Arcade Couch

We discuss the Assassin’s Creed Black Flag remake, Tides of Tomorrow, and Vampire Crawlers. SHOW DOT POINTS The remake of Assassin's Creed Black Flag is highly anticipated. Black Flag was a turning point for the Assassin's Creed franchise. Shuhei Yoshida's departure reflects a shift in PlayStation's direction. Xbox Game Pass is undergoing significant changes, including a price drop. Nintendo is ad...

We debate whether video game remakes/remasters are killing the industry and holding it back from bigger things. SHOW DOT POINTS Nostalgia can hinder innovation in gaming. Remakes are often more financially viable for publishers. There are still many original games being released. The gaming industry is risk-averse, favouring known properties. Development timelines have become excessively long. Cre...

Dylan and Ashley discuss the news surrounding Disney and Epic Games teaming up for a new crossover, in addition to the current Fortnite one.  Plus, Dylan dives into Pokémon Champions, gives his wrap-up thoughts on Resident Evil Requiem, and talks to Ashley about the latest idea from PlayStation—adding scans of real people to their games. SHOW DOT POINTS Dylan expresses frustration over being calle...

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is already proving to be a big success at the box office, but its quality is splitting the internet. Embracer may have 2 prominent studios working on The Lord of the Rings games, and Ciaran shares his impressions of Screamer YOUR HOSTS 🎙️ Ashley Hobley 🎙️ Ciaran Marchant CONTENT MENTIONED The Super Mario Galaxy Movie - Starts Better & Then Ends Worse | Animated Won...

We discuss Life is Strange: Reunion, impressions, and its lack of marketing, go over the recent PlayStation console price increase, and break down the Xbox Partner Preview. SHOW DOT POINTS PlayStation has increased the prices of its consoles due to global economic pressures. Early adopters of gaming consoles benefit from price increases for new buyers. Nintendo's pricing strategy for digital vs ph...

We discuss DLSS 5 and how it's adding to the AI slopness of the game industry. SHOW DOT POINTS The introduction of DLSS5 has sparked significant backlash from gamers. AI technology in gaming can alter the original artistic intent of games. NVIDIA's DLSS5 aims to enhance graphics but raises concerns about photorealism. The gaming industry is experiencing a wave of layoffs and restructuring. Ubisoft...

We discuss the future of Xbox with their upcoming hybrid PC/Console and what that means for their games. YOUR HOSTS 🎙️ Dylan Blight 🎙️ Ashley Hobley RESOURCES The First Xbox Project Helix Details Have Been Revealed And Xbox Mode Is Coming To All PCs Yoshi And The Mysterious Book's Release Date Has Been Revealed Alongside A Gorgeous New Trailer South of Midnight debuts on PS5 and Switch 2 later thi...

We discuss the Nintendo Indie World for March 2026 and dive into the wonderful world ready to explore in Pokémon Pokopia. SHOW DOT POINTS The Indie World Showcase featured a variety of new indie games. Dylan expressed excitement for the game Densha Attack. The game My Little Puppy has a unique premise involving dogs and heaven. Heave Ho 2 was announced, continuing the multiplayer co-op experience....

We talk about everything from the 2026 Pokémon Day, Pokémon Presents, including the reveal of Pokémon Wind & Waves.  Also on the show, we give our impressions on both Resident Evil: Requiem, as well as Marathon, after jumping into the server slam.  SHOW DOT POINTS The Pokémon Presents event celebrated the 30th anniversary of the franchise. New game features and updates were announced, includin...

We discuss the huge shakeup with the Xbox leadership team and the closure of Bluepoint Games. SHOW DOT POINTS Phil Spencer's retirement marks a significant shift for Xbox. Asha Sharma's appointment raises questions about Xbox's future direction. Xbox's current position is precarious, with many uncertainties. The gaming industry is shifting towards live service models. Sony's closure of Blue Point...

We break down the first State of Play for 2026, which brought plenty of surprises and new game trailers. SHOW DOT POINTS The PlayStation Showcase featured a variety of new game announcements. Wolverine was included in the showcase, albeit not in the expected format. Kenna: Bridge of Spirits sequel shows significant development. Ghost of Yotai Legends is set to return with multiplayer features. Dea...

HBO and Craig Mazin are working on an HBO series, but Larian Studio aren't involved! Let's talk about it. We also discuss the Nintendo Direct: Partner Showcase, the first for 2026, as well as Dylan's time with Dragon Quest VII: Reimagined. SHOW DOT POINTS The Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase received mixed reactions from fans. Many players were disappointed with the lack of major surprises in the...

For the first episode of 2026, we catch up on what's been happening in the year so far and then draft our picks for the 2026 game. SHOW DOT POINTS The gaming industry is experiencing significant changes with physical media declining. Life is Strange Reunion aims to conclude the Max and Chloe story arc. Ubisoft's cancellation of games reflects the challenges in the gaming market. Highguard's launch...

We break down all the big announcements and the winners from The Game Awards 2025. This is also the last episode of Arcade Couch for 2025, so we shall see you all in the New Year! YOUR HOSTS 🎙️ Dylan Blight 🎙️ Ashley Hobley 🎙️ Ciaran Marchant CREDITS 🎵 Music: Dylan Blight 🎵 Sound Effect by floraphonic from Pixabay 🎨 Artwork: Cherie Henriques 📝 Show notes powered by Riverside. FM 👉 DISCOVER MO...

We drop six predictions each for what games, reveals, trailers, etc, could be seen at this year's The Game Awards show. YOUR HOSTS 🎙️ Dylan Blight 🎙️ Ashley Hobley 🎙️ Ciaran Marchant CREDITS 🎵 Music: Dylan Blight 🎵 Sound Effect by floraphonic from Pixabay 🎨 Artwork: Cherie Henriques 📝 Show notes powered by Riverside. FM 👉 DISCOVER MORE ARCADE COUCH & EXPLOSION NETWORK Listen to every epis...

We discuss Fortnite's big 'Endgame'-like finale and what games are releasing in December. SHOW DOT POINTS Fortnite's events draw massive audiences and feature pop culture icons. The collaboration between Fortnite and Kill Bill is unprecedented. AI's role in game development is a contentious topic. Transparency about AI usage in games is essential for consumer trust. December is a slow month for ga...

We discuss the Xbox Partner Preview showcase and rumours of Half-Life 3 being announced before the end of the year. Also on the show, Dylan has played Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment and Kirby Air Riders and gives his thoughts on both of the games so far. SHOW DOT POINTS The Xbox Partner Preview showcased a variety of new games and trailers. The hosts expressed excitement about the diversity...

On this week’s episode of Arcade Couch, we give our impressions of the first trailer for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Discuss Valve’s announcement of new hardware, share the most interesting reveals from the Playstation State of Play Japan showcase and give our final thoughts on Dispatch now that all the episodes are out. YOUR HOSTS 🎙️ Ashley Hobley 🎙️ Ciaran Marchant EPISODE TIMECODES 00:00:00 -...

We discuss Grand Theft Auto VI's delay, the release of League of Legends: Riftbound, Pokémon Legends: Z-A DLC, and the news that the Mass Effect TV series will be set after the events of the third game. SHOW DOT POINTS The gaming community is buzzing with excitement over current events. League of Legends and Overwatch are still popular among gamers. The release of Pokémon Legends: ZAH has generate...

We discuss how the Xbox Boss has said TikTok is their biggest challenge and competition now, not other consoles, as well as the latest gaming headlines from the week. SHOW DOT POINTS The gaming industry is facing a November slump with little news. Xbox sees competition beyond consoles, focusing on overall entertainment. Attention spans are shorter, leading to a demand for simpler content. Consumer...

We discuss the first two episodes of Dispatch, a new superhero adventure game from AdHoc Studio, a new team made up of former Telltale Developers, plus dive into the big news of the week, which includes Halo coming to PlayStation. SHOW DOT POINTS The hosts express excitement about reconnecting after a long time. Fallout 4 Anniversary Edition is set to release soon. Remedy Entertainment is facing c...

Dylan discusses his time with Pokémon Legends: Z-A and his thoughts on the game after about ten hours.  Catching up with Ashley, he also goes over a bunch of stuff he played at PAX AUS 2025 last week that hasn't been discussed yet, and the two talk about their Hades 2 runs. YOUR HOSTS 🎙️ Dylan Blight 🎙️ Ashley Hobley RESOURCES https://explosionnetwork.com/paxaus2025/ CREDITS 🎵 Music: Dylan Blight...

We wrap up PAX AUS 2025 and Melbourne International Games Week from our hotel room on Monday morning before packing up and making our trek back home.  • We discuss the big highlights from the event for us this year • There are some interview snippets here as well from  - Justin Vazquez, Creative Director on Grounded 2 at Eidos-Montréal + Miles Winzler, Producer on Grounded 2  - Rob Davis, Campaign...

We've all been playing Hades II and discussing our early thoughts on the game, a sequel to one of our collective favourites. Show Dot Points Hades 2 introduces new gameplay mechanics that enhance strategy. The art style and music continue to impress players. Progression feels rewarding, regardless of the success of the run. The game features a complex system of collectibles and upgrades. Character...

We discuss the PAX AUS 2025 exhibitor list and the panels you should check out each day. Show Dot Points Hades 2 is highly anticipated and set to release soon. The podcast will take a break after the next episode. Episodic game releases are gaining popularity, allowing for quicker engagement. The Australian Game Developer Awards showcase a variety of talented games. Nintendo's presence at PAX Aust...