Kotaku Splitscreen

Episode 223: Kirk, Jason, and Maddy talk about Persona 5 and Animal Crossing, the cures for everyone's woes, then share some stories from listeners (43:19) about how they're coping with corona. Then they talk about a certain show that Jason's finally watching... (1:09:17)Music pick: “Tropicalia” by Beck from Mutations, 1998Maddy's stream this weekend: https://www.twitch.tv/gamers4bernie

Episode 222: As the coronavirus pandemic upends all of our lives, let Kotaku Splitscreen distract you for a little while with talk of delightful video games. First up, Jason, Kirk, and Maddy talk about Kentucky Route Zero, Persona 5 Royal, and Ori and the Will of the Wisps, then dive into the recent PS5 spec reveal (32:44) and talk about how they're coping with self-isolation. Then it's time for off-topic chat (1:07:25) on The Wire, McMillions, and The Wrecking Crew.Music pick of the week: “Cabin Essence” by Brian Wilson from Smile, 2004

Episode 221: Jason, Maddy, and Kirk talk about their adventures in Nioh 2, Black Mesa, and Persona 5 before taking a deep dive into the cancellation of E3 2020 (43:44), an unprecedented move that comes in the wake of the global coronavirus pandemic. What will this mean for the video game industry? Then they get into off-topic (1:05:15) on I Think You Should Leave, Castlevania, and one fantastic episode of Reply All.Music pick of the week: “Blues Stride” by McCoy Tyner from Infinity, 1995

Episode 220: Kirk, Jason, and Maddy talk about Kentucky Route Zero, Baldur's Gate 3, and a bit more Kirby before jumping into a few different topics (24:24) including their gamer personalities, a frustrating VentureBeat article about Quantic Dream, and the much-hyped Final Fantasy VII remake demo, which they have LOTS of thoughts about. Finally, off-topic discussion (1:28:38) on Curb Your Enthusiasm and Bojack Horseman.Music pick of the week: “Get By’ By Talib Kweli from Quality, 2002Links: Quantic Foundry surveys, Jason's thoughts on Final Fantasy VII Remake, CanardPC on QuanticDream, Kirk and Leigh Alexander on Final Fantasy VII

Episode 219: Jason, Kirk, and Maddy talk about Dragon's Dogma, Death Stranding, and Divinity: Original Sin 2 for a while before diving into the game that everyone's playing -- Kirby: Planet Robobot (33:27). Then they talk about how the coronavirus pandemic may impact the video game industry this year in some big ways and discuss whether Trials of Osiris will bring Kirk and Jason back to Destiny 2. Finally, some off-topic chat on Uncut Gems, RoboCop, and Better Call Saul.Music pick of the week: “By Fire” by Hiatus Kaiyote from Choose Your Weapon, 2015Links: "The Universe Has Been Outsourced" - Michael ThomsenApple Music playlist: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/kirks-strong-songs/pl.u-V9D7mXEHJ7o0aSpotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1zRtCq81Z6kXKmGCK0Xm7u?si=2qwuFExCTfCkRFY9d3hUhA

Episode 218: Jason returns to complete the trifecta and take his rightful place as Splitscreen's Triforce of Power... or is it Triforce of Courage? He, Kirk, and Maddy talk about some video games they're playing, including Dragon's Dogma, Death Stranding, and Enter the Gungeon. Then they dive into a Disco Elysium spoilercast (38:31) to talk about the game's guiding ethos, its ending decisions, and what it all means. Finally, it's off-topic talk (1:16:53) about Mythic Quest, the new Apple TV show about video game development, is actually pretty damn good!!!Music pick of the week: D’angelo and the Vanguard - “Ain’t That Easy” from Black Messiah, 2014Links: Apple Music - https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/kirks-strong-songs/pl.u-V9D7mXEHJ7o0aSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1zRtCq81Z6kXKmGCK0Xm7u?si=2qwuFExCTfCkRFY9d3hUhACameron Kunzelman on the end of Disco Elysium: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/v7445x/the-mysterious-magical-end-of-disco-elysium-was-one-of-the-years-best

Episode 217: Kirk and Maddy start by discussing the upcoming "reinvention" of Anthem, then talk about what we're playing, with Kirk having beaten The Evil Within 2 and Maddy playing Death Stranding and Super Metroid. Next we bring on Kotaku senior reporter Nathan Grayson (20:41) to talk about the new Metro Exodus DLC, as well as his recent reporting on Twitch and Mixer and the lucrative deals that streamers have been cutting with platforms. We close with off-topic talk (53:46) about John Wick, Birds of Prey, and Sex Education.Music pick of the week: “Incwadi Encane” by Simmi from her 2018 album Tugela FairyLinks:BioWare Plans A 'Substantial Reinvention' Of AnthemTop Streamers Are Leaving Twitch Amidst Big Money And Shady DealsWhy Twitch Fans Donate Money To Wealthy StreamersMusic Picks Playlists - Apple Music, Spotify

Episode 216: Maddy and Kirk talk about games they're playing, with Maddy having beaten Disco Elysium and returning to Death Stranding, and Kirk having beaten A Plague Tale: Innocence and finally able to start The Evil Within 2. After a break (35:53), we bring on Kotaku video producer Paul Tamayo to talk about his coverage of Journey To The Savage Planet. Then, he tries to sell us on playing Dragon's Dogma (and he's pretty convincing). We close with off-topic discussion (59:51) about The Wire, Dunkirk, Cheer and The Good Place.Music pick of the week: “La Villa Strangiato” by Rush from Hemispheres, 1978Links: Paul Tamayo's Journey To The Savage Planet videoThe Optional podcast (Paul's show)Music Picks Playlists - Apple Music, Spotify

Episode 215: Kirk and Maddy talk about games they're playing, with Kirk still restricting himself to beating A Plague Tale: Innocence before he can start playing The Evil Within 2. Maddy is playing too many games and has decided to start another one, which is Kentucky Route Zero. After a break (22:54), they bring on Kotaku staff writer Ethan Gach for a Destiny 2 update and more emails from listeners about hard-won gaming accomplishments. Then we get into off-topic talk (1:05:16) about The Witcher, Lost In Space, Joker, and Uncut Gems.Music pick of the week: Timnit Welday, “Weni” - New Ethiopian Tigrigna (tee-greena) music (via YouTube)Links:Henry Cavill breaks down The Witcher fightMusic Picks Playlists - Apple Music, Spotify

Episode 214: Maddy and Kirk talk about games they're playing (without Jason), with Maddy starting up Pokemon: Shield and Kirk having finally beaten Disco Elysium, as well as continuing with The Witcher 3 and Plague Tale: Innocence. After that (36:52), we read listeners' stories about the hardest challenges they've ever bested in video games. We don't get through all of them, so we're going to keep that up in future episodes. We close out the show with off-topic discussion (1:06:06) about You Must Remember This, Avatar, and Uncut Gems.Music pick of the week: “Migrations” by Chris Potter feat John Scofield from his 2002 album Traveling MerciesLinks:"Game Delays Cause More Crunch" by Jason Schreier The Witcher anime filmMusic Picks Playlists - Apple Music, Spotify

Episode 213: Jason, Kirk, and Maddy talk about Disco Elysium, Hollow Knight, and Monster Hunter: Iceborne before checking in on some quick news (29:00): Sony's skipping E3 and Final Fantasy VII and Avengers are both delayed. Then they open up the listener mailbag for some questions about the hardest things they've ever done in a video game, whether Microsoft will ever turn Xbox into a living room PC, and the games they might hypothetically speedrun. They close things off with some off-topic talk (1:07:00) on James Cameron, Parasite, and the glorious return of Jason's NFL Playoff stories.Music pick of the week: “The Other Side” by Moonchild from their 2019 album Little GhostLinks:Heather Alexandra on speedrunning.Luke Palmer on Snowpiercer and Willy WonkaMusic Picks Playlists - Apple Music, Spotify

Episode 212: Kirk, Jason, and Maddy talk about the games they played over the holidays, like Resident Evil 2, The Witcher 3, and Control, then look back at their predictions for 2019 to see who got the most things right (28:22). Then they make predictions for 2020, a year that will no doubt be full of fun video game nonsense. They close things off with movie talk on Knives Out, Parasite, Little Women, and more (1:10:53).Music pick of the week: “Dream Sweet in Sea Major” by Miracle Musical (ミラクルミュージカル) from the 2012 album Hawaii: Part II(Kirk's playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1zRtCq81Z6kXKmGCK0Xm7u?si=2qwuFExCTfCkRFY9d3hUhA)

Episode 211: Jason, Kirk, and Maddy continue their discussion of the games they played in 2019, capping off the year with July through December.The games: Dragon Quest Builders 2, A Short Hike, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Wolfenstein Youngblood, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3, Telling Lies, Grandia HD Collection, Rebel Galaxy Outlaw, Control, Remnant: From The Ashes, Madden NFL 20, Eliza, Final Fantasy VIII Remastered, AI: The Somnium Files, No Man’s Sky: Beyond, Zelda: Link’s Awakening, What The Golf?, Assemble With Care, Spek, Bleak Sword, Grindstone, Ori and the Blind Forest (Switch), Gears 5, Hitman 2: Haven Island, Borderlands 3, Untitled Goose Game, Sayonara Wild Hearts, Destiny 2: Shadowkeep, Disco Elysium, The Outer Worlds, Luigi’s Mansion 3, Ring Fit Adventure, Afterparty, Death Stranding, Guildlings, Romancing Saga 3, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaire's Conspiracy (Switch), Star Ocean: First Departure R, Heroland, Shovel Knight: King of Cards, Shovel Knight Showdown, Halo: Reach PC re-release

Maddy, Jason and Kirk have all seen Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, and guess what? They have some thoughts. Our three hosts—a Force Triad, you could say—sat down and recorded a spoilercast that is nearly as long as the movie itself. Because, you see, these things echo. They rhyme.ADDITIONAL READING:Jason and Chris Kohler's conversation about the movie on Kotaku: https://kotaku.com/well-okay-lets-talk-about-star-wars-the-rise-of-skyw-1840561224Kirk's old article about how The Last Jedi makes The Force Awakens more interesting. (RIP a few of those reasons): https://kotaku.com/star-wars-the-last-jedi-makes-the-force-awakens-much-m-1821721569The Star Wars leaker's version of the story as posted to Reddit, which Jason references a few times during the cast and which differs from the final movie in some interesting ways: https://www.reddit.com/r/StarWarsLeaks/comments/d5i0ye/the_basic_plot_of_the_rise_of_skywalker_updated/

