Episode 123 - The Unwritten Rules Every Gamer Follows & Halo Campaign Evolved - Pixel Parents Podcast

How wrong are we about to be?

What are the unwritten rules every gamer follows? Check behind every waterfall. Smash every box. Explore away from the objective marker. Never use your best healing item because you might need it later.

This week, we confess the strange gaming habits nobody had to teach us. From reloading a save after being spotted to judging stair animations and refusing to travel without the right radio station, we put the unofficial Gamer Code on record.

Scott also returns briefly from paternity leave to discuss how gaming has changed with baby number two. Handheld gaming, short sessions and a lot of Zelda are keeping him going through the night feeds.

We also share our Halo Campaign Evolved impressions. Liam is hit by a tidal wave of nostalgia, while Scott plays for an hour, cancels Game Pass and declares that Halo is still rubbish.

Elsewhere, Scott revisits Burnout 3 Takedown for Pixel Picks Replay, Starfield is chosen as our August game and Gamer Court delivers its first guilty verdict.

What is the unwritten gaming rule you follow every single time?

In this episode:

• Scott’s Paternity Gaming so far
• Halo Campaign Evolved Impressions
• Main Topic: The Unwritten Rules of Gaming
• Pixel Picks Replay: Burnout 3 discussion and August Game Reveal
• Gamer Court

GET BONUS SHOWS AND MORE BY JOINING OUR ALWAYS FREE PATREON (www.patreon.com/pixelparents)

CHAPTERS

00:00 The unwritten rules of gaming

00:51 Scott returns

06:32 Gaming with baby number two

21:32 Halo Campaign Evolved impressions

29:44 Scott delivers his Halo verdict

34:21 Does Halo still matter?

43:19 Would we buy Halo without Game Pass?

45:34 The physical games problem

51:19 The unwritten rules every gamer follows

54:45 Reloading after getting caught

56:30 Why gamers hoard everything

01:01:01 The strange details we always test

01:03:49 Exploration rules

01:08:41 Moral rules in games

01:12:19 Gaming rules on trial

01:18:47 Pixel Picks Replay

01:19:29 Burnout 3 Takedown retrospective

01:24:45 August replay game revealed

01:25:10 Gamer Court

01:26:30 Stop romanticising cancelled games

01:30:49 Scott’s anime game crime

01:34:01 Closing thoughts

Write to us: [email protected]
Follow us on BlueSky: @pixelparents.bsky.social
Music & production by Sean Murray – barehandsdesigns.com

New episodes every Friday.

🎧 Listen on Spotify

[https://open.spotify.com/show/2JE8TeviD5XXuiqVYxj63Q?_reload_cause=banner-auto-reload]

🍎 Listen on Apple Podcasts

[https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pixel-parents-video-game-podcast/id1740836394]

💖 Join the FREE Patreon

[https://www.patreon.com/pixelparents]

🦋 Follow us on Bluesky

[https://bsky.app/profile/pixelparents.bsky.social]

📺 Subscribe on YouTube

[https://www.youtube.com/@PixelParentsPodcast/S]

✉️ Email the show

[[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])

How wrong are we about to be?

This week we're putting our reputations on the line by making bold predictions for where gaming is heading over the next five years.

Will physical games survive? Will next-generation consoles become so expensive that finance plans become the norm?

Which companies are about to get it right... and which ones are heading for trouble?

We also share our thoughts on Denshattack!, discuss the continuing battle for physical media, and ask whether gaming is becoming too expensive for ordinary players.

In this episode:

• Denshattack! impressions
• The ongoing battle for physical media
• Is gaming becoming a Klarna hobby?
• Our bold predictions for the next five years

GET BONUS SHOWS AND MORE BY JOINING OUR ALWAYS FREE PATREON (www.patreon.com/pixelparents)

CHAPTERS

00:00 Gaming Predictions We'll Probably Regret

00:41 Welcome Back

03:12 Housekeeping

04:05 What We've Been Playing

08:24 Denshattack! Impressions

17:36 The Fight For Physical Games

28:41 Is Gaming Becoming A Klarna Hobby?

35:18 Main Topic: Locking In Our Predictions

37:04 Console Predictions

45:56 Industry Predictions

54:33 The Games We'll Still Be Talking About

01:03:17 Pixel Picks Replay

01:06:42 Final Thoughts

Write to us: [email protected]Follow us on BlueSky: @pixelparents.bsky.social
Music & production by Sean Murray – barehandsdesigns.com

New episodes every Friday.

🎧 Listen on Spotify

[https://open.spotify.com/show/2JE8TeviD5XXuiqVYxj63Q?_reload_cause=banner-auto-reload]

🍎 Listen on Apple Podcasts

[https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pixel-parents-video-game-podcast/id1740836394]

💖 Join the FREE Patreon

[https://www.patreon.com/pixelparents]

🦋 Follow us on Bluesky

[https://bsky.app/profile/pixelparents.bsky.social]

📺 Subscribe on YouTube

[https://www.youtube.com/@PixelParentsPodcast/S]

✉️ Email the show

[[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])

Some games never really leave us.

Years later, we can still remember the soundtrack, the ending, a favourite character, or exactly where we were when we first played them.

This week we're asking a simple question.

What actually makes a game stay with us?

Is it nostalgia? Music? Replayability? The people we played with? Or something much deeper?

Joining Liam once again is Alex from The Mimic's Veil, as we dive into one of our favourite gaming conversations yet.

Also in this episode:

• Full review of Nex Playground
• Returning to Call of Duty Black Ops II
• Arcade racer 4PGP
• Indie roguelike Hell Clock
• We launch our brand new segment... Gamer Court, where one controversial gaming opinion stands trial each week.

GET BONUS SHOWS AND MORE BY JOINING OUR ALWAYS FREE PATREON (⁠www.patreon.com/pixelparents⁠)

CHAPTERS

00:00 What Makes A Game Stay With You?

00:39 Welcome Back Alex

03:17 Housekeeping

04:14 What We've Been Playing

04:28 4PGP Review

06:40 Hell Clock Impressions

09:05 Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced

11:38 Returning To Black Ops 2

16:09 Nex Playground Review

29:39 Main Topic. What Makes A Game Stick With You?

30:53 Favourite Gaming Memories

40:48 Music That Never Leaves You

43:33 Characters & Endings We Still Think About

50:05 Games We Always Replay

59:57 Emotional Gaming Moments

01:03:49 Pixel Picks Replay. Burnout 3 Takedown

01:05:08 Gamer Court Debuts

01:05:48 Xbox Was Ahead Of Its Time?

01:10:31 Are Shorter Games The Future?

01:13:06 Final Thoughts

Write to us: [email protected]

Follow us on BlueSky: @pixelparents.bsky.social

Music & production by Sean Murray – ⁠barehandsdesigns.com⁠

New episodes every Friday.

🎧 Listen on Spotify

[https://open.spotify.com/show/2JE8TeviD5XXuiqVYxj63Q?_reload_cause=banner-auto-reload]

🍎 Listen on Apple Podcasts

[https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pixel-parents-video-game-podcast/id1740836394]

💖 Join the FREE Patreon

[https://www.patreon.com/pixelparents]

🦋 Follow us on Bluesky

[https://bsky.app/profile/pixelparents.bsky.social]

📺 Subscribe on YouTube

[https://www.youtube.com/@PixelParentsPodcast/S]

✉️ Email the show

[[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])

Gaming feels like it's at a crossroads.

This week, we react to another difficult week for the industry as Xbox announces more than 3,000 layoffs in what it calls a "reset". What does this mean for the future of gaming? Are publishers chasing impossible growth, and is the industry heading towards a wider correction?

Then we ask ourselves a very different question… If we could start our gaming lives all over again, what would we do differently?

Would we still buy games on day one? Would we build enormous backlogs? Would trophies, FOMO and social media still shape the way we play?

Joining Liam this week while Scott enjoys paternity leave is Alex from The Mimic's Veil, bringing another perspective to one of our most personal discussions yet.

In this episode:

• Final Fantasy VII Remake finally clicks
• Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced impressions
• PlayStation's reported move away from physical media
• Main topic: Gaming Reset… what we’d do differently
• Xbox layoffs and the future of the platform
• July's Pixel Replay reminder. Burnout 3: Takedown

GET BONUS SHOWS AND MORE BY JOINING OUR ALWAYS FREE PATREON (www.patreon.com/pixelparents)

CHAPTERS

00:00 Gaming Has Hit Reset

00:48 Welcome Alex Back

03:39 LEGO & Middle-earth Chat

07:38 Housekeeping

08:33 What We've Been Playing

08:45 Final Fantasy VII Remake

09:36 The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales

15:12 Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced

20:14 PlayStation & The End Of Physical Games?

29:30 Xbox Layoffs & Industry Reset

39:35 Main Topic. If We Started Gaming Again...

40:57 Would We Still Buy Games Day One?

46:41 Would We Build A Backlog?

50:31 Online Opinions & Reviews

55:18 Do We Replay Enough Games?

59:33 Trophies & Achievements

01:00:37 Would We Buy Less Hardware?

01:03:24 Game Pass & Subscription Fatigue

01:06:16 The Biggest Lesson We've Learned

01:12:09 Pixel Replay. Burnout 3 Returns

01:14:21 Closing Thoughts

Write to us: [email protected]Follow us on BlueSky: @pixelparents.bsky.social
Music & production by Sean Murray – barehandsdesigns.com

New episodes every Friday.

🎧 Listen on Spotify

[https://open.spotify.com/show/2JE8TeviD5XXuiqVYxj63Q?_reload_cause=banner-auto-reload]

🍎 Listen on Apple Podcasts

[https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pixel-parents-video-game-podcast/id1740836394]

💖 Join the FREE Patreon

[https://www.patreon.com/pixelparents]

🦋 Follow us on Bluesky

[https://bsky.app/profile/pixelparents.bsky.social]

📺 Subscribe on YouTube

[https://www.youtube.com/@PixelParentsPodcast/S]

✉️ Email the show

[[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])

This week on the Pixel Parents Podcast, we're preparing for a huge life event. No, not GTA 6.

Scott has become a father for the second time.

Before he disappears into a haze of nappies, sleepless nights and questionable gaming decisions, we're sitting down for one final check in.

In this episode:

• Preparing for baby number two
• The games secretly piling up in the backlog
• What gaming looks like during the newborn stage
• The biggest misconceptions about gaming and parenthood
• Expectations versus reality
• Liam's Balatro addiction continues
• Tetris Effect Pixel Replay review
• July's Pixel Replay game is revealed

GET BONUS SHOWS AND MORE BY JOINING OUR ALWAYS FREE PATREON (www.patreon.com/pixelparents)

CHAPTERS

00:00 Preparing For Baby Number Two

00:42 Welcome Back

04:52 What Will Scott Be Playing Last?

06:37 Balatro Returns

09:33 Life Before Kids

13:39 Gaming With Your Children

21:34 Main Topic. The Paternity Backlog

22:54 Scott's Secret Gaming Stockpile

27:30 Which Game Is He Most Excited For?

29:29 The Games He'll Never Finish

30:32 Expectations Vs Reality

39:17 Biggest Gaming Misconceptions About Parenthood

45:39 Dad Advice Corner

54:22 The Games That Got Us Through

58:08 Paternity Leave Predictions

01:00:00 Pixel Replay Returns

01:00:57 Tetris Effect Review

01:07:17 July Pixel Replay Reveal

01:07:25 Burnout 3 Selected

01:09:27 Scott's Farewell

01:11:22 Final Thoughts

Write to us: [email protected]
Follow us on BlueSky: @pixelparents.bsky.social
Music & production by Sean Murray – barehandsdesigns.com

New episodes every Friday.

🎧 Listen on Spotify

[https://open.spotify.com/show/2JE8TeviD5XXuiqVYxj63Q?_reload_cause=banner-auto-reload]

🍎 Listen on Apple Podcasts

[https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pixel-parents-video-game-podcast/id1740836394]

💖 Join the FREE Patreon

[https://www.patreon.com/pixelparents]

🦋 Follow us on Bluesky

[https://bsky.app/profile/pixelparents.bsky.social]

📺 Subscribe on YouTube

[https://www.youtube.com/@PixelParentsPodcast/S]

✉️ Email the show

[[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])

This week on the Pixel Parents Podcast, we're asking a question that felt impossible just a few years ago… Has gaming become too expensive?

Following the announcement of the Steam Machine and its eye-watering price tag, we're discussing whether gaming hardware has finally crossed a line. Are we entering a future where new consoles and premium hardware are becoming inaccessible for average players?

In this episode:

• Steam Machine pricing shock
• Have consoles become too expensive?
• Are we entering our backlog era?
• The growing divide between gamers and gaming influencers
• What this means for PS6, Project Helix, and the future of gaming
• GTA 6 hype reaches new levels
• Liam returns to GTA V and Watch Dogs Legion
• Scott revisits Twilight Princess and dives into Hell Is Us
• Steam Next Fest discoveries

GET BONUS SHOWS AND MORE BY JOINING OUR ALWAYS FREE PATREON (www.patreon.com/pixelparents)

CHAPTERS

00:00 Has Gaming Become Too Expensive?

01:05 Welcome Back

07:58 GTA VI Hype Check-In

18:16 Liam Returns To Watch Dogs Legion

21:37 What Scott Has Been Playing

22:03 Wind Waker On Switch 2

24:17 Twilight Princess Obsession

25:00 Blood Dungeon Preview

28:28 Hell Is Us Impressions

33:10 Main Topic. Backlog Era

34:12 Steam Machine Price Reaction

39:32 Why Buy A Steam Machine?

