Advertise on podcast: Guardian Down Roundtable

AI is reshaping gaming and that is our main concern tonight. We discuss the closure of BioWare, the Arc Raiders PvE toggle test, and reports about Xbox and Project Helix. We examine how modders and generative tools merged Destiny 1 into Destiny 2 and what that means for studios and players. We debate whether AI will speed development and help smaller teams or whether it will cost jobs and erode artistic quality. I welcome Deadpool-1-MERC, we catch up on life and games, and we answer community questions about these changes. We also consider GTA 6 launch timing and how ports and player workarounds may change the era of exclusives. What’s up Guardians, and welcome to the newly branded Guardian Down Roundtable! We’ve spent nearly seven years as the Guardian Down Cast show focusing on Destiny, but now we’re taking a more broad overview of the entire gaming hobby. Every week, my co-host Mr. Kingsleymac and I sit down with two rotating guest hosts to tackle topics of discussion—covering everything from the gaming industry and tech to social media…or whatever our guest co-hosts have on their mind. Our mission is simple: To create a dialogue with topics/news that impact our gaming hobby…all while keeping the focus on our community. We go live every Thursday at 9 PM Eastern on my ToddtheGatr YouTube and Twitch channels, as well as our Discord Live Stage. Once a month, we invite a new member from our Discord community to pull up a chair and share their own story with us. We are a live video show with an audio version available every Monday morning. We love the live shows but we love interacting with the live chat even more, so jump in, give us your input! Join us LIVE on YouTube!Join us LIVE on Twitch!Join our Discord Community!Follow ToddtheGatr on X: Follow Guardian Down on Instagram: Our Official Website: Send us a Voicemail! Join Our Patreon Community!

I open by announcing that a full Destiny 1 conversion into Destiny 2 on PC has been demonstrated, and I subsequently examine Embark Studios’ recent PvE‑only test for Arc Raiders, which exposed both pronounced player enthusiasm and significant griefing problems. I report that the Destiny port footage indicates promising performance on contemporary GPUs and that modders have prepared native conversion packages to facilitate integration, though the work is not yet a finished, playable release. I describe how Embark’s temporary PvE toggle—deployed to accommodate time‑constrained, casual players—immediately revealed exploitative behaviors such as door‑blocking, loot‑snatching, and intentional down‑player camping, issues that undermine cooperative play in the absence of PvP repercussions. I note that player counts spiked substantially while the mode was available, which demonstrates clear market demand, but I also caution that unresolved griefing could prompt developers to abandon the permanent implementation unless mitigations are enacted. I advocate for pragmatic solutions we discussed on the show—automatic dislodging mechanics to prevent physical blocking, loot assignment to key holders or equitable sharing logic, and proximity‑based disabling or redirection of disruptive utility items—which I believe would preserve the mode’s appeal while curbing abuse. I conclude by expressing our collective hope that Embark will heed the telemetry and community feedback, implement sensible fixes, and offer players an enduring choice between PvE and mixed‑mode experiences. What’s up Guardians, and welcome to the newly branded Guardian Down Roundtable! We’ve spent nearly seven years as the Guardian Down Cast show focusing on Destiny, but now we’re taking a more broad overview of the entire gaming hobby. Every week, my co-host Mr. Kingsleymac and I sit down with two rotating guest hosts to tackle topics of discussion—covering everything from the gaming industry and tech to social media…or whatever our guest co-hosts have on their mind. Our mission is simple: To create a dialogue with topics/news that impact our gaming hobby…all while keeping the focus on our community. We go live every other Thursday at 9 PM Eastern on my ToddtheGatr YouTube and Twitch channels, as well as our Discord Live Stage. We are a live video show with an audio version available every Monday morning. We love the live shows but we love interacting with the live chat even more, so jump in, give us your input! Join us LIVE on YouTube!Join us LIVE on Twitch!Join our Discord Community!Follow ToddtheGatr on X: Follow Guardian Down on Instagram: Our Official Website: Send us a Voicemail! Join Our Patreon Community!

We examine Xbox’s patent to inject advertisements into games and ask whether this will become the future of gaming. I explain the patent’s ad‑credit concept and consider how it could affect player experience and studio business models. We also discuss how to make time to try and play other games when we have greater responsibilities and less free time. I catch up with my guest co‑host and we share highlights from our recent weeks. We answer questions and feedback from the community and play voicemails from listeners. I close with practical takeaways and invite listeners to join our Discord to continue the conversation. What’s up Guardians, and welcome to the newly branded Guardian Down Roundtable! We’ve spent nearly seven years as the Guardian Down Cast show focusing on Destiny, but now we’re taking a more broad overview of the entire gaming hobby. Every week, we sit down with members of our community as guest hosts to tackle topics of discussion—covering everything from the gaming industry and tech to social media…or whatever our guest co-hosts have on their mind. Our mission is simple: To create a dialogue with topics/news that impact our gaming hobby…all while keeping the focus on our community. We go live every other Thursday at 9 PM Eastern on my ToddtheGatr YouTube and Twitch channels, as well as our Discord Live Stage. We are a live video show with an audio version available every Monday morning. We love the live shows but we love interacting with the live chat even more, so jump in, give us your input! Join us LIVE on YouTube!Join us LIVE on Twitch!Join our Discord Community!Follow ToddtheGatr on X: Follow Guardian Down on Instagram: Our Official Website: Send us a Voicemail! Join Our Patreon Community!

I lead with the main point: Arc Raiders will receive a major update on October 8 and a PvE‑only test will run October 13–20. I explain why a dedicated PvE mode could bring many players back and stabilize the game. I say Embark should separate PvE and PvP and add more rewarding projects so players have clear reasons to play. We describe the new map Frozen Trail, new weapons, and quality‑of‑life changes coming in the update. I ask Destiny players if they would return to Arc Raiders if a permanent PvE mode exists and invite feedback via our Discord, email, or voicemail. We also note that we go live twice per month and that I am considering adding a shorter mid‑month pre‑recorded check‑in as a regular fixture. I close by saying we are excited for the update and hope Embark listens to the community. What’s up Guardians, and welcome to the newly branded Guardian Down Roundtable! We’ve spent nearly seven years as the Guardian Down Cast show focusing on Destiny, but now we’re taking a more broad overview of the entire gaming hobby. We go live every other Thursday at 9 PM Eastern on my ToddtheGatr YouTube and Twitch channels, as well as our Discord Live Stage. Once a month, we invite a new member from our Discord community to pull up a chair and share their own story with us. We are a live video show with an audio version available every Monday morning. We love the live shows but we love interacting with the live chat even more, so jump in, give us your input! Join us LIVE on YouTube!Join us LIVE on Twitch!Join our Discord Community!Follow ToddtheGatr on X: Follow Guardian Down on Instagram: Our Official Website: Send us a Voicemail! Join Our Patreon Community!

We address Bungie's declaration that Destiny is being resurrected through an unvaulting program that will return legacy campaigns, locations, and raids to Destiny 2. We carefully parse the corporate statements and the insider reporting to separate confirmed returns from speculation, and we emphasize that seasonal content and some live-service systems are explicitly excluded. I and my cohost analyze the announcement in light of Marathon’s current state, staffing constraints, and technical work required to remaster older content for the existing engine. We explain the practical implications for players, including what will be free, which activities are likely to return, and where uncertainty remains regarding strikes, Crucible maps, gear systems, and weapon sets. We outline a plausible timeline for phased information and releases and caution that restoration does not equate to a full revival of live-service operations immediately. Finally, we offer our reasoned assessments of possible futures for the Destiny franchise, from incremental reinstatement of vaulted content to more ambitious remaster or integration efforts. What’s up Guardians, and welcome to the newly branded Guardian Down Roundtable! We’ve spent nearly seven years as the Guardian Down Cast show focusing on Destiny, but now we’re taking a more broad overview of the entire gaming hobby. Every week, my co-host Mr. Kingsleymac and I sit down with two rotating guest hosts to tackle topics of discussion—covering everything from the gaming industry and tech to social media…or whatever our guest co-hosts have on their mind. Our mission is simple: To create a dialogue with topics/news that impact our gaming hobby…all while keeping the focus on our community. We go live every Thursday at 9 PM Eastern on my ToddtheGatr YouTube and Twitch channels, as well as our Discord Live Stage. Once a month, we invite a new member from our Discord community to pull up a chair and share their own story with us. We are a live video show with an audio version available every Monday morning. We love the live shows but we love interacting with the live chat even more, so jump in, give us your input! Join us LIVE on YouTube!Join us LIVE on Twitch!Join our Discord Community!Follow ToddtheGatr on X: Follow Guardian Down on Instagram: Our Official Website: Send us a Voicemail! Join Our Patreon Community!

We open by examining calls from AI leaders to slow the pace of frontier AI development and the risks they warn about. I am Todd the Gator and my cohost Kingsley Mack gives a detailed update on the latest AI news and what it could mean. We welcome our guest cohost Mr. Basswindu who shares his background and answers our Speedrun questions. For the topic of the week we discuss the rise of game remakes and remasters and whether the industry is choosing safety and nostalgia over new ideas. We finish with a catch up on what we have been playing and watching, listener voicemails, and ways for the community to join the conversation. What’s up Guardians, and welcome to the newly branded Guardian Down Roundtable! We’ve spent nearly seven years as the Guardian Down Cast show focusing on Destiny, but now we’re taking a more broad overview of the entire gaming hobby. Every week, my co-host Mr. Kingsleymac and I sit down with two rotating guest hosts to tackle topics of discussion—covering everything from the gaming industry and tech to social media…or whatever our guest co-hosts have on their mind. Our mission is simple: To create a dialogue with topics/news that impact our gaming hobby…all while keeping the focus on our community. We go live every Thursday at 9 PM Eastern on my ToddtheGatr YouTube and Twitch channels, as well as our Discord Live Stage. Once a month, we invite a new member from our Discord community to pull up a chair and share their own story with us. We are a live video show with an audio version available every Monday morning. We love the live shows but we love interacting with the live chat even more, so jump in, give us your input! Join us LIVE on YouTube!Join us LIVE on Twitch!Join our Discord Community!Follow ToddtheGatr on X: Follow Guardian Down on Instagram: Our Official Website: Send us a Voicemail! Join Our Patreon Community!

We begin with the central issue: Microsoft has imposed strict monthly limits on Xbox cloud streaming, and we examine whether rising hardware costs will force gamers toward streaming-only models or constrain access to playtime. I outline the new tiered caps and express concern that platform holders could control how long people play games they do not own. We survey related industry news, including Sony’s disputed disc phaseout and customer support policy, PlayStation’s separation from Kojima Productions and Xbox’s ensuing partnership, and the strain that AI infrastructure is placing on chip supply and game development. I highlight recurring problems with misleading headlines and thumbnails, using the Destiny Project Sunrise coverage as an example, and urge listeners to read and cross-check sources. We also discuss global shifts in game development, new funding for young studios, and developer worries about AI-driven productivity pressures. Finally, I announce that Kingsley will reduce his weekly role and that we will move the Guardian Down Roundtable to a twice-monthly live format while continuing to engage our community on Discord and Patreon. What’s up Guardians, and welcome to the newly branded Guardian Down Roundtable! We’ve spent nearly seven years as the Guardian Down Cast show focusing on Destiny, but now we’re taking a more broad overview of the entire gaming hobby. Every week, my co-host Mr. Kingsleymac and I sit down with two rotating guest hosts to tackle topics of discussion—covering everything from the gaming industry and tech to social media…or whatever our guest co-hosts have on their mind. Our mission is simple: To create a dialogue with topics/news that impact our gaming hobby…all while keeping the focus on our community. We go live every Thursday at 9 PM Eastern on my ToddtheGatr YouTube and Twitch channels, as well as our Discord Live Stage. Once a month, we invite a new member from our Discord community to pull up a chair and share their own story with us. We are a live video show with an audio version available every Monday morning. We love the live shows but we love interacting with the live chat even more, so jump in, give us your input! Join us LIVE on YouTube!Join us LIVE on Twitch!Join our Discord Community!Follow ToddtheGatr on X: Follow Guardian Down on Instagram: Our Official Website: Send us a Voicemail! Join Our Patreon Community!

The crux of this podcast episode revolves around the examination of Destiny 2 spin foil theories and the profound motivations behind our engagement in gaming. We delve into the myriad reasons individuals partake in gaming, with a particular emphasis on the concept of escape from reality. Our discussions challenge the traditional views of gaming as mere entertainment, positing instead that it serves as a refuge where players can exert control and navigate through experiences that often elude them in their daily lives. As we dissect various theories, we will also reflect on how these narratives shape our community and foster connections among gamers. Join us as we embark on this analytical exploration of why we game, while concurrently investigating the intricate web of Destiny 2's evolving lore and its implications for the future of the franchise. What’s up Guardians, and welcome to the newly branded Guardian Down Roundtable! We’ve spent nearly seven years as the Guardian Down Cast show focusing on Destiny, but now we’re taking a more broad overview of the entire gaming hobby. Every week, my co-host Mr. Kingsleymac and I sit down with two rotating guest hosts to tackle topics of discussion—covering everything from the gaming industry and tech to social media…or whatever our guest co-hosts have on their mind. Our mission is simple: To create a dialogue with topics/news that impact our gaming hobby…all while keeping the focus on our community. We go live every Thursday at 9 PM Eastern on my ToddtheGatr YouTube and Twitch channels, as well as our Discord Live Stage. Once a month, we invite a new member from our Discord community to pull up a chair and share their own story with us. We are a live video show with an audio version available every Monday morning. We love the live shows but we love interacting with the live chat even more, so jump in, give us your input! Join us LIVE on YouTube!Join us LIVE on Twitch!Join our Discord Community!Follow ToddtheGatr on X: Follow Guardian Down on Instagram: Our Official Website: Send us a Voicemail! Join Our Patreon Community!

This week, Jellis Gaming is back with us. Kingsleymac is on vacation getting drunk on a cruise ship. We discuss rumors of something going on behind closed doors at Bungie. We also highlight a gamer who invested his $500 Birthday money into a resale game company. For the topic of the week, we discuss why we think gamers are more resilient in life vs those out there that don't game. We catch up and also answer questions and feedback from the community as well. What’s up Guardians, and welcome to the newly branded Guardian Down Roundtable! We’ve spent nearly seven years as the Guardian Down Cast show focusing on Destiny, but now we’re taking a more broad overview of the entire gaming hobby. Every week, my co-host Mr. Kingsleymac and I sit down with two rotating guest hosts to tackle topics of discussion—covering everything from the gaming industry and tech to social media…or whatever our guest co-hosts have on their mind. Our mission is simple: To create a dialogue with topics/news that impact our gaming hobby…all while keeping the focus on our community. We go live every Thursday at 9 PM Eastern on my ToddtheGatr YouTube and Twitch channels, as well as our Discord Live Stage. Once a month, we invite a new member from our Discord community to pull up a chair and share their own story with us. We are a live video show with an audio version available every Monday morning. We love the live shows but we love interacting with the live chat even more, so jump in, give us your input! Join us LIVE on YouTube!Join us LIVE on Twitch!Join our Discord Community!Follow ToddtheGatr on X: Follow Guardian Down on Instagram: Our Official Website: Send us a Voicemail! Join Our Patreon Community!

This week, we have our community moderator Alekate back with us and we discuss the future of the console gaming market and how long will it be viable to developers. We talk about much more as well, so hang out with us! What’s up Guardians, and welcome to the newly branded Guardian Down Roundtable! We’ve spent nearly seven years as the Guardian Down Cast show focusing on Destiny, but now we’re taking a more broad overview of the entire gaming hobby. Every week, my co-host Mr. Kingsleymac and I sit down with two rotating guest hosts to tackle topics of discussion—covering everything from the gaming industry and tech to social media…or whatever our guest co-hosts have on their mind. Our mission is simple: To create a dialogue with topics/news that impact our gaming hobby…all while keeping the focus on our community. We go live every Thursday at 9 PM Eastern on my ToddtheGatr YouTube and Twitch channels, as well as our Discord Live Stage. Once a month, we invite a new member from our Discord community to pull up a chair and share their own story with us. We are a live video show with an audio version available every Monday morning. We love the live shows but we love interacting with the live chat even more, so jump in, give us your input! Join us LIVE on YouTube!Join us LIVE on Twitch!Join our Discord Community!Follow ToddtheGatr on X: Follow Guardian Down on Instagram: Our Official Website: Send us a Voicemail! Join Our Patreon Community!

This week, it's another new community member show. We welcome Kilvin to the table and hear more about his gaming history and of course, the SpeedRun will be in play. Our topic of the week is based on a question that Kilvin asked us in the preshow, so we decided to discuss it with everyone: "how far do you go into a new game before the "go/no-go decision is made to play further or play something else?" We catch up on our week and answer questions from our community as well. What’s up Guardians, and welcome to the newly branded Guardian Down Roundtable! We’ve spent nearly seven years as the Guardian Down Cast show focusing on Destiny, but now we’re taking a more broad overview of the entire gaming hobby. Every week, my co-host Mr. Kingsleymac and I sit down with two rotating guest hosts to tackle topics of discussion—covering everything from the gaming industry and tech to social media…or whatever our guest co-hosts have on their mind. Our mission is simple: To create a dialogue with topics/news that impact our gaming hobby…all while keeping the focus on our community. We go live every Thursday at 9 PM Eastern on my ToddtheGatr YouTube and Twitch channels, as well as our Discord Live Stage. Once a month, we invite a new member from our Discord community to pull up a chair and share their own story with us. We are a live video show with an audio version available every Monday morning. We love the live shows but we love interacting with the live chat even more, so jump in, give us your input! Join us LIVE on YouTube!Join us LIVE on Twitch!Join our Discord Community!Follow ToddtheGatr on X: Follow Guardian Down on Instagram: Our Official Website: Send us a Voicemail! Join Our Patreon Community!

This week, AmazingTacoKing and Z0mbieP0ps are back with us again. We discuss what makes loot important to you and are some game devs doing it wrong? We also talk about Steam reviews and why Steam has gained the trust of gamers while frustrating game developers and day one releases. We also catch up and provide Gaming Therapy for Gatr! What’s up Guardians, and welcome to the newly branded Guardian Down Roundtable! We’ve spent nearly seven years as the Guardian Down Cast show focusing on Destiny, but now we’re taking a more broad overview of the entire gaming hobby. Every week, my co-host Mr. Kingsleymac and I sit down with two rotating guest hosts to tackle topics of discussion—covering everything from the gaming industry and tech to social media…or whatever our guest co-hosts have on their mind. Our mission is simple: To create a dialogue with topics/news that impact our gaming hobby…all while keeping the focus on our community. We go live every Thursday at 9 PM Eastern on my ToddtheGatr YouTube and Twitch channels, as well as our Discord Live Stage. Once a month, we invite a new member from our Discord community to pull up a chair and share their own story with us. We are a live video show with an audio version available every Monday morning. We love the live shows but we love interacting with the live chat even more, so jump in, give us your input! Join us LIVE on YouTube!Join us LIVE on Twitch!Join our Discord Community!Follow ToddtheGatr on X: Follow Guardian Down on Instagram: Our Official Website: Send us a Voicemail! Join Our Patreon Community!

ToddtheGatr and Kingsleymac discuss this week: why gamers aren't broke—they're just exhausted. Between $70 price tags on unfinished releases and live-service shooters demanding a second full-time job, player patience has completely run out. Today, we're breaking down why nobody is buying new releases anymore, and what looter shooters have to change right now if they want to survive. What’s up Guardians, and welcome to the newly branded Guardian Down Roundtable! We’ve spent nearly seven years as the Guardian Down Cast show focusing on Destiny, but now we’re taking a more broad overview of the entire gaming hobby. Every week, my co-host Mr. Kingsleymac and I sit down with two rotating guest hosts to tackle topics of discussion—covering everything from the gaming industry and tech to social media…or whatever our guest co-hosts have on their mind. Our mission is simple: To create a dialogue with topics/news that impact our gaming hobby…all while keeping the focus on our community. We go live every Thursday at 9 PM Eastern on my ToddtheGatr YouTube and Twitch channels, as well as our Discord Live Stage. Once a month, we invite a new member from our Discord community to pull up a chair and share their own story with us. We are a live video show with an audio version available every Monday morning. We love the live shows but we love interacting with the live chat even more, so jump in, give us your input! Join us LIVE on YouTube!Join us LIVE on Twitch!Join our Discord Community!Follow ToddtheGatr on X: Follow Guardian Down on Instagram: Our Official Website: Send us a Voicemail! Join Our Patreon Community!

This week is our new member episode where we find out more about Miklo...he's been a member for over 10 months and also a Patreon supporter. Gatr mentions some latest news surrounding Sony and Kingsley mentions some tips if you're gaming on a PC. We catch up on our week and one movie review will be mentioned, but our main show topic asks the question: "Why are video games so expensive to make these days?" What’s up Guardians, and welcome to the newly branded Guardian Down Roundtable! We’ve spent nearly seven years as the Guardian Down Cast show focusing on Destiny, but now we’re taking a more broad overview of the entire gaming hobby. Every week, my co-host Mr. Kingsleymac and I sit down with two rotating guest hosts to tackle topics of discussion—covering everything from the gaming industry and tech to social media…or whatever our guest co-hosts have on their mind. Our mission is simple: To create a dialogue with topics/news that impact our gaming hobby…all while keeping the focus on our community. We go live every Thursday at 9 PM Eastern on my ToddtheGatr YouTube and Twitch channels, as well as our Discord Live Stage. Once a month, we invite a new member from our Discord community to pull up a chair and share their own story with us. We are a live video show with an audio version available every Monday morning. We love the live shows but we love interacting with the live chat even more, so jump in, give us your input! Join us LIVE on YouTube!Join us LIVE on Twitch!Join our Discord Community!Follow ToddtheGatr on X: Follow Guardian Down on Instagram: Our Official Website: Send us a Voicemail! Join Our Patreon Community!

What’s up Guardians, and welcome to the newly branded Guardian Down Roundtable! We’ve spent nearly seven years as the Guardian Down Cast show focusing on Destiny, but now we’re taking a more broad overview of the entire gaming hobby. Every week, my co-host Mr. Kingsleymac and I sit down with two rotating guest hosts to tackle topics of discussion—covering everything from the gaming industry and tech to social media…or whatever our guest co-hosts have on their mind. Our mission is simple: To create a dialogue with topics/news that impact our gaming hobby…all while keeping the focus on our community. We go live every Thursday at 9 PM Eastern on my ToddtheGatr YouTube and Twitch channels, as well as our Discord Live Stage. Once a month, we invite a new member from our Discord community to pull up a chair and share their own story with us. We are a live video show with an audio version available every Monday morning. We love the live shows but we love interacting with the live chat even more, so jump in, give us your input! Join us LIVE on YouTube!Join us LIVE on Twitch!Join our Discord Community!Follow ToddtheGatr on X: Follow Guardian Down on Instagram: Our Official Website: Send us a Voicemail! Join Our Patreon Community!