In this week's Gaming Fun Fact we explore gaming devices that were adopted by the US military including Xbox 360 controllers that were used instead of an outdated periscope control system and PS3s that were combined to create a very efficient supercomputer. The handheld market is heating up with Sony looking to potentially make a splash in the largely Steam Deck and Switch dominated space. If this device does make it to market, will it run the entire PS5 collection? Or will it have its own...

In this week's Gaming Fun Fact we take a look at what happened to arcades. Back in the day, arcades were virtually the only way to enjoy video games, but over time the home console overtook one of the most popular hangout locations for kids and adults alike. We'll explore exactly what lead to the downfall of arcades and the rise of the home console by looking back at gaming from the late-70s through today. Phil Spencer won't rule out any Xbox exclusive making the jump to PlayStation. This...

In this week's Gaming Fun Fact we explore three wacky arcade machines. First up from 1976 is "Fonz" by Sega, based on the popular character from the hit TV show Happy Days. Second, we have Fire Truck by Atari (1978), that boasts the title of "first co-op arcade game." And finally, Police 911 (2000) that showcased immersive motion controls before the creation of things like the Kinect and the Wii. The Borderlands Movie was a big flop in theatres but according to Take-Two it didn't hurt at all...

After Concord's launch and subsequent de-listing, many gamers figured that Sony's troubled hero shooter would re-release as a free-to-play title, or live on in some other form. Unfortunately, Sony has decided to shut down Firewalk Studios altogether. Cyberpunk 2077 is on the way to the Mac! With Apple taking gaming more seriously these days, Cyberpunk is looking to cash in with any gamers in the Apple ecosystem. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 just launched and its officially the biggest release...

In this week's Gaming Fun Fact we go back in time to take a look at motion controls on the Sega Genesis. The Sega Activator is a controller that allows players to move, kick, and punch their way through various experiences like fighting games. It is a ring of infrared sensors set up in different segments that represent individual inputs, the player would stand in the middle of the ring and interrupt the infrared beams to register inputs. Black Ops 6 has released day one on Game Pass, the...

The Xbox Partner Preview showed off some upcoming Xbox games including titles such as: FBC Firebreak, Blindfire, Cronos: New Dawn, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, and more! Former PlayStation exec, Shawn Layden, has been sounding the alarm about what he calls a "collapse of creativity" in the gaming industry that has lead to development companies relying on blockbuster hits - ultimately killing the AA game. Is this a death sentence for the gaming industry as we know it?

In this week's Gaming Fun Fact we discussed an innovative controller for the Atari 2600 that allowed players to control games via their mind! This mystical device was called the Atari Mindlink and it didn't really give you telepathic gaming powers, it instead used sensors in a headband to detect forehead and facial movements and convert them into commands, like moving the joystick. With the new Horizon Lego game coming out soon, some gamers are wondering when another mainline title for the...

In this week's Gaming Fun Fact we explored the origins of E3, as video games matured from a simple tent at CES, to a well organized and professionally represented industry. Previously considered just a kid's toy, video games weren't given a proper platform to showcase their hardware and software. However, after the Senate started taking interest in violent games such as Mortal Kombat, the IDSA (now ESA), ESRB, and E3 were eventually all formed to give games a place to interact on a political...

In this week's Gaming Fun Fact, we go back in time to the theatrical release of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines and the rather ridiculous rapid-fire movie games that were used to promote it. There are an astonishing three movie games released to promote this movie including Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Terminator 3: War of the Machines, and Terminator 3: The Redemption. As an honourable mention, shortly before the movie Terminator: Dawn of Fate was also released. Game stores in 2004...

In this week's Gaming Fun Fact, we take a look at the speedrunning community surrounding the game The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. We'll explore some key milestones like the discovery of wrong warp, super slide, and much more! Sony has officially unveiled the PS5 Pro with an upgraded GPU, advanced ray tracing, and AI-driven upscaling. This new model promises to help bridge the gap between performance and fidelity modes to allow players to have their cake and eat it too! But that cake...

Concord, Sony's Overwatch-like competitive shooter, has been taken offline as of September 6, 2024 - just days after its debut on August 23, 2024. The developer has stated that they will be exploring options that include ways to better reaching their players. My estimate? It'll be back and free-to-play. Microsoft says that Apple's 30% fee makes Xbox Cloud Gaming iOS app impossible. One of the perks of Game Pass Ultimate is Xbox Cloud Gaming, a feature that many assumed would eventually...

In this week's Gaming Fun Fact we explore one of the first public cases of development hell by analyzing a game that took a whole 14 years to release! Duke Nukem Forever went through two development teams, two engines, and some terrible reviews before all was said and done. This goes to show us that video game development isn't easy, and even if a project should only take a couple years - it can easily spin out of control. GameStop has pivoted once again, this time to focus on retro...

