Video Games 2 The Max

Warner Bros gaming division continues delivering terrible news as of late, and this week was perhaps the worst of them all, as the decision was made to close down three of its studios, Player First studios, and WB San Diego, both leading and helping on the soon-to-be delisted Multiversus. They also continued by announcing the cancellation of the recently rebooted Wonder Woman game, and with it came the shutdown of Monolith Productions. Who's to blame? And where does the bleeding end for the AAA gaming space? Microsoft also made a much quieter announcement with the newest head of Xbox, Craig Duncan, stating that the highly anticipated Fable reboot would now release in 2026, effectively delaying the game completely out of this year. Although no particular reason was given, many speculations lay ahead, is this the right time to delay the game? Or could there be something concerning afoot? Speaking of Microsoft, Sean finally got some hands on time with Avowed and he also talks about beating Like a Dragon: Pirate

As one of the year's first major AAA releases inches ever closer with Monster Hunter Wilds, Sean and Marc delve a bit into the indie space as they discuss the latest ID @ Xbox showcase and the Annapurna Interactive showcase as well. Were there any games that stood out? Any that got them super excited for their eventual release? Sean certainly has quite a few from both. Could Neowiz be hinting that Lies of P: Overture is co-op? Also, in a quiet week for gaming news, Microsoft made some waves by introducing their A.I. gaming tech called Muse which featured a demo using a rather maligned Ninja Theory game Bleeding Edge. Is there a worry about this leading to job losses? Or is this more of a positive as a way to bring back older games and keep them available on modern consoles? Plus, NetEase makes some weird decisions after announcing great news for Marvel Rivals, a former Nintendo Sales employee says the Summer is when we see Switch 2, Ubisoft suffers another blow with Assassin's Creed Shadows, Sean has more to

Phil Spencer also appeared on one more podcast that was delayed from the Developer Direct week, as he gave updates on Everwild, Double Fine and reiterated the strategy for Xbox as far as Game Pass, games going to PS5, and more with the Xbox Era crew, is there any way for them go back to the old way of doing things? Also, Sean has thoughts on the Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Demo, Ubisoft lets us know not much is coming from them in 2025, Crytek suffers major layoffs, Elden Ring Nightreign gets a release date and more!You can also watch this episode in video form on the W2M Network Youtube Channel, please give us a like, comment on the episode, and give the channel a subscribe and follow as well: https://youtube.com/live/KNgQZEDzXjkListen as a podcast and give us a review on these platforms... Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ag/podcast/video-games-2-the-max/id886092740Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2wjd0u3xO7TdAm4gKRM44LAmazon: https://www.audible.com/pd/Video-Games-2-the-MAX-Podcast/B08JJP

An unexpected event occurred early on Saturday as Sony's PlayStation Network went down for around 18 hours leaving many without the ability to play even their single-player games unless they'd remembered to set their PS5 or PS4 as their primary console beforehand. The inability to read licenses essentially left anyone wanting to play digital games twiddling their thumbs. Should everyone be singing the praises of physical media now? Or could this make Sony further lessen the PSN requirement for PC games? Do you fear the all-digital future? At least Sony seems to be taking down a lot of the Spam games. David Brevik, formerly lead programmer on Diablo II, says modern Action RPG's reward players too quickly thus "cheapening the experience" and ruining the journey. Is he correct? Or is this quickening of everything just a sign of the times? Also, Capcom showed off a little more on the latest Onimusha title, Nintendo gives hints on their basis for the still unannounced price of Switch 2, the Wonder Woman game was a

Another wild week in Video Games with another move in the "no fences and no red lines" from Microsoft as Forza Horizon 5 the multiple award-winning title from Playground Studios, is headed to the PlayStation 5, and you can go wishlist it now. At this point, does it even move the needle for those like Sean and Marc, who witness this every day? But it certainly seems PlayStation players are excited and that's what matters in the end. Speaking of Sony, they made some moves at the top by promoting a new CEO of all of the company and also moving Hideaki Nishino to the top of Sony Interactive Entertainment while Hermen Hulst stays at his position at PlayStation Studios. Does this really mean much? And will it bear fruit in the near future or is it something we won't see until maybe the PlayStation 6 is around? Plus, Sean's been playing Big Helmet Heroes, Marc's been playing Sniper Elite Resistance, EA downsized Bioware a week after the news of Dragon Age: The Veilguard's lackluster sales, Need For Speed is on hold

Microsoft and Xbox hit heavily in the last week with their annual Xbox Developer Direct showcasing their three known games and also announced the surprises of Ninja Gaiden 4 with Team Ninja, Koei Tecmo, and PlatinumGames, and the shadow drop of Ninja Gaiden II Black as well. Is this the best edition of the Developer Direct? How excited are Sean and Marc after seeing more on these games? Phil Spencer also did a few podcast interviews in which he both cemented and reiterated the direction of Xbox going forward, could this "everything is an Xbox" actually end up working out for the brand? And is there anything left to innovate on a console that could make the next Xbox worth purchasing? Plus, the Horizon MMO game is rumored to be canceled by NCSoft, Ted Price retires after 30 years at Insomniac Games and is replaced by three CEOs, Ubisoft has some big layoffs, Marc has impressions on Final Fantasy VII Rebirth on PC, and much more on this big news edition of Video Games 2 the MAX!You can also watch this episode i

After all this time of waiting, the leaks were right, the Nintendo Switch 2 was officially announced on Thursday and it is certainly a bigger Switch 1 with some cool features such as the magnetic attaching joycons, what looks like joycons that can be used as a mouse, and Mario Kart 9 shown as the lone game. Does this satiate Sean and Marc for now? Is April 2 too long of a time to wait for more information? And does this change their thought on when the system releases? Also, Sony made waves by canceling another set of live service games. Including a Bluepoint studio-led God of War multiplayer title and the Studio Bend title as well. What does this say about Sony's comprehensive push into live service? Do we have faith in any of the remaining games on the slate? And why not cancel more of them? Plus, news about Xbox seeing its demise back in 2021 before buying Bethesda, Guillemots, and Tencent looking to spinoff Ubisoft, why there isn't a Bloodborne remake/remaster, Sean's played the First Berzerker Khazan and

It's almost that time, the dawning of a new Nintendo console era is upon us, maybe? This is according to Nate the Hate who has a good track record with these things, the Nintendo Switch 2 is imminent as of this week, with a date of Thursday, January 16 being given for the full reveal. Although it is only expected to be mostly a hardware-focused showcase, if it is like the original Switch trailer, some games could be teased. Sean and Marc discuss if we'll finally see Switch 2 this week, what games could appear in the trailer, and more! Microsoft also announced the Developer Direct returns as of January 23 with three major games confirmed and a surprise fourth unannounced game from a new studio. Rumors are already swirling of what the game could be, with some predicting it is from a Japanese studio.Also, Sony had some multimedia announcements for films and an anime at CES, Ubisoft delayed Assassin's Creed Shadows again to March 20, more Xbox games are coming to PS5, and much more!You can also watch this episode

With 2025 literally one sleep away, we look forward to an absolutely packed 2025 slate of video game releases and give out our Top 10 Most Anticipated Games of 2025.We also address the two major elephants in the room: the Nintendo Switch successor and Grand Theft Auto VI. Without a doubt, the Switch successor will release in 2025 but its a matter of when? Sean, Marc, and Randy attempt to make their best guess at the actual date and also at some possible launch games too. Will Grand Theft Auto VI actually release in 2025? That's a big question that has so many release dates looming and Sean believes we may be looking at another year for the highly anticipated game.You can also watch this episode in video form on the W2M Network Youtube Channel, please give us a like, comment on the episode, and give the channel a subscribe and follow as well: https://youtube.com/live/ISwILMlkWXwListen as a podcast and give us a review on these platforms... Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ag/podcast/video-games-2-the-max/id88

We are at the end of 2024, and it was quite a weird year in video games with a tremendous amount of varied and wonderful games released around a torrid industry full of layoffs, studio closures, and controversial decisions. And as is usual for our show, we will talk about some of the bigger news stories from 2024 in video games, but this special episode is here to showcase and discuss our favorite games of the year and ultimately rank the Top 25 Games of 2024. Randy, Sean, and Marc will join together as we review the overall list, discuss our personal Top 10 games of 2024, debate breaking some of the ties, and celebrate the best part of gaming each year: GAMES!You can also watch this episode in video form on the W2M Network Youtube Channel, please give us a like, comment on the episode, and give the channel a subscribe and follow as well: https://youtube.com/live/MpvOpwU6-R4Listen as a podcast and give us a review on these platforms... Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ag/podcast/video-games-2-the-max/id88609

Welcome to our last regular episode of 2024, as we are so close to another year ending and 2025 beginning. Speaking of that, Nintendo looks to start 2025 on an amazing high note by finally announcing the long-awaited Switch successor. However, before we get to that, Sean and Marc go through Nintendo's 2024 and what is there to make of what feels like a whole year of waiting for information on hardware. What were the stand out games? Are any of them up for Game of the Year? And what are the latest rumors about the Switch 2? Also, SEGA had one heck of a 2024 themselves and they capped it off with a very successful Sonic 3 Movie as well. But what about the future? Could a SEGA subscription service be on the cards? Rumors indicate it could very well be in the plans. Should it be something akin to Xbox Game Pass? Or more like PlayStation Plus? Or maybe EA Play? Should this even happen at all? Plus, some news regarding games shown at the Game Awards, Marc has played more Infinity Nikki, Xbox won't have any more exc

The Game Awards celebrated its 10th anniversary this year and delivered some huge surprise announcements, awards, celebrities, and more. Last year had quite a bit of controversy, did the 2024 version rectify this? And which games are Sean, Randy and Marc excited about? There's plenty to discuss and review from the event, including whether this is the best edition of the Game Awards. Sean certainly thinks so, as this version of the show could be the magnum opus of what Geoff Keighley wants this gaming celebration to be.You can also watch this episode in video form on the W2M Network Youtube Channel, please give us a like, comment on the episode, and give the channel a subscribe and follow as well: https://youtube.com/live/fH40I5za3cwListen as a podcast and give us a review on these platforms... Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ag/podcast/video-games-2-the-max/id886092740Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2wjd0u3xO7TdAm4gKRM44LAmazon: https://www.audible.com/pd/Video-Games-2-the-MAX-Podcast/B08JJPTZTWPodch

In what has been a tumultuous year for Ubisoft already, the company delivered more bad news over the last week as not only are they sunsetting their live-service title XDefiant, a game that has been long-rumored to be in trouble on its own, but Ubisoft finally delivered the finishing blow and also issued several layoffs at studios involved in making the game as well. With more rumors swirling about Tencent and the Guillemot family talking about a buyout it feels like Ubisoft is in some real danger of having even further repercussions come down the line. Is there a way to stop this for Ubisoft? Does it have to involve a big buyout? Shawn Layden was once again interviewed about the state of gaming, this time focusing on game size and its major cost. Will we see shorter games in the coming years? Or is there something else that we will see as the new trend in gaming? Sean has been playing Fantasian and a little bit of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, while Marc has played Infinity Nikki and has beaten Alan Wa

Although we didn't intentionally mean to take a week off, things fell in a way that forced us to, but at least it was only one week. At this time, Sony has made a few announcements and moves that may make for an interesting 2025 and probably beyond. Sean and Marc have quite a bit to talk about from the last few weeks.Sony has sent a letter of intent to Kadokawa Corporation for possible acquisition. If the acquisition actually happens, Sony would become the majority owner of the company and, by extension, a majority owner of From Software, Spike Chunsoft, Acquire on the video game side, several anime, manga, and light novel production houses, and a whole bunch of other stuff as well. Will this actually happen? Will From Software become the next PlayStation Studio? Or is this more of a Bungie situation? There are also reports via Bloomberg about Sony developing their own native handheld that could potentially play PS5 games. Effectively countering Microsoft's Phil Spencer announcement from the week before, but

Earlier today Geoff Keighley announced the nominees for the various Game Awards 2024 categories including Game of the Year. Sean and Marc discuss the nominees for several of the awards, who they think could win, and also bring up the biggest controversy which is the Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC being included in the nominations for not only several awards categories but also GOTY as well. A special guest may even join in the discussion too. Also, Phil Spencer had a lengthy interview with Bloomberg in which he discussed several topics, including an Xbox handheld that is a few years off, the no-red-line policy regarding Xbox games going to other platforms, his dislike of predatory expansions, and more. Plus, Sean's been playing the Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake, announcements from the Warcraft 30th anniversary stream, the Splinter Cell movie is canceled, GOG's game preservation program and more!You can also watch this episode in video form on the W2M Network Youtube Channel, please give us a like, comm

In an interview with Famitsu, Toshihiro Nagoshi, a former SEGA director who was pivotal at RGG studio, which works on the Like a Dragon games, says that the "era of game size" being pivotal to a game is coming to an end. Although it doesn't seem to be the case with the amount of large-size games still releasing in 2024, but could this be true in the near future? Could the size of a game's world finally not matter?Also, thanks to recent live-service failures such as Suicide Squad and now Multiversus it seems as though Warner Bros Games focus will come solely from four core franchises. Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat, DC, and Game of Thrones. Could this narrowing of its focus actually help improve things for the publisher? Or does it have the chance of going the opposite way and just watering down all of them instead? What does this mean for some other somewhat successful games from WB in the past? Plus, Nintendo finally confirms the Switch 2 will be backwards compatible with Switch 1, Sony President Hiroki Totoki

Unfortunately, this week is the culmination of a previous problem for Sony, as the company officially decided to put the final nail in Concord's coffin and subsequently close down the studio that made the game, Firewalk Studios, along with mobile game developer Neon Koi. Sean and Marc discuss who should share the bulk of the blame if it means Sony needs to abandon the live service push entirely. Is there a franchise that lends itself to mobile in Sony's catalog? Also, Sean's been playing the Horizon Zero Dawn Remaster after never playing the series at all. Is this finally what hooks Sean into joining Aloy on her quest for the Nora? Sean also tried out the Pokemon TCG app. Is this gonna get Sean into collecting all the cards? Marc also finished Metaphor ReFantazio is it his Game of the Year so far? Plus, Call of Duty Black Ops 6 does big numbers in sales, and Xbox Game Pass, Xenoblade Chronicles X has finally been announced for Nintendo Switch, Path of Exile 2 is delayed until December, and would a major retur

The biggest release of the year as far as industry sales is here in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and it also makes its debut on Xbox Game Pass as well. As a result, Sean has played a fair portion of the campaign and he has impressions of it so far. He's also been playing Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered which he can now speak about and guess what? It's just as good as the original just now looking better. Marc is also almost done with Metaphor ReFantazio as well. The duo also discuss their thoughts on the first three episodes of the Like A Dragon Yakuza Amazon series, does it do the first game justice so far? Are they fans of where it deviates? And what they do hope is still to come in the final three episodes of the first season? Plus, The Prince of Persia: Lost Crown is disbanded, and some of its members are working on a Rayman Remake headed up by series creator Michel Ancel. The U.S. Copyright office has denied that researchers should be given remote access to games through libraries, Netflix cancels i

The bombardment of game releases continues, and it does not seem to be going to let up anytime soon. Although there are plenty of new games on the horizon, the glut of remakes and remasters seems to have become a larger piece of the gaming pie in recent years. Does gaming have a remake/remaster problem? Or is this a symptom of the greater issue with so much uncertainty in the industry? Where do Sean and Marc stand on the number of remakes/remasters coming down the pike? Is there a preference for how they do them? Sean's been playing the latest release from Nomada studio, Neva, the development team behind the indie hit Gris. Does it deserve the same praise as their previous title? Could it perhaps be even better? Marc's been hammering away at more Metaphor ReFantazio and Diablo IV as well. Plus, our reactions to the Xbox Partner Preview, has Bloober Team finally turned the corner after Silent Hill 2 Remake? God of War Amazon show essentially starts all over, a mystery Nintendo playtest, and more!You can also w

The heaviest month in the calendar in terms of game releases rolls on as Sean and Marc try the best to keep up with the heavy hitters. Marc has impressions on Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred, Silent Hill 2 Remake, Metaphor ReFantazio, and a big release from last month, Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2. There's also news from all over the place including Nintendo releasing an Alarm Clock called Nintendo Alarmo, Xbox Cloud Gaming getting a huge boost with game purchases and games you purchased becoming playable next month, Xbox gets a new studio head in Rare boss Craig Duncan, Sony selling Refurbished PS5's, and more!You can also watch this episode in video form on the W2M Network Youtube Channel, please give us a like, comment on the episode, and give the channel a subscribe and follow as well: https://youtube.com/live/BsV7GjbgVY0Listen as a podcast and give us a review on these platforms... Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ag/podcast/video-games-2-the-max/id886092740Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2wjd0u3xO7