The new Final Fantasy XVI trailer looks real pretty, but is it enough to get you excited about the next installment? We discuss the franchise's hits and misses, and where 16 might fit in the hallowed pantheon.

Plus, a new study from the National Institute of Health finds that kids who game have more brain poppin'. We discuss whether that's causation or correlation, and why studies on video games are murky at best. Also, G4 TV is finally dead (again?) and we look back on where it missed the boat for mainstream video game coverage, and that time Colette was on TV!

We also share our Spoopy Game picks for all ages if you're looking for a fright this Halloween!

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Silent Hill MANIA has befallen us, and Colette brings everyone up to speed on what was announced this week, the fandom's reaction, and why it matters.

We also discuss Colette's forthcoming YA novel, Enter the Meta, which is now available for pre-order! Use the links below to purchase. And the merits of a pocket space MMO for the rest of us.

• Colette's playing: HYPE ABOUT SILENT HILL
• Matt's playing: Homeworld Mobile

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• Simon & Schuster: https://bit.ly/3z13d9T
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The Meta Quest Pro VR headset is here. It's lighter, and has more precise hand tracking, but a lower resolution, refresh rate, and battery life, and it's being marketed to creative professionals at a whopping $1,500. So who is this for? And will it move the needle on VR? 

We discuss the fractured VR audience, and why the Pro's specs and price tag may not line up for VR's biggest evangelists. Plus, Facebook's major trust problem, and why Valve is uniquely positioned to save us all from VR ecosystem hell, especially with lessons learned from the Steam Deck's success.

• Colette's playing: Potion Permit and Moving Out
• Matt's playing: For the King

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We URGENTLY react to the world premiere footage from the Super Mario Bros. animated movie, and discuss the commercial and cultural stakes for Nintendo as they approach next year's release.

Also, what makes fishing and crafting good in certain games, while tedious in others? We also stand before the deluge of demos from Steam Next Fest, and share our picks and potentials.

• Colette's playing: Dredge (Demo) and Potion Permit (Demo)
• Matt's playing: 20 Minutes Till Dawn and Halo: Reach

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We lament the demise of cloud gaming service Google Stadia, and speculate on what it might portend for the future of game streaming. Plus, we cover what our community has been playing, and gape in awe at a music licensing miracle.

• Colette's playing: 20 Minutes Till Dawn & Metal Hellsinger
• Matt's playing: Mythic

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This week we discuss what it takes to re-wire your home for a grown-up PC gaming lifestyle, the massive leaks of GTA VI and Diablo IV,  and the strange machinations of Disney's $30 Early Access game that will one day be free to play?

We also shine a spotlight on an up-and-coming indie developer called "Nintendo."

• Colette's playing: Disney Dreamlight Valley
• Matt's playing: Splatoon 3

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This week has more game news than you can swing a dead cat at, so we run down the highlights from Nintendo's September Direct, Sony's State of Play, and peek across the ocean at what's poppin' at the Tokyo Game Show.

Plus, the infinite charm of Cursed to Golf, the winners of our Discord giveaway, the near-future of the VR market, and why doesn't Disney make more AAA console games these days?

• Colette & Matt are playing: Cursed to Golf

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Have you heard of Fortnite? It is a popular video game that is sweeping the nation. Matt shares his thoughts about diving in for the first time ever, while Colette wraps up her Vampire Survivors obsession to focus on  ... golf? Also, what's up with the Thai entertainment industry? (A question that no one has ever asked until this moment.)

We cover Free-to-Play FOMO, and should Queen Elizabeth II (RIP) become a leader in Civilization?

We have 3 Steam keys for Cursed to Golf, courtesy of Chuhai Labs! If you'd like to win one, enter the Discord server below and react to the post in the podcast channel! We will randomly draw the winners on next week's episode!

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Would you take your Steam Deck on a cruise ship? Your answer to this question is better than any horoscope.

Also, Sony's investment in mobile MMOs and live service games leads us to a conversation about how platforms and ecosystems are so important in bringing "Muggles" (i.e. non-traditional gamers) into games — specifically, how the persistent worlds of our own Animal Crossing islands kinda became a social MMO that 30 million people played throughout the pandemic. The future of live service has a lot to do with what devices and platforms are in our pockets.

• Colette's playing: Survivor.io and PlateUP!
• Matt's playing: Astro Duel Deluxe and Tunic

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We run down the teasers, announcements, updates, and surprises from Gamescom 2022, conduct our court-mandated Vampire Survivors check-in, and share some fresh gems we've been playing.

Also, the lessons of being a "fast follower" in the games and tech industries.

• Colette's playing: PlateUp! and Onsen Master
• Matt's playing: Empires of the Undergrowth

Email us with what you're playing and we'll read it on the show! [email protected]

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