Episodes

  • #405 | Waiting Like the Stalking Butler

    #405 | Waiting Like the Stalking Butler
    Apr 6 2026
    We're in the midst of a promising month of releases on PlayStation 5, and our patience is finally about to be rewarded. For starters, Housemarque's first party third-person shooter Saros has gone gold. So, too, has Capcom's beleaguered (yet incredibly promising) Pragmata, which was first revealed in 2020 for a 2022 release. Starfield's and Hades II's PS5 debuts, Mouse: PI For Hire's launch, the Konami-published Darwin's Paradox, the undoubtedly addictive Vampire Crawlers, and much more have us asking: When are we supposed to find the time to play all of this? It's a good problem to have! Plus: Sony purchases British machine learning firm Cinemersive Labs, Neil Druckmann teases the future of The Last of Us, Stellar Blade developer Shift Up buys Shinji Mikami's new studio outright, Disney executives are apparently interested in acquiring Epic, MindsEye's bizarre drama gets even weirder, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! What's the status of Fairgames? Are there any Life Is Strange fans in the LSM crew? Should gaming be more accessible to the poor? Is it possible that the Artemis II astronauts will listen to this episode of the show while en route to the moon? Sign up for your $1 per month trial period at https://www.shopify.com/sacred This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Get 10% off at https://www.betterhelp.com/symbols Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:31:27 - Never give up Krystal0:33:51 - Ernie Anastos RIP in Peace0:40:52 - First to platinum Saint Slayer0:46:23 - Artemis II0:56:09 - Nate's next career1:01:14 - Sony spins off TV business1:08:05 - Sony acquires cinemersive1:14:05 - Saros goes gold1:22:38 - Pragmata goes gold1:27:36 - The Last of Us 3 tease?1:38:35 - Shift Up purchases Shinji Mikami's studio1:48:31 - Disney rumored to buy Epic1:59:02 - MindsEye gets weirder2:09:43 - New PS Plus games for April2:14:02 - What We’re Playing (Returnal, Saint Slayer: Spear of Sacrilege, Marathon, Resident Evil Requiem, Crimson Desert, Marathon, Raccoin, Croc)2:45:49 - Is gaming really for the rich?2:59:10 - Is this crash worse than 1983?3:12:46 - Are we Life is Strange fans?3:19:32 - The state of Fairgames3:23:40 - PSSR update3:27:27 - PlayStation Direct preorders Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    3 hrs and 49 mins
  • #404 | Every Single Hope You Had Shattered

    #404 | Every Single Hope You Had Shattered
    Mar 30 2026
    It's another week of bad news for PlayStation, as PlayStation 5 -- as well as PS5 Pro and PlayStation Portal -- are getting another fresh round of global price increases. While every previous gaming generation got progressively cheaper over time, our current gen is becoming substantially more expensive, and things are clearly starting to get to a breaking point. There's much to say. Also, more bad news: Newly-minted first party shooter studio Dark Outlaw Games has been unceremoniously shuttered after only a year. Such a move speaks yet again to the uneven leadership, tastemaking ability, and decision making at the top of PlayStation Studios, and begs the question how much bloodletting we need to see before anyone takes responsibility. If this sort of thing doesn't fall on Hermen Hulst's shoulders (an idea which doesn't really make any sense in and of itself), then who or what is responsible, and when will the poor stewardship of the brand's own games and studios finally cease? Plus: PlayStation cuts down on its years-long mobile gaming investments and initiatives, Sly 4 studio Sanzaru at one time readied a pitch for a Jak & Daxter remake, we nearly got a Breaking Bad game on PSVR, Epic Games lays off 1,000 employees, Pearl Abyss owns its AI mistakes in Crimson Desert, Microsoft Flight Simulator on PS5 gets PSVR2 support, Marathon sells a purported (and somewhat soft) 1.2 million copies, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! With Final Fantasy VII Remake and Rebirth courting older gamers on average, is Final Fantasy officially finished with the younger generations? Are platform holders and publishers intentionally underpublishing physical copies of games to drive customers to digital storefronts? Do we believe the incessant rumors that Witcher 3 will get an expansion more than a decade after it first launched? Could Colin be the undisputed typing champion of Last Stand Media? Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:31:24 - Shoutout to Tyrell0:33:44 - New York authentic experience0:46:37 - Nitrotype0:55:08 - PlayStation price increases1:29:28 Dark Outlaw Games closed2:12:51 - PlayStation moving away from mobile2:38:52 - Sanzaru pitched Jak & Daxter remake2:49:14 - Firesprite was working on Breaking Bad VR2:57:33 - Epic layoffs3:17:54 - Pearl Abyss apologizes for AI art in Crimson Desert3:20:20 - Flight Simulator is getting PSVR 2 support3:24:38 - Minecraft Dungeons 2 announced3:28:22 - Marathon predicted sales at 1.2 million3:43:29 - February sales data3:49:07 - What We’ve Been Playing (Chronicles of the Wolf, Returnal, Resident Evil Requiem, Marathon, Crimson Desert)4:21:16 Is Final Fantasy doomed?4:35:49 - Is Dragon Quest like Pokemon?4:42:48 - AI flooding indie games4:55:09 - Physical games low stock5:01:27 - Witcher 3 DLC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    5 hrs and 21 mins
  • #403 | Not For Me, or Anyone Else

    #403 | Not For Me, or Anyone Else
    Mar 23 2026
    The drama around DLSS 5 has overtaken the gaming industry during the last week. Nvidia's image upscaling tech has been present in our space for years, but its newest iteration (set for a proper fall release) has many people scratching their heads. Have we gone from frame generation to art reinterpretation? Why is this technology being deployed so aggressively, anyway? And how come so many companies were so excited about it until they saw the overwhelmingly negative audience response? Let's delve headfirst into the mystery of the Yassified Grace, and all of the fallout therein. Plus: A fresh rumor indicates PlayStation Network branding will disappear later this year, Sony has apparently automatically refunded people for any spending in the now-cancelled Highguard, PSVR2 second party FPS Firewall Ultra has silently been delisted, PlayStation 3 received its random annual firmware update, legendary Tom Clancy developer Red Storm has been gutted, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Have any of us messed around with a PS3 emulator? What's going on with Street Fighter 6's creepy new storyline? With Bravely Default skipping PS4 and PS5, is it safe to assume Square Enix isn't actually done with exclusives? Did two Sacred Symbols fans miss each other by mere seconds in a Dollar Tree parking lot? Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:17:29 - Sacred Symbols missed connection0:18:46 - The Oscars Vs The Game Awards0:27:32 - New Titans logo0:32:29 - This is life huh?0:35:29 - DLSS 51:14:13 - Sony is dropping the PlayStation Network branding1:27:46 - Sony refunding Highguard purchases1:34:14 - Starfield is officially coming to PS51:41:19 - Portal update1:48:15 - Firewall Ultra delisted2:02:31 - New PS3 Firmware2:07:15 - Layoffs at Red Storm2:13:26 - Exodus gameplay2:18:24 - Saudi Arabia buys 5% of Capcom2:19:50 - What We’ve Been Playing (Minishoot Adventures, Chronicles of the Wolf, Resident Evil Requiem, Marathon)2:59:57 - PSNProfile leaderboards change3:05:44 - Giving up on gaming3:12:18 - PS3 emulation3:21:05 - Bravely Default only on Xbox3:23:33 - Flopathon website3:29:19 - Street Fighter 6 controversy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    3 hrs and 45 mins
  • #402 |The Story Was Quite Clear

    #402 |The Story Was Quite Clear
    Mar 16 2026
    With Sony abandoning its chase of easy PC dollars, the megalithic Japanese company instead seems intent on maximizing its dollars at home, and reasonably so. While reporting indicates PlayStation's PC sales were stymied by staggered and unpredictable releases, that was already obvious. What's less clear is how Sony's pursuit of profit might affect the status quo, with a lawsuit in the UK over PSN monopolization and blatant A/B testing for dynamic digital pricing happening right before our eyes. What does the future hold as we begin to move towards next-gen? Plus: EA lays off members of the Battlefield team that created America's best-selling game in 2025, Nagoshi Studio and its Yakuza-like title Gang of Dragon are in big trouble, a LEGO PlayStation (1) console is seemingly en route for the holiday season, adventure classics Myst and Riven are PS5-bound, Crimson Desert finally emerges on PS5 Pro, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! With id finding so much success with the revived Doom trilogy, could Quake be next? What was the deal with that cryptic Bluepoint Tweet from 2019, anyway? Are physical-only players being hurt by the underproduction of copies of big games? Is Dustin intentionally making mistakes in his edits to sabotage our entire operation? Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/SACRED and use code SACRED and get $50 in lineups when you play your first $5 lineup! A special Magic City Max Discount promotion is live in the app right now. Jalen Johnson only needs 0.5 POINTS during the Hawks vs Magic game this Monday 3/16. Open the app and make it rain! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Get 10% off at https://www.betterhelp.com/symbols Get 50% off and free breakfast for a year at https://www.factormeals.com/sacred50off and use code sacred50off Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:28:57 - Ragebaiting Dustin0:38:33 - Geno Smith0:38:56 - Neighborhood drama0:45:22 - Sony's issues with PC releases0:54:22 - UK case vs Sony digital storefront begins1:13:40 - Sony testing dynamic pricing1:33:32 - EA layoffs1:45:23 - Nagoshi Studio is in trouble1:56:33 - A PS1 Lego set is coming2:05:55 - Crimson Desert console specs2:13:43 - Pragmata moves up release date2:15:36 - Myst and Riven remake coming to PS52:19:38 - Falcom revives Dragon Slayer2:27:09 - New PS+ game catalog titles2:31:27 - What We’re Playing (Resident Evil Requiem, Minishoot Adventures, Marathon, Pokemon Pokopia)3:38:42 - Preordering physical games3:48:05 - New Quake?3:56:13 - Can Sony pull people away from established games?3:59:50 - Do Sony studios have too much power?4:02:27 - What was the point of Bluepoint's old tweet?4:05:03 - Starfield interference Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    4 hrs and 23 mins
  • #401 | Minimum Waste and Maximum Joy

    #401 | Minimum Waste and Maximum Joy
    Mar 9 2026
    Reporting from this past week indicates Sony is abandoning its push to publish more games on PC, a reversal from a six-ish year old initiative that frankly bore little fruit outside of Helldivers 2. And let's be real: Though we were vocal advocates of this approach on the show, a vast majority of the PlayStation fanbase was decidedly not on board. Sony has apparently determined that it's a waste of time to further pursue this path, and that doing so could ultimately eat into their console ecosystem in unacceptable ways. Thus, it's time for many of you to celebrate, as we consider the reasons behind this dramatic course-correction. Plus: Rumors are circulating that Cory Barlog's next game is a God of War spin-off, Bluepoint was apparently eager to work on a Bloodborne remake before behing unceremoniously shut down, Starfield is finally coming to PlayStation 5 this April, Marathon has been mysteriously rated by the ESRB for launch on PlayStation 4, embattled free-to-play shooter Highguard is officially shutting down, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Is Sony investing enough into games for kids? In such a hostile environment, could troubled products like No Man's Sky and Cyberpunk 2077 have launched and turned things around today? Why are some games' Trophies published, even if they go unreleased? Will Dustin continue to compile a collection of pictures of complete strangers on his refrigerator? Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:14:34 - Preorder Allegheny Hogs shirt!0:25:54 - Shout out Brady0:36:51 - RIP in Peace Bozo0:39:21 - Coming back home0:41:35 - Dustin's polaroids0:44:46 - Sony is done with PC ports1:17:49 - Cory Barlog's game stars Faye1:52:13 - Bluepoint wanted to remake Bloodborne2:25:18 - Leaks show Starfield is coming April 7th2:28:39 - Marathon post release plans2:35:07 - Amazon's God of War screenshot2:42:01 - Highguard is shutting down2:58:30 - Physical game sales at lowest point ever3:00:32 - PSN top downloads in February3:01:51 - Resident Evil Requiem surpasses 5 million copies3:02:37 - What We’re Playing (Resident Evil Requiem, Marathon)3:42:57 - What's up with Horizon Hunters Gathering?3:53:02 - Is PlayStation doing enough for younger audiences?4:01:00 - The disappearing resistance games4:08:24 - Seinfeld game4:14:04 - Can game comebacks still happen?4:23:09 - Unreleased games and trophies Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    4 hrs and 39 mins
  • #400 | My Computer Is Future Shockin'

    #400 | My Computer Is Future Shockin'
    Mar 2 2026
    While the wider world continues to embrace ubiquitous access for their digital products, compelling rumors indicate Sony might opt to go in the other direction. This is particularly surprising considering their pursuit of success on PC, openness in publishing on Nintendo Switch, and the shocking move to bring Helldivers II to Xbox. Then again, the numbers speak for themselves. It appears PlayStation has grossed somewhere between one and two billion dollars in total from their PC releases dating back to 2020, a comically small sum compared to their greater gross over that time, and an amount of money that may simply not justify further jeopardizing their closed ecosystem. Are we about to snap back to the old way of doing things? Many PlayStation fans will be pleased, if so. Plus: Wolverine gets a September release date on PS5, Horizon: Hunters Gathering and Marathon revel in concurrent playtests, Death Stranding 2 is coming to PC very soon, French publisher Nacon declares its insolvency, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Can Sony's first party teams truly be blamed for pitching games-as-a-service when it was clear that's what leadership wanted? Could it be possible that the secret Santa Monica Studio, Cory Barlog-directed game is Uncharted? Is Resident Evil 9's 10-12 hour runtime a selling point or a detriment? Will Sacred Symbols go another 400 episodes, or perhaps even 4,000? This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at ⁠https://www.betterhelp.com/symbols ⁠and get on your way to being your best self Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:34:10 - New merch drop!0:46:42 - Reflecting on 400 episodes1:00:10 - Favorite part of doing the show1:13:26 - 420 special?1:14:25 - capspiracy1:15:39 - USA GOLD1:26:16 - triple space1:27:49 - 100 chicken nuggets1:39:16 - Chris on Bluepoint1:56:17 - Saint Slayer release date2:01:35 - Wolverine release date2:09:17 - Sony walking away from PC gaming?2:33:09 - Horizon Hunters Gathering beta this weekend2:36:52 - Marathon cheaters will be banned permanently2:45:08 - Death Stranding 2 PC specs revealed2:48:01 - Nacon is insolvent2:50:29 - Marvel Maximum Collection revealed3:02:46 - New NieR game?3:06:12 - Yves Guillemot interview3:11:17 - Koei Tecmo reorganizes3:13:08 - March PS+ Games3:17:50 - January sales data3:23:27 - What We’ve Been Playing3:39:34 - Did PS Studios really choose live service games?3:55:00 - Could Cory Barlog’s next game be Uncharted?4:05:40 - Softball interviews4:19:45 - 10–12 hour games4:24:30 - How to use guides4:28:11 - RNG in games Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    4 hrs and 49 mins
  • #399 | Step Back From That Ledge, My Friend

    #399 | Step Back From That Ledge, My Friend
    Feb 23 2026
    We were already recording this episode when unexpected news broke: Sony is shuttering Texas-based first-party remake and port specialist studio Bluepoint. Equally shocking -- when taking into context the many first and second party failures, flubs, and misalignments in recent years -- is PlayStation Studios lead Hermen Hulst still somehow having a job. Bluepoint has an exceptional pedigree alongside untapped potential, but that's been squandered by the same machinery that allowed them to make a multiplayer game in the first place. Who is responsible for all of this first party buffonery? What's with this obsession with established teams all chasing the same exact thing? And how lucky is Sony that the going is so good for PlayStation 5 that none of this really seems to matter? Here's hoping the bloodletting begins and ends here, but we're skeptical. Other news this week includes rumors of PlayStation 6's delayed timeline, when we might expect to see Santa Monica Studios' unannounced title, McFarlane Toys picking up the Sony toy license, and more. Then, we wrap things up with listener inquiries. On the back of Silent Hill: Townfall's PS5 console exclusivity, why does Sony bother chasing these deals these days? Does Fairgame$ have an icecube's chance in hell of succeeding? Will God of War's remake be one compilation or three separate games? Is Dustin ready for his fatherly snot-sucking duties? Sign up for your $1 per month trial period at ⁠https://www.shopify.com/sacred⁠ Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:29:05 - Sacred Symbol ruining lives0:32:14 - Snot sucker0:37:01 - Chris Chan sighting0:43:49 - Baby's first console0:58:13 - RIP Shuntaro Iida1:00:54 - RIP Hideki Sato1:08:46 - Bluepoint shutdown1:44:05 - Will Sony delay PlayStation 6 due to RAM shortages?2:04:44 - Shawn Layden says PS6 won’t be able to be all digital2:18:30 - Santa Monica's next game2:30:45 - New Helldivers and God of War toys2:37:35 - Tencent funded Highguard2:53:39 - Todd Howard on Starfield's return2:55:23 - Konami removes MGS4 and Peace Walker HD from PS32:58:02 - What We’re Playing (God of War: Sons of Sparta, Dragon Quest VII: Reimagined)3:25:33 - Silent Hill Townfall's exclusivity to PS53:31:08 - God of War Remake release format3:34:18 - The state of Fairgames3:39:45 - Where to start with Castlevania3:41:34 - Are we tastemakers?3:47:46 - Where are the demos? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    4 hrs and 3 mins
  • #398 | I'm Immortal, Immune To All That Is Wrong

