In this episode of the Day One Patch Podcast, Matt dives deep into Call of Duty’s strangest era with a Video Game Fun Fact all about the cancelled Black Ops 4 campaign, how it compares to the experimental Black Ops 7 campaign, and how Black Ops 4’s early take on battle royale helped pave the way for what eventually became Warzone.

We also break down a massive round of hardware news from Valve, including the reveal of the next-gen Steam Machine—promising over 6x the power of the Steam Deck—alongside a brand-new Steam Controller built to replace your mouse right from the couch. With 2026 hardware on the horizon, we talk specs, design changes, and whether Valve has finally learned from the failures of the original 2015 Steam Machine lineup.

Plus, we react to the latest Game Informer 10/10 scores and chat about what we’ve been playing this week.

In this episode, the guys discuss Microsoft’s bold new direction for Xbox. Matt Booty recently claimed that “our biggest competition isn’t another console,” as Xbox doubles down on its multiplatform “play anywhere” strategy. But is this a smart pivot—or a sign that the console wars are officially over?

We also break down reports about the next-generation Xbox, which may play your entire Xbox library, integrate Steam, Battle.net, and Epic Games, and drop pay-to-play multiplayer entirely. Is Xbox turning into the ultimate hybrid between console and PC?

Plus, we make Game of the Year 2025 predictions, looking at the current front-runners and surprise challengers on the horizon.

And finally, Matt’s Video Game Fun Fact dives into Driver (1999)—the revolutionary PS1 classic that helped define open-world driving games long before GTA III changed the genre forever.

In this episode of the Day One Patch Podcast, the crew breaks down three of the biggest stories in gaming this week.

Matt kicks things off with a Video Game Fun Fact all about the Nintendo DS ML, exploring the handheld’s hardware, history, and collectibility.

Then the team dives into the news:

• Halo: Combat Evolved returns as Halo: Campaign Evolved, a full Unreal Engine 5 remake built for Xbox Series X|S, PC, and PS5 — marking the first time the franchise lands on a PlayStation console.

• Bethesda reveals Fallout 4 Anniversary Edition, launching November 10, 2025 for PC, Xbox, and PlayStation, with a Switch 2 version coming in 2026.

• And finally, the hosts unpack Microsoft’s profit-driven strategy that’s leading to price hikes, project cuts, and studio shutdowns.

Stick around for What We’re Playing, where the crew shares what’s been keeping their controllers warm this week.

In this week’s episode of the Day One Patch Podcast, Matt kicks things off with a deep dive into the Warhawk franchise — covering the series’ evolution from PS1 dogfights to the ambitious PS3 multiplayer reboot and its legacy today.

Then, the crew dives into the week’s biggest gaming stories:

• Vince Zampella reveals that Call of Duty only exists “because EA were dicks,” shedding light on the rivalry that birthed one of gaming’s most iconic franchises.

• EB Games Canada makes a comeback with a massive new flagship store in Montreal — complete with community events and a trading card program.

• Xbox teases its next-gen console, with Sarah Bond giving fans a glimpse inside Microsoft’s top-secret hardware lab.

Finally, the gang wraps up with what they’ve been playing lately.

In this episode, the gang discusses what next-gen gaming might look like as Xbox reassures fans that new hardware is still coming, Sony’s Mark Cerny teases PS6 graphics advancements, and game streaming continues to grow—but with big sustainability questions.
In the Video Game Fun Fact, Matt dives into the 1983 video game crash—what caused it, how long it lasted, and how its effects still shape gaming today.

Microsoft has hiked the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to $29.99/month, a massive 50% increase — but with the addition of Fortnite Crew, Ubisoft+ Classics, and more day-one releases, is it still worth the money? In this episode, the crew breaks down the new Game Pass tiers, explores Microsoft’s ad-supported cloud gaming tests, and dives into the rumor of a new PS5 DualSense controller with a removable battery.

Plus, Matt takes us on a nostalgic trip through the generations of gaming consoles in this week’s Video Game Fun Fact, and the gang shares what they’ve been playing lately.

In this week’s episode of the Day One Patch Podcast, we break down everything announced during Sony’s September 2025 State of Play, from fresh game reveals to major updates on upcoming titles. We also dive into Asus and Microsoft finally confirming Canadian pricing for the ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X—handhelds that promise premium specs but with a hefty price tag.

And for this week’s Video Game Fun Fact, Matt takes us on a journey through console pricing history, adjusted for inflation. From the most affordable systems to the priciest launches of all time, we compare how today’s consoles stack up against the past.

This week on the Day One Patch Podcast, we break down the latest gaming news and take a nostalgic trip through Rockstar’s Smuggler’s Run series.

• Video Game Fun Facts with Matt – Matt explores the Smuggler’s Run franchise, a wild off-road racing series from Rockstar that mixed massive open maps with smuggling missions.

• Top Story #1 – Xbox console prices are going up in the U.S. once again, with Series S and Series X models seeing increases across the board. We discuss what’s behind the hike and what it means for players.

• Top Story #2 – CD Projekt Red’s job postings hint that the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel may feature multiplayer, years after the original game’s online ambitions were scrapped.

• Query Corner – When we talk about “recent” games, what does recent actually mean? And which games would make the cut?

All this and more in this week’s episode of the Day One Patch Podcast!

Matt kicks off with Video Game Fun Facts by ranking the James Bond 007 games from worst to best based on Metacritic scores. Then we break down the September 12 Nintendo Direct highlights: the Super Mario Galaxy Movie (April 3, 2026), Super Mario Galaxy + Galaxy 2 hitting Switch on Oct 2, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond dated Dec 4, 2025, Hades II landing Sept 25, 2025, a brand-new Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave (2026), Resident Evil Requiem (Feb 27, 2026), plus fresh Mario, Yoshi, and more for Switch and Switch 2.Tim also raises concerns about Nintendo’s DLC strategy—specifically Pokémon announcing paid DLC before the base game even launches. We break down what that means for player trust, perceived value, and whether this sets a bad precedent for future first-party releases.

In this episode of the Day One Patch Podcast, we kick things off with a Video Game Fun Fact all about the Pocket Pikachu, Nintendo’s quirky pedometer-based handheld companion from the late ’90s.

We then break down Call of Duty’s latest move to restore its grounded identity by cutting carry-forward skins in Black Ops 7. Treyarch says it’s about keeping the game “immersive and visceral,” but fans are divided after losing their crossover cosmetics. We also look at Microsoft and Asus’ surprising decision to announce the ROG Xbox Ally X release date—without revealing its price—blaming shifting “macro-economic” conditions.

In Query Corner Lite, we cover Larian Studios’ sharp criticism of the gaming industry, pointing to ballooning budgets, long dev cycles, and publishers playing it safe instead of taking risks.