After a much-needed break to honor a dear mentor, The Scroll returns to tackle the "Live Service" infection taking over modern gaming. Join Boots and Frank as they break down the "Warzone-ification" of the Modern Warfare III campaign, the frustration of Black Ops 7’s forced co-op, and a heated "Boots to the Face" for EA’s predatory Sims 4 Marketplace split. From the ghost of multiplayer-past in Dragon Age: Veilguard to the cozy stability of Star Ocean, we’re dissecting why the industry is obsessed with "forever games" and what we’re playing to stay sane. Listen now at getthescroll.com.

A tribute to a mentor and a dive into the industry’s wildest week.

After a two-week break, Lilac Boots returns to cover the "Xbox Earthquake" as Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond depart, leaving Microsoft's gaming future in the hands of new AI-focused leadership. We also dive into the technical chaos of the recent Cloudflare-driven Steam outage, and the heated discourse surrounding David Jaffe’s critique of God of War: Sons of Sparta. Finally, Boots reviews the long-awaited Replaced demo and the language-learning JRPG Wagotabi.

This episode is dedicated to the memory of Hallie, Boots' mentor, whose favorite Queen song lends this episode its name. The Scroll will be taking a hiatus following this recording to allow for a period of rest and reflection.

In this episode of The Scroll, Boots and Frank discuss GOG's recent AI art controversy and Ubisoft's massive restructuring into five "Creative Houses". They also recount the wild story of the 18-year-old who leaked GTA VI footage using an Amazon Fire Stick and explore the new "honest living" Odd Jobs in GTA Online. Plus, they weigh in on the bizarre news of Tim Sweeney praising the Google Genie 3 AI engine—calling it a "great idea" despite the tool being caught plagiarizing his own Fortnite IP.

Pro-Tip for Aspiring Firefighters: Through February 4, you can earn 2X GTA$ and RP on all Odd Jobs, with firefighting dispatches paying out up to $15,000. Completing 25 dispatches will unlock "The Unwavering" outfit, and finishing 5 jobs for the first time unlocks the trade price for the MTL Fire Truck.

In this episode of The Scroll, Boots and Frank brave the East Coast snow to break down the week's most chaotic headlines, from the Tim Sweeney vs. PC Gamer social media standoff to the latest Xbox Developer Direct reveals. We dive into the stunning Japan setting for Forza Horizon 6, the unique character-building in Fable, and the quirky indie energy of the pottery-brawler Kiln. Plus, we wrap up with a look at the NY Video Game Awards winners and a pitch for the Black Canary game the industry desperately needs.

This week on The Scroll, we dive into the massive FaZe Clan "Exodus" following the departure of their entire active roster, including 14-year veteran Adapt. We also break down the technical controversy surrounding Nvidia’s DLSS 4.5, which is reportedly causing a 20-24% performance drop for RTX 20 and 30 series users. Plus, we discuss the recent Steam Machine price leak indicating a $950-$1,070 price tag, Larian Studios' commitment to "Human-Only" art for Divinity concept art, and what to expect from the Xbox Developer Direct on January 22nd. Finally, we share first impressions of Kingdom Come: Deliverance and the viral "cozy tech repair" indie hit, ReStory.

This week on The Scroll, we dive into the massive end-of-year shift as CD Projekt Red sells GOG back to its roots. We’re breaking down the legal heat rising for Rockstar as the UK Parliament gets involved in recent layoffs, plus Satya Nadella’s defense of AI in game dev. Stick around to hear why Boots is obsessed with ReStory and which punk-ass ISP is getting a Boot to the Face this week.

We’re closing out 2025 with a look at the data that defined the year. In this episode, we dive into the $197B industry numbers and the news that shaped the gaming landscape—including a brief, personal tribute to the legendary Vince Zampella, whose games were the reason I met many of my closest friends.

Plus, it's a reality check on the year's top titles. Frank shares what he’s been playing this week, while I bring my Steam Replay 2025 receipts to show the actual hours behind my favorite games. We also break down the November hardware slump and what the GTA VI delay means for the 2026 hype train.

From the neon-soaked streets of Dogtown to the heart of the Big Apple—we’re back! This week, I’m finally sharing my 10/10 verdict on Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty and explaining why taking a "slow burn" approach changed everything.

Plus, Frank and I break down the 2026 NYVGA Nominees and dive into the heated controversy surrounding the disqualification of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Where exactly is the line for AI in game development?

🚨 NEW THEME REVEAL: We’ve officially updated The Scroll’s sound! Our new theme music is right at the top of the episode—let us know what you think of the new vibe in the comments or on our Facebook page!