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Sacred Symbols, Episode 427: The Thread (Patreon)

Published:
2026-09-02 19:00:05
Imported:
2026-09

Content

Hi!

Submit your questions, comments, concerns, thoughts, and ideas for this week's episode of Sacred Symbols in this thread.

As always, please keep your inquiries well-written and pithy. Novels, poorly-written posts, etc. are politely ignored.

You have until Thursday, September 3rd at noon ET to submit.

Talk to you soon!

Comments

Steve Carley

Good afternoon, Chosen Ones More of a rant than anything else but I wish there wasn't such a wide gulf between gamers and the studios making their games. for an example of what i mean, all the praise that Warlock is getting is cool to see but people should really pay attention to the fact that the last game developer Invoke Studios put out was the godawful D&D Dark Alliance game. In fact, the studio has NEVER made a game that was received well. Should you still be excited for Warlock? sure, but at least temper those expectations and don't be shocked if it ends up not landing. I feel like knowing the history of these devs helps predict the future, and i wish more gamers better understood who makes what. Maybe i'm just an old asshole, who knows. Be well, and be based, Steve Carley

Snake's Badonkadonk

Hey CDC, Of course reasonable people wouldn't believe they are buying a game digitally. You just click "add to cart", then "Confirm purchase". Then it shows up as "Purchased" in your library. Why would anyone think they actually own it? No suicidal ideations today!

Garret K

Hey there gents, Two questions for you. First, are any of you playing on plan on playing Resonance A Plague Tale Legacy? I just finished the game and I think it's absolutely brilliant. The story, as with the prior two games, is among the best the industry has to offer in recent years, the voice acting and music are both stellar, the art direction is immaculate, and maybe most surprisingly of all, the combat is actually awesome. I think it's actually dethroned Resident Evil Requiem for my game of the year so far this year. Seeing Asobo completely switch genres from what was primarily a stealth based game to a full blown action adventure game with a focus on combat featuring a new protagonist and setting, yet still retain it's quality has made is so that Asobo has entered the rare tier of studios that I have near absolute faith will produce extremely high quality games that I enjoy, even if future games are vastly different from what they have done previously. Now for the second part of the question for you all, are there any studios or publishers that you similarly have an extreme degree of trust in like that? If so, which ones and what games cemented that level of trust for you? To be clear, by "extreme degree of trust" I don't mean that you would shamelessly or blindly bootlick them for no reason, but moreso that you feel pretty certain whatever decisions they make will result in games that are high quality and you will enjoy because they have consistently delivered games that met or exceeded your expectations. And this can be despite making changes or introducing elements in future games that if almost any other studio attempted, might cause you to be worried, but because it's this particular studio or publisher doing it, you aren't really all that worried about it not landing. Hope that makes sense and very curious to hear your thoughts!

Matthew Skora

Hello boys, Amidst a busy week of final preparations as my wedding approaches on Saturday, I wanted to make sure I made time to write in for a sanity check on this whole Xbox Disc to Digital program. Maybe I’m just missing something or don’t understand how the system works, but I really don’t see why this is a big deal. The comments across social media are praising this as some killer move that is really sticking it to PlayStation, but what does this really change? From what I can tell, you will still need to insert the disc periodically to be able to confirm you still own the game, and if you give the game to a friend or sell it, then your access to that digital version gets revoked the second the disc gets inserted into a different machine. Your digital download is still tethered to your access to the physical product, and a system with a functional disc drive. I’m more than happy to be wrong and for this to truly be some incredible win for game ownership, but I just don’t see the hype at the moment. Hope everyone has a great week!

Cody Frost

Hey Colin, Dustin, and Chris! Blood of the Dawnwalker releases Thursday, September 3rd, and my kids and soon-to-be wife are big Demon Slayer fans. When I explained the premise of Dawnwalker to my family, they immediately noticed some similarities. You have a male protagonist whose family is taken by monsters who gain power by drinking blood. Those monsters can’t go out in daylight, and the protagonist’s party includes one such monster who can miraculously survive in the sun. So, is this just “inspiration,” or has Rebel Wolves borrowed some pretty major plot points from Demon Slayer? Where do we draw the line between inspiration and straight-up stealing?

Elonchan

Hey CDC, What is Tim Schaefer’s deal? That video Double Fine put out distancing themselves from Xbox was not only unprofessional, it was cringey. Double Fine had several years to do whatever they wanted, and they hung themselves by their own pitard by making Kiln and Keeper. Let’s not forget they don’t have the best record of using kickstarter and early access. I bought SpaceBase DF-9 from them via Steam while in early access and the game was basically just abandoned by Double Fine. They got to do whatever they wanted for nearly a decade with total freedom and deep pockets, produced hyper niche products, managed to regain independence and now they’re just dissing Xbox. Xbox made the mistake of giving DF the rope to hang themselves with, and Double Fine’s response is totally classless. More of a rant than a question. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Will Smith

Hi Sacred boys, Wanted to come back on Colin’s game affordability rundown from last week. I’m listening from the UK, and I totally appreciate that Colin couched his analysis by saying it was US-focused and aimed at a US audience specifically. But I think it’s worth giving the perspective from the other Western countries usually considered rich, because I reckon they account for a decent chunk of the noise and therefore why there’s such a strong reaction whenever affordability comes up. The point I want to make is just how much better the US has it. This isn’t a Western trend that’s a bit weaker abroad it’s essentially an American exception. The US maths is correct: mean income roughly doubled since ‘97 (~$27k to ~$66k), so a game’s gone from about 0.19% of income to 0.12% ish. But line the other “rich” countries up on the same method and it doesn’t look great (and these are generous examples): • US: 0.19% → 0.12% (falls by nearly half) • UK: ~0.16% → ~0.17% (slightly rises) • Japan: 0.15% → 0.19% (a game was ¥6,800 in ’97 and is ~¥9,000 now, but wages have been dead flat for 27 years) So in Japan the whole method inverts and games get less affordable and that’s the world’s third/ fourth biggest economy, not an obvious outlier. The UK is flat at best and arguably worse, and inflation doesn’t rescue it either, since real wages have been flat since 2008. The currency situation makes it worse still: $80 is about £59 at market rates, but the UK sticker is £70 (and Europe’s often €80). So we’re paying a premium on top of slower wage growth. None of this is a knock on Colin he’s right about the US. But I think the international picture is part of the reason for the noise. The US sometimes forgets just how good it has things economically compared with countries you’d also consider rich. Cheers from an England that is finally cooling down. Will

Adam Dietzman

Hey guys. The trophy 'tism kicked in this summer as I was approaching Platinum #100. I wanted it to be an important game, and decided to revisit The Last of Us on PS3 to finally claim the platinum, having got the Platinum on the PS4 and PS5 versions earlier in my trophy career. Luckily during the initial launch I got all of the online trophies, which set me up for the platinum run some 13 years later. I am happy to say that Platinum #100 has been achieved, and man what a journey it was (again). The original version still holds up remarkably well; and a special shout-out to the DualShock 3 whose battery held up without having to re-charge during my Survivor+ Run.

Slaytanic Wehrcast

Immortals of Aveum. As a committed worshipper at The Church of Moriarty since Beyond days, I often rely on Sir Colin for recommendations so, on a whim, I purchased Immortals of Aveum based on his preachings. And what a game! Thank you, Lord M. A stunning, cinematic spectacle with a kick ass combat mechanic this is the game that Bioshock 4 can only aspire to be as good as. But it begs the question: with imbecilic man-children griping that there is nothing good out there to play, how can a game this good get so cruelly overlooked by the masses? This should be on everyone's list. I think it cost me about 20 quid in a sale for what will be 40 or 50 hours of entertainment - I often do 2 playthroughs. 1 blind and 1 for trophy mop up if interested - and I challenge anyone to find another visual medium that offers such amazing value for money. What is wrong with people? Get out there and buy the good games else all we will be left with is Fortnite and Roblox and it will be ALL YOUR FAULT. PSN: mosefus75

MovieGuy34

Hey CDC, Colin, are you aware of the issue happening on psnprofiles right now? Apparently there is a limit of 255 trophies per game. If you go over that, and earn a 256 trophy the site flags it and marks the game hidden. Your milestones will be off, your overall stats won't track properly and your 100% games count will be off by 1 for each game affected by this issue. Vampire Survivors just released more DLC trophies and as someone who had 100% that game, now I have to decide whether to not earn any of the new trophies and no longer have an S rank. Or earn the trophies and have the rare H hidden game. As someone with a lot of pull on that website, can you use your powers for good to help get a fix quickly? It sounds like they are aware, but it's been a problem for years apparently. Thanks in advance for your help.

Jeremy Jones

Do you think Sony could follow in Steam's footsteps with the PS6 release and do a console only SKU with no controller? Maybe just reuse the Dualsense again or do you think they have to make a new controller with every new console?

OKayCool91

Greeting Sacred Boys, Colin I just beat Mega Man 11 and with recent footage of Dual override I’m on a Mega High for Mega Man. I just bought Classic Mega Man Legacy vol 1-2 and I’m enjoying myself, my question to you is what do you think the future holds for the franchise? Could we see more sequels of the classic series? Do you see an entry in the series where they will give us an entry that shows us Mega’s Last Stand that leads into the X series? Love the show and thanks for Everything.

Logan

This is a sports question for Coach Colin (Dustin and Chris feel free to go adjust your air conditioners). Loved this week's stream. You are often lamenting the lack of good sports during the NFL offseason and motorsports can basically fill this period of the year. Formula 1 is lowkey boring as shit but Indycar and MotoGP are both excellent. I say this as someone who doesn't care about cars but loves the racecraft, the drama, and the competition. There’s a lot more to it than cars going in circles (even on oval tracks where they are literally just going in circles!). I gave the NFL a try last year to fill my version of the offseason and will be doing so again this year. Go Ravens. Have you ever considered giving motorsports a try?

Daniel Czarny

Hey CDC, With the release of Star Wars: Zero Company and the news of the developer Bit Reactor stating a furlough of most of the team because of funds running out. I would like to ask the following question, how come we don't see that more with how volatile the industry is from other developers? This seems like the first time I have seen this and wanted some more perspective on this. I do know Bit Reactor had mention of some law suits too, but that I am not up snuff on. Thanks Boys! Dan Cz.

Lawrence The Satellite Technician Man

Hey guys! I have a question wondering what you would do if you were in my position. I am subscribed to PlayStation plus premium, but I don’t use my added benefits all too often, if ever, and I don’t really think the premium tier is that great. Personally, I’d rather downgrade my tier down to standard, but here’s where my conundrum comes into play. Somehow without fail every year, I pay $80 for premium and I have for multiple years now instead of what it should be, which is $159.99. Even though I would rather be just be an essential user especially given that I hardly ever use the benefits that come with premium, I feel like it’d be foolish not to take advantage of whatever the heck is happening. I’m conflicted though cause I genuinely don’t think premium is worth it and I hate that I’m part of the problem and actively contributing to it. So I ask, if you were in my shoes, would you really care, or would you downgrade and pay the same for less? Curious to know what you think. I’ll put my phone down and listen as I sit at the substation next to the 49ers practice field and watch as Mike Evans and legendary receiver Deajon Love’s hamstrings fall off the bone and convince myself the science isn’t there and it’s definitely not related to the constant injuries.

HamSlammer

Hello smart fellers and fart smellers, more news from the world of Helldivers 2. A recent update has added a splash screen with link and QR code to new "super merch". A replica of an in-game medal, and a teddy bear wearing the classic Black and yellow armor (known in the community as Sgt. Teddy.) But here's the twist, the ability to pre-order is tied entirely to milestones achieved in game. Reaching level 100 for the medal and completing 75 missions for the bear. So my question is this, is there any other real-life merch you would like to see from a similar system of in-game achievements? Perhaps a stylish cane/whip for earning the Platinum Trophy in Bloodborne, or a box of human shit for having more than 1 hour playtime in Concord?

AL022

Hi CDC, I'm writing in with a minor clarification on your discussion about GTA 6 last week (I'm a CPA and my ears perk up during these segments). During the discussion, Colin was mentioning the GTA 6 pre orders and how these would be present in Take Two's next quarterly financial statements. However, even though Take Two has cash in hand, Take Two does not record any revenue until the release date of GTA 6. There will be a liablilty on its balance sheet for the amount of all pre-orders in unearned revenue. However, this is also combined with revenue deferred for released games where revenue is recognized over time (for example, for fully or mixed online games like NBA 2K, Take Two recognizes it's revenue over time in full or part of the initial sales price and virtual currency revenue). So it may get a little messy to figure out the exact GTA impact. Take Two will certainly consider disclosing pre order quantities during its quarterly press release. Hope this helps the listeners! As a side note, If you are ever interested in doing a longer segment on financial statements, I worked at a large global audit firm for 11 years and now work on writing SEC financial statements so would be happy to chat via email for show questions you might have.

SL

Hello Sacred Crew, I think it's fair to say there is no more obnoxious version of Sony than 'Lawsuit Sony'. From the open, brazen hypocrisy of their arguments against exclusives during the FTC case for the Microsoft/Activision acquisition, to their latest argument that 'reasonable customers know they do not own the games they buy', it's clear these people have no morals or shame. I guarantee you the average person believes 'I give you money, I buy thing, thing is mine now' AS THEY SHOULD. Yes, the sickos like us know and understand the realities of digital licenses and EULAs, but the idea that 'any reasonable customer' knows that or should be expected to given how purposefully obtuse they make all this language and distinctions is frankly, a gross position. Yes, I know its the job of lawyers to defend their clients to the best of their ability and that can lead to them saying absolutely asinine things, but positions like these REALLY don't help with Sony's growing reputation as a scumbag organization willing to fuck over their customers at any turn.

CreamLord

Hey boys, hope you all are doing well. The topic of internet discourse being “not real life” has been brought up a lot recently with push backs such as twitter having a hand in Trumps election stated to argue that isn't true anymore. I agree with that but I just find it interesting when how often we see the opposite be true as well. From the hate campaign organized against The Odyssey being a fart in the wind and meaning nothing to all this Rockstar discourse that we all know won't amount to anything either as far as their sales go. But then I would argue with Highguard, discourse did have a true impact. I don't really have a question, just more so of an observation that it's hard to tell when discourse is just a loud minority or when it actually represents something that should be taken seriously. Thought it might spark some interesting conversation. Congrats to Dusty boy on being a dad and thanks for all the great content!

Mr Worry

These write ins are getting long fellas

John

Hey gang, September has begun, and so has the deluge of game releases. Can we get a final check-in before the onslaught to see what all of your game plans are in respect to the release schedule? I’m personally going to have to make due with Blood of Dawnwalker and Control 2 until November, just from a pure free time perspective Thanks!

James Ketchum

Gents, is it time to coin a new phrase? “The Morbius Effect.” So named, if you recall, after the failed Jared Leto Spiderman-adjacent villain film that absolutely bombed in the box office. However, if you recall, the internet go so caught up in how hilariously bad the movie was that after the film left the box office, Sony misread the online chatter/momentum as enthusiasm and brought the film back to the theaters for another weekend, and it BOMBED bad. So, “The Morbius Effect” is a company misreading and probably overreacting to a certain volume of online chatter and complaints. Is Xbox’s recent “Hey look at us, you can use your discs forever” positive response a Morbius Effect, in that it’s going to cause them to pivot to putting a disc drive in their next machine, only to get stats back down the road that it was completely unnecessary and wildly underused? Is this topic of discussion so tucked into the terminally online gaming sphere that the average consumer has no clue it’s even happening? Is Xbox going to pivot into a momentary internet fanfare win, but for ultimately no ROI?

Nat Patterson

Hey guys, I want to talk about podcast etiquette. You three are some of the clearest, most listenable voices not only in gaming, but in podcasting generally. How is it that some people who make a living (or partial living) from podcasting can’t seem to observe the basic stuff, like letting someone finish a sentence before barging in over the top of them? It makes for such an uncomfortable and clumsy listening experience for the consumer. How do you guys make sure you’re keeping the conversation as listenable as possible for the audience, and what do you think other podcasters could learn from your example? Cheers from down under, Nat

Ethan Mazariegos

Hello gentlemen of the SS! Long time listener, first time writing in. My elder brother Jared’s 30th birthday just happened on the 2nd. We’re not the type to usually get each other gifts but perhaps this write in will do. I come pleading to you to wish him a happy birthday and maybe even throw your pens in the air or anything you have on your desk to substitute as confetti. Or maybe even Colin can play the drums while Chris sings as Arthur Morgan as Dustin hums along. But really the greatest gift you can possibly give is just advice on how he’ll age from now on. Please describe in great detail how his life will be from now on. We’re only 4 years apart in age, so it’s nothing for me to worry about at this moment. And he’s been a listener much longer than I have, he put me onto Last Stand sometime back in 2023. I’m sure he’ll be very surprised just finding out I wrote in. And lastly thank you Sacred Symbols. Your shows never cease to entertain us.

Dimitrios Rodriguez

Good afternoon, CDC. I want to tell you about something that genuinely disturbed me. I stopped at Wendy’s before going to see a movie with my sister. The restaurant was empty, so I went inside and ordered. The young man at the register struggled with the menu, which was already a red flag. Then I gave him cash, and he was supposed to give me $1.47 back. He gave me $1.51. I pointed out the extra four cents, and he couldn’t tell the difference between a nickel and a dime. I had to explain the value of every coin to him. Then he looked at me and said, “Please don’t get mad at me.” And honestly, I wasn’t mad. I was just stunned. It made me wonder: Did he fail himself? Did his environment fail him? Did the education system fail him? Or all three? Before I left, I told him, “With a name like Cartier Balmain, you better become a fucking sports phenomenon, because you’re going to have problems if you don’t lock in.” I walked into Wendy’s wanting a burger. I walked out questioning the future of America.

Llogan from mmry.crd

Hello Sacred Trio I'm one of the 15 people on the planet who doesn't really care about GTA. I've never really enjoyed actually playing GTA games, so all the hype is just lost on me. Which is a shame because I recognize how monumental of an event this release will be for gaming. But it has me wondering what the biggest franchise is for you all that you just have no interest in? It's an interesting experience to recognize how significant a game release is, with the disconnect of not feeling any kind of excitement for it. I'll hang out and listen now!

Michael Limauro

Hey boys, What is your strategy to managing your PSN wish list or gaming wish lists in general? I used to have a massive list but realized I was never buying most of the wishlisted games, even when on deep sales. With my first baby on the way and given what I anticipate will be less time to game quickly approaching, I recently deleted about 90% of the games on the list. Now only the games I anticipate myself certainly playing someday remain. Did I do the right thing? Thanks, and hold strong. Just because a game is $2 does not mean you have to buy it!

Justin

Hey Colin and team, love the show, but I wanted to correct the comparison made about GTA V's special edition content. Back in 2013, those digital bonuses were always known to be timed exclusives that would eventually become available to everyone—which they did when the game launched a year later on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Comparing a harmless early-access bonus from a decade ago to modern games permanently gating content behind a $100+ edition doesn't hold up. Fans aren't annoyed at nothing; locking permanent game content behind triple-digit price tiers is a completely different consumer issue. I’ll hang up and listen to Colin‘s outrage when the Jets blow a lead to the Titans next week.

Shinobi-san

Good day gents, Last episode y'all mentioned Nuclear is the future and we need to build some. Well, I work for a company in Southern Company and we completed in 2024 the first new nuclear in over 30 years with Vogtle units 3 and 4 and it cost approximately $35 Billion. When the units were immediately recouping those costs selling to companies as well as our foot print. The costs won't benefit recouped for a very very long time. Sorry for the lengthy write-in. I wanted to come on Fireside chats years ago to talk about this very thing but alas, it was closed before I could do so. Love the show

Brandon Sobecki

Hey gents, Games media rediscovered capitalism today with Aggro Crab beginning a publishing arm. Turns out when people make money and then spend that money to place bets on other people to make more money is a good idea when it’s people we like who are doing the betting! Jokes aside, is this the beginning of a new era of games publishing as these major indie hits spend some of their capital brining new, hopefully cool, games to market? Thanks! Brandon

LevelWiley

Hey Colin, Any chance you'll go on a vacation and touch grass like many recommended after last weeks GTA rant? I'll hang up and listen. :)

black magic fuckery — GOTY edition

Hi boys, First off, thank you Colin for the recommendation of The Rest Is History. I've been listening to their series on The Troubles and loving it. Second, why do gamers feel entitled to demand the price they want at the time they want it? I mostly buy games at deep disounts, save for 1-2 new releases year. GTA VI, therefore, could release at $150 for all I care, and I would simply buy it when it's at the price that it's worth to me. Isn't it better that publishers overmonetize their hardcore fans by releasing a game at a higher price and with 5-days early access, than make up that margin with MTX which will no doubt endure for far longer than it's starting price would have?

Michael Hebert

Hey Coach, What ever happened to the 'card' system that sony was advertising with the PS5? Its ability to let the player jump immediately into a game, bypassing the launch/start menu was by far the system's most unique new feature. I recall Insomniac doing it with Ratchet and Spider-Man, as well as Asobi with their Astro games, but struggle to think of another example. Also, congratulations on the 2-1 start to the season, you can always count on Jared Goff to choke.

HisHoliness

This one is largely directed at Colin but D&C can chime in if they want. This year Arsenal broke a 22 year drought to win the Premier League, the Knicks snapped a 53 year wait to win the NBA Finals, and County Mayo ended a whopping 75 year curse to win the All Ireland Final in Gaelic Football. Clearly 2026 has been the year for ending sporting droughts. Colin please give us a 15 minute breakdown of why this year will finally be the year your beloved Jets break their 57 year Superbowl drought.

Fozzie Bear

Hello Sacred Studs, Is the PS5 Pro everywhere selling out a hint of things to come with PS6? With the PSP Pro sold out at its $900 retail price and reselling for over $1k, perhaps we see a higher price tolerance for PS6 than originally thought. This is especially true if games like GTA VI receive premium ports with 60 fps modes and higher performance. Dearly, Fozzie

Nathan Densley

Hi CDC, Star Wars Zero Company. Me say very good. You say good too? Or you say bad? Pith-ee or no read-ee.

Dave

Hi guys, Colin, I love you like you’re my parasocial brother, but it’s starting to feel as though half the podcast is you relitigating arguments you’ve had on Twitter, whether it’s about physical media, the price of games, whether games are as good as they used to be, and so on. Surely the audience here is already considerably more sympathetic to your views than the randos picking fights with you on Twitter, so aren’t you mostly preaching to the choir? More importantly, are the people you’re actually arguing with online even likely to be listening? I miss the days when listening to the show didn’t sometimes feel like being trapped in the bunker at the end of Downfall, wondering whether the shouting leader behind the desk is about to turn the gun on me and then himself. Anyway, I’ll go iron my uniform one last time and listen. Thanks.

Finn Gurmy

Hey guys, The Gamepocalypse is upon us!! How do each of you plan on approaching this month? Between Dawnwalker, Onimusha, Wolvrin, and Control I can’t remember a month this slammed in a long time. Do you plan to play them concurrently or one at a time? Just started Plague Tale Resonance and man, what a game! Extremely high quality. Really hope this one doesn’t get overlooked. Hope you guys give it a try. Be well!

trephiroth

Hey guys, I don’t think I’ve heard anyone say this yet but does The Cum of Dongwalker give you Persona vibes regarding its time block system? Are you any more interested after the most recent previews and reviews? I was on the fence but I think I’m sold. Stoked for some quality vampire content.

Sixto Rubio

Hey guys, I was at a film festival in London last weekend, and they had playable demos for Alien Isolation 2. The demo was great, and it made me even more excited for the game. This had me thinking though, I don’t think I’ve ever come across a video game station at a film festival, I wonder what the thinking was behind having these game playable there? And do you think it means the game is near release? Would love to know your thoughts (and what is your overall temperature on the game?) As always keep up the great work

Daddy Bradley

Daddy Bradley wrote in, Do you want to play a game? (Jigsaw voice) This September is stacked with what looks like absolute bangers coming back to back. You guys have to guess which Game will have the highest Metacritic score for the month. Losers have to wear shiestys (a black ski mask) for the next episode.

Matthew OBrien

Live service isn’t the issue, 3 month resets are. I believe many players want an online game that evolves over time, but the industry standard cadence of 3 month resets is what is turning them off. My friends and I all have demanding jobs and some of us have families. So we love to hop on and play a familiar game together. But the hamster wheel of 3 month resets has been turning us off. We will play that game for the first season and then roll off because they wipe our progress or nerf the god rolls we got last season. We all returned to destiny because it was ‘dead’. It being ‘dead’ meant freedom to us. Freedom to hop into it for a weekend and hop out if a game that interests us makes our eyes wander. This point can also be evidenced by destiny’s numbers being pretty in line with arc raiders numbers over the past few weeks. That’s comparing a ‘dead’ game, with an active live service game. Finally, the landscape of games has changed dramatically since the hamster wheel was invented a decade ago due to constant highly rated releases and increased backwards compatibility. Asking players to get into your game shouldn’t mean dropping all others, and that’s what live service games demand of you now. To put this in another way, a live service game shouldn’t need to be a lifestyle game, especially for a corporation like Sony who wants us to buy their other games too.

Jayce Tamulevich

Well, Colin, I hope you’re happy. I gave your little Madden stream a chance, and I think you’ve awakened something. I’m not a football watcher, but I enjoyed listening to the stream while I played on my Portal. I started watching more and more as I got invested. Now my wife and I are talking about how we can watch the NFL this season. I don’t know if it will turn into a new habit, but I am at the very least enjoying watching the Jets 2-1 lead so far.

Stormworn

Hey folks, Did you see the reports coming out of Gamescom that Sony might be getting cold feet about the digital transition? Apparently, publisher blowback was bad enough that they were potentially skipping PS for future releases. Since Colin believed that publishers were a major reason for the transition in the first place, does this change your outlook at all? Could it be that publishers from some regions (Japan, EU) are more against it, while others (US) are more for it? Curious what you make of all this.

Diki Torch

Hey Colin. I’ve been a happy listener since the Beyond days and I’m writing in for the first time to say that I took my 5-year-old daughter to her first concert last week in Rogers, AR. We missed ROME but got to our seats during Atmosphere's early set. The band sounded familiar but couldn't place them. Then the frontman says, “This next song is called Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater Underground 2.” I started laughing and realized they’ve had multiple songs on some of the THPS games I grew up with. Taking the stage next was 311 and they opened with Beautiful Disaster. It was my first time seeing them live and they impressed me with how close they can get to their studio track sound, even after all these years. Unfortunately, it was a school night and an hour drive back home to Joplin, MO so we couldn’t stay for the whole show. As we made our way to my truck, my daughter started crying and asking if we could stay just a little longer. It only made her more upset when Amber, her favorite of course, started playing to close out the set. Thankfully, Dirty Heads opened that night or we would’ve missed 311 entirely. She seemed to have a really great time and I’m glad we could experience it together. So please, give a big shout out to my kickass 5-year-old daughter, Harper Rose. I’m lucky to have a kid who enjoys doing activities with her old man like fishing, camping, kayaking and playing video games. I’m very happy to add concerts to that growing list. Take care fellas. P.S. Holy shit is Nick Hexum in great shape.

Andrew M

Hey CDC, All I have to Say is TV, TV, TV. What do you think about this new TV announcement? Seems like Microsoft was really way ahead of its time back in 2013. Now 2026 PlayStation is stealing their playbook.

Brewer Butski

Hi Boys, This quickie is for Colin. I remember you recently said you have Peacock for streaming, I wanted to recommend three shows for you: 90s-2000s: King of Queens (just in case you missed this in the past) 2010s-2020s: Superstore (Walmart spoof/parody) Peacock Original: Killing It (pretty good comedy with a fun storyline) Curious to know if you or any of the boys have watched these shows and some quick thoughts if you have them. Go Bills!

Two Petes In A Pod...cast

First time, long time. Just say my name is Eating Rogue with a Dental Dam. Colin, I know you were a gamefaqs guy, I was as well. I first visited there when it would redirect there from Segasages.com. I also was a "member" of a website called PhuckIGN (spelled that way) that would just repost videos from IGN. This is how I watched the MGS 3 trailer. My question is, did you ever visit that site? I know this question sucks.

Shit’s Ass

Hey CDC, I’ve been back into reading the past few years. Colin, as you mentioned on last week’s episode, books have basically not really gone up with inflation comparable to most media and general goods. It’s a fantastic cost-effective hobby I’ve grown to really love again. I still game and play music as much as I can, but books have scratched a certain story-teller itch I didn’t know I still had. I’ve even started writing my own stories as a result. I’m almost finished with Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman (great Blasphemous vibes with its gruesome and monsterous religious imagery) and I’m about to dive into The King In Yellow by Robert W. Chambers. A direct inspiration to Lovecraft and in regards to gaming: the inspiration for Elden Ring’s Frenzied Flame. I believe for Saros as well, the city of Carcosa. The book, Roadside Picnic, might be an all-time favorite of mine, I really should get around to playing the Stalker series that was inspired by it. Any books y’all are reading currently or any all-time favorites? Anyways, I’ll hang-up, scream into the void, and listen..