Big Red Barrel Podcasts

Usually at this time on a Thursday evening, I'd be sitting down to record BRB UK with my good mates Tim and Coleman.

As you may know, Tim has been unable to join Coleman and I for the past few weeks as he has been unwell. It is with profound sadness that I have to let you all know that Tim passed away on Wednesday 18th February 2026, surrounded by his friends and family.

I have had the absolute privilege of being able to count Tim as one of my closest friends for the past 20 years. Long-time listeners will know that Tim and I have been talking absolute nonsense at one another for over 700 episodes, stretching from the days of On Her Majesty's Sarcastic Service, SG UK all the way through to BRB UK.

Tim enriched the lives of so many of us. He was selfless, supportive and kind. His love for life, and love for those around him, shone through in everything he did. He was at his happiest when connecting with you all, whether that was through the podcast or at one of our live events like Tabletop Tuesday.

All of us here at Big Red Barrel are still coming to terms with this devastating news. This community is something that Tim was instrumental in building, and everyone at the site will be honoured to keep it going in his memory.

Coleman and I will be back in a couple of weeks with a new episode, but we do need to take a little bit of time out for ourselves. If you're able, we'd love to hear your favourite Tim moments – you can leave a comment on BigRedbarrel.com, mention us on X, Threads & Bluesky or drop us a note on Discord. We'd be honoured to celebrate Tim's life with every single one of you.

We'll be back soon. But until then, toodle-bye.

Coleman's been revisiting a classic as he reviews Dragon Quest VII Reimagined, while Dan returns to the longhouses of Valheim to see how survival life's treating him in 2026

In the news, things are a lot less cosy. Ubisoft staff stage strikes across Europe amid restructuring, Wildlight Studio is hit with layoffs, and Riot trims the team behind 2XKO just weeks after launch.

Time Stamps

• 00:00:00 Start
• 00:00:21 Intro
• 00:02:19 Dragon Quest VII Reimagined
• 00:15:39 Valheim 5th Anniversary Update
• 00:24:17 Ubisoft Staff Strike Across Europe
• 00:28:53 Highguard Studio Hit With Layoffs
• 00:31:02 Riot Lays Off 2XKO Developers
• 00:33:52 No Man's Sky Gets Spider-Mechs and Gravity Guns
• 00:36:59 Microsoft Reportedly Planning Game Pass Changes
• 00:43:25 Check out our Merch at BigRedBarrel.com/Store
• 00:44:02 Go to BigRedBarrel.com and get in contact with us
• 00:44:45 Tabletop Tuesday at Loading Stoke Newington
• 00:45:43 I HAVE A QUESTION…
• 00:47:40 Outro – Fighting Spirit from Dragon Quest VII Reimagined

Thanks for listening to another episode of BRB UK. You can grab the MP3 for this episode and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, via RSS, or wherever you get your podcasts.

This week, Dan and Coleman spend some time with a trio of games: Super Woden: Rally Edge, Mario Kart World, and Donkey Kong Bananza — and one of us may have quietly acquired a Nintendo Switch 2.

There's also a lot of news to get through. Nintendo's latest Partner Showcase brings a slate of new announcements, Valve has delayed its Steam Machine plans, and updates on The Outer Worlds series and Beyond Good & Evil 2 continue to raise questions. Elsewhere, Take-Two is still reaffirming a 2026 release for GTA 6.

Time Stamps

• 00:00:00 Start
• 00:00:19 Intro
• 00:02:57 Super Woden: Rally Edge
• 00:11:25 LEGO Game Boy
• 00:20:15 Coleman Did a Thing…
• 00:22:49 Mario Kart World
• 00:26:18 Donkey Kong Bananza
• 00:27:06 Nintendo Switch 2 So Far
• 00:36:25 Nintendo Direct: Partner Showcase – February 2026
• 00:48:28 Valve Delays Steam Machine and Steam Frame
• 00:52:24 The Outer Worlds Series' Future Unclear
• 00:55:08 Beyond Good & Evil 2 Still in Development
• 00:57:29 Take-Two Reaffirms November Release for GTA 6
• 00:58:58 Check out our Merch at BigRedBarrel.com/Store
• 01:00:02 Tabletop Tuesday at Loading Stoke Newington
• 01:00:39 Go to BigRedBarrel.com and get in contact with us
• 01:03:56 Outro – Drive Or Die by DJ DeVito

Thanks for listening to another episode of BRB UK. You can grab the MP3 for this episode and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, via RSS, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Dan and Coleman dig into Earth Must Die, a game that escalates from odd to unhinged with impressive confidence.

Ubisoft is back in the headlines for more layoffs, a popular Cyberpunk 2077 VR mod has been taken down, Monster Hunter: World players are dealing with fresh performance issues, and Rockstar Games does something genuinely decent.

