Gametalk

Episode 263 Sony has announced that starting in 2028, they will no longer print discs. With Microsoft's Project Helix already confirmed to be discless, this statement effectively declares the end of physical, disc-based games. Today, we analyze this wildly unpopular decisions and the potential negative ramifications of an all-digital console future. As always, we conclude with the games we&#39...

Episode 262 The Steam Machine is imminent - it was reviewed by several creators and priced at an eye-watering $1049 for the most basic SKU. Today, we give our thoughts on the Steam Machine in the context of its price and the current hardware landscape. Is the pricing an anomaly or a foreboding sign of things to come? As always, we conclude with the games we're playing (Halo 3, Tainted Grail: F...

Episode 261 In today's episode, Dylan makes his podcast debut! We speak at length about the future of the games industry and how it might parallel the film/music industries, as well as some of the challenges that the industry may face in the years to come. As always, we conclude with the games we're playing (Destiny 2, Resident Evil). This episode was recorded in June 2026. Intro and outro...

Episode 260 Summer Games season is over, and it was packed to the brim with exciting games! We go through Geoff Keighly's Summer Games Fest, the Xbox Showcase, and the Nintendo Direct and discuss all the games that caught our eye. As always, we conclude with the games we're playing (Mina the Hollower, Slay The Spire 2, 007 First Light, Final Fantasy XIV, Destiny 2). This episode was record...

Episode 259 Summer Games Fest season kicks off with PlayStation's State of Play, and there is much to discuss! With a deluge of single-player games shown, could this be Sony beginning to course-correct from their misguided live-service venture? We give our thoughts on the State of Play, then discuss the end of Destiny 2 and the situation Bungie finds themselves in. As always, we conclude with...

Episode 258 Summer is finally upon us, and that means Summer Games Fest! Today, we predict what we might see at this year's showcases from PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, and more! As always, we conclude with the games we're playing (007 First Light, Monster Hunter, Battlefield 6). This episode was recorded in May 2026. Intro and outro music composed for Gametalk by Dylan Chase. Chat us up in...

Episode 257 PlayStation has announced that they are abandoning their PC initiative for their single player games. Though it seemed in recent years that exclusives were a thing of the past as games were increasingly available on PC and competing consoles, present circumstances have spurred a return to the exclusivity ways of old. Today, we talk about why this shift is occurring, and what that means...

Episode 256 Capcom has proven themselves one of the most prolific and acclaimed AAA developers of the modern age. Today, we discuss Capcom's success, sales numbers for some of their major IP, and Capcom franchises (like Resident Evil, Monster Hunter, Dragon's Dogma, etc.) that we hold near and dear. We also give our impressions after going hands on with the new Steam controller. As always,...

Episode 255 Asha Sharma has been CEO of Xbox for just under three months, and she is already making major moves. With a promise to return back to what made Xbox great and slashing the price of Game Pass, is she the salvation the Xbox brand so desperately needs, or is there a sinister undercurrent to her actions? On the other side of the fence, Saros has launched for PS5. We have finished the game...

Episode 254 The AAA games industry is not in a stable state. Ballooning development costs and timelines, extensive layoffs, AI integration, and the chase for high live-service revenue are a few aspects of the industry that are leading to increased uncertainty and instability. Today, we explore the current (tenuous) state of AAA gaming, and how new studios like Sandfall Interactive may pave the way...

Episode 253 Everyone has a game or two that they turn to when times are tough, a familiar experience that you can return to time and time again to relieve stress. Today, we talk about our personal "comfort games" and how they perk us up when we're feeling down. As always, we conclude with the games we're playing (Crimson Desert, Kerbal Space Program 2). This episode was recorded...

Episode 252 As video game enthusiasts, a lot of the time we can't stop playing games. However, as functional adults, there are stretches of time when video games lose their luster, and other interests and obligations occupy our time. Today, we talk about these so called "gaming droughts" and how we navigate them. As always, we conclude with the games we're playing (Monster Hunter...

Episode 251 Open World games, once a rare treat, have now saturated the gaming landscape - some people can't get enough, and some feel they have overstayed their welcome. Today, we discuss how we feel about the open world genre, and explore "modern" open world design and how we feel it improves the genre. As always, we conclude with the games we're playing (Crimson Desert, Pokémon Scarlet, Battlef...

Episode 250 AI (in the video game space and otherwise) continues to be shoved down our throats. With the rise of AI journalism and the much-maligned DLSS 5, where is the games industry currently with AI and will this pushback amount to anything? Today, we talk about AI in gaming as it stands right now and give our take on DLSS 5. As always, we conclude with the games we're playing (Timberborn,...

Episode 249 Today, we talk about two games we're absolutely enamored with - Resident Evil Requiem and Pokémon Pokopia. For Resident Evil, we talk about our playthrough in both spoiler-free and spoilery contexts. Then, we discuss how we're enjoying the undeniable charm of Pokopia. This episode was recorded in March 2026. Intro and outro music composed for Gametalk by Dylan Chase. Chat us up in Disc...

Episode 248 We at Gametalk (more accurately 2/3 of us) are massive fans of Monster Hunter, and today we have an opportunity to gush about the series. We talk about the current state of Monster Hunter Wilds, and more specifically predict what we'll see in Master Rank. As always, we conclude with the games we're playing (Resident Evil Village, Super Mario Sunshine). This episode was recorded...

Episode 247 Massive news has dropped on multiple fronts! In a frustrating move, Sony has closed Bluepoint Games in another seemingly misguided sacrifice on the altar of live service. When will it be enough, and are they finally turning the PlayStation faithful away? And on the other side, Microsoft has ousted the existing Xbox leadership. Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond are gone, and Asha Sharma is no...

Episode 246 Recently, Bloomberg's Jason Schreier put out an article called "Video Games Need to Be Cheaper to Buy". Today, we talk about his article and points where we agree and disagree, and discuss the broader landscape of video game pricing in 2026. As always, we conclude with the games we're playing (God of War Sons of Sparta, Resident Evil 2). This episode was recorded in February 2026. Intr...

Episode 245 PlayStation's most recent State of Play paints a strong picture for game releases in 2026. Not only do we have quality games coming, it seems like Konami is back and firing on all cylinders! In addition, Xbox brought out the big guns with Fable and Forza 6, and Nintendo showed an impressive variety of third party games coming to Switch 2. As always, we conclude with the games we're pla...

Episode 244 The Nintendo Wii, regardless of how a lot of enthusiasts feel about the direction of Nintendo at the time, was a hugely influential and successful console that shaped the trajectory of the industry in the late 2000s/early 2010s. Today, we take a look back and each go through our top 5 Wii games. As always, we conclude with the games we're playing (Cairn, Hitman: World of Assassinat...

Episode 243 Ubisoft has announced several cancellations and a complete company-wide restructuring amid cratering stock prices and dwindling mindshare. Is this move the life-saving measure the company needs, or a final death-knell separating the company into digestible chunks for potential buyers? Today, we dissect the current state of Ubisoft and offer our thoughts on their numerous IP. As always,...

Episode 242 2026 is looking to be an eventful year - between increasing hardware prices, the upcoming Steam hardware, and the ever-looming GTA VI, there's something to consider for just about everybody! Today, we take stock of the games industry in early 2026 and make some predictions for how the year will go. As always, we conclude with the games we're playing (Palworld, Monster Hunter Portable 3...

Episode 241 In late 2025, Netflix announced that they were purchasing Warner Bros Discovery for 80 billion dollars. Though the story of the purchase is ongoing with fresh drama unfolding even still, it looks likely that Netflix will end up acquiring WB - and most interestingly to us, their game studios. Today we discuss how this purchase could shift the gaming and streaming landscape. As always, w...

Episode 240 2026 is here and with it, some potentially dire news for video game hardware. As the RAM situation continues to deteriorate, the stage is set for massively increased gaming hardware prices. Today, we discuss the ramifications of the inflated RAM prices on PC and console hardware, and predict how the situation will unfold in the short and long term. As always, we conclude with the games...

Episode 239 2025 has truly been an exceptional year for video games. As the year comes to a close, we pit our top 16 games of 2025 against each other in a bracket to determine Gametalk's Game of the Year! To follow along, please check out the YouTube release for this episode. As always, we conclude with the games we're playing (Neon White, Monster Hunter Wilds). This episode was recorded in Decemb...