Gamertag Radio

Danny Peña speaks with ASUS's Whitson Gordon to discuss the official announcement and details of the limited edition ROG Xbox Ally X20 20th Anniversary model! Whitson shares insights from Gamescom, detailing the device's standout features—including its hot-off-the-press 7.4-inch OLED display with variable refresh rate (VRR), TMR joysticks, rubberized grips, micro SD Express support, and transforming D-pad. They also dive into the new TV docking station improvements, the exclusive Pelican case bundle with XReal AR glasses, pricing, and upcoming software updates for the ROG Ally ecosystem. The ROG Xbox Ally X20 officially launches on October 15th. Pre-orders are available now at select retailers like Best Buy. Connect with us: Danny Peña Parris Lilly Pete Toledo Riana Manuel-Peña Send us questions - fanmail@gamertagradio.com | Speakpipe.com/gamertagradio or 786-273-7GTR. Join our Discord - https://discord.gg/gtr chat with other GTR community member.

In this episode of Gamertag Radio, Riana Manuel-Peña and Tony Polanco deliver their non-spoiler review, first impressions, and gameplay breakdown of Insomniac Games' Marvel’s Wolverine for the PlayStation 5! Tony shares his thoughts after 100% completing the game, joining Riana for a deep dive into how Insomniac handles Logan’s story, brutal combat mechanics, and team dynamics. In this discussion, we cover: Story & Universe: How Insomniac’s take on Team X, Nathaniel Essex, and the X-Men world subverts MCU and comic expectations. Gameplay & Combat: The brutal gore, enemy variety, boss battles and pacing. Skills & Customization: Upgrades, the "illusion of choice" in RPG skill trees, unlockable suits, and health boosts. PS5 & PS5 Pro Tech: 120Hz performance, ray tracing, DualSense haptics, and seamless load times powered by Insomniac's rift technology. Follow Tony Polanco on Twitter/X (@RomuDeath) and check out his tech and gaming coverage over at Tom's Guide! Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more reviews and podcast episodes from Gamertag Radio!

Gamertag Radio's Danny Peña speaks with Square Enix directors Naoki Hamaguchi and Teruki Endo to discuss Final Fantasy VII Revelation, the third and final chapter in the remake trilogy. The team reflects on the 10-year journey of rebuilding Final Fantasy VII, balancing nostalgic battle design with modern action RPG mechanics, and landing the plane for this legendary story. Danny also dives into multi-platform development on the Nintendo Switch 2, how the trilogy connects to Advent Children, and what the future holds—including two planned story DLCs! Connect with us: Danny Peña Parris Lilly Pete Toledo Riana Manuel-Peña Send us questions - fanmail@gamertagradio.com | Speakpipe.com/gamertagradio or 786-273-7GTR. Join our Discord - https://discord.gg/gtr chat with other GTR community member.

NVIDIA GeForce DLSS 5 is officially here, and NBA 2K27 is the first title to take advantage of it! Following early leaks and initial controversy surrounding how the tech works, I had the chance to get hands-on experience both at Gamescom and at home on my RTX 5090 rig. In this segment, sponsored by NVIDIA GeForce, I break down how developer Visual Concepts actually implemented DLSS 5 into NBA 2K27 using 3D guided neural rendering. Learn how targeted, asset-specific application transforms player details, arena lighting, and crowd realism—plus my real-world performance benchmarks at 4K Ultra settings! Key Highlights: Addressing the Controversy: How DLSS 5 works when properly implemented per asset by developers rather than as a blanket filter. Visual Improvements: Enhanced lighting, material detail, player models, and crowd realism in NBA 2K27. PC Performance: Hands-on impressions playing at 4K resolution, ultra settings, and ray tracing on an RTX 5090 running at 160–180 FPS. NVIDIA Suite: Combining 3D guided neural rendering, multi-frame generation, and Reflex low latency for smooth gameplay. Check out actual 4K gameplay on the YouTube channel to see DLSS 5 in action!

In this episode of Gamertag Radio , hosts Danny Peña and Riana Manuel-Peña team up with MediaWise to explore the impact of online misinformation and toxic culture within video game spaces. They are joined by lead web developer at Poynter, Jay Tillery and veteran 3D artist Del Walker. The panel discusses how rumors spread rapidly across social media, why negative clickbait dominates the algorithm, and the real-world impact fake leaks and toxic discourse have on both game developers and gaming communities. Program Feedback & Giveaway Entry - click here Key Topics Covered : The Mechanics of Misinformation: Del Walker offers a developer's perspective on why bad-faith rumors, clickbait headlines, and claims of "lazy developers" gain traction online due to missing context around bug fixes, certification schedules, and studio pipelines. Digital Ownership & Industry Trends: A candid discussion on digital licensing, game preservation, content removal on major console storefronts, and how consumer behavior impacts physical media. Cleaning Your Digital Space: Actionable advice on curbing toxicity in online lobbies, curate social media algorithms, and combat information disorder. Note: This live stream recorded in partnership with MediaWise leads into Gamertag Radio's upcoming panel at TwitchCon 2026 in San Diego on Nov 14 at 10:30am PT.

