The Pittcast Season One w/ Danielle Riendeau

Ep 105: Summer Game Fest 2026 Showcase, Tupac, Final Fantasy VII Revelation

Folks, our schedules were so packed that John [https://bsky.app/profile/floppyadult.com] & Niki [https://bsky.app/profile/nikigrayson.com] had to join Lotus [https://bsky.app/profile/lotusloveslotus.bsky.social] from the car again. Sorry! This week, it's all about Summer Game Fest 2026 Showcase, which featured reveals of Resident Evil Veronica, Final Fantasy VII Revelation, and Tupac appearing in Stranger Than Heaven. Time stamps and more SGF bonus episodes coming soon! Thanks for listening! Please leave us a review! We'll read it on the show and it helps us out a lot. VGBees is ad-free, AI-free, and completely supported by you! https://vgbees.com/join VGBees is a weekly games media podcast hosted by Niki, John, and Lotus.

Ep 104: Witcher 3 DLC, Steam Deck Price Hikes, & 007 First Light w/ Jeff Gerstmann

John [https://bsky.app/profile/floppyadult.com] and Lotus [https://bsky.app/profile/lotusloveslotus.bsky.social] are joined this week by Jeff Gerstmann [https://jeff.zone] to discuss the week's biggest games news, including: The Witcher 3's surprising expansion coming in 2027, Steam Deck's massive price hikes, and what we thought of 007 First Light. 00:00:00 Intro & podcasting at yourself 00:08:56 The Witcher 3 [https://www.ign.com/articles/cd-projekt-teases-size-and-story-of-new-the-witcher-3-expansion-songs-of-the-past] is getting new DLC in 2027 [https://www.ign.com/articles/cd-projekt-teases-size-and-story-of-new-the-witcher-3-expansion-songs-of-the-past] 00:13:10 A moment for Unreal Engine 6 00:15:57 Ikaruga [https://automaton-media.com/en/news/after-12-years-in-development-ikaruga-creators-new-shooter-ubusuna-has-been-cancelled/]creator's next game has been canceled [https://automaton-media.com/en/news/after-12-years-in-development-ikaruga-creators-new-shooter-ubusuna-has-been-cancelled/] Go to nogamesforgenocide.com [https://nogamesforgenocide.com] to learn more about the BDS movement and Microsoft's continued role in the ongoing atrocities in Gaza. 00:19:14 Microsoft must pay $250m to settle class action lawsuit [https://www.gamesindustry.biz/microsoft-agrees-to-pay-250m-to-settle-lawsuit-over-activision-blizzard-deal] 00:23:30 Modern Warfare 4 and the great Call of Duty fall-off 00:29:18 Fable [https://www.gematsu.com/2026/05/fable-delayed-to-february-2027]delayed from fall 2026 to February 2027 [https://www.gematsu.com/2026/05/fable-delayed-to-february-2027] 00:38:30 Hoyoverse is investing $14.6b in AI initiatives in the next three years [https://www.gamingonphonebiz.com/hoyoverse-plans-14-6-billion-ai-investment-over-three-years-signals-push-toward-full-stack-ai-development/] 00:42:20 Roblox and how to navigate its ubiquity as a parent 00:49:15 Steam Deck price hikes and the rare appreciation of gaming setups [https://steamcommunity.com/games/1675200/announcements/detail/672869045073085560] 00:57:13 Steam updates tags [https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/593110/view/673994309884707518] and Workshop features [https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/593110/view/704394876188360836] 01:14:44 TheGamer shifts to pay-per-click for its writers [https://kotaku.com/one-of-the-biggest-networks-gaming-sites-reveals-new-plan-only-pay-writers-per-click-2000698959] 01:24:32 The PlayStation 5 Pro is tall 01:27:01 007 First Light is a great Bond game even for people who aren't Bond superfans 01:38:32 Carrot Kingdom--not the Atari shareware--is a fun and very short puzzler 01:39:58 Panthalassa features a gorgeous underwater alien world 01:41:57 Phonopolis is the latest from Amanita Design 01:45:06 Mina the Hollower is Yacht Club's most interesting game 01:52:12 Pictonico is WarioWare for your phone...without the Wario 01:59:36 We answer your burning HIVE QUESTIONS from our Discord 03:01:23 SGF 2026 plans & outro Thanks for listening! Please leave us a review! We'll read it on the show and it helps us out a lot. VGBees is ad-free, AI-free, and completely supported by you! https://vgbees.com/join VGBees is a weekly games media podcast hosted by Niki, John, and Lotus.

Ep 103: Embracer Restructures Again, Destiny 2 Development Ending, PS Plus Price Hikes

John [https://bsky.app/profile/floppyadult.com], Lotus [https://bsky.app/profile/lotusloveslotus.bsky.social], and Niki [https://bsky.app/profile/nikigrayson.com] discuss the biggest news of the week, including Embracer's head-scratching restructure, Destiny 2's final update, and PlayStation Plus price hikes. 00:00:00 Intro & Niki Buys a Porsche 00:09:50 Terraria [https://forums.terraria.org/index.php?threads/celebrating-15-years-of-terraria.149950/] celebrates 15 years of absolutely bonkers player counts [https://forums.terraria.org/index.php?threads/celebrating-15-years-of-terraria.149950/] 00:25:15 Tom Kane passes away at 64 [https://www.gamedeveloper.com/audio/obituary-veteran-voice-actor-tom-kane-passes-away-at-64] 00:26:41 PlayStation Plus gets price hikes [https://www.gamesindustry.biz/sony-announces-playstation-plus-price-rises-due-to-ongoing-market-conditions] 00:35:47 US National Recording Registry adds [https://www.gamesindustry.biz/original-doom-soundtrack-to-be-inducted-into-us-national-recording-registry]DOOM [https://www.gamesindustry.biz/original-doom-soundtrack-to-be-inducted-into-us-national-recording-registry] soundtrack to its library [https://www.gamesindustry.biz/original-doom-soundtrack-to-be-inducted-into-us-national-recording-registry] 00:44:28 Stig Asmussen [https://www.gamesindustry.biz/wizards-of-the-coast-ends-partnership-with-giant-skull]Dungeons & Dragons [https://www.gamesindustry.biz/wizards-of-the-coast-ends-partnership-with-giant-skull] game canceled by Wizards of the Coast [https://www.gamesindustry.biz/wizards-of-the-coast-ends-partnership-with-giant-skull] 00:55:20 Embracer restructures [https://www.gamesindustry.biz/embracer-group-announces-plans-to-spin-off-fellowship-entertainment] their game [https://embracer.com/releases/open-letter-by-chair-of-the-board-on-the-fellowship-entertainment-spin-off/] organizations again [https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/opinion-lars-wingefors-is-out-of-his-mind] 01:04:20 Quantic Dream's MOBA is shutting down [https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/quantic-dream-cutting-jobs-after-scrapping-spellcasters-chronicles] 01:06:14 Bungie [https://www.bungie.net/7/en/News/Article/d2_may_21_2026] ending Destiny 2 development and facing layoffs [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-05-21/bungie-plans-layoffs-after-ending-destiny-2-development?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTc3OTQwNTI3OSwiZXhwIjoxNzgwMDEwMDc5LCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJURkVUVjJLSUpIOTIwMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiJCMUVBQkI5NjQ2QUM0REZFQTJBRkI4MjI1MzgyQTJFQSJ9.atbS1PFknTC7XBSdrUHEMV1jz4pw1lfmIX0rGjUFbRs] 01:27:30 Everyone roasts John for buying a PS5 Pro 01:39:00 Niki continues to build a NAS for their home 01:51:28 The crew answers your burning HIVE QUESTIONS [vgbees.com/join] from Discord [vgbees.com/discord] 03:04:15 Outro & SGF Plans Thanks for listening! Please leave us a review! We'll read it on the show and it helps us out a lot. VGBees is ad-free, AI-free, and completely supported by you! https://vgbees.com/join VGBees is a weekly games media podcast hosted by Niki, John, and Lotus.

The Pittcast Season Two w/ Danielle Riendeau

Content Warning for graphic medical procedures, assault, sexual assault, suicide, and death in this episode. The Pitt is a show with a lot of tough ingredients thrown into a stew--we try to navigate these with tact and care but be forewarned the entire episode has a lot of potentially triggering discussion. GameDeveloper.com Editor-in-Chief (and Polygon, Waypoint, and Fanbyte alum) Danielle Riendeau joins John Warren for a recap of season two of The Pitt, one of VGBees' favorite television shows. Danielle lends her experience as a volunteer EMT in New York City to the duo's analysis and critique of the HBO Max medical drama. Included topics: * The role of AI in healthcare * The role of compassion in emergency medicine * Using the show to demystify difficult subjects regarding sexual assault and death * ICE and their miserable role in American healthcare in 2026 * and much, much more! Thanks for listening! Please leave us a review! We'll read it on the show and it helps us out a lot. VGBees is ad-free, AI-free, and completely supported by you! https://vgbees.com/join VGBees is a weekly games media podcast hosted by Niki, John, and Lotus.

Ep 102: Subnautica 2 Smashes Sales Expectations, Leaked Xbox Controllers, More Game Unions

Lotus [https://bsky.app/profile/lotusloveslotus.bsky.social] and John [https://bsky.app/profile/floppyadult.com] discuss the biggest games news of the week, including Subnautica 2 creating a big bonus problem for KRAFTON's CEO, leaked Xbox controllers, and Marathon's interesting PVE-focused roadmap. 00:00:00 Intro & Buc-ees Fare 00:10:05 Subnautica 2 [https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/subnautica-2-has-sold-2-million-copies-in-12-hours-with-9x-the-players-as-the-first-and-at-this-point-i-figure-that-krafton-ceo-is-already-on-his-second-bottle/]'s massive sales creates an interesting problem for KRAFTON's CEO [https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/subnautica-2-has-sold-2-million-copies-in-12-hours-with-9x-the-players-as-the-first-and-at-this-point-i-figure-that-krafton-ceo-is-already-on-his-second-bottle/] 00:13:15 Steam Controllers look bad, feel good, and scream when you drop them [https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/game-pads/steam-controllers-to-come-back-in-stock-with-reprise-of-steam-deck-reservation-system/] 00:21:43 Sony takes huge loss on Bungie acquisition [https://kotaku.com/sony-records-new-560-million-loss-on-bungie-acquisition-as-marathon-struggles-and-destiny-2-nosedives-2000694100]; Marathon [https://kotaku.com/marathon-reveals-an-ambitious-blueprint-for-making-it-a-game-more-people-want-to-play-2000696161]gets new PVE-heavy roadmap [https://kotaku.com/marathon-reveals-an-ambitious-blueprint-for-making-it-a-game-more-people-want-to-play-2000696161] 00:30:20 Wizards and Hasbro fail to recognize the new [https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/wizards-of-the-coast-declines-to-voluntarily-recognize-game-worker-union]MTG: Arena [https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/wizards-of-the-coast-declines-to-voluntarily-recognize-game-worker-union] union [https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/wizards-of-the-coast-declines-to-voluntarily-recognize-game-worker-union] 00:33:25 Double Fine is also unionzing [https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/double-fine-petitions-to-unionize] 00:35:35 New Xbox controllers were leaked [https://kotaku.com/two-new-very-different-xbox-controllers-have-leaked-online-2000696180] 00:38:45 Microsoft fires executive for ties with Israel Ministry of Defense [https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-microsoft-israel-chief-leaves-amid-ethical-controversy-1001542602] 00:41:35 Sony says studios are using AI, but we have questions [https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/playstation-sees-ai-as-a-powerful-tool-teams-including-naughty-dog-san-diego-studio-already-using-it] 00:49:10 Tekken [https://www.gamesindustry.biz/snk-announces-new-studio-lead-by-tekken-veteran-katsuhiro-harada]producer Harada leads new SNK studio [https://www.gamesindustry.biz/snk-announces-new-studio-lead-by-tekken-veteran-katsuhiro-harada] 00:53:05 Niki joins the show on locations to run down news so far 00:54:45 Sega backs off of live services games [https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/sega-is-lowering-the-priority-of-games-as-a-service-titles] 00:58:38 GameStop's offer to buy eBay thoroughly, hilariously, decisively rebuffed [https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/-your-proposal-is-neither-credible-nor-attractive-ebay-rejects-gamestop-takeover-bid] 01:04:12 Nintendo's fiscal report reveals reasons for Switch 2 price hike [https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2026/260511e.pdf] 01:07:40 House Hunters is the best hotel television show 01:09:10 The story in Digimon Story: Time Stranger is pretty bad 01:18:10 The crew answers your burning HIVE QUESTIONS [vgbees.com/join] from our Discord [vgbees.com/discord] 02:21:50 Reviews & Outro Thanks for listening! Please leave us a review! We'll read it on the show and it helps us out a lot. VGBees is ad-free, AI-free, and completely supported by you! https://vgbees.com/join VGBees is a weekly games media podcast hosted by Niki, John, and Lotus.