189: Return to the Upper Yo

This week we attempt to get back to the positive end of the yo-yo cycle by playing Monster Hunter Wilds, LAD: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, more Avowed, and some Steam Next Fest demos, plus the shocking closure of Monolith, some new Fable footage, Microsoft's games AI model, and your emails!Advertise on The Nextlander Podcast at Audioboom, or support us on Patreon!CHAPTERS(00:00:00) NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate for versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening.(00:00:10) Intro(00:02:41) Putting reality on pause for a few hours(00:13:52) What's the last stop before dry toast?(00:16:37) Monster Hunter Wilds  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  Feb 28, 2025(00:42:18) Consoles or PC, the eternal struggle(00:48:05) First Break(00:48:10) Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S]  |  Feb 21, 2025(01:00:26) Avowed  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox Series X|S]  |  Feb 18, 2025(01:17:39) Void Crew  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  Nov 25, 2024(01:20:57) Lost Records: Bloom & Rage  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  Feb 18, 2025(01:23:41) Steam Next Fest(01:24:50) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  2025(01:31:41) Fellowship | TBD(01:37:18) Second Break(01:37:23) News(01:37:45) Warner Bros. closes Monolith(01:56:19) Fable delayed to 2026(02:04:22) Microsoft wants to use AI in game "preservation"(02:16:58) Bloober Team and Konami are back at!(02:22:22) Email(02:33:06) Wrapping up and thanks(02:38:10) Mysterious Benefactor Shoutouts(02:40:22) Nextlander Content Updates(02:41:18) See ya!