Day Zero Podcast

This episode of the Day Zero Podcast is out earlier than expected simply because we wanted to discuss all things PlayStation before the big PS5 State of Play later in the week. In this episode, we dissect ongoing security concerns that plague PlayStation users which can essentially have your entire digital library taken away from you. Along with this we also talk about the ungodly pricing for PS5 hardware (which doesn’t need be given how much money the megacorp makes), the PlayStation retreat from PC which makes exclusives the norm at the cost of accessibility, and high PS Plus Subscription costs to name a few.It’s not all doom and gloom though, we also highlight some of the good the company is doing through its India Hero Project programme, which is, in our opinion, the gold standard in how indie game devs should be treated. Time stamps as follows:Introduction and Overview* 00:00:03: An overview of the “State of PlayStation” discussion.* 00:00:25: Summary of topics to be covered: PSN security, the state of exclusives, anti-consumer hardware pricing, and indie studio support.PlayStation Network (PSN) Security* 00:00:59: Discussion on reported PSN security vulnerabilities and account theft.* 00:01:21: Detailed account of games media personality Colin Moriarty’s account hack, including how hackers spoofed official support numbers.* 00:04:37: Insights into how easily hackers can gain access using rudimentary information, such as credit card receipts from restaurants.* 00:05:52: Discussion on the high value of early PSN accounts and Sony’s lack of public acknowledgement regarding these security issues.* 00:06:58: Recommended security measures for users, such as using 2FA authenticators and removing payment information from the store.Future Hardware and Digital Strategy* 00:13:29: Discussion on evidence of Sony’s next-gen plans, including two versions of the PS6 and a PS6 handheld.* 00:13:51: Analysis of the shift toward a digital-only ecosystem and the push for PS Plus and cloud streaming.* 00:15:32: Comparison with Nintendo’s handheld success and Valve’s Steam Deck.PlayStation Exclusives and PC Strategy* 00:17:52: News regarding major exclusives like Wolverine and Saros potentially no longer coming to PC.* 00:18:35: Critique of Sony’s “territorial” move regarding accessibility and the mixed success of previous PC ports like The Last of Us Part 1.* 00:26:52: Discussion of the ballooning budgets and labor costs of AAA development in North America.Sony Studio Management and Live Services* 00:28:12: Analysis of studio mismanagement, such as using Bluepoint for live service pitches and the cancellation of The Last of Us online project.* 00:31:04: Critique of the “Jim Ryan era” focus on live services and the waste of specialized single-player talent.* 00:31:31: Discussion of the Bungie acquisition, the end of support for Destiny 2, and the failure of Concord.Hardware Pricing and Indie Support* 00:36:43: Discussion on why PS5 hardware prices have remained high years after launch and the increase in PS Plus subscription costs.* 00:39:57: Overview of Sony’s positive work with the India Hero Project and other regional indie initiatives.* 00:41:14: Recognition of Shuhei Yoshida’s influence on the indie division and second-party deals for games like Kena: Bridge of Spirits.Favorite Games of First Half 2026* 00:44:05: Segment on the best games worth playing from the first half of 2026.* 00:44:11: Rahul’s highlights: Resident Evil 9 Requiem, Nioh 3, and Pragmata.* 00:47:37: Rishi’s highlights: Fishbowl, Dosa Divas, and War Drum.* 00:49:14: Discussion of other notable titles: Esoteric Ebb, Romeo as a Dead Man, and Forza Horizon 6.Conclusion* 00:50:36: A look ahead to upcoming releases like Phantom Blade Zero and Gears of War: E-Day.* 00:51:27: Final wrap-up and social media handles.Welcome to the Day Zero podcast. We break down the bytes and bits behind the decisions that make and break the world’s greatest entertainment industry. Have a request? Hot take? Insider tip? Reach us at the handles mentioned below:* Twitter/X - @rishialwani* Threads - @rishi.alwani* Instagram - @rishi.alwani* Twitter/X - @darthrahul* Threads - @darthrahul* Instagram - @darthrahul This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dayzeromedia.substack.com

It’s been a hot minute since the last episode of Day Zero, which we’ve been told, broke certain parts of the internet due to our reporting on all things Nintendo in India. For those of you that tuned in, subscribed, and reached out — thank you for supporting independent media. And for those of you that shamelessly stole our work without crediting it us for clout — may you be blessed with the sound of nails on chalkboards between your ears for all eternity.With that out of the way, this episode has us answering all your questions regarding Nintendo’s India entry. Along with this we also break down the company’s recent history of attempts to enter the country, its relationship with Indian developers, and discuss the surprisingly vibrant and vocal Nintendo India community. We also examine the subscription numbers for PlayStation Plus and Xbox Game Pass in India too.Furthermore, Subnautica 2 finds itself in the spotlight. Amidst a decline in the battle royale genre that Krafton itself pioneered and a CEO that’s more clanker than human — to the point of disregarding human legal advice in favour of ChatGPT leading to an embarrassing lawsuit with Subnautica 2’s developers — there’s joy to be had in the Korean megacorp’s comeuppance.Finally we discuss Xbox’s critical and commercial masterpiece that is Forza Horizon 6 in addition to what we played this week, including Dead As Disco. Time stamps as follows:Welcome to the Show, Here’s Why You Should Listen* (00:00:03): Introduction to episode 25 of the DayZero Podcast with hosts Rishi Alwani and Rahul Majumdar.* (00:00:13): Rishi’s career history, including his time as a games journalist at NDTV, IGN India, and his current work with games business newsletter and consulting.* (00:01:43): Rahul’s career history, including running the site TechQuila, working at IGN India and GLHF, his experience in the Indian film industry, and his current site, The Screen Zone.Nintendo’s Arrival in India* (00:03:45): Initial discussion on Nintendo officially entering the Indian market.* (00:04:32): History of Nintendo in India, specifically how consoles like the Wii and Switch have been available for years through the grey and parallel markets.* (00:06:30): Piracy vs. Spending Power, addressing the audience that chooses to spend on entertainment and the convenience of digital subscriptions like Nintendo Switch Online.* (00:07:34): The Indian Nintendo Community, highlighting the Super Smash Bros. scene and international representation.* (00:08:03): Comparisons to Sony’s PS2 strategy, discussing why Nintendo might launch the Switch 1 late in India.* (00:10:51): Logistics of the launch, including potential partnerships (Redington), the importance of the eShop, and after-sales service/warranties.* (00:12:30): Nintendo’s relationship with Indian developers, mentioning their support for games like Raji and interactions at the India Game Show.* (00:14:23): Manufacturing and BIS certification, discussing the possibility of local assembly and the hurdles of the Bureau of Indian Standards process.* (00:15:25): Broader state of the Indian gaming market, covering the dominance of PlayStation, PC gaming trends (laptops with 3050/4050 cards), and the small Xbox user base.* (00:17:09): Spending habits and the second-hand market, explaining the popularity of physical games due to resale value.* (00:18:49): Nintendo’s transmedia push, discussing how movies like Super Mario Bros. and the upcoming Zelda film factor into their expansion.* (00:20:26): Subscription numbers in India, estimating 100K-110K Game Pass subs and roughly 500K PlayStation Plus subscribers.Subnautica 2 and Krafton Controversy* (00:22:27): Overview of Subnautica 2’s successful early release and the drama involving studio Unknown Worlds and its parent company, Krafton.* (00:22:57): Hostile takeover attempt, detailing how the Krafton CEO allegedly used ChatGPT to consult on business decisions and tried to “kneecap” the studio to avoid paying a $250 million bonus.* (00:27:32): The state of the Battle Royale genre, noting its decline outside of mobile-heavy markets like India and China.Forza Horizon 6* (00:31:07): Impressions of Forza Horizon 6, including performance on gaming laptops and the Xbox handheld (ROG Xbox Ally X), plus a weird launch bug requiring an “Alt-Tab”.* (00:31:34): Indian pricing concerns, comparing the high cost of Forza Horizon 6 (₹5,499) to Forza Horizon 5 (₹3,299) and the lack of a physical Xbox release.* (00:32:59): The “Fable Engine” debate, debunking the idea that Forza’s high optimisation automatically means the upcoming Fable game will run well on mid-range hardware.Games Played This Week* (00:37:00): Game of Thrones: King’s Road, an action RPG from Netmarble currently unavailable in India on certain platforms.* (00:38:13): Dead As Disco, with impressions of its “Arkham-style” combat and Suda 51-esque vibe.* (00:40:17): Replaced, a brief mention of picking up the game.Closing* (00:40:23): Social media handles and sign-off.Every week we break down the bytes and bits behind the decisions that make and break the world’s greatest entertainment industry in the Day Zero Podcast. Have a request? Hot take? Insider tip? Reach us at the handles mentioned below:* Twitter/X - @rishialwani* Threads - @rishi.alwani* Instagram - @rishi.alwani* Twitter/X - @darthrahul* Threads - @darthrahul* Instagram - @darthrahul This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dayzeromedia.substack.com

Another week, another episode. This time we’re focusing on Valve’s latest hardware drop: the new Steam Controller. It’s been a hot minute since the House Gaben built released its first-generation Steam Controller, only to be discontinued four years later. Fast-forward to now and the company’s second stab at it might be its most promising yet. We also discuss how you could get your hands on it if you aren’t living in a market Valve is selling the new Steam Controller in like India.Along with this, we discuss PS5 exclusive Saros’ gameplay chops and the early commercial response to it thus far, May Madness — our term for the veritable deluge of gaming goodness hitting shelves digital and physical this month such as 007 First Light, Dead as Disco, Thick as Thieves, and Forza Horizon 6, and Xbox’s revenue from games making it to the PS5 courtesy Alinea Analytics.Finally, we round off the episode with what we’ve been playing this week. Namely Crimson Desert, Pragmata, and Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred. Time stamps as follows:Introduction and Overview* (00:00:00): High-level overview of topics: Steam Controller, Saros, and the May Madness of game releases.Valve’s New Steam Controller* (00:00:31): Initial impressions and discussion of the $100 price tag.* (00:01:21): Hardware features, including dual trackpads and new TMR analog sticks to reduce stick drift.* (00:01:46): Discussion on software limitations, specifically that it only works natively through Steam without workarounds.* (00:03:34): Challenges of buying Valve hardware to India, including grey market imports and lack of official distribution.* (00:09:03): Speculation on future “Steam Machines” from third-party manufacturers like Asus and HP.Saros Deep Dive* (00:11:01): Introduction to Saros, the spiritual successor to Returnal by Housemarque.* (00:11:53): Impressions of the Saros haptic feedback and sound design on the DualSense controller.* (00:12:40): Comparison to other roguelikes like Hades regarding permanent progression and difficulty.* (00:13:30): Breakdown of new gameplay mechanics: shields, movement speed, and the Eclipse risk/reward loop.* (00:18:10): Analysis of the game’s sales performance and marketing in India,.Every Video Game You Should Care About in May 2026* (00:19:21): Overview of the major titles releasing in May.* (00:20:22): Forza Horizon 6: Discussion on its Day 1 release on PS5.* (00:20:44): Lego Batman: How it differs from the Arkham series with a populated open-world Gotham.* (00:22:16): Thick as Thieves: Excitement for the new game from immersive sim veteran Warren Spector.* (00:23:06): Dead as Disco: A viral rhythm-based brawler entering early access.* (00:23:38): Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Discussion on the upcoming Switch port.* (00:25:11): Other notable mentions: Zero Parades for Dead Spies, Paralives, and Romestead.Xbox Game Sales on PS5* (00:25:40): Breakdown of sales data from Alinea Analytics, highlighting that Forza Horizon 5 has sold 5.8 million units on PlayStation.* (00:26:49): The total gross revenue for the 13 analyzed titles reaching $667 million.What We’re Playing This Week* (00:28:01): Rahul’s progress in Pragmata via GeForce Now.* (00:28:20): Updates on Crimson Desert and its frequent patching.* (00:29:55): Rishi’s thoughts on Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred and its “MCU-style” story.Closing and Giveaway* (00:31:21): Housekeeping and announcement of the Marathon Controller winner.* (00:31:41): Social media handles and sign-off.This is Day Zero, a podcast is about video games breaking down the bytes and bits behind the decisions that make and break the world’s greatest entertainment industry. Have a request? Hot take? Insider tip? Reach us at the handles mentioned below:* Twitter/X - @rishialwani* Threads - @rishi.alwani* Instagram - @rishi.alwani* Twitter/X - @darthrahul* Threads - @darthrahul* Instagram - @darthrahul This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dayzeromedia.substack.com

After a solid press event a few months ago, Nvidia finally lifted the lid on its GeForce Now streaming service India release. Following a couple of weeks of media previews, players can check it out from April 16 onwards in early access.In this episode of the Day Zero Podcast, we discuss our thoughts on GeForce Now after trying it out pre-release across a host of devices ranging from TVs to Steam Decks and a smartphone or two. We also discuss the state of the games business in India what with resurgent PS5 and Nintendo Switch (yes, Switch, not Switch 2) sales.Furthermore, we also address the RTX 5090-sized elephant in the room — if renting high-speed, performant servers to stream video games is all GeForce Now is, and if you still have to buy your own games — who is it really for in a market that’s dominated by free-to-play mobile games and value-conscious spenders?Finally, we discuss what we’ve been playing this week, including Pragmata, Dosa Divas, and to no one’s surprise, Starfield.This is Day Zero. It is a podcast on video games breaking down the bytes and bits behind the decisions that make and break the world’s greatest entertainment industry. Day Zero is hosted by Rahul Majumdar and Rishi Alwani.We’d love to hear your objectively good takes — they surely can’t be worse than some of ours. Find us with yours at the handles below:* Twitter/X - @RishiAlwani* Threads - @rishi.alwani* Instagram - @rishi.alwani* Twitter/X - @darthrahul* Threads - @darthrahul* Instagram - @darthrahul This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dayzeromedia.substack.com

With the PS5 getting a much-maligned price hike this week, we discuss what to expect from PlayStation in terms of its impact on a potential PS5 Pro India launch and more importantly, how much more you could pay for a PS5 if you haven’t got one already. Along with this, we also discuss the company’s legacy of making games for India from India (or in the case of Singstar Bollywood, London). Before that though, we dig deep into Fishbowl. Developed by Goa-based imissmyfriends.studio, it’s a cosy slice-of-life game that has a surprising focus on details, a deceptively hypnotic gameplay loop, and an interesting story to boot. However there’s more to it, as the first game of the PlayStation India Hero Project — Sony’s latest attempt at curating the best Indian game developers have to offer — it’ll likely set a standard by which others will be judged. Without spoiling much, Fishbowl sets the bar high enough.Oh and, if you’re reading this the day it goes live and you want to win a limited edition Marathon DualSense controller, subscribe to us on Substack if you haven’t already. Winner to be announced on the next podcast.Finally, we discuss what we’ve playing this week and to no one’s surprise it involves a lot of crimson — in terms of deserts and demon blood.This is the Day Zero podcast. breaking down the bytes and bits behind the decisions that make and break the world’s greatest entertainment industry. Have a request? Hot take? Insider tip? Reach us at the handles mentioned below:* Twitter/X - @RishiAlwani* Threads - @rishi.alwani* Instagram - @rishi.alwani* Twitter/X - @darthrahul* Threads - @darthrahul* Instagram - @darthrahul This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dayzeromedia.substack.com

Halo and Destiny hitmaker Bungie released Marathon earlier this month. It’s the legendary studio’s first game following Sony splurging $3.6 billion to acquire it. While there’s a lot of things in this extraction shooter that make it compelling to play, there’s also a lot of friction that make it impenetrable for some. And while certain sections of the internet might croon that it’s Concord 2.0 (probably the same lot fetishising Nvidia’s DLSS 5), Marathon’s actually a pretty solid game. We explain why in the first half of the Day Zero Podcast. Oh, and if you want to win a limited edition Marathon DualSense controller, subscribe to us on Substack if you haven’t already. Winner to be announced in two weeks.After that we talk about Microsoft’s new Xbox moves or lack thereof. At GDC 2026 Xbox revealed more details on Project Helix, the next iteration of its consoles. While a slew of technical information was made public, there was little in the way of innovation spoken and even less in terms of Xbox Game Pass, likely lending credence to the deprioritisation of a service some have referred to as ‘Welfare Pass’.Furthermore, the way forward seems to indicate lip service in terms of video games preservation rather than an earnest attempt at it.Finally we discuss Xbox’s duality in terms of keeping AI away from game development but still shoehorning it into Xbox Series X|S with Copilot coming in an update to the consoles.This is Day Zero. It is a podcast about video games breaking down the bytes and bits behind the decisions that make and break the world’s greatest entertainment industry. Have a request? Hot take? Insider tip? Reach us at the handles mentioned below:* Twitter/X - @RishiAlwani* Threads - @rishi.alwani* Instagram - @rishi.alwani* Twitter/X - @darthrahul* Threads - @darthrahul* Instagram - @darthrahul This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dayzeromedia.substack.com

Capcom’s on a generational run with its survival horror series Resident Evil. The ninth mainline entry, Resident Evil Requiem is out now for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. In this episode of the Day Zero Podcast we discuss our thoughts on the game (spoiler-free) along with how it’s sold in the Indian market (spoiler: good) and how the likes of Games The Shop — the country’s biggest retailer as well as Nvidia, did their bit to hype up the game. We also talk about how Resident Evil Requiem fits into the greater context of AAA game development and how games like this are few and far between due to what the industry at large optimises for (i.e. economics, not AI and lay-offs or so we hope). Mad props to David Goldfarb for the tweets that sparked this part of the conversation (and the title of this podcast) to begin with.Furthermore, we talk about Marathon, Bungie’s first game since Sony’s acquisition of the Halo and Destiny maker. From font choices (bad) to its visual direction (good) every aspect of this extraction shooter is laid bare. Along with some choice for words for those pushing out “reviews” for a live service game that isn’t out in a wide enough fashion to warrant the exuberance (or gloom).Day Zero is a podcast about video games breaking down the bytes and bits behind the decisions that make and break the world’s greatest entertainment industry.We’d love to hear your objectively bad takes. Let’s start a dialogue, preferably with enough branching paths favouring us.* Twitter/X - @RishiAlwani* Threads - @rishi.alwani* Instagram - @rishi.alwani* Twitter/X - @darthrahul* Threads - @darthrahul* Instagram - @darthrahul This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dayzeromedia.substack.com

The PlayStation State of Play for February 2026 was perhaps the strongest showing from any console maker in recent times. From the likes of John Wick to Kena: Scars of Kosmora, there’s something for everyone. It harkened back to the time of the original PlayStation’s (and arguably PlayStation 2’s) peak — so many games to choose from for any kind of gamer.In this episode of Day Zero, we discuss why this matters. With the state of the games business in flux courtesy of AI, a weak Xbox, and Nintendo yet to find its footing with the Switch 2, we talk about why the State of Play for February 2026 was a show of strength and how it could shape expectations for the year to come. More so when you consider that GeForce Now’s launch event is done and dusted and we still don’t have an actual launch date, and Xbox appears to be content doing absolutely nothing of value.Along with this we discuss some of PlayStation India’s marketing snafus, complete with select comments from Twitter on how the company could change it for the better. From marketing professionals to editors (and friends of the podcast) and even streamers, it appears that PlayStation’s vocal and loyal fan base has a lot to say. And some of it is even worth surfacing. In addition with how to save some money on PS5 games that fans of the podcast would be familiar with.Finally, we tell you what we’ve been playing this week, including a certain mystery game that Rahul can’t tell you about (just yet) and Rishi’s adventures with the latest Suda51 title, Romeo Is a Dead Man.Day Zero is a podcast that breaks down the bytes and bits behind the decisions that make and break the world’s greatest entertainment industry. It’s run by Rahul Majumdar and Rishi Alwani.Comments? Criticisms? Industry tips? Leather jackets? You can find us at the following handles to discuss all of that and then some:* Twitter/X - @RishiAlwani* Threads - @rishi.alwani* Instagram - @rishi.alwani* Twitter/X - @darthrahul* Threads - @darthrahul* Instagram - @darthrahul This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dayzeromedia.substack.com

