Sacred Symbols: A PlayStation Podcast

The Ubisoft that we knew is dead. In its place, a new structure has emerged, a federalized series of five "Creative Houses," each with its own studios, IP, revenue flow, and responsibilities. Ultimately, it's the new Ubisoft's way of giving their employees all the leeway they need to make great stuff. But then again, you know what they say about getting too much rope. Will the once-great French publisher survive and thrive again? One thing's for sure: The old way of doing things has long been a nonstarter. Other news this week includes a March 5th release date for Marathon, the spinning-off of Sony's TV business, more Xbox games en route to PS5, cumulative 2025 software sales data for the American market, and more. We then end things -- as we always do -- with six listener inquiries from our beloved audience. When should we expect word on Persona 6? Will we replay Returnal in preparation for Saros? How should Naughty Dog navigate the choppy marketing waters surrounding Intergalactic? Will Colin survive the upcoming winter storm?

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.

0:00:00 - Intro0:25:27 - Prayers for Gene0:32:11 - Colin preparing for snow0:41:07 - Isla Vanal0:46:21 - Burrito mishap0:54:08 - Ubisoft details their reorganization1:45:56 -  Sony spins-off TV business1:59:01 - Marathon has a release date2:13:37 - Four new Xbox games coming to PlayStation2:39:02 - ThiGames made a lot of money2:40:40 - December 2025 Circana data2:48:57 - Crimson Desert goes gold2:49:16 - Resident Evil: Code Veronica remake coming2:49:47 - What We’ve Been Playing (Mega Man 11, Front Mission 1st Remake, Jak & Daxter, Kingdom Hearts 23:05:59 - Naughty Dog noise3:14:58 - Settings unexplored in gaming3:19:46 - When will we see Persona 6?3:23:47 - How long will Highguard last?3:32:55 - Plans for Saros3:35:50 - Trendy tropes
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As PlayStation's aggressive pursuit of crossmedia success continues, we have a new piece of news worth considering in the form of the casting of Kratos in Amazon's upcoming God of War series. 6'6" American actor Ryan Hurst has won the coveted role, joining notable writers, directors, and a famous showrunner to make what could very well be Sony's most promising TV property yet. We discuss. Plus: A notorious developer known for more than a thousand asset flip-slash-Trophy farming games has all of its titles removed from the PSN, compelling evidence circulates that 2016's The Division is getting a Definitive Edition on PS5 somewhat imminently, Xbox's Fable joins Avowed as yet another game slated for Sony's console, Call of Duty sales purportedly plummet 60% year-over-year, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! With Colin only a few Platinums away from 200, is there any game he's specifically targeting for the milestone? Following the closure of Meta's largest VR studios, is the pursuit of virtual reality in games officially dead? Could Sea of Thieves be the actual, original extraction shooter (for lack of a better term)? Do we anticipate we'll ever win the Golden Globe for Best Podcast?

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.

0:00:00 - Intro0:30:04 - Rest in Peace Mojo0:34:17 - Golden Globe's best podcast0:37:48 - Stand down Dave0:38:38 - Long Island lore0:43:56 - Ryan Hurst is Kratos0:56:57 - The Division: Definitive Edition?1:04:21 - Is Sony doing something about Trophy slop games?1:20:34 - Forza Horizon 5 sells over 5 million on PS51:26:51 - Fable is coming to PS51:41:15 - Is Call of Duty failing?2:04:02 - PS+ Extra Games2:06:58 - PSN Top games 20252:11:36 - What We’ve Been Playing (Mega Man 11, Destiny 1, Kingdom Hearts 2)2:28:58 - Colin's 200ths platinum plans2:32:39 - Lillymo DLC2:39:40 - Forgiveness for a 4 year old's gaming skills?2:43:56 - Fallout Season 22:48:49 - Meta shutting down studios3:04:07 - Why doesn't Sea of Thieves get enough credit?
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Happy New Year! Well, maybe not so happy for Sony. That's because -- if rumors and percolations are true -- PlayStation 5's ROM keys have been leaked, meaning that the console is likely on the verge of being jailbroken. And for veterans of the PS3 era, you know precisely what that means: Chaos. Well, maybe? Let's discuss this potentially serious development. Also: Ruminations on the passing of legendary games producer Vince Zampella, new inbound DualSense and cover colors, Marathon's exiting art director, Gran Turismo 7 quietly amassing a huge player base, Kojima's plans to cast (and begin shooting) PHYSINT this year, China Hero Project title Convallaria running into serious issues, Wolfenstein 3 whispers, and much more. Then: Listener inquiries! With computing component pricing and rarity skyrocketing, should we expect a much-delayed PlayStation 6 launch? With only a few weeks until launch, is Wildlight's F2P shooter Highguard in serious trouble? Following a second Ghost game, what should Sucker Punch make next? Is Dustin quietly morphing into a furry before our very eyes?

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://www.betterhelp.com/symbols and get on your way to being your best self

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.

0:00:00 - Intro0:34:01 - Shout out to Thomas!0:35:25 - Post break mindset0:43:26 - Naming rights college trust fund0:56:34 - Dustin furry allegations1:07:54 - Vince Zampella's passing1:24:17 - Will PS5 be jailbroken soon?1:41:27 - New DualSense and covers coming1:46:19 - Marathon's art director leaves Bungie1:54:11 - GT7 has 2 million MAU2:05:46 - PHYSINT casting and motion capture in 20262:18:45 - Sony patents "AI Ghost"2:27:13 - China Hero Project game Convallaria in trouble2:35:51 - Machine Games is working on Wolfenstein 32:39:22 - New Witcher 3 DLC?2:46:48 - 007: First Light delayed2:48:25 - No Hundred Line on PS52:53:41 - January PS+ games2:57:06 - ARC Raiders dominates PSN and PSN top downloads3:14:26 - Games sales news3:15:55 - What We’re Playing (Terminator 2D, Dying Light: The Beast, Marvel Cosmic Invasion, MM Legacy Collection 1-2, MM11, Mega Man X, Fallout: New Vegas, The Alters, Dragon Quest VII demo, Skate Story, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance)3:48:22 - Is PS6 getting delayed okay?3:59:47 - What's going on with Highguard?4:13:26 - Gaming Merch4:24:22 - What's next for Sucker Punch?4:30:37 - Talking about what you like vs dislike4:37:42 - Crunch at Naughty Dog
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If rumors about PlayStation 6 are true, then we're well into the back-half of PS5's tenure as Sony's primary console. And -- as is often the case at this point in a generation -- the releases are starting to pick up drastically, especially dramatic considering the sheer number of options on the market these days. Thus, it's time for the second of our two yearly traditions here on Sacred Symbols, as we pre-record a couple of holiday episodes for Christmas break. While we gathered last week to look back at the year that was, it's now time to look forward at the year to come. Each of us has chosen five games (for 15 total) that we're looking forward to. The only rules are that they have to be PS5-bound and either confirmed or assumed for release in '26. That's it! So let's get into it, and see if any of your personal favorites made our list.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at ⁠https://www.betterhelp.com/symbols ⁠and get on your way to being your best self

Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/SACRED and use code SACRED and get $50 in lineups when you play your first $5 lineup!

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The holiday season is here, which means we're off for a bit. But, of course, new episodes never cease rolling out! Thus, we've arrived at the first of our two Christmastime traditions: Recounting the most consequential 'moments' in the world of PlayStation and beyond for the past calendar year. As usual, we've each selected five choices for 15 total, and they touch on topics like the first concrete rumors surrounding PlayStation 6, Helldivers 2's surprise migration to Xbox as Microsoft itself brings its whole slate of games to PS5, multiple Grand Theft Auto VI delays, the reemergence of Insomniac's Wolverine, Hermen Hulst's sudden demotion, Sony suing Tencent over the blatant Horizon ripoff Light of Motiram, and much more. Enjoy!
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