This week on the M2 Podcast, we break down a packed slate of industry shifts and major announcements. Xbox architect Jason Ronald hints that 2026 will be a milestone year as the brand approaches its 25th anniversary, fueling speculation around new hardware and ecosystem updates. Tomb Raider is officially confirmed for The Game Awards, with fans eager to see Crystal Dynamics’ long-awaited next chapter for the franchise. Meanwhile, former Perfect Dark leads resurface at 2K to build an all-new studio following the project’s cancellation at Xbox earlier this year. And in entertainment power-move territory, Paramount’s aggressive $108 billion bid for Warner Bros.—backed by investors tied to the EA acquisition group—escalates the fight for control of one of Hollywood’s most influential catalogs. We analyze the implications for gaming, media, and everything in between.

0:00 Intro

0:54 Update

8:42 Xbox architect Jason Ronald teases big things https://tinyurl.com/54nn3bcc

17:26 Tomb Raider Will Be at The Game Awards https://tinyurl.com/y2hv5k25

27:46 Take-Two Hires Former Perfect Dark Leads https://tinyurl.com/3bk5keas

32:16 Paramount bid for Warner Bros. https://tinyurl.com/yc65k5ek

51:24 Outro

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This week on the M2 Podcast, we break down a massive shake-up across the gaming industry. Micron officially shuts down its Crucial consumer RAM brand as AI demand overwhelms the memory market, leaving PC builders wondering what’s next. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 faces disappointing player numbers across consoles and PC, raising big questions about franchise fatigue. Bungie resolves the Marathon concept art plagiarism scandal with a public apology and new art direction commitments. And in the biggest business news of the week, Saudi Arabia’s Savvy Games Group acquires a majority stake in Electronic Arts, instantly reshaping the future of one of gaming’s most powerful publishers. We unpack the details, the impact, and what these moves mean for gamers going forward.0:00 Intro

0:51 Updates

10:06 Crucial is shutting down https://tinyurl.com/nfe53z44

18:51 Call Of Duty Is Underperforming https://tinyurl.com/kym3xdd3

47:28 Bungie’s ‘Marathon’ Plagiarism Scandal https://tinyurl.com/493c9f72

56:38 Saudi Arabia will own 93.4% of EA https://tinyurl.com/3pjw3x5p

1:05:19 Outro

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This week on the M2 Podcast, we dive into the wild state of PC hardware as RAM prices skyrocket so dramatically that some stores are selling memory like market-price seafood. We also break down Steam’s first-ever Black Friday sale and the standout discounts across major retailers, from PS5 Pro deals to Nintendo and Xbox bargains. Ubisoft somehow insists Beyond Good & Evil 2 is still alive—and is even hiring—so we unpack the ongoing saga behind gaming’s most infamous vaporware. All that plus our picks for the best Black Friday game deals you can grab right now.
0:00 Intro

1:23 Updates

14:14 RAM prices are so out of control https://tinyurl.com/46r2tbyd

22:50 Steam surprises fans with Black Friday sale https://tinyurl.com/wv8kdaa2

29:24 After 17 years, Ubisoft is hiring https://tinyurl.com/4uurr2tu

38:05 The 25 Best Video Game Deals https://tinyurl.com/365knzx7

49:44 Our Picks for Black Friday

1:05:20 Outro

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This week on the M2 Podcast, we break down some of the biggest stories in gaming. We dive into the unlikely seven-year journey behind Dispatch, the indie superhero hit that skyrocketed past one million sales in just ten days. We also look at Honeycomb Aeronautical’s new Echo Aviation Controller, a compact flight-sim device built for PC pilots with limited desk space. Then we get into why more gamers are jumping ship from Windows to Linux as frustration with Microsoft grows. And finally, we talk about Xbox’s ongoing struggle at The Game Awards, marking fifteen years without a single Xbox exclusive nominated for Game of the Year.

0:00 Intro

1:05 Update

12:00 Seven-Year Saga Behind Hit Game ‘Dispatch’ https://tinyurl.com/4exyx2at

31:35 The Echo Aviation Controller https://tinyurl.com/5n6scu2a

39:41 Screw it, I’m installing Linux https://tinyurl.com/227p9h9s

50:35 15 Years Since An Xbox Was Nominated For GOTY https://tinyurl.com/5ywdkb56

1:03:12 Outro

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In this episode, we break down a packed week in gaming news. Valve has unveiled a trio of new hardware—the Steam Frame, Steam Machine, and a redesigned Steam Controller—aiming to build a full Steam-powered ecosystem for 2026. Rockstar has delayed Grand Theft Auto VI yet again, pushing the long-awaited release to November 2026 in pursuit of extra polish. Meanwhile, Arc Raiders continues its explosive rise, surpassing 700,000 concurrent players across platforms in just its second weekend. And for PlayStation fans, cloud streaming is officially live on the PlayStation Portal, unlocking access to thousands of PS5 titles without needing your console nearby. It’s a big mix of hardware moves, surprise successes, and long waits ahead—let’s get into it.In this episode, we break down a packed week in gaming news. Valve has unveiled a trio of new hardware—the Steam Frame, Steam Machine, and a redesigned Steam Controller—aiming to build a full Steam-powered ecosystem for 2026. Rockstar has delayed Grand Theft Auto VI yet again, pushing the long-awaited release to November 2026 in pursuit of extra polish. Meanwhile, Arc Raiders continues its explosive rise, surpassing 700,000 concurrent players across platforms in just its second weekend. And for PlayStation fans, cloud streaming is officially live on the PlayStation Portal, unlocking access to thousands of PS5 titles without needing your console nearby. It’s a big mix of hardware moves, surprise successes, and long waits ahead—let’s get into it.

