AVoCADo GamesCast

By Merve, The Kappa, and friends

The AVoCADo GamesCast is a (roughly) bimonthly gaming podcast hosted by Merve and edited by The Kappa, two people who love video games a little too much. Join them and their Internet friends as they g... more

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How many episodes does AVoCADo GamesCast have?

The podcast currently has 116 episodes available.

AVoCADo GamesCast episodes:

January 27, 2026Episode #116: One Cheek: The 2025 Year-End GamesCast
Featuring:
Merve
Quinley Thorne
The Kappa
3rdstringhero
Jarathen
Little Mac
Science
Shambolic Rube Frossty
Editor:
The Kappa

Timestamps:
0:15 – Introduction
4:00 – The Game Awards: Future Class Controversy
12:25 – The Game Awards: The Awards
29:25 – The Game Awards: Announcements
1:05:20 – Little Mac’s Top 3
1:13:00 – Shambolic Rube Frossty’s Top 2
1:17:55 – Jarathen’s Top 3
1:20:10 – 3rdstringhero’s Top 3
1:24:20 – Science’s Top 3
1:30:00 – Our Favourites: Honourable Mentions
1:41:55 – Our Favourites: #5
1:54:25 – Our Favourites: #4
2:20:30 – Our Favourites: #3
2:53:15 – Our Favourites: #2
3:16:35 – Our Favourites: #1
4:16:25 – Our Biggest Disappointments
5:11:55 – Our Biggest Surprises, Part 1
5:29:20 – Television Tech
5:34:55 – Our Biggest Surprises, Part 2
5:35:05 – Relationship Stuff… And Gross Stuff
5:38:25 – Steam Machines
5:43:40 – Celebrities and Politicians
5:45:35 – Conclusion
Download Link: https://archive.org/details/avocadogamescast_ep116
Podcast header image from (clockwise from top) Road to Empress I, Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition (source), and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Spoiler warning for despelote. Content warnings for sexual content and extreme scatological humour. Linkdump and time ranges for warnings after the jump.
Introduction (0:15)
Wikipedia article on Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.
The Game Awards: Future Class Controversy (4:00)
VoD of the awards show. (Source: thegameawards on YouTube)
Article on the controversy over the Game Awards’ Future Class. (Source: The Guardian)
Wikipedia article on the D.I.C.E. Awards.
Wikipedia article on Kinda Funny.
The Game Awards: The Awards (12:25)
Winners at the Game Awards. (Source: The Game Awards)
Wikipedia article on SonicFox.
Wikipedia article on West End Girl by Lily Allen.
The Game Awards: Announcements (29:25)
Gang of Dragon world premiere trailer. (Source: thegameawards on YouTube)
Total War: Warhammer 40,000 world premiere trailer. (Source: thegamewards on YouTube)
World premiere trailers for Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis and Tomb Raider: Catalyst. (Source: thegamewards on YouTube)
Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic teaser trailer. (Source: Star Wars on YouTube)
Star Wars: Galactic Racer reveal trailer. (Source: Star Wars on YouTube)
Announcement trailer for Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve. (Source: Bandai Namco Entertainment America on YouTube)
Know Your Meme article on the Ace Combat JPEG Dog.
Warlock: Dungeons and Dragons world premiere trailer. (Source: thegameawards on YouTube)
Divinity world premiere trailer. Content warning for extreme gore and violence. (Source: thegameawards on YouTube)
Announcement trailer for Control Resonant. (Source: Remedy Entertainment on YouTube)
The Game Awards teaser for Soulframe Founders bundles. (Source: Soulframe on YouTube)
Warframe trailer featuring Werner Herzog. (Source: GamersPrey on YouTube)
Announcement trailer for The Free Shepherd. (Source: PlayStation on YouTube)
Highguardworld premiere trailer. (Source: thegameawards and Highguard on YouTube)
Announcement trailer for Coven of the Chicken Foot. (Source: Wildflower Interactive on YouTube)
Announcement trailer for Orbitals. (Source: Nintendo of America on YouTube)
Little Mac’s Top 3 (1:05:20)
#3: Donkey Kong Bananza. (Source: Nintendo)
Nintendo store page for Mario Kart World.
#2: Hollow Knight: Silksong. (Source: Steam)
Steam store page for Hades II.
#1: Blue Prince. (Source: Steam)
Shambolic Rube Frossty’s Top 2 (1:13:00)
First choice: Lies of P: Overture. (Source: Steam)
Second choice: Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader – Lex Imperialis. (Source: Steam)
Jarathen’s Top 3 (1:17:55)
#3: Donkey Kong Bananza. (Source: Nintendo)
#2: 9 Kings. (Source: Steam)
#1: Absolum. (Source: Steam)
3rdstringhero’s Top 3 (1:20:10)
#3: Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter. (Source: Steam)
#2: The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy-. (Source: Steam)
#1: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. (Source: Steam)
Science’s Top 3 (1:24:20)
#3: CARIMARA: Beneath the forlorn limbs. (Source: Steam)
#2: Hades II. (Source: Steam)
#1: Baby Steps. (Source: Steam)
Our Favourites: Honourable Mentions (1:30:00)
Merve’s #10: Dear me, I was… (Source: Wikipedia)
Merve’s #9: Dispatch. (Source: Steam)
Merve’s #8: Mario Kart World. (Source: Wikipedia)
Merve’s #7: Many Nights a Whisper. (Source: Steam)
Merve’s #6: Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. (Source: Steam)
Correction: Danny Trejo was in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, not Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. (Source: Wikipedia)
Quinley Thorne’s #10: Town to City. (Source: Steam)
Quinley Thorne’s #9: Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. (Source: Wikipedia)
Quinley Thorne’s #8: Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time. (Source: Wikipedia)
Quinley Thorne’s #7: Donkey Kong Bananza. (Source: Wikipedia)
Quinley Thorne’s #6: Umamusume: Pretty Derby. (Source: Steam)
Wikipedia article on racehorse Haru Urara.
The Kappa’s #10: Dynasty Warriors: Origins. (Source: Steam)
The Kappa’s #9: Assassin’s Creed Shadows. (Source: Steam)
The Kappa’s #8: Dispatch. (Source: Steam)
The Kappa’s #7: Age of Mythology: Retold. (Source: Steam)
The Kappa’s #6: Abiotic Factor. (Source: Steam)
Wikipedia article on friendslop.
Our Favourites: #5 (1:41:55)
Merve’s #5: Strange Jigsaws. (Source: Steam)
Quinley Thorne’s #5: DEAD LETTER DEPT. (Source: Steam)
Wikipedia article on Dead Mail.
The Kappa’s #5: Battlefield 6. (Source: Steam)
Correction: Battlefield 6 did win Best Audio Design at The Game Awards 2025. (Source: Wikipedia)
Our Favourites: #4 (1:54:25)
Merve’s #4: Keeper. (Source: Steam)
Quinley Thorne’s #4: Promise Mascot Agency. (Source: Steam)
The protagonist of Promise Mascot Agency is named Michi. (Source: Kaizen Game Works)
The Kappa’s #4: Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2. (Source: Steam)
Our Favourites: #3 (2:20:30)
Merve’s #3: Donkey Kong Bananza. (Source: Nintendo)
The name of the female Donkey Kong boss Quinley Thorne was talking about is Poppy Kong. (Source: Game8)
Quinley Thorne’s #3: Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion. (Source: Steam)
An explanation of how gravity acts on heavy and light objects. (Source: UCSB ScienceLine)
The Kappa’s #3: Avowed.
Article on Carrie Patel joining Night School Studio. (Source: GamesIndustry.biz)
Our Favourites: #2 (2:53:15)
Merve’s #2: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. (Source: Steam)
Quinley Thorne’s #2: Girls Made Pudding. (Source: Steam)
The Kappa’s #2: Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. (Source: Steam)
Our Favourites: #1 (3:16:35)
Merve’s #1: Road to Empress I. (Source: Steam)
Moby Games page for the fell in love with coser series. There are 10 of them!
Quinley Thorne’s #1: Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition. (Source: Nintendo)
The Kappa’s #1: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. (Source: Steam)
Wikipedia article on chiaroscuro.
Steam store page for Blue Prince.
Our Biggest Disappointments (4:16:25)
MAJOR SPOILERS: despelote
Merve’s biggest disappointment: despelote. (Source: Steam)
Quinley Thorne’s biggest disappointment: Tekken 8’s second season. (Source: Steam)
The r/LowSodiumTEKKEN subreddit.
Tekken Wiki article on Fahkumram. (Source: Fandom)
Tekken Wiki article on Miary Zo. (Source: Fandom)
Report on the racial discrimination scandal at Bandai Namco. (Source: Kotaku)
Report on layoffs at Bandai Namco. (Source: Game Developer)
Correction: Bandai Namco did not announce that they were only focusing on legacy IP, but they did cancel several games in development, including a Nintendo exclusive and a new game in the Unknown 9 franchise. (Sources: Bloomberg and PlayStation Lifestyle)
Report on the cancellation of the worldwide release of Blue Protocol in 2024. (Source: IGN)
Report on Katsuhiro Harada leaving Bandai Namco. (Source: Sportskeeda)
The Kappa’s biggest disappointment: Sid Meier’s Civilization VII. (Source: Steam)
Meta store page for the VR edition of Sider Meier’s Civilization VII.
Our Biggest Surprises, Part 1 (5:11:55)
Quinley Thorne’s first surprise: city builders like Town to City and Against the Storm. (Sources: Steam)
Steam store page for The Wandering Village.
Quinley Thorne’s second surprise: Steam Families. (Source: Steam)
The Kappa’s surprise: Microsoft leaving the console war.
Report on the state of Xbox at the end of 2025. (Source: Kotaku)
Jason Schreier and Dina Bass’s report on profit margin targets at Microsoft Gaming. (Source: Bloomberg)
Microsoft is approximately 22 times larger than Sony as of this writing. (Sources: Macrotrends)
Television Tech (5:29:20)
Wikipedia article on Sony’s Bravia line.
Our Biggest Surprises, Part 2 (5:34:35)
Merve’s first surprise: Road to Empress I. (Source: Steam)
Merve’s second surprise: Many Nights a Whisper. (Source: Steam)
Relationship Stuff… And Gross Stuff (5:35:05)
CONTENT WARNINGS: sexual content; extreme scatological humour
No links here.
Steam Machines (5:38:25)
Official website for Steam Machine.
The WAN Show episode where Linus Sebastian discussed Steam Machine pricing. (Source: Linus Tech Tips on YouTube)
Official website for iBUYPOWER.
Wikipedia article on The Closer.
Celebrities and Politicians (5:43:40)
No links here.
Conclusion (5:45:35)
Sarapen’s guide on how to make a podcast.
Wikipedia article on Estonia.
...more
0min
December 09, 2025Episode #115: Motherflipper, Those Are Auks!
Featuring:
Merve
Drinking with Skeletons
Colonel Mustard
The Kappa
Editor:
The Kappa

Timestamps:
0:15 – Introduction
1:35 – Twitch Scandals
14:15 – EA Goes Private
38:05 – Pirate Games
48:15 – Colonel Mustard’s Indie Mystery Picks
53:15 – Ghost of Yōtei
59:25 – Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles
1:14:45 – Battlefield 6
1:31:25 – Digimon Story Time Stranger, Part 1
1:49:15 – A Digression on Pokémon
1:52:15 – Digimon Story Time Stranger, Part 2
2:02:05 – Electronic Arts and BioWare
2:13:35 – Conclusion
Download Link: https://archive.org/details/avocadogamescast_ep115
Podcast header image from Digimon Story Time Stranger. Content warning: discussions of animal abuse, sexual assault, and suicide. Spoiler warning: Assassin’s Creed Rogue; Consume Me; despelote. Linkdump and timestamps for warnings after the jump.
Introduction (0:15)
No links here.
Twitch Scandals (1:35)
CONTENT WARNING: Discussions of animal abuse and sexual assault
Article on streamer Emiru being assaulted at TwitchCon. (Source: NBC)
Wikipedia article on Dan Clancy.
Article on the Hasan Piker dog collar controversy. Clarification: Despite how we may have discussed the issue during the episode, we would like to make it clear that the allegations have not been definitively proven. (Source: Forbes)
EA Goes Private (14:15)
MAJOR SPOILERS: Assassin’s Creed Rogue
The press release about Electronic Arts being acquired by an investor consortium. (Source: Electronic Arts)
Reporting on JPMorgan Chase’s loan to the consortium being expected to be rated B. (Source: @jasonschreier.bsky.social on Bluesky)
Reporting and context on Saudi gaming investments. (Source: Game File)
Correction: The DJ featured in Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, Salvatore Ganacci, is Bosnian-Swedish, not Saudi Arabian. (Source: Wikipedia)
Article on Dragon Age games outselling Mass Effect games. (Source: The Gamer)
Motive Studio is currently working on an untitled Iron Man game. (Source: Wikipedia)
Depending on how you see it, the last Ultima game was either 2013’s free-to-play action RPG Ultima Forever: Quest for the Avataror 2018’s first-person action RPG Underworld Ascendant, which was permitted to use the Ultima lore and setting under a licensing agreement but was not permitted to use the Ultima name or branding. (Source: Wikipedia)
Clarification: We recorded on October 19th, 2025, before the remake of Plants vs. Zombies, subtitled Replanted, was released on October 23rd, 2025. (Source: Steam)
The last mainline, new, non-mobile, non-browser release in the Command & Conquer series was Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight, released in 2010. (Source: Wikipedia)
Official website for Star Wars Zero Company, releasing in 2026. (Source: Electronic Arts)
Pirate Games (38:05)
Wikipedia article on Skull and Bones.
Wikipedia article on Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag.
The Kairosoft game that The Kappa was referencing was Game Dev Story. (Source: Wikipedia)
Josh Sawyer’s comments on the commercial performance of Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire. None of the comments I could find specifically referenced the game’s pirate theme as an issue. (Source: jesawyer on Tumblr)
Wikipedia article on Assassin’s Creed Rogue.
“Truck” in the sense of a vehicle or transportation is a back formation of “truckle,” but “truck” in the sense of barter or exchange does indeed come from the Old French troquer, which means “to exchange,” as The Kappa alluded to. (Source: Dictionary.com)
Wikipedia article on Sid Meier’s Pirates!
Colonel Mustard’s Indie Mystery Picks (48:15)
Steam store page for Unheard – Voices of Crime.
Steam store page for The Roottrees Are Dead.
Ghost of Yōtei (53:15)
PlayStation store page for Ghost of Yōtei.
The actress who played Shadowheart in Baldur’s Gate 3 is Jennifer English. (Source: Wikipedia)
Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles (59:25)
Steam store page for Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles.
Wikipedia article on Tactics Ogre.
Final Fantasy Wiki article on “You spoony bard!” (Source: Fandom)
Battlefield 6 (1:15:45)
Steam store page for Battlefield 6.
Digimon Story Time Stranger, Part 1 (1:31:25)
CONTENT WARNING: Discussions of suicide
Steam store page for Digimon Story Time Stranger.
The XKCD comic “Hyphen.”
Wikipedia article on Summer Wars.
Digimon Wiki article on Eater Eve. Clarification: Eater Eve is from Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth, not Digimon Tamers.
Correction: Digimon Tamers originally aired in Japan from April 1st, 2001 to March 31st, 2002, so its original premise and early episodes could not have been influenced by 9/11. (Source: Wikipedia)
A Digression on Pokémon (1:49:15)
Nintendo store page for Pokémon Legends: Z-A.
Wikipedia article on The World Ends with You.
Digimon Story Time Stranger, Part 2 (1:52:15)
MAJOR SPOILERS: Consume Me; despelote.
No links here.
Electronic Arts and BioWare (2:02:05)
Wikipedia article on Anthem.
Wikipedia article on Jack McBrayer.
Wikipedia article on Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
Wikipedia article on the upcoming video game Exodus.
Steam store page for Megabonk.
Conclusion (2:13:35)
No links here.
...more
2h 18min
September 20, 2025Episode #114: A Tale of Two Egmonts
Featuring:
Merve
The Kappa
Editor:
The Kappa
Timestamps:
0:15 – Introduction
2:10 – Destiny 2: The Edge of Fate
21:45 – Donkey Kong Bananza
37:55 – Adult Content and Payment Processors
1:06:20 – A Digression on Fanfic
1:08:15 – Microsoft’s Business and Generative AI
1:24:40 – Nvidia’s Business and Generative AI
1:44:25 – How We Talk About AI in Gaming
1:52:40 – The Business of Tech and Entertainment Conglomerates
1:58:15 – The Use of AI in the Workplace
2:01:40 – Search Engines
2:07:35 – AI, Labour, and the Politics of Tech, Part 1
2:15:00 – Recycling
2:21:00 – AI, Labour, and the Politics of Tech, Part 2
2:24:45 – Problems with Games Media Reporting on Business
2:35:50 – Holding Companies
2:40:30 – Conclusion
Download Link: https://archive.org/details/avocadogamescast_ep114
Podcast header image from Donkey Kong Bananza. Mild spoiler warning: Donkey Kong Bananza. Content warning: discussions of sexual assault and sexual topics. Linkdump and timestamps for warnings after the jump.
Introduction (0:15)
No links here.
Destiny 2: The Edge of Fate (2:10)
Steam store page for Destiny 2: The Edge of Fate.
Clarification: This episode was recorded before the announcement of Pete Parsons’s resignation on August 21st. (Source: Bungie)
Donkey Kong Bananza (21:45)
MILD SPOILERS: Donkey Kong Bananza
Trailer for Donkey Kong Bananza. (Source: Nintendo of America on YouTube)
Wikipedia article on Super Mario Odyssey.
The Zebra Bananza theme from Donkey Kong Bananza. (Source: Shacknews on YouTube)
Adult Content and Payment Processors (37:55)
CONTENT WARNING: Discussions of sexual assault and sexual topics
Collective Shout’s open letter to payment processors. (Source: Collective Shout)
A recap of the story to the end of July. (Source: CBC)
itch.io’s announcement of the partial reindexing of adult content. (Source: itch.io)
GOG’s protest giveaway of adult games. (Source: GOG.com)
Clarification: While ABC was fined by the FCC for nudity in NYPD Blue, the fine was ultimately struck down by a U.S. court. (Source: Wikipedia)
Valve’s comments on Mastercard’s statement denying responsibility for the content takedowns. (Source: PC Gamer)
Confirmation: Steam accounts are limited until at least $5 USD is spent on Steam, so activations of gifts and externally-purchased games don’t count. However, activating a Steam Wallet card does count towards the $5 USD, so a credit card is not required to lift the limitations. (Source: Steam Support)
Fallout 3 was originally refused classification in Australia for its depiction of drug use, but it was later permitted for sale after it was altered to remove the offending content. (Source: Wikipedia)
Steam store page for HuniePop.
A Digression on Fanfic (1:06:20)
Confirmation: Unfortunately, Archive of Our Own does not have any fanworks that feature both Commander Zavala and Donkey Kong. We also confirmed that there are no results when searching by tag instead of by keyword. (Source: Archive of Our Own)
Destinypedia entry on Mara Sov.
Microsoft’s Business and Generative AI (1:08:15)
Article about 9,000 layoffs at Microsoft. (Source: CNBC)
Clarification: The news that development on Contraband had ceased came after we recorded. (Source: The Gamer)
Satya Nadella’s open letter about Microsoft’s pivot to AI. (Source: Official Microsoft Blog)
Know Your Meme article on Focus Group Man, the source of the “he admit it!” meme.
Microsoft’s annual reports for FY2023 and FY2024. (Source: Microsoft)
Spreadsheets Merve prepared analyzing Microsoft’s financials.
Nvidia’s Business and Generative AI (1:24:40)
Report that Nvidia is set to slash RTX 5000 series card prices. (Source: Tech Radar)
Article on Nvidia reaching $4 trillion US in market capitalization. (Source: Reuters)
Report on the RTX 5060 review scandal. (Source: The Verge)
How We Talk About AI in Gaming (1:44:25)
Report on the controversial New York Times article on AI in gaming. (Source: PC Gamer)
Steam store page for the AI-driven remake of The Portopia Serial Murder Case.
The Business of Tech and Entertainment Conglomerates (1:52:40)
The Google graveyard. (Source: Killed by Google)
The Use of AI in the Workplace (1:58:15)
No links here.
Search Engines (2:01:40)
Wikipedia article on Google’s Gemini LLM.
Wikipedia article on KartOO. Correction: the URL was http://www.kartoo.com, not http://www.kartoo.fr.
AI, Labour, and the Politics of Tech, Part 1 (2:07:35)
Article on the UK’s new age verification laws. (Source: BBC)
Recycling (2:15:00)
Correction: While aluminum is effectively infinitely recyclable and recycling rates in industrial markets are high (> 90% in the United States), rates are low in consumer markets (e.g. < 50% in the United States for beverage cans). (Source: The Aluminum Association)
Correction: Recycling code 01 corresponds to PET, not LDPE. 03 is for LDPE. (Source: Wikipedia)
An economic study of the Canadian plastic industry. The pie chart on page 6 shows that in 2016, the largest end-use market for plastic products was packaging. (Source: Government of Canada)
AI, Labour, and the Politics of Tech, Part 2 (2:21:00)
No links here.
Problems with Games Media Reporting on Business (2:24:45)
Spreadsheets Merve prepared analyzing Microsoft’s financials.
Holding Companies (2:35:50)
Wikipedia article on the Egmont Group.
Correction: Burger King is owned by Canadian firm Restaurant Brands International. 3G Restaurant Brands Holdings LP does not own a controlling stake, but rather a 32% stake. 3G Restaurant Brands Holdings LP is an affiliate of 3G Capital, which is currently headquartered in New York, but evolved out of a Brazilian investment office. (Source: Wikipedia)
Wikipedia article on the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units, not to be confused with the Egmont Group.
Correction: It is not possible to walk into the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units’ office, because its listed address is a PO box. (Source: Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units)
Conclusion (2:40:30)
Wikipedia article on Sleepless in Seattle.
...more
2h 47min
August 03, 2025Episode #113: Goons Per Second
Featuring:
Merve
Lily Bones
Quinley Thorne
Wolfman Jew
Bloomed Wings
The Kappa
Editor:
The Kappa
Timestamps:
0:15 – Introduction
8:50 – State of Unreal 2025
11:45 – PlayStation State of Play
36:45 – Summer Game Fest Showcase
2:00:30 – Day of the Devs
2:17:20 – Xbox Games Showcase
3:09:05 – Mario Kart World
3:19:05 – Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour
3:28:15 – Donkey Kong Bananza Direct
3:38:20 – Conclusion
Download Link: https://archive.org/details/avocadogamescast_ep113
Podcast header image from Big Walk, taken from Gematsu. Episode contains major spoilers for Thunderbolts*. Linkdump and timestamps for spoilers after the jump.
Introduction (0:15)
Correction: In 1997 and 1998, E3 was held in Atlanta, Georgia, not Las Vegas, Nevada. (Source: Wikipedia)
Wolfman Jew’s Passing the Buck series on Game Pass. (Source: Source Gaming)
Official website for Dinosaur Bar-B-Que.
Wikipedia article on Whippany, New Jersey.
State of Unreal 2025 (8:50)
VoD of the presentation. (Source: Unreal Engine on YouTube)
PlayStation State of Play (11:45)
VoD of the presentation. (Source: PlayStation on YouTube)
Recap of the presentation. (Source: IGN)
Liveblog of the presentation. (Source: GamesRadar+)
Announcement of Marathon’s indefinite delay. (Source: Bungie)
An explanation of the Marathon plagiarism controversy. (Source: Esports Insider) Note: This article was written before the Marathon delay announcement.
State of Play announcement trailer for Ghost of Yōtei. (Source: PlayStation on YouTube)
First Contact trailer for Pragmata. (Source: PlayStation on YouTube)
Announce trailer for MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls. (Source: Marvel Entertainment on YouTube)
Reveal trailer for Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow. (Source: PlayStation on YouTube)
Announcement trailer for 007 First Light. (Source: PlayStation on YouTube)
Announcement trailer for Code Vein II. (Source: Bandai Namco Entertainment America on YouTube)
Announce trailer for Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement. (Source: Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement on YouTube)
Announce trailer for Romeo is a Dead Man. (Source: PlayStation on YouTube)
Announcement trailer for Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles. (Source: PlayStation on YouTube)
Summer Game Fest Showcase (36:45)
VoD of the presentation. (Source: thegameawards on YouTube)
Recap of the presentation. (Source: IGN)
Liveblog of the presentation. (Source: GamesRadar+)
Reveal trailer for Resident Evil Requiem. (Source: Resident Evil on YouTube)
World premiere trailer for Mafia: The Old Country. No idea why it’s called a “world premiere” trailer when there have been previous trailers. Correction: The trailer only contains cinematics, not actual gameplay. (Source: thegameawards on YouTube)
Story trailer for Stranger Than Heaven. (Source: IGN on YouTube)
Official June 2025 trailer for Mouse: P.I. For Hire. (Source: IGN on YouTube)
Official reveal trailer for Infinitesimals. (Source: IGN on YouTube)
World premiere trailer for Felt That: Boxing. (Source: thegameawards on YouTube)
World premiere trailer for Killer Inn. (Source: thegameawards on YouTube)
World premiere trailer for Game of Thrones: War for Westeros. (Source: thegameawards on YouTube)
Announcement trailer for Chronicles: Medieval. (Source: Chronicles: Medieval on YouTube)
World premiere trailer for ARC Raiders. Again, how is this a “world premiere,” Geoff? (Source: thegameawards on YouTube)
Official announcement trailer for Fractured Blooms. (Source: IGN on YouTube)
Official gameplay trailer for Acts of Blood. (Source: Fajrul FN – Eksil Team on YouTube)
Reveal trailer for LEGO Voyagers. (Source: LEGO on YouTube)
Reveal trailer for LEGO Party. (Source: LEGO on YouTube)
Release date announcement trailer for Mina the Hollower. (Source: Yacht Club Games on YouTube)
Announce trailer for Blighted. (Source: DrinkboxStudios on YouTube)
Premiere trailer for Scott Pilgrim EX. (Source: thegameawards on YouTube)
Summer Game Fest trailer for Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds. (Source: Sonic the Hedgehog on YouTube)
YouTube essayist Jacob Geller’s commentary on Astro Bot and its use of other IP. (Source: Jacob Geller on YouTube).
Correction: Wuthering Waves was not led by ex-Genshin Impact developers. Its director, Solon Lee, had been with Wuthering Waves developer Kuro Games since its inception. (Source: r/WutheringWaves on Reddit)
Steam store page for Nitro Gen Omega.
Clarification: This episode was recorded before Steam announced updated publisher guidelines prohibiting games that may violate payment processors’ standards. (Source: The Gamer)
Wikipedia article on Ivy from the Soulcalibur series.
Wikipedia article on Stellar Blade.
Wikipedia article on Perfect Blue.
Announcement trailer for Atomic Heart 2. (Source: Mundfish #AtomicHeart on YouTube)
Announcement trailer for The CUBE. (Source: Mundfish #AtomicHeart on YouTube)
“Hat Guy” was 1047 Games CEO Ian Proulx. (Source: Rock Paper Shotgun)
Article on the backlash to Clay Matthews’s remarks at the 2025 NFL draft. (Source: Yahoo! Sports)
The Remap Radio podcast episode where Patrick Klepek interviewed one of the developers of Relooted.
Steam store page for MindsEye.
Day of the Devs (2:00:30)
VoD of the presentation. (Source: Day of the Devs on YouTube)
Recap of the presentation. (Source: GamesRadar+)
Official announcement trailer for Snap & Grab. (Source: GameTrailers on YouTube)
Announcement trailer for Relooted. (Source: Epic Games on YouTube)
Day of the Devs trailer for Thick As Thieves. (Source: Thick As Thieves on YouTube)
Steam store page for Semblance.
Announcement trailer for Dosa Divas. (Source: Outerloop Games on YouTube)
Gameplay overview for Big Walk. (Source: House House on YouTube)
Official gameplay trailer for Ratatan. (Source: IGN on YouTube)
Gameplay trailer for Mixtape. (Source: PlayStation on YouTube)
Official gameplay trailer for Possessors. (Source: IGN on YouTube)
Official gameplay trailer for Please, Watch The Artwork. (Source: GameTrailers on YouTube)
Official gameplay trailer for Consume Me. (Source: GameTrailers on YouTube)
First look trailer for Tire Boy. (Source: GameTeam6 on YouTube)
Launch date announcement for Sword of the Sea. (Source: PlayStation on YouTube)
Wikipedia article on Tony Hawk.
The non-violent MMO from thatgamecompany that we were referencing is called Sky: Children of the Light. (Source: Wikipedia)
Xbox Games Showcase (2:17:20)
VoD of the showcase. (Source: Xbox on YouTube)
Recap of the showcase. (Source: Xbox)
Liveblog of the showcase. (Source: GamesRadar+)
Official launch trailer for Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4. (Source: IGN on YouTube)
Trailer for Clockwork Revolution. (Source: Xbox on YouTube)
Official gameplay trailer for The Blood of Dawnwalker. (Source: IGN on YouTube)
Official reveal trailer for Mudang: Two Hearts. (Source: IGN on YouTube)
Reveal trailer for There are No Ghosts at the Grand. (Source: No Ghosts Game on YouTube)
Announce trailer for Keeper. (Source: Double Fine on YouTube)
Official announce trailer for Grounded 2. (Source: Obsidian Entertainment on YouTube)
Announcement trailer for At Fate’s End. (Source: Thunder Lotus on YouTube)
Correction: Microsoft Gaming and Xbox have been profitable. While Microsoft does not specifically report profit margins for gaming in its financial statements, leaked documents confirm that the segment was profitable in the first 9 month of FY22. (Source: TweakTown)
World premiere reveal trailer for the ROG Xbox Ally. (Source: Xbox on YouTube)
Announce trailer for Dungeons & Dragons Neverwinter Nights 2: Enhanced Edition. (Source: Xbox on YouTube)
Reveal trailer for Beast of Reincarnation. (Source: Xbox on YouTube)
Hollow Knight: Silksong footage in the ROG Xbox Ally X reveal. (Source: Hollow Knight Archive on YouTube)
Official teaser for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. (Source: Call of Duty on YouTube)
Teaser trailer for Persona 4 Revival. (Source: Xbox on YouTube)
Reveal trailer for Aphelion. (Source: Xbox on YouTube)
Official gameplay trailer for Cronos: The New Dawn. (Source: IGN on YouTube)
Mario Kart World (3:09:05)
Trailer for Mario Kart World. (Source: Nintendo of America on YouTube)
Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour (3:19:05)
Launch trailer for Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour. (Source: Nintendo of America on YouTube)
Donkey Kong Bananza Direct (3:28:15)
MAJOR SPOILERS: Thunderbolts*
VoD of the Direct. (Source: Nintendo of America on YouTube)
Conclusion (3:38:20)
No links here.
...more
3h 42min
June 23, 2025Episode #112: It’s Never Dante’s Inferno
Featuring:
Merve
The Kappa
Editor:
The Kappa
Timestamps:
0:15 – Introduction
2:30 – Randy Pitchford and Video Game Pricing
14:20 – What’s Going on with Bungie and Marathon
37:00 – Many Nights a Whisper
46:55 – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
1:00:30 – Back 4 Blood
1:10:00 – Doom: The Dark Ages
1:18:15 – Metaphor: ReFantazio
1:30:25 – Sid Meier’s Civilization VII
1:50:55 – The Ending of Urban Myth Dissolution Center, Part 1
1:56:20 – Indie Game Art
1:59:20 – The Ending of Urban Myth Dissolution Center, Part 2
2:00:20 – Some Other Games
2:03:55 – Conclusion
Download Link: https://archive.org/details/avocadogamescast_ep112
Podcast header image from Many Nights a Whisper. Mild spoilers for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Baldur’s Gate 3 from 46:55 to 1:00:30. Major spoilers for Urban Myth Dissolution Center from 1:50:55 to 2:00:20. Linkdump after the jump.
Introduction (0:15)
Official websites for Craig and Giarc.
Official website for Audacity.
Randy Pitchford and Video Game Pricing (2:30)
Report on Pitchford’s original comments. (Source: Eurogamer)
Report on Pitchford’s later clarification. (Source: GamesRadar+)
Official statement on the Take-Two EULA controversy from the Borderlands developers. (Source: Steam Community)
Information on Borderlands 3 Shift codes, which we mistakenly referred to as “vault key codes.” (Source: PC Gamer)
What’s Going on with Bungie and Marathon (14:20)
Report on low morale at Bungie. (Source: Forbes)
Report on stolen art assets in Marathon. (Source: Windows Central)
Official website for ARC Raiders.
Wikipedia article on the cancelled game Hyenas.
Wikipedia article on Tom Clancy’s The Division.
Clarification on what was said about Marathon’s overseas marketing plans on the Sacred Symbols podcast. (Source: r/Marathon on Reddit)
Wikipedia article on Escape from Tarkov.
Wikipedia article on Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
Many Nights a Whisper (37:00)
Steam store page for Many Nights a Whisper.
Steam store page for The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (46:55)
MILD SPOILERS: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33; Baldur’s Gate 3.
Steam store page for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
Wikipedia article on Baldur’s Gate 3.
Wikipedia article on Final Fantasy XIII.
Wikipedia article on Dante’s Inferno.
Online Wordle-like Guess The.Game.
Black 4 Blood (1:00:30)
Steam store page for Back 4 Blood.
Steam store page for Left 4 Dead.
Doom: The Dark Ages (1:10:00)
Steam store page for Doom: The Dark Ages.
Wikipedia articles on Doom and Doom Eternal.
Metaphor: ReFantazio (1:18:15)
Steam store page for Metaphor: ReFantazio.
Our 2024 game of the year episode, Episode #108, “Catgirls for Hire.”
Wikipedia article on Cris Tales.
Steam store page for the upcoming Digimon Story Time Stranger.
Sid Meier’s Civilization VII (1:30:25)
Steam store page for Sid Meier’s Civilization VII.
Wikipedia article on Humankind.
Wikipedia article on Sid Meier’s Civilization: Beyond Earth.
The Ending of Urban Myth Dissolution Center, Part 1 (1:50:55)
MAJOR SPOILERS: Urban Myth Dissolution Center
Steam store page for Urban Myth Dissolution Center.
Wikipedia article on M. Night Shyamalan.
Indie Game Art (1:56:20)
Steam store page for Phoenix Springs.
Wikipedia article on Blue Prince.
The Ending of Urban Myth Dissolution Center, Part 2 (1:59:20)
MAJOR SPOILERS: Urban Myth Dissolution Center
No links here.
Some Other Games (2:00:20)
Steam store page for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered.
Steam store page for Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2.
Steam store page for despelote.
Wikipedia article on Mario Kart World.
Conclusion (2:03:55)
Merve’s Bluesky profile.
...more
2h 8min
April 21, 2025Episode #111: Cheetahs and the Last Berserker
Featuring:
Merve
The Kappa
Editor:
The Kappa
Timestamps:
0:15 – Introduction
6:00 – GameStop Leaves Canada and France
18:40 – Nintendo Switch 2 Direct
29:35 – Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
37:30 – Assassin’s Creed Shadows
1:11:15 – Metaphor: ReFantazio
1:19:15 – Total War: Warhammer III
1:22:20 – inZOI
1:23:00 – Ixion
1:26:30 – Urban Myth Dissolution Center and Social Media
1:38:25 – Conclusion
Download Link: https://archive.org/details/avocadogamescast_ep111
Podcast header image from Urban Myth Dissolution Center. Podcast header font Pixeled by OmegaPC777. Mild spoilers for Assassin’s Creed Shadows from 37:30 to 1:11:15. Linkdump after the jump.
Introduction (0:15)
Report on Skype’s shutdown. (Source: CNN)
Official website for the Discord bot Craig.
GameStop Leaves Canada and France (6:00)
Report on GameStop’s intent to sell Canadian and French assets. (Source: CBC)
Wikipedia article the Hudson’s Bay Company. Confirmation: It is not only the oldest company in Canada, but in all of North America.
Report on the closure of fabric retailer Joann. (Source: CNN)
Nintendo Switch 2 Direct (18:40)
Archive of the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct. (Source: Nintendo of America on YouTube)
Confirmation: The MSRP for the PS5 Slim with a disc drive is $649.99 CAD, so it’s in the same ballpark as the MSRP for the Switch 2. (Source: Best Buy)
Report on Nintendo shutting down Switch 2 preorders in the United States. (Source: The Verge)
Clarification: The announcement that preorders of the Switch 2 were also being suspended in Canada came two days after we recorded. (Source: MobileSyrup)
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii (29:35)
Steam store page for Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.
Wikipedia article on Mass Effect 2.
Confirmation: The Mass Effect 2 Vanguard power Merve was describing is indeed called Charge. (Source: Mass Effect 2 Wiki on FextraLife)
Assassin’s Creed Shadows (37:30)
MILD SPOILERS: Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Steam store page for Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
Wikipedia article on American Football (the band, not the sport).
Wikipedia article on Yasuke.
Wikipedia article on the kusarigama.
Clarification: Historically, the naginata was used by both male and female warriors. Nowadays, the martial art of naginatajutsu is more commonly practiced by women in Japan than by men, but the gender balance of the sport is more equal in other countries. (Sources: Wikipedia)
An explanation of the choice of siding with Yaya or with Mitsumune in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. (Source: GamesRadar+)
An article about not being able to harm animals in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. (Source: Kotaku)
Wikipedia article on Ghost of Tsushima.
Wikipedia article on the 2025 live-action Snow White.
Wikipedia article on kawaii.
Correction: Merve was thinking of the bamboo strike minigame from Ghost of Tsushima. The wood chopping minigame he mentioned was from Like a Dragon: Ishin! (Sources: Ghost of Tsushima Wiki on Fandom; The Gamer)
Metaphor: ReFantazio (1:11:15)
Steam store page for Metaphor: ReFantazio.
Total War: Warhammer III (1:19:15)
Steam store page for Total War: Warhammer III.
Wikipedia article on Creative Assembly’s cancelled game Hyenas.
Steam store page for The First Berserker: Khazan.
inZOI (1:22:20)
Steam store page for inZOI.
Ixion (1:23:00)
Steam store page for Ixion.
Steam store page for Metal Eden.
Steam store page for Doom: The Dark Ages.
Urban Myth Dissolution Center and Social Media (1:26:30)
Steam store page for Urban Myth Dissolution Center.
Steam store page for Emily is Away.
Wikipedia article on Myspace.
Conclusion (1:38:25)
No links here.
...more
0min
March 30, 2025Episode #110: Bill Santa Fe, World Explorer
Featuring:
Merve
The Kappa
Editor:
The Kappa
Timestamps:
0:15 – Introduction
4:30 – What We’ve Been Playing
23:40 – Lost Judgment and Stories about Bullying
30:20 – The D.I.C.E. Awards and the Canadian Game Awards, Part 1
38:45 – Dragon Age: The Veilguard
43:10 – Peter Molyneux and His Games
45:20 – The D.I.C.E. Awards and the Canadian Game Awards, Part 2
1:05:00 – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Overview
1:13:05 – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Some Criticisms
1:19:40 – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Prologue and Marshall College
1:30:10 – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Vatican
1:40:55 – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Gizeh
1:45:00 – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Himalayas
1:52:25 – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Shanghai and Sukhothai
2:06:05 – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Ziggurat of Ur
2:10:20 – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Marketing and Product
2:15:20 – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Future of the Franchise, Part 1
2:28:00 – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Fun and Goofy Moments
2:29:35 – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Stealth Gameplay
2:32:30 – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Potential Influence
2:43:30 – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Future of the Franchise, Part 2
2:49:55 – Conclusion
Download Link: https://archive.org/details/avocadogamescast_ep110
Podcast header image from Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. Mild spoilers for the game from 1:05:00 onward. Full spoilers for the game from 1:28:55 onward. Mild spoilers for Dragon Age: The Veilguard from 38:45 to 43:10. Linkdump after the jump.
Introduction (0:10)
Wikipedia article on Edgar Allan Poe.
What We’ve Been Playing (4:30)
Steam store page for Kingdom Come: Deliverance II.
Steam store page for Avowed.
Steam store page for Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.
Lost Judgment and Stories about Bullying (23:40)
Wikipedia article on Lost Judgment.
Wikipedia article on Girl from Nowhere.
The D.I.C.E. Awards and the Canadian Game Awards, Part 1 (30:20)
VoD for the 28th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards. (Source: IGN on YouTube)
List of nominees and winners at the 28th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards. (Source: Wikipedia)
VoD for the Canadian Game Awards. (Source: Canadian Game Awards on YouTube)
List of nominees and winners at the Canadian Game Awards. (Source: Canadian Game Awards)
Dragon Age: The Veilguard (38:45)
MILD SPOILERS: DRAGON AGE: THE VEILGUARD
Wikipedia article on Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
Peter Molyneux and His Games (43:10)
Wikipedia article on Peter Molyneux.
The D.I.C.E. Awards and the Canadian Game Awards, Part 2 (45:20)
Wikipedia article on The Game Awards.
Announcement trailer for Digimon Story Time Stranger. (Source: Bandai Namco Entertainment America on YouTube)
Official reveal trailer for DokeV. (Source: DokeV on YouTube)
The educational video game The Kappa mentioned was called Donald Duck’s Playground, released in 1986. Donald Duck also starred in a 1959 animated/live-action educational featurette about mathematics called Donald in Mathmagic Land. (Source: Wikipedia)
Clarification: When Merve mentioned “GameStop,” he was referring to their then-defunct magazine, Game Informer. Since recording, the magazine has been revived under new ownership. (Source: Wikipedia)
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Overview (1:05:00)
Wikipedia article on Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.
Correction and clarification: PG-13 was added to the U.S. Motion Picture Association film rating system in 1984 in response to complaints about violence and gore in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doon and Gremlins (not The Goonies, which came out in 1985). However, the first film to be released with this classification was Red Dawn. (Source: Wikipedia)
Correction: The achievement for hitting an enemy with a fly swatter is called Pest Control. (Source: Steam)
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Some Criticisms (1:13:05)
No links here.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Prologue and Marshall College (1:19:40)
MILD SPOILERS for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle until 1:28:55. FULL SPOILERS afterwards for the rest of the episode.
Wikipedia article on Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Wikipedia article on Tony Todd (RIP).
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Vatican (1:30:10)
Wikipedia article on Deus Ex.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Gizeh (1:40:55)
Correction: Modern Egyptology ramped up in the early 1800s, not the late 1800s. (Source: Wikipedia)
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Himalayas (1:45:00)
Wikipedia articles on Alessandra Mastronardi, Troy Baker, and Marios Gavrilis.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Shanghai and Sukhothai (1:52:25)
Confirmation: Some puzzles actually are different on the Light puzzle difficulty. (Source: Facebook)
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Ziggurat of Ur (2:06:05)
Wikipedia article on the Ziggurat of Ur.
Smosh Wiki article on The Chosen. (Source: Fandom)
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Marketing and Product (2:10:20)
Wikipedia article on MachineGames.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Future of the Franchise, Part 1 (2:15:20)
Wikipedia article on the Thief reboot.
A blog post on how E3 2012 was “The year of the bow.” (Source: VentureBeat)
Wikipedia article on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.
Correction: You do not play as a police officer in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, but rather as a member of the Special Air Service of the British Army. (Source: Wikipedia)
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Fun and Goofy Moments (2:28:00)
No links here.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Stealth Gameplay (2:29:35)
No links here.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Potential Influence (2:32:30)
Wikipedia article on Batman: Arkham Origins.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order has sold over 10 million copies. (Source: Wikipedia)
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Future of the Franchise, Part 2 (2:43:30)
Wikipedia article on Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
Conclusion (2:49:55)
No links here.
...more
0min
February 22, 2025Episode #109: Rage Against the Reducible Fraction
Featuring:
Merve
Lily Bones
QuinleyThorne
The Kappa
Editor:
The Kappa
Timestamps:
0:15 – Introduction
2:10 – What We Played Over the Holidays
38:30 – Nintendo Switch 2 Teaser
43:40 – Evaluating Our 2024 Predictions
51:25 – Our 2025 Predictions
1:18:15 – What We’re Looking Forward to
1:32:15 – The Delay Prediction Game: Last Year’s Results
1:41:00 – The Delay Prediction Game: This Year’s Contest
2:53:00 – Conclusion
Download Link: https://archive.org/details/avocadogamescast_ep109
Podcast header image from the upcoming Digimon Story Time Stranger, sourced from its Steam page. Header image uses font On Fire by Typefactoryco. Linkdump, predictions, and mathematical appendix (seriously) after the jump.
Introduction (0:15)
Steam store page for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.
What We Played Over the Holidays (2:10)
Steam store page for Mortal Kombat 1.
Nintendo store page for Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door.
Steam store page for Sorry We’re Closed.
Steam store page for Misericorde Volume Two: White Wool & Snow.
Steam store page for We Know the Devil.
Steam store page for Heaven Will Be Mine.
Nintendo Switch 2 Teaser (38:30)
First-look trailer for Nintendo Switch 2. (Source: Nintendo of America on YouTube)
Evaluating Our 2024 Predictions (43:40)
Episode #99 of the AVoCADo GamesCast, “The Ribisi Spectrum.”
Wikipedia article on Marvel Games.
Correction: Only Marvel has a character named Mister Fantastic. Merve was thinking of the DC character Mister Terrific. (Source: Wikipedia)
Confirmation: Valkyria Chronicles III was the Valkyria Chronicles game that didn’t make it out of Japan. (Source: Wikipedia)
Our 2025 Predictions (51:25)
Merve’s first realistic prediction: Ubisoft will either be sold or go private this year.
Lily Bones’s first realistic prediction: Microsoft will publish more games on each of PS5 and Switch 2 than Sony will publish on PS5 and Nintendo will publish on Switch 2.
Correction: Sony actually released four first-party games in 2024. We missed MLB The Show 24. (My First Gran Turismo is just a demo for Gran Turismo 7 and therefore doesn’t count.) (Source: Wikipedia)
The Kappa’s first realistic prediction: Sony will begin licensing their IPs (including their biggest ones, like God of War and Uncharted) to third-party developers.
Quinley Thorne’s first realistic prediction: Atlus will announce an expanded re-release for Metaphor: ReFantazio that will add Catherina as a party member, make Glodell a “social link” (i.e. a Follower), and add more candidates for the throne, one of whom will be a Mary Sue pseudo love interest that will play an outsized role in the plot.
Merve’s second realistic prediction: Persona 6 will be announced at Summer Game Fest for 2026 release.
Lily Bones’s second realistic prediction: Both Marathon and Grand Theft Auto VI will be delayed.
The Kappa’s second realistic prediction: The Nintendo Switch 2 will initially flop and have a slow launch.
Quinley Thorne’s second realistic prediction: We will see a trend away from live service games.
Steam store page for Deadlock.
Merve’s long shot prediction: Media.Vision will put out either Valkyria Chronicles V or the next Digimon Story game this year. Both will eventually come to the Nintendo Switch 2, one within three months of the console’s launch. Clarification: Digimon Story Time Stranger had not yet been officially unveiled at the time of recording, and its developer had not yet been announced as Media.Vision; all that was known was that a new Digimon Story game was in development. (Source: Bandai Namco Entertainment America on YouTube)
Lily Bones’s long shot prediction: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle will keep its momentum and be a game of the year nominee at the end of 2025.
The Kappa’s long shot prediction: Game Pass everywhere.
Quinley Thorne’s long shot prediction: Hollow Knight: Silksong will come out.
Wikipedia article on Kentucky Route Zero.
Confirmation: Cooking Mama: Cookstar’s publisher, Planet Entertainment, claimed that the game would use blockchain technology, but it was not present in the final version of the game. (Source: Wikipedia)
What We’re Looking Forward to (1:18:15)
Steam store page for Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.
Steam store page for Sid Meier’s Civilization VII.
Steam store page for Avowed.
Steam store page for Split Fiction.
Steam store page for Dead Letter Dept.
Steam store page for Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land.
Steam store page for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
Wikipedia article on Pokémon Legends: Z-A.
Steam store page for Wanderstop.
Steam store page for Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves.
Steam store page for Pathologic 3.
Nintendo store page for Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time.
Steam store page for the upcoming re-release of OFF.
Steam store page for Coffee Talk Tokyo.
Steam store page for Deltarune.
Wikipedia article on Death Stranding 2: On the Beach.
Steam store page for despelote.
Steam store page for Elden Ring Nightreign.
Steam store page for Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater.
Nintendo store page for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond.
Wikipedia article on Croc: Legend of the Gobbos.
Steam store page for South of Midnight.
Steam store page for Shadow Labyrinth.
Shacknews’s review of Ebenezer and the Invisible World.
Steam store page for OPUS: Prism Peak.
Steam store page for Strange Jigsaws.
Steam store page for MIO: Memories in Orbit.
Steam store page for Unbeatable.
Steam store page for Golf With Your Friends 2.
Steam store page for Lost Records: Bloom & Rage.
Steam store page for Tokyo Stories.
Steam store page for The Explorator.
The Delay Prediction Game: Last Year’s Results (1:32:15)
Episode #99 of the AVoCADo GamesCast, “The Ribisi Spectrum.”
Wikipedia article on scoring rules.
Clarification: Earthblade’s cancellation had not yet been announced at the time of recording. (Source: Gematsu)
Correction and clarification: Tarsier Studios’ Reanimal is a spiritual successor to the Little Nightmares series, but it has not yet been released. The acquisition of the of the studio by Embracer Group is indeed part of why Little Nightmares IP owner Bandai Namco put a different studio, Supermassive Games, in charge of developing Little Nightmares III. (Sources: Wikipedia)
Wikipedia article on the von Mises distribution.
The Delay Prediction Game: This Year’s Contest (1:41:00)
Clarification: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s release date of April 24th, 2025 had not yet been announced at the time of recording. (Source: PlayStation on YouTube)
Clarification: Earthblade’s cancellation had not yet been announced at the time of recording. (Source: Gematsu)
A freaky creation from the Black Desert Online character creator. (Source: Rock Paper Shotgun)
Correction: The song featured in the trailers for DokeV is not a pre-existing song by Itzy, but rather an original song for the game called “Rockstar” by GALACTIKA and Luena. (Source: DokeV)
Music video for “APT.” by Rosé and Bruno Mars. (Source: ROSÉ on YouTube)
Wikipedia article on Cabbie Richards.
Correction: The world premiere trailer for John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando was at Summer Game Fest 2023, not The Game Awards 2023. (Source: thegameawards on YouTube)
Correction: Gameplay footage for John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando has been shown off. (Source: PlayStation on YouTube)
Wikipedia article on Fifth Third Bank.
Clarification: Ninja Gaiden 4 and Ninja Gaiden 2 Black had not yet been announced at the time of recording. (Sources: Xbox on YouTube)
Steam store page for Vampire: The Masquerade – Coteries of New York.
Full predictions list:
GameThe Kappa’s Prediction (%)Quinley Thorne’s Prediction (%)Lily Bones’s Prediction (%)Merve’s Prediction (%)Trailer Source (on YouTube)2XKO28384055GameSpotAnno 117: Pax Romana90455085UbisoftBig Walk75806065House HouseClair Obscur: Expedition 331009510099PlayStationCoffee Talk Tokyo501009088Toge ProductionsCrimson Desert75824025Crimson DesertThe Dark Pictures Anthology: Directive 802080207580PlayStationDeath Stranding 2: On the Beach0113015PlayStationDispatch100505060thegameawardsDokeV0000GameSpotEarthblade84567080GameSpotElden Ring Nightreign618510095Bandai Namco Entertainment AmericaFable14655050GameSpotFBC: Firebreak80748090Remedy EntertainmentFive Laps at Freddy’s1001009985ClickteamLLCGhost of Yōtei723990100PlayStationGolf With Your Friends 2811009090Team17Grand Theft Auto VI1001005045Rockstar GamesHell Is Us81728065PlayStationHollow Knight: Silksong0050100XboxHotel Barcelona005055GematsuJohn Carpenter’s Toxic Commando75202535PlayStationLittle Nightmares III145280100BANDAI NAMCO EuropeMafia: The Old Country1805063PlayStationMarvel 1943: The Rise of Hydra10006565Marvel EntertainmentMetroid Prime 4: Beyond050100100Nintendo of AmericaMewgenics11805023Edmund McMillenMIO: Memories in Orbit0507575Nintendo of AmericaMixtape61706040XboxMonaco 21001004060GameSpotNinja Gaiden: Ragebound100768045Nintendo of AmericaThe Outer Worlds 21001008080Obsidian EntertainmentPenny Blood00010Penny BloodPokémon Legends: Z-A10036100100GameSpotProfessor Layton and the New World of Steam78506085LEVEL5ch【公式】Shadow Labyrinth10010010055Bandai Namco Entertainment AmericaShowa American Story0102060NEKCOM GamesThe Sinking City 280504040PlayStationVampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 205150Xbox
Conclusion (2:53:00)
No links here.
Appendix: Why You Should Always Pick 0 or 100
Let p be the probability that you think the game is going to come out. Let a be the guess you supply. Then your expected number of points is:
p*a + (1-p)*(100-a)
This can be rearranged as:
(2p-1)*a + (1-p)*100
Clearly, if p > ½, then this is maximized with a = 100, and if p < ½, then this is maximized with a = 0. If p = ½, then this reduces to ½*100 = 50, which does not depend on a, so any a ∈ [0,100] is optimal.
...more
0min
February 04, 2025Episode #108: Catgirls for Hire: The 2024 Year-End GamesCast
Featuring:
Merve
LittleMac
Drinking with Skeletons
The Kappa
3rdstringhero
Jarathen

Editor:
The Kappa
Timestamps:
0:15 – Introduction
4:15 – The Game Awards 2024
45:15 – Studio Closures and Studio Survival
1:01:55 – 3rdstringhero’s Top 3
1:05:45 – Jarathen’s Top 3
1:08:25 – Our Favourites: Honourable Mentions
1:16:00 – Our Favourites: #5
1:25:15 – Our Favourites: #4
1:41:50 – Our Favourites: #3
2:02:15 – Our Favourites: #2
2:33:05 – Our Favourites: #1
3:01:00 – Our Biggest Disappointments
3:26:30 – Our Biggest Surprises
3:44:55 – Conclusion
Download Link: https://archive.org/details/avocadogamescast_ep108
Podcast header image from Metaphor: ReFantazio. Linkdump after the jump.
Introduction (0:15)
Official website for Bojangles.
Clarification: Merve has driven through North Carolina before, but he has never stayed overnight there. (Source: Wikipedia)
Wikipedia article on Peggy’s Cove.
Facebook page for Tom’s Lobster Shack.
Wikipedia article on pescetarianism.
Correction: “Sea beans” is the American term for the species of Salicornia eaten in North America. Specific Atlantic Canadian terms would be “samphire greens” or “crow’s foot greens,” though Merve does insist that he has heard “sea beans” on a Canadian cooking show. (Source: Wikipedia)
The Game Awards 2024 (4:15)
Official website for The Game Awards.
Wikipedia article on Astro Bot.
Official trailer for Mafia: The Old Country. (Source: IGN on YouTube)
Teaser trailer for the Okami sequel. (Source: Capcom USA on YouTube)
Drinking with Skeletons’s retrospective on Okami. (Source: The Avocado)
Announce trailer for Onimusha: Way of the Sword. (Source: Capcom USA on YouTube)
Reveal gameplay trailer for Elden Ring Nightreign. (Source: Bandai Namco Entertainment America on YouTube)
The A.V. Club’s feature where Ryan Zickgraf (formerly Smith) attempted to teach Alex McLevy how to play first-person shooters.
Official reveal trailer for Dispatch. (Source: IGN on YouTube)
Wikipedia article on Powerless.
Clarification: A pilot was ordered for Marvel’s Damage Control, but it was never ordered to full series. (Source: Wikipedia)
Correction: “Gotham P.D.” was simply called Gotham. (Source: Wikipedia)
Official gameplay reveal trailer for Split Fiction. (Source: Electronic Arts)
Announcement trailer for Turok: Origins. (Source: PlayStation on YouTube)
Announcement trailer for Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. (Source: PlayStation on YouTube)
World premiere trailer for Project Century. (Source: thegameawards on YouTube)
Announcement trailer for Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound. (Source: Nintendo of America)
The boss of Act 2 of Ninja Gaiden is Bomberhead. (Source: Ninja Gaiden Wiki on Fandom)
Official announcement trailer for Thick as Thieves. (Source: IGN on YouTube)
Interview with Warren Spector on Episode 413 of Dropped Frames. (Source: itmeJP on YouTube)
Reveal trailer for Shadow Labyrinth. (Source: Bandai Namco Entertainment America on YouTube)
Wikipedia article on Secret Level.
Official gameplay trailer for The Outer Worlds 2. (Source: IGN on YouTube)
Wikipedia article on Paradox Interactive.
Studio Closures and Studio Survival (45:15)
Report on the closure of Ouka Studio. (Source: GamesIndustry.biz)
Announcement of the closure of Humanoid Origin. (Source: LinkedIn)
Report on the closures of Ubisoft San Francisco and Ubisoft Osaka. (Source: Reuters)
To be specific regarding Roundhouse Games’s fate, the studio was merged into ZeniMax Online Studios. (Source: PC Gamer)
Wikipedia article on Creative Assembly.
3rdstringhero’s Top 3 (1:01:55)
#3: Metaphor: ReFantazio. (Source: Wikipedia)
#2: Unicorn Overlord. (Source: Wikipedia)
#1: The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak. (Source: Wikipedia)
Jarathen’s Top 3 (1:05:45)
#3: Unicorn Overlord. (Source: Wikipedia)
#2: Slay the Princess: The Pristine Cut. (Source: Wikipedia)
#1: Astro Bot. (Source: Wikipedia)
Our Favourites: Honourable Mentions (1:08:25)
Merve’s #10: Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club. (Source: Wikipedia)
Merve’s #9: Animal Well. (Source: Wikipedia)
Merve’s #8: individualism in the dead-internet age: an anti-big tech asset flip shovelware rant manifesto. (Source: itch.io)
Merve’s #7: I Am Your Beast. (Source: Steam)
Merve’s #6: 20 Small Mazes. (Source: Steam)
Drinking with Skeletons’s first honourable mention: Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2. (Source: Wikipedia)
Drinking with Skeletons’s second honourable mention: Zephon. (Source: Steam)
Drinking with Skeletons’s third honourable mention: Solium Infernum. (Source: Steam)
The Kappa’s #6: Helldivers 2. (Source: Wikipedia)
The Kappa’s #7: S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. (Source: Wikipedia)
The Kappa’s #8: V Rising. (Source: Wikipedia)
The Kappa’s #9: Dragon Age: The Veilguard. (Source: Wikipedia)
The Kappa’s #10: The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria. (Source: Wikipedia)
Our Favourites: #5 (1:16:00)
Merve’s #5: Echo Point Nova. (Source: Steam)
Drinking with Skeletons’s #5: Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake. (Source: Steam)
The Kappa’s #5: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. (Source: Wikipedia)
Our Favourites: #4 (1:25:15)
Merve’s #4: Children of the Sun. (Source: Steam)
LittleMac’s #4: Princess Peach: Showtime! The name of Grape’s minions is the Sour Bunch. (Source: Wikipedia)
Drinking with Skeletons’s #4: Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree. (Source: Steam)
The Kappa’s #4: Age of Mythology: Retold. (Source: Steam)
Our Favourites: #3 (1:41:50)
Merve’s #3: Dungeons of Hinterberg. (Source: Wikipedia)
Steam store page for Slaycation Paradise.
