mind.

[Roger Pokorny]

Opium.

[Andy Cortez]

Damn.

[Greg Miller]

There's opium for sure.

[Snowbike Mike]

Wow.

[Andy Cortez]

Damn.

[Roger Pokorny]

You think the portal gun will be in it? Why are you laughing? That's the. That's the whole idea.

[Blessing]

There's so many steps down.

[Roger Pokorny]

You know what I mean?

[Blessing]

Before we can talk about it,

[Andy Cortez]

we

[Greg Miller]

go back to level six seven.

[Blessing]

So I'll be honest, I wasn't thinking about the rules with my next pick.

[Greg Miller]

Oh.

[Blessing]

Because I. One of the rules is that you can't pick a game that's currently out in early access. I was gonna go to xko.

[Greg Miller]

Oh yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Blessing]

Because that's the same thing that game has been out in. No. Since November.

[Snowbike Mike]

Thinking blessed.

[Blessing]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah.

[Blessing]

In like an open beta early access. Kind of thing. I don't know the formal term, but it's ineligible. And so instead I'm gonna go with a pick that has me reaching into a bag, reaching deep into a bag for a game that I've been kind of scared if you guys have been, like, doing your studies, doing your research, like. Like seeing what's out there for a game that could have good impacts. And when we're talking about being a critical hit. That game is a game called Mugenics.

[Snowbike Mike]

Fuck.

[Blessing]

I made the right decision.

[Snowbike Mike]

Okay.

[Roger Pokorny]

I was thinking about it.

[Barrett Courtney]

No, that game's gonna. That game's gonna hit.

[Roger Pokorny]

Really?

[Blessing]

Yeah.

[Roger Pokorny]

Tell me why.

[Barrett Courtney]

Previews came out over, like, kind of holiday, like, right before the break. And all of the, like, several previews I read were, like, once their preview code was taken away or their access, they were, like, heartbroken. This is from the creator of Binding of Isaac. And like, I've been trolling you. Yeah. Like, truly one that, like, they know the roguelike. And this is gonna be one that I think really takes over for.

[Roger Pokorny]

Because I'm another following this game. This was game was announced like, a decade ago, almost like it's been just

[Blessing]

sitting for a very long time.

[Andy Cortez]

We're on jrsmon.com but they're listening to podcasts.

[Barrett Courtney]

I'm listening to all the podcasts. And it finally has a date for next month.

[Blessing]

Yeah, it's coming out February 10th.

[Andy Cortez]

I.

[Blessing]

This is one that I learned about because I was doing a stream where I was just going through the calendar. I was like, all right, what are all the releases that are coming out this year? And I got to this when I was like, like, what the fuck is this game? Started looking into it, and I was like, shit, I gotta. I gotta set this aside.

[Barrett Courtney]

And I knew the only other person

[Andy Cortez]

who was probably thinking about it was you. Bless.

[Barrett Courtney]

And that's what I was going back and forth, really, between Phantom Blade and Mugenics. And I did, like, I had a feeling. I was like, I'm. I'm taking a chance by taking Phantom Blade now. Because I want this in my back pocket.

[Blessing]

If you didn't take Phantom Blade, I would have taken Phantom Blade. Just so you know, that's my pick.

[Roger Pokorny]

Wow, that's a good one.

[Blessing]

Thank you.

[Greg Miller]

We now look back at the one, the only Paris Lily. With Paris born again.

[Paris Lilly]

I'm actually surprised this hasn't been taken. And now that we're with. This is the fourth pick, right?

[Greg Miller]

Correct.

[Paris Lilly]

I know what my last pick wants to be. So at 4, I'm gonna take Duskblood. Ah, am I saying that right?

[Greg Miller]

Okay, yeah.

[Blessing]

I just moved it up to my next pick. It's risky though. Night rain got an 80 on open critic. For the record, risky.

[Paris Lilly]

But yeah, we're starting to get towards the end. Why not take a chance?

[Blessing]

Fair enough.

[Roger Pokorny]

It's the original one, right? It's not just based off of Elden Ring. Like it's them going in there. We're making something new from. From the ground up.

[Blessing]

That looks exactly like Bloodborne.

[Roger Pokorny]

Sure, sure. But still.

[Greg Miller]

Switch 2.

[Roger Pokorny]

Switch to the power of the Switch 2, which is.

[Blessing]

I don't know if that bows well. The power of the Switch 2 online. Think about that in game chat.

[Tim Gettys]

Now it's me.

[Greg Miller]

We come back to let Tim publish. Of course. Resident evil Requiem, Dragon Quest 7 reimagined and 007 First Light.

[Snowbike Mike]

Man,

[Tim Gettys]

really running out of stuff. I think this is only gonna get me a handful of points. Not even 80 is a sure thing. But I'm gonna go because I love it so much. Onimusha Way of the sword Chase your heart.

[Paris Lilly]

It looked good at Summer Game Fest.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah, I. I played it. It's like I. I love it. I really enjoy what it is. But I think that the people reviewing it are gonna be really mad that it's not a souls game. Still doing it though, man.

[Andy Cortez]

It do felt like such a souls game though when I like.

[Tim Gettys]

Which I think is that like then

[Snowbike Mike]

when you direct comparing it.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah, like not hit the right way.

[Roger Pokorny]

Oh, my turn. Hi everybody.

[Snowbike Mike]

Hi.

[Andy Cortez]

Hello.

[Roger Pokorny]

Barrett's best friend here. And my draft is going to be something that surprisingly I've never done. I've never drafted one of these games, but one of my favorite franchises and that is going to be Yakuza 3 Konami and Dark Ties. It's a full on remake and it includes a brand new story content.

[Greg Miller]

You saw Blessing's antenna go.

[Roger Pokorny]

Wait a minute.

[Greg Miller]

How did this shake it out?

[Blessing]

I'm let it slide.

[Roger Pokorny]

So if you look at the open for the other Yakuza games, of course the last one, the Pirate Yakuza, which is a spin off, was about an 81. But Kiwami 2, which is the last mainline remake was an 86. So they. And of course the like a dragon. Infinite wealth was 90. So there's a lot of. There's a lot of opportunity for me to go up into the high 80s. So very excited for this one. I played a little bit of it at a preview event. It was very, very good. So very excited for.

[Andy Cortez]

For it.

[Tim Gettys]

Okay.

[Greg Miller]

A great pick from a great Man.

[Roger Pokorny]

Oh, thank you.

[Greg Miller]

No problem. We now turn our eyes back to Barrett. Parentheses, Evil.

[Snowbike Mike]

I'm very mad at you.

[Andy Cortez]

He forgot he was mad at you.

[Greg Miller]

Marvel's Wolverine Hollow Knight DLC Phantom Blade Zero

[Tim Gettys]

Wrong list.

[Andy Cortez]

I already think Barrett's gonna win.

[Roger Pokorny]

Yeah, Counter picking is gonna be tough.

[Barrett Courtney]

Yeah, it's gonna be really hard.

[Blessing]

Yeah. I gotta start thinking about that crunch team.

[Barrett Courtney]

Made a couple of things that like, now I'm getting to the part of the list where yeah, I'm not like confident enough in like a lot of these games. But there are some games that stick out to me where I'm like, I want to believe in you so bad. Like, I. I feel like you might have something here and something that trailers very well. And it's something that people have been excited for, especially with the boomers who love Boomer shooters, but also love cartoon art styles. I'm gonna go with Mouse PI.

[Greg Miller]

Ah, yes, yes, yes.

[Tim Gettys]

That would have been my five.

[Greg Miller]

It was on my list, but it's still another one where it's like, yeah, I want to believe. I want to believe. I'm gonna love that game and it's gonna be great.

[Andy Cortez]

Good.

