Welcome to the latest edition of the Giant Bomb Community Spotlight! I, @zombiepie, am honored to be your host as we look back at the site-related news and best community creations from the past week. I know a lot of the site-related news is a repeat of what I shared last week, but due to its significance, I ask that you bear with me as I try to relay everything until the site transition finally happens.
One of the most important new updates involves the Giant Bomb Wiki and comes from Chuck. You can read their update about the current state of the wiki and what is planned for it with the transition t the new site, as well as roles they need filled to make the magic happen. Whether you have previous experience with web design or computer programming or not, give the article a read and see if there’s a way you can help with the rebuilding of something great!
Nonetheless, it remains pressing to remind everyone about the critical need for as many people as possible to register for the site migration that is coming up. As Giant Bomb takes the final steps towards full independence, everyone will need to click an opt-in button to retain their usernames or else they will need to be recreated. I strongly encourage you to read the FAQ I linked to if you have not done so already and if you feel like a question hasn’t been answered, send an email to su*****@*******mb.com. Initially there were some people reporting issues with getting the opt-in to “stick” but those problems have largely resolved. Feel free to drop a comment in the FAQ if you are worried your opt-in did not stick.
As I said before, what each and every person here can do is reach out to old Giant Bomb members or former forum friends that might have moved on but still may want to keep their usernames. Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.
The beta version of the new site continues to truck along. If you have premium and haven’t joined the fun, here’s the URL link. If you want more details on what is and is not coming to the new site, here’s an article that explains everything. The beta site recently dropped an early version of the forums, which you can check out over here, and not only does it have emotes but there are even hot forum exclusives to check out there as well!
A new Community Article feature just dropped on the beta site from Ford_Dent and it is all about games that they think can get you into the spirit of Halloween! Likewise, check out the beta version of last week’s Spotlight to see how this feature will continue on, albeit, with formatting and style changes.
In incredibly exciting news, Mike Minotti has announced that he is walking away from his role at GamesBeat to go full-time on Giant Bomb!
Art
Dan Walk Meme (By: Panda, galaxiid, Unprofessional Queer, thecosmicfly, Fram, RefereeeClark, rickman5000, and Synthminded)
Once again, the Giant Bomb Discord community has had a plethora of fun at the expense of the Giant Bomb staff. After Dan posted humorous images of him roaming around in the woods, a smattering of community members decided to play around with the photos to great effect. An invite to the Discord is included above for those that are not already a member and I also included a transparent version of the Dan Walk Meme for those that might want to join in the fun. The Dan Walk poster by CosmicFly is a real highlight, though.
New Giant Bomb As An Aztec Mural (By: moondoggydogg)
To help usher in good time for Giant Bomb’s independent era, over on Bsky, moondoggydogg decided to make an Aztec mural featuring the Giant Bomb duders as a variety of Aztec gods conducting a Giant Bomb ritual to please Quetzalcoatl.
Bluesky
https://bsky.app/profile/marinov1.bsky.social/post/3lxin7g43d22d
https://bsky.app/profile/davidspringate.bsky.social/post/3lx67vzqzyk2w
https://bsky.app/profile/marinov1.bsky.social/post/3lxgaplqlac2d
https://bsky.app/profile/scad.party/post/3lxd2sy2bms27
https://bsky.app/profile/gbdudersfeed.bsky.social/post/3lxmyys5f322n
https://bsky.app/profile/marinov1.bsky.social/post/3lxn3nxxt622d
https://bsky.app/profile/chucktowski.com/post/3lxg7akzm6k2x
Video
Italian’s Have Super Powers? | Best of Giant Bomb 228 (By: @turboman/Derek Stone)
As Grubb has pointed out, if you have any friends or family that are interested in gaming, consider sharing any of the recent editions of “Best of Giant Bomb” with them so they get the gist of what this website’s current energy is. The more the merrier and as the site independence draws near, reviving this site with new faces is incredibly necessary.
Activities
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 Is The 8th Game Of UUGPGC Year 4! Finish By September 1! Mark All spoilers! (By: @bigsocrates)
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 is this month’s pick for Giant Bomb’s Game of the Month Club! This week’s conversation marks the Game Club’s wrap-up conversations about how everyone personally ranks the game and what people think is the next logical step for the Tony Hawk franchise.
The GB Album Club 094 – Dead Rhythm Machine by The Letters Organize (By: @unclejam23)
This edition of the Giant Bomb Album of the Week Club is listening to Dead Rhythm Machine by The Letters Organize! Any fans of this Atlanta-based punk rock group out there? Also, if you want to join the fun in future editions of the group, drop a comment in the thread!
