Kotaku Splitscreen (Kotaku)

Destiny streaming superstar Datto joins the show today. First we're talking the week's news, from Palmer Luckey leaving Oculus (9:39) to Atlus blocking Persona 5 streaming (13:11) and Mass Effect: Andromeda's big patch plans (17:20), followed by our first Amazing Game Story (29:05). Then, Datto comes on (30:43) to talk Destiny, the mystery of Outbreak Prime, and what it's like to race to be the first in the world to beat a raid. Finally, Kirk and Jason talk Persona 5, the most stylish game in years (1:04:53). See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Assuming we don't die in a nuclear holocaust, what will 2018 bring for gaming? Kirk and Jason talk about the news of the week (13:46) including Gravity Rush 2 fans, an innocent man dying to a police swatting call, and Logan Paul's bleak controversy before making their big predictions for the year to come (34:16). Then they talk about their Games of the Year 2017 (57:20), share some behind-the-scenes details on how Kotaku picked its GOTYs, and discuss a few games they've been playing.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Prolific RPG speedrunner puwexil joins the show from Awesome Games Done Quick 2018 to tell us what it's like to break the hell out of games like Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VI. First, Kirk and Jason talk about news of the week (14:35) on Cyberpunk 2077, Overwatch League, and the Nintendo Direct that may or may not exist. Then Jason talks to puwexil (31:00) about what it's like to speedrun massive RPGs, how he discovers glitches, and why he started speedrunning. Finally, Kirk rejoins the show (1:00:43) to talk about Warframe, The Division, and what Jason should play on his brand new PC. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kirk and Jason talk about the news of the week including Destiny 2's debacle (5:46) before bringing on former Naughty Dog director Bruce Straley (28:17) to talk about his time directing Uncharted and The Last of Us, his reasons for leaving Naughty Dog, and his plans for the future. Then they rave about Divinity: Original Sin 2 (1:07:11), one of the best RPGs in recent memory. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kirk and Jason talk about Nintendo Labo, Xbox Game Pass, and BioWare (11:03) before answering a whole bunch of YOUR questions (28:21) on YouTubers and kids, video game character creation, Destiny 2 weapons, backlogs, and much much more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kirk and Jason talk about weather, Roombas, and football, just like you wanted! Then they get to news (16:44) on the Nolan Bushnell controversy, a revoked world record, and Paragon shutting down because Fortnite was just too popular. After that, writer Leigh Alexander joins the show (32:57) to talk about her work on the clever narrative game Reigns: Her Majesty, and then Kirk and Jason talk through some new games (1:02:41) including Monster Hunter: World and Celeste. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kirk and Jason talk about The Leftovers and Nintendo Labo before moving into the controversial news of the week (18:37), including the shocking bombshell that that's actually Toad's head. Then, Larian CEO Swen Vincke joins the show (36:53) to talk about his incredible new role-playing game, Divinity: Original Sin 2. He talks about what it was like to develop the game, how they find bugs, and what his favorite quests are. Then, Kirk and Jason talk Rise of the Tomb Raider and Monster Hunter: World (1:07:17). See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kirk and Jason are joined by Kotaku staff writer Heather Alexandra to talk about Star Wars: The Last Jedi. May the spoilers be with you! Because there are lots of spoilers in this episode. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kirk and Jason break down the news before getting into some nitty-gritty about what they've been playing (25:48), including Civilization VI, Dragon Quest Builders, and Into The Breach. Why do we play games, anyway? LET'S FIGURE IT OUT. Then they talk about the Olympics, whether it's OK to be friends with Nazis, and all sorts of other good stuff (51:47). See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kirk and Jason jump right into news on Mafia 3's developer laying people off, Kentucky's governor blaming video games for shootings, and the System Shock reboot facing development troubles. Then they answer some listener questions (23:01) on console vs. PC gaming and getting your husband into The Witcher 3. They finish things off (48:05) by chatting about games they're playing: Assassin's Creed Origins and A Case of Distrust. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this special episode of Kotaku Splitscreen, Kirk and Jason travel back to Destiny 1 and the era of Sleeper Simulant, Outbreak Prime, and the Vault of Glass. It’s a story about secrets and secret hunters, and how Destiny's most fabled mysteries eventually become real.

CREDITS

Written and produced by Jason Schreier and Kirk Hamilton

Interviews conducted by Jason Schreier

Edited and mixed by Kirk Hamilton

Music composed and performed by Kirk Hamilton

Editorial oversight by Stephen Totilo

AUDIO SOURCING

Official Destiny 2 Trailer

Official Taken King Trailer

Phillip Kenney Climbing to the top of Atheon’s Throne Room

Primeguard, World’s First Vault of Glass completion:

Vylsith, Vault of Glass Oracle Fight

iraspberrykiwi commentary on vault of glass hidden area

Viva La Fraggie Scent of the Worm guide

Daniel Jurado’s amazing Vault of Glass glitch video 

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Is Donald Trump about to ban video games for life? Probably!!! Kirk and Jason talk about that and other big news like loot boxes and Diablo for Switch (6:27), then dig into some of the games they've been playing (41:14), like Dishonored: Death of the Outsider, Arkham Knight, and Ni no Kuni 2. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

At South by Southwest in Austin, Jason and Kirk took the stage along with Telltale Games’ Leah Hoyer and the Guardian’s Keza MacDonald to talk about interactive storytelling, the rise of games as a service, and whether or not Jason actually has a “Soothsayer Hat.” See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jason and Kirk are still posting pods from their time at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. This time they sat down with S.O.S. creative director (and former Dead Space developer) Ian Milham to talk about how he's building social dynamics into an online survival game. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kirk and Jason unwind from GDC by talking about some of the games they've played over the past few weeks, including Far Cry 5, A Way Out, SNES Classic, and Red Dead Redemption. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Far Cry 5 is a nihilist's dream while Ni no Kuni II is an idealist's dream. Kirk and Jason discuss that and much more, including news of the week on Lindsay Lohan, Shadow of War, and Todd Howard, the games they've been playing (20:36), and some listener questions (50:36) on games as a service, GPU recommendations, and the Xbox Game Pass.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The new God of War is astounding, and Kirk and Jason are here to tell you all about it (don't worry; no spoilers!). First they talk about the news of the week on PlayStation 5, The Simpsons, and Westworld before gushing about God of War (26:32)'s combat, storytelling, and incredible production values. Then they bring on Twitch streamer Ryann Weller (46:31) to talk about his transition from making games to making videos about games. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What is this, a crossover episode? Jason and Kirk talk about Paris, Valve buying Campo Santo, Quantic Dream suing journalists, and Destiny 2 before they're joined by Kotaku's Gita Jackson and Patricia Hernandez of Fave This (43:57) to talk about how Fortnite got so popular and whether Nintendo Labo is as fun as playing with cardboard boxes.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kirk and Jason talk about playing D&D, games as a service, and CEO salaries before bringing on io9's Evan Narcisse for a spoiler-heavy talk (28:54) about The Avengers: Infinity War, THAT ending, what the deal is with Captain Marvel, and expectations for Avengers 4. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Why is the video game industry so obsessed with secrets? Kirk and Jason are joined by Polygon's Chris Plante to discuss that topic and way more. FIRST, the Splitscreen Gang talks about Westworld, escape rooms, and news on Nintendo, Rage 2, and Trump's connections to Everquest (14:16). Then Plante comes on to talk about video game leaks, how Polygon has evolved over the years, and whether it makes sense for game companies to be so secretive (32:03). Finally, Kirk and Jason talk Destiny 2 and the delightful Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (1:11:58).Notes:Audio from the Google AI talk via Evan Kirstel (https://twitter.com/evankirstel/status/993935454985744384)DKC Tropical Freeze Alp's Fall Theme music via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJAXs_HLzG4 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kirk and Jason talk about cults and audio tricks (clearly it's Laurel), then get into the news of the week on Boss Key shutting down, a Destiny 2 secret entering real life, and legalized gambling. Then Kotaku's Cecilia D'Anastasio joins the show (37:13) to talk about the Dungeons & Dragons one-shot she ran for Kirk and Jason, her experiences DMing, and why she's writing a campaign about Guy Fieri. Finally, Kirk and Jason talk Destiny 2 and Pillars of Eternity 2. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is Detroit: Become Human any good? No. No it is not. Kirk and Jason talk about that before getting into the news of the week (24:46) on Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, Xbox One accessibility, and HBO's Watchmen. Then Compete staff writer Maddy Myers joins the show (43:20) to talk about her journalism career at the Boston Phoenix, her love for Metroid, and why Samus Aran is just so much better when she's by herself.Check out Maddy's album here: https://maddymyers.bandcamp.com/album/recovery-mission See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jason and Kirk open up the ol' mailbag for a pre-E3 Q&A! First they talk new Pokemon and Fallout before answering YOUR questions about E3's importance, the problems with reviewing games like Destiny 2 and Anthem, what we know will be announced at E3, and much more. Also: online Fallout! Whoa. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's time again for E3, that wonderful time of year full of excitement and trailers for games that will never come out. What will we see this year? Kirk and Jason go through each conference one by one: EA, Microsoft, Bethesda, Square Enix, Ubisoft, Sony, and Nintendo, to talk about their hopes, their expectations, and their wildest predictions. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jason sits down with with Kotaku senior reporter (and resident Smash Bros. expert) Cecilia D'Anastasio to discuss their thoughts after playing the E3 demo of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jason returns from E3 with hands-on impressions about a ton of games, including Anthem, Spider-Man, Kingdom Hearts III, and many more. Then he and Kirk talk about a ton MORE games, including Hollow Knight, Yoku's Island express, and a whole lot of Dark Souls. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jason and Kirk talk about weddings, PS4 cross-play failures, and big lawsuits, then spend a very long time raving about Hollow Knight, an astounding video game that you should play right now.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Happy Independence Day! Kirk and Jason talk about shoveling hot dogs into your mouth, and also other things (like GDQ, the Cyberpunk E3 audio leak, Google Yeti, Hollow Knight, and the appeal of difficult games). See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kirk's off this week, so Jason brings on Kotaku's Tim Rogers to talk about the structure and story of Octopath Traveler. Short version: The combat system is fantastic, and it looks and sounds gorgeous, but everything else... eh. Then Jason and Tim geek out about The Sopranos for a while. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kirk returns from vacation and there's a whole lot to discuss, including Jason's first time DMing in Dungeons & Dragons, more on Octopath Traveler, and the ArenaNet debacle that left two people out of jobs. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Journalist and producer Alanah Pearce, formerly of IGN, joins Kirk and Jason to talk about No Man's Sky's game-changing new update, a recent Twitter shitstorm involving the director of Guardians of the Galaxy, and what makes for a perfect Switch game. Plus: D&D and Destiny 2! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kirk and Jason crack open the mailbag to answer some of YOUR questions about RPGs as a service, how companies can afford to delay games, Microsoft potentially making an Xbox PC, and much more. As always, you can send questions to splitscreen@kotaku.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kotaku editor Maddy Myers joins Kirk and Jason to talk about IGN plagiarism, deleting old tweets, and what makes the perfect Metroidvania. Also: EVO, Dead Cells, Hollow Knight, and Better Call Saul! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jason and Kirk talk CPU cooling and Diablo 3 on Switch before diving into Dead Cells and the appeal (or lack of appeal) of video game grind in games like Destiny. Then, Jason talks to Arkane co-founder and Prey director Raphael Colantonio (41:03) about why he left the company he helped start, what he dislikes about big-budget gaming, and why Prey's final act was so different than the rest of the game.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jason brings on Square Enix's Koji Fox, who's been at the company since 2003 and currently heads up translation on Final Fantasy XIV. They talk about what it was like to join Square on the day it became Square Enix, how Final Fantasy XIV's overhaul affected the staff, and what it's been like to write for a story that never ends. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kirk's back from vacation and raring to talk about games. What kinds of games? VIDEO games, baby! 

He and Jason start off discussing what they've been playing, covering God of War's New Game+, Prey: Mooncrash, Destiny 2, The Messenger, and Dragon Quest XI. Then they talk a bit about the glut of indie games en route to the Switch and share some thoughts on that super-slick Cyberpunk 2077 E3 gameplay demo, which CD Projekt Red finally released to the public this week.

After that, Kirk has a chat with Ari Gibson and William Pellen, the Australian duo behind the wonderful side-scroller Hollow Knight, before he and Jason bring it home with some TV, book, and music recommendations.

Links:

Team Cherry Blog, Team Cherry on Twitter

Tim Rogers's Dragon Quest XI review

Cyberpunk 2077 48-minute E3 gameplay demo

Jason on the victims of the Jacksonville shooting

Kirk on learning different combat moves in God of War's New Game+

Kirk tries to explain Destiny 2's new weapons system

"How Goop’s Haters Made Gwyneth Paltrow’s Company Worth $250 Million" by Taffy Brodesser-Akner

Interview intro music: "Greenpath" by Christopher Larkin from the Hollow Knight OST 

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Kirk and Jason talk about web slinging and swinging in Spider-Man, the excellent new PS4 game, then dive into Destiny 2's new Forsaken expansion, talking about the new systems, the story, and the Destiny treadmill that never ends. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

First, Kirk and Jason talk some more about Destiny 2's Forsaken expansion, addressing the question "how much should creators listen to fan feedback?" and talking about the brilliant new Dreaming City location. Then Kirk sits down with video producer Lindsay Ellis to talk about Disney, Star Wars, fascism, and YouTube. Jason rejoins the show to cap things off with more Spider-Man love, which Kirk finally acknowledges is as good as Jason said it was.Lindsay Ellis's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG1h-Wqjtwz7uUANw6gazRwSnarky Puppy - Lingus (live recording): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_XJ_s5IsQc See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jason's out of town, so Kotaku editor Maddy Myers joins Kirk to fill in as co-host. First up they talk about Nintendo's new Switch online service, the just-announced PlayStation Classic, how the maniacs who beat Destiny 2's new raid unlocked new stuff for everyone, and how streamers are reacting after someone shot a BB gun through the window of a popular PUBG personality. 

Then Kotaku EIC Stephen Totilo joins (33:33) to talk about Shadow of the Tomb Raider, a good game that's been unfortunately overSHADOWED (cough) by certain other September mega-games. Maddy and Kirk close out (55:23) with some talk of Assassin's Creed Origins, a couple TV recommendations, and a New Zealand-tastic music pick of the week.

LINKS:

"After Shooting At Dr Disrespect's House, Streamers Are Concerned For Their Safety," by Nathan Grayson for Kotaku

Stephen Totilo's review of Shadow of the Tomb Raider  

"After Jacksonville Shooting, Gaming Event Organizers Pledge Better Security" by Maddy Myers for Kotaku

Heather Alexandra and Cecilia D'Anastasio on what they liked and didn't like about The Dragon Prince

Kirk's review of Assassin's Creed Origins and follow-up article about how absurdly huge the game is

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Kirk and Maddy start off by talking about the biggest news of the last week: the sudden closure of Telltale Games, a move that left more than 200 game developers out of work with no severance. (Well REALLY, they start out by talking about comically huge mouse pads, if we're being totally accurate.) After talking about the Telltale debacle, they discuss Sony finally opening up the PS4 to cross-play with other consoles, how a Shadow of the Tomb Raider fan found an unintended post-credits cutscene by playing the game without the day-one patch, and how Nintendo's tight-lipped approach to explaining their games lets fans create things as wonderful as Bowsette, a.k.a. Peacher. They close out with some talk of how Destiny 2 has become life-devouringly good, how Maddy has been charmed by last year's Battle Chef Brigade, and some off-topic TV, podcast, and music recommendations.

LINKS:

Kirk's podcast breaking down why Toto's "Africa" is a great song

"Telltale Employees Left Stunned By Company Closure, No Severance," by Ethan Gach for Kotaku

Gita Jackson's article about Bowsette/Peacher

Sony finally relents and allows Fortnite cross-platform play

Kirk's review of Destiny 2: Forsaken and breakdown of all the cool new stuff added to the game this week

"My Hideous, Comfortable Gamer Chair Fills Me With Existential Dread," by Maddy Myers for Kotaku Compete

"n1c" By deerful on Bandcamp  

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Jason's back from his honeymoon and there's lots to discuss, starting with the Splitscreen boys' first impressions of the new open-world game Assassin's Creed Odyssey. Then, Kirk and Jason dive into this week's news (34:36) on a leaked Harry Potter game, Google's Project Stream, and much more. Finally, it's time for a Spider-Man spoilercast (56:27), getting into the strengths and weaknesses of the story, MJ and Peter's relationship, and what Kirk and Jason want to see from Spider-Man 2.

LINKS:

"We've Got A Wild Theory About The New Harry Potter Movie"

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey: The Kotaku Review 

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Kirk and Jason briefly gush about the new Wonder Woman emulator Assassin's Creed Odyssey before bringing on Stephen Totilo for a lengthy chat about microtransactions (21:43). The three talk about how Assassin's Creed Odyssey's microtransactions work, whether they affect the game, whether their sheer existence plants a seed of skepticism inside the player's head, the "poisoning the well" argument, how video games have always been after your money, whether games should still cost $60, and much, much more. Finally, Kirk and Jason briefly chat about some off-topic stuff (1:19:55) like Better Call Saul and the new season of American Vandal. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kirk and Jason chat about rock climbing tents, meta-baiting, and Assassin's Creed Odyssey before getting into this week's big news story (26:51) on Rockstar's work conditions. What did Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser mean when he said they put in 100-hour work weeks? Why do people equate working hard with working long hours? And how should we balance our desire to play the hell out of Red Dead Redemption 2 with our concerns about how it was made? This is just the first part of this conversation -- much more to come next week, too! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Over the past week, Kirk has spent all of his time playing through Red Dead Redemption 2, while Jason has spent all of his time talking to the people who made it. Today's show is a lengthy dissection of the newest epic from Rockstar, the conditions under which it was made, and how the game's story parallels its creators in so many ways. Kirk and Jason talk about how RDR2 works and what makes it so special, dig into the nuances of working overtime, and discuss their own relationships with crunch and how it's affected them. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Who would've thought that the biggest game of 2018 would also be one of the strangest? First up on this week's episode, Jason and Kirk talk about the news of the week including the PlayStation Classic's sad lineup, the buggy Fallout 76 beta, and a surprise new game from the creator of Undertale. Then Kirk and Jason take another deep dive into Red Dead Redemption 2 (21:14), now that Jason's actually had a chance to play it. They talk about how Rockstar's new game subverts AAA open-world tropes, the intense level of detail, and why RDR2 has grown on them both so much before moving into off-topic stuff and Kirk's Music Pick Of The Week (KMPOTW). See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kotaku's Maddy Myers returns to the show this week, joining Kirk and Jason to chat about the big Diablo disaster. First they talk about some of the games they've been playing, including Assassin's Creed Origins, Return of the Obra Dinn, and Red Dead 2. Then the three get into the news of the week on Nintendo removing a racist animation from the new Smash, BlizzCon announcements, and the big Diablo controversy. They talk about why Diablo Immortal frustrated fans and offer some theories as to why marketing is such a large part of video game culture. The three of them close things out with off-topic talk and Kirk's Music Pick Of The Week.MUSIC PICK: Lake Street Dive, “You Go Down Smooth,” from their 2014 album Bad Self Portraits See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kirk and Jason talk about the games they're playing, like Tetris Effect and Hitman 2, then jump into the news of the week (21:36) on Detective Pikachu, Final Fantasy XV's canceled DLC, and Destiny 2's "disappointing" sales. Then old friend Evan Narcisse joins the show (40:56) to talk about Stan Lee's legacy and what he meant to nerds all across the world. Finally, some off-topic talk (59:53) on House of Cards season 6 and Bohemian Rhapsody.Music pick: Roy Hargrove & The RH Factor, “Common Free Style,” from their 2003 album Hard Groove See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's an extra-special-early Thanksgiving episode! This one's a two-parter. First, Kirk and Jason bring on Kotaku's Ethan Gach to talk about Fallout 76 (06:51), the buggy new multiplayer game from Bethesda Game Studios. Then, it's the long-awaited Red Dead Redemption 2 spoilercast (35:32) as Kirk and Jason dive into the game's lengthy story and talk about everything they liked and disliked. (Warning: SPOILERS!!!!)Music pick: Mika, “Grace Kelly,” from his 2007 album Life in Cartoon Motion See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There are oh so many games to play this fall, and you should start with Return of the Obra Dinn, the fantastic puzzler that Kirk and Jason both adore. This week they talk all about that, along with Hitman 2, the Sega Genesis Classics collection, and other games they're playing. Then it's time for the news of the week (37:50) on Red Dead Online, Diablo 4, and The Game Awards rumors, along with some off-topic talk on Bohemian Rhapsody and A Star Is Born.

Music pick: Paul Simon, “You Can Call Me Al,” from his 1986 masterpiece Graceland 

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uq-gYOrU8bA

Subscribe to Kirk’s new music podcast STRONG SONGS on Apple Podcasts or Google Play.

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It's nearly time for December E3, aka The Game Awards, and there's lots to discuss! First, Kirk and Jason talk about slaying Sean Bean in Hitman 2, the great new platformer Monster Boy, and the excellent Prey Mooncrash. Then they get into Game Awards talk (30:10) on what to expect at this year's show, hype versus awards, and whether game reveals actually matter. They close out the show with off-topic talk (59:47) on The Bodyguard, She-Ra, and To Kill A Mockingbird.Music: Hanne Hukkelberg, “Cheater’s Armoury,” from her 2006 album Rykestrasse 68 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uq-gYOrU8bA See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Everything changes on today's episode of Kotaku Splitscreen. We start off the episode with a very special surprise, followed by some discussion of games like Celeste, Obra Dinn, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (33:28). Then The Game Awards host Geoff Keighley joins the show (48:34) to talk about the success of last week's show, how he puts together his exclusive reveals, and why he chose to support the streamer Ninja. Finally, off-topic talk and Kirk's music pick of the week (1:15:25).

Show notes:

Kirk's Music Pick Of The Week: Beyoncé, “Single Ladies,” from her 2008 album I Am… Sasha Fierce [Also examined on this week's Strong Songs]

Legendary Cypher on Twitter

"How To Travel In Time" exhibition

Celeste original soundtrack by Lena Raine

Cecilia's tips for playing Super Smash Bros Ultimate 

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Kirk, Jason, and Maddy unite for Splitscreen's annual GOTY coverage! This week it's all the games we played from January through May, including Dragon Ball Fighter Z, Celeste, Secret of Mana, Into The Breach, Far Cry 5, A Way Out, God of War, Pillars of Eternity 2, Monster Prom, and much more. Next week: June through December. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's time for the biggest episode of Splitscreen ever as Kirk, Maddy, and Jason gather for part two of Every Game We Played In 2018, starting with June and July, then August and September (42:28), October (1:13:37), and then November and December (1:47:20). The team discusses dozens of games this week, from Hollow Knight to Sushi Striker to Return of the Obra Dinn to... well, many, many more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kotaku's Luke Plunkett joins Kirk this week to talk about the Nintendo Switch, Yakuza 0, and more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The NX is coming in just under a year, but Nintendo has lost a lot of goodwill with their biggest fans. For Wii U owners, including both Kirk and Jason, it's hard not to feel burned. Let's talk about it. Also: Dark Souls III, Hitman, and our hopes for Uncharted 4, See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kirk is joined by game designer Chris Remo to talk about music, games, and late 90s Counter-Strike tips. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kirk and Jason are back at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco with a new trio of special guests. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Just how hard is it to build your own gaming computer? Kirk and Jason discuss. Also covered: BoxBoxBoy, Zero Time Dilemma, and the power of thermal paste. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Super Mario Run: Is it good? (Yes.) Jason tells us why he's really digging Nintendo's new mobile excursion, then we fantasize about what other Nintendo mobile games might look like. Plus: Dishonored 2, Final Fantasy XV, and a neat new game called Shadow Tactics. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"Why wouldn't I believe you? You're here." Kirk and Jason are joined by IGN's Marty Sliva and Andrew Goldfarb to talk about The Leftovers, going season by season to dissect the show and discuss why we all love it so much. Warning: There will be spoilers! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Will the Final Fantasy VII remake be any good? WILL IT HAVE A WORLD MAP? Kirk and Jason are here in this "bonus" episode to dissect what Square has revealed so far about the upcoming remake of their beloved dating simulator. Other topics include exclusive games, Rocket League, and Hanukkah songs. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jason and Kirk discuss the season 7 finale of Game of Thrones. This will be the last bonus episode, at least until the next season of Thrones rolls around. Thanks for listening! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jason and Kirk cover the week's news then take a deep dive into Final Fantasy XV, spoilers and all. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kotaku's Evan "Mr. Style" Narcisse is here to chat with Kirk and Jason about what we want to see next from former pachinko star Hideo Kojima. We also talk about Star Wars: The Force Gets Up -- NO SPOILERS! -- and the importance of video game preservation. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's a very special No-Kirk episode as Blizzard's Tim Morten joins Jason to talk about the future of StarCraft. Just what's going to happen in the upcoming Nova expansion for SC2? And what else is coming throughout 2016 for the sci-fi RTS game? FIND OUT! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kirk and Jason sit down with Rise of the Black Panther writer (and former Kotaku colleague) Evan Narcisse to talk about Ryan Coogler's Black Panther film and the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a whole. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

SPOILERS! God of War director Cory Barlog drops by the show for a fun, wide-ranging chat about all sorts of things, including his take on the message of this game, what's next for the series, and That One Moment. We also talk about why God of War took five years, labor issues in video games, and whether Barlog would ever make a God of War game about Christianity. Don't listen to this one until you've finished the game! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kirk and Jason make a mad dash through all the games they've been playing, from Skyrim to Titanfall 2. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Resident aussie Luke Plunkett is here to talk about everything from Assassin's Creed to Arkham Knight. Also: Jason tries to talk everyone into loving speedrunning, Kirk discusses Kotaku's big new review changes, and we try to figure out who's going to review Persona 5. (It's going to be a bloodbath.) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In January, Kirk and Jason predicted a bunch of things for 2016, with the bet that whoever got more predictions right would get a free steak dinner from the loser. Now, we revisit those predictions and see who won! Then we go over some of the biggest surprises and disappointments from 2011-2015. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What makes a game qualify as a classic JRPG? What sort of attributes does it have? Just what makes the like of Final Fantasy VII and Chrono Trigger so special? Let's break it down. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jason and Kirk talk with ex-BioWare general manager Aaryn Flynn about his years making RPGs (and running a studio) in Edmonton, as well as his experiences working at EA. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jason and Kirk link up one more time to talk about Sony and Nintendo's E3 2018 showings. They also talk a bit about the E3 press conferences overall, and what to make of the fact that there were fewer major surprises this year than in recent times.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our GOTY discussion continues with a breakdown of every major 2016 release from July to December! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Actor Nathan Fillion joins Jason to talk about his new Uncharted fan film, why he's not playing Cayde-6 in Destiny 2 this year, and why he had to stop playing Uncharted 2. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jason and Kirk head to the Game Developers conference in San Francisco for a week of special guests. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kirk and Jason finish up at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

At E3 in Los Angeles, Jason sits down with CD Projekt Red co-founder/co-CEO Marcin Iwiński to talk about the studio-wide effort to finish their much-buzzed-about RPG Cyberpunk 2077. They also talk about workplace crunch and game development labor issues, video game piracy, and a bunch of other things. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

One month later, how much has the Switch grown on us? Kirk and Jason go over this week's news including Telltale's CEO departing (12:30) and Mass Effect animators getting harassed (20:06) before assessing the Switch, one month later (36:20). Then they bring on Kotaku's Stephen Totilo (46:22), Gita Jackson (1:00:16), and Mike Fahey (1:10:08) to hear some more Switch thoughts. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In San Francisco (still) for the Game Developers Conference, Jason and Kirk met with Caledonia creative director Nels Anderson and art director Lyndsey Gallant to talk about how they started working together, Nels' terrific stealth game Mark of the Ninja, how art design works, and what people get wrong about UI.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kirk and Jason stay up late to chat about the season finale of Westworld. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jason and Kirk talk about the sixth episode of Game of Thrones season 7, which they both found pretty disappointing.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's contest time! The rules: In this episode, Kirk and Jason have to each make 12 predictions for 2016. At the end of the year, we'll revisit them all, and whoever got the most right will get a free steak dinner from the loser. Also in this episode: Diablo III and the journalistic failures of Making a Murderer See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kotaku managing editor Riley MacLeod joins Kirk and Jason to talk Dishonored 2, Hitman, and Watch Dogs 2. They also answer reader questions and try to figure out which Overwatch character each of them would be IRL. (Kirk is Widowmaker.) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In honor of Final Fantasy XV's release, Kirk and Jason swap stories about their adventures with Noctis, Prompto, Ignis, and Richard. It's a fun one! Also: No Man's Sky improvements and the apparent AAA sales rut. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jason and Kirk return for Destiny raid talk, some Destiny 2 talk, and a spoilery dive into INSIDE, the fantastic new game from the makers of Limbo. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kotaku's Stephen Totilo finally had a chance to play Rockstar's upcoming wild west open-worlder Red Dead Redemption 2. For this bonus episode, he sat down with Kirk and Maddy to share his impressions of the game and answer questions about rusted guns, horse balls, and causin' a ruckus on the open prairie. 

LINKS:

Stephen's full written preview of Red Dead Redemption 2 

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At the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, Kirk and Jason sat down with the always energetic Chris Hecker to talk about his last decade+ working on the asymmetrical multiplayer game Spy Party, which will soon be on Steam Early Access. They also shared some stories of playing the game against one another the day prior. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Maddy, Jason and Kirk take the stage at the Bell House in Brooklyn, NY for a live episode of Kotaku Splitscreen. They talk Apex Legends, Battle Royale games in general, Mario vs. Zelda, and take a bunch of audience questions. Thanks to everyone who came out! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Actress and writer Ashly Burch joins the show to talk about what it was like to play Aloy, the protagonist of Horizon Zero Dawn. But first, News Hour, with stories on PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds selling a million copies (14:59), Star Wars: Battlefront II's first trailer (17:34), and Scorpio specs (19:27). Then Ashly comes on to talk about voice acting for Horizon, perfecting the voice of Aloy, and how her character has the most badass video game hair of all time (29:34). We close things off with some listener mail about video games changing after they launch (1:04:38). See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jason recounts the things he saw during the third day of E3. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ex-NFL Punter Chris Kluwe is here to talk No Man's Sky, NFL nerds, and Path of Exile. We also talk FFXV and our new corporate overlords, who are sadly not Doritos. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

New theme song! Welcome to Splitscreen 90210. Kirk's back for another delightful episode and to talk about Uncharted 4, Doom, and how goddamn ridiculous 2016 has been for video games so far. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jason and Kirk kick off E3 2018 by discussing the opening press conferences from EA and Microsoft. Cyberpunk! Dying Light 2! Gears of War 5! A new ninja game from the people who make Dark Souls! There's so much to talk about.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kirk and Jason break down GameStop's controversial Circle of Life program, E3 going public, and the big Super Bowl Switch. Then, Kotaku's Heather Alexandra joins the show to chat about Nioh and Resident Evil 7. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When is "crunch" OK in the game industry? How can it be avoided? Veteran game producer Matthew Burns joins Kirk and Jason to talk about the human cost that goes into making video games. Also: The Division, Disgaea 5, NBA 2K16, and... a Dark Souls MMORPG? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's time for our Games of the Year -- literally! On part one of our very special 2016 wrap-up, Kirk and Jason go through every video game release of 2016, from January to June. *May not be every video game See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rise of Iron is here. Did you expect us to talk about anything else? This week, Kirk and Jason dig into the good, the bad, and the Fallen of Destiny's newest DLC. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kirk is joined by Kotaku editor in chief Stephen Totilo, filling in for Jason, who is currently sitting on a beach somewhere playing Vita games. Stephen and Kirk talk about new video games, new gaming controversies, and what it’s like to have a bucket of tears strapped to your face. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

At GDC, Kirk and Jason talk with Double Fine president and CEO Tim Schafer about receiving the GDC lifetime achievement award, working on Psychonauts 2, and that one time Will Wright saved Double Fine. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.