High Ping Basterds

On our 75th episode, we discussed the following topics:

• Candy Crush Developers Set To Be Laid Off By Microsoft Are Reportedly Being Replaced By The AI Tools They Were Told To Build
• Splitgate 2 Reportedly Shelled Out $400K For Streamers
• Krafton Extends $25 Million Bonus Period For Subnautica 2 Devs - Insider Gaming
• Virtuos, the studio behind Oblivion Remastered, is laying off around 270 employees
• Valve Pulls 'Adult Only' Games From Steam as It Tightens Rules to Appease Payment Partners - IGN
• Rainbow Six Siege underperforms to leave Ubisoft net bookings 'below expectations'
• Nintendo Rewrites Patent Mid-Case in Ongoing Lawsuit Against Palworld Dev Pocketpair — but Why? - IGN

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On our 74th episode, we discussed the following topics:

• Video Game Actors Contract Ratified: SAG-AFTRA Leaders Talk Gaming Execs’ Reckoning With Hollywood’s AI Standards, 11-Month Strike’s Turning Point
• Krafton Delays ‘Subnautica 2’ Game Ahead of $250 Million Payout - Bloomberg
• Subnautica 2 publisher Krafton confirms 2026 delay, says the change 'was not influenced by any contractual or financial considerations' | PC Gamer
• Major Nintendo Switch Piracy Website Seized By FBI
• You can now play The Last of Us Part 2 in yet another way, as Naughty Dog releases "Chronological" mode | Eurogamer.net
• Epic Games settles antitrust lawsuit with Samsung | GamesIndustry.biz
• EA is reportedly hitting the brakes on the Need for Speed franchise
• Every Video Game Canceled in 2025 - IGN

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On our 73rd episode, we discussed the following topics

• Microsoft is closing down Xbox studio The Initiative, with Perfect Dark killed as well — joining Everwild and ZeniMax's new IP, and other unannounced projects
• After Microsoft laid off 9000 employees, Xbox producer Matt Turnbull suggested affected workers use AI to “reduce the emotional and cognitive load that comes with job loss” - VideoGamer
• European game publisher group responds to Stop Killing Games, claims 'These proposals would curtail developer choice" | PC Gamer
• Helldivers 2 is the first PlayStation-published Xbox game | The Verge
• Former senior Ubisoft staff convicted in French harassment case, receive fines and suspended sentences | Eurogamer.net
• Nintendo is restricting the Switch 2's USB-C port — most third-party docks and accessories won't work thanks to proprietary protocols | Tom's Hardware

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On our 72nd Episode, we talked about the following episodes:

• Report: Microsoft is planning another round of major Xbox layoffs
• ‘Fortnite’ Players to Receive More Than $126 Million in Refunds From FTC
• Epic Store Reportedly Redirecting Users to Malicious Third-Party Websites
• Sony faces Dutch lawsuit over "artificially high PlayStation prices" | GamesIndustry.biz
• Games run faster on SteamOS than Windows 11, Ars testing finds - Ars Technica
• Desperate to avoid saying 'we want that $10 billion', League of Legends dev Riot Games tries to justify legalizing esports gambling sponsors, but players aren't buying it
• The 'Stop Killing Games' initiative is close to its final deadline, and after that, its leader is understandably done: 'Either the frog hops out of the pot, or it's dead' | PC Gamer

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On our 71st episode, we discussed the following topics

• MindsEye launches with myriad of glitches and issues, as developer promises performance update | Eurogamer.net
• Microsoft Reportedly Cancels Its In-House Xbox Handheld as Focus Shifts to New Software Ecosystem
• People Are Less Willing to Pay': Dev Speaks Out Against Day One Releases on PS Plus, Xbox Game Pass
• SAG-AFTRA Ends Video Game Actors Strike
• An Update From Dark0ne at Nexus mods and community
• Take-Two Interactive extends partnership with NBA, NBPA, WNBA, and WNBPA
• Intel to layoff 10,000+ employees, and why none of them will be getting any severance - The Times of India

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On our 70th Episode, we talked about the following topics:

• Fans drive huge Nintendo Switch 2 launch; others play the waiting game : NPR
• Don’t take off the Switch 2’s screen protector | The Verge
• Activision says gross Call of Duty loadout screen ads were only a test that was added “in error”, but it doesn’t excuse how vile that test is - VideoGamer
• MindsEye studio execs depart Build a Rocket Boy, one week before game's debut | Eurogamer.net
• Mark Rubin leaves Ubisoft, XDefiant officially shuts down | GamesIndustry.biz
• Tencent buys 15.75% stake in Helldivers 2 dev Arrowhead | Windows Central
• Princess Peach’s voice actor of 18 years confirms she’s been replaced | VGC
• https://www.ign.com/articles/summer-game-fest-2025-everything-announced

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On our 69th episode, we discussed the following news topics:

• EA Cancels Black Panther Game, Closes Cliffhanger Games - IGN
• Activision Quietly Force Adverts into Call of Duty Black Ops 6 and Warzone Loadouts and Players Absolutely Hate It: 'At This Point It Really Feels Like Opening Up a Mobile Game' - IGN
• ZeniMax QA union reaches a tentative contract agreement with Microsoft including 'substantial across-the-board wage increases,' worker protections, and more | PC Gamer
• Cyberpunk 2077 sequel gets a new name as pre-production phase now officially underway | Eurogamer.net
• "A Concerted Effort To Trash The Game": MindsEye Lead Thinks Negative Reception Is Coming From Paid Bots, Seemingly Blames Rockstar
• Kojima Productions is working on an anime adaptation of Death Stranding | GamesIndustry.biz
• Elden Ring: Nightreign' is both a hit and a headache for fans | Laptop Mag

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On our 68th episode, we discussed the following topics:

• SAG-AFTRA Statement on Fortnite’s Use of A.I. Darth Vader Voice and ULP Filing
• French trade union says Ubisoft CEO will be summoned at harassment trial of three former execs | VGC
• Ex-Bungie Dev Says Marathon Leadership Was "Extremely Toxic And Humiliating" To Work With: "Bungie Leadership Needs To Be Gutted Completely
• PlayStation Stars Loyalty Program Shutdown Announced After 3 Years - IGN
• Alex Garland Confirmed to Direct Live-Action ‘Elden Ring’ Movie From A24 and Bandai Namco
• Dragon Age maestro says EA always spoke about a hypothetical 'nerd cave' full of diehard RPG fans who would "always show up," so you "didn't have to try and appeal to them"
• FTC drops case against Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard deal | The Verge

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On our 67th episode, we discussed the following topics:

• After Suicide Squad's $200 million flop and a massacre of studios, Warner Bros acknowledges it has "no releases" out, it's spending 66% less on game content, and the Hogwarts Legacy boom is wearing off
• Former Employees, Community Members Allege AbleGamers Founder Fostered Abuse Behind Closed Doors - IGN
• Ubisoft Delays Multiple Upcoming Games - GameSpot
• Valve takes another step toward making SteamOS a true Windows competitor - Ars Technica
• The empire strikes back with F-bombs: AI Darth Vader goes rogue with profanity, slurs - Ars Technica
• Payday developer Starbreeze planning player involvement for Dungeons & Dragons game
• Lego Bionicle fan game Masks of Power shut down after eight years in development
• As GTA 6 hype builds, GTA 5 is continuing to sell 5 million copies every 3 months, and Red Dead Redemption 2 is now the "best-selling title of the past 7 years in the US"

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On our 66th episode, we discussed the following topics:

• FTC loses appeal on Activision Blizzard deal - XboxEra
• The new Diablo 4 Berserk crossover skins will cost you up to $150
• Nintendo reserves the right to brick your console following "unauthorised use", in bid to prevent piracy | Eurogamer.net
• Palworld developer says Pokémon lawsuit will prompt more "disappointing" changes, as it continues to "dispute" claims | Eurogamer.net
• As Fortnite gears up for an App Store relaunch, Epic is cranking up its Rewards program to encourage people to use its payment system instead of Apple's | PC Gamer
• EA Expects Apex Legends To Suffer Huge Decline In Coming 2025 Months | Yardbarker
• Ex-Far Cry lead says ‘lame’ Nintendo Switch 2 Game-Key Cards lose what makes gaming ‘special’, but ‘Nintendo is going to get away with it’ anyway - VideoGamer
• EA confirms it is "reducing roles" at Codemasters, and "redeploying as many as possible" | Eurogamer.net

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