Over the recent holiday, the Chicago Bears were once again a national embarrassment, losing in disastrous and nightmarish fashion for all the world to witness. But for the first time in their 100-year history, the Bears fired their head coach mid-season. Is this reason for optimism? Dread? A reason for Patrick to open a beer on a Monday night while recording a podcast?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

One Twilight movie wasn’t enough for us during Save Point. We had to keep going. And fortunately, Austin was kind enough to join us for the complete madness that is Twilight: Breaking Dawn – Part 2. And no, we could not get enough of this movie’s very weird baby.Intro 00:00, Movie Start 11:08See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When Remap came together in New York to raise money for Save Point, there was only one way to celebrate a reunion with Natalie: continue watching the Twilight movies. We’ve already watched most of them, but did you know the last one was split into two parts? Sure, why not?Recap 00:00, Movie Start 29:36See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Congratulations! You and the rest of Remap survived until S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2. Naturally, Rob has been spending an extraordinary amount of time in The Zone, but first, we have to talk about 2024’s The Game Awards nominees, Steam being called out for harboring nazis, and rumors Sony might buy the media company Kadokawa, who owns a significant chunk of FromSoftware. Elsewhere, Janet’s been trying to figure out if she’s smart enough for Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, while Patrick has disappointing news to share about a few hours spent playing Avowed.Discussed: The Game Awards Nominees 0:39, Sony looking to purchase From Software's Stake Owner 30:30, ADL Release Report on Nazism on Steam 38:15, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 51:27, Alan Wake: The Lake House 1:37:40, Lorelai and the Lazer Eyes 1:49:00, Echos of Wisdom 2:13:27, Avowed 2:16:10, Lego Horizon 2:48:56, Grunn 2:50:49, Outro and Announcements 2:54:36See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There’s no better way to bring back Sports! than to patiently wait for the Chicago Bears to sucker us back into caring, before smashing our hearts into pieces. Go Pack Go? Rob and Patrick do their best to sit in front of a microphone and make sense of what happened Sunday.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hot off hosting Save Point in New York, Rob and Patrick find themselves trying to figure out the puzzle box that is the (slightly more powerful) PlayStation 5 Pro. Fortunately, Janet and Cado are here to help us rationalize Rob’s latest impulsive purchase. In the news, we discuss Pocket Pair revealing what Nintendo’s upset about with Palworld, learn Tequila Works made a bunch of interesting games we’ve never heard of, and spend a little time processing Trump’s re-election.Discussed: Rob Bought a PS5 Pro 11:58, The Patents that Pokemon is suing Pal World over 58:17, Class Action Lawsuit against Ubisoft over the closing of The Crew 1:04:54, Tequila Works shutting down 1:13:37, Veilgaurd 1:20:10, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth 1:23:57, Indika 1:29:41, Lego Horizon 1:30:30, Veilguard 1:37:57, Ghost of Tsushima 1:53:14, Echos of Wisdom 2:05:08, The Election 2:07:04See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re collectively getting ready for Save Point, a charity stream where we’ll be gathering in New York to hang out, play games, and raise money. But first, many of us have been playing Dragon Age: The Veilguard, leading us to pick apart why this RPG franchise has experienced so much whiplash over the years. Plus, Patrick has finished Life Is Strange: Double Exposure and has a lot of thoughts on iit. One last programming note, folks: this was recorded ahead of the election.Discussed: Dragon Age: The Veilguard 0:11:42, Life is Strange: Double Exposure 1:25:44, Rebirth 1:57:26, NSFW Jackbox 1:59:29, CODBLOPS 2:11:52, Mailbox 2:20:03See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It might’ve been inevitable, but the news that Sony is shutting down the developer of Concord is still distressing. Patrick, Janet, Rob, and Cado unpack what that disaster says about the state of game development, before turning their eyes to labor walkouts at DON’T NOD and Activision Blizzard. Elsewhere, Janet has finished Life Is Strange: Double Exposure and is not very happy with where the story ends up. Fortunately, Rob’s having a great time with the campaign for Black Ops 6. In The Question Bucket, we consider reasons for buying The Ultimate Monitor.Discussed: Sony Closes Firewalk 11:45, Layoffs at Don't Nod 37:15, Black Ops 6 QA strike over Return to Office Policy 1:04:10, Mouthwashing 1:12:11, Black Ops 6 1:21:38, Double Exposure 1:39:20, The Question Bucket 1:55:51See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This might be the most important interview in the history of Remap. Patrick managed to score an interview with Lance Allen, senior merchant of decorative holiday at Home Depot, also known as the creator of the 12-foot skeleton that sits outside of Patrick’s house all year long. Patrick and Lance chat about what it was like stumbling into a viral phenomenon during COVID-19, what the research process is like for coming up with new creations, and more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is one of the best games of the year. Naturally, Ubisoft has disbanded the development team. Nonetheless, Remap Radio pushes on, with Patrick, Janet, Cado, and Rob also discussing Netflix shutting down a big budget studio, before chattinga about the games they’ve been playing, including Neva, Tower of Dreams, Alan Wake II: The Lake House, and more. In The Question Bucket, we further unpack the ending to the original Life Is Strange.Discussed: Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown studio shuttered 2:19, Netflix Closes Their Game Studio 30:33, Neva 57:07, Tower of Dreams 1:21:57, Alan Wake DLC: The Lake House 1:32:26, FC 25 1:41:08, Football Tactics and Glory 1:47:42, Mouthwashing 1:58:57, Unsorted Horror 1:59:41, The Question Bucket 2:04:58, Spoilers for Life is Strange 2:34:33, Outro and Announcements 2:47:23See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With Rob out for the week, it’s left to Patrick, Cado, and Janet to consider Destiny getting a mobile game, the massive data leak at Pokémon developer Game Freak, and what to make of social platforms monetarily rewarding online figures exhibiting the most toxic behavior possible. We’ve also played a bunch of the new Atlus RPG, Metaphor: ReFantazio, the first two chapters of Life is Strange: Double Exposure, the opening hours of Neva, and dabbled in Steam Next Fest. In The Question Bucket, we ponder the existence of “frankenstein remasters” in games.Mobile Destiny 0:06:05 Game Freak Data Leak 0:20:53 Asmongold 0:41:09 Metaphor: ReFantazio 0:57:16 Life is Strange: Double Exposure 1:37:37Steam Next Fest 2:08:33 Question Bucket 2:23:03See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s spooky season, but there’s nothing spooky about the announcement of a sequel to Alien: Isolation. Rob, Patrick, and Cado try to figure out what a sequel to one of the horror greats might look like, before turning their confused attention to the future of Halo. Elsewhere, Patrick has been exploring the spookiest town of all in the new Silent Hill 2 remake, while Rob continues to plum the depths of Frostpunk 2. Finally, Cado has been playing Mexico 1921: A Deep Slumber, and we get into a shockingly long aside about Rob’s latest audio purchase.Discussed: Alien Isolation Sequel Announced 2:41, Meet New Halo Studios Just Like the Old Halo Studios 34:08, Silent Hill 2 Remake 48:02, Frostpunk 2 1:09:48, Playstation Portal 1:20:59, Who Doesn't Love a 3.5 mm Jack? 1:49:30, Mexico 1921, A Deep Slumber 1:52:49, FC 25 2:05:39, The Question Bucket 2:20:42See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s a week of weird/downer news in video games, between Star Wars Outlaws not selling well, Assassin’s Creed Shadows feeling the weight of an entire company, Nintendo going after emulation (again), and more. But Janet, Patrick, Rob, and Cado are here to guide you through it, alongside impressions of The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, an update on playing Space Marine 2, and more. In The Question Bucket, we consider getting into the Battle Pod.Discussed: Nintendo comes for the emulators 2:22, PS5 Pro preorders are all over the place 20:20, Troubles at Ubisoft 43:38, Janet's Star Wars History 1:00:31, Outlaws is a hard pitch 1:09:36, Space Marine 2 1:34:03, Echos of Wisdom 1:50:23, Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown 2:21:38, Epic Mickey Rebrushed 2:42:53, The Question Bucket 2:53:47See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A few weeks into the latest NFL season, Patrick and Rob aren’t sure what to make of their Chicago Bears. Is it good when your offensive line is going viral for falling on the ground? Are your most important players supposed to have a “team meeting” during “communication week” with the offensive player caller? Why, for god’s sake, can’t this team just be normal for once?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s a busy week of news, as Patrick, Rob, Janet, and Cado convene to discuss Sony’s latest State of Play, the delay of Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, the latest on Concord, and more. Plus, Janet and Patrick finished Astro Bot, Rob’s continued to pull apart Frostpunk 2, and Cado’s compelled by Star Wars Outlaws. Oh, and despite agreeing no one else should probably do it, Patrick beat The Plucky Squire. And in The Question Bucket? Oh, let’s get agile, baby.Discussed: Playstation State of Play 0:52, PSVR 2 1:18, Ghost of Yotei 9:12, Monster Hunter Wilds 23:06, Hell is Us 26:08, Alan Wake 2 DLC 29:18, Stellar Blade Nier Automata DLC 31:25, Dragon Age Veilguard 35:56, Palworld Lawsuit 44:22, The New Flappy Bird Situation 59:54, Ubisoft Shadows Delayed 1:04:31, Concord Director Steps Down 1:17:32, Like a Dragon: Pirate Dragon in Hawaii 1:23:19, Astrobot 1:44:05, Frostpunk 2 1:57:22, The Plucky Squire 2:20:36, The Question Bucket 2:34:07See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rob, Patrick, and Cado are psyched to be joined by Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, who’s also the author of an upcoming book about the complicated legacy and uncertain future of Blizzard. With Janet traveling, the rest of the group mulls the strange blowup at Annapurna Interactive and the equally strange and crypto-infused return of Flappy Bird. Both Patrick and Jason have spent time with the audacious UFO 50, while Jason, sadly, hasn’t exactly been blown away by The Lucky Squire. Rob, meanwhile, is busy managing a never ending winter in Frostpunk 2. At the very end, we indulge in some light sports, given that Jason is a long suffering fan of the Jets.Discussed: Annapurna Interactive Staff Resign Enmasse 5:21, Flappy Bird is Back? 18:20, Frostpunk 2 39:36, The Plucky Squire 1:03:56, UFO 50 1:05:28, Play Nice 1:17:08, Outro and Announcementnts 1:55:29See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With Sony finally announcing its long rumored PlayStation 5 Pro, the crew gathers to figure out what exactly you’re buying with $700 and what it says about the future of hardware. Elsewhere, Patrick and Janet are continuing to enjoy Astro Bot, while Rob has fully given into his most authentic tank self in Gunner, HEAT, PC! Oh, and everyone’s really digging Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2, even if we’re spending a lot of time asking questions about the mythology.Discussed: PS5 Pro 2:42, Astrobot 1:15:21, Gunner,Heat,PC! 1:40:09, Space Marine 2 1:55:58, Valley Peaks 2:13:58, Nine Sols 2:13:58, The Question Bucket 2:20:03, Outro and Announcements 2:38:12See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Janet and Patrick are freshly back from PAX, ready to share stories of panels, riding trains, and playing games like The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Life Is Strange: Double Exposure, and more with Rob and Cado. Beyond trying to pick apart Sony’s decision to shove Concord into a digital locker mere weeks after launch, we’ve also got a shockingly positive Star Wars: Outlaws update from Rob, while Patrick and Janet are both over the frickin’ moon for Astro Bot.Discussed: The Question Bucket 0:45, Concord Shuts Down 25:48, Remedy teams up with Annapurna 1:23:05, Astro Bot 1:30:39, Space Marine 2 2:00:50, Pax West 2:24:13, Life is Strange Double Exposure 2:24:16, The Legend of Zelda: Echos of Wisdom 2:34:18, Star Wars Outlaws 2:40:54, Outro and Announcements 2:53:06See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s nearly, folks: another chance for the Chicago Bears to break our hearts. Rob and Patrick gather around the sportsball to peer into the future, and discover that despite the Bears’ best efforts, they’re (once again) optimistic. But before that, we discuss how fans process rooting for mediocrity as an achievable goal, before transitioning it previewing the entire NFL season as a whole. In The Question Bucket, we determine the NFL’s saddest team—and it’s not the Bears!Discussed: No Cursing Please,  0:31, Quarterback Character,  18:09, The Upcoming Bears Season,  40:45, The NFL SAD Club,  1:06:00, The Rest of the NFL Season,  1:13:58See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Fresh off watching Nintendo’s latest Indie World showcase, Remap Radio gathers to mull the endgame of the Nintendo Switch. Join Janet, Patrick, Cado, and Rob as they also wonder: hey, was that Apple TV Tetris movie any good? Elsewhere, Rob and Patrick work through some mixed feelings on Star Wars Outlaws, we try to unpack Concord’s failure to launch and what it says about Sony’s broader live service strategy, and everyone’s feeling Tactical Breach Wizards. In The Question Bucket, we asked and you delivered: more delicious corporate jargon.Discussed: Nintendo Direct 2:44, Star Wars Outlaws 32:02, Deadlock Exists 1:10:20, Concord 1:16:10, Stormgate 1:44:03, Age of Mythology Retold 1:49:16, Tactical Breach Wizards 2:03:24, Janet's Jak II Adventures 2:21:36, The Question Bucket 2:26:06, Outro and Announcements 2:45:12See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Somehow, Peter Molyneux returned. But so did Remap Radio, as Patrick, Janet, Cado, and Rob gathered to discuss Gamescom. In fact, Janet had a chance to play some of those games, including Avowed, Little Nightmares III, Winter Burrow, and more. Patrick’s spent time with gaming’s latest culture war, Black Myth: Wukong, while Rob’s been stuck in digital submarines in UBOAT. Elsewhere, Patrick and Cado have both been enjoying the tactical pixel RPG Arco, and in The Question Bucket, we ponder more about Molyneux and our favorite corporate jargon.Discussed: Gamescom Opening Night 2:20, Monster Hunter Wilds 20:14, Directive 8020 35:26, Lost Records 39:29, Avowed 55:57, Funko Fusion 1:05:39, Winterburrow 1:07:07, Black Myth: Wukong's Whole Deal 1:09:50, Arco 1:38:01, Destroyer: The U-boat Hunter 1:51:43, The Question Bucket 2:06:33See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Here's a preview of this week's HOA! Listen to more by upgrading to the Library tier at remapradio.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Why can’t there be more weird sports games? What’s wrong with an athlete having a lil’ cult, as a treat? It’s these questions and more with Janet, Patrick, Cado, and Rob this week, as we start by celebrating/questioning the surprising news that Tango Gameworks and Hi-Fi Rush aren’t dead anymore. Also, we wade into the Deadlock discourse, which prompts a discussion on Steam’s role in the PC ecosystem and what the proper response to a monopoly is. Elsewhere, Janet’s been playing Fields of Mysteria, Rob’s into Conscript, and Patrick’s looking for love.Discussed: The Motorsports. Managers Have Logged On 2:11, Krafton acquires Tango Gameworks 51:42, The Verge's Deadlock Article 1:04:59, The Question Bucket 1:36:21, Fields of Mistria 2:06:19, The games Patrick isn't quite playing 2:21:44, Conscript 2:22:57, Steamworld Heist 2 2:34:27See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re not ready to give up the Olympics yet, which is why Rob and Patrick have convened the Sports! council to chat about what it’s been like having Olympics fever the past two weeks, and spend a bunch of time talking about women’s soccer, men and women’s basketball, and cycling. And we definitely do not overhype a handful of pre-season passes from Caleb Williams. No, sir.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A simple question: how do you best organize your digital life? Patrick, Janet, Rob, and Cado have already got it figured out, clearly. But soon enough, we’re chatting about games, with Patrick having conquered the known universe after completing The Game of Sisyphus, and both Janet and Patrick having a blast with the whimsical (but hard!) Valley Peaks. Meanwhile, Rob’s connecting orbs in World of Goo 2. In video game news, there’s the unexpected departure of Luke Smith and others from Bungie, the tragic closure of Game Informer, and the increasing weirdness about What’s Going on at Intel. And in a brief Question Bucket, we ponder parries.Discussed: Rob's Power Outage Story 3:36, The Game of Sisyphus 22:57, Valley Peaks 33:38, Surmount 55:43, World of Goo 2 1:09:32, Game Informer Closed 2:03:18, Luke Smith and Mark Noseworthy Out at Bungie 2:23:35, Intel's No Good Very Bad Financial Quarter 2:39:23, The Question Bucket 2:58:18See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The NFL approaches, which means soon enough, Patrick and Rob will grapple with the reality of the Chicago Bears actually playing football, instead of wondering about it. History has taught us the former is better. Can Caleb Williams and co. change that? We’ll see, and our first glimpse into the future comes via HBO’s documentary series Hard Knocks, which is following the Bears at training camp this year. We also touch on the NBA Finals, Olympics, and a few other topics.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is failing to throw a football while streaming College Football 25 a sign of weakness, or merely an illustration of the stressors associated with public sport? Rob, Patrick, Cado, and Janet ponder this question and more, while trying to make sense of Bungie’s latest set of layoffs, SAG-AFTRA going on strike, and EA’s questionable use of the term “AI.” Elsewhere, Patrick’s both high and low on the comedic Thank Goodness You’re Here, while Janet doesn’t want the oceanic Loodlenaut to ever end. In The Question Bucket, we consider entering a sound pod.2:35 - College Football 2537:16 - Loddlenaut45:09 - Thank Goodness You're Here1:00:42 - Bungie Layoffs1:45:52 - SAG-AFTRA Strike, AI2:14:24 - XBox 360 Store Closing2:28:28 - Question BucketSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Unionization is spreading throughout Microsoft, and it’s glorious. Patrick, Janet, Rob, and Cado chat about the formation of unions at Bethesda Game Studios and Blizzard, before [deep sigh] unpacking Ubisoft’s decision to acknowledge the nontroversy with Assassin’s Creed Shadows put forth by bad faith actors. Also, Patrick and Janet have spent time with Clickolding and Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure. By the end, we drink deep from The Question Bucket. Discussed: Unions are being formed across the gaming industry 3:01, Ubisoft Responds to Criticism and Trolls 19:08 Google Signs AI Deal with Reddit 42:57, Arranger 1:04:39, Tangent about Homework 1:18:43, Clickolding 1:27:31, Humble Games Shuttered 1:47:25, The Question Bucket 2:03:28See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

