Dual Comm Podcast

This week we talk about Steam Next Fest which is starting now! We discuss the consumer electronics crisis that is being fueled by lack of supply. We then talk about Sony's newest State of Play and the games that stood out to us. Unreal Tournament 2004 is free and has been improved by the old unreal community. Then we talk about the importance of originality. Thanks for listening and have a great week!

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DualComm   
  

Game of the week: Easy Delivery Co. https://store.steampowered.com/app/3293010/Easy_Delivery_Co/ 
Video of the week: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fG8JUDjtgtw   

Show links:
STEAM NEXT FEST (Feb 23 – March 2, 2026 @ 10AM PT) https://store.steampowered.com/sale/nextfest_feb26_press/   
Lost Save's Video On Next Fest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sf1LOHTaa14 

Hardware Shortages:
https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/memory/many-consumer-electronics-manufacturers-will-go-bankrupt-or-exit-product-lines-by-the-end-of-2026-due-to-the-ai-memory-crisis-phison-ceo-reportedly-says/ 
https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/artificial-intelligence/over-80-percent-of-companies-report-no-productivity-gains-from-ai-so-far-despite-billions-in-investment-survey-suggests-6-000-executives-also-reveal-1-3-of-leaders-use-ai-but-only-for-90-minutes-a-week
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzTg5hhH5tE 
https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2026/02/sony-considering-ps6-delay-to-2028-or-even-2029-new-report-says 

State of Play Feb 12 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0e5YEXtZu0 
God of War 2D spin-off article (VGC):  
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/what-the-f-are-they-thinking-god-of-war-creator-says-2d-spin-off-sons-of-sparta-doesnt-respect-the-license/ 

UNREAL TOURNAMENT 2004 (Free 4K Community Installer)  
https://www.oldunreal.com/ 

Stardew Valley player sleeps for 1,000 years (Kotaku):  
https://kotaku.com/stardew-valley-sleep-meteorite-mushroom-trees-stone-owls-2000669774   

00:00:00 Intro
00:03:30 Game Of The Week
00:12:30 Video Of The Week
00:21:48 Steam Next Fest
00:30:36 Are Consumer Electronics In Jeopardy?
00:41:00 Consequences Of Steam Machine Delay
00:47:39 State Of Play
01:01:22 Unreal Tournament 2004 Free And Enhanced
01:08:20 Stardew Valley Player Sleeps For 1000 Years
01:10:00 You Have What AI Needs

Subscribe on:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dual-comm-podcast/id1781108219
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Ls95EviV2hcBBnufcZ5ZE
iHeartRadio: https://iheart.com/podcast/240902321
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/5752977a-04fd-4198-b7e3-2a25665b98fc

 

Follow us on YouTube:
@bbkdragoon | @EposVox | @lostsaves | @NeuroSpicy.Cooking

In this episode we talk about Unreal Engine’s influence on movies and TV, the current AI panic in games, and why being constantly mad about tech is a losing game. We also dig into owning your services, GOG’s push toward Linux and preservation, and why mid-tier games deserve more love. Thanks for listening and have a great day! #gaming #gamingpodcast #gamingcommentary 

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DualComm 

Dual Comm Party Chat Podcast:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuMLyNxTXPdCKlZ9CMXkNPDMNNIKQARPd 

Show Links:
Featured Video Finis Coronat Opus — A Mirror's Edge Sniping Montage https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHOLAMHBJ3k 
Featured Games:
Arcadium Space Odyssey https://store.steampowered.com/app/2352670/Arcadium__Space_Odyssey/ 
Don't Stop, Girlypop! https://store.steampowered.com/app/2610650/Dont_Stop_Girlypop/ 
Garlic https://store.steampowered.com/app/1250440/Garlic/ 
UNREAL ENGINE IN MOVIES / TV
- VGC (Gore Verbinski quote about Unreal Engine): https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/greatest-slip-backwards-pirates-of-the-caribbean-director-says-unreal-engine-makes-films-look-too-much-like-games/ 
Tom’s Hardware (Project Genie / gaming stocks reaction): https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/gaming-market-melts-down-after-google-reveals-new-ai-game-design-tool-project-genie-crashes-stocks-for-roblox-nintendo-cd-projekt-red-and-more 
OWN YOUR TECH SERVICES / BEING DONE BEING MAD
- Linus Tech Tips (I’m done being mad about tech): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZZf6LM3wAU 
- Level1Techs (Adam + Wendell storage adventure feat. EposVox): https://level1techs.com/node/3347 
Swagless Games https://www.polygon.com/code-vein-2-swagless-game/ 
Red Dead Redemption 2 vs. A Tiny CRT https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_tohNLvkxk 
Sony AI LLM Podcast Patent https://www.techradar.com/gaming/sony-patents-ai-generated-podcasts-with-playstation-characters-because-video-game-platforms-currently-lack-the-ability-to-provide-unique-and-targeted-content-to-gamers 

00:00:00 Are We Reducing Our Setups? (Emulation)
00:05:03 Dual Comm Patreon
00:08:30 Featured Video Of The Show
00:12:16 Featured Games Of The Show
00:17:00 Is Unreal Engine Ruining Movies & TV?
00:24:49 AI Is Running Wild
00:44:00 Own Your Tech Services
00:56:10 GOG Bringing GOG Galaxy To Linux
01:02:42 Epos Doesn't Like Pick Up Videos Anymore
01:11:50 Done Being Mad About Tech
01:30:15 Mid Games Are Awesome
01:50:34 Epos & Fable

 

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dual-comm-podcast/id1781108219 

Subscribe on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/2Ls95EviV2hcBBnufcZ5ZE 

Subscribe on iHeartRadio:
https://iheart.com/podcast/240902321 

Subscribe on Amazon:
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/5752977a-04fd-4198-b7e3-2a25665b98fc 

 

Subscribe on:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dual-comm-podcast/id1781108219
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Ls95EviV2hcBBnufcZ5ZE
iHeartRadio: https://iheart.com/podcast/240902321
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/5752977a-04fd-4198-b7e3-2a25665b98fc

 

Follow us on YouTube:
@bbkdragoon | @EposVox | @lostsaves | @NeuroSpicy.Cooking

Season 2 of the Dual Comm podcast has arrived.

We discuss the Steam Deck LCD going away, likely due to RAM shortages. We talk about giving gaming less of yourself to enjoy the hobby more, and then dig into the self-help trend flooding YouTube around hobbies. We also talk about a PC Gamer article noting that the focus of major FPS releases is shifting away from competitive play and toward more relaxed co-op experiences. We wrap by talking about dopamine sensitivity, doing things for yourself, and creating.

Thanks for watching.

Dual Comm Party Chat Podcast:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuMLyNxTXPdCKlZ9CMXkNPDMNNIKQARPd 

Show Links:

Welcome to the FPS Vibe Shift (PC Gamer)
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/welcome-to-the-fps-vibe-shift/ 

Chiral Drifter - Gaming Feels New Again (We Gave Gaming Smaller Pieces of Ourselves)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnIo2WWt848 

Another video about giving gaming less of yourself
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bo4LUKi62jY 

Epos new blog gamer.dad
https://gamer.dad 

Chapters:

00:00:00 - Season 2 Begins
00:01:48 - Finishing Horizon Zero Dawn and Starting Forbidden West
00:12:46 - Steam Deck Funded by Counter-Strike Skins
00:15:47 - The End of the Steam Deck LCD
00:20:53 - Launching the gamer.dad Blog
00:22:04 - Rediscovering RSS
00:23:27 - Giving Games Less of Yourself
00:31:24 - When Intentional Gaming Becomes the Default
00:51:21 - The FPS Vibe Shift
01:10:24 - YouTube, Algorithms, and Sensationalism
01:30:16 - Doing Things Just for Yourself
01:39:30 - Dopamine Sensitivity and Overstimulation

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dual-comm-podcast/id1781108219 

Subscribe on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/2Ls95EviV2hcBBnufcZ5ZE 

Subscribe on iHeartRadio:
https://iheart.com/podcast/240902321 

Subscribe on Amazon:
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/5752977a-04fd-4198-b7e3-2a25665b98fc 

 

Subscribe on:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dual-comm-podcast/id1781108219
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Ls95EviV2hcBBnufcZ5ZE
iHeartRadio: https://iheart.com/podcast/240902321
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/5752977a-04fd-4198-b7e3-2a25665b98fc

 

Follow us on YouTube:
@bbkdragoon | @EposVox | @lostsaves | @NeuroSpicy.Cooking

It's the one-year anniversary of the Dual Comm Podcast. Thank you for such an incredible year. In this episode we talk about the origin of the show with a cool surprise, then revisit some of our favorite topics from the first year and how our perspectives have shifted. We also dive into games that hit at the right place and right time, taking breaks before burnout even begins, and share some of our favorite games from the last year along with our goals for 2026. Thanks for making this such a great year. We appreciate you all.

Disclosure: I received a free review copy of The Outer Worlds 2 from Xbox / Microsoft.

Show Links:
Taking a break from a certain type of gaming instead of being frustrated:
https://demodisc.zone/t/taking-a-break-from-mainstream-gaming/251

Chapters

00:00:00 The Origin Of the Dual Comm Podcast + Surprise

00:05:35 Demo Discs Are Amazing & Should Return

00:19:40 Favorite Moments From Dual Comm Year 1

01:06:19 Games In The Right Place At The Right Time?

01:19:40 Taking Breaks Before Burn Out Sets In

01:27:45 Netflix Trying To Buy Warner Bros.

01:33:17 Surprise Topic #2

01:39:20 Free Prime & Epic Games

01:42:00 Favorite Game Of 2025 & Goals For 2026

Subscribe on:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dual-comm-podcast/id1781108219
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Ls95EviV2hcBBnufcZ5ZE
iHeartRadio: https://iheart.com/podcast/240902321
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/5752977a-04fd-4198-b7e3-2a25665b98fc

 

Follow us on YouTube:
@bbkdragoon | @EposVox | @lostsaves | @NeuroSpicy.Cooking

This episode dives into why digital freedom and ownership matter more than ever. We quickly revisit the value of the PS4 in 2025, the importance and benefits of physical media, how to back up your PC games, and the smart TV settings you should turn off right now. From there we talk about Xbox trying to compete with TikTok, Windows 11 frustrations pushing people toward Linux, and practical ways to take back your digital freedom and build healthier tech habits.

We also explore whether there are simply too many games to keep up with now, talk about Amazon’s failed attempt to rival Steam, and share Prime Gaming titles worth downloading today. Later we get into how everything online is starting to feel like advertising, then wrap up with TimeSplitters Rewind, fresh PS5 news, and the reveal of the new PlayStation gaming monitor. Thanks for listening.

 

Chapters

00:00:00 PS4 Is Still Awesome

00:11:00 Physical Media Mega Discussion Begins

00:13:00 How To Make Physical Copies Of Your PC Games

00:18:00 Your Smart TV Is Spying On You, Turn This Off Now

00:30:00 Xbox Competing With TikTok?!

00:39:00 Windows 11 Issues Motivating Linux Movement

00:48:00 Take Back Your Digital Freedom, Empower Your Tech Usage

01:00:28 Are There Too Many Games Now?

01:20:58 Amazon Failed To Compete With Steam

01:25:05 Prime Games To Download Now

01:25:50 Amazon Gaming Did Not Understand Steam

01:33:54 Everything Is Advertising

01:45:43 TimeSplitters Rewind Looks Awesome

01:48:00 PS5 News and PlayStation Monitor Preview

Subscribe on:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dual-comm-podcast/id1781108219
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Ls95EviV2hcBBnufcZ5ZE
iHeartRadio: https://iheart.com/podcast/240902321
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/5752977a-04fd-4198-b7e3-2a25665b98fc

Follow us on YouTube:
@bbkdragoon | @EposVox | @lostsaves | @NeuroSpicy.Cooking

Show Links:
Lost Save's PS4 Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkCloXWp378 

EVERYONE is misunderstanding "Xbox has to compete with TikTok":
https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2025/10/29/satya-nadellas-plan-to-take-on-tiktok-with-xbox-makes-no-sense/ 

Your TV Is Spying On You. Turn These Settings Off:
https://www.consumerreports.org/electronics/privacy/how-to-turn-off-smart-tv-snooping-features-a4840102036/ 

Are There Too Many Games?:
https://bsky.app/profile/benjedwards.com/post/3m5aa2a3alc2f 

Amazon Lays Off Entire Gaming Division:
https://bsky.app/profile/catacalypto.bsky.social/post/3m4cbunnsss2j 
https://bsky.app/profile/letitmelo.bsky.social/post/3m4bxweqs3k2u 

Everything Is Advertising:
https://bsky.app/profile/lukeplunkett.com/post/3m5adneejhs2h 

TimeSplitters Rewind:
https://www.timesplittersrewind.com/ 

PS5 PC Cross-Buy Discovery:
https://insider-gaming.com/a-ps5-pc-cross-buy-option-has-been-discovered-verified/ 

PlayStation Store Dynamic Pricing Reports:
https://www.reddit.com/r/playstation/s/lXW7qPfGDY 
https://twistedvoxel.com/playstation-experimenting-with-dynamic-game-pricing/ 
https://www.notebookcheck.net/PlayStation-Store-dynamic-pricing-criticized-as-sale-prices-on-PS5-games-vary-by-account.1156025.0.html 

The New PlayStation Gaming Monitor:
https://blog.playstation.com/2025/11/11/first-look-at-playstations-27-gaming-monitor/ 

 

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dual-comm-podcast/id1781108219 
Subscribe on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/2Ls95EviV2hcBBnufcZ5ZE 
Subscribe on iHeartRadio:
https://iheart.com/podcast/240902321 
Subscribe on Amazon:
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/5752977a-04fd-4198-b7e3-2a25665b98fc