    #398 | I'm Immortal, Immune To All That Is Wrong
    Feb 16 2026
    Sony has accomplished a truly rare feat in this contentious era by providing players with a widely-lauded hour-plus State of Play presentation. At the top of the heap of announcements for many are a duo of God of War-related unveilings -- the long-rumored 2.5D Metroidvania game and an early-in-development ground-up remake of the original PS2 and PS3 trilogy -- with the former project stealth released at the time of its reveal. That's right: You can buy it right now! 29 other games were showcased, revealed, and otherwise shown off during the proceedings as well, like a new Castlevania called Belmont's Curse, a sequel to Kena: Bridge of Spirits called Scars of Kosmora, a AAA John Wick project, stealth title Yakoh: Shinobi Ops, the second volume of Konami's Metal Gear Collection, and much, much more. Plus, fresh looks at Saros, Resident Evil: Requiem, Marathon, Mina the Hollower, Beast of Reincarnation, Marvel Tokon, Control Resonant, Pragmata, 4LOOP, and so on. Other news rounds things out this week -- like steep layoffs at Highguard studio Wildlight and casting details for 2027' Helldivers film -- before we move onto listener inquiries. Who are some of our favorite black characters in gaming history? Why exactly doesn't Colin care about sports games anymore? Should Sony more heavily pursue Astro Bot spinoffs? Did the all-Spanish Super Bowl Halftime Show send any of us into an unspeakable rage? Get 50% off your first box and free breakfast for a year at https://www.factormeals.com/sacred50off and use code sacred50off Sign up for your $1 per month trial period at https://www.shopify.com/sacred Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:28:09 - Love to Sean0:35:17 - Superbowl thoughts0:52:00 - GTA regret after murder0:57:09 - State of Play1:05:20 - Kena: Scars of Scars of Kosmora1:10:20 - Ghost of Yotei: Legends1:16:04 - Death Stranding 2 PC1:18:46 - 4:Loop1:26:26 - Capcom updates1:27:08 - Legacy of Kain Defiance Remastered1:29:41 - Brigandine1:31:45 - Dead or Alive1:33:16 - Control Resonant1:35:11 - Crimson Moon1:37:28 - Beast of Reincarnation1:39:58 - Rayman 30th Anniversary Edition1:44:21 - Mina the Hollower1:45:39 - Yakoh Shinobi Ops1:48:27 - Project WIndless1:53:36 - Star Wars Galactic Racer1:58:15 - Metal Gear Solid Collection Vol 22:02:42 - Konami segment2:14:47 - John Wick2:18:33 - Marathon2:21:44 - Saros2:22:18 - Tokon2:24:18 - God of War2:37:36 - Highguard layoffs3:17:22 - Horizon 3 could be 3-5 years out3:29:43 - Kojima revealed he almost worked with Respawn3:38:21 - Build A Rocket Boy still claims they were sabotaged3:53:22 - Helldivers movie update3:58:15 - What We’re Playing (Lovish, Astalon: Tears of the Earth, Turok 2: Seeds of Evil, Resident Evil 5, Dragon Quest VII: Reimagined)4:22:16 - PlayStations online negativity4:29:25 - Black History Month in gaming4:34:24 - Returning to Madden?4:35:49 - Women in the industry4:41:20 - Should Sony focus on uncslop?4:43:40 - Where are the Astrobot spinoffs? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    5 hrs