[Greg Miller]

But that, you know, Xbox Direct they got, it was all about them. Did pretty good.

[Barrett Courtney]

And so that's one that I'm sure that's a shot in the dark, but that also has a release date.

[Snowbike Mike]

So.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah, yeah.

[Greg Miller]

We go to our publisher, Nitro Rifle, the one, the only, Andy Cortez Reanimal. I'm going to the Hollower Fire Emblem.

[Andy Cortez]

I'm going to do what I've done the last several years. Or it's like I always pick a game that didn't come out for me the prior year.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

Skate Story happened with me. And this year is going to be Witchbrook. Yeah.

[Greg Miller]

Ah, yes. You've been talking about that game which

[Andy Cortez]

Brook got, was supposed to come out in December, then it got delayed into this year. And it's a cozy witch co op game where you're just kind of little cute pixel characters in a version of Harry Potter that's not Harry Potter. And it's been in development for like seven years. And apparently it's going to be. I think it's gonna really, really hit with that crowd.

[Greg Miller]

Snowbike Mike, our reigning champion, Team Snowbike Mike, number one, currently has Forza Horizon 6, the Adventures of Elliot, the Millennium Tales, and Super Meat Boy 3 with the fourth pick.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yes. Thank you, Greg Miller. You know, this is a fun one for me, Tim Gettys, as I look you in the eye. Because this is the turnaround. This is the end for me. Right. I go four, five. And this will be the end of my run right here. And so. So I need to kind of plan out what I want to secure. And also what are the games maybe that will go under the radar. Forgotten that I can go out and bid for and not have to battle over. So I'm trying to look for those that I should secure now and hold on to nice and tight. There's a team out there that has been very good to. Kind of funny. There's a game out there that one Greg Miller and Gary Whitta have absolutely loved and they're making a new game. Sometimes you gotta crawl before you walk. You know what it is? I will be taking vampire crawlers.

[Blessing]

Good for you.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yes. We will see how that goes. I'm very excited. Of course, there's a rage right now. There's. There's something in the water about these games.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Snowbike Mike]

That you just see people go kind of crazy over. Right.

[Andy Cortez]

Deck building, sort of rope lights.

[Snowbike Mike]

I think the Balatro.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Snowbike Mike]

The Mega Bonks. Of course. Vampire Survivors. It's just like there's something in there that people love about these games.

[Blessing]

Crack.

[Snowbike Mike]

They're very good. Yeah, exactly. I'm gonna. I'm gonna ride with that. Does say 2026. Of course on their Steam page it does say play tbd. So.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. You're rolling those dice.

[Snowbike Mike]

But on the trailer it says it. And this is one I think I gotta kind of secure before anyone else gets it.

[Andy Cortez]

I think that's a great, great call.

[Snowbike Mike]

Now we play the game.

[Tim Gettys]

Gotta play the game.

[Greg Miller]

Now we really play the game.

[Snowbike Mike]

Do I embrace Mike? You know, there's young Mike, there's old Mike. There's two different mics here that are. That are balancing right now. Roger. Like, what do I pick here? Okay. There's also like other games that I don't think people have on their radar. There's a game that maybe needs to be secured that I don't know if it should be secured or not secured.

[Blessing]

Secured.

[Greg Miller]

Like securing a Shakira. Paper, guarding his notes when he's on the last pick. You know,

[Snowbike Mike]

Here's the deal. You gotta lock this in because if it goes unchecked, it will probably be selected. If not, it will go up for draft and it will be selected. And there's a team out there that's going to release a game that might have been selected first overall, but they also have another game. And. Yes.

[Greg Miller]

Wow.

[Snowbike Mike]

It has been pushed. Wow. Yes. Okay, it is a delicate dance in the end of the year, especially come fall. But there, There. This game has to eventually come out, and that is Fable. Tim, with playground games. You look at Team Xbox, 25 years of Xbox. Halo Combat Evolved coming out. You have Gears, E Day, you have Forza. Can they actually hold true and release all four of these juggernaut titles? Or will one slip because of gta? Or maybe they need more time. But Fable is one of those out of that group that you probably want to get a grip on and hold on to.

[Paris Lilly]

Mike, if there's any game out of that list that's gonna slip, that's the one.

[Snowbike Mike]

I know it is, Paris. But also, what if it delivers and I'm not the one holding on to it?

[Andy Cortez]

Right?

[Snowbike Mike]

What if I'm the guy who said I could have had that date at the dance and I didn't ask?

[Greg Miller]

You didn't ask.

[Snowbike Mike]

You know, and I didn't want to keep you awake.

[Paris Lilly]

Go for it.

[Snowbike Mike]

It.

[Greg Miller]

He's doing it.

[Snowbike Mike]

Psych. Young Mike would say. Mike, you're an idiot. I'm drafted. Halo campaign Evolve. He needs a weapon now. Here's the deal. Unreal Engine 5.

[Greg Miller]

We're so back. We're so bad.

[Snowbike Mike]

This can absolutely ruin me. There's no multiplayer. As of right now. As of right now. Turning to the greatest game of all time. And they're adding new levels. Levels with Sergeant Johnson and Master Chief. We're gonna get a buddy cop sci fi action thriller with these two. The flood is back in Unreal Engine 5. The Covenant is here. Like, you gotta ride this to the moon.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

I love it.

[Tim Gettys]

I love it.

[Snowbike Mike]

That's Xbox, Mike. I bleed green.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah, Bleed green.

[Blessing]

Jesus.

[Tim Gettys]

I mean, I think that's gonna get him more points this year than Fable, because I don't like B. I gotta

[Paris Lilly]

admit, Mike, you had me in the first half.

[Greg Miller]

We now go to Paris.

[Snowbike Mike]

You might have pulled me out of it. Just so you know. You save me. Paris might have saved me.

[Greg Miller]

That's why we turn our eyes to Andy Cortez for his fifth and final pick.

[Andy Cortez]

Huh? I mean, it's. It. It's got to be the year that Ken Levine delivers. Judas.

[Snowbike Mike]

Wow.

[Andy Cortez]

It has to be the year.

[Blessing]

It has to be.

[Andy Cortez]

It has to be the year.

[Blessing]

I'm with you.

[Andy Cortez]

There's like, we've been waiting for so long. Friends per second. Did a goddamn interview.

[Roger Pokorny]

And play like it was like a decade ago.

[Andy Cortez]

So many people have played this game.

[Blessing]

I mean, exactly though it has to

[Andy Cortez]

be this year, it has to Be this year, dude.

[Blessing]

I like it.

[Roger Pokorny]

It's a great call.

[Tim Gettys]

Well, have fun, dude.

[Greg Miller]

Log in, Judas.

[Blessing]

No, Andy's on point. Andy, don't say anything. Andy's on point.

[Andy Cortez]

He's doing.

[Blessing]

Andy's on point.

[Roger Pokorny]

Doing awesome.

[Andy Cortez]

What's up first?

[Paris Lilly]

Did you, did he pick it already?

[Andy Cortez]

No.

[Paris Lilly]

Oh, okay.

[Blessing]

Yeah.

[Snowbike Mike]

He won't say nothing.

[Greg Miller]

We don't want to throw you off your game.

[Roger Pokorny]

We love you.

[Blessing]

I'll pick it for. I'll pick however. I'll pick it for him.

[Andy Cortez]

It's fine. However, I'm going for definite points here back and then I'm gonna go for definite points in the sequel.

[Blessing]

Yes. On Judas right now. If you want me to click it

[Andy Cortez]

for you, I will be selecting.

[Tim Gettys]

Definite points. Andy.

[Greg Miller]

Definite points. Andy.

[Andy Cortez]

My for sure points. For sure definite points. I'm gonna go with.

[Blessing]

I feel like your Judas point was really?

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah, I'm gonna go with

[Greg Miller]

he's making

[Andy Cortez]

up planet of Lana 2.

[Tim Gettys]

I like it.

[Snowbike Mike]

I like it.

[Roger Pokorny]

That's a really good one.

[Tim Gettys]

That's solid.

[Greg Miller]

What did Planet Atlanta 1 get over on the Open Critic?

[Andy Cortez]

Like an 83, 82, something like that?

[Blessing]

Yeah.

[Greg Miller]

Planet Alana 81 right now.

[Tim Gettys]

Okay. I expect more from the sequel for sure.

[Greg Miller]

Of course, of course.

[Blessing]

I was hoping with everything inside of me you would pick Judas. Idiot.

[Andy Cortez]

Fucking raccoon.

[Roger Pokorny]

You're evil when you're lying, man.

[Andy Cortez]

For sure.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Blessing]

Oh, dude, I was so excited.

[Barrett Courtney]

Have you ever played Social Deduction with Bless?

[Roger Pokorny]

Yeah, you're evil. I love it.

[Paris Lilly]

Andy. I will say that was a very smart pick. I played it at Gamescom. It's every as good as the first one was. They're improving on everything. So I, I do think it feels like.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah, yeah, yeah or just for sure points. You know, when I think of later in the year when you're just picking stuff and you pick a game and it's like ah, 78. It's like, like whatever, you know, I'd rather have a couple more points here and there.

[Greg Miller]

We turn our eyes to Barrett Courtney, Barrett, Parentheses, Evil.

[Barrett Courtney]

I'm waiting for the.

[Greg Miller]

The boop boop boop it in.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Greg Miller]

And he's locking it in there while he does that. Why don't you lock in your kind of funny membership patreon.com kind of funny YouTube.com kindafunnygames Apple or Spotify. Get all of our shows ad free. Keep the lights and mics on for our 11th year as an 11 person small business Business man.

[Andy Cortez]

I. I will say this. My what my other.

[Greg Miller]

Still debating what to Pick.

[Snowbike Mike]

Roger just gave you him.

[Andy Cortez]

No. Yeah. I'm just having to like click the goddamn thing where I can. I can make it.

[Blessing]

Let me, let me, let me.

[Greg Miller]

There it is.

[Andy Cortez]

I got you.

[Blessing]

Said Judas.

[Andy Cortez]

I wanted to make headlines and go, when that Steam machine comes out, you gotta have a couple of big games, like a multiplayer game named Deadlock.

[Roger Pokorny]

A big box. The Steam machine's like a box. But could it be orange?

[Barrett Courtney]

Now, Andy, you left the door open for me because you're talking about guaranteed points. And I feel like now that we're in our final round, we're just looking for the scraps of. Of what we know in the first week of January. Right. But a game that previewed surprisingly well last year, a lot of people were very interested in, I do believe might hit a little bit more than we're all expecting. Is one Pragmata.

[Greg Miller]

Oh, I like that. Good for you.

[Andy Cortez]

I like that.

[Blessing]

Okay, that's at least.

[Andy Cortez]

That's for sure an 82.

[Blessing]

Yeah.

[Snowbike Mike]

Wow.

[Greg Miller]

Really?

[Snowbike Mike]

82, I think at least for sure.

[Tim Gettys]

78.

[Greg Miller]

Wow.

[Blessing]

But that's like a still good range.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah, I think. I think 82. I. I had a lot of fun with it. I was wondering how are they going to do this on keyboard mouse? Cuz I played the demo on PC, which I had never done.

[Snowbike Mike]

Okay.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

Because the other times I played it, it was always on controller and instead of like the D pad control stuff, you. Yeah, you use like your mouse to kind of like swerve through the Snake and it's still pretty cool. I was kind of hoping for like, give me some mouse buttons, like let me do a little like the hell divers. Yeah, I was kind of hoping for that. But it was still fun.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah, it was one of those feelings of like. Like, it's very cool at the beginning and then you're like, how is this going to feel eight to 10 hours in where I'm like, I don't know if I like this anymore or like, I'm getting a little frustrated here. So we'll see.

[Tim Gettys]

That would have been my pick if it got to me.

[Greg Miller]

Barrett.

[Andy Cortez]

Like, there is one awesome thing.

[Barrett Courtney]

That's why it's like, it's one of those. It feels like a good final round.

[Andy Cortez]

Pick one awesome thing about Pragmata. Like, it is so optimized. That thing. Like that game had no problems, like, and I just kind of expect. Expect, you know, issues with Capcom games visually whenever they sort of are close to release or whatever. And this was like super, super smooth

[Roger Pokorny]

when everyone has to use the, you know, GTX 1080 in the near future.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah, yeah, exactly. Great.

[Roger Pokorny]

Hi. Barrett is My best friend is here and it's our last pick and I'm going to go with a Swing, a game that we don't have a date on and we don't know when it's going to come out or if it's going to come out this year. It might not even come out in the next few years. But I'm going for one of the greatest developers and publishers in the game. They haven't released something in a while for this, but CD Projekt is looking forward for the Witcher.

[Greg Miller]

No.

[Roger Pokorny]

So I'm gonna go for the Witcher 3 unannounced DLC.

[Greg Miller]

Literally. That was my pick. That was my pick. I was going for it.

[Roger Pokorny]

I think do your would do it.

[Andy Cortez]

Wow.

[Blessing]

I like that.

[Roger Pokorny]

It's been in the news a bunch.

[Greg Miller]

Big headlines in the last 24 hours about it.

[Roger Pokorny]

Ye.

[Greg Miller]

I like it's May.

[Roger Pokorny]

It makes a lot of sense for them. And also feel like this is a weird rumor that they would stomp out if they were. If it wasn't actually happening. I feel they'd be like, hey, guys, no, we're not doing a fucking Witcher 3 DLC. But the fact that they've been completely silent about it lot of seems like Rumble.

[Greg Miller]

I wanted it for the Spice. But the fact that it's not CD Projekt in house. It's Fool's Theory.

[Roger Pokorny]

Oh, is that what the rumor is?

[Greg Miller]

It's Fool's Theory. Who are the people who are doing the remake of which are one.

[Roger Pokorny]

So it's like them kind of. Yeah.

[Greg Miller]

Well, it's supposed to. This is the rumor is that this is then beginning the hype Cycle to Witcher 4.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Greg Miller]

So it's like all that. That sounds cool. But it could also be here's this paid DLC that's not Blood and Wine. And it's also an ancient game we're tacking this onto in the grand scheme of things. And so I feel like it could bring it down. It's less than. Because it's not them. Yeah, but I was so high I was still going to take a shot. I appreciate that.

[Tim Gettys]

Bless. And I talked about this on Games Daily. But Bless. How many people are playing Witcher 3 right now on Steam?

[Blessing]

About 30,000.

[Tim Gettys]

30,000 people. That's great.

[Andy Cortez]

Do you know how many people were playing Battlefield 6 last night?

[Roger Pokorny]

Night.

[Andy Cortez]

Same amount. 30,000.

[Tim Gettys]

Really?

[Andy Cortez]

That's crazy. Wow. Considering that.

[Tim Gettys]

Oh yeah, for sure.

[Andy Cortez]

No, like, considering that that Seems low for battlefield six. Yeah, it's very low. Arc raiders at 128k.

[Snowbike Mike]

Like I, I would actually counter that and say that's pretty Strong for Battlefield 6. Right. Battlefield for the past decade has really struggled. The idea that like it had a solid launch and it's still holding that many players, which might sound small. I. I know but like that is a lot of players to Battlefield right

[Andy Cortez]

now, I think solid number. The. The main Elden Ring game, not Night rain also had 30k. Night rain was around 60k.

[Roger Pokorny]

Playing Call of Duty is only at 40k on Steam. Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

Battle Net.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah.

