Assassin's Creed Valhalla was too damn long — but Mirage won't be! We're joined by Sam Tolbert to talk about the new game in the Assassin's Creed franchise, and a preview of New Tales from the Borderlands. We also touch base on Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, Embracer Group's shopping spree, a handheld console from Logitech, and more. LINKS: Assassin's Creed Mirage officially revealed, more coming at Ubisoft Forward | Windows Central Grafaiai — Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet | Official Website New Tales from the Borderlands preview: Misfits and mayhem return | Windows Central Embracer Group acquires The Lord of the Rings IP, Limited Run Games, Tripwire Interactive, and more | Windows Central Logitech G Gaming Handheld sounds like a squarely mid-range cloud gaming console | Android Central Nintendo recap: Direct with Zelda games Wind Waker and Twilight Princess rumored for September | iMore

It's a smorgasbord of news this week as the gang talk about PS5 price hikes, Kirby's Dream Buffet, and all the announcements from Gamescom 2022. LINKS: Sony raises PS5 prices in Canada, Europe, Japan, and other markets | Android Central Xbox responds to PlayStation’s price hike | Windows Central Gamescom 2022 LIVE: Latest announcements, news, trailers, and more | Windows Central Kirby's Dream Buffet for Nintendo Switch review: A sweet little racer reminiscent of Mario Party minigames | iMore

The console wars rage on as Sony says Xbox's Call of Duty acquisition could 'influence users' console choice'. We tell you why it's not such a big deal, plus we nerd out latest on Splatoon 3 information, Kirby's Dream Buffet, and more. LINKS: Sony says Xbox’s Call of Duty acquisition could ‘influence users’ console choice,’ Microsoft responds | Windows Central Microsoft says Sony's concerns about acquisition are unfounded, will keep ABK games multiplatform | Windows Central Everything announced in the Splatoon 3 Direct | iMore How to download the Splatoon 3: Splatfest World Premiere demo | iMore Kirby's Dream Buffet rolls onto Nintendo Switch next week | iMore

Our own Nadine Dornieden hangs out with Carli and Rebecca for a look at poor financial earnings from Activision Blizzard due to a decline in Call of Duty sales, and the Xbox Game Pass 'Family Plan'. Nintendo is facing its own reduction in sales. But with a new Pokémon game later this year, we expect things will turn around. LINKS: Activision Blizzard Q2 earnings fall due to Call of Duty decline | Windows Central Nintendo's declining sales due in part to economic issues and part shortages | iMore Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: Best Fidough fan art | iMore Everything announced at the August 2022 Pokémon Presents | iMore Xbox Game Pass 'Family Plan' FAQ: This is how much money you'll save sharing | Windows Central Xenoblade Chronicles 3 for Nintendo Switch review: A massive tale with emotional depth | iMore

Sam Tolbert fills in for Jen this week and the crew check in on what's going on with Oculus Quest 2 and mobile gaming. They also chat about the indefinite delay of Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic for PS5, MultiVersus for PC and Xbox, and just generally go off the rails. As usual! LINKS: Meta's making the Quest 2 more expensive. What does that mean for the future of VR? | Android Central The Oculus Quest 2's price increase is all our fault | Android Central Meta Q2 revenue goes down as it raises Quest 2 prices, deals with VR lawsuit | Android Central Report: Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic PS5 remake delayed indefinitely | Android Central MultiVersus is blowing up on PC and Xbox because it knows what fans want | Windows Central MultiVersus tier list: All characters ranked | Windows Central

Mojang Studios has issued a statement about their decision to not allow NFTs and blockchain tech in Minecraft. We talk about why we're so happy about this stance. We also dig into a significant delay for Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, Chris Pine's fashion sense, and more. LINKS: Blizzard Entertainment's Albany studio QA workers file for unionization | Windows Central Activision Blizzard employees to walk out today to demand end to gender inequity, other issues | Windows Central Mojang Studios has published an official stance on NFTs and blockchain tech in Minecraft | Windows Central Square Enix has finally introduced NFTs for Final Fantasy 7 collectibles | Windows Central Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora delayed to 2023-24, four other Ubisoft games canceled | Windows Central

GameStop is in the NFT market. But thankfully we have worthwhile gaming news to discuss as well. Bayonetta 3 is on the way for an October release, and Kirby's Dream Buffett will stuff your Switch this summer. We also review Stray for PS5, Endling - Extinction is Forever, and more! LINKS: Bayonetta 3 gets October 2022 release date on Nintendo Switch | iMore Kirby's Dream Buffet rolls onto Nintendo Switch this summer | iMore Nintendo recap: Bayonetta 3 finally gets release date, new Kirby game announced, and more | iMore Stray for PS5 review: The game that'll make you want a cat | Android Central Endling - Extinction is Forever for PC review: A somber tale of survival | Windows Central

What do sketchy new consoles that incorporate NFTs as a means of preordering and lame X-Men powers have in common? Well, nothing, except they are discussed in this episode of Jiggle Physics! The also chat about Skull and Bones, God of War Ragnarok, a Splatoon 3 themed Switch, and more. LINKS: ABetterABK 💙 ABK Workers Alliance on Twitter: "In light of the recent attacks on the civil liberties of our employees, the employee-led Committee Against Sex and Gender Discrimination has scheduled a walk out action on July 21st, 2022 (1/17)" / Twitter Skull and Bones gets November 8 release date on Xbox Series X | Windows Central God of War Ragnarok release date set for November 9 | Android Central God of War Ragnarok preorder guide: Every edition and what's in them on PS4 & PS5 | Android Central Nintendo recap: New Splatoon 3 Switch OLED coming in August and more Switch Pro rumors | iMore

There's a new God of War on the way, but people on the internet are making that difficult for devs. We talk about that, news on the Nintendo front, and go on many other tangents. LINKS: Everything announced in the June 2022 Nintendo Direct Mini Partner Showcase | iMore Nintendo recap: Metroid Prime rumors, shareholder talks F-Zero, and several Switch games in fall | iMore

Numerous game companies are speaking out in support of reproductive rights for their employees after the US Supreme Court has revoked Roe v. Wade. Rebecca and Jen are joined by special guest Miles Dompier for a conversation about this along with our review of The Quarry, a new Pokémon game, and more. LINKS: The Quarry review: A summer horror blockbuster | Windows Central Microsoft and other companies come out to support US workers after Roe v. Wade decision | Windows Central Home - National Network of Abortion Funds

Jen and Rebecca are joined by Sam Tolbert for an update on Activision Blizzard, Overwatch 2, and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Overwatch 2 will be free-to-play in all sorts of places, while Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is a PS5 exclusive. They also chat about the announcement of Dragon's Dogma 2, and what to expect at the upcoming Nintendo Direct. LINKS: Activision Blizzard finds there is no 'evidence' of harassment at Activision Blizzard | Windows Central Microsoft enters labor neutrality agreement for Activision Blizzard workers | Windows Central Overwatch 2 Junker Queen ultimate guide: Abilities, gameplay, and more | Windows Central Overwatch 2 roadmap: New heroes, PvE, maps, skins, and more | Windows Central Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth announced exclusively for PS5, coming next winter | Android Central Dragon's Dogma 2 announced by Capcom | Windows Central What to expect from Not-E3 2022 Nintendo Direct: Predictions, hopes, and rumors | iMore

There is no E3 this year, but that didn't stop multiple publishers, and even our own parent company, from hosting announcements for a staggering number of new games. We're here for you with all the highlights and our own most assuredly amazing ideas. LINKS: Summer Game Fest 2022: Game announcements, trailers, and everything you missed | Windows Central Xbox Games Showcase Extended LIVE: Starfield, Forza, Halo, and all the latest Xbox announcements | Windows Central Wholesome Direct June 2022: Everything announced for Nintendo Switch | iMore Future Games Show 2022: Game announcements, trailers, and everything you missed | Windows Central Microsoft partners with Kojima Productions on cloud-powered Xbox game | Windows Central Starfield almost looks too good to be true. What’s the catch? | Windows Central Sonic Frontiers hands-on: It's new, but at what cost? | Windows Central

There's a ludicrous amount of game news to cover this week. We go in-depth with everything from the PlayStation State of Play, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, and more. LINKS: PlayStation State of Play: Everything announced for PS VR2 | Android Central PlayStation State of Play: Everything announced in the June 2022 showcase | Android Central Resident Evil 4 remake announced for PS5, coming in March 2023 | Android Central We got our first look at Street Fighter 6's open-world gameplay, new characters coming to Xbox, PC | Windows Central The Callisto Protocol gets a December 2022 release date | Windows Central Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered comes to PC in August 2022 | Windows Central Summer Game Fest 2022 reveals developer, publisher lineup | Windows Central The new Pokémon Scarlet and Violet trailer showcases new legendaries and a release date | iMore Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: Everything you need to know | iMore

Content Warning: Please note that we address the recent school shooting in Uvalde, TX during the first third of this week's show. If you'd prefer to not listen to that segment, skip ahead to 27:43 in the episode. In some positive video gaming news, the Raven Software QA unit has voted to unionize, and a teaser for Star Wars Jedi: Survivor was released. Literally, as we were recording! The team also talk about PlayStation Studios, new PS VR2 games, Master Chief's on-screen romances, and more. LINKS: Raven Software QA unit votes to become first union under a North American publisher [update] | Windows Central Report: Phil Spencer says Microsoft will recognize Raven Software union | Windows Central Star Wars Jedi: Survivor revealed, coming in 2023 to Xbox Series X | Windows Central PlayStation Studios looking to expand with first-party on mobile, more live service games | Android Central Sony is planning 20 PS VR2 games for launch | Android Central Exclusive: Microsoft continues to iterate on an Xbox cloud streaming device codenamed 'Keystone | Windows Central

The world is awful and sometimes it feels like games NEVER actually ship. But, we promise we have a great episode for you chock full of industry news, including some Pokémon goodness, what we've been playing, and more. LINKS: Starfield and Redfall delayed to first half of 2023 | Windows Central Xbox head Phil Spencer responds to the Starfield, Redfall delays | Windows Central Nintendo gaming recap: Switch financial reports and tons of Pokémon news | iMore

We're joined this week by freelance games journalist, Nico Deyo, and Tyler Colp of PC Gamer to talk about their experiences playing the Overwatch 2 beta. Embracer Group bought parts of Square Enix for not a whole lot of money. Well, at least in the world of corporate acquisitions. The team also have news about Nintendo, a lawsuit against Activision filed by New York City, and more. LINKS: New York City sues Activision, claims Kotick 'unfit' to negotiate Microsoft deal | Windows Central Embracer acquires Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, and their studios from Square Enix | Windows Central Nintendo and iOS gaming recap: Breath of the Wild 2 spoiled and demoralizing workplace reports | iMore Fortnite is now available to play through Xbox Cloud Gaming for free | Windows Central Overwatch 2 beta impressions: Breathing new life into Blizzard's stagnant hero shooter | Windows Central Overwatch 2 team addresses support issues, scoreboard changes | Windows Central The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe Xbox review — An expanded, evolved narrative masterpiece | Windows Central cleric hypebeast (@appleciderwitch) / Twitter Tyler (@tylercolp) / Twitter

Tune in this week for another heaping spoonful of games industry nonsense, including an ad system for Xbox games, Sonic Origins' preorder scheme, and "girl boss" energy. Also, Gearbox has announced a new Tales from the Borderlands game, a 'leaked' Game Boy emulator for Switch, and more. LINKS: Meta's Sheryl Sandberg reportedly pressured outlet to drop story on Activision CEO Bobby Kotick | Windows Central Gearbox announces new Tales from the Borderlands game | Windows Central Report: Microsoft working on ad system for Xbox games | Windows Central Sonic Origins comes to Xbox and other platforms in June 2022 | Windows Central Sonic Origins' preorder scheme is way past uncool | Windows Central Nintendo recap: Game Boy emulator for Switch 'leaks' and alleged workers' rights violations | iMore Nintendo allegedly violated workers' right to unionize | iMore

After tackling some news in Activision Blizzard corner, we discuss updates and shortcomings in Halo Infinite. There's also a Nintendo recap, an overview of Kingdom Hearts games are worth playing, and more. LINKS: Vicarious Visions officially merged into Blizzard Entertainment, renamed Blizzard Albany | Windows Central Whistleblower claims Gov. Newsom interfered in Activision Blizzard case | Windows Central Certain Affinity announces a 'deeper' commitment to Halo Infinite | Windows Central Halo Infinite Season 2 Lone Wolves: Release date and everything we know | Windows Central Nintendo recap: Switch Sports damaging TVs in new ways, Bandai Namco's remaster project, Bugsnax extras | iMore Which Kingdom Hearts games are worth playing? | iMore Peridot for iOS: Everything you need to know | iMore

We won't bury the lede, folks. We forgot to mention that E3 has been canceled for 2022. Whoops! But in news we DO actually discuss, Sony has revealed their new PlayStation Plus membership. The next Zelda game won't be released until 2023, but Nintendo has delivered a morsel of a teaser. Carli reports on her field trip to GDC 2022, and more! LINKS: The best (and worst) April Fools' Day video game jokes of 2022 | Windows Central US senators call out lack of accountability for Bobby Kotick in Microsoft deal [Update] | Windows Central Report: State of Decay dev Undead Labs suffered from mismanagement, toxic culture | Windows Central Sony's PlayStation Plus revamp is only the beginning | Android Central Sony reveals new PlayStation Plus membership | Android Central The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 — Rumors, delays, and everything we know so far about the sequel | iMore GDC 2022 roundup: Unions, NFTs, and VR all in one place

Sam Tolbert is back as our special guest! We go on a romp through the latest gaming and gaming-related news, including PlayStation's Spartacus service, Tiny Tina, a new Witcher game, Halo on Paramount+, and more. LINKS: Tiny Tina's Wonderlands review: Bringing D&D magic to Borderlands | Windows Central Halo TV series Season 1, Episode 1 review: Bloody and victorious first contact | Windows Central Next Witcher game medallion is a lynx, CD Projekt RED confirms | Windows Central Netflix is acquiring its third gaming studio | Windows Central PlayStation's Spartacus service will reportedly be revealed next week | Android Central