Press X

Join the Press X Discord: https://discord.gg/MAXtvmv2rw 

Topics:

• NBCUniversal apparently reveals that the next Mario movie is called Super Mario World https://x.com/Wario64/status/1922496554855776545

• Nintendo Switch 2 final tech specs confirmed https://www.eurogamer.net/digitalfoundry-2025-nintendo-switch-2-final-tech-specs-and-system-reservations-confirmed

• IGN: Nintendo San Francisco store to offer customized colors for Switch OLED https://x.com/Wario64/status/1922471015357067338

• Arc System Works hack corroborates that Nintendo is only producing 64 GB Switch 2 cards right now https://x.com/necrolipe/status/1921315639563608384 

• Switch 2 home screen offers mouse controls, and you can lock Switch 2 with a PIN when waking from Sleep

• PSA: Hogwarts Legacy on Switch can be upgraded to Switch 2 version for just $10 

• Interesting breakdown of how well all Sega IP sells https://x.com/Genki_JPN/status/1921864879314436539

• Square Enix is developing an original IP in collaboration with Tokyo Broadcasting System Television https://www.gematsu.com/2025/05/square-enix-and-tbs-television-announce-collaboration-to-develop-original-ip-game

• P5X is coming west https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQsdIWTGn_Y

• Ori developer Moon Studios head warns it may have to shut down following review bombing https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/ori-developer-moon-studios-head-warns-it-may-have-to-shut-down-following-review-bombing/

• Mafia: The Old Country trailer drops with gameplay and release date of August 8th https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOIg2lFVsJE

 

Questions from Discord: 

• Jtlawbass: Has there ever been a game that was delayed so much that, when it released, you never picked it up because you had either been too frustrated with the delays or grew out of that type of game and no longer wanted it? 

• 🦉

What we’re playing:

Mary: :)  

John: Lunar Remastered Collection

Greg: Rivals, DOOM 64, COD, TMNT: Mutants Unleashed 

Brett L:  Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (beat)  The Midnight Walk

Brett M: TMNT, Clair Obscur

Press X

Join the Press X Discord: https://discord.gg/MAXtvmv2rw 

Topics:

• Switch 2 has 258 default profile icons, almost double Switch's 147 https://x.com/OatmealDome/status/1919774990737522957

• Nintendo stock price hits all-time peak again https://x.com/serkantoto/status/1917855487942615536

• Final Fantasy VII Remake series director all but confirms Rebirth is also coming to Switch 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wm68MEd3d5c

• Microsoft Raises the Price of All Xbox Series Consoles, Xbox Games Confirmed to Hit $80 This Holiday https://bsky.app/profile/wario64.bsky.social/post/3lo4ena2iu32f

• Grand Theft Auto VI delayed to May 26, 2026 https://x.com/RockstarGames/status/1918265468076605706

• Context from Jason Schreier https://bsky.app/profile/jasonschreier.bsky.social/post/3lo6qieb3wc2x

• Trailer 2, running in engine on PS5 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQRLujxTm3c

• Gears of War: Reloaded launches August 26 on Xbox Series, PC, Game Pass, and PS5 https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2025/05/05/gears-of-war-reloaded-release-date/ 

• Ecco the Dolphin and Ecco: The Tides of Time remasters announced alongside third Ecco game https://www.gematsu.com/2025/05/ecco-the-dolphin-and-ecco-the-tides-of-time-remasters-announced-alongside-third-ecco-game

• New Half-Life game is allegedly being "widely playtested ahead of a possible summer reveal and winter release" https://wccftech.com/half-life-3-playtested-summer-reveal/

• Oblivion Remastered is the 3rd bestselling game of 2025 in the US already https://bsky.app/profile/matpiscatella.bsky.social/post/3logoljt5lk2d

• No Chrono Trigger remake! https://x.com/gematsu/status/1918434161620042140

 

Questions from Discord: 

• Brydude: Which Link is your personal favorite?  Ex. OoT Link, Wind Waker, etc.  

• 🦉

What we’re playing:

Mary: :)  

John: Lunar Remastered Collection (beat 1), Star Wars: Battlefront

Greg: Rivals, DOOM 64, (DOOM: Eternal (maybe?), COD, Apex Legends (new season baby!) 

Brett L:  Clair Obscur: Expedition 33  Split Fiction (beat)

Brett M: Split Fiction (beat)

Press X

Join the Press X Discord: https://discord.gg/MAXtvmv2rw 

Topics:

• Pokémon Presents Press Release

• Pokémon Legends: Z-A launches late 2025 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_KNDtKJJ-8

• Pokémon Champions announced for Switch, iOS, and Android https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ik6IGiCzFzQ

• Mar10 Day festivities are coming https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250304659858/en/Nintendo-Announces-Fun-Ways-to-Enjoy-MAR10-Day-Wherever-You-Are

• Super Soccer will be removed from NSO on March 28 https://x.com/OatmealDome/status/1895638913391173773

• Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 launches July 11 on all platforms https://www.tonyhawkthegame.com/

• Masahiro Sakurai honored by Japanese government for pioneering game design tutorials https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/smash-bros-creator-masahiro-sakurai-honored-by-japanese-government-for-pioneering-game-design-tutorials/

• Metaphor: ReFantazio director Katsura Hashino is getting an award too https://automaton-media.com/en/news/metaphor-refantazio-director-katsura-hashino-receives-japanese-government-award-for-remarkable-contribution-to-art/

• Super Nintendo consoles seem to be getting FASTER with age https://bsky.app/profile/tas.bot/post/3lj47u3fga22n

• Side-scrolling action game Terminator 2D: NO FATE announced for all platforms https://www.gematsu.com/2025/02/side-scrolling-action-game-terminator-2d-no-fate-announced-for-ps5-xbox-series-ps4-xbox-one-switch-and-pc

• Game publisher Acclaim returns with focus on indie studios and classics https://www.gematsu.com/2025/03/game-publisher-acclaim-returns-with-focus-on-indie-studios-and-classics

• Potentially no Last of Us Part III? https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/the-last-of-us-season-2-abby-video-game-changes-backlash-1236327786/ 

• Monster Hunter Wilds Surpasses 8 Million Units Sold in 3 Days and Is the Fastest Capcom Game to Do So: https://www.capcom.co.jp/ir/english/news/html/e250304.html 

• 1 million+ player peak every day since release on Steam: https://steamdb.info/app/2246340/charts/
  

Questions from Discord: 

• 🦉

What we’re playing:

Mary: Baldur’s Gate 3 (again), LADS

John: Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii (finished), Dragon Age: Origins

Greg: Monster Hunter Wilds, Marvel Rivals 

Brett L: Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Brett M: Resident Evil 5 ✅, Avowed✅ , BioShock Infinite

• Sonic Superstars announced, won’t have returning areas from previous Sonic games

• Prince of Persia: Lost Crown announced, Geoff Keighley says demo runs at 60fps on Switch

• Super Mario Bros. Movie is now the 18th highest-grossing movie ever at Box Office

• Skyrim has surpassed 60 million copies sold, now 7th best-selling game of all time

• Persona 3 Reload announced, features story content present in the original Persona 3, no FES or Portable + Recast

• Persona 5 Tactica announced

• Metaphor announced

• Jeff Grubb’s hearing “early rumblings” of a Direct of some kind in July

• Embracer Group To Make Severe Cutbacks After Absurd Spending Spree

In this exciting episode of Spot Dodge, we delve into the crystal ball to make predictions about two highly anticipated showcases: Capcom and Xbox. Join us as we discuss the latest news, rumors, and leaks surrounding these influential gaming giants and attempt to decipher what surprises and announcements they might have in store for us.

P.S. Play Toy Story 3 for PSP.

Welcome to "Spot Dodge: A Nintendo Podcast," your go-to show for all things Nintendo! Join us as we dive into the latest news, reviews, and discussions surrounding the world of Nintendo gaming. In this episode, we explore a variety of exciting topics that are sure to pique your interest.

First up, we take a deep dive into the recent Gollum game and its mixed reception.

Next, get ready for an in-depth review discussion of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Part 3!

And finally, we turn our attention to the recent PlayStation Showcase and the disappointment that followed. Join us as we unpack the announcements, evaluate the missed opportunities, and speculate on what this means for the future of PlayStation. From anticipated titles to surprising omissions, we provide our honest opinions.

Whether you're a die-hard Nintendo fan or simply enjoy gaming discussions, "Spot Dodge: A Nintendo Podcast" is the perfect companion for your gaming journey. So grab your Joy-Cons, plug in your headphones, and join us for an insightful and entertaining exploration of all things Nintendo!

Zelda Reacts Part 2 + Mortal Kombat 1 Coming to Switch & PlayStation Showcase Predictions! So much to talk about, think about, and dream about yay.

Consider following our show. I mean, we are the best Podcast ever. At least my mom said so.

The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom is here. Yep, it's glorious. Spot Dodge review discussion!

The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom is SO CLOSE. We can taste it. Game Freak is partnering with Private Division, Atari is publishing a game that actually looks GOOD!? And Toy Story 3 for PSP still rules ;)

Tons of news this week in NintendoLand. Zelda Tears of the Kingdom has been leaked online. Tons of people are playing it early. BEWARE of spoilers! Sega is kicking butt. The Activision/Blizzard + Xbox deal falls through, RIP Call of Duty on Switch. We talk Star Wars Jedi Survivor, Dead Island 2, and SO MUCH MORE!

PS- Toy Story 3 for PSP rulez

Xenoblade Chronicles Future Redeemed is HERE! We haven't played it yet, but it looks amazing! Nintendo is ramping up on films. We discuss how Nintendo will create its own MCU. Lastly, new Sega Genisis games were added to Nintendo Switch Online!

SEGA has confirmed the acquisition of Angry Birds creator Rovio for roughly $775M. New Nintendo Indie World Showcase kicks off tomorrow. Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions announced for consoles + Zelda Final trailer reaction!

The Spot Dodge crew reacts to the Super Mario Movie and the new Resident Evil Death Island movie slated to release summer of 2023. They also discuss Nintendo hardware, Paper Mario Thousand Year Door remaster rumors, and more! #mario #residentevil

Press X

Join the Press X Discord: https://discord.gg/MAXtvmv2rw 

Topics:

• Pokémon Presents on February 27 (tomorrow) at 9:00 a.m. ET / 6:00 a.m. PT

• Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition overview trailer https://mynintendonews.com/2025/02/26/xenoblade-chronicles-x-definitive-edition-overview-trailer/

• NetEase’s Billionaire CEO Slashes Jobs and Games in Profit Push (Marvel Rivals over $200M revenue now but was considered for cancellation, Japanese devs are being thrown away) - Non-paywall Bloomberg Link

• Visions of Mana dev Ouka Studio was told in advance it would be shut down - Takashi Mochizuki

• Quantic Dream unaffected, still hiring - CEO on LinkedIn

• Warner Bros. Shuts Down Monolith Productions, Player First Games, and Warner Bros. Games San Diego, Wonder Woman canceled - Bloomberg Link

• Samurai Pizza Cats: Blast from the Past! announced for ‘all major platforms’ https://www.gematsu.com/2025/02/2d-action-rpg-samurai-pizza-cats-blast-from-the-past-announced-for-all-major-platforms

• Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 rated in Singapore for all platforms https://www.gematsu.com/2025/02/tony-hawks-pro-skater-3-4-rated-in-singapore-for-ps5-xbox-series-ps4-xbox-one-switch-and-pc

• Bloober Team is making another game based on Konami IP https://blooberteam.prowly.com/383560-bloober-team-and-konami-continue-their-collaboration

• Fable delayed to 2026 https://www.gematsu.com/2025/02/fable-delayed-to-2026

• Is a Persona 4 remake the next Persona game?

• Persona 4 singer Shihoko Hirata is recording for an unspecified new game

• Resetera user “lolilolailo” with history of insider Atlus info insinuates that Persona 6 is still far away

• SuperGiant releases statement regarding AI and SAG-AFTRA https://bsky.app/profile/supergiantgames.bsky.social/post/3lin7soibi22o 

Questions from Discord: 

• Joe: I know that the last game already had a million characters, but which characters would you like to see in a new Smash Bros. game? I'd like Vivi from FF9 if that remake comes out. Vivi feels like the most Nintendo-ass-designed FF character if you ask me.

• 🦉

What we’re playing:

Mary: :) 

John: Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, Dragon Age: Origins

Greg: Hating Marvel Rivals 

Brett L: Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Brett M: Resident Evil 5, Avowed, BioShock Infinite

The upcoming Mario movie has generated mixed reactions. Konami has recently announced the opening of its new studio in Osaka. This move is seen as a sign that Konami is gearing up to re-enter the console gaming market. Nintendo has announced that Pokemon Stadium, the classic Nintendo 64 game, will be coming to Switch Online next week. Kirby, the beloved pink puffball, recently celebrated its 30th anniversary. The Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), one of the biggest events in the video game industry, has been experiencing a decline in popularity in recent years. The ESA has officially canceled E3 2023. P.S. - Pokemon Stadium has better animations than Pokemon Scarlet & Violet #Pokemon #GameFreak #PokemonScarlet

Tears of the Kingdom Roundtable REACTION! The Spot Dodge crew reaction to the long-awaited extended look at The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom. #zelda #tearsofthekingdom #zeldatotk #SpotDodge

Brett and Mary discuss the latest rumor surrounding a possible F-ZERO GX remake for the Nintendo Switch. They also go over the recent news about the closure of the Wii U and 3DS eShops, what it means for gamers, and how they can still access their favorite titles. #nintendo #switch #nintendoswitch

Welcome back! It’s time for a new episode of the Spot Dodge Podcast exclusively on Destructoid. Topics: Doug Bowser justifies Zelda Tears of the Kingdom $70 price tag. The Super Mario Bros. Movie received a final trailer. And Activision is confident Nintendo Switch can run Call of Duty.  #nintendo #tearsofthekingdom #zelda

Welcome back! It’s time for a new episode of the Spot Dodge Podcast exclusively on Destructoid. Topics: Backward compatibility for the next Nintendo hardware. The switch is 6 years old. Backward compatibility for the next Nintendo hardware. Is persona 6 delayed!? And more!  #nintendoswitch #switch #persona

Welcome back! It’s time for a new episode of the Spot Dodge Podcast exclusively on Destructoid. Topics: Switch Pro in 2023!? State of LAME. Pokémon Presents sleeping with Pokémon and so much more!  #pokemon #pokémonpresents #stateofplay

Pokemon 2023 hopes and dreams

Welcome back! It’s time for a new episode of the Spot Dodge Podcast exclusively on Destructoid. Topics: Tonight we’ll be talking all about the upcoming Pokemon Presents. Along with that, a war still wages between Sony and Microsoft regarding acquiring Activision-Blizzard. A deal that will have huge ramifications across the industry, even for Nintendo. As Microsoft has signed an agreement with Nintendo to release Call of Duty and other “Xbox games” on Nintendo platforms. So much to talk about!

There’s a high chance we get our first look at the next major Pokemon game during this week’s Pokemon Presents. One area I really hope the following games are improved in is the performance. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are still riddled with bugs and performance issues which is a shame, as they’re great games to their core. Lastly, Pokemon titles are sorely missing from the latest Nintendo Switch Online announcement regarding Game Boy and Game Boy Advance games coming to the service. Tonight on Spot Dodge we’ll talk all about Pokemon in 2023.

Spot Dodge is a weekly Nintendo-focused Podcast here at Destructoid where we dedicate an hour or two to go over the latest Nintendo news and discuss the games we’re playing. If you’re a fan of Nintendo Switch, RPGs, or having a good time, Spot Dodge will be a great addition to your podcast rotation. So be sure to subscribe!

Spot Dodge is streaming live every Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. PT / 7:00 p.m. ET on Twitch channel. ICYMI: We now have a dedicated Spot Dodge YouTube channel for our archived streams! All future episodes will be uploaded there.

Afterward, the show will be available on-demand for audio listeners via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more. The live video version will remain on Twitch until  (don’t forget to follow and subscribe). So many options!

Inconsistent definitions

Welcome back! It’s time for a new episode of the Spot Dodge Podcast exclusively on Destructoid. Topics: Tonight we’ll be talking all about the magnificent and recently stealth-released Metroid Prime Remastered. Along with that, the team discusses the difference between a remaster and a remake -- And how even game devs are split on the meaning.

I know what you're thinking, the difference between a remaster and a remake is clear. A game like Wind Waker HD is a remaster and Resident Evil 2 (2019) is a remake. Wind Waker retained the same skeleton as the original but overhauled the graphics. Essentially being 90% the same game. Whereas Resident Evil 2 was a full reimagining of the original game. With new gameplay, dialogue, characters, sound, and more.

Boom. It's that simple. Or is it? Because PlayStation is dead set on The Last of Us Part I being a from-the-ground-up "remake". Not a remaster. Despite retaining the same skeleton as the original and featuring the exact combat, sound, voice acting, and gameplay mechanics. With subtle tweaks to the enemy AI and additional accessibility options. Should this not be categorized as a remaster? Being that the only substantial upgrade was the visuals?

Compare that to a game like the newly-released Metroid Prime Remastered. This "remaster" not only overhauled the visuals but even added modernized controls and enhanced sound. But Nintendo is clearly going with "remastered" verbiage for the game and its title.

Finally, there's a game like Final Fantasy VII Remake which is not really a remake at all, but more of a reimaging of the first 3 hours of FFVII, and even somewhat of a sequel to the original. And that game literally has "remake" in the title! It's such a messy topic I can't wait to discuss.

Our lovely cast from around the web: Brett Medlock (me) and Mary Stowe from Destructoid, John Friscia from The Escapist, Greg Bargas from PC Invasion, and Brett Larsen, our extra special guest. Behind the scenes, Gamurs’ Eric Weichhart is live-editing this week’s show.

Nintendo Direct live roundtable reactions!

Welcome back! It’s time for a new episode of the Spot Dodge Podcast exclusively on Destructoid. Topics: Tonight we’ll be discussing and reacting to everything we saw in the Nintendo Direct from earlier today! Metroid Prime Remastered, new Tears of the Kingdom footage. So much to talk about!

Our lovely cast from around the web: Brett Medlock (me) and Mary Stowe from Destructoid, John Friscia from The Escapist, Greg Bargas from PC Invasion, and Brett Larsen, our extra special guest. Behind the scenes, Gamurs’ Eric Weichhart is live-editing this week’s show.

Spot Dodge is a weekly Nintendo-focused Podcast here at Destructoid where we dedicate an hour or two to go over the latest Nintendo news and discuss the games we’re playing. If you’re a fan of Nintendo Switch, RPGs, or having a good time, Spot Dodge will be a great addition to your podcast rotation. So be sure to subscribe!

Spot Dodge is streaming live every Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. PT / 7:00 p.m. ET on Twitch channel. ICYMI: We now have a dedicated Spot Dodge YouTube channel for our archived streams! All future episodes will be uploaded there.

Afterward, the show will be available on-demand for audio listeners via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more. The live video version will remain on both YouTube and Twitch (don’t forget to follow and subscribe). So many options!

In a sea of mediocre and padded games, a well-paced experience is welcomed

Welcome back! It’s another Tuesday, which means tonight there will be a new episode of the Spot Dodge Podcast exclusively on Destructoid. Topics: After the explosive shadow drop of HI-FI Rush, a trending topic across socials has been short video games. I thought this would be a great opening topic after the recent releases of High on Life, The Callisto Protocol, Evil West, along with HI-FI Rush. All of which have caught some flak for their lengths. Along with this topic, the Spot Dodge crew discusses the latest Nintendo news and the games they’re playing.

Over time the expectation of video game length has gotten way out of hand. To the point of excruciatingly long development cycles and video games that are poorly paced, bug-filled, and sometimes just blatantly unfinished. The question is, why are gamers still equating time with value in an industry full of so many soulless, overly-padded games? This question comes from someone whose favorite genre is JRPGs. Games that tend to take 60-100 hours to complete. The fact is, not all games need to be that long. Or anywhere near it.

The game-length criticism across the internet is also strange to me considering some of the most beloved titles of all time are under ten hours long. One thing is for sure, the years of AAA games like BioShock, Portal 2, and Metal Gear Rising being a mainstay in the industry are long gone. Because nowadays releasing a game under twenty hours is bound to come with some scrutiny. Let’s discuss it all in the latest episode of Spot Dodge!

Our lovely cast from around the web: Brett Medlock (me) and Mary Stowe from Destructoid, John Friscia from The Escapist, Greg Bargas from PC Invasion, and Brett Larsen, our extra special guest. Behind the scenes, Gamurs’ Eric Weichhart is live-editing this week’s show.

Spot Dodge is a weekly Nintendo-focused Podcast here at Destructoid where we dedicate an hour or two to go over the latest Nintendo news and discuss the games we’re playing. If you’re a fan of Nintendo Switch, RPGs, or having a good time, Spot Dodge will be a great addition to your podcast rotation. So be sure to subscribe!

Spot Dodge is streaming live every Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. PT / 7:00 p.m. ET on Twitch channel. ICYMI: We now have a dedicated Spot Dodge YouTube channel! All future episodes will be live-streamed and uploaded there.

Afterward, the show will be available on-demand for audio listeners via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more. The live video version will remain on both YouTube and Twitch (don’t forget to follow and subscribe). So many options!

Press X

Join the Press X Discord: https://discord.gg/MAXtvmv2rw 

Topics:

• My Nintendo Gold Points will be discontinued https://my.nintendo.com/news/97495f34d09fb076

• "Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers cannot be redeemed for games exclusive to the Nintendo Switch 2 system." https://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/45255/kw/voucher

• Nintendo establishes new Taiwan subsidiary https://automaton-media.com/en/news/nintendo-establishes-new-taiwan-subsidiary-raising-local-players-expectations-for-better-services/

• Wario Land 4 is live on NSO Expansion Pack

• Donkey Kong-inspired Nike shoes are coming (Nike Air Max 1 Low Poly) https://sneakernews.com/2025/02/15/nike-air-max-1-low-poly-donkey-kong-hv5776-200/

• Marvel Rivals Developer Is 'Open' to Potential Future Release on Nintendo Switch 2 https://www.ign.com/articles/marvel-rivals-developer-is-open-to-potential-future-release-on-nintendo-switch-2

• … but the US dev team was laid off https://x.com/ZhugeEX/status/1891979082348257685

• … even though it’s super popular https://bsky.app/profile/matpiscatella.bsky.social/post/3lihyilygps2s

• … for “efficiency” reasons https://x.com/stephentotilo/status/1892090498803696046

• ‘Pokémon Go’ Maker Niantic Nears $3.5 Billion Deal to Sell Games Unit to the Saudis https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-19/-pokemon-go-maker-nears-3-5-billion-deal-to-sell-games-unit / Non-Paywall Link

• Microsoft introduces Muse, its "first generative AI model designed for gameplay ideation" - Microsoft Link

• “Nobody will want this” - anonymous AAA dev, “I'm offended and sickened by this.” - Frank Cifaldi

• PS5 shipments top 75 million https://www.gematsu.com/2025/02/ps5-shipments-top-75-million

• Mat Piscatella: PS5 is currently 7% ahead of PS4's US unit sales pace

• Jeff Grubb claims Fairgame$ has been internally delayed to 2026 https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/sonys-ps5-live-service-title-fairgame-has-reportedly-slipped/

• Funko Fusion was reportedly a “complete commercial and critical failure,” resulting in layoffs https://insider-gaming.com/1010-games-employees-offered-no-severance-laid-off-while-on-holiday-and-more/

• Don’t expect Ken Levine’s Judas this year https://bsky.app/profile/jasonschreier.bsky.social/post/3lifpygjkbk2p

• Elder Scrolls 6 mention: https://x.com/BethesdaStudios/status/1891545699780546905 

Questions from Discord: 

• 🦉

What we’re playing:

Mary: Silent Hill 2 Remake ✅

John: Dragon Age: Origins, Sutte Hakkun, Mega Man 1 (finished), Gerda: A Flame in Winter (finished)

Greg: Marvel Rivals 

Brett L: Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Brett M: Space Marine 2 ✅, Resident Evil 5, Avowed

Fire Emblem Engage is great but lacks story depth

Welcome back! It’s another Tuesday, which means tonight there will be a new episode of the Spot Dodge Podcast exclusively on Destructoid. Topics: The Spot Dodge crew discusses the latest entry in the Fire Emblem series, Fire Emblem Engage. 

