Sony revealed a variety of 1st and 3rd party games, sequels, and DLC on its January 2024 State of Play livestream. We discuss the items that piqued our interest using our patent-pending scale of "How Many Fucks Given?"

Plus, the ever-expanding Kojima-verse, and why the "Silent Hill" franchise is returning in a big way, including a brand new free game you can play right now.

Also, Colette's first book, "Enter the Meta," is now available as an audiobook! We chat about the surprise voice actor reading it, and her latest endeavor to submit a second manuscript to a new agent.

Get the "Enter the Meta" audiobook here: https://www.audible.com/pd/Enter-the-Meta-Audiobook/B0CMYS1N69

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The only story in video games this week is the explosive debut of "Palworld," an open world survival craft-em-up where you also use magic balls to capture (and enslave) adorable creatures that look ... a LOT ... like other Pocket Monsters you may be familiar with.

Colette and Matt share their hands-on review of the oft-dubbed "Pokemon with Guns," and the experience of playing it online with our community! We discuss what makes the game SO addictive, the many reasons players feel drawn to the Early Access hit, and the controversy surrounding its first week in the wild.

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Colette is back to discuss the mind-blowing way a 13-year-old reached the "end" of NES "Tetris." On December 21, BlueScuti (aka Willis Gibson) became the first person to reach the breakneck mathematical end of "Tetris" for the NES, which causes the game to crash. While this made headlines around the gaming world, other "Tetris" pros quickly learned from Gibson's strategy, and one actually reached the "end" 21 seconds faster on January 3.

Plus, the GBA gem "Golden Sun" comes to Switch Online, the 10-year-old MOBA "Smite" sets itself up for a sequel (and why this is so interesting and complicated for a live service game), and the owners of Rockstar Games slap a trademark lawsuit on Remedy over their new logo design — even while they are working on games together! Only a court can decide who gets to own the letter "R"!

Also: Colette's "Genshin" Groove continues, while Matt searches for a co-op live service game to fill the holes in his shriveled heart.

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Miniature artist and video game connoisseur Sky Burkson returns to the show to fill in for Colette. And while we set out to talk about some video game news, we veer into a wide-ranging and deeply philosophical discussion about the artistic process, and the ethics of AI art, which has reared its head in nearly every industry — including video games.

We discuss the very purpose of (capital "A") Art, and the scenarios in which AI tools could ethically be used (if at all), including a model of regulatory transparency that might satisfy concerned artists...if the tech is even possible, given AI's current "black box" approach. Media literacy, the future of the Internet, and humanity's very purpose hang in the balance.

But spoiler alert: We do solve everything and save the world by the end of this discussion.

Keep tab's on Sky's monumental video game art here:

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We're back after a long and virus-infused holiday break to dive into the latest Switch 2 rumors which predict that...The Switch 2 will definitely happen! Also, what are Square Enix's "aggressive" plans to use AI in game design? And, the difference between using tech to eliminate drudgery vs. eliminating workers.

Plus: The first iteration of Mickey Mouse (as Steamboat Willie) has entered the public domain, and he's already popped up in a horror video game (thank you, Internet!). We discuss copyright, trademark, and the fascinating future of our favorite characters as they break free from their creators.

Also, "Dave the Diver," "Elden Ring," mobile convergence, and a great new idle game that runs right in your World Wide Web Browser.

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Farming MMO "Palia" came out for Nintendo Switch after some time in the PC oven, and it has everything we want from this kind of game. So...why is it so bad?

Also, to the surprise of no one, "Dave the Diver" is GREAT! Plus: A huge data breach at Insomniac/Sony reveals interesting conversations about the future of the games business. We say BUH-BYE to  one of the industry's most disliked CEOs, and we pay respects to "Max Payne" voice actor James McCaffrey, who sadly passed away this week.

Read Colette's coverage of the Insomniac hack here: https://www.thestreet.com/technology/sony-hack-discloses-confidential-data-plans-for-exclusive-projects

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🎵 It's the most wonderful time of the year 🎵 when we rank our absolute favorite video games of 2023. We reveal our 5 favorites to each other, and to you in real time! Get ready for a few surprises, and of course some obvious choices.

Plus: E3 is officially dead. We mourn the loss of the trade show institution, and discuss what has replaced it. Colette shares her memories of being on the ground at the show for three years, from 2007 to 2010.

We also discuss a few of the announcements and trailers that caught our attention at The Game Awards, and some items we're looking forward to in 2024 and beyond.

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We woke up WAY too early to recap the Wholesome Snack showcase and pluck out the cozy, adorable, and beautiful games that caught our attention. Don't worry, they're not ALL farming sims.

From communal city builders to 2D-3D cats, we've got the scoop on all things Wholesome. Plus: Crabs with guns and a boomer (magic) shooter that respects its roots.

We'll be back next week with our reactions to The Game Awards.

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For possibly the first time ever, Colette and Matt attempted to play a video game together. It was a spectacular failure, but not for the reasons you'd suspect.

Plus: Would you want your OWN voice to be the protagonist in your next game? EA's new patent bets you will. We discuss the complications of AI voice synthesis in games and other media.

Also, the economics of Game Pass in a world of platform convergence, and the grind that keeps us coming back for more "Genshin Impact."

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It's that time of year when we gather with family and friends, only to sneak away and grind out a few levels between the mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie.

We asked our listeners what they've queued up over the long Thanksgiving weekend, and  discuss the legacy (and current second-hand market) of the Nintendo (3)DS.

Plus: What would it take to fork over $60 on the "Super Mario RPG" remake? Colette's continued obsession with "Genshin Impact," Matt rolls credits on "Tears of the Kingdom," more "Alan Wake 2," and continued voyages in "Elite: Dangerous."

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