Digital Vs Physical 👊 | Episode 64 | Xbox Restructure, PS Digital Only + Much more!

Digital Vs Physical 👊 | Episode 64 | Xbox Restructure, PS Digital Only + Much more!

🎙️ Join Heather, Stu, Tommy and Tom as this week's episode dives into gaming's biggest talking point: physical versus digital. With PlayStation reportedly moving away from physical releases from 2028, we unpack what a disc-free future actually means for gamers — plus the usual pickups, gaming news, and chaos. Stick around for the quiz at the end too! Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro & What We've Been Playing 28:30 - Gaming News 📰 39:53 - Questions from Discord ❓ 50:27 - Main Topic: Physical vs Digital Gaming 💿 1:37:41 - Gaming Quiz Time! 1:50:48 - Shout Outs and Goodbye! Find all of our links here: Linktree: https://linktr.ee/gameolder2024 Discord: https://discord.gg/VzmAnSA7xa Twitter/X: https://x.com/GameOlderPod YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GameOlder2024 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/game_older_podcast__/ Contact us: gameolder2024@gmail.com Discount codes and shout-outs: Bitmap Books — 5% off all purchases: OLDER5 bitmapbooks.com Timeless Gaming Convention, Liverpool — 12th August. Use code OLDER26 for 15% off tickets! Please don't forget to rate and review us wherever you listen, along with hitting the follow/subscribe button! - - - - - - - 🎮 What we've been playing: Tom had a big pickup week for his birthday: Grabbed three Wii games — Mad World, House of the Dead: Overkill, and Ghost Squad Picked up Road Avenger and a pricey PAL Sonic CD on the Mega CD, plus retro Master System title Basketball Nightmare Gifted an OSSC upscaler by a listener, and a Street Fighter diorama cart from his brother for his birthday Finished Yakuza Kiwami 3 (not thrilled with the changed ending) and is deep into Resident Evil Village in third-person Tommy has been quieter on PlayStation but busy elsewhere: Hooked on Pokopia, building alongside Stu in the Cloud World Completed Resident Evil Code Veronica via Dolphin emulator, door-skip mod and all Started Silent Hill 4 on PS2 emulator and GTA IV: The Lost and Damned on Xbox Shouted out the horror film Obsession — "go and watch it, please" Stu kept it lower-key: More Pokopia building with Tommy — "so addictive, so easy to play" Finished a short playthrough of Star Fox (aka Starwing back in the day) Played Replaced, a 2.5D sci-fi side-scroller — cool combat, but pacing left him wanting more Heather has been unwinding with something cosy: More Outbound, the campervan game — new beach map and a dog companion unlocked Picked up a rare 30th Anniversary PlayStation Panini sticker set (sealed, one of only 4,000 made) Also nabbed an Incredible Hulk Mega Drive cart 📰 Gaming News Highlights: PlayStation Digital-Only Backlash: Sony confirms physical discs end in 2028; a major Austrian disc plant is already being retooled for optical lenses Steam Machine Scare: An early adopter reported a GPU failure just 20 minutes in, drawing Red Ring of Death comparisons PS3 & PS Vita Store Closures: Sony will shut down digital storefronts for both platforms in July 2027, reigniting preservation concerns Xbox Restructure: Roughly 3,200 roles affected; Double Fine and Compulsion go independent, Ninja Theory and Undead Labs change ownership, and Arcane Studios remains under review 🎮 Upcoming Releases: Assassin's Creed Black Flag Remake — 9th July Palworld 1.0 — 10th July Heave Ho 2 — 16th July 💬 Side chats & moments: Would you commit to one ecosystem — PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, or Steam? 🤔

Growing Up Gaming 👶⬆️👵 | Episode 63 | Xbox Closures, Hardware Prices + Much More!

🎙️ Join Heather, Stu, Tom and Leon for another packed episode of gaming chat, featuring everything from hardcore extraction shooters and cosy camper-van adventures to Sega pickups, and a surprisingly passionate discussion about curries... this weeks main topic is all about growing up in gaming! 👶Timestamps:00:00:00 Intro and what we are playing!00:29:03 Gaming News and Upcoming games 🗞️00:43:33 Questions From Discord ❓00:58:32 Main Topic: Summer Showcases ☀️01:39:24 Gaming Quiz Time! & Timeless!Find all of our links here:Linktree: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/gameolder2024⁠⁠⁠⁠Discord:⁠ ⁠https://discord.gg/VzmAnSA7xa⁠Twitter/X: ⁠https://x.com/GameOlderPod⁠YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@GameOlder2024Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/game_older_podcast__/⁠⁠⁠⁠Contact us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠gameolder2024@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠Discount codes and shout-outs:We are all going to Timeless 2026, and if you would like to join us and meet us go to timelessgaming.co.uk and use the code OLDER26 to get 15% off all tickets.Bitmap Books 5% off all purchases: OLDER5⁠⁠bitmapbooks.com⁠⁠Please don't forget to rate and review us wherever you listen, along with hitting the follow/subscribe button!________________________________________🎮 What We've Been PlayingLeon• Still heavily invested in Marathon Season 2, now featuring a new horror-themed map with pitch-black environments, jump scares, torches, and new weapons. • Continued playing with friends and praised the game's short, addictive match structure. • Started Road to Vostok, a realistic single-player extraction shooter from a solo developer. o Compared it to a first-person DayZ. o Loved its survival mechanics, manual weapon handling, inventory management, and tension. • Continued progressing through Resident Evil 9, enjoying the contrast between Leon's confidence and Grace's constant struggle for survival. • Tried Flintlock but ultimately dropped it. o Felt the combat lacked proper telegraphing and found the parry system frustrating. o Praised the world-building but couldn't push through the gameplay. ________________________________________Stu• Finished Pokétopia, calling it his current Game of the Year. • Continued building and exploring a shared online world with Tommy. • Praised how perfectly the game complements the new Switch hardware. • Looking forward to the upcoming underwater expansion. • Started Forza Horizon 6 and is already impressed by: o The visuals. o The world design. o The accessibility of jumping in for quick races. ________________________________________TomNew Pickups:• Two Sega Mega Drives (one for himself, one for a friend in South Africa). • Street Fighter Alpha on Sega Saturn. • Bubble Bobble / Rainbow Islands on Saturn. • Rainbow Islands on Master System. • Bubsy on Mega Drive. Gaming:• Continued playing Yakuza 3. o Spending lots of time with orphanage side content. o Doing gardening, cooking, sewing and homework mini-games. • Jumped into a community challenge on Crazy Taxi. • Continued spending most of his gaming time in Forza Horizon 6, drifting with friends, unlocking cars and enjoying the social side of the game. ________________________________________HeatherPickups:• Cosmic Spacehead for Mega Drive. • A classic Competition Pro controller. Gaming:• Playing Outbound, a cosy camper-van survival/building game. o Described it as "The Forest without the cannibals." o Enjoying upgrading her van and creating a self-sustaining home on wheels. • Returned to Fortnite for the latest season and map. o Resisting the temptation to buy more skins. o Particularly enjoying the new mechanics and character additions. ________________________________________ Join our Quiz at the end! ❓❓❓

Summer Showcase Season! | Episode 62 | New hardware on the horizon? + Much More!

🎙️ Join Heather, Stu, Tommy and Tom as this week’s episode dives into the aftermath of showcase season, breaking down the biggest reveals from Sony’s State of Play, Summer Game Fest, and the Xbox Showcase. From surprise announcements and dream games to retro pickups, Bond adventures, and the return of midnight launch nostalgia, there’s plenty to unpack. Plus, stick around for the usual gaming quiz chaos. Timestamps: 00:00:00 Intro and what we are playing! 00:28:17 Gaming News and Upcoming games 🗞️ 00:32:26 Questions From Discord ❓ 00:44:03 Main Topic: Summer Showcases ☀️ 01:29:50 Gaming Quiz Time! 01:37:23 Timeless & Competition! Find all of our links here: Linktree: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/gameolder2024⁠⁠⁠⁠ Discord:⁠ ⁠https://discord.gg/VzmAnSA7xa⁠ Twitter/X: ⁠https://x.com/GameOlderPod⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@GameOlder2024 Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/game_older_podcast__/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Contact us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠gameolder2024@gmail.com⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ Discount codes and shout-outs: We are all going to Timeless 2026, and if you would like to join us and meet us go to timelessgaming.co.uk and use the code OLDER26 to get 15% off all tickets. Bitmap Books 5% off all purchases: OLDER5 ⁠⁠bitmapbooks.com⁠⁠ Please don't forget to rate and review us wherever you listen, along with hitting the follow/subscribe button! ⸻ 🎮 What we’ve been playing: Tommy * Finished 007 First Light, praising its strong story, excellent British voice acting, and impressive set pieces. * Compared it favourably to Hitman, enjoying the added action and cinematic moments. * Continued working through LEGO Batman, enjoying its Arkham-inspired structure and lighter tone. * Still making progress in Zelda: Skyward Sword, though occasionally relying on Google to remember where to go next. * Jumped into Pokétopia with Stu and continued building up their shared world. * Played Mario Party 1 online via N64 emulation and was pleasantly surprised by how well the original still holds up. * Also finding more time for the gym and real-life activities, including plenty of pickleball. Tom * Added several impressive new pickups to the collection: * A large Cammy statue. * A Naomi GD-ROM setup for arcade hardware. * A silver PS2. * Sealed copies of Resident Evil: Dead Rising 2 Zombrex Edition, Wonderful 101, Star Fox Zero, and more. * A Japanese Mega CD copy of Night Trap. * A rare Sega Mark III console. * Continued working through Yakuza 3. * Spent most of his gaming time with Forza Horizon 6, praising its visuals, online play, and stunning environments. Stu * Finally joined the Switch 2 club and couldn’t be happier with the upgrade. * Continued sinking time into Pokétopia, calling it one of his favourite games of the year despite a few minor frustrations. * Played plenty of Mario Party and Mario Kart online. * Finished the latest Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred expansion and praised how polished the overall Diablo experience has become. * Tried the new Star Fox demo and loved how faithfully it modernises the N64 classic. * Still absolutely hates Slippy. Heather * Unexpectedly enjoyed Barbie: Project Friendship, discovering it was far better than expected and surprisingly similar to Overcooked in places. * Jumped onto Fortnite’s newest map before inevitably getting annoyed by sweaty lobbies. * Continued playing 007 First Light, particularly enjoying its creative opening montage and faster pace compared to Hitman. * Took part in another retro gaming market in Sheffield, successfully selling plenty of PS2 and Wii titles while scouting what collectors are currently buying.

Episode 61 - Expo-nentially Awesome! 📺

🎙️ Join Leon, Tom, and no-longer-young Tommy as this week’s episode tackles their favourite gaming convention moments. We explore what made the conventions feel magical, and discuss whether digital showcases are a good replacement, as well as which moments became iconic or stayed in the cringe handbook. From legendary E3 reveals to epic console launches, this episode reveals how the biggest gaming events have shaped the industry—and why they still matter today—plus all the usual chat, news, and chaos. Stick around for the quiz at the end, too. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro & What We've been playing 25:13 Gaming news & upcoming games 📰 36:09 Questions from Discord❓ 50:28 Main topic: Favourite Gaming Convention Moment's 📺 01:34:46 Comments from the Discord 01:43:04 Gaming Quiz Time! 01:49:33 Shout outs and Goodbye! Find all of our links here: Linktree: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/gameolder2024⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://linktr.ee/gameolder2024⁠⁠⁠⁠] Discord:⁠ ⁠https://discord.gg/VzmAnSA7xa⁠ [https://discord.gg/VzmAnSA7xa⁠] Twitter/X: ⁠https://x.com/GameOlderPod⁠ [https://x.com/GameOlderPod⁠] Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@GameOlder2024⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@GameOlder2024⁠] Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/game_older_podcast__/⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/game_older_podcast__/⁠⁠⁠⁠] Contact us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠gameolder2024@gmail.com [gameolder2024@gmail.com]⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ Discount codes and shout-outs: We are all going to Timeless 2026, and if you would like to join us and meet us go to https://timelessgaming.co.uk and use the code OLDER26 to get 15% off all tickets. Bitmap Books 5% off all purchases: OLDER5 ⁠⁠bitmapbooks.com [http://bitmapbooks.com] ⁠⁠ Please don't forget to rate and review us wherever you listen, along with hitting the follow/subscribe button! ________________________________________ 🎮 What we’ve been playing: Leon is playing more than he realised: o Playing the lovely but creepy The Bramble of the Mountain King. o Chasing that high of intense PvPvE battles-Marathon is still an addiction. o Becoming a pirate is not for everyone, but it is for Leon and his friend in Windrose. o Ignoring the horrors of Resident Evil 9 for his free PC Game Pass month on South of Midnight, but why does he have mixed feelings about it? Tommy has been busy: o Still playing Borderlands 4 for the collectibles for a trophy that doesn't exist. o From Forza Horizon 5 to Forza Horizon 6-is Tommy worn out from the racing genre? o Still hooked and nearing the end, Tommy is still playing The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. o Stu won't be happy, as Tommy picks up and completes Split Fiction. o Is Ball x Pit a way to justify your doom-scrolling? Tommy seems to think so. o Tommy becomes The Dark Knight, but in Lego form, in LEGO® Batman™: Legacy of The Dark Knight. Tom has not had a lot of time to play, but he has still fitted in some gaming time: o Pragmata has got Tom so hooked he's already back on New Game+. o Is Tom realising that older platformers are harder by playing Tiny Toon Adventures? o Tom has returned to his love, Yakuza 3, but why is he annoyed with it? ________________________________________ 📰 Gaming News Highlights: o Destiny 2 is dead: "active development" ends next month after one final update, but Bungie says the MMO will still be "playable" - the final update is coming June 9 o Fable is still coming to PS5 despite Xbox's plans to "reevaluate our approach to exclusivity," - Good news for PlayStation gamers! o PlayStation have announced their next State of Play event for 2nd June which will be a 60-Minute-Long Showcase - The only game that has been officially confirmed for the presentation is Marvels Wolverine, but many expect more from Naughty Dog's Intergalactic. ________________________________________ 🎮 Upcoming releases: o 007 First Light (PC, PS5, XSX) – releasing May 27th o Stray (NS2) – releasing May 28th o Mina The Hollower (PC, PS5, NS, NS2, XSX) - releasing May 29th ________________________________________ 💬 Side chats & moments: o Are we missing the magic of conventions? ✨ o Was E3 as good as we remember? 🤔 o What would we choose to be in our "picky tea"? 😋

Bonus Episode - Chat with MAGG from Timeless Gaming Con 2026

Listen as Leon and Tommy catch up with MAGG (AKA Middle Aged Gamer Guy). MAGG is a twitch streamer and one of the organisers of Timeless Gaming Con. "Timeless Gaming Convention is about bringing gamers, geeks and nerds together as part of a friendly and welcoming community. As an event Timeless is about a celebration of geek culture, with a heavy leaning towards gaming, but also including cosplay, content creation and collectibles. " - timelessgaming.co.uk [http://timelessgaming.co.uk] Timeless Gaming Con 2026 will take place on Wednesday 12h August 2026 at Cains Brewery Village in Liverpool. Use our discount code OLDER26 for 15% off all ticket prices! ⁠https://timelessgaming.co.uk [https://timelessgaming.co.uk/discount] You can catch MAGG's Twitch stream here: https://www.twitch.tv/middleagedgamerguyuk [https://www.twitch.tv/middleagedgamerguyuk]