Sacred Symbols, Episode 96: The Leaks of Us

Anything that is considered “not a norm” is seen as pushing an agenda like people kinda need to get over themselves because i hate to break it to them but having straight characters again again and again can get very repetitive and well it’s nice that ellie is you know not straight but anyway 37 days left until we can truly tell

Shae

This reminds me of when years ago you mentioned that its ridiculous not to expect developers to have a political message or agenda behind a game. I agree with you, the person who leaked this game deserves to be punished. I'm sorry, but saving your 60 dollars does not make it any less wrong and illegal.

Yeah, I'd rather spend a third of the price fixing what I already have, and not buy something I don't have to. You can really clean the buttons and everything when it's all apart, and it's just like new. I changed the sticks out on my controllers back at launch when they were all peeling off.

Cash

Battery is 16 on Amazon but to each his own I guess. I upgraded both PS4 controllers with a longer lasting battery.

LE

If you don't want to that's one thing but some people talk like they don't know it's an option. If you're to the point of buying a new $60 controller and your old controller is basically garbage, then what's the harm. I like taking things apart though lol

Angelo Ponte

I've seen some people talking about old articles that mention Neil saying he was following Anita's content for guidance on moving away from sexist depictions of women in video games, which is fine but many people feel like this is cheap, pandering or condescending. You're 100% right in saying that they can make whatever game they want, and I agree that no art is apolitical, however, I see too many of the same lines of thought in what we've heard and seen from Naughty Dog recently as in the cancel culture that you yourself have discussed on your show, to be honest I find it frustrating that you dismiss these opinions on Naughty Dog or Neil as just "haters" (which I realize do exist aplenty), when so much of what we've seen from them (specially the leaked scenes, which, context or not, are just so incredibly over the top) echoes the same way of thinking that caused you so much pain and unfairness a few years ago (groupthink, wrongthink, cancel culture, censorship and vilification of any remotely conservative point of view). Anyways I can't wait to hear your thoughts after playing the game, as I'm sure you'll at least appreciate some of the controversy with this.

Dan T

I'm certainly not gonna do that, but I'm glad other people can. If the battery is $20 and I put it in an old controller, or I can just spend $60 on new everything, I'll spend the $60.

Colin Moriarty

Oh, because it doesn't tell the specific and exact story they want to be told.

Colin Moriarty

I have no idea where this Anita shit is coming from, I really don't.

Colin Moriarty

Most people aren't going to crack open their controller for any reason. I think you're overestimating people (including me).

Colin Moriarty

I just legit don't have the patience for these absurdly hard games anymore. I dunno... that's just my take.

Colin Moriarty

Okay!

Colin Moriarty

It's their game; they can make whatever they want, no?

Colin Moriarty

I don't care what people do with the information leaked; but the fact remains that the game has been ruined unfairly for many, many people, and it's fucked up.

Colin Moriarty

The leaker ruined things for the players.

Colin Moriarty

I'll play 'em in any order, I don't really care. But it is peculiar.

Colin Moriarty

The easiest way to handle it is to have internal batteries.

Colin Moriarty

That's valid.

Colin Moriarty

That's scary. =\

Colin Moriarty

That's crazy. I'm sorry to hear that!

Colin Moriarty

I don't know what this means.

Colin Moriarty

I've just accepted that I'm never going to play it.

Colin Moriarty

I was in a similar situation when I first played, but when I went back in 2017, I "figured it out," as it were.

Colin Moriarty

Yeah, I didn't see that.

Colin Moriarty

I care. Doesn't seem like a fanboy debate to me.

Colin Moriarty

It didn't come up on this week's episode. No one even wrote in about it. Sorry. =\

Colin Moriarty

Yes, of course! How could I forget.

Colin Moriarty

I'll find out this week-ish.

Colin Moriarty

Interesting. Maybe you guys should stop cheating online! LOL.

Colin Moriarty

Good! I thought it was funny too.

Colin Moriarty

That's ALL you learned? =\

Colin Moriarty

The leek/leak question was atrocious, no doubt about it.

Colin Moriarty

Seems like a lot of work for a dullard like me.

Colin Moriarty

I don't remember that at all, but I will certainly take your word for it. =)

Colin Moriarty

Could be! We'll find out soon enough!

Colin Moriarty

I think it's weird too, but I suppose they have a method to their madness.

