Gamertag Radio

Danny Peña and Parris Lilly dive deep into the ultimate history and current status of the Call of Duty franchise. The duo examines COD's historic sales domination since 2005, comparing its performance against industry giants like Halo 3, Grand Theft Auto, and Red Dead Redemption.

They also evaluate the business impact of releasing Call of Duty on Game Pass on day one, analyzing why strategy shifts occur and what the future holds for the franchise across platforms. Plus, Parris breaks down his hands-on experience playing Call of Duty multiplayer on the Nintendo Switch 2 and discusses how bringing COD t...

Danny Peña and Parris Lilly are joined by special guest Brittany (aka Blonde Nerd) to break down Parris’ hands-on preview experience playing The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake on Nintendo Switch 2 at Nintendo’s 2026 Holiday Showcase!

Parris shares details from his 80-minute preview session, covering Kokiri Forest, the Deku Tree, Hyrule Field, Hyrule Castle Town, and adult Link combat inside the Forest Temple. The crew discusses the new dedicated jump button, updated combat and camera controls, voice acting, enemy redesigns, and whether this remake stays faithful to the 1998 N64 classic.

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Danny Peña and Parris Lilly return to discuss the biggest stories in gaming and tech! In this episode, the duo dives deep into the early estimated sales numbers for Gears of War: E-Day, addressing the online discourse around Game Pass vs. direct sales and why artificial sales metrics don't paint the whole picture.

Later, Parris shares his hands-on experience at the Microsoft and NVIDIA Surface Event in San Francisco, breaking down the Surface Laptop Ultra, the RTX Spark architecture, and what it all means for the future of PC gaming and AI integration. The hosts also l...

Xbox recently announced XBOX XP, a new division focused on Xbox Pictures, Products, Places, and Partnerships. But what does this major announcement actually mean for content creators, influencers, and gaming communities?

In this episode of Gamertag Radio, Danny Peña and Riana Manuel-Peña sit down with industry veteran Andy Lunique (aka Chef Andy, former games influencer marketing specialist) to break down the real-world impact of XBOX XP.

Topics covered in this episode:

XBOX Partnerships: How Xbox plans to collaborate with creators, brands, and communities beyond simple sponsorships.

The Ev...

Parris Lilly had the opportunity to check out Nintendo Switch Sports Resort at the Nintendo Holiday Showcase in New York City!

In this hands-on preview, I walk through my experience testing out both exploratory and competitive modes:

Island Exploration: Power cruising (wave racing), prop plane flying, and skateboarding with photo objectives

Competitive Modes: Thumb wrestling, archery, table tennis, boxing, and bowling

Nintendo Switch Sports Resort releases on October 22, 2026. Big thanks to Nintendo for inviting me out!

The whole crew is back! Danny Peña, Parris Lilly, and Peter Toledo sit down to catch up on the latest gaming news, hands-on impressions, community voicemails, and industry rants.  

First, the team listens to community voicemails touching on compassion during industry layoffs, Danny’s work with media outreach on major games, and accessibility options like difficulty modes in modern RPGs.   

Then, Parris gives a deep dive into Gears of War: E-Day running on PC. Sponsored segment details powered by NVIDIA GeForce showcase how DLSS 4.5, multi-frame generation, and ray tracing elevate the visual fidelity on RTX 50...

In this episode of Gamertag Radio, Danny Peña and Riana Manuel-Peña, a panel featuring clinician scientist & content creator, airiesummer, Teamwork CEO Lynetta Cunningham, and MediaWise interactive learning designer Sean Marcus discusses strategies for keeping young gamers safe online. The panel covers navigating age ratings, fostering open communication between parents and children, combatting toxicity, and leveraging video games as positive tools for mental wellness and informal learning.

This episode was sponsored by MediaWise. Want to win a $50 Visa gift card? Complete our quick survey to share your feedback about today's discussion, help shape future programs, and en...

We sit down with Creative Director Matt Searcy and Art Director Aren Hamak at the Gears of War: E-Day event in Los Angeles to discuss bringing the franchise back to its darkest roots!   

In this interview, the team behind Gears of War: E-Day breaks down:The Fall of Kalona: 

- How the city evolves and crumbles as the outbreak unfolds.   
- Marcus & Dom’s Origin: Exploring their relationship following the Pendulum Wars.   
- Modernized Gameplay: Upgraded cover mechanics, new movement, and enhanced verticality built from the ground up in Unreal Engine 5.   Horror Roots: Turning up...

We played through the Gears of War: E-Day co-op campaign across PC, Xbox Series S, and the ROG Xbox Ally X to deliver our honest impressions! From witnessing Emergence Day in real-time to testing Unreal Engine 5 performance, new cover mechanics, weapon modding, and city destruction, we break down everything you need to know.   Is this prequel story a return to peak horror-infused Gears of War, or does repetition hold it back?

Danny Peña and Parris Lilly dive into The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered! Over a decade after its original release, CD Projekt Red has delivered a major update packed with PC Path Tracing, DLSS 4.5 support, reworked combat animations, UI updates, transmog, auto-looting, and accessibility features.   

In this episode, Danny and Parris break down their hands-on impressions across PC and Switch 2, discuss why the inclusion of Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine for free makes this the ultimate definitive edition, and share their thoughts on the upcoming "Songs of the Past" expansion along with CDPR's target release for...

In this special episode of Gamertag Radio, Riana Manuel-Peña sits down with Kahlief Adams (Spawn on Me) and Tony Polanco (Tom's Guide) for a full deep-dive discussion on Control Resonant.

The crew breaks down their history with Remedy Entertainment, overall impressions, character arcs, mechanics, side missions, sound design, and where this title stands in the Game of the Year conversation.

⚠️ SPOILER WARNING: This discussion contains full story, character, and ending spoilers for Control Resonant. Proceed with caution if you haven't finished the game!

We were live at Venice Beach for the global Logitech G PLAY celebration! In this interview, Andrew walks us through Logitech G’s massive wave of announcements, featuring 15 new products and new software tools.

We check out the return of an iconic microphone with the new Yeti 2, test the magnetic haptic click on the Pro X3 Superstrike gaming mouse, break down the Pro X2 Rapid analog keyboard, and explore how Streamlabs and G HUB are making content creation easier for every type of gamer.

Sponsored by Logitech G.

Danny Peña and Parris Lilly breakdown the massive news surrounding the "Xbox Big Reset". From major studio shakeups and layoffs to big organizational shifts across Halo Studios, Rare, Bethesda, and Activision, we unpack what these huge changes mean for the future of Xbox and its core franchises.

In this episode:

The Impact of Layoffs & Closures: Over 260 employees impacted across Halo Studios and Xbox Game Studios, along with the closure of Ninja Theory.

Halo Studios Moves to Activision: What does this mean for the future of the Halo franchise, multiplayer, and t...

Welcome to Episode 1600 of Gamertag Radio! In this episode, Danny Peña and Parris Lilly dive into the latest massive shifts in the video game industry.

We break down the shocking news regarding Hideo Kojima, PlayStation, and Xbox, including recent updates on his upcoming project. Plus, we discuss the latest rumors surrounding Xbox Game Pass, could day-one releases be coming to an end, and what does the future hold for game subscription models and rising AAA budgets?

Special thanks to NVIDIA GeForce for sponsoring a segment of this episode! Parris shares his hands-on PC experience p...

In this live episode of Gamertag Radio sponsored by MediaWise, host Danny Peña is joined by co-host Riana Manuel-Peña, actor/composer Greg Chun, content creator Destin Legarie and MediaWise Deputy Director, Brittani Kollar. Together, they dive deep into navigating online toxicity, avoiding clickbait, detecting AI-generated content, and maintaining media literacy in today's attention economy.

 Want to win a $50 Visa gift card? Complete our quick survey to share your feedback about today's discussion, help shape future programs, and enter for your chance to win! 

In this non-spoiler review, Danny Peña, Riana Manuel-Peña, and Parris Lilly break down their early hands-on impressions and deep dives into Remedy’s latest release, Control Resonant.   From its expanded open-world Manhattan setting and deep combat mechanics to its incredible soundtrack and customizable assist options, the team discusses why Control Resonant stands out as a potential contender for Game of the Year 2026. Whether you are playing on PC, PlayStation 5, or Xbox Series X | S discover how the game pushes the Remedy Connected Universe to whole new heights.

Huge thanks to Remedy and Tara Bruno PR for s...

Danny Peña speaks with ASUS's Whitson Gordon to discuss the official announcement and details of the limited edition ROG Xbox Ally X20 20th Anniversary model!  Whitson shares insights from Gamescom, detailing the device's standout features—including its hot-off-the-press 7.4-inch OLED display with variable refresh rate (VRR), TMR joysticks, rubberized grips, micro SD Express support, and transforming D-pad. They also dive into the new TV docking station improvements, the exclusive Pelican case bundle with XReal AR glasses, pricing, and upcoming software updates for the ROG Ally ecosystem.  The ROG Xbox Ally X20 officially launches on October 15th. Pre-orders are avail...

In this episode of Gamertag Radio, Riana Manuel-Peña and Tony Polanco deliver their non-spoiler review, first impressions, and gameplay breakdown of Insomniac Games' Marvel’s Wolverine for the PlayStation 5!

Tony shares his thoughts after 100% completing the game, joining Riana for a deep dive into how Insomniac handles Logan’s story, brutal combat mechanics, and team dynamics.

In this discussion, we cover:

Story & Universe: How Insomniac’s take on Team X, Nathaniel Essex, and the X-Men world subverts MCU and comic expectations.

Gameplay & Combat: The brutal gore, enemy variety, boss ba...

Gamertag Radio's Danny Peña speaks with Square Enix directors Naoki Hamaguchi and Teruki Endo to discuss Final Fantasy VII Revelation, the third and final chapter in the remake trilogy.  The team reflects on the 10-year journey of rebuilding Final Fantasy VII, balancing nostalgic battle design with modern action RPG mechanics, and landing the plane for this legendary story. Danny also dives into multi-platform development on the Nintendo Switch 2, how the trilogy connects to Advent Children, and what the future holds—including two planned story DLCs!

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NVIDIA GeForce DLSS 5 is officially here, and NBA 2K27 is the first title to take advantage of it! Following early leaks and initial controversy surrounding how the tech works, I had the chance to get hands-on experience both at Gamescom and at home on my RTX 5090 rig.

In this segment, sponsored by NVIDIA GeForce, I break down how developer Visual Concepts actually implemented DLSS 5 into NBA 2K27 using 3D guided neural rendering. Learn how targeted, asset-specific application transforms player details, arena lighting, and crowd realism—plus my real-world performance benchmarks at 4K Ultra settings!

Key Hi...

In this episode of Gamertag Radio, hosts Danny Peña and Riana Manuel-Peña team up with MediaWise to explore the impact of online misinformation and toxic culture within video game spaces. They are joined by lead web developer at Poynter, Jay Tillery and veteran 3D artist Del Walker. The panel discusses how rumors spread rapidly across social media, why negative clickbait dominates the algorithm, and the real-world impact fake leaks and toxic discourse have on both game developers and gaming communities.

Program Feedback & Giveaway Entry - click here

Key Topics Covered:

The Me...

At Gamescom, Parris Lilly catches up with Lead Combat Designer from Rebel Wolves, to discuss the immersive combat systems in The Blood of Dawnwalker. He breaks down the design behind the game's directional sword fighting, optional accessibility options like Omni-blocks, and how the team balanced combat difficulty to keep players engaged. The conversation also covers player customization, skill tree trade-offs, and the mechanical differences between playing as a human utilizing witchcraft during the day versus a brutal vampire at night.

Fresh back in Los Angeles after Gamescom, Danny Peña and Parris Lilly break down their hands-on theater presentation and impressions of The Witcher 3 Remaster and its massive new story expansion, Songs of the Past!

In this episode, Danny and Parris discuss:

The Witcher 3 Remaster Announcement – Their reaction to the surprising Opening Night Live announcement, free current-gen upgrades, included expansions (Hearts of Stone & Blood and Wine), and massive quality-of-life improvements.

Songs of the Past Expansion Breakdown – Exploring the stunning new northern region of Lettin (ancestral home of Dandelion), returning fan-favorite characters like Roach, and u...

Parris Lilly and Danny Peña share exclusive hands-on impressions of the upcoming Fable reboot straight from Gamescom!

In this video, Parris breaks down his 45-minute hands-on combat demo from Playground Games:

Combat Breakdown – Swordplay, ranged mechanics, spell casting, and fighting through skeleton swarms and ghoul mini-bosses.

Difficulty Scaling – Playing through the demo on default and stepping up to Heroic/Legendary difficulty.

Visuals & Performance – Impressions from playing on PC and Series X, confirming smooth controls and non-clunky combat.

Campaign Length & Legacy – Discussion on the reported 15–20 hour campaign length, side quests, rea...

Parris Lilly and Danny Peña share hands-on impressions and co-op details for State of Decay 3 from Gamescom!

In this video, Parris breaks down his 45-minute hands-on gameplay session playing State of Decay 3 for the first time:

Co-Op & World Host Mechanics – How persistent co-op worlds work, host permission controls, and managing friends in your survivor group.

Scavenging & Gameplay – Exploring infected towns for resources, dealing with zombie swarms, and managing procedural survivors with unique perks.

Camp & Survivor Management – Recruiter mechanics, survivor morale, losing bases, and managing your community.

Danny Peña and Parris Lilly return to Gamer Tag Radio to break down two unique indie titles that stood out during their playtime at Gamescom:

ONTOS – From the developers behind SOMA, this sci-fi psychological horror mystery puts players in high-stakes environments filled with puzzles, branching paths, and tricky scenarios. Danny shares his hands-on experience solving the demo's puzzles, discovering new story paths, and pressing the devs on the game's mysterious art.

Hello Sunshine – Parris gives a detailed breakdown of this survival-scavenging concept from Red Thread Games. Described as The Iron Giant meets Wall-E where the s...

Danny Peña and Parris Lilly break down their hands-on impressions and previews of three major upcoming titles from Gamescom:

Chronos: Lazarus – First hands-on impressions with the new expansion! Danny and Parris discuss the faster pacing, new traversal and stealth mechanics (like short-range teleporting and invisibility), difficulty tweaks, and Bloober Team's evolution of the series.

Chronicles Medieval – A detailed look at Raw Power Games' historical RTS hybrid. Blending Civilization and Age of Empires elements with a third-person camera option, real-time tactical commander combat, troop morale mechanics, and massive battles featuring up to 2,000 units.

Contr...

Danny Peña spoke with Eric Damien-Vernay (Brand Director for Might & Magic at Ubisoft) about bringing back an iconic strategy classic in the Heroes of Might and Magic III Remake!

In this interview, we dive into why Ubisoft is modernizing the game for new and veteran players alike, including new quality-of-life features, customizable preset playstyles, campaign improvements, and automation options. Plus, we discuss the team's personal connections to the original and the planned 2027 release window!

Interview with the Director Xiangyu "XY" Luo to talk about his upcoming action RPG, Showa American Story! Inspired by 80s pop culture, post-apocalyptic tropes, and B-movie directors like Quentin Tarantino, Takashi Miike, and Takeshi Kitano, this title blends humor, violence, and nostalgia.

In this interview, Mr. Luo details the protagonist quest to find her sister in a post-apocalyptic world, the creation of crazy weapons like the American Flag and Santa's Reindeer, and how cinematic cutscenes set their boss battles apart.

Danny Peña sat down with Jack Hoppis (Technical Designer at Infinity Ward) and Beatriz González (Production Director at Digital Legends) to discuss bringing Call of Duty to the Nintendo Switch 2!

We break down crossplay and cross-progression, unique Switch 2 control options like gyro and mouse controls, and the beta feedback leading into launch. Plus, we get details on map dynamics like Killblock, game modes, and the official file size for the Switch 2 version!

We sat down at Gamescom with industry legend Tim Willits, Chief Creative Officer at Saber Interactive and former id Software veteran (Doom, Quake, Wolfenstein), for an in-depth developer interview!

In this conversation, Tim breaks down how Saber Interactive approaches massive IP adaptations including their upcoming Hellraiser game made in direct collaboration with creator Clive Barker, as well as high-profile titles for John Wick and Jurassic Park. He reflects on transitioning from 25+ years of making fast-paced first-person shooters to managing diverse genres like horror, simulators, and action games. Plus, Tim shares a powerful personal story about how Quake...

In this podcast exclusive interview, we sat down with Leslie Harwood (Principal Scene Coordinator) and Jessica Harra Campbell (Design Director) from Telltale Games to discuss the long-awaited development of The Wolf Among Us 2!

During our exclusive interview, the dev team breaks down the decision behind their major tech reset—shifting away from Telltale's proprietary engine to Unreal Engine while building a custom "Telltale Renderer" to retain the iconic visual identity of the original. They also detail key gameplay evolutions, including moving to an over-the-shoulder third-person camera for exploration, how their choice and reactivity systems go deeper than si...

Danny Peña sat down with AJ Grand-Scrutton, CEO of Dlala Studios and Director/Co-Writer of Murals, to discuss their brand-new isometric action-adventure title!

After building hit multiplayer experiences like Battletoads and Disney Illusion Island, Dlala Studios is pivoting to their first single-player game in 13 years. In this interview, AJ breaks down the creative process of building an original IP rooted in reimagined fairy tales, combining 2D and 3D visual styles inspired by Who Framed Roger Rabbit, why they decided to leave multiplayer behind for this project, and the sheer panic of setting their Steam page live d...

We sit down with the teams at Evil Empire and Konami to discuss the development of Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse. In this interview, Lead Level Designer Sandro Bordi, Marketing Director Béranger Dupré, and the Konami team break down how they balanced nostalgia for longtime fans with accessibility for newcomers.

They explore:

The Whip-Centric Gameplay: Modernizing traversal, combat, and exploration mechanics inspired by Super Castlevania IV.

Story & Setting: Setting the game in 1499 Paris, 23 years after Dracula’s Curse, and introducing Rose Belmont.

Design & Music: Drawing inspiration from Symphony of the Night, Order...

During Gamescom 2026, Danny Peña sat down with Michael Yum, CEO and co-founder of PM Studios, to chat about publishing, supporting indie games, and bringing back The Wolf Among Us 2. Michael discusses what PM Studios looks for in developer partnerships, why physical game preservation and collectors' editions matter, and how their new platform, PANEX, aims to unite PlayStation, Nintendo, and Xbox gamers.

Exclusive! Live from the Xbox booth at Gamescom, the team catches up with Jason Ronald (Vice President of Next Generation at Xbox) to break down major news for physical game collectors.

Xbox is launching a new feature for Xbox Insiders that allows players to convert physical discs into digital licenses directly tied to their accounts.

In this episode, we cover:

How it works: How inserting your physical disc unlocks a digital entitlement tied to your account.

Supported titles: Initial availability for thousands of Xbox One and Xbox Series X...

We got our hands on Crazy Taxi World Tour at Gamescom! In this episode of Gamer Tag Radio, Danny Peña and Riana Manuel Peña share their full hands-on preview, first impressions, and gameplay breakdown after spending nearly an hour with the game.

From exploring the Germany map to testing out new traversal mechanics like Crazy Drift, Crazy Boost, and Crazy Stop, we cover everything this updated Sega classic has to offer. Plus, hear our thoughts on side quests, arcade passenger pickups, hilarious characters, and classic soundtrack tunes!

Danny Peña and Riana Manuel Peña share their hands-on impressions of Stranger Than Heaven from Sega's press event in Los Angeles! From developer balance updates and revamped boss fights to the game's unique combat mechanics, photorealistic visual style, and 50-year narrative arc, we break down what makes this upcoming RGG Studio title stand out.

Subscribe to Gamer Tag Radio for gaming previews, hands-on reviews, and event coverage!

Danny Peña, Parris Lilly, and Riana Manuel-Peña sit down to share their hands-on impressions of the single-player campaign preview for Gears of War: E-Day!

The team dives deep into playing Chapter 1 and parts of Act 2, highlighting key gameplay updates, performance on Xbox Series S vs. PC, new class-based mechanics, and the return to the series' dark, gritty roots.

In this episode, we cover:

First Impressions: How Gears of War: E-Day feels on Xbox Series S and PC running on Unreal Engine 5.

New Mechanics & Features: Dynamic destructible cover, cl...

Danny Peña and Parris Lilly break down all the major announcements from NVIDIA's GeForce event at Gamescom! From the rollout of DLSS 4.5 Ray Reconstruction to the new RTX Spark laptops and GeForce NOW upgrades, here is everything you need to know about the future of PC gaming graphics.

(Sponsored segment by NVIDIA GeForce)

In this episode, we cover:

DLSS 4.5 & Ray Reconstruction: Upgrades to lighting, image quality, and AI denoiser performance powered by NVIDIA's 2nd generation transformer model.

Supported Titles: First look at DLSS 4.5 implementation in 007 First Light, Control R...