Spectator Mode Gaming Podcast

Send us Fan Mail Xbox had a rough couple of weeks, and honestly, "rough" might be underselling it. On this week's episode, Scott and Keith, break down the fallout from Microsoft's latest round of cuts , a gut-punch that cost an enormous number of people their jobs, sent four studios packing from the Xbox family, and left id Software a shell of what it used to be. We get into wh...

Send us Fan Mail PlayStation’s future will not include physical games, with Sony reportedly ending physical game production in 2028. But what does that mean for gamers, collectors, consumers, and the industry? Will games become more expensive? Will the second-hand market disappear? Are players losing more control over the games they buy? We discuss all of that and more in this episode of Spectator...

Send us Fan Mail Nine months after Xbox raised the prices on its Xbox Series X|S consoles, the console maker has revealed that prices are going up again. As of August 1, 2026, all Xbox consoles will see a massive price hike, to where it's going to be harder to justify purchasing an Xbox, while  frustrating its fans. What is going on? #xbox #gaming  Check out our website for more great content...

Send us Fan Mail This week on The Spectator Mode Podcast, we kick things off with what we’ve been playing before diving back into the rest of our Summer Game Fest 2026 coverage. That includes the stuff we couldn’t talk about last time, such as Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3, Star Wars: Galactic Racer, and more. We also discuss Sega’s recent financials, Bungie revealing Marathon’s new Vault Breaker PvE mo...

Send us Fan Mail Spectator Mode Podcast returns with a packed episode as we talk about the games we’ve been playing, Epic Games revealing Unreal Engine 6, Bungie adding PvE modes for Marathon, our impressions of Forza Horizon 6, and why PlayStation’s PC strategy continues to frustrate players. We also get into why exclusives still matter in today’s gaming landscape and break down the latest Echoes...

Send us Fan Mail Keith and Scott attended Summer Game Fest 2026, and got to check out some of amazing upcoming titles, and play a number of them. However, due to embargos we had to delay this episode of the show until we could talk about certain things. This one is a bit late due being in LA and some of the stuff we discussed was still under NDA/embargo at the time. So, enjoy our Summer Game Fest...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Spectator Mode, we discuss a packed week of gaming and tech news, including Valve finally giving the new Steam Controller a release date, while still leaving everyone wondering what is going on with the long-rumored Steam Machine. We also talk about Xbox Game Pass changes, Xbox reportedly looking at adjustments to its exclusivity deals, recent PlayStation DRM co...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome back to the Spectator Mode Podcast. In this episode, we get into the buzz around the amazing Super Mario Galaxy movie, the growing frustration surrounding Marathon, and why gaming is starting to feel more expensive than ever as Nintendo and PlayStation raise prices. There’s a lot to unpack here, and honestly, it feels like the conversation around gaming is shifting in a bi...

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 215 of Spectator Mode Podcast, we get into a rough week for the gaming industry, starting with Epic Games and how former employees were handled, and why that situation doesn’t sit right. We also break down the recent PS5 price changes and why this trend could be bad news for gamers long-term, along with Xbox quietly backing away from its “Everything is an Xbox” push. On...

Send us Fan Mail In Spectator Mode Podcast Episode 214, we talk about what we’ve been playing, break down Crimson Desert and its approach to diversity, and discuss the current state of the PC gaming market. We also dive into Jeff Kaplan’s comments about Blizzard and game development, before wrapping things up with our reactions to the Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer. If you’re into gaming, indus...

Send us Fan Mail Spectator Mode Episode 213 is here! After talking about what we've been playing, we dive into new details on Microsoft's Project Helix, Ben Diskin's decision to walk away from Mega Man: Override over Capcom's refusal to offer a union contract, and Nagoshi Studio facing a funding crisis that could kill Gang of Dragon before it launches. 00:00 - Intro 01:35 - Wha...

Send us Fan Mail This week on Spectator Mode Podcast Episode 212, we’re joined by Jeff Young from Analog Stick Gaming to discuss some of the biggest topics in gaming right now. We talk about Valve’s latest update on the Steam Machine, Xbox’s newly revealed Project Helix gaming device, and whether PlayStation might be walking back its push into PC gaming. We also get into the growing issue of AI-wr...

Send us Fan Mail On Spectator Mode Podcast episode 211, we discuss major Xbox shakeup as Phil Spencer retires, Sarah Bond exits, and Microsoft appoints a former AI executive to lead the brand. We also dive into the controversy surrounding North America’s biggest fighting game tournament now being owned by Saudi investors, and why much of the FGC is pushing back. On top of that, we discuss Sony shu...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Spectator Mode 210, we break down Microsoft’s reported plans to merge PC Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass as part of its 2026 strategy, and what that could mean for players. We also dive into Discord’s global age-verification rollout and the privacy concerns surrounding it. On the gaming side, we debate whether Nioh 3 can stand on its own or if comparisons to Elden...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome back to Spectator Mode Podcast! In episode 209 we dig into big shifts across the gaming industry, including reports that the Game Developers Conference may be seeing a drop in international attendance and what that means for developers worldwide. We also break down the latest Xbox Developer Direct, react to the Dragon Ball 40th Anniversary announcements, and revisit Highgu...

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 208 of Spectator Mode Podcast, the crew dives into what they’ve been playing lately before shifting gears into industry talk and firsthand event coverage. Keith shares his experience attending CES 2026, including the tech, gaming hardware, and trends that caught his attention on the show floor. From there, the discussion turns to Highguard and whether anyone is truly hy...

Send us Fan Mail We’re back! After taking a month-long break to recharge and deal with the holidays, the crew returns to break down a few topics that matter in the gaming world. In Episode 207, we recap 2025, talk about what we’re looking forward to in 2026, discuss the rising prices of PC RAM and GPUs and how it impacts PC gaming, and cover GameStop closing even more stores. Plus, we hit a few ot...

Send us Fan Mail Valve has officially revealed the new Steam Machine, and The Outerhaven breaks down everything you need to know in this bite-sized holiday episode of the Spectator Mode Podcast. Is it a PC? Is it a console? We dig into why the community is split, what Valve’s goal might be, how this fits into the growing SteamOS ecosystem, and whether this mini-PC could shake up living-room gaming...

Send us Fan Mail On Spectator Mode Podcast episode 205 we discuss about Activision stumbling with Call of Duty :Black Ops 7 and not letting players pause the single player campaign. We look at the confusing PS Portal updates that sparked a wave of comparisons to the Steam Deck. We also dive into the return of Valve's Steam Machine and what this could mean for the future of PC gaming in the li...

Send us Fan Mail In this week’s Spectator Mode Podcast , the crew takes on the Xbox Ally handheld controversy and TwitchCon’s ongoing security problems. We also dive into the growing wave of misinformation across gaming, highlight standout demos from Steam Next Fest October 2025, and celebrate our appearance in Absolum’s accolades trailer, which is pretty damned cool for us, as well as upcoming up...

Send us Fan Mail Recently, we had the opportunity to speak with Milestone , the studio behind several acclaimed racing titles, about its upcoming game Screamer . Originally a PC-only arcade racer, Screamer is being completely reimagined for modern platforms. This new version blends anime-inspired visuals, unique mechanics borrowed from fighting games, and an innovative dual-stick control system th...

Send us Fan Mail With the announcement that Xbox is changing up Xbox Game Pass and raising prices, Keith, Jordan, Karl, and Scott discuss whether Xbox Game Pass is still the best deal in gaming or if perhaps it's time to move on from it. #xboxgamepass #videogames #gamingpodcast #rogxboxally  Check out some of our video game reviews Disgaea 7 Complete Review (Nintendo Switch 2) Digimon Story:...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, the crew dives into a packed week of gaming news and industry shake-ups. We kick things off with our current playthroughs before jumping into the exciting Wolverine gameplay and Dynasty Warriors 3 Remastered reveal during Sony’s State of Play. Xbox finally confirms the long-rumored ROG Ally prices, Code Vein 2 raises release date concerns, and Nintendo of America...

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 201 of the Spectator Mode Podcast, the crew dives into another packed week of gaming talk. Things kick off with a discussion about what everyone’s been playing and watching before shifting into deeper topics. The team debates whether Cronos: The New Dawn has what it takes to succeed, why handheld PCs still weigh more than the Switch 2, and if PC gaming should adopt base...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 200 is here! We talk about the games we’ve been playing, Keith’s Rant Corner, and our big news—we’re now on Metacritic! We also cover the strange August 28th moment when Gears hit #1 on PlayStation and Helldivers 2 topped Xbox. Plus, full impressions from PAX West 2025, including the best games, highlights, and surprises from the show. #ninjagaiden4 #rogxboxally #paxwest20...