Episode 210: It's time for everyone's favorite tradition as Jason, Maddy, and Kirk go through all the games they've played in 2019, starting with January through June. (July-December coming next week!) Then (1:30:00) it's time for a Watchmen SPOILERCAST!The games: Slay the Spire, The Hong Kong Massacre, Kingdom Hearts III, Resident Evil 2 Remake, Wargroove, Metro Exodus, Apex Legends, Anthem, Far Cry New Dawn, Tetris 99, Ape Out, Sekiro, The Division 2, Baba Is You, Devil May Cry 5, Days Gone, Phoenix Wright Trilogy (Switch), Mortal Kombat 11, Zanki Zero: Last Beginning, Void Bastards, Rage 2, Outer Wilds, Beat Saber, Gato Roboto, Collection of Mana, Cadence of Hyrule, Timespinner (Switch), My Friend Pedro, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, Mario Maker 2

The 2010s were drawing to a close, and Jason, Kirk and Maddy decided to each pick a single game that defined the decade. It was not an easy decision. Many equally definitive games were left alone on the street, crying "My legacy!!" to any who would listen. A trinity, however, made it across the threshold, ready... for discourse.A hush fell over the room. Bang! A gavel, like a starter pistol. "I call this discussion to order," said the Judge from Phoenix Wright, who had been brought in especially for the occasion. "Please hold your objections until after the opening statements."Jason ambled to the podium, dragons on his mind. Maddy waited behind him, idly leafing through her notes on character development and archery. Kirk stood off to the side, squinting at a screenshot of an empty Oregon home.Each of their picks defined the decade in one way or another. But which one was... the definitiveist? The Judge's gavel fell once more. The discourse began........Anyway, that segment begins at 26:25. First we talked about the games we're playing, from Shovel Knight: King of Cards to Halo: Reach and Red Dead Redemption 2 on PC. We closed out at 1:11:16 with some off-topic discussion of The Irishman, Elementary, and Good Omens. It was a fun ep.MUSIC PICK OF THE WEEK:"Ectogenesis" by Animals as Leaders from their 2016 album The Madness of Many.MUSIC PICK PLAYLISTS:Apple music: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/kirks-strong-songs/pl.u-V9D7mXEHJ7o0aSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1zRtCq81Z6kXKmGCK0Xm7u?si=2qwuFExCTfCkRFY9d3hUhA

Episode 208: Jason, Kirk, and Maddy talk a bit about Luigi's Mansion 3, Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order, and Baba Is You before jumping into discussion of the new Half-Life VR game and next-gen consoles (19:11). Then they rave about Watchmen for a while (43:19) and close things out with some Jedi Fallen Order spoiler chat.

Episode 207: Happy turkey day! Kirk, Maddy, and Jason open up the Thanksgiving mailbag to answer some of your questions on their video game origin stories, SNES save states, emulating Death Stranding in Zelda: Breath of the Wild, what other animals should get their own Untitled Goose Game, and much more.

Episode 206: Finally, a good-ass Star Wars video game! Kirk, Jason, and Maddy take a deep dive into Jedi Fallen Order, the great new Star Wars single-player action-adventure game from Respawn. They talk about its influences, its difficulty, and whether Uncharted and Metroid really harmonize. Then they get into Half-Life VR and the tepid launch of Google Stadia (46:35) followed by some off-topic talk (1:04:49) on The Righteous Gemstones and Musicophilia. Music pick of the week: “Will O’ The Wisp” from Sketches of Spain by Miles Davis & Gil Evans

Episode 205: Jason, Kirk, and Maddy talk about a bunch of video games (Disco Elysium, the new Layton, Death Stranding, and so on) before jumping into some analysis of Disney's new Disney Plus streaming service and the Great Streaming Wars (33:32). Is there too much content? Yes. The answer is yes. Plus: His Dark Materials, Big Mouth, and The Mandalorian!Music pick of the week: “Light of a Clear Blue Morning” by Dolly Parton from New Harvest… First Gathering, 1977Links: 'Disco Elysium' Is a Landmark RPG About the Politics of Our Broken World [Cameron Kunzelman, Vice]Podcast: Pop culture unites us as Americans. Will streaming services change that? [Lauren Katz, Vox]Disney Is Quietly Placing Classic Fox Movies Into Its Vault, and That’s Worrying [Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture]

Episode 204: It's Death Stranding time! Kirk, Maddy, and Jason spend some time talking about BlizzCon and Luigi's Mansion 3 before jumping into discussion of Metal Gear Solid director Hideo Kojima's new game (25:40), which all three of them have played. They talk about its slow start, why Jason couldn't play more than two hours, and why Kirk and Maddy are loving its weird clunkiness. The show ends with some off-topic talk (58:09) on Trick Mirror, Us, and the Legend of Gardner Minshew.Music pick of the week: “The Other Side of Summer” by Elvis Costello from Mighty Like a Rose, 1991To read: Death Stranding: The Kotaku Review [Kotaku];What Happened to Deadspin, According to the People Who Were There [Slate];The Future of the Culture Wars is Here, and it’s Gamergate [Deadspin]

Papa Jason is back from paternity leave and he’s got a bunch of newfound parenting knowledge to share… or at least, he played a bunch of games and watched a bunch of TV. He and Kirk talk in-depth about Disco Elysium and The Outer Worlds, two of the games they’ve both been playing. Then Maddy shares some spare thoughts on her journey to the end of Fire Emblem. The *first* end, anyway.After that they talk news, with some expectations and predictions about the upcoming BlizzCon, Ghost Recon Wildlands bombing hard enough to make Ubisoft delay a bunch of games, and the latest beleaguerment in the Fallout 76 saga.Referenced on this episode: Fraser Brown’s PC Gamer article about Disco Elysium and The Outer Worlds: https://www.pcgamer.com/disco-elysium-has-ruined-the-outer-worlds-for-me/Music Pick of the Week: “Just Another Day” by Oingo Boingo from Dead Man’s Party, 1985

Maddy and Kirk talk about games they're playing, with Maddy trying out Sayonara Wild Hearts and Kirk still diving into the interlocking brain systems that Disco Elysium gives its protagonist. After that, we bring on Kotaku staff editor Natalie Degraffinried (24:05) to talk about Ring Fit Adventure, which is Nintendo's latest attempt to make an exercise video game. We also look back on Wii Fit, Dance Dance Revolution, and more. We close with off-topic talk (54:52) about the Charlie's Angels movies, as well as Watchmen—the book, the movie, and the show.Music pick of the week: “American Music” by the Violent Femmes from “Why Do Birds Sing,” 1991

Kirk and Maddy talk about games they're playing, which in Maddy's case is still Destiny 2 and Borderlands 3. Kirk beat Sayonara Wild Hearts, a music-focused game that he strongly recommends, and he just started Disco Elysium, a detective game with a ton of dialogue systems. We then break for some discussion of the news (32:23), touching on Kotaku's coverage of Pokemon Go and privacy, Blizzard's approach to China and Hong Kong, and the Fortnite black hole. We close with off-topic talk (56:53) about books each of us has read: Educated by Tara Westover, Green Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson, and Y: The Last Man by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra.Music pick of the week: “Begin Again” from the Sayonara Wild Hearts Soundtrack, by Daniel Olsen and Jonathan Eng, feat Linnea Olsson.“The Creators Of Pokémon Go Mapped The World. Now They're Mapping You” by Cecilia D'Anastasio and Dhruv Mehrotra: https://kotaku.com/the-creators-of-pokemon-go-mapped-the-world-now-theyre-1838974714“Are China's Tantrums Signs of Strength or Weakness?” by Zeynep Tufekci: https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2019/10/why-does-china-care-about-daryl-moreys-hong-kong-tweet/600001/

To celebrate the 200th episode of Splitscreen, Maddy finally started playing Destiny 2. Meanwhile, Kirk beat Untitled Goose Game. We also bring on Kotaku staff writer Joshua Rivera (30:28) to discuss his article about Blizzard's crackdown on a pro Hearthstone player who spoke out about Hong Kong, and then the three of us discuss Borderlands 3, Destiny 2, and all the looting and shooting that can be done in those games. We close with off-topic discussion (1:17:50) about Gentleman Jack, The Great British Bake-Off, and The Real World.Music pick of the week: “Since 99” by Vargas and LagolaWired PS5 Exclusive: https://www.wired.com/story/exclusive-playstation-5/Planet Money on Hong Kong: https://www.npr.org/2019/07/19/743480237/episode-928-hong-kongJoshua Rivera's Hong Kong article: https://kotaku.com/blizzards-hong-kong-missteps-prove-video-games-arent-ne-1838913631Borderlands 3 review: https://kotaku.com/borderlands-3-the-kotaku-review-1838290570

Kirk and Maddy start by congratulating Jason on his new fatherhood, then get straight to the heart of the matter: video games. Maddy's still playing Fire Emblem and also tried two cool tabletop games, Sheriff of Nottingham and Escape from Aliens in Outer Space. Kirk's tabletop group is still playing Betrayal Legacy; Kirk also played the new Hitman level and... drumroll... Destiny 2: Shadowkeep. After a break (28:32), we bring on Kotaku's editor-in-chief Stephen Totilo to talk about Ghost Recon: Breakpoint and also attempt to define a sidequest (and shout out some of our favorite ones). We then close out with off-topic talk (1:08:15) about Elementary, Star Trek: The Next Generation and Can You Ever Forgive Me?Music pick of the week: "Oh My," Natalie Prass

Kirk and Maddy make do without Jason, who's busy with imminent fatherhood, and discuss the joys of Untitled Goose Game and playing games as a jerk (who is also a goose). Kirk is also stuck on a Gears 5 boss and trying out tons of new offerings in Apple Arcade. We break for news (31:04) about the Oculus Quest, further discussion of Apple Arcade and subscription services, and a bunch of listener emails about weird gaming traditions. We close with off-topic talk (59:54) about Dark Crystal and Hustlers.Music pick of the week: "Little Wing," Jimi Hendrix

Episode 197: Kirk, Jason, and Maddy talk about the great new visual novel AI: The Somnium Files, the wonderfully addictive Fire Emblem, and Remnant: From the Ashes, aka Gears of Dark Souls. Then they get into news (34:07) on Nicalis and Apple Arcade, plus a listener question about weird gaming traditions. Finally, off-topic talk (57:16) and the legend of Gardner Minshew continues (or does it?).Music pick of the week: “Rock Steady” by Aretha Franklin from Young, Gifted and Black, 1972

Episode 196: The Splitscreen krew talks Gears 5, Link's Awakening, and Telling Lies, then moves into news of the week (33:53) on P.T. discoveries, Destiny's five-year anniversary, and esports in the Olympics. Then they get into off-topic (48:58) chat on Derren Brown's 'Secret,' Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, and Succession, before bringing back "Jason's NFL story of the week" to introduce the legend of Gardner MinshewMusic pick of the week: “7” by Prince and the New Power Generation from The Love Symbol AlbumShow notes: Joshua Rivera on five years of Destiny, Kirk Hamilton on three years of Destiny, Kathryn VanArendonk - Is Succession a Comedy?

