The HotSpot - GameSpot's weekly audio show

The HotSpot 06/30/2009

Download NowDownload Now
Duration: 95:59

There's more to the HotSpot than meets the ear when Ricardo Torres, Brian Ekberg, Tom Mc Shea, and Brendan Sinclair stick a verbal potato in the cinematic tailpipe of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (spoilers!). But that still leaves plenty of time to talk about The Conduit, id Software being acquired by the owners of Fallout and Oblivion, Mortal Kombat's day in kourt, and Uncharted setting sail for the silver screen.

What were your favorite topics from this episode of The HotSpot? Remember, we're also taking your phone calls and e-mails!

70 Comments

  • clkid

    Posted Jul 2, 2009 3:04 pm PT

    @CNUrGames

    Alright, just as long as were on the same page. I went to see Transformers because I wanted to see a movie with lots of explosions and fights and that's what I got. I've never actually seen the show and I don't care about character development or an intruiging story or anything like that. It's a film by Michael Bay for crying out loud. I guess that if you're a huge fan of the original show or if you care about story a lot then it's not the movie for you. But I like action and Transformers has some of the best special effects that I've ever seen.

  • Sk8erAnthony

    Posted Jul 2, 2009 3:03 pm PT

    The movie was awesome Great podcast. 10 out of 10!!!

  • TomMcShea

    Posted Jul 2, 2009 12:22 pm PT

    Way to kill the happy mood, @s_h_a_d_o

  • DEAD_SPACE_27

    Posted Jul 2, 2009 11:28 am PT

    Transformers: Revenge was one of the best movies ever, but I don't play movie-based video games. The conduit sounds like one of those cheesy games like Halo where everything's all childish-looking.

  • titusandro

    Posted Jul 2, 2009 9:56 am PT

    If you hit a load baring wall it doesn't mean the structure should collapse right away. Particularly if its a concrete or masonry wall. In fact, if you knock down a single wall the hole structure should not fall. Structures are made (or should be made) so that they do not fail suddenly... so in that case... the game kind of make sense...

  • anividguru

    Posted Jul 2, 2009 6:36 am PT

    Wow, great podcast, guys. In fact, I'll have to say the past few podcasts have been exceptional. There has been lots of good, serious video game discussion and little to no filler. This podcast's grouping of GS staffers was particularly a good mix (Give us more Ekberg and Torres!). As for Transformers:ROTF, I can only agree with most everybody else in saying the movie was a dissapointment. As a fairly hardcore fan of the original cartoon, I felt the first movie mostly hit all the right chords a fan would want them to hit. As for ROTF, it tossed that all out the window. The only parts I thoroughly enjoyed were when Prime was kicking butt and spouting out great lines. That gave me warm-fuzzies. Otherwise, an epic fail.

  • CNUrGames

    Posted Jul 2, 2009 5:08 am PT

    @clkid
    If your style of movie is one where there is nothing but explosions then Michael Bay is a perfect director for you. Personally I thought the first Transformers was pretty good, not the best movie ever, but pretty good and fun for me to watch, a lot of it because they showed some of the characters that people know so well and developed a decent story around them. To have them remove what could be a developing story to infuse tons of explosions (which seems to be Bay's MO) just breaks my heart. Everyone is entitled to their opinion though. The point I was trying to make is that when you're watching a movie, there is no interactivity so if you're not enjoying a major aspect of it (lack of story and lots of action here) there is no redeeming quality for you. With a video game there are more aspects to factor in and interactivity is one of those aspects. You can play a game with an atrocious story and tons of action and have more fun than watching a movie of the same because you're involved in the action. Movies have story, visuals and then genre points (actions, comedy, drama, romance) which you have to judge. Games have story, visuals, gameplay, interactivity, replayability and controls, to name what I'm sure is a few, to judge it on, so I can understand why a game could be good, even if one of those aspects is lacking. With a movie you have a lot less to go on.

  • mister-no

    Posted Jul 2, 2009 2:44 am PT

    brendan sinclair is a great host!!!

  • Bobzfamily

    Posted Jul 2, 2009 12:55 am PT

    Haha..in the reagrd to the Transformers Movie, this is just Bay's way of getting easy cash from millions of fans whom were later thoroughly disappointed when they viewed a movie featuring excessive dog humping, Terminators, and a somewhat racist comic duo who failed at comedy.

