Are Videogames Art? | 2024 Layoffs in the Gaming Business | Episode 50
In the first half of this episode, hosts Marcus Beer and Raymond Padilla examine a question that pops up several times a year: Are videogames art? The two talk about their personal definitions of art, cite examples of games that are art, and cite examples of videogames that are most definitely not art.
For the second half of episode 50, Marcus and Raymond discuss the 2024 layoffs in the gaming business, what they think it means for the business, and where they think things are headed.
This is an important issue to Marcus, who noted, "The games industry has suffered record levels of layoffs in the last 14 months. 9000 people lost their jobs during 2023 at companies like Epic (830) and Embracer (900+)--following numerous acquisitions including Tripwire, Volition, and Square Enix, as well as the IP rights to Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit–EA (780), plus more from Microsoft, Bungie, Naughty Dog, Ubisoft, Amazon, CD Project Red, and so on.
In the first 6 weeks of 2024, over 6000 people have lost their jobs with 200 plus going in the last 7 days making it over 15,000 people who lost their jobs in the last 14 months.
The number one reason for this is 'cost cutting' with most of the jobs coming in Dev, QA, Community Support, PR, Marketing etc.
These same companies that are cost cutting are doing so because their leadership made bad decisions during and after the pandemic; they paid over the odds for other companies as part of the great consolidation, and instead of those at the top being fired and losing their very generous salaries, bonuses and benefits, it's the people who make, market and support the games who get fired."
#videogames #gaming #games
The BeeRPad’s Most Anticipated Games of 2024 | Episode 49
It’s a new year, which means it’s time for new games! The BeeRPad hosts Marcus Beer and Raymond Padilla talk about the videogames they’re looking forward to most in 2024. If you’ve watched the show before then you know that Raymond and Marcus have vastly different tastes in games, so the choices should be interesting.
From massive open-world RPGs to remakes of classic games to adventures on the open sea and so much more, there will be loads of great games to play in 2024. As always, Raymond would love to hear about the games you’re looking forward to most in 2024, so please leave a comment with some of your picks.
#videogames #gaming #games
We Miss What BioWare and Blizzard Use to Be | Episode 48
Videogame companies change and evolve over time. There’s no getting around that. That said, some companies go on a run where they’re simply golden. For The BeeRPad hosts Marcus Beer and Raymond Padilla, Blizzard and BioWare were two such companies. Both had a stretch of years where it seemed like everything they did was entertaining, innovative, and fun – they seemed perfect.
Naturally, things change. Developers and publishers get acquired by larger companies. Boards of directors and shareholders get a say in the future of these companies. It happens in every business and our hosts have watched it happen more than a few times in gaming.
In this episode, Raymond and Marcus discuss what they loved about BioWare and Blizzard in their younger days. They talk about the games and people that made these companies so special and, seemingly, perfect for a time.
If you’re a fan of these companies and their games, please share your thoughts on Blizzard and BioWare in the comments section. Now excuse us as we try to get Raymond to stop singing “The Way We Were”.
#BioWare #Blizzard #videogames #games #gaming #PCgaming
The Best Movies of 2023 | The BeeRPad Episode 47
Continuing The BeeRPad’s 2023 wrapup, hosts Marcus Beer and Raymond Padilla talk about their favorite movies of 2023. From billion-dollar blockbusters to animated delights to phenomenal independent films, 2023 was a surprisingly strong year for movies (in terms of quality, box office returns are another story). Please watch along as Raymond and Marcus discuss their five favorite films of 2023 and why these movies meant so much to them.
As always, Raymond would love to hear your choices. So please leave a comment with your favorite movies of 2023.
#oppenheimer #barbie #pastlives #theholdovers #shortcomings #movies #bestof2023 #bestmoviesof2023
The Best TV Shows of 2023 | The BeeRPad Episode 46
2023 is almost over, which means it’s time to reflect on our favorite things of the year! To kick off The BeeRPad’s “Best of 2023” videos, hosts Marcus Beer and Raymond Padilla talk about their favorite television shows of 2023. From riveting dramas to hilarious comedies to fantastic animation, there were so many excellent shows on TV and streaming platforms this year. Check out this video to see which TV shows Raymond and Marcus liked best.
As always, Raymond would love to hear your choices. So please leave a comment with your favorite television shows of 2023.
#bestof2023 #besttvseries #besttvshows
The BeeRPad Holiday Playlist | Episode 45
Christmastime is the most wonderful time of the year for The BeeRPad co-host Marcus Beer, while co-host Raymond Padilla loves music of all kinds. With that in mind, the two talk about some of their favorite Christmas songs and holiday songs. From longtime classics that are more than a century old to beloved holiday songs from the ‘80s and ‘90s, Marcus and Raymond share some of their favorite music in The BeeRPad holiday playlist.
As an added bonus, you can listen to The BeeRPad holiday playlist on Apple Music and Spotify through the links below:
https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/the-beerpad-holiday-playlist/pl.u-55D6XPqtlGpaj
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7ewZmXsbTAH4pZeLssTrKG?si=b3b03773dc844dca
As always, Raymond would love to hear your favorite Christmas and holiday songs. Kindly share them in the comments section below.
#ChristmasSongs #HolidaySongs #Christmas #MerryChristmas #HappyHanukkah
10 Things We’re Thankful for in 2023 | The BeeRPad Episode 44
American Thanksgiving just past. In keeping with the holiday spirit and to show gratitude, The BeeRPad’s Marcus Beer and Raymond Padilla talk about 10 things that they’re grateful for in 2023. Each host will pick five things – could be videogames, movies, TV, music, or people – that helped them get through this crazy year.
Yes, there are multiple wars happening in the world and America is arguably the most divided it has been since the Civil War, but there are still many things that we’re blessed with. So let’s celebrate Thanksgiving by sharing the nerdy things that have helped us this year.
As always, Raymond would love to hear what you’re thankful for in 2023, so please leave a comment with your favorite games, movies, TV shows, and other things that have brought you joy in 2023.
Movember | Marcus Talks Cancer | Raymond Talks Mental Health | Episode 43
In a special Movember episode of The BeeRPad, co-host Marcus Beer talks about his cancer journey, the importance of screening, and answers any questions you have. Co-host Raymond Padilla chimes in with his thoughts on men's health and the things that he'd like to see more guys do.
For those of you unfamiliar with Movember, it’s an annual event during the month of November to raise awareness of men's health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men's suicide. It was started by a group of men in Adelaide and grown into one of the leading men’s health awareness charities in the world.
Please join us to ask questions and share stories about your health or the health of the men in your lives. For so many men, health issues are something they keep to themselves or try to tough out. By sharing information and experiences, we can try to lead healthier lives together.
Special thanks to Carlos for telling us about 988, a suicide and crisis lifeline: https://988lifeline.org/
#Movember #Movember2023 #MensHealth #Cancer
10 Videogames We Want Remade | The BeeRPad Episode 42
The BeeRPad hosts Marcus Beer and Raymond Padilla are lifelong gamers that have spent the majority of their adult lives working in the videogame business. As you can imagine, they’ve both played a ton of games over the last few decades. While reboots and remakes are en vogue, there are some games that developers and publishers have left untouched for various reasons. In this episode of The BeeRPad Marcus and Raymond talk about 10 games they would love to see remade.
And by remade, they’re talking about new games built from the ground up – not simply updating the graphics and calling it a “remastered version.” For Marcus Beer and Raymond Padilla, these videogames deserve a full treatment that will appeal to those that played the originals while feeling exciting to newcomers.
As always, Raymond would love to hear about the games you’d like to see remade, so please leave a comment with your choices.
#hulkultimatedestruction #infamous #desertstrike #robocopvsterminator #dungeonkeeper #parasiteeve #britneysdancebeat #baldursgatedarkalliance #slycooper #chronotrigger
10 Scariest Videogames of All Time | The BeeRPad Episode 40
The BeeRPad’s Halloween extravaganza continues with hosts Marcus Beer and Raymond Padilla talking about the top 10 scariest videogames of all time. From games that defined the survival-horror genre to games that set new standards for atmospheric creepiness, the boys have lots of gaming suggestions that will get you in the perfect mood for Halloween.
As always, Raymond would love to hear what you think of The BeeRPad’s picks and would love to see which games you found the most frightening. Please share your thoughts in the comments section on Facebook or YouTube.
#videogames #survivalhorror #games #gaming #residentevil #silenthill #fatalframe #deadspace #aloneinthedark #fear #alienisolation #thelastofus
Thoughts on Gen V | The Boys Spinoff | Amazon Prime Video | Episode 41
The BeeRPad’s Marcus Beer and Raymond Padilla are huge fans of The Boys series on Amazon Prime Video. Raymond loved the comics and was impressed by the modernized adaptation. With that in mind, our boys were cautiously excited for The Boys spinoff Gen V. With seven episodes in the books, Marcus and Raymond share their thoughts on Gen V and how it affects the universe created by The Boys television series. And to cap things off, they share their predictions for this week’s Gen V finale.
#genv #theboys #amazonprime
The Best Halloween Movies and TV Shows | The BeeRPad Episode 39
Hosts Marcus Beer and Raymond Padilla want to help you get ready for the spookiest holiday of them all – Halloween! With All Hallows’ Eve just a few weeks away, the boys share their favorite Halloween movies, TV shows, and more. From A Nightmare on Elm Street to The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror to The Great Pumpkin, Marcus and Raymond offer some great ways to get you into the spirit of Halloween (the holiday, not that temporary store in the mall).
Now please excuse Raymond, as he’s going to practice playing Dokken’s “Dream Warriors” on guitar.
#halloween #simpsons #freddykrueger #jasonvoorhees
10 Best Graphic Novels (Not Set in the DC or Marvel Universes) | Episode 38
Our hosts Marcus Beer and Raymond Padilla have covered their favorite graphic novels and collection editions from DC and Marvel. In this episode, they share their picks for the 10 best graphic novels and collected editions not set in the proper DC or Marvel worlds. While some were later integrated into main universes, they stood alone when they were originally released. The boys’ picks include wicked takes on fairy tale characters, a wonderful parody of Dungeons & Dragons, one of the greatest stories about the Lord of Dreams, and more.
As always, Raymond would love to know what you think of these picks, as well as what your choices are for best Marvel graphic novel, so please leave a comment below.
#comics #comicbooks #fables #judgedredd #ratqueens #watchmen #sandman
10 Best Marvel Comics Graphic Novels and Collected Editions | Episode 37
Following up on their DC Comics episode, hosts Marcus Beer and Raymond Padilla discuss their favorite Marvel Comics graphic novels and collected editions. Their picks for best graphic novels include some of the greatest Hulk, Wolverine, Punisher, Spider-Man, and Avengers stories ever told, as well as a few surprise picks. Some of the creatives involved with these comic books include Jeff Lemire, Dan Slott, Mark Millar, Kieron Gillen, G. Willow Wilson, and more.
As always, Raymond would love to know what you think of these picks, as well as what your choices are for best Marvel graphic novel, so please leave a comment below.
#Marvel #MarvelComics #comics #comicbooks #wolverine #deadpool #hulk #avengers #xmen #punisher #spiderman
10 Best DC Comics Graphic Novels and Collected Editions | Episode 36
The BeeRPad picks their favorite graphic novels and collected editions from the DC Comics universe. Hosts Marcus Beer and Raymond Padilla each share their top five picks for the best DC comics graphic novels of all time. Included in the mix are some seminal Batman, Superman, and Green Lantern stories.
Marcus and Raymond pick a selection of comics from notable creators Frank Miller, Mark Waid, Geoff Johns, Jeph Loeb, Jim Starlin, and more. Be sure to check out the video for our host’s picks and share your own in the comments below. After you’re done sharing your picks for the best DC Comics stories, put on your thinking caps and get ready for next week, as The BeeRPad will give the same treatment to Marvel Comics.
#DCcomics #comics #comicbooks #batman #superman #greenlantern #kingdomcome
Starfield Review | Paul Semel | The BeeRPad Episode 34
After several excellent fantasy RPGs in The Elder Scrolls series, Bethesda sets its sights on sci-fi with Starfield. How will director Todd Howard’s magic translate into a sci-fi setting? Our handsome host Marcus Beer is joined by special guest Paul Semel for a review episode moderated by our dashing host Raymond Padilla. Find out what they thought about one of the biggest videogame releases in 2023.
#StarField #Videogames #Bethesda
Do We Need a Highlander Reboot? | The BeeRPad Episode 35
The in-famous Paul Semel fills in as guest host, joining The BeeRPad’s Raymond Padilla for a debate on the Highlander reboot. The project, which is still in development, will star Henry Cavill (Superman) and will be directed by Chad Stahelski (John Wick). Cavill will be playing the heroic Connor MacLeod, while Dave Batista will star opposite him, portraying the villainous Kurgan.
While Raymond Padilla and Paul Semel are both huge fans of the original movie and the television series, they disagree on the Highlander reboot. Paul is excited to see where Stahelski and Cavill take the series, while Raymond believes that the reboot can’t possibly compare to the delightful combination of decapitation, Christopher Lambert’s stupid accent, a cameo by The Fabulous Freebirds, and a glorious Queen soundtrack.
Please join us and share your thoughts live or in the comments section. And remember, there can be only one!
#Highlander #HighlanderReboot #ThereCanBeOnlyOne
Good Omens 2 Review and Discussion | Amazon Prime | Episode 33
Our dynamic duo of Marcus Beer and Raymond Padilla review Good Omens 2, which follows the adventures of the dynamic duo of the angel Aziraphale and the demon Crowley, who were created by the dynamic duo of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. The original book was brilliant and the first series was incredible, with the characters expertly brought to life by the amazing Michael Sheen and David Tennant.
While many of the concepts in Good Omens 2 were developed long ago, the original duo never fleshed them out together, since the legendary Terry Pratchett is no longer with us. However, Neil Gaiman is a man of integrity and stuck to the original vision. How did Good Omens 2 pan out? The devilish Marcus and angelic Raymond review, discuss, and dissect.
#GoodOmens2 #AmazonPrime #GoodOmens #PrimeVideo
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem | Premier League | Episode 32
It’s a double-feature episode, as Marcus Beer and Raymond Padilla discuss Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem and make their predictions for the 2023/2024 Premier League season. How does the latest TMNT movie stack up to its predecessors? Which famous actors did cameo voiceovers? Who will finish in the Premier League’s top four? Which teams made the best transfers so far? Who will win the Golden Boot? Marcus and Raymond will answer all of these questions and more!
#TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles #MutantMayhem #PremierLeague
Is Secret Invasion the Worst MCU Show on Disney+? | Episode 31
Marvel’s Secret Invasion has wrapped up and many people are disappointed in it. Critics and fans alike were largely disappointed in this Skrull-infested series. But is it the worst Marvel Cinematic Universe show on Disney+? Our hosts Marcus Beer and Raymond Padilla – joined by the incomparable (though possibly Skrull) Paul Semel – talk about what they liked and didn’t like about Secret Invasion.
As always, Raymond would love to hear what you thought about the show. Please share your thoughts in the comments section (please)!
#SecretInvasion #MarvelStudios #MCU #MarvelComics #MarvelCinematicUniverse
