This podcast episode from *Aftermath Hours* discusses *Kingdom Come: Deliverance II*, an ambitious open-world RPG, and its director Daniel Vávra's controversial ties to the original Gamergate movement. Guests reflect on how this context has faded from public memory, despite the game now embracing more diverse storytelling. Special guest Rowan Zeoli from Rascal joins to discuss her work and a piece on roleplaying the January 6 insurrection. The conversation explores the disconnect between the director’s past actions and the studio’s current direction, questioning whether institutional memory in gaming journalism has contributed to this oversight. The hosts also ponder the broader implications of wargames recreating modern historical events and the cyclical nature of gaming discourse. Nathan shares a preview from his upcoming book, adding personal insight into the discussion.

Kristopher Houchins, a 30-year-old Navy Boatswain’s Mate Second Class and Fort Dorchester High School alum from North Charleston, has won tickets to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans through a USO Madden NFL 25 video game tournament. Houchins, currently stationed in Hawaii, credits gaming as an escape from his duties and family responsibilities. He has served for 11 years, enlisting six months after high school. Houchins attributes his tournament success to patience and consistency, switching teams for the first time this year. He will attend the Super Bowl with his best friend, Trever Arstad, also a Fort Dorchester graduate. The USO highlights how gaming provides normalcy and support for service members like Houchins.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard, developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts (EA), sold 1.5 million copies in its first two months, falling short of EA's expectations. CEO Andrew Wilson attributed the underperformance to the game's lack of shared-world features and failure to resonate with a broad audience in a highly competitive RPG market dominated by titles like Baldur’s Gate 3. The game's decade-long development, marked by redesigns, staff departures, and rising costs, likely inflated its budget. Despite selling numbers comparable to other 2024 RPGs, Veilguard was deemed a failure due to EA's high sales expectations. This led to post-release restructuring and layoffs at BioWare, highlighting the impact of unrealistic market expectations on game development.

Warner Bros.' Wonder Woman game, developed by Monolith Productions and utilizing the Nemesis system from their Lord of the Rings games, was announced in 2021 but has faced significant setbacks. According to Bloomberg, the project was rebooted last year, changed directors, and has already cost over $100 million, with a release still years away. The game is one of Warner Bros. Games' major development bets but has struggled to coalesce. This setback is part of a broader pattern of issues within Warner Bros. Games, including the underperformance of *Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions* and the discontinuation of *MultiVersus*. Internal challenges, such as a lack of cohesive vision and multiple reorganizations, have led to wasted resources and reputational damage for once-revered studios under Warner Bros.

Sports Interactive (SI), the makers of Football Manager, has canceled the 2025 release of the game following multiple delays and technical challenges. Owned by Sega, SI apologized for the disappointment, especially as the release date had already been postponed twice. The team aimed to deliver significant technical and visual advancements but found the overall player experience and interface lacking. Rather than release an incomplete product or delay further, they decided to cancel FM25. Refunds will be provided to those who pre-ordered, and the 2024 version will not receive updated squad information for 2025. SI is now focusing on future iterations of the game.

**Abstract:**Proverbs, developed by Mark Ffrench and published by Divide The Plunder, is a mashup of Picross and Minesweeper that can be both engrossing and time-consuming. Released on November 7th, 2024, for Windows via Steam, the game challenges players to solve a vast grid by coloring or marking squares based on numerical clues. The completed segments reveal parts of a pixel art recreation of Bruegel the Elder’s "Netherlandish Proverbs," a painting rich in Dutch idioms. The reviewer, initially drawn to the game’s puzzle mechanics, spent 36 hours over Christmas solving the grid, experiencing a mix of satisfaction and existential dread. While the gameplay offers endless dopamine hits through simple yet rewarding logic puzzles, it can lead to a numbing flow state, raising questions about productivity and leisure. Ultimately, the reviewer is ambivalent about recommending Proverbs, suggesting players try the demo first.

In an era where countless video games vie for attention, some titles unexpectedly capture widespread obsession. This phenomenon is exemplified by eight games that became viral sensations, achieving levels of popularity unforeseen even by their developers. Notable among these is Wii Sports, the best-selling console-exclusive game of all time. Initially included with the Nintendo Wii, it transcended its role as a simple tech demo to become a cultural phenomenon. Its accessible motion controls and party-game appeal drew in non-gamers, uniting families and generating unprecedented engagement. Despite not being a major Nintendo franchise, Wii Sports sold 82 million units and introduced gaming to millions, including older generations, showcasing its remarkable legacy.

Sports Interactive has canceled the 2025 edition of the popular Football Manager video game series, citing that it fell short of expected standards. Fans had grown concerned when the anticipated update did not arrive as scheduled. The developer announced the decision via a blog post, apologizing for the inconvenience and offering refunds to those who preordered. Planned upgrades, including enhanced visuals, a new interface, and the introduction of women’s teams, were deemed insufficiently developed. Sports Interactive will now focus on delivering a higher-quality 2026 version. The company explained that delaying beyond March would disrupt the football season and cited financial regulations for the late announcement. Efforts are now concentrated on ensuring the next release meets quality expectations.

Sports Interactive has canceled the 2025 version of Football Manager, a popular annual football management simulation game, following extensive discussions with partner Sega. Initially delayed from November 2024 to March 2025 due to various challenges, it became clear that the game did not meet the required standards even with the extended timeline. The company cited multiple unforeseen issues and stated that they would now focus on the next release. Since its inception in 1992 as Championship Manager, the game has evolved into an annual desktop-computer series under Sports Interactive, attracting millions of players. This cancellation marks a significant break from tradition, as the game has been released annually since 2005.

KRAFTON has announced *PUBG: Blindspot*, a top-down tactical shooter developed by PUBG Studios, featuring five-player teams in fast-paced, strategy-driven combat. Set for a demo release on February 21, 2025, ahead of Steam Next Fest, the game emphasizes vision-based tactical play and realistic gunplay. Developers aim to refine the game using player feedback from the demo. While no official release date has been set, *Blindspot* is part of KRAFTON’s broader portfolio, which includes projects like a *Subnautica* sequel and a life simulation game, *InZOI*. The title reflects KRAFTON's focus on integrating intense shooting with strategic depth.

The statement highlights opportunities for attendees to engage with industry icons from major gaming companies such as Amazon Games, Disney, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Square Enic, Take-Two Interactive, Ubisoft, and Warner Bros. Games. However, it remains uncertain if all these companies will participate in the upcoming conference. While executives from Amazon Games, Take-Two, Xbox, Ubisoft, and Square Enic have expressed interest, definitive attendance is not confirmed. This uncertainty echoes past events, like E3 2023, where several prominent studios, including Nintendo, Sony, Xbox, Ubisoft, SEGA, and Tencent, opted out, contributing to the event's decline.

Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of Rockstar Games, confirmed that "Grand Theft Auto VI" (GTA 6) will release this fall but withheld a specific date. The game, rumored to have a $2 billion budget, is anticipated to be one of the biggest releases of the decade, potentially grossing $3.2 billion in its first year. Take-Two reported net bookings of $1.37 billion in its fiscal third quarter, with shares rising 7% post-earnings. Mobile gaming, bolstered by the acquisition of Zynga, now constitutes 54% of Take-Two’s revenue. Despite overall industry challenges, Take-Two remains optimistic, with CEO Strauss Zelnick highlighting a strong year ahead. GTA 6's predecessor, GTA 5, has sold over 210 million copies since 2013, setting high expectations for the new title.