Episodes

  • #324 | Astronomical

    #324 | Astronomical
    Sep 16 2024
    It's been an exciting week in the world of PlayStation. On the software front, Team Asobi's Astro Bot has arrived on PS5, and everyone loves it, us included. We gush about it in the What We're Playing section of the show, and encourage all of you to give it a try if you haven't already. Meanwhile, over in hardware territory, the long-lingering PlayStation 5 Pro has been officially revealed for a November release. Some people are excited about the machine (the three of us will each be buying our own for launch), but many others aren't pleased at the high price, the lack of a disc drive, and even what the machine can do. Who's right? It turns out everyone is! Capitalism will sort this whole thing, one way or another... but something tells us PS5 Pro will be just fine. Other news this week includes John Garvin's most recent Days Gone-related Twitter episode, a slight increase in the cost of a new DualSense, a fresh approach for future Destiny 2 content, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Why would a band ever turn down an opportunity to have their music in Grand Theft Auto VI? Could Ubisoft 'go private' and repair its deepening financial woes? How can we justify buying a game at launch when the product is always cheaper and in better shape later on? Are everyone's cats and dogs safe and sound? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    5 hrs and 3 mins
  • #323 | Losing the Northstar

    #323 | Losing the Northstar
    Sep 9 2024
    The situation with Concord couldn't be any more dire. By the time this podcast is published, Sony's beleaguered hero shooter would have already been pulled offline, with every purchaser refunded. It marks the tragic end of a project that barely got off the ground at all, and certainly represents the biggest black eye PlayStation first party has ever experienced in its near-30 year history. We spend a lot of time going over everything that went wrong, and all such a failure implies: Poor vision, lacking leadership, and utter directionlessness. It's as if Sony execs completely lost sight of what's important, and no: It has nothing to do with Concord being multiplayer. Other news this week includes Hideaki Itsuno's exit from Capcom after three decades, layoffs plaguing a bunch of studios (including a PlayStation second party that hasn't even released its game yet), and more. Listener inquiries round things out, as always. What's the deal with this Wukong exclusivity drama? Should we be happy or concerned about Annapurna investment in Remedy's future projects? Are we suffering from a glut of "ugly characters" in video games? Is Chris prepared to hear a fact about the cast of Foamstars from which he may never be able to recover? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    3 hrs and 45 mins
  • #322 | Conquered

    #322 | Conquered
    Sep 2 2024
    It seems all any of you want to talk about is Concord, Sony-owned studio Firewalk's dead-on-arrival service shooter, and easily one of the biggest commercial bombs in PlayStation first party history. We have a lot to say about it, and you can find that chatter in the What We're Playing section. But there's a ton of other news this week, too, including more PS5 Pro leaks that show us what the console actually looks like, further trials and tribulations at Bungie, the announcement of Sony's MENA Hero Project incubation effort, Blue Protocol's cancellation, Foamstars going free-to-play, a looming strike at French studio Spiders, and more. Then: Listener inquiries. What can Sony do to ensure Fairgames doesn't fall into the same traps Concord did? Should PlayStation Studios be pursuing single player-friendly games-as-a-service, a la MiHoYo titles? Do we criticize or commend Konami for seemingly changing very little in MGS3 remake Metal Gear Solid Delta? What did Colin think of a particularly eldritch video Chris recommended, ranking Sonic's most attractive characters? Download the DraftKings Sportsbook app and use code SACRED for $250 in bonus bets and one month of NFL+ Premium Get a free gift with your Journey Pack at https://www.tryfum.com with code SACRED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    4 hrs and 51 mins
  • #321 | Stolen Treasure