The Canada’s Drag Race spinoff Slaycation is set in The Blue Mountains, Ontario. (Source: Wikipedia)
Little Mac’s #3: Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake. (Source: Steam)
Drinking with Skeletons’s #3: Astro Bot. (Source: Wikipedia)
The Kappa’s #3: Balatro. (Source: Wikipedia)
Our Favourites: #2 (2:02:15)
Merve’s #2: Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. (Source: Wikipedia)
Little Mac’s #2: Darkest Dungeon II. (Source: Wikipedia)
Drinking with Skeletons’s #2: Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance. (Source: Steam)
The Kappa’s #2: Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2. (Source: Wikipedia)
Report on the development of Henry Cavill’s Warhammer 40,000 series. (Source: Deadline)
Our Favourites: #1 (2:33:05)
Merve’s #1: 1000xRESIST. (Source: Wikipedia)
Little Mac’s #1: The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. (Source: Wikipedia)
Drinking with Skeletons’s #1: Persona 3 Reload. (Source: Wikipedia)
The Kappa’s #1: Dragon’s Dogma 2. (Source: Wikipedia)
Our Biggest Disappointments (3:01:00)
Merve’s biggest disappointment: Neva. (Source: Wikipedia)
Little Mac’s biggest disappointment: missing out on Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. (Source: Steam)
Drinking with Skeletons’s biggest disappointment: Metaphor: ReFantazio. (Source: Wikipedia)
Confirmation: The monk chant vocals in Metaphor: ReFantazio’s soundtrack are a mixture of Esperanto and an original language created for the game. (Source: Siliconera)
The Kappa’s biggest disappointment: MechWarrior 5: Clans. (Source: Wikipedia)
Our Biggest Surprises (3:26:30)
Merve’s first surprise: Strands. (Source: The New York Times)
Merve’s second surprise: NOTTOLOT. (Source: Steam)
Merve’s third surprise: Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard Entertainment. (Source: Goodreads)
LittleMac’s biggest surprises: Princess Peach: Showtime! and The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. (Source: Wikipedia)
Drinking with Skeletons’s first surprise: Warhammer 40,000: Darktide. (Source: Wikipedia)
Drinking with Skeletons’s second surprise: Songs of Silence. (Source: Steam)
The Kappa’s first surprise: the release of Skull and Bones. (Source: Wikipedia)
The Kappa’s second surprise: “This Is an Xbox.” (Source: Xbox Wire)
The Kappa’s third surprise: Fortnite’s new “Ballistic” mode. (Source: Fortnite)
Conclusion (3:44:55)
No links here.
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December 15, 2024Episode #107: Top Shortage
Featuring:
Merve
Captain Blasto
QuinleyThorne
The Kappa
Editor:
The Kappa
Timestamps:
0:15 – Introduction
3:45 – The Game Awards Nominations
34:40 – The Supposed Influence of Baldur’s Gate 3
36:35 – Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader
44:35 – Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
51:05 – Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes
1:11:30 – Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven
1:26:40 – Metaphor: ReFantazio
1:56:45 – Dragon Age: The Veilguard
2:41:20 – The Elder Scrolls Online and MMO Discussion
3:07:40 – Conclusion
Download Link: https://archive.org/details/avocadogamescast_ep107
Podcast header image from Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Spoiler warning for Act 1 of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Linkdump and timestamps for warnings after the jump.
Introduction (0:15)
Official website for Bluesky.
Official website for Mastodon.
The Game Awards Nominations (3:45)
Official website for The Game Awards.
Official webpage for the D.I.C.E. Awards. (Source: Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences)
Abel Tesfaye is the real name of singer-songwriter The Weeknd. (Source: Wikipedia)
Report on Bloober Team’s comment about being done making “shitty” games. (Source: GameSpot)
Requirements to play the Elden Ring DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree. (Source: RadioTimes)
The Supposed Influence of Baldur’s Gate 3 (34:40)
Wikipedia article on Baldur’s Gate 3.
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader (36:35)
Wikipedia article on Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader.
Announcement of the Amazon Studios Warhammer 40,000 series starring Henry Cavill. (Source: IGN)
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (44:35)
Wikipedia article on Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.
ThorHighHeels’s video on game length, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. Merve has indeed watched it. (Source: YouTube)
Wikipedia article on Jerry Gergich from Parks and Recreation.
Correction: The original Final Fantasy VII used an Active Time Battle system, not a traditional turn-based system. (Source: Wikipedia)
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes (51:05)
Wikipedia article on Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes.
Correction: The dungeon Merve referred to as “The Trials” is actually called The Proving Grounds. (Source: IGN)
The pink-haired character whom you need to recruit in order to unlock card battles is Glen. (Source: The Gamer)
Confirmation: The Beigoma professor is indeed Dr. Corque, not Dr. Coque. (Source: IGN)
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven (1:11:30)
Steam store page for Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven.
Confirmation: The first of the Seven Heroes in Romancing SaGa 2 is indeed named Kzinssie. (Source: SaGa Wiki on Fandom)
Metaphor: ReFantazio (1:26:40)
Correction: This game came out before Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, on October 11th, 2024, so we didn’t actually go fully chronologically. (Source: Steam)
Wikipedia article on Metaphor: ReFantazio.
Concept art for “Project Re Fantasy” featuring a redheaded elf knight. (Source: Sega Bits)
Correction: The game does state how many candidates are protected by the Royal Magic. It’s 20, not 50. (Source: Merve’s screenshots on the Steam Community)
Correction: The amphibious boat tour vehicle in the National Capital Region is dubbed the Amphibus, not the Amphibibus. (Source: Lady Dive)
The Trickster Archetype evolves from the Faker Archetype. (Source: Megami Tensei Wiki on Fandom)
Correction: Merve was correct that there would be 780 pairs of distinct Archetypes if there were 40 Archetypes, but: A) there are 46 distinct Archetypes, not 40, which makes for 1035 pairs; B) an Archetype can sometimes synthesize with another member of the same Archetype; C) the availability of Synthesis skills depend on Archetype lineages, not specific Archetypes; D) as QuinleyThorne pointed out, there are some Synthesis skills that need three lineages present in the party; E) not all lineages have Synthesis skills with each other; and F) different Synthesis skills are available to different Archetypes within a pair. (Sources: IGN and Game8)
Dragon Age: The Veilguard (1:56:45)
SPOILERS: Act 1 of Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Wikipedia article on Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
Confirmation: Bellara’s ex is Irelin. (Source: Dragon Age Wiki on Fandom)
Correction: The correct name for the faction of treasure hunters is Lords of Fortune, not Fortune Hunters or Seekers of Fortune. (Source: Dragon Age Wiki on Fandom)
Reporting on legal action following BioWare’s layoffs last year. (Source: GamesIndustry.biz)
Confirmation: The Inquisition’s fate as the Divine’s personal honour guard (i.e. being under the Chantry) is indeed one of two options at the end of the Trespasser DLC for Dragon Age: Inquisition. (Source: Dragon Age Wiki on Fandom)
The Elder Scrolls Online and MMO Discussion (2:41:20)
Wikipedia article on The Elder Scrolls Online.
Official Twitch channel for sodapoppin.
Episode #99 of the AVoCADo GamesCast, in which The Kappa (correctly) predicted that Blue Protocol would never get released in the West.
Official extended gameplay trailer for DokeV. (Source: IGN on YouTube)
A guide for the Ceremony of Eternal Bonding, Final Fantasy XIV’s equivalent of marriage. (Source: Official website for Final Fantasy XIV)
Conclusion (3:07:40)
Wikipedia article on imaginary numbers.
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