Mashin' It Video Game Style

This week: Sony’s finally bringing democracy to xbox! Then, companies like Rockster are requesting your photo ID to make sure you’re at least of driving age in Grand Theft Auto. Next it’s time to scab your fingers again trying to perfect Joker and the Thief on plastic guitars. After that, Kingmaker’s announced it’s coming to early access soon, so you can ride two types of Mustangs! Then, get your Evil adult Zelda fix with Darksiders 4. Finally, we throw games into a blender and talk about our most desired video game mashups!

Video Game Tango Podcast Recap: Big News, Hot Takes, and Dream Game Mashups

The latest episode of Video Game Tango was packed with gaming updates, heated debates, and some wild "what if" game mashups. Here’s the rundown on what the guys discussed.

Helldivers 2 Heading to Xbox - A Surprise Move

In a shocking twist, Sony is bringing Helldivers 2 to Xbox on August 20th, making it one of the first PlayStation-published titles to proactively launch on a competing console. According to the podcast, this decision came directly from PlayStation, with one developer calling it "one of the coolest things they’ve done."

The Guys praised the move, saying it could give the game a major player boost. They also compared Helldivers 2’s post-launch support to No Man’s Sky’s redemption arc, applauding the devs for sticking with it. With Microsoft expanding Xbox beyond traditional consoles, this might be a sign of Sony adapting to the changing gaming landscape.

Rockstar’s ID Requirement for GTA Online - A Privacy Nightmare?

Rockstar Games announced that UK players will soon need to upload government-issued ID to access GTA Online and certain GTA 6 features, thanks to new UK age verification laws. The hosts were not happy about it.

Key points from the discussion:

"If you don’t want kids playing GTA 6, maybe actually parent them instead of forcing everyone to hand over sensitive data to a company with a shaky security record."

"We already have ESRB ratings and credit card verification. This is just unnecessary and risky."

Pirates will bypass these measures anyway, leaving only legitimate players dealing with the hassle.

Unsurprisingly, UK VPN sales have spiked 1,800% as players look for ways around the restrictions.

Guitar Hero’s Return (Kind Of) & New Controllers

The original creators of Guitar Hero are working on a new rhythm game, but the real excitement is around new Gibson-style controllers from CRKD. Features include:

• Swappable necks (PS2-style or mechanical switches).
• Broad compatibility (PC, Switch, mobile, and even legacy PlayStation consoles).
• Custom designs, like the "Blueberry Burst" and "Black Tribal Encore."

The hosts reminisced about the days of blistered fingers from Through the Fire and Flames and recommended Clone Hero (a free fan-made alternative) for endless tracks.

Upcoming Games to Watch

Kingmakers (Early Access - October 8th)

A chaotic blend of Total War and Mount & Blade, where you’re a time traveler dropping tanks and guns into medieval battles. The game offers:

• First-person shooter and top-down RTS modes.
• Large-scale battles with individual AI-driven soldiers.
• Potential PvP and base-building in future updates.

Kingmakers - Go back in time to a war-torn medieval era with a vast arsenal of modern weapons, change the course of history, and save the future in this epic action/strategy sandbox. Build your kingdom, grab a gun, and lead an army of thousands into massive, real-time simulated battles - solo or in co-op. - Redemption Road (Steam, Early Access 10/8/25)

Darksiders 4 Officially Announced

War is back in the next Darksiders installment. The hosts are hyped, with one planning to replay the older games before the new one drops.

Stop Killing Games Petition Hits Major Milestone

The Stop Killing Games campaign, led by YouTuber Ross Scott, has closed with 1.44 million signatures - well over the 1 million needed to push for EU legislation against publishers shutting down live-service games. It’s a big step toward protecting players’ access to games they’ve purchased.

Dream Game Mashups: What Would You Combine?

The episode wrapped with a fun segment: If you could merge two games, what would they be? Here were some of the wildest ideas:

Open-World Mario + Red Dead Redemption

A desert wasteland Mario adventure with Yoshi as your horse and power-ups like "Mario Glock."

Starcraft + Helldivers

A first-person Starcraft with persistent faction warfare and massive battles.

DayZ + Titanfall

A survival game set in the Titanfall universe.

Doom + Pokémon

A horror shooter where you fight terrifying, war-bred Pokémon.

Civilization + Total War

Full empire management with real-time Total War battles.

World of Warcraft + Devil May Cry

A third-person action game highlighting the actual power scaling of WoW characters.

Hard Space: Shipbreaker + Lethal Company

Multiplayer ship-breaking chaos with bidding wars and teamwork disasters.

Jetforce Gemini + Tomb Raider

Combine the excitement of Jetforce Gemini and the gameplay of Tomb Raider. Imagine Juno, Vela, and Lupus sneaking and shooting their way through alien ants, hoping to take down the mighty Mizar!

Dave the Diver + Bioshock

Dave the Diver finds himself in Rapture! Just imagine the hijinks!

Final Thoughts

This episode had it all - big announcements, heated debates, and creative "what if" scenarios. Whether it’s Sony’s unexpected Xbox move, Rockstar’s controversial policies, or the return of rhythm game peripherals, the gaming world never slows down.

What two games would YOU mash together? Let us know, and catch the next Video Game Tango for more gaming talk!

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