Sacred Symbols: A PlayStation Podcast

There's simply no denying that Naughty Dog's absence this generation is deeply felt. Apart from a couple of ports and a defunct, half-made multiplayer project, Sony's crown jewel studio hasn't contributed much of anything to PS5. Thankfully, that's on the verge of changing, not only as we get late in this cycle, but ever-closer to PlayStation 6. Three important pieces of news emerged: Intergalactic will be shown-off next year, a new Uncharted is indeed in development and will come to market following Intergalactic, and two The Last of Us projects are being incubated as well (one presumably The Last of Us: Part III). For the first time in ages, we have a clearer and more robust view into what Sony's most important team is planning for the next half-decade and well beyond. Is it time to celebrate? Or will the proof be in the pudding? Plus: Sony is skipping CES for the first time since 1967, a new look at God of War: Laufey's combat shows something decidedly DMC, AI upscaling comes to base PlayStation 5, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Why do so many "spiritual successors" fail to live up to the original? What's with all of the 10s IGN gives out these days? Should players embrace 'the grind' in video games, or seek ways around it? Who has the audacity to schedule a wedding on Christmas Eve?

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.

0:00:00 - Intro
0:28:56 - LSM quality
0:31:25 - PSP Marcus
0:38:23 - Don't play Sacred around your kids
0:52:26 - Wedding on Christmas Eve
0:59:57 - Mike Tomlin's Minecraft city
1:05:29 - Sony is skipping CES
1:16:49 - Naughty Dog's future
1:39:58 - Uncharted 4 spoilers start
2:01:00 - God of War: Laufey pre-orders are live
2:09:07 - QSSR introduced on base PS5
2:16:42 - PlayStation 5 jailbreak
2:28:27 - Sony Japan's PS5 Pro lottery
2:36:07 - Kena 2 pushed to 2027
2:39:01 - Portal's battery update
2:44:01 - Sony credit card patent
2:47:32 - Ubisoft's mega-studio: Massive Entertainment
2:51:30 - New Person sales figures
2:56:57 - October PS+ games
2:59:30 - What We’re Playing (Silent Hill: Townfall, Ace Combat 8, Control Resonant)
3:36:36 - Reducing hand holding in games
3:47:53 - Spiritual successors missing the mark
3:54:43 - Modern gaming ADHD
4:02:02 - Physint on PlayStation
4:09:59 - Steam's personal calendar
4:13:08 - 10/10s

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When it comes to Bungie, Sony's long been at a crossroads. Either PlayStation needs to invest heavily into keeping the studio afloat so it can support existing products and spin-up new ones, or it needs to pull the plug before more good money went after bad. Well, Sony's made a decision, and it's seemingly very much the former choice. With a new wind at its back, can Bungie turn Marathon around, revive Destiny, and survive and even thrive within the first party family? Or is it simply too little, too late? Plus: More information emerges on the Physint-Kojima situation, ex-Naughty Dog director Bruce Straley tells some hard truths about modern AAA gaming, SEGA got oh-so-close to binning Sonic the Hedgehog entirely, Square Enix intends on letting Final Fantasy VII Revelation players controversially auto-level their characters, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! What are our thoughts on Xbox's recent consolidative efforts? Are we sometimes too cavalier when openly spoiling older games? In what fashion should Crash Bandicoot's 30th anniversary be properly celebrated? How many listeners in total has Dustin gotten into Iron Maiden?

Timestamps:

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.

0:00:00 - Intro
0:28:18 - Wearing Sacred merch listening to Sacred
0:31:51 - Hogs update
0:33:32 - Shoutout Samantha
0:35:42 - Aaron and Dimitric
0:40:51 - Iron Maiden fandom
0:52:40 - Jury duty
0:59:55 - Trophy by the clock
1:01:32 - Bungie's future
1:58:59 - Gene's interview with Kojima
2:19:45 - Bruce Straley and God of War
2:38:06 - FF7 Revelation allows auto leveling
2:49:04 - Sega nearly did the right thing
2:51:29 - Lisa Dualsense I guess
2:54:30 - Lufia I + II are coming
3:00:55 - What We’re Playing (Wolverine, Silent Hill: Townfall, Fire Emblem, Big Walk)
3:35:45 - Armed Fantasia canceled
3:38:35 - Xbox's reset part 2
4:01:37 - Were apps on console a mistake?
4:03:53 - Asking executives any question
4:08:06 - Crash's 30th anniversary
4:11:46 - When are spoilers okay?
4:20:30 - Do fans care about gold, silver, and bronze trophies?

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A player-organized "PlayStation Blackout" recently asked Sony's hardcore customers to stay off of PSN for a mere week. It was a no doubt modest ask -- one that wasn't going to break the brand -- and it's always nice to see people try and do something when they deem it necessary. But if data from reliable US industry tracking firm Circana is any indication, the PlayStation Blackout had no discernable effect on their data whatsoever. When does initiative end and performance begin? If something is clearly not working, should one's tactics change? Perhaps most importantly, does a movement, no matter how laudable, need actually likable leadership to be effective? One thing's for sure: The blackout was a dud, something its most ardent champions cannot (or perhaps will not) square. Other news this week includes rumors surrounding Media Molecule's next game, an altered update approach for Bungie's Marathon, the reported closure of MindsEye studio Build A Rocket Boy, the trademarked sequel to 2023's beloved Lies of P, and much more. Then: Listener inquiries! Are Sony games victimized by over-focus testing? Should we be worried about Housemarque's future? Why don't more scary games launch in October? Does Colin need to remind everyone what about the true definition of "pithy"?
Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.
0:00:00 - Intro
0:22:49 - Colin's "nachos"
0:36:21 - Can Mitch McConnell beat Wolverine?
0:37:22 - Define pithy
0:46:02 - Resident Evil movie is good?
0:50:05 - PlayStation blackout had no effect
1:06:52 - Details about Media Molecule's next game
1:21:33 - Marathon development update
1:41:44 - Marvel Tokon's director on the PC launch
1:47:18 - Build A Rocket Boy is no more
1:58:11 - Lies of P Sequel trademarked
2:09:01 - New PlayStation headsets
2:20:53 - Powerwash Simulator 2's next DLC
2:24:48 - Level 5's AI drama
2:29:28 - Wardogs is a hit
2:35:38 - Dragon Quest sells over 100 million
2:38:48 - Terranigma releases January 14th
2:44:28 - What We’re Playing (The Blood of Dawnwalker, Onimusha: Way of the Sword)
2:45:15 - PlayStation's side of the Kojima divorce
3:00:40 - Is focus testing ruining games?
3:19:16 - Bloat and personnel in gaming
3:27:25 - Porting trophies to Xbox
3:35:03 - Housemarque's future
3:39:33 - Horror games in October

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So much bad mojo currently surrounds the PlayStation brand, that the negativity is starting to feel more like a trend than a temporary happenstance. The most recent news -- that Sony cancelled Kojima's Physint project, allowing him to take it to rival Xbox -- is the freshest addition to an increasing line of gut punches. Worse yet, such a move reveals something seemingly deeper: A sick PlayStation, unable to make rational decisions, desperately in-need of going under the knife and emerging with new leadership and a new directive. We discuss. Plus: Killzone Remaster/Remake rumors percolate, a popular PS3 emulator now allows play directly off of Blu-ray discs, the Saudis plot an EA-Savvy merger, Valve accidentally leaks a ton of upcoming games' achievements, and more. Then, we finish things up (as we always do) with listener inquiries. Could the greater multiplayer space benefit from a reorientation away from PvP and towards PvE? Are people severely underestimating the demand for PlayStation 6? Could Sony once again expand its first party sports offerings beyond MLB: The Show? Should we start deploying mouth-agape thumbnail images?

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Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.
0:00:00 - Intro
0:40:31 - Mega Man amiibo
0:40:56 - Advice for divorce
0:54:28 - Sacred Make-A-Wish
0:58:15 - Thumbnail preference
1:03:47 - Sony's physical production was misreported
1:06:30 - Sony pulls PHYSINT, Kojima goes to Xbox
2:14:20 - Rumor: Killzone is returning
2:26:33 - Valve leaks achievements of tons of games
2:38:02 - You can play PS3 games on disk on PC
2:41:50 - EA and Savvy could combine
2:46:43 - SNK announces Metal Slug Ultimate Collectoin
2:51:48 - New PS+ Game Catalog titles
2:54:27 - August PSN charts
2:57:02 - What We’ve Been Playing (Alan Wake II, The Blood of Dawnwalker, Onimusha: WotS, Plague Tale Resonance)
3:19:34 - Wolverine discussion
3:42:57 - PvE over Pvp
3:48:48 - Where is Mega Man Legends?
3:55:00 - Is it better to be an early adopter?
4:04:23 - Video game innovation
4:14:57 - Sony first party sports
4:18:34 - The end of remasters

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PlayStation's dueling State of Play presentations -- one for western audiences and the other for its native Japanese territory -- hasn't quelled the ever-increasing animus for the brand in some corners. Though widely considered a weak showing (we rank it somewhere between a C and F, depending on which one of us you ask), there were still some great games worth discussing, and we'll do just that. New announcements included shark-eating sequel Maneater 2, an eastern take on New York City with Konami's Rhapsody in Scarlet, old-school bona fides in SlashZero, and the uniquely liminal World Phasebound Control Authority. Plus, release dates flowed for the likes of Final Fantasy VII Revelation, Until Dawn 2, and Metro 2039, all excellent-looking titles. But underneath the surface, the same issues remain. Is Sony disconnected from the reality on the ground, or are we too busy misinterpreting the noise while dodging the signal? We discuss at length. Other news this week includes some Grand Theft Auto VI updates, the exit of Housemarque's co-founder, faux rumors of Square Enix going private, and more. Then, we wrap things up (as we always do) with listener inquiries. Do we believe the scuttlebutt out of Gamescom that Sony's development and publishing partners are upset with them? What do we think of the new website Video Games Critic? Does developer Bit Reactor furloughing staff indicate a future trend for sustainable game dev? Is Sacred Symbols the absolutely perfect podcast for the manic depressive?

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.
0:00:00 - Intro
0:16:34 - Pre-Sacred ritual
0:28:26 - Chris Ray Goon
0:31:09 - Bathroom paper towels
0:33:04 - Podcast etiquette
0:40:44 - Wendy's encounter
0:52:21 - Money flow follow-up
0:54:57 - State of Play
1:46:37 - Netflix's GTAVI breaks records
1:49:41 - Sony's comments on "digital ownership"
2:03:08 - Housemarque co-founder leaves
2:07:52 - Square Enix denies going private
2:10:38 - Sony Music buys 24% stake in Gung Ho Entertainment
2:13:06 - Sony brings live TV to PlayStation
2:15:48 - Iron Man game leaked
2:18:38 - What We’re Playing (Alan Wake 2, Mortal Shell 2, Halloween: The Game, Onimusha: Way of the Sword)
2:29:30 - PlayStation getting cold feet?
2:38:54 - Naughty Dog’s new reality
2:50:52 - Video Games Critic
2:59:12 - Physical games replacement
3:07:32 - Mega Man’s future
3:13:26 - Star Wars: Zero Company furlough

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It's finally time! Rockstar has revealed an in-depth look at Grand Theft Auto VI for the first time, with tons of gameplay, details, and more that so many tens of millions of fans have been hungry for. We discuss all we saw and what we loved and didn't, along with in-depth coverage of the hullabaloo surrounding the game's preview cycle and price. Colin even takes some time to educate the masses that GTAVI at $80 is nearly twice as affordable as GTA1 was at $50, based simply on average incomes and not at all adjusting for dreaded inflation (so next time someone tells you pay hasn't kept up with the increase in game pricing, now you know they're unapologetically lying). Other news this week includes fresh rumors of electronics tariffs in America, booming Helldivers 2 sales, a ton of Gamescom ONL fodder (including Witcher 3 Remastered, Final Fantasy VII Revelation, Stage Tour, Exodus, Mega Man: Dual Overdrive, and more). Then: Listener inquiries! Is game development in danger of so-called "mode collapse"? How has MiHoYo managed to find so much success across so many high-caliber games? Would Sony ever explore re-releasing old PlayStation hardware? Will Chris and Dustin join Colin in the Fart Corner?

Timestamps:

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.

0:00 - Intro
20:46 - Patreon player
22:05 - Free codes
26:43 - Sacred is here for you
28:28 - Glass Snapple is back
32:03 - GTA VI leaks and pricing
1:52:47 - GTA VI showcase reaction
2:23:20 - New tariffs could be coming
2:28:34 - Anti-data center craze
2:40:40 - Gamescom catchup
3:20:24 - Sony confirms Helldivers is a huge success
3:21:27 - Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement delayed
3:22:59 - Terranigma confirmed
3:23:45 - Dave Bautista cast as Kratos
3:24:37 - New PS+ games
3:28:07 - What Are We Playing? (Beast of Reincarnation, Alan Wake II, Endacopia, Mortal Shell 2, How to Fish)
3:53:48 - Mode Collapse of gaming
4:02:30 - HoYoverse expansion
4:07:33 - "Legacy PlayStation"
4:11:44 - Will this be one of the best years in gaming?

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Sony's mishandling of its games-as-a-service initiative is well-worn territory here on Sacred Symbols, but that doesn't mean the fallout doesn't persist. This time around, Guerrilla's new multiplayer title Horizon: Hunters Gathering is the focal point. Based on recent reporting, it appears Sony is having the dev team rework the game to remove live service and other persistent elements, and its fate will be decided by December, with cancellation still very much on the table. Bungie and Marathon, Haven and Fairgames, Firewalk and Concord, Naughty Dog and The Last of Us Online, the Deviation-turned-Dark Outlaw project, Bluepoint and God of War Online, a cancelled multiplayer Spider-Man game at Insomniac, Twisted Metal never getting far off the ground at Lucid... Truly, it's enough already. Plus: Until Dawn star Hayden Panettiere sadly passes away at 37 years old, Grand Theft Auto VI suffers a catastrophic leak, Hiroko Totoki talks to the Wall Street Journal about Sony's move away from tech and towards entertainment, Square Enix swears Kingdom Hearts IV will launch in 2027, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Is Naughty Dog's high-caliber approach ultimately unsustainable? Have we lost sight of the reality of how bad the experience of using physical media actually is? How can we both run Sacred Symbols effectively while ignoring the endless, persistent, and unrealistic negativity? Will Colin ultimately push Dustin over the line by insisting he's Japanese?

Timestamps:

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.

0:00 - Intro
39:18 - Shoutout to Chris and Porter
50:08 - "Dustin is Japanese"
52:26 - Drinking in the pool
1:03:09 - Digital ownership brother in arms
1:09:27 - RIP Hayden Panettiere
1:15:08 - GTAVI Leaks
1:44:20 - Horizon: Hunters Gathering is being reworked
2:28:31 - Hiroki Totoki Literature Club interview
2:42:15 - Sony's shovelware purge gone wrong?
2:55:21 - Kingdom Hearts IV releases late 2027
3:01:28 - Terranigma port
3:05:32 - Pulse Elevate speakers coming in November
3:07:53 - Call of Duty beta includes campaign level
3:09:44 - Simpsons Hit and Run returns?
3:14:25 - July US sales data
3:18:42 - What We're Playing (Beast of Reincarnation, Spider-Man 2, Mortal Shell 2)
3:40:39 - Toxic fandoms
3:56:42 - Enshittification across media
4:06:53 - Curbing your expectations
4:20:17 - Is Naughty Dog unsustainable?
4:24:14 - Is America AAA game dev dead?
4:30:34 - Was physical media a nightmare?

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On PlayStation 5 in the near future, you're going to be hacking, slashing, stabbing, and serrating your enemies with reckless abandon. For starters, the dangerously-clawed Wolverine emerges in September, along with a newly-announced special edition PS5 console, a couple of DualSense controllers, and even some plates for your existing hardware. (Plus, the previews are quite positive!) September also provides us with horroresque Halloween: The Game from IllFonic, which interestingly enough won't be released in Australia and New Zealand for the stupidest reason. Come October, hack-and-slash RPG Phantom Blade 0 joins the fray -- a long-in-development Chinese game that's getting its own State of Play imminently -- not to mention Ghost of Yotei: Complete Edition, packing new single-player content galore alongside the return of the Katana-wielding Atsu. Other news this week includes a surprise PS3-era Lord of the Rings drop, insane data about Grand Theft Auto VI pre-orders, and more. But we end, as we always do, with listener inquiries. Will Sony really eschew any sort of external disc drive for PlayStation 6, if only for backwards compatibility purposes? Why is visiting a new town in an RPG typically such an exciting experience? What would a "Digital Bill of Rights" look like? Is Dustin losing his Japanese language skills through atrophy?

Timestamps:

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.

0:00 - Intro
42:56 - Met-cha Chameleon
47:49 - Sacred American Gladiator
50:20 - 24 minutes
53:49 - Almonds vs data centers
1:07:26 - Phantom Blade Zero State of Play
1:15:00 - Halloween The Game refused classification in Australia and New Zealand
1:27:08 - Ghost of Yotei: Complete Edition
1:35:19 - Wolverine console plates and more
1:43:56 - Lord of the Rings: War in the North re-released
1:52:42 - New PS+ Game Catalog games
2:01:00 - GTAVI's $100 version is the top seller
2:14:29 - July's Top PSN Downloads
2:17:35 - Spider-Man sales increase thanks to the movie
2:20:20 - What We're Playing (Big Walk, Marvel Tokon, Gears of War E-Day, Spider-Man (2000), Beast of Reincarnation)
2:59:54- Digital Bill of Rights
3:10:07 - Playing PS5 discs on PS6
3:20:35 - Codes in boxes
3:24:14 - RPG towns
3:29:23 - Defending big companies
3:39:48 - Game discipline

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After roughly half-a-dozen episodes of unfortunate absence, we're pleased to welcome Dustin back to the fold, and just in the nick of time at that. A trio of interesting stories have bubbled to the surface over the past week worth examining, and they require further inquiry from the whole cast. For starters, Sony's financials show a stagnant (albeit perfectly healthy) PlayStation brand, as PS5 marches ever-slower towards 100 million units sold. And then there's Electronic Arts, the pioneering American publisher that sold-out to a wealthy foreign interest, with untold ramifications on the other side of the biggest-ever leveraged buyout in human history. Finally, we come to Netflix and Rockstar, who have teamed-up for what can only be described as a unique approach towards showcasing Grand Theft Auto VI, one (perhaps not surprisingly) some people aren't thrilled about. Among other news (and other nonsense), we also get into your listener submissions, as we do each week. How will MLB: The Show 27 be affected next year by what appears to be an inevitable work stoppage in professional baseball? Is there any workable idea for a framework surrounding the second-hand buying, selling, and trading of digital games? Could Sony blunt PlayStation 6's inevitably-high cost by taking a page from Xbox's book and offering hardware on long-term payment plans? Has Colin been saying "beaucoup bucks" wrong, or does one listener simply not know his French?

Timestamps:

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.
0:00 - Intro
21:28 - Beaucoup bucks
23:15 - Has Colin gone woke?
30:57 - Betting on Dustin's return
35:44 - Last games during Dustin's leave
51:19 - Balancing work, life, and kids
58:32 - GTA VI premieres on Netflix
1:16:24 - Sony Q1 26 financials
1:56:48 - EA's sale to the Saudis is done
2:11:37 - Shift Up's AI music video
2:21:50 - Dave Bautista as Kratos?
2:26:59 - New PlayStation LEGO
2:27:31 - Black Ops on PS5 sales
2:28:34 - What We're Playing (Halo, GTA SA, Big Walk, Splatoon Raiders)
2:55:43 - AI Moderation
3:13:54 - MLB Lockout
3:17:47 - Optimizing games too much
3:24:30 - Buying and selling digital games
3:34:09 - Lack of real games media
3:41:07 - Buying PS6 via contract

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Sure, there's a lot of anger in our ecosystem right now, but what about all that's upcoming, all that could potentially change our moods? For instance, God of War: Laufey has received a February '27 release date, while compelling rumors indicate Naughty Dog's long-awaited Intergalactic may also grace PlayStation 5 in 2027. With Arc System Works promising tons of fixes for Marvel Tokon (especially on PC) in time for its imminent launch, and with Wolverine just around the corner -- not to mention a ton of third-party fare, too -- maybe it's time we lighten up a little bit. Plus: Dragon Age is seemingly dead, Square Enix lives in perpetual fear of the potential scale of a Final Fantasy VI remake, Crazy Taxi: World Tour solicits players for closed tests, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Why do so many people seem so hostile towards so-called "Gun and Ball" gamers? Is Sony's ever-struggling PlayStation Network ready for the crush it will experience with Grand Theft Auto VI? Does PS5 console exclusive Silent Hill: Townfall's approach to stealth and avoidant gameplay interest us? Will Dustin ever return to the show, or is he too busy going to Ohio to find physical games?

Timestamps:

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.

0:00 - Intro
11:58 - R.I.P. Sophie
18:56 - R.I.P. Excalibur
31:49 - Shoutout to gamer mom
35:53 - Changing names
41:22 - Dustin's been spotted in the wild
43:26 - A rare correction
51:39 - PSBlackout
1:18:41 - God of War: Laufey launches on February 16th, 2027
1:26:22 - Reliable insider suggests Naughty Dog will release Intergalactic in 2027
1:36:40 - Marvel Tokon’s PC test isn’t going great
1:42:38 - A Dragon Age trilogy re-release seems very unlikely
1:51:02 - Yoshi-P says a Final Fantasy VI remake would require four or five parts
1:58:17 - Crazy Taxi: World Tour gets a closed network test
2:01:19 - Industry layoffs are accelerating
2:09:47 - New PS+ Essential games revealed
2:12:36 - Gran Turismo 7 gets a branded steering wheel
2:15:56 - Surprise! Capcom continues to do great
2:16:16 - What is Kingdom Come: Salvation?
2:16:29 - Atari signs a 10-movie deal with Universal
2:17:10 - Weird Trophies?
2:20:23 - What We're Playing (Halo, Onimusha 2, Powerwash Simulator 2 DLC)
2:57:38 - When was the last time a game took over your whole life?
3:05:35 - Why is there so much animosity towards Ball-&-Gun gamers?
3:20:40 - The physical games drama is getting old
3:32:40 - Can the PSN infrastructure handle the GTA VI preload?
3:35:35 - Is there no appetite for the PS6?
3:45:00 - Silent Hill: Townfall hype level

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