In this episode of Normal People Gaming, Michael and Duane dive into one of the most shocking stories in the industry: how the creators of Subnautica were fired from their own company after selling to Krafton. Along with many other similar stories! Is this just business—or is it a warning to every indie developer?

We also catch up on what we’ve been playing lately (like Clair Obscur), break down some surprising headlines, and talk about what keeps us excited about gaming even when the news gets grim.

🎮 Topics include:

The Subnautica dev drama

When selling your studio backfires

What we’ve been playing

Staying positive in a chaotic industry

👉 Hit play and let’s get into it.

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⁠https://www.patreon.com/NormalPeopleGaming⁠

📦 Sponsored by Magic Mind: Try it today and use code NORMAL60 for 60% off:https://www.magicmind.com/normal60In this episode of Normal People Gaming, we dive into the weird, the wild, and the wonderfully dark world of video games. Michael becomes obsessed with Crime Scene Cleaner, a gory and hilarious indie sim where you mop up murder scenes (before the cops arrive). Meanwhile, Expedition 33 sits untouched on his hard drive.We also discuss:🎮 Randy Pitchford’s $80 Borderlands 4 controversy🎮 The rise of “boomer shooters” like DOOM: The Dark Ages🎮 Simulators gone wild—from Firefighter Sim to Coffee Shop VR🎮 Games we're buying (and ignoring)🎮 Your comments!💬 Join the conversation in our Discord: ⁠https://discord.gg/3AX5nfqutd⁠🎧 Listen ad-free on Patreon: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/NormalPeopleGaming⁠

Michael and Duane kick off this week’s show by unpacking Rockstar’s record-shattering GTA 6 trailer—from the jaw-dropping lighting engine to the surprisingly subtle (yet headline-grabbing) booty physics.

That sparks a broader dive into the long, bumpy history of “jiggle physics,” from Dead or Alive: Beach Volleyball to modern Pixar-level character animation, and why believable body movement no longer has to feel gratuitous.

Next up, the guys weigh Ubisoft’s newly revealed Assassin’s Creed Shadows roadmap, celebrate the cozy diorama builder Tiny Glade, and debate whether looming console tariffs and special-edition pricing are about to make $80 the new normal for AAA games. (Spoiler: GTA could probably charge $119.99 and still smash sales records.)

In listener-comment corner, we respond to hot takes on Oblivion’s lock-picking, Ghost Recon Wildlands’ Bethesda vibes, and cultural concerns around AC Shadows’ Japanese setting. Plus: Fallout 4’s Nuka-World nostalgia, the eternal Skyrim re-rebuy question, and why beer foam and ragdoll physics both deserve more love.

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Nostalgia vs. New Blood — Two Takes on the Oblivion Remaster

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What happens when a 2006 classic drops in 2025 with a fresh coat of Unreal Engine polish?
Michael (the battle-scarred Oblivion veteran) and Duane (the wide-eyed first-timer) fire up the shadow-dropped remaster and compare notes on:

• Retro charm vs. modern shine – why the game still screams “2005” even while the forests look next-gen gorgeous.

• Exploits, Umbra chases & lock-picking woes – Duane speed-levels like a gremlin while Michael tries (and fails) to play it straight.

• What Bethesda tweaked (hello, sprint button!) and the little UI quality-of-life touches you’ll notice only after a few hours.

• Sales shocker – 2 million copies in 12 hours; sorry, Mike Ybarra, nostalgia isn’t dead.

• Will this open the floodgates? Fallout 3 remaster hype, layered-engine tricks, and why some remakes are worth the trouble.

⏩ Lightning-round news:
• Switch 2 supply-chain chaos
• Subnautica 2 heads to Early Access (with co-op!)
• RoboCop: Rogue City – Unfinished Business earns the side-eye
• Quick hits on Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Marvel Rivals, and more

Plus: legendary Patreon shout-outs, Discord antics, and the debut of the show’s new video format. Grab your lockpicks and meet us in Cyrodiil—whether you’re brand-new or rocking full Daedric nostalgia, this episode has a take for you.

Michael and Duane lament Warner Brothers' shutdown of Monolith studio and discuss the efforts made in game preservation by companies like Good Old Games. We also talk about Avowed, Uncharted and more!

In this episode, Michael and Duane talk about the pros and cons of

Duane and Michael talk about the new PS5 Pro, game subscriptions like Game Pass and Playstation Plus, why Nintendo can just make you happy, and whether Shigeru Miyamoto is a genius or not. They also talk about playing Alan Wake and Call of Duty Black Ops 6!

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Michael and Duane talk about Alarmo, Nintendo’s new alarm clock. Are you going to buy Alarmo? They also speculate on the new Shinobi movie news, the possibility and viability of Concord as a free-to-play game, and Space Marine 2’s “compromises.”

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Duane and Michael talk about new game purchases, the No Man’s Sky World Part 1 update, Mod Creators getting jobs in the games industry, and whether Apple can compete in the video game space. We also talk about the ‘real’ reason Metal Gear Solid was ahead of it’s time. Finally we talk about some controversies around some streamers in reason news.

Michael and Duane talk about the huge release schedule for the Nintendo Switch and wonder if this is a grand send-off for the console. We also dive into the latest gaming news every time Michael encounters bad game design, he assumes it’s all his fault.

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Jeff Goldblum in the The Lost World: Jurassic Park game ending

https://youtu.be/HuYUoLM8BNA?feature=shared