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Sacred Symbols, Episode 262: The Thread (Patreon)

Published:
2023-07-05 19:00:03
Imported:
2023-07

Content

Hi!

Submit your questions, comments, concerns, thoughts, and ideas for this week's episode of Sacred Symbols in this thread.

As always, please keep your inquiries well-written and pithy. Novels, poorly-written posts, etc. are politely ignored.

You have until Thursday, July 6th at noon ET to submit.

Talk to you soon!

Comments

Joey Gondhalekar

Hello Sacred Boys, The recent 4th of July festivities and last week’s discussion about the presence of Five Guys in Europe and how the quality may differ reminded me of my few times visiting the legendary American dining establishments of T.G.I Fridays and Chilis in Mumbai, India. Now when you think of these establishments one of the first foods you think of are hamburgers. There’s just one problem though… In many parts of India the slaughter of cows for beef is illegal. This is fine, because there are chicken, pork, and water bison dishes on the menu, but there is an undeniable cultural barrier that makes it an experience similar to that of a Chinese person eating Panda Express and expecting authentic Chinese food. I’m not knocking the injection of these ingrained American cultural staples into the ethnic fabric of India, but it was and still is incredibly surprising. Only slightly less surprising than the shock of eating cornbread from an Indian Domino’s Pizza and baked corn kernels that came from a bag falling out after taking a bite. Cheers Gents! And God bless America

Cun

Hey CDC! I'm in Japan right now, having the time of my life. Just curious if you guys have any awesome travel stories? What's the best trip you've ever taken?

Davy Sueppel

What’s up Era Body. I was listening to the KnockBack episode of Super Mario Bros 3 where Colin said he has never eaten an ice cream outside of the vanilla variety. As a 35 year old male who still tries any random ass “bubblegum birthday blast” or “strawberry smegma sorbet” I can’t fathom going through life and putting rules or stipulations on my eating habits. Chris, Dustin please give me hope in humanity and explain your favorite ice cream or at least some variety’s you have tried. (Pause for Chris laughing a little chuckle and saying “Vanilla”) As always love the show, love what you do and I hope you all had a happy 4th of July!

Anonymous

Sup guys. I’m pooping right now. Got the notification to this post and wanted to know: ever fall asleep playing a video game before? I recently did. Won’t say no games cause will get hate but it rhymes with “Canal Clancy” Let’s discuss. Love you all tremendously. -the boars head guy (delivery guy, really 🐗)

Midnight

Greetings CDC, I'm writing in regarding the conversation around Microsoft vs FTC last week, Which I thought was a good discussion overall. My one head scratching moment was when Colin was saying that Microsoft having documentation on 120 studios was indication that they have no plan. What we saw in court to me is the definition of having a plan. Their mergers and acquisition team had staffers write up a spreadsheet for all of these potential targets with information about where they're at, what they're working on, what they could bring to Xbox etc. They then went through a six stage process where they eliminated more and more of them who would not fit for whatever reason. Until they got down to 8 prime targets. Is that not what planning is? We know Xbox's plan. It is to acquire more studios to provide content for Gamepass & to ensure that games cannot skip their platform. We may not like that plan - but that is the plan and we saw it in action thanks to the court. Anyway thanks for what you guys do and hope you have a great day.

Anonymous

Hello everyone, currently playing FFVI and having a blast but this got me wondering. How should we rate sequels, by their own merits alone or should we take into account their predecessors? Have a great day.

Anonymous

Sacred Brothers! I know you had an hour long talk about ff xvi last week but I just wanted to bring something up. Can we all just take a moment to appreciate how quickly the game loads! Literally I boot the ps5 up, start ff xvi application and I am playing within 30 seconds. As a new father this is very much appreciated for quick (and I mean quick) sessions. The ability to pause the cutscenes and catch up on the lore is incredible as well but the loading has made my experience sensational. Hope to see you in England soon!

Anonymous

Hello Bodacious men, Hope y’all are doing well. What are ya’lls thoughts on souls-inspired 2D Metroidvania games? Colin you’ve spoken highly of Hollow Knight but I’ve never heard you talk about games like Blasphemous and the recently re-revealed The Last Faith. Dustin and Chris have dabbled in traditional soulsbourne games does this transition to the 2D space? Curious to hear your thoughts. Love the work y’all do, and please, give the chicken some rest.

Tyler Kaminski

Hey CDC, Enjoyed hearing last weeks episode where you displayed a differing opinion on the FTC case. I’m wondering if you have any thoughts on the opinions of the public on this case. I’m noticing that while I consistently hear comments from people about both sides, I am really not seeing a very substantial “other side”. Creators and fans alike seem to be overwhelmingly for the deal going through. Check out comments on YouTube, Twitter, and even Patreon and you’ll find overwhelming support. Just wondering what this means to you all, and what the role of playing contrarian is like.

Michael (ObjoGaming)

What's up my soakas? With the release of the vile Flash movie and the shockingly good Indiana Jones 5 both being set to be massive box office failures set to both lose around $200 million each while other big movies are struggling I found it interesting to think about how in an era of box office failure how well gaming is doing. WB reportedly wanted to sell off their gaming division years ago but now it seems to be their only profitable segment with the success of Gotham Knights, Hog Leg, and upcoming success of MK1. Disney also seems to be succeeding licensing their IP for things like Star Wars and Spider-Man. Why do you think the other major studios have no place in games anymore? How come Universal or Paramount don't bother with having studios of their own or at least licensing their properties out to AAA devs?

Glentendo

SUBJECT: The Long Lost MGS Games! Hey Sacred Cucks, Although I'm really excited about the upcoming MGS collections, there is one thing that REALLY GRINDS MY GEARS. There are 3 MGS games that people never talk about and most certainly will not be included in these collections. The 1st of which is MGS: Ghost Babel, released in 2000 on the Gameboy. This game is a top down, 2D, all original MGS game that notoriously got a 10/10 from IGN (back when they RARELY gave 10s) and is suppose to be one of the best Gameboy games. The 2nd is of course MGS: Twin Snakes, the Gamecube era remake of MGS 1. For many people this is the best version of MGS 1 since it plays like MGS 2 and has all these cool cut scenes and bonus stuff. A Miyamoto / Kojima partnership! FINALLY, MGS: Snake Eater 3D on 3DS is a remake of MGS 3 but with the controls and quality of life improvements of Peace Walker. Believe it or not, if this game wasn't stranded on the 3DS hardware, it would actually be the BEST version of MGS 3! It solves a lot of the clunky design of the original. These games have NEVER been ported or rereleased anywhere. Currently, they are all only available on the one platform they originally launched on. VERY SAD. Did you guys know about these games? Have you played them?? DO YOU EVEN CARE!? I certainly do...I really recommend all of these. Thanks! One day, I hope the chicken fucks you back!

Jefferson Wentworth

Greetings exalted ones, this is mainly for Colin. So it gives a breather for Dustin to book a haircut, and Chris can enjoy a snapple. What makes the perfect trophy list?

Anonymous

Salam CDC, I wanted us to remember something that was being discussed ahead of the release of FF16. Journalists were making a big fuss about the all the white people in the game. But now that we have actually played it, the first culture we see being involved in a battle is clearly Middle Eastern, and the serious subject of slavery is very important to this story. So I was seeing certain people backpedaling saying that the game world and story are amazing and that it’s now a good thing that this Japanese team stayed away from including in particular black characters when telling this story. As a man who is both Arab and Black I love seeing representation, but when are we going to stop jumping the gun and attacking people before we have the full picture. Love and Respect.

Benjamin the Warped Nuclear Test Subject

Hey CDC, I recently broke up with a girl that I've been dating for the past 1.5 years and have been feeling a sad about it. On paper, we were very compatible, she even enjoyed listening to Sacred Symbols and Constellation with me, but I just wasn't feeling it deep down. This isn't the first time I've broken up with someone but it is the first time I've broken up with someone that I liked, just didn't love. I feel a different type of sadness about the whole thing, more for it not working out than anything she did. Do any of you have advice for this situation? And Kayla if you're listening, I'm sorry things didn't work out, but I feel confident that some day we will both look back and realize it was the correct decision for both of us. Thank you sacred symbol crew for providing this great content to distract myself with while I get used to being single again

Michael Limauro

Hi boys, what game playable on ps4 or ps5 comes to mind that you think is uplifting or has happy/positive messaging? For me I think of TLOU2. Just kidding. Would love to hear your thoughts since normally I think of Nintendo as the company that makes these kinds of games.

Anonymous

Hey CDC, with FFXVI being a GotY contender should Creative Business Unit III and the composer Masayoshi Soken be the permanent team for new mainline games? Thanks for all that you do and have a good day.

Matthew Miller

This is not specifically PS related, but I figure it's important enough to the "gaming zeitgeist" to ask: AMD is likely paying Bethesda, specifically, NOT to include DLSS in Starfield? Many outlets have reached out for comment and gotten silence or vaguery. Modders are already promising they will implement DLSS by the game's EA launch. What do you think of this emerging trend of companies paying to include their branded functionality, while excluding their competitors? Pretty shitty, AMIRIGHT?

badlybrave

Hey CDC, On Dustin's latest mailbag, he tried to gaslight the audience into believing that he wasn't a weeb, just prior to pulling out a jar-sized figure of an anime broad in scantily clad samurai armor from an anime that he also claims to be at least 574 episodes into. Can we get an official vote on whether Dustin should be branded as a weeb or not?

Anonymous

Hello Sacred Studs, This question is directed at Chris based on last week’s episode. You said last week you got a case of the Hard Arizona Iced Teas. What did you end up thinking of them? Which of the three flavors was your favorite?? Have you heard of or tried the Adult Sunny D as well?? Love all the amazing content and stay quenched my friends!!

Anonymous

Hello from a Welshman in Amsterdam! I hope you're all having a banging day! Do you guys think the Savage founder leaving seems a little nefarious? Mobile gaming is a racket. I'm on LinkedIn, and the founder of Savage seems to be very friendly with the head of PlayStation. Therefore, it's jarring to see PlayStation Mobile acquiring Savage. The founder a bunch of money, and then he bounces not a year after getting bought. There never a game, no proof of success, just an inorganic acquisition out of nowhere. Suspicious, right?

Anonymous

Hello Colin and kids, On a recent trip to a restaurant, I overheard 2 brothers talking in the bathroom about how their grandmother ordered 6 shots while with the family for dinner and they "felt bad for grandpa" about this. Although I didn't get a good look at them for obvious reasons in the bathroom I tried to see if I could locate them in the restaurant to no avail. I couldn't help but laugh about the sentiment of a drunken grandmother stumbling onto the streets of St. Louis with her husband rubbing his face in shame. Do you think their marriage will survive this headache or is this the grandmother we all wanted in our lives? Cheers friends

Brad Felix

Ayo ACDC (Autistic Colin, Dustin, Chris), As we all know life is getting more and more expensive in every facet, with wages not keeping up to these cost increases. This often leads to making cuts in areas of non necessity (ie: hobbies such as gaming) to be able to afford things like rent, bills and food. My question to you three, how do you guys go about managing your gaming/hobby budgets? Now obviously you do this for a job, so maybe you can speak on life prior to using all these purchases as tax write offs, or maybe you can base this question on purchases around your other hobbies. Personally, I try to limit myself to 1 or 2 games a month, but impulse often gets the best of me with things like new new systems/graphics cards and the like. Thanks for keeping me sane in my cubicle. Cheers, Brad

Vagicarp, I choose you

Hello kind sirs. What is your level of emotional connection to dogs or other pets in video games? I recently completed FF16 and it is an absolute gem of a game. That being said, one of my favorite part of the game was Torgal. I love how they incorporated him into the story. I don't want to get into spoilers here, but I will say that I have always had a strong connection to animals, especially my own dog or cats, and Torgal really added emotional weight to many scenes of the game for me. I also really liked how he was your faithful companion in combat. It added a little extra level of strategy to the more casual encounters, and I always had a litle bit more courage going into a hard boss fights knowing my good boy was next to me. How are you liking Torgal, and have you even felt a kinship towards an animal companion in a video game? Be well, gents.

Anonymous

Heil SS boys! Do you remember when Snapple would come up with odd flavors every year that would only be around for a limited time? Where there any of those that you missed and were loathe to see go? Personally, I think of the Kiwi- Teawi one every now and again, it was odd, but quite good to me. This is mostly for Chris, but I’d like to hear the other guys answers if they have one.

Drew Sleezer

Hello friends, I know Colin is a big reader, and I was wondering if the sacred boys have heard of the book ‘Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow’? My mother (66 y/o) called me last week after finishing the book just gushing about 1. it’s quality, and 2. her newfound respect for the games industry, especially its developers. It’s a mature human story that follows two game developers from the late 90’s into the modern age of gaming. It deals with a lot of facets like why people find comfort in games, the artistry in their creation, etc. I thought I’d bring this book to your attention since it was an eye opening experience for my own mother who over a decade after I left home for college finally understands why I loved video games growing up and continue to play them into my adult life. PS. My mother is very proud to know what NPCs are now.

Anonymous

Greetings CDC, Could you speak as to why you have made the decision to cancel the monthly episodes of the Sacred Sales Saga? Was it not garnering the engagement you would like, or did you just lose interest? It was the primary reason I joined the 5 dollar tier, but I suspect I might be an outlier in whatever the data shows. Thanks for all the content.

Ray

Pixel Junk Eden 2! Let's go. I'm ready for more chill swinging, jumping, and jamming. Did you guys enjoy the first one and are you excited for the sequel? I think Pixel Junk Monsters is their best game, and would love a sequel to that, but I'll gladly take a new Eden.

Anonymous

Greetings Sacred Symbols, Something was bothering me during the Microsoft vs FTC trail. There was a part that mentioned that the fear of loosing starfield exclusivity was the reason Microsoft bought Zenimax. I was just wandering why did they not try to outbid Sony on all these exclusive deals, I'm pretty sure money wasn't and issue but was there something else that these publishers saw with Sony's deal ? would love to hear yall insight.

Mr. Plow

Hello Sacred Symbolians, My name is Mr. Plow and I bring to you an interesting hypothetical. If each of you were to have your choice of a dead PlayStation IP to remake from the ground up, which would it be? Also, am I the only one who thinks Jim Ryan and Phil Spencer should be the co-main of the Musk V Zuck cage fight? I can’t be

Anonymous

Hey CDC, Recently there was a new Persona 3 Reload trailer showing off some of the recasted English dub and it got me thinking about voice actor recasts in gaming. Usually these are a bad sign for fans of a series but there have been a decent amount of examples where it turned out good or even better than the original. What are some of your favorite voice recasts in games? Personally I love all the new voices in Final Fantasy VII Remake, but I’m curious to hear what you guys think. Thanks.

