The Trophy Room - A PlayStation Podcast

Follow The Trophy Room Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PSTrophyRoom Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/2PglU1a Discord: https://discord.gg/wPNp3kC Twitter: https://twitter.com/PSTrophyRoom Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/badbit ****** This week on The Trophy Room, we close out the year with our PlayStation 2025 Wrapped episode, breaking down the biggest stories, defining moments, and industry shifts that shaped PlayStation and gaming over the past year. We also take time to honor a devastating loss to the video game industry. Vince Zampella — Battlefield franchise lead, Call of Duty co-creator, Respawn Entertainment founder, and one of the most influential figures in modern gaming — has tragically passed away. We reflect on his legendary career, from Medal of Honor and Call of Duty to Titanfall, Apex Legends, Star Wars Jedi, and the record-breaking launch of Battlefield 6, and discuss the massive legacy he leaves behind. On the news front, Naughty Dog finds itself back in the spotlight for the wrong reasons. A new report reveals mandatory overtime (crunch) imposed on staff to complete a demo for Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, reigniting conversations around workplace culture, missed deadlines, and sustainability inside PlayStation Studios. We discuss what this means for Naughty Dog, Sony, and the broader industry as crunch continues to clash with modern development values. Plus, we dive into:• Our full PlayStation Wrapped 2025 breakdown• Naughty Dog landing firmly on the “not nice” list this year• A look back at the highs, lows, and turning points of 2025• Community reactions, reflections, and end-of-year takes This is a packed, emotional, and thoughtful send-off to 2025 — celebrating what went right, questioning what went wrong, and remembering one of gaming’s true legends.

Support the show Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PSTrophyroom Discord: https://discord.gg/wPNp3kC  BSYK: https://tinyurl.com/3e24bn7y  Store: https://tinyurl.com/ktbsdw3s  This week on The Trophy Room:  A PlayStation Podcast hosts Teegan, Kyle, and Joe talk about --------------- This week’s episode dives deep into major shifts across gaming, streaming, and the business of entertainment, with industry-shaking moves from Warner Bros., Sony, Bungie, and more. We start with breaking corporate news as Warner Bros. Discovery is expected to reject Paramount’s latest acquisition offer, choosing instead to move forward with its $82.7 billion Netflix deal. If finalized, Netflix would gain control of Warner Bros. Games, including massive IP like Mortal Kombat, DC, Harry Potter, and more. We discuss whether Netflix will license these franchises out—or finally go all-in on games—and what this could mean for the future of AAA development. Next, we look at alarming new data showing US hardware sales and physical game spending just hit their worst November in 30 years. Despite heavy Black Friday promotions, record-high console prices dragged sales down, even as PS5 emerged as the best-selling console for the month. We break down what this says about the future of physical games, hardware pricing, and consumer behavior. Then we tackle the ongoing AI controversy in game development, as Larian Studios CEO Swen Vincke responds forcefully to backlash over AI usage following The Game Awards. Vincke makes it clear: artists are not being replaced. We discuss where AI fits responsibly in modern game development—and where players are drawing the line. The episode also covers Bungie’s major Marathon update, including a March 2026 release date, revamped visuals, deeper PvE, hardcore gameplay shifts, solo playlists, expanded weapon mod systems, and new lore teases. After months of controversy, Bungie appears to be rebuilding trust—so we ask: Is Marathon finally back on track? And can it stand alongside competitors like Arc Raiders? Plus, listener questions and reactions on Bungie, PlayStation strategy, and shooter fatigue.

Support the show Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PSTrophyroom Discord: https://discord.gg/wPNp3kC  BSYK: https://tinyurl.com/3e24bn7y  Store: https://tinyurl.com/ktbsdw3s  This week on The Trophy Room:  A PlayStation Podcast hosts Teegan, Kyle, and Joe talk about The Games Awards 2025! All the big reveals like former Bioware's Casey Hudson making a Star Wars Fate of the old republic game, Divinity, Tomb Raider Catalyst, Tomb Raider Reboot, Warlock and so much more. As well as Clair Obscur Expedition 33 absolutely sweeping the awards as well as Game of the Year and playstations big presents as well!