In this episode of Day Zero, we discuss GTA 6, yet again. This time to parse through and make sense of a particularly spicy rumour doing the rounds about the lack of a physical copy on disc at launch. We go into the origin of this GTA 6 rumour, why it has traction, what it means for you as a consumer, and why if Take Two decides on such an approach, it nukes accessibility for markets that aren’t the United States as well as takes away from one of the core aspects of video games culture (in markets that aren’t the US) — midnight launches. Furthermore, given the tools at the disposal of megacorps like this, leaks can be squashed with ease if it so chooses. Well, unless your team skipped the day they were told about how to spot social engineering before being partly responsible for the greatest leak of all time.Along with this we discuss recently released multiplayer shooter Highguard, the team behind it, why it’s getting a negative reception, and why having access to the affection and following of Geoff Keighley has probably done more harm than good for a shooter that we do hope gets better.Finally, Rahul reveals what to expect from Nioh 3, which seems to be shaping up to be something quite special from Team Ninja given how it expands on the series’ well-worn souls like inspirations.Thank you for stopping by. Day Zero is a podcast that breaks down the bytes and bits behind the decisions that make and break the world’s greatest entertainment industry. It’s run by Rahul Majumdar and Rishi Alwani. Comments? Criticisms? Industry tips? You can find us at the following handles to discuss all of that and then some:* Twitter/X - @RishiAlwani* Threads - @rishi.alwani* Instagram - @rishi.alwani* Twitter/X - @darthrahul* Threads - @darthrahul* Instagram - @darthrahul This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dayzeromedia.substack.com

Xbox woke up and realised India is a market it actually where it sells controllers and Xbox Game Pass subscriptions (consoles have been unavailable here for quite a long while now) and in order to jumpstart that it did a marketing campaign focussing on the latest addition to its offerings — Xbox Cloud Gaming. In this episode of Day Zero we discuss what it did, what the outcome was, what’s next, and why we’re extremely skeptical of the future of Xbox in India, even if in the short term, Xbox has been able to win developer mindshare and interest with its Xbox Developer Accelerator Programme.Along with this we also discuss on-ground realities in terms of sales, user feedback, and why being at retail matters in markets that are not the US. In addition to this we dig into how Xbox Cloud Gaming’s infrastructure in India has impacted the overall experience, which seems to be a cause for concern.Furthermore, we also talk about what to expect from Xbox with its upcoming developer showcase later this month.Also, we zoom out on the bigger picture concerns plaguing Xbox, namely its parent company going all in on all things slop and how it ties into the tech billionaire delusion of ending consumer ownership of computers, consoles, and any kind of hardware, gaming or otherwise. To round off the warranted doomerism, we also muse on the possibility of Xbox pulling a Meta and gutting its studios wholesale to chase Microsoft’s AI ambitions.Oh and in one bright note: we also reveal the winner of the limited edition Ghost of Yotei controller — Darren Rodrigues. Congratulations, we’ll be sending it across soon.Day Zero is a video games podcast from Rahul Majumdar and Rishi Alwani. We break down the bytes and bits behind the decisions that make and break the world’s greatest entertainment industry.Comments? Opinions? Good takes or bad? Find us with yours at the handles below:* Twitter/X - @RishiAlwani* Threads - @rishi.alwani* Instagram - @rishi.alwani* Twitter/X - @darthrahul* Threads - @darthrahul* Instagram - @darthrahul This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dayzeromedia.substack.com

2025 was an incredible year for video games.And while it was an even better year for self-inflicted industry drama with lay-offs, genAI (and lack of disclosure for such), platforms playing fast and loose with indie devs, and megacorps imploding, the games, were impeccable. With that in mind, we discuss the best of what the year had to offer. From the obvious such as Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 to the obtuse like Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, we’re joined by special guest (our first!) editor-in-chief of Story Mode, Karan Pradhan to let you know what you should have played. Be it indies like Herdling or jilted-at-The-Game-Awards-but-not-here games like Death Stranding 2, we got you covered.In addition to each of us listing our top five games of 2025, we also point out some honourable mentions to round things off. Eagle-eyed viewers would probably find the nearly hourlong length a concern as we’re usually a lot shorter for most episodes. With that in mind, we’ve kept timestamps for all sections for you to peruse through.00:00 Introduction02:15 Karan’s favourite games of 202511:33 Rahul’s favourite games of 202530:04 Why Dispatch surprised us all32:17 Who did you pick in Dispatch?32:39 Rishi’s favourite games of 202539:47 Karan’s honourable mentions42:15 Rahul’s honourable mentions46:47 Rishi’s honourable mentions50:42 OutroDay Zero is a podcast on video games featuring Rahul Majumdar and Rishi Alwani breaking down the bytes and bits behind the decisions that make and break the world’s greatest entertainment industry.We’d love to hear your objectively good takes — they surely can’t be worse than some of ours. Find us with yours at the handles below:* Twitter/X - @RishiAlwani* Threads - @rishi.alwani* Instagram - @rishi.alwani* Twitter/X - @darthrahul* Threads - @darthrahul* Instagram - @darthrahulYou can also check out our special guest Karan Pradhan right here:* Twitter/X — @karanpradhan_* Instagram — @right_arm_over_ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dayzeromedia.substack.com

In this episode Rahul and Rishi discuss Larian’s interview with Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, what the Baldur’s Gate 3 hitmaker’s statement really means for the future of video game development and why CEO' Sven Vincke’s attempt at damage control just made everything so much worse. So much so that it appears that the company is on a generational speed run of ruining all the good will its garnered over the years.Along with this we also discuss Sandfall Interactive’s AI admissions that have resurfaced after being caught and why disclosures are critical rather than admitting AI was used after the fact. After all, nothing is a bigger betrayal of audience trust than being made aware their game of the year used AI after it hit the shelves.Speaking of which, we also parse through what the industry’s adoption of AI means for game development and more importantly, the impact it has on end-users who are effectively being priced out of buying PCs and consoles due to rising RAM costs courtesy the AI “boom”.Furthermore, we talk about Xbox’s retreat from its $80 price tag and how Microsoft may actually have to start selling games to make up for the money pit that is Xbox Game Pass.Finally, we talk about the hidden and not so hidden gems we’ve been playing this week.Welcome to Day Zero. This is a podcast on video games featuring Rahul Majumdar and Rishi Alwani. We break down the bytes and bits behind the decisions that make and break the world’s greatest entertainment industry.Naturally, we’d love to hear your objectively good takes — they surely can’t be worse than some of ours. Find us with yours at the handles below:* Twitter/X - @RishiAlwani* Threads - @rishi.alwani* Instagram - @rishi.alwani* Twitter/X - @darthrahul* Threads - @darthrahul* Instagram - @darthrahul This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dayzeromedia.substack.com

The PS5 is the de facto winner of this generation’s console war if you even want to call it that. And despite its relative ubiquity in part due to Microsoft’s own bad decision-making and Nintendo’s lack of ambition in expanding beyond the confines of US and Europe (we still don’t have its consoles available officially in markets like India), it’s pretty obvious Sony hasn’t put its foot off the gas. In this episode of Day Zero we look at what seems to be a big year for the PS5 with games such as:* Saros* Wolverine* Intergalactic* Phantom Blade 0* Marathon* Marvel Tokon Fighting SoulsGranted 2026 should also see GTA 6 make an appearance and while we do discuss that at length too, it’s definitely not the most interesting game to hit the console. In addition to this we also parse through what to expect from some of Sony’s quieter studios like Dark Outlaw Games, Firesprite, and of course, speculate on whatever Santa Monica is cooking next. Along with this we also discuss when to buy a PS5, if the PS5 Pro ends up making it to markets like India, all while wondering what to expect from Team Green whose big tech overlords have landed it squarely on a boycott list for good reason.Finally we also parse through Epic’s bout of epic hypocrisy on de-platforming indie game Horses after soaking in the positive publicity while fighting other platforms like Google and Apple for Fortnite to have a place in the sun.If you’re new here, Day Zero is a podcast on video games featuring Rahul Majumdar and Rishi Alwani breaking down the bytes and bits behind the decisions that make and break the world’s greatest entertainment industry.We’d love to hear your objectively good takes — they surely can’t be worse than some of ours. Find us with yours at the handles below:* Twitter/X - @RishiAlwani* Threads - @rishi.alwani* Instagram - @rishi.alwani* Twitter/X - @darthrahul* Threads - @darthrahul* Instagram - @darthrahul This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dayzeromedia.substack.com