After a short hiatus the gang is back and ready to dive deep into Microsoft's plan to buy Activision Blizzard. This week we're going through the Game Awards nominations....and more or less tearing them apart. We discuss how the deal came together, the future of Call of Duty exclusivity, and what it means for consolidation and unionization in the games industry.

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This week we're going through the Game Awards nominations....and more or less tearing them apart. Listen to hear us go through the award categories and give our two cents about who we think will win, who we think should win, and which games the Game Awards snubbed entirely.

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This week we're joined by Kotaku staff writer Isaiah Colbert and are talking about all things Nintendo Direct—our highlights and irritations from the most recent event, the history of the event, and the culture and fandom surrounding it.

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Episode 210: It's time for everyone's favorite tradition as Jason, Maddy, and Kirk go through all the games they've played in 2019, starting with January through June. (July-December coming next week!) Then (1:30:00) it's time for a Watchmen SPOILERCAST!

The games: Slay the Spire, The Hong Kong Massacre, Kingdom Hearts III, Resident Evil 2 Remake, Wargroove, Metro Exodus, Apex Legends, Anthem, Far Cry New Dawn, Tetris 99, Ape Out, Sekiro, The Division 2, Baba Is You, Devil May Cry 5, Days Gone, Phoenix Wright Trilogy (Switch), Mortal Kombat 11, Zanki Zero: Last Beginning, Void Bastards, Rage 2, Outer Wilds, Beat Saber, Gato Roboto, Collection of Mana, Cadence of Hyrule, Timespinner (Switch), My Friend Pedro, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, Mario Maker 2

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The 2010s were drawing to a close, and Jason, Kirk and Maddy decided to each pick a single game that defined the decade. It was not an easy decision. Many equally definitive games were left alone on the street, crying "My legacy!!" to any who would listen. A trinity, however, made it across the threshold, ready... for discourse.

A hush fell over the room. Bang! A gavel, like a starter pistol. "I call this discussion to order," said the Judge from Phoenix Wright, who had been brought in especially for the occasion. "Please hold your objections until after the opening statements."

Jason ambled to the podium, dragons on his mind. Maddy waited behind him, idly leafing through her notes on character development and archery. Kirk stood off to the side, squinting at a screenshot of an empty Oregon home.

Each of their picks defined the decade in one way or another. But which one was... the definitiveist? The Judge's gavel fell once more. The discourse began.

.......

Anyway, that segment begins at 26:25. First we talked about the games we're playing, from Shovel Knight: King of Cards to Halo: Reach and Red Dead Redemption 2 on PC. We closed out at 1:11:16 with some off-topic discussion of The Irishman, Elementary, and Good Omens. It was a fun ep.

MUSIC PICK OF THE WEEK:

"Ectogenesis" by Animals as Leaders from their 2016 album The Madness of Many.

MUSIC PICK PLAYLISTS:

Apple music: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/kirks-strong-songs/pl.u-V9D7mXEHJ7o0a

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1zRtCq81Z6kXKmGCK0Xm7u?si=2qwuFExCTfCkRFY9d3hUhA

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Episode 208: Jason, Kirk, and Maddy talk a bit about Luigi's Mansion 3, Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order, and Baba Is You before jumping into discussion of the new Half-Life VR game and next-gen consoles (19:11). Then they rave about Watchmen for a while (43:19) and close things out with some Jedi Fallen Order spoiler chat.

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Episode 207: Happy turkey day! Kirk, Maddy, and Jason open up the Thanksgiving mailbag to answer some of your questions on their video game origin stories, SNES save states, emulating Death Stranding in Zelda: Breath of the Wild, what other animals should get their own Untitled Goose Game, and much more.

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Episode 206: Finally, a good-ass Star Wars video game! Kirk, Jason, and Maddy take a deep dive into Jedi Fallen Order, the great new Star Wars single-player action-adventure game from Respawn. They talk about its influences, its difficulty, and whether Uncharted and Metroid really harmonize. Then they get into Half-Life VR and the tepid launch of Google Stadia (46:35) followed by some off-topic talk (1:04:49) on The Righteous Gemstones and Musicophilia.

Music pick of the week: “Will O’ The Wisp” from Sketches of Spain by Miles Davis & Gil Evans

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Episode 205: Jason, Kirk, and Maddy talk about a bunch of video games (Disco Elysium, the new Layton, Death Stranding, and so on) before jumping into some analysis of Disney's new Disney Plus streaming service and the Great Streaming Wars (33:32). Is there too much content? Yes. The answer is yes. Plus: His Dark Materials, Big Mouth, and The Mandalorian!

Music pick of the week: “Light of a Clear Blue Morning” by Dolly Parton from New Harvest… First Gathering, 1977

Links: 'Disco Elysium' Is a Landmark RPG About the Politics of Our Broken World [Cameron Kunzelman, Vice]

Podcast: Pop culture unites us as Americans. Will streaming services change that? [Lauren Katz, Vox]

Disney Is Quietly Placing Classic Fox Movies Into Its Vault, and That’s Worrying [Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture]

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Episode 204: It's Death Stranding time! Kirk, Maddy, and Jason spend some time talking about BlizzCon and Luigi's Mansion 3 before jumping into discussion of Metal Gear Solid director Hideo Kojima's new game (25:40), which all three of them have played. They talk about its slow start, why Jason couldn't play more than two hours, and why Kirk and Maddy are loving its weird clunkiness. The show ends with some off-topic talk (58:09) on Trick Mirror, Us, and the Legend of Gardner Minshew.

Music pick of the week: “The Other Side of Summer” by Elvis Costello from Mighty Like a Rose, 1991

To read: Death Stranding: The Kotaku Review [Kotaku];

What Happened to Deadspin, According to the People Who Were There [Slate];

The Future of the Culture Wars is Here, and it’s Gamergate [Deadspin]

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Papa Jason is back from paternity leave and he’s got a bunch of newfound parenting knowledge to share… or at least, he played a bunch of games and watched a bunch of TV. He and Kirk talk in-depth about Disco Elysium and The Outer Worlds, two of the games they’ve both been playing. Then Maddy shares some spare thoughts on her journey to the end of Fire Emblem. The *first* end, anyway.

After that they talk news, with some expectations and predictions about the upcoming BlizzCon, Ghost Recon Wildlands bombing hard enough to make Ubisoft delay a bunch of games, and the latest beleaguerment in the Fallout 76 saga.

Referenced on this episode: Fraser Brown’s PC Gamer article about Disco Elysium and The Outer Worlds: https://www.pcgamer.com/disco-elysium-has-ruined-the-outer-worlds-for-me/

Music Pick of the Week: “Just Another Day” by Oingo Boingo from Dead Man’s Party, 1985

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Maddy and Kirk talk about games they're playing, with Maddy trying out Sayonara Wild Hearts and Kirk still diving into the interlocking brain systems that Disco Elysium gives its protagonist. After that, we bring on Kotaku staff editor Natalie Degraffinried (24:05) to talk about Ring Fit Adventure, which is Nintendo's latest attempt to make an exercise video game. We also look back on Wii Fit, Dance Dance Revolution, and more. We close with off-topic talk (54:52) about the Charlie's Angels movies, as well as Watchmen—the book, the movie, and the show.

Music pick of the week: “American Music” by the Violent Femmes from “Why Do Birds Sing,” 1991

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Kirk and Maddy talk about games they're playing, which in Maddy's case is still Destiny 2 and Borderlands 3. Kirk beat Sayonara Wild Hearts, a music-focused game that he strongly recommends, and he just started Disco Elysium, a detective game with a ton of dialogue systems. We then break for some discussion of the news (32:23), touching on Kotaku's coverage of Pokemon Go and privacy, Blizzard's approach to China and Hong Kong, and the Fortnite black hole. We close with off-topic talk (56:53) about books each of us has read: Educated by Tara Westover, Green Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson, and Y: The Last Man by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra.

Music pick of the week: “Begin Again” from the Sayonara Wild Hearts Soundtrack, by Daniel Olsen and Jonathan Eng, feat Linnea Olsson.

