In this episode of Digital Coffee Gaming Brew, host Brett Deister discusses several key news items and trends in the gaming industry. Brett covers the unfortunate passing of Julian Lafe, the Chief Engineer of Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall. He then transitions to the reveal of Battlefield 6's campaign trailer, expressing disappointment over its lack of gameplay footage. Obsidian’s price drop announcement for Outer Worlds 2 and the layoffs at GreedFall developer Spiders are discussed next. The episode also touches upon Ubisoft’s various controversial decisions, including their reliance on microtransactions, the appointment of two new co-CEOs, and the development of a new Ghost Recon game. In addition, Brett talks about a new Retro 95 Limited Edition PC and the relaunch of Split Gate 2 into beta. Finally, Brett shares his hopes for Battlefield 6, emphasizing the need for a return to what made previous Battlefield titles successful.

1. MainGear announced a Retro 95 limited edition PC with modern specs but classic '90s design, appealing to nostalgia fans.
2. The trailer for Clive Barker’s Hellraiser game included actual nudity—pretty rare for a video game trailer!
3. There was drama around microtransactions, with the Ubisoft CEO claiming they make games "more fun," something Brett (and likely most gamers) strongly disagrees with.

1. Death of Elder Scrolls Daggerfall engineer
2. Battlefield 6 trailer reveal and skepticism
3. Game industry layoffs, including Greedfall developer
4. Obsidian's Outer Worlds 2 price change
5. Splitgate 2 issues, layoffs, and beta return
6. Ubisoft controversies: server shutdowns, nepotism, microtransactions
7. Hopes and concerns for Battlefield 6 multiplayer

In this episode of Digital Coffee Gaming Brew, host Brett Deister covers a range of topics including the release of Civilization 7 update 1.2.0.2, which adds steam workshop support and new advanced game options, Microsoft's planned layoffs in the Xbox division, the issues with the Steam Summer Sale, and a new PVE mode in Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2. Brett also discusses the significant layoffs and restructuring occurring in the gaming industry, highlights notable deals in the Steam Summer Sale, and touches on updates in Dune: Awakening. The episode concludes with a reflection on the state of AAA gaming and the rise of indie games.

1. Civilization 7 just got Steam Workshop support, letting players easily find and install mods directly from Steam.
2. Warhammer 40K Space Marine 2 introduced a new PvE "Siege Mode," where teams fight endless waves to defend an Imperial Fortress.
3. The Steam Summer Sale is live with big discounts, but heavy traffic at launch made the store tough to access for many gamers.

1. Civilization 7 update and community response
2. Industry-wide layoffs, especially at Microsoft
3. Turmoil and downsizing in gaming studios
4. Steam Summer Sale and major discounts
5. Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 new modes
6. Dune Awakening PvE/PvP gameplay changes
7. The rise and impact of indie games

In this episode of Digital Coffee Gaming Brew, Brett discusses the recent patch for Dune Awakening that removes vehicle ramming in PvP, as well as the community's positive reaction. He moves on to cover Battlefield 2042's new Mass Effect bundle and comments on Warner Brothers' restructuring of its leadership team, focusing on major franchises like Mortal Kombat and Harry Potter. Brett also touches on layoffs at Splitgate 2, Embracer Group's workforce reduction, GOG's new donation system, Xbox's collaboration with Zena Canary, and the latest updates on Battlefield Labs. The episode wraps up with reviews of the first-person shooter 'Kristol: Theater of Idols' and Bungee's delayed marathon reboot. Brett emphasizes the importance of prioritizing talent over diversity quotas in game development.

1. In Dune Awakening, players used to "Goomba Stomp" others with ornithopters in PvP, repeatedly ramming to knock them out, until a recent patch removed this quirky tactic.
2. The new shooter "Kristal Theater of Idols" has a wild mechanic—players have to sacrifice their own blood to reload guns, which affects their health.
3. GOG now lets you voluntarily donate money when you buy games, with all donations supporting the preservation of classic games.

1. Dune Awakening PvP vehicle ramming patch
2. Battlefield 2042 Mass Effect bundle criticism
3. Warner Brothers leadership restructuring and direction
4. Embracer Group layoffs and game cancellations
5. GOG donation system for game preservation
6. Upcoming Xbox classic games program
7. Bungie’s Marathon reboot struggles and delays