Spectator Mode Gaming Podcast
Catch up with The Outerhaven team as they talk about news, reviews, and open table discussions regarding the video game and geek culture industry. Check out more great content at www.theouterhaven.net. Contact us at Specmode@theouterhaven.net
Episodes
We’re back after a two-week hiatus, and after tackling PAX West 2026, we have plenty to discuss on Spectator Mode Podcast Episode 233.
This week, we break down why PAX West 2026 was a disappointment from a media and convention standpoint, including empty show floors, missing hardware vendors, outdated demos, limited media access, and a growing tabletop presence that continues to push video games further...
On Spectator Mode Podcast Ep. 232, we’re talking about Twitch’s new AI training opt-out dilemma, what it means for creators, and why the whole situation has us asking questions. We also get into the end of 2XKO, with Riot Games winding down development by the end of 2026 after the fighter struggled to find its audience.
Elsewhere, Mortal Shell II is doing quite well following its release, Marvel Tōkon: Fi...
EA has officially changed hands, with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund taking control of one of gaming’s biggest publishers. We dig into what that could mean for EA, while also trying to understand Netflix’s bizarre six-hour GTA VI trailer exclusivity stunt. We also talk Marvel Tōkon hype, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, new Fire Emblem, Warrior Cats, and why people seriously need to stop calling B...
On Spectator Mode Podcast Episode 230, we share our Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls beta impressions and discuss the recent Xbox and PlayStation outages. We also cover Double Fine’s layoffs, the return of Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, and EA’s latest controversy.
Timestamps:
0:00 – Into
1:08 – Games played discussion
15:54 – Xbox Double Fine layoffs
27:04 – Marvel Tokon: Fight Sou...
On Spectator Mode Podcast Episode 228, we discuss why Echoes of Aincrad has become such a polarizing game and whether the criticism surrounding it is justified. We also examine Lenovo’s rumored C700 cloud gaming handheld and question whether dedicated cloud-streaming devices still have a place in the market.
Topics discussed include:
00:00 - Podcast intro and welcome
00:45 - Recent games played roundtable
...
Xbox had a rough couple of weeks, and honestly, "rough" might be underselling it. On this week's episode, Scott and Keith, break down the fallout from Microsoft's latest round of cuts, a gut-punch that cost an enormous number of people their jobs, sent four studios packing from the Xbox family, and left id Software a shell of what it used to be.
We get into what actually happened, why it happened now, and what it say...
PlayStation’s future will not include physical games, with Sony reportedly ending physical game production in 2028. But what does that mean for gamers, collectors, consumers, and the industry? Will games become more expensive? Will the second-hand market disappear? Are players losing more control over the games they buy? We discuss all of that and more in this episode of Spectator Mode Podcast.
Read the article...
Nine months after Xbox raised the prices on its Xbox Series X|S consoles, the console maker has revealed that prices are going up again. As of August 1, 2026, all Xbox consoles will see a massive price hike, to where it's going to be harder to justify purchasing an Xbox, while frustrating its fans. What is going on?
#xbox #gaming
Check out our website for more great content - https://www.th...
This week on The Spectator Mode Podcast, we kick things off with what we’ve been playing before diving back into the rest of our Summer Game Fest 2026 coverage. That includes the stuff we couldn’t talk about last time, such as Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3, Star Wars: Galactic Racer, and more.
We also discuss Sega’s recent financials, Bungie revealing Marathon’s new Vault Breaker PvE mode, and why t...
Spectator Mode Podcast returns with a packed episode as we talk about the games we’ve been playing, Epic Games revealing Unreal Engine 6, Bungie adding PvE modes for Marathon, our impressions of Forza Horizon 6, and why PlayStation’s PC strategy continues to frustrate players. We also get into why exclusives still matter in today’s gaming landscape and break down the latest Echoes of Aincrad system...
Keith and Scott attended Summer Game Fest 2026, and got to check out some of amazing upcoming titles, and play a number of them. However, due to embargos we had to delay this episode of the show until we could talk about certain things. This one is a bit late due being in LA and some of the stuff we discussed was still under NDA/embargo at the time. So, enjoy our Summer Game Fest 2026 recap.
Timestamps coming...
In this episode of Spectator Mode, we discuss a packed week of gaming and tech news, including Valve finally giving the new Steam Controller a release date, while still leaving everyone wondering what is going on with the long-rumored Steam Machine.
We also talk about Xbox Game Pass changes, Xbox reportedly looking at adjustments to its exclusivity deals, recent PlayStation DRM concerns, and the price hikes s...
Welcome back to the Spectator Mode Podcast. In this episode, we get into the buzz around the amazing Super Mario Galaxy movie, the growing frustration surrounding Marathon, and why gaming is starting to feel more expensive than ever as Nintendo and PlayStation raise prices. There’s a lot to unpack here, and honestly, it feels like the conversation around gaming is shifting in a big way.
#GamingPodcast #...
In Episode 215 of Spectator Mode Podcast, we get into a rough week for the gaming industry, starting with Epic Games and how former employees were handled, and why that situation doesn’t sit right. We also break down the recent PS5 price changes and why this trend could be bad news for gamers long-term, along with Xbox quietly backing away from its “Everything is an Xbox” push. On top of that, we c...
In Spectator Mode Podcast Episode 214, we talk about what we’ve been playing, break down Crimson Desert and its approach to diversity, and discuss the current state of the PC gaming market. We also dive into Jeff Kaplan’s comments about Blizzard and game development, before wrapping things up with our reactions to the Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer.
If you’re into gaming, industry talk, a...
Spectator Mode Episode 213 is here! After talking about what we've been playing, we dive into new details on Microsoft's Project Helix, Ben Diskin's decision to walk away from Mega Man: Override over Capcom's refusal to offer a union contract, and Nagoshi Studio facing a funding crisis that could kill Gang of Dragon before it launches.
00:00 - Intro
01:35 - What we played this week (keep it to 3 games)&nbs...
This week on Spectator Mode Podcast Episode 212, we’re joined by Jeff Young from Analog Stick Gaming to discuss some of the biggest topics in gaming right now.
We talk about Valve’s latest update on the Steam Machine, Xbox’s newly revealed Project Helix gaming device, and whether PlayStation might be walking back its push into PC gaming. We also get into the growing issue of AI-written game ...
On Spectator Mode Podcast episode 211, we discuss major Xbox shakeup as Phil Spencer retires, Sarah Bond exits, and Microsoft appoints a former AI executive to lead the brand.
We also dive into the controversy surrounding North America’s biggest fighting game tournament now being owned by Saudi investors, and why much of the FGC is pushing back. On top of that, we discuss Sony shutting down Bluepoint Games, the...
In this episode of Spectator Mode 210, we break down Microsoft’s reported plans to merge PC Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass as part of its 2026 strategy, and what that could mean for players. We also dive into Discord’s global age-verification rollout and the privacy concerns surrounding it.
On the gaming side, we debate whether Nioh 3 can stand on its own or if comparisons to Elden Ring are inevitab...
Welcome back to Spectator Mode Podcast! In episode 209 we dig into big shifts across the gaming industry, including reports that the Game Developers Conference may be seeing a drop in international attendance and what that means for developers worldwide. We also break down the latest Xbox Developer Direct, react to the Dragon Ball 40th Anniversary announcements, and revisit Highguard and what its struggles say about...
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