A packed week for adult gamers as we find ourselves jumping back into Call of Duty: Warzone (and its massive 191 GB install), reflecting on why single-player more commonly fits busy lives, lining up Helldivers 2’s Xbox launch and Halo crossover, and celebrating surprise drops like The Rogue Prince of Persia and Sword of the Sea via subscriptions.
Plus quick-hit reactions to Gamescom-adjacent reveals (Battlestar Galactica: Shattered Hopes, Wizordum, Bounty Star), a milestone for indie hit Peak, and a victory over Hollow Knight’s Mantis Lords, and inviting the community to own the “gamer” label.
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Chapters
00:00:00 – Cold open and a 191 GB confession
00:01:04 – Single-player vs. multiplayer for busy adults
00:01:49 – Battlefield 6 beta impressions and launch window thoughts
00:03:05 – Battle royale highs and lows in Warzone
00:06:02 – Warzone session: Verdansk returns, feels the same (comfortable mechanics)
00:06:47 – Training/bot playlists and why mixed-lobbies can feel great (Titanfall praise)
00:08:34 – Call for Titanfall 3 and Titanfall 2’s lasting appeal
00:09:14 – Warzone takeaways: long loads, monetization avalanche, still a solid free entry
00:10:30 – Helldivers 2 on Xbox this week, Halo crossover Warbond; cross-platform planning
00:12:05 – Helldivers 2 gameplay loop refresher: bots, bugs, Illuminate saved for Tuesday
00:13:17 – Programming note: second early-access podcast episode this week; Patreon and Gaming 4-1-1 newsletter
00:15:22 – Gamescom Opening Night Live
00:16:10 – Kirby Air Riders Direct: looks like “Mario Kart but simpler and different”
00:19:29 – Subscriptions vs. $70 decisions; Sword of the Sea lands on PS Plus Extra
00:20:00 – Surprise drop: The Rogue Prince of Persia by the Dead Cells folks
00:25:41 – Battlestar Galactica: Shattered Hopes (FTL-inspired, tactical pause RTS vibes)
00:28:37 – Wizordum console date (Sept 23), retro wizard FPS energy
00:30:11 – Game Pass Games "Coming Soon"
00:31:59 – Bounty Star: “Titanfall retires to homesteading” mech RPG
00:33:50 – “Gaming is not boring”
00:34:19 – Indie climber Peak hits 10M sold; Roblox cloning saga context
00:35:42 – What I’ve been playing: Sword of the Sea
00:39:55 – ONL note: Silksong dated Sept 4; Hollow Knight backlog race begins
00:41:23 – Subscription save pitfalls; restarting Hades/Hollow Knight on other platforms
00:43:51 – Hollow Knight pacing: target times, realistic expectations
00:43:59 – Beating the Mantis Lords: pattern mastery and Souls-like tension
00:45:29 – Post-victory respect from Mantises
00:46:19 – Community spotlight: embracing the “gamer” identity
00:47:57 – Stardew/Portal/Indies to Hollow Knight superfan: you are a gamer
00:50:50 – Comments, critiques, and “bad games” people still love to play
00:52:26 – Global listeners shoutout; 2.2% in Japan (Domo arigato!)
00:53:11 – Wrap: Warzone size, Helldivers 2, Kirby, Game Pass dates, surprise drops, Peak 10M, Hollow Knight goals
Games Mentioned
Call of Duty: Warzone
Battlefield 6 (beta)
Fortnite
DayZ
Titanfall
Titanfall 2
Helldivers 2
Halo (crossover content context)
Kirby Air Riders
Mario Kart (comparison)
Sword of the Sea
The Rogue Prince of Persia
Dead Cells
Battlestar Galactica: Shattered Hopes
FTL: Faster Than Light (inspiration)
Wizordum
Gears of War Reloaded
Voidbreaker
Hurdling
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Bounty Star: The Morose Tale of Graveyard Clem
Peak
Roblox (clone discussion context)
Darksiders (1–3 mention)
Destiny 2
World of Warcraft
Hollow Knight
Silksong
Death Stranding / Death Stranding 2 (brief context)