“The Creators Of Pokémon Go Mapped The World. Now They're Mapping You” by Cecilia D'Anastasio and Dhruv Mehrotra: https://kotaku.com/the-creators-of-pokemon-go-mapped-the-world-now-theyre-1838974714

“Are China's Tantrums Signs of Strength or Weakness?” by Zeynep Tufekci: https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2019/10/why-does-china-care-about-daryl-moreys-hong-kong-tweet/600001/

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We're back this week with guest host Renata Price who's filling in for Fahey as he gets better (we miss you, Fahey!). And this week we're discussing time loops via Deathloop of course. First, we kick things off with our honest reviews of Deathloop. Then, we discuss other games with unexpected time loop mechanics. And finally, we end with a list of our favorite time loops in other media.

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To celebrate the 200th episode of Splitscreen, Maddy finally started playing Destiny 2. Meanwhile, Kirk beat Untitled Goose Game. We also bring on Kotaku staff writer Joshua Rivera (30:28) to discuss his article about Blizzard's crackdown on a pro Hearthstone player who spoke out about Hong Kong, and then the three of us discuss Borderlands 3, Destiny 2, and all the looting and shooting that can be done in those games. We close with off-topic discussion (1:17:50) about Gentleman Jack, The Great British Bake-Off, and The Real World.

Music pick of the week: “Since 99” by Vargas and Lagola

Wired PS5 Exclusive: https://www.wired.com/story/exclusive-playstation-5/

Planet Money on Hong Kong: https://www.npr.org/2019/07/19/743480237/episode-928-hong-kong

Joshua Rivera's Hong Kong article: https://kotaku.com/blizzards-hong-kong-missteps-prove-video-games-arent-ne-1838913631

Borderlands 3 review: https://kotaku.com/borderlands-3-the-kotaku-review-1838290570

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Kirk and Maddy start by congratulating Jason on his new fatherhood, then get straight to the heart of the matter: video games. Maddy's still playing Fire Emblem and also tried two cool tabletop games, Sheriff of Nottingham and Escape from Aliens in Outer Space. Kirk's tabletop group is still playing Betrayal Legacy; Kirk also played the new Hitman level and... drumroll... Destiny 2: Shadowkeep. After a break (28:32), we bring on Kotaku's editor-in-chief Stephen Totilo to talk about Ghost Recon: Breakpoint and also attempt to define a sidequest (and shout out some of our favorite ones). We then close out with off-topic talk (1:08:15) about Elementary, Star Trek: The Next Generation and Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Music pick of the week: "Oh My," Natalie Prass

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Kirk and Maddy make do without Jason, who's busy with imminent fatherhood, and discuss the joys of Untitled Goose Game and playing games as a jerk (who is also a goose). Kirk is also stuck on a Gears 5 boss and trying out tons of new offerings in Apple Arcade. We break for news (31:04) about the Oculus Quest, further discussion of Apple Arcade and subscription services, and a bunch of listener emails about weird gaming traditions. We close with off-topic talk (59:54) about Dark Crystal and Hustlers.

Music pick of the week: "Little Wing," Jimi Hendrix

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Episode 197: Kirk, Jason, and Maddy talk about the great new visual novel AI: The Somnium Files, the wonderfully addictive Fire Emblem, and Remnant: From the Ashes, aka Gears of Dark Souls. Then they get into news (34:07) on Nicalis and Apple Arcade, plus a listener question about weird gaming traditions. Finally, off-topic talk (57:16) and the legend of Gardner Minshew continues (or does it?).

Music pick of the week: “Rock Steady” by Aretha Franklin from Young, Gifted and Black, 1972

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Episode 196: The Splitscreen krew talks Gears 5, Link's Awakening, and Telling Lies, then moves into news of the week (33:53) on P.T. discoveries, Destiny's five-year anniversary, and esports in the Olympics. Then they get into off-topic (48:58) chat on Derren Brown's 'Secret,' Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, and Succession, before bringing back "Jason's NFL story of the week" to introduce the legend of Gardner Minshew

Music pick of the week: “7” by Prince and the New Power Generation from The Love Symbol Album

Show notes: Joshua Rivera on five years of Destiny, Kirk Hamilton on three years of Destiny, Kathryn VanArendonk - Is Succession a Comedy?

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Episode 195: Kirk, Maddy, and Jason talk about Gears 5, Final Fantasy VIII Remastered, and Control, then dive into some listener questions (31:21) on buying games from problem companies, the best controllers, and silent protagonists. They close things out with off-topic talk (55:28) on Billions, Bundyville, and some Veronica Mars spoilers.

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Episode 194: The Splitscreen Squad talks about the excellent Control, the grindy Dragon Quest XI, and Maddy's comparisons between Gears of War 4 and Fire Emblem: Three Houses. Then they talk news of the week ((24:28) on Telltale getting revived (as a shambling corpse), industry sexual harassment allegations, and weird controversies surrounding the game Ion Fury. Off-topic talk this week (55:21) is all about The Family, Y: The Last Man, and Billions.

Music pick of the week: “Burning Up” by Marianas Trench from Astoria, 2014

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Episode 193: Maddy, Kirk, and Jason talk about Gears of War 4 and the never-ending Fire Emblem: Three Houses before jumping into this week's news from Gamescom (Kojima! Insomniac! Ori and the Blind Forest to Switch!) and, finally, an Outer Wilds spoilercast (35:34). Then some off-topic talk (1:15:45) on Heaven's Gate, Billions, and Succession.

Music pick of the week: “Pyramid Song” by Radiohead from Amnesiac, 2001

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Episode 192: Jason is back from book leave, so why not talk about the one thing that's been on his mind for the last four weeks: Internet distractions! First the gang talks about the games they've been playing, like Outer Wilds and Eliza, before getting into Fire Emblem (29:22) and some productivity tips. Finally, they talk about Saga, Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood, and Veronica Mars (1:04: 26).

Music pick of the week: “Come Home With Me/Wedding Song” from Hadestown by Anaïs Mitchell

Show notes: Rob Zacny (Vice) on Eliza, Nathan Grayson (Kotaku) on the Epic Games Store

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Maddy and Kirk start by discussing the news from last weekend, citing Joshua Rivera's editorial "We Do Not Need To Defend Video Games From Politicians," as well as Maddy's coverage of the ESA leaking journalists' personal information. Next, they talk about games they've been playing; Maddy's still enjoying Phoenix Wright, and Fire Emblem: Three Houses has taken over Kirk's life. After that, Kotaku editor-at-large Riley MacLeod came on to discuss his coverage of the Fortnite World Cup (27:08) and the kid-friendly atmosphere of the event. We close with off-topic talk (1:01:10) about Schitt's Creek and Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy.

Music pick of the week: “All Will Be Well” by Gabe Dixon

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This week we're talking about the disaster that is video game award shows. To kick things off, Nathan runs us through the brief (and odd) history of video game award shows. Then, despite ourselves, we present the very first Splitscreen Awards. And finally, we finish with a crosstalk segment in which we continue to dive into why video game awards are meaningless.

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Maddy and Kirk talk about what they're playing; in Maddy's case, that involves a brand new gaming monitor that makes Outer Wilds look so, so good. She's also playing Madden NFL 20. Meanwhile, Kirk beat Death of the Outsider, started up Wolfenstein: Youngblood and Fire Emblem, and tried Burgle Bros with his tabletop group. We then bring in Kotaku senior reporter Cecilia D'Anastasio (35:06) for discussion about her article, "For Men Who Hate Talking On The Phone, Games Keep Friendships Alive," and also, the importance of gaming etiquette, especially for competitive games. We close out with off-topic discussion (1:11:32) about Veronica Mars... again.

Music pick of the week: “What A Wonderful World” by Sam Cooke

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Kirk and Maddy talk about the games they're playing (still without Jason): Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 in Maddy's case, and Dishonored: Death of the Outsider on Kirk's end, as well as Tetris Effect. Then, Kotaku's newest staff writer Joshua Rivera comes on for a segment (22:27) about the concept of being "tilted," (or frustrated by a game), and also, the perfect squad size. We close with off-topic discussion (58:57) of Billions, Good Omens, and Veronica Mars (again).

Music pick of the week: “Remind Me” by Emily King

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Maddy and Kirk, left to their own devices, talk shop about the best gaming monitors and Kirk's continued Google-free lifestyle. Then they get into games they're playing, with Maddy on Outer Wilds, House Flipper, and a few board games including a bluffing game called Skull. Kirk's still playing Betrayal Legacy and has gotten back to playing Dishonored: Death of the Outsider. After that, they invite in Kotaku's Gita Jackson (34:28) for a segment about Fire Emblem: Three Houses, which sounds delightful, and some discussion of Gita's article, "The Video Games That Made People Question Their Beliefs." Lastly, we get into off-topic talk (1:10:37) about the podcast Criminal, Veronica Mars, and more.

Music pick of the week: “Bicyclops” by Bela Fleck and Chick Corea

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Episode 187: Jason, Kirk, and Maddy talk about the games they've been playing, including Metro Exodus, West of Loathing, Mario Maker 2, and Dragon Quest Builders 2. Then it's time to talk about news (33:25) on Nintendo's new Switch Lite... Lite Switch?... as well as G2A shadiness (would YOU give up your integrity for $50 million?) and a Wind Waker discovery in Breath of the Wild. Then the gang talks Stranger Things, Veronica Mars, and Spider-Man: Far From Home (54:23).

Music pick of the week: “Crazy on You” by Heart

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Episode 186: Happy fourth of July! Kirk, Jason, and Maddy talk about some video games (Mario Maker 2, Metro Exodus, Cadence of Hyrule) before cracking open the mailbag (22:32) for some listener questions about video game streaming in schools, how to review video games, whether Final Fantasy VII Remake will still be going until the 2030s, and much more. Then, off-topic chat (1:20:18) on Fullmetal Alchemist, Veep, and a very important question about Toy Story's Woody.

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Episode 185: Jason, Kirk, and Maddy speedrun their way through a new episode of Kotaku Splitscreen, starting with some ranting and raving about Outer Wilds before talking Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, the Xbox Elite controller, and Bloodstained. Then they get into news (29:01) on Tifa's boobs, Auto Chess, and Jason's recent article about Treyarch's treatment of contract staff and the development of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. They close things out with off-topic chat (52:16) on Evangelion, Veep, and The Journalist and the Murderer.

Music pick of the week: James Brown, “Mother Popcorn,” released as a single in 1969

Show notes:

How video game breasts are made (Patricia Hernandez): https://kotaku.com/how-video-game-breasts-are-made-and-why-they-can-go-so-1687753475

Veep Is Over. Is America Next? (Jen Chaney): https://www.vulture.com/2019/05/veep-series-finale.html

DOOM: The Fake Outrage (Shaun_Jen) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l63nY0AYebI

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Episode 184: Jason and Maddy are back from E3, regaling Kirk with tales of sweaty convention controllers and all the video games they played in Los Angeles. First, everyone talks about the games they're currently playing, like Outer Wilds, Cadence of Hyrule, and Collection of Mana. Then it's time for E3 chat (34:29) about The Avengers, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Cyberpunk 2077, Link's Awakening, Astral Chain, and many, many more games, followed by off-topic talk (1:17:18) on Dark Phoenix, Billions, and Chernobyl.

Music pick of the week: “Lunchtime” off of Cory Wong’s new album Live in the U.K.

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At the Devolver lot across the street from E3, Maddy sat down with Cullen Dwyer and Joseph Bourgeois, two of the developers of Gato Roboto and also the Devolver Bootleg, which features eight faux-bootleg versions of Devolver games like Hotline Miami and Ape Out. This is Cullen and Joseph's first E3, which they celebrated by buying themselves cool robes to wear. We spend a not insignificant portion of this interview talking about the robes.

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E3 2019: Jason Schreier chats with Mateusz Tomaszkiewicz, quest director at CD Projekt Red on the much-anticipated RPG Cyberpunk 2077, about the scope of this massive game, how their approach to quest design has changed from The Witcher 3, and the importance of communication in game development.

