This week on PS This is Awesome!, we dive into some of the biggest stories shaping the gaming industry right now—and a few that might have you raising an eyebrow.

We kick things off with a candid (and somewhat concerning) revelation from a former Naughty Dog developer, who claims the studio has largely accepted crunch as a necessary part of making blockbuster games. Is this just the reality of AAA development, or a problem the industry still refuses to solve?

Next up, Metro 2039 is officially set to be revealed during an upcoming Xbox livestream, giving fans of the series something big to look forward to. Meanwhile, Hideo Kojima’s mysterious Physint is already turning heads thanks to a casting call describing a villain with serious “Mads Mikkelsen in Hannibal” energy—because of course it is.

We also unpack new comments from former Bethesda exec Pete Hines, who sheds light on why he left ahead of Starfield’s launch—and what he had to say about Microsoft’s direction might raise some questions.

On the lighter side, No Man’s Sky continues its redemption arc with a wild Pokémon-style update inspired by a fan suggestion… and yes, they actually did it.

Finally, we discuss Sony’s new “Playerbase” initiative, which lets you scan yourself into Gran Turismo 7—but most fans aren’t exactly thrilled. Plus, with Xbox revamping its achievement system, we ask: is it time for PlayStation trophies to evolve?

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