Jdummann92

Hi CDC, I'll keep it short, will the Bethesda Indiana Jones game be DoA? The new movie is poised to lose a lot of money for Disney and if I were MS, I would be concerned about investing 100-150 million into an Indy project. Thanks for all you do! Joe

Anonymous

Good day folks, happy belated 'Murica day from your neighbor from the North. I have to announce that I've officially thrown in the towel on listening to any more Activision/Microsoft/Sony legal news. I understand the necessity and importance of the topic for the audience and the need to update as news breaks etc., however I just can't do it anymore. Completely burnt out on the topic. Huge thanks to whoever (Dustin?) adds the timestamps, it makes it super easy to skip the hours worth of discussion each week. I'm curious if there are other listeners like me exhausted from this story? Does Patreon allow creators to see statistics, or what sections listeners skip? Cheers as always folks!

Anonymous

Dear Sacred Crew, Just writing in to update you on a Sacred Symbols x sacred symbol collab that I facilitated this week. That's right, I'm talking about merch going head to head with The Holy Grail. I visited Valencia cathedral, which is one of more than 200 sites that stake a claim to hosting The Grail's final resting place. However, several Popes have believed Valencia to be the real deal. I waltzed in there with my Sacred Symbols T-Shirt and keyring and within minutes I could sense that everyone knew there was a new prophet in town. I eagerly anticipate the more legit Sacred Symbols being editted into the Last Supper and other such important depictions of biblical events, and eventually supplanting the cup of Christ as the Holy Grail itself. Keep pounding the poultry.

Michael Akridge

Aloha CDC, The advent of discord integration and cross-play has made gaming with friends on other platforms so much easier. With that said, what next steps, integrations or innovations are there for Playstation to continue to foster this sort of play? Cheers, Michael

Jose Mendoza

Hey CDC, What are some of your prized possessions in the gaming space that you own and would never part ways with. Mine is the Metal Gear Rising Plasma sword lamp. I turn that thing on Everytime I game at night! Looking forward to hearing some of y’all’s Best Papa J

Ealia Staroverov

Hey Gents, Over the past couple years, beginning with Zenimax and continuing through ABK, I have heard a lot of gaming commentators say that if Sony had deep pockets like Microsoft they would be also be buying publishers. It is certainly true, that Microsoft is a much bigger company with a lot more money. However, prior to Disney acquiring 20th Century Fox for $52B, Sony was one of the companies that bid. Exact numbers are not publicly known, but it's safe to assume their offer would have been tens of billions. Why do you think there is this perception that Sony is financially incapable of buying a medium to large sized publisher? (P.S. This isn't something I'm rooting for, just curious for your take.) Thanks for all the great content and I'll see you in the discord memes channel!

Anonymous

Gretting CDC from down under, From last week episode it seems Colin and Dustin really dig the the game just like me. And after finished the game last week I decided to check out some Youtube video about combat tips and realized that I need to read the skills tool tips properly cause there some skills that have other use that I didn't know. My questions is did u guy read all the skills tool tip when u decided which one to use in load out? And are u prefer to use the counter skills or pure damage skill damage?

Anonymous

Hey CDC With the love both Colin and Dustin showed to Final Fantasy 16 (especially with regards to the story) last week, I have to ask if anyone on the Sacred Crew would be willing to to take the jump into the story of Final Fantasy 14, the other mainline Final Fantasy game under the purview of Creative Business Unit 3 at Square-Enix. I know that with the exception of Chris and Destiny (which is perhaps more of a live-service model than a traditional MMO), MMO's are not typically a part of anyone on the sacred crew's gaming habits, but given that the most loved part of both 14 and 16 is the story, would anyone be interested in seeing what else CBU3 has to offer? If the game requiring playing online with other people is of concern, you may be interested to know that the entirety of the game would be playable with AI allies instead of other players for every dungeon in the entirety of the game. Having now finished 16 I personally rank its story on equal standing with 14. I cannot recommend it enough if you are willing to give it a chance. Thank you for all the entertaining content, and May the Blessing Of The Crystal Go With You. Parker

Vonoran

Hey Sacred Symbols, Should we be concerned with budgets ballooning for video games similar to budgets ballooning for movies? This summer has been a summer of flops for films with giant budgets and the market audience for films is wider than the market audience for AAA console titles like Last of Us or Horizon. Nowadays, selling a million or 2 million copies can be a failure as seen with The Callisto Protocol and its $162 million budget. 5 million copies were the expectations set forth by that studio and don’t forget the marketing budget that goes unreported. Meanwhile, studios like Remedy or Asobo, demonstrate smarter production pipelines and smaller budgets to make the profitability easier to be obtained. If budgets or scope don’t get under control, Shawn Layden’s warning of the gaming industry’s instability becomes reality.

BMJ614

Hey CDC When I was a little kid, I remember playing a Sega motorcycle game called Hang On. While having the radio on to my favorite station (Rap & R&B ect.) I could recall doing better/having higher scores when some of my favorite songs would come on. In conclusion, my question is... Has the type of music you were listening to correlated to the success of a video game experience like I had that fateful day? And as always, STAND DOWN from F'n that chicken 😉

Anonymous

Dear SS lads, I’m writing in to express my utter and absolute befuddlement at the state of console fanboys. A day after the release of FFXVI, I read a user review on Metacritic that had given the game 0/10 and spent the entire first paragraph whining about how games media is biased in favour of Sony. I have no doubt, moreover, that PlayStation fanboys will leave similar reviews for Starfield when that releases. My question is why, and has it always been this bad? What on earth compels people to behave in such a pathetic fashion over something so trivial? All the best, Nando

Anonymous

Good day CDC, I wanted to write in to continue the important conversation regarding international Five Guys. I recently returned from Bahrain, where I was temporarily stationed for about seven months. While there, I made it a point to have a cheeseburger weekly and Five Guys quickly became my go-to spot. It was, without a doubt, the best burger in the Kingdom of Bahrain and as good if not better than my local Virginia Five Guys. The cajun fries were equally amazing. I just wanted to give some love to Five Guys restaurants worldwide. Love the show. -Liam

Peter Pham

Salutation LSM crew, Just want to announce my wife just gave birth to our new baby girl last (sorry fellas, no LSM podcast during labor and no name references). During my 2 days at the hospital, I was using my new PC handheld; my first time outside the playstation ecosystem since the ps3 days and very first time playing PC games. So far I've been having an awesome time with it. In fact, I've been using it almost exclusively for the last 2 weeks. My biggest regret was not exploring outside the playstation ecosystem. My question is, what if sony made the Q into something like a steamdeck; where you can play all your playstation games on the go and then continue your game on the couch instead of a dedicated handheld like the vita with its own exclusive games. Would this be successful or has that window of opportunity passed already? Or is the profit not enough for sony to allocate resources for a project like this? Thanks for all the great content, keep on keeping on. Ps. Check out the gpd win 4 design

Anonymous

Hello gents, travel related inquiry from your boy here. In just a few days from when this episode goes live I’ll find myself on a 15 hour flight from LA to Australia for work. Now, I’m what you might call a gordo. Not quite the full Sweeney, but much closer to his build than any of yours. We’re talking 6’3”, 3+ bills here. I’ve never suffered such a robust plane trip, and knowing you at least Colin have done some big boy flights, I’m hoping you have some tips. I have all of Andor downloaded, gonna break out Tears of the Kingdom finally and plan to sedate myself with a cocktail of booze, Benadryl, and perhaps some CBD to ease things as much as possible. Any further advice to quell the discomfort and existential dread of being on a fucking flying metal tube for so long would be greatly appreciated.