43:16 Are We Entering The Backlog Era?

45:47 The Two Class Gamer Problem

52:12 Hardware Vs Software Spending

57:24 How Much Would We Pay For PS6?

01:03:35 Has Console Pricing Gone Too Far?

01:07:24 Project Helix & The Future Of Xbox

01:14:11 Who Is The Steam Machine Actually For?

01:20:08 Pixel Replay Reminder

01:21:28 Scott's Karaoke Story

01:24:24 Final Thoughts

Write to us: [email protected]
Follow us on BlueSky: @pixelparents.bsky.social
Music & production by Sean Murray – barehandsdesigns.com

New episodes every Friday.

🎧 Listen on Spotify

[https://open.spotify.com/show/2JE8TeviD5XXuiqVYxj63Q?_reload_cause=banner-auto-reload]

🍎 Listen on Apple Podcasts

[https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pixel-parents-video-game-podcast/id1740836394]

💖 Join the FREE Patreon

[https://www.patreon.com/pixelparents]

🦋 Follow us on Bluesky

[https://bsky.app/profile/pixelparents.bsky.social]

📺 Subscribe on YouTube

[https://www.youtube.com/@PixelParentsPodcast/S]

✉️ Email the show

[[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])

We're officially past the halfway point of 2026.

So what is Game of the Year... so far?

This week we're building our current GOTY shortlist, debating the biggest contenders, and asking which games still have a realistic chance of being in the conversation when The Game Awards roll around in December.

Will Resident Evil Requiem still be standing? Can Mixtape go all the way? And have we already played this year's winner?

A celebration of a brilliant year for games, with a reality check on where the industry finds itself.

In this episode:

• Scott returns to Dragon's Dogma 2
• Liam falls even deeper into Balatro
• Tetris Effect Pixel Replay check-in
• Main Topic: Best Games of 2026 so far
• Discussion on Xbox studio closures and what it could mean for the future

GET BONUS SHOWS AND MORE BY JOINING OUR ALWAYS FREE PATREON (www.patreon.com/pixelparents)

CHAPTERS

00:00 Have We Already Played Game Of The Year?

00:38 Intro

05:28 Housekeeping

06:07 What We're Playing

06:31 Dragon's Dogma 2 Revisited

08:00 Capcom Fighting Collection

09:28 Returning To Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

12:05 Octopath Traveler Zero

13:22 Tetris Effect Addiction

14:02 Balatro Returns

15:06 Halo Infinite & Black Ops 7

20:37 Xbox Layoff Concerns

34:08 Main Topic - Game Of The Year So Far

35:29 Has 2026 Been A Great Year For Games?

40:22 Our GOTY Shortlists

42:25 Best Game Nobody Is Talking About

44:20 Most Disappointing Game

48:58 Best Indie Game

50:49 Biggest Surprise

51:58 Game Of The Year So Far

54:31 Can Anything Beat It?

01:03:13 Pixel Replay Update

01:04:20 Breaking Xbox Studio Closure News

01:09:38 Final Thoughts

Write to us: [email protected]Follow us on BlueSky: @pixelparents.bsky.social
Music & production by Sean Murray – barehandsdesigns.com

September and October are absolutely stacked.

Publishers are racing to launch before GTA 6 arrives, and the result is one of the most crowded release windows we’ve seen in years.

So how do we decide what actually deserves our time?

Which games are day-one priorities?Which ones can wait for a sale?And how do we avoid destroying both our wallets and our backlogs?

This week we draft our must-plays, predict surprise hits, and name the games most likely to be abandoned.

In this episode:

• Nintendo Direct reactions (Ocarina of Time remake is real)
• Our top games from Summer Game Fest week
• Scott returns to Dragon’s Dogma 2
• More thoughts on 007 First Light
• Main topic: Vice Boys: Surviving the Game Avalanche with limited time and money

GET BONUS SHOWS AND MORE BY JOINING OUR ALWAYS FREE PATREON (www.patreon.com/pixelparents)

CHAPTERS

00:00 How Do We Survive Gaming's Busiest Month?

01:25 Welcome Back

04:50 Nintendo Direct Reactions

09:15 Ocarina of Time Remake & Kingdom Hearts 4

11:24 Summer Game Fest Top 5 Games

19:22 What We're Playing

20:05 007 First Light Review Chat

21:21 Lego Batman Fatigue

24:13 Octopath Traveler Zero

28:06 Main Topic - Surviving September

30:14 Why Is September So Stacked?

38:06 Our September Game Draft

46:54 Our October Game Draft

54:48 The Rule Of Three

58:18 Zelda Movie Discussion

01:05:41 If We Could Only Pick One Game

01:14:54 Pixel Replay Update

01:15:04 Breaking Xbox Layoff News

01:18:57 Final Thoughts

Write to us: [email protected]
Follow us on BlueSky: @pixelparents.bsky.social
Music & production by Sean Murray – barehandsdesigns.com

This week on Pixel Reacts, we're breaking down everything announced during the Xbox Games Showcase 2026 and the Gears of War: E-Day Direct.

From Gears of War and Fable to Persona 6, Spyro, Clockwork Revolution and more, Xbox delivered one of its strongest showcases in years.

But the biggest talking point wasn't a single game.

It was the feeling that Xbox finally has a direction again.

We discuss:

🎮 Gears of War: E-Day

⚔️ Fable

🟢 Halo Combat Evolved

🎭 Persona 6

🐉 Spyro: A Realm Beyond

🕰️ Clockwork Revolution

🔥 Doom: The Dark Ages DLC

🎮 What Asha Sharma's Xbox could look like

Plus our thoughts on exclusivity, Game Pass, Play Anywhere and whether Xbox finally feels like a platform worth investing in again.

New episodes every Friday.

🎧 Listen on Spotify

[https://open.spotify.com/show/2JE8TeviD5XXuiqVYxj63Q?_reload_cause=banner-auto-reload]

🍎 Listen on Apple Podcasts

[https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pixel-parents-video-game-podcast/id1740836394]

💖 Join the FREE Patreon

[https://www.patreon.com/pixelparents]

🦋 Follow us on Bluesky

[https://bsky.app/profile/pixelparents.bsky.social]

📺 Subscribe on YouTube

[https://www.youtube.com/@PixelParentsPodcast/S]

✉️ Email the show

[[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])

—

CHAPTERS

00:00 Xbox Finally Looks Like Xbox Again

00:36 Initial Showcase Verdict

04:58 Gears of War E-Day

14:21 Xbox Exclusivity Discussion

15:34 Fable

17:37 Halo Combat Evolved

20:08 Resonance A Plague Tale Legacy

21:20 Persona 4 Revival

22:55 State of Decay 3

24:14 Sea of Thieves & Metro 2039

24:59 Bad Magpie

25:26 Wo Long 2

26:54 The Blood of Dawnwalker

27:16 Senua Returns

29:22 Doom The Dark Ages DLC

31:32 Crazy Taxi World Tour

35:03 Magician The Devil's Deal

39:38 Castlevania Belmont's Curse

40:46 Vivarium

42:40 Persona 6

44:01 Spyro A Realm Beyond

45:26 Clockwork Revolution

49:38 Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4

53:54 Gears of War E-Day Direct

55:59 Final Thoughts & Scores

—

🎧 Listen on Spotify

[https://open.spotify.com/show/2JE8TeviD5XXuiqVYxj63Q?_reload_cause=banner-auto-reload]

🍎 Listen on Apple Podcasts

[https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pixel-parents-video-game-podcast/id1740836394]

💖 Join the FREE Patreon

[https://www.patreon.com/pixelparents]

🦋 Follow us on Bluesky

[https://bsky.app/profile/pixelparents.bsky.social]

📺 Subscribe on YouTube

[https://www.youtube.com/@PixelParentsPodcast/S]

✉️ Email the show

[[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])

Write to us: [email protected]
Follow us on BlueSky: @pixelparents.bsky.social

Support us: Patreon.com/PixelParents
Music & production by Sean Murray – barehandsdesigns.com

This week on Pixel Reacts, we're breaking down Summer Game Fest 2026.

Or at least we're trying to.

After more than two hours, dozens of trailers, endless announcements and a whole lot of games we struggled to care about, we came away with one big question.

Has Summer Game Fest become too bloated?

We discuss:

• Resident Evil Requiem
• Cuphead announcements
• TMNT The Last Ronin
• Control Resonance
• Final Fantasy VII Revelation
• The future of Summer Game Fest
• Why modern showcases feel exhausting

Plus our honest thoughts on Geoff Keighley's flagship gaming event and whether the format still works in 2026.

Pixel Reacts is our special event series where we react to the biggest gaming showcases, announcements and industry moments.

New episodes every Friday.

Write to us: [email protected]Follow us on BlueSky: @pixelparents.bsky.social

Support us: Patreon.com/PixelParents
Music & production by Sean Murray – barehandsdesigns.com