Active Quest Episode 126: PlayStation Makes Big Moves, Don’t Miss Death’s Door, and A New SIlent Hill?

In this episode, Chris and Joseph discuss the Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut, Sony’s acquisition of Housemarque, and the next Dead Space!

• Joseph Yaden – twitter.com/josephyaden
• Josh Nichols – twitter.com/itsjerkjersh
• Chris Penwell – twitter.com/PenwellWrites

You can find us on iTunes, Stitcher, TuneIn, Spotify, and Google Play. You can also subscribe through our RSS feed. 

Follow us on Twitter @ActiveQuestShow

Email us @ ActiveQuestPodcast@gmail.com

Rate us on Apple Podcasts, and Podcast Addict so we can continue to grow. Reviews are so helpful for discovery and opening doors in the industry for us!

Get our official shirt!

teespring.com/active-quest-shirt#pid=2&cid=566&sid=front

We are proud to be a part of the HP Video Game Podcast Network!: itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewArtistSeeAll?cc=us&dkId=4&section=0&ids=1482427275

Music

Theme Song made by Novila. soundcloud.com/novila-edm

Quick News

Ghost of Tsushima is getting an enhanced director’s cut on the PS4 and PS5

 Jay Peters

https://www.theverge.com/2021/7/1/22559264/ghost-of-tsushima-directors-cut-sony-ps4-ps5-sucker-punch-iki-island

PS Plus July 2021 Free PS5, PS4 Games Announced

Robert Ramsey 

https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2021/07/ps_plus_july_2021_free_ps5_ps4_games_announced

New Games with Gold for July 2021

News

Sony buys Returnal developer Housemarque

 Wesley Yin-Poole

https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2021-06-29-sony-buys-returnal-developer-housemarque

Sony adds PC port developer to PlayStation Studios

Michael McWhertor

https://www.polygon.com/22558968/playstation-studios-acquires-nixxes-software-pc-ports

Sony Acquisition of Bluepoint Games Supposedly Leaked by Image Mistake

Robert Ramsey

https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2021/06/sony_acquisition_of_bluepoint_games_supposedly_leaked_by_image_mistake

Konami and Bloober Team announce partnership amid Silent Hill links

Chris Scullion

https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/konami-and-bloober-team-announce-partnership-amid-silent-hill-links/

Xbox Cloud Gaming is Now Fully Available to All Game Pass Ultimate Subscribers

Joseph Knoop

https://www.ign.com/articles/xbox-cloud-gaming-game-pass-ultimate-release

Dead Space 4 is reportedly ‘a full remake’ inspired by recent Resident Evils

Andy Robinson

https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/dead-space-4-is-reportedly-a-full-remake-inspired-by-recent-resident-evils/

Listener Questions

What We’ve Been Playing

Chris:

• Death’s Door (review code provided)
• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Joseph:

• Returnal

Recommended Reading

Active Quest Episode 91: PS5’s Launch Lineup, NBA 2K21’s Unskippable Ads, and Minecraft Steve’s Meat

Joseph, Josh, and Chris are joined by Indie Pod’s Vaughn Hyde to take an in-depth look into the PS5 lineup. They also talk about Minecraft Steve’s awkward slip in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and if ads have a place in gaming.

• Joseph Yaden – twitter.com/josephyaden
• Josh Nichols – twitter.com/Mrjoshnichols
• Chris Penwell – twitter.com/PenwellWrites
• Guest: Vaughn Hyde – twitter.com/hydelegion

You can find us on iTunes, Stitcher, TuneIn, Spotify, and Google Play. You can also subscribe through our RSS feed. 

Follow us on Twitter @ActiveQuestShow

Email us @ ActiveQuestPodcast@gmail.com

Rate us on iTunes and Podcast Addict so we can continue to reach people, attract cool guests, and get more review codes to provide coverage to you all and more. Reviews are so helpful for discovery and opening doors in the industry for us!

Get our official shirt!

https://teespring.com/active-quest-shirt#pid=2&cid=566&sid=front

We are proud to be a part of the HP Video Game Podcast Network!: https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewArtistSeeAll?cc=us&dkId=4&section=0&ids=1482427275

Music

Theme Song made by Novila. https://soundcloud.com/novila-edm

Quick Notes

Yep, Cats Really Aren’t Liking Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit

Ryan Craddock

https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/10/random_yep_cats_really_arent_liking_mario_kart_live_home_circuit

Marvel’s Avengers Is the Second Biggest Digital Launch for Square Enix After Final Fantasy VII Remake

Zarmena Khan

https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2020/10/23/marvels-avengers-sales-digital/

Kojima Productions Is Hiring “Best-In-Class Talent” For New Project

Jamie Latour

https://www.thegamer.com/kojima-productions-is-hiring-best-in-class-talent-for-new-project/

Minecraft Steve Is No Longer Packing Meat After Smash Bros. Patch

Sergio Solorzano

https://www.thegamer.com/minecraft-steve-is-no-longer-packing-meat-after-smash-bros-patch/

2K Adds Unskippable In-Game Ads To NBA 2K21, Kinda Apologizes After

Surej Singh

https://www.nme.com/news/gaming-news/2k-games-reportedly-adds-unskippable-in-game-ads-to-nba-2k21-2790657

https://www.nme.com/news/gaming-news/2k-games-responds-to-nba-2k21-in-game-ad-backlash-2793185

Quick Releases

RPG Co-Op Beat ’em Up ‘Young Souls’ to Launch First on Stadia Revealed in New Trailer

Azario Lopez

https://noisypixel.net/young-souls-first-on-stadia-new-gameplay-trailer/

Gears 5 is getting a story add-on in December 

Brett Makedonski

https://www.destructoid.com/stories/gears-5-is-getting-a-story-add-on-in-december-607716.phtml

The Original Fire Emblem Is Coming To The West For The First Time Ever On Switch

Ryan Craddock

https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/10/the_original_fire_emblem_is_coming_to_the_west_for_the_first_time_ever_on_switch

Main Topic

Deep Diving Into PS5 Launch Lineup

https://www.ign.com/wikis/playstation-5/List_of_PlayStation_5_Launch_Games

Listener Questions

Steve Vegvari

How badly did the haunted chests spook you in Warzone?

David Restrepo

Anyone have experience with Maid of Sker? Any thoughts?

#1 Turner and Hooch Fan

Howdy buckos, fan of the show here with a quick question: what the fuck is a Chuckles? I got them at a rest area and they gave me explosive diarrhea. Thanks in advance.

Hello, fellow gaming pals, on another side note, why do I get a case of swamp ass every time I go for a 10 minute power walk?

What We’ve Been Playing

Joseph

• Warzone — Haunting of Verdansk

Chris 

• Resident Evil 3

Josh 

• Animal Crossing: New Horizons 

Vaughn

• Destiny 2

Active Quest Episode 90: Marvel’s Avengers Tops the Charts, the PS5’s UI, and Xbox Series X’s Launch Lineup

This week, Joseph and Chris discuss Marvel’s Avengers topping the sale charts, the PS5’s UI, and the launch lineup of the Xbox Series X!

• Joseph Yaden – twitter.com/josephyaden
• Josh Nichols – twitter.com/Mrjoshnichols
• Chris Penwell – twitter.com/PenwellWrites

You can find us on iTunes, Stitcher, TuneIn, Spotify, and Google Play. You can also subscribe through our RSS feed. 

Follow us on Twitter @ActiveQuestShow

Email us @ ActiveQuestPodcast@gmail.com

Rate us on iTunes so we can continue to reach people, go to E3, get more review codes to provide coverage to you all and more. Reviews are so helpful for discovery and opening doors in the industry for us!

Get our official shirt!

https://teespring.com/active-quest-shirt#pid=2&cid=566&sid=front

We are proud to be a part of the HP Video Game Podcast Network!: https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewArtistSeeAll?cc=us&dkId=4&section=0&ids=1482427275

Music

Theme Song made by Novila. https://soundcloud.com/novila-edm

Quick Notes

Mass Effect Legendary Edition Has Been Rated in South Korea

Matthew Adler

https://www.ign.com/articles/mass-effect-legendary-edition-has-been-rated-in-south-korea

The Outer Worlds sequel seemingly in the works

Sherif Saed

https://www.vg247.com/2020/10/12/the-outer-worlds-sequel-in-development-report/#:~:text=Niko%20Partners%20analyst%20Daniel%20Ahmad,%2C%20currently%20in%20pre%2Dproduction.

Beautiful Turn-Based RPG Cris Tales Delayed To 2021

Chris Penwell

https://www.thegamer.com/cris-tales-delayed-2021/

Quick Releases

Tim Schafer announces that the Classic LucasArts Remasters are coming to Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Cloud Gaming

Zachary Boddy

https://www.windowscentral.com/tim-schafer-announces-classic-lucasarts-remasters-are-coming-xbox-game-pass-xbox-cloud-gaming

Destiny 2’s free next-gen upgrade arrives in December

Ryan Gilliam

https://www.polygon.com/2020/10/15/21517620/destiny-2-ps5-xbox-series-x-release-date-upgrade-4k-60-fps-fov-slider

Xbox Series S/X Launch Titles Confirmed

Brendan Sinclair

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-10-15-microsoft-confirms-xbox-series-launch-titles

News

Xbox can recoup $7.5 billion Bethesda investment without going multi-platform, says Spencer

 Stephany Nunneley

https://www.vg247.com/2020/10/16/xbox-will-be-able-to-recoup-7-5-billion-bethesda-investment-without-going-multi-platform-says-spencer/

Marvel’s Avengers Tops September NPD, Now the Second Best Launch of a Superhero Title in US History

Brianna Reeves

https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2020/10/16/marvels-avengers-september-2020-npd/

Surprise State of Play Showcases First Look at PlayStation 5’s User Experience

Brianna Reeves

https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2020/10/15/playstation-5-ui-video/

Listener Questions

The Biggest of Average Josh Bois

So how excited are you for the clearly teased announcement of all the BK games getting a remastered version for the PS5?

Greysun Morales

What’s your most anticipated next gen title?

#1 Turner and Hooch Fan

Your boy Hooch here, have you guys ever thought about visiting the Corn Palace? I’ve been once and it was shuck wild!

What We’ve Been Playing

Joseph

• Ghost of Tsushima: Legends

Chris 

• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
• Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory Demo
• Resident Evil 3

Active Quest Episode 88: Cyberpunk 2077 Crunch, Digital PS5 Games, and a New Peter Parker in Marvel’s Spider-Man

Joseph, Josh, Chris, and special guest, Josh from Indie Pod discuss crunch culture at CD Projekt RED, the new digital PS5 games available to preorder, and the updated version of Peter Parker in Marvel’s Spider-Man for PS5.

• Joseph Yaden – twitter.com/josephyaden
• Josh Nichols – twitter.com/Mrjoshnichols
• Chris Penwell – twitter.com/PenwellWrites
• Josh from Indie Pod – https://twitter.com/The_Jorsh90

You can find us on iTunes, Stitcher, TuneIn, Spotify, and Google Play. You can also subscribe through our RSS feed. 

Follow us on Twitter @ActiveQuestShow

Email us @ ActiveQuestPodcast@gmail.com

Rate us on iTunes so we can continue to reach people, go to E3, get more review codes to provide coverage to you all and more. Reviews are so helpful for discovery and opening doors in the industry for us!

Get our official shirt!

https://teespring.com/active-quest-shirt#pid=2&cid=566&sid=front

We are proud to be a part of the HP Video Game Podcast Network!: https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewArtistSeeAll?cc=us&dkId=4&section=0&ids=1482427275

Music

Theme Song made by Novila. https://soundcloud.com/novila-edm

Quick Notes

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s Latest DLC Fighter Is Minecraft’s Steve

Sean Murray

https://www.thegamer.com/super-smash-bros-ultimate-steve-minecraft/

Xbox Claims All It’ll Take To Get Master Chief Into Smash Bros. Is An Invite

Josh Coulson

https://www.thegamer.com/master-chief-smash-bros-ultimate/

Quick Releases

The Pathless Comes Out On November 12, PS5 Launch Title

Matt Nava

https://blog.playstation.com/2020/10/01/building-the-vast-mysterious-world-of-the-pathless-out-november-12-on-ps5-ps4/

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Subscribers Get EA Play On November 10

Romain Dillet

https://techcrunch.com/2020/09/30/xbox-game-pass-ultimate-subscribers-will-get-ea-play-on-november-10th/

Xbox Game Pass October 2020 Games

https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2020/09/29/coming-soon-xbox-game-pass-october-2020/

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Comes With 2 Months Of Free Anime

Chris Penwell

https://www.thegamer.com/xbox-game-pass-ultimate-free-anime/

News

PS5 Launch Games Preorder Details Revealed: Bonuses for Demon’s Souls, Spider-Man, and Sackboy

Matt Kim

https://www.ign.com/articles/ps5-launch-games-preorder-demons-souls-spider-man-miles-morales

Marvel’s Spider-Man Dev Responds to Backlash Surrounding Peter Parker’s Recasting

Zarmena Khan

https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2020/10/01/insomniac-on-spider-man-new-face/

Cyberpunk 2077 dev breaks promise, will force employees to work six days a week

Taylor Lyles

https://www.theverge.com/2020/9/29/21494499/cyberpunk-2077-development-crunch-time-cd-projekt-red

Listener Questions

#1 Turner and Hooch Fan

https://twitter.com/TurnerandDouche/status/1311473474851016704

What We’ve Been Playing

Joseph

• Crash Bandicoot 4
• Genshin Impact
• Warzone 

Chris 

• Genshin Impact
• Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time (review code provided)
• I’m playing FIFA

Josh

• Crash 4 

The Biggest of Average Josh Bois! 

• Super Mario Bros. 35
• Hades

OCD Makes Gaming Harder by Default

Pause, start, pause, start, pause, start, pause, start, pause, start. It hits you like a slap on the back of your head. A sense of unease crawls around the brain, manifesting and stewing inside. You answer it. You reason. And then it fades. But it will slither back, maybe the next minute or maybe the next day, and it’s a curse that will never go away.

At worst, I feel like if I don’t answer, something bad will happen to me or the people around me. At best, it’s a mild inconvenience that is satisfying to my brain if I beg to its wishes. I know in my head that it’s silly, but there’s a fear inside me that I can’t shake at times of stress or at random. Having this curse makes consuming media much harder than the average person.

But what is it? OCD, short for obsessive compulsive disorder, has the person fixate on horrible thoughts or negative feelings that aren’t wanted in the mind. But people react to it in different ways. For me, I pause and restart the game a certain amount of times or re-speak a line of dialogue, or even a high pitched shout or grunt. It’s tough and can deeply affect my enjoyment of a video game. 

You must do this. You have to say it. It will make you comfortable.

Sometimes OCD decides the game I can play that day, what character I pick in a fighting game like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (and immediately locks off characters), and what move I can unlock. It’s tough and OCD gets in the way of my enjoyment of a game. I’ve been able to ignore these attacks much more in recent years and think rationally, but sometimes I succumb to the temptation of feeling safe without risk.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Nintendo

It all started when I was a child playing the original Spider-Man movie tie-in game on the PS2, and at a certain point I was frustrated with a mission. Like a spidey-sense, my first case of OCD occurred when I thought I had to defuse a bomb, or something horrible will happen to me. It was terrifying as a kid that if I failed this mission, the people around me could be hurt, so panicking, I turned off the console and never played that Spider-Man game since. That might be why I’m not so much into that trilogy of films anymore.

Something horrible will happen if you don’t prevail.

And it kept coming and coming. Depression began to sprout within and grow inside as I was teased in secondary school and became fearful of death and Judgment Day. Thankfully, both of these faded away as I moved to Canada, but the bullying from the past has left a permanent mark on my image and self-confidence. I’ve been doubting myself since then and even until today.

But I found solace within gaming, essentially story-focused titles. Confident and upbeat heroes, like Sora from Kingdom Hearts, Jade from Beyond Good & Evil, and Yuna from Final Fantasy X, kept me inspired to fight back. They fought through their adversities, and the overwhelming pressure against them. They prevailed and just like any great film or book, these characters connected with me as a kid and as an adult.

Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX, Square Enix and Disney

A thought-provoking or character-driven story can keep me hooked and forget about the thoughts, the false threats, and the self-doubt. Unlike movies or books, I find strength in the characters I play, and the power they possess because I’m controlling them.

I have grown stronger. I was able to get over my listening impediment and performed plays, impress the school staff with my foreign language and drama skills, and then a decade or so later get my Communications degree.

While not as often than before, my OCD and depression has set me back from my aspirations and dreams, but I’m fighting now, and if you are too, you’re not alone. We’re all in this together!

Featured Image: Kingdom Hearts 3, Square Enix and Disney