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Zelda: Ocarina of Time, GTA 6 and the Future of Physical Games | Gamers of the Lost Spark #193
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Stuart Burgess and Stephen Carter discuss Ocarina of Time on Switch 2, GTA 6 download and preload details, Modern Warfare 4, The Elder Scrolls VI, God of War and physical gaming.
EPISODE SUMMARY
In episode 193 of the Gamers of the Lost Spark Podcast, Stuart Burgess and Stephen Carter celebrate Zelda Day and discuss the games they have been playing, the latest gaming news and the future of console gaming. The main conversation covers The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on Nintendo Switch 2, its strong reviews and the excitement around the Zelda 40th Anniversary release.
The hosts also share first impressions of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, talk about Uncharted 4, Gears of War and the unexpected platform game Do Do Duckie, and discuss Xbox Microsoft Rewards and limited-edition controllers. The news section looks at The Elder Scrolls VI: Sentinel, GTA 6’s reported download size and preload schedule, the God of War delay, Microsoft’s Xbox Series X Byte alligator console, Nintendo cartridge manufacturing and whether physical games have a future.
HOSTS
Stuart Burgess and Stephen Carter
EPISODE RECORDED
5 November 2026 (Zelda Day)
CHAPTERS
00:00 — Episode introduction and Zelda Day
01:17 — What the hosts have been playing: Gears of War, Modern Warfare and Uncharted 4
12:50 — Do Do Duckie and its 2D/3D gameplay
16:44 — Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 first impressions
23:22 — Xbox Microsoft Rewards and the million-point challenge
27:14 — Controller Corner: limited-edition controllers and the X25 giveaway
35:29 — Gaming news
36:08 — The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time reviews and Nintendo Switch 2
50:05 — The Elder Scrolls VI: Sentinel and Bethesda
55:23 — GTA 6 download size, preload dates and storage
61:59 — God of War delay and collector’s edition discussion
72:31 — Xbox Series X Byte: the alligator console
75:06 — Nintendo Amiibo and collector’s editions
76:23 — Macronix cartridge production and the future of physical games
80:22 — Forza Horizon 6 on PlayStation and the future of discs
83:38 — Gaming memories, midnight launches and where to find the hosts
KEY TOPICS AND SEARCH TERMS
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time; Zelda 40th Anniversary; Nintendo Switch 2; GTA 6; Grand Theft Auto VI; GTA 6 download size; GTA 6 preload; Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4; Xbox Series X; Microsoft Rewards; Xbox X25 controller; Xbox Nano controller; Uncharted 4; Gears of War: E-Day; The Elder Scrolls VI: Sentinel; Bethesda; God of War; Metro Collector’s Edition; Xbox Series X Byte; Nintendo Switch cartridges; Macronix; physical games vs digital games; Forza Horizon 6 on PlayStation.
QUESTIONS ANSWERED IN THIS EPISODE
What are Stuart Burgess and Stephen Carter discussing in episode 193?
They discuss the games they have been playing and current gaming news, including Ocarina of Time on Switch 2, Modern Warfare 4, GTA 6, The Elder Scrolls VI, God of War and the future of physical game media.
What do the hosts think about The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on Switch 2?
They discuss the very positive reviews reported at the time of recording, the excitement around the Zelda 40th Anniversary release and how the game is attracting both returning fans and players new to the original.
What GTA 6 download size and preload information is discussed?
The hosts refer to a reported download requirement of around 212GB. In the information discussed during the recording, preload was due to begin on 10 November 2026 for digital console versions, with the physical-edition code process discussed separately. These are details quoted in the episode from an article dated 3 November 2026, not a live status update.
Which games does the episode cover beyond Zelda and GTA 6?
The conversation includes Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, Gears of War: E-Day, the original Modern Warfare trilogy, Uncharted 4, Do Do Duckie, The Elder Scrolls VI: Sentinel, God of War, Metro, Fable, Fallout and Forza Horizon 6.
What is the discussion about physical versus digital games?
The hosts debate the value of owning physical games, Nintendo’s cartridge format, reports that Macronix is leaving cartridge production, game-key cards, download sizes and the possibility of future Xbox and PlayStation consoles becoming more digital.
Which gaming hardware and accessories are discussed?
The episode includes Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X, the Xbox X25 and Nano controllers, 8BitDo controllers, PlayStation limited-edition controllers, Amiibo figures and the Xbox Series X Byte promotional console.
EDITORIAL NOTE
This metadata and the chapter headings are intended to help readers, search engines and answer engines understand the episode. The transcript below preserves the hosts’ conversational discussion. Time-sensitive news and figures are presented as they were discussed at the recording on 5 November 2026; they should not be treated as current updates.
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FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
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## Episode introduction: Zelda Day
Stuart Burgess and Stephen Carter record episode 193 on 5 November, celebrating Zelda Day.
Stuart Burgess: 00:00
Hello and welcome to episode 193 of the Gamers of the Lost Spark Podcast.
I'm your host, Stuart Link Burgess, and joining me on the podcast this week is my co-host, Mr. Stephen Zelda Carter.
How are you, Steve?
Stephen Carter: 00:14
I'm good, mate. Thank you.
My dress didn't quite make it in time! For anyone watching or listening retrospectively, you'll have seen our social post. We're recording this on Zelda Day, so I've turned my microphone green and put together a little post of Stu and me dressed up in our Zelda outfits, courtesy of Google Gemini.
Let's be honest, though, there was only ever going to be one princess out of the two of us!
Stuart Burgess: 00:38
I was just relieved you decided to make yourself Zelda! I looked at the picture and started chuckling. I thought, "Oh, thank God, he's sacrificed his own image and made himself the princess!"
Stephen Carter: 00:50
The only photo I had was from when I still had my long hair, so I suppose it kind of made sense, really!
But yes, it is Zelda Day. Happy Zelda Day, everybody! We're recording this on the 5th of November, so what better excuse to celebrate one of gaming's greatest franchises?
Stuart Burgess: 01:01
Yes, early doors on the 5th of November! It's been great seeing all the Zelda-related posts popping up across social media, but we'll come back to that a little bit later.
Stuart Burgess: 01:10
So, how are you? What have you been up to? What have you been playing? Have you been getting stuck into anything interesting since we last recorded?
## What the hosts have been playing
Stephen Carter: 01:17
Yeah, I mean, I've tried to get as much gaming in as possible. Last week, with half-term, was pretty much a write-off because everyone seemed to be ill. It was an absolute car crash of a week!
I did manage to squeeze a few bits and pieces in, but nowhere near as much as I'd hoped. I did, however, manage to roll the credits on Gears of War: E-Day, so that's one of the big games ticked off the list before GTA 6 arrives in a couple of weeks.
To be honest, though, most of what I've been playing has been older stuff. I haven't really wanted to commit to another lengthy game with GTA 6 just around the corner. Although, I say that, and then we'll be talking about Zelda shortly!
I put a post out last week about Modern Warfare 4, and obviously, you were talking about it and playing it. I must admit; I was seriously tempted. But I've made the decision that I'm saving my Xbox credit for GTA 6, so Modern Warfare 4 is going on the back burner for now.
I'll probably pick it up as a rental, or maybe even wait until it arrives on Game Pass next year. Although, knowing me, I'll probably end up buying it before then!
In the meantime, I've decided to go back and revisit the older Modern Warfare games. I popped into everyone's favorite big red shop and picked up Modern Warfare 1, 2 and 3 on the Xbox 360. All three for, I think, £11.50. Not a bad bit of business!
Stuart Burgess: 02:35
I couldn't believe it when you came out and fanned them out, saying, "This has just cost me £11.50!"
Without getting into the politics of it, I think this is one of the biggest things we're going to lose if gaming goes completely digital: the ability to walk into a shop, pick up a few games and discover something you might never have played otherwise.
As I think I've mentioned on the podcast before, I watch quite a lot of Retro Rick and Chase the Right Price on YouTube. I love watching them visit these gaming rooms and seeing all the collectibles, with physical copies of games going back to the 80s and 90s. You can take a game off the shelf, pop it into your Mega Drive, SNES, Dreamcast or whatever console you have, and just play it.
But what happens to those shops if everything goes digital? What happens to that whole experience?
There's something brilliant about being able to walk into a shop and think, "Do you know what? I've never played that before. I'm going to pick up a copy and give it a go."
Stephen Carter: 03:30
Yeah, and more importantly, you can put those older games into a current Xbox and they still work. You can't necessarily do that with PlayStation. PS3 games, for example, aren't directly compatible with the PS5, so you don't have that same backwards compatibility. With Xbox, at least, you still have that ability.
Speaking of which, I finished the first Modern Warfare last night. I polished that one off and then popped Modern Warfare 2 in and started playing it briefly.
But here's a little blast from the past. When I opened the box, I discovered it still had one of those Xbox Live Gold trial cards inside. You know, those little cards you used to get with games? It hadn't even been scratched off, so the code was still intact!
I just looked at it and thought, this is brilliant. It's like finding a little relic from another era. The instruction manual wasn't in the box, but I wasn't particularly bothered about that. It was just seeing that little card that took me back. I remember getting those with games and thinking, "Brilliant, I've got a little bonus for when my subscription runs out!"
So, yeah, I'm making my way through those games because I absolutely loved the original Modern Warfare series. The latest instalment sounds like a great continuation of that franchise.
I shared a couple of clips from the original Modern Warfare because, when that game first came out, it was such a big deal. It's still regarded as probably one of the best Call of Duty campaigns of modern times, if not ever, and I think that's fair. It was something completely new and different at the time.
So, Modern Warfare 2 next, followed by Modern Warfare 3. Hopefully, I'll have worked my way through all three by the time GTA 6 arrives, because I don't think anything else is going to get much attention on the Xbox once that's out!
As we speak, though, I've also got the Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection disc from Boomerang, ready to install on the Xbox. But I'm debating whether to send it back. I'm thinking, am I realistically going to play it? Probably not, at least not with GTA 6 on the horizon.
I really want to play those games, but I'm tempted to get the collection on PS5 instead. That way, it's on a different console, in my workstation, and isn't competing for gaming time with GTA 6.
On the PS5, meanwhile, I'm currently playing Uncharted 4. Again, it's an older game, originally released on PS4. I've already played through the first three games in the collection and picked up a cheap physical copy of Uncharted 4 from CEX for around £4 or £5.
I then paid the extra £10 for the PS5 upgrade, which also includes The Lost Legacy, the spin-off featuring Chloe and Nadine. So, for a tenner, you get the improved visuals and performance, plus an entire additional game. I thought that was pretty good value.
I'm probably around 10 to 12 hours into Uncharted 4 now. And I know when I mentioned it before, you said it looked like exactly your sort of game, and it really is.
Uncharted 4 builds on what came before in the first three games, opening things up a little more. It's got that Tomb Raider feels, with more expansive environments, exploration, traversal, puzzles and the whole historical discovery element.
I'd say you don't necessarily need to have played the first three games to enjoy Uncharted 4. Obviously, knowing the characters adds something, but the story isn't so dependent on everything that happened previously that you couldn't jump straight in. I think you'd be fine starting with the fourth game.
Stuart Burgess: 06:47
Well, I went online and grabbed some footage because I think my PlayStation Plus subscription might not have renewed. I noticed the other day when I was looking at my PlayStation account that next to games like Spider-Man: Miles Morales, it was saying I needed to subscribe to PlayStation Plus to unlock them. So, I thought, okay, perhaps my subscription hasn't automatically renewed.