Colin Moriarty

Yeah, Sony's activity on YouTube really is inexcusable, though I will say that -- as someone who was accidentally caught in a snare by them on YouTube once with my Spiderman review -- they use a third party.

Colin Moriarty

Most excellent.

Colin Moriarty

They didn't bring her onto the writing team! I don't even know where people are getting this.

Colin Moriarty

Sorry, nothing we can really do about that. =\

Colin Moriarty

LOL.

Colin Moriarty

Yes we will! Very exciting.

Colin Moriarty

Soon!

Colin Moriarty

Thank you for your support!

Colin Moriarty

We quarrel over this on the newest episode. =)

Colin Moriarty

Exhausting is the right word for it. I'm becoming more and more over it, myself.

Colin Moriarty

With great power comes great responsibility.

Colin Moriarty

Not sure I'd call that a Fun Fact, Alexander.

Colin Moriarty

PS3 and PS4 controller batteries are easy to replace, it’s 4 screws and the battery plugs in easily.

LE

The main reason why people have "hate boner" for part 2 is because of virtue signalling and Neil having Anita Serkisan (whatever her name from Feminist Frequency) in his corner to help shape the narrative of part 2 so that it doesn't come across as misigonystic. Can't believe you haven't seen it online. This the main point of contention for all these haters.

Zibi Majewski

many people are hating on the last of us part II because of “the agenda it’s pushing” i honestly have no clue why people would think this but anyway 🤷‍♀️

Shae

I'm always worried for people that don't know that you can buy a replacement battery for $15 on Amazon and it's very easy to change, it's literally the first thing you see when you open the controller with just a single plug... I understand not wanting to void a warranty but does it matter if your controller no longer works??! I actually don't like the Xbox controller needing batteries, my son uses our Xbox and I got a rechargable battery pack for it. He somehow broke the little hinges that hold the battery cover on and the battery kept falling out so I had to tape it on.

Angelo Ponte

Nioh 2 had a ridiculous barrier to entry. I died like 30 times on the first 15 enemies and I was decent as the first one. Not sure what the devs gain by it, I just uninstalled and sold it.

Your Boi Nicky V

I don't know Colin, I feel Ubisoft has been very console mutal this generation. It may of started off with a lot of "timed exclusives," but as a fellow xbox subscriber, I can speak with utmost certainty that Ubi has given us a fair share of deals.

Josh Walker

Hey Colin, I wrote this in a different thread, but this is what concerns me regarding the TLoU: 2. For the record I haven't seen any of The Last of Us Part 2 leaks (I have muted just about every word/phrase associated with TLoU on Twitter tho), but I did watch RobinGamings newest video where he says he feels "vindicated" after seeing the leaks in it's entirety. If you recall, he made a video 2 years ago called, "The Naughty Dog Agenda" where he voiced his concerns over the direction the company was heading. After releasing the video, Robin got bombarded with comments calling him a "bigot," "sexist" and a "misogynist." Robin also mentions that a massive weight has been lifted off his shoulders - this has me concerned with the content of the leaks. If you read the YT comments, they're people en mass saying they cancelled their pre-order and that Neil's agenda (whatever that means) couldn't be more transparent. Honestly, what the hell is going on!? This is worrisome. Btw, they're lots folks in the YT comments of Episode 96 echoing this exact sentiment.

KB

The leaks that I saw are drastic and jarring, and are indicitave of the direction the plot will go and the themes it may focus on. I can't blame someone for canceling their pre - order, especially after sony/ND were copy striking YouTube channels for general discussion of the news story.

Zach man

Why do people feel like the leaker has ruined things for Naughty Dog? If the game is good, the leak wouldn’t affect them at all.

Dee Han

I’d personally prefer to play Last of Us 2 before Ghost of Tsushima. So I’m happy with the new release dates.

I couldn’t disagree more with Chris’ take on batteries. Granted I’ve never had a battery fail on a PS controller but it’s so rare to happen that if it did, just buy a new battery online and open that thing up. I have the Plug And Play pack for Xbox and it’s just awful. Super clunky to recharge and the batteries only last me a few days. I think Xbox even settled the debate themselves by putting an internal rechargeable battery on their Pro Controllers. Having AA batteries in there still is just cheap.

Oliver Johnson

I feel like leeks are just giant green onions (scallions).

Nokeystothecity

I lost access to the PlayStation store for like 3 weeks then magically it came back. I was able to connect to the store at work but not my home IP and Comcast refused to change it. Hopefully this guy gets unbanned.

