CGMagazine Presents: The Pixels & Ink Podcast

With 2024 almost here, the Pixels and Ink crew take some time to look back and remember some of the most impactful moments that shaped gaming going forward. From the incredible set of releases that are gobbling up everyone's time to the heartbreaking series of layoffs, this year won't be soon forgotten.

Brendan, Jordan and Chris also take some time to remember some of their personal favourite games and look back on some of the personally impactful memories. With events now back on and no shortage of newsworthy moments, this is your perfect podcast to wrap up the year in gaming that was 2023.

With over 100 million people tuning in, the Game Awards once again proved to be one of the biggest nights in gaming. But with so many eyes on the event, has the focus on what an awards show should be about been lost? This is the question that the Pixels and Ink podcast tackles this week as the panel of Brendan, Jordan, and Chris dives into what the show means to gaming, what was done right, and what could be improved for next year's show.

As if that were not enough, the cast also dives into the winners, discusses some of the big announcements from this year's show, and dissects what the categories mean and if there are games that are unfairly paired in ways that do not help their change.

This week on the Pixels & Ink Podcast Brendan, Chris, and Cody dive into the world of movies, tech and gaming. From the use of prompt-based tools to create video game backgrounds to the role of AI in creating content, we discuss the pros and cons of relying solely on technology in the creative process. We also delve into the legal complexities of copyright law in the digital age and the challenges of getting fair compensation for content creators. 

If this were not enough, the crew dives into The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom leaks and what they mean for Nintendo, and for one of the Switch's biggest titles. With streamers all over showing off the game, what could be done to clamp down on these leaks, and is it something Nintendo even should do? The cast also dives into the Magic the Gathering leak, how Wizards of the Coast managed that one, and if there is something that can be learned from that reaction.

Finally, the cast looks at Star Wars: Visions, a collection of short animated shorts set in the Star Wars universe and discusses the importance of collaboration and artistic vision in creating memorable experiences. Join us for a thought-provoking discussion on the future of art and technology.

Welcome to another thrilling episode of Pixels and Ink, with your team commentators, Chris, Jordan, and Brendan, at the helm! This week, the team takes on the hottest topics in the gaming world, starting with the unexpected UK government intervention that blocked the Activision Blizzard merger. They'll dissect the reasons behind the decision and ponder its implications for the gaming industry's future.

Moving on, the team pays homage to Waypoint, the beloved gaming website that sadly announced its shutdown. Chris, Jordan, and Brendan reminisce about the site's impact on the gaming community, discussing their favourite moments, articles, and the reasons behind its closure.

Lastly, the focus shifts to Brazil's burgeoning Esports scene. The hosts explore the rapid growth of Esports in the nation, highlighting top players and the unique challenges faced by the Brazilian gaming community. They'll also be joined by special guests, including Brazilian Esports experts and industry insiders, who share their insights on the future of gaming in the region.

Don't miss this action-packed episode of Pixels and Ink! Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review the show to stay updated with the latest gaming news and insights.

This week on the Pixels & Ink Podcast, it was all about the game movies! Brendan, Chris and Jordan dive into the world of movies, tech and gaming. This week Chris delves into the fascinating world of Jedi Survivor, providing his insightful impressions on the much-anticipated game is looking and what fans can expect. Jordan jumps headfirst into the Super Mario Bros. Movie review, sharing his thoughts on the latest adaptation of the iconic gaming franchise. 

If that were not enough, Brendan tackles the Tetris Movie, examining the challenges and triumphs of turning a classic game into a compelling cinematic experience. Finally, the entire Pixels & Ink crew comes together to discuss the potential of Sony venturing once again into handheld gaming and the spine-chilling Five Nights at Freddy's Movie, finally getting a release date. Don't miss out on this jam-packed episode filled with entertainment analysis, lively discussions, and plenty of laughs!

On this week's Pixels and Ink podcast, the crew sits down to discuss the latest news from Tango Gameworks. Shinji Mikami is now leaving the studio he founded, which leads to a larger discussion about game developers getting older and changing their roles in the industry. What does this mean for game development in the future, and how will it change the gaming landscape in the coming years?

From here, Brendan, Jordan, and Chris talk about the return of Destiny 2 with the new Lightfall expansion, the delay of Baldur's Gate 3 on Xbox, and more details that have emerged from the Activision-Microsoft merger story. It's a jam-packed episode, so sit back and enjoy all the talk about games, the industry, and what it means for gamers eagerly waiting to play all the new releases.

With CES 2023 now over, Brendan and Dayna join Chris and Jordan to look back at tech's biggest trade show to see what everyone is talking about and what was the coolest and most exciting new gadgets and concerts on the show floor in Las Vegas. Beyond the chaos of CES, the cast also dives into the latest news from the world of gaming, tech, movies and comics.

With 2022 coming to a close, Brendan, Dayna, Chris and Jordan look back on the year sharing their favourite games, films, and shows, as well as a look back at some of the biggest headlines in gaming and tech. Heading into 2023, the team shares their hopes for the year with thoughts of E3 and some major game releases like Final Fantasy XVI on the way.

This week Brendan, Dayna, Eduard and Jordan chat about their favourite announcements from The Game Awards and touch on a few of the major winners from the event. With the year coming to a close, the cast is joined by Chris to talk about their personal criteria for Game of the Year and who they believe should hold the title of GOTY 2022.

On this week's Pixels & Ink podcast, the CGM crew talks all things Game Awards, giving a taste of all the categories and what deserves to walk away the winners.

This week on Pixels & Ink, Brendan, Chris, Dayna and eventually Eduard talks about God of War Ragnarök and if it lives up to the hype. Waiting on The Game Awards nominees, the cast discusses their picks and predictions while chatting about games they have loved this year, like Marvel Snap, Cult of the Lamb and more.

With Elon Musk now the new owner of Twitter, the Pixels & Ink crew sit down to discuss what this means going forward. But things don't stop there, with the cast discussing the latest in the Helena Taylor situation, the newest Call of Duty drama, and since Halloween is now over, it was time for a catch-up.

On this very spooky edition of Pixes and Ink, the crew is joined by Cody Orme, as they dive into all the exciting news and events of the week. This was a big week for Horror, as both Silent Hill and Resident Evil have streams showing off all the new things coming two both iconic franchises.

Things don't stop there, though, with the Bayonetta 3 voice over situation still raging on, with a back-and-forth between Hellena Taylor and the studio. It is unclear what the real truth of everything going on is, but the Pixels and Ink team are here to break down the facts the best way they can.

New York Comic Con is almost here, and that means trailers of everything you can imagine, along with a few bonus ones just for fun. The Pixels and Ink crew dive into the trailers for Super Mario Bros. Movie, Wakanda Forever, Velma, The Mayfair Witches and more. With Overwatch 2 now out in the wild, the crew also dives into the launch, the review and how the game is looking now that people are playing. 

On this week's Pixels and Ink Podcast, the crew explore Stadia shutting down, Game delays and how they change expectations, and the latest series of trailers for the new series and movies that are sure to excite gaming and comic fans everywhere. 

It is a big week for leaks, with Diablo IV and GTA 6 videos appearing online. With this the CGMagzine crew dissect what these leaks mean, how the games are looking and what this means for development. This leads to a bigger discussion about embargoes, how some creators try and break agreements, and how there has been a major series of events that makes many people in the industry question how insider information really gets out to the public. 

While there may be plenty of leaks, Twitch.TV is making waves this week with the new rules about gambling, and a mix-up in how it shares revenue on the platform. Moving away from a more favourable split, into a 50/50 model that has many bigger creators very upset. 

To wrap things up for the week, the crew look at all the new peripherals that are coming out, and how they at times can cost more than the consoles or the games they are meant to work with. From $1000+ racing wheels, to high-end controllers, it is an interesting time to invest in gaming. 

With the fall now here, TIFF is back, and so are the many movies that come to the festival. With Brendan and Dayna both on site for the festival, they join the cast to discuss the best and brightest that people should look out for. They also discuss how some films they walked in excited about managed to let them down in different ways.

But TIFF did not dominate the news this week, with both PlayStation's State of Play, and the Nintendo Direct releasing a range of news that should excite gamers everywhere. From news about Golden Eye making its way to modern consoles, to the details about God of War Ragnarök, this is a cast you won't want to miss if you are excited for all the new games coming this fall.

In an all hands on deck edition of the Pixels and Ink Podcast, the crew discuss everything from gamescom 2022, to the rise of fantasy sequels hitting streaming series everywhere.

