The VGBees podcast

1:53:53

This week, Niki and John are joined by former Fanbyte colleague and current PC Gamer writer Andrea Shearon! We had to ask our resident Final Fantasy XIV expert about Yoshi-P leaving the Square-Enix Board of Directors and about the future of the company. Also: Sega is the best-reviewed publisher of 2024 Sega is releasing fewer games but doubling down on big franchises Monster Hunter Wilds has a massive launch Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 25 years of PlayStation 2 Avowed Lost Records: Rage & Bloom Rue Valley Fruit Fight Kingdom Come Deliverance II Also, we answer your burning HIVE QUESTIONS like we do each and every week.…

The VGBees Podcast

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Marketing Strategies for CEOs: A VGBees Masterclass w/ Michael Higham 1:49:40

8 days ago1:49:40

1:49:40

This week, Niki and John are joined by bestie of the show Michael Higham to discuss cooking habits, the games we're playing, and the news of the week, including: the secret to great homemade ranch the Pokémon Presents Pokémon Legends: Z-A Pokémon Champions Warner Bros. closing Monolith and canceling Wonder Woman CEOs and their marketing strategies Bossa Games' CEO's weird LinkedIn post Avowed South of Midnight We also answer ONE of your Hive Questions this week. Yep. Ran out of time. We're going to record a bonus to get to the rest of them, so stay tuned for that if you're a Hive Member !…

The VGBees Podcast

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The Saudis Own VGBees Now w/ Merritt K 1:44:17

15 days ago1:44:17

1:44:17

This week, John and Niki are joined by the one and only Merritt K, one of the brilliant minds behind Fledgling Manor . The show starts, of course, with the most important news of the week: how much the Nintendo Tip Line cost per minute. Also: NetEase laying off the Seattle Marvel Rivals team Microsoft's new Muse generative AI initiative Niantic in talks to be purchased by Scopely for $3.5b Hades II gets a big update (and into some interesting territory with SAG-AFTRA) Also, we talk about Avowed and 1994's hottest game, Stone Protectors . We answer your HIVE QUESTIONS , including who we would cast in this year's star-studded Call of Duty ad.…

The VGBees Podcast

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Not About Divorce and Being Mean to Your Kid 1:54:31

22 days ago1:54:31

1:54:31

This week, John asks Niki all about Split Fiction , the follow-up to award-winning It Takes Two . It is another one of those, for better or worse (mostly better). They also dive way, way, way into the big changes coming to Overwatch 2 . What are they? Do they matter? Where did this franchise lose its way? Also: Sony's State of Play Saros Tides of Annihilation Shinobi: Art of Vengeance Darwin's Paradox Onimusha Reality Break Tekken Tag Tournament 2: Wii U Edition Avowed Of course, your HIVE QUESTIONS are also answered like they are each and every week!…

The VGBees Podcast

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John & Niki: True iicons 1:44:57

29 days ago1:44:57

1:44:57

This week, John and Niki discuss what it would take to get them to attend the new ESA-fronted conference called iicon starting next April in Las Vegas. It's like GDC but worse, somehow. Also: Metal Gear Solid Delta gets a release date Grand Theft Auto 6 confirmed for fall 2025 timeline on new Nvidia cards coming back in stock Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. Marvel Rivals Eternal Strands Animal Crossing: New Horizons Of course, we answer your HIVE QUESTIONS like we do each and every week.…

The VGBees Podcast

1
Emergency Basketball Podcast: The Luka Doncic Trade 1:36:03

5 weeks ago1:36:03

1:36:03

The entire sports world was shocked when 5-time All-NBA 1st Teamer and 25 year old megastar Luka Doncic was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for a Randy's donut and some unpaid parking tickets. Okay maybe it's not quite that bad, but it's really, really, really close. Your local basketball experts and fans of both teams in question, John and Niki, break down what you need to know about why the trade happened, what happens to both of these teams, and the long-term effects this trade may have around the league. They also get into why sports are great and why the current crop of major team ownership is in it for entirely the wrong reasons. Come for the jokes about how this basically shaved 10 years off of John's life, stay for the genuinely heartfelt conclusion about why sports are all about community. Some media you might be interested in: ESPN's longform piece about the trade The bizarre Nico Harrison press conference The Shams tweet everyone thought was fake…

The VGBees Podcast

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It's Hard to Let Go 1:40:14

5 weeks ago1:40:14

1:40:14

This week, Niki and John dive into the news that BioWare is downsizing and outsourcing part of Mass Effect 5 's development. More than that, it strikes our hosts that maybe the series should go away if it means saving the jobs of the remaining employees tasked with such a burden. Anyway, it's a good discussion about a complicated problem. Also: the Video Game History Foundation's excellent new digital archives have launched Forza Horizon 5 is coming to PS5 with crossplay Microsoft's two-sided strategy Eternal Strands Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. Ninja Gaiden II Black We also answer your HIVE QUESTIONS , including "what's the video game equivalent of 'hot singles in your area?'"…

The VGBees Podcast

1
Boy the Musical 1:35:42

6 weeks ago1:35:42

1:35:42

This week, Niki and John take in the most recent Xbox Direct showcase and dive into each game discussed, including: Ninja Gaiden 4 South of Midnight Expedition 33 Doom: The Dark Ages They also discuss the cancelation of Celeste follow-up Earthblade and the blog post announcing it. In addition, the news that EA is disappointed in the sales of both Dragon Age: The Veilguard and EA Sports FC 25 is examined through a lens that understands the latter is much, much, much more interesting and noteworthy than the former. As always, the duo answers your burning HIVE QUESTIONS , including whether $100 video games will catch on and which game would make the best musical.…

The VGBees Podcast

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Mario Kart 2 1:50:53

7 weeks ago1:50:53

1:50:53

This week, Niki and John discuss the biggest story in games. That's right, it's the MegaByte Nation Gaming Expo from Los Angeles, CA! What are Game Hogs up to? What does a UMD of old Family Guy episodes cost? Oh also we discuss the official announcement of Nintendo Switch 2, including: form factor changes Joy-Cons are also mice? guesses about the new Mario Kart speculation on release date and much more! We also answer your Hive Questions like we every single week! Which game would change the hearts and minds of a Footloose- style town that hates video games?…

The VGBees Podcast

1
All the Ingredients for a Speedrun 53:03

8 weeks ago53:03

53:03

This week, Niki is laying low to escape the horrible fires facing Los Angeles. John runs solo, discussing the games news of the week, including: Nintendo Switch 2 rumors the delay of Assassin's Creed Shadows Tencent's designation as a military organization the new LEGO Game Boy We also answer your HIVE QUESTIONS and discuss John's fleet of emulation devices. Here are some links for donations/causes to help aid in the recovery of Los Angeles. Watch Duty - donations go toward running an incredibly helpful tracking service for Angelenos Canine Rescue Club - helping match displaced pets with fosters in times of great distress like this Gear Drive Fire Support - organizing local needs in a handy spreadsheet Pasadena Humane - providing emergency care and treatment of animals affected by the fires California Community Foundation - donating to their wildlife recovery fund directly contributes to local recovery efforts World Central Kitchen - providing meals for first responders and others in need of nourishing meals All Power Books - local Los Angeles bookstore organizing distribution of shelf stable food, water, and other necessities to people in need…

The VGBees Podcast

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Why Don't These Games Make Me Cry? 1:24:09

9 weeks ago1:24:09

1:24:09

This week, Niki and John both shake off their respective Holiday illnesses to come together for the first episode of 2025! They reflect on what they might have missed in 2024, including: Mouthwashing 1000xResist Metaphor: ReFantazio The Rise of the Golden Idol Also, what would the first episode of the new year be without predictions for games to play in 2025: Death Stranding 2: On the Beach FBC: Firebreak Pokemon Legends: Z-A Skate Judas We also answer your burning HIVE QUESTIONS like we do each and every week!…

The VGBees Podcast

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The VGBees 2024 Games of the Year 1:31:28

11 weeks ago1:31:28

1:31:28

It is that time of year! VGBees has awarded its official (well John and Niki's) Games of the Year 2024! We had two overlaps, so we cover eight total games and wow we had a blast revisiting the year's very best games. Not to spoil the surprise (stop reading if you don't want to know), but in alphabetical order we discuss: Astro Bot Balatro Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Content Warning Crow Country Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Path of Exile 2 Thank Goodness You're Here! No HIVE QUESTIONS in this special episode, but you can always join and ask us questions every single week and we'll answer them on the show!…

The VGBees Podcast

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Brick & Jack: Football Geniuses 1:58:16

11 weeks ago1:58:16

1:58:16

Niki and John go through a whirlwind of big games news this week, including the revelation that Woody Johnson is steering New York Jets personnel decisions with advice from his sons, Brick and Jack, derived from Madden 25 player stats. Also: the Charlotte Hornets Grinch a PS5 away from a child Sony invests big in Kadokawa (FromSoftware's parent company) the Switch 2 is called Switch 2 (probably) As far as what we've been playing, well: Path of Exile 2 Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Marvel Rivals As always, we answer your HIVE QUESTIONS on the show and this week we went deep on why we're not convinced Indy's new adventure is a true immersive sim. Stay tuned this week for our first ever Hive Five Games of the Year podcast!…

The VGBees Podcast

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The Game Awards 2024 Postmortem 1:58:12

12 weeks ago1:58:12

1:58:12

This week, Niki worked an entire human day within the span of two human days to work Gamespot/Giant Bomb's TGA coverage and lived (thrived!) to tell about it. John asks burning questions like "what was the deal with those long sandwiches Dan Ryckert was giving to people?" Then, they get into the meat of The Game Awards 2024, including: The Witcher 4 Elden Ring Nightreign Virtua Fighter Onimusha: Way of the Sword Okami Sequel Project: Robot Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet Astro Bot winning Game of the Year and much more! Also, what did giving the Game Changer Award to a (perfectly nice and helpful) business development director at Tencent say about the industry's current tenuous situation? We, of course, answer your HIVE QUESTIONS like we do every single week.…

The VGBees Podcast

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99 Potions: Dragon Age: The Veilguard 1:43:34

13 weeks ago1:43:34