Sacred Symbols: A PlayStation Podcast

4d ago

The Game Awards have come and gone, leaving in its wake a whirlwind of game announcements, release date reveals, and fresh perspectives on our industry. Indeed, there's something for everyone, a draw for all comers. For starters, what's new? Two Star Wars offerings, Larian's secret Divinity project, Jonathan Blow's long-awaited Order of the Sinking Star, a sequel to Remedy's Control, Toshihiro Nagoshi's anticipated Yakuza rival Gang of Dragon, two Tomb Raider games in the form of a remake and something unseen, a Cyberpunk-like called NO LAW, and even Mega Man 12 -- well, Mega Man Dual Override, anyway -- to keep Colin fed, and more beyond that. And new looks, too, at PlayStation games like Saros and 4:LOOP, as well as Resident Evil Requiem, Pragmata, Exodus, and Phantom Blade 0. And then there are the awards themselves, and the pomp and circumstance, and... well... there's a lot to discuss! Plus, we have all of the non-TGA happenings from the past week, too. PlayStation Wrap-Up is live, Deviation's cancelled second party shooter has leaked, London Studio's cancelled multiplayer game has seemingly reemerged under a new team, Call of Duty might be in trouble, and so on. Then: Listener inquiries! Could MLB: The Show succeed on PC with a Football Manager-style experience? Does Netflix really see no value in WB's gaming assets? Is a rumored $1 million for three minutes of advertising at The Game Awards too much? Remember when Dustin called DW from Arthur Double D? Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:27:06 - Sacred Compliments 0:33:32 - A happy write in for once 0:45:45 - Double D 0:48:04 - Slandering the English 1:01:45 - Glass Snapple 1:09:54 - The Game Awards overall thoughts 1:25:51 - Pragmata 1:30:02 - Tank Rat 1:33:16 - Bradley the Badger 1:37:49 - Stupid Never Dies 1:42:15 - Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic 1:50:40 - Divinity 1:57:23 - 4LOOP 2:04:34 - Coven of the Chickenfoot 2:08:56 - Ontos 2:13:45 - Resident Evil Requiem 2:15:35 - Order of the Sinking Star 2:24:09 - Exodus 2:26:48 - Warlock: Dungeons and Dragons 2:27:55 - Control Resonant 2:35:28 - Gang of Dragon 2:41:22 - Street Fighter movie 2:45:11 - Lego Batman 2:47:39 - Tomb Raider 2:56:09 - Saros 2:58:32 - NO LAW 3:03:56 - DMC Season 2 3:04:20 - Ace Combat 8 3:06:40 - Star Wars: Galactic Racer 3:07:37 - Out of Words 3:10:33 - Phantom Blade 0 3:12:02 - Mega Man: Dual Override 3:20:41 - Highguard 3:34:27 - PlayStation Wrap-Up 2025 3:52:14 - PlayStation 2026 4:02:32 - Can we thank Flight Sim for Xbox on PlayStation 4:09:26 - Deviation's cancelled game has leaked 4:24:06 - Ex-London Studio's game reemerges 4:35:37 - Maybe Call of Duty isn't doing so great? 4:54:32 - Capcom wants to grow their smaller IPs 4:58:08 - New PS+ games 5:02:35 - What We’ve Been Playing (Metal Eden, Dying Light: The Beast, Skate Story, Marvel Cosmic Invasion, Metroid Prime 4, YARG) 5:32:21 - Rise of actors in games 5:42:19 - Would Chris and Dustin play sports games? 5:50:22 - PlayStation making a Football Manager game 5:56:27 - Is WB games "worthless”? 6:04:28 - $1 Million for a Game Awards trailer 6:09:14 - Refunding Game Pass Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 8

When it comes to the evolving gaming market, there's a lot for Sony to keep an eye on in the years and decades to come. To keep PlayStation the vibrant brand it is today, the company needs to spread the field, and two newly-announced projects -- an all-new co-op multiplayer game from the director of Left 4 Dead and a mobile port of mega-popular baseball franchise MLB: The Show -- fit the bill nicely. It's true that Sony has had more than its fair share of false starts (and even outright failures) in both the mobile and games-as-a-service space. Yet, there's gold in them there hills. Lots of it. Can Sony finally slay some off-platform and off-genre demons and reap some rewards? We discuss. Plus: Nixxes helps reduce Helldivers 2's PC file size by an astounding 85%, Bungie has apparently solved its dispute with the artist it purportedly stole Marathon-related art from, Shovel Knight developer Yacht Club Games finds itself in self-inflicted financial duress, Amazon has already renewed the God of War TV show for a second season, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Has leaking culture gone too far? Will Micron's exit from the consumer RAM business affect console manufacturing? How can people find likeminded gaming friends online? Can we please do away with adult gift-giving once and for all? Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:52:36 - Juices flowing 0:54:56 - YouTube Recap 1:08:13 - Colin dying 1:11:02 - Switching to no presents 1:21:02 - PlayStation partners with Bad Robot 1:35:15 - The Show: Mobile releases 1:46:06 - Helldivers 2 PC install sized down 1:53:26 - Helldivers 2 movie has a director 2:03:31 - Amazon orders two seasons of God of War 2:08:14 - Bungie settles with artist over stolen art 2:11:45 - Yacht Club Games may be in trouble 2:27:26 - Saudi PIF will own 93.4% of EA 2:31:22 - IO confirms Hitman 4 2:36:53 - Splinter Cell Remake director returns 2:40:15 - Tomba 2 gets a release date 2:43:10 - November's top PSN downloads 2:45:16 - What We’re Playing (Ball x Pit, Metal. Eden, TMNT: Cowabunga Collection, Metal Gear Solid Delta, Red Dead Redemption) 3:09:22 - Arc Raiders introduces gamers to socializing 3:25:28 - Games that age well 3:31:54 - Disdain for leakers 3:41:44 - Micron leaves the consumer market 3:49:29 - Meeting new people to play games 3:56:53 - Can criticism go too far? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 1

Two months ago, a now-fired Sucker Punch developer lost her job due to an ill-timed social media post, and she's been fairly quiet ever since, at least until now. In a new article, artist Drew Harrison talks about what befell her, but -- truth be told -- she seems to have missed the biggest part of her own story: How much she could have (and did) harm the hundreds of other people that worked for years on Ghost of Yotei, only to disrupt the entire marketing roll-out of the game on the precipice of its hyped release. Let's revisit the situation with new context and insights, and see if we can make sense of whether her dismissal was fair, unfair, or perhaps just the product of the environment many industry professionals gleefully cheered on when the shoe was on the other foot. Plus: Death Stranding 2 gets an ESRB rating for a PC release, PlayStation 3 emulation is actively being worked on outside of Sony's walls, Stellar Blade 2 is abandoning PlayStation as its publishing partner, RAM price spikes threaten the future of console pricing, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Did Sony's recent update to PlayStation Portal ruin the functionality of the PS button? What happened to the so-called "One Sony" initiative? Could an ex-Housemarque developer's new game spark a renewed love for arcade-style romps? What's the latest on the misadventures of an entity called Young Colin? Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:32:10 - Pursuing your dream 0:44:04 - Walking inspiration 0:49:29 - Young Colin 0:52:29 - Black Friday memories 1:04:24 - Colin’s Intergalactic drama 1:17:41 - Fired Sucker Punch employee speaks out 1:43:21 - Death Stranding 2 PC release leaked 1:47:39 - New info on PlayStation emulation from MysticRyan 2:00:30 - Sony's PC releases are declining 2:04:33 - Stellar Blade 2 will be multiplatform 2:13:22 - Is PS5 safe from RAM price increases? 2:26:16 - New Marathon closed beta 2:37:04 - December PS+ games 2:43:23 - Splitgate 2 returns in December 2:45:38 - Far Cry is getting a TV show 2:49:42 - What We’ve Been Playing 3:08:52 - Shoutout to Sektori 3:11:59 - Portal for Christmas 3:14:57 - Portal's PS button change 3:17:41 - What happened to One Sony? 3:25:03 - Why drives the love for retro games? 3:37:14 - PSA on getting your partner into games Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 24

Last year, Sony launched it's service-based third-person shooter Concord, and it bombed worse than virtually any PlayStation-developed title in history. In fact, it was received so poorly that Sony disappeared it off the market in a matter of two weeks, gave everyone their money back, and snuffed the entire project out of existence while closing the studio that made it. Fast-forward more than a year, though, and Concord has kinda-sorta returned. Tech-savvy enthusiasts have revived the game on private servers, but Sony has already caught wind of it all and are working to nip it in the bud. Do we really need Concord to return? Why does Sony care if it does? And why do smart people work so diligently on things they don't own or have control over? Plus: Black Friday will be exceptionally nice for those looking for PlayStation hardware, accessories, and games, Sony dominates The Game Awards nominations with 19, Bungie prods its playerbase for ideas on how to improve Destiny 2, EA's F1 series is taking a year hiatus, possibly indicating the future of EA Sports, Peacock renews Twisted Metal for a third season, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Do we keep the physical boxes for our gaming hardware? Would Sony ever revive The Legend of Dragoon? How does one navigate gaming's ragebait culture? Out of all of our many choices, which type of French Fry is the absolute best? Take advantage of Ridge’s Biggest Sale of the Year and GET UP TO 47% Off by going to https://www.Ridge.com/SACRED #Ridgepod Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:23:07 - Stay well Will 0:29:30 - Is Colin an actual curmudgeon? 0:36:30 - Best French Fries 0:46:01 - Thanksgiving plans 1:04:16 - PlayStation Black Friday 1:09:18 - Game Awards nominations 1:36:53 - Concord returns and dies again 1:46:08 - Horizon surpasses 40 million copies sold 1:54:16 - Major changes coming to Destiny 2 2:06:29 - EA is changing up F1 2:16:00 - Nintendo inspired PlayStation to cut prices in Japan 2:22:35 - Ghost of Yotei NG+ update 2:26:48 - Twisted Metal renewed for S3 2:27:33 - Bandai Namco is remastering Tales of Berseria 2:31:39 - Circana October data 2:37:07 - What We’re Playing (PowerWash Simulator 2, Silent Hill F, Ball x Pit, Elden Ring, Vampire The Masquerade Bloodlines 2, Metal Gear Solid 3: Delta, Black Ops 7) 3:23:20 - Rage bait culture 3:42:00 - When will it be time to move away from consoles? 3:54:42 - Where is Legend of Dragoon? 3:57:19 - When gaming feels like it isn't for you anymore 4:06:11 - Saving gaming packaging 4:15:16 - Half-Life 3? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 17

PlayStation 5 has officially turned five, giving us much to reflect upon. Has the console lived up to its potential, left folks disappointed, or fallen somewhere in between? We get into that -- alongside new Sony financials that paint an admittedly rosy picture -- before getting into the meat of our show. Two new Sony-aligned games have been revealed, but they've left many potential players puzzled, as neither offering is actually on PlayStation hardware. For starters, NCSoft's long-rumored Horizon MMO is real. It's called Steel Frontiers and it actually looks really nice. But it's only on PC and mobile. Meanwhile, a new Ratchet & Clank game has also been showcased, an online arena shooter called Ranger Rumble. But it too eschews PS5 and PS4, instead going straight to mobile platforms only. What gives? Why does Sony seem half-in on these off-platform initiatives, all the while neglecting their core audience that could give these respective titles the boost they need? Is it time for them to break old habits and embrace a more cogent multiplatform direction that centers PlayStation first and foremost? Plus: Sony's new 27" gaming monitor has people intrigued, Marvel Tokon: Fighting Spirits is getting another closed test, Elden Ring: Nightreign is receiving some much-needed DLC, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! What do we think of Valve's new Steam Machine PC-console hybrid? In any given game's menus, where should subtitle options be nestled: General, Audio, or Graphics? Does ARC Raiders success potentially benefit Marathon? Is Dustin wielding his power over Brad in unsavory ways? Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:28:20 - Keep your head up Cam 0:33:46 - Is this marriage destined for failure? 0:38:06 - Depressed? 0:46:26 - LSM power dynamics 0:53:35 - Ubisoft halts trading 0:57:08 - PlayStation 5 turns 5 1:13:41 - Red Dead Redemption is coming to PS5 1:16:41 - Horizon: Steel Frontiers revealed 1:34:24 - Ratchet & Clank: Ranger Rumble comes to mobile 1:52:17 - Sony Q2 financials 2:14:31 - New PlayStation PC monitor 2:23:34 - Cheaper PS5 coming to Japan 2:28:15 - New Marvel Tokon beta 2:31:17 - New Elden Ring: Nightreign expansion 2:33:52 - Todd Howard interview 2:37:27 - Mass Effect is still in development 2:37:56 - New PS+ game catalog games 2:41:21 - What We’ve Been Playing (Ghost of Yotei, PowerWash Simulator 2, Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted, Arc Raiders, Lumines Arise, Dispatch) 3:00:54 - Valve's new hardware 3:29:09 - Will Sony change their PC strategy? 3:34:44 - Gran Turismo 7 3:44:04 - Where should the subtitles option go? 3:46:53 - Will Marathon benefit from Arc Raiders? 3:58:46 - Eurogamer’s 2/5 review of Arc Raiders Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 10

For those with specific use cases, the PlayStation Portal has always been awesome. But Sony has been quietly bolstering the device over the last two years, and with its newest update, it's become more powerful than ever. Those with a PS+ Essential subscription can now purchase and stream nearly 3,000 games directly to the device without any sort of console tether, a major step-up for a peripheral once reliant on PS5. What's it all mean for the future of PlayStation? We discuss! Plus: New cross-buy tags on PSN indicate Sony is preparing some sort of PC launcher, dynamic pricing on the PlayStation Store has some customers in a tizzy, Dan Houser spills the beans on Rockstar's cancelled PS3-exclusive spy thriller Agent, Marvel looks to stick with Sony-owned Insomniac for a long time to come, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Does Colin have any reflections on GameFAQs as it turns 30? What constitutes a good in-game map? How has our gaming behavior changed over the years? Who's most likely to want to blow into the DualSense microphone to light fires in Ghost of Yotei, even if they don't have to? Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:19:05 - Coffee Swamp 0:21:55 - Sacred Sighting at Cedar Point 0:29:58 - YouTube Premium is great 0:36:54 - Tanvi 0:38:40 - Alucard 0:45:33 - Reesees 0:47:28 - GTA VI delayed again 0:51:18 - PlayStation Cloud streaming leave beta 1:09:20 - "Cross-Buy" appears on PSN 1:30:50 - PlayStation plays around with dynamic pricing 1:46:45 - Dan Houser on Lex Fridman 1:58:06 - Marvel will continue to work in Insomniac 2:16:44 - Top PSN games in October 2:25:20 - Physical games are 100x worse for the environment 2:33:55 - What We’re Playing 3:05:11 - What advancements do we want to see in games? 3:17:04 - The shift to quick hit games 3:27:20 - GameFAQs turns 30 3:33:54 - Blowing into the controller 3:37:37 - Good video game maps 3:41:56 - Genre preference changes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 3

An old piece of games industry lore has recently reemerged, and it has people wondering about a tantalizing what-if. Back in 1999, The Matrix hit theaters, and the co-creators of the film happened to have been huge fans of Hideo Kojima, himself a year removed from the launch of Metal Gear Solid. And, as was reported at the time, there was potential that Konami would allow Kojima to pursue a licensed Matrix game post-MGS. A lot of new information has since emerged about what did and didn't happen here, and it makes for a great conversation starter. So let's lean into it, shall we? Our conclusion: Perhaps Kojima doing MGS2 instead of a Matrix game means he likely dodged a bullet (pardon the pun). Other news this week includes some quiet updates seemingly being made to PlayStation Portal's functionality, leaks from Bluepoint's cancelled God of War game, the most recent China Hero Project title in the form of Loulan: The Cursed Sand, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Following Freedom Wars, Patapon, and Everybody's Golf, what should Sony's and Bandai Namco's next collaborative re-release be? Do PC players have any reason to invest in the modern PlayStation ecosystem? Will the culture war consume Naughty Dog's Intergalactic? Does Colin type so fast that his keyboard smokes? Download Cash App Today: https://capl.onelink.me/vFut/ty57yree #CashAppPod. Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. See terms and conditions at https://cash.app/legal/us/en-us/card-agreement. Discounts and promotions provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit http://cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:43:10 - RIP Nick Mangold 0:44:13 - stand down non-traditional candy 0:50:45 - Chris wills glass Snapple back 0:55:36 - New York location lore 0:59:19 - PS+ Premium streaming to Portal leaked 1:12:23 - Bluepoint's cancelled God of War game leaks 1:22:33 - Sony isn't interested in buying WB 1:30:51 - Konami turned down a Kojima Matrix game 1:48:20 - Loulan: The Cursed Sand is the next China Hero Project game 1:58:19 - Square Enix is cracking down on Dragon Quest spoilers 2:11:02 - November PS+ Games 2:13:51 - What We’ve Been Playing (Ghost of Yotei, PowerWash Simulator 2, Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted, Battlefield 6, Vampire Survivors) 2:41:13 - What Japan Studio game will get released by Bandai Namco? 2:45:10 - Halo and the US government 2:54:17 - Gaming ads on Sacred 3:11:04 - Wait for PS6? 3:20:24 - The console war lives in on services 3:38:25 - Is Intergalactic the next target? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 27

With Xbox's famous ringworld officially arriving on PlayStation 5 in 2026, we can rest assured that Sony's longtime rival has finally conceded the console space for good. Halo: Campaign Evolved -- clever! -- is a ground-up remake of the smash-hit 2001 Xbox launch title, and it comes with some new bells and whistles, including fresh content and a four-player online-enabled campaign. Microsoft even trotted Halo's community manager out in a PlayStation shirt, promised all upcoming Halo content is Sony-bound, and yielded perhaps their last meaningful franchise to the competition. This gives us much to discuss! Plus: Helldivers 2 dev Arrowhead begins work on its next project, Horizon's live-action movie is slated to film next year and launch in '27, Resident Evil 0 Remake rumors are percolating, we may be waiting a while longer for Starfield's PS5 debut, Electronic Arts scores a renewed deal with the NFL to continue the Madden franchise, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Why does anyone care about Photo Mode? What's our dream PowerWash Simulator 2 DLC? Is it okay to play a game without delving into its greater meaning and themes? Will Chris ever return from New York? Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:42:57 - RIP Sam Rivers 0:44:41 - buttrock and rap metal 0:54:36 - Couple vs few 0:58:55 - Keep on keeping on Thomas 1:03:48 - PSN Profiles issuers? 1:12:16 - Halo is coming to PS5 1:54:28 - Arrowhead is hiring for a new game? 2:01:24 - Updates on the Horizon film 2:09:25 - Resident Evil 0 remake rumors 2:14:37 - Starfield announcement for PS5 next year 2:23:12 - EA NFL renewal 2:28:25 - Ex-AC lead claims he didn't step down 2:33:46 - Remedy CEO steps down 2:37:22 - New sales data 3:07:02 - What We’re Playing (Ghost of Yotei, Ninja Gaiden 4, Ball x Pit) 3:21:03 - How's our media literacy? 3:29:03 - Dream DLC for Power Wash Simulator? 3:32:17 - Updates with trophies 3:36:11 - Photo mode is free marketing? 3:40:06 - Sony's PC strategy with Xbox's PC push 3:45:59 - Soundbar recommendations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices