True Avatars - A Queer Video Game Podcast

Ep. 77 - We’re trans gamers… and we’re finally playing Celeste!

I know right? You’re taking in every word from that title and thinking: “how can these people be trans and ***not*** have played Celeste?!”
…and all we can say is, we’re sorry! We’re making up for it by playing it now (better late than never) and sharing our thoughts right here for you.
Also this week! Games are addictive again, Dragon Quest turns 40, Fable was delayed, somehow Witcher 3 returned, and we have a few hopes and predictions for the next month of game announcements.
A small note: I messed up my audio despite doing everything to not mess up my audio, so I had to use Adobe Podcast Enhance to fix it up and I sound a little different because of that… Oops!
 
00:00:00 - Intro
00:11:35 - What We’ve Been Playing
00:11:44 - No Man’s Sky
00:15:28 - Dragon Quest VII Reimagined
00:25:53 - Celeste
00:42:24 - News
00:56:16 - Summer Gaming / Not-E3 Predictions
 
This episode was recorded on May 30 and 31 2026.
 
Follow True Avatars:
Official website: https://trueavatarspodcast.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TrueAvatars
Bsky: https://bsky.app/profile/trueavatars.bsky.social
Twitter: https://x.com/TrueAvatars
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@trueavatars/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@true.avatars
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trueavatars/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569951551559
 
Guests:
Lloyd: https://www.twitch.tv/lloyd_lloydster
 
Sources:
Access-Ability Summer Showcase 2026: https://access-ability.uk/2026/01/30/access-ability-summer-showcase-returning-for-2026/
Story-Rich Showcase: https://www.fellowtraveller.games/blog/story-rich-showcase-premiers-june-6
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/fable-has-been-delayed-to-2027/
https://bsky.app/profile/thewitcher.com/post/3mmt5gshsa22r
https://support.cdprojektred.com/en/witcher-3/pc/sp-technical/issue/2973/upcoming-changes-to-minimum-requirements-for-the-witcher-3-wild-hunt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Op9YgXhjgNM
https://dq11.jp/s/pf/faq/en.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsYz_CVdowA
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2026/05/dragon-quest-monsters-the-withered-world-has-been-rated-for-switch-1-and-2

Ep. 76 - Queer Game News Catchup: The Good, the Bad, and the Weird

This week we’re catching up on some headlines from during the podcast’s hiatus.
When I was doing show notes this week, I noticed that every headline seemed to come with some “good” news and some “bad” news, so we made a kind of game(ish) of it!
Amy-Lynn, Lloyd, and I pick from the good and bad news, choosing which we want to hear first. There’s headlines from PlayStation, Fallout, Bloodborne, Pokémon, and video game adaptation casting (Life is Strange and Sonic the Hedgehog 4).
 
00:00:00 - Intro
00:05:41 - News
00:06:14 - PlayStation
00:13:04 - Casting (Life is Strange and Sonic)
00:31:43 - Fallout
00:39:28 - Bloodborne
00:49:51 - Pokémon
 
This episode was recorded on May 20 2026.
 
Follow True Avatars:
Official website: https://trueavatarspodcast.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TrueAvatars
Bsky: https://bsky.app/profile/trueavatars.bsky.social
Twitter: https://x.com/TrueAvatars
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@trueavatars/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@true.avatars
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trueavatars/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569951551559
 
Guests:
Amy-Lynn: https://www.instagram.com/amethystlylac
Lloyd: https://www.twitch.tv/lloyd_lloydster
 
Sources:
Twink Yoshi: https://x.com/nintendoamerica/status/2055317658015322471
https://bsky.app/profile/jasonschreier.bsky.social/post/3mm5jzsls5s2a
https://x.com/PlayStation/status/2056404450793938989
https://blog.playstation.com/2026/05/20/state-of-play-returns-tuesday-june-2/
https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/life-is-strange-series-maisy-stella-tatum-grace-hopkins-1236678032/
https://pridesource.com/article/how-maisy-stellas-own-queerness-enriches-her-performance-in-my-old-ass
https://x.com/gingriich/status/2028892100478288114?s=46&t=sVUrhNeL5EXDMRDpzdemfQ
https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/life-is-strange-tv-series-karyn-kusama-director-1236692403/
https://variety.com/2026/film/news/sonic-the-hedgehog-4-cast-keanu-reeves-idris-elba-1236692974/
https://toynewsi.com/14-62286
https://www.reddit.com/r/Fallout/comments/1rps0nv/fallout_3_remastered_seemingly_confirmed_via_new/?share_id=oFdPnZBfhPJ8xYdj8A1j1&utm_content=1&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_source=share&utm_term=1
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2026/03/fallout-support-studio-insists-its-not-teasing-another-game
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/bloodborne-is-officially-returning-as-an-r-rated-animated-movie/
https://www.ign.com/articles/the-pokemon-company-is-already-considering-a-future-where-the-total-number-of-pocket-monsters-available-hits-maybe-10000

Ep. 75 - The Last of Us Season 3: When Cis Actors Play Trans Characters

Amy-Lynn and Lloyd join me this week to discuss what we’ve been playing, which is quite sim heavy! Games include Pokémon Pokopia, Leafy Corner, and Retro Rewind.
For the news, we’re discussing an older headline: The Last of Us Season 3 finds its actor for Lev and… well, let’s just say they didn’t cast a trans masc actor like we all hoped.
 
00:00:00 - Intro
00:06:13 - What We’ve Been Playing
00:06:21 - Pokémon Pokopia
00:21:09 - Leafy Corner (Demo)
00:33:25 - Retro Rewind
01:06:30 - News (The Last of Us Casting)
 
This episode was recorded on May 12 2026.
 
Follow True Avatars:
Official website: https://trueavatarspodcast.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TrueAvatars
Bsky: https://bsky.app/profile/trueavatars.bsky.social
Twitter: https://x.com/TrueAvatars
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@trueavatars/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@true.avatars
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trueavatars/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569951551559
 
Guests:
Amy-Lynn: https://www.instagram.com/amethystlylac
Lloyd: https://www.twitch.tv/lloyd_lloydster
 
Sources:
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ebay-rejects-unsolicited-proposal-from-gamestop-302769000.html
https://deadline.com/2026/03/the-last-of-us-michelle-mao-yara-kyriana-kratter-lev-1236761572/

Ep. 74 - WE’RE BACK!!

We’re back, True Avatars!
Ekamy and Lloyd join me for this mildly revamped version of the podcast, which has a greater focus on games discussion and less focus on news. What’s in store for the future? Just how scaled back is news? Where are the special segments? The changes aren’t as drastic as they might seem, so please listen for all the details!
This week we talk about a few modern classics, the quality level of the latest Life is Strange, and the Switch version of the Tomodachi Life sim game.
Plus, we do have a couple news stories: GameStop is buying eBay…? And the Bank of America wants you to pay a lot of money for GTA 6 to save the games industry.
Please note that this episode was recorded before Nintendo announced their price increases!
 
00:00:00 - Intro
00:10:18 - What We’ve Been Playing
00:10:36 - Trace Memory (Another Code)
00:20:43 - Psychroma
00:29:59 - Homodachi Life: Living the Dream
00:42:26 - Dustborn
00:51:07 - Neverway Demo
01:01:26 - Life is Strange: Reunion (Double Exposure SPOILERS)
01:13:25 - News
 
This episode was recorded on May 5 2026.
 
Follow True Avatars:
Official website: https://trueavatarspodcast.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TrueAvatars
Bsky: https://bsky.app/profile/trueavatars.bsky.social
Twitter: https://x.com/TrueAvatars
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@trueavatars/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@true.avatars
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trueavatars/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569951551559
 
Guests:
Ekamy: https://www.twitch.tv/ekamy
Lloyd: https://www.twitch.tv/lloyd_lloydster
 
Sources:
https://investor.gamestop.com/news-releases/news-details/2026/GameStop-Proposes-to-Acquire-eBay-at-125-00-Per-Share/
https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/04/business/gamestop-buys-ebay-intl
https://www.ign.com/articles/video-game-industry-would-have-difficulty-selling-games-for-80-if-gta-6-cost-70-bank-of-america-says?utm_source=twitter

Ep. 73 - Pokémon turns 30, which means we’re old!

Sorry for the late episode this week, True Avatars! I am traveling again but there is a lot of queer game stuff happening these days, thankfully.
This week’s headlines include Stardew Valley’s 10th anniversary (with new marriage candidates), Overwatch has a new (mobile) spin-off, Until Then has DLC (with trans rep), Wolverine has a release date, eSports are coming to the Gay Games, and a pretty big update about the Discord age verification scandal.
Pokémon just reached its 30th anniversary and they had tons of news to share in their Direct-style live stream. Amy-Lynn and Nicole are back to discuss it all, including the new games: Winds and Waves!
 
00:00:00 - Intro
00:05:21 - News
00:35:17 - Pokémon Turns 30 and Announces Winds and Waves
 
This Pokémon segment was recorded on Feb 27 2026 and the news segment was recorded on March 2 2026.
 
Follow True Avatars:
Official website: https://trueavatarspodcast.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TrueAvatars
Bsky: https://bsky.app/profile/trueavatars.bsky.social
Twitter: https://x.com/TrueAvatars
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@trueavatars/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@true.avatars
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trueavatars/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569951551559
 
Guests:
Amy-Lynn: https://www.instagram.com/amethystlylac
Nicole: https://www.instagram.com/nicoletyngs
 
Sources:
https://fortune.com/2026/02/24/discord-peter-thiel-backed-persona-identity-verification-breach/
https://www.pcgamer.com/software/platforms/discord-delays-its-global-age-verification-rollout-and-cuts-ties-with-peter-thiel-backed-verification-vendor-after-upsetting-almost-everyone-on-earth-weve-made-mistakes/
https://news.blizzard.com/en-us/article/24244645/development-update-overwatch-rush
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geiTg6Z7w3A
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/playstation-finally-confirms-marvels-wolverine-release-date-and-its-coming-before-gta6/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7GI-k5Gqnw
https://cogconnected.com/2026/02/until-then-is-getting-the-afterimages-dlc-later-this-year/
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2026/02/uk-retailer-game-closes-all-standalone-stores-as-it-enters-administration
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2026-02-27/sony-s-bluepoint-pitched-bloodborne-remake-before-closure?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTc3MjIyMjY3OSwiZXhwIjoxNzcyODI3NDc5LCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJUQjRWUTJLR0NURlowMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiJCMUVBQkI5NjQ2QUM0REZFQTJBRkI4MjI1MzgyQTJFQSJ9.s6maZIveh-F152mZBWUNjPFeE0Lm7AFRegwaizQvVlA&leadSource=uverify%20wall
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/eas-skate-studio-confirms-layoffs-as-it-moves-to-better-support-the-games-long-term-future/
https://www.gamefile.news/p/tencent-timi-montreal-closed
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/games-media-set-for-more-layoffs-as-ign-owned-eurogamer-cuts-editorial-staff/
https://checkpointgaming.net/news/2026/02/valve-sued-by-new-york-attorney-general-for-promoting-illegal-gambling/
https://bsky.app/profile/kemowoomy.bsky.social/post/3mfqenszzxk2l
https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2026/attorney-general-james-sues-game-developer-promoting-illegal-gambling-through
https://gaymingmag.com/2026/02/gg-valencia-the-gay-games-welcomes-esports-to-the-quadrennial-event-for-the-first-time/
https://www.gaygames.org/
https://www.ign.com/articles/saudi-owned-rts-takes-full-ownership-of-evo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dh2WcRJOVPU
https://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-news/see-the-new-trailer-for-pokemon-winds-and-pokemon-waves-coming-to-nintendo-switch-2
https://x.com/SerebiiNet/status/2027436478591103269?s=20
https://serebii.net/news/2026/27-February-2026.shtml
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/features/pokemon-pokopia/

Ep 72.5 - BONUS - These games want you to examine your mental health!

Steam Next Fest is back and Ekamy, Cleo, and I checked out 6 (or more…?) very exciting queer game demos!
 
00:00:00 - Intro and What We’ve Been Eating
00:04:36 - Fishbowl
00:12:40 - Feline Forensics and the Meowseum Mystery
00:18:27 - Scriptorium: Master of Manuscripts
00:24:04 - I'm Making a Monster
00:35:02 - The Witch's Bakery
00:45:06 - 1348 Ex Voto
00:53:15 - The Wide Open Sky is Running out of Catfish
 
This episode was recorded on February 25 2026.
 
Follow True Avatars:
Official website: https://trueavatarspodcast.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TrueAvatars
Bsky: https://bsky.app/profile/trueavatars.bsky.social
Twitter: https://x.com/TrueAvatars
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@trueavatars/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@true.avatars
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trueavatars/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569951551559
 
Guests:
Ekamy: https://www.twitch.tv/ekamy
Cleo: https://www.instagram.com/cleostrophobia
 
Demos:
Fishbowl: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1638070/Fishbowl/
Feline Forensics and the Meowseum Mystery: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2945150/Feline_Forensics_and_the_Meowseum_Mystery/
Scriptorium: Master of Manuscripts: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3119540/Scriptorium_Master_of_Manuscripts/
I'm Making a Monster: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4047160/Im_Making_a_Monster/
The Witch's Bakery: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2967950/The_Witchs_Bakery/
1348 Ex Voto: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1895900/1348_Ex_Voto/
The Wide Open Sky is Running out of Catfish: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3172760/The_Wide_Open_Sky_is_Running_out_of_Catfish/
All Will Rise: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3165340/All_Will_Rise/
Moorage: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4178140/Moorage/

Ep. 72 - Is it time to cut the Discord?

It’s an episode jam-packed full of controversy, drama, and discourse! Where to begin?
Well, there’s lots of good news! Pokémon’s 30th anniversary is already in full swing, Sonic 4 has found its Amy voice, and This Bed We Made is getting a sequel.
But there were more layoffs, AI is gaining ground in the games industry, and the RAM shortage impacts are felt even more. And what else could go wrong? Since you asked, Yakuza Kiwami 3 removed a pro-trans storyline…
In the second half, I’m joined by Devona to discuss the Discord age verification news. What does it all mean? How worried should we be? Is there even a good alternative?
 
00:00:00 - Intro
00:03:41 - What We’ve Been Playing
00:11:56 - News
00:53:14 - Discord Age Verification Controversy
01:38:06 - Queer Game of the Week: Monster Prom
 
The news segment was recorded on February 21 2026 and the Discord segment was recorded on February 22 2026..
 
Follow True Avatars:
Official website: https://trueavatarspodcast.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TrueAvatars
Bsky: https://bsky.app/profile/trueavatars.bsky.social
Twitter: https://x.com/TrueAvatars
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@trueavatars/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@true.avatars
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trueavatars/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569951551559
 
Guests:
Devona: https://www.twitch.tv/heldevo
 
Sources:
https://x.com/pokemon/status/2024757682851233891
https://x.com/pokemon/status/2024756120313807015
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/sonic-4-kristen-bell-voice-amy-rose-1236508342/
https://comicbook.com/movies/news/jim-carreys-dr-robotnik-return-in-sonic-4-gets-a-major-update/
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/review/yakuza-kiwami-3-dark-ties-review/
https://www.thegamer.com/yakuza-3-remastered-transphobic-sidequest-removed/
https://www.resetera.com/threads/yakuza-kiwami-3-cuts-the-original-games-trans-acceptance-substory-that-was-originally-removed-for-the-west-but-added-back-in-later-with-the-remaster.1430275/
https://www.reddit.com/r/yakuzagames/comments/1r0wgdn/people_focusing_on_the_removed_trans_substory/
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2026/02/stardew-valleys-new-update-for-nintendo-switch-2-is-now-live
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2026/02/stardew-valley-creator-teases-two-more-marriage-candidates-for-update-1-7
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2026/02/bethesda-releases-skyrim-update-1-2-for-switch-2-includes-60hz-mode-and-much-more
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3Ga_cAccQg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoInIGhXHYY
https://www.nintendo.com/jp/switch/blfga/index.html?modal=1
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/destiny-2-fans-face-long-wait-as-bungie-delays-and-overhauls-next-major-update/
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/steam-deck-is-out-of-stock-in-the-us-as-valve-warns-of-intermittent-memory-and-storage-shortages/
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/sony-is-considering-holding-back-playstation-6-until-2028-or-2029-report-claims/
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/huge-xbox-shakeup-phil-spencer-retiring-sarah-bond-resigns-microsoft-ai-boss-becomes-new-microsoft-gaming-ceo/
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/numerous-video-game-company-share-prices-dropped-following-googles-project-genie-ai-rollout/
https://www.ign.com/articles/tunic-night-in-the-woods-publisher-says-tiktok-is-creating-and-running-racist-genai-ads-for-its-games-without-permission
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/xcoms-jake-solomon-announces-his-new-studio-is-closing-reveals-now-cancelled-ai-driven-narrative-game/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/midsummer-studios/
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/ubisoft-confirms-layoffs-at-toronto-studio-but-insists-splinter-cells-remake-is-still-coming/
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-02-19/sony-is-shutting-down-the-playstation-studio-bluepoint?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTc3MTUyNzAyNiwiZXhwIjoxNzcyMTMxODI2LCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJUQVBZWlBLR0lGUFkwMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiJCMUVBQkI5NjQ2QUM0REZFQTJBRkI4MjI1MzgyQTJFQSJ9.utABYnI4m_K6kqNqybZarBQ9T5WW_aWCH6NI3kt8Q64
https://kotaku.com/sony-email-bluepoint-hermen-hulst-studio-closing-why-2000671437
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAbyOXDwRXM
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2026/02/assassins-creed-shadows-claws-of-awaji-expansion-lands-switch-2-release-date
Lost & Found: A This Bed We Made Story: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4333200/Lost__Found_A_This_Bed_We_Made_Story/
https://x.com/lowbirthgames/status/2024625302815518790
https://www.theverge.com/tech/875309/discord-age-verification-global-roll-out
https://discord.com/press-releases/update-on-security-incident-involving-third-party-customer-service
https://www.pcgamer.com/software/platforms/oh-good-discords-age-verification-rollout-has-ties-to-palantir-co-founder-and-panopticon-architect-peter-thiel/
https://www.pcgamer.com/software/security/security-researchers-claim-persona-the-provider-behind-discords-uk-age-verification-experiment-performs-269-individual-verification-checks-on-user-data-including-those-for-terrorism-and-espionage/
https://mashable.com/article/age-verification-may-impede-on-adults-rights-study-suggests
Ring Lost Dog Superbowl Ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OheUzrXsKrY
https://www.reddit.com/r/discordapp/comments/1r05vkj/comment/o4j5nl1/?context=3
https://discord.com/press-releases/discord-launches-teen-by-default-settings-globally#age-assurance-clarification

Ep. 71 - The number of gaymes they just announced is… UNBEATABLE

I took a week off from recording and during that time, there were so many queer game announcements that it’s gonna take me an hour to get through them all! We’ve got Final Fantasy, Diablo, Overwatch, Horizon, Hollow Knight, Oblivion, Fallout, and… Thomas the Tank Engine…?!
In the second half, Cleo joins me for our long overdue discussion of the off-the-wall rhythm game UNBEATABLE. Was the game actually beatable after all? Cleo gives us all the details (including a dose of spoilers in the last 10 minutes)!
 
00:00:00 - Intro
00:10:51 - News
01:02:41 - UNBEATABLE
01:28:34 - SPOILERS for UNBEATABLE
 
The news segment was recorded on Feb 16 2026. The UNBEATABLE segment was recorded on January 28 2026.
 
Follow True Avatars:
Official website: https://trueavatarspodcast.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TrueAvatars
Bsky: https://bsky.app/profile/trueavatars.bsky.social
Twitter: https://x.com/TrueAvatars
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@trueavatars/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@true.avatars
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trueavatars/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569951551559
 
Guests:
Cleo: https://www.instagram.com/cleostrophobia
 
Sources:
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/den-of-wolves-studio-10-chambers-confirms-large-number-of-layoffs-including-several-co-founders/
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/alex-graner-a37262114_alex-graners-resume-activity-7427480816940892161-hmDh/
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/designer-claims-most-of-highguards-dev-team-have-been-laid-off-weeks-after-launch/
https://www.polygon.com/ubisoft-strike-workers-france-italy/
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/overwatch-is-dropping-the-2-adding-10-new-heroes-and-coming-to-switch-2-in-major-revamp/
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/we-agree-that-she-can-be-even-better-overwatch-director-vows-to-redesign-anran-following-player-and-voice-actor-backlash/
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/france-gives-28-clair-obscur-developers-a-knighthood-and-says-video-games-have-reached-a-new-level-of-recognition/
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/clair-obscur-expedition-33-wins-five-awards-at-the-d-i-c-e-awards-2026-including-game-of-the-year/
https://deadline.com/2026/02/baldurs-gate-3-tv-show-craig-mazin-hbo-1236710583/
https://deadline.com/2026/02/jason-momoa-helldivers-release-date-1236715868/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JubgL46Xkmk
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/playstation-and-guerrilla-announce-tactical-co-op-horizon-game-horizon-hunters-gathering/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88Ym9SCKFpc
https://www.teamcherry.com.au/blog/hollowknightupgraded
https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Games/Nintendo-Switch-2-games/Granblue-Fantasy-Relink-Endless-Ragnarok-3017587.html?srsltid=AfmBOorhQ3-uZMqM7eIViFQbSYBIcz5otAFbrhK6pxKj9UoBleVhUWBe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tnOYh_jIZ0
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3839790/Granblue_Fantasy_Relink__Endless_Ragnarok_Upgrade_Kit_Standard_Edition/
https://x.com/Borderlands/status/1970609156936868102
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGdFBim7nYY
https://www.konami.com/games/darwins_paradox/
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/fromsoftware-owner-reiterates-duskbloods-is-still-coming-this-year-exclusive-to-nintendo-switch-2/
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2026/01/psa-apex-legends-switch-version-shutting-down-this-august
Diablo 30th Anniversary Stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnAsWN-6hvw
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/diablo-2-gets-its-first-new-class-in-25-years-as-diablo-4-director-promises-players-will-freak-out-at-whats-coming/
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/valve-confirms-steam-machine-price-and-release-details-have-been-delayed-by-exploding-component-prices/
Valve release date schedule (Valve time): https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Valve_Time
https://www.wondersofsodor.com/gb
https://x.com/cartycinema/status/1880062136766067108?s=20

Ep. 70 - Tomodachi Life has become “Homodachi Life”

Nintendo fulfilled its promise to include same-sex relationships in Tomodachi Life, but they didn’t stop there! Just how queer is the new Nintendo wacky life-sim? We’ve got all the big gay details!
Lloyd joins me for this episode in which we also discuss the first steps into our Celeste journeys, plus the news, and finally a discussion about generative AI in video games.
Headlines include game developers reportedly *maybe* skipping the Game Developer Conference, a bold industry response to the Ubisoft layoffs/restructuring, and Scott Pilgrim EX has a release date.
Please note that our connection was a bit weaker than usual so there is a bit of a delay between some of mine and Lloyd’s discussion. Sorry about that, True Avatars!
 
00:00:00 - Intro
00:04:06 - What We’ve Been Playing
00:38:18 - News (incl. Tomodachi Life)
01:15:49 - Generative AI in Video Games
 
This episode was recorded on January 30 2026.
 
Follow True Avatars:
Official website: https://trueavatarspodcast.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TrueAvatars
Bsky: https://bsky.app/profile/trueavatars.bsky.social
Twitter: https://x.com/TrueAvatars
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@trueavatars/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@true.avatars
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trueavatars/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569951551559
 
Guests:
Lloyd: https://www.twitch.tv/lloyd_lloydster
 
Sources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_0kl1WiSPg
https://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/71317/
https://gamerant.com/gdc-2026-ice-concerns-us-safety-fears-dev-comments/
https://www.gamesindustry.biz/gdc-organiser-says-it-hasnt-seen-cancellations-from-overseas-visitors-attendance-tracking-in-line-with-expectations
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/ubisoft-proposes-to-cut-18-of-workforce-at-france-headquarters-as-part-of-major-reset-plan/
https://insider-gaming.com/ubisoft-employee-suspension/
https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/-it-s-time-for-real-accountability-ubisoft-unions-call-international-strike?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=bluesky
https://bsky.app/profile/wario64.bsky.social/post/3mdgfmwvhtf2y
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2026/01/scott-pilgrim-ex-brings-more-beat-em-up-action-to-switch-in-march
https://www.polygon.com/gaming/604420/scott-pilgrim-ex-new-game-release/
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/simoncarless_interestingly-pc-video-game-platform-steam-activity-7417944215675908096-OGNg/
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/valve-has-significantly-rewritten-steams-rules-for-how-developers-much-disclose-ai-use/
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/google-rolls-out-prototype-of-project-genie-an-ai-tool-which-generates-playable-worlds/
https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/data-centers-and-water-consumption
https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/artificial-intelligence-types
https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/computer-vision

Ep. 69 - Fable is Strange in 1348

Hosting solo again and covering a big week of queer game reveals: Life is Strange: Reunion, 1348 Ex Voto, and possibly even Fable.
There was a bunch of Mario news (including trans reps in the new movie), Warframe is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 very soon, the PS6 might be delayed, Ubisoft is laying off even more people, and so much more!
 
00:00:00 - Intro and What We’ve Been Playing
00:03:17 - What I’ve Been Playing
00:10:41 - News
 
Mild spoilers for the ending of Life is Strange: Double Exposure
 
This episode was recorded on January 25 2026.
 
Follow True Avatars:
Official website: https://trueavatarspodcast.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TrueAvatars
Bsky: https://bsky.app/profile/trueavatars.bsky.social
Twitter: https://x.com/TrueAvatars
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@trueavatars/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@true.avatars
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trueavatars/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569951551559
 
Sources:
https://youtu.be/b2eHeCKYHJc?t=1806
https://www.youtube.com/live/hXn6bvU1Kh4
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/fables-evil-landlords-wont-grow-devil-horns-as-reboot-ditches-classic-character-morphing-due-to-a-lack-of-belief-in-objective-arseholery
https://1348exvoto.com/
https://x.com/1348ExVoto/status/2014714742108024903?s=20
https://www.gematsu.com/2026/01/1348-ex-voto-launches-march-12-for-ps5-and-pc-xbox-series-version-canceled
https://www.ign.com/articles/ubisoft-cancels-6-projects-including-prince-of-persia-sands-of-time-remake-closes-2-studios-and-confirms-further-layoffs-in-major-company-restructure
https://www.linkedin.com/company/ubisoft-stockholm/
https://www.reddit.com/r/PS5/comments/1qk6qd6/rumor_sandstoneinsights_analysis_sony_expects_the/?share_id=jwMnzRpiBdD8gCbT0PdXG&utm_content=1&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_source=share&utm_term=1
https://www.digitalextremes.com/news/january-warframe-devstream-highlights
https://www.nintendo.com/us/whatsnew/free-update-for-mario-kart-world-lets-you-race-as-a-team-in-knockout-tour/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVB3hZoOF0A
https://youtu.be/yP5RGz_CRFM
https://x.com/USJ_Official/status/2014203076266348758