As has become our podcast tradition, we end the hottest months with a discussion of big gaming news and a waiver wire for our Fantasy Gaming series. This summer news cycle was no different, with, most notably, a release date of September 4, 2025, for Hollow Knight: Silksong. Like, for real. After drafting Silksong for two years in a row with nothing to show for it and finally letting it go this year… I did not handle it well, as you’ll hear in today’s episode.



– Amanda Tien, Editor



The Punished Podcast Episode 20







MP3 Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts



Note: This episode contains swearing and plenty of shouting.







David Silbert | Sam Martinelli | Amanda Tien | Gary Wilson | Allison McDaniel | Zack Gulinello



Timestamps







* 0:00 – Introductions and Discussion: Close Combat, Far Combat, or Magic Combat?



* 7:15 – All the Big Gaming News from Summer 2025



* 29:08 – Year in Gaming So Far



* 41:45 – Fantasy Gaming Standings + League Lore



* 1:08:32 – Fantasy Gaming Waiver Wire



* 1:32:24 – What We’re Playing Now




Song Credits




* “Snake Theme” from Donkey Kong Bananza (2025), composed by Naoto Kubo



* “Ancient Sanctuary – Gestral Summer Party” from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (2025), composed by Lorien Testard



* “Gravity Bike” from Split Fiction (2025), composed by Gustaf Grefberg



* “Lace” from Hollow Knight: Silksong (2025), composed by Christopher Larkin




Fantasy Gaming Standings (Pre-Waiver Wire)



Need a visual guide as you listen to our Fantasy Gaming waiver wire pickups? Here’s a breakdown of the pre-waiver standings:























































Fantasy Gaming Standings (Post-Waiver Wire)



Curious how our waiver wire altered the fantasy landscape? We’ve crunched the numbers!



See how the dust settled, below: