Episode Details

Carrie details her first-ever trip to Las Vegas where she experienced the incredible Backstreet Boys concert at the iconic Sphere venue, and that she and her husband got paid out from a Bomberman slot machine. Brad expresses genuine positivity about Terratech Legion, a unique vehicle destruction roguelike that offers a fresh spin on the Survivors subgenre. He breaks down what makes this indie title's mechanical approach so compelling and different from other bullet heaven games. Brad has returned to Warframe and is committing serious time, in part due to the community-first approach that Digital Extremes takes toward the live service shooter. He respects how the developers prioritize player feedback and argues that Warframe is arguably the best live service game currently on the market today. Microsoft deploys Todd Howard, the normally reclusive legendary designer, to discuss upcoming news about The Elder Scrolls VI and Fallout 5 development among other Bethesda Game Studios projects. The appearance signals Microsoft's desperation to control the industry narrative surrounding Xbox's gaming future. GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen appears to labor under the delusion that the death of physical games will have no impact on his company, despite GameStop being best-known for selling physical video games. His denial of market reality raises questions about leadership competence at the struggling retailer. Marathon director Joe Ziegler surprisingly leaves Bungie just four months after the extraction shooter's launch. Brad speculates on why this departure may not be a sign the sky is falling for the critically acclaimed but embattled game, and offers perspective on leadership transitions in live service games. ZA/UM announces significant staff layoffs due to the commercial underperformance of Zero Parades: For Dead Spies. The hosts discuss how the controversy and community pushback surrounding Disco Elysium likely contributed to this outcome, while arguing that it's unfair to other developers who were integral to Disco Elysium's original success.

Dense Pixels is a weekly video game podcast covering gaming news, game reviews, and industry analysis. From AAA blockbusters to indie gems, we break down the latest game releases, PlayStation and Xbox news, Nintendo Switch, PC gaming, Steam, Game Pass, fighting games, RPGs, esports, retro gaming, and the business side of the gaming industry. Hosted by Brad, Micah, Carrie, and Terrence. A TNP Studios production. New episodes weekly on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and all major platforms. Join our Discord at densepixels.com/fans. For more TNP Studios content, check out The Nerdpocalypse (movie & TV news), Black on Black Cinema (Black film reviews), and Look Forward (progressive politics).