Sacred Symbols: A PlayStation Podcast

• #385 | Old-Fashioned Superstitions I Find Too Hard to Break

  PlayStation 5 has officially turned five, giving us much to reflect upon. Has the console lived up to its potential, left folks disappointed, or fallen somewhere in between? We get into that -- alongside new Sony financials that paint an admittedly rosy picture -- before getting into the meat of our show. Two new Sony-aligned games have been revealed, but they've left many potential players puzzled, as neither offering is actually on PlayStation hardware. For starters, NCSoft's long-rumored Horizon MMO is real. It's called Steel Frontiers and it actually looks really nice. But it's only on PC and mobile. Meanwhile, a new Ratchet & Clank game has also been showcased, an online arena shooter called Ranger Rumble. But it too eschews PS5 and PS4, instead going straight to mobile platforms only. What gives? Why does Sony seem half-in on these off-platform initiatives, all the while neglecting their core audience that could give these respective titles the boost they need? Is it time for them to break old habits and embrace a more cogent multiplatform direction that centers PlayStation first and foremost? Plus: Sony's new 27" gaming monitor has people intrigued, Marvel Tokon: Fighting Spirits is getting another closed test, Elden Ring: Nightreign is receiving some much-needed DLC, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! What do we think of Valve's new Steam Machine PC-console hybrid? In any given game's menus, where should subtitle options be nestled: General, Audio, or Graphics? Does ARC Raiders success potentially benefit Marathon? Is Dustin wielding his power over Brad in unsavory ways? Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:28:20 - Keep your head up Cam0:33:46 - Is this marriage destined for failure?0:38:06 - Depressed?0:46:26 - LSM power dynamics0:53:35 - Ubisoft halts trading0:57:08 - PlayStation 5 turns 51:13:41 - Red Dead Redemption is coming to PS51:16:41 - Horizon: Steel Frontiers revealed1:34:24 - Ratchet & Clank: Ranger Rumble comes to mobile1:52:17 - Sony Q2 financials2:14:31 - New PlayStation PC monitor2:23:34 - Cheaper PS5 coming to Japan2:28:15 - New Marvel Tokon beta2:31:17 - New Elden Ring: Nightreign expansion2:33:52 - Todd Howard interview2:37:27 - Mass Effect is still in development2:37:56 - New PS+ game catalog games2:41:21 - What We’ve Been Playing (Ghost of Yotei, PowerWash Simulator 2, Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted, Arc Raiders, Lumines Arise, Dispatch)3:00:54 - Valve's new hardware3:29:09 - Will Sony change their PC strategy?3:34:44 - Gran Turismo 73:44:04 - Where should the subtitles option go?3:46:53 - Will Marathon benefit from Arc Raiders?3:58:46 - Eurogamer’s 2/5 review of Arc Raiders Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• #384 | Everybody's Looking For the Same Thing

  For those with specific use cases, the PlayStation Portal has always been awesome. But Sony has been quietly bolstering the device over the last two years, and with its newest update, it's become more powerful than ever. Those with a PS+ Essential subscription can now purchase and stream nearly 3,000 games directly to the device without any sort of console tether, a major step-up for a peripheral once reliant on PS5. What's it all mean for the future of PlayStation? We discuss! Plus: New cross-buy tags on PSN indicate Sony is preparing some sort of PC launcher, dynamic pricing on the PlayStation Store has some customers in a tizzy, Dan Houser spills the beans on Rockstar's cancelled PS3-exclusive spy thriller Agent, Marvel looks to stick with Sony-owned Insomniac for a long time to come, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Does Colin have any reflections on GameFAQs as it turns 30? What constitutes a good in-game map? How has our gaming behavior changed over the years? Who's most likely to want to blow into the DualSense microphone to light fires in Ghost of Yotei, even if they don't have to? Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:19:05 - Coffee Swamp0:21:55 - Sacred Sighting at Cedar Point0:29:58 - YouTube Premium is great0:36:54 - Tanvi0:38:40 - Alucard0:45:33 - Reesees0:47:28 - GTA VI delayed again0:51:18 - PlayStation Cloud streaming leave beta1:09:20 - "Cross-Buy" appears on PSN1:30:50 - PlayStation plays around with dynamic pricing1:46:45 - Dan Houser on Lex Fridman1:58:06 - Marvel will continue to work in Insomniac2:16:44 - Top PSN games in October2:25:20 - Physical games are 100x worse for the environment2:33:55 - What We’re Playing3:05:11 - What advancements do we want to see in games?3:17:04 - The shift to quick hit games3:27:20 - GameFAQs turns 303:33:54 - Blowing into the controller3:37:37 - Good video game maps3:41:56 - Genre preference changes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• #383 | I Can Dodge Bullets?

