Unofficial Controller Podcast

Unofficial Controller
  • 5.0 (8)
  • Video Games
  • Updated Weekly

Your number one weekly gaming podcast for all the latest Sony Playstation , Microsoft Xbox , Nintendo Switch and PC News. Retrospectives , Readers Mail and Industry Chat.

  1. 5d ago

    We Break Down The PlayStation Boycott And What It Means For Everyone

    Send us Fan Mail PlayStation fans are so furious about the move away from physical discs that some are telling people to buy third-party and indie games anywhere but PS5, and it raises a messy question: when you “vote with your wallet,” who actually feels it first? We dig into the disc debacle backlash, why comment sections have turned hostile, and why we think directing rage at small studios is the fastest way to miss the point while still doing real damage. Before the news spiral, we keep it grounded with what we are playing. RGT is over 60 hours into Xenoblade Chronicles and staring down the final stretch, including the classic JRPG moment where you think you are done, then realize you are underleveled and happily disappear into side missions. George talks about saving Indiana Jones for an upcoming holiday, slowly picking through Final Fantasy VIII, and getting genuinely won over by Super Mario Bros Wonder. We also get nerdy about hardware and nostalgia, because the Switch N64 controller can instantly make Ocarina of Time, GoldenEye, and Jet Force Gemini feel “right” again. On the Xbox side, we react to a batch of new console features like longer gamertags, improved library artwork, offline personalization, wish list shortcuts, and better cloud play prompts, all landing at a weird time for the industry. That kicks off a bigger, honest conversation about next-gen consoles, rumored PS6 pricing, broadband realities, and whether gaming is drifting toward an expensive, digital-only hobby built for the few instead of the many. If you have thoughts on discs, cloud gaming, or how you want to buy games in 2026 and beyond, share the episode, leave a review, and subscribe so you do not miss what comes next. Support the show Join our fantastic discord https://discord.gg/v7RFSUcG If link has expired then message us at questions@unofficialcontrollerpodcast.com or DM us on instagram or X and we'll send you an invite. Cheers gamers! Subscription Tiers $3 Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up $5 Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up A single item of yearly limited art merch $8 Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up A single item of yearly limited art merch Yearly art merch mug $10  Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up A single item of yearly limited art merch Yearly art merch mug Yearly art merch t-shirt Thanks to all who subscribe, it means the world to us and really helps us keep the shows going.

  2. Jul 12

    Brazil Challenges Sony Over Digital Game Ownership And Preservation

    Send us Fan Mail You can feel the ground shifting under gaming right now, and not just because we’re playing more big-budget releases on handhelds. We start with what we’ve been obsessing over on Switch 2, including Xenoblade Chronicles and why its real-time JRPG combat still feels tactical, modern, and weirdly addictive once it clicks. We also get into the little realities of “upgraded classics” like pop-in and frame stutter, plus whether you can mainline the story without turning your life into a grind. From there, George makes the case for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle as one of the best licensed games in years. We talk first-person exploration, surprisingly weighty fistfights, smart camera shifts during traversal, and the film-level details that make it feel like you’re living inside an Indiana Jones story. Final Fantasy VIII Remastered also gets its moment, including the love-hate relationship with junctioning, unskippable summon animations, and the kind of enemy level scaling that forces you to learn systems instead of out-leveling problems. Then the conversation turns into something bigger than any one game: digital game ownership and game preservation. Brazil is pushing consumer-rights rules inspired by Stop Killing Games, while Sony’s disc-less direction raises hard questions about resale, lending, and what happens when stores shut down. We cap it off with Xbox news on id Tech after layoff rumors, plus a real debate about whether Microsoft should protect its internal engines or risk deeper dependence on Unreal Engine. If you enjoyed the chat, subscribe, share the episode with a friend who still buys physical, and leave us a review. Where do you stand on all-digital consoles, and what would it take to change your mind? Support the show Join our fantastic discord https://discord.gg/v7RFSUcG If link has expired then message us at questions@unofficialcontrollerpodcast.com or DM us on instagram or X and we'll send you an invite. Cheers gamers! Subscription Tiers $3 Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up $5 Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up A single item of yearly limited art merch $8 Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up A single item of yearly limited art merch Yearly art merch mug $10  Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up A single item of yearly limited art merch Yearly art merch mug Yearly art merch t-shirt Thanks to all who subscribe, it means the world to us and really helps us keep the shows going.

  3. Jul 5

    The Day Gaming Died with Two And A Half Gamers UK

    Send us Fan Mail The future of gaming is starting to feel less like progress and more like a contract you can’t read. We’re joined by Two and a Half Gamers UK to talk through the current state of modern gaming, starting with the GTA 6 digital controversy and why preordering a digital game can feel like paying for hype instead of securing a copy. If downloads never run out, what are we really buying and why are companies pushing us to commit early? From there, we get into the bigger fears behind the PS6 disc drive rumors and the gut punch of storefront shutdowns. When older stores close and licenses expire, “purchased” can turn into “unavailable” overnight, and that changes how collectors think about game ownership, game preservation, and backward compatibility. We also talk about remakes and remasters, and how easy it is for publishers to quietly remove original versions and steer everyone into rebuying the new one. We round it out with the hard questions: why Game Pass and PS Plus style subscriptions don’t always work like Netflix, why the console upgrade jumps feel smaller while prices climb, and why retro gaming prices could spike if physical media keeps shrinking. Plus, we end on pure nostalgia with the one-item-you-save-from-a-fire debate and where you can find the guests’ streams and vlogs. If you care about physical games, digital-only consoles, and what it means to truly own your library, hit play, then subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave us a review. Two and a half gamers YouTube- https://youtube.com/@twoandahalfgamersuk?si=s6NwGEzwgxU2fm3K Two and a half gamers uk Twitch - https://www.twitch.tv/twoand_a_halfga Two and a half gamers uk Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/share/1EkEohABy3/ Harry's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hdriz.retro_rewind/ Aarron's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flippin_calisuk/ JC's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jc__dasilva/ Support the show Join our fantastic discord https://discord.gg/v7RFSUcG If link has expired then message us at questions@unofficialcontrollerpodcast.com or DM us on instagram or X and we'll send you an invite. Cheers gamers! Subscription Tiers $3 Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up $5 Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up A single item of yearly limited art merch $8 Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up A single item of yearly limited art merch Yearly art merch mug $10  Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up A single item of yearly limited art merch Yearly art merch mug Yearly art merch t-shirt Thanks to all who subscribe, it means the world to us and really helps us keep the shows going.

  4. Jun 28

    Switch 2 Vs PS5 In Japan

    Send us Fan Mail Nintendo is spending 121 billion yen on a brand-new R&D center in Kyoto, Sony is selling a Japan-only PS5 at a loss, and the Switch 2 is still running away with the market. That combo says a lot about where gaming is headed, so we unpack it from the perspective that actually matters: how people live, how people play, and what they can realistically fit into a busy day. We also get personal with the stuff you only hear when two longtime players are being honest. The Soulslike “rage fixation” loop, chasing lost XP, and realizing you’re wasting time just because you’re mad. The strange relief of stepping away from trophies and achievements, and how completionism can turn an amazing single-player game into a checklist. Plus the practical handheld angle: why Switch 2 ports can be “good enough” when the trade is gaming anywhere, anytime, without fighting the TV. Then we zoom out to the bigger cultural shift: physical media, collector’s editions, and the slow death of the old ritual of saving up, buying a box, and actually owning what you paid for. Streaming and digital libraries are convenient, but the bill never ends and the licenses don’t love you back. If you’ve felt that tension between convenience and ownership, or between prestige consoles and real-life gaming time, you’ll feel seen here. Subscribe for more weekly gaming talk, share this with a friend who’s stuck in trophy brain, and leave a review to help more players find the show. What’s winning your gaming time right now: power, portability, or pure comfort? Support the show Join our fantastic discord https://discord.gg/v7RFSUcG If link has expired then message us at questions@unofficialcontrollerpodcast.com or DM us on instagram or X and we'll send you an invite. Cheers gamers! Subscription Tiers $3 Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up $5 Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up A single item of yearly limited art merch $8 Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up A single item of yearly limited art merch Yearly art merch mug $10  Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up A single item of yearly limited art merch Yearly art merch mug Yearly art merch t-shirt Thanks to all who subscribe, it means the world to us and really helps us keep the shows going.

  5. Jun 21

    The gaming industry is imploding !?

    Send us Fan Mail Xbox chaos, PS6 uncertainty, and a tiny handheld that keeps embarrassing the “power” conversation all collide in one week. We sit down and talk through the reports of major Xbox layoffs and studios potentially on the chopping block, and what that does to creativity when teams are building games under constant fear and shifting strategy. If you’ve ever wondered whether acquisitions and exclusives actually fix the core problem, we wrestle with that head-on.  From there we jump to the next-gen elephant in the room: PS6 timing. With component costs surging and analysts hinting at a 2027 or even 2028 launch, we ask what Sony can realistically ship without pricing normal players out. If consoles creep toward $1,000, do we still get the classic “new generation,” or do we end up with a set-top-box style future where ecosystems matter more than hardware leaps?  And then Switch 2 barges in with the most interesting twist: Unreal Engine’s lighting updates and smarter scaling suggest software might be the real next-gen. We debate ray tracing vs baked lighting, why the difference often doesn’t matter unless you’re doing side-by-side tests, and why portability changes what “great performance” feels like. Along the way, we get into trophy chasing burnout, pick-up-and-play gaming, and the weird power of nostalgia when old favorites hit just right.  If you like smart gaming takes with a bit of chaos, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find us. Support the show Join our fantastic discord https://discord.gg/v7RFSUcG If link has expired then message us at questions@unofficialcontrollerpodcast.com or DM us on instagram or X and we'll send you an invite. Cheers gamers! Subscription Tiers $3 Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up $5 Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up A single item of yearly limited art merch $8 Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up A single item of yearly limited art merch Yearly art merch mug $10  Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up A single item of yearly limited art merch Yearly art merch mug Yearly art merch t-shirt Thanks to all who subscribe, it means the world to us and really helps us keep the shows going.

  6. Jun 14

    The Switch 2 Is Eating Everyone’s Lunch

    Send us Fan Mail The Switch 2 is starting to feel less like a side console and more like the place where everything shows up, and that changes the whole mood of a gaming week. We’re coming in hot off our own playtime too: Forza Horizon 6 swallowing hours, Outbound delivering the kind of calm “camp, craft, and breathe” loop you can keep installed forever, plus early thoughts on 007 First Light and a surprisingly sticky return to Mass Effect Legendary Edition. On the nostalgia front, Donkey Kong 64 landing on Switch Online hits hard, even if modern button mapping reminds you the N64 era had its own kind of chaos. Then we get into the main event: Nintendo Direct reactions with a wide-angle look at what Summer Games Fest season is really saying. We talk Switch 2 ports, performance trade-offs, and why day-and-date releases matter so much more than arguing about a few visual downgrades. If you’ve been waiting for the handheld to get “real console” support, this is the kind of lineup that makes people look twice, whether you’re Nintendo-only or you already own everything else. We also pull on two threads that matter beyond hype. First, we finally explain why South Korea keeps “leaking” unannounced games: it’s largely GRAC and the Game Industry Promotion Act forcing ratings info into public view. Second, we react to Xbox leadership outlining five hard realities and a “next 100 days” business reset, from shrinking margins and rising hardware component costs to overextended studios and platform infrastructure problems, plus what that might mean for exclusives, Game Pass, and future hardware plans like Project Helix. If you enjoy straight-shooting gaming news with real opinions, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave us a review so more people can find the show. Support the show Join our fantastic discord https://discord.gg/v7RFSUcG If link has expired then message us at questions@unofficialcontrollerpodcast.com or DM us on instagram or X and we'll send you an invite. Cheers gamers! Subscription Tiers $3 Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up $5 Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up A single item of yearly limited art merch $8 Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up A single item of yearly limited art merch Yearly art merch mug $10  Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up A single item of yearly limited art merch Yearly art merch mug Yearly art merch t-shirt Thanks to all who subscribe, it means the world to us and really helps us keep the shows going.

  7. Jun 7

    PS5 State Of Play Reactions With Wolverine Hype And God Of War Alpha Debate

    Send us Fan Mail Wolverine finally steps out of rumor land and into real gameplay, and it immediately raises the bar for what we expect from PS5 action. George is joined by returning Bobby and OG for a full reaction to PlayStation’s State of Play June 2026, and we don’t just list trailers. We pull apart what looks finished, what feels like smoke and mirrors, and what actually sounds fun when the controller is in your hands. God Of War Freya sparks a proper debate, from the “coming soon” messaging to the bigger question of whether Santa Monica is building a wider God of War universe through an afterlife setting. We also dig into Until Dawn 2 and why horror sequels keep happening even when nobody asked for a number on the box, plus Silent Hill Townfall’s first-person approach and the vibe shift that comes with it. On the hype side, Wolverine’s movement, healing, and cinematic pacing have us way more optimistic than we expected, especially after feeling a bit jaded by recent big sequels. Then we zoom out to the business and the reality of modern gaming: PS5 pricing, Xbox Series X|S UK sales jumping with a Forza boost, and the uncomfortable truth that exclusives still sell hardware even in a multi-platform world. We close with Elden Ring Tarnished Edition landing on Switch 2, what “full price” means when DLC is included, and whether any of us would actually replay a masterpiece just because it’s portable. If you like smart gaming talk with jokes that don’t kill the analysis, subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review so more players can find us. Support the show Join our fantastic discord https://discord.gg/v7RFSUcG If link has expired then message us at questions@unofficialcontrollerpodcast.com or DM us on instagram or X and we'll send you an invite. Cheers gamers! Subscription Tiers $3 Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up $5 Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up A single item of yearly limited art merch $8 Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up A single item of yearly limited art merch Yearly art merch mug $10  Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up A single item of yearly limited art merch Yearly art merch mug Yearly art merch t-shirt Thanks to all who subscribe, it means the world to us and really helps us keep the shows going.

  8. May 31

    Modern Warfare 4 Hits Switch 2 As Steam Deck Prices Jump

    Send us Fan Mail Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 on Switch 2, a Steam Deck price hike that makes your wallet flinch, and a fresh rumor that Witcher 3 is getting a full-blown expansion sized like Phantom Liberty. That is the kind of week that forces a real question: are we heading into a future where gaming gets better, or just more expensive? We start with the stuff that actually fills our nights, from Ball X Pit on Switch 2 and why its speed and run loop gets dangerously addictive, to Hades 2 nearing the finish line, plus the surprise “why is this so good?” pull of Lego Batman. George then takes us on a story-time detour through Kingdom Come Deliverance, where one quest turns into a chaotic night out and the kind of consequences only an RPG can deliver. We also get into Knights of the Old Republic on Switch 2, including that endgame pressure where every door feels like it opens into another squad of enemies. From there we hit the news: Modern Warfare 4 landing day-and-date on Switch 2 and what that signals for Nintendo players who want major franchises without feeling left behind. We debate the Steam Deck price increase, the weird reality of this console generation where prices go up instead of down, and whether graphics have basically peaked for most of us already. Finally, we dig into the Witcher 3 expansion talk and wrap with some old-school joy as Donkey Kong 64 joins Nintendo Switch Online. If you enjoy smart gaming chatter with a lot of personality, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave us a review. What headline matters more to you right now: Switch 2 getting COD, Steam Deck getting pricier, or Witcher 3 getting new life? Support the show Join our fantastic discord https://discord.gg/v7RFSUcG If link has expired then message us at questions@unofficialcontrollerpodcast.com or DM us on instagram or X and we'll send you an invite. Cheers gamers! Subscription Tiers $3 Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up $5 Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up A single item of yearly limited art merch $8 Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up A single item of yearly limited art merch Yearly art merch mug $10  Name read out on every show Access to unglorious chat section of discord Quarterly Zoom meet up A single item of yearly limited art merch Yearly art merch mug Yearly art merch t-shirt Thanks to all who subscribe, it means the world to us and really helps us keep the shows going.

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About

Your number one weekly gaming podcast for all the latest Sony Playstation , Microsoft Xbox , Nintendo Switch and PC News. Retrospectives , Readers Mail and Industry Chat.

Information

  • Creator
    Unofficial Controller
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    330
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Unofficial Controller Podcast
  • Show Website
    Unofficial Controller Podcast

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