This week, John regrets to inform you and Niki that Borderlands 4 is just more Borderlands, for better or worse. John thinks maybe worse. Niki's right, it's just 2K's Madden. Also:

• the very interesting misfire that is Skate.
• Dying Light: The Beast is apparently great but we can't get past the Hinterlands of Dying Light 2
• the poor PC performance of Borderlands 4 and Randy Pitchford's admittedly very, very, very funny (if wildly unprofessional) responses to that criticism
• the flatness of NBA 2K26
• Tears of the Kingdom two and a half years later
• Peloton's Lanebreak
• the inextricable link between Queen Elizabeth dying and our layoff at Fanbyte
• how free to play trains us to invest less

We, of course, answer your burning HIVE QUESTIONS from our lovely Discord.