Stinkling

Howdy Fella's As a brand new PS5 Owner I'm quite impressed with the "HD Rumble/Haptics" and "Adaptive Triggers" Across all the games I've tested, even some third party games use it fairly well. What's the gut check now that its been a few years? As in episodes at launch you all felt it was a gimmick that would be abandoned quickly aside from first party titles, but that seems not to be the case! I've got to say as a PC gamer of the last 15 years, i don't want to play my single player games anywhere else. The controller features are just THAT good. Do you still get that wow factor with a new game using dualsense this far into the gen? Cheers from the great smoky white north (and sorry about it drifting south across the border eh)

Anonymous

Hey CDC, I have been hearing some clamoring on twitter (AKA the TL) and from other outlets about FF16 over heating PS5s causing system damage, granted I think this is only happening on the graphics setting, but regardless it is making me hesitant on buying a game I really want to play. have you heard the same reports and am I making a big deal over nothing?? Thanks for all the great content!

Mars Barrow

Good day fine folks. I've noticed a lot of people within the games industry and especially media are overly nice to each other and sometimes find it to feel inauthentic. I appreciate your show a lot because of how you all treat each other--pleasant and kindly, but willing to joke around and bust each other's balls. My question is, do you think games media (and maybe even Hollywood) is too fake/friendly when interacting with people or is it just a requirement to sat in the "in" groups. Much appreciated! - Mars

Anonymous

Guys, we've got to discuss the state of the ps store. Another sale is here and the list of games is a disaster. Looking at it right now there are 4 slots for ac Valhalla, and 6 for the crew 2 alone. Why does there have to be a different page for every edition and add-on to a game?! A little consolidation would go a long way in improving the store front. What else can they do to improve this? Let's give them some pointers so maybe someone listening will do something! Thank you!

pen in pant

Hey y’all, What was, or is, the Oppenheimer of gaming? Oblivion horse armor? Fortnite? Love the content!

Anonymous

Hi CDC, I didn’t know if I should ask this on Sacred Symbols or Punching Up, but the recent courtroom battle between the FTC and Microsoft has clearly shown us that Microsoft and Sony simply hate each other. I wasn’t born when Sony and Nintendo’s feud manifested, so I was hoping you (Colin) could give us a quick history lesson on their fierce, but subtle rivalry. So much time has passed and CEO’s have come and gone from both sides, so why haven’t they made up after all these years? Who started it and who should finish it? Personally, I think if Microsoft wants to gobble up the entire industry then shouldn’t Sony or Nintendo at least consider (or has either side ever considered?) taking the high road and becoming friendly again? Do they not see the potential this could bring? Thank you all for the wonderful insight and great content you put out every day. - Chef

NJ

Concerns? Yes, I have a concern. Several members of the LSM team are increasingly struggling with both mental and physical health issues. Recent LSM content (still great, but nonetheless revealing) is showing how this is taking its toll. Look after yourselves, do what you need to do, just don’t push yourselves so far that you go off the proverbial deep end. That is all.

Anonymous

Hey dudes, Question mainly for the two home owners. In an attempt to fix one of my toilets this evening, I believe I inadvertently broke the currently working one as well. With that said, my question is a simple one. Should I put a bullet in my head or call a plumber in the morning? Also where the fuck is the Suikoden remaster?

Anonymous

Hey CDC, Just a quick one from me in the theme of the ongoing FTC vs. Microsoft case. If you could put anyone from the gaming industry on the stand in a court of law and ask that person any gaming related question you wanted, what would you do? For me, I would be putting Dan Houser up there and asking him why Rockstar North's game 'Agent' never saw the light of day. Loving the content that you guys do as always! Mitchell

Anonymous

Hi CDC, this question is for Colin, would you get game pass if it came to PlayStation and actually keep the monthly subscription, or would you just one of it for certain games and cancel it right after

Anonymous

Hey lads, The world of FFXVI is immense. There’s so much lore. It’s hard to imagine Square will only use it for one game. Could Valisthea be the setting for a new Final Fantasy tactics game? Thanks, Liam

Anonymous

Hey guys, Colin, I wanted to write this, since you have mentioned in the past how you have a "No solicitation" sign. I am a solicitor and I go door to door getting people to sign up for Arcadia. Why do people treat us Solicitors with no respect? me and my co-workers are constantly treated with no respect at the door that half of my co-workers and me had an emotional breakdown on the field, we constantly have people yelling at us or calling the police on us. I write this because, you always say to "Treat people the way you want to be treated", as a solicitor I did nothing wrong, so why do people yell or scream at me at the door? If you want to get rid of me, just simply say "Not interested" when you open the door or simply don't open the door. Colin,Why do people feel like they have the right to treat us solicitors with no respect? at the end of the day, I'm a human being. Colin, I hope you understand where I'm coming from. I know you hate solicitors, but someone like you should agree with me, that we should treat people with respect even solicitors at the door.

Anonymous

What’s up Sacred crew, Which Combat system do you prefer for the Final Fantasy series moving forward? 16 , FF7 Remake, or something in the middle we still have yet to see? With the recent rumors of a Final Fantasy 9 remake coming, I’m curious to see how that game will be adapted for a modern audience. Hope to hear back, and keep pumpin’ those chickens full of your rock hard Boar’s Head meat. - Shawn

Anonymous

Hey Gents, Curious if you’ve ever had a job you looked at from the outside and thought. I could totally do that, no problem. Or likewise, one you don’t think you could last a day in. My wife is an ER nurse and that has always been mine. I’d be done after a couple hours where she works…

Anonymous

Hi Sacred Trio, Do any of you have a non-fanboy stance on certain franchises to you feeling more at home on certain hardware (i.e. Final Fantasy with PlayStation, Bethesda proper with Xbox, Persona and PlayStation). While I know you all hate the current M&A environment, would it bother you if a third party franchise started going exclusive to another platform it wasn’t known for, even if you could technically still play it? Thanks!

Anonymous

Hi lads, firstly great showing from LSM in the recent months. I went from one show a week ( ss) to literally listening to every thing LSM drops. And work without a podcast every day becomes a chore. I digress, with the initiative being a major L, do you think PlayStation chasing this acquire at all costs method that Xbox has will be likely? That is if the ABK deal goes through and they have to compete more aggressively with Xbox exclusives. Cheers love y'all . Sully xx

Anonymous

Hey CDC, Sorry if you've broached this topic before but I have to know your go-to frozen pizzas. I pretty much exclusively rock Stouffer's French Bread Pizza or Digiorno's Hand Tossed to fuel my late night gaming sessions. Where does your brand loyalty lie on this matter? -Michael Held

Anonymous

Hey sacred crew! Six days in Fallujah has released on steam early access to mostly postive reviews. There hasn't been much media outrage about the game, at least less than I expected. The game is supposedly comming to ps5 in 2024. Consoles used to have real AAA tactical shooters such as Socom, Full Spectrum Warrior, Ghost Recon and Rainbow Six. The Ubisoft Tom Clancys games are now a shell of their former self, So they dont count IMO. Why do you think there are no AAA tactical shooters anymore? There are alot of popular tactical shooters with healthy populations on Steam like Squad, Ready or Not, Arma, Hell Let Loose, ETC.. proving their's a market for them. There hasn't been a AAA Tactical shooter since Rainbow Six Vegas 2 (2008) and it did well! Whats surprising is with the industry consolidation why hasn't Sony or any major Publisher acquired any of theese small tactical shooter studios to make a AAA game in the vain of Socom or Rainbow Six Vegas?

Anonymous
>>112277378

Freshetta Frozen Pizzas are the best frozen pizza brand. Get thr normal crust, not the brick oven crust.

Anonymous

Yo CDC! I know that digital vs physical and streaming are common topics of discussion these days but I am interested in your perspective about some recent examples of issues with digital ownership that might soon effect gaming. As of a month ago all owned, rented and streamed versions of The French Connection were censored for language by Disney. Even after much outrage nothing has been done to correct this. The only way to watch it unedited to find an increasingly expensive physical copy. The other disheartening example of this is Disney's recent trend of removing their own content from streaming and renting if it is preforming poorly. Disney is erasing their own content for the sake of tax credits as quickly as seven weeks after release. Both of these examples can be related to video games, for example a game could be censored via a patch and original version will be impossible to play if it was a digital only game.

The Chicken Chaser

Hey boys, Having spent the last 2 months at an academy training to be a corrections officer (prison guard) I started my on the job training this week. Should I let them out?

Anonymous

Hey baby boys, I’m curious to know how you guys feel about customization in video games. I’m very invested in making my character look the way that I want specifically. It plays a big role in making me feel immersed in the story, and especially with Spider-Man 2 coming I can’t wait to see all the different suits available (even though I’m really just hoping for the Raimi suit again). Anyways guys curious to hear your thoughts and thank you for all the content keeping me busy on these 10 hour 100°+ factory days!

Danny Akenson

Hello, I have weekly check-ins with my supervisor at work, who has two kids who are growing up to be avid gamers. During the school year, he allowed each of them to play for one hour a day, but now that it's summertime, he allows them to play for a whole 2 hours a day. I have to think to myself, isn't this Draconian? Did your parents put a daily limit on your gaming time? Do you think it's fair to do so? To me, it seems like yet another continuation of the stigma that games are just a useless hobby that need to be controlled, unlike reading books or playing sports, which are viewed as more acceptable uses of your time. If I could only have played video games for one or two hours a day growing up, I would have eaten a barrel long ago.

Anonymous

Hey guys, How do you feel about Insomniac investing so much of their time on Marvel properties? Is there any part of you that wishes Insomniac would spend more of their time working on other IPs or something new?

Anonymous

Hey CDC, I recently scrolled through the RSS feed looking for the Final Fantasy 7 Remake spoilercast (since I recently played the game for the first time), only to discover after twenty minutes of searching that it was recorded and released in December 2020 despite the game being released in April 2020, so I simply must ask, is there any hope for earlier pre-video spoilercasts to be added to the Last Stand Media YouTube channel for easier access and preservation? Thanks!

Anonymous

Hey Sacred Gentle boys! I wanna write in about Colin's take on XVI and whether or not it feels like a Final Fantasy game. I am an avid FF player. I've played every mainline game except 3 and countless other entries (X-2, Tactics, Mystic Quest, etc.). When I first fired this game up the first few hours of this game did not "feel" like a FF game. I even commented so to a good friend of mine (shout out to Mr. Bell!) Now that I am a solid 10-15 hours in this game feels utterly and completely FF. With that being said, you saying that if someone says this doesn't feel like a FF game has never play one, well, I take umbridge with that. Colin, you said yourself XVI draws inspiration from Game of Thrones. Which I don't disagree with, but not once have I ever hear anyone say ever that Game of Thrones is like a FF game on screen. You have said in the past things like "Final Fantasy doesn't feel like Final Fantasy anymore." And at games like 13 "That's not what Final Fantasy is!" You yourself have made these comments! So now that one is firmly in the camo of a Colin ass game, you come to the defense of FF. I agree this feels a lot like IV would be if it was reimagined in a modern graphics image. But dude, so many people haven't even played the old medieval style games and all they know is the more science fantasy style settings. How could you begrudge these people their opinion and completely undermine them by saying they don't know what FF even is? FF fans suck. They do. There's so many morons out there that want THEIR version of FF. And I just hate to see my absolute favorite podcaster essentially become one of these people. For someone that hasn't even beaten X, XIII, or XV (which I truly think you would like if you actually sat down and tried it) why are you the judge jury and executioner on this matter? I hope this post is not demeaning or demoralizing. If it is I failed to get my point across. I love you man, and I await your thoughts every week. As I have next to no time anymore you and crew are my source for 90% of the news I get. So I'm trying to come across as a friend that is just trying to counter what you said as a little harsh. I hope it was taking in good stead. I appreciate all 3 of you. And I apologize for this incredibly long post. I know you want them short and pithy. Keep on keeping on, and I'm excited to tune in again as always. Your Final Fantasy brother, Caleb

Jose Vera

Hello Fellas, Just wanted to chime and say, anyone who believes FF XVI doesn’t fit into other mainline FF games can go get f!@#! This game feels like the culmination of every previous title and has finally brought to us all that makes FF so special to begin with, in love with the world and all characters. Especially the dominants! Take care Jose

Anonymous

Hey guys, this is about FFXVI and I got one for Chris and one for Colin and Dustin; Chris, don't buy into the FFXVI hype. I'm 41 hours in and, while I do enjoy the game, I feel as though Colin and Dustin did you a little bit of a disservice in the last episode. They kept praising the combat and the story (which I totally understand), but failed to mention how these two pillars sustain a 35 hour game. They don't. There are only 3 aspects to the gameplay loop; Walking, pressing X to interact with NPCs / objects, and fighting. That's it. Every main and side quest revolves around these 3 mechanics, and while it would work just fine in a well-paced 10 hour game, it's not working here. The "downtime" in this game is sometimes unbearable, where you could encounter main quests that just send you to talk to a few people, come back to the quest giver, and boom, "quest complete". And yes, that's a main quest. There's a lot of "fat" in this game. It's got MMO level quests and it's something that you should consider before diving in. Like I said in the beginning, I enjoy the game (as I'm a hardcore DMC fan and the combat here is at the level of DMC4's combat, believe it or not), and the story has some pretty cool moments, but be mindful that this is a game that likes to sniff its own farts, so expect high highs and low lows. Dustin and Colin, it saddened me to hear how much you've mischaracterized the whole "FFXVI doesn't feel FF" argument, and boiled it down to just combat and theme. That's not what people are saying. The whole argument revolves around the fact that FFXVI struggles with some of the core pillars of most (if not all) mainline FF games; *Being party-based RPGs.* FFXVI feels like an "RPG" only by name; It's extremely linear, leveling up feels inconsequential, the itemization is terrible, and there's barely any meaningful loot to find while exploring. There's also no give-and-take with the gear; you always pick the one that's obviously better than the one you're currently equipping, It all feels too basic to be meaningful. I'd say GoW Ragnarok feels more "RPG" than this. And yes, this game focuses solely on Clive. While there are companions that sometimes join you and have their own arcs, the main focus is on Clive, and not on the "party" aspect that's synonymous with mainline FF games. While I don't think it's "not a FF game", I totally understand the argument behind it feeling more like a spinoff. While the mainline FF games do keep "reinventing" themselves in some ways, don't you think that there's a point where the core principals of a FF game can deviate too much for it to "stay" on the mainline path? Thanks for all the awesome content!

Tom SquareEye

Hi Guys, this is one for you all. I've been enjoying the nostalgia of working my way through the pixel remasters and then the PS1 generation Final Fantasy's recently and its had me thinking about my favourite game launches ever. So my question is this, if you were all given a chance to travel back in time for 2 weeks to relive the launch and weeks that followed for a particular game, what game would you choose and why? Thanks for the content guys and keep Fucking that Chocobo.

Tyee

Hello CDC I hope you all are having a spectacular day? Now colin its time to put up you dukes because we are about to battle in sacred place under the constellations. Do you possibly think when talking about game pass you are focusing more on the money being made by the service rather then the potential money it brings in? Now if AAA single player games are the main way money is made and that they can’t work in a game pass system which if this was the reality I would completely agree with you yet the same publishers that you say have said that they don’t believe in game pass also said they didn’t believe in AAA single player games a decade ago and more recently their games as a service fund their single player games. now you have a younger generation expecting games to be free so they can spend their money or their parents money on other things in games and the closest thing to free is the subscription service considering how cheap it is. will Microsoft lose money on the AAA SP games 100% but will they get the attention they want for their live service games most definitely and I think that’s what the game pass is meant to be that sign like McDonald’s arches and the real money maker is the live service games inside the store with the AAA SP is the occasionally free item to retain and gain more attention. I hope this was a good explanation of what I think you miss with game pass. If you would entertain me a little longer with a simple game of never existed, play one last time and play the rest of your life. Rules are that each of you choose one game from the ps4 gen games and decide all 3 games fates from your own perspectives.

Your Boi Nicky V

Hey Charasmatic Chris, Colossal Colin and Skidmarks Dustin, Dudes, if given the power, would you discard the technological progression of the industry and, instead, choose for it to perpetually remain in a prior generation of your choosing? I.e. we'd still have all the same active developers, but they'd be building games for the PS1,2,3 or 4, as opposed to 5. I mean, I love my PS5 but part of me yearns for the more consistent output of the PS3 generation and the more focused, less bloated design mandated by the hardware limitations. I even think back to the PS2 and the idea of more bi-annual games from Kojima on that awesome MGS2 engine. Cheers laddies, Nick

Anonymous

Hey CDC, I have a quick correction from last weeks show. Colin said that FF4 was the last FF that was truest turn based, as he could pause it, and come back to the game hours later, and still be alive. I just wanted to point out that Colin’s favorite FF, FF10 is actually turn based as well! Thanks guys.

Anonymous

Hey CDC, Going back to the FDC conversation from last week, it really got me thinking about game pass, and how they could possibly make it feasible. Right now PS+ has about 50M users. IF Xbox gamepass had the same amount of users, wouldn’t it be possible for Xbox to fund the AAA games that they need and some? And in turn if gamepass got that big, wouldn’t it then push for PS and Nintendo to get it on their hardware? I’m thinking this might be why Microsoft is trying so hard to buy so many studios, because the more big games, the more subscriptions, and in turn more AAA games they can (hopefully) produce. Anyways I’m kind of dumb, but $20x50M is a lot of money and think it could possible work. Thanks guys!

Anonymous

Fellas, Just wanted to report in on foreign Five Guys. I went to the Five Guys at Kings Cross in London on the last night of a two-week trip. The burger wasn't anything special, just a delicious, greasy burger like you'd get over here. The fries however were phenomenal. They were so crisp (no pun intended) and weren't soggy at all. Thanks guys

Marc Cairney

Good day gents! Has it occurred to anyone that Microsoft does not want a profitable Xbox. And are they using brand Xbox for free marketing & tax write offs? Perhaps that is the top down company strategy. Hence, no real Xbox strategy. It seems to me just spend, we don’t care what happens beyond that. The opposite can be said for Sony. Whereby PlayStation is one of their most profitable brands. They need PlayStation in profit. Are the 2 companies on 2 different trajectories? I feel the FTC and wider market are looking at this all wrong.

JoshM

Hey Sacred Crew, Still making my way through FF16 and absolutely loving it. I'd like to get the Platinum too, but I'm also thinking further ahead about what other FF games I should play. I intend to play FF7 Remake, and wouldn't mind checking out the pixel remasters, but I also very much enjoy this aesthetic, soundtrack and overall tone. Whilst all FF games are different, is there any in particular you'd recommend playing having enjoyed this one as much? Thanks for the great shows and looking forward to the FF16 spoilercast once it's time for that!

Joseph Losinno

Hello all, Did you all see the trailer for The Last of Us rip-off on switch in the UK? The title is The “Last Hope - Dead Zone Survival.” The icing on the cake is there is just a deadpan Ellie model blatantly in the trailer. How could Nintendo of all companies allow this. Thanks, Joe

That Smoke from Canada

Gents, Chris has the Trump impression and Colin has that spot on Phil Spencer impression (and the Southern Man), but what we all want to hear is Dustin's Chris Chan impression. I get the feeling he's watched at least ten thousand hours worth to master it by now. Set it free, Dusty! P.S. Fuck long games, 8-15 hour experiences FTW

Sechron

Salutations Sacred suck, I'm a xbox main since the 360 days but i upgraded my ps4 to the 5. While I'm still trying to figure out how to turn off the system and grab my saves from the cloud i figured i should ask what can i play on the ps5 thats not available on the xbox. I'm into trying out games both big and small so long as its something only on ps5 just dont tell me ragnarok or forbidden west please. Hope to hear your answer soon and keep up the good work that all of Last Stand does, you help me get through my graveyard shifts six days a week

Tanner Denso

Hey fellas, Just joined Patreon last month so this is my first write in. I had a thought with all this games as service talk going on with Sony lately, but my question isn’t necessarily about that. Nintendo basically made the best open world/open air video game of all time with TOTK. Third person games are very popular on PlayStation and even though they seem to be moving towards a game of service centered business model, do you think Sony first party ever attempts to make something along the lines of the new Zelda? I never played Ghost and I heard it has some similarities to BOTW and TOTK but I believe it’s also pretty linear for the main story. I imagine a game with a more cartoonish art style than the realistic style Sony mostly goes for, but with using a move powerful engine on the more powerful console. Am I dreaming or is this a possible reality?

NeO JD

If the next From Soft game copied the rings accessory feature from FF 16 for combat difficulty, would it become the most liked game of all-time?

Prof JJJ

Hello Gentlemen, This is not really a correction, but I'd like to add some nuance to Colin's comparison of Xbox to the New York Yankees. I think the comparison is certainly valid for Xbox in 2023, but is not valid at all for the first 17 years of Xbox as a brand. Prior to September 2017 Xbox was buried on the Microsoft org chart and famously had to fight and scrap for resources. This is evidenced by Xbox having only 5 or 6 (depending on how you count) first party studios in 2017. In September 2017 Phil Spencer was promoted to Microsoft's Senior Leadership Team and Xbox was elevated on the org chart to the same level as Azure, Office, etc. Obviously, the timing here is significant since the first wave of Xbox acquisitions began in 2018. So, I don't think it's really accurate to characterize Xbox as being like the Yankees for 23 years and failing for 23 years. Xbox was much more like the Pittsburgh Pirates for 17 years, then it became the Yankees almost overnight. I think we'll have a much better idea how successful this Yankees phase will play out once the new studios are all releasing games.

Joseph Cerini

Hey CDC, specially Collin,

Nicholas Brilhart

Greetings Trepang Gang. Last week's discussion of Final Fantasy 16 repeatedly brought up the discourse around if it is or isn't a Final Fantasy game. I generally find this sort of discourse annoying, but with this entry (according to what I've heard Matty say on the game) having shed most RPG elements, I think it's an interesting question to ask what makes a Final Fantasy game a Final Fantasy game? Is it just chocobos and androgynous men with pointy hair or is there some underlying connective tissue that as an outsider I just don't understand?

Jay

Hey Punk Heads, 2 part question…Why does Microsoft continue to make consoles? If they discontinued the Xbox line would Sony immediately allow them to put game pass on PlayStations?

Anonymous

What’s up gentlemen, FF16 is getting some heat for accessibility options. I personally have been using the pre order bonus charms for extra Gil and Exp, but never used the ones that auto dodge, attack, etc. I find the balance perfect, I get more Gil and Exp, but I don’t have any more slots to add increase attack damage to my skills or defense. It’s a trade off I don’t really see an issue with people using them if they want, but those same people can’t complain the game is too easy. What do you guys think?

Deutschbag

Hey Sacred Men, This ones for Chris. I was so excited last week when you mentioned you were playing my favorite game of all time, MGS V: The Phantom Pain. You were right to call it the ultimate stealth game. I’m curious what you’re go-to loadout is in the game. Also isn’t it incredible that they achieved 60 fps in an open world game with all those systems back on base ps4?

Anonymous

Hey Sacred Gents, This one may interest Chris. During the marketing build up for FFXVI, the voice actor for Clive, Ben Star, went on multiple podcast to chat about the game. During these interviews he talked about his history with video games, and brought up the hardest platinum trophy he ever obtained was for Crash Team Racing. Ben seems like he has a real passion for games, which got me even more excited to play FFXVI. Do you guys care if the celebrities in your games actually play video games?

Anonymous

Chromatic aberration is a myth! Wake up people!

Alex Cabrera

Sup CC and big ol D, Have you guys ever been touched by a piece of a media in such a profound way that you struggle to move on to something else? Without spoiling anything, I finished FFXVI last week and it left me emotionally exhausted. Since then I've been unable to bring myself to start anything new, be that a game, movie, etc. I'm just not ready to leave that world and its fantastic cast. This is something that I've only had happen to me 2 or 3 times in games and less so in other mediums so I'm just wondering if y'all have ever run in to this yourselves. Love y'all. You guys are a light in the darkness that is video games discourse.

Sean Mason

Dear Sacred Symbols, I hope you're doing well. I wanted to discuss how we handle controllers during lengthy cutscenes, particularly in games like Final Fantasy XVI. Personally, I tend to set my controller down next to me in order to be fully immersed in the narrative. This has become a habit of mine as I am accustomed to lengthy cutscenes in modern JRPGS. I've noticed that some of my friends with less experience in JRPGS have experienced hand discomfort from holding the controller throughout these extended cutscenes. Best, Sean M.

OrochiNewsTeam

Konichiwa Gentlemen, the ABK deal; IDGAF really. Like Colin, these acquisitions don't bother my personal gaming. If you guys don't talk about it, I wouldn't know much. I pondered If Microsoft buys ABK. What would be the best revenge. I came up with the Infamous Rockstar Favor. Imagine if GTA6 became a Playstation exclusive as a favor. Would that hurt Microsoft? It's a fun thought, Keep "marinating that chicken" take care. ------- Side note correction for episode 260 MGS Collection vol 1. The graphic Novel is voiced with audio from the game and follows the story of MGS and MGS2 with extra scenes never before seen. The Graphic novel originally was an interactive PSP game that you progress by interacting with the panels searching for easter eggs and clues. MGS2 PSP graphic novel never released in the U.S. until the PS3 MGS Legendary Collection. That version the two novels were converted to DVD and played like a movie. This is most likely how the upcoming Collection will be.

Anonymous

Hey Sacred Dudes, All this chatter and banter about streaming services, GamePass, PS+ and whether it’s good economics for the industry and consumers, reminded me of a lovely little time period in gaming that I feel goes wholly underappreciated and completely forgotten. SEGA Channel. SEGA, of all companies, was truly way ahead of its time by offering a subscription service, through your cable company, in which customers could access Genesis games online alongside new game demoes that were refreshed monthly with new games. Launched in 1994, it completely foreshadowed where the entire industry was heading within the next 30 years and is often not even mentioned when documenting videogames. Waking up early on the first of the month to check out the new games, before catching the bus to school, is something I’ll always cherish as a top tier gaming core memory. Am I the only one who remembers this?

Christopher Cottle

Hello CDC, Long time listener from back in the ign days, first time writing in and very excited. With the FTC going after Microsoft for COD the nature of their business, I’m reminded of the PS3 era where Activision would partner with Microsoft to provide early access to map packs similar to what Sony ended up doing in the following generation. Hearing how PlayStation was actively trying to get Starfield as a console exclusive as well I can only really ask you all, what would happen if the shoe was on the other foot? More specific, how do you think Shawn Layden’s PlayStation would have handled this situation? Keeping in mind we’re talking about 2018 where Bethesda would have been coming off the the release of Fallout 76 and Activision with Black Ops 4 being rather controversial releases. 2018’s God of War was at the height of the PS4 era and I feel like it would be interesting to hear you gentlemen talk about the state of affairs from a new lens potentially cleared of Crying Jim’s tears. Thank you for getting me through my difficult youth and now keeping going through my work day.

Anonymous

Hey CDC, We already know Chris is hyped for Starfield. Will Colin or Dustin be playing it on launch? I was interested in this game before the Zenimax acquisition was announced and am pretty depressed I won’t be able to get the platinum for it. Currently going for the platinum in Skyrim, and apart from keeping track of missables it’s been pretty fun. It’s a good excuse to see everything in that game in one playthrough, which is usually not the goal when playing a Bethesda game. Big recommend for Colin. Thanks, and keep molesting that poultry!

GhostRade

Good day Dolin Dhris and Custin, Colin had said on a recent show that PlayStation is likely to not go away in our lifetime, which I fully agree with, however this brings a possibly interesting hypothetical. If you woke up one day and discovered Jim Ryan uploaded a video to PlayStation’s various social media platforms where he says something along the lines of “PlayStation is shutting down effective immediately, thank you for showing your support.” With no further explanation and all servers were immediately shut off, how would you react? Would you move to another platform or quit gaming altogether? Thank you and have a nice day.

easelgames

Hey Sacred, I have one simple question. How is Chris feeling about FFXVI? It's really that simple. Thanks for all the great content as usual. BTW Colin, look into a game called Kartia The World Of Fate. It's a ps1 game that is *entirely* Amano spritework. It's unedited to, it's like looking at a game full of his concept art. I think you'd be really into it visually. Not making a game suggestion here. Cheers! - Easel

NeO JD

What’s up my Slittas? Whoa whoa whoa! Before you bust out the banhammer Chris, it’s chill, we actually have an update on Slitterhead: https://twitter.com/bokehgamestudio/status/1676923447224696833?s=46

