Kinda Funny Gamescast: Video Game Podcast - What Games Were MISSING From Summer Game Fest? - Kinda Funny Gamescast

Episode Date: June 21, 2024

- Start & Mike’s READY for Elden Ring - Housekeeping - What WASN’T at Summer Game Fest? - Ads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What's up and welcome back to the Kind of Funny Games cast live for Friday, June 21st, 2024. Of course, I am your host, Tim Getty's. I am joined today by blessing at E.O. Ye junior. Happy summer, Tim. Happy summer to you. Oh, yeah, the summer solstice. Longest day of the year is today. So enjoy the sunlight, everybody.

That's what Mike and Andy are going to do. Isn't that right, Snowbike, Mike? We're going to go climb underneath the tree and enjoy the shadows from the sunlight. It's going to be a beautiful time. Can we push past 12 hours? We push towards 15, 16 hours. Will it be the easiest experience I've ever had in Dark Souls, Tim? That's the true question.

I think it might be the tough experience. A lot of people are saying, Shadow of the Earth Tree is the toughest experience you'll have in Dark Souls and the Soulsborn. But Andy saw it last night. My character's really, really good. Super strong. What I was most impressed by last night, last night, Tim, you know, we had one more boss before we could take on. And as you know, Tim, you know, I'm always a fan of, of, of. quelling the frenzied flame.

That's something that is, I put that on my Bumble profile, right? Like, that's something like I like to quell the frenzied flame. Yuck. And, uh, BFF. BFF. Oh, okay. I'm trying to make friends who are really into

quelling the frenzied flame. And when you need to do that, Tim, you need to go beat a dragon name Placutusacs. And you go lay down a little coffin, uh, plaques, plus hootusacks, as we call Plaxico Burris. He's pretty cool. You go back in time and it shows you how far Missoula looked back in the time, everything like swish it.

It's a giant arena. This is what, this is where the age of the dragons was. And it's like, uh, and Mike is in there and he's, you know, we're co-opping. We're doing the old school co-op. It's not seamless anymore. Kind of sucks. It's like, this is the way co-op is for everybody else. So hard to go back.

And we're going to be struggling a lot today because you need an item to summon a friend, meaning you need little materials to make that item. Yeah. And we're running low on them. 25. Yeah, Mike has 25, that it should probably be enough. So last night, we hop in to go 5 plus pseudocacs, and Mike is like, Andy, look at this build. And I'm so proud of him that I'm just so proud that he finally listened to anybody.

Yeah. Anybody's recommendations on the video game because- Well, I did listen. TikTok Day 1 gave me the original bill. He watched a TikTok Day 1 build and then like a year later was like, well, this is the bill. That's the meta. You watched the video that you probably half listened to. Yeah, yeah. Question though, Andy, real quick.

Yeah, go ahead. In Eldon Ring, is there any way you could buy things? No, unfortunately not. Okay. There's no store. There's no items shop that Mike can just like job. Yeah, they're really holding back on us. Yeah.

You know what I mean? Yeah, it's really unfortunate. They haven't unlocked that next level of revenue. So if Miyazaki and the team want to add that and, you know, unlock that next step. Yeah. There you go. Do you want, like, hey, Miyazaki from software, take a look at, you know, ultimate team in FIFA.

You know what I mean? What a ton of money? They're crushing it. They're crushing it money-wise. Maybe go that direction if you want to be successful, right? But so last night, Mike pops into this arena. He steased the source. Again, sources spelled S-O-U-R-C-E, but it's short for a sorcerer,

which is not spelled that way, but that's okay. He's the source of all things, source of all things, magic to him. And we hop in, and he is melting this dragon with his Kamea-Mea beam. Look at this. It's just like beams on the dude. And he's like, I listen to the chat. So shout out to Creed Cottsloth. A lot of people in the chat

who he finally decided to listen to because I was like we're going to hop in tomorrow. He's like, I got my pebble. I have 24 health. I'll be fine. And like that's usually the situation. I'll be fine. And he's getting one shot by everybody. But now he's like super prepared. I think we beat in like six hours. I think we beat this. I don't know. Tim, Tim, you better check in late

tonight about midnight. We're probably going to have our feet up playing Valorant because this game will be done. Oh, hit me up. Okay. We'll be like that. Just to show you the level of how much have increased. The last time we played Eldon Ring, my Pebble was doing 68 damage. What does it do now? It's just like a little magic shop.

It was also the most O.P. Magic spell in the game. A lot of people don't want to put respect on Pebble's name. You put the respect on Pebble. Okay. Now it does 648 damage. That's insane. That is insane. Really figured it out finally. There would be moments where we are doing this co-op thing and we're playing with our homie

Kevin ASEX who were having to leave back on the bench. I'm so sorry, Kevin. We're doing this all without you. And people are watching me like just struggle with these bosses and then chat is then they're kind of like narkin on Mike because they're like

Andy Mike's little fucking magic spell is doing like 22 damage and you and Kevin are doing like 600 500 he's doing nothing over there we're watching him play and his stuff is doing nothing we're finding a guy named Malakith Tim and Mike is throwing three meteors that go towards him

but two of them are hitting the pillar right in front of him and one maybe reaches him every once in a while. It's called tactical cover. Of course it is. I love this and I love even more the fact that you just said all of those words and I understood maybe one third of them

and I appreciate that that other two thirds was filled with a mix of Eldron ring words that I don't know, people's names from the chat that sound like Eldon Ring names and then Mike and Andy's variations of the Eldon Ring character names. Two different eyes.

There's just so much going on. I appreciate it. So obviously all of this talk is to promote what is happening today? Well, at noon, well, probably a bit later, depending on how long the game status goes, we are doing our Shadow of the Urtree marathon stream. We will push it as far as possible with your support,

with your primes, with your gifteds. Every sub will add time to the timer. And we have like a, what if we go 12 hours sort of thing? It's like, what if we can push that a little bit further? We're not going 24. We don't got backups waking up at 7 in the morning to come, you know, relieve us of our duty. I'm sure as hell not going to

The final boss And we're going to beat the boss And maybe it takes a long time I think we'll be there The seven hour mark most likely I think we'll beat this boss I want to know I just don't know where the joke ends

I really don't know either You gotta believe it bless you gotta Tune in to find out Will we beat the DLC Do you want to see the source of all things matching Jesus Christ His plus has beat this Plus knows the truth about all this stuff

And he's beat this I still haven't beat this Oh you're still on that final boss Yeah I went I upgraded a bit But yeah, you still kicking my ass. And he has beat it. But what's happening for the stream is this is Mike's first time playing through this. So this confidence isn't based on him being like, oh, we got this.

We're going to play through the whole game. You're going in to this as a real first experience. You want to tell him about my confidence? Why I'm so, I'm in my bag right now? Well, I mean, Mike. He's in his bag. Mike beat Sekiro with maybe, I don't know, 80, 90 deaths. Mike two tried.

Genichiro. Insane. Mike, like, it's, like, it's, It's unbelievable the stuff I'm seeing from this guy playing. I legitimately have never been more impressed by somebody doing Macquarie counters. That's why we call him the Mykiri counter Howard. Watch out. Oh, yeah.

Right now. Man, like the amount of times that this Owlfather would throw the fireworks and Mike would see, with his awful fucking vision, Lord knows he couldn't see how many fingers I got up in front of his face. Through the fireworks that Owl Father throws a blessing, you would see the McCurry counter little thing behind it, the little red icon, Mike would just fucking step on that plate. It was unbelievable. Beat the guardian ape in less than five tries.

Yeah, unbelievable. How often are you that Mike knew what he was doing or if he was just stumbling into that, Macquarie counter every single time? No, he was, no, like this is... Like, what are the buttons from the... Look, Joe. Diled.

You know children now? Diled. They put their hand up and saying to do this. Can I leave that? Can I leave that? Can I leave that. Ask a child how they answer the phone and like you know we do it like this back in the day now they just do this that's stupid that's crazy stupid as though do they actually do that or is that old people saying i don't know that's what they say that's what they say did you see a post on facebook or something weird weird ai it's oh man everybody

this is the kind of funny games cast we each every weekday we get together to talk about video games and all the things that we love about them and just having fun with our friends talking about video games if you love what we do please support us with the kind of funny membership for Just $10 a month. You can support us so much and help keep this going. You get the shows ad free. You can watch them live as we record them

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So check out. I give it an 8 out of 10 on the kind of funny scale. Check out that video game. I'm be honest. For a chance of you. part of the show. You can submit YouTube Super chats as we go.

Try to keep them on topic as much as possible, so it'll help us make it a better show. Some housekeeping for you. You already got us talking about PSVR 2. Sony kind of pulling out support of that. I'm kind of funny games daily. Up next, like we were saying, we got the Eldon

Ring Shown of the Urtree, marathon stream of Mike's first time playing through alongside his best friend, Andy Cortez. Jason Super Chats in saying, we believe in Mike. Thank you. I don't because I can see, maybe you get to the final boss, but I see you in my mind, Mike, you just going, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. I'm really excited.

Should we do a PG stream? Like first person a curse has to, what? No cursing. First person to curse. It's a great question. Has to admit that he's their best friend. Yeah, that's a great question. That's a good call.

You have to say I'm your best friend live on camera right in front of everybody. Oh, man. And really quick that will. be live only on Twitch.tv slash Kind of Funny Games. And it'll be later available as a Vod. Correct. Yeah, we'll be recording all of it.

It'll go up on YouTube later, but we will not be live on YouTube because of YouTube stupid live stuff where you have to create a new event and you can't just hit go live and just let it rock. How about we get that in the future? Also, I'm really fascinated because Tim, Maximilian dude is streaming all of his

Erd Tree stuff in 4K. Oh, yeah, dude, the new Twitche H-EVC stuff? Yeah. Very cool. Super, super excited. It's like, wow, that's awesome. It's like, hey, give us that, you know, Twitch. Let us have those capabilities.

But it probably is costing more than what we make on Twitch to actually encode that from X because it's like a lot of, it's a lot of money and, you know, a lot of power to kind of encode those things. I mean, they're putting it out there. Like, I've seen multiple people testing this out. So I think we'll get it soon. Epos Vox. Yeah, exactly. Yeah.

Today we're brought to you by Shady Race Harry's and a Better Paradise. and shout out to our Patreon producers, Kieran Hovesapien, Carl Jacobs, Fargo, Brady, and Delaney Twining. You really are the best of us. But for now, let's start with the topic of the show.

Tots. Tots. The topic of the show today is what games were not at Summer Game Fest, and where will they be? There are so many amazing games that we saw over the course

of Summer Game Fest, and of course we're including the state of play and the Nintendo Direct in addition to the Xbox Showcase and the Keeley event itself and all the other. the supplementary things that happened as well. But we did a whole bunch of predictions episodes leading into these events.

We predicted a whole bunch of games that we expected to see. And a lot of them, we didn't see. So I wanted to talk all about those and then kind of have a discussion on where do we end up thinking we will see them or will we ever see them. There's some of these games that I'm not sure we'll ever see the light of day. I have a big list here we're going to jump through. But if you have any, you want to super chat in, please do. And we will talk about those.

We got to start with the big one. the inspiration for this entire topic. Hollow Knight Silk Song. Bless, what do you think is up with Hollow Night? I mean, I got the same question. What the fuck is up with Hollow Night? Are we going to see this game this year? Is it, are they having troubles with it?

Are they struggling? Is it one of those ones where, let's say it's coming out this fall? Do they just not want to talk about it until it's weeks away, a month away? Like, are they trying to keep it close to the chest? It's a really weird one. I'm more curious on what Andy has to say is the Hollow Night fan here. I'm super interested and fascinated as well. I think as long as I keep seeing their marketing person

and I keep seeing every once in a while a little post from Team Cherry be like, hey, don't worry, we're still working on it. That gives me confidence. I think as soon as you get the ultimate radio silence of no responses to these concerns, then that's when I really, really start to worry. But the thing that gave me the most hope, which was a couple months ago when we got those listings on the Xbox store

and it was Australia and South Korea I believe and that gives me the hope that I need that this is closer than we think it is now did I expect to see some sort of trailer

absolutely I did I thought we were really really close especially when Xbox puts out that big graphic last year I think it was the developers showcase, right? Where they put out that graphic and was like,

in the next 12 months, you'll be seeing these games. Yeah, that was their summer. That was their summer showcase. A little clarification on that, and this is definitely a your wrong thing, but like I've seen conflicting stuff. But if I remember correctly,

it wasn't actually on the graphic, but they did say everything you're seeing today is coming out in the next 12 months. So it's a weird technicality, but I could be wrong about that, but I saw somebody correcting us being like, it wasn't actually on the graphic. Oh, really?

because I remember seeing like that. Huh, okay. If someone could find that, like let me know. But either way, they did say every game you're seeing today and that game was there. So it still stands that like

it should have been in that based on their words. Yeah. I think they are. Here's the graphic. A lot of games on this graphic. Coming to Xbox and PC over the next 12 months. This was from 2022.

Gosh, darn. Yeah. But I think I do remember in the moment them not putting it in the graphic and people being confused about it. Man, replaced us there. That's wild. But I also remember what?

sometime the year after, sometime in 2023, the holiday devs were like, hey, we're not going to make it out by this time. Like, you know, we're taking our time with it. Yeah, and people were like, okay, well, people, I mean, me else, like maybe it's out in the second half of the year, then it didn't come in the second half of the year. I'm starting to really think now that whatever happens,

it'll be a shadow drop. Man. Like, I think whatever happens, that showcase happens, everybody pops off and it's available right now. at the end of the show or whatever the hell, you know what I mean? Like, I think that may be what they're not necessarily like this has to be a shadow drop, but we don't want to release this until we know 1,000% sure we are ready to rock. Yeah, we don't want to have any sort of teases or official.

And I'm not, when I say official, I don't mean a post in a forum or reply to a tweet. I mean like, we don't want to have an official showing of this game until we know it's going to drop immediately. We have a date. I don't think it's going to actually be shadow dropped. I don't expect the next time when we actually hear it for them to be like, and it's available today. But I do think the next time we hear it, we will have a dedicated date. And I'm surprised we didn't see it at Summer Game Fest because I thought that time was now.

I thought that, okay, they're going to have a date. At the same time, this is the type of game that I'm like, just take your time, get it right. Like, there's no rush to just because we've heard about it for a long time and all this stuff. I don't think there's any troubles with development. I think that it's development. And they're like, hey, let's get this right because you can't take it back once you put it out. You know? Yeah.

And it's the type of game that like, sure, with video games, you can patch them, you can fix them, whatever. This is that follow-up moment for them that can, like, turn that team into legends. You know what I'm talking about? I think why I'm most excited about it is I could kind of like, if I were flying the wall, what I'd imagine I'd be seeing is excitement within Team Cherry when they first release what Silk Song is and it's supposed to be just DLC. and then the pivot sort of becomes, what if we just make this a full-ass sequel? Because I got to imagine the drawing board and the list of ideas were so massive.

This is me the optimistic brain right now kind of working. The demand of the excitement of them going, oh shit, well, that means that we could also put this in here. And that one thing that we really, really wanted to do that didn't think we were going to have time for, that could also be added. And I just imagine the excitement of creating this big, new gigantic world and no idea is really left off the table.

Scope creep. Yeah. Yeah. I think for sure that is what happens. And I think that this game is going to be killer when it comes out. So I guess the question here is, is it this year? Gamescom. Is it this year?

It's my first pick on my fantasy draft. I need this, Andy. Wasn't your first one? Yep. I did it because of you too. And because I was one seat ahead of you, so I had to draft it because you were going to draft it. Also, you try to draft a shadow of the urge.

I didn't hear it. I was so far on the other side of the table I couldn't hear. You got Andy on the mind. You got any shit. Andy, you thought Shadow the Yardt was going to drop to you? Man, I mean, at this point, I really couldn't even make a guess. I feel like I, this summer felt like the 99% sure. It's got to happen sometime.

We already had those listings happen. We've been seeing more and more murmurs throughout the internet. It's at least going to get announced at summer game. whether it has a specific date, who knows. And when I say summer game fest, I mean just all of the showcases during the summer, whether it was Nintendo's or Jeff Sting or Xbox showcase. And now I just legitimately have no fucking clue. Like your guess is as good as mine at this point.

Caledale Gjono writes in with a super chat just like you can and says every year passes by and still no Bioshock. I've not heard a peep about this game. It's hard to believe it's even being made. where do we see Bioshock I mean I think that's one

where they still take their time right like I know it's been in development for a very long time now but I think when you're talking about a Bioshock that is a game that is so like

specific in what it needs to be and what it is and like what expectations come with it that you can't get it wrong and I think for me that just speaks to you got to take a lot of time with it

I think also marketing it at the same time as Judas is going to be a tough thing right like depending on how how these two games land. If you're able to go, okay, Bioshock is coming out a year after Judas. Do you wait for Judas to come out and go, all right? Now let's like get everybody hyped up about the next thing, right? So you don't have that crossover in terms of the Judas

fans and the Bioshock fans and like confusion between the two and all that stuff. I could see that maybe being part of it. But I also think that yeah, like this is a game that is going to take a lot of effort, right? It is how are we going to go about narrative? How are we going to go about like whatever unique concept we have for this one? How are we going to go about combat? What people won from combat? Do we go more immersive sim stealthy? Do we go more actioning like we did in Bioshock Infinite? Will people hate us for that, right? Like, this is

this is, I think the first Bowshot game without Ken Levine, like the home of it. That comes with a lot of baggage and I think that also comes with, hey, we're going to take our time with this one. We're going to get like a year wrong because I know part two wasn't fully Ken Levine. But he's part of it. Yeah, exactly. And yeah,

a lot of what you're bringing up is very astute adding on to that. There was just the kind of the fatigue of like the type of games of like if Judas and it were near each other, like similar to a very similar situation with Clistop Protocol and Dead Space Remake coming out so close to each other. And obviously the ties and lineage between that

with Schofield. But I think that Bioshock is not, it's a game that I don't necessarily think is anywhere close. Like I don't know that we're going to see it at any time in the next 12 months. And I don't think that that's necessarily a problem. They're working on it.

It's a big game. And I think that that's, We're going to hear about Bioshock when it's less than five months to release. It's always felt like a Metroid Prime 4 thing to me, where in my mind, they, you know, 2K just has so much budget and money that I feel like they really want to get this one right at least. And several years could have just been concepting and landing on an idea, maybe getting 30% of the way into the idea and going, ah, but what if this is actually a better choice or whatever? like if I were to make a guess

I think that game is like maybe 50% of the way through development right now I don't think it's very close I think maybe like two more years until we actually hear about it yep what's the vibe they go back underwater again what do you want to see? Where else can you go you know what I mean? Somewhere new

yeah what do you want to see out of this what's going to be that wowing thing right of like underground? You talk about Judas and all that where are we going with this what's that first look at it? Underground actually Danny, that's not impossible. This utopia kind of near the core of the planet. Core of the Earth. Maybe they should call you up.

I watched the core one time at a dollar theater. Wow. Real bad movie. Oh, real bad. Nick loves it. Nick loves the core? I think he does. He talks about it a lot. A lot. One of the actors, one of the actors, the guy, Harvey Dent actor, from a...

Aaron something? Yeah. Holy shit, you know an actor? I'm on Google. You know an actor? You know, an actor. Aaron Eckhart was at IGN's Comic-Con thing, and like Nick

walked up to him, he was like, dude, I loved you in the core. And he's like, no, you didn't. Oh, that's right. That's right. You don't have the lie to me. The next one I want to tell about is Legend of Zelda, Twilight Princess, and Wind Waker. Obviously, this is one that will be talked about anytime there's a Nintendo

direct. And the thing for me is, it's a very, if this, then, that type situation. There's going to be a Zelda product every year. The fact that they announced the Zelda echoes of wisdom that for some reason doesn't stick with me. It happens every single time

with the new Zelda. It took me like a year to figure out tears the kingdom. Yeah, but we'll get there eventually. But yeah, the fact that Echoes of Wisdom

was announced on Mike, cool, clearly we're not going to get it this year. Yeah. I think now that points to next year. When you look at where we're at with probably the Switch 2 coming out,

we're not going to get a Zelda at Switch launch. I think next year we see I'm going to call my shot. I'm going to say, wait, when did they say, what didn't they say

noncon returns is? Is that January? January 16th? I'm going to say February for these, yeah. I think I'm right there with you where I think for Nintendo, the way they operate,

they want to have a Zelda every year. I think, yeah, Echoes of Wisdom hitting this year means that these don't hit this year, but I also think that these are going to be Switch titles, right? Like, as far as what we understand, these were developed for Switch.

I think that being the case, like you get them out early. I think February, especially for assuming that the Switch 2 is coming out either March or way post-March, I think you want to get that out earlier. I think you want to get that out the way.

My theory, with Switch 2 launching in March being my expectation, I think we get these in June or July as Switch titles that are still playable on Switch 2. But I think February is going to be too close to the September or whatever of echoes of wisdom. Wisdom. I think March or April, because I'm starting to feel, again, vibes-based that we're not getting the Switch successor until later into 2025. See, that I'm curious about it. Because I was listening to KMGD

where you're talking about this, and the thing that I keep going back to it is that according to reports, we were supposed to get that Switch predecessor this fall. And I feel like if we were supposed to get it this fall and it got delayed, I don't see it being delayed a full year.

I think they still have, they have a lot of software that they got to still push for that thing. And I think six months is already a big shift for something like that? A full year seems outside of the realm. Because, like, was it part of the rumors that the big reason

that they were pushing the, release of the successor was trying to nail the kind of like launch library of it. I mean, they took a full year to make sure tears of the kingdom was correct. If one of their big titles is like, let's say a 3D Mario for the launch, like I can see them taking as much time as they want, especially with how successful the switch is. Like, I don't think they needed to come out earlier in the year compared to later in the year. If they want to take some time to make sure every little nook and cranny in a launch title is perfect.

With what we heard about the development process for Wonder and how it was like we can work on this for 10 years. Let's just make this as fun as possible. They're just in such a... They're playing with house money. They're in such a comfortable spot right now. They could do whatever they want whenever they want.

And I don't think Nintendo's in a place where it is like I think they're sitting on a vault of games right now. Like I think even if it is 3D Mario isn't ready for launch, I think as long as they have either a Mario cart or like something, even if it's Metro Prime, right, they have something else that is, oh, but this could, like, these two things would be good to go by launch. If we shift this up, maybe six months, then I think they'll do it.

I think the fact that there is a dated first party Nintendo game in Donkey Kong with a January release date, it's like, oh, they are giving us the runway where I'm like, it just leads straight to March. It just makes so much sense. But next up, Mikey. Oh, man, Tim. I'm on a journey and I want more of it. Kingdom Hearts 4.

Yeah. Tim, you told me and Jeff Keely let me down. He was like, hey, I'm going to let you down softly here, Mike, that it's not going to be here. And I looked at you and I said, maybe he's lying, Tim. And he wasn't lying. There was no Kingdom Hearts this summer. What's the deal? When will I get Kingdom Hearts for?

When will I see it, Tim? The earliest you will see Kingdom Hearts for is D23 this year, which is in August. D23 has had Disney Marvel game stuff before, or not Marvel, sorry. Well, Disney and Marvel games, yes. And they have had some Kingdom Hearts. Things in the past. Kingdom Hearts 4 is a game that is announced. We've seen some of it. I think D-23, if the game is close at all, I think is a likely place to see it. And I am of the belief that we are closer to that game than the history of the Kingdom Hearts franchise might

lead you to believe. You think Kingdom Hearts and you're like, we'll see that eventually, you know. But I just think Square has been pumping these games out. Like, not Kingdom Hearts specifically, but like look at the final fantasies. Like the fact that remake, remake part two came out as close together as they did. I think we're going to see Kingdom Hearts 4 sooner than later. And at this point, that means, I mean, I could imagine it coming next year. Like, I actually think it's likely it comes next year. So, yeah, I feel like D23 is a 70% chance of seeing Kingdom Hearts 4.

I'm still blown away. We saw it when we did and how we saw it. You know, late night, you know, degenerate at like three in the morning, me being like, what? What's going on with Kingdom Hearts? Yeah. Wow. They just showed off a trailer and he's got small shoes now.

Weird. They're proper size fitting shoes. They're proper, yeah, they're proper, yeah, yeah. Exactly. He has grippers out in that trailer. He does. What a cool one. So you think D23, you don't think like a gamescom or a, you know, maybe a game awards?

Gamescom is not. It's not gamescom. TGS. Xbox says they're going hard at Gamescom. Like, they say that every year. Do you see the list? It's our history untold. Hey, hey, they're going big, you know what I mean?

Com is not that show. We got to start believing in gamescom. Dependent or PlayStation announced Erica. Games calm. Let's calm down. Yeah, TGS, though, as we have seen, Kingdom Hearts up in the past. So that could make sense. But my money's on D23. See, I'm feeling game awards for Kingham Hearts.

I feel like that is a... Fucking A. Yeah, I feel like that's the, like, appropriate size stage for that kind of thing. I think King of Hearts is like a close, either closer or an opener. I mean, here's the thing, though. I, D23 just makes so much actual sense and they own it and they want hype. And if they have it, they're going to use it. They've shown that before.

I think if it's at D23, game awards as well. True. You know, people are going to be hyped as shit for that. Like, the thing about Kingdom Hearts is it's unique, you know, in a way like Smash Brothers is, that most games, you get the announced trailer, you get the gameplay, you get the release state, and that's kind of the marketing angle, right?

Things like this, new Smash characters, who's the next one, who's the big reveal, Kingdom Hearts, what's the next world, you know? You can have so many different marketing. What are those worlds? Tim, what world do you want to see in this? What journey will I go on? Who will I see?

Who will I meet? I don't know, man. At this point, like, this game, Kingdom Mars 4 just seems so radically different than what has come before that, like, I kind of just want them to lean into the, we're going all into the Final Fantasy versus 13 shenanigans that they're clearly doing.

Okay. And when it comes to the, going to the different worlds, like, we know we're getting Star Wars. That's really exciting. Are we going to get MCU? I think Marvel's the next big, like, reveal. Give me just X-Men 97.

I don't even need to you. Foxy, that would be awesome. That's sick. That's the type of stuff that I'm like, I don't know. And that's the thing is like, I'm interested in the Marvel worlds. I'm not excited about a Marvel world at this point. Oh, man.

See, that would be the thing where I'm like, I got to play this one now. See, I don't know if they can get any better than like, they technically did Marvel with Big Hero 6, which I know is like a little bit loose. That's a marble property. Yeah, but you know what I mean. Nobody thinks of it like that.

Yeah, I'm just saying. I'm not looking at fucking, what's his name? I'm not trying to hang out with Robert Downy. I'm not looking at Betamax being like, oh man, I love when he hangs out with Cyclops. What's his name? Beidavax. Kingdom Hearts is one of those franchises that like, it's one that I've just always thought that like if you're a fan of this, like, you know, you're kind of a freak and I don't know if I want to know you personally. But there's too many people that I know that I respect that love Kingdom Hearts.

I'm like, maybe it is good. Would you like to take the journey with me? No. We could be sore and Ricky. Mike, you already invited me. Mike looked at me on like Only like two weeks ago It was like me and you, Kingdom Hearts 2

You need three You need three I mean three I mean three Kingdom Hearts also strikes me as like The way we talk about GTA Where it's like oh you just do your own event Or you just drop a trailer whenever

Kingdom Hearts strikes me as one I know Kingdom Hearts in the past It appeared at like PlayStation showcases And shit like that I can very easily see King Hearts 4 being like getting another major trailer Just on a random Like not even a weekday

A Saturday Yep Beyond Good and Evil, too. We just did a report on Games Daily today about the Beyond Good and Evil 20th anniversary edition, including a narrative link to the sequel. Ooh! I don't know.

I don't think we see this game. Honestly, I... What was your takeaway from the narrative link? My takeaway on it is it's just an excuse to get people to buy this game for a third time. You know what I mean? I think it's less about the secret. I think it's more about, hey, there's some new stuff in the game that you already know you like

because there is a very niche fan base for Beyond Good and Evil. And I say that as a fan of Beyond Good and Evil. But the sequel just doesn't seem to be an actual sequel to the game. It's a whole new experience that may or may not exist. I think, if anything, just the link being there shows that it's alive in some way, shape, or form. Like, this game I've thought on many accounts is dead as shit. but them doing this, them trying to generate any hype for, you know, go get this classic video game that a lot of people really, really love.

Just at least shows me that there is, there's signs of life there. There's a pulse. Yeah. Here's the thing. Falk Rise 7 is also on this list. And this brings me to my question regarding both these games, which is what is Ubisoft doing in 2025? What big Ubisoft game is coming out next year?