[Roger Pokorny]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

But my final pick here, I was going to go pragmata, try to get the Capcom 3, just get some points on the board, but it puts me in a spot. Now I'm looking at the games I have and I don't really want the two or three points that any of these might get me. So I'm going for a swing. I'm also going to make this game a little spicy. I feel like there haven't been too many obvious counter pick potentials here, but

[Snowbike Mike]

I'm going to put one on the board to give people a little life.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah. Bait.

[Tim Gettys]

A little bait there. But also I believe in this so much. This is my most anticipated video game possible. Currently it doesn't have a 2026 date, so I'm being real risky here. But I believe in it in the same way I believed in Expedition 33. Oh, we first saw where I was like this looks awesome. If it ever actually comes out and if it is as good as it seems to be. And that game is Tides of Annihilation.

[Blessing]

Oh yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

I love that.

[Blessing]

Yeah, love that.

[Tim Gettys]

Jennifer English killing the game. Her leading. There's just a lot here that if it all works out, it's going to be awesome. PlayStation keeps focusing on this game. We've now seen it in multiple state of plays and it is a little concerning with how far out it might seem with them not talking about dates at all. But if not 2026, then when you

[Andy Cortez]

know it's the fifth pick, man.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah, exactly. And I just feel good about it because I, I want that one to win.

[Paris Lilly]

Tim, I just want you to know last year I did a counter pick on you. I'm doing a counter pick. Thank you.

[Tim Gettys]

Let's see. How do I do this? I don't want that.

[Roger Pokorny]

How does the counter pick stuff work? Is it just snake over again?

[Snowbike Mike]

The same order goes from the bottom?

[Blessing]

Yeah, yep.

[Greg Miller]

Bottom, top again in

[Tim Gettys]

not letting me

[Blessing]

pick it, I can't me to do it for you.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah,

[Blessing]

They're like it already released in another country. How do you spell annihilation, guys?

[Andy Cortez]

A, N. Oh, I nailed it too.

[Tim Gettys]

Thank you.

[Blessing]

All right, that should be adding

[Roger Pokorny]

give

[Andy Cortez]

me any word I can spell right now.

[Blessing]

It's there, it's there. First we should a spelling be F I R S T. Thank you.

[Andy Cortez]

T, S U R T.

[Blessing]

Oh, you said cert.

[Greg Miller]

No, I said first and then they were doing the thirst bit. So we're all set then to move on. So we move on to Paris. What is your final pick? Paris Lily.

[Paris Lilly]

So my final pick, I. I have to kind of run down the list. Mike, Greg and Roger, you all helped me come to this decision on this pick.

[Snowbike Mike]

I'm happy to help you parents always.

[Paris Lilly]

Mike. Because Mike, you know the. The fable fake out really started me making me think about, you know, open world game. Maybe I should do an open world game, something like that. What's on the list then? Greg, you boldly took half life 3. Very smart on your part because I think it comes out this year and it'll be big. Well, yeah, I think it comes out. So I think that was a smart pick. So that then made me think, well, what about like some kind of dlc, some game that people aren't thinking about. And then Roger picked a Witcher 3 DLC, which I do think is real. I think it's going to come out. We'll see how big in scope it's going to be as far as the scores. So then that made me think of a game that I got to talk with the creative director at Gamescom. I got to see gameplay from it. Actually. There's been some recent talk about it here in the last week or so. I think it's going to be at that new Game plus showcase as well. And it is former CD Projekt Red developers that are making this game. And that game is the Blood of Dawn Walker. I think it's gonna be good and it's the last pick. So hey, let's take a shot with it. Seems like it's coming out in 2026, so I'm gonna go ahead and go with that. Blood of Dawn Walker. I will pick it right now.

[Blessing]

Oh yeah.

[Snowbike Mike]

Love that Paris.

[Andy Cortez]

I love that the. The idea of having like this majora's mass 30 days left or whatever. And there's also going to be like timed missions in there where if you don't do them, you're just totally fine.

[Snowbike Mike]

Oh, like Dead Rising.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah. I love such a. Cool.

[Roger Pokorny]

What's going on.

[Blessing]

I just like, I thought I had a counter pick, but now I'm like, do I counterpick that? You know what I mean?

[Roger Pokorny]

Like, this is the situation and everybody, if one of these games ends up game of the year, we're not dumb. You know what I mean?

[Blessing]

I sat and I watched a 20 minute gameplay breakdown of Blood of the Dawn Walker and I think it's a neat idea, but it strikes me as like ambitious, ambitious double A that's striving for AAA scale. You know what I mean? Like, you know, Paris mentions these are people that worked on the Witcher or whatever. But like I feel like the follow up to oh, I just came from a studio that made the Witcher. I'm gonna make something that's Witcher esque. I feel like that that rarely pans out as a thing. I don't know. I don't know about this one.

[Paris Lilly]

Well, this is why I hope all your games are 62.

[Snowbike Mike]

Let them know, Paris. Let them know.

[Blessing]

Fair there. My turn. On January 1st, Toby Fox tweeted out. Happy 2026 everybody. Deltarune Chapter 5 is on track to release this year.

[Barrett Courtney]

Wow.

[Blessing]

I'm picking Delta Rune Chapter 5. Easy.

[Greg Miller]

Hold on. Okay, hold on. Hold on everybody.

[Andy Cortez]

When all of Delta Rune comes out, can will we be able to select all of Deltarune rune?

[Blessing]

See, it's so weird because Delta rune chapters three plus four are one page. Are one page. It has like an 89.

[Barrett Courtney]

Yeah, Toby.

[Andy Cortez]

Just make a normal game. Toby.

[Blessing]

Yeah, I mean, I'm with you. Come on, put the out. Yeah, but it seems like these things keep killing it. These things keep getting that 90 range.

[Barrett Courtney]

Oh yeah, they keep delivering it.

[Blessing]

Feels like a. A very safe bet. Especially if he's saying it's coming out this year. If it gets delayed, cool, I'll just drop it. But as of now, I feel pretty comfortable with it.

[Greg Miller]

Time for Ecto one Games to pick its fifth and final game in this draft. I'm sad that it's come this far and it really is the grandest piece of evidence there could be of why. I saw the Torch in the Dark Dirt last year and I picked it up, right? And I said I can be their champion. I can be the voice of the new generation. Can Pokemon gen 10 the 30 anniversary. This is the one, right? This is the one. That's gotta be the one that answers. Everybody wanted everything.

[Andy Cortez]

This one's hopefully an 82.

[Greg Miller]

They got. They got some VO in this. Maybe would VO in this game yet. Celebrate the 30th anniversary, you know what I mean?

[Roger Pokorny]

Like a six month development cycle,

[Andy Cortez]

five people working on it.

[Greg Miller]

I'm tossing it out there. It's Hopium for sure.

[Andy Cortez]

I like it.

[Blessing]

I like it.

[Greg Miller]

It's like I. I don't expect. Big point. I feel like there's a lot of upside to it.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah.

[Greg Miller]

It's not like I'm gonna lose points on it, but it's like I don't. But I'm. Maybe I get out with six.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Greg Miller]

Because SHIELD was what? Oh, you're way bombs. Yeah. So sort. And shield was an 80 and I ca.

[Andy Cortez]

Was a 79.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah. But then the last turn based one I looked at right before Scarlet and Violet, it was like 72 or whatever. Like I'm not. I think there's a lot of upside to it.

[Blessing]

I do think that was a one off situation with Scarlet and Violet. Hopefully, fingers crossed. Like that was such a clusterfuck of a release and they got so much blowback for it.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Blessing]

It would shock me if they repeated that again.

[Snowbike Mike]

Again.

[Greg Miller]

So there it is.

[Andy Cortez]

And the.

[Blessing]

Plus we're on Switch two and the

[Andy Cortez]

people most likely reviewing this are going to be playing it on Switch two.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

You know.

[Blessing]

Yeah.

[Snowbike Mike]

And like.

[Greg Miller]

And again what Legends ran well.

[Andy Cortez]

This last Legends ran well on switch two. On switch one as well.

[Blessing]

And if you think about it like 71 is kind of the floor. Like if you like for how bad Scarlet and Violet came out. Like, even though I stand by it, I think the game design is great. I think that's a very fun game. I think that's the worst a Pokemon can get in terms of quality. And it's a 71. So I think it's a safe bet

[Andy Cortez]

in that I think you're guaranteed an 81.

[Tim Gettys]

Okay.

[Blessing]

Well that's good.

[Andy Cortez]

I mean, hey.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah, it's definitely. I will know next month. It's going to be very February to see this because I do think that looking at Sword and shield from 2019, Scarlet and Violet, like the legends RCS and ZA. It's like a narrative has been crafted and I feel like on the technical side they're fixing things, but I do think there's like a growing trend of like, like the IGN's giving these game sixes. You know what I mean? It's not like, oh, it's Pokemon, so

[Snowbike Mike]

it gets an eight.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah, for sure, for sure.

[Tim Gettys]

There's a little bit more like Critical Eye put on it. I don't. I think the floor is like a 71 or whatever. But like. Yeah, we'll See, I also think all the rumors pointing to having a lot of water, you know, winds and waves, baby.

[Blessing]

Too much water.

[Tim Gettys]

Too much water.

[Greg Miller]

Too much water. We know that, that the, you know, the reviewers don't like that.

[Andy Cortez]

Just get, hey, get the Nintendo Mario team to make that, render that water because their water always looks so good. Mario games are water. Do you just have great rendering?

[Blessing]

Oh, I never looked at the water.

[Greg Miller]

We now come to the counter pick again. This is where we now snake back from me back to Mike picking the game off of each other's lists. I feel like this would be a good time to recap the teams though, for somebody listening later. So Snowbike Mike, number one, why don't you kick us off what your team is?

[Snowbike Mike]

Thank you, Greg Miller, previous champion, Snowbike Mike here for Team Snowbike. My number one. I would like to go down my list. My first pick, Forza Horizon 6 into the adventures of Elliot, then Super Meat Boy 3D vampire crawlers and then to finish it off, Halo Campaign Evolved, Andy

[Andy Cortez]

Cortez, Nitro Rifle Fire Emblem, Fortunes Weave, mina the hollower, re animal Witch Brook, Planet of Lana 2, Children of the

[Barrett Courtney]

Leaf, Barrett, Evil Marvel's Wolverine, Hollow Knight, Silksong, Sea of Sorrow, Phantom Blade Zero Mouse, PI for Hire and Pragmata Barrett

[Greg Miller]

is my best Friend.

[Roger Pokorny]

Grand Theft Auto 6 Trails in the Sky, Second Chapter Neo 3, Yakuza, Kiwami 3 and Dark Ties and of course last unannounced Witcher 3 DLC Timothy Robert

[Tim Gettys]

Geddes Resident Evil Requiem Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined 007 First Light, Onimusha, Way of the Sword and Tides of Annihilation Paris

[Paris Lilly]

Born Again Lego Batman Legacy of the Dark Knight Control Resonant Gears of War E Day the Dust Bloods, the Blood

[Greg Miller]

of Dawn Walker Level 67 Blessing Mixtape,

[Blessing]

Slay the Spire 2 Crimson Desert Mugenics and Deltarune Chapter 5.

[Greg Miller]

And then rounding it out, me with Ecto One Games, Soros Marvel Token Fighting Souls, Cult of the Lamb, Woolhaven Unannounced Mainline Half Life Games Game in Pokemon Generation 10 unannounced. Another great year where you look at this and it's like, how do I counter? I think you jump to counter pick and you think, oh, it's gonna. It's got to be the worst game there. But it really is like you really

[Snowbike Mike]

just want to play.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah. What's not gonna make it? What's not gonna be there?

[Snowbike Mike]

You're looking for what's going to get delayed to get you that zero. Possibly lock that in on Somebody else's thing. What's going to be that low 70s that you're hoping for? Some good options here, Greg as well. I know it's tough stuff, but there are some options that are calling the

[Greg Miller]

one that's calling my name. And it was as soon as it left the lips of one Paris Lily. Oh, is Blood of the Dawn Walker.

[Barrett Courtney]

Yeah.

[Greg Miller]

Like, it's not. I. That one hurts because I'm interested in that, but I'm interested in it the same way I was with vampire bloodlines. To Masquerade. Masquerade. We know where it's like, oh, this is an interesting idea. I don't know if you can pull it off. Like, I don't think it's going to be terrible by any stretch the imagination. I also think there's a. A high likelihood it could fall out of this year. You know, it is. Hey, we're getting. We're the people who made the witcher. We're trying to get this thing off the ground. We're going for it where you just get late enough. Late enough, late enough. All right. GTA is bearing down. Like, don't even bother. Let's push it. So I'm pushing the Blood of the Dawn. I'm picking Blood of the Dawn Walker. I'm clicking the select button. It's staring at me.

[Blessing]

I will say that does make it easier for me as the next counter pick.

[Greg Miller]

Can you pick for me? I apparently am frozen or something. I don't know.

[Blessing]

Let me see. Draft game for next player. Yeah, I can.

[Snowbike Mike]

Thank you.

[Blessing]

Blood of the Dawn Walker.

[Greg Miller]

The blood. Yeah, it's under T. I got you. Thank you, brother.

[Blessing]

Okay, so that's been selected.

[Greg Miller]

Boom.

[Blessing]

Makes it easier for me because I was balancing Blood of the Dawn Walker for the reasons Greg said said, but also I have unannounced mainline half life game staring at me.

[Barrett Courtney]

It's a big gamble.

[Blessing]

Is it? I mean, if it comes out, yes, it's gonna do wonderful. And I'm. I think there is a non zero chance that it comes out, but I feel like we're betting hard on it. Yeah, I feel like that's a. I don't know if the odds are in its favor of it coming out of it coming out.

[Tim Gettys]

Okay.

[Blessing]

I think there's a good chance, but I'm like. I think those chances are like. Like 30, 70, like, sizable enough to. For me to be scared of it, but I think I'm still going to bet on it.

[Greg Miller]

Fair enough.

[Blessing]

If I lose a halflife, three comes out this year.

[Greg Miller]

You're Back to Mario. You're back to your. Wasn't it Mario?

[Blessing]

Yeah. Same thing with Mario. So I. I got a bet on Half Life. Yeah.

[Snowbike Mike]

That's good.

[Tim Gettys]

Love that.

[Snowbike Mike]

Bless. I was going to do the same thing. So.

[Roger Pokorny]

Yeah, I was going to do the same thing. Cuz if we get A Half Life 3. I don't give a. About this league.

[Greg Miller]

I can retire.

[Roger Pokorny]

I can move to the mountains. I don't give a. This is incredible.

[Blessing]

Oh yeah. It is kind of weird. Why does it look like this for me?

[Andy Cortez]

But then we found a dead man in the woods with a laptop

[Roger Pokorny]

surface. Laptop doesn't run the game.

[Greg Miller]

Okay.

[Blessing]

Sorry. I'm almost there.

[Greg Miller]

No, it's fine. It's. You know, you're doing your thing.

[Paris Lilly]

All right.

[Blessing]

I'm done.

[Greg Miller]

Paris Lily. We turn our eyes to you in Paris Born Again to figure out what you will counterpick Torn.

[Paris Lilly]

Because I have two that I feel I. I should take. I. I think of Roger and I think of this unannounced Witcher dlc.

[Roger Pokorny]

Try it again.

[Paris Lilly]

But if it does come out and it's paid and gets scored, it's probably going to score reasonably well. But then I think of Tim with Tides of Annihilation.

[Tim Gettys]

It's risky.

[Snowbike Mike]

It.

[Paris Lilly]

There's a. There's a chance it just doesn't come out at all this year.

[Tim Gettys]

There's a high chance.

[Paris Lilly]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

It's not even dated for 2026.

[Paris Lilly]

I. Yeah, I gotta go with tights. I'm gonna go with tights.

[Andy Cortez]

That just makes sense.

[Paris Lilly]

Yeah. And let me see if I can pick it here.

[Tim Gettys]

Where is it?

[Blessing]

I. I can do it for you. It's kind of confusing for people.

[Paris Lilly]

Yeah. I'm not even seeing it on here.

[Blessing]

It says I already did it.

[Paris Lilly]

Cool. Thanks.

[Greg Miller]

Thanks. Now we look to the stars and we say Tim Gettys. What are you counter picking?

[Tim Gettys]

Man, I don't feel good about any of this stuff. I feel like the easy ones are out the way. I'm really between Marvel Token Fighting Souls and the Dusk Bloods, which I don't like. Like, I think that Duskbloods has a higher chance of being really good if it comes out. But I'd be stupid to do that. I'm going Marvel.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah.

[Tim Gettys]

Yep.

[Greg Miller]

Good.

[Blessing]

Counter pick Marvel to Kon Fighting Souls.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah.

[Greg Miller]

Roger, we're back to you.

[Roger Pokorny]

For me, Barrett is my best friend. I'm actually gonna have to go against Barret Evil because I'm gonna go for Mouse PI for hi.

[Barrett Courtney]

I don't know that's a fair one.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah.

[Roger Pokorny]

It's just a weird one. It's like, I don't know, it might be really great, but every time I see it, I'm like, is this just a gimmick? Is this, you know, deep? Is this game? I don't know.

[Barrett Courtney]

I think it could. There's a chance it could surprise us. Like, whereas, like for years all we saw like was trailers for Cuphead and it was like the appeal of this being a unique cool art style, but then we got to actually play Cuphead. It was like, oh, shit. This is actually pretty good.

[Greg Miller]

It's a weird one, right? Where, oh. When it was even you're seeing in snippets and trailers, like, okay, maybe it's a gimmick. That'll be a fun four hour game. And then they did the direct where they're like, there's so much going. You're like, oh, this is. Oh, there's a lot. Oh, there's too much. Like, I almost feel like I watched it and I was like, there's too. I don't want to spend this much

[Roger Pokorny]

time in this world.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Roger Pokorny]

So, you know, it might be great, but this is a big. I don't know, Barrett.

[Andy Cortez]

I don't know, dude.

[Barrett Courtney]

I. I mean, all of us, it's tough, right? Like,

[Andy Cortez]

it's like, what of the.

[Barrett Courtney]

Like, which of these is going to be scoring less than 10 points? Slash, maybe not coming out this year. I don't want to run mixtape back.

[Blessing]

Barry, can I have a conversation with you?

[Barrett Courtney]

What's up, Les?

[Blessing]

Me and you. Yeah, we're both over Snowback Mike's shenanigans when it comes to fancy.

[Andy Cortez]

We are.

[Blessing]

We gotta do something, man.

[Snowbike Mike]

Gotta stop to it.

[Blessing]

We gotta do it. We gotta do something about this, man. Take it from starting Forza Horizon 6 is the most guaranteed that's going to to allow him to sword.

[Andy Cortez]

He tried to stop him last year.

[Snowbike Mike]

You tried.

[Blessing]

I think somebody has to counter pick adventures of Elliot.

[Andy Cortez]

That's a good call.

[Blessing]

Somebody needs to log.

[Roger Pokorny]

I was looking into the.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah, but what if Elliot.

[Blessing]

We need to lock him into like one of his lowest picks.

[Snowbike Mike]

What if.

[Andy Cortez]

What if Elliot.

[Roger Pokorny]

What if Elliot.

[Blessing]

Because if he drops stupid hat man. If he drops that, his team is looking so good, he's gonna be able to drop it if we don't do do it.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah,

[Blessing]

it's funny.

[Snowbike Mike]

I wouldn't have dropped Elliot. I believe in Elliot

[Andy Cortez]

at least my boy.

[Barrett Courtney]

It's also like, I don't know if trying to play a game with me right now as well.

[Blessing]

I'd rather you Win than Mike, win the season.

[Snowbike Mike]

What about Halo? We talked a lot of trash on Halo. Not having multiplayer.

[Barrett Courtney]

I. I was thinking about Halo as well. Not having multiplayer.

[Andy Cortez]

Adding new levels, new people going Unreal Engine 5 is, you know, super stuttery and cool. Added a sprint.

[Barrett Courtney]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I can see that.

[Roger Pokorny]

But what if they release a Halo multiplayer as well on the side and that's a separate project and this kind of stands on its own and it's fine.

[Tim Gettys]

$70.

[Roger Pokorny]

$70.

[Snowbike Mike]

O.

[Roger Pokorny]

If this is $70.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Barrett Courtney]

This game, then I look at 007 first light, you know?

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah.

[Blessing]

I mean, that's for sure coming out this year.

[Barrett Courtney]

I know, but it's like how well. Like, how well are they going to

[Andy Cortez]

be able to pull off that vision

[Barrett Courtney]

with like, how not great technically those trailers have shown?

[Andy Cortez]

It ran so bad.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

Do we believe in IO to optimize?

[Snowbike Mike]

How about Dusk Bloods? Let's get real. I was going to have the conversation about it.

[Andy Cortez]

Right.

[Snowbike Mike]

Everyone talks about Dark Souls Online. Never been good. Now they've made strides in night rain. But that's PvE. Now we're talking PvP where people are going to get frustrated when that hit reg is not clicking on correctly, when something is stuttering and breaking, when you can't find a match.

[Andy Cortez]

We thought that would be the case with like, I think. I think arc raiders had. Has made people think differently about PvE VP games.

[Snowbike Mike]

True.

[Andy Cortez]

And I think they're maybe in a different thinking space now of like, now I know what to expect with this PvPVE game.

[Blessing]

Also.

[Roger Pokorny]

Barrett, November is so close to January, right? With gto.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah. That's a good call.

[Roger Pokorny]

It's so fucking close.

[Snowbike Mike]

Bear, this is Mike talking. Real Mike, right? This.

[Greg Miller]

Your.

[Snowbike Mike]

This guy next. Next door neighbor here.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Snowbike Mike]

Let's talk about GTA 6 because, like, I was willing to counterpick that as well. It's like, what is the odds? This is a make or break moment here of like, what if you pick that and it doesn't come out? Then you're in. You know what I mean? Are they going to push it to spring summer next year?

[Tim Gettys]

Paris, you were about to say something.

[Paris Lilly]

Oh, no, I was just gonna say Dust Bloods, that triple double dog dare you to pick it, please.

[Snowbike Mike]

Damn.

[Blessing]

Now you gotta.

[Snowbike Mike]

Damn.

[Greg Miller]

He got the energy.

[Blessing]

Now you gotta it do it like that.

[Andy Cortez]

Barrett was an 81.

[Snowbike Mike]

You allow him to 81. Not bad. That's survivable if you lose 11.

[Andy Cortez]

But also this being a switch to exclusive. We know fromsoft's engine and this is

[Roger Pokorny]

not going to run at 60.

[Snowbike Mike]

It's not going to online multiplayer.

[Blessing]

It's an online game for the switch two from. From software.

[Snowbike Mike]

Get real.

