Best SIFTERs Podcasts (2024)

1
Australia combats loot boxes with new rating law 7:56

1h ago7:56

7:56

NEWS THIS WEEK Video games with loot boxes will now get minimum M-Rating in Australia Alleged images of Nintendo’s new Switch have appeared online Nintendo sues Palworld developer Pocketpair for alleged patent infringement Amazon is producing The Sims movie The Sims 4 will be “modernised” as EA moves away from sequel plans Horizon Zero Dawn Remaste…

1
Racing and liquid raves PHANTOM SPARK is precision racing without the pressure 40:07

3h ago40:07

40:07

If you love the feeling of racing until you perfect the line PHANTOM SPARK might be exactly what you're looking for. Joon Van Hove (NUTS) one part of Icelandic studio Ghosts shares how Torfi Asgeirsson nailed the gameplay before anyone else even came on board. How subtle storytelling, but no plot, was an essential design element, that builds to com…

1
Sony breaks the bank with PlayStation 5 Pro price 8:21

7d ago8:21

8:21

NEWS THIS WEEK PlayStation 5 Pro vs PlayStation 5: Breaking Down the Specs Annapurna Video-Game Team Resigns, Leaving Partners Scrambling Microsoft Lays Off Another 650 Staff From Its Video Game Workforce, Xbox Boss Phil Spencer Sends Memo to Staff Destiny 2 Nerf Gun And Ace Of Spades Ornament Accused Of Plagiarizing 9-Year-Old Fanart 10 Years Late…

1
CONCORD is pulled from shelves two weeks after launch 6:48

6d ago6:48

6:48

NEWS THIS WEEK Concord Is Being Taken Offline With This Week With Refunds To Be Given Acer’s first handheld gaming PC is the Nitro Blaze 'The Beatles had a 25% hit rate': Randy Pitchford reassures fans that he'll carry on 'making stuff' even after a disastrous Risk of Rain 2 expansion and the Borderlands movie Bethesda bans Doom mod about a resurre…

1
CONSCRIPT leads the nominations for Australian Game Developer Awards 8:09

18d ago8:09

8:09

Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head to sifter.com.au/arcade to start your free trial* of Apple Arcade today and you'll be supporting independent…

1
STAR WARS OUTLAWS captures the vibe of the galaxy far far away 37:30

15d ago37:30

37:30

‍STAR WARS OUTLAWS might be the first game that actually feels like you're in the cities, spaceships and bases of the legendary scifi series. It's an open world game that doesn't feel bogged down with too much list ticking activities. Chris Button and Gianni Di Giovanni share their thoughts on Ubisoft's take on the world of Star Wars, what worked, …

1
Nostalgia hits big at the new Nintendo Museum in Kyoto 8:15

26d ago8:15

8:15

Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head to sifter.com.au/arcade to start your free trial* of Apple Arcade today and you'll be supporting independent…

1
Comedy specials and a brand new Gameboy game, comedian Tommy Dassalo on SUPER DASSALO LAND 46:56

22d ago46:56

46:56

Comedian Tommy Dassalo who you might know from podcasts Filthy Casuals and Little Dum Dum Club, thought it might be too narcissistic to make a game about yourself and charge for it. Lucky SUPER DASSALO LAND is a free prequel to his latest comedy special, so therefore not as narcissistic, and he teamed up with talented Gameboy creator Gumpy Function…

1
HI-FI RUSH devs Tango Gameworks saved from shutdown 6:43

1M ago6:43

6:43

Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head to sifter.com.au/arcade to start your free trial* of Apple Arcade today and you'll be supporting independent…

1
FORTNITE is doing what to their battle passes?! 8:00

1M ago8:00

8:00

Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head to sifter.com.au/arcade to start your free trial* of Apple Arcade today and you'll be supporting independent…

1
Complexity is fun, designing the DISNEY LORCANA trading card game 23:55

1M ago23:55

23:55

Have you every wondered what it takes to design one of those sprawling trading card games? It's not that often that a news series pops up, there are a few major series but one of the newest to hit the tabletops is DISNEY LORCANA by Ravensburger. Ryan Miller is the co-designer and brand manager and sat down to share how a childhood love of Dungeons …

1
Gamers petition EU to preserve video games 9:52

2M ago9:52

9:52

Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head to sifter.com.au/arcade to start your free trial* of Apple Arcade today and you'll be supporting independent…

1
Video game actors call strike demanding protection from AI 8:48

2M ago8:48

8:48

Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head to sifter.com.au/arcade to start your free trial* of Apple Arcade today and you'll be supporting independent…

1
The FTC hits back at Xbox Game Pass price hike 7:18

2M ago7:18

7:18

Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head to sifter.com.au/arcade to start your free trial* of Apple Arcade today and you'll be supporting independent…

1
Xbox finally increases Game Pass prices, restricts day one access to games 10:23

2M ago10:23

10:23

Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head to sifter.com.au/arcade to start your free trial* of Apple Arcade today and you'll be supporting independent…

1
SCHIM is a cute joyful stealth puzzle set in the shadows of the real world 27:00

2M ago27:00

27:00

Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head to sifter.com.au/arcade to start your free trial* of Apple Arcade today and you'll be supporting independent…

1
HORIZON FORBIDDEN WEST television show on pause after allegations against showrunner 7:43

3M ago7:43

7:43

Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head to sifter.com.au/arcade to start your free trial* of Apple Arcade today and you'll be supporting independent…

1
Modders tune SHADOW OF THE ERDTREE after difficulty complaints 6:29

3M ago6:29

6:29

Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head to sifter.com.au/arcade to start your free trial* of Apple Arcade today and you'll be supporting independent…

1
Excuuusse me Nintendo! Zelda is finally the protagonist in a LEGEND OF ZELDA game 9:03

3M ago9:03

9:03

Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head to sifter.com.au/arcade to start your free trial* of Apple Arcade today and you'll be supporting independent…

1
ARMELLO, SOLIUM INFERNUM studio League of Geeks shuts down after 13 years 10:57

3M ago10:57

10:57

Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head to sifter.com.au/arcade to start your free trial* of Apple Arcade today and you'll be supporting independent…

1
CAPES is a super heroic tactics game from the makers of HAND OF FATE 25:12

3M ago25:12

25:12

Have you ever wanted to make the ultimate super hero teamup? Inspired by XCOM: CHIMERA SQUAD, CAPES is the new tactical super hero game where positioning and combo moves are the way to win. Want to put together your own fastball special? Squad composition and positioning is the way to win. Cade Franklin one of the original team on HAND OF FATE join…

1
YAKUZA LIKE A DRAGON is the next game getting a TV show 6:27

3M ago6:27

6:27

NEWS THIS WEEK Summer Game Fest 2024: All The Trailers From Today’s Showcase Shadow Of The Erdtree Previews Tease A Massive Follow-Up To Elden Ring Following Fallout, Amazon Prime Announces Yakuza TV Series PlayStation VR2’s PC adapter hits this August, with missing features‍ RELEASE RADAR V RISING - 11 June 2024 - PlayStation 5 KINGDOM HEARTS HD 1…

1
HADES II lives up to the hype and somehow manages to improve on its award-winning predecessor 38:38

4M ago38:38

38:38

HADES II has been on everyone’s radar since the first game launched in 2020, and this sequel keeps the favourite parts of the previous game but adds heaps of new abilities, battle mechanics and storylines in its early access release. Chris Button sits down with SIFTER Executive Producer Gianni Di Giovanni to unpack the mythical Underworld and see i…

1
Riot asks US$500 for LEAGUE OF LEGENDS skin 7:32

4M ago7:32

7:32

Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head to sifter.com.au/arcade to start your free trial* of Apple Arcade today and you'll be supporting independent…

1
COZY CARAVAN has cute stepped animations and chill lo-fi vibes 29:59

4M ago29:59

29:59

Chris Conte & Dean Ferguson from Queensland's 5 Lives Studios share COZY CARAVAN and ask you te enjoy lo-fi hip hop beats to open a market stall to. Learn why the team wanted to make something that was decidedly smaller than their previous titles, designing this cool stepped animation and why they still want to return to SATELLITE REIGN one day. Ap…

1
Aussie horror game MACABRE promises spooks in the bush 6:19

4M ago6:19

6:19

Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head to sifter.com.au/arcade to start your free trial* of Apple Arcade today and you'll be supporting independent…

1
ASSASSIN’S CREED SHADOWS is the ninja themed game you’ve been waiting for 7:13

4M ago7:13

7:13

NEWS THIS WEEK Assassin's Creed Shadows Revealed With 4 Minutes Of Bloody Action Valve’s hero shooter Deadlock leaks with screenshots, gameplay details - Polygon Amazon Orders Tomb Raider Series From Fleabag Star And Writer Warner Bros. gives Adult Swim games back to their creators rather than kill them Game dev says contract barring “subjective ne…

1
STELLAR BLADE, stay for the big meaty monsters but the platforming can jump 30:46

4M ago30:46

30:46

STELLAR BLADE caught the attention of many when it first debuted, but not necessarily for its gameplay. Flashy in more ways than one, it's certainly generated plenty of heated discussion online. Stephanie Panecasio (GamesHub) and David Smith (Kotaku Australia) join Drop Rate to unpack the many layers of this flashy action RPG. Stellar Blade's metho…

1
BALADINS is a time-loopy RPG for up to four pals where you can't save everyone at once 35:59

4M ago35:59

35:59

Can't get your friends to come join you at your house for a night of tabletop gaming? BALADINS by French studio Seed by Seed takes the fun of rolling dice and playing a character and distills it to a cool timeloop adventure. Jean Nicholas and Thaïs Arias join Lightmap to share their narrative game which was featured as part of Ludonarracon, their c…

1
Microsoft shuts down HI-FI RUSH and REDFALL studios 7:56

4M ago7:56

7:56

NEWS THIS WEEK Microsoft Closes Studios Behind Redfall, Hi-Fi Rush, And More To Prioritize 'High-Impact' Games Xbox President Bond on the Gamer’s Future Helldivers 2 Community Manager Seemingly Gone After PlayStation Login Meltdown Hades 2 early access debut on Steam reaches over 100k concurrent players 24 hours after launch Nintendo president says…

1
ESCAPE FROM TARKOV developer relents on PvE mode but not before making it worse 7:16

5M ago7:16

7:16

NEWS THIS WEEK Escape From Tarkov dev finally caves, says people who paid $150 for the game will get access to its new mode 'in waves' Manor Lords shatters Steam city builder record with over 170,000 concurrent players Manor Lords players delighted to discover a villager with an NSFW name, but the developer says it's historically accurate ‍Here are…

1
Gaming giant Embracer Group falls and splits into three companies 8:32

5M ago8:32

8:32

Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head to sifter.com.au/arcade to start your free trial* of Apple Arcade today and you'll be supporting independent…

1
HADES II technical test gives us the first look at the new roguelite 8:52

5M ago8:52

8:52

NEWS THIS WEEK Hades 2 technical test set to begin 'shortly,' signups are open now Nintendo Indie World Showcase April 2024 - Every Announcement, Game Reveal & Trailer Sony’s PS5 Pro is real and developers are getting ready for it The first Apple-approved emulator for the iPhone has arrived... and been pulled Delta takes flight: Apple-approved Nint…

1
Hold onto your fishing rod, DREDGE is getting a movie 8:42

5M ago8:42

8:42

NEWS THIS WEEK Indie Lovecraftian fishing game Dredge is gonna be a movie Report: EA Canned Dead Space 2 Remake, Team Working On Battlefield Now [Update: EA Denies Report] EA Shoots Down Dead Space 2 Remake Rumors: 'No Validity to This Story' [Update] Apple now allows retro game emulators on its App Store—but with big caveats Star Wars Outlaws Rele…

1
Is HOLLOW KNIGHT SILKSONG almost here? 6:35

6M ago6:35

6:35

NEWS THIS WEEK Hollow Knight Silksong’s April Fools’ Day Update Is Real April Fools' phenom Content Warning draws in more than 204,000 concurrent players Former Dragon Age boss' new action-RPG Eternal Strands out next year Saber Interactive CEO Says KOTOR Remake Is 'Alive and Well' RELEASE RADAR GIGANTIC: RAMPAGE EDITION - 9 April 2024 - PC, Xbox S…

1
UNICORN OVERLORD is a deep engaging tactical game that's easy to pick up and play 33:46

6M ago33:46

33:46

With fun combat that never gets old, UNICORN OVERLORD by Vanillaware combines a dash of FIRE EMBLEM, some FINAL FANTASY XII and even a bit of auto-battler genre into a game that makes you change your plans again and again. Chris Button sits down with SIFTER Executive Producer Gianni Di Giovanni to explore the world of Fevrith, making allies and the…

1
BORDERLANDS team moves to Take Two as Embracer Groups sells Gearbox 7:43

6M ago7:43

7:43

NEWS THIS WEEK Super Mario Maker’s “final boss” was a fraud all along Embracer Group divests Gearbox Entertainment for a consideration of USD 460 million to Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. Helldivers 2 Cheater Pretends to Be Game Master Joel, Drops Unreleased APC in Random Group, Leaves Leaked images reveal Microsoft’s white disc-less Xbox Seri…

1
League of Geeks almost shut up shop, their last big play is SOLIUM INFERNUM 44:58

6M ago44:58

44:58

It's been nearly eight years since Trent Kusters one of the co-founders of Melbourne's League of Geeks joined me on the podcast. Back in the Pixel Sift days, Trent was working through the early days of ARMELLO their groundbreaking digital board game, but the last twelve months have been some of the hardest for the company. JUMPLIGHT ODYSSEY was she…

1
APEX LEGENDS hackers managed to sneak cheats on competitors computers 7:56

6M ago7:56

7:56

NEWS THIS WEEK Apex Legends e-sports delayed after hackers enable cheats on player clients Overwatch 2's redemption arc begins with free heroes for all as Blizzard lays out its plans to 'give the game a regular heartbeat' this year Blizzard secretly made a battle royale game inside World of Warcraft to 'break the rules' it's had for 20 years Sony's…

1
Developers panic after Warner Bros delist their games 8:34

6M ago8:34

8:34

NEWS THIS WEEK The Trailer For Insomniac's Cancelled Spider-Man Multiplayer Game Has Leaked Warner Bros. leave developers feeling "sick and dizzy" as more Adult Swim games are being delisted MultiVersus is officially returning with some big upgrades Prince Of Persia: The Lost Crown Gets New Story DLC, Modes, Trials, And More This Year Star Wars: Ba…

1
FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH nails the feel of the original and builds on it 21:57

6M ago21:57

21:57

The second entry in the ambitious modernisation of Final Fantasy VII series feels like it finally captures that wonder and fun of the original game. With plenty of fun silly moments and tight compelling combat that encourages variety, FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH is the game you’ve been waiting for. Leah Williams (GamesHub) joins Chris Button on the l…

1
Deckbuilding BALATRO pulled after being mistaken for gambling 7:19

7M ago7:19

7:19

NEWS THIS WEEK Everything announced at the March 2024 Xbox Partner Preview Poker-themed deckbuilder Balatro gets delisted from some stores after its PEGI rating absurdly jumps from 3 to 18+ over 'gambling imagery' Switch emulator Yuzu reaches $2.4 million settlement with Nintendo 20th BAFTA Games Awards: The Nominations RELEASE RADAR HIGHWATER - 14…

1
BERSERK BOY is a fast paced platformer with the soul of Sonic the Hedgehog 24:30

7M ago24:30

24:30

Did you grow up blasting through Green Hill Zone or Casino Night Zone? Maybe you spent hours defeating the nefarious schemes of Dr Wily. These colourful platformers hold a fond place in the hearts of many including Zu Ehtisham solo developer of the new BERSERK BOY where you blast through levels switching elemental powers as you go. Learn how Zu bui…

1
Scammers fake HELLDIVERS 2 to lure unsuspecting players on Steam 7:00

7M ago7:00

7:00

NEWS THIS WEEK Beware fake Helldivers 2 pages on Steam promising steep discounts Some Helldivers 2 players are inexplicably killing each other for resources, despite a dozen different UI elements telling you they're shared Everything announced during Pokémon Day 2024’s Pokémon Presents Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag Players Rise 200% Upon Skull and…

1
The enduring appeal of FRUIT NINJA, reinventing the game for Apple Vision Pro 30:39

7M ago30:39

30:39

Queensland based Halfbrick have been making games for almost 25 years, and chances are if you’ve picked up a phone in the last decade you’ve played one of their games. Fruit Ninja and Jetpack Joyride, Age of Zombies or maybe you’re a bit more oldschool and played one of their Gameboy Advance games or PlayStation or Wii titles. In an industry that s…

1
Tarnished rejoice as ELDEN RING SHADOW OF THE ERDTREE gets a release date 8:58

7M ago8:58

8:58

NEWS THIS WEEK Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree: Everything we know about the DLC Everything announced at the February 2024 Nintendo Direct Partner showcase Nintendo Switch 2 Reveal Is Planned For June 2024, It’s Claimed Baldur’s Gate 3 will get official mod support, says Larian Studios Baldur’s Gate 3 Devs Finally Got To Talk On Stage, And They D…

1
Whimsy and magic in cozy BANDLE TALE: A LEAGUE OF LEGENDS STORY 24:39

7M ago24:39

24:39

Yordles are fae-like creatures from Bandle City, a magical land where wondrous events occur. If you’re not careful, you may fall into one of the portals leading to the home of the Yordles. BANDLE TALE: A LEAGUE OF LEGENDS STORY captures the magic and whimsy of the lore behind one of League of Legends’ cutest and most mysterious races. You’ll craft,…

1
HELLDIVERS 2 is hilarious and a best in class team multiplayer shooter 43:07

7M ago43:07

43:07

The first time is an accident, one of your fellow soldiers stands just a little bit too close to the blast zone as you call down artillery from outer space. HELLDIVERS 2 actually makes it a little bit too fun to explode your allies. Whoops. It's all part of the shtick which really amps up the forever war jingoistic world of Super Earth as you blast…

1
Console game exclusivity is not the future of gaming says Microsoft Gaming boss 8:56

7M ago8:56

8:56

NEWS THIS WEEK 4 Xbox exclusives coming to PS5 and Nintendo Switch The first Activision Blizzard game on Game Pass will be Diablo 4 Helldivers 2 starts recruiting more devs for the war effort after its galactic success, aims to 'accelerate and beef up [its] content plans' Helldivers 2 studio boss says it will 'never' add PvP, and for anyone looking…

1
LIKE A DRAGON INFINITE WEALTH is ludicrously packed with fun 30:04

7M ago30:04

30:04

Like someone made a joke then just massively committed to the bit, LIKE A DRAGON INFINITE WEALTH has just so much in it you can spend ages just chasing what you find fun. Charlie Kelly (Checkpoint Gaming) and Jam Walker (Kotaku Australia, GamesHub) join Chris as they visit Yokohama and Hawaii in search of madcap adventures. You can support SIFTER's…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

SIFTERs Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide