Sacred Symbols, Episode 105: Dollars and Sense (Patreon)

Now that we've gotten a limited look at next-gen, a few major unknowns remain. Perhaps the biggest mystery -- apart from the cost of PlayStation 5 itself -- is how expensive AAA software running on the new hardware will be. Thanks to 2K, we may have an answer, marking the first price hike in well over a decade. Such a move may cause sticker shock at first, but rest assured: Gaming is still cheaper than ever. We explain. Plus: TLoU2 sells big, Sony is on the hunt for its next studio acquisition, Tencent comes to America, the Harry Potter RPG is real, PlayStation Plus turns 10, and more. Then, listener questions! Should difficulty Trophies hinder one's enjoyment of a game? When did the arcade racer (essentially) go extinct? How long do we have to wait for The Last of Us: Factions to return? Do birds get too little respect for being descended from dinosaurs? We have an answer we think you'll dig.

Timestamps:

0:00:17 - Intro.
0:06:31 - An update about Twin Breaker physical editions.
0:07:28 - It's official: Colin's Last Stand has acquired 49% of Lillymo Games.
0:10:02 - Conan, Hercules, Xena, and you.
0:14:02 - An Arkham-related correction.
0:15:04 - The Buttcrack Deodorant Saga, Part II.
0:19:11 - What about deodorant in the "leg crevasses"?
0:21:28 - Do birds get enough credit for being the descendants of dinosaurs?
0:27:57 - Is it okay to put ketchup on eggs?
0:31:25 - What have we been playing?
0:37:00 - What's our hype level for Ghost of Tsushima?
0:39:39 - What will the critical and consumer reaction be to Ghost of Tsushima?
0:45:52 - The Last of Us: Part II becomes quickest-selling PS4 exclusive ever.
0:52:04 - It's looking official: Next-gen games are gonna cost $69.99 USD.
1:12:19 - Sony is reportedly on the hunt for its next first party studio.
1:17:10 - Tencent is opening a studio in California.
1:19:47 - The Harry Potter RPG is real and coming to PS5 in 2021.
1:29:23 - July's free PS+ games have been revealed.
1:32:33 - Dreams' PSVR support is incoming.
1:37:34 - Sony has revealed 10 new indie games coming to PS4 and/or PS5.
1:51:31 - Ubisoft announces a major shift in its culture.
1:54:37 - Ubisoft reveals battle royale Hyper Scape.
1:58:56 - Sales numbers have been revealed for numerous games.
1:59:37 - New video game related TV shows have been announced.
2:04:05 - New announcements are still coming this summer without E3.
2:04:44 - Minor game announcements and release date information.
2:07:42 - Sony didn't post The Drop this week.
2:09:15 - How can Microsoft compete with Sony in the realm of first party games?
2:12:58 - How do we feel about difficulty-based Trophies?
2:18:35 - When should we expect to see the return of The Last of Us: Factions?
2:20:43 - Is there still room for arcade racing games?
2:23:54 - Is it unfair for us to speculate about a game's viability pre-release?
2:28:29 - When will the first digital-only AAA game release?