Blizzard are suing another World of Warcraft fan server. This doesn't set good standards for game preservation, but where is the line between preservation and copyright infringement?

Researchers have found a massive whale necropolis in the deep ocean. We're scared of anything big enough to hunt whales, so hopefully it's not a hunting ground for Cthulu.

Production companies are leaving Hollywood. Where are they going, and can Hollywood as a concept survive?

***

We enjoyed a nice drink of Rez which you can get a 10% discount when you type NERDS at the checkout from the Rez website at www.drinkrez.com

***

Resources Mentioned

• Not another Blizzard lawsuit (Blizzard sues private World of Warcraft server for "large-scale, egregious, and ongoing infringement of Blizzard's intellectual property" | GamesIndustry.biz)
• There is now a whale graveyard (A 5.3-million-year-old deep-sea whale necropolis in the Diamantina Zone | Nature)
• The Great Hollywood Exodus (Hollywood’s Mass Exodus: Why Film and TV Production Is Fleeing L.A. and What Can Be Done About It)

Full Show Notes : https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QTDMmmsfWX7FLUhFP9VK8fRc8dgGk5e1msAp5vgZoBw/edit?usp=sharing

***

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Nintendo have been ordered to pay a fine for joycon drift, and also create Switch 2 models with user serviceable batteries. Let's hope that model becomes available in the rest of the world soon.

Plants can be genetically engineered to grow medicine, and might be the solution to producing supplies for long term space travel. Science is awesome.

DJ thinks Doctor Who is dead already. It isn't, and Professor brought some reasons why it still has hope.

***

We enjoyed a nice drink of Rez which you can get a 10% discount when you type NERDS at the checkout from the Rez website at www.drinkrez.com

***

Resources Mentioned

• That one time Nintendo lost….in court (Nintendo of Europe agrees to pay €35m fine for Joy-Con drift defects | GamesIndustry.biz, Nintendo confirms revised Switch 2 console with replaceable battery for EU consumers | GamesIndustry.biz )
• Space Grown Meds (Plants Could Be Used to Grow Medicines in Space, Study Shows, Streamlined molecular farming of plant virus therapeutics for space flight and other low-resource environments | npj Science of Plants)
• The Death of Dr Who (‘Doctor Who’ Christmas Special Not Going Forward This Year at BBC as Russell T Davies and Bad Wolf Exit Series, https://deadline.com/2026/06/doctor-who-christmas-canceled-russell-t-davies-bbc-bad-wolf-1236952398/)

Full Show Notes : https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YjWXKcnRq0qdWRGr7nGUzi1uTojCmfTCntUVCScPAos/edit?usp=sharing

***

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The next release of Call of Duty will have the lowest potential player base of any COD in nearly a decade. Where are they all going?

Aiming high is a good idea, unless you aim too high, in which case you won't perform as well. Science has finally attempted to quantify just how high you should aim.

A recent spate of Youtuber movies has meant a resurgence of low budget horror movies. Will it last?

***

We enjoyed a nice drink of Rez which you can get a 10% discount when you type NERDS at the checkout from the Rez website at www.drinkrez.com

***

Resources Mentioned

• COD Withdrawal (Analyst: Call of Duty's withdrawal from last-gen consoles means it's selling into the smallest install base since 2017 | GamesIndustry.biz, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 finally revealed, and it's officially leaving last-generation consoles behind | Eurogamer.net )
• Don’t aim high...just aim ABOVE AVERAGE (Don’t shoot for the moon: aiming for ‘above average’ is key to success, maths suggests | Science | The Guardian, Optimal ambition in business, politics, and life | Phys. Rev. E)
• Youtubers are now making movies... (From 'Backrooms' to 'Obsession': Why YouTubers Are Turning Hollywood Upside Down, Box Office: ‘Backrooms’ Stuns With $81 Million Debut, ‘Obsession’ Has Another Unprecedented Jump, ‘Mandalorian and Grogu’ Suffers 70% Drop)

Full Show Notes : https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dUzlUyng3V_knk9rT-qiLWEDHFfGrirO8xD7CK_DgFY/edit?usp=sharing

***

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Lucas Scheffel's latest project is Ned Kelly: Blood and Thunder, a comic about bushranger Ned Kelly fighting aliens. We spoke to him about his projects and how he got to where he is.

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We enjoyed a nice drink of Rez which you can get a 10% discount when you type NERDS at the checkout from the Rez website at www.drinkrez.com

***

Resources Mentioned

• Lucas Scheffel IMDB profile (Lucas Scheffel - IMDb)
• Angry Fred Comics (Angry Fred Comics, Who is Angry Fred?)
• Lucas Scheffel Instagram (Lucas Scheffel (@lucasscheffilm) • Instagram photos and videos)
• Ned Kelly: Blood & Thunder (Ned Kelly: Blood & Thunder by Lucas Scheffel — Kickstarter)

Full Show Notes : https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qPXAtZeOTSZXqfRbsZfrEriqo00oZIPGpw7ZsRW9zJ4/edit?usp=sharing

***

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Developers are dropping Epic Games Store in favor of releasing on multiple platforms. Can Epic keep throwing money at the problem, or will they admit defeat?

