Arcade Couch

We discuss the Assassin’s Creed Black Flag remake, Tides of Tomorrow, and Vampire Crawlers.

• SHOW DOT POINTS The remake of Assassin's Creed Black Flag is highly anticipated.
• Black Flag was a turning point for the Assassin's Creed franchise.
• Shuhei Yoshida's departure reflects a shift in PlayStation's direction.
• Xb...

We debate whether video game remakes/remasters are killing the industry and holding it back from bigger things.

SHOW DOT POINTS

• Nostalgia can hinder innovation in gaming.
• Remakes are often more financially viable for publishers.
• There are still many original games being released.
• The gaming industry is risk-averse, favouring known properties.
• Development timelines have become excessively long.
• Creative dire...

Dylan and Ashley discuss the news surrounding Disney and Epic Games teaming up for a new crossover, in addition to the current Fortnite one. 

Plus, Dylan dives into Pokémon Champions, gives his wrap-up thoughts on Resident Evil Requiem, and talks to Ashley about the latest idea from PlayStation—adding scans of real people to their games.

SHOW DOT POINTS

• Dylan expresses frustration over being called the 'Eas...

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is already proving to be a big success at the box office, but its quality is splitting the internet. Embracer may have 2 prominent studios working on The Lord of the Rings games, and Ciaran shares his impressions of Screamer

YOUR HOSTS 🎙️ Ashley Hobley 🎙️ Ciaran Marchant

CONTENT MENTIONED

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie - Starts Better & Then Ends Worse | Animated Wonders

EPISODE TIMECODES

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We discuss Life is Strange: Reunion, impressions, and its lack of marketing, go over the recent PlayStation console price increase, and break down the Xbox Partner Preview.

SHOW DOT POINTS

• PlayStation has increased the prices of its consoles due to global economic pressures.
• Early adopters of gaming consoles benefit from price increases for new buyers.
• Nintendo's pricing strategy for digital vs physical gam...

We discuss DLSS 5 and how it's adding to the AI slopness of the game industry.

SHOW DOT POINTS

• The introduction of DLSS5 has sparked significant backlash from gamers.
• AI technology in gaming can alter the original artistic intent of games.
• NVIDIA's DLSS5 aims to enhance graphics but raises concerns about photorealism.
• The gaming industry is experiencing a wave of layoffs and restructuring.
• Ubisoft's Red Sto...

We discuss the future of Xbox with their upcoming hybrid PC/Console and what that means for their games.

YOUR HOSTS 🎙️ Dylan Blight 🎙️ Ashley Hobley

RESOURCES

• The First Xbox Project Helix Details Have Been Revealed And Xbox Mode Is Coming To All PCs
• Yoshi And The Mysterious Book's Release Date Has Been Revealed Alongside A Gorgeous New Trailer

We discuss the Nintendo Indie World for March 2026 and dive into the wonderful world ready to explore in Pokémon Pokopia.

SHOW DOT POINTS

• The Indie World Showcase featured a variety of new indie games.
• Dylan expressed excitement for the game Densha Attack.
• The game My Little Puppy has a unique premise involving dogs and heaven.
• Heave Ho 2 was announced, continuing the multiplayer co-op experience.
• Moonlight...

We talk about everything from the 2026 Pokémon Day, Pokémon Presents, including the reveal of Pokémon Wind & Waves. 

Also on the show, we give our impressions on both Resident Evil: Requiem, as well as Marathon, after jumping into the server slam. 

SHOW DOT POINTS

• The Pokémon Presents event celebrated the 30th anniversary of the franchise.
• New game features and updates were announced, including Pokémon ...

We discuss the huge shakeup with the Xbox leadership team and the closure of Bluepoint Games.

SHOW DOT POINTS

• Phil Spencer's retirement marks a significant shift for Xbox.
• Asha Sharma's appointment raises questions about Xbox's future direction.
• Xbox's current position is precarious, with many uncertainties.
• The gaming industry is shifting towards live service models.
• Sony's closure of Blue Point Games high...

We break down the first State of Play for 2026, which brought plenty of surprises and new game trailers.

SHOW DOT POINTS

• The PlayStation Showcase featured a variety of new game announcements.
• Wolverine was included in the showcase, albeit not in the expected format.
• Kenna: Bridge of Spirits sequel shows significant development.
• Ghost of Yotai Legends is set to return with multiplayer features.
• Death Strandi...

HBO and Craig Mazin are working on an HBO series, but Larian Studio aren't involved! Let's talk about it.

We also discuss the Nintendo Direct: Partner Showcase, the first for 2026, as well as Dylan's time with Dragon Quest VII: Reimagined.

SHOW DOT POINTS

• The Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase received mixed reactions from fans.
• Many players were disappointed with the lack of major surprises in the showcase.
• ...

For the first episode of 2026, we catch up on what's been happening in the year so far and then draft our picks for the 2026 game.

SHOW DOT POINTS

• The gaming industry is experiencing significant changes with physical media declining.
• Life is Strange Reunion aims to conclude the Max and Chloe story arc.
• Ubisoft's cancellation of games reflects the challenges in the gaming market.
• Highguard's launch faced bac...

We break down all the big announcements and the winners from The Game Awards 2025.

This is also the last episode of Arcade Couch for 2025, so we shall see you all in the New Year!

YOUR HOSTS 🎙️ Dylan Blight 🎙️ Ashley Hobley 🎙️ Ciaran Marchant

CREDITS

• 🎵 Music: Dylan Blight
• 🎵 Sound Effect by floraphonic from Pixabay
• 🎨 Artwork: Cheri...

We drop six predictions each for what games, reveals, trailers, etc, could be seen at this year's The Game Awards show.

YOUR HOSTS 🎙️ Dylan Blight 🎙️ Ashley Hobley 🎙️ Ciaran Marchant

CREDITS

• 🎵 Music: Dylan Blight
• 🎵 Sound Effect by floraphonic from Pixabay
• 🎨 Artwork: Cherie Henriques
• 📝 Show notes power...

We discuss Fortnite's big 'Endgame'-like finale and what games are releasing in December.

SHOW DOT POINTS

• Fortnite's events draw massive audiences and feature pop culture icons.
• The collaboration between Fortnite and Kill Bill is unprecedented.
• AI's role in game development is a contentious topic.
• Transparency about AI usage in games is essential for consumer trust.
• December is a slow month for game releases...