Welcome to episode 65 of Shack Together! We're joined by special guests Donovan Erskine and Greg Burke to discuss their impressions of Universal's Epic Universe theme park. Today's show features our review of Elden Ring Nightreign, as well as our new "Mount Switchmore" segment, where we match Nintendo Switch first-party games to Mount Rushmore presidents based on their leadership qualities and legacy.

The Nintendo Switch 2, launching next week, continues to dominate headlines with Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake's October release window and an upcoming Pokemon Presents showcase announced for July 2025. Meanwhile, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 celebrates an impressive milestone of 3.3 million units sold in just 33 days, while EA makes waves with the cancellation of their Black Panther game and the closure of Cliffhanger Games.

We also explore new previews of Persona 5: The Phantom X and review several recent releases including Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon and The Siege and the Sandfox. Industry news brings record-breaking results from NVIDIA's Q1 2026 earnings, with gaming revenue hitting an all-time high of $3.8 billion. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy!

Timestamps

• 00:01:27 Asif On Assignment
• 00:03:30 It's Shack Together!
• 00:03:59 Greg and Donovan's Universal's Epic Universe Grand Opening Trip
• 00:36:39 Joe's PC, Clair Obscur
• 00:38:30 Asif's Games: Blue Prince, Doom: The Dark Ages
• 00:55:36 Mount Switchmore Draft: Matching Nintendo Switch Games to Mount Rushmore Presidents
• 01:30:00 Story Time!
• 01:30:04 Previews: Persona 5: The Phantom X, Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake
• 01:33:49 Reviews: Elden Ring Nightreign, Tainted Grail, F1 25, The Siege and the Sandfox, Scar-Lead Salvation
• 01:56:21 News: Black Panther Game Cancelled, Star Wars Battlefront 2 Record, Clair Obscur Sales, Pokemon Presents July 2025
• 02:11:08 Industry: NVIDIA Q1 2026 Earnings, Record Gaming Revenue
• 02:13:34 Community Notes

Articles mentioned in this episode

• Universal Epic Universe park impressions
• Elden Ring Nightreign review
• Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake preview
• Pokemon Presents showcase July 2025
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 sales milestone
• Black Panther canceled, Cliffhanger Games closed
• NVIDIA Q1 2026 gaming revenue record
• Persona 5: The Phantom X preview
• Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon review
• The Siege and the Sandfox review

Welcome to episode 64 of Shack Together! We're joined by special guest Sam Chandler as we discuss Bungie's ongoing copyright controversy with an artist claiming unauthorized use of assets in Marathon, while also sharing our continued experiences (and Sam's divisive take) on DOOM: The Dark Ages.

Today's show features our "2015 MetaGames" segment, where we compare critic and user scores from that landmark year in gaming, analyzing the sometimes significant disparities between professional reviews and player reception for titles like Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain and Halo 5: Guardians.

In Story Time, we cover major industry developments including Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2's surprise PS5 announcement and the ongoing Epic vs Apple saga as Fortnite briefly returns to iOS before being blocked again. We also explore new previews of Lies of P: Overture's frozen zoo and Yakuza 0: Director's Cut coming to Switch 2, while discussing OpenAI's acquisition of Jony Ive's AI startup. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy!

Timestamps

• 00:01:07 TikTok Salsa  
• 00:04:26 It's Shack Together!  
• 00:05:15 Sam's Games: Oblivion Remastered, The Finals, DOOM: The Dark Ages  
• 00:34:12 Joe's Games: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33  
• 00:41:09 Asif's Games: DOOM: The Dark Ages, Blue Prince (Spoilers?) 
• 00:48:34 The 2015 MetaGames: Critics VS Users  
• 01:14:40 Story Time!  
• 01:14:45 Previews: Lies of P: Overture, Yakuza 0: Director's Cut, Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S, Gimmiko  
• 01:20:36 Reviews: Deliver At All Costs, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown, Monster Train 2, Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny, Blades of Fire, Roadcraft  
• 01:32:40 News: Mario Kart World Info Dump, Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 to PS5  
• 01:40:15 Industry News: OpenAI acquires Jony Ive Startup, Marathon Art Theft, Fortnite to iOS Issues Continue  
• 02:05:39 Community Notes 

Articles mentioned in this episode

• Artist claims Bungie used assets for Marathon without permission
• Lies of P: Overture DLC preview
• Yakuza 0: Director's Cut Switch 2 preview
• Monster Train 2 review
• Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 PS5 reveal
• Mario Kart World free roam jukebox features
• Fortnite returns to iOS App Store
• Apple blocks Fortnite's re-submission
• OpenAI acquires Jony Ive's AI startup

Welcome to episode 63 of Shack Together! We're joined by special guest David Craddock to discuss his review of DOOM: The Dark Ages, who shares insights from his extensive time with the entry's new parry mechanics and combat mechanics.

Afterward, we dive into everyone's favorite "DOOM: The Darth Plagueis" segment, where we compare and contrast the lore between DOOM and Star Wars universes, from ancient civilizations and powerful artifacts to legendary warriors and dimensional portals.

In Story Time, we cover the crew's most recent PAX East previews including Shadow Labyrinth's Metroidvania-meets-Pac-Man approach and FBC: Firebreak's return to the Bureau of Control. Industry news brings significant developments with Take-Two's optimism for Nintendo Switch 2, Microsoft's 3% workforce reduction, and Sony's $1.7 billion share buyback program. We also discuss Palworld's monster glider removal and Epic Games' official Fortnite iOS submission. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy!

Timestamps

• 00:01:09 NBA Playoffs Update  
• 00:04:02 It's Shack Together!  
• 00:04:42 David's Games: Doom: The Dark Ages, WWE 2K25  
• 00:34:21 Joe's Games: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Fragpunk  
• 00:42:47 Asif's Games: DOOM: The Dark Ages, Blue Prince, F-Zero 99  
• 00:49:47 Doom: The Darth Plageuis  
• 01:06:13 Story Time!  
• 01:06:18 Previews: Tony Hawk 3+4, Shadow Lbyrinth, Hank: Drowning on Dry Land, Patapon 1+2, Battle Train, God Save Birmingham, FBC: Firebreak, Gex Trilogy  
• 01:27:04 Reviews: DOOM: The Dark Ages, The Midnight Walk, Capcom Fighting Collection 2, Deedlee Doo! Carkour!  
• 01:37:24 News: Mafia: The Old Country Release Date, Palword Concessions to Nintendo, NTDOY Sales Forecast, Bam Margera in THPS3+4, Fortnite Submitted to iOS  
• 01:43:38 Industry News: Twitter AI, TTWO Q4 Earnings, Microsoft Layoffs, Super Mario World, Sony Supply Chain out of China, Sony Share Buyback  
• 02:02:15 Community Notes  

Articles mentioned in this episode

• DOOM: The Dark Ages review
• Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 preview
• Shadow Labyrinth PAX East preview
• FBC: Firebreak hands-on preview
• Bam Margera confirmed for THPS 3+4
• Palworld removes monster glider mechanics
• Take-Two CEO on Nintendo Switch 2
• Microsoft laying off 3% of workers
• Sony announces $1.7B share buyback
• Epic Games submits Fortnite to Apple

Welcome to episode 62 of Shack Together! We're joined by special guest TJ Denzer to break down the newly released GTA VI trailer and discuss its May 2026 delay announcement. Our game segment features "GTA Which?", testing our knowledge of Grand Theft Auto series firsts, from GTA III's groundbreaking 3D world to GTA V's character-switching mechanics.

Major announcements dominate today's news, including Destiny 2: The Edge of Fate's July 2025 release date and Gears of War: Reloaded coming in August 2025. Meanwhile, the industry sees significant financial developments with EA's strong Q4 bookings and AMD facing $1.5 billion in revenue impacts due to chip sale restrictions.

In Story Time, we explore The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered's review and discuss GameStop Canada's acquisition by Stephan Tetrault. Electronic Arts and AMD's earnings reports reveal interesting trends in gaming industry financials, with EA spending $2.5 billion on share buybacks in FY25. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy!

Timestamps

• 00:01:03 NBA Playoffs  
• 00:05:58 It's Shack Together!  
• 00:08:08 TJ's Games: EVE Vanguard, Fatal Fury  
• 00:19:49 Joe's Games: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, GTA IV  
• 00:27:25 Asif's Games: Blue Prince, F-Zero 99, Schedule I  
• 00:40:28 GTA Which?  
• 00:54:58 Story Time!  
• 00:55:02 News: GTA VI Trailer, Destiny 2: The Edge of Fate, Gears of War: Reloaded Announced, teamLFG Studio, Split Fiction Sales  
• 01:28:27 Previews: EVE Vanguard  
• 01:35:39 Reviews: Oblivion Remastered, Tempest Rising  
• 01:39:05 Industry News: GameStop Canada Acquisition, EA Earnings, AMD Earnings  
• 01:46:38 Community Notes

Articles mentioned in this episode

• GTA 6 Trailer 2 highlights
• GTA 6 delayed to May 26, 2026
• Destiny 2: The Edge of Fate expansion release date
• Gears of War: Reloaded announcement
• The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered review
• Stephan Tetrault GameStop Canada acquisition
• Electronic Arts Q4 FY25 earnings results
• EA stock buybacks FY25
• AMD Q1 2025 earnings results
• AMD revenue hit from China restrictions

Welcome to episode 61 of Shack Together! We're joined by special guest Ozzie Mejia to discuss Microsoft's surprising Xbox price hikes and dive into this week's massive list of tech earnings reports. EA enacts significant shifts with Respawn Entertainment announcing layoffs and game cancellations, while impressive sales figures roll in for titles like Oblivion Remastered, Elden Ring, and more.

Today's show features our "Warframe or Soreblame" segment, testing the crew's knowledge of the popular free-to-play game's extensive weapons arsenal, from the widely-used Tenet Envoy to the fan-favorite Opticor. Ozzie also shares insights from his interview with Towerborne's Game Director about the game's Xbox debut and future plans.

In Story Time, we cover major industry developments including Fortnite's return to iOS, Apple's court ruling in the Epic Games case, and Nintendo's latest (and perhaps final) System Update preparing for Switch 2. The tech sector dominates our industry news with comprehensive earnings reports from Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, and Apple, revealing significant developments in gaming revenue, AI initiatives, and hardware sales. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy!

Timestamps

• 00:01:09 Intro
• 00:10:44 It's Shack Together!
• 00:11:26 Ozzie's Games: Star Wars Outlaws
• 00:19:25 Joe's Game: Selling The Xbox
• 00:21:45 Asif's Games: Blue Prince, F-Zero 99
• 00:40:24 Warframe or Soreblame
• 00:49:29 Previews: Towerborne, Wartorn
• 00:53:54 Reviews: Shotgun Cop Man, Skin Deep
• 00:58:48 Gaming News: Oblivion Remastered Sales, Clair Obscur Sales, Elden Ring Sales, RE4 Sales, Xbox Price Hikes, Fortnite Mobile Returns, Nintendo Switch V20
• 01:24:11 Industry News: Respawn Layoffs, Tesla Seeks to Oust Musk, Meta Earnings, Microsoft Earnings, Amazon Earnings, Apple Earnings
• 01:48:48 Community Notes

Articles mentioned in this episode

• Towerborne Xbox Game Preview interview
• Xbox console & game price increase
• Respawn Entertainment layoffs & cancellations
• The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion 4 million players
• Elden Ring 30 million copies sold
• Fortnite mobile return to US iOS App Store
• Nintendo Switch Update 20.0.0
• Microsoft Q3 FY25 Gaming revenue
• Meta Reality Labs Q1 2025 earnings
• Apple Q2 FY25 earnings results

Welcome to episode 60 of Shack Together! We're joined by special guest Sam Chandler as we discuss the surprise release of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered and dive into the ongoing Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order situation, where demand has far exceeded Nintendo's launch supply expectations.

Today's show features our Video Game Character Draft segment, where we select from an impressive roster including iconic figures like Lara Croft, Master Chief, and Samus Aran. Meanwhile, F-Zero 99 receives a substantial Ver. 1.6.0 update, adding Mini World Tour mode, new decals, and additional customization options.

In Story Time, we explore Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny's remaster preview and review several new releases including Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves. We also cover major industry news with Discord's CEO resignation, Remedy's FBC: Firebreak release date announcement, and Ghost of Yotei's October 2025 launch window. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy!

Timestamps

• 00:01:00 NFL Draft
• 00:09:55 It's Shack Together!
• 00:10:52 Sam's Games: Marathon, Oblivion Remastered, Blue Prince
• 00:36:36 Asif's Games: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, F-Zero 99
• 00:43:08 Video Game Character Draft
• 01:00:28 Story Time!
• 01:00:33 Previews: Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny Remaster
• 01:02:20 Reviews: Clair Obscur, Steel Seed, The Hundred Line - Last Defense Academy, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves
• 01:17:52 News: Nintendo Switch 2 Preorders, Phasmophobia Sales, Ghost of Yotei Release Date, Oblivion Remastered Shadow Drop, FBC: Firebreak Release Date Announced
• 01:35:58 Industry: Discord Co-Founder Resigns, TSLA Earnings, GOOGL Earnings
• 01:41:16 Community Notes

Articles mentioned in this episode

• F-Zero 99 Ver. 1.6.0 patch notes
• Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny Remastered preview
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 review
• Nintendo Switch 2 launch supply
• Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order volume
• The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered is out now
• Remedy FBC: Firebreak release date
• Ghost of Yotei release date
• Discord Jason Citron CEO resignation
• Google Q1 2025 earnings results

Welcome to episode 59 of Shack Together! Today's show features our inaugural "Blue Switch" segment, where we test our knowledge of Nintendo Switch Metacritic scores, comparing titles like Super Mario Odyssey and Breath of the Wild against surprising high-scorers like [redacted - you'll have to listen!].

The latest news from Nintendo's Mario Kart World Direct dominate our news coverage, with exciting revelations about character skin unlocks through Yoshi's restaurant, free-roam fast travel features, and new items including Coin Shells and Hammers. We also discuss the Nintendo Switch 2's camera technology, capable of recognizing and tracking up to four faces simultaneously.

In Story Time, we explore new previews of Capcom Fighting Collection 2 and Palia's expansion to PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, while covering reviews of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage and the Lunar Remastered Collection. Industry news brings significant developments with Google's advertising technology monopoly ruling and OpenAI's reported social network plans. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy!

Timestamps

• 00:01:25 Food Poisoning
• 00:04:58 It's Shack Together!
• 00:05:27 Donovan's Game: MLB The Show '25
• 00:12:18 David's Games: Animal Crossing New Horizons, WWE 2K25
• 00:17:27 Joe's Games: Blue Prince, Joe's PC
• 00:30:24 Asif's Games: Schedule I, F-Zero 99
• 00:43:43 Blue Switch
• 01:08:53 Story Time
• 01:08:57 Previews: Capcom Fighting Collection 2, Palia
• 01:11:41 Reviews: Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, Lunar Remastered Collection, Rusty Rabbit
• 01:16:14 News: Nintendo Switch 2 Camera, Mario Kart World Direct, RTX 5060, Star Wars Zero Company
• 01:39:31 Industry: Google's Advertising Monopoly, NLRB Whistleblower, OpenAI Social Network
• 01:49:57 Community Notes

