Dual Comm Podcast

We are back discussing the epic Gamescom and State of Play announcments including The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered, the Songs of the Past new Witcher 3 expansion, and the new free Mario Kart 8 update that brings 8 player splitscreen for Switch 2 users along with other free enhancements. We discuss this trend of older games getting renewed support, expansions, and remasters and ask if more publishers should pursue this. Then we discuss Sony's new State of Play, what games we are excited about and then dive into a bit more discussion on the importance of consumer protections as they move into the all digital era. We talk Xbox's new disc to digital program, September game releases, and more. Thanks for listening.
Show links: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/over-700-games-launched-on-steam-in-one-week-for-the-first-time-though-74-had-fewer-than-10-reviews https://www.msn.com/en-us/gaming/xbox/xbox-disc-to-digital-supports-delisted-games-too-here-s-every-title-that-works-so-far/ar-AA2bscYc https://www.flyingpenguin.com/doctorows-disinvention-of-the-vcrs-history/ 
Jampackd Magazine: https://jampackd.quest/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DualComm   Pod-zine: https://glitch.mov/products/dual-comm-podzine-1-the-feelings-test 
00:00 What We’ve Been Playing06:58 The Witcher 3’s Huge Gamescom Comeback15:09 Should Old Games Keep Getting New Content?25:51 Are Classic Gaming Franchises Making a Comeback?35:11 All Digital PlayStation...42:50 State of Play: Our Favorite Games52:04 September Is Absolutely Stacked54:50 Xbox Disc-to-Digital & The Future of Physical Games1:18:18 700 Games in One Week: Steam, Indies & Discovery
Subscribe on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dual-comm-podcast/id1781108219Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Ls95EviV2hcBBnufcZ5ZEiHeartRadio: https://iheart.com/podcast/240902321Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/5752977a-04fd-4198-b7e3-2a25665b98fc
Follow us on YouTube:@bbkdragoon | @EposVox | @lostsaves | @NeuroSpicy.Cooking

A lot has happened in gaming since our last show, so we had plenty to catch up on. We talk about our early impressions of Halo Campaign Evolved, Xbox’s massive restructuring, and why Sony moving away from physical games feels like such a breaking point. Epos also shares his surprisingly positive experience with the new Steam Machine, while we get into game ownership, preservation, and why convenience matters more to us as we get older. Plus, we talk Monster Hunter, older consoles, YouTube’s continued evolution, and plenty more along the way.
Jampackd Magazine: https://jampackd.quest/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DualComm   Pod-zine: https://glitch.mov/products/dual-comm-podzine-1-the-feelings-test 
00:00:00 Intro & Jam-Packed Magazine00:03:56 Games of the Week00:6:08 Video of the Week: Sony and Physical Games00:7:22 Wind Waker, Pokémon FireRed & Emulation00:13:47 Steam Machine Impressions00:26:53 Xbox’s Reset & Bethesda Layoffs00:39:15 Sony’s All-Digital Future01:01:42 Is a Hobby Still a Hobby?01:05:08 Halo Campaign Evolved Impressions01:18:55 Sony’s Lost PlayStation Handheld01:20:47 Replaceable Batteries & the Original Switch01:24:07 Switch 2 OLED Rumors01:28:40 The Value of Older Consoles01:30:37 Convenience Over the “Best” Way to Play01:36:33 Monster Hunter Wilds & Capcom01:42:29 YouTube Algorithms & What Comes Next01:52:29 Outro
Subscribe on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dual-comm-podcast/id1781108219Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Ls95EviV2hcBBnufcZ5ZEiHeartRadio: https://iheart.com/podcast/240902321Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/5752977a-04fd-4198-b7e3-2a25665b98fc
Follow us on YouTube:@bbkdragoon | @EposVox | @lostsaves | @NeuroSpicy.Cooking

We really enjoyed the new State of Play, and in this special Dual Comm episode we recap the entire presentation and our thoughts on the games that were shown. Then we talk about friction free gaming, the one platform mindset update, and the Steam Deck pricing increases that just happened. Thanks for listening and have a great week!
 
00:00:00 Incredible State of Play00:01:40 Game of the Week00:02:31 Wolverine 00:06:26 Marvel Tokon Fighting Souls00:07:50 Rayman Legends Retold00:09:00 Bancho The Chef00:10:14 Kemuri00:11:34 Tomb Raider Legacy of Atlantis00:14:06 The Lost Wild00:14:37 Phantom Blade Zero00:15:43 Dune: Awakening00:17:15 Dynasty Warriors 3 Complete Edition Remastered00:20:00 No Rest For The Wicked00:22:00 Onimusha00:24:10 Ace Combat 800:31:02 Stuntman Hollywood00:33:08 Control Resonant00:34:31 Marathon00:35:17 Runescape Wilds00:37:19 Until Dawn 200:37:52 God Of War Laufey00:52:08 State Of Play Reception00:58:27 The One Platform Mindset01:07:08 The Feelings Test Awareness01:14:00 Friction Free Gaming01:19:11 Steam Deck Price Increase
Subscribe on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dual-comm-podcast/id1781108219Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Ls95EviV2hcBBnufcZ5ZEiHeartRadio: https://iheart.com/podcast/240902321Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/5752977a-04fd-4198-b7e3-2a25665b98fc
Follow us on YouTube:@bbkdragoon | @EposVox | @lostsaves | @NeuroSpicy.Cooking

This week we talk about Thronefall as our game of the week. Epos built the ultimate locked down laptop for a dialed family experience. We look at an amazing custom motherboard PS2 handheld. We discuss Sony moving away from PC releases for their first party singleplayer games. Then in the back half we discuss numerous gaming news items, along with our main topic, will gaming ever feel hopeful again. Thanks for watching!
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DualComm 
Pod-zine: https://glitch.mov/products/dual-comm-podzine-1-the-feelings-test 
00:00:00 Game & Video Of The Week00:18:30 Intentional Laptop For The Kiddo00:29:15 Handheld PlayStation 200:40:49 Looking At YouTube Studio00:45:10 PS5 No More On PC01:00:00 PS Plus Price Increase01:01:23 Plex Lifetime Pass $750...01:11:12 Steam Download Tab Update01:13:04 Helldivers 2 Tech Update01:17:25 Discord Gets End to end encryption01:19:19 Marathon Getting More PvE Support?01:24:33 Will Gaming Feel Hopeful Again?
Show links:
VIDEO OF THE WEEK: Hank Green “I just want to fix things”https://youtu.be/WnG6l7voITY 
GAME OF THE WEEK: Thronefallhttps://store.steampowered.com/app/2239150/Thronefall/ 
Google Search Going Awayhttps://techcrunch.com/2026/05/19/google-search-as-you-know-it-is-over/ 
INSANE portable PS2 made with original chips but custom motherboardhttps://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/handheld-gaming/enthusiast-crams-reversed-engineered-ps2-into-a-handheld-designs-custom-motherboard-bespoke-playstation-2-portable-pairs-modern-features-with-original-silicon 
PlayStation Exec says PC releases are DONEhttps://bsky.app/profile/jasonschreier.bsky.social/post/3mm5jzsls5s2a 
PS+ Price Increaseshttps://x.com/playstation/status/2056404450793938989 
Plex makes its lifetime license unaffordable, move to Jellyfinhttps://www.plex.tv/blog/new-lifetime-plex-pass-pricing/ 
Helldivers 2 is finally getting FSR/DLSS/Reflexhttps://store.steampowered.com/news/app/553850/view/666114279352566049 
Discord updates Linux client, adds E2EE for video callshttps://discord.com/blog/every-voice-and-video-call-on-discord-is-now-end-to-end-encrypted 
Marathon getting PVE/story contenthttps://kotaku.com/marathon-reveals-an-ambitious-blueprint-for-making-it-a-game-more-people-want-to-play-2000696161 
 
Subscribe on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dual-comm-podcast/id1781108219Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Ls95EviV2hcBBnufcZ5ZEiHeartRadio: https://iheart.com/podcast/240902321Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/5752977a-04fd-4198-b7e3-2a25665b98fc
Follow us on YouTube:@bbkdragoon | @EposVox | @lostsaves | @NeuroSpicy.Cooking

This show we dive into how stimulating the modern internet can be, and how it takes a lot of effort to truly disconnect. But that effort to get a bit more offline has immense benefits and joys behind it. We then talk about finding your own taste in gaming and being confident in the mechanics you enjoy. We close by talking about Sony's step away from PC releases and PC language regarding their games and what that could mean. Thanks for watching or listening!
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DualComm 
Chapters:
00:00:00 Video of the week00:10:52 Internet Over stimulation & Attention00:40:49 Finding Your Taste In Gaming00:57:40 Inbox Zero & Deep Work01:18:02 PlayStation Scrubbing PC ReferencesShow Links:
Over stimulation Topic: https://www.msn.com/en-gb/health/general/scientists-say-social-media-detox-can-reverse-10-years-of-damage/ar-AA20vNun
PC Gamer article: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/your-joys-will-always-be-someone-elses-junk/
PlayStation scrubbing PC References: https://gameobserver.com/playstation-studios-removes-nearly-all-pc-references-from-websites/
Subscribe on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dual-comm-podcast/id1781108219Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Ls95EviV2hcBBnufcZ5ZEiHeartRadio: https://iheart.com/podcast/240902321Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/5752977a-04fd-4198-b7e3-2a25665b98fc
Follow us on YouTube:@bbkdragoon | @EposVox | @lostsaves | @NeuroSpicy.Cooking

On this episode we talk about the freedom that a game like Minecraft provides and the generational memories it has built with millions of players. We dive into freedom of play in a sandbox game and how nostalgia impacts every generation. We talk about ways you can make your PC less distracting to help get into games with less friction. Then we talk about game curation, choice, and the new era of a more saturated market. Finally we talk about how rad and fun gaming can be these days. Thanks for listening! 
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DualComm   
Video of the week: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKQ0XEi_Ttw Game of the week: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3919490/Driftline_Peaks/ 
Show links:Epos' DLSS 5 video: https://demodisc.zone/t/dlss-5-sent-me-into-the-woods-aka-spring-break-travel-photog-trip/347 More Music Released In A Day Than A Whole Year https://www.nme.com/news/music/more-music-released-in-a-single-day-in-2024-than-the-whole-of-1989-says-study-3815719 Steam Game Releases By Review Count: https://bsky.app/profile/brkeogh.bsky.social/post/3mgvde43i722q 
00:00:00 Intro00:02:00 Video Of The Week00:07:00 Game Of The Week00:10:47 Minecraft, Memories, Freedom, & Nostalgia00:30:57 De-Distract Your PC 00:54:00 Game Saturation, Curation, & Enjoying The Process01:28:49 Gaming Is Pretty Awesome
Subscribe on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dual-comm-podcast/id1781108219Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Ls95EviV2hcBBnufcZ5ZEiHeartRadio: https://iheart.com/podcast/240902321Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/5752977a-04fd-4198-b7e3-2a25665b98fc
 
Follow us on YouTube:@bbkdragoon | @EposVox | @lostsaves | @NeuroSpicy.Cooking

This week we talk about Steam Next Fest which is starting now! We discuss the consumer electronics crisis that is being fueled by lack of supply. We then talk about Sony's newest State of Play and the games that stood out to us. Unreal Tournament 2004 is free and has been improved by the old unreal community. Then we talk about the importance of originality. Thanks for listening and have a great week!
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DualComm     
Game of the week: Easy Delivery Co. https://store.steampowered.com/app/3293010/Easy_Delivery_Co/ Video of the week: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fG8JUDjtgtw   
Show links:STEAM NEXT FEST (Feb 23 – March 2, 2026 @ 10AM PT) https://store.steampowered.com/sale/nextfest_feb26_press/   Lost Save's Video On Next Fest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sf1LOHTaa14 
Hardware Shortages:https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/memory/many-consumer-electronics-manufacturers-will-go-bankrupt-or-exit-product-lines-by-the-end-of-2026-due-to-the-ai-memory-crisis-phison-ceo-reportedly-says/ https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/artificial-intelligence/over-80-percent-of-companies-report-no-productivity-gains-from-ai-so-far-despite-billions-in-investment-survey-suggests-6-000-executives-also-reveal-1-3-of-leaders-use-ai-but-only-for-90-minutes-a-weekhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzTg5hhH5tE https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2026/02/sony-considering-ps6-delay-to-2028-or-even-2029-new-report-says 
State of Play Feb 12 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0e5YEXtZu0 God of War 2D spin-off article (VGC):  https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/what-the-f-are-they-thinking-god-of-war-creator-says-2d-spin-off-sons-of-sparta-doesnt-respect-the-license/ 
UNREAL TOURNAMENT 2004 (Free 4K Community Installer)  https://www.oldunreal.com/ 
Stardew Valley player sleeps for 1,000 years (Kotaku):  https://kotaku.com/stardew-valley-sleep-meteorite-mushroom-trees-stone-owls-2000669774   
00:00:00 Intro00:03:30 Game Of The Week00:12:30 Video Of The Week00:21:48 Steam Next Fest00:30:36 Are Consumer Electronics In Jeopardy?00:41:00 Consequences Of Steam Machine Delay00:47:39 State Of Play01:01:22 Unreal Tournament 2004 Free And Enhanced01:08:20 Stardew Valley Player Sleeps For 1000 Years01:10:00 You Have What AI Needs
Subscribe on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dual-comm-podcast/id1781108219Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Ls95EviV2hcBBnufcZ5ZEiHeartRadio: https://iheart.com/podcast/240902321Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/5752977a-04fd-4198-b7e3-2a25665b98fc
 
Follow us on YouTube:@bbkdragoon | @EposVox | @lostsaves | @NeuroSpicy.Cooking
 
 

In this episode we talk about Unreal Engine’s influence on movies and TV, the current AI panic in games, and why being constantly mad about tech is a losing game. We also dig into owning your services, GOG’s push toward Linux and preservation, and why mid-tier games deserve more love. Thanks for listening and have a great day! #gaming #gamingpodcast #gamingcommentary 
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DualComm 
Dual Comm Party Chat Podcast:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuMLyNxTXPdCKlZ9CMXkNPDMNNIKQARPd 
Show Links:Featured Video Finis Coronat Opus — A Mirror's Edge Sniping Montage https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHOLAMHBJ3k Featured Games:Arcadium Space Odyssey https://store.steampowered.com/app/2352670/Arcadium__Space_Odyssey/ Don't Stop, Girlypop! https://store.steampowered.com/app/2610650/Dont_Stop_Girlypop/ Garlic https://store.steampowered.com/app/1250440/Garlic/ UNREAL ENGINE IN MOVIES / TV- VGC (Gore Verbinski quote about Unreal Engine): https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/greatest-slip-backwards-pirates-of-the-caribbean-director-says-unreal-engine-makes-films-look-too-much-like-games/ Tom’s Hardware (Project Genie / gaming stocks reaction): https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/gaming-market-melts-down-after-google-reveals-new-ai-game-design-tool-project-genie-crashes-stocks-for-roblox-nintendo-cd-projekt-red-and-more OWN YOUR TECH SERVICES / BEING DONE BEING MAD- Linus Tech Tips (I’m done being mad about tech): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZZf6LM3wAU - Level1Techs (Adam + Wendell storage adventure feat. EposVox): https://level1techs.com/node/3347 Swagless Games https://www.polygon.com/code-vein-2-swagless-game/ Red Dead Redemption 2 vs. A Tiny CRT https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_tohNLvkxk Sony AI LLM Podcast Patent https://www.techradar.com/gaming/sony-patents-ai-generated-podcasts-with-playstation-characters-because-video-game-platforms-currently-lack-the-ability-to-provide-unique-and-targeted-content-to-gamers 
00:00:00 Are We Reducing Our Setups? (Emulation)00:05:03 Dual Comm Patreon00:08:30 Featured Video Of The Show00:12:16 Featured Games Of The Show00:17:00 Is Unreal Engine Ruining Movies & TV?00:24:49 AI Is Running Wild00:44:00 Own Your Tech Services00:56:10 GOG Bringing GOG Galaxy To Linux01:02:42 Epos Doesn't Like Pick Up Videos Anymore01:11:50 Done Being Mad About Tech01:30:15 Mid Games Are Awesome01:50:34 Epos & Fable
 
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Subscribe on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dual-comm-podcast/id1781108219Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Ls95EviV2hcBBnufcZ5ZEiHeartRadio: https://iheart.com/podcast/240902321Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/5752977a-04fd-4198-b7e3-2a25665b98fc
 
Follow us on YouTube:@bbkdragoon | @EposVox | @lostsaves | @NeuroSpicy.Cooking

Season 2 of the Dual Comm podcast has arrived.
We discuss the Steam Deck LCD going away, likely due to RAM shortages. We talk about giving gaming less of yourself to enjoy the hobby more, and then dig into the self-help trend flooding YouTube around hobbies. We also talk about a PC Gamer article noting that the focus of major FPS releases is shifting away from competitive play and toward more relaxed co-op experiences. We wrap by talking about dopamine sensitivity, doing things for yourself, and creating.
Thanks for watching.
Dual Comm Party Chat Podcast:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuMLyNxTXPdCKlZ9CMXkNPDMNNIKQARPd 
Show Links:
Welcome to the FPS Vibe Shift (PC Gamer)https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/welcome-to-the-fps-vibe-shift/ 
Chiral Drifter - Gaming Feels New Again (We Gave Gaming Smaller Pieces of Ourselves)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnIo2WWt848 
Another video about giving gaming less of yourselfhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bo4LUKi62jY 
Epos new blog gamer.dadhttps://gamer.dad 
Chapters:
00:00:00 - Season 2 Begins00:01:48 - Finishing Horizon Zero Dawn and Starting Forbidden West00:12:46 - Steam Deck Funded by Counter-Strike Skins00:15:47 - The End of the Steam Deck LCD00:20:53 - Launching the gamer.dad Blog00:22:04 - Rediscovering RSS00:23:27 - Giving Games Less of Yourself00:31:24 - When Intentional Gaming Becomes the Default00:51:21 - The FPS Vibe Shift01:10:24 - YouTube, Algorithms, and Sensationalism01:30:16 - Doing Things Just for Yourself01:39:30 - Dopamine Sensitivity and Overstimulation
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dual-comm-podcast/id1781108219 
Subscribe on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/2Ls95EviV2hcBBnufcZ5ZE 
Subscribe on iHeartRadio:https://iheart.com/podcast/240902321 
Subscribe on Amazon:https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/5752977a-04fd-4198-b7e3-2a25665b98fc 
 
Subscribe on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dual-comm-podcast/id1781108219Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Ls95EviV2hcBBnufcZ5ZEiHeartRadio: https://iheart.com/podcast/240902321Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/5752977a-04fd-4198-b7e3-2a25665b98fc
 
Follow us on YouTube:@bbkdragoon | @EposVox | @lostsaves | @NeuroSpicy.Cooking

It's the one-year anniversary of the Dual Comm Podcast. Thank you for such an incredible year. In this episode we talk about the origin of the show with a cool surprise, then revisit some of our favorite topics from the first year and how our perspectives have shifted. We also dive into games that hit at the right place and right time, taking breaks before burnout even begins, and share some of our favorite games from the last year along with our goals for 2026. Thanks for making this such a great year. We appreciate you all.
Disclosure: I received a free review copy of The Outer Worlds 2 from Xbox / Microsoft.
Show Links:Taking a break from a certain type of gaming instead of being frustrated:https://demodisc.zone/t/taking-a-break-from-mainstream-gaming/251
Chapters
00:00:00 The Origin Of the Dual Comm Podcast + Surprise
00:05:35 Demo Discs Are Amazing & Should Return
00:19:40 Favorite Moments From Dual Comm Year 1
01:06:19 Games In The Right Place At The Right Time?
01:19:40 Taking Breaks Before Burn Out Sets In
01:27:45 Netflix Trying To Buy Warner Bros.
01:33:17 Surprise Topic #2
01:39:20 Free Prime & Epic Games
01:42:00 Favorite Game Of 2025 & Goals For 2026
Subscribe on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dual-comm-podcast/id1781108219Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Ls95EviV2hcBBnufcZ5ZEiHeartRadio: https://iheart.com/podcast/240902321Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/5752977a-04fd-4198-b7e3-2a25665b98fc
 
Follow us on YouTube:@bbkdragoon | @EposVox | @lostsaves | @NeuroSpicy.Cooking