Anyway, I jumped onto YouTube and found a PlayStation playthrough of one of the Uncharted 4 cutscenes. It's the bit with Nathan Drake and Sully, isn't it? They're involved in a shootout, and then there's that brilliant sequence where they end up tearing down a hill in a Jeep.
I was sitting there recording the footage, thinking I only needed about ten minutes for the edit, but I ended up just watching the playthrough. And I was thinking, if this were any other time, I'd be straight back into playing it!
But, like you, I'm trying to get through Gears of War, and I've been out and about all over the place this week. I genuinely haven't played anything since probably Saturday or Sunday, when I was finally getting the podcast sorted. I've been ill as well, so gaming has taken a bit of a back seat.
But it has made me want to go back and play Uncharted 4, because it just amazes me that Sony haven't brought out another one. It's such a brilliant franchise and, honestly, feels like the perfect game for PlayStation. It's got everything going for it and appeals to such a broad audience.
Stephen Carter: 08:19
Yeah, this is it, and I think we touched on this in the last podcast. There were those rumors, weren't there, about an Uncharted game of some description being in development, which would be fantastic.
Without giving anything away, I think Uncharted 4 does a pretty good job of tying up the loose ends of Nathan Drake's story. But that doesn't necessarily mean the franchise has to end. There are so many directions they could take it.
They could easily do a prequel. There are already elements in Uncharted 4 that explore Drake's younger years, how he came to be the person we know, and how he first met Sully. But there's so much more they could build on. There are years of untold stories there.
We were having a similar conversation in the group chat about Gears of War. There's a 13-year gap between the events of E-Day and the first Gears of War, so there's plenty of scope for more stories. It's the same with Uncharted. There are gaps in the timeline they could explore, or they could even take the franchise in a completely new direction with the next generation of characters.
But I just think Sony has some incredible exclusive franchises in its back catalogue, and I don't understand why we're not seeing more of them.
I was watching a video the other day about controversial opinions on The Last of Us. Now, I think it's a good game, and I appreciate why people love it, but I wouldn't say I absolutely loved it in the same way everyone else seems to. It's one of Sony's flagship exclusives, but what about all the others?
Uncharted is an obvious one. But what about Killzone? What about Resistance? These were fantastic franchises that helped define PlayStation, and I'd love to see some of them brought back.
I genuinely think a new console generation should come with a new Uncharted game, or at least something from one of those established franchises.
Look at the success of games like Tomb Raider and Indiana Jones. There's clearly an appetite for that sort of adventure experience. Surely someone at Sony must be having this conversation. Just get your backsides in gear and give us another Uncharted game in some shape or form!
There's so much potential there, and it would be a real shame to leave these franchises sitting on the shelf.
Stuart Burgess: 09:51
Without trying to sound like a Sony hater, I think this year has been pretty dreadful for PlayStation.
I appreciate there have been games released, and plenty of PlayStation owners will have been enjoying what's available, but when it comes to first-party exclusives from Sony's own studios, I just don't think there's been much to get excited about this year.
And that's coming from someone who'd probably describe themselves as 25% PlayStation and 75% Xbox. From my perspective, there just hasn't been anything that's really driven me to pick up the PlayStation and play.
Yes, I bought the PS5 Pro, largely because of Wolverine. And we all know my feelings on that game. I did enjoy it, and it was an okay experience, but let's put it this way: it was a game. It didn't exactly blow me away!
Sony has some incredible IPs sitting there. You've got Sackboy, Astro Bot, Spider-Man, The Last of Us, Uncharted and God of War, which we'll obviously get onto shortly. These are fantastic franchises, and I just feel there's so much potential that isn't being used.
Perhaps they're stockpiling things for the PS6 and planning to release a whole wave of big titles around the new console launch. Because, let's face it, after everything we've discussed around PS6, Xbox Helix, pricing and development costs, Sony is going to need to give people a compelling reason to make the jump.
And historically, that's exactly what Sony has been brilliant at. They've always known how to give you a reason to buy a PlayStation.
But yeah, Uncharted just looks like a brilliant game. I think I'll be jumping into that again, probably in 2029, once I've finally finished GTA 6 and worked my way through the PS5 upgrade!
Stephen Carter: 11:30
Well, I'm not sure whether it's the PS5 version that's included with PlayStation Plus, but the PS5 upgrade I've paid for definitely makes a noticeable difference to the overall quality.
I'd say that if you pick up a cheap physical copy, spending the extra £10 on the upgrade is absolutely worth it, especially as you get The Lost Legacy included as well.
The graphical improvements alone make a big difference. I started playing it before buying the upgrade, so I had something to compare it against, and you can see the improvement. Everything looks sharper, runs better and feels much more polished.
It's a worthwhile upgrade, particularly for the money.
Stuart Burgess: 11:51
Yeah, I don't know whether I'll just subscribe to PlayStation Plus for a month if it's included in the catalogue, or whether I'll jump into Hastings and pop into CEX to pick up a cheap physical copy.
I've got the disc drive on the PS5 Pro, so that's always an option.
I have actually been thinking about selling the original PS5 downstairs because I'm just not using it. And I think, as we discussed with GTA 6, I'm probably going to stick with Xbox for that. I've got a Series X upstairs and another downstairs, with OLED TVs at both ends of the house.
If I went with GTA 6 on the PS5 Pro upstairs, I'd then have to play it on the standard PS5 downstairs. Now, I'm sure it would still look perfectly good, but if there's a noticeable drop in quality, particularly when you're playing on a bigger screen, that's something I'd probably notice.
With the Xbox, I've got the same experience at both ends of the house, so it makes more sense to keep everything consistent. That's another reason why I'm leaning towards Xbox for GTA 6.
So, speaking of leading-edge, cutting-edge, graphically impressive games, my first game has been something called Do Do Duckie.
It sounds incredibly intensive this year!
Stephen Carter: 12:47
I'm really looking forward to hearing all about this one!
## Do Do Duckie: an unexpected Game Pass favourite
Stuart Burgess: 12:50
It's another one of those classic games where, particularly on a Saturday morning, I sometimes just wake up and fancy playing something.
If you've watched the last couple of podcasts, you'll probably remember me saying that I wasn't going to play anything before recording. It made me laugh when I was editing the episodes because I'd said, "This morning, I'm not playing a game. I've had some toast, an espresso and watched a bit of YouTube. I'm not going to come into the podcast all wired because I've been gaming!"
But this was just one of those games that caught my attention. I can't remember exactly why I clicked on it. Maybe I was looking to tick off the last square on my monthly gaming challenge. I'm not sure.
Anyway, I think it was Anthony playing it again, and he basically said, "Oh, Do Do Duckie is cool because you can put different hats on your duck."
And I'm thinking, what the hell is this? Sold!
It's exactly what I love Xbox Game Pass for, and potentially PlayStation Plus as well. Being able to stumble across games that you would never normally consider buying, give them a go and sometimes discover something you absolutely love.
There's also the added incentive with Xbox that, if you want to earn your four-pack and eight-pack rewards, you need to play Game Pass games, including different titles. So that gave me another reason to jump in.
The game itself is clever. You play as a duck, and initially it looks like a straightforward, side-scrolling platformer, a bit like Mario. You're running left and right, jumping around and collecting things.
But then it introduces this mechanic where you can switch between 2D and 3D perspectives.
So, you're playing along in 2D, thinking everything is straightforward, until you realise there are certain things you can't reach. Maybe there's a coin you can't collect or an area you can't access. Then you press a button, I think it's LB or RB, and suddenly the whole environment switches into 3D.
It's the same level, but now you've got a much wider, more open environment to explore. You can see different routes and discover things that weren't accessible before.
The clever bit is how it makes you switch between the two perspectives. Sometimes you need to go back into 2D to jump up to another level, then switch into 3D to navigate a ramp or reach another area.
It's just a sweet, clever little game. Nothing particularly complicated, nothing that requires you to sit there thinking too hard. You can just pick it up, play it, enjoy the music or even have a podcast on in the background.
And honestly, it's something I would never have bought. But that's the beauty of Game Pass. You stumble across something completely unexpected and end up bloody loving it.
I mean, I saw pictures of a duck wearing different hats and even a capybara wearing a hat. What more do you want? Sold!
Stephen Carter: 15:31
I mean, yeah, I'm sold! I'm going to play that.
Even if I had someone sitting there watching me play it, they'd probably love it just because it's got a duck and a capybara in it. What's not to like?
But I really like that gameplay mechanic you've described, switching between 2D and 3D. I don't know whether it's been done before, so apologies if it has, but it sounds like something you'd expect to see in a Mario game.
Obviously, we've seen Mario make that transition from traditional 2D platforming into 3D, but the idea of switching between the two perspectives within the same level, depending on what you need to achieve, is clever.
It's that old-school platforming idea of looking at a level, working out what you need to do, and then switching things around to find another way through. I think that's an interesting mechanic.
Stuart Burgess: 15:56
Yeah, I don't think I've come across anything quite like it before, certainly not that I can think of off the top of my head.
When they introduced that mechanic, I just thought it was a nice touch. There are so many little things throughout the game that make you stop and think, "Oh, that's interesting!"
There are some slightly random moments, though. You end up having conversations with a character about juice-flavored or fruit-flavored drinks, and I'm not entirely sure what that's all about!
But as a Xbox Mythic Hunter and a bit of a completionist, I find myself thinking, do you know what? I'm going to keep playing this because I'm enjoying it.
It's just a cool little game. You don't have to overthink anything, there's no massive commitment, and you can just pick it up and play. Sometimes that's exactly what you want.
Stephen Carter: 16:37
Yeah, well, I think I've changed my mind. I'm not bothering with GTA 6 now. I'm just going to play Do Do Duckie instead. That's it. All the way, all the way!
## Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 first impressions
Stuart Burgess: 16:44
Yeah, so after our last podcast, I was still debating whether to get Modern Warfare 4. I was very much on the fence about it.
Then, quite fortunately, or perhaps wrongly, depending on how you look at it, Amazon came to my rescue!
I order quite a lot of my drinks through Amazon. Things like Perfect Ted and various other drinks are generally cheaper, and it's just convenient having them delivered.
Anyway, I had two cases turn up, but they'd sent me the wrong flavors. I like a particular flavor, but they'd sent me two mixed cases instead.
So, I jumped onto Amazon and explained that they'd sent me the wrong items and asked if I could return them. They said drinks couldn't be returned but offered to put me through to customer services.
I thought, okay, let's see what happens.
Of course, in 2026, customer services mean talking to an AI bot. But to be fair, I've got absolutely no problem with that. It was really good.
It basically said, "Sorry, we can't accept returns on drinks, but we can see you've ordered two cases. Were both of them incorrect?"
I said yes, both were wrong.
"Okay, no problem. We'll issue you a full refund. Just keep the drinks, and apologies for the inconvenience."
Now, these drinks are £35 a case, so suddenly I've got £70 back in my pocket!
Obviously, I've now got two cases of drinks, including at least one flavor I'm probably never going to touch. But I thought, well, there are two ways of looking at this. Firstly, I can try some different flavors, and secondly, I've suddenly got £70 to play with.
So, naturally, I decided I could use some of that money to buy Modern Warfare 4 as a download code on Amazon.
