Off The Console – Details, episodes & analysis

Nintendo Direct 03/27/2025

Link: https://www.ign.com/articles/nintendo-direct-march-2025-everything-announced

Interesting move by Nintendo to unveil a Switch focused Nintendo Direct, especially when we’re supposed to get a Switch 2 Direct in a few days…7

Ubisoft makes a deal with Tencent…

Link: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ubisoft-carves-top-games-unit-164015707.html

Perhaps it was always the plan, even if AC Shadows was a financial success.

Major Publishers looking to delay games to avoid being beaten by GTA VI

Link: https://www.thegamebusiness.com/p/major-publishers-plan-to-delay-games

Announcing GTA VI’s release date will be cataclysmic for game releases as no one wants to release alongside GTA VI, as it’ll look especially bad.

Gamestop Closes Down More Stores (and invests in Bitcoin?)

Link: https://www.ign.com/articles/gamestop-plans-to-close-a-significant-number-of-stores-and-invest-into-bitcoin

The bitcoin plan was in unanimous agreement from the top level execs of this sinking ship.

RGG Studio justifies the reuse of assets in the “Like a Dragon” series

Link: https://www.ungeek.ph/2025/03/rgg-studio-directors-explain-their-approach-to-reusing-assets-in-like-a-dragon/

Perhaps it was always the plan, even if AC Shadows was a financial success.

Cristiano Ronaldo is now a fighting game character

Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbeEWm4%5Fqeg

This was announced a while back but we couldn’t have possibly imagined Ronaldo being an actual playable character in the new Fatal Fury.

Game Informer returns with ALL Staff

Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoVfBvxKdm0

Game Informer is BACK!

Japanese Gaming is Back on the Rise! 5/8 major companies reported record profits.

Link: https://automaton-media.com/en/news/japans-aaa-game-industry-performs-strongly-as-5-out-of-8-major-companies-hit-record-breaking-share-prices/

Japanese Gaming is back! Not that it ever left or anything but people seriously underestimate how important the Japanese are to gaming as a whole.

Hope for Silksong After All

Link: https://steamdb.info/app/1030300/history/?changeid=U:60144384

Silksong’s Legal Line was changed from “Copyright Team Cherry 2019” to “Copyright Team Cherry 2025”. Now I’m not saying Silksong’s coming out this year…. but I’m saying it’s coming out this year.

HP’s “Steam Deck”

Link: https://www.videogamer.com/news/hp-doesnt-want-windows-on-its-steam-deck-competitor-but-valves-simple-steamos/

HP does not want to make a Windows handheld, but would be far more interested in making one with SteamOS on it.

Google Makes Android Development Private, But Will the OS No Longer Be Open-Source?

Link: https://www.techtimes.com/articles/309791/20250327/google-makes-android-development-private-will-os-no-longer-open-source.htm

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In this episode of Off the Console, we dive into the latest gaming and tech news! From Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ historical controversy and Steam Deck performance insights to the rise of home labs for game streaming and Nvidia’s latest GPU reveals — we’ve got it all. We also explore handheld gaming trends, Ubisoft’s DRM concerns, and the future of gaming interfaces. Tune in for insightful discussions, hardware breakdowns, and the evolving landscape of game development!

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This week on Off The Console, we dive into some of the hottest topics shaking up the gaming and tech world! First, the Nintendo Switch 2 is finally revealed, but the drama doesn’t stop there—Nintendo’s lawyers are already making waves at CES 2025. Plus, the imminent TikTok ban in the U.S. is causing chaos, with users flocking to alternatives like REDnote.

We also discuss Elon Musk’s controversial gaming habits and the shady truths behind Honey’s coupon practices. On a brighter note, we break down an exciting interview with Pierre-Loup Griffais at CES, where Valve drops new insights on SteamOS and the future of gaming hardware. Lastly, we explore Sony’s wild AI patents and the staggering number of unplayed games on Steam.

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In this week’s episode, we dive deep into the gaming industry’s hottest developments, from Microsoft’s bold handheld gaming plans to Lenovo Legion Go’s challenge to the Steam Deck. Discover the exciting potential of new SteamOS devices, cutting-edge features, and the hurdles of compatibility and software. We also explore the latest CES tech from AMD, Intel, and NVIDIA, speculate on the Nintendo Switch 2, and discuss Tencent’s new designation as a military company. Stick around as we tackle innovations in gaming controllers, the rise of AI in gaming, and what it means for speedrunning, voice acting, and copyright. With insights into the future of immersive gaming and the role of Linux in gaming, this episode is packed with the tech and gaming news you don’t want to miss.

🃏 Hi-Tech is grinding our a perfect game of Balatro 🕹️ James is playing Chess Mess 🏗️ Gardiner is trapped in VR games?

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This week we talk about CES 2025 including Valve’s presence and other details. Plus, we chat about the outrageous pricing of the RTX 50 series cards, the Half-life 3 rumors, FFVII Rebirth going multiplatform, the resurrection of Tango Gameworks and more!

What’s everyone been playing?

Hi-Tech:

Grinding Balatro

James:

Half-Life 3 Copium Game

Gardiner:

Dome Keeper

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CES 2025 is AROUND the Corner

Link: https://www.ces.tech/

Technology of Tomorrow…. TODAY! CES is a trade show where tech companies from all around the world come to showcase their new hottest tech. Sometimes they’re products that are basically ready for production, and sometimes they’re high concept devices and machines made by companies that desperately need investors. While not explicitly gaming oriented like E3, Gamescom, or Tokyo Game Show, there ARE always companies showing off gaming hardware.\n\nAll of this… in a few days. Who’s gonna be at CES? What companies? What content creators? What SHOULD we look forward to?

Valve @ CES - Related to Above Topic

Link: https://x.com/sadlyitsbradley/status/1874899690464198753

We already know Valve’s going to be at CES with Lenovo… the big question is what ELSE will Valve do there?

Nvidia RTX 5090 & 5080 Price Revealed (in China)

Link: https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/gpus/rtx-5090-and-rtx-5080-listed-for-usd2-600-and-usd1-350-at-chinese-retailer-leaked-listing-suggests-blackwell-might-see-a-price-hike-at-least-in-china

The RTX 5090 is listed for 18,999 Yuan ($2600) & the RTX 5080 listed for 9,999 Yuan ($1350). As per this source, China employs a 13% VAT. After adjusted for VAT the prices end up being $1200 for the 5080 and $2200 for the 5090. A 37% price hike for the 5090.\n\nPrices MAY be different over here but the prices for the 4090 have remained somewhat similar between the US and China when adjusted for VAT.

“#Valve #Halflife #GMan #2025”

Link: https://x.com/mikeshapiroland/status/1874213952680607922

Mike Shapiro, best known as the voice of The G-Man from Half-Life posted a mysterious video with mysterious hashtags. The Half-Life 3 rumor mill begins once again…

“Final Fantasy VII Rebirth sales don’t disappoint but they can’t be exclusive to a single console anymore”

Link: https://x.com/Knoebelbroet/status/1873115322032787872

https://br.ign.com/final-fantasy-vii-rebirth/134307/news/nao-podemos-ser-exclusivos-de-um-unico-console-diretor-de-final-fantasy-7-rebirth-diz-que-numeros-de

Yoshinori Kitase, producer for FFVII Rebirth did an interview with IGN Brazil. Kitase says the sales are doing good but it is clear that modern games cannot be exclusive anymore… that they need to offer the game to as many players as possible. FFVII Rebirth’s PC port comes out later this month, nearly a year after it was released as a PS5 exclusive. Still no word on if FFVII Remake or Rebirth will come to Xbox.

Tango Gameworks Lives Again Thanks to Krafton

Link: https://wccftech.com/tango-gameworks-lives-again-thanks-to-krafton/

Today, at the dawn of the new year, Tango Gameworks has resumed social media communications with the following message to all its fans:

A New Start\nTango Gameworks studio has been reborn as Tango Gameworks Inc., proudly joining KRAFTON Inc.\nWe’re excited to continue crafting games that bring joy to players around the world.\nThank you for your continued support as we embark on this new journey!

As a reminder, the Japanese studio previously also released The Evil Within, The Evil Within 2, and Ghostwire: Tokyo. Those franchises have stayed with Microsoft for now, but they don’t appear to be used for the time being. As such, it’s not inconceivable that Tango might ask for the license at some point in the future, though the current focus is undoubtedly on Hi-Fi Rush 2.

EmuDECK adds ShadPS4

Link: https://steamdeckhq.com/news/emudeck-adds-ps4-emulation-support-shadps4/

PS4 emulation is now easier than ever on the Steam Deck thanks to EmuDECK.

it is possible to play some of these on the Steam Deck

Luck be a Landlord banned from Google Play?

Link: https://blog.trampolinetales.com/luck-be-a-landlord-might-be-banned-from-google-play-2/

Another game being scrutinized for gambling aesthetics (in this case, literal slot machines). But like Balatro there are no real money transactions beyond the game itself.

Recettear - One of the most influential doujin titles gets an HD Remaster

Link: https://x.com/Recettear_EGS/status/1873564667366506965

Recettear: An Item Shop’s Tale was a doujin title released in 2007 at the 73rd Comiket and historically one of the first independent games from Japan to be released on Steam. It has inspired quite a few games, like Moonlighter, Potionomics and even the likes of ConcernedApe’s upcoming game, Haunted Chocolatier. One of the most capitalist games of all time where the goal is to make a shitload of money from the loot you find in dungeons. Possibly the antithesis of Disco Elysium.

It’s getting an HD remaster in 2025. Capitalism Ho!

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Join us for the latest episode of Off the Console as we dive into the hottest gaming tech news of the week! From Valve’s ongoing controversies and the assumptions made by CoffeeZilla, to the innovative Ioneo 3 and its modular design. James, aka The Brink, is joined by HiTech (and Gardner in spirit) to discuss their latest gaming adventures, the photorealistic vs. stylized graphics debate, and more. Plus, we touch upon the fascinating world of War Thunder leaks and the unique challenges faced by game developers today. Don’t miss this engaging discussion and be sure to tune in for our CES predictions next week!

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A Special Edition Off The Console episode! We watched The Game Awards and made predictions and talk about announcements. All live!

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Valve heads to CES with Lenovo?! What the hell is going on with Balatro and PEGI? And as Sony comes to an agreement with KADOKAWA, the “final spec” approaches. And as the year closes, Valve and us look back at our past year in gaming and surprises and games we kinda forgot we played this year too!

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Valve is cooking up something behind the scenes! It seems Valve may be bringing back the old Steam Machine initiative! Will they succeed? And will there be an armada of SteamOS devices aiming for Nintendo’s portable crown? On the heels of this, Valve has also included guidelines on how to properly use the Steam brand on your product’s box!

And Valve’s Class Action lawsuit heats up! Will they be able to make it out alive? And what happens if they lose? What happens if they win?

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Is the AAA gaming bubble finally bursting? In this discussion-packed episode, we talk about the shake-ups rocking the industry; from the rise of indie gems (and whether they get enough recognition) to the slow downfall of bloated blockbusters. We debate whether Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree truly deserves a Game of the Year nod, share our excitement for Steam Deck community rumblings, and dream big about the Steam Controller 2. Plus, we tackle Valve’s controversial 30% revenue split, Sony’s bold move to acquire FromSoftware’s parent company (and the intrigue of a possible hostile takeover), and the potential of SteamOS 3 to redefine PC gaming.

With the Steam Autumn Sale just around the corner, we also highlight the best deals and must-play titles. With guest host Noah from Steam Deck HQ, this is a can’t miss episode!

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