Sacred Symbols: A PlayStation Podcast

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#90: Crisis Mar 20, 2020

Show notes

This episode of Sacred Symbols -- like every one before it -- will become a time capsule. It's just that, in these seemingly historic days, this time capsule might be a little more real than the rest. The world is going through a tumultuous period, and in our little corner called The Gaming Industry, we certainly aren't immune. E3 is cancelled, for starters, but that's no surprise. And word of distress is emerging from Naughty Dog about harsh working conditions, too. But perhaps the biggest news of all is about PlayStation 5's seemingly inevitable delay into 2021, something not yet confirmed, but something being widely speculated about. It's big news not only because it pushes next-gen into the distance, but because its delay would come because of the Coronavirus that's currently giving us a run for our money. So let's talk candidly about the troubles facing our hobby and ourselves, and spice in some humor, listener inquiries, and other pieces of news, too. No, this certainly isn't the apocalypse. But who can blame you for feeling like it is?

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#89: Cordyceps and Katanas Mar 13, 2020

Show notes

While we await news of PlayStation 5 from Sony (seriously... what the hell are they doing?), news has emerged from two important -- and very different -- projects. First, Ghost of Tsushima, arguably the last of the big PlayStation 4 first party exclusives, finally has a release date, and it's a lot sooner than any of us expected. Then, a more unexpected nugget: The Last of Us is getting an HBO series! But is that a wise risk to take with arguably the brand's most beloved IP? We discuss. Lots of other news is circulating this week, too. Sony Santa Monica loses its longtime leader, Call of Duty's free-to-play battle royale has arrived, E3's slow death continues, and the existence of a Star Wars game called Project Maverick leaks on PSN. Also, listener questions! Why did Ubisoft make such significant changes to The Division 2? Does stress and worry ever stop us from enjoying gaming? Should Sony buy Arc System Works? Is Chris dying of a deadly virus?

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#88: Maintaining Its Luster Mar 06, 2020

Show notes

Back in 2007, Platinum Games was founded by some of (at the time) Capcom's heaviest hitters, including Shinji Mikami and Hideki Kamiya. Some 13 years later, the team is one of the most respected independent development studios in the world, and it's finally ready to shed its shackles from publishers like SEGA, Activision, and Nintendo, and strike out on its own. So let's chat about it! Plus: The creator of the famous Konami Code has passed away, GDC gets postponed in fear of the Coronavirus, Supermassive's Dark Pictures Anthology is on track to continue this summer, you'll be able to try Predator: Hunting Grounds for free very soon, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Could there be an XFL video game? Is Xbox Series X's "Smart Delivery" really that big of a deal? What's with WB Montreal's weird, drawn-out Batman teases? Is the Kool-Aid Man the jar or the liquid inside the jar?

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#87: Beefy Trendsetter Feb 28, 2020

Show notes

Persona 5 Royal comes to western PS4s soon, but an interesting controversy has overtaken the hype. Buried within the massive JRPG's original release are a couple of scenes that a small group of players found homophobic, and in response, Atlus is making some key edits to lessen the blow. The question is, should the publisher be making these changes? Are the scenes even offensive at all? Let's chat about it, and see how we feel. Then, more news! Sony, Kojima Productions, and others are bailing out of upcoming trade shows in fear of Coronavirus, EA cancels yet another Star Wars game, Call of Duty's upcoming battle royale mode may just surprise you, THQ Nordic just can't stop buying companies, and more! Following that: Listener inquiries! Would we play a game with the American military as the antagonists? How important of a factor should inflation be in the cost of gaming hardware? What happened to Ubisoft's Skull and Bones? Is Chris a communist? Let's go!

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#86: The Means of Production Feb 21, 2020

Show notes

The American publication Bloomberg is typically a reliable source of information, and a recent story within its pages tells an interesting tale. It appears Sony is having a hard time keeping production costs of PlayStation 5 down, so much so that it's delaying the Japanese corporation's ability to determine what it should charge for the console, or if it can even turn a profit selling it. There's even reportedly a little civil war going on internally, with some powers-that-be convinced profit should be extracted no matter what, even if it affects demand. Should we be worried? Well, maybe. We discuss. Then again, other news flows this week, too! After four Need For Speeds, EA is taking the series away from Ghost Games and giving it back to Criterion, Quantic Dream leaps forward into the great self-publishing unknown, People Can Fly's Destiny-like Outriders is PS5-bound, Ubisoft wants The Division 2 to live again, and much more. Plus: Listener inquiries! Was the Sonic movie any good? Should Untitled Goose Game really be DICE's Game of the Year? Is E3 in an uncontrollable death spiral? Can we please -- for the love of all that is holy in this world -- stop talking about Kingdom Hearts?

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#85: Going Viral Feb 14, 2020

Show notes

By now, you've undoubtedly heard of the Coronavirus, a lethal illness originating in mainland China that has so far claimed the lives of more than a thousand people. What you may not have considered, however, is how this might affect PlayStation 5. No: We're not kidding. Game consoles are manufactured in Chinese factories, and it's entirely possible that Coronavirus could delay PS5's launch, a possibility so real that even a mainstream investment firm is warning its clients of such an eventuality. Should we really fear such a delay? Would Sony launch a supply-constrained console instead of being late to market? Do people really need to be eating bats to begin with? We discuss. This episode is chock-full of other news, too! Long-time Rockstar creative lead Dan Houser is leaving the studio he helped create, Sony shut down a first party studio that never so much as released a game, BioWare and EA simply won't stop trying to make Anthem happen, and much more. Also: Let's hear from you, dear listener! Has Chris been unexpectedly teaching Colin a thing or two about video games? How come Ninja Theory stopped working with Sony? Will we ever give Yakuza a chance? Should one listener return his old roommate's forgotten PlayStation 2 games, even if he hated that roommate? Let's go deep.

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#84: Enraptured Feb 07, 2020

Show notes

PlayStation Plus' free game offerings have always been a little hit or miss, but this month, an essential compilation comes to the service: The BioShock Collection. BioShock, BioShock Infinite, and even BioShock 2 are some of the best games last-gen has to offer, and the original title in particular is an absolute must-play. If you haven't enjoyed these gems yet, you should, and we tell you why now's the time, since they're free-of-charge and all. But how about some news, too?! Sony is sending out random surveys asking some mighty interesting questions about Remote Play, Platinum Games is bringing Wii U-exclusive The Wonderful 101 to PS4 via Kickstarter, Respawn's Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order exceeds EA's sales expectations, Cyberpunk 2077's delay might not be so dire after all, and much more. Plus: Listener questions! Is the PS3 a retro console? How many AAA exclusives should come to PlayStation 5 each calendar year? Why aren't there more games with destructible environments? Is it time we accept that you can't capture a human being in a Pokéball?

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#83: Mao Money, Mao Problems Jan 31, 2020

Show notes

When money flows from companies that call communist dictatorships home, those funds typically come with strings attached. Activision-Blizzard learned this the hard way just months ago, but it hasn't stopped western teams from accepting this cash with reckless abandon. The next business about to get gobbled up by Chinese conglomerate Tencent is the Norwegian MMO dev-slash-pub Funcom, and Tencent is even willing to pay a staggering 30% over market value for the honor. The big question is: Why? When bizarre corporate cultures and diverging governments collide, it can make for some choppy waters. So let's chat about this recent acquisition-to-be, and what it might mean. Also: Housemarque makes another sharp left turn, the Uncharted movie no one wants gets delayed again, Daybreak is splitting into three separate teams, and much more. Plus: Could Xbox ever win Colin over? Should Sony purchase Kojima Productions? Is our new cross-gen reality about to create some unexpected problems? Can you capture a person in a Pokéball?

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#82: Better Late Than Never Jan 24, 2020

Show notes

The year started out quietly enough... that is until all of the delays began and started ruining our lives. Final Fantasy VII Remake. Cyberpunk 2077. Dying Light 2. The Avengers. Even that completely random Iron Man VR game wasn't immune! But should we be concerned about the reworked schedule? Or has the shifting calendar serendipitously bought us precious time to catch up on our backlogs? We discuss. Plus: It looks like Horizon is coming to PC, Call of Duty absolutely dominated last decade's sales charts, Monster Hunter: World continues to crush it for Capcom, and much more. Then, listener questions! Does E3's decline signal the end of The ESA? What's with all of the tiny text in games? Could DualShock 5 have a small screen on it? Was Chris riding a bicycle through the streets of London last week? All of that (and much more) right after you press the play button.

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#81: Arkham Assumption Jan 17, 2020

Show notes

For nearly a decade, WB Montreal has existed in the shadow of its better-known and more-beloved sister studio Rocksteady. But finally, it appears the Quebecois dev is poised to break out. Yet again, the team has teased a vague image on its social media channels that almost certainly points towards a new Batman game, something WB Montreal has dabbled in in the past with 2013's Arkham Origins. But with Rocksteady's Arkham Trilogy getting all of the respect and Origins getting precious little, is WB Montreal walking into a trap? We talk it through. Then: Media Molecule's Dreams finally goes gold, Platinum Games confusingly accepts substantial Chinese investment, Capcom is emphasizing the Remake in Resident Evil 3 Remake, and Nioh 2 is so friggin' hard that Team Ninja is toning it down. Plus: Will Beyond Good & Evil 2 ever come out? How do we define "hardcore" gaming? Is Tetris Effect dropping the ball when it comes to DLC? Should a man be murdered for thinking Friends is better than Seinfeld? There's much to discuss!

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