Time Stamps

• 00:00:00.000 Start
• 00:00:18.277 Intro
• 00:02:33.809 Earth Must Die
• 00:20:30.733 Sands of Time Remake Finally Put Out of Its Misery
• 00:26:48.626 Cyberpunk 2077 VR Mod Pulled After DMCA
• 00:33:01.379 Monster Hunter Wilds Performance Issues Explained
• 00:38:24.935 Rockstar Grants GTA 6 Play Session for Terminally Ill Fan
• 00:40:48.645 Amazon Games' New World Set to Close in 2027
• 00:45:25.852 Check out our Merch at BigRedBarrel.com/Store
• 00:46:34.044 Tabletop Tuesday at Loading Stoke Newington
• 00:47:32.423 Go to BigRedBarrel.com and get in contact with us
• 00:52:16.293 Outro – Dallas by Jerrold Immel

Thanks for listening to another episode of BRB UK. You can grab the MP3 for this episode and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, via RSS, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Dan and Coleman are back, attempting to make a dent in their ever-growing piles of shame and discovering, once again, that free time is a myth.

Anthem is heading for its final shutdown, Rockstar finds itself in the courtroom spotlight, Bobby Kotick continues to be Bobby Kotick, Ubisoft trims more staff, and the ongoing argument over AI in game development refuses to settle.

Time Stamps

• 00:00:00 Start
• 00:00:34 Intro
• 00:04:30 What Did We Play While We Were Off?
• 00:05:04 Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2
• 00:10:27 Ghost of Yōtei
• 00:14:56 Star Wars Outlaws
• 00:17:25 Steam Deck Shenanigans
• 00:26:34 Anthem Falls Silent
• 00:34:15 Rockstar Clears First Legal Hurdle in GTA 6 Dispute
• 00:37:11 Rockstar Opens the Door to Paid Mods…
• 00:38:09 …Then Slams It Shut Elsewhere
• 00:39:40 Kotick Continues to be a Smug Git
• 00:44:35 Ubisoft Cuts Deeper as Swedish Studios Feel the Pinch
• 00:46:40 Shift Up Boss Backs AI as a Survival Tool
• 00:48:10 No Clankers in the Warhammer Room
• 00:54:40 Check out our Merch at BigRedBarrel.com/Store
• 00:55:47 Tabletop Tuesday at Loading Stoke Newington
• 00:56:31 Go to BigRedBarrel.com and get in contact with us
• 00:58:49 Outro – The Titan by Sarah Schachner

Thanks for listening to another episode of BRB UK. You can grab the MP3 for this episode and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, via RSS, or wherever you get your podcasts.

In 2025, the Xbox 360 quietly passed its 20th Anniversary, and it got us thinking about just how much that console shaped our gaming lives. From sprawling RPGs and genre-defining shooters to late-night multiplayer sessions and games that soundtracked entire friendships, the 360 era hit differently.

Dan and Coleman take a trip back to Microsoft's most influential console, digging into the games they loved playing on it and why those experiences have stuck around long after the discs stopped spinning.

Editor's note: We're all on our Christmas/New Year break until next year, but we've left you with a handful of special shows to keep you company while we're gone. See you next week.

Time Stamps

• 00:00:00 Start
• 00:00:29 Intro
• 00:07:29 Halo: Reach
• 00:11:07 Dead Rising 2
• 00:13:15 Mass Effect Trilogy
• 00:18:44 Rock Band
• 00:22:24 Batman: Arkham City
• 00:25:08 Fable II
• 00:28:04 Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
• 00:30:25 Bioshock
• 00:34:34 Gears of War
• 00:40:24 Outro – Xbox 360 Startup (Soulful Remix) by Smooth4Lyfe

Thanks for listening to another episode of BRB UK. You can grab the MP3 for this episode and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, via RSS, or wherever you get your podcasts.

We're another year down, which means it's time to start placing our bets.

Dan and Coleman sit down to run through their Ones to Watch for 2026. Hype will be poked, assumptions will be challenged, and will all be holding on to the hope that we've made choices that don't get delayed into 2027.

Editor's note: We're all on our Christmas/New Year break until next year, but we've left you with a handful of special shows to keep you company while we're gone. See you in 2026.

Time Stamps

• 00:00:00 Start
• 00:00:34 Intro
• 00:01:45 The Ones to Watch 2026
• 00:02:40 Forza Horizon 6
• 00:05:11 Slay the Spire 2
• 00:06:53 Saros
• 00:09:56 High On Life 2
• 00:12:51 Marvel's Wolverine
• 00:14:57 Grand Theft Auto VI
• 00:18:17 Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Soulst
• 00:20:51 007 First Light
• 00:22:52 Star Wars Zero Company
• 00:25:30 Outro – Auld Lang Syne by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes

Thanks for listening to another episode of BRB UK. You can grab the MP3 for this episode and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, via RSS, or wherever you get your podcasts.

It's that time of year when the conversation stops drifting, and decisions finally have to be made.

In Episode 662, Dan and Coleman (Sadly, no Tim) sit down to lock in their Game of the Year picks.

Editor's note: We're all on our Christmas/New Year break until next year, but we've left you with a handful of special shows to keep you company while we're gone. See you in 2026.

Time Stamps

• 00:00:00 Start – Jingle Bell Rock by The Isotopes
• 00:00:25 Intro
• 00:03:00 Our Ones to Watch from 2025
• 00:03:55 Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater
• 00:07:13 Slay The Spire II
• 00:09:21 Doom: The Dark Ages
• 00:12:54 Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
• 00:15:52 Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
• 00:18:22 Fable
• 00:20:16 Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra
• 00:23:11 Avowed
• 00:25:15 Ghost of Yōtei
• 00:26:28 Our Best Games of 2025
• 00:27:40 Hades II
• 00:30:21 Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• 00:35:15 The Séance of Blake Manor
• 00:37:05 Dispatch
• 00:42:17 Hell is Us
• 00:45:52 Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
• 00:49:17 Ghost of Yōtei
• 00:51:06 Ball X Pit
• 00:53:15 Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
• 00:56:24 Outro – Castle Castellations from James Pond II – Codename Robocod by Richard Joseph

Thanks for listening to another episode of BRB UK. You can grab the MP3 for this episode and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, via RSS, or wherever you get your podcasts.

This week on BRB UK, Dan and Coleman have been hands-on with Skate Story and Rhythm Doctor, digging into two very different games built around movement, timing, and strong creative intent.

We also cover Marathon's sudden return to the conversation, id Software staff moving to unionise, and Terminator: Survivors slipping into an indefinite delay. Plus, we round things off with everything that caught our eye from The Game Awards 2025.

Time Stamps

• 00:00:00 Start
• 00:00:26 Intro – It's Hostile. by Blood Cultures
• 00:02:18 Rhythm Doctor
• 00:10:17 Skate Story
• 00:20:39 Marathon Inches Closer…
• 00:26:40 id Software Staff Unionise Under Microsoft
• 00:29:23 Hasta La Delay, Terminator: Survivors
• 00:33:09 The Game Trailers of The Game Awards 2025
• 00:34:58 Bradley the Badger
• 00:37:16 Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic
• 00:39:20 Star Wars Galactic Racer
• 00:41:22 Divinity
• 00:44:10 Screamer
• 00:46:19 Control: Resonant
• 00:49:03 Street Fighter Movie
• 00:52:08 Tomb Raider Catalyst
• 00:53:21 Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis
• 00:57:06 Orbitals
• 00:58:43 Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred
• 01:02:09 And the Rest!
• 01:04:41 Check out our Merch at BigRedBarrel.com/Store
• 01:05:07 Tabletop Tuesday at Loading Stoke Newington – Back in 2026!
• 01:06:24 Go to BigRedBarrel.com and get in contact with us
• 01:07:43 I Have a Question!
• 01:11:11 Outro – The Alpha, The Omega by Blood Cultures

Thanks for listening to another episode of BRB UK. You can grab the MP3 for this episode and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, via RSS, or wherever you get your podcasts.

It's that time again, as Tim and Coleman return with a fresh pile of games and a fair bit of news. This week, the lads dig into Octopath Traveller 0, Where Winds Meet, and the closed beta for Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls.

We're also taking a moment to acknowledge the sad passing of Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (the iconic Shang Tsung himself) before picking through another batch of headlines: Harada stepping away from Bandai Namco, Black Flag's remake sailing under a new name, former Perfect Dark heads reuniting in a brand-new 2K studio, and a Postal project getting called out for sneaky AI visuals.

Time Stamps

• 00:00:00 Start
• 00:00:22 Intro
• 00:01:17 Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls – Closed Beta
• 00:09:27 Octopath Traveler 0
• 00:20:08 Where Winds Meet
• 00:37:11 Shang Tsung's Sorcerer Has Fallen
• 00:38:36 Harada Bids Farewell to Bandai Namco After 30 Years
• 00:40:12 Black Flag Resynced Sets Sail (Again)
• 00:42:54 Perfect Dark Veterans Resurface at New 2K Studio
• 00:43:54 Postal Project Collapses After AI Row
• 00:49:04 Check out our Merch at BigRedBarrel.com/Store
• 00:49:58 The final Tabletop Tuesday of 2025 at Loading Stoke Newington – Crumbs
• 00:53:43 Go to BigRedBarrel.com and get in contact with us
• 00:55:49 Outro – Meet Again_Shadow Puppeteer Batttle_Floral Expanse Beyond by Yida, & 星戈音樂

Thanks for listening to another episode of BRB UK. You can grab the MP3 for this episode and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, via RSS, or wherever you get your podcasts.