Clifton Reid

I remember my account was banned on PSN because someone hacked my account on a hack PS3. I called Playstation and told them I don't even own a PS3 anymore and haven't for quite a while. They said they can't do anything about it. I lost access to around 500+ games and my 50 platinums. I haven't digitally bought a game since and stopped getting platinums.

Angelo Ponte

Sir, why are you spoiling your own podcast?

Nikitas Gagas

Your resident Nioh 2 analyst here. Nioh 2 is much easier because if you're online you can summon other players' builds to fight along side you to mainly tank damage. Nioh 2 does have a learning curve and you unlock a ton of items, magic, gear etc so things become easier, also the more you grind the easier it is. Sekiro is much more difficult and it's mind over matter rather than grinding. Nioh 2 is exceptionally fun and rewarding even with the lightened challenge.

Gr4vity400

On the subject of difficulty I found Bloodborne a really difficult and frustrating experience, I must have played the first Yharnam section over and over for hours and no matter how far I got or who I beat I just kept getting punted back to the start. This led to me uninstalling the game and resigning to the fact it wasn't for me even though its considered one of the best games to grace the platform.

Not sure if you missed it but they announced a new wrestling game called WWE Battlegrounds coming out this year which is replacing 2k21 for 2020.

Sumojoe118

Ah the ongoing fanboy debate of internal or external battery ? Answer: who cares it's a battery whether its internal or external you will have to perform some menial 30 sec task to get charge back in it. It litteraly boils down to what console you prefer or which option you are used to. That's it.

Craig Mcguire

As opposed to pretty much every other media outlet in the gaming industry CLS doesn't depend on handouts / access from SIE to survive, and as such, I'm really hoping the guys can share their opinions (particularly Colin) on Sony / ND's widespread abuse this week of YouTube's copyright system to illegally silence anyone that doesn't align with their messaging -- even if they've just expressed their own opinions (not disclosing any leak details / imagery). For me personally, this is a step too far and I will be voting with my wallet and not purchasing the game, as I can't justify supporting these types of mafia-like actions against folks well within their rights to express their opinions / free speech. All the major industry outlets appear to be turning a blind-eye as usual.

ReadyPlayerNice

Don't forget... I am Jesus video game

Lee Bush

Im very curious to see what Colin thinks of the ending of FF7 Remake. Ive noticed that people who don’t know the story don’t understand how it kind of ruins critical parts of the story. I hated the ending so much that not only was I rolling my eyes for 2 hours straight but it totally ruined my experience with what I thought was an amazing game. It destroys the world rules already built by the original and Sephroth has become a neutered anime villain. This is possibly the biggest disappointment in my gaming life.

bix hutch

It's strange I had my IP blocked by Sony and the guy told me to turn off my router for 2 hours then turn it back on and it'll reset it. Sure enough it worked. Sucks that guy had to go out and buy another router

Jeremy Miller

This thumbnail has had me laughing for atleast 15 minutes and throughout the show.

Marcus Brown

Chris just ain't eating the right nachos is all that I have learned from this episode...

That leek question was horrible. 👎🏼 Nachos are a snack to me. 🤷🏻‍♂️ Usually, I don’t mind spoilers and will seek them out. TLoU2 is a rare exception where I didn’t look and am getting the game on release just to support the franchise. The bad feedback to the spoilers is interesting though so I can’t wait to see how I feel after finishing it. I prefer the PS4’s battery style over Xbox’s. I’ve had my base PS4 for 4+ years now and the battery on the controller hasn’t had any noticeable decline.

NeO JD

I get the want for a removable battery, maybe Sony could put a rechargeable battery behind a single screw door (like the 3ds or PSP) though I remember PSP was first hacked through an exploit that was related to the Battery. One thing, If you are willing to drop $60 on a new controller have a look to see how easy it is to take apart and change it your self. I picked up a battery off of Amazon and changed my PS3 controller battery myself (I also gave the whole controller a soak and a clean), and it was easier than I thought it would be. I haven't had to change my PS4 controller battery, but I'm not particularly worried about changing it myself when the time comes. I know it's a bit more involved than changing a couple of AAs but it saves a bunch in the long run.

Cat Charlie

The entire game crisis was leaked on PC months before release. You could play it to the end.

lazer_josh

Thing is Caleb, most seem to prefer the PlayStation's battery decision so it definitely is a debate.

The Rose Experience

I was convinced Ghosts was the game getting a raw deal but given these leaks and the reaction I'm now starting to wonder like Chris implied that maybe it's TLOU2 that Sony are unsure about. Crazy to think, but a month apart for two games of this size from first party, is unheard of. Definitley makes you wonder

Craig Mcguire

Its a bit of a strange business move to release Ghost of Tsushima so soon after the last of us but as a gamer I'm excited to finally get a big game to play during the summer.

Sumojoe118

I’m interested in how Sony is now flagging YouTube channels who are making content about the leaks. On one hand actual video games media I assume are under NDA’s. I was wondering where YouTubers fall (in terms of legal penalty) in running stories on leaks that have been made public.

Michael Maneage

I started eating Five Guys again because of you guys. Thankfully it’s still open right now!

Oliver Johnson

Just some off hand context as to why some seem to have a hard on for TLOU2. A lot of the vitriol has to do with Naughty Dog bringing Anita Sarkessian on to the writing team or consulting, not sure which, somewhere during development. People don’t like her, obviously I don’t know her but I’m not a fan or her misguided crusade at all even if she’s hit the dartboard twice out of a hundred throws, so to speak.

The Rose Experience

Per the battery pack debate question: I mean, it’s not really a debate. Xbox controller cuts down on the price by making the rechargeable battery pack, that some people may or may not want depending on how much they play games or just personal preference, an option. And as Chris said, it then doesn’t regulate the functionality of the controller to the functionality of its batteries. Frankly, as someone platform agnostic, I think a person is probably a Sony fanboy if they don’t acknowledge the Xbox solution is just the better one lol. It’s like they’re reaching for something. Options for consumers is almost always better.

Caleb Greer

I think he meant a leak as in the one shown in the image. A hole in a burrito leaks food just like a leak that needs flex tape to fix it.

Jason Bolla

I understand, and even recommended, the scheduling switch but I would like to point out that the new release order kinda mucks up The Drop for those of us that enjoy following along. It is a lot of fun to read The Drop word-for-word as you two stumble through them, and it's a great way to get my eyes on all the new releases because I ain't reading that shit to myself. Right now its Saturday morning and I'm listening to your hot new episode, but since the drop you're reading is now 8 days old the newest one is already posted, and I find my vibe slightly mellowed. Obviously the importance of the news we gain probably outweighs the necessity for the drop to be hot and fresh, but this still feels weird. You can't please all of the people all of the time. RIP hot and fresh drops.

LaFlex

Is there a source for this? I'm not going to lie that is very concerning for me, wouldn't be surprised if she consulted on UC4 as well and got Doughnut Drake removed.

Real Radec

There is information that Neil Druckmann had some help from Anita Sarkesian while developing TLOU 2. Let that sink in guys.... Yep not gonna bother playing this game cause of her. She is basically destroying video games.

Saulius Vekteris

26:45 Chris- Do you know what Avatar: The last Airbender is? Colin after Avatar has been voted into the primary for knockback for 5 months straight - I'm vaguely aware of it.

JoshTheNomad

Well All see come June 19th 😂

Jacob billings

Can’t wait for Colin to finally finish FFVII Remake and realize they can pretty much do whatever they want now

FootLover69

I just upped my patreon donation amount to 5 bucks, cause I need my sacred symbols dropped on friday. So that the podcast can keep me sane on my Saturday shift at my job cleaning parks ha. cheers for the entertainment lads.

Jake Mcaulay

Chris is way off about the nachos. Is he talking about just chips? Nachos done right will knock me out.

Matt tamer

Internet culture in general is just getting exhausting. It’s a shame really. Really it’s social media that is actually starting to really mess things up in society. In 2016 everyone was a expert in political science. In 2020 everyone is an epidemiologist. Add in how the world of entertainment has become. People leak things. People seek out to specifically say harmful things about people, with strange “evidence” that support their “argument”. Just overall there is this trend of not treating people with respect. I’m sure if there was social media/hyper connected internet in previous decades, there would be similar issues. But it does seem like we are getting completely out of control. In regards to this weird (seemingly out of nowhere) bubbling antagonism rising against Neil Druckman, I’ve listened to you Colin for many many years. I have a certain level of trust for you. I know Neil has been kind and supportive of you. I recall him sending a supportive tweet your way when you launched CLS. He always seems level headed and passionate about his work. I don’t know, and could really care less, where his “politics” lie. But overall you know him better than pretty much any one here, if he’s decent in your view he’s decent in mine. I’m not a fan of seeing his name being dragged through mud. It does not feel right.

Zack E

That leek question made me so angry

Jose Horrach

Funny spoiler related story. When I was a manger at a restaurant, one of my employees intentionally spoiled a major character death on Walking Dead for me. (Back when the show was really hot and everyone was into it.) She did it knowing I hadnt seen it yet and thought it was funny. So I made her clean out every garbage can in the restaurant. It wasn't funny anymore.

Nate McKinney

Fun fact, Chris mentioned that in Gears of War you'd be slowed down whenever Anya/Hoffman/etc. talked to you. You can actually skip this dialogue by pressing the equivalent of the "Select" button. I don't recall if you ever had to wait a certain amount of time to skip said sequences, but you definitely could.

Nierly Crazy

Yeah, that was kinda-sorta a JRPG, I guess. Kinda ethereal, though.

Colin Moriarty

I guess we will find out, but I doubt that she had anything to do with the story.

Colin Moriarty

Zero tolerance.

Colin Moriarty

I feel like I just want lots and lots of cheese. Maybe some onion, maybe some salsa. That'll do.

Colin Moriarty

I'm really sorry to hear that. <3

Colin Moriarty

He can't answer you, because he's banned.

Colin Moriarty

FFVIIR came out in April. It wouldn't have charted in March. It'll be near the top for this month.

Colin Moriarty

Yeah, I mean... not exactly recent. But CoD, yeah. That was a Cold War game.

Colin Moriarty

I'm treated like shit by a lot of people in this industry, and Neil has always been kind and decent to me. Just something to keep in mind.

Colin Moriarty

Sounds like really playing with your build was part of my problem with the original, too. I'm not THAT bad at games.

Colin Moriarty

I think it's time, at many of these Japanese studios, to let a new generation take over.

Colin Moriarty

Seems like he wasn't even part of ND or Sony at all, which makes it even weirder...

Colin Moriarty

It's about the journey.

Colin Moriarty

Sometimes I care; other times I don't. It really all depends. With TLoU2, I definitely care, and I'm definitely bummed it was spoiled for me. But the spoilers also haven't ruined my excitement for the game.

Colin Moriarty

Wait until you play it, and then see how you feel. That's my perspective.

Colin Moriarty

I'm not entirely convinced Naughty Dog wanted to make a TLoU sequel either, but I think the success of the original game kinda necessitated a return, and I can appreciate that from both a capitalistic and creative perspective. I'm excited as hell to play it.

Colin Moriarty

Ghosts just seems like the better opener, and could benefit from going first. But I don't think they can hold TLoU2 much longer because of the leaks.

Colin Moriarty

I suspect they'll both be in the 20 hour range, but they're different, so we'll see.

Colin Moriarty

When did he say these things?

Colin Moriarty

You are entitled to your opinion! I'd never say otherwise. I can't wait to play it.

Colin Moriarty

It's kind of a damned if you do, damned if you don't scenario, I think.

Colin Moriarty

That's wishful thinking, but would be nice!

Colin Moriarty

Good, I'm glad nothing has been ruined for you. =)

Colin Moriarty

We talk about it in-depth, but we don't spoil anything.

Colin Moriarty

Sorry. =\

Colin Moriarty

Well, that's good. =)

Colin Moriarty

I don't know what the hell I meant, honestly.

Colin Moriarty

Yes, but even before the roster leak, that guy Paul Gale or whatever was leaking so much shit from PSAS.

Colin Moriarty

I mean, sure you would. I'm not gonna judge something in totality when I've not seen or played virtually any of it. You can feel how you want, but I just don't agree. I could take so many games out of context, tell you some spoilers, show you a little bit of gameplay, and make them look like shit. It's not that hard.

Colin Moriarty

What?

Colin Moriarty

Thanks. =)

Colin Moriarty

Yeah, but I was also playing something recently that did that. I can't remember what, though... But perhaps it did come from Cerny.

Colin Moriarty

I was so bad at Sekiro, I could barely play it. Thanks for writing in!

Colin Moriarty

=\

Colin Moriarty

Yes...

Colin Moriarty

It was Chris' idea, I can't take credit.