College Football is back as a surprise hit of the summer... and it appears to have awakened something in Rob. He's traveling the Midwest recruiting for Notre Dame, concealing from all those kids that their head coach doesn't know what a "hot route" is much less how to call one. Janet's got a head full of soccer as she explains EA FC 24 and how it's trying to be all things to all players. The gang discuss the ominous letter a laid-off DEI team lead sent to colleagues at Microsoft before Janet shares tales of being charmed by Flock, and Rob builds his own new F1 team in F1 Manager 24. Finally, a reader shares all the dark secrets of the Bionicles.Discussed: College Football 25 4:24, FC 25 56:11, Microsoft Lays of portion of DEI Team 1:48:01, Flock 2:00:51, F1 Manager 24 2:10:25, Hauntii 2:31:35, The Question Bucket 2:35:17See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We begin where all good podcasts begin, of course, with Patrick, Rob, Janet, and Cado talking about Bionicle. Eventually, this all starts to make sense, as Rob has been playing a lot of Cataclismo, a strategy game with some Lego-like mechanics. We also unpack Microsoft’s recent (but unsurprising?) shifts with Xbox Game Pass, what “success” means for a game in Early Access, and why we’re so drawn to goofy games liked Chained Together and The Game of Sisyphus. And finally, listeners wrote in with more tales of dealing with conspiracy theories.Discussed: Cataclismo 40:06, Game Pass Pricing Changes 1:15:35, Manor Lords Publisher Defends Dev 1:50:14, Chained Together 2:12:42, Question Bucket 2:26:32See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

And now, the conclusion of Patrick’s ongoing interview series from Summer Game Fest, featuring conversations with the developers of Bounty Star (mechs!), Hello Kitty (cats!), SteamWorld Heist 2 (tactics!), and Cairn (rocks!).See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s impossible to begin anywhere but with the ongoing, evolving, and increasingly upsetting story surrounding the popular streamer Herschel "Guy" Beahm, aka Dr. Disrespect, and what it says about applications of justice at places like YouTube and Twitch. We touch on the Elden Ring difficulty discourse, in light of Shadow of the Erdtree dropping, before chatting about Janet revisiting Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, Patrick digging deep into Nine Sols, and the group wondering if the game of the year is The Game of Sisyphus, a game about rolling a boulder. Oh, and there’s another installment in Landlord Talk (™). This one somehow involves a funeral.Discussed: Remap's Anniversary Stream 16:28, Dr. Disrespect Was Twitch Banned for Sexually Explicit Messages to a Minor on Twitch 30:26, The Difficulty Discourse Returns around Elden Ring DLC 1:10:30, An Early Question Bucket 1:28:17, One Million Checkboxes 1:42:53, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth 1:43:30, Nine Sols 1:59:41, The Game of Sisyphus 2:02:13, Farm Simulator 19 2:15:57, Outro and Announcements 2:27:45See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s time for another round of interviews from Patrick’s time at Summer Game Fest earlier this month. Today, it’s conversations with the developers behind Sony’s tremendous-looking platformer Astro Bot, Blumhouse’s debut into video games Fear the Spotlight, and the exceptionally quirky but undeniably charming indie romance game Building Relationships.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rob, Patrick, and Janet discuss the Nintendo Direct, the cancellation of Life by You and the cycle of missteps at Paradox Interactive, the ups-and-downs of Eugen Systems’ RTS games, and life aboard a haunted oil rig in Still Wakes the Deep. But first, the gang show what it means to live the Good Life by discussing Selaco, the Doom-derived FEAR-like that has been kicking butts and (trailer voice) BLOWING THEIR MINDS.Discussed: 3:32 - Selaco, 28:42 - Nintendo Direct, 1:13:07 - Life by You & Paradox Interactive, 1:27:43 - A brief Bloodborne Interlude, 1:32:08 - CATO, 1:38:50 - CONSCRIPT, 1:44:34 - Glyphica: Typing Survival, 1:50:23 - Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn, 1:54:16 - I Am Your Beast, 2:02:42 - WARNO, 2:14:24 - Still Wakes the DeepSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Patrick recently attended Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest in sunny Los Angeles, California, and came back with a whole bunch of interesting interviews with interesting developers about interesting games. You’ll hear those interviews over the next few weeks, starting with conversations featuring the developers of Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure, Harmonium: The Musical, and Neva. There’s more to come, including, of course, Astro Bot!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Over the past weekend, Janet and Patrick spent many hours wandering Geoff Keighley’s latest Summer Game Fest event, playing and seeing games like Astro Bot, Zoochosis, STALKER 2, While Waiting, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and many more. Elsewhere, Cado, Patrick, and Rob have been dipping their toes into Steam’s Next Fest celebration. Oh, and we’re prepping for next week’s big in-person Remap first anniversary stream that kicks off on Friday evening!Discussed: Summer Game Fest 4:18, Zoochosis 22:53, STALKER 2 32:25, Marty O'Donnell loses his congressional race 43:39, break 51:19, Flock 51:31, AstroBot 58:28, Lego Horizons 1:12:53, Dragon Age Voidguard 1:16:59, Shadow of the Erdtree 1:44:05, Harmonium 1:49:54, While Waiting 1:54:47, Perfect Dark 2:05:23, Steam Next Fest 2:13:01, Pinball Spire 2:14:50, Keylocker 2:18:40, Thank Goodness You're Here 2:21:24, Golden Lap 2:27:28, Tactical Breach Wizards 2:36:12, Demonschool 2:38:46, Dungeons and Degenerate Gamblers 2:42:56, Outro and Announcements 2:48:10See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We kick off by recapping Sony’s State of Play, in which Rob unfairly asks the rest of the group to restrain themselves from spending the entire hour talking about Astro Bot. But that gives Cado, Patrick, and Janet plenty of time to unpack Infinity Nikki and consider gaming’s open world dress up future. Elsewhere, we chat about Amazon making a Yakuza TV show and Google workers leaking Nintendo information. On the games front, Rob’s finished up F1 23’s campaign, Cado’s trying to play Destiny, and Patrick’s really digging two new indies, RKGK and Nine Sols.Discussed: Yakuza Game In the Works 3:23, Playstation State of Play 18:43, Silent Hill 2 Remaster 19:22, Concord 21:56, Marvel Rivals 34:36, Infinity Nikki 37:41, Until Dawn Remaster 45:42, Astro Bot 49:29, Google Contractor Used Admin Access to Leak Info From Private Nintendo YouTube Video 1:09:01, Rob's Tire Woes 1:19:20, F1 Flashpoint 1:30:53, RKGK 1:50:46, Nine Sols 1:52:44, Destiny 2: The Final Shape 2:06:29, The Question Bucket 2:13:33, Outro and Announcements 2:41:14See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How do you weave narrative into gameplay? How do you balance the two, and when should they overlap? Join a roundtable discussion with developers behind the exciting upcoming games Cryptmaster (Lee Williams), Nirvana Noir (Evan Stark), and Wander Stars (Andie Gallo) as they unpack their individual approaches to this topic.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The great fear is that AI will replace tons of jobs, including journalists, which makes the decisions by Vox Media, The Atlantic, and others to actively partner with AI companies all the more puzzling to Patrick, Rob, Janet, and Cado. It neatly lines up with confusing (and wrong?) comments from Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann about AI that Sony have since retracted. We also consider news that Steam won’t let you transfer ownership upon death, before chatting about beating games like Animal Well, Hellblade II, and Homeworld 3. Remap? Beating games?Discussed: Vox Media Signs Deal with OpenAI 16:25, Why 404 Media Needs Your Email 59:24, Neil Druckmann misquoted in Sony Interview 1:17:10, Valve confirms your Steam account cannot be transferred to anyone after you die 1:35:12, Duck Detective 1:57:00, Animal Well 2:08:24, Homeworld 3 2:15:37, Senua's Saga: Hellblade II 2:29:29, Destiny 2 The Final Shape Leaks 2:43:38, Outro and Announcements 2:49:21See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Few things are more important to a story-driven game than the writing. This becomes even more paramount when you hand over decisions to the players. Join the developers of Citizen Sleeper, Times & Galaxy, and Slay the Princess as they provide insight into the process of writing and player choice.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We open in a familiar place, with Rob, Patrick, Cado, and Janet talking about the ongoing tumult in video games media, after hearing IGN has acquired a bunch of new websites. Rob also gets a chance to ruminate on what a rumored Total War: Star Wars game might look like, before he discusses the fascinating, if understandably polarizing, Hellblade II: Senua’s Saga with Patrick. We also chat about Crow Country, racing wheels, our relationship with clutter, and more.Discussed: IGN Buys Gamer Network Websites 8:47, Slay the Spire Boardgame 1:06:03, One Final Redfall Update 1:07:03, Creative Assembly Is Making Total War: Star Wars 1:09:27, Rob's Thoughts on Star Wars Battles, Hellblade 2 1:17:12, Crow Country 1:52:55, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown 2:06:58, Rob's Steering Wheel Adventures 2:09:28, The Question Bucket 2:44:16, Outro and Announcements 2:57:46See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Patrick sits down to chat with Jordi de Paco of Deconstructeam about his path through the games industry, creating games at a small scale, and finding ways to create without overworking.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Who’s the puzzle master now? It feels like it might be the people in the accounting department, after hearing about Square Enix going multiplatform and Xbox sales slumping. Patrick, Cado, Rob, and Janet break down the week’s news, alongside in-depth discussions of Animal Well, finally finishing Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, the surprising response to Homeworld 3, and more.Discussed: Animal Well 45:50, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth 1:19:01, Animorphs Spoilers 1:28:14, Homeworld 3 1:35:59, The Question Bucket 2:29:12See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rob has a chat with Xalavier Nelson Jr. as a part of Ludonarracon! They discuss the difficulties of writing stories for games, how narrative can be transformed by mechanics, and the art of writing NPC barks.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The biggest news of the week, obviously, is Sony’s fight to add PSN to Helldi…no, wait, it’s actually Nintendo confirming the next Swi…huh, no, it’s Microsoft shutting down Tango Gameworks and creating a (new) existential crisis for the Xbox brand. Phew. But Patrick, Rob, Janet, and Cado are here to unpack it all, including thoughts on Indika, Manor Lords, and Little Kitty, Big City. We also spend a shockingly long time talking about Apple’s weird new iPad ad.Discussed: Microsft closes several Bethesda Studios 12:49, Sony's Helldivers' Horrible No Good Very Bad Week 55:09, Switch 2 announcement 1:10:08, The iPad Pro Ad Controversy, 1:23:04, Indika 1:47:47, Manor Lords 2:10:04, Little Kitty Big City 2:19:44, Rusty's Retirement 2:30:21, John Wick Pinball Game 2:38:44, Outro and Announcements 2:50:37See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Recently, Patrick journeyed into his own backyard to pay a visit to the Chicago-based Stern Pinball, creators of the upcoming John Wick pinball game. Besides playing John Wick, Patrick had a chance to spend time talking with Stern Pinball lead software engineer Tim Sexton about what it means to make pinball games in the modern age, the ongoing evolution of technology inside today’s pinball games, and how the heck someone becomes a pinball creator in 2024.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What to make of Square Enix canceling $140.8 million of in-development games? How exactly is (or isn’t) Microsoft going to capitalize on Fallout-mania? Remember when Razer tried to sell people a bogus RGB-filled N95 gamer mask? All this and more on Remap Radio, as Patrick, Janet, Rob, and Cado break down the news, plus thoughts on Pools (a spooky video game), Another Crab’s Treasure, Stellar Blade, Manor Lords, and the rare IMAX/furniture store combo.Discussed: Razer Sued for Fake N95 Masks 3:50, Square Reports $140 Million Loss from Canceled Projects 22:35, Take Two Shuts Down Two Game Studios 30:41, Fallout Show Has Record Viewership 1:01:34, Pools 1:11:28, Another Crab's Treasure 1:28:30, Tales of Kenzara 1:41:34, Manor Lords 1:45:13, The Question Bucket 1:57:05, Outro and Announcments 2:21:11See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hope springs eternal at Remap Sports HQ, with the one-two punch of QB Caleb Williams and WR Rome Odunze providing Rob and Patrick with a sense of optimism about the future. Please do not remind us of this conversation a year from now. Elsewhere, we discuss the shifting winds on the public financing billionaire toys like sports stadiums, the wild NBA first round of the NBA playoffs, and how gambling and obnoxious advertising are impacting the joy of watching sports.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We start by digging into the shockingly hopeful news that the FTC has declared non-competes illegal, before trying to make sense of Embracer splitting itself into pieces. Elsewhere, Patrick and Janet have been playing—and trying to make sense of—Tales of Kenzera: Zau, a new Metroidvania centered on grief. Rob, meanwhile, just keeps playing Balatro, while Cado has been taking out cultists in the puzzle shooter (??) Children of the Sun. Finally, we talk about the very brave concessions we make for the partners in our lives. Or, in Rob’s case, getting tricked. (edited)Discussed: FTC Bans Non-Compete Clauses 4:32, Embracer Group Balkanized 31:06, Tales of Kenzara: Zau 55:22, Hidden Folks 1:25:50, Dragon's Dogma 2 1:35:53, Balatro 1:44:03, Children of the Sun 1:47:06, The Question Bucket 1:58:37, Outro and Announcements 2:43:40See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s time to pour one out for our friend and colleague Austin Walker, whose own game studio recently joined the ongoing wave of layoffs in the video game industry. Patrick, Janet, Cado, and Rob unpack the strangeness of this particular layoff and why people responded so sharply to it, before taking a deep breath and talking about the recent Nintendo Indie World event. We also talk about loving the Fallout TV series, Pepper Grinder, stitch., and some early time with Hades II, before answering a reader question about our relationship with “easy mode” in games.Discussed: The Bulls 1:59, Possibility Space Closes 13:44, Nintendo Indie World Showcase 1:05:20, Info on the PS5 Pro 1:19:22, Stitch 1:32:51, Pepper Grinder 1:49:14, Hades 2 1:56:23, The Fallout Show 2:09:03, Blue Eyed Samurai 2:16:51, The Question Bucket 2:24:00, Outro and Announcements 2:38:28See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Recently, Remap has been watching a lot of Godzilla. To better understand him, Rob and Patrick are joined by Sean Konrad, visual effects supervisor on the recent Apple TV+ show Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, to talk about the state of the visual effects industry, what it means to scale a creature like Godzilla, and much more. Konrad was an artist on the spectacular Godzilla (2014), and has worked on movies like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Furious 7, and TV shows like Loki and For All Mankind.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dead Space was cool, right? Who wouldn’t want Dead Space 2? Rob, Patrick, Janet, and Cado react to the game of telephone about if/when Dead Space 2 was ever in development, before reacting to Destiny’s big announcements and some cool indie news, like Prince of Persia: The Rogue. Elsewhere, Janet and Patrick have been playing Botany Manor, and, of course, more Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth. They also dig into your questions regarding office kitchen snafus.Discussed: Rob's Top 10 List 6:37, Dead Space 2 Remake Cancelled 7:03, Immortals of Aveum Staff Furloughed 32:43, Destiny 2: The Final Shape Announcement Stream 39:43, Slay the Spire 2 Announcement 57:47, Triple-i Initiative Showcase 1:03:43, Botany Manor 1:20:04, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth 1:38:39, The Question Bucket 1:50:46, Outro and Annoucnements 2:23:28See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jacob Geller joins Rob, Patrick, and Janet to discuss Microsoft's new "new AI assistant" and how we expect AI to be deployed to make everyday experiences easier and definitely less frustrating. Plus, Jacob's publishing a book with Lost in Cult, and we talk about the two Stellar Blades: the one that's being treated as a reactionary victory, and the character action game that actually exists. 0:33 - How a Game Lives11:22 - XBox AI45:19 - Total War but also Fort Condor59:40 - Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth1:19:52 - Princess Peach: Showtime!1:36:12 - Stellar Blade1:56:08 - Rise of the RoninSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s time to celebrate a great achievement: Dragon’s Dogma 2 has become discourse. Patrick, Janet, Rob, and Cado return from afar—GDC, PAX East, and even Disneyland—to discuss the latest details on Ken Levine’s Not BioShock Game, Judas, and what’s happening over at Sega with Relic, union contracts, and more. We also chat about the games we played at both PAX East and GDC, and Rob reveals he’s surprisingly into both Rise of the Ronin and Unicorn Overlord.Discussed: The Microtransactions of Dragon's Dogma 2 1:25, Larian isn’t making a new D&D Game 23:07, Judas revealed at IGN 27:14, Sega Workers Ratified First Union Contract in AAA Studio 54:32, Gearbox sold to Take-Two 1:03:39, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth 1:07:40, Dragon's Dogma 2 1:14:20, Princess Peach: Showtime! 1:19:10, Unicorn Overlord 1:27:13, PAX East and Janet's GDC Roundup 1:46:32, Animal Well 1:57:47, Inkonbini 2:09:21, Sopa 2:10:58, Harold Halibut 2:12:07, Rise of the Ronin 2:21:07, Cado's PAX shoutouts 2:33:53, Outro and Announcements 2:44:03See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Duncan Fyfe has written a review of Jordan Mechner's family memoir, Replay. It's a terrific piece, but also one that adds a lot of background detail on Mechner's career as a game designer. In this wide-ranging discussion, Rob and Duncan discuss Duncan's article, and their own understanding and regard for Mechner's work.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rob and Cado sit down for a quick episode before PAX and end up shooting the breeze for over two hours about Musk's embrace of the absurd Sweetbaby witch hunt, layoffs at IGN and the challenges of unionizing in the face of a declining media ecosystem, Ron Howard's classic journalism adventure The Paper and what it means to have institutional capacity. Then Austin and Patrick talk Dragon's Dogma before Rob and Cado return to talk about their successes in Balatro and Motorsports Manager, plus the upcoming race team management game from Funselektor and what a management game set in the most dangerous years of racing will have to get into. Finally, Rob thinks there should probably be a Total War Shogun 3 by now, and finally the duo dive into questions.Discussed: Coffee Talk 2:40, Gamergate "2.0" 6:38, IGN Lays off Union Members 1:05:27, Austin and Patrick talk Dragon's Dogma 2 1:19:59, Balatro 2:10:44, Motorsport Manager 2:28:28, Total War: Shogun 2 2:42:14, The Question Bucket 2:53:06See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In-between a surprisingly lengthy aside on Best Buy’s Geek Squad, the Remap Radio crew discusses Insomniac’s abandoned multiplayer Spider-Man game, Warner Bros. coldly erasing Adult Swim games from Steam, the formation of a huge new games union, and more. Elsewhere, while Patrick remains parked in mini-game city in Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, he has seen the (gaming) light with Moonlight on his PC. We also discuss the more toxic elements of the Helldivers 2 community, bemoan a lack of Balatro wins, and answer some questions.Discussed: Warner Bros. Deleting Adult Swim Games 1:52, Spider-Man Live Service Game Canceled 18:54, Super Mario Movie Getting a Sequel 32:06, QA Workers Unionize at Microsoft 35:26, MOONLIGHT 41:43, Helldivers 2 1:21:17, Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth 1:40:52, Persona 5 Royale 1:47:34, Balatro 1:50:02, The Question Bucket 1:55:51, Outro and Announcement 2:17:28See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you’re unaware of the Sweet Baby Inc. “controversy” that’s stirred online, bless you. But Gamergate wasn’t all that long ago, prompting Patrick, Janet, Rob, and Cado to mull the latest attempt by gamers to invent a boogeyman over their own insecurities. We also chat about Nintendo suing Yuzu into the ground, wonder if Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth’s overflowing mini-games are too much, and find a new passion: getting stuck in the mud in SnowRunner.Discussed: Balatro 1:34, Sweet Baby Inc. Is Being Targeted 19:18, Yuzu Emulator Settles for $2.4 Million 1:03:59, Marty O'Donnell is Running for Congress 1:14:36, Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth 1:24:26, Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth 1:34:21, Dark Forces Remaster 2:09:42, Persona 5 Royale 2:16:55, Expeditions: Mudrunner 2:21:08, The Question Bucket 2:34:02, Outro and Announcements 2:49:42See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s another week of layoffs, this time at Electronic Arts, PlayStation, Supermassive, and Deck Nine. Sadly, there will probably be more by the time this podcast is edited and released. Is this all part of a great realignment in video games? Where does the industry go from here? Patrick and Janet, at least, are continuing to have a great time in Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, while Cado has been fully unleashed in the poker-inspired Balatro, and Rob contemplates a PSVR2 (??).Discussed: Massive Layoffs Continue Across The Game Industry 6:49, Saber Interactive Leaves Embracer 1:06:32, Helldivers 2 1:11:55, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth 1:17:38, Balatro 1:52:42, The Question Bucket 2:30:13🌏 Get Exclusive NordVPN deal here → https://nordvpn.com/remapradio It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee! ✌️See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Amidst rumors of Xbox winding down discs and the increasingly shaky future of physical media everywhere, Patrick sits down with Jon Smith, head of retail at Limited Run Games. If you’ve bought a collector’s edition of an old game lately, there’s a decent chance Limited Run Games made it. Patrick and Jon chat about how Limited Run Games has scaled up over the years, what it’s like running a physical store, and, naturally, how to change the rules of a claw machine.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nintendo (Partner) Direct! Elden Ring DLC! Helldivers 2 queue campers! This episode of Remap Radio has it all, with Rob, Janet, Patrick, and Cado working through their feelings on this week’s many announcements, alongside spicy speculation about Nintendo’s next console. Elsewhere, Patrick and Janet have spent dozens of hours in Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, and have come out the other side realizing they’ll, uh, be spending a lot of time in this world. We also touch on The New York Times hilariously “spoiling” a major moment in the Squaresoft classic.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rob and Patrick welcome Giant Bomb’s Jeff Grubb to the podcast a few weeks after Grubb’s beloved Detroit Lions collapsed against the San Francisco 49ers. The group works through Grubb’s history with the Lions, what it’s like to root for a team worse than the Bears, and wonder what the heck the rest of the league is supposed to do while Patrick Mahomes is still alive.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Are you ready to spread some freedom, son? The Remap crew is, with Patrick, Janet, Rob, and Cado dropping into their individual hellpods to discuss, of course, Helldivers 2, alongside the increasingly murky futures of both PlayStation and Xbox. We also share early thoughts on Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden, and whether Don’t Nod has pulled off another Vampyr.Discussed: Playstation and the arc of the games industry 5:39, VGD Union complaints against DontNod (https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/stjv-union-claims-don-t-nod-mismanagement-causing-staff-burnout) 53:45, Yoshitaka Murayama passes 1:09:08, Helldivers 2 1:11:28, Banishers: Ghost of New Eden 1:40:21, Xbox Exclusivity News 2:03:07, Outro and Announcements 2:40:08See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The gang considers their upcoming demobilization from service in the console wars as they reckon with rumors that Xbox will be ditching console exclusivity in the future and bringing major titles like Starfield and Indiana Jones to the PlayStation. Patrick and Janet have been playing loads of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Finally, Patrick and Rob dig into some emails.2:35 - Console Wars and the Xbox59:55 - Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League1:34:15 - MailbagSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We begin where we always do: talking about the latest drama in F1. Unexpected, right? Wow! Anyway, we also found time to discuss our reactions to PlayStation’s State of Play showcase, make sense of the latest layoff news from several companies, mope about the cancellation of an unannounced Deus Ex game, and more. We also dig into Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown’s endgame, puzzle over the output of the studio Dontnod, and briefly touch on Suicide Squad.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What happens when a game you’ve spent the last five years making doesn’t take off? Immortals of Avenum, last year’s magic-infused shooter with elements of Call of Duty and Doom, was hardly a hit. It was the opposite. Remap liked it, but most people didn’t play it. The developer behind Immortals of Aveum, Ascendant Studios, was soon hit with layoffs. But Ascendant isn’t dead, and CEO Bret Robbins, once the creative director for Dead Space, came through Remap Radio to talk about what happens when you realize that bad news is on your doorstep.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s a familiar story this year: layoffs. Sometimes the number is bigger, sometimes the number is smaller, but it’s a tragedy all the same, and Patrick, Janet, Rob, and Cado are here to try and unpack the horror of it all. Elsewhere, we talk through our time with, and the toxic conversation around, 2024’s surprise hit, Palworld. In happier news, Patrick and Rob have utterly fallen for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, while Janet is less high on the Jungle Book-inspired The Cub.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The full crew—Rob, Patrick, Janet, Cado—is back. We recorded this ahead of the Xbox Direct, but there’s still plenty to chew on, including Square Enix openly talking about using generative AI in a game, Ubisoft+ training people to become comfortable with not owning their games, and more. We also unpack Home Safety Hotline, Trepang2, the endgame of Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, and consider a deep question: so, how long should you hold onto a document?Discussed: Ubisoft+ 9:59, Thunderful lays off 30% of its employees 38:12, Square Enix uses AI in Foamstars 45:40, Epic vs Apple suit 1:01:13, Home Safety Hotline 1:30:56, Prince of Persia:The Lost Crown 1:46:20, The Question Bucket 1:59:04See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Patrick and Rob get together to unpack the stark realization that the Green Bay Packers may, in fact, have done it again, while talking through the shocking amount of high-profile coaching firings in the NFL and the series of blowout games that ultimately defined NFL’s Wild Card weekend. We also consider what it would mean to meet the athlete who broke your heart.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Janet joins Patrick and Cado for the first time since the holidays, as we wade through a surprisingly busy January, including the news that SAG-AFTRA has signed a controversial AI deal, more than 2,000 people have already been laid off in the games industry, and more. Plus, Patrick and Janet are extremely high on the new Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, and we unearth and reckon with some surprising trauma related to Janet’s time with Metroid Dread.Discussed: Layoffs Continue Across the Games Industry 27:55, SAG-AFTRA Deal with AI Voice Company 47:02, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown 1:15:50, The Question Bucket 1:59:03See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the 90's Google changed the way people found things on the internet, and now they're incorporating AI to "help" people by showing them answers without needing to actually go to the website that they scrapped that information from. Patrick is joined by Alex Donaldson, Owner of RPGSite.net to go over the changes and track the history of Google's influence over the entire internet and more specifically game websites.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Patrick, Rob, and Cado convene after winding down 2023 to reflect on how absolutely nothing went wrong over their respective breaks. Things? Done. Drinks? Drank. Vacations? Taken. No notes. But we do have notes on beating Alan Wake II in the wake of James McCaffrey’s passing, indulging our fullest selves in many hours of the overlooked Immortals of Aveum, and basking in the power of a Steam Deck while sick. (And don’t worry, Janet will return next week.)Discussed: James McCaffrey Passes Away 27:26, Alan Wake 2 35:30, Immortals of Aveum 52:51, Mobile Suit Baba 1:19:53, The Question Bucket 1:50:01 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There has never been a doubt here on Sports!, but folks, Da Bears are back. Though out of playoff contention, the arrow on the team is pointing up, with Justin Fields playing better and control of next year’s first overall pick in the draft. But questions remain about the coach, the ceiling of Justin Fields, and how long Patrick can convince his daughter to stay at a cold Bears game until they need to go home. Rob and Patrick kick off 2024 answering these and more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

You didn’t think we could record this discussion of a year like 2023 in a single session, did you? You know us! Join Patrick, Janet, Cado, and Rob as they work through the second half of their top 10 lists, as they begin to diverge and converge in increasingly interesting ways. And let us take this moment to also thank you, Remap supporter, for everything you’ve done this year. We wouldn’t be here without you, and we’re so glad the end of Waypoint was not the end of all this.Discussed: Patrick's #6 8:31, Janet's #6 13:28, Cado's #6 26:22, Rob's #6 31:08, Patrick's #5 40:53, Janet's #5 41:06, Cado's #5 53:25, Rob's #5 1:04:45, Patrick's #4 1:10:53, Janet's #4 1:21:48, Cado's #4 1:22:17, Rob's #4 1:22:46, Patrick's #3 1:34:35, Janet's #3 1:51:44, Cado's #3 1:53:55, Rob's #3 2:04:28, Patrick's #2 2:007:39, Janet's #2 2:07:51, Rob's #2 2:22:25, Patrick's #1 2:32:44, Janet's #1 2:36:15, Rob's #1 2:55:28, Cado's #1 3:05:53See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s that time of year again, and it’s certainly been an interesting year for this group of people. Join Patrick, Janet, Cado, and Rob as we talk through the year that was without individual top 10 lists, round-robin style. Here’s how it works. Starting at number 10, we rotate from person to person. But if someone else has the game mentioned higher on their list, we pause the discussion until we reach the highest point. It’s a little confusing, but it’ll make sense—promise!Discussed: Patrick's #10 27:42, Janet's #10 32:47, Cado's #10 33:13, Rob's #10 40:08, Patricks #9 48:12, Janet's #9 1:06:09, Cado's #9 1:14:04, Rob's #9 1:15:12, Patrick's #8 1:18:52, Janet's #8 1:25:51, Cado's #8 1:32:03, Rob's #8 1:40:19, Patrick's #7 1:47:19, Janet's #7 1:47:20, Cado's #7 1:56:59, Rob's #7 2:01:45See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s time to close out the year with Janet, Patrick, Cado, and Rob, as we discourse on what The Game Awards means in a world where events like E3 are going away, try to make sense of Kojima teaming up with A24 for a Death Stranding movie, and more. We also spend a lot of time unpacking our thoughts on Alan Wake 2, and run through a bunch of other games, including Lunacid, The Last Train Home, Station to Station, Cryptmaster, and, yes, more. We conclude with thanking you for supporting the launch of Remap, while dipping into The Question Bucket.Discussed: The Game Awards 2:51, Kojima is making a Movie with A24 30:51, The Day After Devs Implode 39:34, Total War Devs Apologize 53:32, Google vs Epic outcome 1:04:08, Alan Wake II 1:12:32, Highland Song 1:39:05, 40k Rogue Trader 1:51:21, Lunacid 2:02:06, Cryptmaster 2:10:42, Station to Station 2:18:03, The Last Train Home 2:23:06, The Question Bucket 2:30:19See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome back, Ren! Remap Radio recorded ahead of the The Game Awards, but we still had plenty to talk about, between the Grand Theft Auto VI trailer, Bungie seemingly imploding, and the unnerving layoffs at League of Geeks. Elsewhere, we’ve been playing some video games. Specifically, Patrick wishes Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora had the courage of its convictions, while Ren, Patrick, and Rob (finally) gush over Alan Wake II. We’re late, but who’s counting?Discussed: A single question 1:07, League of Geeks layoffs 9:45, Bungie's studio has bad vibes 23:06, GTA VI Trailer 38:26, Day of the Devs 1:13:38, Frontiers of Pandora 1:17:48, Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew 1:36:05, Alan Wake II 1:46:35, The Question Bucket 2:13:41, Outro and Announcements 2:29:48See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As we close the book on the latest batch of 101s, we turn our attention to Squaresoft’s classic, Final Fantasy Tactics. Patrick joins Cado to discuss playing the game live on stream the last few months, and, among other things, tries to understand why people hate Algus so much. The two also discuss why Final Fantasy Tactics is so revered among Final Fantasy and non-Final Fantasy fans alike, whether the “updated” localization is actually any better, and much more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With Thanksgiving behind us, Janet Garcia once again joins the Remap Radio crew to discuss everything from how hot Walton Goggins is to Bethesda’s decision to individually respond to negative Starfield reviews on Steam in the weirdest way possible. We also touch on Dragon’s Dogma II getting a release date, the discourse over publishers paying for YouTube coverage, and more. Elsewhere, Janet’s been playing a lot of mobile games, Patrick and Cado have poked around at the Super Mario RPG remake, and, uh, Rob bought an iPhone? And he likes it a lot?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Remap might be on vacation this week, but our podcasts aren’t, and recently, Patrick’s been busy talking to some video game developers. In this episode, Patrick catches up with Hi-Fi Rush game director John Johanas, who’s been on either a Waypoint or Remap podcast three times this year?! That’s a record. This time, John and Patrick discuss what it means to leave a project behind. Elsewhere, Patrick chats with two creatives—producer David Erosa and creative director Enrique Cabeza—who helped make one of Remap’s 2023 favorites, Blasphemous 2.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Now that the SAG-Aftra strike is finally over, we're finally releasing the final, exremely apt episode of My Turn: Armageddon. The end of the world is fast approaching and humanity's last line of defense depends on a group of Rowdy Oil Drilers. Come with us and cringe at the late 90's slurs, laugh at the ridiculous premises, and revel in a dramatic reading of Roger Ebert's absolute extinction-level-event of a review.https://nordvpn.com/remapradioSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rob and Patrick are delighted to welcome Aftermath co-founder Luke Plunkett on Sports! to discuss what it means to “retire” from playing sports recreationally, the chaotic and frustrating rise of overly nuanced replay reviews in every sport, and preview the NBA season. By preview, of course, we mean talk about how nobody actually watches the first months of basketball.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With the holidays nearly upon us, Janet Garcia rejoins the Remap crew—yes, including Rob!—to chat about Patrick’s time with the new Steam Deck OLED, what to make of the video game industry’s response (or lack thereof) to the ongoing crisis in Gaza, and more. We’re playing plenty of video games, too, including Thirsty Suitors, The Talos Principle 2, WarioWare: Move It!, and…The Knights of the Old Republic? Finally, The Question Bucket has us weigh in on recent layoffs from a different angle: how to handle the sudden disruption that is losing your job.Discussed: Steam Deck OLED 1:27, Meg Jayanth Dropped from Golden Joysticks 37:30, Thirsty Suitors 1:02:22, Talos Principle 2 1:21:22, WarioWare Move It 1:35:13, KOTOR 1 1:43:05, The Question Bucket 1:53:33, Outro and Announcements 2:15:32See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rob couldn’t join us for Remap Radio this week, but he’ll be back next week! Thankfully, Janet Garcia is back with the rest of the crew to talk through the endless parade of video game news, like more layoffs, a live-action Zelda movie, GTA 6 on the horizon, serious questions over live service games, surprising new game media adventures, and more. There’s an equally endless parade of games, as well, including Jusant, Fashion Dreamer, World of Horror, and others.Discussed: Layoffs at Ubisoft Montreal 16:18, Aftermath Launches 20:11, Live Service Games at WB and Sony 46:18, The Legend of Zelda Move Announced 1:08:03, Fashion Dreamer 1:20:37, World of Horror 1:39:47, Steam Deck OLED 1:51:29, Jusant 1:59:53, The Question Bucket 2:14:16See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re thrilled to welcome back Janet Garcia, in which we spend a depressingly long time unpacking the shocking and wide-ranging layoffs at Bungie, and what it says about a year of incredible games clashing with a year of incredible labor turmoil. In-between discussions of 90s Chicago sports, we talk about the highs and lows of Super Mario Bros. Wonder multiplayer, trying to crack long RPGs, and more exploits in buying unnecessary arcade machines.Discussed: Rolling Layoffs at Sony hit Bungie 21:49, Baldur's Gate 3 51:34, Super Mario Bros. Wonder 1:07:58, The Question Bucket 1:23:13, Outro and Announcements 1:41:10See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Patrick kicks off Remap’s game developer interview series with Cocoon, a game of the year caliber puzzle game about guiding a little insect friend through a dangerous journey. Lead audio director Jakob Schmid and lead art director Erwin Kho join Patrick in a wide-ranging conversation about everything from being traumatized by movies like Alien and Fire in the Sky at young ages, to realizing you basically grew up next to your creative partner and didn’t even know it. They also talk a whole lot about what it was like building one of this year’s best games.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re excited to welcome Janet Garcia (Pen to Pixels, Kinda Funny, MinnMax) to Remap Radio this week, because there’s just a gauntlet of gaming bangers to talk about, between the arrival of a brand-new Remedy game, Alan Wake 2, and spending lots of time with Spider-Man 2. Patrick has issues with how Super Mario Bros. Wonder plays when kids are involved, and the group discovers that the purchase of a Ms. Pac-Man machine will not solve all of life’s problems.Discussed: Alan Wake 2 13:46, Spider Man 2 1:16:46, Super Mario Wonder 1:47:13, The Question Bucket 1:52:45See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Patrick and Rob are joined by YouTube creator and DIY enthusiast Chris Decker to discuss what it’s like to propose building your own heated driveway and have your wife believe it’s not possible. But Chris pulled it off, and by the end, convinces Rob and Patrick they should dream big, too.Check out Chris' channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf6UALBweRXITTshQKo9WNASee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re once again joined by Carli Velocci, this time to reveal why we started working with Carli in the first place: Remap has a new website! We’re publishing words again! There are changes coming to the tiers! But it’s all good and exciting news, and to celebrate, we’re doing something exciting: opening up The Question Bucket again! But we still have plenty of games to talk about, including Patrick cheating to beat Blasphemous 2, and Carli working through mixed feelings about Devolver’s Wizard With a Gun. But hey, at least Spider-Man 2 seems real good!Discussed: The New Remap Radio Dot Com 5:14, Analogue Pocket 34:43, The Question Bucket 36:24, Forza Motorsport 7 1:15:35, Total War Pharaoh 1:19:48, Blasphemous 2 1:30:14, Wizard with a Gun 1:44:01, Spider Man 2 1:55:38, Steam Next Fest Demos 2:02:30, Outro and Announcements 2:08:38See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Patrick, Cado, and Rob gather to discuss the biggest change to Remap since launch. We have a website, we’re bringing back writing, and there are some changes coming to our backing tiers. (Don’t worry, it’ll all make sense.) We’re releasing this After Dark to everyone, so you can understand how we got here, what we’re doing, and where it’s all going. We’re really excited!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Bears have won a game! Do we want them to win more? The answer is a bit more complicated than you might expect, but oddly enough fans of other teams are even more conflicted about what constitutes a "good" outcome if your team is not competitive in the current NFL landscape. Can you only get a good quarterback by being bad? How do you feed and water a young NFL quarterback? Maybe a veteran being plugged into a good team is the winning play but, hang on, look how Russell Wilson in Denver has panned out. That could have been the Bears! Finally, Rob and Patrick talk about the most overpowered play in the NFL right now, and then belatedly process the shock of the brutal ending to the Cubs season. Finally, listener questions, and a countdown to regular season Bulls games.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Gaming critic and editor Carli Velocci joins the crew this week, which thankfully now includes the newly recovered Ricardo Contreras. After talking through Carli’s journey in gaming media, we have another slew of bummer news stories in the video games industry, including layoffs at Telltale. In more positive developments, John Riccitiello has been booted from Unity and some developers at CD Projekt RED are trying to unionize. Elsewhere, Cado’s also been digging Cocoon, while Patrick’s not very high on the new Soulslike, Lords of the Fallen. Fortunately, Rob is extremely into Robocop: Rogue City, and Carli cannot stop playing The Mortuary Assistant.Discussed - Telltale hit with Layoffs 34:15, CD Projekt workers Unionize 43:05, Paradox has written off Lamlighter's League 49:38, Lamplighter's League 57:53, Redfall Update 1:17:02, John Riccitiello out at Unity 1:25:02, Cocoon 1:34:26, The Mortuary Assistant 1:47:24, Lords of the Fallen 2:01:39, Robocop: Rogue City 2:14:00, Outro and Announcements 2:29:36See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Cameron Kunzelman, Georgia's foremost expert on Assassin's Creed, swings by to discuss the latest installment. First, however, the gang discuss criminal investigations of Ubisoft executives in France and more layoffs across the industry, as well as the ongoing fallout from EA's layoffs at Bioware. Then, Rob talks about his time with Forza Motorsport, Patrick emerges from his Cocoon delighted with his experience, but thinks Gunbrella could have used a bit less gun. Finally, Patrick and Cameron get into what Assassin's Creed Mirage is attempting to accomplish in a franchise that his grown unwieldy with its own scale and success.Discussed: 9:00 - Ubisoft Executives, 17:44 - More Industry Layoffs, 38:29 - Forza, 1:12:44 - Cocoon, 1:24:34 - Gunbrella, 1:24:12 - Assassin's Creed MirageSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's Dragon's Dogma 2 day at Remap as the gang welcome back Austin Walker and bid farewell to Ren but first they have to have a little sports talk. Then they will discuss Dragon's Dog—Wait, what's this? A Jack Ryan, Jr. series of novels? What is the latest news of the Clancy-verse? With those subjects dealt with the gang tackles the wave of layoffs in the industry, including the massive bloodletting at Epic, and talk about the (regrettably unsuccessful, since recording) unionization drive at a Corsair factory in Georgia. But after the news that gang is well and truly ready to talk about Dragon's Dogma.... actually did you know Ren and Austin attended the event together and enjoyed the cool early autumn air outside before playing Dragon's Dogma 2? What are your late summer / early autumn treats? How do you feel about crocs? How do you think it would go with some weird AI-generated Chicago Bears merchandise? As the show crosses the two hour mark, the conversation finally gets Ren and Austin into their actual demo session. Can they talk about the game before Austin has to leave for other commitments? Can Austin get a word in about Armored Core and Cyberpunk? Listen to find out!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rob returns to the podcast ready to talk about the latest and greatest in…uh, Empire: Total War mods? Before all that, though, we break down the massive set of Xbox leaks, use Microsoft’s misreading of Baldur’s Gate 3’s breakout potential as a way to discuss the state of Xbox software, and try to figure out the pyramid scheme that is Embracer. Elsewhere, Patrick’s been really digging Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, and Ren’s quickly breaking apart Lies of P.Discussed: Microsoft Megaleak 5:27, Embracer Group Layoffs 48:21, Cyberpunk 2077 1:12:20, Lies of P 1:47:28, New Forza Game 2:07:57, The Question Bucket 2:12:36See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s only two weeks into the NFL season, but it’s already time to say goodnight to the losing Chicago Bears. Listen as Patrick and Rob come to terms with returning to a familiar cycle in Chicago: rooting for your team to lose. We discuss the nature of successful organizations, before talking through the delights of Tua Tagovailoa, the shaky Eagles, and COACH PRIME BABY!!!!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Patrick, Cado, and Ren unpack the mess Unity created after its latest destructive path to profitability, before talking through the newest Nintendo Direct. Elsewhere, the crew discusses its time with Lies of P, Time Bandit, Gunbrella, and beating the latest Armored Core multiple times. Finally, in The Question Bucket, we try to understand super mario rap (dirty).Discussed: Unity Makes a Mess of Monitization 11:32, Nintendo Direct 44:38, Armored Core VI 1:02:32, New Game Plus Spoilers for AC VI 1:06:42 , Back to Spoiler Free AC VI 1:11:06, Time Bandits 1:24:05, Gunbrella 1:32:12, Lies of P, The Question Bucket 1:52:09, AC New Game Plus spoilers again but for a joke this time 2:08:48 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re delighted to welcome Strange Scaffold founder Xalavier Nelson Jr. to Remap Radio this week. You might remember him from Patrick’s interviews from Summer Games Fest earlier this year—he’s fantastic. With Rob at Disney, Xalaiver joins Patrick, Cado, and Ren as they discuss the perils and stresses of game development, being a boss, and Strange Scaffold’s upcoming Max Payne-style game, El Paso, Elsewhere. Plus, Cado and Ren have been playing the colorful space tactics game Cantata, and Ren’s checked out the linguistics-focused Chants of Sennar.Discussed: See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The gang meets to discuss Starfield some more and the odd blacklisting of UK critical sites. Patrick and Rob get to some of their major impressions and metagame a bit about how they think it will be received by critics. Then Remap tackles the Bioware layoffs and the strange messaging around them given EA's avowed ambitions for the studio. Plus, Rob is high on the Making of Karateka, Ren is getting into the new Six Ages game, Lights Going Out. Plus: Immortals of Aveum... not bad at all!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rob and Patrick have been playing Starfield and recording their impressions and experiences along the way in a series of one on one conversations. This episode covers their opening hours with the game, some early confusion, and their early engagement with some of the game's major systems.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Patrick and Rob have managed to avoid thinking about the heartbreak of another season of Chicago Bears football, but week one is almost here, so the two work through their feelings by breaking down every division in the NFL. They also manage to convince themselves that, no, the Bears are not back and might not ever come back, so they distract themselves with conversations about running backs, the sheer amount of ads in American sports, and more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A new Armored Core is here, and both Patrick and Ren have spent time with FromSoftware’s latest entry. Is this MechaSouls, a true Armored Core sequel, or something else? After checking in with Microsoft announcing it’s going to sell cloud streaming rights to Ubisoft as part of the ongoing Activision Blizzard sale, we host a lengthy conversation with the ex-VICE Motherboard folks about their new journalism venture, 404 Media. After a dip in The Question Bucket, our trio of Baldur’s Gate 3 adventurers swap tales of divergent storytelling, a bounty of glitches, and more.Discussed: Armored Core VI 6:48, UK Blocked Microsoft-Activision Merger 39:29, Interview with 404 Media 1:02:34, The Question Bucket 2:25:42, The Baldur's Gate 3 Act 1 Spoiler Zone 2:52:38See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Remap crew, well-known for their spicy takes that take three hours to unpack, tries to untangle the ongoing conversation about Baldur’s Gate 3, the realities of AAA game development, and how the current (and broken) media ecosystem fuels a toxic discourse. After, we learn more about Rob, Ren, and Cado’s adventures in Baldur’s Gate 3, Ren and Patrick go sicko mode on Blasphemous 2, and Patrick discovers a series of excellent card and board games made for kids. Finally, a question about media literacy sends us to the philosophy zone.The Discourse Around Baldur’s Gate 3 1:54, Blasphemous 2 1:01:50, Kid Boad/Card Games Made By A Parent with Their Kid 1:20:52, The Question Bucket 1:33:07See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rob and Patrick are joined by critic at large Rowan Kaiser to question what new ingredients could be added to a 6-way Cincinnati chill (spoiler: delicious garbage), unpack what the hell happened to college football in the past few weeks (spoiler: greedy TV details derailing regional history), consider What Exactly James Harden Is Doing (spoiler: being James Harden), and spend considerable time examining the history of women’s soccer and how it relates to the toxic backlash the women’s team experienced at this year’s World Cup (spoiler: it’s complicated).See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It seems the world has Baldur’s Gate Fever, and that doesn’t exclude the Remap Radio crew. Patrick chose an ideal week to be off so that Ren, Cado, and Rob could be their best goblin like CRPG selves. But first, Rob went looking for other spaces to find tactical bliss and ended up returning to Xenonauts 2. Then we get deep into zen and the art of cable management as Rob describes his weekend as the King of Executive Function. Then we time travel back to last week when Patrick was still around and he HAD to chat with Ren about Atlas Fallen because it’s just That Good. Finally, we dig into Baldur’s Gate 3, our characters, and where the TTRPG systems bend when being programmed vs. being run by a human being. Stay after the outdo for a special Spoiler Section where we go deep into Act 1, including a time where Cado got seemingly stuck (but only for a few days).See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The crew is back with a veritable bevy of games. Rob and Cado checked out The Banished Vault, a resource management game that pulls heavily from board games in that same genre. Patrick checks back in with Final Fantasy XVI and finds the game becoming more and more uninteresting as the focus moves away from the story it started to tell in it's opening hours. After the break, Ren's been playing Blood West, a solid immersive sim set in the Wild West that unfortunately (but not surprisingly) falls afoul of some problematic usage of Indigenous folklore. Rob and Cado talk about their time in The Expanse: A Telltale Series. And finally we end in an extra beefy question bucket full of stories about that velvet curtain at the back of the video store.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The crew meets under sweltering conditions to discuss how they're coping with the heat and how much they are suffering for their gaming. With her Steam Deck laboring under such conditions, Ren has been playing a bunch of retro-style games including HROT and Demon Lord: Reincarnation. Ren, Cado, and Patrick discuss Remnant 2 as a shockingly great co-op game, and Patrick is delighted by Viewfinder. Then the gang digs into the Question Bucket.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The whole crew is back, which kicks off with the state of play of Activision and Microsoft, a discussion about the state of esports in light of Overwatch League’s likely demise, and Corsair buying the mechanical keyboard company Drop. At the break, Patrick checks in with Hi-Fi Rush director John Johannes about the lack of Zwan music in the game’s DLC, meeting fans in person, and more. In the world of playing games, Ren and Patrick are checking out (and liking!) Remnant II, while Patrick is less satisfied with how Oxenfree II ended up. Finally, The Question Bucket returns to mull refrigerator smells.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With the gang and their friends still wondering where their severance is, they get exciting news about some well-deserved bonuses for their former bosses. Then, they talk about the ruling in the Microsoft-Activision merger case, Home Depot's Halloween lineup, Oxenfree 2, Tyranny, and Aliens: Dark Descent.Support the show: https://www.remapradio.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Shift+F1 and NoClip's Danny O'Dwyer comes to chat with Patrick and Rob about the Enhanced Games, pro cycling, the other football, celebrity team owners, and Irish sports. We probably talked about even more stuff but honestly it just turned into a good sports hang-out and bounced around a lot with increasingly little structure. Oh but there was a really good listener-submitted quiz that the gang took on pro cycling terms! That was great.Support the show: https://www.remapradio.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jordan Minor, author of the upcoming book Video Game of the Year (featuring both Patrick and Austin!), joins the rest of the Remap Radio crew to discuss Steam trying to grapple with AI art, and what it means to create in a world of creation-focused algorithms. Elsewhere, we chat about Jordan plotting video game history through his book, Patrick’s played (and enjoyed!) the Pikmin 4 demo, Ren’s dumping many more CRPG hours into Divinity: Original Sin 2 and Tyranny, while Jordan wonders what Pokémon can learn from Cassette Beasts. In The Question Bucket, we consider the nature of nostalgia and whether video game leveling systems make any sense.Support the show: https://www.remapradio.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is one of the first interviews Patrick recorded as a member of Remap Radio, finally reaching your ears! Patrick and Cado recall their time with Citizen Sleeper as an introduction to Patrick's interview with Gareth Damian Martin, the lead developer behind Citizen Sleeper. They talk about how Citizen Sleeper 2 isn't what you might expect out of a sequel, how it differs from the original both in setting and mechanics, and where both game's narrative inspiration comes from.Support the show: https://www.remapradio.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is a free preview of our Foundation Tier podcast where Rob, Patrick, and Cado discuss The Bear season 1. Our second episode dropped last week as well, where we discussed the first two episodes of The Bear Season 2. You can subscribe or upgrade your current subscription at https://www.remapradio.comSupport the show: https://www.remapradio.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As the Microsoft vs. FTC case winds down, the group discusses some of the headlines coming out of the courts, including the mega budgets behind AAA games, the studios Microsoft has considered buying, the possibility of Starfield being a PlayStation exclusive, and more. Elsewhere, Ren has been making poor economic choices in Etrian Odyssey HD, Patrick and Cado have been playing a ton of interesting Steam Next Fest demos, and Cado’s been trying Final Fantasy XVI. Out in the land of The Question Bucket, an AMC insider lets us know the secrets of its drinks.Support the show: https://www.remapradio.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The world is going gaga for sexy elephant Mario! At least, that’s what the crew at Remap Radio is telling themselves as they recap Nintendo Direct, and wonder if Embracer is a pyramid scheme. Elsewhere, Patrick’s experiencing the highs (hot wizards) and lows (a world not worth exploring) of Final Fantasy XVI, Rob’s really come around on the new Star Trek game, and Ren’s playing [checks notes] every Armored Core. We also find some time for your questions.Support the show: https://www.remapradio.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Wheel of My Turn rolls ever onward! Rob's pick of The Bourne Legacy was partially a joke, a bit of a dare, but he didn't expect the universe would call his bluff! Remap is picking right up where Waypoint left off with this attempted spin-off sequel to the Bourne franchise that has a lot of "TNT Movie" energy, as Patrick put it. We discuss the very obvious studio influence over the film, the bits that were good, and the Jeremy Renner of it all.Support the show: https://www.remapradio.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We heard y’all like 5 star runtimes, so we put some interviews in your podcast and served up a quite frankly disgusting amount of megabytes for your listening pleasure. This is Remap’s first “event” as a company so we’ve gone absolutely hog wild on Summer Game Fest, both discussing standouts we saw during the myriad showcases and dropping interviews that Patrick did while out in sunny LA.Support the show: https://www.remapradio.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sports! on Waypoint is dead, long live Sports! on Remap. We kick off our return with a banger, as we discuss the NBA Finals by way of Jimmy Butler’s all-time playoff run and Nikola Jokic’s charming indifference towards being one of the best basketball players alive. Elsewhere, we attempt to unpack the PGA getting extremely cozy with Saudi Arabia after spending the past year talking crap about them, and answer listener questions, such as “What’s Chili Parlous?”Support the show: https://www.remapradio.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Adam Conover swings by to discuss the disappointments and surprises of Game Fest. Then he fills everyone in on the massive WGA strike that has brought Hollywood to a standstill, and which is increasingly gaining the support of other unions. Finally, the gang discusses Syndicate, and what they have had to go through to get it.Support the show: https://www.remapradio.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to Remap Radio, a new podcast from the creators of Waypoint Radio. Rob, Patrick, and Cado gather to discuss what happened in the aftermath of being laid off, and how they ended up banding together to form a company and go into business together. What followed was an intense few weeks of talking with lawyers, searching for a new identity, and much more. We also spend time re-introducing ourselves. If you don’t know who we are, come say hello!Support the show: https://www.remapradio.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Support the show: https://www.remapradio.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.