This week’s episode covers a wide range of major developments across the gaming industry, starting with a brief disruption at Rockstar North after a boiler malfunction prompted emergency services to secure minor structural damage, an incident the studio quickly confirmed caused no injuries and did not impact ongoing GTA 6 development. The discussion then shifts to Gears of War: E-Day, with developers emphasizing a return to the gritty tone and atmosphere of the original games while rebuilding the franchise from the ground up in Unreal Engine 5. The episode also highlights new research linking gaming more than 10 hours per week to poorer diet, sleep, and body mass outcomes, underscoring how excessive play, not gaming itself, can impact health. Finally, Bungie’s Marathon takes center stage with its confirmed March 5, 2026 release date, new gameplay details, faction-driven storytelling, and a high-profile voice cast, marking one of the most anticipated launches of the year.

0:00 Intro

1:04 Update

17:35 GTA 6 Developer Rockstar North Fire Crews https://tinyurl.com/5fnhttv7

25:58 Gears Of War: E-Day https://tinyurl.com/bdz3y8hd

33:20 Gaming More Than 10 Hours a Week? https://tinyurl.com/4z7p3zmm

48:57 Marathon News https://tinyurl.com/uat7tk9n

1:00:50 Outro

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This week on M2 Podcast, we break down the chaos surrounding Rainbow Six Siege after a massive hack flooded the game with billions in in-game currency and forced Ubisoft to take servers offline. We also take a close look at 8BitDo’s new Ultimate 3E controller, an officially licensed Xbox peripheral that looks like the Elite Series 3 Microsoft never released. On the business side of gaming, we discuss the surprisingly effective psychology behind indie game pricing and why developers believe $8 still feels like $5 to players. Finally, we unpack the growing RAM price crisis, exploring how AI demand, manufacturing shifts, and supply constraints are driving up costs and reshaping the future of PC builds.

0:00 Intro

1:48 Updates

10:01 Rainbow Six Siege Engulfed In Chaos https://tinyurl.com/442mccbz

19:49 8BitDo's new Xbox pro controller https://tinyurl.com/4ussn7pt

38:46 Peak Developer Explains Successful Game Pricing https://tinyurl.com/53kufe6p

50:02 Why is RAM so expensive right now? https://tinyurl.com/3zemt3ca

1:28:48 Outro

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

0:00 Intro

0:54 Update

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

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

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

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

51:24 Outro

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

0:51 Updates

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

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

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

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

1:05:19 Outro

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BREAKER ► https://www.breaker.audio/m2-podcast-2

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JOIN THE DISCORD! ►► https://discord.gg/Kp5Gre6

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TWITTER ►► https://twitter.com/madmikewilleatu

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

1:23 Updates

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

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

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

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

49:44 Our Picks for Black Friday

1:05:20 Outro

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TWITTER ►► https://twitter.com/madmikewilleatu

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

0:00 Intro

1:05 Update

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

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

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

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

1:03:12 Outro

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

0:00 Intro

1:17 Update

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

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

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

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

1:07:57 Outro

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BREAKER ► https://www.breaker.audio/m2-podcast-2

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

0:00 Intro

1:27 Updates

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

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

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

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

1:26:22 Outro

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

APPLE ► https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1531832410

BREAKER ► https://www.breaker.audio/m2-podcast-2

CASTRO ► https://castro.fm/podcast/6f69d373-d879-46d9-9f1c-bcf7c4bf1741

GOOGLE ► https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8zNTYwNWZiMC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw==

OVERCAST ► https://overcast.fm/itunes1531832410/m2-podcast

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