Halo is officially coming to PS5 with Halo. Campaign Evolved. We break down what Xbox is signaling with multiplatform moves. The reported push for higher studio margins. And why leadership says TikTok and movies are the real competition. Plus new trend data and reports shaping the industry this we
Path of Exile’s next big expansion, Keepers of the Flame, drops October 31 and I spoke with Mark “Neon” Roberts from Grinding Gear Games about how they’re keeping Path of Exile fresh more than a decade later.
He opened up about live-service game fatigue, what developers can learn from Destiny, and why you should never blame your audience when engagement dips. We also talk about the new Breach-themed league sequel, Bloodline Ascendancies, Grafts, and Asynchronous Trading — some of the biggest additions to Path of Exile in years.
0:00 - Intro & how this unique interview was filmed
0:44 - Starting questions for the dev team
1:39 - Dumping all the questions from the presentation
2:02 - Graphics Update?
03:31 - Breach Updates
06:44 - Breah Follow Up
9:14 - Breach returns: how GGG revisits classic mechanics
12:45 - When has a game overstayed its welcome? (Destiny comparison)
13:00 - Mark on not blaming your audience — the dev’s responsibility to re-earn engagement
30:25 - Bungie comparisons & lessons in longevity
34:26 - Final thoughts and outro
Xbox just dropped everything this week. From the ROG Ally X handheld reveal to Forza Horizon 6 heading to Japan, a new look at Kojima’s OD: Knock, and their biggest Game Pass investment yet. I’ll break down why this might be one of the most important weeks in Xbox history.
(00:00) YouTube Rant
(04:20) Xbox Handheld
(23:02) Forza Horizon 6
(29:30) Halo Rumors
(38:39) Costco Xbox Story
(46:08) YouTube Rants Part 2
(50:27) OD Reveal
(55:00) Xbox Game Pass Investment
(59:08) Xbox Users Play More
(01:03:58) Physint
(01:09:42) Bowser Leaves Nintendo
(01:11:08) Wolverine Gameplay Reveal Recap
(01:16:01) MGS Vol 2 in the Works
(01:17:49) Metal Gear Solid Delta Fox Hunt Release Date
(01:19:50) Borderlands 4 Switch 2 Delay
(01:21:09) Is EA Selling?
(01:24:08) Bully 2 News
(01:25:21) Recap Outro
I spoke with the solo creator behind Morbid Metal (who now has a team) at Gamescom 2025 about their stylish action gameplay, inspirations, and how they’re building this intense, shape-shifting hack-and-slash experience. Here’s what’s next for the game and why fans of fast-paced combat should keep an eye on it.
At Gamescom 2025, I went hands-on with Deadpool VR and sat down with the developers to talk about how they brought Marvel’s Merc with a Mouth to virtual reality. Here’s everything you need to know about gameplay, humor, and what to expect when you suit up as Deadpool. Big thanks to Meta for brining me out to Gamescom to play.
EVE Vanguard is live right now with its free-to-play event, Operation Nemesis, running through October 2! I sat down with EVE Vanguard Game Director Scott Davis and EVE Online Creative Director Bergur Finnbogason for an exclusive interview about the future of this MMOFPS and how it ties directly into the EVE Online universe. We also break down brand-new gameplay, talk about the infamous Dust 514 lessons, and discuss how Vanguard will impact the political and economic landscape of EVE.Play EVE Vanguard: https://evevanguard.com/how-to-play
During Gamescom I had the chance to sit down with the Dune Awakening team to ask them about their favorite changes to the game. This is what they said. Dune Awakening is opening its doors for a free weekend, giving players a chance to explore the harsh deserts of Arrakis and see how the game has evolved. At Gamescom, I sat down with the game’s director to talk about what’s new, what they’re most proud of, and how the team has refined this ambitious survival MMO. In this interview, we break down their favorite recent changes, what players should look forward to during the free weekend, and where the game is headed next.
I sat down with Leonard Boyarsky (co-creator of Fallout, director on The Outer Worlds) and Brandon Adler (game director at Obsidian) to talk about the future of RPGs. We covered everything from the possibility of a Fallout 1 remake, to lessons learned from Avowed, to modernizing RPG systems in The Outer Worlds 2. We also dug into storytelling tactics, marketing sequels, and what it’s like building games today in Unreal Engine 5 compared to the early DOS era.(00:00) Intro(00:34) Controversial Question(01:37) Outer Worlds Dropping to $70(02:33) Modernizing Systems(05:45) Is a Fallout 1 Remake Possible?(07:50) What did you learn from Avowed?(09:00) Is Marketing a Sequel Hard?(11:22) Are the Separate Teams Helpful?(12:52) Creating Then(DOS) vs Now (UE5)(16:15) Brandon's Thoughts(20:18) Storytelling Tactics(22:00) How Their Skills Come Together(25:33) Can you think of an example in Outer Worlds 2?(28:00) What's one question I didn't ask you wish I did?
I sat down with Konami producers Noriaki Okamura and Yuji Korekado to talk about Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater. We discuss the challenges of remaking such a legendary game, and how they approached honoring the legacy of Hideo Kojima’s original Metal Gear Solid 3. This interview gives insight into Konami’s vision for the future of the Metal Gear franchise.
I sat down with Obsidian studio leadership to talk about Grounded 2 and the major changes driving the sequel including why they chose to make a full follow-up, how Unreal Engine 5 reshaped development, and why keeping a small, agile team was key to their success. We also go deep on buggies (yes, again), improvements to AI and combat, and the studio’s philosophy around retaining talent and preserving games.
I sat down with Franchise Director Jonathan Lacaille and Narrative & Cinematic Director Martin Emborg to talk about 007: First Light, the ambitious new origin story set in the James Bond universe. We dive into how they approached building a younger Bond, what makes this different from past 007 games, and how the team is creating a cinematic experience worthy of the franchise. If you’re a Bond fan or love spy thrillers, this is one you won’t want to miss.
The Borderlands 4 Development team is constantly listening to what fans want and need from the game. I had the chance to sit down with Creative Director Graeme Timmins, and Senior Project Producer Anthony Nicholson to talk about endgame, design decisions and more.
Mark Roberts joins me to break down Secrets of the Atlas, a major new update for the original Path of Exile. We talk returning players, new content, and how it fits into the evolving PoE ecosystem.
Grinding Gear Games isn’t done with the original Path of Exile. Secrets of the Atlas is a massive new update designed to pull players back into Wraeclast. We talk about update cadence, why PoE1 still matters, how the team keeps it all running, and what players can expect from one of the game’s biggest content drops yet.
This week on Save State Plus I sat down with Chris Kramer, Tencent’s head of North American communications, to talk about the business behind video games. That included modern gaming budgets, the media industry, and how all of it works together. Chris was great and shared his frank thought about all of it and how it impacts the games we play.
(00:00) Introduction
(00:57) Kramer's History
(04:08) Kramer in Games Media
(07:20) Media Then vs Now
(10:20) Media Strategy Today
(12:40) How Influencers Are Chosen
(19:22) How Sponsorships Work
(23:40) Influencer Agencies
(26:10) Handling PR Issues
(28:10) Sony Changing Policies
(29:10) Crisis Plan of Action
(31:40) Remembering Star Wars
(34:40) Everquest 2 vs World of Warcraft
(37:30) Blizzard and EQ2 Teams
(38:40) EQ2 Changes
(40:40) Tencent Ubisoft
(46:50) Western Game Creation Costs
(52:30) Layoffs / Consolidation
(54:10) Is Constraint Helpful?
(57:15) Nintendo vs Palworld
(01:00:00) AAA vs AA
(01:05:00) Small Games to Check Out
Dean Hall (creator of DayZ and founder of RocketWerkz) joins me to discuss the games industry, game development and more. We dig into Unity's recent controversies, the future of game engines, and the challenges indie developers face in 2025.
I had the chance to sit down with Mike Rossi from Iron Galaxy and discuss Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3 + 4 and what the remake changes, and what it keeps the same.
Ben Starr joins Save State Plus to discuss Clair Obscur Expedition 33 and what makes this game so special. We talk about his acting career, his favorite games, and look back at some of his best moments.
Parris Lily joins me this week to talk about how we reacted to the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal, the lead up to the Marathon, and our differing opinions on South of Midnight.
(00:00) Introduction
(01:18) Switch 2
(11:21) South of Midnight
(33:35) Marathon Teases
(36:43) Parris on Creating Content
Naomi Kyle joins the show this week to chat with Destin about AI, where the games industry is headed, and what it's like kicking off her new who with iHeart Radio.
This week, Paul Tassi joins me to reminisce about Destiny 2, talk about the new Assassin's Creed Shadows release, and all the online drama we've been faced with this last year. We dive into the state of Destiny 2, its latest updates, and whether Bungie can turn things around. We also break down the Assassin’s Creed Shadows reveal, what excites us, what concerns us, and what it means for the franchise. Plus, we get into some of the biggest controversies in gaming and social media over the past year.(00:00) Show Starts(00:50) Paul Introduces Himself(02:17) Destiny 2 Talk Starts(09:10) Are Games Too Bloated?(12:02) Marathon and Assassin's Creed Shadows(22:21) Stealth vs Combat(24:41) Did Assassin's Creed Drama Hurt Sales?(31:14) How's Marathon Going?(35:20) Hopes for Destiny(39:30) Leaving Destiny 2(43:41) Will We Get Destiny 3(45:11) Positive Gaming News(49:18) Destin on Going Independent(51:19) Hardest "Dad" Problem
