The New Dads dive into a great listener email covering why it's time to kick Roblox to the curb, the magic of the Steam Deck on snow days, and fan-made Pokémon ROM hacks.

We also debate the perfect birthday gift for an 8-year-old (Switch 2 vs. Meta Quest 3), discuss whether the Pokémon TCG Mobile app is just a digital pack addiction, and look ahead at the massive hype surrounding Crimson Desert.

Finally, we come to terms with the harsh reality that our kids are already better at Hades than we ever were.

Connect With Us: Have a gaming dad fail, success, or "headshake moment" to share? We want to hear from you!

🌐 Visit us: newdadgaming.com

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Welcome back to New Dad Gaming! This week, Trevor and Jeff are surviving the wild energy of their kids—who are currently acting like Red Bull-fueled boars at a banquet.

With the family adjusting to life down in Medellín, the guys discuss bribing the kids with $100 to learn Spanish on Duolingo and how this educational "loophole" is racking up screen time. We also dive into the beautiful peace of a post-Roblox household, which has led the kids right back to the classics like Pokémon Sword and EA FC.

On the adult gaming front, Nintendo is testing our patience (and wallets) by charging a premium for retro Pokémon Fire Red ports, Trevor confesses to a slightly guilty relapse into Marvel Snap, Jeff returns to the Final Fantasy 14 grind, and we confront the terrifying reality of a 15-year-old pirating Balatro on school computers.

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/new-dad-gaming/id1107330772

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Others on Our Website: https://newdadgaming.com/

#podcast #podcaster #podcasting #fatherhood #gaming #dadgaming

Chapter Timestamps:

• 0:00 - Intro & The "Boars at a Banquet" Analogy

• 4:39 - The Duolingo Screen Time Loophole & Spanish Bets

• 10:51 - Life After Roblox: Kids Return to Pokémon & Soccer

• 15:06 - Nintendo's Wild $30 Price Tag for Retro Pokémon

• 22:16 - Relapsing into Marvel Snap & Smurfing Low Levels

• 26:23 - The Endless Cycle of Final Fantasy 14

• 30:05 - Kids Pirating Balatro on School Computers

• 31:49 - Outro & How to Support the Show

This week, Jeff is hustling as an Uber driver for his kids and subtly suggests they buy Skyrim VR, Trevor finished Hades 2 and is caught between endgame content and some retro fun with Pokemon Fire Red, and Trevor pulls a fast one as the dealer during a game of Flip 7 for a good cause.

Subscribe to the Podcast!

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/new-dad-gaming/id1107330772

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/434cj9ksKBnX6aY2aBZ6Uw

Others on Our Website: https://newdadgaming.com/

#podcast #podcaster #podcasting #fatherhood #gaming #dadgaming

What happens when your teenager gets caught playing a bootleg version of Balatro on school computers? Do you ground them, or are you secretly a little proud? 😂 Plus, Trevor is moving his family to Colombia for the winter and had to make some heartbreaking choices about what gaming gear makes the cut!

Welcome back to New Dad Gaming! In Episode 383, Trevor and Jeff are breaking down the ultimate travel gaming setup for dads on the move—why the Xbox Series S and Switch made the trip, but the PS5 and gaming PC had to stay behind. We also dive into the absolute chaos of playing Valheim with our kids (spoiler: do not let your teenager lead a troll horde back to your newly built cabin),and our struggles with giant gaming backlogs as we try to make time for Expedition 33, Kingdom Come: Deliverance, and Hades 2.

👇 WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! 👇 Have you ever had to make a painful sacrifice with your gaming setup for a big move? Or do you have a hilarious story of playing co-op games with your kids? Let us know in the comments below!

🔔 Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE for weekly episodes on fatherhood, gaming, and finding balance:

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• Apple Podcasts: Apple Podcasts

• Everywhere Else: https://newdadgaming.com

⏱️ CHAPTERS / TIMESTAMPS: Use these to jump straight to your favorite topics!

[00:00:00] - Intro: Twitch Live Streams & Podcast Updates [00:03:54] - The Big Move: Trevor Takes His Family to Colombia![00:05:26] - The Ultimate Travel Gaming Setup (What made the cut?) [00:10:10] - The Hardest Choice: Heavy Gaming PC vs.MacBook Air [00:19:20] - Expedition 33, Kingdom Come, and the Backlog Struggle [00:24:59] - My 15-Year-Old Got Caught Playing Balatro in Class![00:31:32] - Valheim With the Kids: Pure Co-Op Survival Chaos [00:36:10] - Outro & How to Support the Show

📱 CONNECT WITH US:

• Website: https://newdadgaming.com

• Twitter / X: https://x.com/NewDadGaming

#DadGaming #Valheim #Balatro #XboxSeriesS #TravelGaming #Fatherhood #Podcast #NewDadGaming

We are back for 2026! After a year-long challenge of purchasing zero new video games in 2025, Trevor and Jeff break down the aftermath. Did we survive the FOMO? What is the first game we bought in 2026?

In this episode, we dive into the "Dad Dust" of getting back behind the mic, the joy of finally playing Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 and Hades 2, and the promising horizon of 2026 releases like Fable and potential Witcher 3 DLC.

We also discuss the state of gaming in our households: from successfully banning Roblox, to our kids discovering Skyrim with heavy mods, to the hilarious realization our children had while playing WWE 2K24—that you used to be able to unlock characters just by playing the game. Finally, Jeff shares his newfound obsession with Valheim on the Steam Deck and why its "beautiful ugly" aesthetic is perfect for gaming dads.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 – Dusting off the mics: We are back for 2026!

• 00:03 – The "No New Games in 2025" Challenge: The Verdict

• 00:06 – Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 & The Freedom of 2026

• 00:08 – The 2026 Gaming Horizon: Fable & Witcher 3 rumors

• 00:09 – The Great Roblox Ban & What the kids are playing now

• 00:10 – Review: Clone Drone in the Danger Zone (Voxel Roguelike)

• 00:14 – WWE 2K24: Kids are shocked by "Free" character unlocks

• 00:17 – Skyrim in 2026: Mods, Special Editions, and Family Sharing

• 00:22 – Valheim Review: The "Beautiful Ugly" on Steam Deck

Links & Resources:

• Join the conversation: newdadgaming.com

• Connect with us on social: @NewDadGaming

About the Show: Welcome to New Dad Gaming, a show about fatherhood, gaming, and new fathers figuring out their gaming lives. Hosted by Trevor and Jeff, we prove each week that just because you became a dad, does not mean it's Game Over.

Welcome to Episode 381 of New Dad Gaming! The 2025 "No New Games" challenge is finally complete, and the floodgates are open. In this 2026 kickoff special, Trevor and Jeff break down the massive list of games they denied themselves last year and the upcoming titles they can't wait to pre-order.

We discuss the shifting landscape of 2026, including the looming release of GTA 6, the slump in console sales, and why we are both pivoting toward handhelds like the PlayStation Portal and Steam Deck to fit gaming into dad life.

We also do a live "Google Search" deep dive into the top PC games coming this year, debating everything from Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 to cozy farming sims like Fantasy Life. Plus, we discuss what a household looks like after a Roblox Ban and whether Fortnite or Star Wars Jedi will take its place.

Topics Covered:

• The Floodgates Open: How it feels to finally be allowed to buy games again.

• Hardware Shift: Why we are ignoring the PS6 rumors to focus on Portable Gaming (Steam Deck & PS Portal).

• The 2026 Shopping List: Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Death Stranding 2, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

• Backlog Catch-Up: Why Space Marine 2 is the first "old" game we are buying.

• Dad Life: Embracing "Mobile Gaming" (Red Dead on iPad) and why we are hoping for a Final Fantasy 7 Part 3demo.

• The Kids' Rotation: Life after banning Roblox and the move to Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.

Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro: Welcome to 2026! 2:15 - The State of Gaming: GTA 6 & The Steam Deck Juggernaut 5:00 - Jeff’s Wishlist: Final Fantasy 7 Part 3 & The PS Portal 8:30 - Trevor’s Wishlist: Retro Handhelds & Red Dead on iPad 13:10 - Kids' Gaming Forecast: Can we keep Roblox out of the house? 17:45 - The "Immediate Buy" List: KCD2, Expedition 33, & Space Marine 2 22:00 - Live Reaction: Googling the "Top PC Games of 2026" (Arc Raiders & Donkey Kong?) 27:30 - Final Thoughts & Call for New Challenges

Connect with New Dad Gaming:

🎧 Subscribe to New Dad Gaming on your favorite podcast app:

📝 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/new-dad-gaming/id1107330772

🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/434cj9ksKBnX6aY2aBZ6Uw

🎧 Other Platforms: https://newdadgaming.com/

Remember: Just because you became a dad, doesn't mean it's game over.