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The Xbox Games Showcase 2023 brought a ton of content, giving us a good idea of what to expect on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Game Pass, and PC for the foreseeable future. The Starfield Direct aired immediately after and gave us our first in-depth look at the game's exploration, combat, customization, and even a strange new power for the player character. We discuss the highlights of the two showcases, including some titles we didn't expect to grab our interest.

We'll also be talking about how Xbox Game Studios chief Matt Booty says people need to realize games now take 4-6 years to make, how college football players are being urged to boycott EA Sports' new NCAA game over low pay, and the strange new way McDonald's is tapping into serious video game nostalgia in honor of Grimace's birthday.

Finally, Donnie takes us all the way back to June 1998 in Retro Rewind.

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Hosts: @wrytersview, @donniegretro, @retrogamebrews
Opening theme: "Gamers Week Theme" by Akseli Takanen
Patron theme: "Chiptune Boss" by @donniegretro
Closing theme: "Gamers Week Full-Length Theme" by Akseli Takanen

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Summer Game Fest, the summer's premier gaming showcase, has officially wrapped up after dropping announcements for several new titles as well as in-depth looks at previously announced games. We discuss the show's biggest names, including Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, Sonic Superstars, Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, and more.

We'll also be talking about how Microsoft is being fined $20 million by the Federal Trade Commission for collecting personal information from children via Xbox, how Street Fighter 6 is just the 29th recipient of a perfect review score in 37 years from gaming magazine Famitsu, and the new report that says Redfall devs reportedly hoped it would be canceled or rebooted by Microsoft.

Finally, class is in session with Professor Ryebread in our Gaming History 101 segment. In this episode, we're looking at the birth of video game music.

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Hosts: @donniegretro, @retrogamebrews, @wrytersview
Opening theme: "Gamers Week Theme" by Akseli Takanen
Patron theme: "Chiptune Boss" by @donniegretro
Closing theme: "Gamers Week Full-Length Theme" by Akseli Takanen

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The recent release date announcement for Alan Wake 2 came alongside news that developer Remedy Entertainment and publisher Epic Games currently have "no plans to release Alan Wake 2 on disc." In many ways, it's not that surprising.  The number of players buying games on discs has been shrinking in the past decade, and physical releases have only become more and more expensive to produce. But while this digital-only future may be inevitable, it raises enormous concerns over accessibility, preservation, and more. We discuss the problems ahead, as well as ways we may be able to mitigate them.

We'll also be talking about Nintendo's move to block the Steam release of the GameCube/Wii emulator Dolphin, Blizzard's claims that the company feels "really confident" of a smooth Diablo 4 launch following server stress tests, and how the new Gollum game is the worst reviewed of the year so far.

Finally, class is in session with Professor Ryebread in our Gaming History 101 segment. In this episode, we're looking at video game-sponsored food products.

We love our sponsors! Please help us support those who support us!
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Hosts: @retrogamebrews, @wrytersview, @donniegretro
Opening theme: "Gamers Week Theme" by Akseli Takanen
Patron theme: "Chiptune Boss" by @donniegretro
Closing theme: "Gamers Week Full-Length Theme" by Akseli Takanen

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After a nearly two-year wait, PlayStation Showcase is finally back to share what’s next for first-party, third-party, and indie games on the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation VR2. We discuss the highlights and lowlights of the presentation, including Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, and Sony's strange Project Q.

We'll also be talking about how Mortal Kombat 12 is really Mortal Kombat 1, the surprise Nintendo 3DS update that breaks several hacking tools, and how McDonald’s in China has an exclusive Tetris handheld in the shape of a McNugget.

Finally, class is in session with Professor Ryebread in our Gaming History 101 segment. In this episode, we're sharing our top 5 games of all time.

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Hosts: @wrytersview, @donniegretro, @retrogamebrews
Opening theme: "Gamers Week Theme" by Akseli Takanen
Patron theme: "Chiptune Boss" by @donniegretro
Closing theme: "Gamers Week Full-Length Theme" by Akseli Takanen

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The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has only been officially available for a few days, but Nintendo has already confirmed that it's the fastest-selling Zelda game ever. In an industry enamored with trendy titles that are online, multiplayer, free-to-play, battle royale, and riddled with season passes and microtransactions, should the massive sales of a traditional single-player game be a wake-up call? We discuss what the early success of TOTK might mean for the gaming world.

We'll also be talking about Amazon's newly announced mulligan at a Lord of the Rings MMO, how EA Sports' relaunched college football game series will allow players to opt-in, Summer Game Fest's confirmed lineup of 40+ partners (including PlayStation and Xbox), and Nicolas Cage's upcoming role in Dead by Daylight.

Finally, class is in session with Professor Ryebread in our Gaming History 101 segment. In this episode, we're looking at the history of Tiger Electronics.

We love our sponsors! Please help us support those who support us!
- Check out the Retro Game Club Podcast at linktr.ee/retrogameclub
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Hosts: @donniegretro, @wrytersview, @retrogamebrews
Opening theme: "Gamers Week Theme" by Akseli Takanen
Patron theme: "Chiptune Boss" by @donniegretro
Closing theme: "Gamers Week Full-Length Theme" by Akseli Takanen

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Best-of video game lists usually offer predictable rankings of the greatest games of all time. GQ Magazine set out to do things differently by inviting industry "experts" to rank their top games based on their own individual criteria. We discuss the resulting list, including what titles we feel don't belong and which ones we think were left out.

We'll also be talking about Xbox's response to Redfall's poor reception at launch, the newly announced dates for Nintendo Live 2023 (plus the weird way audiences must get tickets), and the latest inductees into the World Video Game Hall of Fame.

Finally, Donnie takes us all the way back to May 1993 in Retro Rewind.

We love our sponsors! Please help us support those who support us!
- Check out the Retro Game Club Podcast at linktr.ee/retrogameclub
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Hosts: @wrytersview, @retrogamebrews, @donniegretro
Opening theme: "Gamers Week Theme" by Akseli Takanen
Patron theme: "Chiptune Boss" by @donniegretro
Closing theme: "Gamers Week Full-Length Theme" by Akseli Takanen

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Redfall has finally launched, but Microsoft may be wishing they'd left this one on the shelf. What was once anticipated as one of the biggest releases of the year (and certainly a crucial release for the Xbox platform) is instead being called the worst AAA release in recent memory. We"re joined by Rob from the Retro Game Club Podcast to discuss the fallout of the title's disastrous launch and what it may mean for Microsoft and the future of the Xbox brand.

We'll also be talking about how nine million people watched the full Super Mario Bros. Movie after it was illegally posted on Twitter, how PlayStation boss Shuhei Yoshida thinks a future dominated by live-service games would be "boring," and the news that indie game super hit Vampire Survivors is getting an animated series.

Finally, class is in session with Professor Ryebread in our Gaming History 101 segment. In this episode, we're looking at the history of toys-to-life peripherals.

Looking for more from Rob and the Retro Game Club Podcast? Head over to retrogameclub.net.

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Hosts: @retrogamebrews, @wrytersview, @rgcpodcast
Opening theme: "Gamers Week Theme" by Akseli Takanen
Patron theme: "Chiptune Boss" by @donniegretro
Closing theme: "Gamers Week Full-Length Theme" by Akseli Takanen

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If Nintendo continues its current pattern, the Gamecube will be the next console added to the Nintendo Switch Online service. As one of Nintendo's more underloved consoles, there's a wealth of excellent games waiting to be discovered by a whole new audience. We discuss the titles likely to make the service's launch lineup (if and when it arrives), plus some sleepers that we'd like to see.

We'll also be talking about how Metacritic has once again promised better moderation after "abusive" Horizon DLC comments, how the Red Cross wants gamers to stop committing virtual war crimes, Nintendo's confirmation that the company will attend Gamescom 2023 later this year, and John Leguizamo's admission that real strippers were hired for the filming of the live-action Super Mario Bros. movie.

Finally, class is in session with Professor Ryebread in our Gaming History 101 segment. In this episode, we're looking at the history of point-and-click games.

We love our sponsors! Please help us support those who support us!
- Check out the Retro Game Club Podcast at linktr.ee/retrogameclub
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Hosts: @donniegretro, @wrytersview, @retrogamebrews
Opening theme: "Gamers Week Theme" by Akseli Takanen
Patron theme: "Chiptune Boss" by @donniegretro
Closing theme: "Gamers Week Full-Length Theme" by Akseli Takanen

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Sega has officially confirmed that it is planning to acquire Rovio Entertainment, a deal that will see the video game company pay $776 million for the Angry Birds developer. Sega says that acquiring Rovio will allow it to strengthen its own mobile game portfolio, and at the same time, it'll be able to use its video game console expertise to help Rovio expand beyond mobile devices. We discuss this new acquisition and try to decide whether this counts for Donnie's prediction that Sega "will be back in a big way."

We'll also be talking about how the Nintendo hacker Gary Bowser has been released from prison but still owes millions, how Jack Black’s "Peaches" from The Super Mario Bros Movie has hit the Billboard Hot 100, and ten rumored video games that could still release in the second half of 2023.

Finally, Donnie takes us all the way back to April 1996 in Retro Rewind.

We love our sponsors! Please help us support those who support us!
- Check out the Retro Game Club Podcast at linktr.ee/retrogameclub
- Visit the Leetist Podcast at linktr.ee/LeetistPodcast
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Hosts: @wrytersview, @retrogamebrews, @donniegretro
Opening theme: "Gamers Week Theme" by Akseli Takanen
Patron theme: "Chiptune Boss" by @donniegretro
Closing theme: "Gamers Week Full-Length Theme" by Akseli Takanen

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In the past week or so, a few reports have emerged about Sony having a new handheld device in the pipeline. The commercial case for Sony re-entering that market is tough to make, however, Sony will never fully accept ceding the handheld space to Nintendo, especially in the company's native Japan. We debate the pros and cons of Sony's possible return to the handheld landscape, as well as discuss what we'd like to see from the rumored device.

We'll also be talking about Microsoft's claim that Nintendo had nothing to do with the Xbox emulator crackdown, the IGDA's new game-crediting policies to help developers get recognition, Nintendo's newly announced Nintendo Live 2023 event, and how The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog has hit 1 million downloads on Steam.

Finally, class is in session with Professor Ryebread in our Gaming History 101 segment. In this episode, we're looking at the launch of the Panasonic 3DO.

We love our sponsors! Please help us support those who support us!
- Check out the Retro Game Club Podcast at linktr.ee/retrogameclub
- Visit the Leetist Podcast at linktr.ee/LeetistPodcast
- Connect with CafeBTW at linktr.ee/cafebtw

Hosts: @retrogamebrews, @donniegretro, @wrytersview
Opening theme: "Gamers Week Theme" by Akseli Takanen
Patron theme: "Chiptune Boss" by @donniegretro
Closing theme: "Gamers Week Full-Length Theme" by Akseli Takanen

Support the show