Episodes

1d ago

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch. On the last NGCW of the year, we look back at 2025 and pick what we think were the "most next-gen games" of the year. We're probably past the 'halfway point' for this generation so we should be seeing some of the best-looking games the PS5 and Xbox Series X can run, and we weren't disappointed. Battlefield 6 and Death Stranding 2 showcased what photorealism can look like on current consoles, while games like Keeper and Ghost of Yōtei were highlights in creative art direction. What do you think were some of the best-looking games of the year? Let us know in the comments. And we also have last week's poll results and a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

5d ago

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch! It's the day after The Game Awards and along with Sandfall's Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 winning big, we received a mountain of new announcements. We're at an interesting time in this generation where any newly-announced game might just end up on the PlayStation 6 or next Xbox, so we break down what titles we think will end up on gaming's next-gen consoles. Could we see Tomb Raider: Catalyst debut on the PS6? Or maybe Larian's Divinity? Plus we go over last week's poll results and we have a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 5

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch! This week Daemon, Max, Ryan, and Logan grade the Nintendo Switch 2's launch window. The Switch 2 broke Nintendo—and industry—records by becoming the fastest-selling console of all time. But how did it fare against the Switch 1's first six months? Did the Switch 2's lineup of Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza, and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond hold up agains the Switch 1's legendary 1-2-3 punch of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Mario Odyssey, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild? And what can we expect next year? Plus we have last episode's poll results and a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. 00:00:21 Grading the Switch 2's launch window 00:01:13 Logan's grade 00:03:44 Ryan's grade 00:07:57 Max's grade 00:10:44 Looking ahead to 2026 00:14:27 Poll results 00:15:02 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 21

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch! This week Max, Ryan, and Daemon dive into Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick's comments about PC gaming. Zelnick says that gaming as an industry is moving more towards PC, even with the ongoing popularity of the PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2. Valve's recent Steam, Machine announcement makes it very clear that the company is making a play for living rooms—traditionally the domain of gaming consoles—as the next frontier for PC games. What does that mean for Sony and Microsoft? And is it too late for the next Xbox, which promises to be a hybrid console/PC like the Steam Machine? Plus we have poll results from the past two weeks, and a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 13

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch! It's a big week for hardware news, as Valve has announced their new hardware initiative, led by the revamped Steam Machine, a new Steam controller, and a new VR headset, the Steam Frame. IGN's hardware and tech editors Michael Higham and Jackie Thomas join us this week to talk about their hands-on time with the new hardware. What does this mean for PC gaming, now that Valve is making another push to get PC games in your living room? And what does this mean for console gaming, with both Xbox and PlayStation not even requiring a dedicated console to play games anymore? Plus we have a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. 00:00:11 Valve reveals new Steam Machine 00:08:06 What do we think it'll cost? 00:12:48 Valve's new VR headset 00:17:19 Who is this new hardware for? 00:22:16 This week's poll and outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 6

Grand Theft Auto 6 has been delayed again, this time to November 2026. That will cause problems for all sorts of fall 2026 games, such as Halo: Campaign Evolved, Gears of War: E-day, Fable, Wolverine, and more. Let's dig in on this week's Next-Gen Console Watch. This weeks show is Daemon Hatfield, Max Scoville, Ryan McCaffrey and is produced by Nick Maillet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 31

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch. This week Daemon, Max, Logan, and Ryan discuss Halo coming to PlayStation and what seems to be the end of Xbox having any notable exclusives going forward. When you combine this with Microsoft’s current messaging that everything is an Xbox, the fact they let someone else make the first Xbox handheld, and heavy hints from leadership that the next Xbox console will basically be a PC that can play a bunch of PlayStation games, it kind of looks like Xbox is just done competing with Sony on a hardware level. Is this the end of an era? Are the console wars actually over? Plus we have last week's poll results and a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 17

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch. This week Daemon and Ryan are joined by producer Nick Maillet to talk about the ROG Xbox Ally X, which Nick had quite a bit of hands-on time with lately. The handheld PC has just launched, and though it's powerful, the $1000 price tag could be too high of a barrier to entry for most people. But is it worth the price? And who would really benefit from a handheld PC of this caliber? Plus we have last week's poll results and a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 10

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch! This week Daemon, Max, and Ryan take a look at Microsoft's recent comments committing itself to another generation of gaming console hardware. The Xbox brand had a pretty rough week recently, when they announced a price hike on their Game Pass Ultimated service, on top of the already-announced hardware price hike. Fan response was, as expected, not great, with the Game Pass membership website reportedly crashing due to the number of people logging on to unsubscribe. Does another generation of Xbox hardware make sense for Microsoft? And how can they go about fixing the Game Pass service? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 3

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch! The gaming world is reeling from yet another Microsoft price hike, this one hitting Game Pass and raising the price from $19.99 to $29.99 a month for the Ultimate plan. It's a signifiant jump of 50% — the largest single increase in the service's history. While the Ultimate plan still gives subscribers access to hundreds of games and some major first-party titles on Day 1, at what point is it not really worth it? Even if you love the service and all it provides, how many games a month are you actually playing? Plus we have last week's poll results and a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 26

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch! This week Daemon, Max, and Ryan take a look at this week's big reveals, starting with the Sony State of Play that dropped on Wednesday. We have a first real look at the (very M-rated) Wolverine game, gameplay of Housemarque's Saros, and more. On the Xbox front, there's a brand new trailer for Hideo Kojima's OD starring a very scared Sophia Lillis, and a teaser for Forza Horizon 6. And speaking of Xbox, the crew give their thoughts on the second price increase for Xbox hardware this year. Plus we have last week's poll results, and a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 20

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch! This week Daemon, Logan, Max, and Ryan look back at the Nintendo Switch 2's first hundred days. The system is Nintendo's fastest-selling to date, with strong third-party support and a slate of upcoming first-party titles that should sustain the console's momentum through the holidays. But Nintendo has raised eyebrows with their game pricing strategy ($80 for Mario Kart World is nuts), and the tariff situation in the United States could threaten to slow down the Switch 2's impressive sales pace. Plus we have last week's poll results, and a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 18

Star Wars Outlaws has arrived on Nintendo Switch 2 and it’s a fantastic port. Which makes the rough shape that Elden Ring is in on Nintendo’s new console all the more confusing. We’ll dig into that plus look into some more current-gen ports on their way to the Switch 2. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 5

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch! This week Daemon, Max, and Ryan discuss the latest PlayStation 6 rumors, which predict Sony's next gaming hardware to be a handheld like the Switch 2. Nintendo's Switch changed the gaming landscape, ushering in a wave of handheld competitors like the Valve Steam Deck, ROG Ally, and more. Now with Xbox officially jumping into the ring with the ROG Xbox Ally X, is it time for Sony to follow suit? No, the PlayStation Portal doesn't count. And what would benefit them more, a dedicated handheld like the PS Vita, or a hybrid with a dock like the Switch? Or maybe just stick with a powerful console and leave the handheld market to Nintendo? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 24

Welcome to a special gamescom edition of Next-Gen Console Watch, our show following everything happening with the latest gaming hardware. I’m Daemon Hatfield and I’m joined by Max Scoville and Jada Griffin from Podcast Beyond. And there’s been a lot of news this week as it relates to this very show. We have the release date for the Xbox ROG Ally X handheld. It’s less than two months away but they haven’t revealed the price, yet. Not a good sign. There is apparently consensus among developers here at gamescom that they have to start making games faster. Music to my ears. But let’s start with some PlayStation news this week. PlayStation isn’t here at gamescom but it did have an announcement to make Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 8

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch! This week Max and Daemon are joined by Nintendo Voice Chat's Logan Plant to discuss Nintendo's recent price hikes on Switch 1 hardware and some accessories. They also look at the sales race between the Switch 1 and the PlayStation 2, for the title of Most Units Sold. The PS2 currently sits at just over 160 million consoles sold over its lifetime, with the Switch 1 in second place with around 153 million. Did Nintendo fumble their chances of catching up to, or even beating Sony? Plus we have last week's poll results, and a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 1

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch! With Grand Theft Auto 6 now coming sometime in 2026, the gang takes a look at what else is coming this Fall, and it's still a surprisingly deep release window. Sony's Ghost of Yōtei, Activision's Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Nintendo's Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, and more headline a stacked schedule. Plus we have last week's poll results, and a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 18

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch! This week the team discuss IGN's first 10 out of 10 game of the year: Donkey Kong Bananza. Nintendo Voice Chat's Logan Plant, who reviewed the game, stops by to elaborate on his glowing score. We also look on the PS5 and Xbox side to see what would be those consoles' definitive "killer app" titles. Plus we have last week's poll results, and a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 11

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch! This week Ryan and Max try and make sense of the latest round of layoffs fro Microsoft, which saw the company dismiss over 9,000 staff across multiple subsidiaries. Arkane Studios founder Raphael Collantonio recently blamed Game Pass for the megapublisher's financial belt tightening, but recent sales data suggests Game Pass isn't hurting game sales; in fact, five of the top seven best-selling games of May 2025 were Microsoft-published titles, and all available on Game Pass. This suggests that those games are selling very well on other platforms, like PlayStation. So what's really to blame? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 1

This week on Next-Gen Console watch, we take a look at the state of games exclusive to one console, . Between Sony’s expansion into the PC gaming space, and Microsoft putting more and more Xbox Game Studios games topping the charts on competitors’ platforms, it seems like Nintendo is the only console maker keeping its games in one place, and Donkey Kong Bananza is shaping up to be one of the Switch 2’s first killer (gorilla) apps. This week’s show is Max Scoville, Ryan McCaffrey, Logan Plant, and is produced by Nick Maillet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 19

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch! This week, Daemon, Ryan, and Max analyze Xbox's recent announcement that they're partnering with AMD on multiple pieces of hardware, including the third-party ASUS ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X handhelds, and the likely successor console to the Series X and S. What does this mean for Xbox's hardware future? How does this connect to their push for cloud gaming? And how does this affect Sony's future with the PlayStation 6? Plus we go over last week's poll results and we have a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 13

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch! After a week off because of IGN Live, Daemon, Max, and Ryan take a look at the Nintendo Switch 2's launch and dive into what worked, and what didn't. Nintendo is touting the launch as their most succesful, outselling the original Switch over the same four-day period. Some analysts are already hailing the Switch 2 as the fastest-selling console of all time, which is great, but the common criticism, is there's not exactly a "killer app" akin to Breath of the Wild for the Switch 1. We also have last episode's poll results, and a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 31

IGN Live is nearly here and we have a limited number of complimentary tickets for it! Head here and use the code "NGCWGUEST" to get a complimentary GA ticket for Saturday or Sunday: www.ign.com/live . Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch! This week, Logan is on a very special assignment, so it's just Daemon, Max, and Ryan. The topic: their biggest hopes and deepest fears for the Nintendo Switch 2. We're hoping the Switch 2 can maintain momentum with third-parties, especially considering the Switch 2 is closer in parity to the other current-gen consoles, than the Switch 1 was to the PS4 and Xbox One. And we're all worried that everyone Switch owners biggest fear could return: Joy-Con drift. We also ahve last week's poll results, and a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. And don't forget to buy tickets to IGN Live happening in Downtown Los Angeles next week, June 7-8. Go to https://www.ign.com/live/ for the full schedule, and use promo code NGCWGUEST for one free ticket! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 23

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch! We have a full squad this week, with Max Scoville, Logan Plant, and Ryan McCaffrey going over their predictions for each major console's upcoming summer showcases. Nintendo already gave us a showcase when they full unveiled the Switch 2 along with the launch window lineup, but of course Sony and Xbox need to have their time in the sun, too. PS5 has a couple of high-profile games still slated for this year, including Ghost of Yōtei and Marathon. Xbox needs to show off the next project from Double Fine, along with deeper dives on the upcoming Ninja Gaiden 4, the Gears of War remaster, and more. What are you hoping to see from this summer's showcases? Let us know in the comments. And it's not too late to get tickets for IGN Live! Head over to ign.com/Live and use promo code NGCW for a discount. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 16

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch! This week we speak with Nintendo Voice Chat host Logan Plant about visiting the new Nintendo Store in San Francisco, and interviewing Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser. In that interview, Bowser explained the benefit of having game-key cards that don't actually have the game on them, and we discuss how Nintendo is setting up the Switch 2 for success in its first year. Plus we have last week's poll results. And don't forget to secure your tickets to IGN Live, our second annual in-person event being held in downtown Los Angeles next month. Get tickets at ign.com/live and use promo code NGCW for a discount. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 7

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch! This week Daemon is joined by Podcast Unlocked's Ryan McCaffrey and IGN's Executive Tech Editor, Bo Moore, to talk GTA 6's influence on the PS5 Pro. Will Sony's latest Pro console get a bump in sales because of GTA 6, considering it'll be the best way to play the game until the inevitable PC release? And we take a look at Microsoft's new pricing strategy for the Xbox Series X and S and all the accessories. The strategy: everything costs more now. And, will PlayStation follow suit and raise prices on their hardware? They've done it in other markets, will the U.S. be next? Plus we have last week's poll results, and a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. And don't forget to join us for IGN's second annual IGN Live, a huge in-person event held in Downtown Los Angeles. You can get tickets at IGN.com/Live and use promo code NGCW for a discount. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 2

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch! The Nintendo Switch 2 officially went up for preorder in the United States last week, and it went about as well as one might expect considering it's the follow-up to one of the best-selling gaming consoles of all time. Websites crasheds, credit card charges were declined, launch day deliveries were missed—it was chaos. Although many prevailed in securing a Switch 2 preorder, it wasn't easy; why hasn't the games industry learned from this? Why aren't retailers like Best Buy and Walmart better prepared for big consumer-focused moments? Should console manufacturers just bypass third-party retailers and sell directly to consumers? Plus we have last week's poll and a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. And don't forget to secure your tickets to IGN Live! Our big in-person event is returning to Los Angeles June 7-8, after a major turnout last year. Visit IGN.com/Live for details and tickets. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 25

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch! In this week's episode, Daemon is joined by Beyond's Max Scoville, Unlocked's Ryan McCaffrey, and IGN's Community Lead, Jada Griffin. The topic: what's the difference between a remake and a remaster? And what games do we think deserve the same remastered treatment that The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion got? We also have last episode's poll results, and a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 14

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch! Ryan and Max are back as they discuss what the Nintendo Switch 2 Pricing means for the eventual PlayStation 6 and next Xbox. Can any console going forward reach the same success as the original Switch? And for handheld gaming PC's and the Xbox handheld, can we expect those to cost $450+, just like the Switch 2? Plus we have last week's poll results, and a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. And if you're in Los Angeles the weekend of June 7-8, join us as IGN Live makes its return! We had a great time putting on a multi-day live show for all the fans last year, so we're doing it again. Special Early Bird ticket pricing is available: $15 for single-day general admisson, and $30 for single-day VIP. Check out IGN.com/Live for details. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 4

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch! This week we have Jada Griffin, Sam Claiborn, and Bo Moore joining Daemon as they take a look at the Nintendo Switch 2. It's more powerful, can run more games, and will cost you more money. Is the new hybrid console worth $450 for the base model? And will the new Mario Kart World be worth a whopping $80 alone? Plus we have a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. This episode of Next-Gen Console Watch was produced by Daemon Hatfield and Jobert Atienza. Technical direction is by Jobert Atienza, with technical production by Marhyan Franzen and Amir Rakib. Audio engineering is handled by Amir Rakib. Post-production editing is by Jobert Atienza, and graphic design is by Justin Vachon. Next-Gen Console Watch is an IGN production and part of the Geek Media Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 28

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch. This week Daemon is joined by IGN's Community Lead, Jada Griffin, and regular Game Scoop co-host Mark Medina to look ahead to the PlayStation 6. There have been tons of games announced during this generation that still haven't seen the light of day, and the chances of them being PS6 titles grows greater with each passing financial quarter. Games like the Splinter Cell remake, Star Wars Eclipse, The Elder Scrolls 6, and more have a good chance of missing the PS5 completely. Plus we have last week's poll results. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 21

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch! This week, Game Scoop's Sam Claiborn joins to to peer into the future with our predictions for the Nintendo Switch 2. The big reveal for Nintendo's new hybrid console is coming up on April 2nd, and we give our best guesses on price, release date, games at launch, and more. Plus we have last week's poll results, and a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 14

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch. This week, Daemon is joined by Unlocked's Ryan McCaffrey—in person!—and IGN's executive tech editor, Bo Moore, to talk about Xbox's supposed leaked next-gen plans. Microsoft has reportedly greenlit a brand new next-gen Xbox console and not one but two handhelds, one of which will be made by a third party. Plus we have last week's poll results and a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. Eat smart with Factor. Get started at factormeals.com/FACTORPODCAST and use code FACTORPODCAST to get 50% off your first box plus free shipping. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 7

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch! This week Daemon is joined by Unlocked's Ryan McCaffrey and IGN's Community Lead, Jada Griffin, to answer the very important question of, "What ever happened to...?" Like, what ever happened to Hollow Knight: Silksong? Or that Wolverine game? Or a bunch of other titles that we haven't heard a peep from in years. Plus, we have last week's poll results (a close one this week!), and a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. Eat smart with Factor. Get started at factormeals.com/FACTORPODCAST and use code FACTORPODCAST to get 50% off your first box plus free shipping. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 28

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch! This Daemon, Max, and Ryan take a look at some upcoming open-world RPGs that could be adding something new to the genre. Last-gen games like Hogwarts Legacy and Cyberpunk 2077 added incredible levels of immersion to their franchises, and now that we have new(ish) hardware like the PS5 Pro, open-world games could be entering a new era. Ghost of Yōtei, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, The Witcher 4, and yes, Grand Theft Auto 6 could be breaking new ground in the genre. Plus we have last week's poll results, and a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 21

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch! This week Daemon, Max, and Ryan analyze recent comments from Xbox's Phil Spencer, and it sounds like Xbox is kind of done with the console wars. What does this mean for Xbox's future, and how does this affect PlayStation? And of course, there's Nintendo who goes by the beat of their own drum. Plus we have last week's poll results and a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 14

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch! This week, Daemon, Max, and Ryan look back at the three major showcases from the three major console manufacturers. Sony recently had their State of Play, showing off a few high-profile titles like the Housemarque's Saros and Tides of Annihilation. Xbox also aired the recent edition of Developer Direct, highlighting first-party games South of Midnight, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Doom: The Dark Ages, and the surprise Ninja Gaiden 4. Of course, Nintendo had to get in on the action with the first official reveal of the Nintendo Switch 2. What made the bigger splash? Plus we have last week's poll results, and a new poll for you to go over at IGN.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 7

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch. This week Daemon and Ryan are joined by IGN's publisher and gaming industry veteran John Davison to talk about the future of physical media. With gamers overwhelmingly preferring digital copies, and with cloud streaming technology making console-quality gaming accesible from nearly every device with an internet connection, will the PlayStation 6 or next Xbox feature a disc drive? And what does that mean for Nintendo, whose first-party games sell very well in physical form? Plus we have last week's poll results, and a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 31

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch. This week the usual crew of Daemon, Ryan, and Max are joined by Bo Moore, IGN's executive tech editor. With the Nvidia RTX 50-series cards now available (allegedly, since they're sold out now), we dive into the world of artificial intelligence to see if it's possible these new advancements will mean cheaper gaming hardware in the future. And the gang discusses how AI frame generation actually affects how games feel . Plus we have last week's poll results and a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 24

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch! This week Daemon is joined by Ryan McCaffrey of Podcast Unlocked, and Jada Griffin from Nintendo Voice Chat. The topic: could, and will, Grand Theft Auto 6 be priced at $80 or more? Is a $100 base price for that game reasonable considering inflation rates and the rising cost of game development? Should hours a player will spend in the game determine how much they pay for it? And will the whole industry follow suit? Plus we have a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 17

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch! This is a very big week for next-gen gaming—after seemingly countless leaks over the past few months, the Nintendo Switch 2 has officially been revealed. Daemon, Ryan, and Game Scoop's Sam Claiborn take stock of what we know about the Switch, and what we DON'T know (which is admittedly a lot). Plus we have last week's poll results and a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 11

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch! This week NVC's Brian Altano is joined by Beyond's Max Scoville and Unlocked's Ryan McCaffrey as they discuss the deluge of Nintendo Switch 2 leaks. The rumored hybrid console has seen its alleged motherboard, kickstand, and Joycon controllers leak in recent weeks, and accessory maker Genki even showed off a mock-up at their CES 2025 booth (which they later walked back). So how legit are these leaks? And does this mean an official announcement is imminent? Plus we have a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 20, 2024

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch! This week IGN's Executive Tech Editor, Bo Moore, stops by to talk Sony's new graphics initiative. The company has announced a partnership with AMD that could be beneficial not just to Sony, but Xbox as well. What could this mean for the PlayStation 6 and Microsoft's follow-up to the Xbox Series X? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 12, 2024

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch. This week Daemon, Max, and Ryan look back at 2024 and pick their favorite "next-gen" games of the year. These are the titles that really show off what the PS5 and Xbox Series X can do, like Hellblade 2's realistic facial animation, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle's immersive lighting, Astro Bot's water effects and DualSense controller features, Star Wars Outlaws' weather effects—you get the idea. Plus we have last week's Black Friday poll results and a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. This episode is presented by Xfinity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 6, 2024

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch. This week Daemon, Ryan, and Max discuss the games we should have been playing already, namely games like Avowed, Assassin's Creed Shadows, Metal Gear Solid Delta, and more. What caused the delays and when are they actually coming out? We also have last week's poll results, and a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 27, 2024

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch! This week Daemon is joined by Beyond's Max Scoville and Unlocked's Destin Legarie to discuss the next front in the console war: handhelds. A recent Bloomberg report claims that Sony is working on their next PlayStation handheld that is meant to go toe-to-toe with the Nintendo Switch. Not to be outdone, Microsoft also has a handheld coming, and both Sony's and Microsoft's are years away, likely competing with each other and with the many PC handhelds already out from that corner of the industry. Will any of these prove real challengers to Nintendo's decades-long dominance in the handheld space? Plus we go over last week's poll results, and have a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 22, 2024

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch! This week Daemon is joined by Ryan McCaffrey from IGN's Xbox podcast, Unlocked, and Max Scoville from IGN's PlayStation show, Beyond! The topic: should Microsoft fast-track a new Xbox console since they won't be doing a mid-gen refresh? The PS5 Pro is now the most powerful game console you can buy, and since PS5's are outselling the Xbox 2:1, it might be better for Microsoft to hit the reset button. What do you think? Plus we have last week's poll results, and a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 16, 2024

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch! This month marks the four-year anniversary of both the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X|S, so of course we're taking a look back at the past four years and grading how well both consoles did. Joining Daemon this week are Max Scoville from IGN's Beyond! podcast, and Stella Chung from Podcast Unlocked. We also have last week's poll results, plus a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 8, 2024

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch. This week Daemon is joined by Beyond's Max Scoville, and Michael Higham, IGN's tech reviews editor. He reviewed the PS5 Pro, and he joins us today to talk about his review, how the PS5 Pro makes console games a little more like their PC counterparts, and whether or not Microsoft needs to release an Xbox Series X Pro soon. Plus we have last week's poll results, and a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 1, 2024

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch. This week Daemon is joined by Unlocked's Ryan McCaffrey and Beyond's Max Scoville to compare the PS5 and Xbox's lineup for the rest of the year. Sony is launching its mid-gen refresh in the PS5 Pro, but doesn't really have a major exclusive this Fall that shows off that extra horsepower. Meanwhile, the Xbox Series X and S consoles are being outsold by Sony, but the lineup of new exclusive games for the rest of the year seems more robust on their side. Sony does have an obvious Game of the Year contender in the recent Astro Bot, and the Horizon Zero Dawn remaster is just around the corner (despite no one really asking for it). And in Microsoft's camp, they have heavy first-party hitters like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (a timed exclusive), and Microsoft Flight Simular 2024, not to mention the highly-anticipated S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 25, 2024

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch. This week, Daemon is joined by Podcast Beyond's Max Scoville and Jada Griffin to talk about remasters. They're all the rage these days with games coming out a generation ago already getting the remaster treatment (looking at you, Horizon Zero Dawn). But there are plenty of older games that could use a fresh coat of paint, like Metal Gear Solid 4, Dino Crisis, and Star Wars: Rogue Squadron 2. We discuss which we want to see, and go over last week's poll results. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 18, 2024

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch. This week Daemon is joined by Ryan McCaffrey from IGN's Xbox podcast, Podcast Unlocked, and Max Scoville from Beyond, IGN's PlayStation show. This week, retro enthusiast hardware company Analogue revealed the Analogue 3D, their take on the Nintendo 64. As great as it is that a company is making original retro games playable on new TVs and gaming setups, should it be up to the hardware makers themselves to provide this? Are Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo doing enough for game preservation and ensuring that old physical libraries of games remain accessible? Plus we have last week's poll results, and a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 11, 2024

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch. This week Daemon is joined by Podcast Beyond's Max Scoville and Unlocked's Ryan McCaffrey to discuss the major shift happening over at Halo devleoper 343 Industries...oops we mean't Halo Studios. And does the franchise's move to Unreal Engine 5 mean a likely PS5 port of any of the existing or future games? Plus we have last week's poll results and a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 4, 2024

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch. This week Ryan is in the driver's seat, and he's joined by Beyond's Max Scoville and Podcast Unlocked's Destin Legarie. The topic is a timely one for the beginning of the spooky season: notable—and scary—horror games that really show off the PS5 and the Xbox Series X. And when did horror games become the new way to show off new gaming hardware? Plus we have a new poll for you to vote on at IGN.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 3, 2024

Welcome to Next-Gen Console Watch , your one-stop shop for everything Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. Join Game Scoop's! Daemon Hatfield; Ryan McCaffrey, host of IGN’s Xbox podcast Podcast Unlocked ; Max Scoville, host of IGN's PlayStation podcast Podcast Beyond ; and Bo Moore, IGN’s Executive Tech Editor, every Friday at 6AM Pacific, 9AM Eastern for the latest and greatest in PS5 and Xbox Series X news. See you then! Check out our videos at www.ign.com/watch/next-gen-console-watch Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices