The Training Stage

It has finally arrived: the big blowout event for the PlayStation 5. We discuss all of the big titles coming to the console, including new Spider-Man, Horizon, and Ratchet & Clank titles. We also consider how Microsoft should respond with their Series X first-party event in July.

Twitter: @TTStage
Music by Rukunetsu and used with permission.

TIMESTAMPS

01:22 - Our general thoughts on the PlayStation 5 - The Future of Gaming event.

06:01 - Grand Theft Auto V (Rockstar Games)

12:47 - Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales (Insomniac Games)

17:34 - Gran Turismo 7 (Polyphony Digital)

22:37 - Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (Insomniac Games)

27:08 - Project Athia (Luminous Productions/Square Enix)

32:28 - Stray (BlueTwelve Studio/Annapurna Interactive)

35:54 - Returnal (Housemarque)

39:37 - Sackboy: A Big Adventure (Sumo Digital)

44:05 - Destruction All Stars (Lucid Games)

47:29 - Kena: Bridge of Spirits (Ember Lab)

50:49 - Goodbye Volcano High (KO_OP)

52:30 - Oddworld: Soulstorm (Oddworld Inhabitants)

56:45 - Ghostwire: Tokyo (Tango Gameworks/Bethesda)

1:03:00 - Jett: The Far Shore (Superbrothers)

1:04:12 - Godfall (Counterplay Games/Gearbox)

1:06:30 - Solar Ash (Heart Machine/Annapurna Interactive)

1:08:31 - Hitman III (IO Interactive)

1:11:49 - Astro’s Playroom (SIE Japan Studio and Asobi Team)

1:13:39 - Little Devil Inside (Neostream)

1:15:52 - NBA 2K21 (Take-Two)

1:19:07 - Bugsnax (Young Horses)

1:20:39 - Demon’s Souls (Bluepoint Games and SIE Japan Studio)

1:24:39 - Deathloop (Arkane Lyon/Bethesda)

1:28:59 - Resident Evil Village (Capcom)

1:31:41 - Pragmata (Capcom)

1:36:06 - Horizon: Forbidden West (Guerrilla Games)

1:40:18 - PlayStation 5 hardware design and suite of accessories.

We stand in solidarity with the Black community and actively support the activists and protesters who walk the streets fighting for justice against a system of oppression that has plagued our country for too long. The first half of this episode has been devoted to having genuine dialogue about the Black Lives Matter movement and why we must demand change in our society and law enforcement.

Twitter: @TTStage

TIMESTAMPS

01:55 - A candid discussion about the Black Lives Matter movement.

26:31 - How has the video game industry responded to the BLM movement? We discuss.

49:30 - Helltaker

1:00:09 - PlayStation Vita and PC updates from John.

1:06:08 - John's Humble Choice crisis and new pickups.

1:10:06 - Tyler has been reading some manga.

1:13:45 - HBO Max and Aqua Teen Hunger Force nostalgia.

1:26:22 - Astral Chain

1:33:57 - Maneater

1:41:55 - Daemon X Machina

The summer is here and with it comes the heat. We mean heat both literally and by the amount of spicy video game news being released into the ether. Nintendo has announced a new Paper Mario, Ghost of Tsushima receives a gameplay blowout, BlizzCon is cancelled, several new gaming presentations have been announced, and Anthem remains a mess. These stories and more discussed on this episode; and all under two hours!

Twitter: @TTStage
Music by Rukunetsu and used with permission.

TIMESTAMPS

01:48 - Paper Mario: The Origami King announced for Nintendo Switch.

08:38 - A brief recap of the Ghost of Tsushima-focused State of Play presentation.

16:36 - The next State of Play will focus entirely on he Last of Us Part II.

19:31 - VGC interview with Platinum Games. What's up with Bayonetta 3?

27:46 - BlizzCon 2020 has been cancelled; company hopes to hold an event early next year.

32:38 - Several major Japanese publishers come together to produce a seven-hour streamed presentation called “New Game+ Expo.”

35:38 - The Mix and Kinda Funny present the “Guerilla Collective,” a multi-day event that promising indie game announcements.

38:55 - Summer Games Fest will present two “Days of the Devs” events on June 22nd and July 20th, highlighting upcoming independent games.

41:33 - YouTube channel Wholesome Games will host “Wholesome Direct 2020,” which will showcase a lineup of “cute, cozy, and heartfelt games.”

44:55 - PlayStation 5 news, you say? Sony says it plans to announce a “compelling lineup” of PS5 software “soon.”

52:33 - Next Level Racing, an official partner for PlayStation racing accessories, published an image on Instagram which featured a logo for Gran Turismo 7.

58:52 - Take Two plans to release 93 titles before the end of 2025.

1:01:36 - BioWare’s major overhaul of Anthem is still in the prototyping stage.

1:08:59 - Respawn Entertainment announces a second studio in Vancouver, focusing entirely on Apex Legends.

1:11:01 - Respawn boss Vince Zampella suggests that DICE LA’s original project will be a first-person shooter title.

1:13:37 - Lightning Round (Chex Quest, Serious Sam 4, Silent Hill, Pac-Man Live Studio, and more).

On his first solo episode, John discusses the legacy of EVO (Evolution Championship Series), EVO Online 2020, and the future of this beloved fighting game event.

Twitter: @TTStage
Music by Rukunetsu and used with permission.

Microsoft has lifted the lid on Xbox Series X news, which started with a "gameplay" stream focusing on third-party titles. Epic announces Unreal Engine 5 alongside an impressive tech demo for PS5. Tony Hawk Pro Staker returns this fall, several publishers reveal plans for this summer, and lots of Sony news.

Twitter: @TTStage
Music by Rukunetsu, used with permission.

TIMESTAMPS

01:13 - Coronavirus Updates

09:50 - Games Talk with John (Overwatch)

18:57 - Games Talk with Tyler (Final Fantasy VII Remake, Ori and the Will of the Wisps)

27:44 - EA Play 2020 goes digital on June 11th, promising world premieres.

34:54 - ‘Ubisoft Forward' airs on July 12th, featuring game news and reveals.

42:07 - Bloomberg: Square Enix won’t hold an online event, instead titles will be revealed on an individual basis.

46:47 - Devolver Direct 2020 is still happening.

48:25 - A recap of the Xbox Series X “gameplay” focused Inside Xbox stream.

1:14:43 - Xbox 20/20; An event in July will focus entirely on Xbox Game Studios projects.

1:18:14 - Unreal Engine 5 revealed, alongside a real-time tech demo running on PS5.

1:25:40 - PlayStation 5 is still on track for launch this holiday, according to Sony.

1:27:29 - 'PlayStation Studios' established as a new umbrella brand for first-party PlayStation titles.

1:30:17 - Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 will release on September 4th for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

1:34:04 - EVO Online 2020 revealed; five weekends of tournaments with special content for the original lineup.

1:40:36 - Lightning Round (Iron Man VR, Cyberpunk 2077, Dragon Quest: Dai, Robocop in Mortal Kombat, and more).

Tyler shares his initial thoughts on the first trailer of Paper Mario: The Origami King, which launches July 17th, as well as Nintendo's 2020 release strategy.

Ubisoft starts the season of next-generation announcements with a big title: Assassin's Creed Valhalla. We speculate what Microsoft intends to show during their first Xbox Series X stream, and we consider the potential impact of Geoff Keighley's replacement for E3 2020. And for current-gen gaming, Sony firmly dates The Last of Us Part II and Ghost of Tsushima for PS4. These stories and more discussed on this episode!

Twitter: @TTStage
Music by Rukunetsu, used with permission.

04:41 - Review Rundown (Predator, Trials of Mana, Gears Tactics, Streets of Rage 4, and more)

21:40 - Assassin’s Creed Valhalla announced as a cross-generation title for Holiday 2020.

32:00 - Microsoft will host a new Inside Xbox event on May 7th, focusing entirely on Xbox Series X gameplay from third parties.

47:04 - VentureBeat: Nintendo is not planning a Nintendo Direct presentation for June.

57:18 - Geoff Keighley announces “Summer Game Fest,” a multiple month celebration of video games.

1:11:58 - Updated release dates for The Last of Us Part II and Ghost of Tsushima.

1:21:59 - EVO 2020 is cancelled due to COVID-19.

1:31:16 - Jason Schreier leaves Kotaku for Bloomberg News.

1:33:38 - Crysis Remastered coming to PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC this summer.

1:38:22 - Google's latest “Stadia Connect” presentation for 2020 announces EA titles, Octopath Traveler, and PUBG for Stadia.

1:45:02 - According to a former designer of The Initiative, the team is working on a game with “weapons, gadgets, and a camera surveillance system." Could this be Perfect Dark?

1:52:09 - Release dates announced for Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated and Destroy All Humans!.

1:54:35 - Lightning Round (Death Stranding, Mario Maker 2, Kirby, Gamescom, Final Fantasy VII, and more).

Join the host of The Training Stage, Tyler, for a solo-episode, around 30 minutes in length, of Animal Crossing: New Horizons discussion, focusing on the experience after the first month of playing.

Twitter: @TTStage
Music by Rukunetsu, used with permission.

On another extra long edition of the show, we are joined by a special guest: Angie from the competitive Overwatch community! We discuss MMOs, Valorant, the DualSense controller, Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 8 rumors, E3 2021, and much, much more.

Follow Angie on Twitter @angdacat!

Twitter: @TTStage
Music by Rukunetsu, used with permission.

TIMESTAMPS

04:15 - Games Talk with our guest, Angie! (Darkest Dungeon, Final Fantasy XIV, and more).

33:38 - Games Talk with John (Valorant, Overwatch, Minecraft)

1:07:20 - Some brief thoughts on Final Fantasy VII Remake.

1:12:27 - First images of the PlayStation 5’s controller, DualSense.

1:24:05 - Review Rundown (Cooking Mama, Call of Duty, Final Fantasy VII Remake).

1:42:40 - VGC Report: M-Two is working on a full remake of Resident Evil 4.

1:46:30 - Rumor: Resident Evil 8 is planned for release in early 2021 for current- and next-generation hardware.

1:53:23 - Rumor: PlayStation backs reboot of Konami’s Silent Hill franchise.

2:02:08 - The ESA has officially announced E3 2021,but there will not be a digital replacement event for E3 2020.

2:13:02 - News about ratings boards across the globe.

2:18:45 - A “Bonus Stage” announced for the Platinum4 initiative.

2:20:22 - Google is offering two months of Stadia Pro for free.

2:25:50 - Lightning Round (XCOM, Grounded, Chex Quest, Ys, and more).

PS5 and Xbox Series X specs have been detailed. Nintendo Direct Mini gives new details on upcoming Nintendo Switch titles. Reports suggest that a slate of 3D Mario titles are coming to Switch. E3 2020 is cancelled. Can you tell there was a lot to discuss on this episode? If you love our news discussions, this one is for you.

Twitter: @TTStage
Music by Rukunetsu, used with permission.

TIMESTAMPS

01:31 - A quick note regarding Kojima Productions.

04:17 - Review Rundown (Panzer Dragoon, Bleeding Edge, Resident Evil 3, and more).

22:52 - The Last of Us Part II and Marvel’s Iron Man VR have been delayed indefinitely.

38:29 - Mark Cerny reveals the official specs for PlayStation 5.

57:32 - Microsoft details new information regarding Xbox Series X, including expandable storage.

1:07:35 - A brief recap of the Nintendo Direct Mini from March 2020.

1:09:10 - Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition launches on May 29th. Includes a new epilogue chapter that can be accessed immediately.

1:10:24 - Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics slated for release on June 5th.

1:16:49 - Bravely Default II is still slated for 2020; first gameplay footage and demo available now.

1:19:04 - The next DLC fighter for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is from ARMS and will be revealed and released in June.

1:27:33 - Smaller stuff and a bunch of third party games coming to Nintendo Switch, including BioShock and Borderlands.

1:36:38 - VGC: Nintendo is planning a special remastered collection of 3D Mario titles, in addition to a deluxe version of Super Mario 3D World and a brand new Paper Mario.

1:52:58 - E3 2020 is officially cancelled over coronavirus concerns. Publishers respond.

2:09:36 - GameStop closes all U.S. locations over fears of spreading the coronavirus; shifts to a curbside pickup system.

2:13:24 - The final announcement of Platinum’s “Platinum4” initiative is...an April Fools joke.

2:15:47 - Epic Games Publishing announces a multiplatform partnership to release the next major titles from Remedy Entertainment, Playdead, and genDesign.

2:18:52 - VGC: Former PlatinumGames CEO is involved with M-Two Inc. and is allegedly working on a large-scale remake project for Capcom.

2:23:00 - NieR: Replicant is being remastered for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

2:25:56 - Lightning Round (Overwatch, Borderlands drama, GDC, Modern Warfare 2 Remastered, Shantae, and more).