You'd think being hungry for snacks would make you fat, but rats treated with marijuana extract stayed thin. Ozempic, watch out.

AI driven Anime avatars might be the next way for psychologists to reach their clients. Things are gonna get weird.

***

We enjoyed a nice drink of Rez which you can get a 10% discount when you type NERDS at the checkout from the Rez website at www.drinkrez.com

***

Resources Mentioned

• Lords of the Fallen 2 Is Escaping Epic — And It's Bigger Than You Think (CI GAMES S.E.: Ujawnienie opóźnionej informacji poufnej dotyczącej zawarcia Porozumienia rozwiązującego Binding Term Sheet z Epic Games Inc. - Bankier.pl, Lords of the Fallen 2 Drops Epic Games Store Exclusivity )
• The Munchies Paradox: New Research Reveals Why Cannabis Users Have Lower Obesity and Diabetes Risk — And It's Not THC (Cannabis Linked to Lower Weight And Reduced Diabetes Risk in Mouse Study : ScienceAlert, Cannabis compounds may boost metabolic health while supporting weight loss | UCR News | UC Riverside, Δ9 Tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabis extracts differentially improve adipoinsular dysfunction in diet‐induced obesity - Avalos - The Journal of Physiology - Wiley Online Library)
• Can Anime Cure Depression? Inside Japan's Anime Therapy Trial — And What It Says About the Mental Health System We Built ('Filter of fantasy': Japan trials anime therapy to treat depression)

Full Show Notes : https://docs.google.com/document/d/15rK2JLhPxHHUhUKX1TcoHmwyXYQT-RM7MneW0XoYO70/edit?usp=sharing

***

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Sega are pivoting away from free to play games after poor performance. They're also pivoting away from AAA games after unrelated poor performance. What's left in the middle?

Why are crickets born, just to suffer? Turns out they feel pain and karma may be coming for you for stepping on an ant.

Recent anime trends indicate that fans are going for anime without violence and battles, and darker anime. Again, what's left in the middle?

***

We enjoyed a nice drink of Rez which you can get a 10% discount when you type NERDS at the checkout from the Rez website at www.drinkrez.com

***

Resources Mentioned

• Five Years, One Billion Dollars, Zero Games: The Rise and Fall of Sega's Super Game (Sega reports $31.6m net loss during FY26, cancels 'Super Game' project amid strategic pivot | GamesIndustry.biz, Sega says its ‘Super Game’ plan is multiple games, and may use NFTs | VGC )
• 370 Billion Crickets Are Farmed Every Year. New Research Suggests They Can Feel Pain. (Don’t reach for the bug spray: scientists find insects may feel pain after crickets nurse sore antennae | Animal behaviour | The Guardian, Flexible self-protection as evidence of pain-like states in house crickets | Proceedings B | The Royal Society)
• Battle Fatigue and Body Horror: Why Dark Shonen Anime Has Officially Replaced Hollywood Horror for Western Audiences (Bleach Studio's New Series Bans Anime Fights: 'I'm So Tired of Battles', Dark Shonen Anime Appeals to Western Audiences for 1 Simple Reason)

Full Show Notes : https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-312i9UUeeQw9YfaRW0HyVZ0foawwP46PHyiAdnb8q4/edit?usp=sharing

***

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If you've heard anything about Build a Rocket Boy, you know that things aren't going well. Here's why.

Sitting near a window makes you smarter. Time to encase yourself in a glass cube so you can windowmax.

Sag-Aftra have reached a deal with studios to restrict the use of generative AI. Samwise Gamgee has led us through the darkness again.

***

We enjoyed a nice drink of Rez which you can get a 10% discount when you type NERDS at the checkout from the Rez website at www.drinkrez.com

***

Resources Mentioned

• Mind’s-eye drama gets wilder and wilder (Sabotage, Crunch Culture, And Spying: Meet The MindsEye Developer Speaking Out About The Chaos)
• Sitting by the windows makes you smarter (The cognitive benefit of a window view - ScienceDirect)
• Is the Sag-Aftra war finally over? (It's Done! SAG-AFTRA & Studios Reach New (& Bigger) Deal [Exclusive])

Full Show Notes : https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gvZimgMJzD1_hcCULTp6PuXa108jX17c5xT0zCCNdPc/edit?usp=sharing

***

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Hollywood have been trying to make video game movies a thing for decades. Finally, they're actually good. Why?

Beer has some nutritional value. But science is easy to misrepresent, so is it actually good for you?

Crunchyroll came out on top in the anime streaming wars. But they have a dark secret in their history. Did they actually earn their position or did they get there by making choices others were too scared to?

***

We enjoyed a nice drink of Rez which you can get a 10% discount when you type NERDS at the checkout from the Rez website at www.drinkrez.com

***

Resources Mentioned

• Hollywood’s new trend….video game movies ( "There was that period in time, pre-Sonic, where it was, 'You're so lucky that Hollywood is even looking at you'" | GamesIndustry.biz )
• Does beer have any health benefits? (Does Beer Have a 'Surprising Health Benefit'? Here's What The Science Says, Quantitation of Vitamin B6 Vitamers and Glycosides in German Alcohol-Free and Full-Strength Beer by a Stable Isotope Dilution LC–MS/MS Method | Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry )
• How did Crunchyroll became the king of the anime streaming war? (Crunchyroll Won the Anime Streaming War by 'Not Following the Rules,' Former Exec Says)

Full Show Notes : https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qF1wE92QMDyVpTQLwyWg8m92JZIEuAX3xsKfSG2c6Zc/edit?usp=sharing

***

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The Stop Killing Games movement is heading to EU parliament and the UFS-Que Choisir is suing Ubisoft over the delisting of The Crew. It's been a long road and there's a long way to go, but it's great to see some movement.

Artemis II has launched on their trip around the Moon. Everyone get ready to prank them on their return.

Crunchyroll have announced the nominees for their anime awards. DJ's favourite got snubbed, so he's very upset and not taking it well.

***

We enjoyed a nice drink of Rez which you can get a 10% discount when you type NERDS at the checkout from the Rez website at www.drinkrez.com

***

Resources Mentioned

• More Stop killing updates including Ubisoft getting sued (SKG plans coming to fruition / Ubisoft sued by consumer watchdog, Jeux vidéo - L’UFC-Que Choisir assigne Ubisoft en justice suite à la fermeture du jeu The Crew )
• The Artemis 2 rocket launch (Nasa’s Artemis II rocket lifts off for historic moon mission, NASA launches 4 astronauts to the moon on historic Artemis 2 voyage, a lunar leap for the 21st century | Space )
• The 2026 Crunchyroll anime award nominations are out (Anime Awards 2026 Nominees Full List - Crunchyroll News, Sorry Fans, Crunchyroll’s 2026 Anime Awards Deal a Major Blow to Solo Leveling - ComicBook.com)

Full Show Notes : https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uyPLjlUyFpRKgXmdeGiheIpmMVb_OotnYhBXz2koTzk/edit?usp=sharing

***

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Flinders University have worked with a team of researchers to model an ancient Roman board game and find out how it would have been played.

Cloning is not the secret to immortality we thought it might be. Repeated cloning leads to increased mutations and eventually sterility, preventing the clones from reproducing further.

Stephen Colbert has announced that he is advising on a new Lord of the Rings movie about the Hobbits in their old age. It's rare to see such a turbo nerd working on a project like this.

***

We enjoyed a nice drink of Rez which you can get a 10% discount when you type NERDS at the checkout from the Rez website at www.drinkrez.com

***

Resources Mentioned

• Finders Uni discovers an ancient game (AI sheds light on an ancient gaming mystery – News, Ludus Coriovalli: using artificial intelligence-driven simulations to identify rules for an ancient board game | Antiquity | Cambridge Core )
• Serial Cloning and its Dangers (Limitations of serial cloning in mammals | Nature Communications)
• A New Lord of the Rings movie….yay (Colbert to co‑write new ‘Lord of the Rings’ film after late-night show ends | Reuters, Stephen Colbert Set to Adapt Next 'Lord of the Rings' Movie)

Full Show Notes : https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yxrbWjTPJAUgANQ14iyRG36Zid29w8PmwLM5tXFr93U/edit?usp=sharing

***

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Firefly is most likely coming back. The original crew are all on board and they're just looking for a place to show it. Professor is very excited.

ChatGPT didn't cure cancer, and LLMs aren't as miraculous as they say. Still, they can finally give us a use for all this extra water and electricity we have, right?

Anime thrives on adaptations of other works. But one creator thinks that's a bad thing and could lead to the death of the industry.

***

We enjoyed a nice drink of Rez which you can get a 10% discount when you type NERDS at the checkout from the Rez website at www.drinkrez.com

***

Resources Mentioned

1. Firefly is coming back…..well sort of (Nathan Fillion Says 'Firefly' Animated Series In Development, Nathan Fillion & Alan Tudyk Q&A On 'Firefly' Animated Series, Sarah Michelle Gellar Breaks Her Silence on What Killed the 'Buffy' Reboot: 'Nobody Saw This Coming' (Exclusive))
2. AI can cure cancer (Tech entrepreneur uses ChatGPT to create a personalised cancer vaccine for his DOG - and the breakthrough could soon help humans too, ChatGPT did not cure a dog’s cancer | The Verge)
3. Anime adaptation is not a great idea (「異世界転生も、チート能力も、ロボもいらない」 『パリに咲くエトワール』の谷口悟朗監督がオリジナル作品にこだわった理由：東京新聞デジタル, “If only adaptations remain, Japanese anime will be done for,” says Code Geass series director - AUTOMATON WEST)

Full Show Notes : https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yXAnG8S2hbItuWrsFJXGcXPTH_KN3x8oCuCGqWamtjQ/edit?usp=sharing

***

If you'd like to be featured on the show, send us an email: [email protected]

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