In this episode of the Day One Patch Podcast, we kick things off with a Video Game Fun Fact, where Matt takes us through the story of Microsoft's infamous one billion-dollar mistake—better known as the Red Ring of Death (RROD). Learn how this major hardware flaw led to massive recalls and ultimately shaped the future of Xbox. Top Stories: - Fortnite's iPhone Comeback: After years of litigation and regulatory changes, Fortnite is finally back on iOS—but only in the EU. We discuss the...

In this week's Gaming Fun Fact, we explore the first ever easter egg and the origins behind it. Back when video games were in their infancy, developers were often completely overshadowed by the brand they worked for, often never being given credit directly - but some found creative revolution, just like in the game "Adventure" for the Atari 2600. Video game voice actors are going on strike over AI protections after 18 months of negotiations. Fallout London is finally out on GOG! The mod...

In this week's Gaming Fun Fact we take a look at one of the first gaming VR experiences that not only delivered major IP titles such as Mario, but was also a portable solution over 20 years before the Oculus Quest 2's release. We are of course talking about the famous (some say infamous) Nintendo Virtual Boy. Amazon is now selling a "no console required" Xbox bundle, as the Xbox Game Pass app lands on the Fire TV Stick. The bundle includes a Fire TV stick + remote, Xbox controller, and an...

In this week's Gaming Fun Fact we explore the world of Bethesda's game engines, starting all the way back with Elder Scrolls: Arena - before the days of the famous (infamous?) Creation engine. Xbox Game Pass is receiving a price increase and a new standard tier that will not be including day one releases. The new tier replaces the console tier, however, existing console tier customers will still be receiving day one releases. We feel as though the price increase is fair, but this new tier...

In this week's Gaming Fun Fact we discussed the infamous PS3 development woes, namely how difficult it was to create PS3 games for developers. This was due to the console's complex Cell Processor, ununified memory, and more. Then in the week's gaming news, we discussed: Nintendo believes that longer game development cycles are inevitable, however, there are ways to keep on top of them. They believe that they've been doing a good job time balancing modern (and complex) game...

In this week's Gaming Fun Fact we explore early wireless gaming controllers, specifically the Game Mate 2. Many people believe that the Wavebird for Nintendo GameCube was the first wireless controller, but in fact wireless controllers go all the way back to 1982 with the Atari 2600. Nintendo Direct June 2024 was a loaded presentation that Tim was kind enough to take us through. Major announcements included Metroid Prime 4 Beyond, Mario and Luigi Brothership, Legend of Zelda Echoes of Wisdom,...

In this week's Gaming Fun Fact, we explore the bit wars! Namely the period of time where consoles were fighting for dominance through rigorous hardware upgrades and full force marketing campaigns - many of which rallied around how many bits their console had under the hood. Despite the bit wars' lack of an official start and end date, this period lasted roughly from the mid 1980s until the mid 1990s with the release of the Atari Jaguar. Then in the mainstream news, the Xbox Games Showcase...

In this week's Gaming Fun Fact, we discuss the history of gaming handhelds. Many people think that the original Game Boy kicked off the handheld gaming scene, but it started much earlier back with the Microvision in 1979. Sporting a 16 x 16 pixel screen and cartridge-based games, the Microvision pre-dated the Game Boy by ~11 years. Hot off the presses, Geoff Keighley and his team delivered the Summer Game Fest 2024 presentation filled to the brim with game reveals, trailers, and more for the...

In this week's Video Game Fun Fact, we explore the world of blowing into cartridges. If you've ever used a console that relied on cartridges, then you've almost definitely tried to boot up a game, have it fail, take the cartridge out to blow on it, then get it magically works. Well what exactly is happening there? Should you blow on your cartridges when they don't work? The PlayStation State of Play (May 2024) happened just days ago, with showcases on many titles on the way to the PS5 and...

In this week's gaming fun fact we discuss massive game worlds, specifically the largest ones ever made. Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall is known for it's absolutely massive landmass that equates roughly to the size of Great Britain. However, it's predecessor Elder Scrolls: Arena comes in at a staggering ~9.6 million square kilometers (approximately the size of Australia) by using on-demand procedural generation. However, there is one game that trumps both these game world sizes... Naughty Dog's...

In this week's Gaming Fun Fact, we discuss some Halo facts that may catch you by surprise including all the work that was put into the Halo 3 engine, the last minute addition of multiplayer in Halo: Combat Evolved, Destiny easter eggs in ODST, and more! Assassin's Creed is finally headed to Japan with the reveal of Assassin's Creed Shadows, shown off in a fully cinematic trailer. Players will have two different protagonists to choose from, will have to contend with seasonal changes, and will...

In this week's Gaming Fun Fact, we explore the days before the internet was widespread, but gaming was still alive and well. Today we push updates to our games all the time, to fix problems of all sizes, and even to overhaul entire experiences. But before high-speed internet, how did games get updated? Microsoft has closed down a collection of studios including Arkane Austin - the creator of Redfall, Tango Gameworks - the maker of The Evil Within and Hi-Fi Rush, as well as mobile developer...