I’m loving Fire Emblem Engage so far. The combat is intense, the visuals are solid, and the pacing is damn near perfect. However, Fire Emblem Engage is lacking in a few important areas, story and characters. A key area previous Fire Emblem games thrived in.

Fire Emblem Engage ramps up quickly, it spends a lot less time on building up the world and characters than other recent Fire Emblem titles. Which has its ups and downs. On one hand, you’re thrust right into learning the strategic combat Fire Emblem Engage offers. Yay! On the other hand, the game doesn’t give you much of a reason to care about its huge cast of characters or their motivations.

To add to that, socializing with characters takes a backseat in Fire Emblem Engage. Getting into thought-provoking conversations has been a rarity for me so far. This is a pretty big letdown. Three Houses offered intriguing backstories and lore for most of its characters, along with a fantastic main narrative. Character conversations in Fire Emblem Engage are much less appealing or interesting.

I won’t judge the main story too harshly yet, as I’m midway through the game, but so far it’s just completely “fine”. Nothing exceptional but also not the worst thing on earth. It’s really easy to follow which is perfect for newcomers, but I’m hoping it ramps up a bit more in the second half. Now let’s discuss it more thoroughly on Spot Dodge!

Our lovely cast from around the web: Brett Medlock (me) and Mary Stowe from Destructoid, John Friscia from The Escapist, Greg Bargas from PC Invasion, and Brett Larsen, our extra special guest. Behind the scenes, Gamurs’ Eric Weichhart is live-editing this week’s show. Let us know in the comments!

Spot Dodge is a weekly Nintendo-focused Podcast here at Destructoid where we dedicate an hour or two to go over the latest Nintendo news and discuss the games we’re playing. If you’re a fan of Nintendo Switch, RPGs, or having a good time, Spot Dodge will be a great addition to your podcast rotation. So be sure to subscribe!

Spot Dodge is streaming live every Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. PT / 7:00 p.m. ET on Twitch channel. ICYMI: We now have a dedicated Spot Dodge YouTube channel! All future episodes will be live-streamed and uploaded there.

Afterward, the show will be available on-demand for audio listeners via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more. The live video version will remain on both YouTube and Twitch (don’t forget to follow and subscribe). So many options!

-Brett Medlock

Welcome back! It’s another Tuesday, which means tonight there will be a new episode of Spot Dodge: A Live Nintendo Podcast exclusively on Destructoid. Topics: Ubisoft says Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope & Just Dance 2023 underperformed. In Hogwarts Legacy, actor Simon Pegg plays Phineas Nigellus Black. Fire Emblem Engage gets 82 on Metacritic. And more!  #Ubisoft #TLOU #HogwartsLegacy

If there is an Xbox showcase, I hope it copies Nintendo Direct’s formula

Welcome back! It’s another Tuesday, which means tonight there will be a new episode of the Spot Dodge Podcast exclusively on Destructoid. Topics: Tonight the crew discusses the heavily rumored “Xbox Developer Direct”. Will Xbox finally lean into smaller Nintendo Direct-style presentations? What would we want to see during it? The team also goes over Fire Emblem Engage specs, GameCube controller return, and the future of physical games media!

ICYMI: According to Windows Central, Xbox has a new show titled “Xbox Developer Direct” set for January 25 at 12 PM Pacific Time. The show is rumored to give us deep dives into three major first-party titles from Xbox. Minecraft Legends, Redfall, and Forza Motorsport. Along with that, it’s also said to cover some ZeniMax Online content.

The Xbox Developer Direct is rumored to be Microsoft’s first attempt at a more transparent marketing initiative starting in 2023. Lastly, Starfield might be absent from the show because Xbox and Microsoft have bigger marketing plans for a later date.

I hope Xbox has produced a new show format more akin to Nintendo Directs and PlayStation’s State of Play events. The long-form structure of previous shows like Inside Xbox were hard to sit through. Not only that but they were never amped up like a Nintendo Direct. Inside Xbox would drop with very little fanfare. This new show has the chance to change the perception of Xbox’s smaller shows.

Our lovely cast from around the web: Brett Medlock (me) and Mary Stowe from Destructoid, John Friscia from The Escapist, Greg Bargas from PC Invasion, and Brett Larsen, our extra special guest. Behind the scenes, Gamurs’ Eric Weichhart is live-editing this week’s show. Let us know in the comments!

Spot Dodge is a weekly Nintendo-focused Podcast here at Destructoid where we dedicate an hour or two to go over the latest Nintendo news and discuss the games we’re playing. If you’re a fan of Nintendo Switch, RPGs, or having a good time, Spot Dodge will be a great addition to your podcast rotation. So be sure to subscribe!

Spot Dodge is streaming live every Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. PT / 7:00 p.m. ET on Twitch channel. ICYMI: We now have a dedicated Spot Dodge YouTube channel! All future episodes will be live-streamed and uploaded there.

Afterward, the show will be available on-demand for audio listeners via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more. The live video version will remain on both YouTube and Twitch (don’t forget to follow and subscribe). So many options!