And that's exactly what I did!
It's just ridiculous, isn't it? I went from being on the fence about buying a game to getting a full refund on a drinks order and using that money to buy it. You couldn't make it up!
Stephen Carter: 18:21
It was literally just, "Oh yeah, no problem. Just keep them. Here's your money back."
I mean, did they even ask me for any proof that they'd sent the wrong flavors? No photos, no evidence, nothing. Just a quick conversation and £70 back in my account!
You do wonder sometimes, don't you?
Stuart Burgess: 18:28
Nothing at all! I think that's the thing, isn't it? When you're dealing with a company the size of Amazon, I suppose it's probably just not worth their time and effort to investigate every individual complaint.
I saw something on This Morning earlier. I think they were saying Amazon is now valued at somewhere around two or three trillion dollars. When you're operating on that sort of scale, giving someone £70 back to keep a couple of cases of drinks probably isn't going to keep anyone at the head office awake at night!
Stephen Carter: 18:38
I suppose, in the grand scheme of things, it really doesn't matter to them, does it? £70 is probably nothing to a company of that size!
Stuart Burgess: 18:41
No, they're one of those companies operating on a completely different scale. I think Amazon is up there alongside Apple, Nvidia, Microsoft and a handful of others as one of the most valuable companies in the world.
Anyway, I jumped into Modern Warfare 4, and oh my God, it is stunning!
I've put the first hour up on our channel, and there are no spoilers in it.
It grabs you straight away. You start off in South Korea, and there's that sequence everyone has probably seen by now, where you're walking through a supermarket, picking up a few bits and pieces. You've got American soldiers alongside South Korean soldiers, and then suddenly there's an explosion.
The visual quality is incredible. The graphics, the lighting, the explosions, the sheer detail of everything happening around you. You're suddenly trying to escape the chaos, and it just looks phenomenal.
Then, without giving too much away, you find yourself in a foot race alongside a character, or two characters, who will be very familiar to anyone who's played Call of Duty before.
It turns into this massive chase sequence, and by the time the footage I've uploaded finishes, you've arrived in a village. You're playing as a North Korean soldier, I believe, and you're hunting down people in the village who are considered traitors.
I'm only about an hour or so into the game, perhaps a little more, but honestly, it's brilliant.
If the rest of the game maintains this standard, then they've got something special on their hands.
And if this is the first real example of Xbox's involvement in the development and direction of these games, then what a way to make an impression.
You only must look at the reviews to see how well it's been received, but from what I've played so far, it's a phenomenally good game. Really, good.
Stephen Carter: 20:32
Yeah, it looks fantastic. I grabbed a couple of screenshots from the first-hour gameplay footage you uploaded, and I think I shared the bit where the soldiers parachute down onto the baseball field.
The whole thing just looks incredible. The supermarket sequence, the chase through the streets, the environments, the lighting. Everything looks so polished and almost ridiculously shiny. The lighting is brilliant.
And having watched that footage and then gone back to playing the original Modern Warfare, you really notice just how far things have come.
Although can we just talk about the naming for a minute? Because this is where I get confused!
You've got Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, and now you've got Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. It's like Xbox have decided to make things as confusing as possible. Why do they have to do that?!
But seriously, going back and playing those original games, then seeing this new one, it feels like they've taken the best elements of those early titles and expanded on them. Almost as though they're bringing Call of Duty back to what made it so brilliant during that early Xbox 360 generation.
I don't know the full storyline of this latest instalment yet, but even from what I've seen, it feels quite unsettlingly realistic given the world we're living in now. The Modern Warfare games have always played around with geopolitical tensions, particularly involving Russia, but some of the themes feel a little too close to home right now. You can genuinely imagine some of these scenarios playing out in the real world.
And yeah, I must admit, parking Call of Duty in favor of GTA 6 was a difficult decision. As I mentioned earlier, the original plan was to use my Xbox credit for Modern Warfare 4 and pick up GTA 6 on PlayStation.
But circumstances change, don't they? And having seen what you've been playing, I want to get stuck into it.
Realistically, the campaign is probably only going to take eight or nine hours to complete, whereas GTA 6 is potentially going to keep me occupied for eight or nine months
So, something must give. But I will be playing Modern Warfare 4 because, as you say, the reviews speak for themselves, and from what I've seen, it looks stunning.
Stuart Burgess: 22:17
Yeah, I think it's still only around a 10-hour campaign, which, when you compare it with some other games, isn't particularly long. Wolverine was around 15 hours, and I've read this morning that Ocarina of Time takes roughly 20 hours to complete if you're mainly following the story.
But honestly, if you enjoy Call of Duty and that style of game, I think Modern Warfare 4 is worth jumping into.
Whether you buy it now, wait until next year when it potentially arrives on Game Pass, or pick up a physical copy in one of the sales, there are plenty of options. We're not far away from Black Friday, and then you've got all the Christmas sales coming up. It feels like the Christmas adverts started almost as soon as Halloween finished!
But yeah, from the hour and a half or two hours I've played so far, it's really, good. It's worth your time.
And if you're watching this on YouTube, you'll probably have just seen some of the gameplay footage as we've been talking about it. I've just got to go back and capture some more footage for the podcast.
But, 100%, this is one I'd recommend playing before the end of the year.
## Xbox Microsoft Rewards and the million-point challenge
Stuart Burgess: 23:22
I've pretty much given up on the idea of getting an Xbox Helix for now, simply because we've got absolutely no idea how much it's going to cost.
So, instead, I've decided to set myself a different target. I'm going to follow Rand's example with his Man with a Million Gamerscore, but I'm going for the Man with a Million Points!
At my last count, I was sitting on 833,170 points. If I look to my left now, my current total is 843,810.
So that's an increase of just over 10,000 points since our last podcast, which I think was about three weeks ago.
I'm generally earning somewhere between 10,000 and 20,000 points a month, depending on what I've bought, what I've been playing and whether I've managed to pick up any extra points along the way.
I think we'll put a link up on screen, but honestly, if you're an Xbox gamer and you're not collecting your Microsoft Rewards points, you're potentially missing out.
A friend of mine came over the other day for my daughter's birthday, and I was chatting to her husband. He mentioned that he'd done the rewards thing in the past but wasn't sure how many points he'd accumulated.
So, he literally opened his account, had a look and discovered he had 85,000 points sitting there!
He was genuinely surprised. He said, "Oh blimey, I didn't realise I had that much!"
I asked him whether he was still using Xbox and playing games, and he said yes, every now and again, although not particularly religiously.
And I said, "Well, there you go! That's probably two years' worth of points just sitting there."
I don't know exactly what 85,000 points gets you these days, but there's potentially a £50 voucher sitting in that account, or even a game you could redeem those points towards.
It's effectively money you've accumulated just by using the console and playing games. Why wouldn't you take advantage of it?
Stephen Carter: 24:49
I've got around 49,000 points now, which works out at roughly £40. So, he's probably got somewhere between £70 and £80 just sitting in his account.
He's basically got GTA 6 sitting there waiting for him!
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, over the course of this year, and particularly since we've been doing the podcast and I've been playing a lot more, I reckon I've earned around £80 in Microsoft Rewards.
And that's just from playing games, completing challenges and doing the odd search on Bing.
£80 for doing very little, really! It's already paid for a few bits and pieces, and it's effectively covered about half the cost of GTA 6.
So, even though Microsoft have nerfed the rewards scheme a little bit over time, I still think it's worth doing. I've managed to get £80 back just by playing games and using the services I was using anyway. You can't really complain about that!
Stuart Burgess: 25:25
If you're playing games regularly and using Bing, there's quite a lot you can collect through the daily searches and activities. So, it's worth taking advantage of it.
So, yeah, that's my new target. I've got roughly 156,000 points left to reach the million.
And with the Xbox Helix now being talked about as a 2028 release, I should hopefully have plenty of time to get there before the new console arrives.
The goal is set I'm going to become the Man with a Million Points!
I'm quite happy with that challenge.
Stephen Carter: 25:55
They'd probably only cover about half the magazine, but at least you'd be getting it for half the price, which is still a decent saving. Although, you'd like to think all those points would have covered the whole thing!
But yeah, I think we've pretty much conclude that the Xbox Helix isn't happening for us anytime soon, haven't we? At least until we know what it's going to cost!
Stuart Burgess: 26:08
Well, I had a bit of a mic-drop moment the other day!
I stumbled across a discussion on Facebook about Microsoft Rewards points. Someone was saying they'd accumulated around 40,000 points, and another person was asking how on earth they'd managed to get that many. They were saying they usually collect enough for a £10 voucher and then cash them in.
So, naturally, I couldn't resist. I took a screenshot of my 830,000-odd points and dropped it straight into the conversation.
Basically, I walked in, put the mic on the table and said, "Do you reckon I can get anything with these?"
The number of people who came back asking, "Have you actually ever spent any of them?" was brilliant!
I explained that, yes, I had. I'd spent around 25,000 points on a voucher right at the beginning.
I then explained that, when I was on the podcast with Anthony back in around 2019, I'd said I was going to save my points and use them to buy the next Xbox console.
And that's where the whole idea started. People suddenly thought, "Oh, that's brilliant! You could buy an Xbox Series X with those!"
But I was thinking, well, I've already got three Xboxes. I don't particularly need another one!
Stephen Carter: 27:11
I don't really need to start building a collection of Xbox consoles just for the sake of it!
## Controller Corner: limited-edition Xbox and PlayStation controllers
Stuart Burgess: 27:14
So, speaking of things I probably don't need any more of, it's time for Controller Corner!
I've even got an idea for a little jingle. We'll just snip that bit out, stick some music behind it and we'll be fine. AI can sort that out!
Anyway, since our last podcast, and I don't think I've shown you this one yet, I've picked up the 25th Anniversary...
Stephen Carter: 27:34
It's nice, isn't it?
Stuart Burgess: 27:35
It's just so nice! And that's my daily controller.
How many of those have I got, Stu? We'll get to that in a minute!
I've got that one sitting over here on the old 8BitDo charging dock. There you go. It just sits on there, and the dock supports contact charging as well. So you literally place the controller on it and it charges.
You don't have to mess around replacing the battery cover or fitting one of those special charging backs like you used to. It's just so much more convenient.
So that's one of them. I've also picked up the Gears of War 8BitDo controller, although I haven't opened that one yet.
The original Gears of War controller is the one I'm using downstairs, while the X25 is my daily controller upstairs.
Stephen Carter: 28:24
He's not got a problem, honestly!
Stuart Burgess: 28:26
But then I've also got the Forza controller. Even I didn't realise how many of these I'd accumulated!
I suddenly remembered that I'd stopped using the older Forza one because I think it's developed stick drift. That was sitting in the lounge as well. Good grief! That one has its own charging base too.
I was thinking of putting together a little Instagram Reel showing all of them, just to see how ridiculous the collection has become.
So, that's the Xbox controllers covered.
But then I did something that slightly breaks my own rules. My original rule was Xbox controllers only, no PlayStation, but I got a little carried away with a limited edition.
Is there really a rule at this point? Probably not!
I picked up the Lisa Edition controller. I still don't really know who Lisa is, if I'm honest! I think she's from Blackpink, but I'm going to need someone to educate me.
I had to ask my 16-year-old daughter, and even then, I was getting nowhere. I was just throwing names at her and she was looking at me as if I'd completely lost the plot!
I've got to say, though, it's probably the laziest special-edition controller I've ever seen. It's got a pair of eyes on it! The design itself is okay, but it's essentially an existing Sony Dual Sense colorway with some additional graphics applied over the top.
I understand the appeal of limited editions, and I suppose that's exactly what got me. It was a bit of FOMO, really.
That's the controller I was messaging you about the other day, when DPD apparently tried to deliver it to a field on a Friday!
I haven't opened it yet, but I'll get it out of the box and do an unboxing video for that one.
But I've got a little surprise for the podcast.
Now, you don't know about this because I deliberately kept quiet. I was genuinely worried I wasn't going to get my X25 controller.
Anthony was trying to get hold of one and never managed to secure one, and I think they've sold out now.
So, in my panic, I ended up ordering three!
I think I ordered two directly from Xbox/Microsoft, one when they first went live and another a few days later. Then I ordered a third from somewhere else, although I honestly can't remember where now.
It's one of those things, isn't it? You see how quickly limited editions sell out, and you start worrying you're going to miss out.
It reminds me of the Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition Switch pre-orders in America, where a load of orders was apparently cancelled.
And while we're on that subject, a quick apology. I think I mentioned last time that Best Buy or Target were responsible for some of the ridiculous pricing around the PS5 pre-orders. It turns out it was our friends at GameStop. They're the ones who were apparently inflating the market price and getting involved in all that eBay nonsense.
So, apologies to Best Buy and Target. It was our usual culprits after all!
I've also heard similar stories about the Metro Collector's Edition. People have contacted me asking where I managed to get mine because their own pre-orders have been cancelled.
Anyway, the result is that I've somehow ended up with three X25 controllers.
I don't need three. I need one to use and one for the collection.
So, what I'm going to do is give this third one away to somebody who doesn't record the podcast with me!
Look at his poor little face!
Stephen Carter: 32:11
You had to get that little dig in there, didn't you? We've got about ten new accounts now, haven't we? Ten new listeners ready to enter!
Stuart Burgess: 32:18
So, what we're going to do is give this one away over on Instagram.
If you head over to our Instagram page, there should be a post live by the time this podcast goes out. We'll keep the entry requirements nice and simple: follow us on Instagram, share the post to your story and tag someone in the comments. Something along those lines.
We'll put all the details in the post.
I've got an empty box sitting here ready to go, along with the sealed controller.
So, if you're a collector, this is a good opportunity because the controller hasn't been opened. It literally arrived, and the only thing I've done is open the outer packaging to check that the inner box wasn't damaged.
Having learned my lesson from the Fortnite PS5 controller I ordered the other day, which arrived with a crushed box and had to go back, I wanted to make sure this one was in perfect condition.
But yeah, it's up for grabs. So, if you fancy adding an X25 to your collection, head over to Instagram and get involved!
Stephen Carter: 33:00
What more could you possibly want? A chance to win a brand-new, sealed limited-edition controller for doing virtually sod all! All you have to do is follow us and give us a like. It's hardly hard work, is it?
Stuart Burgess: 33:06
Yeah.
Stephen Carter: 33:07
Even if you don't like us, you could still win a free controller! You don't have to like us, just take the controller!
Stuart Burgess: 33:11
Exactly! So, just pop over to Instagram and get involved. I might also investigate whether we can run something similar over on the TikTok, although I'm not entirely sure how these competitions work on there. I'll have a look and see if we can get it running on both platforms.
Stephen Carter: 33:22
I always get a bit confused when you run competitions across multiple platforms. How do you bring all the entries together, and how do you pick a winner fairly?
I think it's probably easier just to stick to one platform. That way, you can keep track of all the entries, manage everything in one place and make choosing a winner much simpler.
Stuart Burgess: 33:31
I suppose we could run it on YouTube, but the problem is there's no particularly easy way of contacting the winner. If we do it through Instagram, I can simply send them a DM and arrange everything that way.
Anyway, moving on, I've had confirmation today that my Xbox Nano controller is on its way!
I decided to order one of the new Xbox Nano controllers, mainly out of curiosity. I want to see just how small it is and what it's like to use.
I'm also interested in the connectivity because, as I understand it, it works over Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth.
I'm particularly keen to see how it works with my LG TV. Obviously, I'll try it with the Xbox as well, but I believe my LG TV has Xbox Game Pass built in, so I'm interested to see whether I can use the Nano controller to play directly through the television.
I'll have a play around with it, put together a little video and hopefully have some thoughts and impressions ready for the next podcast.
Stephen Carter: 34:19
Yeah, there was actually a news article I saw about Microsoft trialing more ways to play through cloud gaming, particularly with Game Pass built directly into televisions, alongside the new Wi-Fi controller technology.
And when you think about it, that little Nano controller suddenly makes a lot more sense. If you can play directly through your TV without needing to switch on an Xbox, having a smaller, dedicated controller is quite a clever idea.
So, I'm really interested to see how it all works in practice and where Microsoft takes it.
And hopefully, if we keep pestering them enough, they'll start releasing some special-edition versions of those controllers as well. Then I'll have another collection to start building!
Stuart Burgess: 34:39
Yeah, I saw someone on Instagram, although to be fair, I think they'd probably borrowed the idea from someone else, posting up some mock-ups of limited-edition versions of the Nano controller.
They'd done things like the X25 and Gears of War designs, and I thought I'd have a go myself. I even tried to get ChatGPT to do a SpongeBob version, but it wasn't having any of it! Apparently, we were running into copyright issues.
But it would be interesting to see what Microsoft comes up with. There's potential for some cool limited-edition designs.
Stephen Carter: 35:00
Yeah, copyright, trademarks and all that sort of thing. It does have its limits and restrictions every now and again, doesn't it?
Stuart Burgess: 35:08
Yeah, I'm hoping they do release some special editions of the Nano controllers, although I'm not entirely sure I should be encouraging them!
At around £44 or £45, they're a bit more affordable, which makes them quite tempting. But if Microsoft starts releasing those alongside the standard and Elite controllers, then suddenly every new launch is going to cost me £100 or more.
I'm going to end up having to buy both the top-end version and the little Nano version just to keep the collection complete!
I think I might have created a problem for myself here!
Stephen Carter: 35:26
It'll be like having matching pairs. Here's the big one, here's the little one. Here's another big one, and another little one! I'll end up collecting them in pairs!
## Gaming news
Stuart Burgess: 35:29
But that's it for Controller Corner. We're moving on to the news!
Before we get into the stories, can we please ask you to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast or vodcast, wherever you're watching or listening?
It really helps us get discovered and, more importantly, helps more people find two people twatting on about gaming for a few hours!
Although, we're trying to keep these one under 90 minutes. That's the target. We're trying!
Right, let's get into the news. First story...
Stuart Burgess: 35:58
What else could it be? I mean, I reorganised the running order this morning because I thought, there's no way we can't put Ocarina of Time right at the top of the list. It deserves to be the first story we talk about!
Stephen Carter: 36:06
It's got to be the headline story, hasn't it? It deserves top billing!
### The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time reviews and Switch 2
Stuart Burgess: 36:08
Yeah, so the headline I went with was: Ocarina of Time Reviews Are In – GTA 6 Who?
I mean, let's have a look at this because there are absolutely loads of reviews coming in. I've tried to pull together a bit of a summary without simply repeating what everyone else has written, but I thought we'd go straight over to Metacritic and see where things are sitting.
Let me just refresh the page to make sure the scores are up to date.
So, Metacritic is currently giving it a 96 out of 100, with most of those scores coming from professional critics.
There's only one user review showing now, and that's a 10 out of 10.
But looking at the professional reviews, it's an incredible set of scores.
There's one here from Destructoid that describes it as an iconic, all-time story reborn for a new generation, calling it the best version of an N64 classic we've had yet.
They go on to say that The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on Switch 2 is a must-play, whether you're a franchise fan or not, and one of the best examples of how to properly reimagine an enduring masterpiece.
And honestly, you must scroll a long way down this page to find anything that isn't a perfect score.
I'm scrolling, scrolling, scrolling... still scrolling...
Oh, there we go! I've finally stopped.
The first review I've found below 100 out of 100 is a rather disappointing 99 out of 100!
Stephen Carter: 37:46
Well, I did a little Reel about it yesterday, and I think the lowest score I saw was an 8 or an 8.5. Most of the others were comfortably in the nines and tens.
I also watched the first part of the IGN review yesterday, which gave it a 9 out of 10, as quite a few other publications did.
But it's interesting for me because my relationship with Zelda is very different to someone like Anthony's. I never played the original, and I wasn't a Nintendo kid growing up, so I haven't got that same nostalgic connection to the franchise.
Anthony, on the other hand, is obviously playing it right now, and he's just sent us a screenshot while we're recording. There's a queue to get onto the Nintendo website!
Initially, we thought it was a queue to access the game, but it's a queue to get onto the Nintendo Store to buy consoles. You literally can't get onto the website!
And that tells you everything about the power of Zelda. People aren't just buying a game; they're going out and buying a whole new console to play it.
We were talking about this before we started recording. People queuing at midnight to get their copies, dressing up to go and buy the game, and all that excitement surrounding the release.
It's that shared experience, isn't it? People who played it back in 1998 are now getting to experience it again, potentially alongside their children. That's something special.
And I honestly think Nintendo couldn't care less about GTA 6!
They don't need to worry about what Microsoft and Sony are doing. They just stick to their own path, do what they do incredibly well and let the games speak for themselves.
That's not to say people won't play both. There will be plenty of people like us who will jump into Zelda, enjoy it, and then move on to GTA 6 when that arrives. Others will play Zelda repeatedly, potentially going back through it time and time again.
And that's one of the things I've picked up from watching the reviews. Apparently, there are opportunities to play this game ten times and still discover things you haven't seen before.
There are random events that happen in the world, different interactions and conversations, little things that you might stumble across on one playthrough but never encounter again. They're there for you to discover, and that's what encourages people to keep coming back.
So, honestly, all credit to Nintendo. They've stuck to their guns, they've built something incredibly special, and they're showing exactly why Zelda remains such a huge franchise.
And let's not forget, this release was probably planned around this time long before the latest GTA 6 release date was announced. Nintendo haven't been put off, they haven't moved out of the way, and they haven't changed their plans.
The demand we're seeing, the number of people buying Switch 2 consoles because of this game, and the incredible review scores just demonstrate the strength of the franchise.
I genuinely think this could end up being one of the highest-rated games of all time and potentially one of the best-selling games of the year.
That's quite an achievement for a game that first appeared on the Nintendo 64 back in 1998!
Stuart Burgess: 40:08
Well, you look at it and, again, I don't want to sound like a PlayStation hater, but you have to wonder how much Sony has paid for the marketing rights around GTA 6.
And then Nintendo comes along with what is essentially a massive "hold my beer" moment.
It's almost like they're saying, "You can go off and spend £30, £50, £60, £70 or even £100 million on marketing rights. We'll just make a game that everybody is going to absolutely love!"
And that's exactly what they've done.
Pretty much every review I've seen has been incredibly positive. Any negative reviews seem to fall into one of two camps: either they're just Nintendo haters, or they're desperately trying to be the one publication that goes against the grain.
It's a bit like those people who gave Forza Horizon a 2 out of 10 because they thought it was boring.
Well, yeah, no shit, Sherlock! It's called Forza Horizon. That's rather the point!
And I'm much the same as you. I never played the original Ocarina of Time, but I watched the Nintendo Direct, saw the footage and, as soon as I saw Link on screen, I thought, I've got to have this!
And then I immediately started questioning my previous decisions.
Why the flip did I sell my Switch 2?!
Stephen Carter: 41:17
Yeah, and I think I picked mine up at exactly the right time because this announcement came only a week or two after I'd bought my Switch 2.
And honestly, this is my justification for owning one. Aside from going back and playing some of the older Zelda games, this is the console seller. This is the game that makes you say, "That's why I bought this console."
It's exactly what Nintendo needs. One massive, must-play exclusive that makes people want to go out and buy the hardware just to experience it.
And looking at the reaction so far, they've absolutely delivered.
Stuart Burgess: 41:34
Well, that's it! And following our live Googling session last week, or the last podcast, where we spent about five minutes watching me browse the Currys website, I'm very pleased to announce that my very good friends at Very have come through!
It was one of those random moments where you realise the advantage of getting up at stupid o'clock is that nobody else is awake and shopping!
I literally went onto the Very website early one morning. I'd got some vouchers to use, so I thought I'd have a look. And there it was, just sitting there!
I initially checked on my phone and thought, hang on, is that showing as available? I was looking at it thinking, surely not. So I put my glasses on, checked again, and it was still there.
At that point, I practically legged it upstairs, grabbed my laptop and went straight onto the website. And, sure enough, it was available. So I bought it!
I've got a few bits coming together now.
The Zelda 40th Anniversary case arrived from Amazon the other day. I managed to grab one of those just before they went out of stock again. I even put a video up of me playing with my Zelda 40th Anniversary case.
I've finally managed to get the controllers as well, although they cost a ridiculous amount of money. Those were ordered through Amazon and should be arriving tomorrow.
But the exciting news came last night when Very confirmed they'd dispatched the console.
I checked the DPD tracking this morning, and there it was. Our good friend, the driver who regularly delivers to us, is bringing it today!
So, I'm officially getting my Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 today!
And here's another little bonus. As I mentioned to you just before we started recording, I wasn't entirely sure whether it came with a copy of Ocarina of Time, because Very quiet often bundle games with their consoles.
Well, I've checked, and yes, it does!
So, I'm getting the Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 with a physical copy of Ocarina of Time.
Honestly, I've got a phone call at two o'clock this afternoon with a brand, and I'm not entirely sure how much else I'm going to get done today!
Stephen Carter: 43:50
Yeah, the rest of the calendar is free. Well, when I say free, he's booked out just to do that!
But honestly, it all looks brilliant. The console, the controller, the case – everything. It just shows what Nintendo does so well. They build these franchises that people have loved for years, and somehow, even after all this time, people still love them just as much.
So, fair play to Nintendo. They've done a brilliant job, and it all looks beautiful.
I'm not really a Zelda fan in the traditional sense. I appreciate it for what it is, and I'm a fan of the franchise in that respect, but I can't wait to jump into this one. I'm genuinely excited to play it as someone coming to the game completely fresh, with no previous experience of it, and see what my reaction is.
But seeing Anthony absolutely lording it over the game this morning, with him and Nicola both playing on their own machines, on separate TVs, and talking about where they were when they first played it – it's just brilliant.
Moments like this don't come around very often in gaming. To see a game bringing back all those memories, and people getting to experience that same love for something they first played so many years ago, is special.
It's just brilliant to see.
Stuart Burgess: 44:53
Well, it was when he said earlier that, apparently, when the game first came out, they weren't together. Little did they know that they were sitting just 12 miles apart, each on their own futon, playing the same game.
I just thought that was such a lovely thing. I put a message in the group chat saying, "Stop, I'm going to cry!"
Because, you know, 25 years later, or however long it is, for that game to suddenly come back into their lives and for them to be sitting there playing it together again is just brilliant.
Anthony always gets the little TV, though. Ever since I've known him, he's always had the 32-inch one. In fact, going back even further, I think he had a 22-inch TV tucked away in the corner!
Meanwhile, Nicola has the massive 65-inch TV. And let me just remind you, Nicola, that when I first put that 65-inch TV up in your lounge, you almost told Anthony to take it down and return it!
So, there we go. Nicola gets the big TV; Anthony gets the little one!
But again, a bit like Gears of War, it's amazing that they've got that kind of relationship where they can both sit down, play a game, have some lunch, chat about it, order some noodles in and just enjoy the experience together.
And that's what I love about gaming.
Stephen Carter: 46:04
Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's a beautiful thing. But, you know, anything for a quiet life, as I always say. Anything for a quiet life! I'm telling you, it might well be the same.
Stuart Burgess: 46:13
Well, as Nicola always says, she doesn't need children because she's already got him!
Exactly! So, have you picked it up yet?
Stephen Carter: 46:20
No, it's one of those things I said I was going to pick up at launch, but then seeing how excited everyone is about it, I feel like I can't really ignore it!
I kind of want to get it for my Switch, and I'd really like a physical copy. I don't particularly want to download it.
I might be tempted to head out after we finish recording. There's a local game shop near me, and I know they're getting copies in. If I've got enough time before I start work at two, I might just pop down, see if they've got any left and pick one up.
I just feel like I'm missing out if I don't. I want to be part of it! I feel like if I leave it, I might not enjoy it quite as much. I don't know, but there's something about this launch that makes me feel like I need to be involved.
So, I think we're going to try and get out and buy it, provided we finish up at a decent time this morning!
Stuart Burgess: 47:04
Have you got your phone there? Pick it up and go onto our WhatsApp group.
Stephen Carter: 47:14
Bear with me, bear with me. Live WhatsApp! Live What's Happening! Not live Googling!
Stuart Burgess: 47:27
I just wanted to say thank you for everything you do for the podcast. That's a downloadable code for Ocarina of Time on the Switch 2.
Stephen Carter: 47:36
Oh, give it over! Oh, stop it! Oh, mate, thank you!
No, it's fine. Honestly, it's fine. I just thought it was such a momentous occasion, and I thought it would be great if we could do a podcast next week and talk about it.
Stuart Burgess: 47:57
Rather than you fart-arsing around trying to find a copy this afternoon, I thought I'd sort it out for you.
Obviously, if you'd rather have a physical copy and don't want a free download, you can just give it back to me!
Stephen Carter: 48:06
But that would just be rude, wouldn't it? That would just be rude!
Oh, mate, I really appreciate that. Thank you.
You do all the donkey work for this thing. You do all the editing. What I do is the easy bit. I just take all the glory by doing the social side of it! Do you know what I mean?
Stuart Burgess: 48:19
I mean, I quite enjoy it. Although, okay, I didn't particularly enjoy it the other day when, for some reason, the podcast just wouldn't render.
I literally left it rendering all night, got up the next morning expecting it to be finished, only to find it had reached 2% and then shut itself down.
Stephen Carter: 48:22
Thanks, mate. Cheers for that!
Stuart Burgess: 48:39
But no, I just thought you've got to start work early this afternoon, so actually, I should have left this right until the very end. Because now you're just going to hang up and disappear, aren't you?
Stephen Carter: 48:42
Yeah, I don't... Yeah, sorry, mate. It's gone. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Stuart Burgess: 48:48
So, what I'll do is put a message in the group and see if Anthony or James fancy joining us next week for a three- or four-way podcast, mainly talking about Ocarina of Time. That could be really good fun.
So, you can get your arse in gear and start playing it now, and then we can all gloat about it together on WhatsApp!
Oh, that's lovely. I'm going to dock my Switch behind my workspace tonight, so I'll get everything wired in and ready to go.
Well, I'll probably have a few things to do, but once the Switch arrives, I'll get it set up. Obviously, I'll need to download the game and try to find my login details again, but I'll get all that sorted.
I might even have to record a little unboxing video first. I mean, we're going to have to do something with it, aren't we?
Stephen Carter: 49:33
We've got to do something with it!
Stuart Burgess: 49:34
I may well record an unboxing, then set it up and have a play, before boxing it back up and finishing the unboxing video later!
I just don't think I've got enough time to do a proper unboxing and play it all today.
But yeah, I'm going to set it up here through my Switch. I'll try to capture the first hour of gameplay, assuming Nintendo lets me, and get that uploaded to YouTube as well.
Then, obviously, we can talk about it on the next podcast.
Right, I think that's enough gloating about Ocarina of Time!
### The Elder Scrolls VI: Sentinel and Bethesda
Stuart Burgess: 50:05
So, yeah, the next story is a little bit about The Elder Scrolls VI, and I'll hand this one over to you.
Stephen Carter: 50:10
Yeah, so we were treated to a very, very, very brief glimpse of The Elder Scrolls VI, or at least some proof that it's still alive and happening!
We got a title, which is going to be Sentinel, and a very brief glimpse of what looks like a crown emerging from the sand in a desert.
It took me a while to work out what I was looking at, I won't lie. At first, I was thinking, is that hair? Is it fur? Is it some sort of animal? Then I realised it was sand!
So, we saw this thing emerge from the sand, followed by the title. And that's pretty much all we've got for now.
I suppose Bethesda are celebrating their 40th anniversary, aren't they? So, I think this is partly what that's about. But I also think, as we've said before, the fans have been giving them a bit of a rocket. It's almost a case of, come on, guys! We're fighting for our lives here. Give us something! Give us a reason to get excited!
So, yeah, we've seen that, which is obviously exciting. But it's been eight years since the original announcement, and we've still not actually seen the game. We've had this tiny little teaser, and that's about it.
We now know it's called Sentinel, and there is a region in Hammerfell called Sentinel. It's one of the more northern territories, I believe. If you look at the map, I think it's above Cyrodiil, where The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion took place.
So, we know a little bit more, but not a great deal. And we still have absolutely no idea when the bloody thing is coming, other than the fact that they're working on it!
I suppose the odds are pretty good that this is going to be an Xbox Helix title at this point, either launching with the console or arriving around the same time.
It's nice to have seen something, at least. We know it's still happening, which is reassuring. But it would be lovely to see some actual gameplay, or even just a bit more of the map or something!
Stuart Burgess: 52:07
But Asha says she's played it, doesn't she? Because she put a post up on X a month or so ago, which basically said something along the lines of, "Just had a hands-on demo of The Elder Scrolls VI: Sentinel."
So, she's played it!
Yeah, I don't think you're far off in suggesting it could be a potential launch title for Helix, particularly if we're now looking at a possible Holiday 2028 release.
And I think, if anything, there's been a lot of negativities surrounding Xbox recently. But one thing she seems to have done since coming in is give people a bit of a kick up the backside and get some of these titles moving along a bit quicker.
So hopefully we'll start seeing more of it.
There was a video on IGN the other day, I think it was IGN Daily Fix, where they brought up the map and talked about the different regions. They showed where Sentinel is and explained how it fits into the wider map.
I was a bit lost with some of it, to be honest. I didn't really understand all the geography, but it was interesting to see that it's a region within the map and get a bit more context.
So, yeah, it'll be good to finally get our hands on it!
Stephen Carter: 53:25
Yeah, and it's one of my favorite series. Oblivion and Skyrim are fantastic games.
Obviously, I played a bit of the Oblivion remake when they released that, and I'd absolutely do the same again if they brought out a Skyrim remake.
But at the same time, just give us a new one! It's been so long. Just give me a new Elder Scrolls game, please. Get on with it!
It's the same with that post yesterday about Fallout 3. We got a little glimpse of it, but there was nothing really about a remake.
Just give us a bloody remake of Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas! Come on, we know there's stuff happening. Just do it! Give us something. Please!
Stuart Burgess: 53:59
Yeah, I've got Ocarina of Time, I've got GTA 6, and I've got Modern Warfare 4, but I need something else!
Yeah, yeah, that's not the point!
Stephen Carter: 54:05
I just want to know it's there, so I can play it whenever I want. I want it available when I fancy picking it up.
So, yeah, maybe they'll wait until the start of next year, when things have calmed down a bit. I don't know.
But it would be lovely if they just shadow-dropped it as part of the celebrations. Just imagine them saying, "Oh, by the way, here's Fallout: New Vegas Remastered."
Oh, right! Brilliant! Thank you! Boom!
Stuart Burgess: 54:20
No, I mean, that's it. Obviously, it's Bethesda's 40th anniversary, and I can't imagine they're not going to do something to celebrate it.
But then you've also got the 40th anniversary of Zelda and the 25th anniversary of Xbox. There are loads of anniversaries happening this year and last year, so there's plenty going on.
But, yeah, we'll wait patiently!
I can't remember the exact saying now, but it's basically: just get it polished and get it out when it's ready.
I was chatting to someone the other day about day-one downloads, and I said they simply didn't exist when I was a kid. You had a cartridge that you put into your Nintendo or your Sega, and that was the game.
If the cartridge didn't work, you took it back to the shop and got a replacement. There were no patches, no day-one downloads and no DLC. The game just had to work!
So, take your time, get it working properly, polish it up, and then we'll have it when you're ready.
And we'll have it on the new, shiny Helix, which we don't really need, but that's another subject for another podcast!
Stephen Carter: 55:20
That's a full podcast right there, Stu. That'll have to be another episode!
### GTA 6 download size, preload and storage
Stuart Burgess: 55:23
But the problem with having any more games on your Xbox, Steve, is that you aren’t going to have enough room for GTA 6!
Stephen Carter: 55:30
It's a big boy, isn't it? It's a big one!
Stuart Burgess: 55:32
Yeah, so this was announced the other day. I'm taking this information from an article on KeenGamer.com dated 3 November.
And, yes, it's a big boy!
As we've mentioned before, it's going to be a hefty download, requiring around 212GB of storage, depending on which console you're playing on, whether that's PlayStation or Xbox.
Download times will vary slightly as well.
Let me just scroll down a bit.
Preloading for GTA 6 begins on Tuesday, 10 November. Obviously, we're recording this on the 5th, so that's five days away. And I promise the podcast will be out before then!
For the PS5 and PS5 Pro, preloading starts on 10 November at midnight local time, wherever you are.
For Xbox Series X and Series S, it's also 10 November, but at midnight GMT worldwide. Good old Greenwich Mean Time – the only time that matters!
For the physical edition, preloading starts on 12 November, once you've received or redeemed your download code.
It's a little bit like the Switch code I sent you earlier. I bought that from Amazon two or three days ago, and it was only overnight that I received the email with the link and the code.
So, you pre-order it, and the code gets sent through when it's available.
There you go. From 10 November, at around midnight local time on PlayStation, or midnight GMT on Xbox, you'll be able to download the game ready for launch on the 19th.
Isn't that, right?
Stephen Carter: 57:29
I'm just trying to work out how long it's going to take you to download something that size.
I mean, you've got crazy internet speeds, so you'll probably have it downloaded in about 20 minutes or something!
Stuart Burgess: 57:42
I can't remember exactly how big Modern Warfare 4 was, but that took about 23 minutes to download.
And that was everything, literally everything. I know you can pick and choose what you install now, but I downloaded the lot – DMZ, multiplayer, everything.
I think my connection is around 2.5 gig down and 2.5 gig up, so it's quick!
Stephen Carter: 58:05
So, I mean, I'm averaging around 300Mbps download speed. I don't know exactly how long that works out to, but that's still a hefty download, isn't it?
Stuart Burgess: 58:13
Yeah.
Stephen Carter: 58:14
I mean, obviously, there's probably going to be some bottleneck with the servers as well. It's not necessarily going to come straight down at your maximum download speed. There'll be limits and constraints on the servers, I imagine.
So, I think it's one of those things where, as soon as preloading opens on 10 November, get it downloading. Do it on the 10th, or as soon as possible. Don't leave it until the day before launch, because everybody will probably be doing the same thing.
It also gives you a bit of breathing space in case there's some sort of patch released beforehand, so you've got time to get that downloaded as well.
But is this going to be the biggest game ever released at launch? Excluding any additional content or add-ons, I'd imagine it's got to be up there, hasn't it? I can't think of many other games that have been this big.
And again, I suppose this fuels the argument against physical media, because how on earth are you going to fit all of that onto a disc?
Do you know what I mean? I can understand the argument from that perspective. If games are getting to this sort of scale, then perhaps we can't realistically expect everything to be included on a physical disc.
What's the point of having a disc with 50GB of data on it if you've then got to download the rest of the game from the servers anyway? If you can't play the full game without downloading all that additional content, then you start to question what the point of the disc really is.
Stuart Burgess: 59:14
So, live Googling! We like live Googling. We like doing this, don't we? We've come prepared for this podcast!
So, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 comes in at approximately 160GB.
Right, so that's broken down into 28GB for the Call of Duty HQ app, around 42GB for Warzone, 42GB for the campaign, 20GB for multiplayer, 5GB for DMZ and another 19GB for the shared content pack.
So, yeah, you're looking at around 160GB for that.
And then you're talking about another 70GB on top for GTA 6. That's almost another third again!
And obviously, that's just the game itself. GTA 6 doesn't have its online component yet, does it?
No, exactly. That's right. There's no GTA Online at launch to factor in.
Stephen Carter: 01:00:04
So, when the online component eventually arrives, how big is that going to be? Are we going to be looking at 300GB or something ridiculous?
I mean, obviously, the Xbox Series X has a 1TB storage drive, doesn't it?
So, you're potentially losing a fifth of your available storage just to one game!
Stuart Burgess: 01:00:17
Mental. Absolutely crazy!
All I can say is that a lot of people might want to look at expanding their storage. Obviously, we've got Black Friday coming up, so there might be some decent deals around.
I've got the official Xbox expansion card downstairs. When I first got the Series X back in 2020, I think I was only getting around 20Mbps download speeds. Sorry, 20 down, I think it was! So, downloads took absolutely ages, and I ended up buying the expansion.
I've got 2TB of storage downstairs, whereas up here I've only got the 1TB. But, as I said, with my internet speeds now, I can pretty much delete a game and download it again within a coffee break or a lunch break.
So, yeah, get your consoles ready, clear some space on your hard drives and delete anything you don't need!
Basically, from 10 November, you can start downloading the GTA 6 files ready for the game to unlock on the 19th.
Although, I've made a massive cock-up!
I wasn't particularly well yesterday, so I had to rearrange a physical podcast recording I was supposed to be doing for the other business. I apologised and said, "Look, I'm really sorry, I can't make it. Let me know when you're available and perhaps, we can look at the week starting the 16th."
And they came back and said, "We could do the 19th."
Oh, crap!
Stephen Carter: 01:01:35
No, no.
Stuart Burgess: 01:01:36
I've got to go and record a podcast and then go out for lunch with someone on the 19th, so it's not ideal timing!
I still can't work out exactly when the game is going to become available. I might get up at four o'clock in the morning and see if it's live by then.
If it is, brilliant. I'll get a few hours in before the day gets going. If not, I'll just have to play it later that day or perhaps on the 20th.
I'll get to it eventually!
### God of War delay and collector’s edition discussion
Stuart Burgess: 01:01:59
So, thankfully, perhaps for PlayStation owners, it looks like God of War has been delayed.
So now you've got a bit more breathing space. You've not got to worry about finishing GTA 6 before God of War arrives, which was February, wasn't it?
Stephen Carter: 01:02:12
Yeah, it was due to come out in February.
Stuart Burgess: 01:02:14
Yeah, so the next story is yours, and unfortunately, following our rather brutal slaying of the box set last episode, it looks like the next God of War game has apparently been delayed!
Stephen Carter: 01:02:24
Yeah, and it's been delayed until May next year. So, as you say, it was originally due out in February, and it's now been pushed back to May. That's a good three or four months' delay.
They've cited February being quite a busy month as the reason. Now, whether that's just a convenient excuse to disguise the fact that they want a bit more time to work on the game, I'm not sure. But either way, it does give them a bit of extra breathing space to polish things up.
When I first read the announcement, I had a look at what else was coming out around February. We've got Fable, Persona 4, which I'm not sure how much crossover there'll be with the God of War audience, and then the new Metro game.
So that's three reasonably big releases, I suppose. I haven't done a huge amount of research into what else is coming out in February, but perhaps there's also a bit of a hangover from GTA 6. People could still be playing that quite heavily by then.
But it doesn't seem like the busiest month in the world to me.
If God of War had been due to come out this month, and they'd moved it to February, I'd understand that. They could have said, "Look, we know you're playing GTA 6. We're not stupid. We know you're playing Zelda. Let's give you a bit of breathing space."
But when you're moving it because you're worried about those three games in February, that almost suggests to me that they're not particularly confident about how well this game is going to perform.
It makes me wonder whether there's something else going on. Are they genuinely concerned that God of War won't sell well enough alongside those other releases?
If they simply want more time to work on it, then just say that! Be honest with people. Say, "Look, we want to make sure this game is right. We need a bit of extra time to get it finished." Fine. No problem. People would understand that.
But, particularly after what we discussed on the last podcast about the collector's edition not even including a copy of the game, and now we've got this delay, it doesn't exactly fill me with confidence.
And don't get me wrong, Metro could be a bloody good game, and so could Fable. I mean, Fable is an Xbox title anyway, whereas Metro is multi-platform.
But I'm not sure those releases alone are enough to justify moving God of War back by three or four months.
Stuart Burgess: 01:04:29
I've found it! I've found it! I know what they're worried about!
On 4 February, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: Dragon Pearl of Destruction comes out. It's a retro-style action brawler.
That's it! That's what they're worried about! They're not taking any chances going up against He-Man!
Stephen Carter: 01:04:43
Yeah, I can't believe I've forgotten about that one, to be honest with you. It's been on my radar for ages!
But, yeah, to me, this is still a bit of a warning sign.
If they're genuinely worried about an Xbox game taking sales away from them, alongside Metro, which I'm sure will be a good multi-platform game, and Persona, which is a completely different genre, then I do question their confidence.
I mean, Persona isn't really my cup of tea or my bag at all, but they're three very different games appealing to different audiences.
If Sony doesn't think God of War can compete with those releases and convince people to buy it, then I think that says quite a lot about the game itself, to be honest.
Stuart Burgess: 01:05:22
Well, I've just Googled it! It's the live Googling podcast!
Bing Googling, sorry!
Anyway, I've just had a look at the February release calendar, and there are quite a few games coming out.
On 2 February, we've got Elda: The Final Gods, an intense action platformer.
On 4 February, we've got Metro and, of course, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: Dragon Pearl of Destruction.
Then, on 12 February, we've got Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, which is obviously a big hitter.
On 16 February, there's Romancing Saga 3: Destiny United, a classic, sprawling JRPG experience coming to both consoles.
Then, on 18 February, we've got Persona 4 Revival.
On 23 February, there's Fable.
And finally, on 25 February, we've got Atelier Kalara: The Night Kingdom and the Guide of Memories, another JRPG.
So, yeah, you've got one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight games coming out in February. That's eight releases in a 28-day month next year!
Stephen Carter: 01:06:24
Yeah, the short month! Exactly.
I mean; to be fair, every month is busy in its own way. If you look at the big releases and the smaller games, there's never really a month where you can say there's absolutely nothing coming out.
But for me, if God of War were coming up against something like Zelda, GTA 6 or Call of Duty, then I could understand the decision. And Fable is a big release, so I can see why that might be a consideration. Tomb Raider is another big one.
But there's nothing else in that February line-up that I would have thought was a major concern. God of War fans are God of War fans. I can't see many people suddenly deciding not to buy it because another game in a completely different genre is coming out.
Yes, it's a reasonably busy month, but it's also that bit of a lull after Christmas, isn't it? People will probably have played plenty of GTA 6 by then, perhaps a bit of Call of Duty, and they'll be looking for something new.
So, stick to your guns! If you're confident that the game is good and it's going to be a great release, then trust it.
And, as I've said, if the real reason is that they need more development time, just say that. Be honest with people.
I don't want this to come across as me constantly having a pop at Sony, because I know we do give them a bit of stick from time to time. But when they do things like this, they're not exactly helping their own cause.
And I'd say the same if Xbox did it. Imagine Fable was coming out and Xbox announced, "Well, February's a busy month, and we don't want to compete with God of War, so we're moving it to May."
I'd be repeating! Fable is a completely different game, on a different platform, and it's not even coming to PlayStation, so why would you be worried about it?
I just think, particularly with everything else that's come out around God of War, including the collector's edition situation we discussed last week, this is another bit of negative news that they could really have done without.
Especially when there aren't many other major first-party PlayStation releases around that period. I think they really needed that little win.
Stuart Burgess: 01:08:03
Well, I've just been looking at the collector's edition again. I mean, we recorded the last podcast about three weeks ago, I think, and you can still buy it!
Some twat is trying to sell one on eBay for £400. Mate, I can literally go onto the PlayStation Store now and buy it for £130!
Compare that with the Metro collector's edition, which sold out on both PlayStation and Xbox in about 40 minutes or something like that.
I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. I managed to get one through PlayStation, although I didn't even realise it was available on there until I got home. I was just going, "Buy, buy, buy, buy!"
I then tried to get one on Xbox as well, but it had already sold out.
So the fact that you can still quite easily buy the God of War collector's edition directly from PlayStation has got to tell you something.
And another thing: is it just me, or do people not particularly like changing characters? God of War has always been about Kratos. How much are people going to embrace the idea of playing as a female character instead?
I hate to sound sexist, because that's not necessarily my argument. I quite enjoy playing as female characters. Whenever I play Assassin's Creed, for example, I often choose the female character because I sometimes prefer their storyline.
I think it was Valhalla where a lot of people were saying the female character's storyline was better than the male one.
But, yeah, if I had to put a pin in the map, I think this is about Fable. I genuinely think they've moved God of War because of the competition coming from Fable.
Again, I'm not trying to sound like some Xbox fanboy, but Fable is such a beloved franchise. It's a bit like Ocarina of Time. If that game reviews well, which you'd expect it to, it's going to attract a huge amount of attention and potentially overshadow God of War.
So perhaps moving it to May gives them a bit of breathing space. And maybe those extra three months will also give them time to sort out the physical edition and produce a disc to go alongside that collector's statue!
Stephen Carter: 01:10:10
Or even just a digital copy! Like you say, at least with the Metro collector's edition, you got a copy of the game included.
I don't care whether it's a physical disc or a digital download code. Just give people a copy of the bloody game!
I mean, it's a collector's edition. That's what it's supposed to be. I know the GTA bundle was a bit of a ridiculous merchandise package, but that was exactly what it was: a merchandise bundle. You weren't buying it as a collector's edition of the game.
For me, a collector's edition needs to include the actual game. Surely that's the bare minimum?
But, yeah, we'll see what happens.
And what else is coming out in May? They could move it there, only for someone else to suddenly announce a massive release for May and completely ruin their plans!
They could drop a bombshell and suddenly Sony's going, "Oh, crap!"
And another question: are we going to get some special edition controllers as well? Are they going to release a God of War controller alongside it?
Stuart Burgess: 01:10:50
Oh, 100%. I mean, they released two different Ghost of Y?tei controllers, so there's absolutely going to be a God of War controller. I'd put money on it.
If they can release a Lisa controller, and then they recently dropped the Gran Turismo 7 controller as well – not GTA 6, GT7! – then there's no reason why they wouldn't do one for God of War.
I can't remember whether we'd recorded the last podcast when this happened, but I had it in my calendar that the GT7 controller was going live for pre-order.
I was downstairs working on the sofa, and I did what you normally do and took my phone to the toilet. I hadn't even got round to doing anything, I was just scrolling through my phone, when suddenly I thought, "Oh, bollocks!"
I quickly legged it upstairs, got onto the website and managed to place my order!
It was quite funny because I put it on social media, and a few Instagram friends of the show, including Scott Massey, were commenting along the lines of, "Yeah, I've done that a few times myself!"
You start scrolling through your phone, suddenly see the adverts, and think, "Shit!" You then have to scramble to get your order in!
But, again, it brings me back to my earlier point. Sony don't seem to have the same approach to limited editions that Xbox does.
I can still quite easily buy this one directly from PlayStation. I cannot buy this one from Xbox. I might be able to find one somewhere else, but as far as I can see, I can't currently get hold of that one directly from Xbox.
And that's the difference, isn't it?
Stephen Carter: 01:12:15
And it's not just the 25th Anniversary controller either. I mean, you could argue that's a particularly special release because of the anniversary.
But even the other branded controllers, the ones tied to specific games, seem to sell out almost immediately.
As you said on the last podcast, even some of the more unusual designs disappear straight away.
So, yeah, it's just an odd one. It really is an odd one!
### Xbox Series X Byte: the alligator console
Stuart Burgess: 01:12:31
Talking about odd ones, thankfully, this did make me laugh because I spotted it just before we jumped on the podcast.
Right at the very bottom of the article, it says:
"No purchase necessary. Open to legal residents of the 50 US states and Washington DC, aged 18 or over. Sweepstakes ends 10 November. The Xbox Series X Byte is a custom fabrication. No alligators were harmed in the making of this console."
So, yeah, unfortunately, it's only available in America!
But if you want to make a bit of a mic-drop statement with your merchandise, I think Microsoft might just have won it with their GTA 6 promotion.
What's happened is they've created an Xbox Series X that's been swallowed by an alligator. And you can win it!
Introducing the Xbox Series X Byte: a fully playable Xbox Series X swallowed whole by an alligator. There's only one, and it could be yours!
And for anyone listening to this, if you're watching on YouTube, or even on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, where you'll also get the video, have a look at the screen.
Because they've made what I'm going to describe as a two-metre-long, incredibly realistic-looking alligator!
Stephen Carter: 01:13:54
He's more than five feet from snout to tail.
Stuart Burgess: 01:13:56
So, yeah, it's enormous. It's almost five feet long!
If you look at it, you've got the Xbox Series X sitting quite clearly in the middle, with the little Xbox logo illuminated. Then, in the crocodile's mouth, there's a controller with a bite taken out of it, and they've even put the Xbox logo in its eye!
Honestly, I want to meet the person who came up with this idea.
"Here you go, I've got an idea. Let's create an animatronic alligator with an Xbox Series X inside it!"
And I’ve just found out who made it.
John Nolan Studio brought Xbox Series X Byte to life using 3D modelling, sculpting and fabrication. The studio has previously created creatures for The Witcher, Jurassic World Dominion and HBO's Harry Potter series.
Well, that explains why it looks so realistic!
Right, I might want to try and win this now. I just need to register myself with an American address!
Stephen Carter: 01:14:55
Can you imagine that? I love the disclaimer at the bottom as well.
"No alligators were harmed in the making of this console."
And then there's the question: is it best used for display only?
Yeah, exactly! So don't use it. Just stick it on the mantelpiece and admire it. There you go!
### Nintendo Amiibo and collector’s editions
Stuart Burgess: 01:15:06
But it's just brilliant, isn't it? I absolutely love it.
I love collector's editions, and I'm really looking forward to getting the Metro helmet and all the other bits that come with it.
I also watch quite a few videos of people showing off collector's editions from years and years ago, including some of the retro stuff. There are some really, really cool things out there.
Oh my God, what's that thing called? Is it an Amiibo? The little thing you get for the Switch that you tap against it to unlock a character?
Stephen Carter: 01:15:32
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I can't remember what they're called now, but you know the ones!
Stuart Burgess: 01:15:34
How freaking much are they?
Stephen Carter: 01:15:36
Oh, mate, anything Nintendo! Honestly, anything Nintendo seems to hold its value.
Even second-hand games, Amiibos – is that what they're called? Amiibos, that's it!
Seriously, anything Nintendo just doesn't seem to drop in price. It's crazy!
Stuart Burgess: 01:15:51
I had a look because I know they've got a Link Amiibo for Ocarina of Time, so I thought I'd see what they were going for.
And I think they were about £60 or £70 each!
I'm thinking, for something I'm going to tap against my Switch to unlock some content and then literally just put on a shelf either side of me, I'm not sure I can justify that.
So, yeah, no thanks! I'll give that a miss!
Stephen Carter: 01:16:09
You're alright, thanks!
Honestly, it's crazy how well Nintendo stuff holds its value. I don't know whether it's a similar thing to what we were saying about the controllers earlier, but you just never seem to find Nintendo stuff going cheap.
It's almost impossible to pick up a bargain!
### Nintendo cartridges and the future of physical games
Stuart Burgess: 01:16:23
No, and our final story carries on the Switch and physical media theme.
Stuart Burgess: 01:16:31
So, yeah, one of Nintendo's Switch and Switch 2 cartridge manufacturers is reportedly exiting the business, which could potentially make physical games more expensive.
Stephen Carter: 01:16:41
Yeah, so obviously, one of the great things about the Switch is that you buy the cartridge, you've got the game, and you can just plug it in and play. You don't necessarily even need to connect to the internet. You've got a physical copy of the game, and you're good to go.
But Macronix, one of Nintendo's long-standing cartridge manufacturing partners, is reportedly bowing out of the market and stopping production.
As we've just been saying, Nintendo games and even the cartridges themselves hold their value incredibly well. If you walk into CEX or somewhere similar and try to buy a second-hand copy of Mario Kart, Zelda or any of the Mario games, you're still paying pretty much full price. You're looking at £40 or £50, sometimes more.
And this news could potentially maintain those prices or even push them higher.
What happens next? Does Nintendo lean more heavily on one of its existing suppliers? Does it find another manufacturer? Does it simply produce fewer cartridges, or does it start moving further towards digital distribution?
I actually put a video out recently discussing this very subject, particularly with the Xbox Helix and PS6 potentially moving further towards digital gaming.
I think Nintendo might be the company that simply says, "Well, you do what you want. You can go down that route, but we'll carry on doing what we're doing."
When the next console comes along, whether that's the Switch 3 or whatever they decide to call it, I wouldn't be surprised if they stick with the same philosophy.
This situation might change things, particularly around cartridge manufacturing, but when you can produce a game that looks as good as Zelda, put it on a tiny cartridge and play it without needing to download the entire game, why would you change?
Okay, you might get the occasional patch, but fundamentally, the game is on that cartridge.
And I think people will continue to gravitate towards that. There's something really appealing about being able to take your Switch on a train, a bus or a plane, or just play it in bed, without needing an internet connection.
You can't lick a download, can you?
Exactly! A download doesn't have a taste, does it?
But, yeah, it'll be interesting to see what happens next and whether this changes Nintendo's plans around how many physical cartridges they produce.
I don't think Nintendo has ever massively flooded the market with physical copies. Perhaps that's part of the reason their games maintain their value so well, whereas with something like Call of Duty or FIFA, you see thousands upon thousands of copies available.
Maybe that relative scarcity is another reason Nintendo games hold their prices as well as they do.
Stuart Burgess: 01:18:48
Just looking at this, it says that ROM products account for only 5% of Macronix's business.
So, obviously, if it's only 5% of your overall business, and you start having issues with the machinery, or it needs servicing or replacing, you must look at the numbers and ask yourself whether it's worth continuing.
If it's such a small part of your overall revenue, perhaps the decision to walk away from that side of the business makes financial sense.
Stephen Carter: 01:19:10
Yeah, so I can understand the decision. If ROM products used to account for 26% of the business and that's now dropped to just 5%, that's a substantial decline.
But does that suggest people are moving towards digital Nintendo games rather than physical copies? I don't know. It's difficult to say for certain.
The article also suggests Nintendo could move towards using game-key cards instead, which would effectively take us down the same route as those empty boxes we're expecting with GTA 6.
And, honestly, that feels a little bit shallow and hollow to me. What's the point of buying an empty box? I might as well just buy the game online and download a code.
I suppose this could also be another unfortunate side effect of what's being called RAMageddon. With the whole AI industry putting pressure on hardware manufacturing and component supply chains, perhaps this is just another little casualty along the way.
But I really hope Nintendo continues to stick to its guns with whatever the next iteration of the Switch looks like, whenever that eventually arrives.
I hope they continue producing cartridges, or at least some form of proper physical game media.
Because, let's face it, Sony and Microsoft are probably going to move further in the digital direction.
Hopefully, the success of something like Zelda, particularly if it sells well physically, gives Nintendo the evidence it needs to say, "Look, we've sold X million physical copies. People clearly still want this. It's absolutely worth continuing to manufacture these little cartridges."
And I really hope that's the direction they take.
### Forza Horizon 6 physical release and the future of discs
Stuart Burgess: 01:20:22
Well, there's one thing I'm quite tempted by, and I don't think I've really seen many people talking about it. It made me laugh because I thought it was a bit of a piss-take of Xbox towards Sony!
Forza Horizon 6 is coming to PlayStation on 26 January 2027, with early access starting on 21 January.
But I've just Googled it to make sure. More live Googling! And, yes, Forza Horizon 6 is getting a physical disc release on PlayStation.
Now, they didn't do a physical release on Xbox, but they've decided to produce a physical edition for PlayStation.
So, is that simply because they've decided there's a market for physical PlayStation copies? Or is it a little bit of a dig at Sony? Almost a case of, "Well, look, we can make physical discs if you can't!"
Or perhaps it's just good business sense. Maybe they've looked at the market and thought, hang on a minute, if we release this on disc, loads of people are going to buy it.
Because everything you read about Sony now, regardless of what the subject is, there's always somebody complaining about the lack of physical media.
As I said a few weeks ago with the LEGO PlayStation, people were saying, "Well, I'll wait. I'll wait until I can get the digital version."
So, yeah, Xbox is releasing a physical disc for a Sony PlayStation game next year with Forza Horizon 6.
And that surely demonstrates there's still an appetite for physical media.
I'm like you. I buy my Switch games physically because I potentially want to sell them on afterwards. I like having the actual game, and I like having that option.
But it's going to be an interesting time. This whole question of where we go next with physical media is fascinating.
Does Sony eventually backtrack? Does Xbox say, "No, look, here you go. You can put a disc in it," and offer some sort of external disc drive, a bit like they did with HD DVD back in the day?
Now I'm showing my age!
But, yeah, it'll be interesting to see what happens, because Nintendo is so iconic for its cartridges, isn't it? I mean, they've always been synonymous with cartridges, and I don't think they've ever really moved away from that approach.
It'll be interesting to see whether they continue down that path with whatever comes next.
Stephen Carter: 01:22:26
GameCube had those tiny discs, didn't it? They were mini-DVDs, weren't they?
Yeah, that's it. But even then, Nintendo was doing things differently. They've never really been a company that says, "We're going to conform to what everyone else is doing." They've always had that attitude of, "We're going to do it our way."
I loved the little GameCube discs. Obviously, you couldn't fit the massive games we're getting today onto them, but it was another example of Nintendo doing things on its own terms.
If we're going to move to discs, we're going to do it our way!
And I quite like that about Nintendo.
So, yeah, it would be nice if they stuck with cartridges for the foreseeable future. I suppose there's not really another obvious way of doing it if they want to maintain that physical format.
As you say, moving away from discs also saves a considerable amount of money in manufacturing costs.
But it does make me wonder: just how much data could you fit onto one of these little cartridges? How big can they realistically make them?
Stuart Burgess: 01:23:11
Well, as you said, Nintendo games always hold their value because they hardly ever get discounted on the eShop.
They're even worse than Sony and Xbox when it comes to reducing prices!
You know, with something like Call of Duty, you can probably pick up an older version for around £20 on the Xbox Store. That's why you managed to pick up the older games for about £10 or £11 in CEX!
Stephen Carter: 01:23:30
I got three for less than that, so one of them is practically a bargain!
They should be on Game Pass as well. I still don't understand why they aren't on Game Pass.
But, yeah, that's a separate conversation for another day!
## Episode wrap-up: physical versus digital gaming and gaming memories
Stuart Burgess: 01:23:38
There's just too much money involved in it, even now. I still think there's a massive market for physical media.
But, no, it'll be interesting to see where physical media goes from here.
Anybody listening to or watching the podcast, let us know in the comments: are you 100% digital? Do you have a mixture of physical and digital games? Or are you someone who simply won't buy a game unless it's available on disc?
We'd love to hear what you think.
So, that's it, Steve. We're going to wrap the podcast up now. We're at an hour and a half as we're recording, which is a bit better! A bit better than the two hours we managed last time!
Stephen Carter: 01:24:06
Not quite the hour we said we should try to aim for, but I don't think that's ever going to happen, is it? I genuinely don't think we'll ever manage to get this podcast down to an hour!
Stuart Burgess: 01:24:11
I mean, in fairness, I said in our WhatsApp group this morning that if it wasn't for Ocarina of Time, and then in a few weeks' time, if it wasn't for GTA 6, we could probably get these podcasts down to around an hour or just over.
But when you've got all the news stories we've covered today, on top of all the games we've been playing, there's just too much good stuff! There's too much to talk about!
And the thing is, as we've said with Ocarina of Time, when you see that tradition of midnight launches coming back, and then you see the queues outside Argos on Tottenham Court Road stretching almost from door to door, with people sitting outside waiting for a midnight launch, it's just brilliant.
It's a great time to be a gamer.
I can remember, and I don't think we covered this on the podcast, but we were chatting about it afterwards. I remember getting my PS3 back in the noughties, around 2003 or 2004, something like that.
I went to GAME in Tunbridge Wells, Anthony's favorite shop, to pick up my console and games. They put everything in a GAME carrier bag, and I remember walking home from Tunbridge Wells, which was about a 20-minute walk, at around one o'clock in the morning.
I'm walking along with this carrier bag swinging away, thinking, this is the world's most powerful and most expensive console, and here I am just walking home with it!
It was brilliant.
And to see that sort of excitement happening again is fantastic. I really hope we get something similar for GTA 6. I really, really hope we do.
Obviously, there's no physical edition to go out and buy, but is Nintendo the only company that can really generate this sort of excitement these days? Is it just because it's Nintendo?
I honestly can't remember another game recently that's created this sort of reaction.
No, not at all. No midnight launches for Halo, Spider-Man, Gears of War or anything like that.
It was just so good to wake up this morning and see those pictures and videos. Really, good.
So, yeah, Steve, thank you for joining me this Thursday morning. And where can people find you if they want to hook up for some gaming or find you online?
Stephen Carter: 01:26:04
Yeah, it's pretty much SteCARTA91 everywhere.
I'm on Switch as well, although I'm not entirely sure what my friend code is. If you find me on another platform and want to add me on Switch, I can easily give you that rather random-looking friend code!
But, yeah, just search for SteCARTA91 and you'll find me somewhere on the internet.
PlayStation, Xbox, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube – pretty much everywhere!
I don't think there are many places you won't find me at this point!
Stuart Burgess: 01:26:30
I'm going to have to put all those details up on screen. I think it's this side where I usually have them displayed on the video.
Now that I've got the Switch arriving today – although it still hasn't turned up! – I'll have to get my ridiculous 67,000-digit Nintendo friend code up there alongside yours.
We'll get PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo all represented going forward!
So, on PlayStation and Xbox, I'm GeneralLetdown, and on social media, you can find me as Mr Stuart Burgess.
Thanks again, Steve, for joining me today. And what have you got planned for the rest of the day, apart from working?
Stephen Carter: 01:27:05
I might be playing Zelda, funnily enough!
Yeah, maybe. I think I'll get it downloading, then I've got a bit of washing-up to do. I'll probably put the Switch next to me while it's downloading, get on with that, and then hopefully get some time to play.
I'm starting at two today rather than three because I'm doing a bit of overtime, but, yeah, I think you'll probably find me playing Zelda for the rest of the day!
So, thank you. And genuinely, mate, thank you for that. I really do appreciate it.
Stuart Burgess: 01:27:29
No, I mean, it's going to be one of those situations now where you're going to be asking, "Where is it?" and I'll be showing screenshots of it!
Luckily, I think James is working today. He's working on some rare stuff, so he hasn't been able to play yet.
Because I'll be sitting there at quarter past five tonight going, "Come on, Claude! Come on, Claude! Where are you?"
I'll tell you what, if I get a notification saying, "We can't deliver your package today", oh no. Things are going to get broken. Things are going to get broken!
Stephen Carter: 01:27:57
I suppose you don't have his phone number at this point, do you, to be honest with you? I imagine he probably comes to your house quite often.
I suppose you haven't got him on anything where you can track him? I'll have to go and hunt him down myself!
Do you know if there's any way of tracking him? Just so I can see where he is. I'm going to follow you around, mate, and make sure you come to my bloody house!
Stuart Burgess: 01:28:11
That's a good idea! Yeah, just a little bit of BBC Southeast news today: there was a yellow car following a DPD driver for four hours. Apparently, it's a harassment case!
Awesome. Well, enjoy it, and thank you to everybody for listening. We'll see you on the next one.
Yes, thank you very much. We'll see you then. Bye!
Stephen Carter: 01:28:15
Bye-bye!