Because they've announced nothing. I mean, because that's the thing. We've talked a lot about. about this is their year, man. Assassin's Creed and Star Wars like, that's as big as Ubisoft can get. Have we gotten an official Ubisoft statement in the way that we've seen Square

and other publishers and developers in the past, say we are going to focus on what it makes us most successful? Have we gotten anything like that from Ubisoft? No. Where you maybe hear a statement and then you go, oh, that means they're probably, that means that like Toys for Bob and Crasher on the chopping block.

Have we not? Mm-mm. Because that sounds like, from UB, yeah. I don't think so. It doesn't look it up because it doesn't seem like something that I feel like

we've heard implied. I just like I don't know about these smaller franchises now that aren't Assassin's Creed that aren't Far Cry Splendor Cell, whatever this remake is going to be

that I got to assume it's like in pre-production somewhere. I don't think that they talk about it at all for the 30th time without fully feeling like maybe it's going to happen. But I just wonder,

where are all those other IPs that aren't going to sell gangbusters? And is there any motivation to keep those franchises going? I mean, what ones are you talking about? Because at this point, I'd probably put Prince of Persia there,

and it seems like they're taking Prince of Persia more seriously than they ever have. You're right. But then I also think of like, you know, I know the last Rabbid sequel didn't do great. Mario Rabbids game wasn't like, didn't sell as much as the first one.

and wasn't as much of a big success. And it's titles like that that I wonder, do some of those teams go, hey, go work on Azad's Creed, go work on Affinity, go work on whatever Jade or whatever the hell they're also doing. Yeah, it's interesting to me

because it feels like the core groups carry those weird ideas, like a Ryder's Republic, and then, oh, now you have the freedom to do that weird bouncing ball game that we talked about that. None of you knew about that release two days before the presentation, right?

Like, it feels like they have, they have identified the core things of we know Rainbow Sixth Siege is going to carry for quite some time. We know that we have Star Wars and we have Assassin's Creed coming. Those will carry those weird wacky ideas of if Nintendo calls, we're definitely going to answer

and say, yeah, let's team up again and make something weird. But I feel like they've identified the core and those are what we're going to really expect and get. And then there will always be the weird ride republics that come out and it's like, I guess you'll be soft, but I'm not going to play that, you know. moving on james bond

2007 god one day we'll see it I mean how long have been working on it I know it doesn't feel like it's been that long I'm sure it has been what it was

Hitman 3 released 2021 it was like very beginning of 2021 um so it's been a few years uh we know that uh iO interactive is working on multiple titles it's 007 it is the project Dragon. Project Dragon, yeah.

A hundred fantasy, MMO, something like that. Yeah, they're working on for Xbox. I mean, I feel like we're not that far off from a reveal. As far as release, I think we're probably a few years away. But as for a reveal, I think in the next 12 months. Game Awards, right? I feel like 007

at Game Awards. Like, that's what Keeley wants. You know what I mean? I feel like that's that type of mainstream stage. I just I feel like there's that big question of like, is it just ready or is it not? I hope it is. And I think it is. Like, knowing that team and how fast they can work. Like I feel like Hitman they did such a good job of getting those games. They work fast because that system was established in that first Hitman game, right? Like when the

Hitman reboot came out in what, 2015, 2016, um, Hitman's two and three were just building off of that. Adding in more levels, adding more items, adding in more like, you know, small mechanics, but it was never a reinvention. I think for James Bond, I think James Bond, I think James Bond is going to be more akin to Hitman than like we might even think, right? I think so too. Yeah, I think they're going to try to make that kind of game again, but just make it James Bond. and maybe make more gadget focused or maybe make the objectives a bit more different

as opposed to just assassinations or whatever. Reports as of late 2023 say that the Project 007 is still a long way off. A game will likely not be released anytime before 2025 as its studio still actively hiring key roles including programmers, gameplay producers, I think that's one that is going to feel

like a hitman one again, where it is we are creating this from the ground up, right? Like every system is in support of like what we want this game to be, and I think it'll be a thing that's supported over the next decade, which, God, I hope so. Yeah. Because that sounds like that's a good idea. Awesome, yeah. We got a Sky So Fly writing in with the super chat saying it seems certain we would at least hear about Banjo Kazui this year. I definitely didn't think it was certain. I think that there was a chance, but I think with where we're at with a couple other things I have on the list

here, like Toys for Bob, I feel like Microsoft has so much to deal with, and there's so many different teams in IP and just trying to figure out what the strategy is, that I feel like banjo doesn't actually have a correct home for a developer. Now they do with the acquisition of Activision. But I think that before this, they didn't

necessarily, when you look around it, who's working on what. Like, a banjo made by rare would be amazing, but it doesn't seem like they're interested in doing that. They have Sea of Thieves. They potentially have another game we could talk about that I always forget the name of Everwild. You know, but yeah, I, I think it's going to be quite a while till we hear about a banjo.

So do you think it's Toys for Bob? What do you think Toys for Bob is doing in this partnership? I think that there is a 50-50 shot between Spiro and Banjo. What has more, Carrie? If you're Phil looking at them. If you're Phil, I think you go banjo because you want to really create that Xbox side of thing. Although Spiro is Xbox now. Shit.

I don't know. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. But I, we do Spiro 4. It just makes sense when you look at like the crash games, the Spiro games of how they remade them and how the sequels worked. Spiro 4 is going to happen. Whereas a Banjo Kizui, I don't know that it's a guarantee it happens.

But I think there's more demand for a Banja Kizui than there is for Spiro. Like we've seen Spiro get love in the last decade, right? We've seen like, we've seen remakes. We've seen Spiro be. I guess when you talk about, when you talk about the numbers aspect, there might be more I'm going to just be like, let's put out another spiral. When you look at Skylanders and stuff like that, but I think if you're as, if you're Phil and you're

the Xbox team and you're like, what do people want? What's going to get people excited? What will show up for like that? I think Banjo could be the answer. And they're thinking about him enough to the point that he was in Smash Brothers, you know? Yeah. Yeah. I mean, that's Nintendo thinking about it, I imagine. But I know, but like that's still like Microsoft's still lending a hand

because they own the IP though, no? Yeah, totally. But I just feel like, to Blessing's point, like, I think that there's chatter on in podcasts about banjo but when it comes out at the end of the day a spiral four is selling more than a banjo kazooy game but what about crash yeah wouldn't crash sell better than all of them i think so but crash i mean i mean crash they just talked about 20 20 million um sales for the insane trilogy like that's huge um and uh i just think they had comic sans as their font and the menus in that game crash just has had so many things already like there was the the remakes the

the carer's remake and then crash four i just feel like the Spiro only got the remakes, and it sold well. So we'll get to talk a lot more about this stuff, but after a word from our sponsors. This episode is brought to you by Shady Rays. Get ready for the season ahead with quality shades built to last. Our friends at Shady Rays have you covered with premium polarized shades that won't break the bank.

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A Better Paradise is out now and available everywhere you get your podcasts. Go listen today, and don't forget to follow a better paradise on your platform of choice to make sure you never miss an episode. This is what I want to say. Say it. If you put out a modern banjo today, how much does it sell? That's a great question. Because here's, while the ad was happening, we were having some conversations. Like, just some facts out there.

Spiro reignited trilogy sold over 10 million. And that's recent. This is not talking about old nostalgia 90s. That's crazy. That is like Spiro sells. Spiro is relevant in terms of sales. And that's what matters at the end of the day. In terms of quality and stuff, look, we love banjo.

Like banjo is the answer. And I feel like putting out a great banjo game. The tides can turn. And I have, and I, imagine if Microsoft were to do it, it would not be exclusive to Xbox. I think they would put it anywhere. Have them team switch. What's up?

Have them team up. Banjo and Spiro? Yeah. Let's build to that. Get rid of Kazoo. You're trying to save Kazoo. I don't want no fucking Spiro in my Benjo. You're trying to save Kazuze.

You're trying to save Kazzi. Dang. Fuck. Fuck. The mob broke Spiro's kneecaps. He can't walk, right? So he's rendered just like wings at this point. Shoot fireballs out.

Oh, instead of eggs? Yeah. And you know who's the head of the mob? Crash Bandicoot. Oh shit. I mean, I'm in. But I'm in for any of these things. But I think that banjo, this has the potential to make Banjo that relevant.

But I feel like you put banjo out, put it on all consoles. I think at best, you're hitting that $7 million mark, which is incredible. Fair. But like. You're right. You know, I just, I just want to, I just, we just need to give him a shot. Give him a shot. He just hasn't had a shot.

The last game was nuts and bolts Yeah, man. That was 2002. It wasn't. Definitely wasn't. It wasn't. That's why you're doing the wrap of your head. No, I lied, I lied.

Jason writes in saying, what's up with Splinter, Sal? Good question. Does anyone know the answer? I don't think Ubisoft knows the answer. I don't either. I mean, they're working on it. I definitely think it's in development somewhere. Yeah, it's got to be in development.

Underground, like in a government facility. I definitely think it's being made. I think they know what they have. I think they know that the, you know, prior to this Metal Gear Solid 3 remake of Delta, there hasn't really been this stealth sort of espionage. I guess Hitman is right there. But like, Sam Fisher has just been missing out there, you know. We got to go find his ass.

I think it's in development somewhere. I don't know. anything else else besides that. Yeah, I mean, what, this is, this is Ubisoft Toronto working on this one. The last game was Far Cry 6, that was 2021. Before that, it was Watchdog's Legion, and then Far Cry 5 before that. Yeah, I mean, like,

I think... Are they done with Ghost Recon Wild? Like, remember John Bernthal was in one of them? Yeah, it was breakpoint. Breakpoint was their break point. Yeah. They put out breakpoint, they're like, fuck, we got to get our shit together. Okay, gotcha. And then they put all gods and monsters the year after. Yeah, no, I think, like, I think Tom Plains and Splinter Cell is one that you take

seriously and you go hey we are putting in the resources to this right if if if this takes us delaying far cry seven like we'll fucking do it as long as we're able or even like watchdogs right because like i feel like at ubi soft there has to be people that look at these things and go do we really need to put out a fourth watchdogs right now or should we like put some love into a splinter cell or some of our more our classic titles that we haven't touched as much i think that's how we get prince of persia a lot um lost crown lost crown coming back i think splinter is another one of those where it is, it's time. Like, I think people will show up for this.

That's what they said. Yeah. Yeah. Which I think, in this, there's a lot of opium here. There's a lot of me being very positive about something that hasn't really proven to me that like I should be feeling this way. Plus, and I've talked on Games Daily about Ubisoft for years now, but like, what the fuck are they doing? What's the direction?

Who are they? And I think we're at this moment right now where we just saw their, their conference. They have Assassin's Creed. They have Star Wars Outlaws. They look incredible. These are the big ones and I think they're shooting their shot with the way that they showed Prince of Persia Sans of Time that is them saying we're taking this

seriously. They need to then take Splinter Cell seriously. This could be a glory era for Ubisoft of redefining what their franchises are and what their core big titles are for us to look at and be like, okay, this is starting to make sense and they're back on track. So

hopefully, I mean, we got that 20, 25 date right, for Sands of Time. 2026. Yeah. I mean like, and that's realistic. You know, I think that that's, we look at that and say, all right, things don't happen overnight. What do they have in between? We'll have to see. But like, I imagine that 2026 will also include Splinter Cell.

And like that could be very cool. I think, I mean, to going back and talking about that EBSoft forward, again, there are two major things being assassinscreen and Star Wars. I think that is them focusing in on, hey, 2024, what is happening? Like, to my question of what is happening in 2025? Like, what does EweeSo have going on? I hope that it is the good ending of, oh, no, we have things. Like we just want to make sure that we are, you know, making y'all pay attention to these two things because these are the things we are most excited to talk about as Eviso. These are the moneymakers. These are important to us. I think 2025. Hopefully we have, maybe it's not the point of self because that almost feels too soon. But maybe it could be, right? Maybe it could be something else that's big. Maybe it's going to be far cry. I think, um, oh, there was something else that I had for 2026 in my head. I already forgot it. Oh, Assassin's Creed Hexie. That's another one that like, I think that is slated for possibly 2026. But I think you, I think the dominoes are starting.

to fall a little bit for heby saw what were the rumors there of hexie that like i think last i saw it wasn't next year which would put it the year after because like you're gonna have a major assassin's creed thing at least every other year well i mean didn't we have but i guess i meant more what was being rumored when it comes to setting and stuff oh it's the witch trials oh that's right okay yeah yeah i i kind of feel like 2025 might be a little bit low and like not have any crazy things, I think that might be a good thing. Like build up and get things right instead of just putting out a far cry. You know what I mean? I feel like the

next far cry should mean something as much as Assassin's Creed Shadows hopefully means something, you know? But on the flip side of that, I think that they can only have that approach with so many

titles that Star Wars seems to be that one of those. Shadows seems to be one of those. You got to hope that Splinter's is one of those. To me, I think that investors and pressure and all that stuff is like, hey,

the FARCry usually sells regardless of like, you're always going to put out a seven and a half or an eight out of ten with FARCry. Just put out another one of those. It's going to make money. And I would assume that the priority of like, if we were looking at like, what gets the highest amount of love from not saying that like these developers don't

about these franchises, but the, you know, the higher-ups and the executives in the latter really, really just want that profit, obviously. I think Far Cry is one of those titles that we're going to put out a really decent Far Cry regardless of what we do, and it's going to sell well. Let's have that be the automatic that we put out. Let's have that be like our, I don't know, our NBA 2K or whatever, you know, like people are going to buy this regardless of how much love we put into it, but the ones, I think you can only have a studio that has been through so much turmoil really truly have to, you know, when we're looking at what their catalog is, only so many tiles can be like, this has to be the one, you know?

For the context, the Far Cry Twitter account tweeted out in March 2024, so a few months ago, that over 90 million unique players have played a Far Cry since the series debut and some stats breakdown from this website I've never heard of before called Game World Observer. They break it down of like, you know, Far Cry 1 for the PC version, 2.5 million copies. Far Cry 2.9. Far Cry 3 sold over 10 million copies in less than two years. Far Cry 4, 10 million copies. Far Cry 5, over 20 million copies.

And then we don't have any official data on Far Cry 6. So yeah, Far Cry is a moneymaker. Far Cry does the damn thing. If I'm looking at the timeline right now, right? Like 2021 for Far Cry 6, I wouldn't be surprised if Far Cry 7 is coming out next fall, but they're waiting for next E3 to tell our next summer game. or whatever to talk about it. And maybe you have that and then one other big thing for next year.

And then you get to the year after and it is Splinter Cell, Assassin's Creed Hexie, beyond good and evil too. Probably not that one. But yeah, I think like they're pacing this out. Like I think their business needs a lot of redefinition. And I think that in the last, let's say, four years, they've been like trying to redefine it and trying to figure, like trying to shed. All right, we got the fucking ball game.

and we have the roller champions game. We have like Rainbow Six extraction, all the shit. Let's shed through this stuff. Let's put it out because all of it is already in development. And let's get to the other side and focus on what are going to be the big moneymakers year, year. This year is Star Wars Outlaws and Assassin's Creed. Next year it will probably be Far Cry and maybe another thing. And then the year after that, like you can start to see these things as they happen.

And then 2026 is going to be Prince of Persia, you hope. Don't forget about Anno. Can't forget about Anno. And Just Dance. And Just Dance. Put some respect on Ano. And Just Dance. Yep, uh-huh.

Always. I like where they're at. I agree with all of you. I like where Ubisoft is out. I like that. We're trending in a different direction for them right now, and it feels like they've identified who they really are and what matters to them. And I agree,

bless. I think next year we'll start to really see that coming to the fold of, hey, this is again where we're at and then onward. I'm liking this. Madonna 896 writes in and says, it's not a major title, but I'm wondering when we will see Giant Sparrow's next game.

They last made Edith Finch in 2017 and released a PS5 port in 2022. also where's pragmatta I don't have any insight on the the giant sparrows thing to you guys I'm trying to think because was their last thing really Edith Finch in 2017 and then the port in 2022

I believe my dog name damn yeah no where are they because yeah they were the unfinished one and then what remains of the Finch they make like I think both they're two for two as far as like making very special games I'd love to see what they're working on next their own by Annapurna I believe and giant squid Giant Squid has been putting out stuff.

You know, they did the PathList. They've announced their next thing. I'm excited for the next thing. Yeah. No, I have the same exact questions. I have no idea when we're going to see the next Giant Sparrow game. Just a quick correction. I think they're a private company, actually.

Oh, are they? Yeah, they just get, I think what remains was published by Anapurna. Gotcha. There's like a name and scheme between Giant Sparrow and Giant Squid. Then maybe you think that that was just the Antiparna. They have a thing about, we're still early on in development on their website. Cool. Yeah, I don't know. I think it might be a while still.

But then probably a PlayStation state of play is where we'll end up seeing that, I imagine. Yeah. And then where's Pragmata, bless? Listen. All right, what do you want for me? Here's a smiley, sad face with the saw we read on it. I don't know. Yeah, Pragata does seem like it'll, it's got to be like some random state of player showcase next year. Maybe a TGS or something.

What a cool showing. Like the first time we saw that, it was so cool looking, and it was like, oh, man. We thought it was like Kojima. We were going to get high on that Kojima joint there for sure. And then, yeah, it's only been let down ever since. Yeah, I follow up question. What is Pragmata? Like, I know what it is, but like, what the fuck is that game?

Yeah. I don't know. Astronaut and a baby running through. They're running through. Was there a baby in that trailer? I was there a little girl. I don't know there was a baby in that train. If I already guess, it would be like a.

sort of different skin of near automata. Like, you're a person running around, you got a little baby robot

or baby just floating above you and that's like, it's shooting. It has an AK. Let's go somewhere fun with this. Where do I want to take you?

Also, I haven't said automata in a while. I usually default automata. It's wrong with me. I'm excited for this elder or anything.

Ghosts of Tsushima too. Where is it? I mean, I think that is one that they're taking their time with, of course, Sucker Punch, smaller studio than you would think. And they're making a big, a big budget fucking open world video game,

which means that they're going to take a lot of time with it. What, Ghost Shima release in 2020? So it's been almost four years to the, like a month away from being four years exactly. Yeah, like I see that game being 2026. I could see it being announced next year. That's my prediction. PlayStation showcase.

It gets announced at the next PlayStation showcase. I think that is a lock. When is that showcase? I have not the slightest clue. I feel like PlayStation aren't going to do a showcase

until they're ready to talk about some of their major single player titles. Corey's game, not a dog. Yeah, but... I gotta assume it's like summer next year. I hope.

I really hope. But like, I wouldn't be shocked if it's not. which is scary. The showcase? Yeah. And I don't think maybe this fall.

Yeah? But like I don't, I have nothing that I'm going on for that. Well, I guess a lot of it goes into what do we think their strategy is

with the PS5 Pro or whatever they're calling it. Because like, if they're not going to put a whole lot of emphasis and care into the PS5 Pro's announcement, I don't think they do. Then I don't think those games get announced.

Like, I feel like the PS5 Pro thing will happen this. fall in addition to some other titles. I don't think they're going to tie it with titles, though. Like, they didn't even do that with PS4. Pro. Oh, no, that's what I'm saying. Yeah, yeah. Well, like, I don't think whatever happens this fall at PlayStation does something, I don't

think it's just PS5 Pro. I think you're also talking about other, like, random games or whatever. But, like, if they don't care that much about this hardware, and if they're not saying that these new titles that we're about to announce are going to run incredibly well or whatever, then I feel like this fall will be a PS5 Pro showcasing a hardware thing. the hardware thing, here's new, whatever the hell. And then sometime next year, either spring or summer will be these new big titles

from our first party. Here's what BluePoint's working on. Remember Blue Point? They're back. The original content. A Skittle Monster in the chat says Tom Henderson said there's a showcase in September for whoever's wondering. So that is interesting. Man, so what I'm saying is

I expect goes to the next showcase. September, that sounds wild. But I stand by it. I do think the next showcase. is going to have ghost. Tim, what do you think FWIW stands for? For whoever's wondering? For what it's worth. I also say for what it's worth.

There's no eye. You said for whoever's wondering, but there's an eye in there. For whoever is wondering. You're going to apostrophe yes. It's for what it's worth. But yeah, for what it's worth. Have you been saying?

Forever's wondering, all right? It works, okay? Whatever. You don't know that. You don't know that. Why are you adding these little, no, come on, no, all right? But it makes sense. Oh, this is AI.

This is clearly AI from Google. I don't know. It's USA today. No, I don't trust USA. That country, no. Today, not of all days. What's up with persona 6, Barrett? I don't know.

It's one of those things I've been, you know, I was predicting for a couple of years, a couple of years. ago at that point. Not really knowing if they were going to do like a persona three remake, right? We got persona three remake. That's like the second big release that newer persona team has worked on because they kind of came in. The new heads of that studio came in with Persona 5 Royal.

Then they went into, I imagine production for Persona 3 reload with a smaller team while doing pre-production on Persona 6. I could see it getting announced next year, especially with the kind of of logo like what do you call it uh yeah like screen or what do you call it like an early asset andy like placeholder kind of asset of a p6 uh with the kind of gross looking green which i like i think it's uh kind of uh indicative of maybe going back to kind of dour vibes uh contrasting with like the very poppy happy happy stuff with a percent of four and persona five um i don't think we see it this year i think atlas overall um kind of wants to focus on

selling metaphor as like a new franchise, their first big new franchise in a long time with a new studio that's led by the old persona team. So I think earliest we hear about it is sometime next year is at an Xbox showcase next summer. You know, like I could see that. I wouldn't expect it at game awards. I think people who were expecting it at Xbox showcase this year

were way too hopeful on that with metaphor coming out. So I don't know. That's a weird one. just because I feel like they've been working on it for so long. Where do they feel as being comfortable with like, hey, we've got it mostly done. Let's sit on it and work out all the kinks for as long as we want. I also get the vibe that they want to like give metaphor a lot of space and room, even post launch. Like I wouldn't like maybe they announced it next year, but like I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't.

You know, I think a metaphor. I don't think metaphor needs like a full year though is my thing, you know. But like I wonder if there's plans as far as like, if they want to do DLC, if they want to do like, like persona, when we talk about persona and when what comes with the new persona, it is fucking 10 spinoffs in a mobile game that we're getting. Yeah, but I don't think they care about DLC,

like overlapping with big releases. Persona 3 reload episode I guess is coming out literally like three weeks before metaphor refentatio, you know? For sure. But I guess more so just on, I guess not just DLC, but more so just like IP development. Like, hey,

let's treat metaphor refantazio almost like it is like a persona type. Because when you play it or when you see it, it is like they're putting that much effort into the development. I wouldn't be surprised if they're in a place where they're like, we want to give this as much attention space as possible. Have persona fans pay as much attention as possible to metaphor because it is a very similar kind of game. But I think, I don't think that negates the fact that like I could see metaphor coming out this October. We don't hear anything about persona 6 until next summer. And then persona 6 comes out early 2026. Oh, for sure.

Yeah. BJ Bernardo writes in with the super chat here, the final one of the day, saying, where's the Xbox handheld? Do you get multiple versions of it? Also, are we worried about not getting Gear Six continuing Kate's story? Nah, they'll get back to Kate's story.

I feel like this is the right call, what they're doing on the E-Day. This is the right call, but they will go back to six. They ended where we have to go back. There's a lot of questions there. So they will go back, but it's the right call, Tim is right. Yeah. The Xbox handheld, I wouldn't be surprised. if we see it later this year.

You don't think it's like part of the next gen, though? You don't think it's like the next generation. I don't. I'm not sure we get it this year, but like I believe it exists. And I just think that they just got to get the timing right when to put it out. I think a product like this, the time to put it out is that Black Friday time. It is the excuse when people are looking for something to buy a Christmas present or whatever. And with the amount of titles that they have lined up that are actually releasing from the fall and onward throughout next year,

Give people more ways to play. That's Xbox's whole thing. Yeah, I think so. What about y'all? I agree with you, Tim. I don't think it needs to be attached to the next gen console lineup. A handheld feels like you can launch it whenever. It has its own specs, its own kind of world to it.

And I think there's a large Xbox fan base that wants that, right? Especially speaking as one, I've always wanted a PSVita, but an Xbox version. Now we see the Steam Deck and what handhelds can be in 2024. beyond. And the idea and the promise of cloud gaming mixed with hopefully one day we'll get to my whole Xbox library will be available on the cloud. Having that storage space that we see on Steam Deck, putting it directly onto that without having to just play it on the cloud would be big for me. I do worry about it because I know that so much of their development has been marred by, well, we also have to get it to run on the series S. And how many of those hurdles are

they're about to jump through to be like, are they going to go the Steam route? Because if you say, hey, we are Xbox, we want you to be able to play wherever you want to be able to play, however you want to play. Then that means that every game that looks like Gear Six has to be able to run on that device.

Not a chance. It's going to be limited. So are they going to Steam route then and saying like, oh, that game's, you get the little X icon and be like, that's not playable here. Sorry. Yep. But the whole thing for first party, you want to push that,

Exactly. Like, if you can't play gears on the Xbox handheld, then it's like, why am I getting this thing then? So what? The caveat is you can run it through the cloud? Yeah, I'm sure they'll be like things like that. That's the workaround is, hey, this device isn't strong enough to do that, but if you're connected to Wi-Fi will just cloud beaming on to it and you're going to put up with whatever it looks like. Marketing-wise, I think you try to get away with that, but I don't think the fan base would be happy. I think people would be like, it's an Xbox handheld.

Let me play my Xbox game on it. I think third party, cool, who cares? like whatever. I think as far as something like a new Gears or something like a new Call of Duty or whatever the big new Xbox first party thing is, I think fans are going to have that expectation.

Now, I also think to, like, I think it was Tim that said no. But like I think to that side, right, like you have so many studios, that is a hard thing to manage.

You can't force 50 fucking studios to be like, yeah, make your game can be playable on this handheld device. Um, I think it's going to be a tough balance. I also do, as far as like when do we see it,

I think it's all a, a, juggle on how you strategically place it. Because I don't think next year, because of the Switch 2, I think you want to get as far away from Nintendo as possible. I think this fall, for some reason, for me, feels too early. But, like, you know, we talked about this before, about, like, how do you place it?

What is the strategy? I think the strategy is to, like, maybe release a expensive version to start off with. Maybe you could do that this fall of, like, hey, here's the fucking $800, $900 version of it. It is powered up. It has everything in it. I don't know. DLSS, it has all the things that you need in it.

It has all the bells and whistles. And then when you get to next gen, you then launch either the, I guess, year after or two years after next gen launch, you have like your handheld that is more appropriately priced for the wider consumer, like the wider Xbox player to be able to come in, afford it and play with it.

Yeah. I mean, I think you made a lot of good points. And like, I don't think it's impossible. The thing that I'm most fighting against myself believing in this year is that I think it's going to be very much a Surface team led product. Like I think that this is going to be Microsoft leaning into their laptop and the portable electronic side of the business.

And Surface just did such a big relaunch of products. I don't know if they're going to be in a place to be able to launch multiple big things in one year so close together. But it's also Microsoft. They're huge. So maybe they could pull that off. but yeah I definitely think that this is not going to be the Xbox handheld like that they market it as if it's a portable Xbox directly it's more just like

an additional product like the portal is and it'll play things locally it's going to be better than the portal I expect different but that's going to be more based on the surface side of things but yeah it's I'm interested in it no matter what it is but I do think that it exists and it's real and that we will I think we get it within the next 12 months for sure. That gets me excited, Tim. I'm excited about that. I know it's not going to be the only one, too, right?

I think with Xbox's ecosystem push and what we talk about with the Microsoft umbrella itself, I think we'll get more handhelds down the line. So I don't think this first one is going to be a one and done. Oh, it didn't work. We're done, right? I think we will see more down the line. So it is exciting to think they're adding that into the ecosystem of products.

Thank you, all right? Well, everybody, let us know in the comments below what you thought about our discussion, our predictions. Are we correct? Are we totally off the mark? Either way, we appreciate you hanging out with us watching, listening, whatever you do with us here at Kind of Funny. What I hope you do is hang out with us all day long on Twitch.tv slash Kind of Funny Games. The boys are about to get in the lab. Startup Mike's Eldon Ring, Shadow of the Erd Tree Adventure. They're going to beat the game today in one sitting. I'm making that promise. I'm making that promise. I'm not going to break this promise. Your words mean nothing. Today, me and Andy will beat Shadow of the Earth Tree. D.I. there will not be any complications because we're just we're like that we are gay we are like Mike what happens if you break that promise got that dog in him I'll see y'all on Tuesday I won't return to work Monday he'll pretend he didn't say it well everybody thank you for hanging out with us and until next time it's been our pleasure to serve you says mike's out on

Monday