Sacred Symbols: A PlayStation Podcast

There's simply no denying that Naughty Dog's absence this generation is deeply felt. Apart from a couple of ports and a defunct, half-made multiplayer project, Sony's crown jewel studio hasn't contributed much of anything to PS5. Thankfully, that's on the verge of changing, not only as we get late in this cycle, but ever-closer to PlayStation 6. Three important pieces of news emerged: Intergalactic will be shown-off next year, a new Uncharted is indeed in development and will come to market following Intergalactic, and two The Last of Us projects are being incubated as well (one presumably The Last of Us: Part III). For the first time in ages, we have a clearer and more robust view into what Sony's most important team is planning for the next half-decade and well beyond. Is it time to celebrate? Or will the proof be in the pudding? Plus: Sony is skipping CES for the first time since 1967, a new look at God of War: Laufey's combat shows something decidedly DMC, AI upscaling comes to base PlayStation 5, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Why do so many "spiritual successors" fail to live up to the original? What's with all of the 10s IGN gives out these days? Should players embrace 'the grind' in video games, or seek ways around it? Who has the audacity to schedule a wedding on Christmas Eve?

Visit https://www.prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/SACRED and use code SACRED and get $150 if you win your first $5 lineup!

Get 10% off your first month at https://www.betterhelp.com/symbols

Download Cash App today and make your money work for you.
https://capl.onelink.me/vFut/ty57yree #CashAppPartner Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card (https://cash.app/legal/us/en-us/card-agreement), Sutton debit flex card (https://cash.app/legal/us/en-us/debit-flex-card-agreement-sutton), and Bancorp debit flex card (https://cash.app/legal/us/en-us/debit-flex-card-agreement-bancorp). Discounts and promotions provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures.

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.

0:00:00 - Intro0:28:56 - LSM quality0:31:25 - PSP Marcus0:38:23 - Don't play Sacred around your kids0:52:26 - Wedding on Christmas Eve0:59:57 - Mike Tomlin's Minecraft city1:05:29 - Sony is skipping CES1:16:49 - Naughty Dog's future1:39:58 - Uncharted 4 spoilers start2:01:00 - God of War: Laufey pre-orders are live2:09:07 - QSSR introduced on base PS52:16:42 - PlayStation 5 jailbreak2:28:27 - Sony Japan's PS5 Pro lottery2:36:07 - Kena 2 pushed to 20272:39:01 - Portal's battery update2:44:01 - Sony credit card patent2:47:32 - Ubisoft's mega-studio: Massive Entertainment2:51:30 - New Person sales figures2:56:57 - October PS+ games2:59:30 - What We’re Playing (Silent Hill: Townfall, Ace Combat 8, Control Resonant)3:36:36 - Reducing hand holding in games3:47:53 - Spiritual successors missing the mark3:54:43 - Modern gaming ADHD4:02:02 - Physint on PlayStation4:09:59 - Steam's personal calendar4:13:08 - 10/10s
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When it comes to Bungie, Sony's long been at a crossroads. Either PlayStation needs to invest heavily into keeping the studio afloat so it can support existing products and spin-up new ones, or it needs to pull the plug before more good money went after bad. Well, Sony's made a decision, and it's seemingly very much the former choice. With a new wind at its back, can Bungie turn Marathon around, revive Destiny, and survive and even thrive within the first party family? Or is it simply too little, too late? Plus: More information emerges on the Physint-Kojima situation, ex-Naughty Dog director Bruce Straley tells some hard truths about modern AAA gaming, SEGA got oh-so-close to binning Sonic the Hedgehog entirely, Square Enix intends on letting Final Fantasy VII Revelation players controversially auto-level their characters, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! What are our thoughts on Xbox's recent consolidative efforts? Are we sometimes too cavalier when openly spoiling older games? In what fashion should Crash Bandicoot's 30th anniversary be properly celebrated? How many listeners in total has Dustin gotten into Iron Maiden?

Timestamps:

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.

0:00:00 - Intro0:28:18 - Wearing Sacred merch listening to Sacred0:31:51 - Hogs update0:33:32 - Shoutout Samantha0:35:42 - Aaron and Dimitric0:40:51 - Iron Maiden fandom0:52:40 - Jury duty0:59:55 - Trophy by the clock1:01:32 - Bungie's future1:58:59 - Gene's interview with Kojima2:19:45 - Bruce Straley and God of War2:38:06 - FF7 Revelation allows auto leveling2:49:04 - Sega nearly did the right thing2:51:29 - Lisa Dualsense I guess2:54:30 - Lufia I + II are coming3:00:55 - What We’re Playing (Wolverine, Silent Hill: Townfall, Fire Emblem, Big Walk)3:35:45 - Armed Fantasia canceled3:38:35 - Xbox's reset part 24:01:37 - Were apps on console a mistake?4:03:53 - Asking executives any question4:08:06 - Crash's 30th anniversary4:11:46 - When are spoilers okay?4:20:30 - Do fans care about gold, silver, and bronze trophies?
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A player-organized "PlayStation Blackout" recently asked Sony's hardcore customers to stay off of PSN for a mere week. It was a no doubt modest ask -- one that wasn't going to break the brand -- and it's always nice to see people try and do something when they deem it necessary. But if data from reliable US industry tracking firm Circana is any indication, the PlayStation Blackout had no discernable effect on their data whatsoever. When does initiative end and performance begin? If something is clearly not working, should one's tactics change? Perhaps most importantly, does a movement, no matter how laudable, need actually likable leadership to be effective? One thing's for sure: The blackout was a dud, something its most ardent champions cannot (or perhaps will not) square. Other news this week includes rumors surrounding Media Molecule's next game, an altered update approach for Bungie's Marathon, the reported closure of MindsEye studio Build A Rocket Boy, the trademarked sequel to 2023's beloved Lies of P, and much more. Then: Listener inquiries! Are Sony games victimized by over-focus testing? Should we be worried about Housemarque's future? Why don't more scary games launch in October? Does Colin need to remind everyone what about the true definition of "pithy"?Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.0:00:00 - Intro0:22:49 - Colin's "nachos"0:36:21 - Can Mitch McConnell beat Wolverine?0:37:22 - Define pithy0:46:02 - Resident Evil movie is good?0:50:05 - PlayStation blackout had no effect1:06:52 - Details about Media Molecule's next game1:21:33 - Marathon development update1:41:44 - Marvel Tokon's director on the PC launch1:47:18 - Build A Rocket Boy is no more1:58:11 - Lies of P Sequel trademarked2:09:01 - New PlayStation headsets2:20:53 - Powerwash Simulator 2's next DLC2:24:48 - Level 5's AI drama2:29:28 - Wardogs is a hit2:35:38 - Dragon Quest sells over 100 million2:38:48 - Terranigma releases January 14th2:44:28 - What We’re Playing (The Blood of Dawnwalker, Onimusha: Way of the Sword)2:45:15 - PlayStation's side of the Kojima divorce3:00:40 - Is focus testing ruining games?3:19:16 - Bloat and personnel in gaming3:27:25 - Porting trophies to Xbox3:35:03 - Housemarque's future3:39:33 - Horror games in October
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

So much bad mojo currently surrounds the PlayStation brand, that the negativity is starting to feel more like a trend than a temporary happenstance. The most recent news -- that Sony cancelled Kojima's Physint project, allowing him to take it to rival Xbox -- is the freshest addition to an increasing line of gut punches. Worse yet, such a move reveals something seemingly deeper: A sick PlayStation, unable to make rational decisions, desperately in-need of going under the knife and emerging with new leadership and a new directive. We discuss. Plus: Killzone Remaster/Remake rumors percolate, a popular PS3 emulator now allows play directly off of Blu-ray discs, the Saudis plot an EA-Savvy merger, Valve accidentally leaks a ton of upcoming games' achievements, and more. Then, we finish things up (as we always do) with listener inquiries. Could the greater multiplayer space benefit from a reorientation away from PvP and towards PvE? Are people severely underestimating the demand for PlayStation 6? Could Sony once again expand its first party sports offerings beyond MLB: The Show? Should we start deploying mouth-agape thumbnail images?

Sign up and get 10% off at https://www.betterhelp.com/symbolsPlease keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.0:00:00 - Intro0:40:31 - Mega Man amiibo0:40:56 - Advice for divorce0:54:28 - Sacred Make-A-Wish0:58:15 - Thumbnail preference1:03:47 - Sony's physical production was misreported1:06:30 - Sony pulls PHYSINT, Kojima goes to Xbox2:14:20 - Rumor: Killzone is returning2:26:33 - Valve leaks achievements of tons of games2:38:02 - You can play PS3 games on disk on PC2:41:50 - EA and Savvy could combine2:46:43 - SNK announces Metal Slug Ultimate Collectoin2:51:48 - New PS+ Game Catalog titles2:54:27 - August PSN charts2:57:02 - What We’ve Been Playing (Alan Wake II, The Blood of Dawnwalker, Onimusha: WotS, Plague Tale Resonance)3:19:34 - Wolverine discussion3:42:57 - PvE over Pvp3:48:48 - Where is Mega Man Legends?3:55:00 - Is it better to be an early adopter?4:04:23 - Video game innovation4:14:57 - Sony first party sports4:18:34 - The end of remasters
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

PlayStation's dueling State of Play presentations -- one for western audiences and the other for its native Japanese territory -- hasn't quelled the ever-increasing animus for the brand in some corners. Though widely considered a weak showing (we rank it somewhere between a C and F, depending on which one of us you ask), there were still some great games worth discussing, and we'll do just that. New announcements included shark-eating sequel Maneater 2, an eastern take on New York City with Konami's Rhapsody in Scarlet, old-school bona fides in SlashZero, and the uniquely liminal World Phasebound Control Authority. Plus, release dates flowed for the likes of Final Fantasy VII Revelation, Until Dawn 2, and Metro 2039, all excellent-looking titles. But underneath the surface, the same issues remain. Is Sony disconnected from the reality on the ground, or are we too busy misinterpreting the noise while dodging the signal? We discuss at length. Other news this week includes some Grand Theft Auto VI updates, the exit of Housemarque's co-founder, faux rumors of Square Enix going private, and more. Then, we wrap things up (as we always do) with listener inquiries. Do we believe the scuttlebutt out of Gamescom that Sony's development and publishing partners are upset with them? What do we think of the new website Video Games Critic? Does developer Bit Reactor furloughing staff indicate a future trend for sustainable game dev? Is Sacred Symbols the absolutely perfect podcast for the manic depressive?

Visit ⁠https://www.prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/SACRED ⁠and use code SACRED and get $150 if you win your first $5 lineup!

Download Cash App Today: ⁠https://capl.onelink.me/vFut/ty57yree⁠ #CashAppPod Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the ⁠Sutton prepaid card⁠, ⁠Sutton debit flex card⁠, and ⁠Bancorp debit flex card⁠. Discounts and promotions provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit ⁠cash.app/legal/podcast⁠ for full disclosures.

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.0:00:00 - Intro0:16:34 - Pre-Sacred ritual0:28:26 - Chris Ray Goon0:31:09 - Bathroom paper towels0:33:04 - Podcast etiquette0:40:44 - Wendy's encounter0:52:21 - Money flow follow-up0:54:57 - State of Play1:46:37 - Netflix's GTAVI breaks records1:49:41 - Sony's comments on "digital ownership"2:03:08 - Housemarque co-founder leaves2:07:52 - Square Enix denies going private2:10:38 - Sony Music buys 24% stake in Gung Ho Entertainment2:13:06 - Sony brings live TV to PlayStation2:15:48 - Iron Man game leaked2:18:38 - What We’re Playing (Alan Wake 2, Mortal Shell 2, Halloween: The Game, Onimusha: Way of the Sword)2:29:30 - PlayStation getting cold feet?2:38:54 - Naughty Dog’s new reality2:50:52 - Video Games Critic2:59:12 - Physical games replacement3:07:32 - Mega Man’s future3:13:26 - Star Wars: Zero Company furlough
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices