Brad played a ton of Sid Meier's Civilization VII and explains why he’s loving the new additions to the gameplay. He also breaks down why this might be the best entry point for new Civ players.PlayStation Network was mysteriously down for almost a whole day, and Sony isn’t explaining why.Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick might be the most unexpected person to make a fantastic point about AI and its role in gaming.Football Manager 25 has been canceled, and surprisingly, it’s for a pro-consumer reason.The ESA has announced the "iicon" conference—though we discuss whether anyone really needs to care.

Terrence is back on the show and shares his shift to the mini PC space for gaming, along with the slew of roguelikes he's been playing. Brad is feeling a bit ambivalent about the run-based tower defense game Dome Keeper. Micah might not be teaching the best lessons as he shows his son how to play Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit. Carrie is working on a video game soundtrack.Bioware seems to be on its last legs as EA lays off and transfers a large chunk of the studio. Will we actually see a new Mass Effect, and if we do, will it live up to expectations? Dr Disrespect’s game studio has shut down, but unsurprisingly, he’ll land on his feet on YouTube. Multiversus is shutting down for good this time.Any lingering belief in Xbox exclusivity has died with the announcement that Forza Horizon 5 is coming to PlayStation. The founder of God is a Geek fooled around and found out. We share our impressions of the Royal Rumble and talk about ways we destress in these stressful times.

Carrie is back from an unforgettable MAGfest and brings a hardware review of the MAGfest Swadge. Coincidentally, Brad also has a hardware review, sharing his excitement over the Playdate console. Unfortunately, we're once again discussing industry layoffs, this time at Ubisoft and Phoenix Labs. Sony has pulled the plug on live service projects from Bend Studios and Bluepoint. Microsoft's developer showcase delivered big surprises, including the unexpected reveal of Ninja Gaiden 4. Meanwhile, Marvel Snap found itself caught in the crossfire of TikTok's performative compliance efforts. We close things out with our Royal Rumble predictions.

Brad has been diving into Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, and it’s absolutely fantastic. Carrie shares her thoughts on Sonic x Shadow Generations and explains why Sonic fans are eating good right now. Awesome Games Done Quick wraps up an incredible event, raising $2.5 million for charity. Ubisoft delays Assassin's Creed Shadow again and attempts to justify the move with questionable reasoning. We also share our 2025 gaming resolutions and discuss the swirling rumors of an imminent Switch 2 announcement.

We’re back from the holiday break, and we’ve been diving into some incredible games! Carrie has joined the crew in tackling the epic Metaphor ReFantazio. We share our impressions of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, and Okami HD. The PEGI ratings board delivers a hilariously misguided content rating for Balatro. Meanwhile, we discuss the surprising revelation that at least one NFL owner uses Madden NFL Football to evaluate player acquisitions. Finally, we explore why publishers are more likely to take lessons from the failure of Concord than the success of Marvel Rivals.

We recap the 2024 Game Awards, which somehow turned out to be one of the best video game shows…ever? From our takes on the winners to a breakdown of the smorgasbord of world premiere trailers, we dive into everything that made the night unforgettable. Ubisoft strikes again with the planned shutdown of their multiplayer shooter xDefiant, and we discuss how it went so wrong. Plus, a surprising connection between video games, Baltimore, and the alleged CEO shooter.

It’s our 2024 Game of the Year show! We dive into the games that defined our year and brought us the most joy, excitement, and surprises. Which title will take home the coveted Dense Pixels Game of the Year award? Tune in to hear our top picks, honorable mentions, and the ultimate winner of 2024.

It’s a lighter week in the wake of winter, but there’s plenty to discuss. MIcah caved and bought Star Wars Outlaws; How is he liking it? Brad recommends spatial puzzle game Humanity. Elon Musk claims he wants to save video games by creating an AI-focused gaming studio, and we explore why this idea—and Musk himself—deserves skepticism. Valve is facing a class-action lawsuit over its Steam commission structure, leading to a broader conversation about how Valve could reshape their business to better support the gaming industry as a whole. Finally, a massive Dense Pixels Post Office segment features our thoughts on using exploits in games and a look back at which games got traed in the quickest during our GameStop careers.

Micah has finished Dragon Age: The Veilguard and shares whether the game improved from his initial impressions and who it’s best suited for. Brad returns to VR, throwing punches in Batman: Arkham VR, and finally dives into the Peggle-roguelike Peglin, which he’s finding utterly delightful. Brad also takes on crime in dystopian Detroit while playing Robocop: Rogue City. Sony is making waves with an attempt to acquire anime giant Kadokawa, a move that would effectively give them control over FromSoftware. The PlayStation Portal receives a long-awaited update, while rumors swirl about Sony entering the premium handheld console market. Lastly, Micah and Brad discuss their frustrations with AEW storytelling following Full Gear.

We break down the 2024 Game Awards nominee slate and address the controversy surrounding Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree’s nominations. Micah surprises everyone by playing—and enjoying—Balatro. Brad shares his experience with the interactive museum-style game Tetris Forever and gives his impressions of The Rise of the Golden Idol, calling it a stellar follow-up to the original. GOG continues to stand out as a rare advocate for preserving classic video games. Nintendo is back in the courtroom, this time targeting a game pirate flaunting their actions. Finally, we analyze the impact of looming U.S. tariffs on the console market and how they may reshape buying habits.