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Episode 200 is here! We talk about the games we’ve been playing, Keith’s Rant Corner, and our big news—we’re now on Metacritic! We also cover the strange August 28th moment when Gears hit #1 on PlayStation and Helldivers 2 topped Xbox. Plus, full impressions from PAX West 2025, including the best games, highlights, and surprises from the show.
#ninjagaiden4 #rogxboxally #paxwest2025 #silksong #gamingpodcast

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro
01:36 - Games Played & Stuff Watched
21:22 - Keith's Rant Corner returns (Gaming Journalism Frustrations)
33:22 - We finally got onto Metacritic
35:14 - Gears of War on PlayStation, Helldivers 2 on Xbox
46:02 - Ninja Gaiden 4, ROG Xbox Ally X hands on and PAX West 2025

It's been a great ride, with 200 episodes and we got plenty left in the tank for another 200 more episodes. So, stay tuned! And thanks for tagging along with us!

Thanks for listening and watching! If you enjoyed the episode, please like, comment, and subscribe to support the show.

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Welcome back to Spectator Mode Podcast! In episode 199, we cover the latest in gaming and give you our unfiltered thoughts. We discuss the games we’ve been playing and the shows we’ve been watching, dive into the never-ending Silksong hype, and discuss whether it’s actually worth it. Keith shares his hands-on impressions of Pragmata, Resident Evil Requiem, and Onimusha: Way of the Sword.

We also break down Sony raising the price of the PlayStation 5 in the U.S., why tariffs are to blame, and give a quick lesson on how tariffs actually work. Plus, we dig into the new Xbox Ally handheld, and Matt gives his take on Ra Ra Boom, the latest beat ’em up that might need a little more time in the oven.

Timestamps

• 00:00 Intro
• 01:07 Games played and & stuff watched recently
• 16:29 Silksong hype and Gamescom date 2025 placement
• 30:48 PlayStation 5 price hike and tariffs
• 47:31 Xbox Ally gets a release date but no price
• 57:22 Ra Ra Boom Impressions

Thanks for listening and watching! If you enjoyed the episode, please like, comment, and subscribe to support the show.

#residentevil #pragmata #onimusha #videogames #gamingpodcast #gamecom2025 #playstation5

Support the show

You can find the Spectator Mode podcast on the following podcast platforms. Please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcast, as it will go a long watch in more people discovering us. Thank you!

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This week on the Spectator Mode Podcast, we start with what we’ve been playing and watching lately, then celebrate the Dynasty Warriors 25th anniversary and its lasting impact on the hack-and-slash genre. We also dive into Itch.io’s decision to relist NSFW games — but only the free ones — and what that means for indie developers.

From there, we tackle the controversial Online Safety Act, questioning why it’s needed and how it could affect online communities. Finally, we close out with our EVO 2025 recap, highlighting the biggest matches, surprise upsets, and standout performances from the world’s biggest fighting game event.

Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro / What we’ve been playing & watching
33:49 – Happy Dynasty Warriors 25th anniversary
48:00 – Itch.io relists NSFW games (only the free ones)
52:45 – The Online Safety Act… why?
1:04:30 – EVO 2025 recap

Thanks for listening and watching! If you enjoyed the episode, please like, comment, and subscribe to support the show.

#SpectatorModePodcast #DynastyWarriors #EVO2025 #FightingGames #OnlineSafetyAct #Itchio #GamingPodcast #VideoGames #GameNews

Support the show

You can find the Spectator Mode podcast on the following podcast platforms. Please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcast, as it will go a long watch in more people discovering us. Thank you!

• Apple Podcasts
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In Episode 196 of the Spectator Mode Podcast, the crew returns to break down another wild week in gaming. We kick things off with what we've been playing and watching before diving into whether The Outer Worlds 2 is shaping up to be another case of Microsoft marketing misfires.

From there, we explore the growing rumors around Sony potentially publishing games on Xbox, followed by our thoughts on Riot’s latest 2XKO update and whether it's too little too late. We also dive into a deep discussion about Wuchang: Fallen Feathers and how it stacks up against other Soulslikes. Additionally, we address the contentious decision by Itch.io to remove NSFW games in response to external pressure from Visa, Mastercard, and Collective Shout. Ending it all with the surprising legal clash between Sony and Tencent over Light of Moritam.

This episode’s packed, so don’t miss it.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro
01:54 - Games played and stuff watched
15:48 - Is OuterWorlds 2 the next Microsoft Mismanaged Marketing project?
29:41 - Is Sony putting its games on Xbox?
50:10 - Is the new 2KXO update too little too late?
52:38 - How does Wuchang: Fallen Feathers compare to other Soulslikes
1:01:48 - Itch.io removing NSFW games due to Mastercard and Visa (Collective Shout)
1:13:04 - Sony Suing Tencent over Light of Moritam
1:27:05 - Outro

Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more weekly episodes! Got thoughts on these topics? Drop them in the comments—we want to hear from you.

Support the show

You can find the Spectator Mode podcast on the following podcast platforms. Please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcast, as it will go a long watch in more people discovering us. Thank you!

• Apple Podcasts
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We're back with another episode of the Spectator Mode Podcast, where the crew dives into the latest games we've been playing, the shows we've been watching, and a few hot-button topics that got the internet talking. In Episode 195, we kick things off with a rundown of the games we've been grinding and the media that's caught our attention. We talk about Square Enix dropping Windows 10 support for Final Fantasy 14, why payment processors are going after NSFW games, and more chatter around James Gunn’s Superman — spoiler warning included. It’s another packed episode, so strap in. #superman #finalfantasy14 #finalfantasyXIV #gaming #gamingpodcast #geekculture #windows10 #NSFWgames

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Intro
• 00:49 - Games we've played & stuff watched
• 18:30 - Final Fantasy 14 Windows 10 support is going away
• 22:36 - Payment processors pushing against NSFW gaming
• 30:30 - More Superman discussions and slight spoilers
• 1:06:25 - The End for now

Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more weekly episodes! Got thoughts on these topics? Drop them in the comments—we want to hear from you.

Support the show

You can find the Spectator Mode podcast on the following podcast platforms. Please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcast, as it will go a long watch in more people discovering us. Thank you!

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Welcome back to Spectator Mode Podcast, your go-to show for real talk on gaming, geek culture, and everything in between. In episode 194, the crew talks about the new Superman movie, ASUS’s ROG Xbox Ally leak, multiplayer gaming struggles in games such as Marvel Rivals and Elden Ring Nightreign, fighting game DLC, and the controversy surrounding Pirate Software.

Topics:

• What we've been playing and watching
• Asus ROG Xbox Ally price point leaked, and it's expensive
• The new Superman movie is really good
• Just how bad is Pirate Software as a person
• Why is the state of multiplayer online games in such bad shape
• Fighting games DLC practices, and is it getting worse

Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more weekly episodes! Got thoughts on these topics? Drop them in the comments—we want to hear from you.

Support the show

You can find the Spectator Mode podcast on the following podcast platforms. Please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcast, as it will go a long watch in more people discovering us. Thank you!

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Send us a text

Welcome back to Spectator Mode Podcast, your go-to show for real talk on gaming, geek culture, and everything in between. In Episode 193, the crew dives deep into a chaotic mix of news, hot takes, and frustration.

Here are our topics for this week:

00:00 – Intro
02:10 – What We Played & Watched (games, anime, shows)
31:19 – Mindseye is a mess – what’s going on with this game? 38:19 – Does the Fighting Game Community need saving?
1:02:34 – Magic: The Gathering x Sonic the Hedgehog – wait, what?
1:08:42 – Xbox and metrics: Are the numbers hiding the truth?
1:27:03 – Elden Ring: Nightreign – co-op chaos, Everdark bosses, and why randoms keep ruining the flow

Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more weekly episodes! Got thoughts on these topics? Drop them in the comments—we want to hear from you.

#SpectatorModePodcast #EldenRing #Mindseye #MagicTheGathering #FightingGames #Xbox #GamingPodcast #SonicTheHedgehog

Support the show

You can find the Spectator Mode podcast on the following podcast platforms. Please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcast, as it will go a long watch in more people discovering us. Thank you!

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Send us a text

In Episode 192 of the Spectator Mode Podcast, the crew dives into a mix of gaming chatter, tech talk, and a dash of nostalgia. We kick things off with what we’ve been playing and watching lately before moving into a bizarre discussion on putting electronics into confined spaces while they’re still powered on.

We then explore the uncertain future of Xbox following a wave of layoffs and what that could mean for the brand moving forward. In the second half, we tackle the controversial Stop Killing Games movement and Pirate Software’s bold stance on game preservation.

Finally, we wrap things up by reminiscing about Split/Second, one of the best arcade racers of its time, and whether there’s still a future for the arcade racing genre.

00:00 – Intro
01:53 – What have we been playing & watching
19:16 – Putting electronics into confined spaces while powered on
23:14 – The future of Xbox and the recent round of layoffs
46:30 – The Stop Killing Games v Pirate Software
1:05:40 – Remembering Split/Second Arcade Racer and the future of Arcade Racing Games

#videogames #stopkillinggames #xbox #futureofxbox #videogamepreservation #arcadegames #racinggmaes #podcast #gamingpodcast

Support the show

You can find the Spectator Mode podcast on the following podcast platforms. Please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcast, as it will go a long watch in more people discovering us. Thank you!

• Apple Podcasts
• YouTube
• Spotify
• Amazon Music