We get into the mess surrounding Blizzard and Netease in China. Genre's we were sure we would never like. A bunch of games this week too, plus Dear Martha, your calls and emails and more!   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CORE 349: Taking Down The Axe

Hosted by podcasting vet, Scott Johnson, Jon Jagger and Beau Schwartz. Weekly, on the frogpants network. Video games and the issues around them every week! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Video Games

Games & Hobbies

Leisure

Lots to discuss and none of it has to do with girls faces. Time to highlight BAFTA Awards Winners, the Fallout TV show's critical acclaim, and Microsoft/Blizzard's new deal with Netease, despite previous breakdowns. We hit on the absence of Dead Space 2 Remake and the reasons why, the pricey Ubisoft SW game, and Microsoft/Xbox's progress on their next console. Seems like that thing is full steam ahead. Listener emails and texts, including recommendations for Blood Bowl 3 and excitement over Slay the Spire 2's announcement. And more! (Dear Martha too!)
GAMES WE PLAYED THIS WEEK
SCOTT Dead Island 2 Final Fantasy 14 Spell Rogue Balatro Hotwheels 2
JON NieR Replicant Fortnite Granblue Fantasy: Relink Balatro
BEAU World of Warcraft phase 3 - Scored Sul'Thraze the Lasher on day 2 - Sunken Temple - Much more WoW biz Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CORE 413: Merlwyb Bloefhiswyn Called

What to do with a Sonic balloon. The dominance of older games in recent research is a little eyeopening, raising questions on innovation and project impacts. "Dear Martha" delves into gamer drama, while BAFTA polls honor Lara Croft. Notable points about System Shock remake update and some other side news. Plus, emails and texts!
WHAT WE PLAYED:
SCOTT GAMES Darksiders Darksiders II Songs of Conquest AFK Journey
JON GAMES More No Man's Sky, Baldur's Gate 3, WWE 2K24, and Helldivers 2 Dragons Dogma 2 Final Fantasy XIV's XVI event Legend of Korra in Fortnite
BEAU GAMES Solo Adventures in Hearthstone Shogun Showdown SpellRogue Fights in Tight Spaces Griftlands Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CORE 412: The Six Year Itch

The whole world seems to be playing Dragon's Dogma 2, but not us. Wonder what's up with that! Also, we've a discussion about Phil Spencer's concerns regarding the gaming industry growth and Xbox's strategy shift. Interesting stuff. Other news includes Stardew Valley's revived success, Take 2 acquiring Gearbox, and Relic becoming independent again. Emails clarifying male anatomy terms and a text suggesting a new co-op game, "Plate Up!", and a giveaway of a Mobius Gaming Laptop from DogHouse Systems! 
SCOTT PLAYED Lightyear Frontier Dying Light 2: Stay Human Serious start to Crusader Kings III The System Shock remake And some usuals.
JON PLAYED Baldur's Gate 3 No Man's Sky new update
BEAU PLAYED Starcraft 2 Coop commanders WoW Classic HL2 in VR! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CORE 411: Dogmatic Devotion

Ubisoft unveiled an AI-driven virtual assistant, offering visual and audio features. And it kinda sucks. Scott explored "Lightyear Frontier" and "Enslaved: Odyssey to the West," while Jon enjoyed "Civilization VI" and "Baldur's Gate 3." Beau made progress in "Like A Dragon" and tried "Timberborn" and "Plunderstorm." Blizzard's WoW Battle Royale mode, BG3 news, and Stardew Valley's record-breaking update. Also, Margot Robbie plans a Sims movie, while Nvidia predicts AI-generated games within a decade. Emails and texts and more!
SHARED PLAY Ravenswatch
SCOTT PLAYED Lightyear Frontier (Gamepass, Steam) Enslaved: Odyssey to the West (Steam) Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (Steam...insanely on sale) (more BORE Blasters...so hooked...and other stuff from last couple weeks)
JON PLAYED Civ 6 Baldur's Gate 3
BEAU PLAYED Plunderstorm (wow) Classic WoW Tiberborn Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth 
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CORE 410: More For Sweatys

On this episode of CORE: The woes of moving house. Scott got a Playstation Portal and is excited about several games including Unicorn Overlord and Granblue Fantasy Relink as a result. Jon has been busy moving but has also been playing WWE 2K24 and building FROG Wreslting 2.0. Beau has been playing WoW, FF7 Remake/Rebirth, and Spider-Man 2. We get breaking news about a PS5 Pro rumor. In the news, the controversy surrounding the recent release of STAR WARS™: Battlefront Classic Collection, the surprising success of Sea of Thieves pre-orders on PS5, and the announcement of Summer Games Fest. They also discuss the passing of Dragonball Z creator Akira Toriyama. The episode ends with a listener-submitted dad joke and some calls and stuff!
SCOTT GAMES The Playstation Portal Unicorn Overlord Granblue Fantasy Relink BORE Blasters Honkai Star Rail
JON GAMES WWE 2k4
BEAU GAMES WoW SoD FF 7 Remake FF 7 Rebirth Spider-Man 2 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CORE 349: Taking Down The Axe

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