Are digital currencies like Robux and V-Bucks ruining the magic of Christmas morning? In this episode of New Dad Gaming, Trevor and Jeff discuss the struggle of buying gifts for kids who only want digital skins, the sadness of not having physical games to unwrap, and the controversial reason Jeff is considering banning Roblox from his house entirely.

Plus, Trevor is moving his family to Colombia for the winter! We break down the logistics of traveling with gaming gear. Is it better to pack a PS5, an Xbox Series S, or just buy a Steam Deck? We also touch on handling bad grades during the holidays—do you ground your kids from gaming over Christmas break?

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In this episode:

• The "Unwrapping" Dilemma: Why giving gift cards feels empty compared to the nostalgia of unwrapping Final Fantasy X.

• The Roblox Controversy: We discuss the new AI face-scanning requirements for age verification and why it’s a privacy nightmare for parents.

• Gaming Grounding: Trevor’s son lost gaming privileges due to report cards—how do you handle punishment during the "happiest time of the year"?

• Travel Gaming Loadout: The debate on which console fits best in a carry-on for a 6-month trip.

• Mobile Tech: A look at Red Dead Redemption running natively on iOS via Netflix Games.

CHAPTERS: 0:00 - Intro & The "No Dad Poem" 02:20 - The struggle of Christmas Gifts in 2025 (Robux vs. Real Games) 06:50 - Nostalgia: Unwrapping Final Fantasy X vs. Digital Codes 10:00 - When Bad Grades Ruin Christmas Gaming (The Grounding Debate) 13:30 - Why We Might Ban Roblox: The Face Scan Controversy 20:25 - Moving to Colombia: Traveling with a PS5 vs. Xbox Series S 25:15 - The Steam Deck Regret 28:00 - Red Dead Redemption on iPhone (Netflix Games) 30:50 - Wrap Up & Community Questions

JOIN THE CONVERSATION: Are you banning Roblox? How do you handle gaming punishments during the holidays? Let us know at [YourWebsiteLink] or in the comments below!

#NewDadGaming #ParentingGamers #RobloxBan #GamingPodcast

The New Dads review this years nominees for Game of The Year - a fun experience given they've played none during their year of no games.

However, if nothing else it helps fill out their wish list once their self imposed exile is over.

🎧 Subscribe to New Dad Gaming on your favorite podcast app:

📝 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/new-dad-gaming/id1107330772

🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/434cj9ksKBnX6aY2aBZ6Uw

🎧 Other Platforms: https://newdadgaming.com/

It’s full-on dad mode: both households hand out no-game punishments after kids try to sneak Roblox and skip chores, sparking a conversation about clear consequences, consistency, and what it means when your kids don’t even argue the punishment - because they know the rules.

On the gaming front, Steam drops a bomb with three new hardware announcements:

• A redesigned Steam Controller built from Steam Deck learnings

• The tiny Steam “Machine” console promising 4K living room gaming and killer value versus PS5/Switch

• The Steam Frame VR headset, aiming to shake up Meta’s dominance and revive PC VR excitement

Jeff breaks down why the new controller’s trackpads are a quiet superpower for strategy and mouse-heavy games, how the Steam Machine could finally make PC libraries living-room friendly for dads, and whether the Steam Frame has enough going for it to tempt lapsed VR users.

Plus: Jeff’s patience on Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 pays off in a big “all DLC included” edition, and the guys argue over which of these toys is actually for the kids… and which are clearly future dad presents.

If you’re a gaming father trying to balance kid punishments, chore charts, shrinking free time, and a dangerous interest in new hardware, this one’s for you.

👨‍👧‍👦 Got a story?

Send in your own “no games for a week” tales, Steam hardware hot takes, or dad-mode reviews at newdadgaming.com and we might feature it on a future episode.

🎧 Subscribe to New Dad Gaming on your favorite podcast app:

📝 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/new-dad-gaming/id1107330772

🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/434cj9ksKBnX6aY2aBZ6Uw

🎧 Other Platforms: https://newdadgaming.com/