Stay ConnectedStep into the world of gaming with Gamertag Radio! As one of the most established gaming podcasts, we bring you twice-weekly episodes packed with breaking news, expert reviews, and exclusive interviews. Join hosts Danny Peña, Peter Toledo, Parris Lilly, and Riana Manuel-Peña as they dive into the latest gaming trends and topics. Podcasting since Feb 2005.
Business Email: danny@gamertagradio.com
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In this episode of Gamertag Radio, host Danny Peña sits down with Chris Hewish, President of Xsolla. With over 25 years of experience in the gaming industry at companies like Activision, DreamWorks, and Skydance, Chris shares valuable insights on the evolving business of video games.
Danny and Chris discuss the shift in premium game pricing, hardware costs, and the economic realities facing game developers today. Chris breaks down why developers are shifting to direct-to-consumer web shops, how direct player connections impact studio sustainability, and the critical importance of building long-term player trust over purely transactional relationships. They also dive into topics including user-generated content (UGC), player digital asset ownership, and the future outlook for traditional home consoles.
Additionally, Parris Lilly shares impressions of Phantom Blade Zero using NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 with Ray Reconstruction and Path Tracing for the ultimate visuals and performance with a RTX 50 Series GPU #RTXON sponsored by NVIDIA GeForce. Sponsored segment.
While preparing for an international move to Punta Cana, Danny Peña and Riana Manuel-Peña put all their major gaming rigs and consoles into storage. The result? Danny spent the last two months reviewing all major upcoming and new game releases strictly on the ROG Xbox Ally X, while Riana tested out the Nintendo Switch 2!
In this episode of Gamer Tag Radio, they break down what it’s like living purely off handheld devices, comparing performance, ergonomics, battery convenience, and overall experience against traditional desktop PCs, the Xbox Series S/X, and the Steam Deck.
Key Topics Covered:
Moving setup changes & why everything went into storage
Why the ROG Xbox Ally X replaced a high-end gaming PC for reviews
Testing games on ROG Ally X: Gears of War: E-Day, Control Resonant, Silent Hill, Hellraiser, Forza Horizon, and more
Switch 2 impressions & split Joy-Con ergonomics
Playing Call of Duty campaign offline on Switch 2
ROG Ally X vs. Steam Deck performance comparisons
In this episode of Gamer Tag Radio, Danny Peña and Riana Manuel-Peña take a trip down memory lane to react to and share their absolute favorite video game swag, press kits, and promotional packages received throughout their gaming careers!
From a limited-edition 007 gold gun display and a custom Sifu tea set to pizza-scented TMNT Xbox controllers and ultra-rare consoles (like the E3 2005 Xbox 360 faceplate and the GTA IV: Lost and Damned Xbox 360), they break down the most creative, high-effort, and memorable gaming collectibles sent by developers over the years.
Games & Items Featured in This Video:
GoldenEye 007 Limited Edition Display Case
Viva Piñata Custom Wooden Box & Character Piñata
Starfield Custom Xbox Headset & Controller
Sifu Press Kit with Stoneware Tea Set & Life Coins
Cronos: The New Dawn PS5 Controller & Limited Release Vinyl
Xbox x Samsung Note 20 Cloud Gaming VIP Kit
Xbox x OPI Summer Nail Polish Collection & Custom Controller
Space Jam: A New Legacy LeBron James Figurine & Controller Set
TMNT: Mutant Mayhem Pizza-Scented Xbox Controllers
Xbox Series X Oversized Jenga Tower
The Last of Us Emergency Survival Kit & Flashlight
Outriders: Worldslayer Pyromancer Class Hot Sauce Challenge
Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed Event Swag & "Winky Wash"
Tell Me Why Authentic Tlingit Hand-Painted Wooden Figures & ARG Mailers
Psychonauts 2 Raz Goggles & Brain Puzzle Unboxing
Minecraft Legends Mini Creeper Fridge
Titanfall Respawn Developer Easter Egg Controller
South of Midnight Vinyl Soundtrack
Battletoads Flash Drive Cassette Tape & Promo Box
GTA IV: The Lost and Damned Limited Edition Console
Join host Danny Peña and special guest Riana Manuel-Peña on this special episode of Gamertag Radio for a spoiler-free review of the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 campaign!
Danny and Riana dive deep into their hands-on impressions across multiple platforms—including Riana's experience on Xbox Series S and Danny's early impressions playing on Nintendo Switch 2. They break down:
Story & Pacing: Riana's thoughts on why this is her favorite Modern Warfare campaign yet, the TV-show quality story structure, and engaging character arcs.
Gameplay & Performance: How the game performs on Switch 2 and Series S, branching player choices, stealth missions, and new mechanics.
Open-World & DMZ Integration: A preview of the semi-open campaign missions and how they set expectations for DMZ.
Special Surprises & Tips: Highlights on the integrated Wu-Tang Clan elements, crucial advice for the end-credits, and a look ahead to multiplayer.
Special thanks to Activision for providing review copies.
Connect with us:
Send us questions - fanmail@gamertagradio.com | Speakpipe.com/gamertagradio or 786-273-7GTR. Join our Discord - https://discord.gg/gtr chat with other GTR community member.Danny Peña and Parris Lilly dive deep into the ultimate history and current status of the Call of Duty franchise. The duo examines COD's historic sales domination since 2005, comparing its performance against industry giants like Halo 3, Grand Theft Auto, and Red Dead Redemption.
They also evaluate the business impact of releasing Call of Duty on Game Pass on day one, analyzing why strategy shifts occur and what the future holds for the franchise across platforms. Plus, Parris breaks down his hands-on experience playing Call of Duty multiplayer on the Nintendo Switch 2 and discusses how bringing COD to Switch 2 expands its global ecosystem.
Danny Peña and Parris Lilly are joined by special guest Brittany (aka Blonde Nerd) to break down Parris’ hands-on preview experience playing The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake on Nintendo Switch 2 at Nintendo’s 2026 Holiday Showcase!
Parris shares details from his 80-minute preview session, covering Kokiri Forest, the Deku Tree, Hyrule Field, Hyrule Castle Town, and adult Link combat inside the Forest Temple. The crew discusses the new dedicated jump button, updated combat and camera controls, voice acting, enemy redesigns, and whether this remake stays faithful to the 1998 N64 classic.
Connect with us:
Send us questions - fanmail@gamertagradio.com | Speakpipe.com/gamertagradio or 786-273-7GTR. Join our Discord - https://discord.gg/gtr chat with other GTR community member.
Danny Peña and Parris Lilly return to discuss the biggest stories in gaming and tech! In this episode, the duo dives deep into the early estimated sales numbers for Gears of War: E-Day, addressing the online discourse around Game Pass vs. direct sales and why artificial sales metrics don't paint the whole picture.
Later, Parris shares his hands-on experience at the Microsoft and NVIDIA Surface Event in San Francisco, breaking down the Surface Laptop Ultra, the RTX Spark architecture, and what it all means for the future of PC gaming and AI integration. The hosts also look ahead to the Xbox 25th Anniversary fan event in Seattle, predicting potential hardware announcements, Project Helix details, and the evolving future of consoles.
Connect with us:
Send us questions - fanmail@gamertagradio.com | Speakpipe.com/gamertagradio or 786-273-7GTR. Join our Discord - https://discord.gg/gtr chat with other GTR community member.
Xbox recently announced XBOX XP, a new division focused on Xbox Pictures, Products, Places, and Partnerships. But what does this major announcement actually mean for content creators, influencers, and gaming communities?
In this episode of Gamertag Radio, Danny Peña and Riana Manuel-Peña sit down with industry veteran Andy Lunique (aka Chef Andy, former games influencer marketing specialist) to break down the real-world impact of XBOX XP.
Topics covered in this episode:
XBOX Partnerships: How Xbox plans to collaborate with creators, brands, and communities beyond simple sponsorships.
The Evolution of Influencers: Moving from big-budget creator campaigns to micro and mid-tier community builders.
Third Places & Live Events: Bringing back in-person fan experiences, launch parties, and conventions like Xbox FanFest.
Leadership at XBOX XP: How former Mojang President Kayleen Walters' background spans both traditional media and gaming.
Send us questions - fanmail@gamertagradio.com | Speakpipe.com/gamertagradio or 786-273-7GTR. Join our Discord - https://discord.gg/gtr chat with other GTR community member.
Parris Lilly had the opportunity to check out Nintendo Switch Sports Resort at the Nintendo Holiday Showcase in New York City!
In this hands-on preview, I walk through my experience testing out both exploratory and competitive modes:
Island Exploration: Power cruising (wave racing), prop plane flying, and skateboarding with photo objectives
Competitive Modes: Thumb wrestling, archery, table tennis, boxing, and bowling
Nintendo Switch Sports Resort releases on October 22, 2026. Big thanks to Nintendo for inviting me out!
The whole crew is back! Danny Peña, Parris Lilly, and Peter Toledo sit down to catch up on the latest gaming news, hands-on impressions, community voicemails, and industry rants.
First, the team listens to community voicemails touching on compassion during industry layoffs, Danny’s work with media outreach on major games, and accessibility options like difficulty modes in modern RPGs.
Then, Parris gives a deep dive into Gears of War: E-Day running on PC. Sponsored segment details powered by NVIDIA GeForce showcase how DLSS 4.5, multi-frame generation, and ray tracing elevate the visual fidelity on RTX 50-series GPUs. Plus, the crew shares their thoughts on the return of Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago.
Next, Parris breaks down his experience at the Nintendo Holiday Showcase! Hear early impressions of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 and Super Mario Minecraft running on the Switch 2, alongside a look at upcoming accessories and hardware.
Finally, Parris rants about feature parity issues on the Xbox PC App before the team dives into a discussion on Project Helix, physical vs. digital game ownership, and why Bethesda’s release timelines for Fallout and The Elder Scrolls VI are taking way too long compared to studios like Remedy and CD Projekt Red.
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