Hytale has finally launched just when we thought it might never happen. How did we get here, and is it just Minecraft at Home?

A new sugar substitute provides almost as much sweetness, with 60% of the calories. And it's made by bacteria. Yummy.

Comic crossover events are hugely popular, but are they actually a bad thing?

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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

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Resources Mentioned

1. The story of Hytale (Hytale - Wikipedia, Hytale vs Minecraft: 5 key differences you should know about | PC Gamer, Here's one big benefit to Hytale not being on Steam: its refund policy is way better than Valve's | PC Gamer )
2. Introducing I cannot believe its not Sugar (This new sugar tastes like the real thing without the usual downsides | ScienceDaily)
3. When crossovers in comics do not matter...(https://boundingintocomics.com/comic-books/marvel-x-men-tom-brevoort-comic-book-events-impossible-to-matter)

Full Show Notes : https://docs.google.com/document/d/19IkekhPv6yq362bbkGVyMKEcg78DvTY1cxXxylIoA_k/edit?usp=sharing

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Game devs suck at cybersecurity and we're all paying for it. Not only does it ruin the gaming experience, it puts us at risk of fraud and theft.

Leonardo Da Vinci's DNA might have been found on an old drawing. Maybe. Or maybe it's just someone else's. Hard to say.

Sword Art Online's director says anime shouldn't try to appeal to the west. That won't stop anime from trying though.

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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

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Resources Mentioned

1. Ubisoft Under Fire: Rainbow Six Siege’s Latest Security Nightmare (Rainbow Six Siege Has Been Hacked Again, And Players Are Reportedly Getting 67-Day Bans)
2. Da Vinci Uncovered: The Genetics of a Genius (https://www.livescience.com/health/genetics/leonardo-da-vincis-dna-may-be-embedded-in-his-art-and-scientists-think-theyve-managed-to-extract-some)
3. Sword Art Online’s Warning: Don’t Chase the West ('Sword Art Online' Director Thinks Anime Making Significant Gains On Hollywood, But Warns That Pandering To Global Audiences "Often Leads To failure")

Full Show Notes : https://docs.google.com/document/d/1b-7f_R4w8tcrT7_fNTbCN1bwIg_YMAfcCpzY8Hrgb2Y/edit?usp=sharing

***

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Computer hardware has increased in price by 300% recently. We talk about why it happened and why it won't improve any time soon.

Wombats poo cubes. There's a good reason for that.

Boston Dynamics have announced their new robot model. Behind the CGI, what can it do?

Indian TV is going to be bigger than China's soon. DJ has some thoughts about that.

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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

1. NVIDIA’s Secret Empire (NVIDIA: WTF?)
2. From Dirt to Dialogue: How Wombats Talk Through Poop (Why do wombats have square poop? - UGA Today)
3. The Rise of the Factory Humanoids: Atlas Unleashed (Boston Dynamics Atlas Unveils New Factory Ready Humanoid Robot at CES 2026)
4. India’s Streaming Boom: Real Growth or Just Vanity Numbers? (Asia-Pacific Video Revenue to Reach $196 Billion by 2030, With India Overtaking China in SVOD Subscriptions, Report Forecasts, Study: Asia-Pacific Video Revenue to Reach $196 Billion by 2030, Driven by Streaming and Social)

Full Show Notes : https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VEDlPzGmQMCtKQEFIG7QMJ6oUGv4J2jQsGyx3Q94jLk/edit?usp=sharing

***

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We're joined by Mr Rant from Lights, Camera Rant for our review of the year that was.

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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

1. 2025 in video games (2025 in video games - Wikipedia)
2. 2025 in movies (2025 in film - Wikipedia)
3. 2025 in anime (2025 in anime - Wikipedia)
4. 2025 in science (2025 in science - Wikipedia)

Lights Camera Rant (weekly pop culture fix, where I dish out reviews of movies, TV shows, and video games.) (– https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxwohgq7ATVEOEQ3sjj384Q

– Leigh “Mr Rant” Morgan (@lights.camera.rant) • Instagram photos and videos

– Lights Camera Rant Podcast (@LightsCameraRant) • Facebook

– Lights Camera Rant

– https://www.twitch.tv/lightscamerarant

– Mr. Rant (@LightsCameraRNT) / Posts / X

– Lights, Camera, Rant | Podcast on Spotify )

Full Show Notes : https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bWKbecJoivHQ9QW3G5-Y9BkanJDJE5iXkIbFwV9Q624/edit?usp=sharing

***

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Warhammer is the biggest tabletop war game around. How did they get to the top?

Viruses suck. But they can also be modified to collect rare earth elements from mines.

Netflix has purchased Warner Bros, giving them the largest share of the streaming market. This can only be good for consumers, right?

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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

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Resources Mentioned

1. Warhammer Won. Now We Explore Why Everyone Else Lost. (How Warhammer won)
2. Engineering Viruses for Profit — What Could Possibly Go Wrong? (Biomining viruses deliver rare earth elements but no toxic horrors of mining)
3. Warner Bros. + Netflix = Chaos: The Merger That Broke Hollywood (Netflix & Warner Bros. Discovery Confirm $82.7B Mega-Deal That Reshapes The Industry)

Full Show Notes : https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gHzkWzWsy5TKz8TQBONh7lQ3D-AmlrJFirxVy5AkAFI/edit?usp=sharing

***

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A new study found that subconciously perceiving Batman on a train makes people more likely to give up their seat to a pregnant woman. Is it because he's going to break your back?

Sega has been publishing definitive editions of games they've released. Could that actually be harming sales of their games?

Death games have been around for thousands of years, but Quintin Tarantino has gotten his knickers in a knot over Hunger Games ripping off Battle Royale.

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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

• Ever wonder why your biggest moments of kindness happen right after life throws you a curveball? Today we’re diving into the Batman Effect — where one unexpected moment can turn an ordinary person into a hero. (Unexpected events and prosocial behavior: the Batman effect | npj Mental Health Research)
• Sega’s got gamers waiting, wallets in hand—but are we being played? Let’s talk definitive editions, delayed releases, and why your next game purchase could be a trap you’ll regret. (Sega is aware its past “definitive version” releases could be deterring players from buying games at launch - AUTOMATON WEST)
• Battle Royale or Hunger Games—which deserves the crown for originality? And does it even matter when Hollywood cashes in? (Quentin Tarantino Slams 'Hunger Games' for Ripping Off 'Battle Royale')

Full Show Notes : https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OxKhukgG4xAwyFh8BWT_sCoK4ib43XJy2OL8Tbn1rPI/edit?usp=sharing

***

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Valve have finally announced the new Steam hardware, including the Steam Frame, Steam Machine and the Steam Controller 2. We're hyped.

My Hero Academia is getting a live action adaptation. Live action ALL THE THINGS, while at the same time, anime ALL THE OTHER THINGS. Surely one of the two will work.

The Universe is decelerating, according to a new study. That means we're a few billion years closer to the end of the universe than we thought. Don't Panic.

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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

• One headset, endless VR worlds. Steam Frame promises to merge PC and Android VR libraries — but will it create harmony or chaos? Stick around to find out. (Steam's new VR headset, Steam Frame, will support Android games | GamesIndustry.biz)
• Netflix is turning My Hero Academia into a live-action movie… and the original creator is calling all the shots. Will it be a faithful masterpiece or a Hollywood disaster? Stick around — we’re breaking down every risk, every hope, and every fan freakout you need to know. (Netflix’s Upcoming Anime Live-Action Adaptation Is Getting the Same Treatment as One Piece - ComicBook.com)
• A decelerating universe? It sounds impossible, but a shocking new analysis of supernovae may force us to rewrite cosmic history — and the debate is just getting started. (https://www.sci.news/astronomy/decelerating-universe-14336.html )

Full Show Notes : https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TWGe6nDFPTbcJN_X5PnAwzni2_f6Skel4va5i0Tk0aw/edit?usp=sharing

***

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A recent survey found that Steam is considered a monopoly by developers. What are the implications?

Anime has a long history of adult content. Now it's going mainstream and the world isn't ready.

These are the kinds of science experiments vampires might think of. They're intended to last longer than a human lifetime, and they're the only way to study some things.

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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

• Developers say Steam is too powerful. Gamers say they love it. Who’s right? (72% of devs believe Steam has a monopoly on PC games, according to study | GamesIndustry.biz )
• Anime's not just for teens anymore - welcome to the age of blood, beauty, and brutal storytelling. (https://www.cbr.com/official-new-era-r-rated-anime-movies-chainsaw-man/ )
• They built experiments to outlive themselves...because patience is for mortals (These ultra-long experiments outlive their scientists — on purpose)

Full Show Notes : https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DYP_9rAJ2U0BSCW3_MCvULL2Gd2EY5SoZVzLc5JieQ8/edit?usp=sharing

***

If you'd like to be featured on the show, send us an email: Nerds.Amalgamated@gmail.com

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