Xbox No Exclusives? Switch 2, Marvel Rivals’ Big Play & Sony Cancels?

Welcome back to the Press Start Select Podcast in 2025! 🎮✨ After a holiday break filled with technical challenges, we're back with brand-new topics and fresh energy! In this episode, we dive deep into: Marvel Rivals: A roster-packed launch that's redefining multiplayer gaming! 🚀 MK1 and Conan the Barbarian: Ed Boon's bucket list or just chaos in gaming? Live-service letdowns: What's behind Sony's cancellations, including the Horizon MMO and God of War live-service experiments? Nintendo Switch 2: Will it live up to the hype, and what games are we hoping for? And much more, including the latest on Xbox's shift to third-party strategies, the state of Warner Bros., and the industry's ongoing search for innovation in gaming. 🎙️ Time Stamps: 00:00 - The Press Start Select Podcast Returns for 2025! 4:07 - Marvel Rivals’ 33-Character Roster: Genius or Overkill? 7:02 - MK1 Adds Conan the Barbarian: Ed Boon’s Bucket List? 10:00 - Warner Bros. Cancellations: What Happens to Legacy IPs? 12:30 - What’s Next for WB Games After Suicide Squad’s Cancellation? 16:00 - Sony’s Cancelled Games: God of War and Horizon MMO Failures 20:00 - Could Spider-Man: The Great Web Have Been Sony’s Best Live Service Game? 21:45 - Horizon Zero Dawn MMO: A Cancelled Opportunity or Bullet Dodged? 23:30 - Why Aloy’s World Struggles to Connect With Fans 32:15 - Xbox’s Identity Crisis: Are They Just a Third-Party Publisher Now? 35:45 - Why Xbox Players Feel Betrayed by Microsoft’s Latest Moves 37:30 - Can Xbox Stay Competitive Without Exclusive Games? 39:15 - Game Pass: Is It Sustainable for Microsoft’s Future? 41:00 - Why Microsoft’s Vision for Gaming May Be a Double-Edged Sword 46:28 - Is PC Gaming Too Complicated for the Average Person? 47:28 - PC vs Console: The Accessibility Debate 48:31 - Why Consoles Make Sense for Families with Kids 50:22 - Why Microsoft Struggles with Branding and Presence 52:08 - Why Sony & Microsoft Are Behind Nintendo's Innovation 54:07 - Nintendo Switch 2: Is It Just a Bigger, More Powerful Switch? 54:47 - ‘Super Nintendo Switch’ Would’ve Been a Better Name Nintendo Switch 2 Accessories: Are Gimmicks the Future? - 56:08 56:56 - Are Graphics at Their Peak? How the Switch 2 Might Challenge the Status Quo 58:05 - Goodbye Switch 1: Why I’m Ready for the Switch 2's Performance Boost 58:36 - Will the Switch 2 Compete with the Steam Deck? 59:43 - Nintendo’s Long-Term Gamble: Will the Switch 2 Survive Without Top-Tier Performance? 1:02:04 - Nintendo's Secret Weapon: Could a F-Zero’s Open World Destroy the Competition? 1:03:05 - Will Nintendo Revive Lost Franchises for the Switch 2? 1:06:00 - Big Game Publishers Are Struggling 1:14:20 – Marvel Rivals: A Marvel Game That Feels Like Overwatch? 1:15:31 – Marvel Rivals vs. Avengers: Why It’s the Game We Always Wanted 1:16:32 – Marvel Rivals' Free-to-Play Success: What Makes It Stand Out? 1:17:56 – How Marvel Rivals Is Changing the Future of Comic Game Design 1:19:04 – Wolverine’s Realistic Approach: Will It Compete with Marvel Rivals? 1:23:14 – Marvel Rivals: Can Monthly Character Drops Keep Players Coming Back? 1:24:00 – Fixing Marvel Rivals: How the Game Needs to Balance Tanks, Duelists, and Healers 1:25:29 - The Truth About Balancing Choices in Video Games: Why You Can't Have It All 1:32:06 - The Western Gaming Struggle: Why Big Teams Fail While Smaller Ones Thrive 1:34:06 - The Power of Player Choice: Why Games Like Mass Effect Got It Right 1:35:17 - How Miyazaki's Storytelling Philosophy Revolutionized Gaming 1:36:00 - Phantom Blade Zero: A Solo Developer's Triple-A Dream 1:37:06 - East vs West in Gaming: Why Asia Dominates with Focused Vision #PressStartSelectPodcast #MarvelRivals #MK1 #NintendoSwitch2 #GamingPodcast #PS5 #Xbox #Nintendo