Dropped Frames

Do you remember the 21st night of September? Because we do on this very packed episode! Unfortunately the state of the world is encroaching on everything and everyone and that includes video games as payment processors have changed their guidelines to vaguely singling out adult content on Steam and other storefronts. Counter-Strike 2 found a way to get passed gambling laws, and Valve apologizes to an indie dev studio. We love Borderlands 4 despite itself. Our thoughts on Dying Light 2, Megabonk, No, I am Not Human, and a spoiler review of Cronos!   0:00 - Intro1:00 - 21st of September9:00 - Convergence19:00 - Let's Build a Dungeon26:00 - Payment processors attack on video games37:00 - Counter-Strike 2 circumvents gambling laws43:00 - Steam apologizes to a dev studio50:00 - Borderlands 41:15:00 - Easy mode?1:22:20 - XBOX raises prices again1:30:40 - Krafton vs Subnautica update1:32:40 - Paradox changes Bloodlines 2 DLC1:35:20 - Dying Light 2: The Beast1:54:20 - Megabonk2:08:20 - Jump Space2:10:10 - Valve update2:16:30 - No, I Am Not Human2:26:10 - Eclipsium2:33:50 - Cronos (+spoilers)2:48:40 - Dead Reset2:54:50 - ShoutoutsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cohh is out this week so we bring on Bruce Greene and Anthony Kongphan to talk about the horrors of Ditto. JP's unnatural love of karaoke, our disdain for Nintendo gameplay patents, the difficulty of Silksong. Then we get into our time with Borderlands 4. Is it too much of the same thing?    0:00 - Intro1:20 - Mr. Brightside3:10 - Karaoke8:30 - Beards13:00 - Physical media17:25 - Nintendo Direct30:00 - Ditto40:20 - Nintendo US patent.48:50 - Is Silksong hard?1:00:20 - Hades 2 1.01:09:40 - Silent Hill f1:17:00 - Battlefield 61:27:00 - Borderlands 42:14:40 - 2XKO closed beta2:35:20 - Waterpark Simulator2:39:00 - Cronos2:43:40 - The Lightkeeper2:50:40 - Casebook 18992:52:50 - Gloomy eyes3:00:00 - ShoutoutsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're joined by recent Vtuber convert Dodger this week to get into the nitty gritty of vtubing debuts and the tech and work that goes into setting it all up. Then we get into the megaton game of 2025: Hollow Knight: Silksong and Cohh's speedrun! We explore the darkness of Hell is Us, why Deadlock might be okay for beginners. How to start Path of Exile 2, our thoughts on Cronos and more!    0:00 - Intro1:00 - Controversy8:00 - Homework13:10 - Vtuber debut17:00 - The tech30:00 - Dodger's vtuber model inspiration54:00 - Hollow Knight: Silksong1:27:10 - Hell is Us1:45:40 - Deadlock1:59:20 - Path of Exile 22:19:50 - Cronos: The New Dawn2:38:50 - Daemon x Machina: Titanic Scion2:47:15 - ShoutoutsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're joined by FGC legend Justin Wong this week to chat about competing at EVO, upcoming fighting games, and becoming Him. We check our Silksong hype, Path of Exile 2 returns in a huge way, Shinobi is a home for fighting game players and the surprisingly hype Geoguesser World Championship. 0:00 - Intro1:00 - Football season6:00 - Smack talk11:30 - Sub sandwiches & fast food16:30 - Oh yeah, Justin Wong is here31:00 - Marvel Tokon/2XKO/Invincible VS58:30 - Are hiding inputs useful?1:05:10 - Sony sells EVO1:09:20 - EVO prestige 1:20:30 - Is it better to be good at a game or good at reading players?1:24:30 - EVO Moment 371:32:00 - Street Fighter 61:36:30 - Lucy in Guilty Gear Strive1:38:00 - Shinobi: Art of Vengeance1:42:30 - Silksong hype check1:49:10 - Path of Exile 2: The Third Edict2:21:40 - Geoguesser World Championship2:40:30 - VOID/BREAKER2:42:40 - TheHunter - Call of the Wild3:00:00 - Shoutouts    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We remove the clown shoes after 7 years of waiting: Silksong has a release date! Just in time for 20% of Twitch's viewership poofs out of existence as Twitch has finally started combating viewbotting! How will this affect streams and sponsors in the future on the streaming platform? Tariffs hit Playstation 5 in the US. Vampire the Masquerade: The Ship of Theseus. Pete Parsons leaves Bungie in his very cool car after firing numerous employees.Path of Exile 2 returns in a big way, ERPers turn on Final Fantasy XIV and much more!   0:00 - Intro1:00 - Condensed3:00 - Viewbotters16:45 - Silksong finally has a release date28:30 - The PlayStation 5 price increases31:15 - Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines 247:00 - Helldivers 2 x Halo ODST48:10 - Pete Parsons leaves Bungie50:00 - Path of Exile 2 The Third Edict1:10:20 - Final Fantasy XIV bans mods1:18:00 - World of Warcraft Midnight1:23:40 - Deadlock gets a big update1:30:00 - Hosting1:38:30 - Whispers From The Star1:52:00 - Loving an AI2:06:30 - VOID/BREAKER2:14:30 - Morrowind2:24:55 - Gods, Death & Reapers2:41:40 - Herdling2:48:15 - Dead Wire2:50:30 - We finish games here2:57:00 - Supraworld3:03:00 - ShoutoutsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're all in on Battlefield 6 this week as the first beta weekend launched. Is Battlefield back? Titan Quest 2 gaining traction, Diablo 4 lead Rod Fergusson leaves Blizzard, Bungie losing independence, Square Enix MMOs on the downtrend. Zeke suffers through Mind's Eye, watching the EVO finals and we learn new zoomer slang and baseball!  0:00 - Intro1:00 - Up all night3:25 - Start diggin' in yo butt twin6:00 - Baseball16:00 - Titan Quest 2 sold 300k in 72 hours16:50 - Rod Fergusson leaves Blizzard/Microsoft24:10 - Bungie dissolving into Sony30:00 - Battlefield 61:20:10 - Square Enix MMO division1:34:10 - EVO 20251:45:40 - Mind's Eye2:01:10 - Mafia: The Old Country2:23:10 - Abiotic Factor2:38:00 - THE RPG2:43:50 - Shoutouts  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're joined by Washington Post's game journalist Gene Park this week to chat about the state of games journalism in 2025 and how Mind's Eye is the experience of the year.  We also go over the surprise THQ showcase that revealed Darksiders 4 and shadowdropped the early access of Titan Quest 2. Then we get into our time with Grounded 2, Abiotic Factor 1.0, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound and... Shenmue?   0:00 - Intro1:00 - Hair Bleach7:00 - Gene Park is here18:00 - Journalism in 202537:20 - Gene's favorite interview1:05:00 - What is clickbait?1:07:00 - Going to gaming events1:11:00 - Maintaining integrity1:20:50 - Gene has platinumed Mind's Eye1:53:50 - Visa/Mastercard/Porn2:05:00 - Music2:08:50 - Nintendo sales2:10:20 - Bioshock 4 dead?2:12:30 - Top people working at WB2:17:40 - THQ showcase - Titan Quest 2/Darksider 42:29:50 - Grounded 22:35:00 - Abiotic Factor2:40:00 - Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound2:42:30 - Shinobi Demo2:44:50 - Shenmue2:49:45 - The Drifter2:52:45 - Lucy joins Guilty Gear Strive/EVO 20252:58:30 - Shoutouts/Tokon breaking news    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we talk about finishing games as a streamer, why it's better for the streamer and the viewer to not force themselves to complete games. The numerous faux pas we dislike in games. Our thoughts on Donkey Kong Banaza, FFXIV Dawntrail, the Mafia series, Neon Abyss 2 (and more) before getting into the news with Krafton v Subnautica heating up, Roblox dating, being replaced by AI and more!   0:00 - Intro1:00 - The worst show7:25 - Cohh quits Kojima28:00 - Finishing games47:00 - Gaming faux pas54:50 - Claptrap will have a volume slider in Borderlands 458:30 - Grounded is the best survival game1:10:00 - Mafia 31:27:00 - Donkey Kong Bananza1:56:50 - Ghost of Yotei Showcase2:02:50 - Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail2:12:50 - Zeke's Games2:16:40 - Neon Abyss 22:18:50 - Krafton vs Subnautica2:21:50 - Valve removes sex games2:33:00 - Microtransactions create fun!2:35:15 - Roblox dating2:45:00 - Lay-offs at King (Microsoft) replaced by AI2:46:40 - Destiny 2 Edge of Fate CCV way down2:51:00 - ShoutoutsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mass layoffs hit XBOX again and it's most definitely not the end with over 9000 employees and multiple projects canceled. Are we cooked? More Death Stranding 2 talk and look foward to what Kojima has in store. A new Planetside-like being developed? The Alters dev respond to usage of AI, Stop Killing Games reaches 1 million signatures for UK. A look at Uma Musume and gacha gaming, PEAK and more! 0:00 - Intro1:20 - Climate 2:40 - Death Stranding 228:25 - Lord of the Rings Online32:15 - A new Planetside? Reaper Actual39:50 - The Alters AI59:30 - Stop Killing Games reaches 1 million signatures in UK1:06:00 - Helldivers 2 hits XBOX1:07:40 - Microsoft massive layoffs and cancelations1:33:00 - EA expects 100 million players for Battlefield1:40:00 - Krafton replaces Subnautica co-founders1:55:00 - Uma Musume: Pretty Derby2:04:00 - Gacha games2:24:00 - PEAK2:32:10 - 7 Days to Die2:35:30 - VTuber Q2:50:10 - ShoutoutsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The discussion dives into the expanding role of GenAI in game development and concerns over increasing viewbotting on Twitch. They question whether streaming video games is fading away, while also exploring the challenges and excitement of Dune Awakening and Death Stranding 2. The quirky Horse Girl game adds a humorous touch as they reflect on creativity in gaming. Additionally, they promote the Stop Killing Games initiative and share insights on character progression and unique gameplay mechanics, highlighting the community's passion.