The Instance: The Podcast For Lovers Of Blizzard Games

We have a quick update on the Blizzard front up top, but the rest of the show today is all about New World. It hit this week, we've all played a bunch, and we have takes. Some of them are even HOT takes. :) Is it good? Will it have lasting power? How did it perform in its launch window? We have a lot of these answers and more so tune in!

Scott Garrett and Joce have been seeing a lot of chatter in our circles about difficulty settings in games, hard modes, casual players, and more. Got us to thinking about what the current games-space looks like these days when it comes to game difficulty, and how devs get more players in, and block some players out. Lots to talk about, plus emails and more!

Our topic this week deals with video games with a narrative, and why we seem to be swinging back to story after a love affair with games as services. Join Scott, Joce, and Garrett!

From the ESRB, to big blue warning screens before you launch your games, to making sure you're not driving while catching Pokemon. Today we talk about the modern gaming version of 'content warnings'. Do they work? If so, how, and why? Do we need them? And aren't there better ways to do this in an interactive medium? Join Scott, Joce and Garrett for a deep dive. Plus your emails and more.

GOOD NEWS! Jocelyn is our new permanent co-host and we are pretty stoked about it! Today we do a deep dive topic on why we keep buying the same games over and over when they get enhanced, remastered, or resurrected. And why is Mass Effect Legendary a good example, and Warcraft III Reforged such a terrible example. Your thoughts too, plus your emails!

Joined by Jocelyn for a deep dive into the world of Elder Scrolls Online. Is it a game you should play? What kind of player does it attract? We dig down and find out! Your emails too!

We have one more in us for this mess, and then the real work begins on trying to do our part to make the world a better place. Garrett Scott and Patrick on this one. Yeah, we know, more dude talk. But for all the shows we've done in the last week about this, this one needed to happen for the main show crew.

Scott and his guest Jules Scott sit down and have a discussion about more of this Blizz fallout, but more specifically, the need for female voices in the discussion, and how even our best intentions are sometimes just a little off target. We hope you’ll listen and be part of the discussion.

The state of CA is suing Blizzard and Activision and for good reason. Join Scott and guest host Jon as they help make sense of all of it. Plus, our deep look into why Final Fantasy 14 seems to be having such a moment right now in the hearts of MMO players. Your emails and more!

WoW on a handheld? The Steam Deck says, SURE! The big (possibly not real) WoW internal memo leak and what it means, and what we can learn about it. FF14 is getting its own cook book. The Lich King is back with his own board game. Our big discussion this week: Amazon Studios upcoming MMO, "New World". What it is, what we want it to be, what we know, and what we can expect from it. Joined today with guest-host Alex! Emails and more!

Things are changing, and we are here to tell you what that means. What is a single player game when you convert it to a service game? AC wants to find out. Is telling your fans to head over to a competing MMP a revolt, or something else? Also, we go deep on the upcoming D2 Resurrection release, and why we are coming around fast to what they are selling. Also, how do NDA's and non-competes work these days at game devs? Tune in and find out!

A little up top talk about how seeing next gen game environments makes us want WoW to go there. A few E3 thoughts. The WoW team gets a new animated individual. You want Scott's blanket. We have a date for 9.1, and we blow out the discussion about what it will take to get you back into the game at this stage. How things scale in dungeons and more!

Couple interesting stories up top about Overwatch going cross-platform, but what that change in Battlenet means to everyone else playing blizzard games. Then our big topic this week: Is Activision really the problem? We discuss the history of the Act/Blizz venture, what the time since looks like when looking back, and what they might do in future to fix some of things players are concerned about. And some fun discussion about where Warcraft might go when it's not WoW anymore.

The Instance PSA 6-4-2021

There is no Blizzcon in 2021. What might they do? We discuss that. Also, More ex-Blizzard news from Frost Giant. Looks like they have Mike looking over their shoulder as well. Zovaal and why he got kicked out of the good graces of his old pals, and now calls The Maw his home. IGN has a good breakdown about the changes at Blizzard. Why is it easier to come back to some old games and not others? That's our big topic today for you Classic heads. Emails and more!

More ex-blizzard people are starting cool new studios! What does Lightfordge do? We talk about it. BC classic character cloning got cheaper today. Run something with an ARM64 chip? WoW will now run on it. Torghast might let you level one day. Our Main Quest today is all about the art and aesthetic of The Burning Crusade, and how it holds up today ahead of the Classic launch. Your emails and more!

Activision and Blizzard had some revealing things to say at the earnings call last week. We break it down. We all get to return to Outland on June 1st. Some of you will pay another $60 to do it. Emails and more!

The WoW charity worked out great and now you all get to wear a Sloth on your back. Ready to read Warcraft Sylvanas this fall. PTR 9.1 has been interesting. 19 years at Blizzard and that's a wrap for Jeff Kaplan. Blizzard now, vs Blizzard then. Emails about WoW 2 and more!

It's Question and Answer day here at the instance, where we answer some of your burning questions with answers that would make the Lich King proud. Enjoy!

You like to buy game time? Well, you just lost a couple options and we'll discuss why. Frost Giant could bring RTS's back to your life in a big way. TBC Classic is now in beta, and you can get to 66 if you wanna! We've had some time in there and have some thoughts. Why the leveling experience in Shadowlands is more of a party than a game, and more!