    #321 | Stolen Treasure
    Aug 26 2024
    What we assumed would ultimately happen has come to pass: Machinegames' upcoming Indiana Jones title is indeed coming to PlayStation 5. Between Minecraft, Call of Duty, and Bethesda -- not to mention Xbox Studios itself -- Microsoft has quickly become one of Sony's biggest third party partners, and we suspect things are still just getting started. Other news this week includes the announcement of Borderlands 4, new Mafia and Dying Light games, word of Sea of Thieves' meteoric success on PS5, impressive Silent Hill 2 Remake gameplay footage, tons of Astro Bot spoilers, pricing details for Until Dawn Remake, and more. As usual, listener inquiries help us round things out. How come rank-and-file developers never get the blame for bad games? Can Chris guide a new Destiny 2 player through the trials and tribulations of figuring things out? Which upcoming PlayStation-aligned game-as-a-service has the most potential? Has Colin yet again offended the sensibilities of the Irish? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    4 hrs and 44 mins
  • #320 | Closing Walls and Ticking Clocks

    #320 | Closing Walls and Ticking Clocks
    Aug 19 2024
    We're getting into the late summer now, and it's no surprise that the news is beginning to pick up, starting with word of more Xbox games migrating to PlayStation. By our next episode, we should have at least one more Microsoft-centric title lined-up for PlayStation 5, a sign of the times as -- ultimately -- much of that catalog finds itself elsewhere. Meanwhile, problems are brewing in Sony's games-as-a-service initiative. On one hand, Concord's release is imminent, and the excitement level is precariously low. It's unclear whether Firewalk can really pull this thing off. On the other hand, we have second party title Helldivers 2, which has been tinkered with to such a degree that players are being rebuffed en masse. Can Arrowhead turn it around and keep a good thing going? Other news this week includes Dragon Age: The Veilguard's release date, the revival of Tango Gameworks, Final Fantasy VII Remake: Part III's potential move to Unreal Engine 5, and more. Then: Listener inquiries. How bad can the Borderlands film actually be? What kind of power does Fortnite wield these days? Is controller drift caused by faulty hardware or aggressive players? Did Chris really think he could win a breakdancing gold medal at the Paris Olympics? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    4 hrs and 4 mins
  • #319 | Just A Taste of All That Might Come to Be

    #319 | Just A Taste of All That Might Come to Be
    Aug 12 2024
    We're pleased to present to you a decidedly old-school-coded episode of Sacred Symbols, recorded in the traditional 1v1 fashion. And we've plenty to keep us busy, starting with Sony's quarterly financials showing a thriving games division hampered by slowing console sales. But with PS5 Pro around the corner (and the inevitable first true price cut for the core hardware), can we count on things picking up once more? Meanwhile, as we've long-assumed, Santa Monica Studio is indeed working on a new IP, its first since the original God of War launched in 2005 (and only its second, period). When can we expect its reveal? Plus: Our first look at The Last of Us on HBO's second season, PC specs for God of War: Ragnarok, the closure of one-time Sony second party Ready at Dawn, PlayStation 4 still drawing ports like Star Wars Jedi: Survivor after 11 years, and more, followed by listener inquiries. What are our expectations for Insomniac's Wolverine? Can the heyday of Guitar Hero and Rock Band after be recaptured? Could The Last of Us Online quickly have become Sony's most expensive game ever? Did Dustin's absence inadvertently cause the Japanese stock market crash? This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://www.betterhelp.com/symbols and get on your way to being your best self Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    4 hrs and 11 mins
  • #318 | Hey Man, Wake Up and Smell the Concrete