0:00 Intro

1:17 Update

14:12 Valve announces three new products https://tinyurl.com/hdz3rysh

38:55 Grand Theft Auto VI launch delayed https://tinyurl.com/3nk3z9ve

50:32 Arc Raiders surpassed 700,000 concurrent players https://tinyurl.com/27nrpxcm

59:10 Cloud streaming finally arrives on the PlayStation https://tinyurl.com/bddxadhv

1:07:57 Outro

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This week on the M2 Podcast, we explore major shifts and surprises across the gaming world. Halo: Campaign Evolved is making its long-awaited return with a full Unreal Engine 5 remake — complete with reimagined visuals, modernized gameplay, and even a debut on PlayStation 5. We then dive into Arc Raiders, a new extraction shooter that breaks the genre’s grim formula by focusing on fun and creative chaos instead of frustration and loss. Meanwhile, Amazon is stepping away from the MMO market, halting development on New World: Aeternum amid sweeping layoffs and pivoting toward smaller-scale party games. And finally, Ubisoft is back in the headlines with more layoffs and buyouts as Massive Entertainment refocuses on The Division series, leaving the future of Star Wars and Avatar uncertain.

0:00 Intro

1:27 Updates

26:35 Halo: Campaign Evolved https://tinyurl.com/3eh6fp3k

53:24 Arc Raiders is an Extraction Shooter That Actually Wants You to Have Fun https://tinyurl.com/f7f64xhx

1:05:17 Amazon is ditching MMOs https://tinyurl.com/458vcuev

1:17:00 Ubisoft is laying off more workers and offering voluntary buyouts https://tinyurl.com/59vk5kvx

1:26:22 Outro

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PODCAST ►► https://anchor.fm/m2podcast

AMAZON Music ► https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/091902c3-b83b-487c-8fe7-4c96787434fe/M2-Podcast

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This week on the M2 Podcast, we cover a shake-up at Remedy Entertainment as longtime CEO Tero Virtala steps down just weeks after the studio’s profit warning following FBC: Firebreak’s disappointing sales. We also look at former Battlefield 6 creative director Marcus Lehto’s frustration with EA’s uneven crediting of Ridgeline Games’ former developers. Microsoft is once again teasing the future of Xbox — and it might blur the line between console and PC even further. And finally, Arc Raiders’ design director reflects on the coincidental overlap with Bungie’s Marathon playtests, calling it an unexpected “A/B test” for the future of the extraction shooter genre.0:00 Intro0:45 Updates10:20 Remedy CEO steps down https://tinyurl.com/y7uam277 18:30 Ridgeline Games creative director 'disappointed' in Battlefield 6 https://tinyurl.com/mpc7hr3a 31:15 Microsoft just teased the next Xbox https://tinyurl.com/46dfcsyh 39:30 Arc Raiders designer compare and contrast Marathon https://tinyurl.com/363cn2rf56:15 OutroLeave a LIKE and a comment, thanks for watching/listening!-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------PODCAST ►► https://anchor.fm/m2podcastAMAZON Music ► https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/091902c3-b83b-487c-8fe7-4c96787434fe/M2-PodcastAPPLE ► https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1531832410BREAKER ► https://www.breaker.audio/m2-podcast-2CASTRO ► https://castro.fm/podcast/6f69d373-d879-46d9-9f1c-bcf7c4bf1741GOOGLE ► https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8zNTYwNWZiMC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw==OVERCAST ► https://overcast.fm/itunes1531832410/m2-podcastPOCKETCASTS ► https://pca.st/5jghvf6eRADIOPUBLIC ► https://radiopublic.com/m2-podcast-GMZkY4SPOTIFY ► https://open.spotify.com/show/2VedhO03IRoHERJqF6Sy87STICHER ► https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/m2-podcastTUNEIN ► http://tun.in/pj3ZI#podcast JOIN THE DISCORD! ►► https://discord.gg/Kp5Gre6KyleHeath Socials:TIKTOK ►► https://www.tiktok.com/@mrjkheathTWITCH ►► https://www.twitch.tv/kyleheathTWITTER ►► https://twitter.com/mrjkheathYOUTUBE ►► https://www.youtube.com/MrJkheathMadMikeWillEatU Socials:TIKTOK ►► https://www.tiktok.com/@madmikewilleatuTWITCH ►► https://www.twitch.tv/madmikewilleatu/aboutTWITTER ►► https://twitter.com/madmikewilleatuYOUTUBE ►► https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1MoIvzyMDvH_5Ta

This week on the M2 Podcast, we dive into Microsoft’s bumpy entry into handheld gaming with the Xbox Ally and Ally X — Windows-powered devices that feel more like PCs in disguise than true Xbox consoles. We also break down EA’s latest crackdown as Battlefield 6 bans Cronus Zen users across PC and console in a major anti-cheat move. Finally, Ubisoft surprises fans by resurrecting Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow on Steam after years in limbo — though, in true Ubisoft fashion, it still comes with a Uplay catch.

0:00 Intro

0:55 Updates

8:00 Xbox Ally and Ally X review: this is not an Xbox https://tinyurl.com/mhed6e5

46:00 Battlefield 6 is Banning Cronus Zen Users Across PC and Console (Updated) https://tinyurl.com/fnkvzazt

56:30 Ubisoft surprise-revives its neglected Splinter Cell, sort of https://tinyurl.com/3mxxaj8x

1:09:00 Outro

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