Blogs
It’s FMV Friday – Part 1: Let’s Learn About Ghosts With Christopher Lee (By: @zombiepie)
ZombiePie is starting a new blog feature looking at FMV multimedia games that only released on PC, which is inspired by Mike’s foray into Myst and Parroty Interactive‘s Pyst ! To start things off, they provide a primer on the rise of multimedia as well as a review of Ghosts, starring Christopher Lee.
Indie Game of the Week 434: Shadows of Adam +
Game OVA Season 4: Episode 6 — Slayers (By: @mento)
It’s time to get nostalgic with the latest edition of moderator Mento’s blog looking at the OVA-to-Video Game Pipeline! Because this week is Slayers and I know this particular show is one many of you reading this know a thing or two about. So, expand your knowledge even more with Mento!
Likewise, Mento has another edition of their “Indie Game of the Week” feature and this one tackles Shadows of Adam! Were they impressed or anemic about this indie RPG experience? read their blog to find out!
All Jaguar Games In Order: 1995 (Part 1) (By: @borgmaster)
borgmaster makes a glorious return to blogging by sharing their experiences with a bevy of good and bad Atari Jaguar games! Want to read about how the Jaguar ports of Syndicate or Cannon Fodder play? Well, this is the blog for you!
The Summer of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach (By: @mooseymcman)
MooseyMcMan is here to share how they spent a good chunk of their summer playing Death Stranding 2: On the Beach! Like most, they did not hate their time with the game and were taken aback by how much of an improvement it is from the first game.
What If Amico Ran An Advertising Campaign But Nobody Showed Up? Literally. (By: @bigsocrates)
Resident Amico expert, bigsocrates, wrote a new blog in response of a new video by The No Swear Gamer, and wonders… What if Amico ran an advertising campaign? Would anyone have noticed? Would the past Amico supporters have had ammunition to weather the storm?
AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door Recap And Review (By: @bravobuster1200)
BravoBuster1200 makes a stunning debut blog with a review of last week’s AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door London event! Give it a read and join them in sharing how you felt about the event, especially the grand finale.
Discussion Threads
Helldivers II On Xbox Series X|S Is The Latest Sign Of The “New Normal” With Console Game Releases (By: @zombiepie)
Helldivers II finally released on Xbox Series X|S and not only has there been no beef, but PS5 and Xbox players seem to be enjoying working with one another. Also, the game’s crossover event with Halo was very “normal.” Is this the “new normal” with console games?
Will The PS5 And Xbox Series X Reach 100 Million Unit Sales (By: @monkeyking1969)
Years ago, monkeyking1969 questioned if the PS5 and Xbox Series X would reach 100 million unit sales before their replacements. They recently revived the thread to post an update and while we don’t know the complete picture we can agree on one thing: this has been a disaster generation for Xbox.
Will The Switch 2 Port Of The Great Circle Perform Better, Worse, Or About The Same As The Series S Version? (By: @zombiepie)
A while back, a Switch 2 port of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle was announced alongside new DLC for the base game. With a handful of more Switch 2 game releases on the platform, do you think the Switch 2 version of The Great Circle will perform better, worse, or about the same as the Series S version of the game?
Bugatti Vision GT Joins The Roster For The Crew Motorfest (By: @gtxforza)
The Crew Motorfest is expanding its roster! The Bugatti Vision GT is joining the game’s roster! Are you surprised to hear that the game is still getting updates and feel free to share if you have any interest still playing it today by dropping a comment in the thread linked above.
Silksong Is Actually Releasing (September 4) (By: @atheistpreacher)
Hollow Knight: Silksong finally has a release date and it’s soon! So soon that some indie games have delayed their releases to avoid butting up against it. Are these pre-cautions warranted or a marketing ploy? Do you actually think Silksong will be this big indie game release moment people are hyping it to be?
Lists
2025 GOTY (By: @drrichardshay)
Is it the end of the year? No. Are there still games coming out? Yes. Did that stop DrRichardShay from making a 2025 GOTY list? No. Confident that the ten games on this list won’t be dethroned, DrRichardShay shares the games they think are the best of the year.
Games To Play On Switch 2 (By: @heraldfighter64)
Heraldfighter64 is setting a goal to create a solid gaming library for the Nintendo Switch 2! Read what they plan to play and own on the platform and consider making your own list of dream games out or soon to be out for the console.
Widely Hated, Part II (By: @captainofthestars)
What are some of the most hated and dislike characters in video games, and is the hate justified? That’s the question at the heart of captainofthestars’ latest list and you can use this as inspiration for your own list if you’d like.
Wiki Of The Week
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
Are you ready and prepared to call The Phantom Pain a “retro game” because the game is celebrating its 10th anniversary since its launch! With the release of Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater reviving interest in the series a bit, read all about the ins and outs of the last time we have truly seen the Metal Gear Solid franchise put out a masterclass effort.