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E3 2019: Jason Schreier talks to Dave Lang, founder and C3PO of Iron Galaxy, about what it's like to run a large game studio that avoids excessive overtime, how to create a culture of healthy work-life balance, and why his title is C3PO.

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This week we dive into the weird world of video game twists, and spoiler alert: there WILL be spoilers. First Ash leads us in a discussion on the controversy of spoilers in the gaming world. Then, Nathan takes us through a speed run on the history of the MGS2 twist. And finally, Fahey quizzes us on the most memorable video game twists via bullet points.

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E3 2019: Jason Schreier talks to Obsidian's Leonard Boyarsky, co-creator of the original Fallout and now co-director of The Outer Worlds, about what it's been like to go back into post-apocalyptic sci-fi after a decade at Blizzard, how his new game explores fascism and corporate governance, and how video game development has changed over the past 30 years.

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E3 2019: Jason Schreier sits down with Marcin Iwiński, founder and co-CEO of Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Projekt Red, to follow up on their conversation about crunch a few weeks ago. They also talk about Cyberpunk 2077's ambitious scope, controversies over trans issues, racial stereotypes, Keanu Reeves, GOG financial issues, and whether Cyberpunk will come to Switch.

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At E3 2019, Maddy sits down with Alex "Goldenboy" Mendez, esports commentator and event host best known for his work on Overwatch League, Call of Duty, and Halo. Mendez actually used to cover esports for Kotaku years ago; now, he commentates and hosts massive esports tournaments in stadiums around the country. We talk about the traditional sports influences on the esports industry, the wide spectrum of esports personalities out there, and whether Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games will be the next great esport (it will). Lastly, Mendez talks about his new show, LVL UP, which is like Pimp My Ride but for gaming rigs.

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E3 2019: Jason Schreier sits down with Destiny bosses Luke Smith and Mark Noseworthy for a deep dive into the future of Destiny 2, which is an MMO now. They talk about RPG elements, story loose ends, technical challenges, cross-play (or lack thereof), whether there will ever be a Destiny 3, Stadia latency, and what 2020 looks like for this franchise.

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E3 2019: Jason Schreier talks to Larian Studios boss Swen Vincke and D&D creative chief Mike Mearls about how the Baldur's Gate 3 deal came together, what it's like to make a video game based on Dungeons & Dragons in 2019, and whether Minsc and Boo will be in the game. They talk about the confusion of D&D spell slots, the "infinite possibilities" in a game like this, and how great role-playing games are made.

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Nintendo just announced a sequel to Breath of the Wild?? Also, a bunch of other E3 press conferences happened, with some good-looking games, some Keanu-shaped surprises, a very good dog, and a lot of loud music.

Kirk, Jason, and Maddy get together to talk through it all, breaking down highlights from Microsoft, Bethesda, Ubisoft, Square Enix, and Nintendo. Jason and Maddy will be back all week with interviews from the E3 show floor, so stay tuned to your feed for more.

PRESS CONFERENCE ROUNDUPS:

Microsoft: https://kotaku.com/everything-microsoft-announced-at-e3-2019-1835358411

Bethesda: https://kotaku.com/everything-bethesda-announced-at-e3-2019-1835362095

Ubisoft: https://kotaku.com/everything-ubisoft-announced-at-e3-2019-1835383676

Square Enix: https://kotaku.com/everything-square-enix-announced-at-e3-2019-1835393070

Nintendo: https://kotaku.com/everything-nintendo-announced-at-e3-2019-1835413325

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episode 182: Hell yeah, it's time for E3! Kirk, Jason, and Maddy talk about the games they've been playing (Outer Wilds, Timespinner, Gato Roboto) before jumping into E3 guesses, hopes, predictions, and rumors (32:46) involving EA, Microsoft, Bethesda, Ubisoft, Square Enix, Nintendo, and much more. Will The Avengers and FF7 live up to the hype? With Sony skipping this year's show, can Microsoft blow us all away as it fights for console dominance? And what kind of whispers has Jason heard about Ubisoft's showcase this year? You'll have to listen to the show to find out. The gang closes things out with off-topic talk (1:24:38) including Dragon Ball Z, 24, and Rocketman.

SHOW NOTES:

Music pick of the week: “Hangin’ with My Baby” by Tower of Power from their 2018 (!) album Soul Side of Town

Jon Bois on 24: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_P52G4Kyq5M

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episode 181: Baby Ghost... Recon? Kirk, Jason, and Maddy talk video games, from Dark Souls 3 to Observation, then dive into news of the week (29:00) including Death Stranding's ridiculous new trailer (and 2019 release date!), Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, and EA Play. The crew hears from a listener who does game analytics for a major video game company, then they get into off-topic talk on Veep, Educated, Fleabag, 24, 24, and 24 (1:04:54).

Music Pick of the Week: “Grey Seal” by Elton John from his 1973 album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

SHOW NOTES

Politico Article: https://www.politico.com/story/2019/05/25/how-silicon-valley-gamed-the-worlds-toughest-privacy-rules-1466148

Justin McElroy on Anor Londo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5yw0wHQx9A

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episode 180: We've gotten so many interesting listener e-mails about privacy in gaming, we just had to keep talking about it! First, the Splitscreen gang talks about some of the games they're playing including Phoenix Wright, Rage 2, and Destiny. Then they get into the news of the week (28:18) on Minecraft Earth, the God of War documentary, and a major shakeup in Call of Duty-land.

After the news, Kirk, Maddy, and Jason read some listener emails and talk more about advertisers using our data, targeted marketing, and whether the internet is just broken or what. Then it's time for off-topic talk (1:11:55) on Designated Survivor, Lemony Snicket, and much more.

Music pick of the week: “Ageless Beauty” by Stars from their 2004 album Set Yourself On Fire

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The game of thrones has ended, and so has Game of Thrones. On this final bonus episode, Jason and Kirk wrap up their coverage of HBO's grand fantasy series by recapping the events of "The Iron Throne," then looking back at the show as a whole.

LINKS:

Zeynep Tufekci on the series' shift from sociological to psychological storytelling: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/the-real-reason-fans-hate-the-last-season-of-game-of-thrones/

Zach Kram on its shifting relationship with consequence: https://www.theringer.com/tv/2019/4/10/18304037/game-of-thrones-season-8-consequences-jon-sam-arya-cersei

Gita Jackson on Game of Thrones' Fullmetal Alchemist problem: https://kotaku.com/game-of-thrones-has-a-fullmetal-alchemist-problem-1834512907

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Whether we like it or not, September is upon us. And that of course means we're reminiscing about the back-to-school days. First, we're talking about our memories of attempting to play games during school, then we discuss our all-time favorite fall releases. And finally, we talk about the best games that are set in school.

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Episode 179: Jason's wisdom tooth removal has left Kirk and Maddy by themselves to discuss Phoenix Wright and the music of mystery games. Kirk is also playing Rage 2, Destiny 2, and a tabletop game about bluffing called Sheriff of Nottingham. This week's news (33:32) includes a very pretty Final Fantasy 7 teaser and the announcement of Ghost Recon Breakpoint, which Kirk is excited about. We also discuss the Vox article “Angry Birds and the end of privacy” and our own concerns about games and apps that collect our data. We close out with off-topic talk (58:50) that ends up veering off into discussion of the works of Patrick Rothfuss.

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With each new episode of Game of Thrones, the gods toss a coin and the world holds its breath. Too bad for us, "The Bells"' coin landed on the "unfortunate plot developments" side.

Kirk and Jason talk through the ins and outs of Dany's big day, along with the highs and lows of what was, in the end, a pretty disappointing episode.

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Episode 178: Jason, Kirk, and Maddy talk about the new Kotaku piece about what it was like to work on Mortal Kombat 11's ultra-violent scenes, then get into the games they're playing: Danganronpa, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, and a potpourri of Kirk video games. This week's big news (35:05) includes a U.S. senator introducing an anti-loot box bill, Riot employees walking out, and the Sonic movie changing course. Finally, lots of off-topic talk (1:01:28) on all sorts of TV shows and movies.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.