About this episode

Joseph and Luke discuss the state of the games industry in 2026, covering publishers, the indie scene, and upcoming games.

Episode Notes This week, Joseph and Luke sit down and breakdown their thoughts on the state of the games industry in 2026. From what publishers are making the biggest impact to their thoughts on the importance of the indie scene, this is a wide ranging fireside chat ahead of the summer showcase season. Episode Resources: Joseph’s Mixtape Article on CantPause MinnMax Spotlight - Virtue and a Sledgehammer Find Timestamps for this Episode Below: 0:00 - Intro 1:30 - Icebreaker: Who is your favorite publisher in gaming currently? 7:44 - How do you feel about the industry as a whole right now? 38:27 - Are AAA vital to the games industry? 57:16 - What’s your most anticipated first-party and indie games for the reminder of 2026? 1:01:45 - Outro Find us on BlueSky for show updates and more: Podcast: @crossplayconvos.bsky.social Podcast on Instagram: @crossplayconvos Jacob: @jacob.bsky.social Luke: @lukewarmlewis.bsky.social Claire: @clairebearrose.bsky.social Joseph: @th3hoopman.bsky.social CantPause on Instagram Check out our other shows: Player Player Podcast Left Behind Game Club The LukeWarmGames Podcast Cutscenes: A Video Game Movie Podcast Video Game Trivia **

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