Episode 195: Kirk, Maddy, and Jason talk about Gears 5, Final Fantasy VIII Remastered, and Control, then dive into some listener questions (31:21) on buying games from problem companies, the best controllers, and silent protagonists. They close things out with off-topic talk (55:28) on Billions, Bundyville, and some Veronica Mars spoilers.

Episode 194: The Splitscreen Squad talks about the excellent Control, the grindy Dragon Quest XI, and Maddy's comparisons between Gears of War 4 and Fire Emblem: Three Houses. Then they talk news of the week ((24:28) on Telltale getting revived (as a shambling corpse), industry sexual harassment allegations, and weird controversies surrounding the game Ion Fury. Off-topic talk this week (55:21) is all about The Family, Y: The Last Man, and Billions.Music pick of the week: “Burning Up” by Marianas Trench from Astoria, 2014

Episode 193: Maddy, Kirk, and Jason talk about Gears of War 4 and the never-ending Fire Emblem: Three Houses before jumping into this week's news from Gamescom (Kojima! Insomniac! Ori and the Blind Forest to Switch!) and, finally, an Outer Wilds spoilercast (35:34). Then some off-topic talk (1:15:45) on Heaven's Gate, Billions, and Succession.Music pick of the week: “Pyramid Song” by Radiohead from Amnesiac, 2001

Episode 192: Jason is back from book leave, so why not talk about the one thing that's been on his mind for the last four weeks: Internet distractions! First the gang talks about the games they've been playing, like Outer Wilds and Eliza, before getting into Fire Emblem (29:22) and some productivity tips. Finally, they talk about Saga, Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood, and Veronica Mars (1:04: 26).Music pick of the week: “Come Home With Me/Wedding Song” from Hadestown by Anaïs MitchellShow notes: Rob Zacny (Vice) on Eliza, Nathan Grayson (Kotaku) on the Epic Games Store

Maddy and Kirk start by discussing the news from last weekend, citing Joshua Rivera's editorial "We Do Not Need To Defend Video Games From Politicians," as well as Maddy's coverage of the ESA leaking journalists' personal information. Next, they talk about games they've been playing; Maddy's still enjoying Phoenix Wright, and Fire Emblem: Three Houses has taken over Kirk's life. After that, Kotaku editor-at-large Riley MacLeod came on to discuss his coverage of the Fortnite World Cup (27:08) and the kid-friendly atmosphere of the event. We close with off-topic talk (1:01:10) about Schitt's Creek and Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy.Music pick of the week: “All Will Be Well” by Gabe Dixon

Maddy and Kirk talk about what they're playing; in Maddy's case, that involves a brand new gaming monitor that makes Outer Wilds look so, so good. She's also playing Madden NFL 20. Meanwhile, Kirk beat Death of the Outsider, started up Wolfenstein: Youngblood and Fire Emblem, and tried Burgle Bros with his tabletop group. We then bring in Kotaku senior reporter Cecilia D'Anastasio (35:06) for discussion about her article, "For Men Who Hate Talking On The Phone, Games Keep Friendships Alive," and also, the importance of gaming etiquette, especially for competitive games. We close out with off-topic discussion (1:11:32) about Veronica Mars... again.Music pick of the week: “What A Wonderful World” by Sam Cooke

Kirk and Maddy talk about the games they're playing (still without Jason): Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 in Maddy's case, and Dishonored: Death of the Outsider on Kirk's end, as well as Tetris Effect. Then, Kotaku's newest staff writer Joshua Rivera comes on for a segment (22:27) about the concept of being "tilted," (or frustrated by a game), and also, the perfect squad size. We close with off-topic discussion (58:57) of Billions, Good Omens, and Veronica Mars (again).Music pick of the week: “Remind Me” by Emily King

Maddy and Kirk, left to their own devices, talk shop about the best gaming monitors and Kirk's continued Google-free lifestyle. Then they get into games they're playing, with Maddy on Outer Wilds, House Flipper, and a few board games including a bluffing game called Skull. Kirk's still playing Betrayal Legacy and has gotten back to playing Dishonored: Death of the Outsider. After that, they invite in Kotaku's Gita Jackson (34:28) for a segment about Fire Emblem: Three Houses, which sounds delightful, and some discussion of Gita's article, "The Video Games That Made People Question Their Beliefs." Lastly, we get into off-topic talk (1:10:37) about the podcast Criminal, Veronica Mars, and more.Music pick of the week: “Bicyclops” by Bela Fleck and Chick Corea

Episode 187: Jason, Kirk, and Maddy talk about the games they've been playing, including Metro Exodus, West of Loathing, Mario Maker 2, and Dragon Quest Builders 2. Then it's time to talk about news (33:25) on Nintendo's new Switch Lite... Lite Switch?... as well as G2A shadiness (would YOU give up your integrity for $50 million?) and a Wind Waker discovery in Breath of the Wild. Then the gang talks Stranger Things, Veronica Mars, and Spider-Man: Far From Home (54:23).Music pick of the week: “Crazy on You” by Heart

Episode 186: Happy fourth of July! Kirk, Jason, and Maddy talk about some video games (Mario Maker 2, Metro Exodus, Cadence of Hyrule) before cracking open the mailbag (22:32) for some listener questions about video game streaming in schools, how to review video games, whether Final Fantasy VII Remake will still be going until the 2030s, and much more. Then, off-topic chat (1:20:18) on Fullmetal Alchemist, Veep, and a very important question about Toy Story's Woody.

Episode 185: Jason, Kirk, and Maddy speedrun their way through a new episode of Kotaku Splitscreen, starting with some ranting and raving about Outer Wilds before talking Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, the Xbox Elite controller, and Bloodstained. Then they get into news (29:01) on Tifa's boobs, Auto Chess, and Jason's recent article about Treyarch's treatment of contract staff and the development of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. They close things out with off-topic chat (52:16) on Evangelion, Veep, and The Journalist and the Murderer.Music pick of the week: James Brown, “Mother Popcorn,” released as a single in 1969Show notes:How video game breasts are made (Patricia Hernandez): https://kotaku.com/how-video-game-breasts-are-made-and-why-they-can-go-so-1687753475Veep Is Over. Is America Next? (Jen Chaney): https://www.vulture.com/2019/05/veep-series-finale.htmlDOOM: The Fake Outrage (Shaun_Jen) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l63nY0AYebI

Episode 184: Jason and Maddy are back from E3, regaling Kirk with tales of sweaty convention controllers and all the video games they played in Los Angeles. First, everyone talks about the games they're currently playing, like Outer Wilds, Cadence of Hyrule, and Collection of Mana. Then it's time for E3 chat (34:29) about The Avengers, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Cyberpunk 2077, Link's Awakening, Astral Chain, and many, many more games, followed by off-topic talk (1:17:18) on Dark Phoenix, Billions, and Chernobyl.Music pick of the week: “Lunchtime” off of Cory Wong’s new album Live in the U.K.

At the Devolver lot across the street from E3, Maddy sat down with Cullen Dwyer and Joseph Bourgeois, two of the developers of Gato Roboto and also the Devolver Bootleg, which features eight faux-bootleg versions of Devolver games like Hotline Miami and Ape Out. This is Cullen and Joseph's first E3, which they celebrated by buying themselves cool robes to wear. We spend a not insignificant portion of this interview talking about the robes.

E3 2019: Jason Schreier chats with Mateusz Tomaszkiewicz, quest director at CD Projekt Red on the much-anticipated RPG Cyberpunk 2077, about the scope of this massive game, how their approach to quest design has changed from The Witcher 3, and the importance of communication in game development.

E3 2019: Jason Schreier talks to Dave Lang, founder and C3PO of Iron Galaxy, about what it's like to run a large game studio that avoids excessive overtime, how to create a culture of healthy work-life balance, and why his title is C3PO.

E3 2019: Jason Schreier talks to Obsidian's Leonard Boyarsky, co-creator of the original Fallout and now co-director of The Outer Worlds, about what it's been like to go back into post-apocalyptic sci-fi after a decade at Blizzard, how his new game explores fascism and corporate governance, and how video game development has changed over the past 30 years.

E3 2019: Jason Schreier sits down with Marcin Iwiński, founder and co-CEO of Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Projekt Red, to follow up on their conversation about crunch a few weeks ago. They also talk about Cyberpunk 2077's ambitious scope, controversies over trans issues, racial stereotypes, Keanu Reeves, GOG financial issues, and whether Cyberpunk will come to Switch.

At E3 2019, Maddy sits down with Alex "Goldenboy" Mendez, esports commentator and event host best known for his work on Overwatch League, Call of Duty, and Halo. Mendez actually used to cover esports for Kotaku years ago; now, he commentates and hosts massive esports tournaments in stadiums around the country. We talk about the traditional sports influences on the esports industry, the wide spectrum of esports personalities out there, and whether Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games will be the next great esport (it will). Lastly, Mendez talks about his new show, LVL UP, which is like Pimp My Ride but for gaming rigs.

E3 2019: Jason Schreier sits down with Destiny bosses Luke Smith and Mark Noseworthy for a deep dive into the future of Destiny 2, which is an MMO now. They talk about RPG elements, story loose ends, technical challenges, cross-play (or lack thereof), whether there will ever be a Destiny 3, Stadia latency, and what 2020 looks like for this franchise.

E3 2019: Jason Schreier talks to Larian Studios boss Swen Vincke and D&D creative chief Mike Mearls about how the Baldur's Gate 3 deal came together, what it's like to make a video game based on Dungeons & Dragons in 2019, and whether Minsc and Boo will be in the game. They talk about the confusion of D&D spell slots, the "infinite possibilities" in a game like this, and how great role-playing games are made.

Nintendo just announced a sequel to Breath of the Wild?? Also, a bunch of other E3 press conferences happened, with some good-looking games, some Keanu-shaped surprises, a very good dog, and a lot of loud music.Kirk, Jason, and Maddy get together to talk through it all, breaking down highlights from Microsoft, Bethesda, Ubisoft, Square Enix, and Nintendo. Jason and Maddy will be back all week with interviews from the E3 show floor, so stay tuned to your feed for more.PRESS CONFERENCE ROUNDUPS:Microsoft: https://kotaku.com/everything-microsoft-announced-at-e3-2019-1835358411Bethesda: https://kotaku.com/everything-bethesda-announced-at-e3-2019-1835362095Ubisoft: https://kotaku.com/everything-ubisoft-announced-at-e3-2019-1835383676Square Enix: https://kotaku.com/everything-square-enix-announced-at-e3-2019-1835393070Nintendo: https://kotaku.com/everything-nintendo-announced-at-e3-2019-1835413325

Episode 182: Hell yeah, it's time for E3! Kirk, Jason, and Maddy talk about the games they've been playing (Outer Wilds, Timespinner, Gato Roboto) before jumping into E3 guesses, hopes, predictions, and rumors (32:46) involving EA, Microsoft, Bethesda, Ubisoft, Square Enix, Nintendo, and much more. Will The Avengers and FF7 live up to the hype? With Sony skipping this year's show, can Microsoft blow us all away as it fights for console dominance? And what kind of whispers has Jason heard about Ubisoft's showcase this year? You'll have to listen to the show to find out. The gang closes things out with off-topic talk (1:24:38) including Dragon Ball Z, 24, and Rocketman.SHOW NOTES:Music pick of the week: “Hangin’ with My Baby” by Tower of Power from their 2018 (!) album Soul Side of TownJon Bois on 24: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_P52G4Kyq5M

Episode 181: Baby Ghost... Recon? Kirk, Jason, and Maddy talk video games, from Dark Souls 3 to Observation, then dive into news of the week (29:00) including Death Stranding's ridiculous new trailer (and 2019 release date!), Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, and EA Play. The crew hears from a listener who does game analytics for a major video game company, then they get into off-topic talk on Veep, Educated, Fleabag, 24, 24, and 24 (1:04:54).Music Pick of the Week: “Grey Seal” by Elton John from his 1973 album Goodbye Yellow Brick RoadSHOW NOTESPolitico Article: https://www.politico.com/story/2019/05/25/how-silicon-valley-gamed-the-worlds-toughest-privacy-rules-1466148Justin McElroy on Anor Londo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5yw0wHQx9A

Episode 180: We've gotten so many interesting listener e-mails about privacy in gaming, we just had to keep talking about it! First, the Splitscreen gang talks about some of the games they're playing including Phoenix Wright, Rage 2, and Destiny. Then they get into the news of the week (28:18) on Minecraft Earth, the God of War documentary, and a major shakeup in Call of Duty-land. After the news, Kirk, Maddy, and Jason read some listener emails and talk more about advertisers using our data, targeted marketing, and whether the internet is just broken or what. Then it's time for off-topic talk (1:11:55) on Designated Survivor, Lemony Snicket, and much more.Music pick of the week: “Ageless Beauty” by Stars from their 2004 album Set Yourself On Fire

The game of thrones has ended, and so has Game of Thrones. On this final bonus episode, Jason and Kirk wrap up their coverage of HBO's grand fantasy series by recapping the events of "The Iron Throne," then looking back at the show as a whole.LINKS:Zeynep Tufekci on the series' shift from sociological to psychological storytelling: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/the-real-reason-fans-hate-the-last-season-of-game-of-thrones/Zach Kram on its shifting relationship with consequence: https://www.theringer.com/tv/2019/4/10/18304037/game-of-thrones-season-8-consequences-jon-sam-arya-cerseiGita Jackson on Game of Thrones' Fullmetal Alchemist problem: https://kotaku.com/game-of-thrones-has-a-fullmetal-alchemist-problem-1834512907

Episode 179: Jason's wisdom tooth removal has left Kirk and Maddy by themselves to discuss Phoenix Wright and the music of mystery games. Kirk is also playing Rage 2, Destiny 2, and a tabletop game about bluffing called Sheriff of Nottingham. This week's news (33:32) includes a very pretty Final Fantasy 7 teaser and the announcement of Ghost Recon Breakpoint, which Kirk is excited about. We also discuss the Vox article “Angry Birds and the end of privacy” and our own concerns about games and apps that collect our data. We close out with off-topic talk (58:50) that ends up veering off into discussion of the works of Patrick Rothfuss.

With each new episode of Game of Thrones, the gods toss a coin and the world holds its breath. Too bad for us, "The Bells"' coin landed on the "unfortunate plot developments" side.Kirk and Jason talk through the ins and outs of Dany's big day, along with the highs and lows of what was, in the end, a pretty disappointing episode.

Sports rivalries can fuel fans and athletes to fight and argue for years. But what’s the real story behind these epic rivalries? From Wondery, the company behind “Business Wars” and “American Scandal” comes Sports Wars, an electric new series that offers an immersive, courtside look at some of the greatest athletic rivalries of all time: starting with Aaron Rodgers vs. Brett Favre.Subscribe to Sports Wars at wondery.fm/sportswars

Episode 178: Jason, Kirk, and Maddy talk about the new Kotaku piece about what it was like to work on Mortal Kombat 11's ultra-violent scenes, then get into the games they're playing: Danganronpa, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, and a potpourri of Kirk video games. This week's big news (35:05) includes a U.S. senator introducing an anti-loot box bill, Riot employees walking out, and the Sonic movie changing course. Finally, lots of off-topic talk (1:01:28) on all sorts of TV shows and movies.

Kirk and Jason discuss the fourth episode of the final season of Game of Thrones, "The Last of the Starks." Jon's secret gets out, Brienne has some wine, Dany has a latte, Varys and Tyrion scheme, Cersei does evil stuff, and no one pets the dog. Let's discuss.

It's time for Teeth Talk with Kirk, Maddy, and Jason! First the Splitscreen gang talks about some video games they've been playing, like Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy XII, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, and Danganronpa, along with dropping some wisdom about just letting games go (like Days Gone) when you've had enough. Then they bring on former Kotaku writer and current comics writer Evan Narcisse (30:49) for a big spoilery chat about Avengers: Endgame, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where the future of Marvel movies might go, comic references you might have missed, and much more.Music pick of the week: “Juice” by Lizzo from her new album “Cuz I Love You”

Squint and turn up your monitor's brightness, and you'll see that our special coverage of Game of Thrones season 8 continues with episode three, the nightmarish "The Long Night." Our surviving heroes wage a desperate battle against the Night King's overwhelming zombie army - will the walls of Winterfell hold? Could the good guys possibly win? And in a battle like this, what does "winning" even look like, anyway? Let's discuss.

Kotaku Splitscreen's special Game of Thrones coverage returns with a double-header recap of the first two episodes of the show's final season. Kirk and Jason go over what they liked (and didn't like) about both "Winterfell" and "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms," then share their hopes for the future, make some wild predictions, and guess who'll live and who'll die this coming Sunday.We'll be back to recap that episode on Monday, and will be publishing Monday recaps from there on out to the end.Links:"The Key to ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 8 Isn’t Dragons or Swords or White Walkers or Even Incest. It’s Consequence." - The RingerA post from r/GameofThrones listing parallels between S8E1 and S1E1"Exhuming Lady Stoneheart: What We Lost in Game of Thrones’ Biggest Cut" - Tor.com

Episode 176: Jason's back from vacation to talk about all sorts of video games with Kirk and Maddy, including Mortal Kombat 11, Baba Is You, Hitman 2, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, and Phoenix Wright. Then the trio dives into Days Gone (42:16), the new PS4-exclusive that's all about killing zombies -- sorry, freakers -- and being sad on a motorcycle. Finally, some off-topic talk (1:02:10) on Avengers: Infinity War, Carmen Sandiego, and Barry.Music Pick of the Week: “First it Giveth” - Queens of the Stone Age from their 2002 album Songs for the deafShow notes:"I watched 21 Marvel movies this month — and witnessed a decade of progress for women" - Washington Post

Jason's on vacation, so Maddy and Kirk get the podcast to themselves. We start with a listener email about how we'd react if our significant others broke our game consoles, then we cover the news, from the PlayStation 5 announcement (!) to the way that the Notre Dame fire has brought Assassin's Creed: Unity back to the forefront. We then talk about games we're playing (32:15); Maddy's enjoying a Switch indie puzzle game called The World Next Door, and also some good old Street Fighter. Kirk's still playing Root and Sekiro, the latter of which inspires us to discuss difficulty, accessibility, and the ways people say games "should" be played. We wrap up with off-topic talk (1:05:23) about what we're watching (Leaving Neverland, Shazam, and Captain Marvel) and reading (Kim Stanley Robinson’s Red Mars). Kirk's music pick of the week is “Bustin’ Out” by GRiZ, featuring Bootsy Collins.

Episode 174: Lots of video game news this week! Maddy talks about her trip to Disney World, Jason describes the new Danganronpa-ish game Zanki Zero, and Kirk raves a bit more about Sekiro and The Division 2. Then the Splitscreen crew gets into a newsy week (39:57) full of info on the next Dragon Age, the next Assassin's Creed, and a few listener questions, followed by off-topic talk (1:16:31) on Golden Girls and Veep.Music Pick: “Sight of You” by Sigrid from her 2019 album Sucker PunchLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Baba is... everyone? Kirk, Jason, and Maddy are all playing the wonderfully clever puzzle game Baba Is You, which they're talking about this week alongside Sekiro, Pokemon, and Phoenix Wright. Then it's time to dive into Jason's new article about the making of Anthem (30:20) and the crisis of burnout at BioWare. Topics discussed include the video game industry's sustainability, how Anthem turned out the way it did, and whether big-budget video games can ever be made in a healthy way. Finally, some off-topic chat on PEN15, The Orville, and Captain Marvel (50:18).Music pick of the week: “Moanin’” by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers from their 1959 album Moanin’Show notes: How BioWare's Anthem Went Wrong by Jason Schreier; The Writer Will Do Something by Tom Bissell and Matthew BurnsLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 172: Just what does newly minted Bloodborne expert Jason think of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice? How does Kirk feel about missing out on all that sweet, sweet GDC content? And why is Maddy playing Pokemon Go? Today on Kotaku Splitscreen, all those questions are answered and more. First it's video game talk, on the likes of The Division 2, Baba Is You, and Sekiro. Then it's the news of the week (50:29) on Zelda indies, Switch rumors, and Google Stadia, followed by off-topic talk (1:20:19) on The Dropout, Hamilton, and Umbrella Academy.  Music pick: “When it Rains” by Brad Mehldau from his 2002 album “Largo”  

Scott Benson and Bethany Hockenberry, two members of the team that made Night In The Woods, are now part of a games studio without any bosses. It's a worker co-op called The Glory Society, and at GDC 2019, Scott and Bethany dropped by the podcast to explain why they prefer bylaws to bosses. In the second half of the episode, longtime Splitscreen guest Matthew Burns came by to talk about his new visual novel about artificial intelligence and also, how cool he thinks SpeedTree is.