Jeff Caseres

What’s up CDC! Two things I want to push back on from the previous episode. First one: You keep my asking why is anyone cheering MS to buy Activision, the answer to that is because people want to see someone directly compete with Sony. MS buying Activision will force Sony to make FPS games, and other types of genres aside from the exclusive third person action adventure games. You said it yourself that they are starting to blend together. Also, Xbox games aren’t as bad as you make them sound like they are. State of Decay is awesome, Sea of Thieves is great and the type of game Sony wishes they had right now, Forza has always has been a great racing game. They’re not to the same high fidelity pretty graphics as Spider Man 2 or God of War but I’ll argue that they have way more replayability than many PlayStation exclusives. Second point: I agree with everything you say about GamePass but I just wanted to let you know that my casual af friends are LOVING GamePass because they no longer have to buy games often. Before GamePass even existed I always had problems getting my friends to play something else other than Warzone (which is free to play btw) because they just didn’t want to drop $60 dollars on a game. I am in your camp where I buy any game I like but I truly believe we are very much in the minority. Which further proves Shawn Layden’s point that the PlayStation exclusive bangers cycle isn’t sustainable. let’s not forget that one of the main reasons Call of Duty makes a lot of money is because they sell for $70 AND they have a shit load of micro transactions. So a game like that is actually perfect for the GamePass model if you’re a casual af micros transactions whale. Love y’all! KEEP IT THE FUCK UP!

Anonymous

Hey Colin and the crew, wanted to ask if Colin ( or anyone else) has listened to the Designer Notes podcast by Soren Johnson? It features a lot of talks with Game Devs with some interesting insight from the game dev side of things, that wouldn't usually be covered in the news cycle and it is very interesting for those wondering what things are like in the trenches of game dev. There's some episodes with Amy Henning that could be of interest. Also would be interesting to hear Lillymo appear on it if it was of interest! Thanks guys for everything, wish you all the best.

Anonymous

Let Chris speak! Dude didn’t get a chance last week until 40 minutes in.

Family Falls

Hey CDC, Quick question. Now that Twitter is a fowl place and threads seam to be holding up. Are you boys gonna jump ship, and Colin will you be more active there?

Elonchan

Dear Colin, Over the last several months if not years, I’ve really related to most of not all of your experiences with depression, anxiety and medication. We’re of similar age and have similar touchstones in gaming and in familial history (trauma?). I’m 37, and while I did briefly take an SSRI a couple times in my 20s it was only when I hit 35 and became a step parent that I realized I really needed medication. For me, my depression manifests most as making me an asshole. I just get angry and have a very short fuse. I’ve been on lexapro for a couple years now, and with that and therapy, I have really made some strides and no longer blow up at the people around me and am taking much better care of myself physically. It’s been a long road, but I have a much better relationship with my step kids, and we have a new child on the way. Yes we have a name, Malcolm. I know I’m getting long winded here, so I’ll cut myself short and just say that as someone who lives with depression, I greatly appreciate your transparency and willingness to discuss personal issues. It’s very humanizing and I think something we have too much of in todays world is a refusal to be vulnerable or honest about our everyday lives, putting up facades to hide the reality underneath. Thanks for keeping it real. P.S. 311 was an inside job.

Anonymous

Greetings and Salutations Sacred Gentlemen! With the court situation regarding FTC , Sony and Microsoft, do you think it's plausible that the Call of Duty franchise only became as popular and as relatively big as they are now was only possible thanks to PlayStation? Would Microsoft have sold more Xbox if they had the exclusivity deal with Activision? Thanks and keep up the great work!

thor magnusson

Hello sacred lads, did anyone get a chance to catch the recent Helldivers 2 gameplay trailer? I am not big on live service titles but must admit it looked surprisingly impressive. The graphics look polished, the gameplay looks crunchy, and the weapons/items list seem vast. Its not an immediate win but has me slightly hopeful for Sony's approach to this intiative. My question to the group is, can we recap what we assume is the full list of 10 live service games in the pipeline? Secondly, can we rank them in order of anticipation (if any)?Thanks for all you guys do, keep the great stuff coming...

Napoleon in Rags

What do you make of Final Fantasy 16 sales numbers in Japan? It dropped 90% it’s second week on market from it’s first week. Do you think this game has a much more “Western” audience as it’s main sales target?

Ollie

Hey Colin, what is your take on cheating for trophies? Not necessarily because something is too hard, but because it takes too much time and the grind isn't worth it? I got the platinum for Uncharted Golden Abyss this past March after having the game since 2012. However, there is a caveat: there are several trophies that require collecting 'bounties' either by using the Vita's 'near' feature or grinding kills in specific spots for hours on end. By the time I had to grind for these trophies, I unapologetically used a homebrew app on my modded Vita that allowed me to force a trophy to unlock, since I was ready to move on from the game. I also did this for a few trophies in Persona 4 Golden back in 2021 (IYKYK). So, is there any shame in using glitches or cheats to unlock trophies, or should I be shamed for all eternity? Love you guys, and keep up the great work.

bigafroman14

Hey boy's!! Longtime first time. I wanted to see if you guys have caught up with season 6 of black mirror. I personally think this season was ok but loved ep 3 Beyond the sea. Anyways keep up the good work and thanks for the entertainment you bring me from week to week!

Rafa_El

Hello sacred squad. Wanted to make an observation on how to speak with your money to get attention from owners/companies to send a message when things aren’t working out/broken. On a recent futbol (soccer) match the Mexican national team went against Panama in the Gold Cup. MEX fans did not show up even after purchasing their tickets in advance to let the team/nation know that they do not like their choice in their latest coach. The coach was then fired right after that match, even after winning. Fans have more power than we think. For a bit more context on the fans speaking out. Mex had lost their previous match against the US 3-0 and apparently the coach had overworked team during trainings. Even with day of trainings. So the team did not have a good appearance. The coach only lasted 2 matches before being let go. Thanks and hope you guys have a wonderful day.

Anonymous

Hey CDC, I saw Micah’s tweet regarding the soggy cereal at the bottom of the bowl, aka “sog dogs” as she put it. So thought I’d ask a cereal related Question. How do you guys handle the left over milk? Do you drink the milk? Top it off with more cereal? Do you even have left over milk? These are the important questions people need to know. #sogdogs Jack uk

Anonymous

Hey CDC, Thought I’d chime in with my opinions on FF16 not being a proper FF. We need to decouple the conversation of whether it’s good purely because it’s not like previous FF titles. I love 16, my GOTY easily so far and both my friends and I have discussed whether it’s a proper FF. I don’t feel as though it really fits in the mainline series for a few key reasons. I won’t get into it because it’s not that important, if this is the direction the series is going I’m more than happy, I have very little complaints about the game. I just didn’t appreciate the blanket statement that people saying it’s not a proper FF don’t know the series or haven’t played 16. Take it from someone who would consider themselves a more hardcore and knowledgeable fan of the series than most. I don’t think it really fits but that’s not a bad thing. Just my two cents. Much love, Jp

Anthony Maltese

Hey cid, cid, and cid. Wanted to write in to specifically NOT talk about FFXVI But instead I wanted to see what kind of game do you see yourselves playing as a chaser to FFXVI. Are you in a DMC mood? Looking for more action rpg goodness like a Tales game, or something totally different? I’m planning to throw down on trails into reverie since that drops as the episode airs for non-scallywags, but more importantly, where do you guys go from here? All the best gents - Anthony PS: Colin there is another TFxGiJoe mashup: soundwave dreadnok thunder machine w/ carded Zartan and Zarana that looks dope. Just in case you haven’t seen and want to add it to your Schrödinger‘s Gi Joe collection.