Sacred Symbols, Episode 92: Staying Indoors (Patreon)

Are you losing your mind yet? Hopefully not, for while Coronavirus is running roughshod over societies around Earth, imagine how bored you'd be if you were isolating yourself and surviving a pandemic in, say, 1900. With the Internet, video games, streaming TV, and much more, we can stay entertained and connected even through these trying and historic times, but it doesn't mean it's not taking a toll on many of us. And, not surprisingly, COVID-19 is taking a toll on the gaming industry, too. Speculation continues to rage about the likelihood of PlayStation 5 launching this year, while even Sony admits that first and second party delays are possible, and imminent third party releases -- like Resident Evil 3 and Final Fantasy VII Remake -- may have problems getting to you in physical format. Business moves are being made during the crisis, though: Both Avalanche Studios and Epic Games have announced reorgs and publishing deals, and tons of titles continue to come to PSN. We talk about all of that and much more (with plenty of listener inquiries) this week on Sacred Symbols. Stay safe out there.

Timestamps:

0:00:17 - Intro.
0:07:50 - Is it normal to feel guilty about not having to leave the house?
0:12:02 - For now, we're not switching SS and SS+ release days.
0:13:16 - What have we been playing?
0:24:47 - Sony does not anticipate PlayStation 5 being delayed.
0:32:05 - 2010's Nier is getting a remaster.
0:35:39 - Epic Games partners with three big devs.
0:41:55 - PlayStation is throttling PSN to help preserve global internet stability.
0:45:33 - Following-up on last week's physical games conversation.
0:52:21 - April's free PS+ games have leaked.
0:53:37 - Sony has lost another long-time executive.
0:59:04 - Avalanche Studios is changing its name and direction.
1:01:04 - New PlayStation-related comic books are coming.
1:03:34 - Sony is taking measures to protect its employees during the pandemic.
1:06:38 - Square Enix has provided an update on FFVII Remake copies.
1:08:13 - Final Fantasy XIV is temporarily suspending home demolitions in-game.
1:09:47 - Those recent Silent Hill/Konami rumors aren't true, obviously.
1:11:58 - Star Wars: Episode I Racer is coming to PlayStation 4.
1:14:03 - PS3 is losing the ability to message PS4 and Vita users.
1:15:01 - Minor game announcements and release date information.
1:16:41 - This week's new releases for PS4, PS Vita, and PSVR.
1:23:26 - Will COVID-19 cause a boost in virus outbreak narratives in games?
1:26:20 - Who would we licence the Sacred Symbols name to for game dev?
1:27:52 - Can you express yourself through gameplay?
1:31:55 - Will there be a PS5 SKU with no disc drive?
1:36:36 - What can Sony do to fix the current messaging around PlayStation 5?
1:41:10 - Why does Chris hate Call of Duty?