Articles mentioned in this episode

• Capcom Fighting Collection 2 preview
• Palia Elderwood PS5 & Xbox Series X/S impressions
• Lost Records: Bloom & Rage review
• Lunar Remastered Collection review
• Nintendo Switch 2 camera face tracking
• Mario Kart World skin unlocks
• Mario Kart World free roam fast travel
• Star Wars Zero Company reveal
• Google ad market monopoly lawsuit
• OpenAI social media network

Welcome to episode 58 of Shack Together! We're joined by special guest Lucas White to discuss his recent reviews of SaGa Frontier 2 Remastered and Bleach: Rebirth of Souls, while also exploring Ozzie's review of the newly released Blue Prince, a game making waves as an early GOTY contender.

Today's show features our first and likely only "Donkey Kong Sixty-Farce" segment, where we separate fact from fiction about the N64 classic, before diving into the latest Nintendo Switch 2 news. The upcoming console's pre-orders face delays due to tariff concerns, with Nintendo, the ESA, and even protesters in NYC responding to Trump's proposed 90-day tariffs on video games and tech.

In Story Time, we go on to cover announcements including Marathon's April 2025 gameplay reveal, Hades 2's Switch console exclusivity, and the Nintendo Switch 2's achievement system, or lack therof. We also discuss Microsoft's AI Quake 2 Copilot demo, Vampire Survivors' free Emerald Diorama update, and Doug Bowser's comments on Nintendo game prices. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy!

Timestamps

• 00:03:44 It's Shack Together!
• 00:07:22 Lucas's Games - Vampire Survivors: Emerald Diorama, SaGa Frontier 2 Remastered, Bleach Rebirth of Souls, Inayah - Life After Gods  
• 00:29:14 Joe's Games: Super Mario RPG  
• 00:35:18 Asif's Games: Schedule I, F-Zero 99  
• 00:43:25 F-Zero  
• 00:53:55 Donkey Kong Sixty-Farce  
• 01:06:59 Story Time!  
• 01:07:03 Previews: Monster Train 2, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, The Midnight Walk, Doom: The Dark Ages  
• 01:16:00 Reviews: Blue Prince, Disney Villains: Cursed Cafe, Commandos: Origins, Grit and Valor, SaGa Frontier 2 Remastered, South of Midnight  
• 01:28:38 News: AI Quake, Marathon Gameplay, Localthunk loves Blue Prince, Xbox Games Showcase coming, Hades 2 exclusive to Switch 2 at Launch, Hollow Knight: Silksong coming to OG Switch, No Trophies on Switch 2  
• 01:38:45 Industry: Tariff impact on Gaming, Nintendo delays Switch 2 Pre-Orders, Doug Bowser speaks on Switch 2 Game Prices

Articles mentioned in this episode

• SaGa Frontier 2 Remastered review
• Bleach: Rebirth of Souls review
• Blue Prince review
• AI Quake 2 Copilot Microsoft fail
• Marathon gameplay save the date April 2025
• Hades 2 Switch console exclusive
• Nintendo Switch 2 achievement trophy
• Donald Trump tariffs 90 days video games tech stock
• Nintendo delays Switch 2 pre-order date due to tariffs
• Nintendo Switch 2 game prices Doug Bowser

Welcome to a special episode of Shack Together! Today's show is entirely dedicated to the Nintendo Switch 2, as our host Asif Khan shares his exclusive hands-on experience with Nintendo's next-generation console, set to launch on June 5, 2025. This two-hour deep dive explores every aspect of the new hardware and its launch lineup.

The Switch 2 represents a significant leap forward with 1080p handheld gaming at up to 120 FPS, HDR support, and 4K output in docked mode. New features include an innovative camera peripheral for GameChat and a redesigned Pro Controller sporting additional buttons and an audio jack. The system will even support mouse input (via the JoyCon 2) for compatible games, reminding us once again of their pedigree for fun, strange hardware design.

The launch lineup is headlined by Mario Kart World, alongside an impressive roster of titles including Donkey Kong Bananza, The Duskbloods, and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment. Third-party support is robust with announcements for Elden Ring, Borderlands 4, Hades 2, and Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade. The long-awaited Silksong also finally gets a 2025 release date on the platform. And that about covers things for today's special episode! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy!

Articles mentioned in this episode

• Nintendo Switch 2 will launch on June 5, 2025
• GameShare lets you share games on Nintendo Switch 2
• Nintendo Switch 2 will be 1080p up to 120 fps and feature HDR
• Nintendo Switch 2 4K docked mode
• Mario Kart World is a Switch 2 launch title
• Nintendo Switch 2 confirmed games
• Silksong gets 2025 release date
• Elden Ring is coming to Nintendo Switch 2
• Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade will start Cloud's journey on Switch 2
• Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller new buttons audio jack

Welcome to episode 56 of Shack Together! We're joined by special guests Donovan Erskine and Ozzie Mejia to share insights from GDC 2025, while we also dive into Nintendo's final Direct for the original Switch, packed with exciting updates on Metroid Prime 4 Beyond, Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake's release date, and even more info on the new Pokémon Legends title.

Today's show features our "Final Nintendo Direct: Wii U Edition" segment, where we test our knowledge of Nintendo's historic announcements from the Wii U era. Afterward, we explore an extensive lineup of GDC previews, including promising titles like Dreams of Another, Revenge of the Savage Planet, and TMNT: Tactical Takedown, while discussing the newly announced ShackMaps feature.

Next, we cover significant industry developments including Game Informer's return independent from GameStop, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle's PS5 release date announcement, and ESA's new accessible games initiative. We also discuss GameStop's convertible notes situation and Ubisoft becoming a Tencent subsidiary. And that's all for today's show! Thanks as always for listening and enjoy!

Timestamps

• 00:01:19 Hustle Culture  
• 00:10:17 It's Shack Together!  
• 00:11:24 Ozzie's Games: Hearthstone: Into the Emerald Dream, The Rogue: Prince of Persia
• 00:15:12 Donovan's Games: MLB The Show 25  
• 00:19:11 John's Games: Assassin's Creed: Shadows  
• 00:23:13 Joe's Games: What should I play?  
• 00:24:57 Asif's Games: Retro Slam Tennis, Last War, F-Zero 99, Nintendo Music, Nintendo Today!  
• 00:28:33 Asif's 11th F-Zero 99 Victory  
• 00:45:26 The Final Nintendo Direct: Wii U Edition  
• 00:59:45 Story Time!  
• 00:59:51 Preview: Dreams of Another, Mindwave, Wildgate, Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults, Clawpunk, LUCID, Forestrike, Revenge of the Savage Planet, TMNT: Tactical Takedown, Cairn, Jay and Silent Bob: Chronic Blunt Punch  
• 01:16:37 Reviews: Bubble Ghost, PS5 Pro, Look Outside  
• 01:22:53 News: Cristiano Ronaldo comes to Fatal Fury, Shackmaps, Nintendo Direct, GI is Back, Indiana Jones to PS5  
• 02:12:58 Industry: Accessible Games Initiative, GME's Convertible Notes, GME Crash, Ubisoft Subsidiary  
• 02:19:51 Community Notes 

Articles mentioned in this episode

• Watch Nintendo Direct March 2025
• Introducing ShackMaps
• Dreams of Another preview impressions
• Revenge of the Savage Planet preview
• PlayStation 5 Pro review
• Game Informer returns without GameStop
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle PS5 release date
• ESA accessible games initiative tagging awareness
• GameStop GME convertible note 2025
• Ubisoft becomes Tencent subsidiary