CAGcast #74: Wombat's 30th Birthday Pachtacular

[CheapyD]

Michael Pachter, from Wedbush Morgan Securities (http://www.wedbush.com/), joins us to talk about life as a video game analyst and hot topics in the video game industry. Wombat celebrates his 30th by opening his mystery present from Cheapy. We also discuss the latest game industry and shopping news, answer your CAGbag (http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71382) questions and so much more!

Click here (http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=136564) to enter our latest contest, sponsored by Lion Games (http://www.liongames.com/).

Download (http://media.libsyn.com/media/cheapyd/cagcast74.mp3) - 114 minutes, 52MB
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Thanks to your DIGG (http://www.digg.com/podcasts/CAGcast) support, the CAGcast is #3 in Games & Hobbies. Let's take down 1UP!

http://media.libsyn.com/media/cheapyd/cagcast74.mp3

Show Linkage/Notes (click the button below to expand):

Intro music: Rad Racer (NES)

Chinese Students Horde Wiis in Tokyo (http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=136155)
Wombat Hate (http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=136355)

www.liongames.com (http://www.liongames.com/) Last week's winner: Mojimbo

CAG Foreplay: New Releases (5/1/07)
(http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/../archives/cag-foreplay-new-releases-5107.php)David Jaffe on Calling All Cars Reviews (http://criminalcrackdown.blogspot.com/2007/04/my-response-to-gamespot-and-reviews-in.html)

Michael Pachter Interview Part I

Wii Lineup 2007 (http://uk.wii.ign.com/articles/784/784665p1.html)
Virtual Console Downloads Declining (http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5392&Itemid=2)

All The Better To Hear You With: PlayStation Eye Has Ears
(http://www.mcvuk.com/news/26772/PS3s-EyeToy-bares-all)P To The A To The R To The A: SCEA Confirms PSP PaRappa for U.S. (http://www.kotaku.com/gaming/p-to-the-a-to-the-r-to-the-a/scea-confirms-psp-parappa-for-us-256365.php)

Gears of War Hidden Fronts Multiplayer Map Pack - 4 Maps, 800 pts on 5/3, free on 9/3 (http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=136462)
Gears of War COG tag videos are the new horse armor (http://feeds.joystiq.com/%7Er/weblogsinc/joystiq/%7E3/112072611/) (joystiq)
XBL Marketplace Downloads Reach New Low (http://kotaku.com/gaming/xbl-marketplace/xbl-marketplace-downloads-reach-new-low-255367.php) (kotaku)
New Gears of War downloadable content smells of sh*t (http://www.destructoid.com/new-gears-of-war-downloadable-content-smells-of-sh-t-31193.phtml) (destructoid)
Xbox 360 Xenos GPU shrinks to 65nm this fall (http://feeds.joystiq.com/%7Er/weblogsinc/joystiq/%7E3/113101913/)
D3 brings Puzzle Quest and friends to XBLA (http://feeds.joystiq.com/%7Er/weblogsinc/joystiq/%7E3/113368926/)

Best of the Sunday Ads Video Game Deals (4/29-5/5) (http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/../archives/best-of-the-sunday-ads-video-game-deals-42955.php)
Crackdown $30 a Play-Asia (http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-ci2-50-13-71-dw-49-en-70-1iiv.html)
GameTap Goes Free (http://biz.gamedaily.com/industry/feature/?id=15990)

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3159072)
Dennis Dyack Interview on Gamasutra (http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=13720)

Michael Pachter Interview Part II

CAGbag (http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71382)

Digg the CAGcast (http://www.digg.com/podcasts/CAGcast)
MySpace (http://www.myspace.com/cagcast)
CheapyD's Youtube (http://www.youtube.com/cheapyd) (Subscribe (http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=CheapyD))
Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/cheapyd)

Michael Pachter Interview on Evil Avatar Analysts (http://www.evilavataranalysts.com/2007/04/30/a-candid-interview-with-michael-pachter/)

Outro: Metroid/Rad Racer (NES) (http://gameads.gamepressure.com/tv_game_commercial.asp?ID=165)

Bonus Video - The Un-gifting!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csCdysSJaRY

[JDUB X]

Nice!
Downloading it now :D

Thanx CheapyD and Wombat for what is sure to be annother amazing CAGcast and a very big Happy Birthday to Wombat!

[Zenithian Legend]

here we go...

[lspear76]

Classy gift giving Cheapy, very classy. A+. And you took my suggestion for Wombat to rent games... looking forward to hearing Wombat tear apart some bad games. He should rent Bionicle Heroes! haha

[Zenithian Legend]

Wow Cheapy, that's a really nice gift. If Wombat ever leaves you, I'll be happy to be the new host!

[io]

Wow Cheapy, that's a really nice gift. If Wombat ever leaves you, I'll be happy to be the new host!

No kidding... But you'll have to fight me for it first ;).

[Zenithian Legend]

No kidding... But you'll have to fight me for it first ;).

How about we Greco-Roman wrestle for it, that way everyone wins!

[CheapyD]

I can't believe this Jaffe vs Joystiq spat (http://blog.wired.com/games/2007/05/jaffe_slams_joy.html) happened after we recorded....boo!
Jaffe drops the f-bomb 8 times in one small paragraph.

[striker199]

downloading now...

[ai.neuromancer]

This episode looks to be pretty epic, can't believe you got the Pach-man for the show, downloading it now and cant wait to listen. Also Happy Birthday Wombat.

[Zenithian Legend]

There's no game I'll pay full price for Cheapy, you've perma-corrupted me.

[bobthecat23]

comment later i knew cheapy was gonna give him a .... i though u were gonna give him oblivion

[KingBroly]

The quality of the Virtual Console games in March were deplorable at best. When the best game for the month was Tecmo Bowl, maybe something was wrong.
Mystical Ninja and Castlevania are great additions to the Virtual Console, but Nintendo should put a strangehold on Hudson and Sega for all the horrible games they've released so far. Moreso Sega because most of them were released before for cheaper.

[Mex25]

Downloading as I type this. Hopefully the present cheapy gave wombat is a piece of paper saying your fired.

[io]

Downloading as I type this. Hopefully the present cheapy gave wombat is a piece of paper saying your fired.

Oh, you will be *sorely* disappointed my friend ;).

[lspear76]

The quality of the Virtual Console games in March were deplorable at best. When the best game for the month was Tecmo Bowl, maybe something was wrong.
Mystical Ninja and Castlevania are great additions to the Virtual Console, but Nintendo should put a strangehold on Hudson and Sega for all the horrible games they've released so far. Moreso Sega because most of them were released before for cheaper.

What's wrong with the Sega and Hudson games? Not every game can be a million seller. The Turbo games in particular -- Shock Man, Battle Lode Runner, Dragon's Curse... these are all niche games that aren't remembered by the masses, but appreciated by a select few. I can even appreciate Bravo Man. Seeing it on the VC takes me back to '92, when I saw it at Toys R Us and wondered how in the hell is NEC going to compete by releasing games as crazy as this... Anyway, I welcome those titles to a mainstream system like the Wii. Sega has a different problem, because many of the games they've been releasing are on various compilations, so it doesn't make much sense to pay 8 bucks for them. Wonder Boy in Monster World is a great game though, and worth the purchase. Same with Beyond Oasis.

Personally, i'll buy up those less appreciated titles all day long, but that's become i'm hardcore and have a deep knowledge of games/gaming history.

[Mex25]

Oh, you will be *sorely* disappointed my friend ;).
Damn got my hopes up again :)

[lspear76]

I can't believe this Jaffe vs Joystiq spat (http://blog.wired.com/games/2007/05/jaffe_slams_joy.html) happened after we recorded....boo!
Jaffe drops the f-bomb 8 times in one small paragraph.

Man, what is going on? I never read a developer rant like that before. Back in the day developers were anonymous. Does it really make a huge difference if one person rated a game an 8, but the other a 6.7? Back in the day when I read mags like EGM, and Phantasy Star 2 got a 7,9,8,8... I was like that's good! But these days, if a game gets a 7, all hell breaks loose. Both with the possible consumers (only rated a 7! i'm canceling my pre-order!) and now developers (fuck you!). You're telling me there's no appreciation for a game that's a "7" anymore? What are these gaming blogs anyway? I don't read em and don't need em. Why would I read what some jobless, 17 year old kid thinks about a game, when I've got 20+ years of gaming under my belt.

[lspear76]

Where's that video of WOMBAT opening the PS3? It's an Xbox 360 Elite! That would have been hilarious.

[CheapyD]

The video is coming, but won't be posted until tonight at the earliest.
Sorry!

[E*Master]

CheapyD you got Pokemon Diamond???? Well, on the other hand I do not think you ever mentioned that you played the first couple so I think you will like it a lot. But for people who played red/BLue or even leaf Green and Fire red will see striking similarities between the new Diamon and Pearl games.

[Bazz]

I can't believe this Jaffe vs Joystiq spat (http://blog.wired.com/games/2007/05/jaffe_slams_joy.html) happened after we recorded....boo!
Jaffe drops the f-bomb 8 times in one small paragraph.Thanks for that info cheapy. If he did really say that he needs to get punched in his face and learn how to talk with some type of respect and get a way better dictionary. By the way nice ass gift for Wombat. The way my 360 is breaking down which it broke for the 6th, I think the ps3 might be a better buy just cause quailty reasons. Of course great show love the extra longness(I don't think that is a word or spelt right , but whatever.).


Happy Birthday Wombat!!! Enjoy the New PS3 & I can't wait to hear your input on the system.

Nice Video also. I've finally seen what wombat looks like.

[letsgetacid]

Not to be a nitpicker (curse at me later), but the outro wasn't for the Super Scope, although the link provided does correctly go to the Metroid/ Rad Racer commercial.

WEIRD!

[liquidcross]

Happy (belated?) birthday Wombat! Now give us your PSN ID, so we can get our asses kicked by you in online games.

[Chacrana]

I'm only about 10 minutes into the CAGCast, but I can see that the issues brought up in the "listening to the CAGCast since Day 1..." thread have already been addressed... this is good.

Oh, and Cheapy, that was ultra-generous. Good God.

[lokizz]

yo cheapy if you want to see spiderman 3 game footage find someone with comcast on demand ppv access. they have some free video footage of in game action in and out of the black suit and they show you soem fo the moves as well as this sick video of the guy playing the game tying up a badguy with 4 different web strings ( one for each limb and then beating on the guy) to 4 different light poles. you have to go to the section where you order ppv movies and then select the spiderman 3 section. its all free and worth checking out and the game looks to be goign in all the right directions. ive also heard you can play as harry osbourne green goblin in the game.

[lspear76]

I'm feeling generous myself since it's his 30th birthday and I was a bit hard on Wombat (all in good fun of course). So i'd like to get him his first blu ray disc. As to which disc it's going to be a surprise. Does he have a PO Box or business address so I can send it his way?

[TheH2s]

DAYYYYYYYUMMMM! People need to get off Wombat's ass. Yes I am a fairly new listener (about two months now) and just signed up for the forums about a month ago however I think Wombat is really funny and sometimes makes the show what it is. My personality is very much like Wombat's so granted this is coming from a person that think's not taking things too seriously and being sarcastic is really funny, but you can't say that he doesn't make the show interesting. Not to say I don't like Cheapy D on the podcast because I really enjoy the talks about his experiences in Japan, however sometimes he comes off as a parent, scolding Wombat for every little thing. They aren't going to lose listeners over what Wombat says so let him be who he is. If he can call someone a Vagina Clown and people still listen there really isn't much left that is over the line. I say that's ok. We need more Wombat's in the world.


P.S. I do not have a Man Crush on Wombat..I am happily married...to a woman.

P.P.S. I am not Wombat's mom/dad/wife/uncle or any relation to him.

P.P.P.S. If someone called me a Vagina Clown I wouldn't take offense to it. In fact I may be a Vagina Clown for halloween this year.

[Mex25]

DAYYYYYYYUMMMM! People need to get off Wombat's ass. Yes I am a fairly new listener (about two months now) and just signed up for the forums about a month ago however I think Wombat is really funny and sometimes makes the show what it is. My personality is very much like Wombat's so granted this is coming from a person that think's not taking things too seriously and being sarcastic is really funny, but you can't say that he doesn't make the show interesting. Not to say I don't like Cheapy D on the podcast because I really enjoy the talks about his experiences in Japan, however sometimes he comes off as a parent, scolding Wombat for every little thing. They aren't going to lose listeners over what Wombat says so let him be who he is. If he can call someone a Vagina Clown and people still listen there really isn't much left that is over the line. I say that's ok. We need more Wombat's in the world.


P.S. I do not have a Man Crush on Wombat..I am happily married...to a woman.

P.P.S. I am not Wombat's mom/dad/wife/uncle or any relation to him.

P.P.P.S. If someone called me a Vagina Clown I wouldn't take offense to it. In fact I may be a Vagina Clown for halloween this year. I'm pretty much the complete opposite. I think Cheapy is hilarious most of time and he seems to carry himself pretty well, an example would be his appearance on the joystiq podcast. Wombat I think is one of the most annoying co-hosts I've ever heard. His humor and attitude seem to me able to drive anyone to the point of boredom. I don't mind the vagina clown comments or anything like that but in my opinion I don't think the cagcast will get any new listeners based on wombat.

[youruglyclone]

the unmanned recon planes are called Predator Drones.

damn 51 meatspins.

screen cap or it didn't happen!

still happy belated birthday to the much maligned co-host of the cagcast.

[jrutz]

I knew it - I'm not going to give away any spoilers, but hearing Wombat's unboxing put a smile on my face. You've got a good man in Cheapy, don't let him get away! :D

Seriously, that was an awesome gift, Cheapy, and a really great gesture of friendship that couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.

Happy 30th Wombat! And looking forward to more great interviews.

[Milkyman]

oh shit segasearch, i used to go there!

[trip1eX]

Wombat is a great foil for Cheapie.

YOU guys should have asked Pachter about the big 360 revenue drop this quarter compared to the same quarter a year ago. Bah. Oh and the 360 has lost $5 bil and counting.


Great show though.

[flybrione]

I just wanted to say that the audio quality for the interview is horrible but I did enjoy it. I am sure you are aware of it.

Also I like to say Happy B-day to Wombat and keep doing what you are doing I think you do a great job and compliment Cheapy perfectly. I enjoy listening every Wednesday at the office.

[NateWhs152]

I like the bald white man

[felixlighter]

The EGM editors discussed on their podcast, why it is so difficult to get screenshots and videos of Spiderman 3 (or any movie based game). They said the problem is the developers/publishers have to submit any media to Sam Rami, the director, and he has to approve each image or video one by one. As you would expect, Sam Rami, is a very busy man and getting a screenshot of a videogame to a media outlet is pretty low on his list of priorities. I'm sure most of the media submitted to Rami was perfectly acceptable and wouldn't have any negative effects on the movie. It's all just caught up in the red tape and by the time it makes it's way through all the proper channels the media itself is outdated and useless.

[dadeisvenm]

Wow... I'm impressed... Michael Pachter on a CAG. And Wombat you got a PS3! The whole firsts half was almost too much for me.

Really nice gift Cheapy... very classy. I'm guessing your not going to throw linux on it .... ever so might as well get folding for cancer. I just finish my 9th job and I tell ya its actually hard NOT to turn of my PS3.

I actually joined another team but hey its all good.

Most of the wombat naysayer are taking it tooo seriously I mean really the dude who said Wombat needs to be more serious on a Gaming site just missed the oxymoron.

Anyways... loving Resistance ;) and DOWNLOAD NINJA GAIDEN SIGMA NOW!!!

[Sancho1978]

Happy Birthday, Wombat! I have been listening to the podcast for some time and I think Wombat is great! Don't feel bad, bro! You keep on being you!
As for this weeks show.. I thought it was great! You guys keep up the good work.

[Jackal888]

Great show guys as you can see Pachter is all about the freebies. Damn, you are a stock anlyst and you won't spend $50 on a game.I am sure you spend more than that on lunch everyday.Good insight on the game business. From now on I will be checking stock sites for game info.

[ecmazza]

Cheapy,

I disagree with your point about previews. While I do think they generally are not that critical of a game, b/c as you said, it is only a preview, I do think they have some value. And I think that some previews do point out current problems with the game. For example, where they say things along the lines of, the frame rate has issues right now but we expect that to be taken care of in the final build, or in previews for Forza 2 where it is said that the graphics won't blow you away yet b/c the focus so far has been on the physics in the game, but they expect some more graphical polish before the game ships, etc.

Now, these previews are the best when the same person who previewed a game also reviews it (or at least the reviewer has substantial knowledge about the preview) and they can address those issues mentioned in the preview. This could go either way, for example, well we mentioned in the preview that the frame rate was slow, but man did Studio X come through at the end and get things up to a smooth 60 FPS, or we mentioned the graphics weren't polished yet in the preview and we are not sure what Studio X was working on between then and now, b/c the game seems exactly the same, etc, etc...

I think in this regard previews can be very helpful, in that, if you have interest in a game before it comes out, you know what kinds of issues to look for in the various reviews you read.

[JTHomeslice]

Hey Cheapy and Wombat, You should try Talkshoe (http://www.talkshoe.com) or Stickam (http://www.stickam.com) if you are interested in doing live shows. Great show as always.

[Hired.Geek]

The second Wombat said “the thing weighs like 18 lbs” I knew that Cheapy had bought him a PS3. I remember almost rupturing a vertebrae lifting that thing out of the box. Congrats Wombat on the PS3, and Resistance fall of Man. You should get a CAG Group together to play some night.

Wombat I also feel your pain. A full time job really cuts into a person’s game playing time. Both you wait until Mrs. Cheapy and Mrs. Wombat start talking about wanting to have babies. Take it from me, your video game playing time will drop down to a mere fraction of what it is even now! WOW, Wombat gets to play video games all weekend, that is so cool. My wife has so much for me to do, the last time I got to play video games all weekend was ….well…. actually it was the last time she took the kids to her parents and I stayed home!

Developers should start blogs and comment on the reviews that video game critics (or journalists) give their games. I think sometimes video game critics are unnecisarrily harsh just to create entertaining reading, catch phrases.

Cheapy, one last comment EA’s Battlefield 2:Modern Combat featured Arab enemies, so there is hope that Call of Duty 4 may do that also!

Great show, hope you enjoy your PS3 Wombat. Happy Birthday! Hope you get to go to the nudie bar, and actually what I have found is it is more fun to watch my wife get a table dance from the stripper then it is to get one for myself.

[Hex Blade]

I felt I had to comment on my thread regarding Wombat. I feel a little guilty that I started the thread now. I didn’t think Wombat would take it to heart as much as he did. As much as I like to voice my opinion, I never intend to hurt people's feels while doing it.

I assumed he would just laugh it off but after listening to the Cagcast today it hit him a little hard. Also, I would never of thought that my post would have been read on the Cagcast, which also must have been a little embarrassing.
Although Wombat can be a little annoying at times, I still like and respect the guy. Please accept my apology wombat…your not all that bad ;)

[GamerChris]

I just thought I'd post to let Wombat know that I think he is very entertaining and I quite like all his jokes. Keep up the good work and Happy Birthday!

[gunm]

Happy B-day Wombat! Wow, what an awesome gift, but considering how long you've been doing the cagcast for gratis, I imagine it was due.

Huh, where was I that I missed the Wombat Hate Thread? I think Wombat is yin to Cheapy's yang. Yeah, there's things he could do to make his side of the cagcast better and those were already discussed, but overall, Cheapy and Wombat have good chemistry and show works because of this. I can't see the cagcast being "right" without him, even when he's annoying. ;)

Another awesome interview! As a CAG who also invests, it's nice to hear what Pachter has to say, particularly in the context of the hot topics here on CAG. You guys are good interviewers, so keep 'em coming! I think the special guests will add to the listenership, but maybe you folks should try plugging these a little harder--I'm sure you would've gotten some new listeners if it was known in advance who you were interviewing.

Maybe that's not always possible due to scheduling, but it's an obvious suggestion.

I like what Pachter is saying about PS3. Certainly, we all want and expect a price drop, and I know for me, I would buy in once things come under that daunting $499 price tag. Hell, it was hard enough to justify $399 for a 360 and I only opted in after the software came in, and after the bundles and promos came up during the holidays last year.

Edit: ha ha, just saw the unboxing video. Damn, that is one hell of a gift. I don't think I got a gift close to that monetary value for my 30th B-day. Wombat, consider yourself lucky the next time you gripe about not getting enough freebies. ;)

[dubbfoolio]

Happy birthday Wombat! Way to be a good sport and take some meatspins on your birthday! It was great hearing Wombat giddy with joy over the PS3. You could tell it was all he could think about for about half the CAGcast. Great interview. Great episode. I don't know how it happens but this podcast steadilly gets better. Definitely my favorite podcast and the highlight of my work week! Thanks as always!

[DawgOnU]

Wow Cheapy, really cool gift good job. Happy birthday Wombat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Bartex]

http://www.shinchanshow.com/badges/shin_badge_bday.jpg
WOMBAT

[Temporaryscars]

Another Cagcast, another skipped over interview. Sorry, but they just aren't that interesting. I miss the interviewless shows. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[PyroGamer]

I always thought it was pronounced "strat-eh-go" not "stra-tee-go"

Pronounced like "strategy" but with a "go" instead of a "jee" at the end.

[CyberTrick]

Cheapy I know how much you love train simulators, this one is for you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5KHXWx9PSU

ps: Happy Birthday Wombat!!

[PyroGamer]

http://cheapassgamer.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2868026&postcount=38

CheapyD, you better go into Pokemon open-minded. I don't know if the Diamond/Pearl ones are any good, because I don't have them yet, but the games are absolutely fanatastic. Seriously, I can't believe you guys have missed out on them.

If you don't like Diamond/Pearl, still pick up Gold/Silver or Red/Blue (for the Gameboy Color).

I heard that the newer ones with 4 pokemon per fight aren't as good as the classic ones. Personally I haven't played since Gold. Which was fucking fantastic, btw. Absolutely loved that game.

[Milkyman]

another vote for talkshoe here, i mentioned it in a cagbag question a while back but you skipped that part when you read my question :(

[KingBroly]

If Wombat picked up Pokemon for the DS now it'd have to be Pearl to complement Cheapy's copy of Diamond. I love the idea that in this game you can catch Palkia (A rare, hard to get Pokemon) in a Poke-Ball (the weakest, most common ball), which I did.

Happy B-day Wombat, and hopefully, that video will come soon.

[PyroGamer]

I fail to see how Nintendo is the winner, Sony is the loser, and Microsoft is somewhere in the middle when Microsoft has more than 50% of the market share, record-breaking blockbuster titles, and a paying group of XBL subscribers shoveling them money.

[encendido5]

I always thought it was pronounced "strat-eh-go" not "stra-tee-go"

Pronounced like "strategy" but with a "go" instead of a "jee" at the end.

Po-tay-to, po-tah-to... I've always known it as stra-tee-go myself, but I guess I see where you're coming from.

Happy Birthday! Don't let them get you down Wombat, there wouldn't be a CAGcast without you. Now go get to work with that new gift :D By the way, I thought you were going to let Mr. Analyst have it, but I guess it wouldn't be cool to taunt a guest, lol.

[sloof70]

I have something to say regarding David Jaffe:

I am so fed up with his mouth. He's made two good games. TWO! But- apparently- if you aren't completely enamored with his games, you're wrong. Somebody really needs to put this pridefull douche in his place. You think Miyamoto would badmouth someone for not liking his game? No. If you can't handle people critiquing your work, THEN DON'T MAKE WORK FOR THEM TO CRITIQUE! David Jaffe is no visionary; he's just some jackass one-hit (I guess two-hit) wonder.

PS: Wombat's the shit.

[CheapyD]

"The Un-gifting"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csCdysSJaRY

[quasicat]

I'm looking forward to hearing this on my commute tomorrow! It makes the drive much more enjoyable. :)

[Milkyman]

wow, wombat did you get that mic and that levels thingy on your desk just for the cagcast or is it stuff you had lying around already? It's weird seeing wombat on video, while I'm listening to the cagcast I always picture a talking version of the wombat avatar talking to the real life cheapyd. seeing the man in motion is jarring.

[PyroGamer]

Wow. I have no idea why but that was a really cool vid to watch. Man do I love the CAGcast.

I must say: I was hoping I'd get a little Mrs. Wombat action on the vid, though. I've already seen a bit of Mrs. Cheapy reflection.




Also: you guys should do a live show (at least you know, once, or once a month or something). All you have to do is get a program that broadcasts your audio into an MP3 stream. I've broadcasted a live show before with a friend in another location. It's not hard at all, it just rips the audio right from Skype, your mic, and whatever other programs you want it to rip from.

I'm not sure what program that would be on Windows (I'm a mac guy myself), but get that, then stream it to a server (or set up your PC as a server -- very very easy, the program should do that automatically). I doubt you'd need too much bandwidth what with the time that you tape at (isn't it really early in the morning?)

So yeah, it's a good idea, at least for one go-round, and believe me: it's not hard at all.

I know you guys do some weird thing where you mix each other's audio together. You could just not do that for the live shows, and still put up the high-quality version for download.



PM me if you need help.

[maxgle]

Happy Birthday and congratz Wombat! It's the first time in my life ever seeing someone else getting a free system and be happy about it. Yay!

[daphatty]

Great show guys. Having Pachter on the show really helped me see the video game industry from a different perspective even if I didn't agree with everything Packter had to say.

As for Wombat's gift, good form Cheapy! I had a feeling you were going to get Wombat a PS3. Gratz Wombat.

[pimpinc333]

CheapyD! Not only did Wombat trick you into doing the CAGcast, he also tricked you and is now stealing your monies in gift form!

Awesome Gift BTW Cheapy :D

[thorbahn3]

Wow, no wonder you can always hear Mrs. Wombat, she has no place to go in that very very very tiny ass apartment. Fuck that shit about playing more games, you need to get a bigger place to house that PS3 it's so big! Also Mr. M was quite good.

[Milkyman]

Wow, no wonder you can always hear Mrs. Wombat, she has no place to go in that very very very tiny ass apartment. Fuck that shit about playing more games, you need to get a bigger place to house that PS3 it's so big! Also Mr. M was quite good.

thats how apartments in Manhattan are unless you're ridiculously wealthy. you can have studio apartments (one room for everything) for 1500 dollars a month and thats probably an optimistic estimate. I'd be interested in knowing how much Cheapy's apartment in Tokyo costs.

[Tybee]

I fail to see how Nintendo is the winner, Sony is the loser, and Microsoft is somewhere in the middle when Microsoft has more than 50% of the market share, record-breaking blockbuster titles, and a paying group of XBL subscribers shoveling them money.

Well, for starters, Microsoft is still losing money on every console it sells where as Nintendo is making $50+ on every Wii; Nintendo is raking in money from the DS in addition to the Wii; and the percentage of 360 owners who actually subscribe to XBL and use the marketplace is relatively small. So you see...

This was a truly great CAGcast. It was really fun to hear genuine joy, surprise, and gratitude from Wombat as he opened his PS3. You could tell he was caught a little off guard (as we heard in weeks previous, there was some expectation that his wife would be getting a PS3 for him...but by no means a sure thing). I was happy for him and proud of Cheapy for splashing out on a really generous gift.

I found Pachter to be somewhat full of himself at first, but he backed that up by proving to be more than knowledgable about what's going on in the industry and blessed with a good bit of common sense. Cheapy and Wombat conducted the interview well and I found it very interesting. To the poster skipping the interviews: you have no right to complain when you don't actually listen.

I went after Hex in his thread for his Wombat hate, but I will give him props for realizing that he went too far, reconsidering, and apologizing. If more people on message boards could do that, the Internet would much friendlier place.

[nonggame]

Enjoy your PS3 Wombat and post your PSN ID ^____^;

[usickenme]

Great show but a minor complaint (what would a post be here without it, besides unabashed ass-kissing?)

While I have really enjoyed the interviews, I hate splitting them up in 2 parts. I could understand if they actually were 2 part interviews but it seems you are just cutting them up to for a forced break. Often I lose track of the discussion in the "break" and generally, the flow of the interview is lost.

Any thought to releasing them as complete stand alone podcasts? almost 2 hours is a lot to listen to at once.

p.s. Happy B-Day Wombat.

[Like A Breath]

Great show per usual. Screw the haters, Wombat is the perfect ying to Cheapy's yang.

Speaking of ying and yang, did anyone else notice that Cheapy kept calling the Wii hoarders Chinese? Isn't he in Japan?

[figcoinc]

Speaking of ying and yang, did anyone else notice that Cheapy kept calling the Wii hoarders Chinese? Isn't he in Japan?

It's because the Chinese are the ones in Japan that mainly horde systems so they can sell in their country or online at a huge profit. Just like when the PS3 released, about half of those people on those launch lines were Chinese buying it just to sell. Well, most did that anyway but they are known for that.

Good show guys! Happy Birthday Wombat! :applause:

[Errockk]

To that guy who said that the Cagcast would better without wombat:

are you fucking insane?

Don't get me wrong, wombat gets annoying once in awhile, but no offense to cheapy, wombat is like the pepperoni of the cag cast. He add FLAVOR. Without him, it would be just a cheese pizza: good, but missin sumtin. Sumtin big. And to think of a cagcast with cheapy blabbering about robo cop toys and such would be so lame. So don't be all like "look we're cool, we don't like wombat," wombat should stay.

Oh ya and wombat do you watch the TV show "Lost"? You kinda look like the guy who plays ben when hes wearing glasses.

[rogueweapon]

Fuckin Awesome !!! theres a reaction for you Wombat. Happy 30th , that was a sweet gift. looks like Cheapy's heart is as big as he is.
I just want to say that the cagcast is funny and entertaining and the both of you have great chemistry, so don't let the haters get you down Mr. Wombat. jealousy is an ugly beast. btw I loved the yodeling bumper before the interview . Call of Duty 4 will definetly go the pc route resulting in more dead Mexicans. Now can we get a 30 person CAG FRAGFEST in Resistance ?

[moonknight25]

Happy Birthday Wombat and great show as always guys. Having the ananylst on was very cool, and thought me some things about the industry!

[DarkNessBear]

O - M - G CheapyD,

What did Wombat do in order to recieve such an amazing gift? Has he performed sexual favors that would only taint my eyes if I would have seen it occur?

That is very generous of you. And I am thanking you on Wombats behalf cause he wasnt nearly as excited as he should have been. Thats a sweet gift. And the PS3 does kick ass...

The interface blows all the others out of the water. And Ninja Gaiden sigma is sweet...

P.S Wombat is sureee slightly un pretty... I thought he was a tight young lad that kind of had child like features. His voice surely makes him seem like a small likeable fellow.

He looks like an angry Jew Nerd.

Sorry WOMBAT no offence...

[ramatut4001]

The guest segments are great.

I have no beef with Wombat. He's the Flavor Flav to Cheapy's Chuck D.

[PyroGamer]

That is very generous of you. And I am thanking you on Wombats behalf cause he wasnt nearly as excited as he should have been. Thats a sweet gift. And the PS3 does kick ass...
He seemed a lot more excited in the vid, for some reason.

[PawnTakesKing]

If there is such a thing as the perfect CAGcast, this would have to be it. The length is just right, the humor is all there without any of the childishness, the interview was interesting and insightful, and Wombat proved to be the ultimate mooch when he bagged a free PS3 from Cheapy! I think you guys have finally found your stride. The format of the show is near flawless now and everything flows smoothly from one topic to the next. Nicely done, Cheapy and Wombat.

[rogueweapon]

O - M - G CheapyD,

What did Wombat do in order to recieve such an amazing gift? Has he performed sexual favors that would only taint my eyes if I would have seen it occur?

That is very generous of you. And I am thanking you on Wombats behalf cause he wasnt nearly as excited as he should have been. Thats a sweet gift. And the PS3 does kick ass...

The interface blows all the others out of the water. And Ninja Gaiden sigma is sweet...

P.S Wombat is sureee fucking ugly. I thought he was a tight young lad that kind of had child like features. His voice surely makes him seem like a small likeable fellow.

He looks like an angry Jew Nerd.

Sorry WOMBAT no offence...



lol
Yeah, you look like the bottom of my shoe after I stepped in sh(t, no offence ok. Wombat my man, you get no breaks. Hey Fabio Darknessbear post of pic of your self.

[ArthurDigbySellers]

Great CAGcast this week guys. Holy shit Cheapy, what an amazing gift for Wombat. Although I doubt it set Cheapy back that much since I think he makes the most money on the Amazon referrals (if I remember him saying that back on an old CAGcast). It will help the show now that Wombat has all three systems, and of course it's not too shabby for Wombat either.

As far as people asking for glimpses of Mrs. Wombat, check the pic to the right of Wombat in the unboxing video.

[jrutz]

yo cheapy if you want to see spiderman 3 game footage find someone with comcast on demand ppv access. they have some free video footage of in game action in and out of the black suit and they show you soem fo the moves as well as this sick video of the guy playing the game tying up a badguy with 4 different web strings ( one for each limb and then beating on the guy) to 4 different light poles. you have to go to the section where you order ppv movies and then select the spiderman 3 section. its all free and worth checking out and the game looks to be goign in all the right directions. ive also heard you can play as harry osbourne green goblin in the game.

I'm still working through the episode but I wanted to mention this as part of the Spidey 3 discussion. You see, there is a business reason why you haven't seen Spidey game coverage in magazines and websites, and it's not all because of spoiling plot points in the movie.

Comcast signed an agreement with Sony Pictures to be the exclusive provider of Spiderman 3 content to drive subscriptions and ON DEMAND traffic. That included exclusive first-look footage of the game, to be offered simultaneously through GameInvasion.net, a Comcast-owned gaming website.

So, when EGM blamed Sam Raimi for holding back content, it wasn't because he wasn't ready to show it. They were finalizing the deal with Comcast, and he was just answering to the lawyers at Sony because of this deal. I don't know if EGM were unaware of a deal in the works at the time or just crying sour grapes because they couldn't get their screenshots.

Here's the press release (http://www.cmcsk.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=147565&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=976562&highlight=).

[Tybee]

One suggestion I had for future shows that include interviews: Could you guys set aside some time after you play both parts of the interview to maybe do a wrap up, giving your opinions on what you learned, the ramifications of what the guest said, etc. (to be clear, this would be done during the recording of the actual show). It's kind of jarring to get to the end of the interview and then one of you says "Welp, there ya go" and then you just move on to the News Blast or whatever and it's never spoken of again. Doesn't flow well.

In general, it might be a good idea to rejigger the show outline sometimes to accomodate interviews. For instance, this week, it might have been prudent to get through the whole interview first, THEN do the News Blast and Big 3 discussions, incorporating the very relevant observations Pachter contributed during the interview. I think at one point early in the show (during the Nintendo discussion) you were discussing Nintendo's inability to ramp up manufacturing of the DS and Wii. That discussion would have been a little better had you incorporated Pachter's analysis, which really shed light on what was happening there.

[lspear76]

I think you guys should do the interview in its entirety instead of cutting it up... also putting it at the very end of the podcast so people who do not want to listen to it can turn the show off once the interview starts. I'm not a fan of the interview segments at all.

[Jackal888]

I think you guys should do the interview in its entirety instead of cutting it up... also putting it at the very end of the podcast so people who do not want to listen to it can turn the show off once the interview starts. I'm not a fan of the interview segments at all.

Everybody complaining about an interview. It is a shame that they may learn something while listening to the Cagcast. I loved the interview and hope there are more, a fuck ton more. It pushes Cagcast past that enthusiast level and intcreases the level of PR / Marketing appeal.More sponsors may come after seeing that you are interviewing important people in the industry. The interview I am waiting for are those guys from PlayAsia. Lets hear their view on import games and reselling games.

[Temporaryscars]

To the poster skipping the interviews: you have no right to complain when you don't actually listen.



I try to listen, it's just too painful.

I just feel the interviews break up the wonderful chemistry between Cheapy and Wombat, and I say the more we get of that, the better.

[PyroGamer]

I try to listen, it's just too painful.

I just feel the interviews break up the wonderful chemistry between Cheapy and Wombat, and I say the more we get of that, the better.
Yeah, the interviews are usually pretty awkward at the beginning... a bit less once they get going... but still awkward. CheapyD needs to work on his interviewing skills. He'll get it down eventually. It's tough when you're doing something over the net.

However, if you listened through the first few painful minutes you can get to the good stuff inside.

[Temporaryscars]

I really don't think it's a matter of Cheapy's interviewing skills, because they actually are pretty good. It's the subject matters I guess.

I skipped the gaming violence one because it's a topic that has been done and done and done a billion times before. I then skipped this one because, now correct me if i'm wrong, I thought the prevailing attitude held by both Cheapy and Wombat were that analysts were full of shit and said either really stupid things or just stated the obvious. The few minutes that I did listen, I pictured Wombat sweating and biting his hand, trying not to scream out "ANAYLISTS ARE FULL OF SHIT!"

[Tybee]

I really don't think it's a matter of Cheapy's interviewing skills, because they actually are pretty good. It's the subject matters I guess.

I skipped the gaming violence one because it's a topic that has been done and done and done a billion times before. I then skipped this one because, now correct me if i'm wrong, I thought the prevailing attitude held by both Cheapy and Wombat were that analysts were full of shit and said either really stupid things or just stated the obvious. The few minutes that I did listen, I pictured Wombat sweating and biting his hand, trying not to scream out "ANAYLISTS ARE FULL OF SHIT!"
Honestly, when this interview started, I was ready for some major league BS, but after some initial chest beating by Pachter about how he's the best at what he does, he did, in fact, lay some knowledge on me. He provided the most concise and sensible explanation I've yet heard as to why Nintendo can't keep up with demand and what they should do (or not do). He had a very rational view of the industry in general and threw out all sorts of interesting points, such as why the Xbox Elite was a mistake on Microsoft's part, the questions regarding the future of Guitar Hero/Rock Band, etc. It was definitely worth a listen.

[PyroGamer]

I really don't think it's a matter of Cheapy's interviewing skills, because they actually are pretty good. It's the subject matters I guess.

I skipped the gaming violence one because it's a topic that has been done and done and done a billion times before. I then skipped this one because, now correct me if i'm wrong, I thought the prevailing attitude held by both Cheapy and Wombat were that analysts were full of shit and said either really stupid things or just stated the obvious. The few minutes that I did listen, I pictured Wombat sweating and biting his hand, trying not to scream out "ANAYLISTS ARE FULL OF SHIT!"
Yeah. I have no sympathy for you anymore.

Fucking listen before you make judgments, m'kay?

You're impressions are completely wrong. And the fact that you're impressed with Cheapy's interviewing skills scares me.

[Temporaryscars]

What judgements am I making that are overbearing as a result of not listening?

And what's wrong with Cheapy's interviewing skills? You make accusations without backing them up.

[mik]

I hate to sound to absurdly effusive in my praise--since I'm already a well-documented CAGcast fanboy--but this was my favorite episode ever. That seems really bizarre considering there's nothing much going on in the world of games, but it's true.

Both of you were at the top of your game, in good spirits, and the rapport was excellent. The interview with Pachter was perfectly conducted, which is notable because I've seen him come off very dry in some other interviews. And you accomplished something I haven't really experienced in any other gaming podcast: I was actually kind of touched by the "ungifting" segment.

Pop this one in the time capsule for future reference.

[bluenatas09]

Props to you Cheapy. That was quite the gift.

[dragyynvessyl]

I have no beef with Wombat. He's the Flavor Flav to Cheapy's Chuck D.

Yeah boi! Well stated.

Re: interviews--I suppose I can understand if someone thinks the shift from joking around to serious questioning is a bit jarring, but once the interviews get going they have been consistently entertaining and insightful. The Pachtman had some great comments on the industry from his unique financial perspective.

[SpreadTheWord]

I like the GameFly idea for the two of you but don't stop playing older games. I want to hear why Wombat goes back to a game like Ultimate Alliance after playing it so much. I want to hear about the games you play because you like them, not necessarily because they're new.

The Micheal Pachter interview wasn't as lively as the one with the Doctor but it picked up at the end when you asked him the questions about the big three.
I wish you had asked him why Microsoft is trying to go up against the PS3 in the high end rather than lower the price of the 360 and try to get some of the former gen holdouts, potential PS2 buyers, and potential Wii buyers to "Jump In".

[lokizz]

I'm still working through the episode but I wanted to mention this as part of the Spidey 3 discussion. You see, there is a business reason why you haven't seen Spidey game coverage in magazines and websites, and it's not all because of spoiling plot points in the movie.

Comcast signed an agreement with Sony Pictures to be the exclusive provider of Spiderman 3 content to drive subscriptions and ON DEMAND traffic. That included exclusive first-look footage of the game, to be offered simultaneously through GameInvasion.net, a Comcast-owned gaming website.

So, when EGM blamed Sam Raimi for holding back content, it wasn't because he wasn't ready to show it. They were finalizing the deal with Comcast, and he was just answering to the lawyers at Sony because of this deal. I don't know if EGM were unaware of a deal in the works at the time or just crying sour grapes because they couldn't get their screenshots.

Here's the press release (http://www.cmcsk.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=147565&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=976562&highlight=).


i guess i can see why egm and other places would be mad but at least no other magazine is gettign it. still its cool to see the stuff in action thats got to be a first though a cable company getting a scoop on a game before a magazine or game website. if i could figure out a way to get quality copies of the footage i would but id like to know if i could get into any legal trouble doing it. the games gonna have context sensitive action sequences in the game and more arial and web based moves. and the venom suit moves look awesome and are more agressive.

[ma]

Wow, that show was a new high-water mark for the CAGcast. The interview with Michael Pachter was really interesting. I think lots of gamers assume that Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo are all doing dumb/crazy things sometimes, but Mr. Pachter really gave some great insight into the different strategies of each company and why they do business the way they do. I also like the Wombat birthday surprise, he seemed genuinely blown away, which was kinda sweet.

(If Mr. Pachter is on again, please ask him about the hardware reliability issues with the 360. I would love to hear his thoughts on that.)

The only downer was the time given to the wombat haters. Maybe he deserved it for the vagina clown comment, I dunno. I thought it was funny. Don't go too professional guys, the show would be less entertaining without the updates on your masturbation habits, your wives' firmware status (please email me the upgrade), and poking fun at the Ronald McDonald vagina clowns of the video game industry.

[MaxBiaggi3]

I don't know about the comments that everyone has that one game they would be willing to pay a full $50-$60 retail price for. The only games I've ever paid that kind of cash for had a unique incentive bonus (Ocarina of Time pre-order disc for example) or a special trade-in credit deal. Without an added incentive of some sort, I would never pay full-price at launch for any game.

[drumman201]

I didn't like hearing all the crap said about Wombat, and It broke my heart a little listing to Wombat admit to being hurt by them too. I dunno what it is about the show but I feel attached in a way to you guys. not in a gay way. It added a new dimension in a positive way to the cagcast seeing Wombat on Video. Happy Birthday Wombat!

[CheapyD]

I submitted this episode as news to digg. Can I get some digg love?
http://digg.com/gaming_news/Pachter_Microsoft_May_Have_Done_Something_Dumb_Wit h_The_Elite

[bobthecat23]

cheapy i thought u would have gotten wombat oblivion

[xmrblondex]

up next for digg....
http://digg.com/podcasts/43_Folders

We're almost there!

33rd highest podcast here we come!

[PyroGamer]

What judgements am I making that are overbearing as a result of not listening?

And what's wrong with Cheapy's interviewing skills? You make accusations without backing them up.
First of all my apologies, I came off as an asshole (well, I am an asshole, but that's a topic for another discussion), didn't mean to.

Cheapy leaves awkward pauses and doesn't push along the interviewee when necessary. Once he gets into it he's fantastic, though.


You are making the judgment that the interview isn't worth listening to.

[qbkorso]

Great show! Didn't care for the interview too much, but I loved the PS3 gift. I'm really jealous. Also, great unboxing video.

[mrx1]

Really dug the video.I always pictured Wombat as a scrawnier guy.Remember,its better to be over the hill then buried under it.

[MugRulez]

What a nice gift for Wombat.

For me the Cagcast seems to be getting better and better. keep it coming!

[vosos102]

Jeez--its so weird to put a face to a voice after listening for so long. It kinda ruins it a bit--like when I first saw pics of Click and Clack. Great show though, and happy bday Wombat.

[callmesteam]

I've gotta go to bat for Wombat here... I like the guy fine and all, but my game-hating wife LOVES him. Every week I would force her to listen to the CAGCast and she was on the fence at first, but Wombat really won her over. Now a week doesn't go by where he'll say something funny and she'll giggle and squeal 'I LOVE WOMBAT!'. It's really ruining my sex life, so I'd love to see you ditch the guy... but he is pretty funny and you need two guys on the show. For discussion, witty banter, arguments, news, etc. two hosts works much better. I'm a big fan of Cheapy D, but it wouldn't be the CAGCast without Wombat. I listen to a lot of podcasts and the CAGCast is by far my favorite. It even inspired jonnyflash and I to start our own podcast (non-game related, 6 episodes so far...) and has taught us how to align an entertaining and informative show. Viva Wombat!

ALSO! I'd love to see you guys put together a listener survey. I'm 26 and my wife is just about 24 years old. I'm wondering if the Wombat detractors are a bit 'younger'. Maybe his imput is geared towards a different audience (ie. older, married, etc). I'd love to know who is listening.

Thanks.

[Yipwoop]

Boy, does Michael Pachter love himself or what. Example quotes: "I think that I attract media attention because I'm so good at predicting the share price movements of the stock in the industry I cover" and "I work harder than most [analysts]." He should stick to providing written quotes instead of oral ones because I thought he came off as very smug. It also didn't seem like you guys were as comfortable in talking with him as you have been with past guests (possibly because of this smugness), and the interview suffered as a result.

[sinewav]

Wow, big CAGCast this week guys, like a great summer movie I laughed, I cried (figuratively), a good time all the way through.

Like several fans who have chimed in I too am a bit dismayed at the Wombat haterade that has been going around the community. For someone who's not getting paid to cohost a podcast Wombat is getting way too much flak for whatever faults he may have.

The unsatisfied CAG's have been heard and now it's time to let Wombat take it in and move on. Perhaps with a shiny new PS3 and a Gamefly account Wombat will use this opportunity to reinvent himself and win back those unhappy fans.

Both CheapyD and Wombat have their good weeks and bad, and part of the appeal of the show is CheapyD having someone to bounce his ideas off every week and not just empty space. I'm sure there are plenty of people who would line up to be Cheapy's cohost but the fact is Wombat was the first one who thought of it and thus deserves his place until he either quits or is given a pink slip by Cheapy. Best of luck to you Wombat.

[linkpwns]

This is the first time I have ever seen what WOmbat has actually looked like... he looks just like my uncle! Okay, my uncle is like 15 years older, but you really look like my uncle. Heh, good CAGcast, can't wait till next week's episode.

[panasonic]

Very nice gift. Looking forward to your impressions of the ps3 i use it for everything now :-)

[orangecrush]

I really liked the interview and thought that it was great to hear wombat as a part of the interview. Both Cheapy and wombat obviously know a few things about the business side of video gaming. That along with Cheapy’s unique perspective from Japan makes the Cagcast at the top of my pod cast pile every week.

[jonnyflash]

Wombat, if you want Stratego with online Multiplayer, just pick up Clubhouse games for the DS. Sure, friend codes suck, but you can play anonymously with anyone world wide. Add me as a friend and my spy will kill your general in no time.

[SAGExSDX]

i feel like the odd one out but.... i like the lion...

happy bday wombat. i find u funny

[LiK]

that gift was very generous, Cheapy! now Wombat can tell us how much he's annoyed with the interface XD

[Sideswiper]

Michael Pachter is smug.

OF COURSE Michael Pachter is smug! He's PAID to be smug!

Analysts make stuff up. They have to convince their employer that, somehow, their guesses are better than other people's guesses. So they have to act like know-it-alls.

Truthfully most analysts are phonies. Even in stocks... picking stocks at random gets you a similar return to having an analyst pick stocks... except you don't lose mony paying an analyst. (More on that here: http://www.amazon.com/Random-Walk-Down-Wall-Street/dp/0393315290)

So anyway, save money, randomly pick stuff yourself.
I can throw darts at the newspaper and pick stocks as well as anyone.

[trent82]

i really don't see why this pachter character is so confident that blu-ray is going to win. they were lagging behind for a while, then they took the lead for a few months entirely due to an almost completely empty first quarter for hd-dvd. but since then, the hd-dvd releases have picked up again and things are almost dead even in software sales. and if that rumor comes true about the cheap hd-dvd player for walmart this fall along with the clearly superior upcoming release schedule, i really fail to see how anyone could be so confident in blu-ray's success at this point.

most people don't want the ps3 and a lot of us that do have one don't even care to use it. and when the multiplatform games start to come out more frequently, i don't care if the ps3 version has slightly better graphics, i'll still be buying the 360 versions due to the superior online experience.

[cgarb84]

I really liked this cagcast, especially the interview. I found it to be really interesting and informative. I am looking forward to hearing Wombat's thoughts on his new PS3. My brother has one and it has impressed me quite a bit. I think the hardware is rock solid, much more efficient and reliable than the 360's imo. The menu interface and online setup is a ways behind XBL but Home may change that this fall. What a sweet present to get. Nice job Cheapy!!!

[moojuice]

Ouch. For the interview, I had to turn up the sound to hear Pachter, then when Cheapy or Wombat spoke, my ears exploded and blood ran down the side of my head.

*Gets another towel*

But overall, great show, amazing gift.

[Baron O Hell]

I thought the interview was ok, but next time a hookier should be interviewed.

[FriskyTanuki]

Happy late Birthday, Wombat. Hopefully now Wombat doesn't need to wonder if every game that comes out on the PS3 is worth the $600 price tag and can just play them as games. At least now you don't have an excuse as to why you can't get Ratchet and Clank Future when that comes out this year. ;) I guess Wombat has to step it up for Cheapy's birthday now, or not.

As for Cheapy's claim that previews are bullshit because they don't criticize a game during its development and that if they're not going to do that, "why bother?" I'm not sure what exactly you expect of previews, but they're generally done to provide information on a game, such as how it works, what features it has, and various other things like that. What's the point of criticizing games before their done to point out flaws that could be fixed before they're released? There's no reason to do that on early builds unless you're trying to be an ass. The only point that it would be plausible to criticize is for the previews that are done a week or so before the game's release. Would you rather not know anything about a game until it's released? As for the lack of Spider-Man 3 info before it came out, there was an embargo on previews and such until just before the movie came out to prevent spoilers and other such things. One of my co-workers at AmpedNews had to wait to post his preview for the game because of their embargo.

Great show. Keep up the good work.

[pelf21]

I've been out of town and just got to listen the cagcast #74 today....
I think it was freakin awesome of Cheapy to buy Wombat a PS3, Thats pretty cool of you Cheapy
And as far as the Wombat hate that was talked about, I personally think you both put on a great show together and I really enjoy Wombats humor and everything he brings to the show. I wouldnt listen to the cagcast if Wombat wasnt on it