Plus Ghost of Yotei beats Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 as the best selling PlayStation game in Europe and Nintendo responds to the alleged hack
Pocket Casts: You can now rate the show on Pocket Casts, give us a five star review learn more by heading here https://pocketcasts.com/ratings
Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head to sifter.com.au/arcade to start your free trial* of Apple Arcade today and you'll be supporting independent video games journalism. *New subscribers only. AU$9.99/month after free trial. Plan automatically renews after trial until cancelled.
You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by
☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ
👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/
💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord
SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Courtney Smith, Adam Christou, Chris Button and Naomi Jackson. Cat Jahne is Social Producer, Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Audio Technica Australia and Apple for their support of SIFTER.
CAT: Hi I’m Cat Jahne
NOM: and I’m Naomi Jackson
CAT: Welcome to Walkthrough, SIFTER’s weekly recap on the biggest news in video games. We’re back after a couple of weeks off and it’s great to be here.
NOM: This week we discuss the alleged Nintendo hack, Ghost of Yotei is Sony’s best selling title in Europe since Spider-Man and rumours start to swirl about the next Microsoft and Sony consoles.
Here is the news for Sunday 19 of October. Let’s go!
—
PROMO: Join the SIFTER community on Discord at sifter.com.au/discord
—
NOM: A bunch of Nintendo details have been spilled online in what looks like a massive hack showing budgets and plans for future games.
On October 11th, X user Hackmanac posted a screenshot, allegedly from a group called Crimson Collective, depicting a number of files related to production assets, developer previews and other administrative sources from Nintendo.
CAT: In a brief statement shared by Nintendo, the company shared that there is no confirmation of any leak of personal, developmental or business information. While some external servers hosting Nintendo’s site were “defaced,” they claim that there has been no other serious breach.
This comes after another alleged hack occurred on the 13th of October, which targeted Pokemon developer Game Freak and has reportedly included 70GB of work-in-progress screenshots and gameplay videos from their latest release, Pokemon Legends: Z-A.
—
CAT: Ghost of Yotei is officially the best selling PlayStation game in Europe since Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, having debuted second on the GSD European charts behind EA Sports FC 26. Not bad!
This reportedly puts the game’s numbers in line with its predecessor, Ghost of Tsushima, according to Editor in Chief of The Game Business, Christopher Dring. Although, these numbers only account for the European charts, as Sony Interactive and Sucker Punch Productions are yet to reveal any official numbers or milestones regarding the release.
Still not bad, considering how much those Europeans love their so-called football.
NOM: Compared to recent releases like Death Stranding 2 and Helldivers 2, Ghost of Yotei has rocketed through the Euro ranks, keeping Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 down in third, with surprise entry Digimon Story: Time Stranger taking out fourth place.
Doom Eternal and Far Cry: Primal also made a mad grab for the top of the charts, falling to fifth and sixth, respectively, likely due to Steam Autumn Sales that saw 90% discounts for both titles across all regions.
Considering the game is such a hit, keep an eye out on our website sifter.com.au for Chris’s interview with Rob Davis, Campaign Director on the game recorded at Melbourne International Games Week.
—
NOM: Looks like the next generation of Microsoft and Sony consoles will be arriving in 2027, according to some reports.
In a thread discussing Sony and AMD’s recent video about the company’s future technology, KeplerL2, an insider who has accurately reported on AMD hardware in the past, said that Sony is planning to release the next console in 2027, providing there aren’t any expected delays.
Then on the same day another hardware insider, Moore’s Law is Dead (MLID), shared a video claiming to show the AMD Magnus APU which he says is part of the next gen Xbox console.
CAT: In MLID’s video he stressed that the console planned for a 2027 release and that he’s heard from even more sources that Microsoft is talking to partners behind the scenes and openly saying the release date.
The video also discusses that Microsoft might be leaning towards a console-PC hybrid rather than a straight console.
There are also rumours that the PlayStation 6 will be a handheld with Nintendo Switch styled docking capabilities.
We haven’t received any official word from Microsoft or Sony about their console besides the fact that they’re working on them.
—
CAT: That’s it for the headlines…Here are the games coming out this week.
NOM: Out on the 21 of October from Queensland studio Sbug Games is ‘Isopod: A Webbed Spin-off. Play as a tiny pill bug rolling and slamming your way through the Aussie landscape. Fight back against the greedy Fire Ant Conglomerate with your fellow bugs. It looks super fun and you can grab it on PC on Tuesday.
CAT: Play the ultimate party games with your friends when Jackbox Party Pack 11 releases on Thursday. With 5 new games including ones that let you record your voice and destroy wholesome jokes, it looks to be just as chaotic as the previous games. During PAX Aus Nom spoke to Allard and Mike about the upcoming pack so keep an eye on our website for when that interview drops. You can pick this one up on all platforms on the 23rd.
NOM: Also out on the 23rd is PowerWash Simulator 2. Clean your way through the different environments and stages, either by yourself or with friends. Who needs to watch power washing videos when you can do it yourself? That’s out on Thursday on PC, Xbox Series X and S, PlayStation 5 and Switch 2. I recently had a chance to sit down with one of the devs behind the game so make sure you check out that story on sifter.com.au.
CAT: Get ready to roll things up into one massive ball in ‘Once Upon a KATAMARI’. The King of All Cosmos accidentally destroyed Earth and the stars so now it’s up to The Prince to roll their katamari through time and rebuild the stars. You get to visit the Jurassic Era, Ice Age and historic Japan, which is pretty cool. Collect random items when it comes to PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Switch on the 24th.
NOM: Also out on the 24th is Chicken Run: Eggstraction. This top down heist game continues where the 2023 film Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget left off, with the gang working together to save chicken-kind. This looks like so much fun and you can grab it on all consoles on Friday.
—
PROMO: Articles to read, videos to watch and podcasts to listen to on sifter.com.au
—
CAT: This has been Walkthrough by SIFTER, my name is Cat Jahne
NOM: And my name is Naomi Jackson, thank you so much for listening.
CAT: We had the best time at Melbourne International Games Week and PAXAus, speaking to some incredible Aussie and New Zealand devs. If you haven’t yet seen all those short interviews, check it out on our Instagram and Facebook @sifterHQ. And make sure you check out website sifter.com.au
NOM: SIFTER is produced by myself, Cat Jahne, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Kyle Pauletto, Adam Christou and Chris Button. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is SIFTER’s Executive Producer and script editor.
CAT: Thanks to Brian Fairbanks from Salty Dog Sounds for composing the Walkthrough theme tune, and Audio Technica Australia and Apple for their support of SIFTER’s podcasts.
NOM: We’ll be back with more news next Sunday, see you then.
