THiRD SHiFT

It's the first official THiRD SHiFT episode of 2026, and you know what that means - it's time for our New Year's Resolution special!

Join us as we look back at the abject failures of 2025 and set new goals for the coming year!

Releases: Dunecrawl & Parasite Mutant demo

Recorded on New Year's Eve, it's our 2025 Games of the Year special!

Thanks again to our friends Steve (aka Demented Wizard) and Gnomable for sending in their picks!

See you (officially) in 2026!

Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOI-asaC8Jk

This week Matt disappoints everyone, Eric shares some good news, and we give Santa our last-minute Christmas wish lists!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from your friends at THiRD SHiFT!

This week Eric feels divine, Matt knows now why you cry, and we give our thoughts on The Game Awards, their trailer prices, and which reveals we're actually excited for!

Releases: Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Definitive Edition & Terminator 2D: No Fate

This week Matt doesn't let out a Death Howl, Eric goes Beyond, and we've got a bunch of small news items to catch up on!

Releases: Death Howl & Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

This week we're wrapping up our TGA picks, giving thanks for some good things this year, and wishing you all the best!

For our American listeners, have a Happy Thanksgiving!

This week, Matt's on fire and down in the dumps, Eric goes back to school, and we start making our picks for The Game Awards!

Releases: Neon Inferno, Kingdoms of the Dump, & Demonschool

This week Eric swings a sword, Matt gets in the groove, and Nintendo and Sony show off some new projects!

Releases: GIGASWORD & Lumines Arise

This week(end) Matt goes continental, Eric goes invisible, and Gnomable saves our bacon in the mailbag!

Releases: Europa Universalis V & Arc Raiders

This week Eric goes back to his roots, Matt gets rolling, GOG and LRG bring back some classics, Resident Evil gets a release date, Animal Crossing gets new content, the Portal levels up, The Florist gets a trailer, IGN shows off some indies, and we end off with bad news!

Releases: DRAGON QUEST I & II HD-2D Remake & Once Upon A Katamari

This week Matt gets wet, Eric gets lonely, Borderlands 4 gets spooky, Scarface comes back (then goes missing), Joker hits the road, we reminisce about P5S, and we discuss the multiplatform future(?)! Plus a guest!

Releases: Powerwash Simulator 2 & The Lonesome Guild

This week Eric gets legendary, Matt has a ball, and we have a big news grab bag - the industry loses a legend, Steam loses some shmups, we talk Dead Space and EA, Quantic Dream throws a curveball, Borderlands 4 shows off its roadmap, and we bear witness to THE GREATEST COLLABORATION EVER!

Releases: Pokémon Legends: Z-A & Ball x Pit

This week Matt goes medieval, Eric gets blown away, Nintendo drops a pair of videos, Expedition 33 gets bonus content, Game Pass goes up, and we start beef in the Mailbag!

Releases: Absolum & Battlefield 6

This week Eric gets remastered, Matt goes abroad, and we get SUPER BUMMED OUT!

Releases: FINAL FANTASY TACTICS - The Ivalice Chronicles & Hotel Barcelona

This week Matt changes channels, Eric goes silent, and  Kojima, RGG, and PlayStation all have showcases!

Releases: Blippo+ & Silent Hill f

This week Eric gets beastly, Matt gets a visitor, and we discuss Borderlands 4 and our favorites from the Nintendo Direct!

Releases: Dying Light: The Beast & No, I'm not a Human

This week Matt gets lost in the wordplay, Eric crosses the border, we smell the symbols, discuss the vault hunters, and debate the spelling of Acclaim (Akklaim) as they return with a fun showcase!

Releases: Lost Soul Aside, Word Play, & Borderlands 4

This week Eric sees the dawn, Matt follows orders, and we discuss Stellar Blade, the Borderlands 4 marketing, Gearbox's PAX Panel, and the 007 First Light State of Play!

Releases: Cronos: The New Dawn & SHUTEN ORDER

This week Matt visits a barbershop, Eric gets artsy, Borderlands 4 is coming to PAX West, Silksong throws its weight around, PS5s are more expensive, the PS6 might go outside, and the music of the Witcher comes to a town near you!

Releases: Quartet & Shinobi: Art of Vengeance

This week Eric smells the sea air, Matt goes rogue, Kirby gets some air, Bandai Namco helps fight insomnia, and we discuss Gamescom Opening Night Live!

Releases: Sword of the Sea & The Rogue Prince of Persia

This week Matt goes off, Eric tries, we do some due diligence, Hell Is Us has a demo, WWE 2K25 brings Bray back, we discuss FBC Firebreak, and could Atlus be thinking about ReFantazio 2? (Hopefully not!)

Releases: OFF & Echoes of the End

(unofficial) BDL4 Skill Tree Planner: https://maxroll.gg/borderlands-4/planner

VGC Article: https://www.videogameschronicle.com/features/interview-how-wwe-2k25s-free-story-update-gives-new-meaning-to-the-previously-unheard-words-of-the-late-bray-wyatt/

This week Eric suffers the original heretical hex, Matt feels the impact, and we talk about pillows(?!), the Indie World and THQ Nordic showcases, and we look into the future with the Mailbag!

Releases: GRADIUS ORIGINS, Heretic + Hexen, & Artis Impact

This week Matt gets no sleep as time flies, Eric feels the rage, Nintendo shows off some third parties, Steam and Itch.io feel the pressure, and Battlefield 6 gets a multiplayer showcase!

Releases: No Sleep For Kaname Date - From AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES, Time Flies, & NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound

This week Eric is the goblin king, Matt goes to prison, Borderlands 4 has a Switch 2 release date, and in the gaming news we have all kinds of bad news, good news, rumors, pessimism, optimism, and everything in between!

Releases: Shadow Labyrinth & Back to the Dawn

This week Matt has a dream, Eric goes bananas, we discuss Sonic Racing Crossworlds, PlayStation Stars drops its final collectible, Virtuos gets hit with layoffs, Krafton and the Subnautica 2 heads go to court, Dead Take drops its cast list, Cyberpunk 2077 gets another big update, and the mailman comes again!

Releases: Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream & Donkey Kong Bananza

This week Eric kicks and flips, Matt goes ever deeper, and PlayStation holds a State of Play for Ghost of Yotei!

Releases: Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 & Everdeep Aurora

This week Matt shuffles the deck, Eric goes for broke, Microsoft confirms the rumors, Outriders 2 was reportedly near-complete, Bioware sets a date to shut down Anthem, and Bandai Namco has a Summer Showcase to keep the show from being completely sad!

Releases: Shuffle Tactics & Mecha BREAK

This week Eric marks the spot, Matt goes ALL CAPS, games are delisted from Netflix, Clair Obscur gets a DLC announcement, more gaming layoffs are on the horizon, Cronos: The New Dawn gets a gameplay showcase, and PSVR2 gets four new games!

Releases: Persona 5: The Phantom X, DEATH STRANDING 2 & FRONT MISSION 3: Remake

This week Matt gets altered, Eric gets broken, Borderlands 4 gets a price point, special editions, and previews, Marathon gets delayed, Xbox gives us a taste of the future, Konami remasters the past, and DK Bananza gets a Direct!

Releases: The Alters & FBC: Firebreak

This week Eric has a secret, Matt gets a splinter, we've actually played our Switch 2s, and we discuss the Summer Games Fest and XBox Showcases!

Releases: Five Nights at Freddy's: Secret of the Mimic & MindsEye

Yoshi's Island Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rih1-_JhvAE

Station to Station: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1fN1ZXSPQk

This week Matt gets a life, Eric sees the world, there are approximately 10,000 game showcases that we try to catch, and we may or may not have new Switch 2s!

Releases: Muffles' Life Sentence Episode 3 & Mario Kart World

This week Eric reigns, Matt meets his M.O.T.H.E.R., OTK Games shows off a ton of indies, EA closes down Cliffhanger Studios, and we get updates (and leaks) on some upcoming games!

Releases: Elden Ring: Nightreign & Haneda Girl

This week Matt rides the train (at all costs), Eric checks his watch, we're very sad about missing Krispy Kreme's Pac-Man collab, Nintendo files a new trademark, and PlayStation is shutting down its rewards program!

Releases: Monster Train 2, Deliver At All Costs, & Sea of Stars: Throes of the Watchmaker

This week Eric goes dark, Matt gets weird, Giant Bomb immediately re-forms, a PSSR upgrade is rumored, and Gearbox hits the stage at PAX East!

Releases: DOOM: The Dark Ages & Moroi

This week Matt kicks, Eric walks, Gears of War is on its way to PlayStation, Too Kyo Games is in the red, Half-Life 3 gets rumored again, GTAVI drops a new trailer, Polygon and Giant Bomb face big changes, and Gnomable has us feeling legendary in the Mailbag!

Releases: Despelote & The Midnight Walk

This week Eric rides a bike, Matt rides a train, EA does what they do best, gaming gets more expensive, and we get a State of Play for Borderlands 4!

Releases: Days Gone Remastered & FREERIDE

This week Matt goes to Southtown, Eric visits the Paintress, and we discuss the Mario Kart Direct, the Galaxies gaming showcase, and Bethesda shadow-drops the remaster of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion!

Releases: Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves & Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

The Imperial Guard Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_2Jduxc2P8

The Imperial Guard Song - Remastered: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77g3EMBlRFk

This week Eric shoots for the moon, Matt goes to Monaco, Cronos gets a new trailer, we discuss the $80 price point, and Gnomable throws Matt for a loop in the Mailbag!

Releases: LUNAR Remastered Collection & Monaco 2

This week Matt makes a promise and brings the latest PS5 and Switch 2 news!

Release: Promise Mascot Agency

This week Eric visits the frontier, Matt woos weapons, FF9 is totally a rumor you guys, GTA 6 obscures its release date, Eric drools over Doom, and our AI-generated segment goes off without a hitch!

Releases: SaGa Frontier 2 Remastered & Winner Winner Romantic Dinner

This week Matt pushes to the limit, Eric goes berserk, we get two showcases, and we almost blow up the show!

Releases: AI LIMIT & The First Berserker: Khazan

This week Eric gets shady, Matt goes to Helms Deep, Eric finally discusses the Silent Hill Transmission, and we discuss our favorites from the MIX Spring (/ Fall) Game Showcase!

Releases: Assassin's Creed Shadows & Cataclismo

This week Matt gets in a tight spot, Eric changes his face, Death Stranding 2 gets a new trailer and a release date, Eric misses Silent Hill, PSSR has an upgrade coming, and we finally answer Gnomable's mailbag question!

Releases: Knights in Tight Spaces, MainFrames, & Centum

This week Eric splits, Matt ends up in the slammer, Acclaim is on its way back, Expedition 33 gets a final preview, and Randy Pitchford wants to keep it positive!

Releases: Split Fiction & Muffles' Life Sentence

This week Matt tells a story, Eric goes wild, Netease studios may or may not still be in danger, WB Games brings down the ax, and we both go hog wild for Avowed!

Releases: Stories from Sol: The Gun-Dog & Monster Hunter Wilds

This week Eric gets spoilery about the new Captain America movie, Matt wants to be like Mike, and we discuss the latest news from Netease and Marvel Rivals, Overwatch 2, and a candid interview from Shuhei Yoshida!

Releases: Avowed & Urban Myth Dissolution Center

This week Matt keeps driving, Eric sees the break of day, and we break down the best games from the PlayStation State of Play!

Releases: Keep Driving & The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak II

This week Matt's fresh off the boat and an improper chopper, Eric returns, and we throw out some thoughts on Xbox's multiplatform future and the February release schedule!

Releases: Donkey Kong Country Returns, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, Sid Meier's Civilization VII, & Rift of the NecroDancer

This week Matt gets lost, Eric gets stranded, and Skies of Arcadia gets its trademark renewed!

Releases: Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero & Eternal Strands

This week Eric goes off, Matt lets the intrusive thoughts win, and we're pretty darn hyped after the Xbox Developer Direct!

Releases: ??? & None Shall Intrude

This week Matt gets grisly, Eric says grace, and we say goodbye to Counterplay, RGG shows off more Pirate Yakuza, the Switch 2 is revealed, and Ubisoft ponders a sale!

Releases: Grizzly Man & Tales of Graces f Remastered

This week Eric goes free, Matt makes an oath, we go over tons of news and rumors, and we dust off the Mailbag!

Releases: Freedom Wars Remastered & Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana

It's the first episode of 2025, and you know what that means - it's time for our New Year's Resolution special!

Join us as we look back at the abject failures of 2024 and set new goals for the coming year!

It's the final episode of 2024, which means it's time for our Game of the Year awards!

Thanks again to our friends Steve (aka Demented Wizard) and Gnomable (aka Ryan) for sending in their picks!

See you in 2025!

Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOI-asaC8Jk

This week Matt gets fiddly, it's game over for Eric, and we're hyped over the big reveals from The Game Awards!

Releases: Symphonia & Alien: Rogue Incursion

PS: I won.

This week Eric gets his wings, Matt gets animated, Suicide Squad Kill The Justice League's final update is announced, and we speculate on what we'll see from Borderlands 4 at The Game Awards!

Releases: Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered & Breath of Death VII: The Beginning: Reanimated

This week Matt has a blast, Eric follows the white rabbit, Devolver has an awards show, we get hyped for rumored new handhelds, and we guess at what we'll see revealed at The Game Awards!

Releases: ANTONBLAST & FANTASIAN Neo Dimension

This week we're wrapping up our TGA picks and giving thanks for all the great things from this year!

For our American listeners, have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Reaper Tutorial by Envato Tuts+: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-Tu14fG4C8

This week Matt goes loco, Eric has a heart, Sony eyes Kadokawa, the PlayStation Portal gets even better, and we start making our picks for The Game Awards!

Releases: Loco Motive & S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl

This week Eric goes old-school, Matt goes beast mode, The Game Awards FINALLY announces their nominee showcase, and Blizzard goes retro!

Releases: Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake & Beastieball

This week Matt rolls the dice, Eric frees his head, Nintendo makes a music app, and we revisit some favorites in the Mailbag!

Releases: Diceomancer & Slitterhead

This week Matt deals the cards, Eric pierces the veil, and we discuss more about Metaphor: ReFantazio and the shenanigans surrounding Dragon Age: The Veilguard!

Releases: Card-en-Ciel & Dragon Age: The Veilguard

This week Matt revisits his past, Eric goes to the lake, we show some more love to Metaphor: ReFantazio, and we check out the big news from the Xbox Partner Preview!

Releases: Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 Remake & Alan Wake 2: The Lake House

This week Eric goes quiet, Matt pets the dog, we give some rambling impressions on Metaphor: ReFantazio, and we get spooked by the Mailbag!

Releases: A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead & Neva

This week Matt keeps driving, Eric goes beyond the hill, Nintendo releases an alarm clock, and someone rings the doorbell!

Releases: Keep Driving, Silent Hill 2 Remake, & Beyond Shadowgate

It's a Quarter End Special! Eric sits on the throne, Matt's the king of the rain, and we cover another deluge of free games, go on a rant about game reviews, and look forward to another month of big releases!

Releases: Throne and Liberty, Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE Plus, & Shotgun King: The Final Checkmate v1.5

This week Matt hits the street and gets lost in space, Eric hears an echo, Assassins Creed gets delayed, we make big time purchases, and we're hyped from the latest State Of Play!

Releases: Shadows of Doubt, Mouthwashing, & The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

This week Eric plucks up his courage, Matt feels the action, Annapurna Interactive walks out, the Switch 2 is "leaked" and PlayStation absolutely goes to war on our bank accounts!

Releases: The Plucky Squire & UFO 50

This week Matt runs & guns, Eric loses his head, and we discuss the recently-revealed PlayStation 5 Pro!

Releases: Elsie & Lollipop Chainsaw RePop

This week Eric gets astral, Matt adds to his collection, and we discuss the Gearbox panel and Concord's fate!

Releases: Astro Bot & Ace Attorney Investigations Collection

This week Matt smiles and irons, Eric's a scoundrel, we discuss the Nintendo 2-Pack (Indie World + Partner Showcase), and we break out the canoe to go to Conjecture Land!

Releases: Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club, Iron Meat, & Star Wars Outlaws

This week Eric gets mythic, Matt goes West, Gearbox announces Borderlands 4, and we break down our favorites from Gamescom Opening Night Live!

Releases: Black Myth: Wukong & Arco

This week Matt does things, Eric goes to Vegas, we share some thoughts on the Borderlands movie, the resurrection of Tango Gameworks, the latest updates from Remedy Entertainment, and we go hands-on in the Mailbag!

Releases: Just Crow Things & Hellbreach: Vegas

This week Eric gets isekaied, Matt presses the button, PSVR2 gets its PC adapter, the Borderlands movie hits theaters, Game Informer says goodbye, and we catch a couple items from the THQ Nordic Showcase!

Releases: I Got Reincarnated as a Slime ISEKAI Chronicles & One BTN Bosses

This week Matt gives thanks, Eric goes hunting, Matt finally remembers Fallout London, and we discuss the latest layoffs from Bungie!

Releases: Thank Goodness You're Here! & Star Wars: Bounty Hunter

This week Eric gets conscripted, Matt goes on the defensive, Borderlands 3 gets a surprise cosmetic drop, and the Mailbag has us discussing what video game franchises we'd like to see again!

Releases: Conscript & Earth Defense Force 6

This week Matt walks the path, Eric's under siege, PlayStation Stars gets under our skin, and Matt has your hookup on Game Pass!

Releases: Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess & Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn

This week Eric catches a bug, Matt gets angry, and we get some hands-on time with The First Descendant and Zenless Zone Zero! How do they fare? You'll have to tune in to find out!

Releases: Parasol Stars: The Story of Bubble Bobble III & Anger Foot

This week Matt breaks through, Eric practices Zen, and we discuss The First Descendant and the (rumored? fake? real?) PS5 Pro!

Releases: The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak & Zenless Zone Zero

This week Eric gets haunted, Matt waits until then, we share some early thoughts on Shadow of the Erdtree, and a Mailbag question makes us revisit the Food Lion! [yes, we're still blocked on Twitter]

Releases: Luigi's Mansion 2 HD & Until Then

Short: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/We8eUEGrYUs

Long: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7v3TX2yGdEA

This week Matt gets deep, Eric sits in the shade, we get super hyped from the Nintendo Direct and share our thoughts on Dragon Age: The Veilguard!

Releases: Still Wakes The Deep & Shadow of the Erdtree

This week we're blowing up the format and bringing you a super-sized show about (almost) all the biggest hitters from the shows around Summer Game Fest!

This week Matt fades to black, Eric takes a final, and we discuss the latest from PSVR2, the upcoming Yakuza series, our Summer Game Fest hopes and dreams, and we open up the Mailbag!

Releases: SKALD: Against the Black Priory & Destiny 2: The Final Shape

Strafe "All Star" Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLjZjxRVJHM

Borderlands 3 "Mask of Mayhem" trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkHNbsQMxPI

Halo 3: ODST Live-Action trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rxUOdpAliE

Dead Space "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" trailer: https://www.youtube.com...

This week Eric runs it back, Matt dons a cape, and we get hyped over the latest State of Play!

Releases: MultiVersus & Capes

This week Matt paints the town red, no tv and no beer make Eric something something, we discuss Call of Duty's future on Game Pass, the latest Elden Ring DLC trailer, and this year's Inside Gaming poll results!

Releases: Rakugaki & Senua's Saga: Hellblade II

Fandom's Inside Gaming executive summary:

https://about.fandom.com/news/inside-gaming-2024-executive-study

This week Eric takes a dive, Matt [SPOILER REDACTED], Square Enix has good and very bad news, and we celebrate Episode 400!

Releases: Read Only Memories: NEURODIVER & Braid, Anniversary Edition

Intro music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oJ8DKK4Lu0

This week Matt's like a fetus, Eric starts to rise, there's a deluge of free games, we discuss the latest (bad) news from Microsoft, and the doorbell rings!

Releases: Heading Out & V Rising

Bonus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=em_WYo4sVg8

This week Eric feels blue, Matt's a real joker, Blizzard breaks the news, and we discuss the good stuff from the ID@Xbox Showcase!

Releases: Endless Ocean Luminous & Balatro

This week Matt tells a tale, Eric is stellar, and we gush over the Metaphor: ReFantazio Showcase!

Releases: Tales of Kenzera: ZAU & Stellar Blade

(Lemonade Apocalypse actually looks pretty cool.)

This week Eric gets wet, Matt picks right, and we catch up on two indie showcases - The Triple-i Initiative, and Nintendo's Indie World!

Releases: Final Fantasy XVI: The Rising Tide & Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes

This week Matt gets beat, Eric starts to wither, and we discuss the Stellar Blade demo, a bit of follow-up with Embracer, and Eric's new subscription!

Releases: Beat Slayer & Withering Rooms

This week Eric collects himself, Matt gets back to the grind, and we discuss PAX East (and a few standout games), the latest from Kotaku, the upcoming Stellar Blade demo, and the breaking news from Gearbox!

[Editor's note: There are lots of reports that Gearbox Publishing as a whole was not included in the sale and may be gone - at the time of recording, I'd only seen that "Gearbox Publishing San Francisco was not included and might be renamed before closing their doors".]

Releases: Grandia HD Collection & Pepper Grinder

This week Matt treads water, Eric gets lonely, and we're surprised by Capcom and Kinda Funny!

Releases: Highwater & Alone in the Dark

This week Eric gets cast out, Matt goes for a drive, we get the dates for Summer Game Fest, and say farewell to Akira Toriyama!

Releases: Outcast - A New Beginning & Pacific Drive

This week Matt goes berserk, Eric rides a unicorn, we say goodbye to Rooster Teeth, and we get pumped over the Xbox Partner Preview!

Releases: Berserk Boy & Unicorn Overlord

This week Eric is reborn, Matt goes dark, Remedy regains Control, EA breaks our hearts, and the Mailbag returns!

Releases: Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth & Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster

This week Matt gets cozy, Eric gets crafty, and we discuss the Borderlands movie trailer, the Elden Ring DLC reveal, and what we're most hyped for from the latest Nintendo Direct!

Releases: Bandle Tale: A League of Legends Story & Nightingale

This week there's too much noise in the house and we're both really irritated! But still Eric tells a tale, Matt banishes a skull to Arrakis, and we discuss the latest from Bloober Team's CEO and the future of both the PS5 and Xbox!

Releases: Legendary Tales, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden, Skull & Bones, & Microsoft Flight Simulator DLC

This week Matt is anomalous, Eric takes a dive, we discuss some demos you can download, and we lose our minds over the Final Fantasy VII Rebirth State of Play!

Releases: Anomaly Agent & Helldivers 2

This week Eric sleeps and has a fantasy, Matt jumps off a boat and joins the squad, and we're super hyped thanks to the latest State of Play!

Releases: Granblue Fantasy Relink & Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League