Colin Moriarty

=)

Colin Moriarty

I think the RPG that came to the PS4 and vita from a Western developer you were talking about was Child of Light. It was made by Ubisoft.

Anthony J Sanchez

Can we get an F in the chat, boys? F

Liam Mcnulty

I heard Anita Sarkeesian was an advisor, which is disconcerting. But I'll try it for myself, I don't want to hate the game, I hope it's amazing. But I'm definitely worried about it.

Liam Mcnulty

Thank you Colin. I already saw spoilers elsewhere and I may not agree with everyone on here about Naughty Dog but I'll be damned if someone is going to come on here and try that nonsense. Much respect Colin.

Johnny Rosado

These two. Dancing around the nacho discussion as if they've never had loaded nachos. You know, the only ones worth eating? Meat, cheese, salsa, veggies, sour cream. Definitely meal worthy

Vincent DePalma

Ethan has been banned from CLS. Very weird behavior from someone who has paid $5/month for two years to be here. But he's out, and no longer welcome.

Colin Moriarty

Did FF7 remake not even chart?

CLsquared

This was the answer I was looking for. =)

Monterey Jack

Ethan you're starting to sound alot like someone who has already been banned for such douche baggery

Johnny Rosado

I got the last of us 2 spoiled for me in a twitter reply. I think the main things to avoid are twitter replies and YouTube comment sections.

Domenico Smarto

Also to the Vietnam war question. COD Black Ops in 2010 was primarily set in the Vietnam war (bits of cold war as well). The same year Battlefield Bad Company's 2 expansion was all about the vietnam war. To be fair it's literally been a decade for those two releases. Good thing that COD 2020 is rumored to be a Black Ops reboot set in the Vietnam war!

Real Radec

@That Rescue Guy don't you get that Neil Druckmann, Anita Sarkeesian and others at ND make no distinction between actual racists and bigots and those who don't agree with them. They label anyone who doesn't want to buy the game "close minded", "bigots, etc. That is how "SJW Culture" works. Pin everyone who doesn't agree with you as a Nazi and all arguments, discussion and debates are cut off. It's deeper than you're making it out to be.

Johnny Rosado

On that last point about difficulty, I had the same thing in Nioh 2 but it’s not that they chose to make the late game easier as such, it’s just that by then you have refined your build, got more skills (both your character and you) and got better gear etc. In which RPGs aren’t you some kind of awesome killing machine by the end? The whole point of levelling is to gradually feel more powerful and if it just gets harder despite this, it seems pointless.

Dan Parsons

Not at all, they talk about it happening but not the substance of the spoilers. Colin would never do that.

Bryan Finck

Gotcha, thanks for the clarification. I hate generalizations and the overuse of those kinds of terms, but I also recognize that there are bigots and racists in this world. Saying you don't want business from those people isn't the same as saying the people who disagree with you are those things.

Bryan Finck

In terms of Nomura for FF7 that guy has a lot of drama behind him. He is known for starting up projects, getting bored of them, and moving on to something else. Before, he would always put it on the director Tabata to finish it while supposedly micromanaging it from the sidelines and making it difficult for Tabata. This is what happened with FF15 where Tabata had to revamp it and finish it despite it being Nomuras creation. Now Nomura has been hinting via KH3 that he wants to go back and finish FF13 versus (FF15). I feel like he has ADHD.

Kenneth Oms

Will this episode in any way spoil the last of us part 2’s plot? I’m doing everything I can to avoid spoilers

Adam Barnes

Neil posted a quote from Kurt Cobain that basically says if your a bigot or racist then don’t buy my product. That’s probably what OP is talking about.

Diverj11

If this guy was actually treated so poorly that he felt justified doing it, its probably worth digging deeper into that. Game Studios are the most secretive thing and its kinda strange IMO.

Jake Woods

I don't give a shit about leaks. I purposefully spoiled End Game and it still kicked ass. If the story is actually good it shouldn't matter.

Jake Woods

99% of the time, I don't care about spoilers. I almost never experience something when it's new, so I often know a lot about games, movies, tv shows etc. beforehand. I only played Last of Us last year after listening to the Knockback about it and I don't think having it spoiled ruined it for me at all. I haven't seen any of the Part II spoilers yet, because I haven't decided if I want to know or not yet. Hearing all the negativity about it makes me think I will at least wait until the game comes out and gets reviewed before I buy it or not.

