Active Reload: A Video Game Podcast

A Halo Extraction Shooter? Are You Excited for Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced?

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 17:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week James and Grant talk about the reporting around a possible Halo extraction shooter in the works. What could it look like? Will it be dated by the time it eventually releases? Or, will Halo Studios scrap it for whatever the next trendy thing is in the future?

Also, the guys discuss whether their excited about the Assassin's Creed Black Flag remaster. Does it still keep the things that made the original Black Flag special? Will it be worth the $70 price tag?

Finally, Steam officially revealed their second rendition of the Steam controller. Grant is excited for it but not sure who exactly it's for apart from him. James is a little more speculative on if it will play well and the appeal for already controller users.

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Video Game Developer Tier List!

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 17:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! On this week's episode, James and Grant go through and make a tier list of current video game developers! From Capcom to Bioware and more!

Metro 2039 Reveal, Grand Theft Auto Online Makes How Much Money!?

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 17:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week, James and Grant open up the show discussing the Metro 2039 reveal! What do they expect from this new entry in the franchise? Will they be going back into the Metro? A voiced protagonist!?

Plus, Rockstar was hacked and had some of their financials leak including revenue from both Red Dead Online and Grand Theft Auto Online. And, let me tell you, the money that Rockstar is pulling in from Grand Theft Auto Online alone will blow your mind. They discuss the numbers and what to expect from Grand Theft Auto 6 and their online component!

Finally, Grey Zone has released in early access and the has shown very good success, Grant goes through why this could be his favorite extraction shooter right now, and why it could fill void left by Ghost Recon in the process!

Was Mindseye Sabotaged and What Really Happened to Last of Us Online?

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 17:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week James, Grant, and Steven, break down the accusations from Build a Rocket Boy CEO Mark Gerhard of alleged sabotage of their game Mindseye. He also plans to put a mission in the game called Blacklist that will outline some of the alleged sabotage. Is it legit? The guys discuss.

After that, former director, Vinit Agarwal, who was in charge of the ill-fated Last of Us Online, stated in a podcast appearance that the game was about 80% done when cancelled, saying Sony had to choose between that game and the new Neil Druckmann single player adventure, Intergalactic. The guys debate whether Sony made the right decision and if we'll ever see a mock-up version of the Last of Us Online.

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Top Five Favorite First Person Shooter Multiplayer Maps of All Time!

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 17:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week, James and Grant give their top five favorite first-person shooter maps of all time! Everything from Call of Duty to Halo, Unreal Tournament, and Rainbow Six!

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Xbox Parner Preview Reveals & Reactions!

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 16:30:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week James, Grant, and Steven talk about their favorite reveals from the March 26th Xbox Partner Preview! Stranger Than Heaven stole the show, The Expanse: Osiris Reborn is looking to fill the void that Mass Effect has left behind and a bunch more!

After that the guys go over what they've been playing the past week and gush over a new arcade style racing game that's out right now!

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Nvidia Sloppin' It Up with New AI DLSS 5 Tech! Starfield 2.0 Coming to PS5!

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 10:15:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week James, Grant, and Steven talk about Nvidia's new DLSS 5 tech that will use AI for certain shadows and lighting effects, but also seems to be AI glamming characters faces in the process!

Also, Starfield is coming to PS5 on April 7th, and it's coming with a couple new updates that are attempting to 2.0 the Bethesda sci-fi adventure. Will it work and bring Xbox players back as well? The guys discuss.

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New Xbox Console Announced! What to Expect from "Project Helix"

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 17:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week James, Grant, and Steven discuss the announcement of the next Xbox! Codename Project Helix, the guys discuss what they expect from the console, what it could look like, will it be a seamless transition from console to PC? Also, what audience is it being made more?

Next it's a big week in releases. With Ghost of Yotei Legends, John Carpenter's Toxic Commando, Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly Remake, GreedFall: The Dying World, and more there should be no shortage of fun games to play!

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Highguard Officially Shutting Down, Resident Evil Requiem & Marathon Reviews!

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 12:15:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week, the James and Grant open things up with reviews of Resident Evil Requiem, where does it stack up with the other Resident Evil's? Is it top 3? Was this Capcom's original idea for RE9?

Plus, Grant gives his thoughts on Marathon after the weekend server slam. Will it be a big hit? Or will it struggle with Arc Raiders still pulling big numbers.

Finally, Wildlight Entertainment officially announced they would be permanently shutting down Highguard later in March. What can the industry try to learn (again) from this failure at the hands of another studio?

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Is It Over for Xbox? BIG Changes in Leadership at Microsoft!

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 17:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week, James, Grant, and Steven discuss the massive changes in leadership at Xbox Game Studios. Phil Spencer retires, Sarah Bond resigns, Asha Sharma the new gaming CEO, Matt Booty promoted to CCO. Could this be the beginning of the end of Xbox Game Pass and maybe the Xbox as a console? Or could it be a welcome change bringing back Xbox towards their prime?

Next, the guys go through some big releases this week such as Resident Evil Requiem and World of Warcraft Midnight, and the Marathon Server Slam!

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New PlayStation Announcement Reactions! God of War Trilogy Remake, Project Windless, and More!

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! On this week's episode: James, Grant, and Steven go over their favorite announcements from the recent PlayStation State of Play! What they expect from the God of War Trilogy Remake, Control Resonant, Star Wars Galactic Racer, Project Windless, and more!

After that, the guys discuss Highguard's developer Wildlight laid off most of their staff for the multiplayer shooter. Because of that, one of the former developers had some strong words after the initial reaction of the game, James and Grant go over those comments and how they might reflect the industry as a whole moving forward.

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Overwatch is Back! (Sort of)... Plus, A Horizon Co-op Multiplayer Game?

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 16:45:00 -0600

Overwatch is BACK! Sort of. Blizzard is relaunching Overwatch with new content and without the 2. Have you ever wanted a coop Horizon Zero Dawn game? Neither have we, but Sony thinks we do! So we get Horizon Hunter's Gathering... Active Reload breaks it all down on this week's episode! Plus, New Games releasing like, Mario Tennis Fever, High on Life 2, Reanimal, and more!

Video Game Reviews, Numbered or Not? What's Your Exact Middle of the Road Game?

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week, James, Grant, and Steven, discuss video game reviews! Who they like to listen to when it comes to reviews, as well as their opinion on numbered reviews and non-numbered reviews. That leads them into a conversation about what their exact middle of the road games are, their five out of tens that they use as a base point for other games.

It's also a big week in releases with a new pilot dog fighting VR game that looks incredible. Quietly Nioh 3 is out this week, and a new Grant and Odin game!

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Highguard Initial Reactions! Will it be Another Concord?

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! On this week's episode, James, Grant, and Steven open the show discussing the release of Highguard and give their initial impressions! Will it be another Concord or will it have the legs to last? Also, was the trailer at the Game Awards actually a blessing in disguise?

Also, Division 2 is getting a realism mode, that has the guys discussing why it takes Ubisoft to find what works from their own games.

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Xbox Developer Direct Reactions! Fable, Forza Horizon 6, Kiln!

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 17:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week James, Grant, and Steven give their reactions to the games shown at the Xbox Developer Direct! From Forza Horizon 6 showing the new setting in Japan. To Fable's new take on Albion, plus, a game where you play as a ceramic pot and try to defeat other players who are also ceramic pots called Kiln! (Double Fine is on that good stuff).

Next, the guys go over Ubisoft's announced "major reset" where they canceled and delayed a bunch of games and did some organizational shifting. Causing a major drop in their share price, but come out with a new vision for their game development cycle. Will it save Ubisoft from itself?

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Our Predictions for 2026! Steam Machine Disappoints? Marathon Overperforms?

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week it's just James and Grant, and they go down their predictions in the gaming world for 2026! Will the Steam Machine under perform? How will Marathon do with a fresh coat of paint? What to expect from Fable and Xbox as a whole? Those and a bunch more on the predictions' episode of 2026!

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Our Top 5 Games in 2025!

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week, James, Grant, and Steven go down their list of their favorite games they played in 2025! Remember to rate, follow, like, and subscribe!

We Remember Vince Zampella, Ark 2 Delayed AGAIN

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week, James, Grant, and Steven open up the show with the unfortunate passing of video game legend Vince Zampella. The guys discuss the impact his work had on them personally and overall on the industry as a whole.

After that, there was some Rainbow Six Siege hack that made some players rich in R6 credits, then the guys talk about Rainbow Six Mobile.

Ark 2 got another delay that pushed it back to 2028, James poses a question of which game will actually see the light of day first, Ark 2 or Elder Scrolls Six.

Finally, it's a nice long episode of Guess the Game!

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Good, Bad, & Ugly of the Game Awards Trailers! Marathon Gets Re-Revealed!

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 16:45:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week, James and Grant open the show giving their good, bad, and ugly of all the Game Awards reveal trailers!

Next, Marathon got a re-reveal from Bungie with a 23-minute inside look into the development of the upcoming extraction shooter. The guys discuss if the new look, price point, and release date is enough to attract players.

Finally, Nvidia is reportedly planning to cut production by 30-40% of their RTX 50 series GPU's in the first half of 2026. What should we expect from console and PC prices with the possible increase in prices. Never a better time for pre-builts?

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Netflix/Paramount Buying Warner Brothers What's It Mean for Games? Game Awards Reveal Predictions!

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 06:30:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week, James, Grant, and Steve open up the show talking about the purchase Warner Brothers purchase by Netflix (or Paramount). It could have big impacts on a bunch of IP gamers are familiar with.

The "future" of the Tomb Raider franchise will be revealed at the Game Awards according to host Geoff Keighley, the guys discuss what to expect from the next entry in the game.

Speaking of Game Awards, James and Grant give their three reveal predictions for the show, ranking them from likely to possibly to highly unlikely.

Finally, with games releasing this week, James gives one of his more anticipated games of the next few months and is out this week!

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Steam Machine $1,000?! Plus, Most Underrated Games of the Year So Far!

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 06:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week, James and Grant are joined by a special guest, and they speculate more on the price of the upcoming Steam Machine, could it be priced up to $1,000? What can Valve do to try to pull appeal towards it from other consoles?

After that, Grant breaks down his most underrated games of the year so far.

Finally, the gang wraps up breaking down the games releasing this week.

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Half Life 3 Coming Soon!? Game Awards Nominations! Black Ops 7 is Bombing!

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 06:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week James, Grant, and Steven open up the show going over the Game Awards nominations! Grant is really pining for Arc Raiders even though it literally can't be game of the year. They break down specific nominations and their descriptions, such as what does Art Direction even mean? Plus, their picks for specific categories!

After that, there are some very reputable leaks and rumors that are pointing to the possibility of an actual Half Life 3 announcement. The guys break down how we've come this far and if the meme will actually become reality.

Finally, Black Ops 7 is absolutely bombing according to initial Steam numbers and physical copy sales. With Arc Raiders and Battlefield 6 clearly outperforming the FPS Juggernaut, the guys discuss if this will be a turning point for the Call of Duty franchise or if they'll even learn the right lessons from it all.

That and more on this week's episode of Active Reload! Remember to rate, follow, like, and subscribe!

Grand Theft Auto 6 Delayed AGAIN! Elder Scrolls 6 YEARS Away?!

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 15:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week, James, Grant, and Steve discuss the biggest news of the week: That's right, Pigeon Simulator is OUT!!! Just kidding, Grand Theft Auto 6 was delayed again, this time to November 2026. The guys debate whether we could see it on new consoles next year, or will it be the same thing that happened to Grand Theft Auto 5 with the previous generation of consoles.

Plus, Todd Howard was being interview by GQ and stated that Elder Scrolls 6 is "years away". It's been seven years since the 2018 E3 splash screen trailer and there has been absolutely nothing of the game since, what should we expect?

Finally, it really is a big week for releases, with Call of Duty and Escape from Tarkov on the horizon. Could this be the year COD takes a bigger back seat? The guys break it all down.

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New Halo Remake Announced! Counter Strike Skin's Economy CRASHES!

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 17:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week James, Grant, and Steven break down the new trailer and gameplay reveal of Halo Campaign Evolved, the remake to Halo Combat Evolved. James and Grant both have some mixed feelings about it, and they share their pros and cons!

Next, Valve pushed out one seemingly tiny update that wiped three billion dollars out of the Counter Strike skin marketplace overnight! The guys talk about the aftermath of the crash and if we're going to see any course correction from Valve.

Finally, Bethesda celebrated their "Fallout Day" last week with some announcements, but a lot of them were pretty disappointing given the rumors that have been swirling around about possible remakes to the beloved Fallout 3 and New Vegas. The guys discuss if any Fallout fans should still hold out hope for the rumors to become reality.

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Battlefield 6 & ARC Raiders Massive Success! Plus, Lots of Big Releases This Week!

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 17:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week, James, Grant, and Steve talk more about Battlefield 6 and the massive success it is having with it reaching over 7 million copies sold in the first three days!

ARC Raiders also saw insane success, reaching 189,668 concurrent players on Steam during its Server Slam, which would make it the biggest extraction shooter in the platform's history, and it's not even out yet!

It's also a big release week in the industry with Ninja Gaiden 4, Dispatch, Jurassic World Evolution 3, and of course the insanely massive gigantic release of PowerWash Simulator 2! The guys breakdown the releases and what they're excited for!

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Battlefield 6 First Impressions! Remedy Suffering from FBC: Firebreak?

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 16:30:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Relaod! This week, James and Grant (mainly Grant) open the episode by talking about Battlefield 6! Grant gives his good, bad, and ugly after his time with it.

Then, the guys discuss Remedy's profit warning to investors due to "weak sales" from FBC: Firebreak. The show was wondering who this game was for when it was first announced and Remedy seemingly never got an answer to that question. Also, does this have a bigger impact on the games as service model as a whole?

Finally, is Pokémon officially back?! Pokémon Legends Z-A is here, and it is getting very good reviews, the gang discusses their fond, albeit limited memories of the series, but mainly reminisce on Pokémon Go.

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Borderlands 4 Impressions, Randy Pitchford is Upset, & The Wolverine Game is Alive!

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! On this week's episode, James and Grant open the giving their Borderlands 4 impressions, as well as reacting to Randy Pitchford seemingly getting flustered by fans who are upset with the performance issues of the game. Even though the game is fun, has this been kind of a mess for Gearbox?

Next, the Wolverine game there has been one single trailer for, lives! A report has slated it for a 2026 release, with a possible solo Venom speed off coming after. Is it too late for fans to be excited about the new Insomniac release in the Spider-verse?

Finally, the guys go through a big release week, including Dying Light: The Beast, and Frostpunk 2!

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Wolfenstein 3 on the Horizon? One Year Anniersary of Concord

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 14:45:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! On this week's episode, James and Grant go over MachineGames studio head Jerk Gustafson's comments regarding the possibility of a third installment in the mainline Wolfenstein series. Could a third game be on the horizon?

It has officially been one year since the Concord release that shook the industry with it's subsequent shuttering. Has Sony learned anything from the debacle? Could there be more situations like it in the future?

Roundhill Investments did a deep dive into the gaming industries revenue over the past decade and came up with some substantial numbers, with mobile games being far and away the highest revenue generating market in the industry. The guys discuss what that means for the future and how we got to this point. Don't you guy's have phones?

Finally, it's coming up on the 40th anniversary of Super Mario Bros and a Nintendo Direct is scheduled for the date. What does Nintendo have up it's sleeve for the plumber brothers? The gang discusses.

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Bungie Paying for Marathon Players? New Cyberpunk Contet?!

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 06:30:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! It's a slow news week, but there are some items that slipped through. Bungie is looking for play testers to play Marathon for 30 days straight, and they're willing to pay $500 for them to do it! The guys discuss if they've ever seen anything like this before.

Also, CD Projekt Red is teasing something in Cyberpunk with some in game statements being issued by a character on Twitter. What could be coming up in Night City?

Finally, it's a packed week for game releases from Metal Eden to Cronos to Hell is Us there are a bunch of big releases. James and Grant break them down and talk about which ones they're excited to play most.

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Skate & Escape From Tarkov Get Release Dates! Pete Parsons Leaves Bungie

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 17:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week, James, Grant, and Steve open the show talking about the announcement of longtime Bungie CEO Pete Parsons leaving the company. What is Parsons legacy given the much more recent struggles at the company?

Next, Skate got an early access release date with a new trailer. There is some negative discourse around it, but both the James and Grant are excited to see it in September.

Finally, an official 1.0 release for Escape from Tarkov was announced with a new trailer as well. Grant talks about the eight-year road it has taken to get to the release point and how much different the game looks from its origins, both good and bad.

Then the guys wrap things up with the release calendar over the next week, their early thoughts on Gears of War Reloaded, and wrap up with Guess the Game!

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Gamescom Opening Night Reveals, Halo Officially Coming to Helldivers!

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 06:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week, James, Grant, and Steve go over the announcements at opening night of Gamescom 2025. A new Call of Duty Black Ops 7 gets a full reveal, Silksong is finally playable for the first time, and Lego Batman steals the show!

Plus, Halo is officially partnering with Halo for a new warbond that is exclusively Halo ODST themed.

Delta Force is coming to console and Black Myth Wukong is coming to Xbox, Grant and Steve get you prepared for the new releases.

Finally, there is some the guys discuss their favorite parts of the Harry Potter and Uncharted Movies, as well as play guess the game!

Battlefield 6 Beta Impressions, Halo Coming to Helldivers?!

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 12:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! On this week's episode, after a long hiatus, the guys can finally talk about the Battlefield 6 beta! They give their loves, likes, dislikes, and hates, as well as what they want to see in the next beta test!

Next, Helldivers 2 is coming to Xbox later this month and with the release the Arrowhead Game Studios team is teasing a massive collaboration with Halo (seemingly ODST related) that has Xbox and Halo fans clamoring.

Finally, the guys wrap things up with the games releasing this week and what they've been playing over the last few weeks!

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Battlefield 6 Leak & Reveal! New FromSoftware Game Coming Soon?

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 06:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week James and Grant open up the show discussing the new Battlefield reveal coming this week as well as the leak of the game officially getting its title, Battlefield 6 (wow!).

Saber Interactive released a pretty cool trailer for their upcoming Hellraiser game with partnership from Clive Barker.

Microsoft quietly revealed they removed the movies and TV section from their store on all their platforms, from Xbox to the Microsoft website. The guys take a trip down memory lane to watch part of the Xbox One reveal to see their vision at the time of the all-in-one machine and how much it's changed since then.

There are some credible rumors that FromSoftware could be on the verge of releasing another single player game within the next year. James breaks down what it could be, Dark Souls? Armored Core? Sekiro?

Finally, the return of Guess That Game!

Helldivers 2 is Coming to Xbox! Subnautica 2 Developer Drama!

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 14:15:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! After a two-week hiatus, James and Grant are back, and they open the show talking about the big announcement of Helldivers 2 officially making its way over to Xbox. The guys discuss the impact it should have on Xbox and how Microsoft was using the announcement to kind of sneak the other recent news of more layoffs under the rug.

Also, there is some VERY juicy and interesting drama going down at the offices of Subnautica and Subnautica 2 developer Unknown Worlds, who was purchased by Krafton. James breaks down how an alleged $250 million bonus package for the Subnautica developer may have been the cause of the Subnautica 2 delay and the release of some of the companies core founders.

Finally, there are some big games coming out this week, including Donkey Kong Bananza, which is getting huge rave reviews and looks to be another massive masterpiece from Nintendo.

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MORE Layoffs in the Gaming World, Death Stranding 2 Seems to be a Hit!

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 06:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week, James and Grant open the show talking about even more layoffs hitting the industry at Xbox, 1047 Games, Chinese Room, and Build a Rocket Boy. Some despite the release of solid products!

After that depressing news, the guys get into some better news: Rematch! The new game from Sloclap is a blast to play, even with some technical issues, and both the James and Grant go through the things they love and things they would like to see improved on.

Finally, rounding out the news, some quick news on Stellar Blade's stellar performance on PC. EA Sports College Football 26 deep dive and some of the improvements they showcased. And Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is looking like it's going to be another critically claimed masterpiece for Hideo Kojima and his team to hang on the mantle!

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Marathon Officially Delayed, Red Dead Next Gen Upgrade Coming Soon?

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 05:30:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! It was a slower news week this week in the games world, but then on Tuesday a bunch of breaking news dropped. Bungie announced they would be delaying Marathon, James and Grant talk about what felt like an inevitability for the extraction shooter. Microsoft also confirmed that they are working on new first party hardware in partnership with AMD, something that sounded like the next Xbox would be more of an AMD product with the Xbox logo on it. In smaller news, the voice actors for some of the biggest characters in Red Dead Redemption 2 are teasing some "exciting news" in the Red Dead universe. Could this be the next gen update James bet Grant on a few episodes ago? Finally, Silent Hill is getting a remake from Bloober Team, the same group that remade Silent Hill 2, and all the Silent Hill fans rejoiced at the news. Remember to rate, follow, like, and subscribe!

Summer Game Fest 2025 Reactions & Takeaways, Favorite Trailers from the Shows!

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 06:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week, James and Grant give their full reactions and takeaways from everything shown at this year's Summer Game Fest! They'll break down their favorite trailers from 007 First Light to ILL to Stranger Than Heaven and everything in between! It's also a pretty big week in releases! Mindseye is getting the bad end of steam reviews, Dune Awakening looks to be a solid Dune game in the base building genre, and a Space Marine remaster is sure to capitalize on all the new fans from its sequel's release! That and more this week on Active Reload! Remember to rate, follow, like, and subscribe!

Switch 2 Release is IMMINENT, Where's the Hype? Plus, Summer Games Fest Predictions!

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 05:30:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week, James and Grant start off the episode discussing the upcoming release of the Switch 2 and why there feels like a lack of the hype over the new console from Nintendo. It's also time for Summer Games Fest, the guys talk about what to expect from the event, could Arc Raiders and SplitGate 2 be shadow dropped? Are we going to see more from The Witcher 4? How much will IOI show of the new James Bond game? Plus more! Finally, the gang concludes with a discussion on Elden Ring Nightreign and the trust From Software has in their own developers' ideas, plus some more discussion on Star Wars resurgence! Remember to rate, follow, like, and subscribe!

Bungie Steals MORE Artwork! Is Marathon Doomed?

Wed, 21 May 2025 05:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week, James and Grant mainly discuss the big story of the week: Bungie getting caught red-handed stealing more artwork from a smaller artist that was put in their upcoming game Marathon. It is not their first time doing this (or their second, or their third) having been caught stealing other artists work in previous games as well. That came out on top of a Forbes report stating that the environment inside the walls at Bungie is at an all-time low. Is this just another bump in the road for an already massive pothole filled highway for Marathon. Is the game doomed to fail before it even gets preorders out? The guys spend most of the episode on that story, but then switch over to something a little bit more positive with a brand new Helldivers update, putting players into more urban locations on Super Earth! Finally, James and Grant go head-to-head on a bet regarding a possible Red Dead Redemption 2 current gen upgrade possibly coming this year. Remember to like, follow, rate, and subscribe!

Doom Returns & Mafia Undercuts the Competition?

Wed, 14 May 2025 05:15:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week James and Grant, (from a brand-new studio!) discuss the Mafia: The Old Country gameplay trailer that was released, but more importantly the price point at release of $50! An attempt to seemingly undercut the competition. Then, the guys discuss the new co-op multiplayer shooter from Remedy, FBC: FireBreak, it got a trailer and release date and James wonders who this game could be for. After that, it's a big week in releases, so the gang talks about what they're most excited for: Doom, The Precinct, and the most Grant game ever: RoadCraft. Check out the video for a look at the brand-new studio, and a new segment at the end of the episode and remember to rate, like, follow, and subscribe!

Grand Theft Auto 6 New Trailer Reactions! Plus, Arc Raiders First Impressions!

Wed, 07 May 2025 08:15:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! On this week's episode James and Grant breakdown the new Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer, they point out details they caught from multiple watches such as: New wildlife, new vehicles, more hurricane references, and maybe a fight club? The guys also touch on some of the new screenshots Rockstar posted of the new game, as well as some of the character bios that were dropped as well. After that, James talks about some of his early impressions of the second Arc Raiders tech test from the weekend. Then, Gears of War is getting another remaster, but this time it's also coming to PS5, and both Grant and James wished it would've been Gears of War 2, so they could kill that worm again. Remember to rate, follow, like, and subscribe!

Clair Obscur Expedition 33 Game of the Year?

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 05:15:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! On this week's episode, James and Grant discuss their early favorite game of the year in Clair Obscure Expedition 33! The game was able to accomplish the impossible task of making James enjoy a turn based strategy game while keeping him entertained! The guys discuss what makes it so much fun and addicting, and why they can't recommend it highly enough. After that, there is some minor news in the cycle, Oblivion remastered released in a shadow drop and is performing well even with its hardware limits. Plus, both Ghost of Yotei and Borderlands 4 got updated release dates. Remember to rate, follow, like, and subscribe!

Marathon Reveal Reactions! Concerns for Bungie's New (Old) Game?

Wed, 16 Apr 2025 05:30:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week, James and Grant tackle the big news of the week: Marathon! The guys go through and discuss the reveal of the upcoming Bungie first-person shooter. From some of the negatives, including the lack of detail to some of the environments shown, confusion about how the story will play out in a PvPvE extraction shooter, to some of the positives, like Bungie really knowing how to sell gun play. That and more from the showcase! They also touch on some minor news from the week, like another(!!) Oblivion Remake leak and some Respawn Star Wars news! Remember to rate, follow, like, and subscribe!

Nintendo Switch 2 Reactions! Nintendo's Next Wii U?

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 06:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! In this week's episode, it's all about the Nintendo Switch 2! James and Grant give their reactions to the new console from Nintendo, James is not so impressed, while Grant play's devil's advocate and is excited. The guys go over the price point of the console, the games, the accessories and what to expect from third party support and more! Remember to rate, follow, like and subscribe!

Doom: Dark Ages Previews! Indie Games Dominating on PC!

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 06:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week, James opens up the episode by pulling a fast one on Grant that gets him good. Then they get into the news of the week starting with a bunch of indie PC games dominating the space right now, from drug dealing to repossessions people are playing in a lot of different shoes! Also, a bunch of Doom: Dark Ages previews have gone out, the guys give their opinions on what they liked and didn't like from the footage shown. Finally, Game Informer is making a triumphant return, which the guys celebrate! Remember to rate, follow, like, and subscribe!

Publishers Moving Out of Grand Theft Auto 6's Way, Assassin's Creed Shadows Selling Big!

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 06:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! On this week's episode, James and Grant talk about the reports of a couple developers already bracing for a possible delay to their releases because of Grand Theft Auto 6's upcoming release. Which games could be effected and how far back will they move? Also, Assassin's Creed Shadows has the series' second-biggest day one launch ever, will it be enough to save Ubisoft from the tailspin they've been in? James also gives his thoughts on the game after about ten hours. Finally, the guys discuss Atomfall, and their excitement for the new IP from Rebellion! Remember to rate, follow, like, and subscribe!

Spectre Divide Shutting Down! Elder Scrolls Remake Coming Soon?!

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 06:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week, James and Grant open the show discussing the crazy news of Spectre Divide shutting its servers down at the end of March. As well as Mountaintop Studios closing its doors in tandem with the shut-down. Is this a worrying trend for games? Should small studios avoid free to play live service entirely? Also, the much rumored Elder Scrolls Remake seems to be right around the corner, it's coming from a studio that's worked on plenty of AAA games, but does the lack of marketing for it create a worrying concern? Finally, Grant gives his Siege X beta impressions and Space Marine 3's development has officially been announced! Remember to rate, follow, like, and subscribe!

Microsoft New Handheld & Console Soon? No Last of Us 3? New Death Stranding 2 Trailer

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week on the show, James and Grant open with a discussion about the massive exclusive report from Windows Central about Microsoft's upcoming strategy for the rest of the year and beyond as far as hardware goes. Are they looking to do a handheld? When should we expect the newest console? After that, the guys discuss the huge new trailer for Death Stranding 2, does anybody have any idea what it was about? The guys try to figure it out. Finally, Neil Druckmann stated that fans "should not bet" on a Last of Us 3, Grant isn't so sure and has an alternate method of how we might see it come to light. Remember to rate, follow, like, and subscribe!

Episode 82: Monster Hunter A HUGE Success, Big Release Week for Games!

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 12:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! On this week's episode, James. Is. Back. And with James returning, the great ideas come to a screeching halt. However, there was some big news in the industry so both James and Grant start off with Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3+4 getting release dates and how we might be on the verge of a skating game Renaissance (again). There were also some big multiplayer alpha's and beta's that were released the past week, including SplitGate 2 and Mecha Break, Grant tackles the discussion on those. Finally, there are a couple of big time releases coming this week such as, Two Point Musuem, FragPunk, Split Fiction, and a bunch more. Two Point Museum and Split Fiction are already receiving rave reviews as the big part of Q1 is upon us. Also releasing this week: A BIG early favorite for this year's honored achievement of worst game name of the year. Tune in to find out what it is! Remember to rate, follow, like, and subscribe!

Active Reload VR Special! The Games and the Future of Virtual Reality.

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 09:00:00 -0600

This episode is better when watched! Click here: Active Reload VR Special! The Games and the Future of Virtual Reality. #virtualreality #vr - YouTube

In this special episode of Active Reload, Grant sits down with VR aficionado Steve IN ACTUAL VR CHAT, to dive deep into the world of Virtual Reality! 🎮🕶️ We discuss Steve’s experience with VR, his favorite games, and where he thinks the technology is headed. Plus, we break down what we’ve been playing every Thursday night! Don’t miss this immersive episode—like, comment, and subscribe for more! Active Reload VR Special! The Games and the Future of Virtual Reality. #virtualreality #vr - YouTube

Episode 80: Rainbow Six Siege X! What is it? NetEase Fires American Marvel Rivals Developers

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 12:45:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week, James and Grant discuss the upcoming release of Rainbow Six Siege's "new era of Siege" titled Siege X. The guys speculate what changes could be on the horizon for the tenth year anniversary of the popular tactical multiplayer shooter. After that, the guys discuss NetEase laying off their North American team that helped work on Marvel Rivals. If they don't have any job security in the industry right now, who the hell does! Remember to rate, follow, like, and subscribe!

Episode 79: PlayStation State of Play Reactions! Snake Eater, Split Fiction, & More!

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 06:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week, the show is all about PlayStation's State of Play! Sony showed a TON of trailers for upcoming games, including Split Fiction, The Midnight Walk, Directive 8020, Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater, and a bunch more! James and Grant go through the show and talk about what their favorites and least favorites were, and what to maybe expect from the next State of Play coming in spring. Remember to rate, follow, like, and subscribe!

Episode 78: Kingdom Come Deliverence 2 is Here! Battlefield LABS to Save the Day?

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 06:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! It is your classic banter back and forth episode this week ladies and gentlemen, there was not a ton of news so James and Grant start the pod and let it take them wherever it wants to take them. They start off talking about the rest of the month of February, and it's outlook in games this year. That leads them to Amazon's Secret Level TV show, which leads them to talk about Sony and their movies again, that gives them a rope to Marvel Rivals, that takes them to a discussion on cheating in the games industry in general, and they end up comparing it to Barry Bonds. Just bouncing all over the place in this episode. However, towards the end of the show they get a little more focused with a discussion on Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, it's getting shining reviews, and could be this year's best RPG, the guys discuss what to expect and how effective it's marketing has been leading to its release. Remember to rate, follow, like and subscribe!

Episode 77: Ninja Gaiden 4 Announced! Would You Buy Grand Theft Auto 6 for $100?

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 06:45:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week, James and Grant go over Xbox's Developer Direct they had last week. Microsoft showed off Doom the Dark Ages, South of Midnight, and announced a big kept secret in Ninja Gaiden 4, the first entry in the series since 2012, as well as a remaster of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black that was released the same day as the announcement. The guys go over their reactions to the announcement and how they felt about some of the gameplay shown from Doom and South of Midnight! Next, the guys go over some unfortunate news, with Ubisoft announcing they were shuttering Ubisoft Leamington and laying off 185 employees. Finally, the gang discusses the suggestion from an analyst of Grand Theft Auto being priced up to $100 and, if it were to actually happen, how it could affect the rest of the industry moving forward. Would more games jump to $100? Remember to rate, follow, like, and subscribe!

Most Anticipated 2025 Game, Switch 2 "Leaks", Halo Coming to PlayStation??

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 06:30:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! On this week's episode, James and Grant start off the show discussing their most anticipated games of 2025 (minus GTA 6). After that, it's time for news! Nintendo has been dealing with Switch 2 "leaks" from multiple places around the industry. The rumors include a possible trailer and announcement coming in the next few days, as well as what games to expect on day one. There are also rumors swirling around Microsoft planning on bringing multiple big former exclusives over to both PlayStation AND the Switch 2 once released. The guys go over the leaks and rumors and discuss what the outcomes could look like for the industry moving forward. Finally, it's time for what is releasing this week, as well as what the guys have been playing, including a big game from James that he (FINALLY) was able to get latched onto. Remember to rate, follow, like, and subscribe!

Episode 75: Our Favorite Games We Played in 2024!

Wed, 08 Jan 2025 17:00:00 -0600

Welcome back to Active Reload! After the long break with lots of pondering, Grant and James are ready to reveal their favorite games that they played in the past year! They played everything from sports to strategy to RPG to first-person shooters, but only five make the list, tune in to see who they crowned their favorites! Remember to rate, follow, like, and subscribe!

Episode 74: Game Awards Reactions/Observations! Indiana Jones Game of the Year?

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week James and Grant are all in about the Game Awards, both guys think it was a pretty good show this year with lots of very good trailers... but definitely some bad ones as well. James goes through his good and bad as well as observations from the show, what he's most excited for, and asks Grant the big question: Would Indiana Jones have won Game of the Year this year if it met the release deadline? After that a quick conversation on Marvel Rivals, Grant has totally flip-flopped on his opinion on the Overwatch copy, mainly thanks to his kid, but now Grant must listen to James revel in his flip-floppery. That and more on this week's episode, be sure to check out the YouTube channel for the video of the pod, at Active Reload! Remember to rate, follow, like, and subscribe!

Episode 73: A Bunch of First Impressions! Indiana Jones, Marvel Rivals, and Path of Exile 2!

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 06:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! On this week's episode, James and Grant have a bunch of first impressions for you! Starting off, the guys talk about their experiences with Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, from the stealth to the accessibility they break down what the positives and negatives so far. Also, Marvel figured out about hero shooters about ten years too late and made their own! Grant and James both give some differing opinions on that new release. For the final first impressions, Path of Exile 2 has released a paid $30 beta for what is going to be a free to play game(?????), and according to Grant it's really good! Finally, a new trailer for the new NetEase game Ananta came out and very obviously was spoofing on both Grand Theft Auto 6 and Spider-Man and it's got a lot of people excited, but the boys are both skeptical.

30 Years of Playstation! and Delta Force First impressions!

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 09:00:00 -0600

Join James and Grant as they take a nostalgic trip down memory lane to honor 30 years of PlayStation! From their earliest memories with the console to their fondest gaming moments, they relive the highs and lows of PlayStation's incredible journey. Whether you're a fan of the PS1 classics or the cutting-edge PS5, this episode is for everyone who grew up gaming with PlayStation. Don't forget to share your favorite PlayStation memory in the comments

FromSoftware Being Purchased by Sony? Simpson's Hit & Run 2 Electric Boogaloo?

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week James and Grant open the show talking about the pretty big news that From Software's parent company, Kadokawa Corporation, confirmed they have received a buyout offer from Sony. No decision has been made yet, however, could this change the lineup and configuration of one of the industries best developers? Also, Simpson's Hit & Run lead designer Joe McGinn came out and stated that beloved series was basically greenlit for at least three more sequels, unfortunately the idea was killed by publisher Vivendi Games. James and Grant ponder what multiple Simpson's Hit and Run's could've looked like. Finally, it was more bad news for another former Mass Effect veteran with Casey Hudson announcing the closing of his studio, was slated to make another "AAA sci-fi" game. The guys discuss the seemingly domino type fall of former Mass Effect developers and their studios since the disassembly of the original Bio Ware. Remember to rate, follow, like and subscribe!

Game Award's Nominations Revealed! Snubs? Winners? Action RPG?

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! It is awards season! The Game Awards revealed their nominations for all their categories for the upcoming December show and James and Grant have some opinions on some of their picks. The guys also get into a debate: If you don't win your category, can you still win game of the year? Also, James quickly takes us down just a mere 10 years ago when Cabela's thought to themselves "What if we made Call of Duty, but you were killing wildlife instead?" So, they tested it out with Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2011 and 2013. Finally, there are some big games coming out this week, both literally and metaphorically. Remember to rate, follow, like, and subscribe!

Call of Duty Black Ops 6 Initial Reactions! Trash or Treat Continues!

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! In this week's episode, James and Grant take their last picks for this year's Trash or Treat with a little bit of a twist for the final one... After that, James and Grant give their opinions on Call of Duty Black Ops 6! From campaign to multiplayer to zombies the guys have dipped their toes in all of it and they give their reactions! Finally, there are some big time games coming out this week, including, Dragon Age: Veilguard, Phasmaphobia on console (finally!), Life is Strange: Double Exposure, they run you through the calendar and their opinions on some of the releases! Remember to rate, follow, like and subscribe!

Star Citizen Squadron 42 gets a release date and we continue Trash or Treat horror games!

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload episode 67! This week, James and Grant open the episode with their third week of Trash or Treat and James has to make an apology. After that, they get into the news of the week including, some more news regarding Star Citizen! That's right! Squadron 42 has a release date... kind of, James revs up the ol' chainsaw to rip it apart once again. After that, there was some new details released about the James Bond game coming from IO Interactive, the guys discuss what to expect. Finally, Insomniac announced that Spider Man 2 not have any story DLC, James goes through all the possible threads that some story DLC could've explored in that game, and what to expect from the third iteration of Spider Man. Then it's time for what's coming out this week and what the guys have been playing! Remember to rate, follow, like and subscribe!

#halloween2024 #scarygames #squadron42

Pokémon Data Breach, New Head at Xbox, and Star Wars Top 5's!

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! It's episode 66 and this week the guys start off talking about last week's Trash or Treat and then draw their games for the next week! Then, there was a MASSIVE data breach from Pokemon game developer Game Freak that led to a leak of personal data, old source code, new game information, and even system information from Nintendo! After that, James and Grant discuss the new promotion of former head of Rare, Craig Duncan, to the head of Xbox Game Studios, what could this mean for the rest of the Xbox lineup? Finally, since it's episode 66, there are a couple of rapid top five's, one from Grant, and one from James, James's will be the one that sparks much conversation among the vast cultures of humanity for centuries to come. Remember to rate, follow, like, and subscribe to the show!

Halo Studios replaces 343! Star Citizen drama and Trash or Treat continues!

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload episode 65! This week, Grant and James start the show continuing their Trash or Treat horror game selections and give their reviews on last week's picks! After that, it's time for the news, Halo got some huge news that included a full rebrand for 343 Studios and the moving of the series to a new engine and announcements of multiple upcoming projects! Next, there was a quick follow up on the Ubisoft news from last week. Wrapping up the news, the guys debate the work culture at Cloud Imperium after the announcement of a mandatory seven day a week for two week work period enforced by the company. Finally, they get to games coming out this week and what else they've been playing! Remember to rate, follow, like, and subscribe!

Ubisoft is FAILING. Will they turn it around? Plus, an Active Reload October Surprise!

Tue, 01 Oct 2024 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! Are you ready to get spooked? Cause the guys are, and with it being October they've decided to introduce a new game called Trash or Treat! Tune in to find out all the details. In the news this week, Ubisoft had a realllllll bad week, from postponing Assassin's Creed Shadows to XDefiant not performing to their expectations, their stock price took a big-time dip to a new low, what's the fix for Ubi? Finally, the PlayStation Store might have to change the way they describe the actual purchase of digital games, are buying the game or just a license? Remember to rate, follow, like and subscribe!

PlayStation’s Forgotten Legends: Why It's Time for a Comeback!

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 09:00:00 -0600

In Active Reload Episode 63, James and Grant take a deep dive into PlayStation's long-forgotten franchises! From Killzone and Bloodborne to Socom, Jet Moto, and Legacy of Kain, they discuss how these beloved titles could make a HUGE comeback and why it's time for Sony to revive them. They also take aim at how out of touch Sony seems to be with its player base, debating what fans really want from PlayStation moving forward. Lets not forget the upcoming State Of Play!

Plus, the guys highlight this week’s notable game releases and share what they’ve been playing lately!

New Battlefield Announced, Nintendo Switch 2 question and the Madden Curse is Back!

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 06:00:00 -0600

This week On Active Reload the boys talk about the NEW battlefield announcement and their experience with recent BF titles. What would Nintendo have to do in order for James and Grant to buy a Switch 2? And the Madden Curse is BACK! plus Notable games releasing this week adn the games the boys are playing!

Ps5 Pro is $700+ Warhammer 40K is at the top and AAA gaming is out of touch!

Fri, 13 Sep 2024 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! It's an episode that would make the Emperor and the Imperium proud because this week both James and Grant give their glowing reviews for Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine 2! It's been a hit for Saber Interactive and Focus Entertainment, and that begs the question, why don't more franchises go after more AA studios with proven track records? Then, on the opposite side of the spectrum was PlayStation, who announced their newest PS5 Pro at a cost of a whopping $700 dollars! The guys give their reactions and thoughts on the presentation for the Sony mid-gen upgrade. Grant has also been playing Astro Bot, so he gives his thoughts on it. Plus, it's the 25th anniversary of the Sega Dreamcast, Grant relives some of his favorite games from that console and era. Finally, the guys close out with what's coming out this week and what they have been playing! Remember to rate, follow, like and subscribe to the show!

Sony Officially Trashes Concord! Plus, Black Ops 6 Beta impressions!

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week on the show, James and Grant open up with the HUGE news that Concord is being pulled off stores and essentially killed by Sony. Is it precedent setting, what should we expect from Firewalk Studios moving forward? After that, there was some news about Konami sort of, kind of, nudging the idea of what to expect from the next Metal Gear Master Collection. Finally, the guys give their impressions on the Black Ops 6 beta.

Concord's Launch Woes, Starfield: One Year Later, & The Great FPS Debate

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload Episode 59! This week James and Grant start the show discussing the crazy launch disappointment of Concord, it's staggering lack of players at launch and what is next for the game and its company. Then, the guys discuss some of the early reactions to Star Wars Outlaws, and then an examination of the one-year anniversary of Starfield. How far has the game come since launch and will the new DLC bring back players? After that, Grant vents his frustration with Avowed's statement of trying to reach the 30 fps benchmark which leads to a big debate with James about how important it really is to have 30 fps vs. 60 fps, and how the product it produces reflects the industry as a whole. Finally, a quick look at what's coming out this week and what the guys have been playing over the past week. Remember to rate, follow, like and subscribe!

Gamescom 2024 Reaction! Active Reload 58

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 08:30:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week on the show James and Grant get into everything Gamescom 2024! From very solid trailers (Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, Civilization 7) to big announcements (Borderlands 4, New Dying Light) the guys got you covered with everything shown on day one of the conference. There was also a very big announcement outside of Gamescom that has James VERY excited. The guys also discuss the Amazon anthology series titled "Secret Level" that will take famous video game characters from various different games and make an episode with each character playing a main character in their episode. Finally, they get to games coming out this week and discuss the expectations for Star Wars Outlaws and Concord. Remember to rate, follow, like, and subscribe!

Borderlands Movie Fail plus Valve Legacy and Chinese Games

Thu, 15 Aug 2024 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! On this week's episode, James and Grant talk a little bit about the Borderland movie, a perfect example on how to NOT make a movie based on a video game and why studios insist on taking big name video games and turn them into something that misses lots of aspects of the source material. After that, the guys discuss the reception of Delta Force: Hawk Ops which becomes the catalyst for a conversation the rise of Chinese copycat video games, Delta Force: Hawk Ops looking like a copycat to Battlefield 2042. Finally, the gang discusses Valve and their quiet Alpha/Beta release of their unannounced upcoming game: Deadlock, James goes on a bit of a rant about how Valve has gotten to comfortable and complicit the past ten years, which is sure to rile up the audience. Remember to rate, follow, like, and subscribe!

Game Informer & Top 5 Movie Video Games

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week James and Grant open the show discussing the sad closure of Game Informer magazine, they reflect on their favorite covers from the most popular gaming magazine of its time, as well as their memories of what the magazines used to bring to readers as far as reviews and advertisements. After that, the guys give a top five in a category near and dear to their heart: Top 5 movie video games! Remember to rate, follow, like, and subscribe!

Rest In Peace Xbox 360, Activision Conducts SBMM Study

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week James and Grant open up the show talking about the official death of the Xbox 360 Marketplace. Grant has a top five list in remembrance of it's shutting down. They also talk about the Stalker 2 delay as well as the new Quidditch Champions trailer. Finally, the guys discuss the study that was put out by Activision regarding Skill Based Matchmaking or SBMM, that they said showed that turning SBMM off negatively affected player counts. There is also some Harry Potter movie talk, Conan talk, and even Barefoot Executive talk! Like, subscribe, rate, and follow if you've ever seen Barefoot Executive!

Biggest Games for the Rest of the Year! Active Reload ep. 54

Wed, 24 Jul 2024 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week Grant opens the show talking about his first impressions of Concord during the open beta, is it worth your time? Or will it be dead on arrival? Then, the guys go through the biggest upcoming game releases of the second half of 2024 and which ones they're both most excited for. Finally, they take a look at what is coming out this week as well as what they're playing, including a special presentation for James's review in progress of Nobody Wants to Die! Remember to like, subscribe, rate, and follow!

Episode 53: EA Sports College Football 25 First Impressions, Concord Expectations

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 05:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week James and Grant start the episode with their third week of college football talk, but this time they actually played the game! The guys give their first impressions of the game. After that, Grant has been watching gameplay of Concord and with a beta coming out this week Grant gives his expectations about the new 5v5 hero shooter. Then, it's time for notable games releasing this week as well as what they have been playing over the last two weeks, which leads to a discussion about Battlefield, Gran Turismo, and more! Remember to rate, follow, like, and subscribe!

From Software is getting soft while Active Reload is always going hard.

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week James and Grant open up the show talking a little bit about Elden Ring's DLC Shadow of the Erdtree. Then, EA Sports College Football 25 continues to show some promising features with their dynasty deep dive, James breaks down the new things he saw in the breakdown. After that, it's been two weeks since the since the last episode so the guys have been playing a ton of games, James played Xbox 360's Prey, Isonzo, and Stalker, while Grant has still been brain rotting with Valorant. Remember to rate, follow, like and subscribe!

Does Nintendo always get it right? Active Reload give praise and criticism

Wed, 19 Jun 2024 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload episode 51! This week Grant and James talk about the recent Nintendo Direct and how Nintendo constantly knocks it out of the park. But not without criticism. A lot of Nintendo games were announced, like a new Zelda game where you play as Zelda herself for the first time, Metroid Prime 4 finally sees light, plus a lot more! Grant gives his first impressions on console Valorant, Red Dead Redemption 2 is brought up again, dont know why, and James buys a VR unit! Nice. Welcome to Active Reload episode 51.

GAME FEST 2024 Reactions and our Top 5. Active Reload 50th Episode!

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! It's our 50th episode!! The video game gods gifted us with a good week of news for our 50th with Summer Games Fest going on over the weekend, we got a whole bunch of new trailers and games to get excited for and pick apart! James and Grant do that by giving their top five favorite trailers from the show that gave them the most anticipation! After that, the guys go through their disappointments from the weekends shows. Finally, they wrap things up with the news that Valorant is finally coming to consoles in August, as well as what they've been playing! Remember to rate, follow, like, and subscribe!

The State of Play!

Thu, 06 Jun 2024 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week James and Grant recap last week's PlayStation State of Play, Sony decided to show off not one, but two 5v5 hero shooters in Concord, and Marvel Rivals! Grant also talks about some of his problems with the Silent Hill Remake. After that, the guys preview the Summer Game Fest that starts this week, with tons of rumors swirling including Gears of War 6, Borderlands 4, and maybe a new Doom game? Finally, the gang talks about the games they're playing and some World War 2 shooters, like Medal of Honor. Remember to rate, follow, like, and subscribe!

Black ops 6 is REVEALED!

Wed, 29 May 2024 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week on the show, James and Grant start things off by talking about the ongoing Call of Duty Black Ops 6 reveal. The live action trailer includes the likes of fake Bill Clinton, fake Colin Powell, and fake Margaret Thatcher just to name a few! After that, the boys discuss Star Citizen officially crossing the 700 million dollar raised benchmark and both James and Grant have differing opinions on it. Finally, they get to the games releasing this week and James gives his finished thoughts on Hellblade 2. Remember to rate, follow, like, and subscribe!

EA Sports College Football 25! And another TOP 5!

Wed, 22 May 2024 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week it's a big one! We finally have a trailer for the much-anticipated EA Sports College Football 25, James and Grant break down what they saw from the trailer and their expectations following some of the details released in the follow up article. After that, some discussion on the big sale ongoing on the Xbox 360 Marketplace with its incoming shut down. Finally, Grant has a top five and some big notable games releasing this week! Remember to rate, follow, like, and subscribe!

Assassins Creed Shadows!

Thu, 16 May 2024 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week James and Grant discuss the BRAND NEW trailer for the next iteration in the Assassins' Creed franchise: Assassin's Creed Shadows! The guys talk about what the trailer shows as well as some of the new additions and changes coming to the game laid out in game director Jonathan Dumont's interview! After that, it was revealed that The Division Heartland was cancelled, and Volition was shut down after the failure that was the Saints Row reboot. Then, James has a top five list after finally playing Doki Doki Literature Club! Remember to rate, follow, like, and subscribe!

Episode 45: Microsoft Shuts Down Studios

Fri, 10 May 2024 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week James and Grant open the episode discussing the unfortunate situation happening at Bethesda and Microsoft with Microsoft deciding to close the doors at four studios including Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks. The guys discuss how Microsoft is kind of eating their own words, and how this could be an unfortunate sign of things to come. After that, the guys discuss the decision of Sony to go back on their Helldivers decision and all thanks to gamers rising up! Nintendo also came out with an announcement of an announcement for their next Switch console and Hades 2 is getting some rave reviews in early access!

Can Tarkov Escape From Itself?

Wed, 01 May 2024 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week James and Grant start off the show discussing the massive misstep Escape from Tarkov has seemingly made with the release of the Unheard Edition of the game. The boys discuss why the fans are upset and whether this will open the door for other extraction type shooters. Next, Todd Howard seemingly teased a new development in the Fallout universe that could be on the way, is it a Fallout 3 Remaster or something else? Finally, they take a look at the games coming out this week and then have a random conversation about Furiosa and Mad Max. Remember to rate, follow, like, and subscribe!

Episode 43: Kingdom Come, Again?

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week James starts the show off discusses the possibility of purchasing a PC. This get's into a larger discussion about the different ways of buying PC's from parts to pre-built the boys go through which ways are more cost effective and wonder if it's still more cost effective to buy parts instead of buying pre-built anymore. After that, Grant discusses his excitement about the Kingdom Come Deliverance sequel that got a trailer earlier in the week and tries to convince James to give the first game another try. Finally, it's a pretty big week for new releases, from TopSpin to Stellar Blade the gang takes a look at what is coming out this week and what they've been playing the past week. Remember to rate, follow, like, and subscribe!

Episode 42: Fallout TV Show Breaks the Curse!

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 06:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week the boys start off the show discussing the massive success that has been the Fallout TV show, James asks the most important question of all: Has the game adaptation curse finally been killed? After that Grant brings up that The Crew has been taken out of players library's leading to another discussion on game preservation. Then, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth has performed under expectations, James and Grant try to dissect the reasoning behind it's lackluster numbers. Finally, the gang discusses Lawbreakers making a comeback thanks to fan support through the power of the internet! Remember to like, subscribe, rate, and follow the show!

Episode 41: Game Preservation & Star Wars Outlaws.

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! The boys are back after contracting cordyceps and the clickers are nowhere to be found. This week Grant and James discuss Apple lifting their ban on game emulators and how it could open the flood gates for tons of classic games being able to be played on Apple devices! That leads to a discussion on games preservation, how emulators have improved the consumer's power to play the games of yesteryear even without having to hold on to that old Sega Master System. Finally, Stellar Blade and Star Wars Outlaws are both on the way, James and Grant have opposing views on both upcoming games and give their excitement and disappointment! Remember to rate and follow!

Episode 40: The State of Streaming

Thu, 28 Mar 2024 06:30:00 -0600

How is the State of Game-Streaming? Active Reload discusses the state of streaming sites like Twitch, Youtube and Kick. Join James and Grant on the 40th episode of Active Reload. The boys talk about the history and future of Twitch, Dragons Dogma 2, Rise of the Ronin and upcoming games this week. Grant gifts Doki Doki Literature Club to James who has no idea what kind of game it is. Mobile gaming gets a discussion and a CHALLENGE is offered. Jump into the hottest video game podcast on the net!

Episode 39: Star Wars Battlefront, The Phantom MESS

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week James and Grant start things off by talking about the ABSOLUTE DISASTER that was the Star Wars Battlefront Collection release, from bugs to design problems, how did it all go wrong? Then, there was a massive hack during the North American finals of the Apex Legends Global Series that will seemingly have implications on numerous other titles. After that, the boys have a conversation about the new update in Rainbow Six Siege, one likes the update, the other doesn't, whose side are you on? Remember to like and subscribe!

Episode 38 New Game Studio Announcements!

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 08:30:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! Last week was a week full of layoffs but this week there are new studio openings! From a studio making a neo-noir detective thriller, to some former DICE and Battlefield developers making studios of their own, as well as former id Software, Naughty Dog, and Activision developers creating a studio focused on making a title in the "Immersive Shooter Space." There were also some news coming from out of nowhere such as the System Shock Remake and the original Stalker games coming to consoles, and more! Remember to like and subscribe!

Episode 37: Is the Gaming Industry Bubble About to Burst?!

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! It was a blood bath in the world of video games with layoffs coming left and right, Respawn getting another game canceled by EA, and EA closing down Ridgeline Games. But James and Grant try to find some positive news from this week as well. Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Essential have some great free options this month, such as: Sifu, F1 23, Hello Neighbor, Control Ultimate Edition and more! After that, it's time for a top 5 list! With the huge release of Dune: Part 2, the boys go give their top five favorite movie/TV show licenses that they want to see visited or revisited in video games! Then it's time for notable games releasing this week and what they're playing this week! Remember to like and subscribe!

Episode 36: Helldivers 2 is DOMINATING

Wed, 21 Feb 2024 09:00:00 -0600

Helldivers 2 is a huge success! James and Grant discuss how impactful a game like this is to the industry. A Double A budget game that dominates sales in a great February? Should send a clear message to other Dev teams/Producers. Also, the boys discuss the strange public and corporate Microsoft meeting, Sony president visits Bungie Studios and has some words and we finish off an amazing February of games releasing this week!

Episode 35: What is Xbox/Microsoft going to do?! We make predictions!

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload: A Video Game Podcast, where James and Grant talk everything video games. Sometimes they agree... This week they discuss what Xbox is going to do regarding their games on other platforms. Could Master Chief be PlayStation bound? Does James play anything other than Rainbow Six Siege these days? Can Grant finish a game ever? Tune in and enjoy the hottest podcast on the internet. NOW ON YOUTUBE

Episode 34: Annoying Trends in Video Games

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week Grant starts the episode off by giving his top five least favorite things happening in video games right now, such as the overabundance of Souls likes and bad UI. After that, we talk about Microsoft seemingly on their way to allowing some of their exclusive titles onto PlayStation. Was Grant with his prediction of Game Pass inevitably moving over to multiple consoles? Remember to rate and follow!

Episode 33: PlayStation State of Play Reactions!

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 07:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week on the show James and Grant recap the PlayStation state of play from January 31st! Stellar Blade, Silent Hill The Short Message, Silent Hill 2 Remake, Judas, Metro Awakening, Rise of the Ronin, Until Dawn Remaster(????), and Death Stranding 2: On The Beach! Reactions from those and more. Plus, some more news like Spec Ops: The Line coming off digital storefronts. Remember to rate and follow!

Episode 32: PALgiarism? The Palworld Success & Drama

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 07:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week James and Grant start the episode with a discussion on Palworld! The new "Pokemon with guns" game just hit the market but not without controversy, with fans of Pokemon saying that Palworld should be sued! James and Grant ask whether there are any grounds for suit or if they're just upset fans which leads to a discussion about AI assisting in game creation. After that, James and Grant recap the most recent Xbox Direct which showed off a new Indiana Jones game from Machine Games, as well as, more Hellblade 2, and Avowed! Remember to rate and follow!

Episode 31: Is VR the Future of Entertainment?

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 07:30:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week the guys bring on special guest Steven Schreffler, their in-house VR expert, to discuss the current state of VR and the future of VR and the outlook of it on other games. Will VR take over the entertainment industry as a whole? After that, the gang discusses PlayStation's new membership services and prices which leads to a further discussion about the streaming model taking over consoles and games services as a whole! Remember to rate and follow!

Episode 30: Most Anticipated Games of 2024, Game Pass on PlayStation?

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 08:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week James and Grant open the show with their most anticipated games of the upcoming new year! College Football, Wukong, Hellblade 2, and more! After that, Grant and James discuss the rumor of an Xbox exclusive heading to PlayStation, what could it be? This leads to an overarching conversation about Game Pass coming to other consoles including Switch and PS5. Finally, Grant goes down the Top 5 worst game titles of 2023! Remember to rate and follow!

Episode 29: Best Games We Played in 2023!

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome Active Reload! This week it's an episode filled with reflection for James and Grant as they give their favorite games that they played in 2023! From shooters to horror to fantasy their lists have it all including a bunch of OLI's! Remember to rate and follow the show!

Episode 28: Top 5 Favorite Christmas Video Games/Events!

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 16:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week James and Grant start the episode by discussing the massive hack at Insomniac leading to the leak of the roadmap of their future games, and footage of the Wolverine game! Plus, the gang discusses some of the news from From Software, including Armored Core IV's ranked play and Elden Ring's possible upcoming expansion. After that, they pay tribute to James McCaffrey, from the Max Payne series, Control, and Alan Wake 2, who passed away earlier this week. Finally, the guys rank their five favorite Christmas games/Christmas events in gaming history to get into the holiday season! Remember to rate and follow!

Episode 27: Game Awards Recap, "The Day Before" Disaster

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 14:30:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! To start this week James and Grant talk about The Game Awards, how they felt about the event as a whole and go through some of the winners and surprises of the night. After that, they talk about the weird case of "The Day Before" and its developer Fntastic who shuttered their studios just four days after the game's launch. Next, "Lethal Company" seems to be this year's random hit from nowhere, Grant talks about what makes it unique and popular. Finally, they conclude with a discussion on "Avatar: Frontier of Pandora", the games releasing this week, and what they're playing! Remember to rate and follow!

Episode 26: GTA 6 Trailer Reactions!

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 11:30:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week James and Grant give their reactions to the biggest game trailer ever released: the first trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6! They also look through every minute detail from the trailer and give their predictions as to what to expect when it arrives in 2025! After that, Grant was vindicated by PlayStation's announcement of their plan to remove over 1,000 seasons of Discovery shows from users' libraries, even if they had purchased them! Finally, Modern Warfare 3's season one content launch is right around the corner, the boys break down what to expect from that. Remember to rate and follow the show!

Episode 25: Physical or Digital Media?

Tue, 28 Nov 2023 08:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week James and Grant start off the episode by discussing physical and digital games and why the disappearance of some physical games leads to the loss of classic games! Then a question is brought forward: What game would you recommend to children just starting to play? Both James and Grant give their picks. Finally, Grant updates his progress on Jaws Unleashed and how he's liked the game so far! Remember to rate and follow!

Episode 24: Give Thanks & Games

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 09:00:00 -0600

Happy Thanksgiving! This week James and Gant have wished the future into existence, maybe? Leaks from Rockstar show the possibility of Bully 2 Midnight Club Los Angeles and Grand Theft Auto 4 remasters! Plus, Valve celebrates 25 years of Half-Life excellence by releasing new maps, graphics options, and a documentary. Here's a surprise, Naughty Dog is remastering a Last of Us game! This time it is Part 2, however, the remaster will include some extra content not seen in the original release. Finally, Grant thanks Halo for the Halo 3 remastered multiplayer maps, and James discusses his playthrough of FEAR 2 so far. Remember to rate and follow!

Episode 23: Call of Duty: Game Exchange

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 17:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload: A Video Game Podcast! This week James and Grant give their honest opinions of the new Call of Duty multiplayer, which might surprise some. Big topic week as the boys make their first Game Exchange, where they give each other a game they have not played and think they may enjoy. They also give some advice for Black Friday week (yes, it's a whole week now...) regarding new consoles someone might be buying. Everyone knows to listen to Grant the most in these situations. Game Awards nominations were announced and does anyone truly care? There's a new PSP, but not THE new PSP. Finally, the boys get into what they're playing and James has a unique one. Active Reload the the hottest gaming podcast in the world right now, come on in!

Episode 22: GTA 6 Officially Announced!

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 09:00:00 -0600

GTA 6 is officially announced and a trailer is coming soon to coincide with Rockstar's 25th anniversary! James and Grant discuss the big news and make some predictions. In honor of Rockstar's 25th year, the boys discuss which old Rockstar games they'd like to see return and some new genres they'd be able to dominate. The new Call of Duty game has a very bad and short campaign, James talks about his experience with it. Nintendo and Sony join forces to make a live-action Zelda movie... Strange times. Halo is moving up the revenue charts, and finally, Grant and James are playing the same game, Robocop: Rogue City, and it's awesome! Jump on the ARVGP train, this beast has no brakes!

Episode 21: Alan Stay Awake if You Can!

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to episode 21! This week James gives an update on Titanfall 3 and for some reason isn't completely demoralized. Halo gets a surprise mention and Cliffy B is in the news again! James and Grant discuss whether or not they agree with Cliff's assessment that Gears of War needs a "Reboot like God of War" or not. Grant has a HUGE issue with Alan Wake 2, James finishes Spider-Man, and Robocop: Rogue City might be the game everyone is looking for! Will the boys ever play and review the same game this year? Will Grant enjoy a new game ever again? Find out now on the hottest new video game podcast on Earth!

Episode 20: Kraven Spider-Man

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to the 20th episode! This week James and Grant, with venom in their veins, take a deep dive into Spiderman 2. James takes to reins on this topic because Grant plays too many 30-year-old games. The Xbox October Event is discussed, Robocop gets some hype and a new FPS multiplayer is on the horizon! Grant plays the new UFC game and has some qualms, James has no idea about the greatness of Metal Gear which is highly disappointing and Halo Infinite might finally be the game we all wanted.

Episode 19: Disney Wants More Games!

Thu, 12 Oct 2023 09:00:00 -0600

This week James and Grant discuss the reports that Disney is considering buying a big publisher like, EA, Guitar Hero could return, Sony unveils a smaller PS5 and Redfall gets a shot of blood. The boys also discuss the legacy of Raven Software and how Activision needs to unleash them from call of duty support. Souls-like games are getting a bit tiresome, James has no idea that games existed before 2006 and Grant can't stop Playing Trepang2. Active Reload is on fire! Join the boys today!

Episode 18: A Week to Dismember, Our Favorite Spooky Games!

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 08:30:00 -0600

This week James and Grant celebrate the best month of the year, by discussing our top 5 favorite, Spooky-themed games! Definitely some killer games in there. Red Dead Redemption redeems itself with a quiet update that changes the game for the better, CS2 is a bonafide hit, the new COD gets a beta and Grant gives a quick review of the Quest2 VR unit! There's also one of the biggest weeks of game releases this year and James buries himself in shame! Never a wasted moment in the best video game podcast on earth. Like, Follow and Subscribe!

Episode 17: Should Games Cost More? iPhone 15 Pro A Gaming Console?

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week the lads start the show off by discussing Destiny and it’s weird “vibes” main villain, then a deep dive into video game pricing, should games be more expensive? Or cost less? After that, the iPhone 15 Pro was announced as a phone and a handheld gaming console showing off RE4: Remake and Assassin’s Creed Mirage but Grant has some suspicions. It’s a little slow release week, but there are some Bad Name Alert games coming out. Finally, the crew discusses what they’ve been playing this week, including Grant continuing to play games released 15+ years ago, and James finally finished Starfield, so he’s on to something new! Remember to rate and follow!

Episode 16: Mid-Gen Upgrades, Titanfall 3 Rumors?

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 09:00:00 -0600

Something is leaking and it's not James. This week the boys talk about all the major Microsoft leaks, some expected and some surprising. Is a new Titanfall game in secret development? James dives DEEP into strange happenings in the world of TItanfall and James might've willed this news into existence. Mortal Kombat 1 has some Nintendo problems and another stacked week of games releasing this week! Join James and Grant in a HOT week of the world of gaming. And it's Counter Strike 2, not CSGO2... jeez. QUEUE THE THEME MUSIC!!!

Episode 15: Commercially Accurate?

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 08:30:00 -0600

There is a rift among developers regarding Unity's new royalty fee, Square Enix stock has fallen 30% and Stauss Zelnick knows what he's talking about! This week James and Grant pull out their visors and crystal balls to discuss the landscape of the gaming world. Are Subscription models to blame? James is an EXPERT Assassin's Creed historian, Grant is a cool nerd and Mortal Kombat 1 is among us! James gets married and has his very own Lies of P as well! Join the best-rated video game podcast on Akila!

Episode 14: Star Feels, Plus a Big Week in Horror!

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 09:00:00 -0600

This week James and Grant continue to talk about Starfield as it's the biggest game in the world right now, but I bet you haven't heard of Black Summer 2023! Black Summer is a Horror event showcasing a lot of games in the horror/suspense genre. The boys discuss 6 games from the event including, 11 minutes of the new Alan Wake game coming out this year and great horror game trailers with bad names. Respawn is working on a new IP and James is disappointed it's not Titanfall 3, Payday 3 gets an open beta, there's a promising FMV game releasing this week and Grant eats his words with Starfield.

Episode 13: Starfield 360

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 09:00:00 -0600

Probably the biggest game of the year is here! Starfield, the long-awaited Microsoft exclusive is out for PC and Xbox. James and Grant discuss the review scores and their impressions of the many gameplay videos. Expectations are high and low depending on who you ask. Grants are high and he explains why. The 360 store is closing for good, so the boys talk about games that will be lost forever, Sony raises prices up to 35% for PS Plus and James and Grant play Rainbow Six Siege! Plus Madden gets a little more love this week.

Episode 12: Fall Looking Good, Gamescom Reactions!

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 09:00:00 -0600

GamesCom is in full force! James and Grant discuss the big hitters and some surprises from the show. The Epic Games Store makes a huge announcement that could shake up the world of online gaming marketplaces, Grant buys a VR unit, Night Dive Studios is a nostalgic gamers' dream studio and Forklift Simulator is primed to win Game of the Year! Join the boys for a wild week of news and announcements!

Episode 11: Bloodsport

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 09:00:00 -0600

Do you smell that fresh-cut grass in the air? The world of sports entertainment is upon us! It's that time of the year when the incredible, never-changing video game, Madden comes out. James and Grant discuss the yearly disappointment of the Madden franchise and talk about sports video games in general. They give their top 3 favorite sports simulations of all time, discuss the legendary NCAA 14 and go over 5 notable games coming out this week! Will Immortals of Aveum be any good? Grant explains to James what Quake 2 is and why Jean-Claude Van Damme is the greatest action star OF ALL TIME! "Why you coach him but not me?"

Episode 10: Noteworthy Gamer Rage

Thu, 10 Aug 2023 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to episode 10! This week, James and Grant discuss Take-Two releasing Red Dead Redemption for the PS4 and Switch at 50 dollars, uncalled-for gamer rage, "Commercial Accuracy" and whatever that means, and AI advancements in games. Grant explains what Baldurs Gate is to James and they name off all the "Notable Games" releasing this week. There are so many...

Episode 9: He's Heating Up!

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 08:15:00 -0600

Do you remember the Arcade? This week James and Grant discuss their memories of the arcade experience. Grant breaks it down into 2 eras: Pre Street Fighter 2 and Post Street Fighter 2. NBA Jam is glorious. Plus Gamescom is eminent, so the boys talk about the games that will be showcased. Grant thinks Stray is kitty-ocre. James has a big week in games that he's playing, including Control and Hellblade. Join the boys in gaming glory!

Episode 8: Actively Live & Currently Reloaded

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 09:00:00 -0600

Welcome to Active Reload! This week on the show James and Grant go through a pretty dead news week, but they do discuss the critic and financial success of Remnant 2 after its release last week. Plus, Baldur's Gate is almost here, Grant gives a preview of that and his impressions on the early release. Then Grant gives James a couple of recommendations for games that he should play in the future. Then, James and Grant get into what they have been playing over the past week and conclude with what they will playing heading into next week! Remember to rate and follow!

Episode 7: REloaded the REmake

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 09:00:00 -0600

James and Grant come off a busy week and relax with some video game talk. Why are July and August slow for the video game world? Well, it doesn't matter much because Xbox Backwards Compatibility is fantastic and classic Call of Duty servers are populated again! The boys pick their favorite remakes and remasters, Overwatch 2 looks to be falling out of the collective gamers' consciousness and Grant has to educate James on Counter-Strike. Remnant 2 comes out and Grant discusses his adventure with a friend playing Resident Evil 2 Remake.

Episode 6: Title Wars

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 09:00:00 -0600

Microsoft wins its case against the FTC! Yay...? James and Grant discuss the ruling and praise the really good, morally-focused Activision/Blizzard. Grant explains why Skill-Based Match Making is ruining casual matchmaking in multiplayer games. It's James' birthday! In celebration, he gives his top 5 favorite video games of all time. A mobile game makes an appearance, a classic, retro series is coming to PlayStation, and the games we're playing this week are hot, hot, hot!

Episode 5 Switch-bit Remastered

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 09:00:00 -0600

This week James and Grant discuss the Nintendo Switch and its constant rise in hardware sales. They talk about the culture of Nintendo and their locked-in audience and Grant ponders why Zelda is so beloved. The Witcher season 3 is out on Netflix, video game remasters and remakes are hot right now, Firewatch is loved by James for some reason, and Battlebit: Remastered is a surprise top-seller! Bad game names return in "Notable Games of the Week" and Grant plays some retro games.

Episode 4: A New Hope of July

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 09:00:00 -0600

This week James and Grant talk about a big WHOOPSIES from Sony and their unbelievably expensive first-party games. Only Up is a surprise indie hit. James wonders why people like this game. The Notable Games this week have questionable titles, PSVR2 gets a new hit. System seller? They discuss. The boys talk about how developers keep coming up with bad names. They talk about how violently ill Grant gets when he plays VR and James has trouble pronouncing basic English. Tune into the great dynamic and fusion of old and new-school gaming!

Episode 3: X-Defiance Against Good Game Names

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 09:00:00 -0600

Active Reload, your ultimate video game podcast! In this episode, James and Grant dive into the latest gaming buzz, exploring XDefiant, the highly anticipated 6 Days in Fallujah, and the rising prices of GamePass. They talk about Halo infinite season 4 being underwhelming. Grant tries to explain to James what Rogue-like games are, His love for retro games, James doesn't like Turn-based tactical games, we talk about notable games releasing this week, and Final Fantasy 16 is awsome!

Episode 2: Summer of 30fps

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 09:00:00 -0600

WELCOME! A giant News Week with the Summer Game Fest 2023. Over 400 hundred games were announced. James and Grant skip the bloat and talk about the juicy news, including Cyberpunk DLC, and even MORE new Star Wars games... again and we can't forget Star Field! All 30-frames-per-second of it! Grant has a lot to say about that. We list our Favorite AI in games, James has a philosophical debate about Alan Wake, why titles of games are so bad, and Grant almost has a stroke explaining Final Fantasy numerology.

Active Reload: A Video Game Podcast

A Halo Extraction Shooter? Are You Excited for Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced?

Video Game Developer Tier List!

Metro 2039 Reveal, Grand Theft Auto Online Makes How Much Money!?

Was Mindseye Sabotaged and What Really Happened to Last of Us Online?

Top Five Favorite First Person Shooter Multiplayer Maps of All Time!

Xbox Parner Preview Reveals & Reactions!

Nvidia Sloppin' It Up with New AI DLSS 5 Tech! Starfield 2.0 Coming to PS5!

New Xbox Console Announced! What to Expect from "Project Helix"

Highguard Officially Shutting Down, Resident Evil Requiem & Marathon Reviews!

Is It Over for Xbox? BIG Changes in Leadership at Microsoft!

New PlayStation Announcement Reactions! God of War Trilogy Remake, Project Windless, and More!

Overwatch is Back! (Sort of)... Plus, A Horizon Co-op Multiplayer Game?

Video Game Reviews, Numbered or Not? What's Your Exact Middle of the Road Game?

Highguard Initial Reactions! Will it be Another Concord?

Xbox Developer Direct Reactions! Fable, Forza Horizon 6, Kiln!

Our Predictions for 2026! Steam Machine Disappoints? Marathon Overperforms?

Our Top 5 Games in 2025!

We Remember Vince Zampella, Ark 2 Delayed AGAIN

Good, Bad, & Ugly of the Game Awards Trailers! Marathon Gets Re-Revealed!

Netflix/Paramount Buying Warner Brothers What's It Mean for Games? Game Awards Reveal Predictions!

Steam Machine $1,000?! Plus, Most Underrated Games of the Year So Far!

Half Life 3 Coming Soon!? Game Awards Nominations! Black Ops 7 is Bombing!

Grand Theft Auto 6 Delayed AGAIN! Elder Scrolls 6 YEARS Away?!

New Halo Remake Announced! Counter Strike Skin's Economy CRASHES!

Battlefield 6 & ARC Raiders Massive Success! Plus, Lots of Big Releases This Week!

Battlefield 6 First Impressions! Remedy Suffering from FBC: Firebreak?

Borderlands 4 Impressions, Randy Pitchford is Upset, & The Wolverine Game is Alive!

Wolfenstein 3 on the Horizon? One Year Anniersary of Concord

Bungie Paying for Marathon Players? New Cyberpunk Contet?!

Skate & Escape From Tarkov Get Release Dates! Pete Parsons Leaves Bungie

Gamescom Opening Night Reveals, Halo Officially Coming to Helldivers!

Battlefield 6 Beta Impressions, Halo Coming to Helldivers?!

Battlefield 6 Leak & Reveal! New FromSoftware Game Coming Soon?

Helldivers 2 is Coming to Xbox! Subnautica 2 Developer Drama!

Top 5 Enticing Foods in Video Games!? Games Grant Loves That People Don't Like!

MORE Layoffs in the Gaming World, Death Stranding 2 Seems to be a Hit!

Marathon Officially Delayed, Red Dead Next Gen Upgrade Coming Soon?

Summer Game Fest 2025 Reactions & Takeaways, Favorite Trailers from the Shows!

Switch 2 Release is IMMINENT, Where's the Hype? Plus, Summer Games Fest Predictions!

Bungie Steals MORE Artwork! Is Marathon Doomed?

Doom Returns & Mafia Undercuts the Competition?

Grand Theft Auto 6 New Trailer Reactions! Plus, Arc Raiders First Impressions!

Clair Obscur Expedition 33 Game of the Year?

Marathon Reveal Reactions! Concerns for Bungie's New (Old) Game?

Nintendo Switch 2 Reactions! Nintendo's Next Wii U?

Doom: Dark Ages Previews! Indie Games Dominating on PC!

Publishers Moving Out of Grand Theft Auto 6's Way, Assassin's Creed Shadows Selling Big!

Spectre Divide Shutting Down! Elder Scrolls Remake Coming Soon?!

Microsoft New Handheld & Console Soon? No Last of Us 3? New Death Stranding 2 Trailer

Episode 82: Monster Hunter A HUGE Success, Big Release Week for Games!

Active Reload VR Special! The Games and the Future of Virtual Reality.

Episode 80: Rainbow Six Siege X! What is it? NetEase Fires American Marvel Rivals Developers

Episode 79: PlayStation State of Play Reactions! Snake Eater, Split Fiction, & More!

Episode 78: Kingdom Come Deliverence 2 is Here! Battlefield LABS to Save the Day?

Episode 77: Ninja Gaiden 4 Announced! Would You Buy Grand Theft Auto 6 for $100?

Most Anticipated 2025 Game, Switch 2 "Leaks", Halo Coming to PlayStation??

Episode 75: Our Favorite Games We Played in 2024!

Episode 74: Game Awards Reactions/Observations! Indiana Jones Game of the Year?

Episode 73: A Bunch of First Impressions! Indiana Jones, Marvel Rivals, and Path of Exile 2!

30 Years of Playstation! and Delta Force First impressions!

FromSoftware Being Purchased by Sony? Simpson's Hit & Run 2 Electric Boogaloo?

Game Award's Nominations Revealed! Snubs? Winners? Action RPG?

Top 5 Video Game Romance Scenes of All Time! Active Reload Episode 69

Call of Duty Black Ops 6 Initial Reactions! Trash or Treat Continues!

Star Citizen Squadron 42 gets a release date and we continue Trash or Treat horror games!

Pokémon Data Breach, New Head at Xbox, and Star Wars Top 5's!

Halo Studios replaces 343! Star Citizen drama and Trash or Treat continues!

Ubisoft is FAILING. Will they turn it around? Plus, an Active Reload October Surprise!

PlayStation’s Forgotten Legends: Why It's Time for a Comeback!

New Battlefield Announced, Nintendo Switch 2 question and the Madden Curse is Back!

Ps5 Pro is $700+ Warhammer 40K is at the top and AAA gaming is out of touch!

Sony Officially Trashes Concord! Plus, Black Ops 6 Beta impressions!

Concord's Launch Woes, Starfield: One Year Later, & The Great FPS Debate

Gamescom 2024 Reaction! Active Reload 58

Borderlands Movie Fail plus Valve Legacy and Chinese Games

Game Informer & Top 5 Movie Video Games

Rest In Peace Xbox 360, Activision Conducts SBMM Study

Biggest Games for the Rest of the Year! Active Reload ep. 54

Episode 53: EA Sports College Football 25 First Impressions, Concord Expectations