Follow The Trophy Room Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PStrophyroom Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/2PglU1a Discord: https://discord.gg/wPNp3kC Twitter: https://twitter.com/PSTrophyRoom ****** This episode covers a wide range of major gaming and entertainment industry updates, including new adaptations, studio developments, and ongoing industry conversations. Justin Lin, known for his work on the Fast and Furious franchise, is officially set to direct Sony Pictures and PlayStation Productions’ live-action Helldivers movie. With a script from Gary Dauberman, Lin is reportedly focusing on character, world-building, and thematic depth as he brings the popular Arrowhead Game Studios franchise to film. The long-anticipated Amazon God of War TV series is now moving into pre-production, with Frederick E.O. Toye directing the first two episodes. Casting has begun for Kratos and Atreus, putting to rest ongoing speculation about who will take on the lead roles. Toye’s previous work on Shogun, The Boys, Westworld, and Watchmen signals a high-quality adaptation. Meanwhile, recent rumors linking Christopher Judge to the role have been dismissed. A mysterious statue discovered in the Mojave Desert, tied to a teaser from Geoff Keighley, has sparked intense speculation about what game it represents. Fans have theorized connections to God of War, Diablo, Fallout, Doom, Baldur’s Gate, and even Half-Life due to nearby road names, but multiple insiders have ruled out several of these possibilities. The statue continues to generate discussion as more clues appear. Industry commentary also includes discussion around claims from HipHopGamer regarding a new PlayStation experience that could feature elements from all generations of PlayStation hardware and include a social component reminiscent of PlayStation Home. This speculation opens broader conversations about what PlayStation, Xbox, and PC gaming may look like in the next hardware cycle. The controversy involving Bungie’s Marathon art dispute has reached a resolution, with artist Fern “4nt1r34l” Hook stating that the issue has been resolved to her satisfaction. Bungie previously acknowledged that a former employee had used her work without permission during the game’s early development and removed the affected assets from the project. Yacht Club Games, the studio behind Shovel Knight, is facing a critical moment as it prepares for the release of Mina the Hollower. According to Bloomberg, the studio’s future stability depends heavily on the game’s sales performance. With the team having downsized and paused work on a separate 3D Shovel Knight project, the success of Mina the Hollower may determine the direction of the studio moving forward. Additional updates include a significant reduction to Helldivers 2’s PC install size, a new limited-edition Genshin Impact DualSense controller for PS5, the soft launch of MLB The Show Mobile on iOS and Android, and new accusations that Sony used generative AI artwork for its PlayStation Advent Calendar promotional campaign. This episode brings together the biggest stories shaping PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and the wider gaming industry, with insight into upcoming adaptations, studio challenges, production reveals, and the future direction of gaming.

Follow The Trophy Room Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PSTrophyroom Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/2PglU1a Discord: https://discord.gg/wPNp3kC Twitter: https://twitter.com/PSTrophyRoom ****** This week’s episode is stacked with breaking PlayStation news, major leaks, and huge third-party updates across the industry. We kick things off with evidence that Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is heading to PC far sooner than expected. A new ESRB rating has surfaced for the PC version—listing Sony Interactive Entertainment as the publisher—strongly suggesting a rapid turnaround similar to the first game’s sub-one-year PC launch. With Kojima Productions expanding the franchise into animated films, A24 partnerships, and Disney+ series, the Death Stranding universe is entering its biggest era yet. Next, a 10-minute leak of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake has spilled online, showing early gameplay, mocap sessions, Farah’s redesigned character concepts, and confirmation of two new locations built from the ground up. Ubisoft has been issuing copyright strikes, validating the footage's authenticity. Quality looks early-alpha, but it’s the clearest look yet at the long-delayed remake’s evolution. We then turn to huge internal rumblings at Bungie: credible leaks point to Destiny 3 being in extremely early development, reportedly positioned as a major tentpole release for the PS6 generation. This comes as Destiny 2 struggles with engagement, follows a $200 million write-down from Sony, and Marathon continues through testing before launch. With Destiny fatigue setting in, Bungie is under immense pressure to deliver a franchise reset. FLASH NEWS breaks down the rapid-fire updates you need to know: • Cyberpunk 2077 hits a massive 35 million units sold • A Far Cry TV series is officially in the works with Noah Hawley attached • PlayStation Plus December lineup revealed: LEGO Horizon Adventures, Killing Floor 3, The Outlast Trials, and Synduality Echo of Ada If you’re here for PlayStation insights, industry leaks, and deep-dive coverage of the biggest stories in gaming, this episode has everything.