  • comickiomars

    Posted Jul 1, 2009 9:43 pm PT

    thank you so much for the comment below it is useful and i enjoyed it

  • andy-langley

    Posted Jul 1, 2009 7:18 pm PT

    I Loved Transformers 2.

  • s_h_a_d_o

    Posted Jul 1, 2009 6:30 pm PT

    @TomMcShea - personally, it's the writings of J. K. Rowling that I find disdainful Contemporary regurgitation of classics like Tom Brown's Schooldays, sprinkled liberally with "magical whimsy" to tempt the kiddies, and foisted upon us time and again, ad nauseum. It seems merely an exercise in revenue generation, and any connection to the word "culture" simply refers to the parasitical nature of it's growth when introduced into a suitable medium.
    Everyone's entitled to their opinion - I am of a mind to forgive Gambon a disappointing performance in a mediocre film (if such it was - I'll take you at your word), in the face of sublime portrayal within a captivating production - The Singing Detective - thoroughly recommended.

  • flowjo69

    Posted Jul 1, 2009 6:00 pm PT

    i dont ever want to download 20 or 30 gigs thats just insanity even just downloading some demos now just takes so long i can just drive to the store and buy the game before it was downloaded plus i can display my collection physically pure digital wont happen anytime soon not in large capacity anyways

  • Polybren GameSpot staff member

    Posted Jul 1, 2009 3:07 pm PT

    @ Axcel_94 I'd like to see downloadable become standard on consoles as well, but I don't think the benefits are as great. I don't mind swapping discs out on my console, and I like having a tangible collection of those games I can lend to people or sell. But for handhelds, there's no good reason to not embrace downloadable options right now.

  • Axcel_94

    Posted Jul 1, 2009 3:00 pm PT

    really? we're going to pick on brendan's pronouncation again? hav we nothing better to do with our lives than be petty? Brendon i dont care if u pronounce it Ninja Goo-den. I knew wat u were talking about, as did apparantly the people that r correcting u, or otherwise they wouldnt b able to correct u.

  • cardinal_gundam

    Posted Jul 1, 2009 2:34 pm PT

    With regards to the new Transformers movies, it seems like they are trying to reinvent sliced bread. There are just some things that are best left as they are and Transformers is one of those things. The parts that I actually liked were the parts that had the least number of transformers, since there was some kind of plot happening. Hell what are they gonna try to reinvent next? Thundercats? Smurfs? Jabberjaw? The 80s are best left in the 80s (yes, I know jabberjaw was from the 70s), and the only exception is DVDs of the original shows.

  • LiK

    Posted Jul 1, 2009 2:05 pm PT

    Brendan, once again, it's Ninja GUY-den. you were doing so well... ;_;

    btw, please do not do these spoilerish movie "roadblocks" anymore. i had to skip them all.

  • shaunmc GameSpot staff member

    Posted Jul 1, 2009 1:33 pm PT

    @TomMcShea If Sir Mix-A-Lot can get knighted, by jove, anyone can!

Get in touch with The HotSpot! Call toll-free: 1-877-506-8324 or send an email to

Welcome to The HotSpot, GameSpot's weekly audio show in which we recap the hottest news and trends in the gaming industry over the past week. Plus, we take your e-mails and phone calls!

advertisement

The HotSpot Archive

  • The HotSpot 06/23/2009

    Tom Magrino, Tom Mc Shea, Lark Anderson, and Brendan Sinclair threaten to drop support for the PS3 and PSP if Sony doesn't drop the price, and then jack up the cost of its Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor and Prototype discussion. Also, Angry Barry cocreator Aaron McCray talks about his political beat-'em-up and what's wrong (and right) with Xbox Live Community Games.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 06/16/2009

    Who you gonna call for impressions of Ghostbusters, Prototype, and Legendary Starfy? The HotSpot fab five of Justin Calvert, Kevin VanOrd, Sophia Tong, Tom Magrino, and Brendan Sinclair, of course.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 06/09/2009

    E3 2009 saw a lot of people drop a lot of megaton bombs. Brian Ekberg, Sophia Tong, Shaun McInnis, and Brendan Sinclair reflect in the aftermath of the big show, talk a little Sims 3, and pick sides in the cases of Activision v. Double Fine, Darksiders v. New Year's Day, and PC Gamers v. The World.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 06/03/2009

    Giddy from lack of sleep and abundance of gaming goodness, Tom Magrino, Tom Mc Shea, Shaun McInnis, and Brendan Sinclair close out the HotSpot's E3 2009 coverage with a micro-cast recap of what was learned, seen, and played on the show floor. Highlights include Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, APB, Left 4 Dead 2, and hands-on impressions of Scribblenauts.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 06/02/2009

    Kevin VanOrd, Chris Watters, Tyler Winegarner, and Brendan Sinclair burn through the Nintendo and Sony press conferences, pausing briefly to reflect on motion controls, Mario, Metroid: Other M, the PSP Go, Mass Effect 2, God of War 3, and so much more.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 06/01/2009

    Tor Thorsen, Tom Magrino, and Brendan Sinclair recap a news-packed first day of the Electronic Entertainment Expo, with all the latest from E3 briefings held by Activision Blizzard, Microsoft, Ubisoft, and Electronic Arts.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 05/26/2009

    Shaun McInnis, Tom Mc Shea, Ricardo Torres, and Brendan Sinclair bask in the electric glow of Infamous, take a few swings at Punch-Out, and scratch their heads over leaked footage from Team Ico, the price of Tony Hawk: Ride, and what to expect from next week's Electronic Entertainment Expo.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 05/19/2009

    With E3 mere weeks away, Shaun McInnis, Giancarlo Varanini, Kevin VanOrd, Chris Watters, and Brendan Sinclair run down who needs to show what. Also, Activision's latest Tony Hawk game wants to take you for a Ride, and we've got impressions of Bionic Commando and Terminator: Salvation.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 05/12/2009

    Tyler Winegarner, Tom Mc Shea, and Brendan Sinclair bombard Treyarch Call of Duty community manager Josh Olin with questions about the game's latest add-on, the studio's ambitions, and more. The gang wants to go even further Beyond Good and Evil, Thief 4 steals other people's hearts, and Tom comes out as a zombie sympathizer.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 05/05/2009

    Tom Magrino, Kevin VanOrd, and Brendan Sinclair welcome Telltale Games cofounder Kevin Bruner into the studio to talk Wallace & Gromit, Wolverine, the rumored disc-less redesign for the PSP, games as art, and new developments on the BioShock feature film.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 04/28/2009

    It's no-holds-barred podcasting action as Shaun McInnis, Kevin VanOrd, Tom Mc Shea, Tyler Winegarner, and Brendan Sinclair submit to Ultimate Fighting Championship, BioShock 2, and Uncharted 2. Once the bleeding stops and the bones knit, it's time to sit down with ESA executive Rich Taylor about the Video Game Voters Network and the imminent arrival of a new and improved E3.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 04/21/2009

    Tor Thorsen, Chris Watters, Tom Mc Shea, and Brendan Sinclair draw a thin line between tangents and actual topics such as Fallout: New Vegas, a bad month for NPD numbers, M-rated games for the Wii and DS, and Activision's Scratch lawsuit. And for those who enjoy linearity, a perfectly coherent interview with Leisure Suit Larry creator Al Lowe!

    Download

  • The HotSpot 04/14/2009

    Shaun McInnis saw Saw, and he shares impressions of the horrifying puzzle game with Tom Mc Shea, Andre Segers, and Brendan Sinclair. Then the gang gets up in arms about Dead Space's debut on the Wii, Nintendo's problems in Japan, the screenwriter for the new Shadow of the Colossus movie, and a slew of five-word game reviews.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 04/07/2009

    Kevin VanOrd, Sophia Tong, Andre Segers, and Brendan Sinclair go hands-on with the Nintendo DSi and rundown the launch lineup in every sense of the word before moving on to Ninja Blade, Riddick, and more. Also, the largest HotSpot collection of corrections, clarifications, retractions, and apologies yet!

    Download

  • The HotSpot 03/31/2009

    Tom Mc Shea, Shaun McInnis, Tom Magrino, and Brendan Sinclair recover from the Game Developers Conference with speculation about The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, impressions of Batman: Arkham Asylum, praise for Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, and mixed reactions to the OnLive on-demand game-streaming service.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 03/24/2009

    Tom Mc Shea, Shaun McInnis, Sophia Tong, Andre Segers, and Brendan Sinclair play Animal Crossing for all the wrong reasons before digging into news of Max Payne 3 and Ninja Gaiden Sigma II. Then it's time to put the Resident Evil 5 discussion to bed, revisit GTAIV's full-frontal nudity in lingering detail, and dig up what we can on a 360 gamer by the name of Xkamun1k80r.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 03/17/2009

    Brian Ekberg, Lark Anderson, Kevin VanOrd, Justin Calvert, and Brendan Sinclair go into the gory details on Resident Evil 5, Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, and MadWorld. After that, they run through a sequel-heavy news week with tidbits on BioShock 2, Army of Two: The 40th Day, RE: Darkside Chronicles, and more.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 03/10/2009

    Chris Watters, Ricardo Torres, Tom Mc Shea, Brendan Sinclair, and game designer David Sirlin talk about watching the Watchmen, balancing fighting games, the used-game business, BioShock 2, Resident Evil 5, and...Quiz and Dragons?

    Download

  • The HotSpot 03/03/2009

    Tom Magrino, Lark Anderson, Ricardo Torres, Tom Mc Shea, and Brendan Sinclair lean deep into the strike zone and take one for the team with Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li. Once they purge themselves of those memories, it's on to Halo Wars, the future of the PSP, the latest Wii release slate, and more.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 02/24/2009

    Shaun McInnis, Kevin VanOrd, Tom Mc Shea, and Brendan Sinclair provide a dramatic reinterpretation of Killzone 2's gripping narrative before delving into the surreal one-two punch that is Noby Noby Boy and 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand. Then the gang looks to the future and gets psyched to varying degrees for Lost Planet 2, Alice, Dead to Rights: Retribution, and the DSi.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 02/17/2009

    Justin Calvert, Kevin VanOrd, Tom Magrino, Tom Mc Shea, and Brendan Sinclair go nuts for GTA: The Lost and Damned, Dawn of War II, and House of the Dead: Overkill before taking some time out to watch over the Watchmen game's associate producer Jerry Pritchard.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 02/10/2009

    Wanted: Weapons of Fate executive producer Pete Wanat swings by the studio to curve bullets with Shaun McInnis, Tom Mc Shea, and Brendan Sinclair, and then it's time to talk Dead Rising 2, Dead Space on the Wii, Red Dead Redemption, the suddenly not dead Free Radical Design, and tons more.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 02/03/2009

    Still buzzing from the weekend's Puppy Bowl V, Brian Ekberg, Sophia Tong, Kevin VanOrd, Tom Mc Shea, and Brendan Sinclair try to focus on Resident Evil 5, Batman: Arkham Asylum, Killzone 2, Mortal Kombat vs. Major Dad, and your best box quotes for terrible, terrible games.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 01/27/2009

    Chris Watters, Kevin VanOrd, Tom Mc Shea, Tom Magrino, and Brendan Sinclair knuckle up like 3 Ninjas and go a few rounds with Street Fighter IV, Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, Prinny: Can I Really Be the Hero?, the new Ninja Turtles game, and the legacy of Uwe Boll.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 01/20/2009

    Shaun McInnis, Tom Mc Shea, Sophia Tong, Tom Magrino, and Brendan Sinclair whack the Godfather II, play with Deadly Creatures, and run down the best-selling games of 2008 before discussion of the story in Doom 4 morphs into an argument about the merits of early American literature in a fairly surreal installment of The HotSpot.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 01/13/2009

    Tor Thorsen, Shaun McInnis, Tom Mc Shea, and Brendan Sinclair run down the scene at CES 2009, pay a visit to Skate 2's Hall of Meat, ponder a year without a new Rock Band, assess the state of the fighting game, and lament the death of Electronic Gaming Monthly.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 01/06/2009

    The HotSpot comes out swinging for 2009 with the longest episode yet, far surpassing the surgeon general's daily recommended allowance of inane chatter. Find out all about Nintendo's early '09 lineup, rumors of a new Zelda, why Gears of War 2 wasn't nominated for our Game of the Year, and why Metal Gear Solid 4 took home the hardware.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 12/16/2008

    Ricardo Torres, Tom Magrino, Tom Mc Shea, and Brendan Sinclair recap the biggest trends of 2008 and look forward to God of War, Brutal Legend, Wolverine: Origins, and (fingers crossed) Michael Phelps vs. Aquaman.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 12/09/2008

    Shaun McInnis, Jon Miller, Kevin VanOrd, and Brendan Sinclair fight through a serious case of "senioritis" to discuss the new Prince of Persia and a packed week of news featuring Uncharted 2, GTAIV for PC, Killzone 2, Brutal Legend, and casual racism as a PR strategy.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 12/02/2008

    Chris Watters, Sophia Tong, Tom Mc Shea, and Brendan Sinclair break down gaming's 10 commandments, lobby for a Halo-Rashomon crossover, show some love to GTAIV, and share their top three games of 2008.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 11/25/2008

    It looks like the best/worst of the holiday blockbuster rush is behind us, so Tom Magrino, Brian Ekberg, Tom Mc Shea, and Brendan Sinclair have time to reflect on the hits that were and run down the New Xbox Experience before seeing Dead Rising and PETA in court.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 11/18/2008

    Shaun White answers the Call of Duty as the HotSpot crew gets down to the Nuts and Bolts of Wrath of the Lich King...Gears of War 2. Also, we get elbow deep in discussion about the ESRB's spoiler-rific ratings summaries and dole out mad props to awesome listeners who donated to Child's Play.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 11/11/2008

    Ricardo Torres, Tom Magrino, Kevin VanOrd, Tom Mc Shea, and Brendan Sinclair shoot the breeze (and the aliens) on Gears of War 2, Resistance 2, and Mirror's Edge, then it's on to shuttered studios, the best inventions of 2008, and more phone calls and e-mails than are probably healthy.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 11/04/2008

    California State Senator Leland Yee comes by to defend his gaming legislation and class up the joint, but only after Shaun McInnis, Tom Mc Shea, Kevin VanOrd, and Brendan Sinclair spend the better part of an hour taking things in the opposite direction.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 10/28/2008

    Talking about games is our business, and business is good! Mortal Kombat kreator Ed Boon swings by the studio to talk about taking on the DC Universe and the revitalized Electronic Entertainment Expo. It's a packed podcast featuring six GameSpotters talking up Fable II, Fallout 3, BioWare's Star Wars MMO game, and much more.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 10/21/2008

    Ricardo Torres, Jon Miller, Don "The People's Panelist" Francis, and Brendan Sinclair play with fire as they discuss a Little Big Planet blasphemy, Obama's play for gamer votes, playing as a force of good or evil, and franchises that need to die.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 10/14/2008

    Justin Calvert, Tom Mc Shea, and Brendan Sinclair welcome BioShock 2 lead level designer JP LeBreton to help negotiate the treacherous corridors deep within the week's news, including the Tokyo Game Show, BlizzCon, Saints Row 2, Dead Space, and a ton more.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 10/07/2008

    Jon Miller, Lark Anderson, and Brendan Sinclair drop the hate before recapping a flood of Nintendo news from the DSi to Punch-Out!! for Wii before digging in to discuss the potential of DLC as a bane to retailers and gamers both. Also, Jon relives a painful childhood memory to the delight and merriment of all.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 09/30/2008

    There's a new DS on the way, Jack Thompson was disbarred, Bungie's making a new Halo, and Fable II will ship without a promised feature. There's so much news it took Aaron Thomas, Tom Mc Shea, Chris Watters, and Brendan Sinclair nearly an hour and a half to cover it all!

    Download

  • The HotSpot 09/23/2008

    Brian Ekberg, Tom Mc Shea, Tom Magrino, and Brendan Sinclair hit the week's high notes, from Wii Music's flop potential to the rampant proliferation of Guitar Hero games. For the non-musically minded listeners, the panel goes off on Warhammer Online, Microsoft considering a Nintendo buyout circa 2003, and listeners' all-time favorite glitches.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 09/16/2008

    EA won't be buying Take-Two after all, Microsoft is shutting down Halo Wars studio Ensemble, and Midway laid out the full Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe roster. Shaun McInnis, Sophia Tong, Tom Mc Shea and Brendan Sinclair debate whether any of this is good for the industry in a packed episode of the HotSpot.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 09/09/2008

    Kevin Van Ord, Chris Watters, Tom Mc Shenanigans, and Brendan Sinclair take a few whacks at Viva Pinata, Spore, TNA Impact, the Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death, and a week's worth of news in a very special Dreamcast ninth-anniversary edition of the HotSpot.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 09/02/2008

    A short show for a short week. This week's installment includes Shaun's report from the Leipzig Games Convention, Jon's impressions of Spore, Chris' response to Brett Ratner's Guitar Hero movie proposal, and Tor's farewell to the host's chair. Also this week: Square Enix's proposed Tecmo buyout, Warhammer Online going gold, Ninja Gaiden II selling 1 million, and the Xbox 360 being cheaper than the Wii...in Japan.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 08/26/2008

    Brendan returns to host Chris, Kevin, and Tom Mc Shark Attack through a minefield of controversial topics, from Kevin's Too Human review to the downside of the casual game trend, a potentially offensive Space Invaders art exhibit at Leipzig, how to fight gaming piracy, and Tom Mc Shawshank's favorite nickname.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 08/12/2008

    Brendan's back in the host's chair with an all-Thomas team of panelists (Mc Shea, Magrino, and Aaron) to tackle the week's topics, including Braid, Madden 09, Gears of War's replica rifles, piracy, and the intoxicating (or simply toxic) concoction of sex and violence in games.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 08/19/2008

    Tor, Chris, and Jon kick around the week's gaming news like the Nigerian football team in Beijing. Topics on the pitch this week include Electronic Arts inking deals with Epic and Grasshopper, the latest NPD sales figures showing the PS3 on a roll, Spore going gold, Radical getting downsized, and whether or not an abundance of Wiis can improve a certain Midwestern state.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 08/05/2008

    To the delight and chagrin of many, Tor resumes hosting after narrowly escaping from the Vegas authorities. In cahoots with him are Brendan, Shaun, and HotSpot neophyte Jon Miller, who uses his dulcet voice to recount his experiences at QuakeCon. Also on the docket: The 360 Final Fantasy XIII pushing back the PlayStation 3 edition, 30 million Wiis, 14.4 million PS3s, new Call of Duty, Too Human going gold, the KOTOR massively multiplayer online game, social commentary in games, and much, much more!

    Download

  • The HotSpot 07/29/2008

    Fully recovered from the long days and longer nights of E3, the HotSpot returns with Brendan, Tom Mc Shea, Kevin, and Lark talking about Activision's decision not to publish Brutal Legend and a bunch of other games, Brett Ratner's qualifications to direct a God of War movie, and spend an inordinate amount of time dwelling on the life and works of one Bette Midler.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 07/17/2008

    Our massive E3 megacast has nearly two hours of news from the frontlines of America's highest-profile gaming event. We've got rundowns of the latest news from Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, Electronic Arts, Capcom, Konami, and Take-Two, including such games as Borderlands, Fallout 3, Resistance 2, Resistance for the PSP, Final Fantasy XIII on the Xbox 360, Grand Theft Auto for the Nintendo DS (?!), and much, much more!

    Download

  • The HotSpot 07/08/08

    With E3 looming on the horizon like a...huge looming thing, Tom, Aaron, Brendan, and Tor sit down to discuss the up-again-down-again-up-again PlayStation 3 firmware update, Infinity Ward's mystery project, Fallout 3's Australian ban, The Conduit and what it might mean for the Wii, and why trying to get developers to give frank responses in public is an increasingly Sisyphean task. Also on tap are the top worst-game-crossover submissions and your phone calls and e-mail!

    Download

  • The HotSpot 07/01/2008

    What to you get when you combine a Norseman, an Italian, two Irishmen, Battlefield: Bad Company, a Diablo III announcement, a Rock Band 2 unveil, the inside details on the PS3's trophy and in-game XMB, a bunch of reviews, a slew of crazy phone calls and e-mails, and a shooter based on Catcher in the Rye? This week's show, that's what.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 06/24/2008

    After a one-week hiatus, host Tor returns to find Tom Mc Shea, Brendan Sinclair, and Chris Watters passed out in a trashed HotSpot studio. After some corporal punishment, the gang sits down to discuss Blizzard's mystery game, The Beatles' Rock Band/Guitar Hero dilemma, game sales pushing $63 billion in 2012, and the week's new releases and game reviews.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 06/17/2008

    While Tor's away, Brendan, Tom, Tom, and Lark will play. The crew talks about popular series they just don't get, Metal Gear Solid 4, and the Mother of All Leaks (including avatars for Xbox 360, Guitar Hero World Tour details, and new Tony Hawk and Spider-Man games). There's even time enough to tackle one or two other topics (but just barely)!

    Download

  • The HotSpot 06/10/2008

    Yes, yes, yes. Tor, Brendan, and Mc "Space" Shea are sick of talking about GTAIV too, but the dang thing keeps making news--like selling the most units in 48 hours EVER. Also, our panel discusses Call of Duty: World at War, a potential Ubisoft-Take-Two union, iPhone games, Square Enix going all 360, gay characters in gaming, and much more!

    Download

  • The HotSpot 06/03/2008

    As the US wearily welcomes the end of primary season, Aaron, Tom McShea, Justin, and Tor talk about the latest happenings in the world of gaming, including Tomonobu Itagaki's shocking resignation, Guitar Hero: Metallica, PS3 trophies and in-game XMB, deliberate US Wii Fit shortages, new releases, and your phone calls and e-mails!

    Download

  • The HotSpot 05/28/2008

    After being delayed one day by the Mother of All Technical SNAFUs, Tor dashes a 6-year-old girl's dreams by reconvening panelists to re-rap about such subjects as Ubisoft's posterior-driven Rayman TV Party and Shaun White's Assassin's Creed-a-riffic Snowboarding. Then it's on to Street Fighter 4, Resident Evil 5, BioShock on PS3, and Guitar Hero World Tour (last time, we swear). And, just to mix things up, we answer our first nudist phone call!

    Download

  • The HotSpot 05/20/2008

    After a mad, mad, mad week of press events, Ricardo, Brendan, Tor, and Chris "Dirty" Watters discuss what is transpiring in the wide and wild world of gaming. This week's topics include Wii Fit launch confusion, April NPD numbers, still more GTAIV (last week, we promise), Sega getting the Platinum treatment, Konami staging a Rock Revolution, and--as always--your e-mails and phone calls!

    Download

  • The HotSpot 05/13/2008

    This week Tor, Tim, and two guys named Tom discuss Metal Gear Solid 4 going gold, Too Human finally getting a release date, how best to Viva a Pinata, Activision's $3 billion year, Grand Theft Auto IV's record haul, Tony Hawk's 2008 hiatus, Skate on Wii and DS, Doom 4, and how best to play a game--by rushing through or taking your sweet, sweet time.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 05/06/2008

    This week's very special edition of the HotSpot sees a whopping five panelists engage in some multiplayer debate about GTAIV, Acti-Blizzard freezing out E3 and the ESA, Killzone 2 being delayed, and Rock Band turning up profits to 11. Last but certainly not least, Don Vincenzo di Caravella says "ciao" to the GameSpot gang as hosting duties pass to someone of Northern European descent...

    Download

  • The HotSpot 04/29/2008

    What can we say? This week The HotSpot talks about Grand Theft Auto IV--a lot. We talk about the game, the launches, and the response it’s generating in the greater gaming universe. We also get gabby about the possibility of a DS price cut, some Spore goodness, Matt Damon, and even EA. Really, though, even the calls are about GTAIV, so turn on your computer and give a listen while you make your way through what could be one of the most acclaimed games of the decade.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 04/22/2008

    This week the HotSpot gang sifts through so much Grand Theft Auto IV news you might just cancel that preorder. Yeah, right. Will the UK become the next haven for game developers? Will you be playing the drums in Guitar Hero IV? Will we ever see the Wonder Twins versus Scorpion? How about an Optimus Prime impression that will blow your mind? Check it all out on this week’s edition of The HotSpot.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 04/15/2008

    The HotSpot returns this week to dissect that ever-evolving beast we call "The News." Is Hollywood shaking at the thought of competing against the likes of Grand Theft Auto IV? Is the entire world finally accepting that video games are here to stay? Can we report on Resident Evil 5 without offending someone? We try to answer all of these questions, take your emails and phone calls, and offer up some new challenges, all on this week's episode of The HotSpot.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 04/08/2008

    Join The HotSpot this week as we celebrate Europe’s entrance into the Rock Band arena. Also, does a rock devil really need to be so devilish? Think of the children! Will Grand Theft Auto IV be delayed again? Is "Photograph" really the best Def Leppard song? What’s the proper height of a book? We answer all these questions, call our weekly prize winners, and much more on this episode of The HotSpot.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 04/01/2008

    This week The HotSpot talks about the Xbox 360 Blu-ray player and what that means for the PlayStation 3. Also, with its new price cut, will the Nintendo Wii take the current gen crown? Will more delays force Grand Theft Auto 4 into vaporware? Are all these stories completely invented? Get all the answers, your phone calls, prize giveaways, and more on this April Fools' edition of The HotSpot.

    Download

  • The HotSpot 03/25/2008

    We fight through the onslaught of Clouds lining up outside to bring you all the news that's fit to read aloud...especially if that news has to do with lawsuits, Guitar Hero, and Rock Band. That's right, everybody is suing everybody, Nickelodeon is making 1,600 new games, and the CFO of E