• CORE 514: Crimson Desserts
    Mar 19 2026
    Crimson Desert launched today, reviews are mixed as expected, amazing open world, minimal story, no traditional leveling, open-world jank. John is at Disneyland! DLSS 5 announced by Nvidia, AI-yassifies characters without permission from devs like Capcom. Listener indie game Garden and a Goat announced, wishlistable on Steam. WoW Midnight discussion, level boosts are hard without knowing your class…but maybe no more? Pinball FX Williams Collection recommended, Pinball Map app finds nearby machines. Evoker alt class tried and abandoned. And loads more!

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    2 hrs and 18 mins
  • CORE 513: Ramdemic
    Mar 12 2026

    Nerdtacular 2026 tickets holding at early bird pricing, plus a swag bag-only option now available at frogpants.com.



    News:


    - NetEase pulls funding for Gang of Dragon — future of the game unknown


    - Valve still targeting 2026 for Steam Machines despite RAM shortages; rumored to be a factor in Sony/Xbox strategy shifts


    - EA lays off Battlefield staff post record-breaking launch


    - Jeff Kaplan on his Blizzard exit — plus his one Overwatch regret: making it too team-focused when players want to shine individually


    - Fortnite raising V-Buck prices


    - Timberborn hits 1.0


    - Xbox pushing "everything is an Xbox" / Project Helix, leaning into Windows 11


    - Valve reports 6,000+ games made over $100k on Steam last year


    
Shared Play: Slay the Spire 2 — all three played it, early GOTY contender


    Scott: WoW: Midnight (great time, nearly max level, campaign a little cheesy), Thysiastery (turn-based dungeon crawler, very positive on Steam).


    Also: The Instance now posting Fridays at frogpants.com/instance.


    Jon: Finished and 100%'d Resident Evil Requiem


    Beau: Slay the Spire 2, more Star Trek Voyageur, dipped into new Diablo IV season (may have bought the Doom skin)


    Feedback: Listener thinks he catches Scott being simultaneously terrified by AI and delighted by one-button AI rotations in WoW. And he is wrong about it.


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    2 hrs and 17 mins
  • CORE 512: Sony Goes Yoink
    Mar 5 2026

    Looks like Sony is officially getting out of the port business and going all Nintendo on us again. Assassin’s Creed Black Flag remake is indeed happening. Highguard is officially leaving in just a few days. MetaCritic got weird with AI over the last few days. The games we played, a lake correction, Zillow and WoW, and some Diablo 2 stuff!


    GAMES PLAYED

    Scott

    - World of Warcraft Midnight

    - RoadCraft


    Jon

    - Resident Evil: Requiem


    Beau

    - Legend of Grimrock

    - Star Trek: Voyager

    - The Killing Stone

    - Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon

    - Overwatch

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    2 hrs and 35 mins
  • CORE 511: Claws Out
    Feb 28 2026

    March 2026 is shaping up to be a massive month for gaming, with big hitters like Crimson Desert, Marathon, Pokémon Pokopia, Slay the Spire 2, Solasta 2, Death Stranding 2 on PC, and the Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection all loaded up. Also, Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond are out at Xbox, while Sony raises a few eyebrows by signaling a potential end to PC ports. Our eyebrows are defiinately raised. Marvel's Wolverine finally has a September release date, and Valve finds itself in legal hot water as New York's Attorney General sues over alleged illegal gambling promotion to kids among other things. Also, Overwatch is going mobile with Overwatch Rush. Weird.


    GAMES PLAYED:


    Scott

    - Overwatch

    - UFO 50 (with Van)

    - Abathor (with Van)

    - Worms WMD (with Van)

    - TowerFall (with Van)

    - Duck Game (with Van)

    - Boomerang Fu (with Van)


    Jon

    - Biorand Resident Evil 2

    - Resident Evil 6

    - Resident Evil Requiem


    Beau

    - Darkhaven (demo)

    - Vampire Crawlers (demo)

    - Dead Spies (demo)

    - Pragmata (demo)

    - Wanderburg (demo)

    - Underkeep (demo)

    - Esoteric Ebb (demo)

    - Arms of God (demo)

    - Armatus (demo)

    - Wild Blue Skies (demo)

    - Farever (demo)

    - Rune Dice (demo)

    - Twilight Imperium (demo)

    - John Carpenter's Toxic Commando (demo)

    - Far Far West (demo)

    - Baldur's Gate 3 (Honour Mode)

    - Overwatch

    - Marathon Server Slam

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    3 hrs and 18 mins
  • CORE 510: Creation of Ashes
    Feb 20 2026

    That ashes of creation thing is just getting messier and messier by the day. Also, Unity wants you to type your next casual video game. We will explain.



    GAMES PLAYED


    SHARED PLAY THIS WEEK

    - Diablo 2 Resurrected – Infernal Edition

    - Overwatch

    - Dobbel Dungeon


    SCOTT

    - Advance Wars 1+2 Reboot Camp

    - No Man's Sky – Remnant Mode

    - Escape from Ever After


    JON

    - Mewgenics

    - TR-49

    - Resident Evil 2

    - Fortnite


    BEAU

    - Baldur's Gate 3 – Honour Mode

    - Star Trek Voyager

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    3 hrs and 2 mins
  • CORE: Sony State of Play
    Feb 13 2026
    Our live watch-a-long AUDIO of of today's Sony State of Play.

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    1 hr and 24 mins
  • CORE 509: The Play of State
    Feb 13 2026

    As we prep for the State of Play today, we talk about the games we played this week, and hit the news about all the Warlocks coming to all the Diablos. Highguard and 2XKO getting big layoffs, and the upcoming Baldur’s Gate 3 TV show!



    Games Played This Week

    Shared Play

    - Jon & Beau: Mewgenics

    Scott

    - Animal Crossing (on Switch 2)

    - Goblin Sushi

    - V-Rally 4

    Jon

    - Mewgenics

    - Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake

    Beau

    - Yakuza 3

    - Marathon

    - Crimson Desert

    - Game with Balls

    - Ravenswatch (as Merlin)

    - Skate Story

    - Overwatch

    - Enshrouded (Solo)

    - Deadlock

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    1 hr and 26 mins
  • CORE 508: Just Take Off The 2
    Feb 6 2026

    Overwatch might be making a big play with some re-branding, a slew of new heroes, and loads more. Will it put things back on top for the team shooter to beat? We talk about that, plus the Ashes of Creation mess, Steam hardware talk from Valve, and what might be the end of all things Outer Worlds.


    GAMES PLAYED

    - The Midnight Walk (Scott)

    - Butcher's Creek (Scott)

    - LUNARK (Scott)

    - Resident Evil 2 (Jon)

    - Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth (Jon)

    - Super Nintendo (Jon)

    - Pirate Yakuza (Beau)

    - Overwatch (Beau)

    - Valheim (Beau)

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    2 hrs and 41 mins