Get your tin foil hats on because our main topic this week is a doozy. Who is Hasan Kahraman? What is his company, Blue Box Game Studios, working on? How is Hideo Kojima involved (if at all)? At what game title starts with an "S" and ends with an "L"? We dive into the weird conspiracy surrounding the Dutch indie dev and their mysterious project code-named "Abandoned." But first, we've got game announcements (like a rumored Castlevania Advance Collection and the upcoming free-to-play Space...

The curtains have fallen on gaming's biggest annual week, but before we bid adieu to E3 and Summer Game Fest, let's break down all the big announcements and headlines! There's Microsoft and Nintendo and Square Enix, oh my! There are indies (like Axiom Verge 2) and AAA exclusives (like Starfield)! We've got new faces (like Elden Ring) and the surprise return of old friends (like Metroid Dread)! It's all here, and it's a long one, so settle in for the ups and downs of E3 week. Then finally,...

Welcome to the Story Mode: Outtake Special, Vol. 3! Blue, Red, and Ryan are taking advantage of the lull in gaming news prior to E3 this weekend, and they're giving themselves the week off.  So in place of a normal episode, here's a mix of outtakes and discussions that didn’t make the final cut into Story Mode. Has there ever been a good food tie-in to a video game? Who would headline your dream Pokémon Day concert? Do we really need MORE of the 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie? We cover these...

When it comes to ROMs, everyone has an opinion -- including Nintendo, who just won $2.1 million against RomUniverse in “a straightforward video game piracy case.” Is this issue as cut-and-dry as it seems? We explore the murky middle ground of this legal and ethical dilemma. But first, we're covering game announcements (like Dragon Quest XII's reveal and God of War 2's delay). Then it's on to the news. This week, we're talking about Facebook Gaming's crazy bid to take on YouTube, the possible...

Have you ever wished for a gaming PC that you could carry in your pocket? Neither have we, but Valve is reportedly making a Steam handheld that sounds suspiciously like a Nintendo Switch. We discuss the possible pros and cons of one of the more bizarre pieces of news to come out of this timeline. But first thing's first, and that means game announcements (like new free-to-play Super Bomberman R Online and release dates for the upcoming Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond, and...

Alright, we've made it to our 69th episode, and we promise to do our best to get through this with a straight face. That won't be easy considering eBay has announced its new ban on the sale of mature content (including video games). What's behind the company's course change, and what will happen to all those old copies of Leisure Suit Larry? But before we get to that, we've got game announcements (like the five new titles coming to Nintendo Switch Online and Dragon Quest's upcoming 35th...

The Story Mode crew is together again! Yes, Red has finally returned from his five-week absence that literally turned into a matter of life or death. But now that he's back, he can help us discuss the lawsuits targeted at both Sony and Valve alleging the companies hold monopolies over their respective digital domains. First, however, we've got game announcements (like the thrilling news that Zombies Ate My Neighbors is coming to Nintendo Switch, as is Calculator, a $10 "game" that does...

The Apple vs Epic trial began this past Monday, and the headlines are just as juicy as we could've hoped. We're joined by Avery from Gaming Source Network to talk about all the big reveals coming from that courtroom. But first, we've gotta do game announcements (like Limited Run's four upcoming Castlevania Anniversary Collection physical editions and the soon-to-be-released Gas Station Simulator). News is up next. This week, we're discussing the plot twist that is PlayStation’s new...

"We do not 'push' people to spend in our games," EA said in a new statement, and we allllllmost believe them. This week, we're joined by Jeff, the other half of the New Dad Gaming Podcast, to discuss the intersection between loot boxes, kids, and EA's perennially bad reputation. But first, game announcements are up (like the random new update to Super Mario Party and Neil Druckmann's confirmation that the outline for The Last of Us 3 is done). Next, it's headline time. We're talking about...

Have you ever bought a game on sale? Well, shame on you! According to John Garvin, writer of Days Gone, "If you love a game, buy it at f***ing full price." Is there any merit to his argument? We're joined by Trevor of New Dad Gaming Podcast to work through the issue of bargain games and rejected sequels. But yes, first we've got game announcements (like the upcoming Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic remake and Amazon's cancelled Lord of the Rings MMO). Next, headlines are up. This week,...

Shhh, listen! Can you hear that song from the Titanic movie? Turns out PlayStation might be needing it. A new report from Bloomberg says Sony's upper management is focused on blockbuster games that are ‘too big to fail’. We're joined by gamer, streamer, and pancake artist @ducksindisguise to discuss what Sony's approach might mean for the future of video games. Game announcements come first, however (like Konami's surprise sequel to GetsuFumaDen, and the new blurple Nintendo Switch Lite)....

Red is absent this week (he's gone with Pinky and the Brain to try to take over the world), but in his place, we have Evan Arnold: podcaster extraordinaire, indie game dev, and long-time friend of Ryebread. Evan joins us to talk about the intersection...

We're back! And just in time because the world of gaming news is weird, wonderful, and woeful, as usual. This week, Sony dropped the bombshell that it will be permanently closing the PlayStation stores for its PS3 and PS Vita products. Since we're...

Welcome to the Story Mode: Outtake Special, Vol. 2! Blue, Red, and Ryan are taking the week off, so in place of a normal episode, we’re bringing you a mix of outtakes and discussions that didn’t make the final cut into Story Mode. Is it possible to beat...

It’s a good time to be a gamer on a budget! This week, Microsoft and Sony have been dueling to win audiences over with free games.  Ryebread is out, but Donnie G is in to help us sort out the what, where, and possibly why of all the new games available...

Video game exclusives are always a big (and oftentimes controversial) topic, and this week was no different. We're looking at a headline roundup of where the Big Three stand with their exclusive titles, including rumored exclusives for Nintendo's...

With several big Final Fantasy VII Remake reveals, Square Enix was the talk of the town this week. We're rounding up all the Square Enix headlines, including the new mobile games Final Fantasy 7: The First Soldier and Final Fantasy 7: Ever Crisis, PS5's...

STORY MODE PODCAST IS NOW ONE YEAR OLD! It's crazy to think of all the laughs, all the news, and all the games we've experienced over the past year. Our heartfelt thanks go out to everyone who has listened and supported our show (*insert 400 heart...

Nintendo's first direct of 2021 was a rollercoaster ride of ups and downs, including surprise announcements for Splatoon 3, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and much more. We cover everything in the show (as well as some...

This week, Moon Studios' CEO and Ori game director Thomas Malher took to the gaming forum Resetera to call out the gaming industry on the practice of hyping up features that don't exist or misleading what games will offer on day one. We discuss the...

The headlines have been all about SEGA this week, including Netflix's new Sonic Prime animated series, voice actor departures, and internal restructuring. We discuss buyout rumors (along with who we think should be doing the buying).But let's not get...

Ryebread is off this week, so in his place, we're rolling out the red carpet for Andy of Stand Up 2 Cancer and the "Cafe, BTW" podcast. This year marks many significant anniversaries for a slew of games, so we're looking at 10 titles that turn 20 in...

It's been... one of those weeks. While recording this episode, we experienced a technical difficulty perfect storm, but through it all, Story Mode prevails! Feel free to laugh at our misery.Let's get down to business (bonus points if you're singing...

The Nintendo Switch has been in the spotlight all week, so we're rounding up all the biggest Switch headlines, like the new "Mario Red & Blue" Switch console and the rumored Switch Pro.But before that, we've got to cover game announcements, and what...