DLC 625: Frank Barbiere: GTA 6 delayed, Marvel 1943 Rise of Hydra canceled? Kirby Air Riders, BallxPit, Trails in the Sky 1st, The Simpsons x Fortnite, Skogdal, Dark Quest 4, Old King’s Crown, Oath New Foundations, Magical Athlete
Nov 10, 2025
Frank Barbiere, a comic book writer known for creating The Author Immortal, joins to share insights on industry delays, notably GTA VI's push to 2026 and Marvel 1943's uncertain fate. He discusses Square Enix's ambitious plan to use AI for quality assurance and shares his thoughts on several games, including the chaotic Kirby Air Riders and the captivating BallxPit. Frank also dives into tabletop delights like Old King's Crown and Oath: New Foundations, emphasizing the fusion of art and gameplay in his recommendations.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Big Releases Reshape The Industry Calendar
- Grand Theft Auto VI's year-long delay shows major releases reshape the whole industry calendar.
- Big fall slots like mid-November create ripple effects for other publishers and platform planning.
Be Cautious With Public Release Dates
- Avoid treating announced release dates as guarantees; expect changes and build flexible plans.
- Prefer realistic windows or internal milestones instead of public fixed dates to reduce wasted marketing effort.
Ambiguity Signals Risk For Big Franchises
- Marvel 1943 Rise of Hydra's removal from the release calendar signals uncertainty even for high-profile franchises.
- Silent or indefinite delays both create worry; neither approach fully solves the communication problem.