[Andy Cortez]

Running. Running at 30. If that. We played Elden Ring.

[Snowbike Mike]

There's some good options on the board.

[Blessing]

Possible run.

[Roger Pokorny]

Well, you never know. Never know.

[Greg Miller]

You never know.

[Snowbike Mike]

And then there's Elliot ray tracing. People were talking to you about Elliot.

[Greg Miller]

Do it.

[Snowbike Mike]

You know what I mean?

[Andy Cortez]

Do it.

[Snowbike Mike]

Who the hell's Elliot?

[Roger Pokorny]

Yeah, that hat.

[Barrett Courtney]

God, that hat's so stupid.

[Greg Miller]

Stupid hat.

[Roger Pokorny]

In the pantheon of dumb that JRPG does, I. I love that. Like we're like focused on this hat. Like, why is this hat the thing? It's like so much dumb. You gotta look cool.

[Andy Cortez]

But like you're. When you do, you don't look cool. That's step number one.

[Blessing]

Can I be honest? I didn't. I thought Adventures of Elliot was a different game. Don't, don't. Don't counterpick that bear. What did you think it was? I thought it was like a 2D platformer about an old guy with a hat.

[Roger Pokorny]

Oh, that's the one that he.

[Andy Cortez]

Secret Life of Walter Schmitty.

[Blessing]

I thought that was Walter Schmidt.

[Roger Pokorny]

Secret Life of Walter Schmidt.

[Barrett Courtney]

I'm going to get crazy. And it's just one of those. They have not been on great streak. They're given no budget whatsoever to make games for the biggest franchise.

[Greg Miller]

Pokemon. He's going for Pokemon.

[Barrett Courtney]

I'm gonna counter pick Pokemon.

[Roger Pokorny]

This is what happened last year with Mike. So Greg's gonna win next year.

[Blessing]

Sorry? Well, he said Pokemon unannounced.

[Barrett Courtney]

Gen 10.

[Blessing]

I got you.

[Greg Miller]

Survival. I see. I like it.

[Barrett Courtney]

I mean it's one of those like the, the spin off games, the Legends games that they used to like experiment with the formula are scoring better than like the last couple of mainline gen games. And I. I don't know if they're going to be able to turn around for generation 10, which should be a big comeback for them.

[Greg Miller]

Andy Cortez and Nitro Rifle. We turn our lonely eyes to you to find out what your counter pick will be.

[Blessing]

You gotta counter pick Mike on something.

[Snowbike Mike]

Feel free. Don't do that.

[Blessing]

He's so free right now. He's gonna win it. He's gonna win.

[Roger Pokorny]

He didn't like the hat.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah, he can drop anything's not a bad call. There's a lot of questions.

[Snowbike Mike]

Let's get the list going right now, you and I, because we're going back to back. Pragmata Dust Bloods. Those are our top two right now you can add in Halo and Elliot if you want as well. There's your top four, right. Going down the list. Who else do we got here? Neo 3.

[Greg Miller]

Three.

[Snowbike Mike]

How good?

[Andy Cortez]

Hey, that's mid-80s. Hey, people love 85 though.

[Barrett Courtney]

No Neo 1 and 2 guaranteed mid-80s.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah, yeah. That's a. That's an 84.

[Snowbike Mike]

I'm looking at survivability.

[Tim Gettys]

I.

[Snowbike Mike]

When you get into this territory, we always talk 15s or above will win you the league.

[Andy Cortez]

I'll tell you. I'll tell you why.

[Snowbike Mike]

You can survive.

[Blessing]

I gotta. I got an article for you.

[Snowbike Mike]

You can survive a 12.

[Blessing]

Well this is a Reddit title Halo remake director on if the game is using AI quote quote. It's a tool in a toolbox. We use Photoshop. There's generative fill for example. The boundary lines can get a little fuzzy.

[Snowbike Mike]

Let me get real with you. Xbox, Microsoft, they use AI.

[Andy Cortez]

Okay.

[Snowbike Mike]

Let's just get real with each other. It's.

[Andy Cortez]

It's between two for me.

[Snowbike Mike]

Okay.

[Andy Cortez]

And I can't. Duskbloods is just such a question mark. And I questioned the out of Night Rain and I loved it. And it was still an 81.

[Tim Gettys]

One question I have about dustbuds. What's our confidence level in 2026?

[Blessing]

I mean they said it. That's awesome.

[Tim Gettys]

Do these games get delayed or by

[Snowbike Mike]

they're I mean pretty on it, right?

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah, they.

[Tim Gettys]

Gosh.

[Andy Cortez]

I mean the thing is their teams have just been growing and growing.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah. But they put games out.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Barrett Courtney]

And what's the last project? Was Elden Ring the last thing Miyazaki was truly the director of?

[Andy Cortez]

Yes. This one's been in development for like five years or something like that. Something like something long ass time.

[Snowbike Mike]

Think about the excitement though. Like you said, Arc Raiders is so hot right now. The idea that from software fans get to get a little taste. He's going to win a little taste of what a PVEVP situation could be. They don't know it till they tried and they're going to fall in love with it.

[Andy Cortez]

It's really just two options. It's two options for me.

[Snowbike Mike]

Lay it out on me.

[Andy Cortez]

It's Crimson Desert.

[Greg Miller]

Dude. I. Crimson Desert High on my list.

[Snowbike Mike]

I'm scared.

[Greg Miller]

Crimson known.

[Roger Pokorny]

Never forget it.

[Andy Cortez]

But I hate this red hat. I'm going Adventures of Elliot.

[Tim Gettys]

Oh.

[Greg Miller]

Let's go. Red Hat.

[Andy Cortez]

Thank you. I hate the red hat, man.

[Greg Miller]

I. I actually never played the demo.

[Andy Cortez]

I did.

[Greg Miller]

Did it feel good?

[Andy Cortez]

I mean it was whatever. Like I don't know.

[Snowbike Mike]

You're about to get JRPG.

[Roger Pokorny]

Yeah.

[Snowbike Mike]

You're about to get JRPG. You're about to get JRpg.

[Andy Cortez]

I'm going to get octopath.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah.

[Roger Pokorny]

Happen.

[Andy Cortez]

But, like, I just was really, really looking forward to this because Greg and I saw this and we're like, oh, it's like octopath but not turn base. Great.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

And I put it.

[Tim Gettys]

I was like, how did Project Triangle strategy do?

[Blessing]

That's a weird.

[Andy Cortez]

Was that a real time combat game?

[Tim Gettys]

No, real time strategy.

[Blessing]

I think it was turn based.

[Greg Miller]

Right.

[Tim Gettys]

Or turn based strategy.

[Blessing]

It was supposed to be like 83.

[Tim Gettys]

So I'm thinking just a HD2D project that's not. Oh, got an RPG.

[Andy Cortez]

So.

[Tim Gettys]

So, all right, not bad.

[Snowbike Mike]

So 83. That's survivable. If you get. If you get.

[Andy Cortez]

That's survivable.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

It's just a hat, man.

[Snowbike Mike]

Okay. Hey, I mean, that's a wild thing to counter pin because of that.

[Blessing]

Yeah, I really.

[Tim Gettys]

Well, my biggest with you, Andy, is that, like, I don't know that a single outlet besides us is gonna comment on the hat.

[Roger Pokorny]

No one's.

[Andy Cortez]

But like, I played. I played it and it just wasn't like. Yeah, yeah, it really kind of let me down. Like where you.

[Snowbike Mike]

Your.

[Andy Cortez]

It's. It's an action RPG or whatever, but, you know, it's the same animation.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

Like Zelda style, where it's like, if you hit it the swing three times, it doesn't do anything cool. I was like, oh, this is kind of like not what I.

[Roger Pokorny]

We also didn't like Ninja Gaiton 4.

[Andy Cortez]

That's true.

[Tim Gettys]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Greg Miller]

Snow Bike.

[Blessing]

Y' all didn't like Ninja Gaiton 4.

[Roger Pokorny]

I looked at him, you know, I mean.

[Greg Miller]

Time for the final counter pick. It comes from the one only.

[Snowbike Mike]

Thank you, Greg Miller. Yeah, I'm in a fun one right now. I have three on my mind. That is Dusk, Blood Buds. That is the unannounced Witcher 3 DLC. And that is Pragmata. Right. And so I go down the list similar to conversations we've already had. Right. Pragmata. Wow. Cool idea. Fun little gimmick to get you going. Similar to active reloading. I really thought that was fun. Now my worry is, is when you're in a room with eight to ten enemies and you do have to do that click, drag, maze drop. Is that really engaging and fun? Eight hours in. In. Will you master it and go, I love this. Or will you go, man, this is frustrating when I'm getting my butt cheeks

[Blessing]

beat and

[Greg Miller]

don't look at me he

[Tim Gettys]

look straight in my eyes. Straight.

[Snowbike Mike]

My eyes double down on it.

[Blessing]

Thought about it was like, should I say it? And then I said it with confidence. Now you're not thinking about GTA 6.

[Snowbike Mike]

It's 4. I mean, like, truly bless it was high on my list and everybody seems to have avoided it.

[Andy Cortez]

Right.

[Blessing]

Of like, I would have picked it if high five three wasn't sitting there.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah.

[Blessing]

It's the right answer.

[Andy Cortez]

I'm just looking at headlines that say all style, no substance for crimson desert.

[Blessing]

Yeah. But I'm looking at headlines that say GTA 6 been delayed into 2027.

[Roger Pokorny]

GTA 6. 2027 has a ring.

[Snowbike Mike]

Would you rather. Let's just be real, you and I. Bless.

[Barrett Courtney]

Okay.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Snowbike Mike]

Would you rather us release our biggest project during the fall holiday period when the kids will have time for off and play a bunch of it, or would we really push in the spring or summer?

[Blessing]

It was originally out in May for like a year and a half. That game was coming out in May.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah. But then they push it to the holidays now. So check it out.

[Blessing]

Now we're in the holiday because it's GTA they're with. I'm Rockstar. My number one priority is making sure that game is perfection.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah.

[Blessing]

Perfect. And if there's one pixel off, release it in May. One pixel. Are you going to bet it all? Are you going to lose it all on one pixel?

[Snowbike Mike]

I do love that. Bless of like, my year hinges on GTA 6. Or not like that. I think that is a pretty wicked.

[Andy Cortez]

Here's the thing. Story to tell.

[Blessing]

It's too.

[Andy Cortez]

It's way too high of a risk in my opinion. Of like. Well, you could pick any other game and maybe get negative 11 points or you could pick GTA 6 and get negative 20.

[Roger Pokorny]

For me last. I would have won the league.

[Blessing]

Let me. Let me have a conversation with you about last year. And last year you picked GTA 6 as your first pick. It got. It got locked in. It got counterpicked and you couldn't drop it. It got you zero points. That screwed you. That almost lost you the game, but you were able to manage it and make. Make the win.

[Greg Miller]

That's what champions do.

[Blessing]

That's what champions do. Right now, Roger McCorney is on track to become a champion because what did he do? He picked Trails in the sky, second chapter.

[Snowbike Mike]

He really hurt my feelings there.

[Paris Lilly]

He.

[Blessing]

You.

[Snowbike Mike]

You really hurt my feelings.

[Greg Miller]

You have a chance right back lock

[Roger Pokorny]

in GTA and then just destroy your entire life.

[Snowbike Mike]

These are great questions. These are great.

[Roger Pokorny]

Here's the thing.

[Andy Cortez]

It's not like GTA is going to get you bonus points. If you counterpick it and are correct, you're not going to gain. Y.

[Snowbike Mike]

You're right, Andy. And that's why I have to go with the Dusk Bloods because it will not release this year.

[Roger Pokorny]

Wow. He's so right.

[Paris Lilly]

Wow. Okay.

[Barrett Courtney]

Just not released this year.

[Tim Gettys]

Wow.

[Roger Pokorny]

That's incredible.

[Blessing]

Hey, got it.

[Greg Miller]

You got to respect it.

[Paris Lilly]

You should have picked Fable.

[Roger Pokorny]

Little drama.

[Andy Cortez]

I like it.

[Blessing]

I was hoping he would counterpick GTA and that it would come out.

[Greg Miller]

I know you were selling a little too hard. And there you have it everybody. That's The Fantasy Critic 2026 roster of games. Do we want to do a quick read through? I feel like we did it right before we did counter picks, so it's okay. Let me get a couple super chats in then. Okay. Red Misfit Super Chat and said hey. Kind of funny. Paris intelligently predicted on Colt Eastwood's show last year that if GTA 6 is delayed from May to fall, Fable will likely move from 2026 to 2027. Highly agree. Great prediction again, Paris.

[Andy Cortez]

God, he's the goat.

[Greg Miller]

Thank you Ryan 802080 8,028 said. I'm so happy all are back. Been listening since 2018 when I was in high school and now post college. Thanks for getting me through my job every day. We're happy to be there for you.

[Andy Cortez]

Thank you.

[Greg Miller]

Claw Master Super Chatted and said Barrett's heel turn might be the best thing this year. Barrett, look up MJF from AEW if you get the chance. Dexter Super Chat has said Tim or bless. Here's a free one for y' all to add to your draft New Mario game. It's going to be Galaxy 3 and it'll be the highest rated game in the year or pizza's on me. Love you all. Suck it Grab.

[Roger Pokorny]

Well, let's remember that because we're getting free pieces at the end of the year.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Blessing]

Yeah.

[Greg Miller]

No chance. You don't think?

[Roger Pokorny]

Huh?

[Tim Gettys]

I think the slimmest of chances.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah. Yeah. And there you have it then. That is Fantasy Critic. But it's far from over. It's just begun. Remember, we each have five slots left on our team and a budget of $100 that we get to spend bid. We bid on games from here on out to try to get them on your team. Obviously you want to spend your money right away like some people do. You want to sit on it all year long, wait for things to get announced at SGF and what? There's always a different way to play the game. You can keep up of course. We'll update you on Gamescast throughout the year with our little things of what's going on, where the standings are, et cetera, et cetera. But you could always go to kindafunny.com league and look in live at what is happening for now. Of course it's time for us to wrap up the Gamescast but the day is far from over here at Kinda Funny Mike, what are you about to play?

[Snowbike Mike]

Myself and Nick are about to have our first afternoon stream of the brand new year and we're gonna bro day down with army of Two, a nice awesome co op epic. Come join us. We'll have some fun. We'll catch up with Nick and hear all about his break and his thoughts on Stranger Things because of course he's still thinking about it each and every day.

[Greg Miller]

Paris, thank you of course for hanging out with us. Where can people keep up with you?

[Paris Lilly]

You can keep up with me at Gamertag Radio and you can keep up with me on my YouTube channel which I changed the name. It is YouTube.comparis Now I know what it is and right after this I am going to Talk about the GeForce on announcement by Nvidia. So we get all the good fun PC gaming news. But yeah and then obviously on social media at Vista696 and contributing here at

[Andy Cortez]

Kind of Funny Paris Branding. Paris Branding.

[Paris Lilly]

Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

Way to go.

[Greg Miller]

This is met another episode of the Kinda Funny Gamescast. Thank you for watching. Please support us. We're an 11 person small business in our 11th year. Patreon.com kindafunny YouTube.com kindafunnygames Apple Spotify pick up a membership and until next time, no. It's been our pleasure to serve you.

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[Snowbike Mike]

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