  An old piece of games industry lore has recently reemerged, and it has people wondering about a tantalizing what-if. Back in 1999, The Matrix hit theaters, and the co-creators of the film happened to have been huge fans of Hideo Kojima, himself a year removed from the launch of Metal Gear Solid. And, as was reported at the time, there was potential that Konami would allow Kojima to pursue a licensed Matrix game post-MGS. A lot of new information has since emerged about what did and didn't happen here, and it makes for a great conversation starter. So let's lean into it, shall we? Our conclusion: Perhaps Kojima doing MGS2 instead of a Matrix game means he likely dodged a bullet (pardon the pun). Other news this week includes some quiet updates seemingly being made to PlayStation Portal's functionality, leaks from Bluepoint's cancelled God of War game, the most recent China Hero Project title in the form of Loulan: The Cursed Sand, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Following Freedom Wars, Patapon, and Everybody's Golf, what should Sony's and Bandai Namco's next collaborative re-release be? Do PC players have any reason to invest in the modern PlayStation ecosystem? Will the culture war consume Naughty Dog's Intergalactic? Does Colin type so fast that his keyboard smokes? Download Cash App Today: https://capl.onelink.me/vFut/ty57yree #CashAppPod. Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. See terms and conditions at https://cash.app/legal/us/en-us/card-agreement. Discounts and promotions provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit http://cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:43:10 - RIP Nick Mangold0:44:13 - stand down non-traditional candy0:50:45 - Chris wills glass Snapple back0:55:36 - New York location lore0:59:19 - PS+ Premium streaming to Portal leaked1:12:23 - Bluepoint's cancelled God of War game leaks1:22:33 - Sony isn't interested in buying WB1:30:51 - Konami turned down a Kojima Matrix game1:48:20 - Loulan: The Cursed Sand is the next China Hero Project game1:58:19 - Square Enix is cracking down on Dragon Quest spoilers2:11:02 - November PS+ Games2:13:51 - What We’ve Been Playing (Ghost of Yotei, PowerWash Simulator 2, Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted, Battlefield 6, Vampire Survivors)2:41:13 - What Japan Studio game will get released by Bandai Namco?2:45:10 - Halo and the US government2:54:17 - Gaming ads on Sacred3:11:04 - Wait for PS6?3:20:24 - The console war lives in on services3:38:25 - Is Intergalactic the next target? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• #382 | I've Seen the Light and I'm Gaining in Height Now

  With Xbox's famous ringworld officially arriving on PlayStation 5 in 2026, we can rest assured that Sony's longtime rival has finally conceded the console space for good. Halo: Campaign Evolved -- clever! -- is a ground-up remake of the smash-hit 2001 Xbox launch title, and it comes with some new bells and whistles, including fresh content and a four-player online-enabled campaign. Microsoft even trotted Halo's community manager out in a PlayStation shirt, promised all upcoming Halo content is Sony-bound, and yielded perhaps their last meaningful franchise to the competition. This gives us much to discuss! Plus: Helldivers 2 dev Arrowhead begins work on its next project, Horizon's live-action movie is slated to film next year and launch in '27, Resident Evil 0 Remake rumors are percolating, we may be waiting a while longer for Starfield's PS5 debut, Electronic Arts scores a renewed deal with the NFL to continue the Madden franchise, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Why does anyone care about Photo Mode? What's our dream PowerWash Simulator 2 DLC? Is it okay to play a game without delving into its greater meaning and themes? Will Chris ever return from New York? Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:42:57 - RIP Sam Rivers0:44:41 - buttrock and rap metal0:54:36 - Couple vs few0:58:55 - Keep on keeping on Thomas1:03:48 - PSN Profiles issuers?1:12:16 - Halo is coming to PS51:54:28 - Arrowhead is hiring for a new game?2:01:24 - Updates on the Horizon film2:09:25 - Resident Evil 0 remake rumors2:14:37 - Starfield announcement for PS5 next year2:23:12 - EA NFL renewal2:28:25 - Ex-AC lead claims he didn't step down2:33:46 - Remedy CEO steps down2:37:22 - New sales data3:07:02 - What We’re Playing (Ghost of Yotei, Ninja Gaiden 4, Ball x Pit)3:21:03 - How's our media literacy?3:29:03 - Dream DLC for Power Wash Simulator?3:32:17 - Updates with trophies3:36:11 - Photo mode is free marketing?3:40:06 - Sony's PC strategy with Xbox's PC push3:45:59 - Soundbar recommendations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• #381 | Watch It Fly By As the Pendulum Swings

  Time sure is moving, but has a sufficient amount of it passed for us to start considering the next generation of PlayStation console? According to two reliable leakers, the answer is yes: Sony is very much aiming to get PS6 out in 2027. This makes sense by historical standards -- seven years between consoles is fairly normal, if not even a little slow -- but it really doesn't feel like we need this thing. Or do we? By 2027, who knows what our ecosystem might look like. Let's discuss! Plus: Legendary Tecmo director and producer Tomonobu Itagakai has sadly passed away, Sony-owned studio Bluepoint is hiring for a mysterious third-person action project, San Diego Studio appears primed to finally bring its smash-hit MLB: The Show series to PC, Ghost of Yotei is selling at parity with Ghost of Tsushima, we could have very easily gotten a mobile The Last of Us game, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Do we like to partake in New Game+, when applicable? With Xbox's displacement as a hardware competitor, is Sony and Nintendo's long-standing rivalry primed to be reignited? Why don't we talk more about the fighting scene? Will Dustin regale us with some of his Japanese language skills? Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:38:55 - Shoutout Saxon0:43:38 - Eloping in Vegas0:54:26 - Dagster check in?0:55:44 - 今週何個の瓶を埋めたか教えてください0:57:31 - RIP Tomonobu Itagaki1:07:17 - PlayStation 6 in 20271:44:10 - Bluepoint hiring for a 3rd person melee action game1:53:40 - Ghost of Yotei sales similar to Tsushima , Suckerpunch can only do one game at a time2:05:41 - MLB: The Show coming to PC?2:12:13 - Tencent pitched a mobile Last of Us2:24:34 - PSVR2 controller for sale2:32:23 - Fans revive ModNation Racers2:36:49 - Quantic Dream reveals multiplayer game2:48:20 - Remedy's FBC Firebreak is in the red2:57:15 - Build A Rocket Boy in trouble3:01:13 - New PS+ games3:08:23 - What We’re Playing (Ghost of Tsushima, Ghost of Yotei, Battlefield 6, Lumines Arise)3:53:35 - Why is New Game+ late?3:58:58 - Why isn't Nintendo competition?4:06:34 - Video game betting4:14:01 - What do we want from a PlayStation handheld?4:19:03 - Why aren't we into fighting games? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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