Matthew Cooper

NO SPOILERS. But I saw the leaks...and...they're not good. Which sucks bc I'm a huge ND fan. I'm sure the gameplay will be great but, I guess ND was destined to fall from grace at some point. 😞

Jack Sibert

I wish I had put this in the thread before the recording but, Chris was awesome and brought up what I wanted to say, anyway. I don't think a sequel to The Last of Us ever should have been made in the first place. The first one was lightning in a bottle and they'll never live up to the hype, even if the leaks end up being bs. I remember the devs talking in interviews just after the game released that "Joel and Ellie's story has been told. If we do more in this universe, it won't be about them". Which I respected the hell out of. But, low and behold, when the game was an insane success, there were suddenly "so many stories left to tell with Joel and Ellie" smfh... With all that said, I have yet to be disappointed in a single Naughty God release since I first got Jak & Daxter bundled with my PS2 that I mowed lawns to buy. So, I'm with you guys. Not cancelling my pre-order and giving the game the benefit of the doubt. As much as I despise identity politics, I'm not jumping on the hate bandwagon just because of one leak. TLDR: I think their historic catalogue and quality earns them the benefit of the doubt.

Silentandcliche

To Chris's point, I have zero interest in TLOU2. I don't play survival/scary/horror games because they stress me out, and I don't play stressful games to escape the stresses of life. Ghost of Tsushima, on the other hand, I've had pre-ordered since it was up on the PS Store. The delay, most likely due to TLOU's bump, is just a bit annoying to me. I agree with Colin on that, they should have moved it to after Ghost, instead of insisting it be first.

Daniel Mitchell

Yeah, after you guys talking about the LOU2 leak I question the crunch rumours that have been talked about online. As for reasons why the game got leaked I read a tweet from Jason Schreier said it could be because of people finishing the game at home made it easier to leak Also with The LOU2 and GOS coming out a month from each other I think it makes more sense for Last of us to come out first, due to it being a shorter game (assuming)

John Apocalypse

@Kam I'm not assuming anything. Not trying to have a conflict with you however it is a proven fact that Neil Druckmann continues to insult and label anyone who doesn't want to buy the game a bigot, a homophobe, a transphobe, a racist and sexist. How is that repeated blanket statement by Neil and others at ND not laughable to you? Can't expect to treat your employees like shit and insult current and potentional consumers like shit and expect people to be happy. I'm not buying anymore ND products because of how Neil and others act towards anyone who doesn't agree with them.

Johnny Rosado

After seeing the spoilers of TLoU2, I'm waiting for a sale, and most likely won't play it in the end. I feel like if the exact same thing happened with Uncharted 4's plot, people would be far more positive. Leaks suck, but people are pissed because of the content. I personally feel like Naughty Dog was trying to pull a bait-and-switch on me. They've (or Neil, I guess) forfeited my trust. I think Bruce Straley is what Neil needs when directing a game. In my opinion, TLoU is to the original Star Wars trilogy as TLoU2 is to the Prequels. But those are just my opinions.

GinkoSwag

Fair points Colin & Chris in response to my question. My perspective was that I saw several outlets running clickbait headlines about the leak, and even linking to Reddit discussions of the spoilers. Many outlets were respectful in their reporting, but many others really added fuel to the fire, in my opinion.

Captain Canada

For what it's worth, I laughed out loud at the doctor cough joke. 👍

Captain Canada

My first thought with the PS3 ratings is because they are preparing for PS5 backwards compatibility.

Cameron O'Neill

I pretty much get 90% of my gaming news from this Patreon. Luckily that kept me from seeing any leaks about Last of Us 2. I’d like this to get to trial of some type so we could hear why they decided to try to ruin the game for so many fans.

James Galos

I think you're assuming that every piece of content ever created was intended to be viewed and liked by the entire population, when that;s laughable...

Kam Wallis

It seems like Colin constantly gives Neil Druckmann and ND a pass no matter what they say or do. They treat their employees like shit they get a pass. They call everyone who doesn't want to buy the game a bigot and they get a pass. No context needed. Neil Druckmann comes across as a self serving, virtue signaling prick who seems to think he has the right to insult the current or potentional consumer. Fuck Naughty Dog!

Johnny Rosado

That was a great episode of SV.

Kam Wallis

Hopefully, there's no talk of the Last of US II leak. That was news on Tuesday, but old news now! LOL

Greg Horsman

My IP address was also blocked by Sony a few years back and I didn't do anything around that time. I also got the run around from both my internet service provider and Sony so I was stuck doing nothing online with my PlayStation for over a month.

Jorge Aponte

In high school my friend and I both got our PS3s IP banned from Call of Duty: Black Ops multiplayer. We were entirely guilty of hacking and fucking around with cheats and breaking the game. Years later neither of us have hacked or cheated since, graduated college and my buddy is now a software developer for Expedia. I'd say we turned out alright.

Drew Sleezer

In the spirit of grammar Nazism, Colin, I think you meant "genealogy" of genres, not "genome." 🤓😈

Jake Z

Update on the ND leaker news: https://twitter.com/GIBiz/status/1256266981331910658 And don't forget the infamous PS All Stars Beta leak, where someone on NEOGAF looked into the files of the PSAS beta and leaked pretty much everything about the game, roster, stages, items etc.

Real Radec

Dude, I'm sorry, but you saying "without context" about the leaks is totally off-base in my opinion. There is no context needed for the leaks, and in some cases, there IS context. I won't spoil anything, but for the sake of an example, what if it leaked that Uncharted 5 ends up being all a dream in the end or Nathan Drake gets his arm cut off and we find out he's been a robot the whole time? You don't need any additional context to know that would suck.

Michael Ferrari

Guys I'm pretty sure the listener was referring to leaks, not leeks. He was asking if leaks(as in the game leaks) are burritos with holes in them. Because you know, burritos with holes in them leak. Don't really understand the question he was asking, but I'm pretty sure leaks was what he meant.

Bogey Zero

Damn I thought that coughing joke would kill. Back to the drawing board boys

Kenneth Oms

I’m so glad you guys agree with me about ppl not buying the game because of the leaks... like Chris said “Games are meant to be played” also... it’s naughty dogs art and their story... let them fucking tell it.

D'Ante Almo

Loving the cover art on this episode

Thomas Connolly

I feel like Naughty Dog is terribly overrated. Uncharted 1-3 had janky shooting, missed jumps were common in the climbing mechanics, and the set pieces were always set up like common shooting galleries. I feel like the Tomb Raider franchise has matured far more than Uncharted has. While 4 was great in the back half, much of it felt stilted. The Last of Us was a fantastic game, but rare for Naughty Dog. People seem to wear blinders when it comes to this studio. Especially Colin.

Verdic

Is Chris crazy? Nachos is definitely an appetizer, and if you add meat to it and a bunch of other stuff, it can definitely be an entree. Chris has had some basic-ass nachos if he thinks it’s a snack. Lol.

Will Hahn

You were thinking about how games hide loading screens behind long paths and those “grab my hand” scenes because Cerny just recently talked about it in the PS5 deep dive! He went pretty in depth on that topic and how their new SSD will solve those issues and give developers a better ability to create the exact game they want. I was constantly thinking about that during my FFVII playthrough. Anyways, thanks for the episode! Glad it’s a long one today.

Adrian Pinter

I’ve not listened to the episode yet, but the comment about the way Christians are treated reminds me of the episode of HBO’s Silicon Valley (a fucking hilarious show) about a gay, Christian tech worker. I won’t spoil the episode, it’s well worth a watch. My understanding though is, like most great satire, it’s not too far from the truth.

Russell Garrett

I’m really glad I have a open mind about these things.. I’m willing to let them tell the story they want to tell.

D'Ante Almo

Yikes!

D'Ante Almo

Thanks for picking my question guys. Nioh 2 is easier than Nioh 1 for sure. I've beaten both games now and Nioh 1 was hard in the beginning and then less hard later on, Nioh 2 was very hard in the beginning and then very easy later on. Chris was also totally right about Sekiro (along with bloodborne and most the other Souls games) they are much better at escalating the difficulty in an effective way. This is all in my opinion of course. Either way keep up the great work and take care of yourselves gents.

Dick McFarmhouse

Man, those Last of Us 2 leaks are atrocious! Easily the most disappointing sequel I've ever seen, even more so than Mass Effect 3, which I would never have expected from Naughty Dog....

Michael Ferrari

I'm glad the leaker saved me 60$ with that garbage plot.

Verdic

If you listen in the Patreon app and set the speed to ½ it sounds like they’re drunk and talking to an empty stadium.

The start of a new

Matthew Major

insta click lol

QlvrFox