Now that gamescom is over, Eduard joins Jordan, Dayna, Chris and Brendan to break down all the big announcements, previews and spectacle that made up this year's show. From the countless games that line the massive convention centre, to the crowds and publishers flooding one of the biggest in-person gaming events since the pandemic, this show was one to be remembered.

Beyond the talk of gamescom, the crew took some time to talk about the Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power along with The House of the Dragon and how these massive shows are shaping the landscape of streaming moving into the fall.

To round things off, with the summer now coming to a close, the crew look back at the games that were released, and how even though the months are normally slow, this has been a monumental time for gaming, both indie and AAA.

With gamescom 2022 underway, and FanExpo also coming back, the Pixels and Ink crew decided to take some time to discuss if big conventions are making a comeback, and what that will mean for the industry. With Jordan, Chris, and Brendan on cast to discuss, they dive into what the future holds for everyone that loves in-person events.

Looking past conventions, the cast also dive into the many issues and announcements coming out of Sony in recent days. From the PlayStation 5 price increase, to the PSVR2 having a launch window, there are some interesting times ahead for PlayStation fans.

To round this off, the crew looked into new IPs actually moving units. With Cult of the Lamb reaching over a million sales, and Elden Ring having sold over 16 Million, could the age of sequels be on the decline?

With the release of Stray on PC and PlayStation consoles, the debate about how a game's story should be told has started once again. Many people love to be completely immersed in the experience, with others wanting to ensure the option to be handheld as they work through the experience does not go away. In the latest episode of the Pixels and Ink Podcast, Eduard, Dayna, Chris and Brendan dive into the topic and see what really makes sense going forward.

Beyond this, the news of the full TIFF 2022 lineup is finally here, so the crew takes some time to delve into the list, how the festival is different this year, and what we all hope to see as in-person events are slowly coming back.

With episode 400 now here, the CGMagazine crew talk about the years of the magazine, and what were some of the most memorable moments up to this point. Chris, Dayna, Brendan and Jordan reminisce about the many gaming announcements, special guests, and news stories covered over the many years they have all been working together.

If that were not enough, the crew sit down and dissect the recent announcements from James Cameron about movie length, the new games coming to PS Plus, the latest antics from Ubisoft, and the excitement of Amazon Prime Day.

Sequels, remakes and re-releases are dominating the sales charts, but is that a good thing? On this week's Pixels and Ink, Brendan, Chris, Dayna and David explore what these releases in movies and games do for the industry, and are they good for fans. Is it always better to release a new entry in an existing series, or is it sometimes good to go outside the box and see what new concepts could be explored.

Even with the year being dominated by sequels and re-releases, there are still some amazing titles both in movies and games that are worth everyone's time. For the second segment, the crew discuss some of the best of 2022 so far, looking at the best and must experience titles that may have slipped through the cracks.

Summer Game Fest has come to a close, and the Pixels & Ink Podcast is here to dive into all the latest announcements, news, and previews to make sure you do not miss out on any of the fun. Host Chris, Dayna, Brendan, and Eduard discuss everything, from the Play Days where the CGM Crew got to test out the latest and greatest, to the press conferences where we all got a glimpse of the next twelve months of gaming.

With Brendan and Dayna on-site at Summer Game Fest: Play Days, they get to tell us all about the games they played, including hands-on time with the games shown by Day of the Devs, Sonic Frontiers, Street Fighter 6, F1 2022, and the Gaming Hub from Samsung.

On this week's Pixels & Ink podcast: Chris, Dayna, David, and Jordan talk about everything revealed at the March State of Play and their hesitant excitement for the reveals. Continuing the reveal discussion, the gang talks a bit about the reveal gameplay for Sonic Frontiers—Jordan worries that it maybe looks TOO good. Afterwards, the gang talks about the extended gameplay reveal trailer for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. 

On this week’s Pixels & Ink Podcast: Brendan, Khari, Dayna and Chris sit down to talk about the week's latest news, including the recent Sonos event, where the company announced a new soundbar that is looking to target a more budget conscious audience.

After this, the gang talked all about the potential of Commander Shepard returning for Mass Effect 4, ways to get the most from Xbox Game Pass, and the recent news of Bethesda delaying Starfield and RedFall to 2023.

On this week's Pixels & Ink Podcast: Brendan, Chris, Dayna and Jordan sit down to talk about Star Wars day—they reminisce about their first viewing of Star Wars and their memories of the series. They also talk about some of the events going on to celebrate May the 4th; namely the Star Wars event in Fortnite. 