Welcome back! It’s another Tuesday, which means tonight there will be a new episode of the Spot Dodge: A Live Nintendo Podcast exclusively on Destructoid. Topics: The crew discusses their favorite games of 2022 and what their most anticipated 2023 games are. That’s not all — Persona 3 is getting a full remake(!?), Square Enix is teasing something big, Zelda Tears of the Kingdom Switch OLED may have leaked, and more! #nintendo #nintendoswitch #zelda

One-on-one with Brett M and Brett L as they share their top 10 games of 2022! #nintendo #switch 

Rumor: New online 2D Mario in the works

Welcome back! It’s another Tuesday, which means tonight there will be a new episode of the Spot Dodge Podcast exclusively on Destructoid. Topics: Tonight the crew discusses Mortal Shell launching on Switch, Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters coming to most consoles, and a new rumored 2D Mario game in the works!

Zippo claimed last August that a new 2D Mario game is in the works and it’ll have an art style that will “surprise” people. They also claimed it will feature online multiplayer. Lastly, this alleged new 2D Mario game will not be a part of the “New Super Mario Bros.” series.

Fast-forward to now, Zippo returns with some new info about the alleged 2D Mario game. Apparently, Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Toad are all playable characters — the exact same lineup as in Super Mario Bros. 2 for NES.

One thing is for sure, I really hope this claim about an art style that will “surprise” people is true. We’ve gotten four mainline 2D Mario games and one major expansion that used the “New Super Mario Bros.” art direction and it has been bland from the start. It’s time for something new and exciting for 2D Mario, and a stylish new art direction is exactly what the series needs to spice things up. Hell, something along the lines of the fan-made Super Mario Flashback would be nice.

Our lovely cast from around the web: Brett Medlock (me) and Mary Stowe from Destructoid, John Friscia from The Escapist, Greg Bargas from PC Invasion, and Brett Larsen, our extra special guest. Behind the scenes, Gamurs’ Eric Weichhart is live-editing this week’s show. Let us know in the comments!

Spot Dodge is a weekly Nintendo-focused Podcast here at Destructoid where we dedicate an hour or two to go over the latest Nintendo news and discuss the games we’re playing. If you’re a fan of Nintendo Switch, RPGs, or having a good time, Spot Dodge will be a great addition to your podcast rotation. So be sure to subscribe!

Spot Dodge is streaming live every Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. PT / 7:00 p.m. ET on Twitch channel. ICYMI: We now have a dedicated Spot Dodge YouTube channel! All future episodes will be live-streamed and uploaded there.

Afterward, the show will be available on-demand for audio listeners via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more. The live video version will remain on both YouTube and Twitch (don’t forget to follow and subscribe). So many options!

Welcome back! It’s another Tuesday, which means tonight there will be a new episode of the Spot Dodge Podcast exclusively on Destructoid. Topics: Tonight the crew discusses all those crazy announcements from The Game Awards. From Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon to Ken Levine's long-awaited return with "Judas". Let's get into it!!

More killer less filler

Welcome back! It’s another Tuesday, which means tonight there will be a new episode of the Spot Dodge Podcast exclusively on Destructoid. Topics: Geoff Keighley’s Game Awards event is right around the corner. So I thought it’d be fun for everyone to bring their predictions for the show to the table.

Geoff Keighley confirmed that The Game Awards will be significantly shorter this year due to feedback from previous years. While I’ve always enjoyed watching The Game Awards, it’s no secret that the show was excruciatingly padded in length to filter in dozens of advertisements. It’s great to see the TGAs may be pivoting away from that and offering a more streamlined showcase. TGA never fails to give us some awesome announcements, it just sucks you usually have to trudge through three hours of nonsense to see them.

Lastly, I’m still worried that the actual “awards” will continue to be an afterthought during the presentation. Which is a bummer, considering this is the “Game Awards”. I love watching nervous devs give awards speeches for the game they worked tirelessly on for years. It’s cringey, adorable, and easily one of the best parts of Geoff Keighley’s Game Awards.

Our lovely cast from around the web: Brett Medlock (me) and Mary Stowe from Destructoid, John Friscia from The Escapist, Greg Bargas from PC Invasion, and Brett Larsen, our extra special guest. Behind the scenes, Gamurs’ Eric Weichhart is live-editing this week’s show. Let us know in the comments!

Spot Dodge is a weekly Nintendo-focused Podcast here at Destructoid where we dedicate an hour or two to go over the latest Nintendo news and discuss the games we’re playing. If you’re a fan of Nintendo Switch, RPGs, or having a good time, Spot Dodge will be a great addition to your podcast rotation. So be sure to subscribe!

Spot Dodge is streaming live every Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. PT / 7:00 p.m. ET on Twitch channel. ICYMI: We now have a dedicated Spot Dodge YouTube channel! All future episodes will be live-streamed and uploaded there.

Afterward, the show will be available on-demand for audio listeners via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more. The live video version will remain on both YouTube and Twitch (don’t forget to follow and subscribe). So many options!

Welcome back! It’s another Tuesday, which means tonight there will be a new episode of the Spot Dodge Podcast exclusively on Destructoid. Topics: The crew reacts to the new Super Mario Bros. Movie trailer. Aside from that, the team discusses recent releases like Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, God of War Ragnarok, Somerville, and more!

Today we finally got a longer look at The Super Mario Bros. Movie and it did not disappoint. The CG looks breathtaking, the writing seems charming and witty, and it looks to be a celebration of the Super Mario franchise as a whole. #mario #supermario #nintendo

Welcome back! It’s another Tuesday, which means tonight there will be a new episode of Spot Dodge: A Live Nintendo Podcast exclusively on Destructoid. Topics: The crew discusses Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's extremely poor performance and optimization. Aside from that, we wanted to have a dedicated episode to talk about the games we're playing. #Pokemon #pokemonscarletandviolet #gamefreak

Press X

Join the Press X Discord:https://discord.gg/MAXtvmv2rw 

Topics:

• Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Con patent includes illustrations for the mouse functionalityhttps://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=WO2025027803

• Switch 2 patent suggests you can attach Joy-Con to Switch 2 upside downhttps://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/switch-2-patent-suggests-the-console-can-be-rotated-to-change-headphone-and-usb-port-positions/

• Take-Two ‘fully expects’ to support Switch 2 going forwardhttps://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/gta-6-publisher-fully-expects-to-support-switch-2-going-forward/

• State of Play Reaction: (Full Game List) Saros, Tides of Annihilation, MindsEye, Darwin's Paradox, etc.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQtPbTOhLEc

• Warner Bros. Video-Game Division Faces Thin Slate, Leadership Uncertainty and Wonder Woman Issues -Bloomberg Link

• Square Enix says Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake had "stronger sales" than "initial assumptions"https://www.hd.square-enix.com/eng/ir/pdf/25q3slides.pdf

• Capcom Key Art Catalog Will Cover Over 300 Gameshttps://www.siliconera.com/capcom-key-art-catalog-will-cover-over-300-games/

• Insomniac Games founder says Sony rejected a pitch for Resistance 4https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/sony-rejected-a-pitch-for-resistance-4-claims-insomniac-founder/

• Xbox Reportedly Sold Just 2 Million Consoles Last Yearhttps://tech4gamers.com/xbox-only-2-million-consoles-2024/

• The life-size Gardevoir plush has a massive butt, proud owner from Japan confirms with now viral imageshttps://automaton-media.com/en/news/the-life-size-gardevoir-plush-has-a-massive-butt-proud-owner-from-japan-confirms-with-now-viral-images/

Questions from Discord: 

• 🦉

What we’re playing:

Mary:Silent Hill 2 Remake, Baldur’s Gate 3, LADS

John: Dragon Age: Origins

Greg: MARVEL RIVALS, Ghost of Tsushima 

Brett L:Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Brett M:Space Marine 2, Resident Evil 5

Welcome back! It’s another Tuesday, which means tonight there will be a new episode of Spot Dodge: A Live Nintendo Podcast exclusively on Destructoid. Topics: The crew discusses the major titles that are still slated to release this year. The team also discusses Geoff Knightley's Game Awards nominations (Xenoblade didn't get snubbed!?), Brett won't shut up about Xbox Game Pass, and so much more!  #GOTY #GameAwards #Nintendo

Welcome back! It’s another Tuesday, which means tonight there will be a new episode of Spot Dodge: A Live Nintendo Podcast exclusively on Destructoid. Topics: It's been quite the year of disappointing video games. From CrossfireX to Babylon's Fall, in tonight's opening topic we discuss the worst games of the year. The crew also discusses the recent Pokemon Scarlet and Violet leaks and Square Enix's major NFT blunder. All of that and so much more on Spot Dodge!  #GothamKnights #SaintsRow #HorizonForbiddenWest

Welcome back! It’s another Tuesday, which means tonight there will be a new episode of Spot Dodge: A Live Nintendo Podcast exclusively on Destructoid. Topics: Bayonetta 3 is here! The crew shares their thoughts on the highly anticipated action title. That’s not all — Liam Hemsworth is replacing Henry Cavill in The Witcher season 4, SEGA talks about its “super game”, and Call of Duty could be Switch-bound. A Bayonetta 3 win is a pretty easy thing to talk about for one! All of that and so much more on Spot Dodge! #nintendo #nintendoswitch #bayonetta

Welcome back! It is a new Tuesday, which means tonight there will be a new episode of Spot Dodge: A Live Nintendo Podcast exclusively on Destructoid. Topics: The crew discusses the recent showcases for the Resident Evil and Silent Hill franchises. Resident Evil Village Gold Edition looks excellent and Capcom finally shows off a ton of Resident Evil 4 remake. Bloober Team has been tasked with a considerable job remaking Silent Hill 2 -- Can they pull it off? We're also getting a lot more new Silent Hill experiences.  #ResidentEvil4 #RE4 #RE4remake

Welcome back! It is a new Tuesday, which means tonight there will be a new episode of Spot Dodge: A Live Nintendo Podcast exclusively on Destructoid. Topics: The crew discusses the recent controversy regarding PlatinumGames' "insulting" pay offer of $4,000 USD to veteran Bayonetta voice actress Hellena Taylor for the third installment. Brett M and Brett L also share their thoughts on A Plague Tale: Requiem. Spoilers: It's one of the best games of the year.  #Bayonetta3 #PlatinumGames #PlagueTaleRequiem

Welcome back! It is a new Tuesday, which means tonight there will be a new episode of Spot Dodge Podcast exclusively on Destructoid. Topics: With the controversy around the web regarding Sony possibly remaking/remastering Horizon Zero Dawn, I thought it’d be fun to do a roundtable discussion about what our favorite and actually necessary remakes/remasters have been throughout the years. We also give our full thoughts on the Super Mario movie trailer and react to Chris Pratt as the iconic plumber. Also, Mary, if you ever see this, Twilight Princess is underrated. -brett  #HorizonZeroDawn #nintendoswitch #nintendo

Welcome back! It is a new Tuesday, which means tonight there will be a new episode of Spot Dodge: A Live Nintendo Podcast exclusively on Destructoid. Topics: Today on Spot Dodge the crew discusses some of the most underrated or appreciated games ever released.  #nintendo #nintendodirect #nintendoswitch

Welcome back! It is a new Tuesday, which means tonight there will be a new episode of Spot Dodge: A Live Nintendo Podcast exclusively on Destructoid. Topics: Today on Spot Dodge the crew discusses Nintendo’s downright unmatched game release cadence as a publisher.

Nintendo is one of the very few publishers that seem to work way ahead of schedule — the company has been known to “sit on” fully completed games until it can find an open slot to put them in its release schedule. Not only is that almost unheard of in today’s gaming economy, but most publishers are quick to release games before they’re done cooking. We’ve seen it time and time again — Battlefield 2042, Halo Infinite, No Man’s Sky, Cyberpunk 2077, and the list goes on and on.

While not every game Nintendo publishes is for everyone, there’s no denying the company has kept a steady stream of notable games coming over the last few years. It will be interesting to see if Nintendo can keep up this cadence leading into inevitable new hardware. #nintendo #nintendoswitch #silenthill

GTA VI pre-alpha footage leaked early which has made it more obvious than ever that most gamers don’t have a base understanding of how games are made. In the leaked footage GTA VI is buggy, runs poorly, and lacks finished models — understandably! The footage was stolen and showcased in the most unflattering way imaginable, with code pop-ups galore. Unfortunately, many gamers fail to understand what that actually means. A lot of reactions are ridiculing the visual fidelity and unfinished assets of the game, rather than the more impressive elements extracted from the leaked footage.

The early clips show us GTA VI will feature extremely dynamic NPC interactions and a great deal of car customization that is rare for even a dedicated racing game. It’s also important to note that some of the footage is said to be as old as 2019. If that is the case, there’s no doubt the game should be in a much better state today — maybe even officially revealed sooner than we expect? #gta #gtavi #grandtheftauto

Oh, and Suikoden remasters are coming to Switch.

Welcome back! It is a new Tuesday, which means tonight there will be a new episode of Spot Dodge: A Live Nintendo Podcast exclusively on Destructoid. Topics: Tonight, we’re discussing all the recent announcements from the Nintendo Direct this morning.

Breath of the Wild 2 finally has a real name with The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. To many gamers' surprise, Pikmin 4 was revealed. Fire Emblem Engage is coming on January 20 and it has a lengthy trailer with tons to speculate on. Then, we saw It Takes Two for Switch, Octopath Traveler II, new N64 games for Nintendo Switch Online, and tons more.

The Direct was jam-packed with a lot of cool-looking titles, but I can't help but feel slightly disappointed. I thought the showing of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom was way too short. It's nice we finally have a name but how many times is Nintendo going to show 20-seconds of footage for this title? I also thought the show was missing some big hitters like a first look at Metroid Prime 4, a dormant Nintendo IP return, or one of the various rumored titles for Switch. All-in-all, a very solid showing — I was just a little letdown. Let's discuss! #zelda #nintendo #switch

Press X

Join the Press X Discord: https://discord.gg/MAXtvmv2rw 

Topics:

• Nintendo Switch 2 Direct will be at 9:00 a.m. ET, 6:00 a.m. PT on April 2 https://x.com/NintendoAmerica/status/1887139391266558216

• Nintendo fiscal results https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2025/250204_4e.pdf

• Total Switch sales are now at 150.86 million, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe at 67.35 million units

• New game sales totals: Super Mario Party Jamboree: 6.17 million units, Echoes of Wisdom: 3.91 million units, Mario & Luigi: Brothership 1.84 million units (see image below)

• Nintendo says it’s making preparations for Switch 2 resellers https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/nintendo-says-its-making-preparations-for-switch-2-resellers/ 

• Nintendo will no longer accept foreign credit cards & PayPal accounts on the Japanese eShop on March 25 https://mynintendonews.com/2025/01/30/japan-nintendo-will-soon-no-longer-accept-foreign-credit-cards-paypal-accounts/

• Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket surpasses $500M in just 22 days more than Pokémon GO https://www.pocketgamer.biz/pokmon-trading-card-game-pocket-rockets-past-500m/

• Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny remaster comes to Switch in 2025 (and PS4, XB1, Steam) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvgPwh_oIXg

• Electronic Arts CEO says EA Sports FC and Madden ‘could find real energy’ on Switch 2 https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/electronic-arts-ceo-says-ea-sports-fc-and-madden-could-find-real-energy-on-switch-2/

• EA execs suggest Dragon Age: The Veilguard may have sold better as a live-service game https://www.eurogamer.net/ea-suggests-dragon-age-the-veilguard-might-have-sold-better-if-it-was-live-service-so-what-does-this-mean-for-mass-effect-5

• Sackboy Dev Sumo Digital Cancels New IP to Focus on Game Production for Partners https://www.sumogroupltd.com/news/2025/sumo-group-update/

• Mat Piscatella: “Final Fantasy VII Rebirth had a fantastic Steam launch” https://bsky.app/profile/matpiscatella.bsky.social/post/3lhc3xrqq7k2z

• The VGHF Library opens in early access https://gamehistory.org/vghf-library-launch/

Questions from Discord: 

• Brasop: Do you have any gaming goals for 2025? I dropped out of PlayStation gaming for a while with the PS4 but was fortunate enough to pick up a PS5 for Xmas, so I'm looking forward to deep-diving back into the PS library.

• 🦉

What we’re playing:

Mary: Silent Hill 2 Remake, Persona 3 Reload dlc, Baldur’s Gate 3 

John: Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Greg: MARVEL RIVALS, COD, Dental Simulator 

Brett L: Trepang2 (beat), Unravel (beat) Stanley Parable, Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Brett M: Indiana Jones The Great Circle

Welcome back! It is a new Tuesday, which means tonight there will be a new episode of Spot Dodge: A Live Nintendo Podcast exclusively on Destructoid. Topics: Tonight, we’re discussing the rumors surrounding Zelda Twilight Princess and The Wind Waker finally making it to Nintendo Switch. Aside from that, we speculate more on Breath of the Wild 2 and if the Zelda IP is about to make a big splash on Switch in the next year.  

Jeff Grubb recently stated on his Nintendo podcast a source of his told him Nintendo is planning a Direct during the week of Sep 12. He also mentioned the very high likelihood of Zelda Wind Waker and Twilight Princess being announced for Nintendo Switch during the showcase. I think these ports are long overdue and I'd love to play these on Switch leading up to the highly anticipated Breath of the Wild 2. If these rumors are to be believed, we're about to have a bevy of new Zelda titles on Switch!  #Zelda #BOTW2 #WindWaker

Welcome back! It is a new Tuesday, which means tonight there will be a new episode of Spot Dodge: A Live Nintendo Podcast exclusively on Destructoid. Topics: Tonight, we’re discussing the biggest games slated for 2023 — from heavy hitters like Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 and Final Fantasy XVI to smaller but ambitious games like Replaced and Planet of Lana. #ps5 #nintendoswitch #xbox

Welcome back! It is a new Tuesday, which means tonight there will be a new episode of Spot Dodge: A Live Nintendo Podcast exclusively on Destructoid. Topics: Tonight, we’re discussing Gamescom announcements, Sonic Frontiers getting progressively better trailers, what we expect from Splatoon 3‘s single-player-focused Nintendo Treehouse Live event, and more! #SonicFrontiers #Sonic #Gamescom