Video Games 2 The Max

We've officially begun the new year of 2026, and with that comes the outlook for the year, and of course, when it comes to gaming, the most important part of that is the actual games. Sean and Randy will give their thoughts on what the Big 3 will do this year with Nintendo, Xbox, and PlayStation. Plus, also look at PC Gaming and what's going to happen with the PC component increases and the Steam Machine, too. Then, of course, it's all about the Video Games as the duo give their Top 10 Most Anticipated Games of 2026 as well!You can also watch this episode in video form on the W2M Network Youtube Channel, please give us a like, comment on the episode, and give the channel a subscribe and follow as well: https://youtube.com/live/kZghWsaX1ZwListen as a podcast and give us a review on these platforms... Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ag/podcast/video-games-2-the-max/id886092740Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2wjd0u3xO7TdAm4gKRM44LAmazon: https://www.audible.com/pd/Video-Games-2-the-MAX-Podcast/B08JJPTZT

It's that time of the year for the unveiling of our Best Games of 2025. Sean, Randy, and Marc ranked their Top 15 games, the math was done, and now it is time to discuss why they are ranked where they are and to reveal the final list in this special edition of Video Games 2 the MAX.You can also watch this episode in video form on the W2M Network Youtube Channel, please give us a like, comment on the episode, and give the channel a subscribe and follow as well: https://youtube.com/live/aLHC9k7d_v8Listen as a podcast and give us a review on these platforms... Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ag/podcast/video-games-2-the-max/id886092740Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2wjd0u3xO7TdAm4gKRM44LAmazon: https://www.audible.com/pd/Video-Games-2-the-MAX-Podcast/B08JJPTZTWPodchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/video-games-2-the-max-181386Podcast Addict: https://podcastaddict.com/?podId=2465904IHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/53-video-games-2-the-m-28438312/ Check out other W2M Network Shows Late

Well, we brought it up last week, and this episode will finalize our series by looking back at the year that was for the three major console makers, as it's now Xbox's turn to get its 2025 Report Card. Sean and Marc go through the highs and lows of Xbox throughout the year, the game releases, and also look ahead to 2026 as the company is already promising a huge year ahead. This also brings us to a sour subject for many gamers, and that's Generative A.I., as Larian Studios and Sandfall Interactive both make news for their uses of it, and should it lead to the retracting of awards and vitriol online. Is the outlook for A.I. all grim? Or can there be some good use cases for it? Sean also has thoughts on the indie game Unbeatable. Marc's played more Ghost of Yotei; join us for the final regular episode of Video Games 2 the MAX for 2025. You can also watch this episode in video form on the W2M Network Youtube Channel, please give us a like, comment on the episode, and give the channel a subscribe and follow as we

Post Game Awards 2025, it feels as though we may as well join in on winding down and starting to look at the year that was. Although our GOTY episode is still a few weeks away, we are continuing our series on giving our grade to the year for the major console makers. This week, it's all about Nintendo as we delve into what its been in the first year of the Nintendo Switch 2, the Super Mario Galaxy Movie prospects, the year's releases, and what's ahead for the Big N. Marc has also been playing Ghost of Yotei so he has some impressions on that. Marathon announced its release window and price, Ubisoft buys an Amazon MOBA studio, Tomb Raider Catalyst being enough for non fans, and much more on this edition of the podcast. You can also watch this episode in video form on the W2M Network Youtube Channel, please give us a like, comment on the episode, and give the channel a subscribe and follow as well: https://youtube.com/live/28Ur9_9mx5I

Awards season officially kicks into high gear with The Game Awards 2025 event. Geoff Keighley's combination of ceremony with major game announcements happened, and Sean and Marc have their thoughts on the event, the announcements, and Clair Obscur Expedition 33, virtually completing the sweep of the awards. The guys discuss their favorite announcements and perhaps some that were not there as well. Join us as we discuss it all on this special edition of Video Games 2 the MAX. You can also watch this episode in video form on the W2M Network Youtube Channel, please give us a like, comment on the episode, and give the channel a subscribe and follow as well: https://youtube.com/live/t81ndhc5dcA

All eyes look forward to Thursday as the Game Awards 2025 takes place, signifying yet another celebration of the year that was in video games, while also looking ahead to what's to come with major announcements and reveals hosted by one Geoff Keighley. Sean and Marc give their predictions on both the award winners and some possible predictions for some of the announcements as well. Sean has been playing Octopath Traveler 0 and has a lot of thoughts on how it could be the best game in the series in just his short time with the game so far. Does it feel like a mobile game? Or does it feel like it could easily have been originally created for consoles? Marc also discusses his thoughts on Marvel Cosmic Invasion too. Plus, Netflix and Paramount are embattled in a war over Warner Bros Discovery and so far Netflix has come out on top with a $83 Billion bid, but Paramount is attempting a hostile takeover that could involve the Saudi's and be worth over 108 Billion. Is one really better than the other? Katsuhiro Harad

Whoops, this was originally recorded on the usual Monday night slot on December 1, Sean just totally didn't realize he forgot to upload it. So here's the original description... We enter the last month of the year, with this week being the last week of major releases, so why not take a look back at the Best PlayStation 2 games, especially considering that 2025 is the 25th anniversary of the highest-selling console ever? Sean and Marc give out their Top 10 Best PS2 games of all-timeSean's also been playing Marvel Cosmic Invasion, Marc is also in retroland with Red Dead Redemption 1, should A.I. tags be on digital stores? Nintendo acquires Bandai Namco's Singapore Studio, World of Warcraft's next expansion releases next year, but Witcher 4 isn't releasing in 2026, and more! You can also watch this episode in video form on the W2M Network Youtube Channel, please give us a like, comment on the episode, and give the channel a subscribe and follow as well: https://youtube.com/live/YDuDUsPlLeU

PlayStation has had an interesting year, where its smaller output in terms of first-party releases has not hurt it at all in terms of console sales. The gaming giant has made several future-facing announcements, one of which includes the existence of PlayStation 6 not that far down the line. Sean and Marc look into PlayStation's year from its games to its other media endeavors and what things look like heading into the looming 2026. An interesting take from Strauss Zelnick that we are headed to a PC future may mean that Xbox is right? But will it be the leader on that end? As two different anecdotal reports state that the recently announced Steam Machine may not be as price-friendly as many were hoping it would be. Could it be compounded by this ongoing memory shortage? Also, Xbox had its Partner Preview event, which included an interesting list of games. Not to mention, its weird announcement of Xbox Crocs that came out today as well. Marc has spent some time with Once Upon a Katamari, Call of Duty: Black O

In a week full of news, Valve perhaps delivered the most shocking one with the announcement of a Steam controller, a VR headset, the Steam Frame, and the return of the Steam Machine. Can the new, more powerful, and proprietary versions of these devices finally spark a living room movement for PCs? Could this actually be in retail stores? And how much does this hurt Xbox being beaten to the space? The Game Awards 2025 Nominations are out, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 leads the way with 12 nominations, including for Game of the Year and both of the Indie GOTY awards as well. They are also nominated for Indie Game of the Year at the Indie Awards. So, is it really an indie? And what about the rest of the lineup? Were there some major snubs? Plus, Sean tried the Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 campaign, and he was not happy with it being always online. Red Dead Redemption is finally appearing on current consoles, Pokemon Pokeopia gets a release date, but also a reveal that its a Game Key Card. Ubisoft canceled a Spli

In just one week, both officially and unofficially, Sony may have signaled that they, too, are looking towards the future with the PlayStation 6, and they've done so by fully unlocking Cloud Streaming on the PlayStation Portal as well. Is the PlayStation Portal now the best value in all of gaming? Plus, could Sony truly be exploring Cross-Buy with their PC Games? Or even introducing a PlayStation PC Storefront? Sean and Marc discuss what this could mean for PS6. We are also doing a special segment this week discussing the 10 Games That Define Us. How many RPGs are going to show up on Sean's list? Will Marc have a Sonic game on his? And which Resident Evil is Randy going to choose? Definitely worth checking out for sure.Plus, Rockstar has delayed Grand Theft Auto VI until November 19, 2025, a report from Bloomberg also alleges Rockstar may have fired over 30 employees for union busting. Nintendo Switch 2 and Switch 1 keep hitting milestones, more game delays, more layoffs, Overcooked getting a reality show, an

It feels like it just never ends with Xbox in the news, as hot off the heels of the major announcement of HALO going to PlayStation 5 with HALO: Campaign Evolved, comes some news that a Halo 2 and Halo 3 version of the same may also be in development. Plus, some news on the canceled HALO MMO that never was, and how is Don Mattrick involved? Sean and Marc discuss, plus Sean has some highlights from the latest ID @ Xbox showcase, and is gaming competing with movies and TikTok?Nintendo, of course, has been all in the news, whether it is great news about Pokémon Z-A sales or others complaining about the game, some may have lost track that Nintendo just keeps delivering the hits. Add on another potential big seller with the revival of Animal Crossing: New Horizons getting a big free update and a Nintendo Switch Edition. Is Marc ready to go back to his island? Plus, more on PowerWash Simulator 2, Dan Houser revealed why Agent was never released, another person who says Grand Theft Auto VI should be $100, Rockstar c

A big announcement was expected during the HALO Championship Series, and it certainly delivered, as one of the worst-kept secrets in gaming finally became real: the HALO Combat Evolved remake has evolved into HALO Campaign Evolved. Where all of the story levels are remade in Unreal Engine, a new set of prequel levels is added with Sgt Johnson and Master Chief, and it is also coming to PlayStation 5. Set to make its series debut on the console at some point in 2026. Does Sean feel anything for this? Also, Sarah Bond echoes the sentiments of console exclusives being old hat, but Sony and Nintendo would beg to differ, as they continue to pump them out for their consoles. But will it really make a difference for the "Premium" console/hybrid that Microsoft is planning as the next and perhaps final "Xbox"? Marc certainly has some thoughts here. Plus, Marc has been playing PowerWash Simulator 2 and Wreckreation, Sean has spent more time in Ivalice with Final Fantasy Tactics. Shawn Layden says Free-to-Play are "not r

The future of the Xbox platform is real, as the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X are out in the wild and the reviews are all over the place. And while Sean and Marc have not been able to use it themselves, there is a discussion to be had about the various impressions from others about the device and if it could ever get to a point of delivering the true PC/Console Hybrid experience. Sean also played the newest release from Xbox and Double Fine Studios in Keeper. Marc is playing some Redacted games, but is also playing more Hades 2 as well. Plus, a major departure from the Assassin's Creed franchise, the end of Windows 10 support, Sarah Bond confirms next-gen is happening, Quantic Dream is working on a multiplayer game, Battlefield 6 sells well, and more! You can also watch this episode in video form on the W2M Network Youtube Channel, please give us a like, comment on the episode, and give the channel a subscribe and follow as well: https://youtube.com/live/kT0v67OcTX8

Next-gen console rumors are certainly simmering, as both PlayStation and Xbox have had news emerge regarding their potential console or console-like device, potentially releasing as early as 2027. This may mean we get more compelling real news even in 2026. But is it too early for next-gen? Or does it just seem that way? Do we even need Next-Gen as soon as 2027? Sean and Marc discuss this and more. Compound this with news from Circana about the number of games the majority of gamers buy, and it is yet another telling story about why things may be the way they are for AAA gaming. Does this concern the duo? Or is it just kind of how it's always been, and we just didn't have all these datapoints before? Plus, Marc has more thoughts on Hades 2, Sean's been playing Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles, and Little Nightmares 3. Is Xbox done at Target and Walmart too? Ubisoft's canceled Assassin's Creed Civil War game, Nintendo Switch 2 keeps selling, and much more! You can also watch this episode in video

The inevitable has occurred for Xbox gamers, as now the "Best Deal in Gaming" Xbox Game Pass Ultimate skyrockets up in price by 50% to $30 a month in the United States, and even more in other regions. PC Game Pass went up to $16.50 as well. The question now is, is it still worth it? Well, the rush to cancel Game Pass was big enough to crash the cancellation page. Is this the sign of the end? Or is it once again a lot of grandstanding to wind up returning? Sean and Marc discuss their thoughts on the situation, and could Call of Duty be the biggest reason for this change? The dooming did not end there as another rumor quickly began to spread that Microsoft would be introducing a free ad tier of Xbox Cloud and even be done with hardware entirely, which Microsoft actually came out and refuted. Will Xbox actually have a console in 2027/2028? Or are we just waiting for more bad news down the line? Plus, aside from all of the Xbox stuff, the PS5 Dualsense may get a replaceable battery, Rock Band 4 is delisted from d

Just when you think it may be a great week to celebrate games, here comes a huge gaming business deal that has the potential to change the fortunes of a major gaming publisher. Announced on Monday, EA was taken private for $55 billion by the Saudi Arabia Private Investment Fund and two other private investment firms. Sean and Marc discuss what this could mean for EA, its employees, and could some of EA's big franchises could go down in the wake of this. There was a major gaming convention this weekend in the Tokyo Game Show, which featured a State of Play from PlayStation, a TGS Showcase from Xbox, Annapurna Interactive having a mini showcase, a PC Gaming showcase, and much more. The duo discusses their favorite announcements from some of the shows. Plus, Sean and Marc have both been playing Hades 2, Marc's been playing Silent Hill F, the Xbox ROG Ally & Xbox ROG Ally X have official prices and already sold out in many places, Doug Bowser is retiring at Nintendo, and another developer talks Game Key Cards

It feels like deja vu has hit all over again, with Microsoft announcing yet another price increase on Xbox consoles. Is it really all about macroeconomic conditions? Should we be concerned about what the next-gen Xbox console will actually become? Do Sean and Marc have concerns that there could even be one at this rate? And why haven't Microsoft revealed the price of the ROG Xbox handhelds yet, with less than a month to go now before they go on sale? At least there's some positive news about Xbox Game Pass for once, maybe? On the Sony side of things, Tencent has fired back that Horizon devs at one point expressed concerns about the game being very similar to another gaming series. Are they right? Or is Tencent just grasping at straws? How hyped or not hyped are we for Ghost of Yotei as we inch ever closer to its release? And will we ever get that Bloodborne remake? Plus, an instant reaction to the first trailer to Palworld Devs new game, Palfarm. Borderlands has sold well despite all the performance controver

Nintendo surprised with an announcement of a 60-minute Nintendo Direct that happened on Friday, and boy did they have some things to announce, including the title of the next Mario Movie being Super Mario Galaxy, a new Fire Emblem game, the release date for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, and a heck of a lot more. Sean and Marc discuss their favorite things from the Big Direct. Was it Fire? Or was it a bit of a smokescreen? Also, Nintendo was awarded a patent in the United States for summoning a monster to battle for you and there's concern this could lead to more patenting of concepts in gaming, but will this be something Nintendo actually uses against other game developers to prevent their games from releasing? Plus, Sean played the demo of Digimon Story: Time Stranger and beat Mafia: The Old Country, Marc is stuck on farming sims, Wolverine could release in 2026, a new report from Newzoo suggests that there's an optimal time to release from early access, and more on this edition of Video Games 2 the MAX! You can

After years of waiting and anticipation building for its ultimate release, Hollow Knight Silksong is FINALLY out, and Sean has played at least the first few areas. How is this game for newcomers to the series? Does it make it easy to get into the flow of things? And how long does it take to get difficult? (Not very long). Once again, Xbox Game Pass is under fire this time from former Xbox executives who are concerned about its effects on first-party developers and what it means for returns for the actual game makers compared to what they would receive in the traditional model, where gamers would buy the games instead. Is this the true killer of gaming? Or is it actually something else that gets brought up less (Free-to-Play Games, maybe? Also, Marc has more on WWE 2K25, MachineGames says the New Wolfenstein is meant to be a trilogy, Nintendo wins yet another lawsuit against Emulation, Ubisoft brings a unique perspective to the Game Keycard debate, PlayStation 6 is getting a detachable drive at launch, Life is

Apologies for being a day late, as the Labor Day holiday delayed the episode. But at least there's plenty to discuss on this episode, mainly PlayStation, as a leak has surfaced from the reliable Moore's Law is Dead, stating that the PlayStation 6 Portable could be available at the launch of the console and will be presented as its own unique SKU, and not tied to the console like the PS Portal. Is this forward-thinking by Sony? Or could this become another Series S-type situation? Sean and Marc discuss it all. Also, does the departure of the Fairgames Creative Director count as catching failure early or late in the process? Hermen Hulst gave an interview discussing the failure of Concord and how they want to avoid that at all costs in the future. Plus, Marc has finished Donkey Kong Bananza, Sean keeps moseying along in Mafia: The Old Country, Xbox also has its own news with a Call of Duty movie in the works at Paramount, layoff fears at Candy Crush maker King, and Take-Two almost saved Perfect Dark, Nintendo b