

Beyond
IGN & Geek Media
For decades, PlayStation consoles have brought incredible games and unforgettable stories to millions of gamers— and Beyond has been there every step of the way. Join passionate PlayStation experts Max Scoville, Brian Altano, Jada Griffin, and Akeem Lawanson for witty, insightful analysis of the latest PlayStation news, must-play games, and everything coming to PlayStation 5. Whether you're a die-hard fan or new to the world of PlayStation, Beyond is your ultimate PlayStation podcast.Beyond! is a part of Geek Media Podcast Network, an IGN Entertainment Brand.Visit Geek.com for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 28, 2021 • 52min
Horizon Forbidden West's PS5 Gameplay Wowed Us - Beyond Episode 702
On this week's episode of Podcast Beyond!, host Jonathon Dornbush is joined by Lucy O'Brien and Mark Medina to react to the Horizon Forbidden West State of Play presentation, featuring the first PS5 gameplay. The trio digs into the traversal additions, like Aloy's new glider, the changes to combat against both human and robotic enemies, the design of this San Francisco location, and so much more. This episode was filmed as part of a livestream right after the State of Play, so apologies for any sections that feel a little strange in audio-only form. We'll be back to our usual show next week!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 19, 2021 • 56min
Our GTA 5 PS5 Hopes, New DualSense Colors - Beyond Episode 701
On this week's episode of Podcast Beyond!, IGN's weekly PlayStation show, host Jonathon Dornbush is joined by Brian Altano and Max Scoville to dive into the latest PS4 and PS5 news. The cast discusses GTA 5's PS5 release date confirmation and our hopes for what the third version of GTA 5 on consoles can offer for both newcomers and returning players. Along with that, we discuss the enduring success of GTA Online, and what we hope to see of Rockstar's emphasis on GTA 3's 20th anniversary later this year. We also discuss the DualSense's two new colors, set to come out on June 11, including what we think of them, what we hope Sony's further approach to offering new controller colors will be, and why we really just want to have an official way to get PS5 faceplates customized. Plus, we discuss The Last of Us Part 2 PS5 performance patch, get in some Sackboy-meets-Returnal breaking news, and touch a bit more (spoiler free) on Resident Evil Village.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 13, 2021 • 1h 5min
25 PS5 Games on the Way From PlayStation - Podcast Beyond! Episode 700
BEYOND! To celebrate the 700th episode of IGN's weekly PlayStation show, host Jonathon Dornbush is joined by Brian Altano, Max Scoville, and Lucy O'Brien for an episode filmed live breaking down all the latest PlayStation news and impressions. The cast jumps into the recent report in which Sony claimed it has 25 first-party published games in the works for PS5. We discuss what that number includes, the confirmed and rumored games in the lineup, and more. Plus, we offer some spoiler-free thoughts on Resident Evil Village, answer live viewer questions, and more.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 5, 2021 • 1h 11min
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart Looks Like a PS5 Showcase - Beyond Episode 699
On this week's episode of IGN's weekly PlayStation show, Podcast Beyond!, host Jonathon Dornbush is joined by Brian Altano, Lucy O'Brien, and Colin Stevens to jump into the latest PS5 and PS4 news and games. The cast first takes a deep dive into the latest Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart PS5 State of Play, including what we thought of the PS5 game's visuals, how it looks to advance the franchise forward, and why it all comes together to look like an absolute PS5 showcase. Plus, we dive into the renewal of a trademark for Insomniac's Sunset Overdrive, touch briefly on Returnal's launch, and more. And while none of us have played Resident Evil Village yet, we reminisce on the franchise, our love for it, its highs and lows, and more ahead of Village's launch this week.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 29, 2021 • 58min
Returnal Is a Great PS5 Exclusive - Beyond Episode 698
On this week's episode of Podcast Beyond!, IGN's weekly PlayStation show covering the biggest PS5 and PS4 games and news, host Jonathon Dornbush is joined by Mark Medina and Mitchell Saltzman to discuss Housemarque's PS5 exclusive Returnal. We discuss why Returnal is such a great PS5 exclusive and shows off what the console can do, from the included haptics and 3D audio functionality to fast loading and impressive gameplay. The conversation stays spoiler-free, as we answer viewer and listener questions about Returnal's difficulty, its arcade roots, just how big of an experience it actually is, and much more.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 22, 2021 • 1h 14min
PlayStations Big Store Reversal, Returnal PS5 Impressions - Beyond Episode 697
On this week's episode of IGN's PlayStation show, Podcast Beyond!, host Jonathon Dornbush is joined by Brian Altano and Max Scoville to discuss all the latest PlayStation news. The crew jumps into PlayStation's surprising, big store reversal and the decision to keep the PS3 and PS Vita PlayStation Stores alive for now. We discuss the implications of the decision, why we're still apprehensive, and what we hope to see from Sony later on. Then, Jonathon offers his preview impressions of Returnal after going hands-on with the PS5 exclusive. He breaks down some of the gameplay, the atmosphere, and how it uses the DualSense and 3D audio so well. The cast also touches on ProbablyMonsters' Firewalk Studios and their new partnership with PlayStation to publish an exclusive multiplayer game, what else we've been playing, and much more.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 14, 2021 • 1h 19min
PS5's First Big Update: What's Here and What's Missing - Beyond Episode 696
On this week's episode of Podcast Beyond!, host Jonathon Dornbush is joined by Brian Altano, Max Scoville, and Lucy O'Brien to talk through all the biggest PlayStation news, including the launch of the PlayStation 5's first big update. We discuss the good and bad of what's here in the PS5 firmware update, along with what's missing that we hope to see sooner than later. Plus, the cast dives into the latest report about PlayStation's alleged first-party, internal focuses, including the reported shifting of a Last of Us remake, a Days Gone 2, and much more, and what we think this means for Sony as it moves more fully into the PS5 era. After that, we discuss what we're playing, including Disco Elysium, Sekiro, It Takes Two, and more, plus a pair of Memory Card stories!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 7, 2021 • 1h 15min
PlayStation Doesn’t Need E3 to Have a Great 2021 - Beyond Episode 695
On this week's episode of IGN's PlayStation show, Podcast Beyond!, host Jonathon Dornbush is joined by Brian Altano and Lucy O'Brien to break down all the biggest Sony news of the last week, including the confirmation that E3 2021 is returning as an all-digital event, but as of right now Sony won't be there. The panel discusses why this isn't shocking, and how PlayStation can still have a big 2021 even without needing to be at E3. Plus, the cast jumps into MLB the Show's availability on Game Pass for Xbox players but it not yet being announced for PlayStation Plus. The cast digs into how we think the two companies' services are comparing, what, if anything, we expect to change about Sony's offering, and more. Then, we dive into some of the games we're playing now, like Oddworld: Soulstorm, Disco Elysium, and Outriders, plus a haunted Memory Card story, and much more!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 31, 2021 • 58min
How CDPR Hopes to Come Back After Cyberpunk 2077's Launch - Beyond Episode 694
On this week's episode of IGN's weekly PlayStation show, host Jonathon Dornbush is joined by Simon Cardy, Zach Ryan, and special guest StreetGrind to talk about all the latest PlayStation news...except for the new PlayStation Plus lineup, of course. (We'll catch your news on time, one day, Sony!) Instead, the cast jumps into the confirmation that PS3, PS Vita, and PSP PSN stores will be closing down in the coming months, Ratchet and Clank's PS5 patch and Sony's rollout of PS4 to PS5 upgrade patches, and more. But our centerpiece discussion is around all the Cyberpunk 2077 and CD Projekt Red news of the week. From Cyberpunk's new, massive 1.2 patch to CDPR's promise to market games on shorter timelines in the future and much more, we discuss how the company plans to move forward after the troubled launch of 2077 and its continued absence from the PSN store. (Knowing our luck, we expected Cyberpunk to become available again on PS4 in between when we recorded and when this episode posted.)
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 24, 2021 • 1h 20min
Why PS3, PSP, and Vita Stores Closing Would Be Such a Big Deal - Beyond Episode 693
On this week's episode of IGN's PlayStation show, Podcast Beyond!, host Jonathon Dornbush is joined by Brian Altano and Mitchell Saltzman to discuss the report that Sony may be shuttering the PS3, PS Vita, and PSP stores in the coming months. We dive into what the loss of those digital storefronts might mean for a large chunk of PlayStation history, why we hope the decision doesn't come to pass, and what Sony could do to preserve such an important era to PlayStation's history. Then, the cast dives into the surprising announcement that Sony has acquired EVO in a new partnership. We discuss what the acquisition may mean for EVO itself and the fighting community at large, why we think Sony made the deal, and, really, why we hope it means a PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale 2 could actually happen. Plus, we dive into some of the free games coming PlayStation players' way with the Play at Home lineup, the PSVR 2 controllers, and much more!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices