Game Mess Mornings

Jeff Grubb is joined by Josh Coulson from TheGamer to chat about Riot ending active development for fighting game 2XKO, Take-Two issuing subpoenas to Microsoft and Discord over GTA VI leaks, FromSoftware's network test for The Duskbloods ending early, and more!

00:00 - Intro
04:20 - FromSoftware Gives Up On Today’s The Duskbloods Network Test After Two Hours Of Failed Logins
13:00 - Riot is effectively putting 2XKO into maintenance mode 
19:40 - Take-Two Subpoenas Trove Of Records From Microsoft And Discord As It Hunts For GTA 6 Leaker
29:30 - Break
29:50 - Microsoft has stopped giving Circana its...

Jeff Grubb is joined by Mat Piscatella on the show today to chat about July's Circana Report and how the market is doing overall! We also get into a new Sony patent that makes AI play games for you, low physical sales on the Xbox, Duskbloods previews, and more! 

Follow Mat Piscatella on Bluesky at
https://bsky.app/profile/matpiscatella.bsky.social 

00:00 - Intro
5:55 - July 2026 U.S. Video Game Market Highlights
20:30 - Nobody’s Buying New Physical Games On Xbox In The U.S.
31:26 - Break
31:40 - New Sony Patent Disc...

Jeff Grubb is joined by Jan Ochoa to chat about PlayStation going back to the drawing board with Horizon Hunters Gathering, Xbox announcing a new game at Gamescom, Control Resonant not getting a physical release until October, and more news for hump day! 

00:00 - Intro
04:30 - PlayStation co-op spin-off Horizon Hunters Gathering is reportedly being overhauled after poor testing feedback
23:30 - Surprise Xbox Game To Be Announced At Gamescom, Insider Says
26:37 - break
26:45 - GTA 6 has already generated an estimated $395 million in preorders
30:19 - Notice that Control Resonant isn’t getting a physical ver...

It's MONDAY! We've got Mike Minotti joining Grubb today to talk about a grip of news coming out of D23 like Kingdom Hearts IV finally resurfacing and aiming for a 2027 release date, Mortal Shell II, online outrage at Marvel's Wolverine, and more to start your week!

00:00 - Intro
5:50 - Kingdom Hearts IV finally resurfaces: late 2027, Coco, and Square says it absolutely won't slip
10:40 - Saber CEO Apologizes To Rideshare Writer Involved In AI Controversy
16:10 - PlayStation 6 release date still hasn’t been decided, Sony CEO Hiroki Totoki says
23:00 - break - 
24:30 - Mortal She...

Jeff Grubb is joined by Rhiannon Bevan to end the week with a whole slew of news! Wolverine previews are in and we take a look at what the general temperature is with Insomniac's new game, Netflix continues to close studios, Pokémon Pokopia is still making noise with sales, and more news stories to end the week. 

00:00 - Intro
3:30 - Wolverine previews are out
11:10 - Netflix is closing the Oxenfree studio
20: 30 - 2K unveils ‘ambitious’ new sports studio stuffed with EA Sports FIFA talent
26:50 - break
27:00 - Extended Look At GTA 6 To Span M...

Grubb is joined by Jan Ochoa to celebrate Boy Salad Summer as we talk about Streamers' content being used to train generative AI at Twitch, the CEO of Saber lashing out against a former writer, Mario Kart World competing with 8 still, and more for your Thursday morning news needs!

00:00 - Intro
04:40 - Twitch is using streamers’ content to train generative AI by default
16:16 - Saber CEO Would Have Been “Happy to Replace” Former Writer With AI, In Retrospect
26:20 - BREAK
26:40 - Physical games are selling like crazy on Switch 2
33:40 - Mario Kart World may be...

Jeff Grubb and TurboShawn run you through the biggest news stories of the day, including Asha Sharma's hints about The Elder Scrolls VI, an analysis of Halo: Campaign Evolved's underwhelming sales, more info on Phantom Blade Zero, and more!

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Timestamps (note, timestamps on this free version may vary greatly depending on how many ads you receive):
00:00 Intro
04:27 More jangling keys – Xbox CEO ignored a giant rat to talk up Elder Scrolls VI
12:47 Ha...

Lex Luddy joins Jeff Grubb to talk about Blizzard reportedly being Xbox's "Top-Performing" studio thanks to Overwatch and Diablo, Valve hardware customers being hit by a shipping-partner data breach, and more.

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Timestamps (note, timestamps on this free version may vary greatly depending on how many ads you receive):
00:00 Intro
05:26 Valve hardware customers hit by shipping-partner data breach
13:58 Blizzard Reportedly Leads Xbox as 'Top-Performing' Studio Thanks to Overwatch and Diablo
25:14 Doom developer...

We've got a Fanelli Friday today! Jason Fanelli joins Jeff Grubb to end the week to chat about Marvel Tōkon launching with "Mixed" Steam reviews, Quake's 30th Anniversary, a whole block of Take-Two and GTA VI news, and more to end your week! 

0:00 - Intro
4:10 - Marvel Tōkon Launches To Abysmal 44% Rating On Steam
17:39 - MachineGames and id Software celebrate Quake’s 30th Anniversary with a brand-new episode
22:35 - Break
22:40 - Devolver Digital Wants To Go Private Again Following A 95 Percent Collapse In Its Share Price
32:55 - The Legend Of Zelda Live...

Jeff Grubb is joined by Chuck Zimmerheld to give you the news! We're talking about GTA VI and Netflix's special preview event, Tomodachi Life hitting BIG, Switch 2 is still Nintendo's fastest selling system, Diablo 4 and FF XIV on the Switch 2, and more! 

0:00 - Intro
4:40 - GTA VI’s next presentation is a Netflix timed exclusive
11:10 - Switch 2 remains Nintendo’s fastest-selling system
22:40 - Tomodachi Life is officially a megahit
26:40 - Space Ace Updates
27:00 - Break
27:50 - Sony is reportedly putting warning labels on PS5s about decision to ditch discs
36:53 - Capco...

Jeff Grubb is joined by Jan Ochoa to chat about the repercussions of EA getting acquired by Saudi Arabia, Beast of Reincarnation reviews, the director of Assassin's Creed Valhalla returning to Ubisoft, Marvel Rivals shrinking, and more! 

0:00 - Intro
5:20 - EA could be set for ‘mass layoffs’ as it aims to cut costs following Saudi acquisition
16:20 - Beast of Reincarnation reviews
20:30 - Game Freak is planning regular Beast of Reincarnation updates, starting next week
27:15 - BREAK
27:30 - Assassin's Creed Valhalla director makes sudden return to Ubisoft, and will lead the series moving forward
...

Jeff Grubb is joined by Jeff Bakalar to start your week with news! We're talking about Big Walk reviews, a new Nintendo Direct dropping tomorrow, we might see Wolverine's butt in the upcoming game, and more! 

0:00 - Intro
6:40 - Big Walk reviews
14:57 - New Nintendo Direct dropping tomorrow dedicated to Fire Emblem Fortune’s Weave
21:50 - Wolverine’s Going To Get His Butt Out In Insomniac’s New Game
29:25 - break 
29:30 - Xbox console price increases in Europe and UK fully revealed, with Series X now costing €200 more
38:40 - No, Xbox isn't quitting S...

Jeff Grubb and Jason Fanelli end the week with video game news! Today we chat about how PlayStation's profits are jumping despite lack of games, Jason's time at MagicCon, another statement from Asha Sharma about the goals of XBOX, Sony continuing forward despite the disc backlash, and more! 

0:00 Intro
4:02 - PlayStation’s profits jumps despite declining PS5 shipments and playtime
16:02 - Sony says it hears PlayStation disc backlash but will continue its plans
25:00- break
26:10 - MagicCon
29:20 - Xbox boss Asha Sharma says console is the core of its strength
38:00 - Assassin’s Cre...

Jeff Grubb is joined by Rachel Kaser to chat about NVIDIA raising the prices again of some of their products, Capcom feeling very positive about the chances of a Pragmata sequel, Splatoon Raiders doing big numbers in Japan, and Croc 2?

0:00 - Intro
4:20 - GTA VI marketing may finally ramp back up in August
14:00 - FF7 Revelation director says he’s working on arranging ‘some kind of physical edition’, but can’t confirm details
21:00 - Splatoon Raiders launches huge in Japan
25:00 - BREAK
26:00 - NVIDIA Price Hikes
37:50 - Xbox’s audience grew, but its busine...

We've got surround sound Jeffs today on Game Mess Mornings! Jeff Grubb and Jeff Bakalar are in the house to chat about what's happening at Double Fine, Konami wants a new Silent Hill every year, Splatoon Raiders is hitting BIG, and more! 

00:00 - Intro
4:27 - Double Fine has laid off 23 staff after going independent
11:30 - Microsoft explains why Xbox discs stopped working and says a fix is coming
18:50 - Konami wants a new Silent Hill every year
29:00 - BREAK
29:35 - A Dragon Age trilogy remaster may be impossible without rebuilding BioWare knowledge
33:50...

Jeff Grubb and TurboShawn start your week right by breaking down the PlayStation "blackout" boycott from fans, Yoshi-P and Naoki Hamaguchi's comments on a theoretical Final Fantasy VI remake, and more!

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Timestamps (note, timestamps on this free version may vary greatly depending on how many ads you receive):
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
06:34 PSA: Xbox is experiencing another major outage
07:21 PlayStation fans are planning a weeklong “blackout” over Sony’s disc decision
28:19 Sony dates...

Editor's note: Yeah, this one kinda sounds like sh**! But, I did my best to make it listenable for y'all as a fun little bonus GMM since Grubb's been out on the road for a few days. Enjoy! -Shawn

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Jeff Grubb and Jon Martin chat about the hottest gaming news of the day, including XBOX backwards compatibility coming to PC, June's video game market highlights, and more!

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Timestamps (note, timestamps on this free version may vary greatly depending on how many ads you receive):
00:00 Intro
04:20 Play More of the Games You Love, Wherever You Play with XBOX Backward Compatibility on PC
13:36 June 2026 U.S. Video Game Market Highlights Thread from Circana<...

Grubb and TurboShawn are starting your week off right with NOTHING BUT GOOD NEWS! ...Like Valve saying we're cooked, Xbox executives talking about unclear exclusivity plans, and more.

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Timestamps (note, timestamps on this free version may vary greatly depending on how many ads you receive):
00:00 Intro
05:05 Valve says there's no end in sight to the memory crisis, and prices are only going to increase
14:24 ‘We are committed to making this clearer’: Xbox exec...

Dregs Day returns! Tamoor Hussain joins Jeff Grubb to talk about Bethesda having a whole bunch of Fallout projects in the works, PlayStation fans not wanting people to buy games on PlayStation, some funky-looking Miis, and more!

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Timestamps (note, timestamps on this free version may vary greatly depending on how many ads you receive):
00:00 Intro
05:28 Bethesda confirms Obsidian Fallout game and that Fallout 5 is in preproduction
16:08 Sony killing physical games ‘doesn’t matt...

Jeff Grubb is joined by Lex Luddy to chat about England losing in the World Cup, pictures coming out of Nintendo's new joy-con with a removable battery, an Indie game feeling the pressures from PlayStation ending disc support, GTA 6 could generate up to $5.2 Billion, and more for your Thursday! 

00:00 - Intro
4:20 - Nintendo support articles show inside new Switch Joy-Cons with removable battery
13:30 - Indie developer’s PS5 game trailer is flooded with anti-Sony comments over disc backlash
26:05 - break
26:25 - Denshattack!
29:45 - GTA 6 could generate up to $5.2 billion in its first week

Jeff Grubb and Jan Ochoa make a meal out of all the gaming news! We chat about our excitement over the upcoming Duskbloods network tests happening in the coming weeks, drama with the Avatar Legends game, Denshattack reviews, AI usage in Japan, and more! 
00:00 - Intro
3:20 - FromSoftware’s The Duskbloods confirms Network Test dates
11:27 - Refunds for Dying Light 2 PS4 Users as The Beast Is Cancelled for Last-Gen System
19:28 - Paramount confirms Mike Zaimont is employed by Avatar Legends dev
25:00 - BREAK
25:20 - Ratchet and Clank Ranger Rumble
28:30 - Denshattack Reviews
33:25 - C...

Jeff Grubb is back and back with Jason Fanelli to chat about Games Done Quick hitting a major milestone for charity donations along with quickly dealing with a sponsor snafu, a UK group condemning PlayStation's decision for disc production, Rhythm Heaven Groove's sales, and more! 

00:00 - Intro
3:25 - Games Done Quick Raises $2.4 Million – Then Cancels an SNK Sponsorship After Community Backlash 
14:10 - UK retail group condemns PlayStation decision to stop making discs
21:10 - Xbox could reveal disc-to-digital this week
28:35 - God of War studio confirms Laufey will have a disc version, revealing its release wind...

It's a Fanelli Friday to close out a week of Game Mike Mornings, as Mike & Jason walk you through (surprise!) more Xbox news, Ubisoft responding to the Black Flag Resynced microtransactions backlash, and more!

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Timestamps (note, timestamps on this free version may vary greatly depending on how many ads you receive):
00:00 Intro
04:38 Xbox CEO Asha Sharma named as adviser to US Federal Reserve on ‘Jobs and Productivity’
07:44 Ubisoft Responds to Assassin's Creed Blac...

Mike Minotti is joined by Lex Luddy to talk about further layoffs from Xbox, further layoffs from Ubisoft, further concern about Bethesda RPGs, and more.

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Timestamps (note, timestamps on this free version may vary greatly depending on how many ads you receive):
00:00 Intro
05:06 Big questions for Microsoft’s intentions for id Software
18:36 Obsidian ‘cancels Avowed 2 to focus on new Fallout’
26:34 The Elder Scrolls 6 Will Suffer Because of Xbox Layoffs, Bethesda Staff Say, F...

Giant Bomb's father & son duo of Mike and Jeff Bakalar break down news of Mario Kart Tour shut down with no offline version planned, Xbox Game Pass reportedly losing millions of users since 2024, and more!

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Timestamps (note, timestamps on this free version may vary greatly depending on how many ads you receive):
00:00 Intro
03:46 Mario Kart Tour is being shut down and no offline version is planned
09:56 Xbox Game Pass has reportedly lost...

Mike Minotti and Jan Ochoa start your week with trying to make sense of the growing situation of the massive layoffs happening at Xbox, Nintendo to stop selling the original Switch 1 in Europe by 2027, Cyberpunk 2077 hitting a massive sales milestone, and more for your Monday! 

00:00 - Intro
4:00 - Xbox to reduce staff by approximately 3,200 throughout FY27
29:00 - BREAK
29:14 - Nintendo will stop selling the Nintendo Switch in 2027
32:27 - WayForward announces next Shantae game at Anime Expo with 2027 release window
34:25 - Cyberpunk 2077 Just Hit Another Massive Sales Milestone
37:50 - Halo: Campaign Evolved’s box...

Jan Ochoa joins Grubb before the Holiday weekend in the states to try and understand what's happening at XBOX and clarify what's happening with some of its internal studios. We also get into the mess also happening over at PlayStation, Nintendo continuing to operate on their own accord, a potential NEW Metroid game, Onimusha moving up its release date, and more! 

00:00 - Intro
4:35 - Obsidian Entertainment among Xbox studios negotiating to avoid closure
16:12 - Everyone disliked that, Sony
26:00 - PlayStation ditching physical games ‘unlikely to influence Nintendo’s plans’, says analyst
29:00 - Xbox is reporte...

Jeff Grubb is joined by Lex Luddy to chat about Rhythm Heaven Groove reviews, a new Switch 2 model being spotted in the wild, and the status of Kojima's horror game for the XBOX. We then buckle up to dive into a whole grip of PlayStation related news such as the company ending physical disc production, Sony closing the PlayStation store on the PS3 and VITA, and more!

00:00 - Intro
5:40 - Rhythm Heaven Groove reviews
13:50 - New Switch 2 model spotted in the wild with updated screen
19:15 - Physical disc production ending in January 2028 for new games...

Jeff Grubb is joined by Jason Fanelli to start your week with an EVO roundup, a Splatoon Raiders Direct coming this week, Star Fox selling very well, and a class action lawsuit accusing the big three RAM manufacturers of colluding to drive up prices. 

00:00 - Intro
3:40 - EVO roundup here: 
14:55 - Splatoon Raiders Direct tomorrow followed by Treehouse
20:30 - Some stores are apparently selling out of copies of Star Fox
21:20 - Star Fox is No.1 in the U.K. and sold double the sales of Star Fox Zero on Wii U
25:50 - break

Jeff Grubb is joined by Jon Martin to end the week chatting about the May 2026 Circana report on the video game market, XBOX prices increasing significantly, layoffs at Bungie, GTA 6 listings on Amazon, Star Fox plushies coming to North America, and more! 
00:00 - Intro
3:42 - May 2026 U.S. Video Game Market Highlights
15:46 - Microsoft Announces Significant Price Rises for Xbox
29:10 - BREAK
29:20 - Bungie layoffs revealed to have affected nearly 300 jobs at Destiny 2 maker
32:25 - Amazon GTA 6 listing mentions unannounced features including ‘Larger map’ and ‘NPC routines’
38:20 - Retiring Mario and Zelda director Takashi T...

Jeff Grubb and Jan Ochoa start your Thursday chatting about if consoles will be scarce come the holidays, Bungie announcing massive layoffs after Destiny 2 "fell short of expectations", Tim Sweeney wanting to squeeze more money out of you, and more! 

00:00 - Intro
4:38 - There may not be enough consoles this Christmas to meet demand, major retailer warns
16:55 - Bungie announces layoffs as it acknowledges Destiny 2 ‘fell short of expectations’
30:50 - BREAK
31:05 - Compulsion Games Developers Are Now Looking For Work as Xbox Studio Closures Loom
36:40 - Tim Sweeney says only hope for new games...

Jeff Grubb is joined by Steve Saylor to chat about Grand Theft Auto 6's price being announced and preorders going live, Tencent is looking to offload some investments, Sony cracking down on shovelware, and more for your Wednesday morning! 

00:00 - Intro
6:18 - Grand Theft Auto 6 is $80 and you can not get it on a disc
19:50 - GTA 6 is best on PS5, according to Sony
30:00 - BREAK
30:14 - Tencent Looking to Offload Game Dev Investments, Even at a Loss
39:52 - Sony’s shovelware crackdown will remove more than 900 games from one publisher
46:44 - Lor...

Jeff Grubb is joined by Taylor Cocke today to chat about GTA 6's leaked price being incorrect, a whole grip of PlayStation news including how the company is handling AI and PC ports, Onimusha potentially releasing earlier in the year, the Steam Controller, and MORE!

00:00 - Intro
4:40 - GTA 6’s “Leaked” Prices Are Probably Bogus, Reliable Insider Says
14:20 - PlayStation’s PC port era appears over as Sony scrubs key policy language
BREAK
29:10 - Onimusha: Way of the Sword may be Releasing Earlier than Planned
35:20 - CDProjekt Red CEO says Cyberpunk didn’t finish its...

Jeff Grubb and Jan Ochoa end the short week at GBHQ with recapping Adventures of Elliot reviews, GTA 6 news and updates, Unreal Engine 5 getting updated for Switch 2 improvements, and more stories for your gaming needs! 

00:00 - Intro
3:32 - The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales reviews
7:00 - GTA 6 Preorders Begin June 25, Cover Art Revealed
14:14 - Epic introduces major Unreal Engine 5 update that runs ‘twice as fast’ on Nintendo Switch 2
18:05 - Fortnite Will Let You Make The Simpsons Games, And You Can Bet Someone Will Make Hit & Run
26:15 - BREAK
26:20 - Sonic Team head...

Jeff Grubb is joined by Lex Luddy to power through your Wednesday with Devil May Cry 5 having its most successful year, stolen data from Nintendo, SanDisk releasing a costly PS5 SSD, Microsoft announcing a new Senua's Saga as bait to sell Ninja Theory, and more! 

00:00 - Intro
4:45 - Microsoft reportedly announced Senua as bait for a Ninja Theory buyer
18:57 - Sony patents PlayStation controller with buttons that can get harder or trap your fingers
24:00 - BREAK
24:10 - Nintendo says hacker group’s stolen employee data is ‘limited and old’ despite $2M ransom threat
28:00 - PSN p...

Jeff Grubb is joined by Jason Fanelli to jumpstart your week with a whole slew of XBOX updates across the board, the UK government trying to ban social media for anyone under the age of 16, Capcom's development strategy, and what to expect from the Ocarina of Time remake! 
00:00 - Intro
3:46 - Nintendo narrowly won the summer showcase audience
8:46 - Nintendo says Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake will have ‘timeless gameplay’, implying no massive overhaul
15:47 - Capcom says abandoning auteur-led development helped create its current run
21:40 - Microsoft Considering Spinning Off Xbox
29:15 - Xbox Game Studi...

Jeff Grubb is joined by Adie "EposVox" Taylor to chat about his upcoming magazine and a whole bunch of news to end the week. We're chatting about updates on in-game ads on the XBOX, Nintendo suspending sales of the Switch 2, Gears of War: E-Day might have the longest campaign in the series, and more stories! 

00:00 - Intro
7:55 - New Xbox Exec Clarifies Recent Comments About In-Game Ads
15:20 - Xbox says some Forza Horizon 6 players are losing their save files, offers advice to prevent it
17:37 - Nintendo temporarily suspends sales of the multi-region Switch 2 in Japan a...

Jeff Grubb and Jan Ochoa start your Thursday with some somber news regarding layoffs at Ubisoft and potential incoming ones from XBOX. We also get updates on the Elder Scrolls 6, SEGA staffing up at Sonic Team, and SPYRO?

00:00 - Intro
3:50 - Xbox needs great games, so it may close another studio
17:49 - Ubisoft is closing multiple studios, resulting in up to 380 job losses
24:40 - BREAK
24:53 - The Elder Scrolls 6 exists
29:30 - Xbox games chief hints Marvel's Blade could be shown later in 2026 after missing the Xbox Games Showcase
33:20 - Q1 2026 revenue figures...

We're back with Game Mess Mornings and we have Lexi Luddy on the show to help Grubb recap the Nintendo Direct, some rumblings on what the future of the XBOX would look like, and more for your Wednesday morning. 

00:00 - Intro
8:00 - General SGF Thoughts
9:26 - Xbox is exploring ‘radically different business models’ to make its next console affordable
19:38 - BREAK
19:50 - Nintendo Direct all the big announcements
Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake officially announced for Nintendo Switch 2
1:07:10 - Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave will cost $70 digitally and $80 physically