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On Spectator Mode Podcast Episode 234, we tackle another round of XBOX restructuring and layoffs, including the changes affecting studios such as Turn 10, Obsidian, Rare, and Halo. We also discuss the latest IGN layoffs, what they say about the current state of gaming media, and why seeing longtime personalities shown the door hits differently.

Then we turn our attention to Bungie, its promises to rebuild Destiny, the future of Marathon, and why we're not ready to celebrate until Bungie actually delivers. We also talk about what we've been playing, including Moonlighter 2, along with some questionable new gaming patents from XBOX and Sony.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Spectator Mode Podcast introduction
01:20 - Keith's Moonlighter 2 impressions and recent plays
07:18 - Scott's Dragon Quest and RPG roundup
23:44 - Final Fantasy XIV, Blood Dungeon, and Destiny Spire
27:43 - Gaming advertising and payment patents
36:42 - Xbox reset, studio changes, and layoffs
51:28 - IGN layoffs and gaming media uncertainty
1:00:36 - Bungie's Destiny promises and Marathon concerns
1:10:34 - Dynasty Warriors 3 demo and podcast sign-off

Thanks for listening, and please, if you enjoy the show, leave a rating on Spotify or Apple Music.

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And if you have questions for us or want us to discuss a topic, let us know by contacting us at tips@theouterhaven.net.

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We’re back after a two-week hiatus, and after tackling PAX West 2026, we have plenty to discuss on Spectator Mode Podcast Episode 233.

This week, we break down why PAX West 2026 was a disappointment from a media and convention standpoint, including empty show floors, missing hardware vendors, outdated demos, limited media access, and a growing tabletop presence that continues to push video games further into the background.

Thankfully, the games delivered. We share our hands-on impressions of Gundam Rogue Orbit, Final Fantasy VII Revelation, Final Fantasy Resonance, Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World, Persona 4 Revival, and several promising indie games. We also discuss PlayStation reportedly dropping Kojima’s Physint, Xbox stepping in as its new partner, PlayStation’s continued focus on live-service games, and the Nintendo Switch 2 VRR update that improves Elden Ring in docked mode.

Was PAX West 2026 still worth attending, or is the convention losing what once made it special? Let us know what you think in the comments.

Timestamps:

0:00 Podcast return and Gundam Rogue Orbit
1:16 Hands-on impressions and Gundam builds
4:15 Switch 2 VRR update and Elden Ring
6:10 Switch 2 handheld grip options
7:06 PlayStation drops Physint and chases live service
8:22 Xbox becomes Physint’s new partner
10:04 Why live-service games require constant investment
15:04 PlayStation’s shifting audience and ecosystem problems
21:04 PAX West’s disappointing convention setup
21:43 Empty floors and crowded indie developers
25:16 Limited media access and outdated demos
32:44 Delayed media hour and line-cutting frustrations
36:03 Dark halls, weak booths, and missing vendors
40:39 Concerns over PAX’s future after COVID
43:14 Tabletop focus leaves video games behind
47:36 Lenovo’s missing Legion Go and hardware exhibitors
53:00 Friday demos at NIS America
53:20 Gobble’s consumable scythe platforming
54:11 The Grim Reapers puzzle mechanics
55:06 Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 early build
55:37 Saturday at FURYU and Square Enix
55:45 Crime Light and Animalith previews
57:48 Square Enix’s private media presentations
58:32 Dragon Quest Monsters creature fusion impressions
1:00:01 Final Fantasy VII Revelation hands-on
1:02:30 Queen’s Blood returns with deeper story content
1:05:11 Exploring Mideel and rapid airship travel
1:06:36 Fit system jobs and party customization
1:10:40 Mai’s guidance and sensory overload concerns
1:14:41 Final Fantasy Resonance and Dragon Quest Monsters
1:15:21 Speedrunning the Wind Shrine boss
1:16:23 Resonance attacks, staggering, and party strategy
1:20:20 Interviewing Resonance’s director and producer
1:23:04 Persona 4 Revival and Sunday indie games
1:23:33 Persona 4’s dungeon and battle demos
1:24:08 New engine, expressive models, and All-Out Attacks
1:27:44 Student projects and Backyard Baseball

Check out our PAX West 2026 content over at https://www.theouterhaven.net/pax-west-2026-coverage-hub/.

For more gaming news, reviews, previews, interviews, and convention coverage, visit The Outerhaven:
https://www.theouterhaven.net/


#PAXWest2026 #FinalFantasyVIIRevelation #GundamRogueOrbit #SpectatorModePodcast #GamingPodcast

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On Spectator Mode Podcast Ep. 232, we’re talking about Twitch’s new AI training opt-out dilemma, what it means for creators, and why the whole situation has us asking questions. We also get into the end of 2XKO, with Riot Games winding down development by the end of 2026 after the fighter struggled to find its audience.

Elsewhere, Mortal Shell II is doing quite well following its release, Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls is running better on PC but still has some issues, and the Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter demo is finally here. We also touch on the latest GTA VI CyberLeek rumors, Dave Bautista potentially stepping into the role of Kratos, Anime NYC weekend, and, of course, the games we’ve been playing.

0:00 – Intro and games played
9:08 – Mortal Shell II follow-up review and patch concerns
14:00 – 2XKO support ending and fighting-game missteps
18:40 – Marvel Tōkon Fighting Souls outpaces 2XKO
22:36 – Marvel Tōkon PC performance and DRM problems
30:08 – Trails in the Sky Second Chapter demo
37:47 – Anime NYC news and convention plans
38:00 – Frustration with another Gundam SEED project
41:33 – Questionable GTA 6 CyberLeek and cryptocurrency scams
50:20 – Dave Bautista cast as Kratos
54:07 – Twitch training AI on streamer content

Thanks for listening, and please, if you enjoy the show, leave a rating on Spotify or Apple Music.

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EA has officially changed hands, with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund taking control of one of gaming’s biggest publishers. We dig into what that could mean for EA, while also trying to understand Netflix’s bizarre six-hour GTA VI trailer exclusivity stunt. We also talk Marvel Tōkon hype, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, new Fire Emblem, Warrior Cats, and why people seriously need to stop calling Beast of Reincarnation a Soulslike.

That and more on this episode of Spectator Mode Podcast!

Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro and games we've played
10:49 - Let's talk about how good Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls is
16:18 - Netflix’s Brief GTA 6 trailer exclusive nonsense
21:01 - Spider-Man: Brand New Day reactions
32:39 - Fire Emblem: Fortunes Weave Direct reap
43:51 - Warrior Cats JRPG reveal
46:36 - Why Every Action Game isn’t a Soulslike
54:26 - Electronic Arts is owned by the Saudis and how bad this deal is
1:01:25 - Podcast wrap-up and PAX West plans
1:06:16 - Closing remarks and outro

Thanks for listening, and please, if you enjoy the show, leave a rating on Spotify or Apple Music.

• Spotify – spoti.fi/2HsmTZ8
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#xbox #playstation #nintendo #electronicarts #soulslike #grandtheftauto6 #GTA6

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On Spectator Mode Podcast Episode 230, we share our Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls beta impressions and discuss the recent Xbox and PlayStation outages. We also cover Double Fine’s layoffs, the return of Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, and EA’s latest controversy.

Timestamps:

0:00 – Into
1:08 – Games played discussion
15:54 – Xbox Double Fine layoffs
27:04 – Marvel Tokon: Fight Souls Open Beta impressions
46:04 – EA layoffs and executive bonuses
56:57 – PlayStation and Xbox service outages
1:05:31 – Hardware shortages and GPU prices
1:12:20 – Closing comments & outro

Thanks for listening, and please, if you enjoy the show, leave a rating on Spotify or Apple Music.

• Spotify – spoti.fi/2HsmTZ8
• Apple Music – https://apple.co/43Bz67A
• YouTube – Youtube.com/theouterhaven
• Amazon Music – https://amzn.to/3FE4bPM

And if you have questions for us or want us to discuss a topic, let us know by contacting us at tips@theouterhaven.net.

Support the show

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On Spectator Mode Podcast Episode 228, we discuss why Echoes of Aincrad has become such a polarizing game and whether the criticism surrounding it is justified. We also examine Lenovo’s rumored C700 cloud gaming handheld and question whether dedicated cloud-streaming devices still have a place in the market.

Topics discussed include:

00:00 - Podcast intro and welcome
00:45 - Recent games played roundtable
15:13 - Brief Ghost in the Shell (2026) chat
18:35 - Echoes of Aincrad is a mixed bag discussion
35:07 - Lenovo enters the cloud gaming with the Legion C700
48:24 - Digital ownership and access debate
1:05:26 - Final recommendations and sign-off

As more players build entirely digital libraries, the question of ownership becomes increasingly important. What happens to our games when storefronts, publishers, or online services disappear?

#SpectatorModePodcast #EchoesOfAincrad #LenovoC700 #DigitalOwnership #videogames #gameshow

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Xbox had a rough couple of weeks, and honestly, "rough" might be underselling it. On this week's episode, Scott and Keith, break down the fallout from Microsoft's latest round of cuts, a gut-punch that cost an enormous number of people their jobs, sent four studios packing from the Xbox family, and left id Software a shell of what it used to be.

We get into what actually happened, why it happened now, and what it says about where Xbox is headed as a platform. Simply put, this isn't just bad news for the people affected, though that's the part that matters most. It's a signal. And we're not convinced it's one Microsoft can walk back from easily.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro and episode focus
01:40 - Asha email and layoffs
04:52 - Senior talent losses discussed
10:25 - Projects spared, platform reset
17:46 - id Software and Bethesda fallout
23:46 - New Xbox structure and priorities
30:06 - Minecraft, digital future, preservation
43:02 - Reset timeline and sale rumors
45:46 - GTA 6 revenue tangent
52:01 - Final thoughts and sign-off

Thanks for listening, and please, if you enjoy the show, leave a rating on Spotify or Apple Music.

• Spotify – spoti.fi/2HsmTZ8
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And if you have questions for us or want us to discuss a topic, let us know by contacting us at tips@theouterhaven.net.

#xbox #gaming #idsoftware #pcgaming #gamingpodcast

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PlayStation’s future will not include physical games, with Sony reportedly ending physical game production in 2028. But what does that mean for gamers, collectors, consumers, and the industry? Will games become more expensive? Will the second-hand market disappear? Are players losing more control over the games they buy? We discuss all of that and more in this episode of Spectator Mode Podcast.

Read the article: https://www.theouterhaven.net/playstation-just-confirmed-that-its-physical-game-discs-are-dead-by-2028/

Timestamps

[00:00:00] Opening banter and introductions
[00:01:07] PlayStation announcement overview
[00:03:07] Scott opposes digital-only move
[00:17:25] Keith's PC gamer perspective
[00:23:18] Retail, ownership, and preservation worries
[00:31:53] Broader consequences and final takes
[00:38:12] Closing plugs and outro

#playstation #playstation6 #gaming #gamingpodcast

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You can find the Spectator Mode podcast on the following podcast platforms. Please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcast, as it will go a long watch in more people discovering us. Thank you!

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