PlayStation Price Hikes, CoD Dominance, Spider-Man Trailer Madness & More
Release Date: 03/31/2026
PlayStation Price Hikes, CoD Dominance, Spider-Man Trailer Madness & More
TSR: Gaming x Entertainment
PlayStation Price Hikes, CoD Dominance, Spider-Man Trailer Madness & More on episode 687. Here’s what I talked about: PlayStation Price Hike Sony quietly raised prices on PS Plus subscriptions in several regions. It’s another sign that the old console business model is under pressure, and it stings when you’re already feeling the pinch from rising game prices. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare continues to dominate on Steam. The current Modern Warfare title now has more players than the past few CoD games combined. It’s a reminder that when Call of Duty gets it right, it still prints...
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Project Helix, PS Exclusives, Steam Machine, Division 2 Revival, Highguard
TSR: Gaming x Entertainment
Hey everyone, Andrew here from TSR: Gaming x Entertainment. Episode 686 just dropped, and we covered a ton of ground—from next-gen hardware battles to live-service highs and lows, plus a quick detour into awards show drama. Here's the breakdown of what I talked about, straight from my notes. First, Project Helix is Microsoft's big swing at next-gen. At GDC 2026, they detailed the custom AMD SoC powering it, with massive ray-tracing gains, next-gen FSR (including "FSR Diamond"), and native support for both Xbox console games and PC titles. Alpha dev kits head out in 2027, so...
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GAME AWARDS 2025: The Best Show Yet? | Ft. AaronShack64
TSR: Gaming x Entertainment
Join me and my good friend AaronShack64 as we unpack every massive announcement and memorable moment from the Game Awards 2025! We agree it was the best show yet, delivering surprises, controversy, and a true sense of celebration for the industry. The Biggest Reveals & Surprises Control 2: We discuss the return to the Oldest House and the major reveal that Dylan Faden, Jesse's antagonist brother, is back as an anti-hero. This game has our hype levels through the roof! Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic: We broke down the trailer, the iconic music, and the shock of seeing a...
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Arc Raiders Deep Dive, Steam Machine, Black Ops 7 | Ft. AaronShack64
TSR: Gaming x Entertainment
We dive deep into the latest in gaming and tech with special guest AaronShack64. First up, we unpack the fascinating world of Arc Raiders, the new extraction shooter from Embark. We analyze its unique player culture, where solo players are often friendly, and explore the incredibly advanced, terrifying AI of the Arcs. Plus, we cover the massive success of its community events, the quick feedback loop from the developers, and the addition of a new Duos mode. We even explore the compelling audio design and why players are embracing the Player-vs-Environment (PvE) mentality in a game that offers...
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Halo x Homeland Security Memes, What If Kojima, GDC Rebrand, Arc Raiders
TSR: Gaming x Entertainment
Should Homeland Security really weaponize game characters and memes to push agendas? Could a What If Kojima series actually happen? Will GDC’s rebrand stick the landing? Is Arc Raiders the new king of extraction shooters? We unpack it all!
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Ninja Gaiden 4 Hype, Halo Reborn & Xbox’s Next-Gen Future
TSR: Gaming x Entertainment
Ninja Gaiden 4 drops jaws, Halo Campaign gets a glow-up, and Microsoft confirms the next Xbox is in development—exclusives dead or just evolving? Andrew breaks it all down. 🎮🔥 Socials: https://linktr.ee/andrewalliance
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Battlefield 6's Colossal Launch: Why It's The New King, Call of Duty’s Future, ROG Xbox Ally Reactions
TSR: Gaming x Entertainment
We break down the seismic shift in the shooter world as Battlefield 6 officially shatters records, examining why this colossal launch has already crowned it the new king of the franchise. Plus, with the competition heating up, we dive into what this means for Call of Duty's future and its next move. Finally, we share our unfiltered reactions to the ROG Xbox Ally, discussing whether this new handheld is a game-changer or just another contender in the portable PC space. Tune in for the full analysis!
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SCUF Interview, Black Ops 7 Beta, and Xbox Game Pass
TSR: Gaming x Entertainment
In this episode, we're joined by our friends at SCUF for a deep dive into the surprising history of the controller thumbstick. We also get our hands on the new Valor Pro Wireless, breaking down the specs and giving our impressions. Later, we jump into the action with our thoughts on the Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Beta and discuss whether the franchise is heading in the right direction. We close the show by examining the current state of Xbox Game Pass and its value to gamers in late 2025. A special thank you to the team at SCUF for the fantastic interview and to Activision for providing early...
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Why Does Death Stranding 2 Feel So Eerily Familiar?
TSR: Gaming x Entertainment
In this episode, we’re unpacking a whirlwind of gaming news that’s got the industry buzzing. Kicking things off, reports are swirling that Microsoft’s got big plans for Xbox: a full next-gen console is reportedly slated for 2027, promising a major leap forward, while an Xbox-branded gaming handheld could hit shelves as early as later this year—2025 is shaping up to be a wild ride for Team Green. Meanwhile, indie darling Split Fiction is making waves, smashing a major sales milestone in just 48 hours, proving there’s serious appetite for fresh titles. Over at Sony, they’re dabbling...
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Powerplay 2 Unveiled: My Wireless Charging Impressions & Gaming’s Big Week
TSR: Gaming x Entertainment
In this episode, we dive into some exciting gaming and tech highlights making waves this week. First up, we share our hands-on impressions of Logitech G’s Powerplay 2, breaking down how it’s enhancing the gaming experience with its innovative design. Meanwhile, Nintendo’s touting a major legal win against piracy, labeling it a “significant” victory that reverberates across the entire games industry. On the platform front, Steam continues its dominance, shattering records by topping 40 million concurrent players for the first time—an impressive milestone for the PC gaming giant....
info_outlinePlayStation Price Hikes, CoD Dominance, Spider-Man Trailer Madness & More on episode 687. Here’s what I talked about:
- PlayStation Price Hike Sony quietly raised prices on PS Plus subscriptions in several regions. It’s another sign that the old console business model is under pressure, and it stings when you’re already feeling the pinch from rising game prices.
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare continues to dominate on Steam. The current Modern Warfare title now has more players than the past few CoD games combined. It’s a reminder that when Call of Duty gets it right, it still prints players like almost nothing else in gaming.
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach crossed a major milestone. The PC release helped push the sequel’s total sales past 2 million copies. Kojima’s weird, beautiful vision is clearly finding its audience.
- Spider-Man: Brand New Day just broke the internet. The first trailer pulled an insane 718.6 million views in 24 hours, beating GTA 6’s previous record. I broke down the psychology behind why it exploded so hard — nostalgia, FOMO, and emotional connection all stacking perfectly.
- Marathon and the live service struggle. Bungie says they’re “in it for the long haul” despite early concerns about performance. We discussed how brutal the live service space has become, with Battlefield 6, Fortnite, Destiny 2, The Division 2, and Helldivers 2 all fighting for the same attention and player time. It’s live service hell out there right now.
- Xbox Games Showcase + Gears of War: E-Day Direct Xbox dropped two big events back-to-back. We reacted to the lineup and what it means as they head toward Project Helix.
- Daredevil: Born Again Quick personal note — this show has easily become one of my favorite things on television right now. The writing and action are hitting hard.
Overall, it was a packed episode full of big numbers, tough industry truths, and a little bit of hope for what’s coming next.
If you want the full conversation, make sure to subscribe to TSR: Gaming x Entertainment on your favorite podcast platform. New episodes drop every week, and I’d love to have you join the conversation.
Recent Substack Articles
While you’re here, I also published two new pieces you might enjoy:
- Sony’s Price Hike Reality Check – My thoughts on what the recent PlayStation subscription increases really mean for players and the industry.
- Asha Sharma’s Xbox Reset – Taking a deeper look at the changes happening at Xbox and whether this is the reset the platform needs.
Let me know what you thought of Episode 687 — which topic stood out to you the most?