    #318 | Hey Man, Wake Up and Smell the Concrete
    Aug 5 2024
    While Sony may have purchased Bungie with specific end-goals in mind, it's clear -- some two years later -- that the deal hasn't improved PlayStation whatsoever. In fact, it's becoming increasingly nebulous why the acquisition was made at all, with Bungie hemorrhaging money, laying off hundreds, shedding high-end talent, and churning through funds that could be better spent by Sony's actually reliable stable of teams. With further layoffs, the creation of a new spin-off first party squad, and drama galore, there's plenty for us to get into on this topic alone. But there are other things to discuss, too: Firesprite is seemingly making a PlayStation 6 game, Until Dawn Remake got an ESRB rating, Activision's compelling white paper makes a great case for skill-based matchmaking, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Do we have any nostalgia for pandemic-era gaming? Would Sony have been wise to rely more heavily on established IP for their games-as-a-service push? With studio failures aplenty, is it even worth getting into game dev at this point? How has Colin been dealing with Boar's Head's darkest days ever? Tickets to Sacred Vs Dukes live show: https://bit.ly/sacreddukes Get a free gift with your Journey Pack at https://www.tryfum.com with code SACRED Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:28:15 - San Diego Live show! 0:29:55 - where baby? 0:36:39 - Will CCDF work at LSM? 0:45:46 - Boar's Head listeria outbreak 0:53:52 - Stolen pet waste basket 0:59:22 - Mega Man figure jar 1:03:51 - Cleaning in the shower 1:07:50 - New PSVR2 and PS5 pricing 1:14:33 - Astro Bot Dualsense 1:16:44 - Until Dawn Remake gets rated 1:20:43 - Voice actors strike 1:23:12 - Skill Based match making works 1:32:51 - Legacy of Kain returns? 1:42:57 - Alien Hominid 1 and 2 remastered 1:46:20 - Armored Core and Silent Hill sales and downloads 1:47:37 - What are we playing? 2:08:23 - Bungie Layoffs 2:52:06 - Firesprite's future game 2:59:00 - New PS Plus games 3:03:31 - Gaming with Biden and Trump 3:06:23 - PlayStation's creativity 3:12:34 - Pandemic gaming 3:19:58 - New vs old IP for live service 3:26:43 - Why pursue a career in games? 3:38:06 - Requirement to keep games going Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    3 hrs and 59 mins
  • #317 | Cater to the Hollow

    #317 | Cater to the Hollow
    Jul 29 2024
    Anything can happen, but it seems likely that Firewalk's upcoming hero shooter Concord is essentially dead-on-arrival upon launch in late August. But with less than a month to go until release, what more can really be done? Making it free-to-play in the pre-release environment is an admittance of defeat and a sacrifice of what paying customers you managed to garner at all, while delaying it just... well... delays the inevitable (just ask Kill the Justice League). Does this game have a chance? Did Sony make a mistake by buying Firewalk at all? Why don't publishers pursue projects that fill a specific need, as opposed to copying what already exists? Other news this week includes details about Helldivers 2's Escalation of Freedom update, more tantalizing rumors concerning PS5 Pro, College Football 25's meteoric success, Ubisoft's fumbling Assassin's Creed Shadows statement, three fresh China Hero Project announcements, and more. Listener inquiries wrap things up, per usual, on topics like the best time of day to game, catching up on series you may have missed, forgetting games you've already played but don't remember, and the preposterousness of defrosting bread and there somehow being no water left behind. Tickets to Sacred Vs Dukes live show: https://bit.ly/sacreddukes Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:09:50 - Frozen bread again for some reason 0:13:39 - I vs. Me 0:31:24 - Political secrets 0:40:00 - deadass 0:46:51 - Colin goes to Vegas 0:48:31 - Summer Olympics 0:57:25 - Entertainment during delivery 1:08:27 - PSVR2 PC app 1:12:47 - PS5 Pro settings appear 1:20:47 - New PS5 beta firmware 1:23:37 - NCAA is huge 1:32:07 - Ubisoft's statement on AC Shadows 1:48:53 - WB buys Player First Games 1:52:13 - Humble Games closing? 1:59:57 - More Mega Man coming? 2:07:08 - SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos 2:08:08 - Capcom physical games 2:10:12 - Tales of Xillia Remastered? 2:11:36 - What are we playing? 2:41:32 - Helldivers 2 update 2:54:32 - Concord info and woes 3:09:27 - New games from China Hero Project 3:17:07 - Space Marine 2 gutcheck 3:23:20 - Favorite time to game 3:29:35 - Games we forgot 3:34:52 - Loot lexicography 3:40:51 - Series to get into from scratch 3:45:46 - Staggered release dates Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    4 hrs and 3 mins