After this, the gang talks about some of the terrible things going on in the industry—Nintendo has been accused of union busting, Game Freak allowing for 4-day work weeks, but at a reduced salary, and Yuji Naka talking about how terrible Square Enix was during the production of Balan Wonderworld. Afterwards, Brendan talks a bit about PAX East.

In reviews/impressions: Dayna has been playing with some new Turtle Beach headphones and Jordan has been playing Dungeons of Dreadrock and Demon Turf.

On this week's Pixels & Ink Podcast: Chris, Jordan, and Khari sit down to talk about Netflix losing 200 thousand subscribers and they're placing the blame squarely on you; the viewer. This leads to a discussion about what caused this massive hit to Netflix and how it compares to other streaming services. Afterwards, the gang talks briefly about Amy Henning and Skydance media announcing a new Star Wars game; and they also talk about the reveal trailer for Thor: Love and Thunder—which leads to much speculation about the film, and incredible tangents about the MCU.

To bring the news section to a close, the gang talks a bit about the reveal of Sonic Origins—a four-piece remaster of classic Sonic games (the forget to talk about all the ridiculous "special edition" nonsense.)

In the review section, Khari has thoughts about The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, and Chris has thoughts about Neptunia x Senran Kagura.

On this week's Pixels & Ink Podcast: Brendan, Chris, Dayna and Jordan sit down to talk about Elon Musk trying to buy Twitter, and the potential ramifications of that purchase—having left Twitter for good, Jordan is pretty ambivalent towards it. Afterwards, they talk about the Square Enix's 20th Anniversary of Kingdom Hearts, and the surprise reveal of Kingdom Hearts VI—Jordan spoils the ending to the terrible plot of the three year-old game. 

Afterwards, they talk about the surprise announcement of No Man's Sky's Outlaw update; which adds new features and areas to the game. The gang looks back a bit on No Man's Sky, and how genuine their commitment to building the game to its initial vision is. They also talk briefly about Aspyr purchasing Beamdog and how Epic games received $2 billion dollars from Sony and Epic. How they plan to use that money is anyone's guess. 

In the review section: Dayna has been watching Single Drunk Female, Brendan watched Russian Doll: Season 2; and Jordan watched Sonic the Hedgehog 2! 

On this week's Pixels & Ink Podcast: Brendan, Chris, Dayna and Jordan sit down to talk about the Canandian Indie Game Awards—the winners and the good stuff that comes from the indie scene. Afterwards, they talk about how the The 8-Bit Big Band's arrangment of "Meta-Knight's Revenge," from the Kirby franchise won a Grammy; and this leads to a larger conversation about the legitimacy of video game music.

Moving on, the gang talks about how Epic is teaming up with Lego to "create a space for kids in the Metaverse," and naturally Jordan isn't impressed. In other Epic related news, they talk about how Fortnite raised 144 million dollars towards the relief fund for the war in Ukraine; and also how Epic is also potentially facing a lawsuit from Kyle Hanagami, who claims Epic stole his dance routine for Fortnite emotes.

The gang also talks about how Remedy is planning on remaking Max Payne 1 & 2, and Jordan hopes the quality of those games isn't ruined my modern gaming sensibilities. They also briefly talk about Jim Carey potentially stepping away from acting after Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

In reviews, Chris has some things to say about Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga and Brendan talks a bit about the Matebook.

On this week's Pixels & Ink Podcast: Brendan, Chris, Jordan, and Shak sit down to talk about Sony's new paid subscription plans for Playstation Plus—whether what they're offering for each tier is worth the price, and how this subscriptions compares to Microsoft or Nintendo's. Continuing the talk of subscription plans, the gang talks a bit about GTA V's new subscprition plan for GTA Online—what it offers and the moral questionableness of the whole thing. Afterwards they talk a bit about the recent news of the Breath of the Wild sequel being pushed to 2023.

Of course, they move on to talk about the biggest news of the week: the Oscar wins, and the infamous slap. After a lengthy conversation about it, they move on to talk a bit about the news that E3 2022 is officially cancelled, both digitally and in-person. They end the news talking a bit about the tragic news of Bruce Willis' retirement from acting, due to his Asphasia diagnosis. 

In a light review section, Shak talks about The Bubble; but Chris wants to talk a bit about his time spent playing Disco Elysium, and Jordan has some crazy stories about AI Dungeon.