At Gamescom, Parris Lilly catches up with Lead Combat Designer from Rebel Wolves, to discuss the immersive combat systems in The Blood of Dawnwalker . He breaks down the design behind the game's directional sword fighting, optional accessibility options like Omni-blocks, and how the team balanced combat difficulty to keep players engaged. The conversation also covers player customization, skill tree trade-offs, and the mechanical differences between playing as a human utilizing witchcraft during the day versus a brutal vampire at night.

Fresh back in Los Angeles after Gamescom, Danny Peña and Parris Lilly break down their hands-on theater presentation and impressions of The Witcher 3 Remaster and its massive new story expansion, Songs of the Past ! In this episode, Danny and Parris discuss: The Witcher 3 Remaster Announcement – Their reaction to the surprising Opening Night Live announcement, free current-gen upgrades, included expansions (Hearts of Stone & Blood and Wine), and massive quality-of-life improvements. Songs of the Past Expansion Breakdown – Exploring the stunning new northern region of Lettin (ancestral home of Dandelion), returning fan-favorite characters like Roach, and updated combat, skill trees, ray tracing, and monster behaviors. Lore & Witcher 4 Connections – Geralt coming out of retirement to solve Dandelion's disappearance and how this expansion bridges into the next era of The Witcher . CD Projekt Red Events & Nintendo Switch 2 – Off-site highlights, including seeing The Witcher 3 running on the Nintendo Switch 2 and meeting the legendary voice of Geralt, Doug Cockle. Special thanks to CD Projekt Red for hosting Gamer Tag Radio throughout Gamescom!

Parris Lilly and Danny Peña share exclusive hands-on impressions of the upcoming Fable reboot straight from Gamescom! In this video, Parris breaks down his 45-minute hands-on combat demo from Playground Games: Combat Breakdown – Swordplay, ranged mechanics, spell casting, and fighting through skeleton swarms and ghoul mini-bosses. Difficulty Scaling – Playing through the demo on default and stepping up to Heroic/Legendary difficulty. Visuals & Performance – Impressions from playing on PC and Series X, confirming smooth controls and non-clunky combat. Campaign Length & Legacy – Discussion on the reported 15–20 hour campaign length, side quests, real estate, and whether Playground Games captures the true feel of Fable ahead of its release.

Parris Lilly and Danny Peña share hands-on impressions and co-op details for State of Decay 3 from Gamescom! In this video, Parris breaks down his 45-minute hands-on gameplay session playing State of Decay 3 for the first time: Co-Op & World Host Mechanics – How persistent co-op worlds work, host permission controls, and managing friends in your survivor group. Scavenging & Gameplay – Exploring infected towns for resources, dealing with zombie swarms, and managing procedural survivors with unique perks. Camp & Survivor Management – Recruiter mechanics, survivor morale, losing bases, and managing your community. Visuals & Beta Plans – Upgraded visuals compared to State of Decay 2 and plans for the upcoming closed beta test.

Danny Peña and Parris Lilly return to Gamer Tag Radio to break down two unique indie titles that stood out during their playtime at Gamescom: ONTOS – From the developers behind SOMA , this sci-fi psychological horror mystery puts players in high-stakes environments filled with puzzles, branching paths, and tricky scenarios. Danny shares his hands-on experience solving the demo's puzzles, discovering new story paths, and pressing the devs on the game's mysterious art. Hello Sunshine – Parris gives a detailed breakdown of this survival-scavenging concept from Red Thread Games. Described as The Iron Giant meets Wall-E where the sun is trying to kill you, players must stay in the shade of a massive guardian robot, scavenge resources in extreme temperatures, manage heat and freeze risks, and navigate interactions with strangers in a desolate world.

Danny Peña and Parris Lilly break down their hands-on impressions and previews of three major upcoming titles from Gamescom: Chronos: Lazarus – First hands-on impressions with the new expansion! Danny and Parris discuss the faster pacing, new traversal and stealth mechanics (like short-range teleporting and invisibility), difficulty tweaks, and Bloober Team's evolution of the series. Chronicles Medieval – A detailed look at Raw Power Games' historical RTS hybrid. Blending Civilization and Age of Empires elements with a third-person camera option, real-time tactical commander combat, troop morale mechanics, and massive battles featuring up to 2,000 units. Control Resonant – Remedy Entertainment's highly anticipated project drops new gameplay details. Danny and Parris discuss seeing all-new areas and enemies at Gamescom without having the story spoiled. Special thanks to Raw Power Games and Frictional Games, Tara Bruno PR for the access!

Danny Peña spoke with Eric Damien-Vernay (Brand Director for Might & Magic at Ubisoft) about bringing back an iconic strategy classic in the Heroes of Might and Magic III Remake! In this interview, we dive into why Ubisoft is modernizing the game for new and veteran players alike, including new quality-of-life features, customizable preset playstyles, campaign improvements, and automation options. Plus, we discuss the team's personal connections to the original and the planned 2027 release window!

Interview with the Director Xiangyu "XY" Luo to talk about his upcoming action RPG, Showa American Story! Inspired by 80s pop culture, post-apocalyptic tropes, and B-movie directors like Quentin Tarantino, Takashi Miike, and Takeshi Kitano, this title blends humor, violence, and nostalgia. In this interview, Mr. Luo details the protagonist quest to find her sister in a post-apocalyptic world, the creation of crazy weapons like the American Flag and Santa's Reindeer, and how cinematic cutscenes set their boss battles apart.

Danny Peña sat down with Jack Hoppis (Technical Designer at Infinity Ward) and Beatriz González (Production Director at Digital Legends) to discuss bringing Call of Duty to the Nintendo Switch 2! We break down crossplay and cross-progression, unique Switch 2 control options like gyro and mouse controls, and the beta feedback leading into launch. Plus, we get details on map dynamics like Killblock, game modes, and the official file size for the Switch 2 version!

We sat down at Gamescom with industry legend Tim Willits, Chief Creative Officer at Saber Interactive and former id Software veteran (Doom, Quake, Wolfenstein), for an in-depth developer interview! In this conversation, Tim breaks down how Saber Interactive approaches massive IP adaptations including their upcoming Hellraiser game made in direct collaboration with creator Clive Barker, as well as high-profile titles for John Wick and Jurassic Park . He reflects on transitioning from 25+ years of making fast-paced first-person shooters to managing diverse genres like horror, simulators, and action games. Plus, Tim shares a powerful personal story about how Quake changed a player's life, addresses Saber's growing slate of projects, and reveals the one genre he still wants to make!

In this podcast exclusive interview, we sat down with Leslie Harwood (Principal Scene Coordinator) and Jessica Harra Campbell (Design Director) from Telltale Games to discuss the long-awaited development of The Wolf Among Us 2 ! During our exclusive interview, the dev team breaks down the decision behind their major tech reset—shifting away from Telltale's proprietary engine to Unreal Engine while building a custom "Telltale Renderer" to retain the iconic visual identity of the original. They also detail key gameplay evolutions, including moving to an over-the-shoulder third-person camera for exploration, how their choice and reactivity systems go deeper than simple "consequences," and why all episodes will release simultaneously despite keeping the episodic chapter structure.

Danny Peña sat down with AJ Grand-Scrutton, CEO of Dlala Studios and Director/Co-Writer of Murals, to discuss their brand-new isometric action-adventure title! After building hit multiplayer experiences like Battletoads and Disney Illusion Island, Dlala Studios is pivoting to their first single-player game in 13 years. In this interview, AJ breaks down the creative process of building an original IP rooted in reimagined fairy tales, combining 2D and 3D visual styles inspired by Who Framed Roger Rabbit, why they decided to leave multiplayer behind for this project, and the sheer panic of setting their Steam page live during Opening Night Live!

We sit down with the teams at Evil Empire and Konami to discuss the development of Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse . In this interview, Lead Level Designer Sandro Bordi, Marketing Director Béranger Dupré, and the Konami team break down how they balanced nostalgia for longtime fans with accessibility for newcomers. They explore: The Whip-Centric Gameplay: Modernizing traversal, combat, and exploration mechanics inspired by Super Castlevania IV . Story & Setting: Setting the game in 1499 Paris, 23 years after Dracula’s Curse , and introducing Rose Belmont. Design & Music: Drawing inspiration from Symphony of the Night , Order of Ecclesia , and classic series soundtracks. Collaboration: How Evil Empire’s work on Dead Cells shaped their approach to this original entry. Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse releases on October 15th!

During Gamescom 2026, Danny Peña sat down with Michael Yum, CEO and co-founder of PM Studios, to chat about publishing, supporting indie games, and bringing back The Wolf Among Us 2 . Michael discusses what PM Studios looks for in developer partnerships, why physical game preservation and collectors' editions matter, and how their new platform, PANEX, aims to unite PlayStation, Nintendo, and Xbox gamers.

Exclusive! Live from the Xbox booth at Gamescom, the team catches up with Jason Ronald (Vice President of Next Generation at Xbox) to break down major news for physical game collectors. Xbox is launching a new feature for Xbox Insiders that allows players to convert physical discs into digital licenses directly tied to their accounts. In this episode, we cover: How it works: How inserting your physical disc unlocks a digital entitlement tied to your account. Supported titles: Initial availability for thousands of Xbox One and Xbox Series X games, with plans to expand over time. Disc sharing & secondary consoles: What happens if you lend your disc to a friend or sign into a digital-only console like the Xbox Series S. Future outlook: The team's game preservation goals, multi-disc backward compatibility, and the future of digital ecosystems. Tune in for the full scoop on Xbox's latest game preservation push straight from the show floor in Germany!