The Game Deflators

This week on the Game Deflators Podcast, John and Ryan dive into a whirlwind of gaming goodness. Ryan returns from PAX West 2025 with fresh impressions, indie highlights, and a few surprises from the show floor. Meanwhile, John wraps up his journey through Final Fantasy VI with final thoughts on its legacy and storytelling, then jumps into the lush, emotional world of Neva PS5 for a first look at its gameplay and tone.

The duo also...

In this week’s episode of The Game Deflators, John and Ryan dive into their latest pickups—from video games to spicy new Magic: The Gathering cards—and share updates on what’s been dominating their playtime lately. But the real chaos begins with the ripple effect of Hollow Knight: Silksong’s release date announcement, as developers scramble to dodge the indie titan’s shadow.

The duo also break down Critical Role’s Season 4 decision...

This week on The Game Deflators Podcast – John and Ryan dive into the cardboard chaos of Magic: The Gathering, unpacking their latest pickups and sounding off on the absurdity of collector booster prices. Is Wizards of the Coast pricing out its own fanbase?

Meanwhile, John shares his progress on Final Fantasy VI and The Witcher, revealing whether pixel nostalgia or monster hunting is winning his attention.

In the news, Nintendo sti...

In this week’s episode of The Game Deflators, John and Ryan dive into a treasure trove of gaming updates, pickups, and hot takes:

Magic: The Gathering fans won’t want to miss the duo’s latest haul from Edge of Eternities, plus an update on the closure of Strixhaven Year Three in their long-running Dungeons & Dragons campaign.

The Game Deflators also explore Hasbro’s initiative to attract more women to Magic: The Gathering, anal...

On this week’s Game Deflators episode, John and Ryan unbox their latest gaming hauls and share what’s hitting their shelves. The duo then dives into Wizards of the Coast's latest attempt to heal wounds in the D&D community by offering virtual tabletop map access across DnD Beyond. Is it a gesture of goodwill, or just clever cartography?

Next, the guys give their unfiltered reactions to the newest Nintendo Direct, unpacking the ...

In this week's episode of The Game Deflators, John and Ryan tackle a dynamic mix of gaming news, nostalgic throwbacks, and anime hype. They kick things off with a breakdown of the latest One Piece anime episode and dive into their current progress reading the manga. Ryan then shares his newest Magic The Gathering pickups as John contemplates his next MTG purchases.

The duo then dissect a recent job listing showing Sony’s push for m...

John and Ryan are back at it with a jam-packed episode of gaming goodness and industry buzz. Things kick off with their latest gaming-related pickups and what’s currently stealing time from their backlogs.

Then it’s onto the mystical halls of Strixhaven, as John leads a recap of their ongoing D&D campaign discussing enchanted puzzles, morally murky professors, and all the magical mayhem you'd hope for from an academic arcane ad...

This week on the Game Deflators Podcast, John and Ryan share what they've been playing lately, swapping thoughts on new digital adventures and long-time favorites. John recaps his Crit Hit experience packed with tabletop energy and provides an update from the duos ongoing Strathaven Dungeons and Dragons campaign—expect magical mayhem and unexpected twists.

The discussion shifts toward the industry as they explore a new study showin...

In this episode, John and Ryan bring a fastball of nostalgia and digital reckoning to your speakers. The duo dives into EA’s announcement to shut down Anthem's servers in January 2026, dissecting the legacy of a game that promised big but struggled to soar. Then it's a deep-tech discussion as they unravel the silent killer behind your favorite handheld and console games—bit rot in SSDs affecting Nintendo 3DS, Vita, Switch, and even...

In this episode of the Game Deflators Podcast, John and Ryan unpack an action-packed week in gaming with a lineup that spans kart racing chaos, collectible card surprises, corporate culture wins, and a splash of retro nostalgia. 

They kick things off with the wild new Sonic Racing CrossWorlds where iconic franchises like Minecraft, TMNT, and Avatar: The Last Airbender collide on the track. The conversation then shifts to cardboard ...

Strap in for a nostalgia-meets-news deep dive on this week’s episode of The Game Deflators! John and Ryan kick things off with a fresh batch of gaming pickups. Then it's time to roll initiative as the duo shares behind-the-screen updates from their latest Dungeons & Dragons campaign.

In the tabletop world beyond their own, the guys examine big moves from the Critical Role team as they bolster their crew for the launch of Dagger...

John and Ryan are back on the mics with sand in their shoes and cardboard in their backpacks, kicking things off with a roundup of their latest video game and Magic: The Gathering pickups—some gems and some regrets.

Then it's onto showcase season, where the duo dives into their most anticipated titles from the latest Xbox Showcase and Sony's State of Play. 

But not everything is sunny in hardware land. The guys break down the rumor...

This week on The Game Deflators Podcast, Ryan is joined by Jim Miller, the mastermind behind Crit Hit—Arizona’s premier tabletop convention! They kick things off by discussing their latest gaming pickups and what’s been keeping them glued to the table.

Jim then shares exciting updates on Crit Hit 7: Cosmic Calamity, revealing what attendees can expect at this year's event—from epic game sessions to stellar surprises. But that’s not...

This week, John and Ryan welcome Sean and Will from PlayStation Ain’t Dead for a gaming-packed discussion! The crew kicks things off by sharing their latest gaming pickups and what they've been diving into lately.

Then, the big debate: Will the Nintendo Switch 2 capture the same magic as its predecessor, or will casual gamers skip this one? The podcasters weigh in on the potential hurdles for Nintendo’s next-gen hybrid.

Next, a for...

In this episode of The Game Deflators Podcast, John and Ryan dig into their latest video game pickups and some of the latest gaming news.

They kick off the news week with Pokémon TCG Pocket and its $1 billion milestone—can it maintain its momentum, or is the digital TCG market headed for a shake-up? The conversation then turns to Xbox’s future, with a big question looming—could the next generation of Xbox consoles be Microsoft’s la...

Join the Game Deflators podcast as John and Ryan kick things off by sharing their latest gaming pickups and video games they are currently playing; including Shadow the Tomb Raider and Risk of Rain 2. The conversation takes a turn as they break down the recent controversy surrounding Bungie allegedly using an artist's work without permission—what does this mean for corporate accountability in game development?

Next, the duo digs in...

John and Ryan are back with a Game Deflators Podcast episode breaking down the latest gaming and tech shake-ups. First up, they tackle Nintendo’s pricing strategy for the Switch 2—could tariffs and rising production costs lead to a price hike in the future?

Next, they explore Apple’s latest courtroom maneuver in its ongoing Epic Games legal battle, as the tech giant seeks to pause a ruling that could reshape the App Store landscape...

On this episode of the Game Deflators podcast, John and Ryan are joined by Killian Davies of AZ Stolas to discuss his latest one-shot adventure, Loo Loo Lunacy, and his upcoming Kickstarter projects. Inspired by the popular web series Helluva Boss, Loo Loo Lunacy takes players into the chaotic depths of Loo Loo Land, a devilish amusement park filled with danger, intrigue, and dark humor.

Killian shares insights into the publishing ...

Join John and Ryan on this week's episode of The Game Deflators Podcast as they dive into the intriguing world of Clair Obscur Expedition 33. Hear their thoughts on the The Last of Us Season 2, and explore the record-breaking success of the Final Fantasy Magic: The Gathering set, now the best-selling in history. Plus, don't miss their in-depth review of Chibi Robo for the GameCube, a hidden gem that deserves a closer look.

Want m...