Sacred Symbols, Episode 177: Grand Theft Uh-Oh (Patreon)

Sometimes, very easy things turn out to be very hard for no apparent reason. Apparently, this mantra rings true for Rockstar, which released its acclaimed PlayStation 2 trilogy of Grand Theft Auto games on PS4 and PS5 in... well... a pretty shocking state. It's a big story (and a damn shame), and we discuss it in-depth. Rockstar ain't the only one hurting, though. Activision isn't only beleaguered from top-to-bottom due to claims of impropriety galore, but because its new Call of Duty game is apparently selling softer than any entry in the series in some 15 years. That, too, is a big story (although less of a damn shame), and we discuss that in-depth, too. Plus: Delays! Six Days in Fallujah, Saints Row, and Pragmata have all been pushed, while WB's crossover fighter MultiVersus is real, and League of Legends goes all-in on expanding its universe on PlayStation. We wrap up, as we always do, with listener inquiries. Will the effects of COVID and the chip shortage extend the PS5 generation? Is it possible that PlayStation's Spider-Man will appear in the new Spiderverse film? How do we feel about detective-style games? Can we instruct a listener on how to properly execute his first kiss?

Timestamps:

0:00:00 - Intro

0:08:24 - Opening questions and concerns.

0:23:09 - Some smaller news items.

1:11:44 - What have we been playing?

1:25:47 - Call of Duty: Vanguard may be having its worst release since 2007.

1:38:12 - Warner Bros. is cooking up a Smash Bros. clone.

1:50:30 - Six Days In Fallujah has been delayed.

1:58:13 - It’s going to be a while until we see another Saints Row game.

2:05:09 - Pragmata has been delayed.

2:06:43 - Riot Games is getting into the console space.

2:13:49 - Embracer Group has confirmed plans to acquire more studios.

2:17:16 - NPD numbers for October have arrived.

2:21:09 - News Wrap-Up

2:22:32 - Will the chip shortages extend this console generation's life?

2:29:00 - Why do people still think video games cause violence?

2:33:41 - Will we get a proper send-off to the PS4?

2:39:21 - Do we like any mystery games?

2:42:05 - Could we see an Insomniac Spider-Man in No Way Home?