Justin Ma and Matthew Davis, the creators of FTL and Into The Breach, sat down with Jason and Maddy at GDC 2019 to discuss the intense creative stress involved in making their most recent game. Despite wanting to pull the plug on Into The Breach many times, the duo forged onward and made a strategy game that is elegant in its simplicity. In the second half of the show, Christine Love joins us to talk about her past visual novels (Analogue: A Hate Story, Ladykiller In A Bind) and her pivot towards making an RPG called Get In The Car, Loser! which will have actual combat mechanics alongside the dialogue trees.

At GDC 2019, Double Fine boss Tim Schafer is losing his voice, but he still croaked through his annual Splitscreen appearance to discuss the union joke he told on stage at the IGF awards, the state of Psychonauts 2, and his thoughts on Google Stadia. We explained to him how unions work so that he can tell even better jokes about them next year. In the second half of the episode, Gabe Amatangelo of QC Games told us about his history at Bioware, the cancellation of Shadow Realms, and the eventual creation of a not-so-different dungeon crawler called Breach, which launched in early access earlier this year.

Jesse Snyder, creative director at NantG and formerly the creator of Call of Duty's Zombies mode, sat down with Jason and Maddy at GDC 2019 to tell the real story of how the zombies came to life. The mode began as a late-night passion project that actually got a lot of internal pushback, and eventually, Snyder realized he'd rather make "crazy" games than super-realistic ones. After that, we talked to Andrew Maximov about Promethean AI, a piece of software aimed at helping artists create in-game universes more easily. If it works the way that Maximov says, this AI tech will be like a (robot) junior artist who does the boring, fiddly grunt work so that video game artists can focus their creative attention on grander things.

At GDC 2019, shortly after announcing Google Stadia, Phil Harrison sat down with Jason and Maddy to reveal more details about Google's new game streaming platform. He didn't say how much it will cost, but he did clarify the importance of a good internet connection to making this service work as well as it should. Plus, you'll need a Chromecast and one of Google's new controllers to make Stadia work on your TV. After we try and fail to get Phil Harrison to tell us whether Google has official E3 plans, we sat down for another interview with Sarah Elmaleh, the voice of Anthem's female protagonist.

Episode 171: Devil May Cry 5 is outrageous, and Splitscreen's here to talk about it. First, Jason, Kirk, and Maddy get into the games they've been playing -- Breath of the Wild, Broken Age, Destiny, etc. -- before diving into the mania of the newest Devil May Cry. Then it's time for news of the week (36:03) on Nintendo's Labo VR, EA skipping E3, and Valve removing a game called Rape Day from Steam. Finally, some off-topic chat on Captain Marvel, Succession, Leaving Neverland, and tips for working well from home (59:53). Music pick of the week: The Wood Brothers, “Snake Eyes” from their 2015 album Paradise

Episode 170: Surprise! It's a one-day-early episode of Kotaku Splitscreen, here to talk to you about Bloodborne (which Jason's finally finished), Danganronpa (which Maddy's almost finished), and the many games Kirk is playing, like The Division 2 and Ape Out. There's news of the week (36:13) on Pokemon, Anthem crashing PS4s, and THQ Nordic's major screw-up, and then Jason shares some impressions of the upcoming zombie game Days Gone, which he got to play for an hour and a half at a Sony event two weeks ago. Then it's time for some off-topic talk (59:16) on Killing Eve, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and Big Mouth, followed by Kirk's music pick of the week and a brief Russian Doll spoilercast. MUSIC PICK OF THE WEEK: “Under the Sea” by Fearless Flyers from their Debut EP Watch the video here LINKS:Wesley Morris on Michael JacksonSlate Culture Gabfest Russian Doll spoilercast

Episode 169: Kirk's on jury duty this week, leaving Jason and Maddy to talk about Bloodborne and Danganronpa without him. They also talk about beloved Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime retiring and the rumors of a Nintendo-Xbox love affair, then take some listener questions on Anthem and games as a service (35:10). Then it's time for off-topic talk (52:40) on X2 and Russian Doll as well as JASON'S surprise Music Pick Of The Week. It's a good one.

Episode 168: BioWare's Anthem is out! But is it any good? First up, the Splitscreen crew talks about the games they've been playing, like Bloodborne, Tetris 99, and Far Cry New Dawn. Then it's time for a breakdown of BioWare's new loot shooter (31:16), which Kirk and Jason have both been playing. They discuss Anthem's many bugs, the problems with EA's early access program, and how the game generally looks and feels. Finally, off-topic chat on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Russian Doll, and Bohemian Rhapsody.Show notesMusic pick of the week: “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen from their 1975 album A Night At The OperaLindsay Ellis - 'Independence Day vs. War of the Worlds': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KioF1sTQFtEJake Kaufman & Tommy Pedrini - Final Fantasy VI 'The Impresario': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xFhULStbkQ

It's Nintendo Direct week, and you know what that means: Everything old is new again. First, Jason, Maddy, and Kirk talk about the games they've been playing, from Danganronpa to Bloodborne. Then they talk about Nintendo's big announcements including Super Mario Maker 2, Box Boy+Box Girl, and a remake of Link's Awakening (22:31), and close off the show by talking Sex Education, Big Mouth, and other shows they've been enjoying (49:43). Kirk's music pick of the week: “Dancing Queen” by ABBA from their 1976 album Arrival Kotaku's music pick of the week Spotify playlist 

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!

Maddy, Kirk, and Jason unite to talk about the many games they've been playing, including Resident Evil 2, Wargroove, Bloodborne, and Destiny 2. Then they take a deep dive into Kingdom Hearts (34:01), debating over whether the story is convoluted, analyzing why people love it so much, and dissecting the pros and cons of the brand new Kingdom Hearts III. Finally, off topic talk (1:06:45) on the Fyre Festival documentaries and Happy Endings. Music pick of the week: “Use It” by The New Pornographers from their 2005 album “Twin Cinema”

Jason, Kirk, and Maddy open up the mailbag to answer some of your great questions on Bloodborne, video game music, the cults of personality that surround the video game industry, our dream Assassin's Creed settings, and much, much more. Plus: NFL playoff stories! Music pick of the week: “Green Lights” by Sarah Jarosz from her 2016 album “Undercurrent” (video here)

Kirk, Maddy, and Jason unite to talk about one of the wildest video game news weeks in recent memory! First they talk about the games they're playing, including Resident Evil 2, Danganronpa, and Destiny 2. Then they dissect this week's news (32:41) on Bungie ditching Activision, the messy Gearbox lawsuit, and EA canceling its open-world Star Wars game. They close things off with off-topic talk (1:18:58) and the NFL playoff story of the week. Music pick: “Overtime” by Knower, from their YouTube channel (seriously, watch it!) 

Maddy, Jason, and Kirk talk about Pokemon Let's Go Eevee, Destiny 2, Crosscode, and Bloodborne before listing their video game predictions for 2019 (38:22). Each one makes 10 predictions, and whoever gets the most right throughout the year will get to force the other two to play a game of his or her choice. Then on off topic talk (1:03:13), Orphan Black, trackpads, and one wild football story. Music pick of the week: “Thriller” by Michael Jackson from his 1982 album of the same name 

On the very first Kotaku Splitscreen of 2019, Kirk, Jason, and Maddy talk about the games they've been playing to kick off the year, including CrossCode, Life Is Strange Season 2, and Minit. Then Kirk and Jason revisit their 2018 predictions (34:19) to figure out who won their big yearlong bet and gets to force the other to play a game of their choice. Finally, off-topic talk (52:09) on Into The Spider-Verse, Vice, Widows, Happy Endings, and The Fifth Risk. Music pick of the week: Vulfpeck, “Animal Spirits,” from their 2016 album The Beautiful Game   

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.

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.

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 

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

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.

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

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

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

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).

Kirk reads his full review of Red Dead Redemption 2.  Read it for yourself here, if you prefer. 

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.

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!

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.

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 

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  

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 

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

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

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.

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 

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

While at E3, Jason speaks with Yakuza localization producer Scott Strichart about the art and history of video game localization, how they approach the process with Yakuza games, and how it's been watching the long-running series finally start catching on in the mainstream.

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.

At E3 2018, Jason sat down for an entertaining conversation with game design legend Warren Spector (Deus Ex, Ultima Underworld, System Shock) about his storied career in video games, his wildest game design idea, and his return to immersive sims with Underworld Ascendant and System Shock 3.

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.

Still at E3 in Los Angeles, Jason sat down with CD Projekt Red quest designer Patrick Mills to talk about his work on the studio's impressive-looking RPG Cyberpunk 2077. Kirk, meanwhile, sat at home in Portland mixing and editing podcasts while wishing, ever so faintly, that he'd gotten to see the the game's press demo.

At E3 in Los Angeles, Jason linked up with Sea of Thieves executive producer Joe Neate to talk about the challenges of working on a service game, the expansions that are in the works, and Neate's take on the now-infamous player who became the game's first "Pirate Legend."

At E3 in Los Angeles, Jason sits down with former id general manager Garrett Young to talk about making 2016's Doom, what it was like working at id, and game development crunch.

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.

Kirk and Jason are back to talk about more E3 press conferences. They start with Bethesda's Fallout-centric show, then move to Square Enix's disappointing nothingburger, before ending on Ubisoft's dancing panda-bear parade.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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!

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.

Kirk and Jason talk about the season two premiere of Westworld, "Journey Into Night."

Jason's eating pain au chocolat on the Seine this week, so Kirk is joined instead by Kotaku's Heather Alexandra and Stephen Totilo to talk over some recent news, as well as the games they've recently been playing. (Stephen: Assassin's Creed Origins. Heather: Far Cry 2.) After that (22:17), Kirk talks with award-winning composer Austin Wintory (Journey, Assassin's Creed Syndicate) about his upcoming stage production A Light in the Void, as well as the arduous process of auditioning to be the composer for Star Trek: Discovery, and why he feels like it was worth it even though he didn't get the gig. Music and Audio Clips Used: "Nascence" and "Apotheosis" from Austin Wintory's Journey Soundtrack "This is Saturn," a 2007 TED talk by Carolyn Porco "Wonder Woman Main Theme," performed by Tina Guo Three clips from Austin's Medium post "Star Trek Discovery, In a Parallel Universe." "Ai Giochi Addio," performed by Natasha Marsh 

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.

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.

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.

At GDC 2018, Kirk and Jason tried something new: an edible game. Specifically "The Patisserie Code," designed by Thimbleweed Park programmer/designer Jenn Sandercock as part of her upcoming cookbook of edible games. Everyone had a delicious time eating cream puffs, thwarting Nazis, and learning to read old-fashioned cursive.You can find photos of the game on Kotaku: https://kotaku.com/we-played-a-delicious-edible-tabletop-game-1824083975

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.

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.

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.

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.

At the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, Kirk and Jason talk with Respawn producer Tina Sanchez about breaking into the games industry, moving from Infinity Ward to Respawn, and the empowering phenomenon of the #MeToo movement.

Kirk and Jason kicked off GDC 2018 by chatting with Zachtronics writer/composer Matthew S. Burns about how he approaches writing puzzle-game music that you notice, but you don't NOTICE.

At GDC in San Francisco, Kirk and Jason chat with Tanya X. Short, captain of indie game studio Kitfox Games, about her unusual approach to structuring her game studio and how she helps her staff combat crunch and burnout.

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.

At GDC in San Francisco, Jason sat down with Jen MacLean, executive director of the International Game Developers Association, to get her take on all the recent talk of unionization among game developers.

"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!

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.”

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.

Jason talks to Hermen Hulst, managing director at Guerrilla Games, about the studio's success with Horizon: Zero Dawn, how they moved past the grittiness of Killzone, and how he feels about crunch.

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.

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 

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.

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).

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).

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.

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.

Kirk is joined by Kotaku's Stephen Totilo and Luke Plunkett to talk about Assassin's Creed Origins, which all three of them recently finished. Spoilers abound!

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.

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.

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.

For the last Splitscreen of 2017, Kirk and Jason revisit the predictions they made way back in January. First they talk about the news (5:42), including Final Fantasy's 30th anniversary, Leeroy Jenkins tomfoolery, and Destiny's Music of the Spheres leaking. Then it's time to see who won that big steak dinner bet: Kirk or Jason? (20:36) They close things off by talking Assassin's Creed Origins, Danganronpa, and other games they're playing (34:15).

Jason and Kirk return for part two of their look at EVERY VIDEO GAME OF 2017, this time hitting July through December to break down games like Super Mario Odyssey, Assassin's Creed Origins, and Destiny 2.

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.

It's time for a Kotaku Splitscreen annual tradition as Kirk and Jason go through every major game of 2017, one at a time, to talk about the good, the bad, and the Early Access. This week: January through June.

Jason and Kirk talk about Mega Man 11 (15:09), Curse of Osiris breaking things, and Xenoblade 2 before playing Guess The Game Award Nominations (35:38) in preparation for the upcoming show. Then they get into Skyrim Switch (1:09:09) and the state of Destiny 2, which is... not good.

Kirk and Jason talk about the Marvel Cinematic Universe (12:52), Skyrim's composer's disappearing Kickstarter, and the Destiny 2 debacle. Then veteran game journalist Geoff Keighley joins the show (41:47) to talk about producing The Game Awards, deciding which games to reveal, and a very special proposal from the people who make Doritos. Finally, Jason shares some gripes about the upcoming RPG Xenoblade 2 (1:18:14).

It's a very special Splitscreen Thanksgiving as Kirk and Jason celebrate turkey day by answering some of YOUR questions on loot boxes, the stagnant cost of video games, what to play if you haven't gamed in 4 years, and much much more. Happy Thanksgiving!

Kirk and Jason jump into the news of the week (6:00) on loot boxes, a rumored Mario movie, and harassment at IGN. Then they bring on Wirecutter editor and fitness expert Casey Johnston to talk about how to get SWOLE (26:06), by lifting heavy things and putting them down. Finally, the Splitscreen duo gets into some more game impressions (1:00:36): Mario Odyssey, Wolfenstein, Xenoblade 2, and Horizon Zero Dawn's DLC.

Jason and Kirk talk about World of Warcraft Classic, the end of Miiverse, and whether the video game industry is really unsustainable. Then they're joined by indie designer Zach Barth (33:13) to talk about his excellent new game, Opus Magnum. Finally, Kotaku's Mike Fahey comes on the show to talk about the Xbox One X (58:36), a console that does exactly what it promises to do... which probably isn't enough for most people.

Super Mario Odyssey -- great game or greatest game? Let's discuss the delights of Nintendo's latest, and why Jason and Kirk are considering collecting over 900 moons. Also on today's show: news (39:37) on Sony's week full of PS4 announcements, the full story behind Visceral Games shutting down, and a slick new GameStop program that might piss off some publishers. Finally, Kirk and Jason talk Destiny 2 PC (1:00:05) and Wolfenstein 2.

This week the Splitscreen Boyz are talking about Kirk's five-day marathon of Assassin's Creed Origins, a new game about climbing pyramids. Then (31:15) they dig into Animal Crossing mobile, Kinect dying for good, and the implosion of everybody's favorite gaming forum, NeoGAF.

What's good about South Park: The Fractured But Whole? What's bad about it? And how does South Park fit into our lives in 2017? Kirk and Jason take a deep dive into the longrunning comedy show, then jump into the news of the week (40:19) including Visceral's demise, sexual harrassment allegations from an ex-Naughty Dog artist, and the state of Destiny 2. Then they talk about a few games they've been playing (1:08:33), like Stardew Valley and Shadow of War.

It's Kotaku Splitscreen's 100th episode! Join Kirk and Jason for a look back at 2+ years of Splitscreen, followed by news talk (19:09) about loot boxes, Oculus Go, and Valve's Orange Box turning 10. Then (48:27) they talk South Park, Steamworld Dig 2, and the new sexy Shelob game, Shadow of War.

Kirk and Jason talk about Cuphead, Danganronpa V3, Hob, and Golf Story before jumping into the news of the week (29:30): SNES Classic, Zelda design secrets, and Sega certification tricks. Then it's time to open the MAILBAG (48:00) for some listener questions on Nintendo's future, solo Destiny 2, the best-realized cities in video games, and much more.

Kirk and Jason start things off by talking about the SNES Classic, Danganronpa V3, and Divinity: Original Sin 2. Then it's time for news (31:36) about the voice actors strike ending, toxicity in gaming, and Assassin's Creed: Origins getting a tourist mode. Then, prolific writer Tom Bissell joins the show (47:26) to talk about how his opinions have evolved as he moved from game criticism to writing video games, why it's so hard to write games, and how even the best plans can go horribly wrong.

Jason and Kirk jump right into the news of the week (2:39) which includes Steam review bombing, Fortnite accidentally getting cross-play, and the Nintendo Direct. Then they bring on Kotaku boss Stephen Totilo (26:59) to talk about his love for Metroid, the new game Metroid: Samus Returns, and the remake of Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. Finally, Jason and Kirk reconvene for a big ol' Destiny 2 spoilercast (58:02) to dig into the campaign, the raid, and the crazy rollercoaster ride that is the Destiny community.

What makes a font good or bad? Bethany Heck, a design director at Vox Media and typographer, joins today's show to talk about the nuances of font design. First, Kirk and Jason talk Mario + Rabbids before jumping into news like L.A. Noire Switch (19:54), Apple announcements (25:38), and Pewdiepie's racial slurs (36:33). Then Bethany hops on the show (48:16) to talk about the best and worst video game fonts, serifs vs. sans serifs, and what exactly "kerning" means. Kirk and Jason close things out with a brief chat about getting ready to run the Destiny 2 raid blindly (1:08:15).

Kirk and Jason have been playing Destiny 2 all week and have lots of THOUGHTS. No story spoilers, though, so feel free to listen even if you haven't finished the main campaign (which you should definitely go do).

Recorded last Friday at PAX in Seattle, here's the very first KOTAKU SPLITSCREEN LIVE, complete with live music, games, and intense Q&A.

Fresh off a 12-hour video game marathon, Kirk and Jason talk about what it was like to play Dark Souls, Suikoden II, Splatoon 2, Super Mario RPG, Resident Evil 7, and Super Mario World for the first time ever. Then they get into the news of the week (26:18) including Half-Life 3 fanfiction, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds exploding, and our report on Destiny 2's first DLC. Next, Kirk interviews Jason (39:08) about his upcoming book, BLOOD, SWEAT, AND PIXELS (which is out Sept 5!), and they close things off with some discussion of Mario + Rabbids and Mafia 3 (58:29).

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!

Jason and Kirk talk about their adventures vacationing and eclipse-hunting before jumping into the news of the week (17:04) including Super Nintendo Classic pre-order disasters, Kyrie Irving screwing up NBA 2K18, and Brink going free-to-play. Then they talk about a bunch of games (33:07) including No Man's Sky, Final Fantasy Tactics, and Madden's surprisingly excellent 'Longshot' story mode.

Jason and Kirk talk about the sixth episode of Game of Thrones season 7, which they both found pretty disappointing.

Welcome to another extra-long episode of Kotaku Splitscreen, which is apparently what happens when Jason's on vacation. Kirk and guest host Stephen Totilo start off talking about Kotaku's expanded video team, then discuss the news of the week (11:08) including No Man's Sky's big 1.3 patch, real estate strife in GTA Online, and Nintendo's decision to lock a Metroid difficulty setting behind an Amiibo.Then Kirk sits down with Kotaku Compete reporters Maddy Myers and Eric Van Allen (34:33) to talk about how they've been approaching esports coverage over the past six months, Eric's trip to the Dota 2 International last weekend, Maddy's case that Mario Kart AI is rigged, and whether PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds is esports. (It is.) Stephen and Kirk wrap up (1:10:16) with some discussion of Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, Nioh, and The Division.

Kirk and guest host Chris Kohler discuss the many major plot developments on this week's Game of Thrones episode, "Eastwatch."

Super-sized episode! Kirk and Jason start by talking about how much Jason's loving Final Fantasy Tactics on his phone and how impressed Kirk is with the opening hours of Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice. Then they talk about the news of the week (22:21), from Shadow of War microtransactions to a Pokémon MMO hidden within another game. After that Kirk sits down with Kotaku's longtime advice columnist Harris "Dr. NerdLove" O'Malley (35:43) to talk about dating, pickup artists, and how movies lie to us about love. Finally, fellow Kotakuites Patricia Hernandez and Gita Jackson join the show to geek out with Kirk about their mutual love for Splatoon 2. (1:19:56)

Jason and Kirk talk about the dragon-riffic latest episode of Game of Thrones.

Kirk and Jason talk about Pyre, Battlegrounds, and Dream Daddy before jumping into this week's news (29:07) on GameStop's Thanksgiving hours, Unsung Story's Kickstarter disaster, and a gamer cruise that lost its boat. Then they bring on Adam Conover, host of the excellent Adam Ruins Everything (41:06), to talk about how his show works, how he launched a TV career, and of course, ruining video games. Finally, Jason and Kirk reconvene to answer a listener question on service games and net neutrality (1:23:38).

Kirk and Jason discuss the third episode of Game of Thrones season 7, "The Queen's Justice." They'll be back with bonus recap episodes every Monday for the rest of the season.

We're talking two very different games about high school students on this week's Kotaku Splitscreen. First, Kirk talks all about his newfound love for all the squid kids in Splatoon 2. Then it's time for the news (19:15) including the disaster at Pokemon Go Fest, speedrunner monitors, and Roomba spies. Kirk and Jason are then joined by Sean Krankel, director of Oxenfree (31:33), to talk about storytelling in games and dialogue as a core action. Then it's time for the long-awaited Persona 5 spoilercast (103:00).

Jason and Kirk return to talk about "Stormborn," the second episode of Game of Thrones season 7. They'll be doing bonus podcast episodes every Monday for the rest of the season.

It's Destiny 2 beta week! Kirk and Jason talk a bit about the robots taking over our lives and some of the other games they've been playing, like Final Fantasy XII and Zelda (15:28) before jumping into this week's news (26:23) on Kingdom Hearts III, Star Wars theme parks, and Battlegrounds rules. Then they break down the whole Destiny 2 beta (43:29) in the way that only obsessive Destiny fans can: obsessively.

Kirk and Jason sit down to talk about the season 7 premiere of Game of Thrones. SPOILERS!

Kirk and Jason talk a bunch of Final Fantasy XII (6:20), Grand Theft Auto IV (20:12), and Red Dead Redemption (26:58) before opening up the mailbag (33:15) and answering listener questions about weird JRPGs, video game release dates, the future of Nintendo, and much more.

Kirk regales us with stories from his backpacking adventures before settling down with Jason to talk Destiny 2 soccer (9:58), Mass Effect: Andromeda's lack of DLC (15:43), and Zelda's new content (24:44). Then they bring on Kotaku's Mike Fahey (33:50) to talk Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood, Final Fantasy XII, and other JRPG nonsense. Finally, Kirk and Jason reconvene to tell their Kotaku origin stories (1:00:53).

Hope you're ready for a mega-Splitscreen! Kotaku features editor Chris Kohler joins the show to talk about Nintendo's bombshell Super NES Classic announcement, but first, Kirk and Jason talk about FFXV: Episode Prompto and Cave Story + on Switch. Then we get into Vidcon drama (19:27), Diablo III getting a Necromancer class (29:14), and Destiny 2 giving hardcore Destiny players some emblems (35:35). We bring on Kohler (38:08) to talk SNES Classic, retro games, and the Switch before closing things off with a Nier: Automata SPOILERCAST (1:16:52).

E3 is over, which means Splitscreen is back to its weekly schedule. (We know--we're sad too.) This week, Kirk and Jason talk about some of the games they've been playing, like Nier: Automata (3:53), StarCraft II (8:15), and Wolfenstein. Then it's time for the news of the week including Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood's troubled launch (21:43), IO Interactive going independent (25:43), and Pokemon Go getting an update (32:31). Insomniac CEO Ted Price joins Jason for an interview from E3 (34:13) to talk Spider-Man and VR, and then Kirk rejoins the show to talk about all the books he's been reading (1:03:12).

E3 is over, and we made it out alive. Jason and Kirk start their final E3 episode by talking a bit about Ni No Kuni 2, then discussing what they thought of this E3 overall (19:12). Then Jason interviews Shaun Escayg, creative director of Uncharted: Lost Legacy (29:21) and Clint Bundrick, design director on Crackdown 3 (37:40).

We're almost there. We've almost survived E3 2017. We can do this. Kirk and Jason catch up on how E3 is going today before Jason sits down with Jason Schroeder, game director on South Park: The Fractured But Whole. (18:45). Then Jason catches up with Adam Brennecke (35:26), executive producer and lead programmer on Pillars of Eternity 2, to get in-depth about how they're designing that game and how much work it takes to make a good RPG quest.

Kirk and Jason start off by talking about what Jason saw at E3 yesterday, then pivot  (15:38) to Sony's weak explanation for why they don't support cross-platform play in Rocket League and Minecraft. After that Jason’s joined by Destiny 2 game director Luke Smith (23:35) for a predictably lively chat about the game. He’s then joined by Days Gone director John Garvin (45:30) to talk about how that game is coming along, how much work it takes to make a big E3 demo like the one they just showed, and why it’s worth doing.UPDATE: For some reason, the first version of this episode cut off at 5 minutes. You may have to redownload it to get the full 58 minute version. Sorry about that!

Kirk and Jason are back for the third day of E3 2017. This time it's all Nintendo, all the time. Did Nintendo energize a generally low-key E3 by announcing two new Metroid games? (Yes.) Is Super Mario Odyssey as weird and ambitious as it looks? (Jason's played it, and the answer is yes.) All that plus Kirby, Rocket League, and Xenoblade Chronicles 2, the only JRPG to turn up at a single E3 2017 press conference.

Jason and Kirk talk about three more E3 2017 press conferences, starting with Bethesda. After that they discuss Ubisoft's surprisingly good show (7:36) and close out talking about Sony (20:55). Tomorrow: Nintendo.

Jason and Kirk kick off their E3 2017 coverage talking about EA's unexciting Saturday press conference (1:10). They then pivot to Microsoft's game-packed Sunday conference (6:00), and try to make heads or tails of the new Xbox One X.

We're just days away from the best time of the year: E3. Kirk and Jason open with some discussion of Mass Effect: Andromeda's turbulent development (4:03) before jumping into E3 talk, going through each press conference to talk about hopes and predictions. First up is Electronic Arts (17:17), then Microsoft (25:15), Bethesda (35:52), Ubisoft (43:44), Sony (49:44), and Nintendo (1:00:27). Last, a quick discussion about our podcast plans for the coming week (1:15:25).

Jason explains to Kirk why gambling is the best thing ever and talks wedding catering before we jump into ARMS (11:54) and Star Trek Bridge Crew (19:21). Then, Kirk and Jason talk about "service games" (22:53), how the Final Fantasy VII remake will never come out (29:34), and Far Cry 5 hot takes (35:45). Kotaku staff writer Cecilia D'Anastasio joins the show (43:08) to talk about Overwatch, reporting, and her favorite animes. Then we cap things off with listener questions (1:11:05) on E3 Judge's week and free video game updates.

Jason and Kirk talk about YouTube copyright strikes (10:21), Red Dead Redemption 2's delay (21:10), and Overwatch's one-year anniversary (27:19) before bringing on Giant Bomb editor Dan Ryckert to chat about working at Giant Bomb, unhealthy eating habits, and what it'll be like to get married at Taco Bell. Then we sign off with some light TV talk (1:06:20).

Join Kirk and Jason for a VERY SPECIAL BONUS EPISODE dedicated to the Destiny 2 reveal.

Industry luminary Chris Avellone joins the show once again to talk about his recent work on Prey. First, Kirk and Jason talk a bit about Nier: Automata (6:55) and the Nintendo Switch (11:15) before jumping into this week's news: Zelda reportedly coming to smartphones (16:24); Tom Brady appearing on the cover of Madden 18 (21:19); and Alan Wake disappearing from Xbox Live and Steam (28:55). Then we speak to Avellone (34:30) about his writing work on Prey and how he constructed all of those great characters. We even BLOW HIS MIND with the revelation of a fantastic easter egg. Finally, we've got a couple of listener questions (1:04:17) including one that really Takes a Chance.

The new Zelda has been out for two months now, so let's spoil it! First, Kirk and Jason talk this week's news including the rocky future of Mass Effect (5:20), an eleven-year-old getting GTA V and finding a bag of meth instead (11:41) and Assassin's Creed/Far Cry leaks (15:38). Then Stephen Totilo joins the podcast for a nice chunk of Breath of the Wild spoiler talk (22:56). And Kirk and Jason finish things off with some Prey (1:06:55).

Jason just started Nier: Automata, so he and Kirk talk about that for a bit (7:17) before jumping into the news, starting with Zelda's first DLC (18:33). Then, they chat New 2DS XL (24:42) and Darksiders 3 (31:59) before pulling open the listener mailbag to take YOUR questions on all sorts of things, from Switch's VR potential (38:16) to Mass Effect: Andromeda (53:51) to what Kirk and Jason would do if they were put in charge of Bungie and asked to make up some new Destiny games (1:18:02). Assuming Bungie didn't oust them in a grand coup, that is.

Kirk and Jason start off the show by talking about the new indie games What Remains Of Edith Finch and The Sexy Brutale before jumping into this week's news: the announcement of Call of Duty: WWII (13:01), an Overwatch player's racist tirade (21:48), and Persona 5 localization complaints (28:02). Then they bring on veteran programmer Brett Douville (38:12) to talk about the stresses of LucasArts, his work at Bethesda on Fallout 3 and Skyrim, and his lovely podcast, Dev Game Club.

There's lots to discuss on today's Splitscreen, starting with some brief chat about Kirk's cool Undertale cover (3:37) and some of the games we've been playing including Mario Kart 8 and Dungeon Keeper (10:23). Then, we dig into the week's news, starting with Nintendo discontinuing the NES Classic (23:44) and selling nearly a million Switches in the United States last month (29:21). We talk about why we're optimistic for Star Wars Battlefront II's campaign (34:10) and then Jason disappears so Kirk can talk to Kotaku staffers Mike Fahey and Heather Alexandra about what makes Nier: Automata so rad (42:59). Finally, Kirk and Jason reconvene to talk about The West Wing and answer a listener question (1:00:47).

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).

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).

Nice and sunny here at Kotaku Splitscreen, where we're talking to legendary adventure game designer Ron Gilbert about his new game. First we cover this week's news including StarCraft Remastered (7:03), Destiny 2 (12:58), and Final Fantasy XV's new DLC (17:58). Then, Gilbert joins us to talk about the excellent new Thimbleweed Park (24:10) and we close things off with some listener mail (56:26).

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.

Kirk and Jason break down the week's news, then dig into the early hours of Mass Effect: Andromeda, which have left them with mixed feelings so far. Afterwards, some reader questions and more Zelda talk.

Kirk and Jason talk about Destiny 2 and Shadow of War, then take a spoiler-light dive into Hyrule to talk about how incredible Breath of the Wild is. (The answer, of course: Very incredible.)

Kirk and Jason have a brief chat about the new Nintendo Switch.

Kirk and Jason finish up at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco.

Kirk and Jason are back at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco with a new trio of special guests.

Jason and Kirk head to the Game Developers conference in San Francisco for a week of special guests.

For episode 69 (nice), Kirk and Jason bring on Patricia Hernandez for a spoiler-free chat about the fantastic new PS4 game Horizon Zero Dawn. Also: why Xbox fanboys won't stop spamming Jason's Twitter this week.

Jason and Kirk cover the week's news then take a deep dive into Final Fantasy XV, spoilers and all.

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.

Mailbag time! Jason and Kirk go through a ton of listener questions about Destiny, boycotting broken video games, podcasts, GOTY discussions, and much more.

Kotaku's Luke Plunkett joins Kirk this week to talk about the Nintendo Switch, Yakuza 0, and more.

Jason and Kirk blaze through their belated predictions for 2017, then (23:48) talk Nintendo Switch: the launch lineup, the price, our pros/cons.

Our GOTY discussion continues with a breakdown of every major 2016 release from July to December!

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

Veteran game dev Matthew S. Burns joins Kirk and Jason to talk about the differences between indie and AAA development. Also: Nier Automata, Double Fine's documentary, and some Star Wars: Rogue One.

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.

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.

Kirk's in New York this week, so he and Jason sit down IRL to talk about Final Fantasy XV, Dragon Quest Builders, The Last Guardian and VR.

Kirk and Jason stay up late to chat about the season finale of Westworld.

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.

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.)

In the wake of this horrible week, Kirk and Jason distract themselves with new video games. PS4 Pro, NES Classic, and Dishonored 2 lead the way, along with a bunch of reader questions on storytelling, the best video game books, and much more.

Kirk and Jason make a mad dash through all the games they've been playing, from Skyrim to Titanfall 2.

Kirk and Jason talk about Nintendo's upcoming new console, the Switch.

Kirk's joined by Kotaku deputy editor Patricia Hernandez to talk about all kinds of video games.

Jason's back this week to talk with Kirk about a bunch of video games as well as HBO's nifty new show Westworld.

For our 50th episode, special guest Stephen Totilo joins Kirk to talk about PlayStation VR and Gears of War 4 horde mode.

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.

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.

Jason and Kirk reach into the mailbag to answer YOUR big questions on turn-based combat, NX, Dragon Age Inquisition, the price of video games, and much much more. This episode presented by Kirk's new Rhoomba.

It's NEWS HOUR as Kirk and Jason discuss the new Mario iOS game and Sony's newly released PlayStation 4 Pro, aka PlayStation Fro, which has been underwhelming so far.

Jason and Kirk are at PAX West 2016. Not only that, they're in THE SAME ROOM.

Kirk and Jason talk Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, laptop buying advice, and cyber-ska. Then they open up the mailbag for some reader questions about backlogs, Vita, and how the NX will be announced.

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.

Jason and Kirk explain why games like No Man's Sky get day-one patches, then talk a bit about their travels through space. Also: reaching into the mailbag for some questions about Overwatch and the future of Kotaku. BROUGHT TO YOU BY DORITOS, MAYBE?

Kirk and Jason try to figure out why so many people care about who wins the console war. Then they dig into all the new Destiny: Rise of Iron info, talk some Overwatch, and ponder whether Titanfall 2 will have more lasting appeal than its predecessor.

Kirk and Jason reach into the mailbag and answer YOUR questions on today's Q&A episode. We talk about NX/Scorpio/Neo, Overwatch, the nature of JRPGs, what it's like to review games, and YouTube scandals, among many other things.

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.

Kotaku vet Mike Fahey joins Jason to talk about Final Fantasy XIV, fanservice games, and 7th Dragon III Code VFD. He also tells the story of the time he wasn't allowed to go to the Tokyo Game Show.

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.

Kirk and Jason talk about season 6 of Game of Thrones. SPOILERS!!!

In the wake of E3, the only big news Kirk and Jason really want to see is a Torbjorn nerf. Today we're talking E3 recovery, Zelda, the power of Overwatch, and some of the other games we're playing these days. Plus some bonus Game of Thrones talk!

Jason recounts the things he saw during the third day of E3.

Jason and Kirk talk about the first "real" day of E3.

Kirk and Jason talk about how Microsoft, Ubisoft and Sony did at their E3 press conferences.

Jason and Kirk talk about how EA and Bethesda did in their E3 press conferences.

Kirk and Jason go publisher by publisher and talk about what we can expect to see at next week's E3 in LA.

Kirk and Jason talk the upcoming Xbox Scorpio, Overwatch, and No Man's Sky death threats. Plus: bonus Game of Thrones talk!

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.

Former XSEED editor Jessica Chavez is here to talk about the localization/'censorship' debate. We also geek out about JRPGs, talk Trails, and get some behind-the-scenes stories of what it's like to bring games from Japan to U.S. shores.

Patrick "Scoops" Klepek and Jason "Press Sneak Fuck" Schreier tag-team for this deep dive into what it's like to report on video games. This week's episode digs into some of the stories behind some of our favorite scoops on PS4.5, Destiny, and much more.

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,

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?

Will Final Fantasy XV live up to expectations? We don't know, but we're optimistic! Join a very sick Kirk and Jason for some JRPG talk, some Destiny talk, some Dark Souls 3 talk, and the best vomit story you'll hear this week.

Kirk is joined by game designer Chris Remo to talk about music, games, and late 90s Counter-Strike tips.

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.

Kirk is back from GDC, where all everyone could talk about was VR. Jason's still pretty skeptical, though. Is VR really going to take off? Also: PS4.5, NX, and The Division, followed by some Gamer Rage at Nintendo for making us buy the same Virtual Console games multiple times if we want to play them on both Wii U and 3DS. Damnit, Nintendo.

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!

Double Fine boss Tim Schafer joins Splitscreen to talk about his PILES AND PILES of money. Plus: how Day of the Tentacle holds up today, what it's like inside the LucasArts barn, and some Real Talk about the relationships between journalists and game developers.

On today's SUPER-OFF-TOPIC episode, TV star Rachel Bloom (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) joins Jason and Kirk to talk about what it's like to create and star in her own TV show, make it big in Hollywood, and win a Golden Globe. Also: sex jokes! And maybe even some Rollercoaster Tycoon.

Kirk is playing Fire Emblem, which means one thing and one thing only: ANIME WAIFUS. Also, Jason's back to talk about Final Fantasy XIV and Destiny 2. Then we dive into some reader questions and give some tips to all the aspiring journalists out there.

Jason’s off this week, so Kotaku EIC Stephen Totilo steps in to chat with Kirk about the ups and downs of playing too many video games. They talk a lot about open world game design, and Kirk tries and fails to remember the name of the Game Boy game Faceball 2000. They also talk The Witcher 3, Dying Light: The Following, Bedlam, Ziggurat, early access, Street Fighter V, and Offworld Trading Company.

Introducing our new feature: HOT TAKE CORNER. Kotaku's Nathan Grayson joins Kirk and Jason to talk XCOM 2, Fire Emblem, Dying Light, and our big Hot Take of the week: Half-Life 3 is never coming out!!!

Has The Division's beta piqued our interest? Just what makes The Witness so good? And what's it been like to run Kotaku for the past four years? EIC Stephen Totilo is here to answer all those questions and MORE, including the biggest question of all: Why does he hate comedy?

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

Things are depressing in the hardcore Destiny community these days, which means there's lots for Kirk and Jason to talk about! Join us as we discuss The Great Destiny Malaise as well as the charming Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, the indie gem Oxenfree, and whether or not there'll be any good substitutes for Destiny this year.

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.)

Is this the Year of VR or just The Year That A Lot Of VR Headsets Come Out? Join Kirk and Jason as they discuss the future of virtual reality in the wake of news that Oculus Rift will be five hundred and ninety-nine U.S. dollars. Also: Assassin's Creed Empire and Undertale!

As 2015 comes to a close, it's time to talk Games of the Year! And by talk Games of the Year we mean talk about every single game released in 2015. Come join Kirk and Jason for a look back at an entire year's worth of video games, month by month: January (3:46), February (15:48), March (32:38), April (48:17), May (54:58), June (1:00:41), July (1:07:14), August (1:08:50), September (1:17:31), October (1:34:38), November (1:49:35), and December (1:55:59) may not be every single game

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.

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.

The hardest thing about working in games media these days? Too many damn games. In this action-packed episode of Splitscreen, Kirk and Jason talk Final Fantasy XIV, Just Cause 3, Fallout 4, Cibelle, and all the other video games we just don't have time to play. Also: season passes, the future of VR, and the many problems with voting on annual game awards. ALSO: Intro music!

The more you play Fallout 4, the more it grows on you. Last week's extravaganza wasn't enough, so Kirk and Jason are back to talk a lot more about Bethesda's latest. Also: blacklisting, StarCraft, and which JRPG Kirk should play first, Trails in the Sky or Suikoden II.

Fallout 4? Fallout 4. Kotaku's Patricia Hernandez joins Kirk and Jason for an all-Fallout podcast extravaganza. We talk about our adventures in the wasteland, the never-ending parade of bugs, and how this game would be so much better if you could make Dogmeat a golden retriever.

Superstar writer and developer Matthew Burns (Halo, Call of Duty, Destiny) is here telling tales and talking to Kirk and Jason about the worst marketing moves in video game history. We also discuss Activision's $5.9 billion Candy Crush acquisition, Trails in the Sky, and how Matthew helps save the world through video game science.

Time for some inside baseball! On this very special episode of Splitscreen, Kirk and Jason talk about what it's like to work for the well-known Destiny fan-site Kotaku dot com. Also: Nintendo going mobile, reader questions, and why Kirk has no personal life.

Portal designer Kim Swift joins Kirk and Jason to spill ALL her secrets about what she's doing at Amazon. We also talk about our behind-the-scenes Destiny story, the visual novel Danganronpa, and whether horses are more dangerous than cars.

Kotaku's Patrick Klepek joins Kirk and Jason to talk about video game streaming, fan projects, and the quest to beat the hardest Mario Maker levels online.

Kirk and Jason talk about the ups and downs of Kickstarter, discuss the new Uncharted Collection for PS4, and talk about Destiny's new raid. They also break down some must-play JRPGs.

Kirk and Jason talk to Luke Smith, creative director of Destiny: The Taken King.

This is Episode 1 of Kotaku SplitScreen, a new video podcast brought to you by Jason Schreier and Kirk Hamilton. In this pilot episode, we talk about Metal Gear Solid V, Final Fantasy VI, and what we'd do with the Assassin's Creed franchise. We also debate the best horse in recent video game history. Breakdown: 1:20 - Streaming, YouTube, Let’s Plays13:45 - Metal Gear Solid V23:48 - Final Fantasy VI34:40 - Reader question #1: What’s your ideal Assassin’s Creed?40:07 - Reader question #2: Roach or D-Horse? Listen here: If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element