Episodes

  • #306 | To Hell and Back

    #306 | To Hell and Back
    May 13 2024
    What a week! It seemed like we were just done recording last week when Helldivers 2-related drama broke out, and yet by the time we were ready to record this time around, the situation had mostly settled. How serendipitous for us and our analysis. Now, we're left to reflect and ask some questions, starting with why Sony had to push the first domino in this scenario over at all. Couldn't they just leave well enough alone? And how does this portend the reception of future PC releases from the PlayStation camp? Other news this week includes major layoffs and closures at Fallout and Doom publisher Bethesda (plus what that means for Xbox's uncertain future), percolating rumors of an imminent PlayStation Showcase, confirmation that -- yes indeed! -- Media Molecule is making a game and not a service or toolset, Remedy bailing out of its multiplayer project as Alan Wake 2 still fails to break even, and more. Then: Listener inquiries. How do we choose what game to play next? Was Days Gone 'right-wing'? Are in-game animations getting out of control? Can Colin help revive a long-maligned (but incredibly descriptive) word? Get 10% off your Journey Pack at https://www.tryfum.com/sacred and use code SACRED Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:27:43 - King Radec 0:33:36 - Too long? 0:45:03 - R word uptick 0:56:14 - Derek’s Journey 0:59:28 - Colin, the gardener 1:01:01 - Next PS Showcase 1:14:15 - Helldivers 2 Drama 1:45:06 - Xbox/Bethesda studio closures 2:47:55 - Switch 2 incoming 2:54:31 - Media Molecule’s next game 2:55:38 - Alan Wake 2 hasn’t made a profit 3:02:31 - April’s best selling PSN games 3:05:03 - What we’ve been playing 3:30:15 - How do we decide what to play next? 3:38:22 - Why Sony killed Days Gone 3:42:23 - Returnal turning point 3:44:48 - Too much realism? 3:53:01 - Saved video game item from a natural disaster 3:59:24 - Being watched (playing video games) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    4 hrs and 17 mins
  • #305 | Man the Floodgates

    #305 | Man the Floodgates
    May 6 2024
    Times, they are a-changin'. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is rightfully pleased with Xbox's performance on the PlayStation Store, bragging about being the biggest publisher on PSN while presenting Microsoft's recent financial report. His company has seven games in the top 25, more than even Sony itself. So, uh, batten down the hatches, because you're inevitably about to get way more Xbox on PS5. Plus: Fresh leaks show us how Sony's digital games have sold in recent years, Square Enix writes-down $140 million in losses while cancelling multiple games, Take Two guts its Private Division label, Kingdom Hearts promises to horrify in film form, and more. Then: Listener inquiries. Based on recent moves by a rival, would Last Stand Media ever consider going platform-free with all of its content? Which drug from the Fallout universe are we most likely to become addicted to? How can a small indie game garner any attention in such a crowded market? What is it that Chris actually does all day? Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:19:34 - RIP Claire, the Dutch Shepherd 0:25:56 - Sacred subs 0:29:40 - Take the leave Dustin 0:42:47 - Why is Chris busy? 0:55:25 - The last time we applied for a job 1:06:18 - Platform focused podcasts 1:26:41 - Returnal comic 1:38:59 - Firesprite director laid off 1:40:35 - New PSN social feature 1:51:06 - Rise of the Ronin is outselling Nioh 1:56:08 - Shinji Mikami wants to get away from survival horror 2:04:34 - Private Division closes Roll7 and Intercept games 2:16:16 - A Kingdom Hearts film is coming 2:21:04 - AAA GI Joe 2:23:24 - 750 million downloads for eFootball 2:24:22 - What we’re playing 3:04:12 - Xbox's 3rd party future 3:25:38 - PSN sales data leaks 3:41:57 - Square Enix cancelations and changes 4:00:06 - March NPD 4:07:55 - New PS Plus games 4:12:04 - Publicity for a small game 4:16:41 - Fallout chems 4:21:37 - Video game gambling 4:28:25 - Underrated influential games 4:36:00 - Crunch vs over hiring 4:39:17 - PSN stats Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    4 hrs and 55 mins
  • #304 | Too Big to Succeed

    #304 | Too Big to Succeed
    Apr 29 2024
    Embracer Group's downfall will be long-studied as an example of capitalistic hubris you rarely see, even in our ruthlessly capitalist society. Following mass layoffs, spin-offs, and studio closures, Embracer will ultimately split into three smaller, more manageable entities, instead of acting as a lone unit with more employees than the entire PlayStation brand, including all of its studios combined (seriously). It's just another example of people in positions of power somehow knowing less about their industry, the economy, and business than completely random people that do a video game podcast. Other news: Stellar Blade's "Hard R" controversy, the permanent closure of LittleBigPlanet's UGC servers, the cultural revival of the Fallout franchise on the back of a successful Amazon show, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! How do we feel about Ubisoft's apparent abandonment of the Watch Dogs franchise? Are gaming cookbooks the new rage? Can you be a fan of video games without actually playing them? Will British people ever acknowledge Americans' acumen with a map? Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. Timestamps: 0:00:00 - Intro 0:21:44 - Where is Sacred 300? 0:25:25 - Sacred through college 0:32:10 - Quintin's surgery 0:39:52 - British people 0:46:20 - PS Stars points correction 0:52:35 - LBP goes offline 1:09:36 - Hard R Shop 1:32:07 - Fallout show is getting another season 1:44:57 - Metaphor ReFantazio releases October11 1:48:53 - What we’re playing 2:36:34 - Embracer's downfall 2:53:42 - Watch Dogs is dead 3:01:11 - Dustin raising a gamer 3:09:56 - Is capitalism the problem? 3:13:29 - Gaming cookbooks 3:21:51 - Colin’s trophy inconsistencies 3:25:03 - Am I broken? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    3 hrs and 46 mins
  • #303 | The Unified Field Theory

    #303 | The Unified Field Theory
    Apr 22 2024
    For better or for worse, modern console manufacturers like Sony and Microsoft -- and even Nintendo -- are slowly learning that sustained success in the mid-to-long-term will require a wider view. Whether via mobile, or PC, or even your competitors' own machines, a certain message is getting through to the powers-that-be, and when it comes to Sony, the Japanese giant seems committed to opening a second front on home computers in particular. Thus comes word of a new PlayStation overlay that will launch with Ghost of Tsushima on PC this May, another step in a direction towards an inevitable conclusion. Other news this week includes so-called "transmog" drama in Helldivers 2, pending layoffs at publisher Take Two, compelling rumors of remakes for the original Persona game and its sequel, additional PS5 Pro details, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Do we track our gaming backlogs? Does Tencent's minority ownership of Stellar Blade developer Shift Up give us pause? How far back in time could you go before you could -- in no way, shape, or form -- explain what a video game was? Can British people ever overcome their insane shared vocabulary? Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. Timestamps: 0:00:00 - Intro 0:26:55 - Sacred in Antigua 0:30:12 - British Vernacular 0:36:22 - Colin's Networking Solution 0:41:10 - Chris Ray Trump 0:43:09 - Dustin's vacancy 0:55:45 - Marriage insight 0:58:05 - Chess.com 1:10:39 - Ampere Analysis 1:16:23 - No Helldivers 2 transmog 1:22:04 - Take Two layoffs 1:36:08 - Ascendant Studios furloughed 1:37:37 - Persona remakes? 1:42:16 - March top downloads 1:45:39 - Possibility Space shut down 2:01:37 - Keanu Reeves cast in Sonic 3 2:02:48 - What We’re Playing 2:37:58 - PlayStation trophies on PC 2:56:54 - New PS5 Pro leaks 3:19:02 - Have we used Backloggd? 3:26:16 - Will companies chase the success of Helldivers? 3:35:47 - How do you explain video games to the past? 3:43:32 - Shift Up and Tencent 3:48:33 - Divergent timelines and parallel universes 3:54:57 - How do our personalities play into our taste? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    4 hrs and 16 mins
  • #302 | SOCOMeback

    #302 | SOCOMeback
    Apr 15 2024
    We've long-wondered what Sony's plans were with its dormant SOCOM franchise (or if it even had plans at all). After all, we can't just ignore the success the likes of Ubisoft have found with titles like Rainbow Six: Siege, and even in a post-Zipper Interactive world, it always felt like PlayStation's tactical shooter never really got a fair shake at success after its PS2 heyday. So color us both pleased and surprised when information from the resumé of a deceased actor pointed towards a SOCOM game that no one had ever even heard of: SOCOM 111. While it's fairly clear this project never got off the ground (or did it?), its existence gives us a fleeting glimpse into Sony's potential plans, and frankly, we can help but wonder if Zipper's defunct series may yet see the light of day in the future. Other news this week includes a release date for Star Wars: Outlaws, Vampire Survivors finally migrating to PlayStation platforms, Stellar Blade going gold, potential hiring for a new God of War game at Santa Monica studio, copious Destiny 3 and Dead Space 2 Remake rumors, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Will PlayStation's colorful old logo ever make a return? Do we ever rename the characters in our digital adventures? What's our worst 'losing progress in a game' experience? Should one listener extract his stolen garbage bin from his neighbor, no matter the cost? Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:42:47 - Do you know what we look like? 0:46:42 - Colin's internet problems 0:55:01 - The return of Hector 0:57:14 - Micah Stan 1:00:19 - "clowns, the good kind" 1:07:05 - Plane worries 1:12:45 - Garbage can situation 1:21:36 - Portal hack correction 1:23:55- Stellar Blade has gone gold. 1:29:25 - Santa Monica Studio gearing up for a new God of War 1:37:47 - Dead Space 2 Remake drama 1:54:14 - Sea of Thieves PS5 closed beta 1:59:48 - Is Destiny 3 in development? 2:15:30 - Yuji Naka returns 2:19:41 - Fallout 4 next gen update 2:29:37 - What we've been playing 3:16:44 - New SOCOM rumors 3:32:42 - Star Wars Outlaws has a release date. 3:45:56 - Vampire Survivors is coming to PS5 3:53:25 - New PS Plus games 4:00:37 - Cozy games 4:09:08 - Will the original PlayStation logo come back? 4:15:23 - How do we name characters in games? 4:20:59 - Why do games keep getting greenlit? 4:28:00 - Game crash woes 4:33:38 - Ubisoft hate Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    4 hrs and 57 mins
  • #301 | It's Never Too Late to Reinvent the Bicycle

    #301 | It's Never Too Late to Reinvent the Bicycle
    Apr 8 2024
    It was just a couple of weeks ago that we were discussing the newest PlayStation 5 Pro rumors, and now we have fresh scuttlebutt to parse through, particularly concerning our precious framerates and the potential of the still-unannounced console. But we can't help but also wonder what PS5's market potential will be. Will it spread the field or, as it's recently been suggested, merely sell to existing PS5 players? Heck, is there any saving console gaming at all in the long-term? Let's take some time to chat about all of that, plus other news: Helldivers 2's new patch, day-one games coming to PS+ Extra, Silent Hill 2 Remake's ESRB rating, revised PlayStation 2 sales numbers, and so much more. Then: Listener inquiries! How much to we absorb a given game's internal lore, codices, documentation, and so on? Are we ever going to figure out what a 'Soulsborne' actually is? Could a new Shark Tank-like show aimed at indie games help exciting products find their audience? Is Dustin hiding anything else from Colin and Chris that he'd like to talk about? Start building credit at https://www.chime.com/sacred Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:27:41 - Is game drama exclusive on Twitter? 0:44:39 - Universal LSM fans 0:59:49 - Retro PlayStation Magazine 1:04:05 - Chris's Red Pants 1:12:37 - Tips for moving in together 1:18:10 - IGN's Zelda April Fools 1:21:19 - PlayStation Store Spring Sale 1:27:56 - New PS5 Pro news 1:41:51 - Helldivers 2 update 1:44:42 - PS+ Game Catalogue Day One games 1:50:55 - New PS2 sales data 1:57:16 - Portal hack reported to Sony 2:01:38 - Silent Hill 2 rated 2:19:10 - KOTOR Remake is alive 2:29:03 - Dragon's Dogman 2 Sales 2:29:59 - Unicorn Overlord 500k Copies sold 2:31:47 - Hollow Knight: Silksong incoming? 2:37:33 - PS5 Minecraft port 2:40:12 - What are we playing? 3:33:30 - Do we read collectibles and lore? 3:44:51 - "this will make me sound like a hater" 3:54:20 - Updated thoughts on the Portal 4:08:48 - What does SoulsBorne really mean? 4:20:54 - Pixel Pitch 4:31:20 - Post-game emptiness Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    4 hrs and 48 mins
  • #300 | We're Nothing If Not Consistent

    #300 | We're Nothing If Not Consistent
    Apr 1 2024
    Somehow, some way, we've made it to our 300th episode, and we did so without missing a single, solitary week between the first show in 2018 and today. We celebrated our milestone this past weekend with 500 listeners at a sold-out live show in New York City, and we're eager to reflect on what the experience meant to us. But the news marches on, too, albeit somewhat softly, and we'd be loath to ignore it. So let's delve in. The once-leaked Stellar Blade demo is set to be properly released on PSN by the time we publish, Embracer took a $800 million loss in selling Gearbox to Take Two, legendary game dev Shinji Mikami has founded a new team, Sony's Bend Studio seems to be going down the live service route, and more. Listener inquiries help us wrap things up, touching on topics like the golden era of RPGs, Dragon's Dogma 2's microtransaction drama, Nintendo's status as the ultimate gateway drug, and a listener too sick to come to Sacred 300 in NYC. Start the Good Habit at https://www.tryfum.com/SACRED to save 10% off the Journey Pack today. Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:31:13 - Live show video? 0:36:01 - Sacred friends on the train 0:38:39 - Too sick for Sacred 300 0:41:05 - RIP 0:46:23 - YouTube Premium 0:52:39 - Stellar Blade demo incoming 0:55:51 - Embracer sells Gearbox to Take-Two 1:02:46 - Community Game Help 1:04:11 - Final Fantasy IX teased? 1:08:50 - It Takes Two sales 1:15:32 - Shinji Mikami is back 1:21:20 - What Are We Playing 1:42:44 - Sony Bend’s Live Service Project 1:56:33 - Final Fantasy XVI's DLC 2:02:10 - PS Plus Games 2:08:11 - The rise of RPGs 2:22:50 - Dragon's Dogma 2 discourse 2:38:29 - The power of $40-50 games 2:47:48 - The future of GameStop 3:00:21 - What's wrong with comic book games? 3:14:56 - Nintendo, the gateway console Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    3 hrs and 35 mins
  • #299 | None of These Things Happen For Free

    #299 | None of These Things Happen For Free
    Mar 25 2024
    Various leaks (and our own sources) have long-indicated the arrival of a so-called PlayStation 5 Pro console this calendar year, and now new reports have given us a great idea of what this yet-unannounced machine can do. Similar to 2016's PlayStation 4 Pro, PS5's Pro model largely keeps its CPU functionality in place, instead focusing on GPU-centric graphical boosts that promise to please the discerning eye. Combined with mysterious proprietary upscaling technologies and AI-related features, it sounds like PlayStation 5 Pro will be a beastly machine when it comes to aesthetics. But what about the all-important framerate? The news may be less stellar. And the price? Well, that remains to be seen. We discuss. Other news this week includes continuing and seemingly never-ending drama at Sony's great unforced acquisition error Bungie, stalled sales numbers for Sony's struggling PSVR2 hardware, exceptional performance for Helldivers 2 on the US market, the beginning of the end (or maybe more like the end of the end) of Kotaku, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Between multiple cancellations on one end and Helldivers 2 on the other, what is our current assessment of PlayStation's embryonic games-as-a-service initiative? Does Resident Evil 5's setting and antagonists make the game truly un-remakable? Has 2024's schedule of strong releases unabashedly picked up right where 2023 left off? Has our show successfully infiltrated Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, corrupting its personnel? Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:18:17 - Sacred Symbols Military Base 0:20:27 - Use Sacred to make people think you're busy 0:27:44 - Boars Heads superiority 0:36:25 - Chris Chan catch-up 0:42:06 - concerning notification? 0:51:22 - Connie Booth goes to EA 0:59:09 - New Helldivers developments 1:03:09 - Palworld looking to release on PlayStation 1:09:07 - Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra 1:18:18 - Halo co-creator's thoughts on EA 1:24:50 - Callisto Protocol spin-off 1:29:01 - Tales series character artist has pass away 1:30:22 - What We've Been Playing 1:41:50 - PS5 Pro leaks 2:14:17 - PSVR2 stops production 2:43:33 - Trouble at Bungie 3:06:32 - Monthly sales data 3:07:56 - Kotaku EIC resigns 3:15:17 - Community Managers 3:23:37 - What's the best handheld console? 3:36:28 - Should Resident Evil 5 be re-written? 3:47:28 - 2024 best year ever for games? 3:53:25 - Gut check on Sony live service games 4:01:21 - What games need to go? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    4 hrs and 22 mins