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Intelligent Gaming Discussion

  1. 5D AGO

    Season 20, Episode 10

    How’s that line go again? The things we own end up owning us. It probably doesn’t apply in this instance but we talk about the whole physical and digital ownership thing where, for a good long while now I’ve found myself owning more digital than physical. Likely the case when you prefer playing on PC more than console. And when you have the addition of subscription services it only expands that digital ownership. And there’s the question of if we even really own these digital copies. Discussion for another time I suppose. I know this past week saw the price increase of all things PlayStation 5. And while those are outrageous prices I’m almost positive another one will come prior to the release of GTA6. It may come from Sony or Microsoft or both, but expect it to happen if the current state of the world continues. Specifically AI and gas. That’s about as good as my predictions can get because if you were to ask me about the next Splinter Cell, well, I’d rather try to touch the moon than take on that kind of thinking. Ubisoft, it’s been 4,612 days since a new Splinter Cell game (non-animated series or guest spot in another game franchise, remake, BBC radio drama, or VR exclusive) was released. Also, there’s been 3,037 job losses in the gaming industry since January 1, 2026.

    1h 39m

  2. MAR 29

    Season 20, Episode 09

    We took a week off and we wish we came back with good news but it’s still depressing week after week. This seems likely to be the case going forward. Studio closures and lay offs. It’s just a question of how big each one is and which studio goes next. We didn’t even cover the recent story about the money being spent with triple A studios. That reminds me – I need to remember to talk about the story next week. Oh, and more bad news: Nintendo and Sony are raising their prices. Nintendo on their games and Sony on their consoles. Listen, we’d love to just talk about the games we play and enjoy and we do get around to that, but this industry keeps shooting itself in the foot. And it isn’t the developers. It’s the studios, the corporates, the higher ups making the mistakes and the screw ups and everyone below paying the price for that. It’s the constant need to improve AI and replace people with it. It’s massively over spending and the consequence is laying off over 1000 people in a DAY. It isn’t the nature of the beast. It isn’t just the way the world works. It can be changed and it NEEDS to be changed. And if it ever does change we’ll talk about it, but until then we’ll keep pointing it out how it still hasn’t. Every week. I don’t want to tie in the Splinter Cell clock into such a serious topic so I won’t. But here’s where we stand with waiting on Splinter Cell: 4,605 days. Also, there’s been 2,883 job losses in the gaming industry since January 1, 2026.

    1h 39m

  3. MAR 15

    Season 20, Episode 08

    You’ll have to forgive me for getting completely sidetracked as we turn to someone who bought a pre-built PC. But not just ANY pre-built. Dude went ALL out with 64 gigs of RAM and a massive 5090 GPU. So, yeah, that kinda grabbed my attention a bit there. Given the times we currently live in when we talk about RAM prices going way up and causing the prices of graphics cards to also increase. All of this was after we started talking about what the next Xbox would likely cost. And what Valve’s Steam Machine might also cost. New tech is always exciting but no matter the thrills, the specs, the bells AND the whistles…it’ll all get kind of buried under the weight of whatever the price tag is. And that’s currently unknown for us. And may be for some time. At any other point in time previous, we’d already know the price. We’d already have the details. But they’re taking their time on getting there and it’s because of the price of RAM. Full stop. The Switch 2 got in under the gun and, for now, was able to avoid the spike in prices. But that won’t last much longer before they have to replenish stock and the price will likely affect that. But Valve’s new PC will be our first look at just how bad it has become. And give us a better idea of what to expect from the next Xbox and the PS6. Start saving. Ubisoft, it’s been 4,591 days since a new Splinter Cell game (non-animated series or guest spot in another game franchise, remake, BBC radio drama, or VR exclusive) was released. Also, there’s been 1,626 job losses in the gaming industry since January 1, 2026.

    1h 39m

  4. MAR 8

    Season 20, Episode 07

    Listen, there is still bad news. More AI stuff and more studio closings and people losing their jobs. It’s still pretty bleak. And it isn’t likely to change for quite some time. But, in an effort to not yet again sound like a broken record of just horrible news every week, I’d like to pose a question to you. If you could wipe the memory of any game you’ve played, so that you could experience it again for the very first time, what would you pick? What game made such an impression on you that going through it again, with a fresh mind and fresh eyes, would be your choice? Half-Life 1/2 were amazing games with mechanics we’d never seen before at the time, but if only your memory of it was wiped, would it be what it was then by playing it today? I had a few picks for myself. Mark Of The Ninja was one. It’s a game I’ve not played in a long time and would likely feel like playing it for the first time. Another was Bioshock Infinite (probably Bioshock 1, as well). Those two games, while playing them wouldn’t seem at all much different than anything else out there…it’s their stories that I want to experience again for the first time. And it’s a bit hard for me to find something else like that – although I’m sure they exist. I just can’t think of them at the moment. Maybe Braid. Maybe. So let us know what your picks are. And maybe for a little bit we aren’t thinking about job losses and AI running up the tab on all our fun stuff and everything else going on at the moment. At least for a little bit. At this point playing ANY Splinter Cell game would feel like I’m playing it for the first time again. Ubisoft, it’s been 4,584 days since a new Splinter Cell game (non-animated series or guest spot in another game franchise, remake, BBC radio drama, or VR exclusive) was released. Also, there’s been 1,626 job losses in the gaming industry since January 1, 2026.

    1h 40m

  5. MAR 1

    Season 20, Episode 06

    I’d love to be able to write one of these and NOT talk about how bleak things are, but that ain’t happening this week. There’s more studio closures and people losing their jobs. More price increases or flat out shortages because of RAM due to AI – which is also a part of the job losses. Microsoft just made a big shakeup in their leadership, which brings us back to AI again given who took over the Xbox side of things there was formally the head of AI for Microsoft. Like I said, it’s not great news. And hasn’t been for a while. On the less important side of things but adding a cherry on top of the news – we almost certainly now know we’ll likely never get that Bloodborne remake. But we came close. I’d say it’s great to be back but I really wish things weren’t so bad right now – and that extends beyond the world of gaming at the moment given the recent news. I’d love to be able to have a show where we played something fun and didn’t feel guilty telling you about it without remembering how horrible things currently are. And normally I’m not this much of a Debbie Downer in my write up’s but THAT’S HOW BAD THINGS ARE! Look, if you want a break away from the bad news, gaming isn’t a bad place to start, but at this point I’d recommend anything – hell, you got a good book sitting around? READ IT! A new demo from the next fest to try out? PLAY IT! Whatever you need to do to keep you mentally healthy right now, just give it a go and fall into that world instead of this one at the moment. Also, there’s still no Splinter Cell – because I have to keep the tradition going I guess. Ubisoft, it’s been 4,577 days since a new Splinter Cell game (non-animated series or guest spot in another game franchise, remake, BBC radio drama, or VR exclusive) was released. Also, there’s been 1,525 job losses in the gaming industry since January 1, 2026.

    1h 41m

  6. FEB 15

    Season 20, Episode 05

    It’s been a bit since I’ve sort of been excited for upcoming games. The game awards reveals weren’t all that spectacular this year and there’s so many of them that you hardly have time to drink them in and remember them. Compare that to what we got from Sony’s recent State Of Play from this past week and it’s a night and day difference of what a good show should look like. A lot of video and very little talk in between. It likely could have been shortened just a hair but with things like this you sort of have to cater to all tastes a little bit. So the boring parts for me are the exciting parts for others. Still, all around, this was a good showing. Even more so because a lot of what was shown was not exclusive to the PlayStation platform. My two biggest stand outs were the John Wick game (jury is still out on how it’ll play – what we got seemed mostly NOT actual gameplay. It’s not a red flag but I’ll wait and see) and Star Wars Galactic Racer. Let’s focus a bit on that racer, shall we? It’s made by a studio that has mostly employed folks from Criterion. The old Criterion from the Burnout days. And if what we saw was anything to go by (again, did we see gameplay? Are we sure? I’m still gonna wait but I’m hopeful) there is a heavy sense of Burnout DNA in that game. I don’t mind that it’s adorned in Star Wars clothing, I’ll take it. For me, you could have wrapped it in a Sesame Street Kart racer but if the Burnout DNA was there, I would be to – day one. Nothing to dismiss from Wreckreation – another game with Burnout devs. I haven’t played it yet and it didn’t sell well but it exists and I’ll eventually get around to playing it. I’ll take any and all comers when it comes to my Burnout. Someone’s bound to get it right and I’ll probably still enjoy their attempts. Then there’s that Shinobi Ops game with the Tenchu vibes. You know, seeing how that game plays, I wouldn’t mind an isometric stealth title in a Splinter Cell package. Ubisoft, if you’re listening (you aren’t). It’s been…4,563 days since a new Splinter Cell game (non-animated series or guest spot in another game franchise, remake, BBC radio drama, or VR exclusive) was released. Also, there’s been 1,280 job losses in the gaming industry since January 1, 2026.

    1h 39m

  7. FEB 8

    Season 20, Episode 04

    I didn’t know but apparently, in some other timeline we should have been talking about the release and pricing of the Steam Machine and all those other gadgets Valve had planned to release. And while they are still planned to be released, seemingly, this year, we don’t know when or what they’ll cost. Because Valve doesn’t know. The reason for this takes us back to what we talked about last week and likely what we’ll be talking about in the weeks to come: AI. When announced last year the Steam Machine was really something to look forward to. Valve seems to be of the mind that they sort of want everyone to experience PC gaming. The Steam Deck was the first attempt at this and it’s done wonderfully. People who had a PC now had something portable and people without a gaming PC of any kind now had something to experience PC gaming with. The Steam Machine was set to follow suit. Something, likely, affordable that wasn’t overly powerful but had decent specs and could run games at mid to upper settings. The speculation on price was the biggest factor of anything about the device itself. And we’re still left waiting on that. Because of RAM. This is, sadly, going to be a running theme for us this year I’m afraid. The whole RAM thing is a result of AI, as we’ve stated before and that’s just going to lead to a whole world of hurt as far as…well, probably everything. I’m really hoping next week I’ll have something else to write and talk about. Maybe a Splinter Cell game, but probably not. Ubisoft, it has been 4,556 days since a new Splinter Cell game (non-animated series or guest spot in another game franchise, remake, BBC radio drama, or VR exclusive) was released. Also, there’s been 1100 job losses in the gaming industry since January 1, 2026.

    1h 40m

  8. FEB 1

    Season 20, Episode 03

    The gaming industry is kind of in a bit of dire straits at the moment. It’s odd that in the same show we talk about how many billions of dollars Steam made in only two weeks and then we end by talking about Ubisoft restructuring, Paradox losing 162% of profits, and Microsoft having pretty abysmal hardware sales. And just as I was writing this the night before posting, Intrepid studios have closed their doors and laid off all 250 odd employees. Then there’s the whole RAM and AI issue that’s just screwing up pretty much everything when it comes to this hobby and industry. The AI situation is affecting the price of RAM and now hard drives, solid state drives, and just drive space altogether. Prices have skyrocketed. AI is also affecting jobs in the industry as it is everywhere else. I’m not saying games are going to start drying up but advancement will hit a wall. Because in order to keep moving forward better computers will be needed and RAM is a part of that. As is, apparently, AI, sadly. Console generations are going to stretch beyond what we’ve previously known, as will PC upgrades. It’s all a bit gloomy really. And it’s probably going to get worse and worse before it even slightly gets what you might call “better”. So what do you do? Well, there’s very little you can do. Stop using AI is a small solution but it won’t change anything. Maybe if we all could on a global scale, sure, but that’s just wishful thinking. We’re all just going to have to ride this train to whatever station it’s taking us to and then decide if we want to stop there or keep going. Eventually, things will change. But I can’t even begin to predict when it might. All I can do is just dig into my backlog, find the indies, and pick up games or hardware on sale when it hits a price I can afford. Some of that, however, also feels like wishful thinking. Speaking of wishful thinking, Ubisoft it has been 4,549 days since a new Splinter Cell game (non-animated series or guest spot in another game franchise, remake, BBC radio drama, or VR exclusive) was released. Also, there’s been 1006 job losses in the gaming industry since January 1, 2026.

    1h 42m
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About

Intelligent Gaming Discussion

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  • Creator
    ingamechat.net
  • Years Active
    2006 - 2026
  • Episodes
    15
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    In-Game Chat