On this week's Pixels & Ink Podcast: Brendan, Chris, Dayna, and Jordan sit down to talk about the newest season of Fortnite Chapter 3—as building has been disabled, new mobility options have been added, and the Battle Pass rewards are...subpar? But Chris, Dayna, and Jordan have thoughts that they share and what they think is in store for the future of the chapter.

Afterwards, the gang talks about all the winners of the Game Developers Choice awards and how they feel about it. Afterwards, the gang—but mostly Jordan—talks about the newest Nintendo Switch firmware update that allows for creating folders, but only in your game library so...yay? To close off the news, they briefly talk about Sony acquiring Haven Studios, and what could mean.

In a jam packed review section, Chris has more to say about Final Fantasy: Stranger in Paradise; Jordan talks about Kirby and the Forgotten Land and Rune Factory 5, and Dayna talks about Tiny Tina's Wonderland.

On this week's Pixles & Ink Podcast: Brendan, Chris, Dayna, and Jordan sit down to talk quickly about Elden Ring—as is the new custom on the Podcast—as From Software's newest game surpassed 12 million copies and recieved a pretty substantial patch. Afterwards, the gang dives deep into film talk as a new slate of trailers for Ms. Marvel, Sonic 2, and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish were released. This leads into a long disscussion about movie memories, underated classics and all sorts of fun things!

Afterwards, the gang talks a bit about the first wave of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe DLC that released, and what they hope for the future waves. 

In the review/impressions section: Brendan has some Elden Ring guides, and he also got his hands on the Secretlab TITAN Evo 2022, Chris got to play Chocobo GP, and try the HexGaming Rival Tactical Controller; Dayna tried out the Fold 3, and Jordan watched Turning Red.  

On this week's Pixels & Ink Podcast: It's Mario Day, as Brendan, Chris, Dayna, and Jordan sit down to talk about their memories of everyone's favourite Italian plumber (except Brendan who cares not for Super Mario). Afterwards, they discuss the reveal trailer of the Disney+ series: Obi-Wan Kenobi. They talk about their impressions with the trailer and what they hope for the series. They also talk about Sony's State of Play for March 2022—there wasn't a lot on display, and Jordan was pretty unimpressed with it. 

They continue to talk about the latest news that Rockstar will be releasing a PS5 upgrade for GTAV, at the cost of $10, which prompts a discussion of paid vs. free upgrades for new consoles. They also talk a bit about Nintendo delaying the release of Advance Wars Reboot Camp in light of the recent attempted invasion of Ukraine by Russia. They also briefly mention that Overwatch 2 is still a thing. 

In lieu of a pretty light review section; Brendan, Jordan, and Chris have an extended conversation about Elden Ring. 

On this week's Pixels & Ink Podcast: Brendan, Chris, Dayna and Jordan sit down to talk about the situation unfolding in the Ukraine, and how several game and media companies have been getting involved to offer their support. In a radical 90-degree  on from that sombre topic, the gang talks a bit about the announcement from the Pokemon Presents, mainly the announcement of two new mainline Pokemon games: Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. 

Afterwards, the gang reminisces a little about the Nintendo Switch for it's fifth anniversary, sharing their memories of the system and favorite games. They close off the news by talking a bit about Resident Evil 2 and 3 Remake, as well as Resident Evil 7 getting PS5 and Xbox Series X/S upgrades later this year; and Twisted Metal getting a full season show on Peacock. 

In the review section: Brendan watched The Boys: Diabolical Series, Dayna watched Fresh, and Jordan played Triangle Strategy.

On [last] week's Pixels & Ink Podcast: Brendan, Chris, Jordan and Khari sit down to talk about the Elden Ring launch—Brendan had been playing it and shared his thoughts about it. They also talked about the reveal of the PSVR2 and as usual, Jordan was not super impressed with the notion of VR. They also talked about some of the reveals from Capcom, specifically Street Fighter 6, and the Capcom Fighting Collection. 

In Nintendo news, the gang talked a bit about the rumour of a new potential mainline Fire Emblem game coming sometime next year, as well as Nintendo's acquisition of SRD. They finished off the news by talking about Bioware saying Dragon Age 4 was "about halfway through development."

In reviews: Brendan talked about Martha is Dead, Chris talked about the Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster, and Khari talked about CrossfireX