Final Fantasy & Kingdom Hearts Union

It's another episode and it's another huge update about the Final Fantasy 7 Remake!

Yoshinori Kitase and Tetsuya Nomura have been speaking to Japanese media about what to expect from Intergrade, with some loose talks about Part Two, and there's also new information about First Soldier, Ever Crisis and... Forspoken (although that's not Final Fantasy-related!)

Numerous games have gone down the path of creating a prequel and that's the main discussion for today's episode... would it be worth Square Enix making a full on Kingdom Hearts 0?

If so, what would the story look like and would it be a full-game or just a segment of another game?

After months of nothing, Square Enix decided to announce a load of news and games related to the Final Fantasy 7 Remake... all on the same day!

Throughout this episode, we're discussing Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade, Final Fantasy 7: The First Solider and Final Fantasy 7: Ever Crisis... it's going to be a hell of a ride!

After many, many years, development on the Kingdom Hearts mobile game will be ceasing as both games are now complete!

Nomura revealed the news in an open letter, where he stated that once both teams had wrapped up their current workloads they would be merged with the rest of the Kingdom Hearts team. An offline version of the game will then be made available for fans to enjoy.

Based on some new comments from Naoki Yoshida, it feels like Square Enix will be taking a more measured approach with the marketing of Final Fantasy XVI.

Throughout this episode, we discuss what this means for the next 6-12 months and why we're pleased with the comments Yoshida has made.

After many, many years, every major Kingdom Hearts game will now be coming to PC.

It sees Kingdom Hearts 1.5, 2.5, 2.8, 3 and Melody of Memories all arrive as Epic Games Store exclusive titles and there will be some exclusive keyblades available too!

Having completed our playthrough of the last Final Fantasy game to appear on the NES, it's time to have a discussion about what it brought to the table!

There's also a brief run-down of some recent Final Fantasy news, specifically relating to Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker, the next expansion.

It's surreal to think it's already been two years since the release of Kingdom Hearts 3, but we thought it'd be a great time to reminisce!

We've also got some new relating to a Kingdom Hearts novel that's being released and addressing some fan concerns about burnout with the franchise.

It's the 20th anniversary of Final Fantasy X and we felt it would be prudent to discuss why we hold the game with such reverence.

It leads to some interesting discussions around the specific elements that we feel make Final Fantasy X such a special experience and we hope you enjoy!

With EA's exclusivity deal now ended, does that open for the door for Star Wars characters to start appearing within the Kingdom Hearts universe?

That's the main topic of this episode, but there's also room to talk about Melody of Memory, its impact and some of the story elements that are a bit more nuanced.

The year has only just begun and there's already Final Fantasy 7 Remake speculation!

Throughout this episode, we run-through the latest Final Fantasy trademarks, discuss our views on Final Fantasy XVI and run-through the various games we're excited to see and play throughout the year!

2020 has been a pretty crazy year on all fronts, and it's been one to remember for Final Fantasy.

Throughout this episode, we have a focus on discussing the release of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition and the reveal of Final Fantasy XVI... as well as a brief look at our expectations for 2021!

Thank you all again for sticking with us this year <3

Kingdom Hearts is an expansive franchise that appeals to all ages, but when it is best to start?

This is one the many questions discussed on today's episode as Branden and Churro venture into other topics like SEJ's new working from home policy and Yoko Shimomura's music retrospective series!

Boss battle are always pretty intense and this episode we're running through five of the best!

It's a shorter episode this time around though, as Darryl is flying solo. It means there's not so much discussion, but at least you get to listen to Darryl rambling about stuff and attempting to justify his weird opinions!

Now that Melody of Memories has been out for a little while, we've decided to do a full-on spoilercast to run-through everything relating to the ending!

That then leads into discussions about the future of the Kingdom Hearts franchise, as there were some quotes from a recent Dengeki Interview that tie-in well with content that was shown within the ending of the game.

Final Fantasy II released not too long after its predecessor, but even though some elements were similar, others were vastly different.

During this podcast, Lauren and Darryl talk about their recent experiences with the game, running through the story, gameplay, music and why Final Fantasy II often features at the bottom of most people's tier lists!

Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory has now released and we have plenty of thoughts about what was housed within!

It means we're going to be talking about gameplay and thoughts about how the final product has turned out compared to initial impressions. But there's also time for some spoiler discussion too relating to the ending and what it means for the future of the franchise!

We have new information relating to Final Fantasy XVI and we couldn't be more excited to run-through all of the tiny details that lay within!

Throughout this episode we discuss the characters and world, while also talking about what we're hoping to see from the next media blast.

With a new console generation now just weeks away, how will it affect Kingdom Hearts? Will Square Enix produce a new suite of re-releases of the original Kingdom Heart series, or will backwards compatibility suffice?

In addition to this main discussion point, there is a whole host of news to run-through, such as the potential for a collaboration with Final Fantasy XIV and how Melody of Memories came to be!

With numerous video games properties being made into Netflix shows, this episode we discuss the potential for Final Fantasy.

It makes for a lively topic, as Lauren and Darryl pick two different Final Fantasy games that could work and two different formats as well.

We hope you enjoy the discussion and we can't wait to hear what your recommendations would be!

Square Enix has released a demo for Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory and we've been playing it a ton!

Famitsu also released an interview with the composers who worked on the Kingdom Hearts 3 soundtrack and they talked in-depth about production.

In addition, there are also plenty of questions to discuss, such as the whether Kingdom Hearts will come to the Switch and viable plots for Kingdom Hearts 4!

Final Fantasy has a long and rich history and for today's episode, we figured it would be a nice change of pace to move away from Final Fantasy XVI and talk about where it all began.

It leads to a spirited discussion that has numerous segues (sorry!) and hopefully as we continue on with our journey, there will be many more opportunities to talk about the classics.

If you're interested in checking out our progress, follow us on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lozzadar

Square Enix and Disney have enough a strong relationship through Kingdom Hearts, but what if DIsney decided they no longer wanted to be part of the arrangement?

It's an interesting topic and it forms the basis for one of our main discussions on this episode, which also has updates on the latest from Melody of Memory!

Final Fantasy XVI has been officially announced and we've got a whole episode dedicated to discussing various elements that were disclosed!

In the initial sense, it means we're going to discuss the initial reaction, but there's also plenty of tangents about why we're excited about the direction and staff involved!

Darryl even gets on a bit of a soapbox!

With Melody of Memory releasing shortly, Tetsuya Nomura has already spoken about the future of the Kingdom Hearts franchise!

Speaking with Famitsu, Nomura said that fans should look forward to 2022, the franchise's 20th Anniversary and that planning has already started on the next Kingdom Hearts game.

As always, there's also plenty of questions from the community to discuss and it makes for a pretty lengthy discussion episode!

Rumours about the appearance of Final Fantasy XVI have been building up steam over the past three months and they have surfaced again on the eve of a brand new showcase for the PlayStation 5.

We discuss the signs that point towards a reveal of Final Fantasy 16 during this upcoming event and talk about how we hope things might change for the better if the game does indeed get announced.

Square Enix has revealed a whole host of details about Melody of Memory, including its release date, the price and some key story details!

Join us, as the KHU crew dive into all the latest details and answer some pretty interesting questions from the community as well!

Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition has now released and within this episode, we run-through out thoughts... warts and all.

It means we will be talking through the various enhancements and attempted improvements, with a focus on the multiplayer and how it actually works and affects the experience.

Thanks to an Austrian retailer, a potential release date for Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory has been revealed and it's sooner than you might think!

In addition to discussing what that might mean, there are plenty of questions about spirit animals, the Master of Masters and potential Remakes!

It's a game that was never made, but within this episode we delve into the possibilities that Final Fantasy X-0 would bring to the table.

For the first part, we discuss the merits of a scenario that would focus on Braska, Jecht and Auron and how they could have built this out to make it more interesting, despite us knowing small parts about the beginning, middle and end of their story.

This then shifts to how this particular narrative might appear, should it ever get made! And we round out the show with a brief look at Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition!

It's a Kingdom Hearts news bonanza episode this time around and it all kicks off with a crazy story from Japan.

This relates to the creation of Kingdom Hearts and how despite already having a decent concept, Disney Japan did not seek approval from their parent company before starting work on the game with Square.

In addition to this amazing story, there's also plenty more news and updates!

It's been a few months since the Final Fantasy 7 Remake released and Square Enix has started talking about what's next...!

Senior figures on the project, including Tetsuya Nomura, Yoshinori Kitase and Naoki Hamaguchi took part in an extensive segment within Famitsu and shared insights into the development of the first part and offered hints about what will appear in the future.

Episode 200 of Kingdom Hearts Union has arrived and it's time to celebrate!

For this episode, we took the extreme measure of livestreaming the recording so that as many people could join-in the celebration as possible. It should make for a slightly different experience, but one that we hope is enjoyable!

Thank you for all the support over the years, and here's to the future!

Final Fantasy has had so many great antagonists over the years... but who are our favourites?

That's the main topic of discussion today as Lauren and Darryl choose their favourite main antagonist and then choose a secondary antagonist for good measure and talk about why they feel as though the characters fit the roles in the way they do.

After a period of relative quite, Kingdom Hearts is back in the spotlight and we may have a new game to play sooner than we think!

Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory has now been rated by the ESRB, which means it's perhaps further along than we thought. But not just that, Dark Road is well underway and they even just announced a brand new anime for The World Ends With You!

Music has played such an important part in the success of the Final Fantasy franchise, but everyone has different tracks that appeal to them and different reasons for why.

Within this show, we discuss personal music picks from various games, discussing why they resonated and why the types of tracks may change over time. 

We hope you enjoy this rather different style of episode!

After a whole host of announcements, the 2nd phase of the Kingdom Hearts franchise has begun!

This episode runs-through what we know about the 2nd phase, starting with Kingdom Hearts 3: Remind, Kingdom Hearts Union x Dark Road and Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory!

With the PS5 now much more tangible thanks to the successful reveal event, it's time to start talking about Final Fantasy 7 Remake on PS5!

In this episode, we discuss the PS5 Reveal, bounce around the games we were interested in and then discuss the realities of how Final Fantasy 7 Remake may appear on PS5.

Then, it's a fun discussion about what the future of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake Universe may look like on the PS5... spoiler free of course (in relation to the Remake, at least!)

There have been a ton of Kingdom Hearts reveals over the past two weeks and we're going to be running through all the important details!

PlayStation 5 also had its big reveal with the console showcased alongside a whole host of games and when you factor in a boat load of questions from the community, it makes for a bumper show!

As we approach the void left by E3 2020, rumours have started emanating about what might be getting revealed and some of them relate to Final Fantasy XVI.

That specific rumour spoke of its impending reveal during the Summer Games Fest, with Naoki Yoshida positioned as the director. However, Yoshida took the time to address the rumour, shooting it down by stating his commitment to Final Fantasy XIV.

In related news, Square Enix also published an interview with a new hire within Yoshida's Business Division... who was hired as the Battle Director for a brand new AAA Action RPG. The plot thickens!

Square Enix has delayed Kingdom Hearts Dark Road, citing current conditions as the reason!

We discuss what this means as well as diving into detail about the heavily rumoured CG show that's in production at Square Enix for Disney+. This comes from numerous high-profile sources and we can't wait to hear more!

This episode rests in the hands of our community, as they asked a whole host of questions about the Final Fantasy 7 Remake and beyond!

It leads, as always, to plenty of interesting debates between Lauren and Darryl as they discuss NPCs they dislike, what's going on with the Crystal Chronicles Remaster and Final Fantasy XVI... outside of important questions, such as Weapons, Summons and DLC within the Final Fantasy 7 Remake!

After Epic Games showed off their new technology for the PS5/XSX, we discuss what that might mean for the Kingdom Hearts franchise in the future.

We also discuss thoughts around the potential for Kingdom Hearts to be remade in the same way as Final Fantasy 7 Remake. Would this be good for the franchise and what story could be added?

Square Enix has released the Final Fantasy 7 Remake Ultimania Guidebook and there's so much to dive into and explore (spoiler-free of course!)

There's a strong focus on nuggets the development team revealed about the development of the game, but also what the future holds for the Final Fantasy 7 Remake project... and it makes for a rather passionate episode!

Cloud Strife and Sephiroth were absent from Kingdom Hearts 3... but will they return in the future? That's one of the main topics on today's episode as we answer a ton of questions from the community.

There's also some news relating to Kingdom Hearts Union x and the Summer Games Fest, a huge digital event that will be lasting for four months.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake has managed to sell 3.5 Million in three days, but what does this mean for the future of this mini-franchise?

What started off as a rudimentary news episode ended up becoming a much more intense discussion about what's next for the Final Fantasy 7 Remake, but it also expands into Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age and PlayStation's Big In Japan sale!

We hope you enjoy the heated discussions!

Final Fantasy 7 Remake has now released, and given it has Tetsuya Nomura as the director... we wanted to discuss the many similarities that exist between both games.

It makes for an interesting episode, as Branden and Churro run-through the story, gameplay and many other aspects that tie together to make a pretty comprehensive Final Fantasy experience.

The Final Fantasy 7 Remake has now released worldwide and the five year saga has now closed... before another one begins!

Within this episode, we take a look at our first impressions of the game (spoiler free of course) and this relates to gameplay, presentation and with a light-touch on the story.

We hope you're all enjoying the game so far (if you picked it up!)

Dengeki had the chance to speak with Tetsuya Nomura following the release of Remind and it revealed some juicy details about the future.

For one, Nomura spoke about the similarities between Final Fantasy Versus XIII and Verum Rex... stating that despite seeming the same, in reality they are very different. There will be a connection with Kingdom Hearts, but that connection has yet to be revealed and it will be shocking.

This, and more, with another action-packed episode!

We're joined by YouTuber The Night Sky Prince (aka Ryan) on the eve of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake's release to talk all about the build-up to this monumental game.

It's a pretty hefty episode in that regard, as we talk to Ryan about how he got started on YouTube and how much things have grown over the past few years. From there, it's all about FF7R, as we talk about our history with the game and reminisce about the journey we've taken to get to where we are.

We hope you enjoy!

With Sonic showing its possible to make a decent video game movie... what if Kingdom Hearts was given the same treatment? That's one of our questions in today's episode in addition to thoughts about why Kingdom Hearts skipped the PS3 and questions Branden and Churro wish they could ask the development staff.

All that in addition to talking about the PS5/XSX hardware specifications, which have now been released into the wild!

Final Fantasy XIII is now over 10 years old, so we thought it would be rather apt to talk through some of our favourite things about the game.

We're talking characters, gameplay mechanics, story moments, music and more in this extravaganza of a retrospective episode! And we even have a special guest!

Now that some time has passed, we know way more details about what's going to be coming with Kingdom Hearts Dark Road and in this episode we're talking about platforms, cards, story and how it'll work alongside Kingdom Hearts Union x.

In addition, Churro talks about his experience at PAX and we've got plenty of questions relating to Kingdom Hearts 4 and the potential for Kairi to become a main protagonist.

 

There's been a huge poll conducted in Japan relating to Final Fantasy where almost 500,00 people took part and it has some interesting results!

The poll related to favourite game in the series, favourite characters and favourite pieces of music.

Join us, as we look into how the Japanese public voted as there are plenty of shocks and surprises!

Kingdom Hearts has now had quite a few entries into the franchise... but will it ever receive a definitive ending?

That's one of the main topics for today's episode, which also has a wider look at gaming throughout 2020, expectations for the PS5 and XSX and a question about what happened to Final Fantasy X's characters in the Kingdom Hearts universe.

As we get closer and closer to the release of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Square Enix are revealing more and more information!

This episode, we have quite a bit to discuss as Square Enix released the full opening cutscene, published details about a brand new NPC, who works with Professor Hojo and even talked about the quest system.

In addition, we've also got some interesting questions relating to former creators and jewellery lines... so there's plenty of topics to discuss!

Kingdom Hearts: Dark Road has been revealed... but what exactly is it? All will be discussed this episode!

Initial theories relate to it being a Kingdom Hearts Union Cross rebrand, but it could be something original as well. There's also quite a lot happening with the franchise as the original games are coming to Xbox and KH All In One is getting a physical release on PS4.

Of course, there's also plenty of questions in what's another action packed episode for you all!

Square Enix surprised everyone this past week with a brand new trailer for the Final Fantasy 7 Remake... so it only makes sense to discuss the major details that were revealed!

Throughout the episode we're going to be discussing various points, from the characters and sequences that were revealed, the new details relating to the soundtrack and whether or not the trailer showed off too much.

We hope you enjoy the episode and also enjoyed the trailer!

Kingdom Hearts 3 Re:mind has been released and it conjures up plenty of discussion points that relate to the overall story and of course, the secret endings.

It's also been a bumper week for news too, with Project Xehanort announced and the reveal that two new teams are working on Kingdom Hearts titles outside of Kingdom Hearts 3 and Union x.

Music this episode is from Cateen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlVTWAjCA3A

As we kick-off 2020, there's a ton of news to run-through as one major game (Final Fantasy 7 Remake) has been delayed, and another (Mobius Final Fantasy) has been cancelled!

Both were pretty unexpected announcements, but as we discuss within the episode, it feels like the right decision based on some assumptions we're making!

We've also got an interesting question about Remakes and we take a broader look ahead to other games that we're looking forward to playing this year. Welcome back, and here's to another fantastic year!

 

Kingdom Hearts 3 Re:Mind is releasing pretty soon, and we're super excited to dive into the game's next chapter!

For our first episode of 2020, we're counting down to the game's launch, while also discussing some topics from the wider Kingdom Hearts community, the original voice actor for Yuffie playing the original Kingdom Hearts!

Music is from Coffee Date: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b38dwMYFiuw

As we approach the end of 2019, it felt appropriate to do a big update around everything we've seen relating to the Final Fantasy 7 Remake over the past few weeks!

It means we're talking about timed exclusivity, we're talking about progression mechanics for weapons and abilities and we're talking about Choco/Mog. There's also a little bit of time for us to talk about the delay of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remaster!

Thank you all for listening to us throughout the year, next year should be a big one and we're incredibly excited!

Music this episode is by SlayerSantiago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2y-gjrDwJY4

We've had a huge update on Kingdom Hearts 3 and it's been confirmed that Final Fantasy characters are coming back!

What we've seen so far confirms that Aerith, Yuffie and Squall will be featuring within Kingdom Hearts 3 Re:mind and we now have a release dates for both the PS4 and Xbox One editions (they're different!)

Music from this episode is provided by FantasyReborn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2LLahQ6Ybk

Square Enix has unleashed a whole load of new information relating to the Final Fantasy 7 Remake and within this episode, we're going to be delving into some of it.

Our main focus will be around the developer interviews, as Yoshinori Kitase, Tetsuya Nomura, Kazushige Nojima and Motomu Toriyama each had interesting anecdotes to share with us adoring fans.

Music this episode is from Papos!

Square Enix must have been listening to our previous show as the original Kingdom Hearts games (1.5 + 2.5) are now coming to Xbox!

But that's just the tip of the iceberg for this episode as there's a whole host of news to cover as well as plenty of questions to sift through!

There have been a ton of different female protagonists featured in the Final Fantasy franchise... but who's the best one? Well, that's our main topic of discussion for this episode!

For this particular topic, we'll be running through each major female protagonist talking about what they brought to their individual game, but also the franchise as a while before each deciding on our favourite!

Outside of that, we've got a ton of different questions from the community focussed around Final Fantasy XVI!

We spoke last episode about recruitment for a new Kingdom Hearts game, but it goes much deeper than that as the Kingdom Hearts team are now part of Business Division 1. What does this mean? Well, join us to find out!

We're also discussing fun topics such as, why did the Kingdom Hearts HD collections never launch on Xbox or Switch and whether releasing numbered titles episodically would be a good move for the franchise.

Music this episode is from SilverTom93: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGsOR9-0WqI

Hajime Tabata departed Square Enix just over a year ago and we felt like it was an apt time to review what happened and see where it's left us

As part of this, we're reviewing the legacy of Final Fantasy XV, but also looking at Luminous Studios' output since his departure. And of course, we're taking a look what Tabata has been up to since he left Square Enix!

Music this episode is from daigoro789: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKx5zMHbSrI

Square Enix is hiring for staff to develop a new HD Kingdom Hearts experience... is this Kingdom Hearts 4? Among the roles were a UI Designer, Technical Artist and Effect Designer.

With the PlayStation 5 also being unveiled in an official capacity, with plans for a Holiday 2020 release, does this also have any impact on on the future of Kingdom Hearts?

There's plenty to discuss on this episode, and we hope you enjoy!

Music this episode is from Lost Son: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqYYThVDdQU

Final Fantasy XVI may well be in development at Square Enix and who knows, after Final Fantasy VII Remake Part One releases, we may learn more about it... but the key question we're discussing on today's episode is how it should be structured.

Square Enix has had a few multi-part experiences in the past two decades, with the most recent example being the Final Fantasy XIII Trilogy, but with the Final Fantasy VII Remake also being multi-part, it begs the question... should Final Fantasy XVI follow a similar approach? 

Music this episode is from Hashel05: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lX3MAHwwFRo

Tetsuya Nomura has just turned 49, so we look back at some of his best moments... which of course has a heavy focus on the Kingdom Hearts franchise!

As always, there's also an absolute boat load of questions, which Branden, Churro and Emily run-through. These explore topics such as... whether we'll ever get to do to the Destiny Islands main island and whether Scala Ad Caelum is evidence of cut content within Kingdom Hearts 3!

Music this episode is from Ferdk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRdwmG8vYzA

With Final Fantasy having such a rich history when it comes to spin-off titles, we figured it was a good time to talk through some of our dream spin-offs!

It creates a lengthy conversation as we talk through SIX potential spin-offs that could exist, although some of this does depend on what your interpretation of a spin-off actually is!

Music this episode is provided by Atilist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nk-bpikgTGs

Kingdom Hearts is now almost two decades old, but there have been plenty of other games released since then across a multitude of platforms. Within today's episode, we're discussing which games should be remade, to help bring them to a wider audience.

We've also plenty of discussion points around the Kingdom Hearts 3 Soundtrack and which characters won't be appearing as the franchise moves in a new direction.

Music this episode is by Moises Nieto: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV6MPgZNK8A

There was a whole host of new details revealed about the Final Fantasy 7 Remake at TGS 2019 and we've got it all covered!

As everything came in two halves, we've decided to structure this episode the same way and it means we're talking all about the new character reveals, the new story sequences, the new gameplay mechanics and of course, the mini-games!

Music this episode is by Alex Moukala: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJiZCD1soMc

As Kingdom Hearts turns 17, we look back at the game that started it all! It leads to numerous discussions about what the game meant as well as how it was able to spawn such a successful franchise.

There's also plenty of time to recap on the 6th Keybearers Alliance Gathering that took place on the 14th of September and had some special guests in attendance!

We hope you enjoy the lengthy reminiscing, as well as some awesome questions from the community!

With Final Fantasy 8 Remastered just having released, we felt like it was the perfect time to run through some of the good it brought, but also highlight some of the downsides that have sprung up.

It means we'll be talking about nostalgia and all that good stuff, while also running our critical eye over what Square Enix has actually done and whether or not it warrants a re-purchase.

Music this episode is by Megalorganiste: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LffRoM0H7BU

With Kingdom Hearts 3's secret ending offering up so much, we discuss what it means for future worlds!

While we wait though, the crew reflect on other games that have been taking up their time since Kingdom Hearts 3, while looking forward to games they're excited for in the near future.

Music this episode is by: dreamEater (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnDnLBGnXoc)

With Gamescom 2019 now behind us, we reflect on how the show panned out from a Final Fantasy perspective.

Both the Final Fantasy VII Remake and Final Fantasy VIII Remastered featured, but what was the showing like? Well, that's an interesting subject.

In addition, we're also running through a whole host of questions, ranging from characters we'd like to see in Smash through to what kind of soap Tidus would be!

Music this episode is from TroyGarner: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fb9-xnJLJ9c

It's time to get all nostalgic as we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the podcast with plenty of fun discussions and even a special guest!

Given how much time has passed, we reflect on how much things have changed over the past 10 years, from the core root of the series itself, through to the community and how the show has even changed in that time!

We hope you enjoy the reminiscing.

Music this episode is by Kayou: https://soundcloud.com/kayouremix/kingdom-hearts-dearly-beloved-kayou-remix

Final Fantasy X was a fantastic game in so many ways and this episode is all about celebrating the greatness of the game!

We'll have a focus on some of our favourite characters, pieces of music and specific scenes... all while talking about some distinct memories we have from playing the game. Darryl also manages to get confused multiple times, so it's a win win!

Music this episode is from BitSymphony: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2mFfOH0lzg

Now that enough time has passed, one of the main questions discussed on Episode 176 of Kingdom Hearts Union relates to the ending of Kingdom Hearts 3 and whether any changes needed to be made.

There's also another fantastic question around which other Disney companions would be good for accompanying Sora... outside of Donald and Goofy!

Music this episode is by Karim Kamar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUvrFGPeZ8Q

Throughout the years we have been blessed with some fantastic intros to Final Fantasy games, and this episode we're going to be delving into what made them so special.

To do that, we'll be taking a look at the various aspects that a beginning contains, such as the narrative passage, the structure the developers chose to use and how unique it was in comparison to what had come before!

Music this episode is from Baschfire: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nb9ck2W6_0k

We've been desperate to learn more about what's in store for Kingdom Hearts VR and now we know as some new updates have gone live that bring a new location and control schemes.

We also got to learn just how well Kingdom Hearts 3 did following a report about the best selling games of 2019 so far and of course, there's always time for some questions from the community!

Music this episode is from J-Music Ensemble: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLP2hTC5KrU

You knew it was going to keep on happening, but after a blunder by Xbox, rumours have started up again about whether or not the Final Fantasy 7 Remake will appear on Xbox One.

We've also got plenty of fun topics to discuss elsewhere, including a discussion about Final Fantasy XIV, whether we think Square Enix are taking enough risks as a company and oddly enough, what a materia-flavoured pizza might taste like...!

Music this episode is provided by bGevko: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_aEC2UZgwQ

With Kingdom Hearts now releasing on the Xbox, the next logical step would surely be the PC... so will that ever happen? That's one of the main topics we're discussing today on Kingdom Hearts Union, as we take a whole host of questions from the community.

Other topics also include whether Sora should be recast and why video games take so long to create these days.

Music this episode is provided by Ro Panuganti: https://gamelark.bandcamp.com/album/hearts-of-light

We've made it to Episode 200 of the Final Fantasy Union podcast, which is so crazy to think about considering where we came from. That's why we felt it was rather apt this episode to take a look at some of the moments that helped to shape who we are today.

So, strap yourselves in, as you're in a for an extensive trip down memory lane as we look back and react to some of the podcast's earlier moments.

We hope you enjoy and continue to enjoy listening for the next 100+ episodes!

Even though E3 2019 was a few weeks ago now, information from Japanese publications has started to drip-feed out and there's so much to digest!

Famitsu were able to speak to Tetsuya Nomura in quite a lot of depth about the new Kingdom Hearts 3 ReMIND trailer, the content housed within the DLC and when we're going to expect it.

We've also got a fantastic question from the community around Square Enix's next move with the Kingdom Hearts franchise... exciting stuff!

Music this episode is from SilverTom93: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n44Zq9SGpY0 

From a Final Fantasy perspective, E3 2019 was something of a dream show, as Square Enix featured a whole host of Final Fantasy games... including the Final Fantasy 7 Remake!

This episode, we're taking an extensive dive into everything they showed off, including Tifa Lockhart, the gameplay and talk about the future of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake project!

There's also a quick recap of everything else we liked from the show too, so we hope you enjoy the rather lengthy episode!

Music this episode is provided by TeraCMusic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKIJLBEftPI

E3 2019 is well underway and we've received plenty of information about Kingdom Hearts 3 thanks to a brand new trailer!

It means we have plenty to discuss, as lots of information was released around Kingdom Hearts 3 Re:Mind such as how the story will evolve and of course, the planned release window!

There's also a question from the community relating to whether Kingdom Hearts 3 will appear on the PS5/Project Scarlett and if so, what features would we want?

With E3 2019 just around the corner, it felt like the perfect time to talk about exactly we think (and hope) Square Enix will show off relating to the Final Fantasy 7 Remake!

It means we'll be covering a wide range of topics, from when we expect them to show elements, through to which characters they will reveal, what we will learn about gameplay and music and of course, whether or not Square Enix will choose to announce a release date for the first part!

In addition, we also have a fantastic question from the community thanks to Connor, who wanted us to discuss the differences between Japanese and English dialogue.

Music this episode is provided by the Celestial Aeon Project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8L83c_rpINs

Kingdom Hearts fans, E3 2019 is just around the corner so of course it's time for the rumour mill to begin as we've got plenty of speculation to discuss... including, whether Kingdom Hearts will even be at this year's premiere video game showcase!

It means we'll be delving into numerous topics, such as whether Nomura will give any hints around new Kingdom Hearts titles and whether they will show off any of the Kingdom Hearts 3 DLC... or even potentially reveal more!

We of course have some questions to run-through and we'd also like to introduce Emily to the Kingdom Hearts Union crew as a new co-host!

Music this episode is provided by RoboRob: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxABCr41Aug

Wow, what a week it's been for the Final Fantasy 7 Remake! Even though it was only a teaser trailer, it revealed a whole host of details and we're going to be running through them all today.

We'll be talking about the reveal of Aerith, the re-reveal of the other characters like Cloud and Barret and the sprucing up for the game's many other aspects compared to what we saw almost three years ago now.

It makes for plenty of passionate discussion, as the hype has very much been reinvigorated!

Music this episode is provided by Rozen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpXtRt6hM4Q

With a few months now having passed, it's time to delve into some of Kingdom Hearts 3's secrets!

That means for this episode we'll be running through the game's epilogue, secret ending and secret reports and running through some of the various theories and interpretations that have been established.

We've also got a time for a question from the community too, to round out what's another bumper episode of the show!

Music this episode is from PianoPrinceOfAnime: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbWBQnvC2wY

Final Fantasy has been such an expansive franchise, but with so many games to choose from... how could you ever just pick one?

Well, that's our challenge today, as we discuss with main-line game we'd like to play for the rest of our lives, while also discussing how we'd make the same decision with the franchise's mobile titles.

In addition, we've got some cracking questions round expanded stories with other potential Final Fantasy remakes and also, delving into how Final Fantasy XIII actually manage to spawn two sequels!

Music this episode is by FalKKonE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFBmSTFQ9rg

Not only do we have the EPIC conclusion to our Kingdom Hearts 3 review, but we've also had a huge news blast where ReMIND was announced!

Yep, it's a two-part episode this time around, as the big finale gets some in-depth discussion as each of the conflicts is broken down in some rather granular detail.

And then, there's the news blast. Not only have they announced Critical Mode, but Kingdom Hearts 3 ReMIND was also unveiled. It will come with plenty of paid and free content - plenty to keep us busy!

Music this episode is provided by Luna Lorrain: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22v9OLyh1X0

With E3 2019 getting ever-closed, we decided to take a look this episode at how we'd like to see Square Enix utilise the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII within the Final Fantasy 7 Remake!

Yep, we're going to be talking about utilising characters from Before Crisis, Crisis Core and Dirge of Cerberus and how post-launch popularity of certain characters could also sway their decisions!

We've got a specific focus around characters featured within Midgar, but there's plenty of room for discussions around Professor Gast, Cissnei, Zack Fair and Genesis!

Music this episode is provided by FamilyJules: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4ZGC3FTtqI

It's time for the next part of our rather extensive review, which sees a two-hour special for the Keyblade Graveyard!

As we've done in our previous review episodes, there's a significant focus around the story... but we'll also be looking at the level design and general gameplay, the visual presentation and the general impression it left on us!

We've also got a question about the possibility of the Kingdom Hearts franchise appearing on Nintendo Switch!

Music this episode is provided by UprisingGrand: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emTmH1Mv5dA

With the start of Square Enix's new financial year, there's been plenty of change afoot! 

It's seen a continuation of the changes we saw at the end of last year when Hajime Tabata left to pursue new ventures, as Hideo Baba (Head of Studio Istolia) has also now resigned from the company.

Square Enix have also published more information around the restructure that's seen the business divisions merged, to hopefully make development efforts much more streamlined.

Oh, there's a small piece of news too, relating to a large-scale project that YoshiP is working on, that the Final Fantasy VII Remake!

Music this episode is from Sschafi1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMqVgKAAnvY

Even though Kingdom Hearts 3 has now been out for a little while, our extensive review is continuing in earnest and this episode we're tackling The Caribbean and San Fransokyo!

We've also got a fantastic discussion topic that was suggested from the community around the lyrics of Chikai and Don't Think Twice and what they symbolise, so we hope you enjoy our deep dive into that particular topic!

Music this episode is from Musicality: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SWngOE5pm4

To celebrate Nobuo Uematsu's birthday, we figured it would be a fantastic opportunity to have a show dedicated to his career so far!

Having joined Square back in 1985, Uematsu-san has gone on to have such an impactful career within the video game music industry,  not least due to his involvement with the Final Fantasy franchise.

It's a testament to his talents that he was able to have so much longevity, with his older works will standing up decades later.

For this episode, we run-through his career, including the highs and lows, as well as a brief interlude into what the legendary composer is doing these days!

Music this episode is from EDM producers BOSSFIGHT and NewGamePlus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8HcjqQOIFw

We have a very special guest this episode, as we're interviewing Tasha Sounart, who works at Pixar and was a consultant on Kingdom Hearts 3!

In a wide-ranging interview, we ask Tasha about numerous things like... how involvement with Kingdom Hearts 3 actually came around and the relationship that evolved with the Kingdom Hearts team!

But that's not all.... as the gang also continue their discussions around Kingdom Hearts 3! This episode it's all about Monstropolis and Arrendale, so hopefully you enjoy that too!

Our music this episode is from the very talented Ru's Piano: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SWngOE5pm4

We've ventured into antagonists, so it's only fair that we venture into the world of protagonists... but that's not all this episode!

Outside of discussing the various protagonists that have graced the Final Fantasy franchise over the years, we're also taking a look at potential cross-over games that would benefit from classic Final Fantasy mechanics.

Oh, and we also have a rather extensive news update for you all, so hopefully you enjoy that!

Music this episode is provided by Belzifer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEWbtoU4mik. Make sure you comment on his video to let him know we sent you!

With the release of the Kingdom Hearts 3 Ultimania, we've gained access to a whole host of glorious information and we're going to be delving into all of it today!

There's numerous topics to discuss, from what the DLC may be (including Critical Model and Kingdom Hearts 3 Final Mix), but also what may happen next with the franchise and some of the more nuanced pieces of information around why certain decisions were made and even cut content!

It's another extensive episode, so we hope you enjoy the discussions!

Episode Ardyn Prologue has been released in preparation for Episode Ardyn and it was pretty intense!

This episode, we're running through Episode Ardyn Prologue (spoiler free) talking about what they've looked to achieve and how the various characters were portrayed.

But... we're also running through the Q&A they released alongside the Prologue, where they talk about what's to come and also their motivations around producing it in the first place!

It's time for Part 2 of our rather extensive review of Kingdom Hearts 3 and this time we're talking about a few more worlds!

Branden is joined by Churro for the 2nd part of our review, which focusses on the Toy Box and Kingdom of Corona worlds. We'll focus on how the story played out in these worlds, as well as the visuals and gameplay elements that Square Enix brought to the table.

There's also time for some questions for the community, with an emphasis on romance and the removal of it from the Disney storylines.

To celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Final Fantasy VIII, we decided to have a special fangasm episode...!

That's right, we're joined by Chris (aka Hoogathy) for this episode, as we're running through our favourite characters, favourite moments and favourite pieces of music from what a rather special game in the Final Fantasy franchise.

We hope you enjoy our discussions, as we reminisce on why this game meant so much to us all when it released 20 years ago and all the times we've played it since!

Kingdom Hearts 3 has now released and we couldn't be more excited! Join us, as we talk through our impressions of the early sections of the game!

Yep, as we had to wait such a long time, we're also going to taking our time with this review. For this first part, we're going to be running through the initial worlds that feature in Kingdom Hearts 3 with a specific focus on the story, level design and gameplay, presentation and general lasting impressions.

Not only that, but we also have a boat load of questions from the community to run-through. It's a mega episode and we hope you enjoy it!

With so many to choose from, this episode we're talking all about our favourite Final Fantasy antagonists!

Yep, that's right... we're going to be running through the various villains we've seen since the Final Fantasy franchise started and discussing what they brought to the table in their respective games. 

Then, as you'd expect, we talk through which are our favourites, while naturally providing some solid rationales behind why we feel certain antagonists did a better job than others!

As we venture further into 2019, there's plenty to discuss and this episode we're talking remakes, first impressions when playing games and whether the franchise has lost its gameplay mojo!

Yes, that's right, it's time for a full-on questions episode as we delve into some rather interesting topics such as... what our first impressions were when playing Final Fantasy 8, whether or not you should buy Final Fantasy Type-0 and whether Square Enix should go down the route of remaking other titles.

As you can imagine, it leads to some rather interesting discussions, so we hope you enjoy!

Kingdom Hearts 3 is so close now, we can almost touch it and that's why we've got a super long episode as a precursor to the biggest release in the franchise's history!

Even though we're so close though, there's still plenty of room for speculation around what we will see within the final product. But before any of that happens, there's also talk about how Nomura has decided to fight back against those who are trying to play leaked copies of the game... what exactly that means for in the wider context!

It makes for an action-packed episode... and we hope it helps to tide you over until the release of Kingdom Hearts 3!

Happy New Year everyone! To kick things off, we thought it would be rather interesting to dive into the mystery that is... Hiroyuki Ito!

In the earlier days of the franchise, Hiroyuki Ito was one of the stars of the company, having a prominent hand in the majority of Final Fantasy games that released. However, in recent years, Ito has been missing from the limelight. But why?

We run-through everything this legendary game designer has done for the franchise, before speculating around what he's actually up to and why.

Kingdom Hearts 3 is now in the wild following a leak... so with just over a month until the game's official release, there will be plenty of spoilers rolling around!

That's why we felt it would be a good idea to do an episode on how to avoid Kingdom Hearts 3 spoilers, as they can come from numerous sources these days!

We've also got a few questions from the community, including... how long we'll have to wait until we see Kingdom Hearts 4!

It's been a rather interesting year for Final Fantasy with some definite highs and lows, so to round-out the year, we thought it would be rather appropriate to pick-out some key moments!

Yes, that means we'll be talking about Final Fantasy XV's DLC, the launch of Dissidia NT and the interesting announcements that were thrown our way during TGS 2018!

On top of that, there's also a little recap about our lives outside of Final Fantasy! 

Thank you all so much for your support throughout another year and here's to 2019!

It's true, according to Tetsuya Nomura, Kingdom Hearts 3 is now officially complete... they've finished working on the main game and to celebrate they've released a new trailer!

Not only that, but there are more trailers and videos to come throughout December and the pre-order bonuses have been revealed!

There was also a ton of information released about Pixar's involvement with Kingdom Hearts 3 and it sounds pretty intense to say the least!

We're talking about the Final Fantasy 7 Remake in-depth this episode... sort of!

Tetsuya Nomura has been speaking to the press about his frustrations... with the press, so we delve into what that actually means. Does he have a point and whose fault is it? Also, what's actually even going on with the Final Fantasy 7 Remake... will it now be appearing on the PlayStation 5? There's so much to discuss!

On top of that, there's also some news updates relating to Dissidia NT, Final Fantasy XIV and Final Fantasy XIII!

As part of Microsoft's X018 event, we got to see a new Kingdom Hearts 3 trailer and there was a ton of new details revealed!

We got to hear Master Xehanort's new voice, some new footage from Big Hero Six and some new spoilerific scenes featuring Sora, Axel and Kairi! It means there's an absolute boat load of things to discuss and with Sabrina and Churro joining Branden, there are loads if opinions too!

In addition, there's also a question from the community about the Radiant Garden being offered up as potential downloadable content.

Shocked doesn't even begin to describe how we're feeling after everything that's happened this week as not only has Hajime Tabata stepped down as the Director/Producer of Final Fantasy XV, he's also quit Square Enix entirely!

The majority of the planned DLC episodes for Final Fantasy XV have also been cancelled, with Episode Ardyn the only survivor. It means there's plenty to discuss on this episode; starting with... how did this even happen?

Outside of that, there's also a small news segment, with some updates around World of Final Fantasy and Dissidia NT!

Last time we talked about whether or not it would work as a movie or tv show and so in light of Kingdom Hearts III's attraction flow mechanics., this episode we're discussing whether or not Kingdom Hearts would work as a Disneyland ride.

As we're getting closer and closer to the release date of Kingdom Hearts III, we're seeing the game pop up at many trade shows. Its most recent appearance at Lucca Comics and Games 2018 saw a new trailer focused around the Tangled world.

There was also an announcement about a new single called "Face my Fears" and we close out the episode answering questions from the community. Which Disney film do we want featured in a future game? Well, listen to find out!

Fan theories have been swirling around for quite some time, but what's their impact on the wider lore of the Final Fantasy franchise? Well, that's what's being discussed on the podcast as touch on some of the more prominent fan theories that have done the rounds, and discuss the impact they've had.

As part of this, we also look at comments that have been made by the creators on this particular topic, with some being more open to the works of fans than others!

With Disney becoming more heavily involved with Kingdom Hearts 3, there's always the potential for expansion... but what about as a movie or TV show?

That's one of the main topics for the show this episode, as one of our community members is keen to see our thoughts about how Kingdom Hearts could continue to grow after the release of Kingdom Hearts 3.

There is, of course, also plenty of news relating to Kingdom Hearts 3 and it looks like Union Cross is also getting an update!

Dissidia NT has been out for quite some time now, but things haven't gone as planned... so what's next?

This episode, we discuss a recent marketing campaign that Square Enix has launched to try and promote Dissidia NT, but we go further back, looking at why the launch didn't yield the expected results and why their strategy since then perhaps hasn't helped.

It all leads onto what's next for the game. Will Season Pass Two help to revitalise the game, or should they look at different approaches to try and bring players in?

With the launch of Kingdom Hearts 3 getting closer and closer, Square Enix are looking to build the hype wherever possible! And that's seen them announce a brand-new compilation game called Kingdom Hearts: The Story So Far.

It will act as a full Kingdom Hearts collection on the PS4, including six games and three movie-length cutscenes!

Outside of that, the game's opening song has been announced and it's being co-written by Utada and Skrillex! There's also been hints that Sephiroth will be making an appearance in Kingdom Hearts 3!

With the recent birth of our second child, Darryl is flying solo this episode... but that doesn't mean there will be any less to discuss as the games as a service topic has raised its head again following an interview with Final Fantasy XV's director Hajime Tabata!

Darryl runs through the merits of the approach in relation to Final Fantasy XV, talking about the lessons that can be learnt and applied to future iterations. But it's also about understanding what exactly it means for games to act as a service, as opposed to a standalone packaged offering.

In addition, there's also plenty of questions to run-through, including favourite summon mechanics, opinions on the Ultimania Archive guide books and what we think about Caius and Noel as characters!

 

Kingdom Hearts 3 had a strong showing at this year's Tokyo Game Show, with plenty of new stuff shown!

First up, we finally received footage of Big Hero 6! This was announced some time ago, but until now we had only seen a piece of key art; that's all changed thanks to a brand new trailer!

There were also new story sequences revealed, some information about returning characters and there's also plenty of interesting morsels from an interview with Tetsuya Nomura... including talking about the secret ending!

We're now approaching the end of the 31st anniversary for Final Fantasy, and we just had a ton of announcements! Were these the games Hashimoto was talking about throughout last year? Who knows!

Either way, we couldn't be more excited about the announcement of the Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition and with more content coming to World of Final Fantasy, classic games coming to Xbox One and Nintendo Switch and the announcement of a Chocobo Dungeons remaster, it was quite the explosion!

With the Tokyo Game Show not even underway yet, there's also the chance that we may get even more news too - so keep your eyes and ears peeled!

Tokyo Game Show 2018 proposes to be a pretty huge event for the Kingdom Hearts franchise with plenty of stuff already confirmed! And that's what this episode is all about, building the hype and discussing what's going to be at the actual show.

Outside of that, there are plenty of updates relating to Kingdom Hearts Union X and we have the customary questions, which relate to side content in Kingdom Hearts 3 and unrealised potential within the franchise!

There's been another mini Kingdom Hearts 3 news explosion, but we've also had some rather interesting questions asked this episode!

As part of a new wave of press, the Kingdom Hearts 3 team have spoken more about the role of the Gummi Ship in this latest iteration, that there will be secret World Bosses that they won't reveal before launch and they also went into detail about the whole localisation process.

We've also got some great questions from the community around unexpected worlds we think will appear in Kingdom Hearts 3, other characters we'd like to play as and whether we think the next game will act as a reboot for the franchise!

With Square Enix focusing so heavily on remakes and remasters in recent years, has this been hindering their creative efforts elsewhere? That's the main topic of our show today, as we talk through the pros and cons of remakes and remasters!

In addition, we've also got a whole host of questions from the community, relating to topics such as Final Fantasy X-3, likes/dislikes when it comes to the various mobile titles and whether or not we think there will ever be another game released within the Final Fantasy Tactics franchise!

It's an action-packed episode full of plenty of discussions!

Perhaps it's too early to think about it, but that's where we're heading this episode... as we we're taking a look at what's next for Kingdom Hearts as we progress beyond 2019.

Of course though, there's still plenty of time for some news and with Gamescom on the horizon, there's going to be a ton of stuff to look forward to and discuss!

There's also the classic question about how to best prepare for the release of Kingdom Hearts 3 - are you guys going to start right at the beginning and have a huge marathon?

With Octopath Traveler doing so well, should it have been positioned as a Final Fantasy game? That's the topic we're discussing today, and we also branch it out into wider games like the Bravely series.

It makes for an interesting debates about the merits of being associated with Final Fantasy, or whether it's sometimes better to go it alone!

In addition, we've also got numerous questions from bosses that we think would be good parents, through to who we think should be the main composer on Final Fantasy XVI!

With so much happening right now related to Kingdom Hearts 3, we often have to pick and choose what we cover, so today, we're running through the news that we often don't cover!

So, we're talking about game length, Nendoroids and interesting prize draws that are being run in Japan at the moment! There's also time for a bit of news about Kingdom Hearts Union Cross!

Outside of that, there's a whole host of questions to run-through, relating to the best numbered titles, how certain characters may have an impact on the story of Kingdom Hearts 3 and the secret ending of Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded!

We're taking plenty of questions this episode, and our main topic delves into the realm of us... becoming the CEO of Square Enix!

It makes for some interesting discussions and some unique angles as to where and why Square Enix should focus on certain things!

Outside of that, we've got a whole host of other questions related to the enemies we feel most guilty about beating up, through to Dissidia NT characters and future remakes!

Nomura has been conducting interviews in Japan, and it means there are a ton of new juicy details being released about Kingdom Hearts 3.

It means we've got some new information about Twilight Town, mini-games and weapons from the Frozen World, and the fact there won't be a demo that's made available to the public. Nomura has also clarified that the aim of Kingdom Hearts 3 is to make sure everyone's story is settled, so therefore the number of characters featured will be enormous!

We've also got a rather interesting discussion about the topic of dubbing in non-English/Japanese languages, so hopefully you enjoy!

Expanded universes have become more common place, but is it a good thing? It's time for a good ol' discussion as we explore the topic back to its roots and relate it to our expectations around Final Fantasy XVI.

It means we'll be discussing the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII and the Fabula Nova Crystallis sub-franchise, but we'll also be looking at some of the sequels, like Final Fantasy X-2 and Revenant Wings.

Hopefully you enjoy the discussions, it's a long one!

There's been a huge news explosion around Kingdom Hearts 3, as Tetsuya Nomura has talked about numerous topics, such as what we can expect from the Pirates of the Caribbean world, a secret movie and what we should expect from the game's downloadable content!

We're also pleased to welcome one of our Patreon supporters onto the show to discuss loads of fun topics, including their journey into Kingdom Hearts and what their expectations are for Kingdom Hearts 3.

On top of that there's also a question from the community relating to Don't Think Twice!

For today's episode we talk through everything that happened in and around the announcement of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake! To clarify though, we aren't stuck in a time warp, it's more that Nomura has just given some additional details as to why they announced it so far before they were ready to release it!

It leads to a rather lengthy discussion on the pressures of the video games industry, different practises Square Enix have employed and what we generally feel about the announcement.

On top of that, we've also got a small news update to round out the show, as well as an awesome arrangement of the main theme from Final Fantasy VII!

 E3 2018 has come and gone and we have a ton of stuff to discuss with you about Kingdom Hearts 3 from the event.

We have the pre-E3 announcements like the official Kingdom Hearts 3 release date from the Orchestra World Tour concert. the trailers they showed off at E3, to director Tetsuya Nomura's interview answers post E3.

Let's hope it won't be too long now till we get our next morsels of information.

With E3 2018 well under way, it's time for us to discuss how we think things are going so far from the perspective of Final Fantasy!

That means we'll be talking all about the Square Enix showcase, amongst some brief conversations about the other press conferences that took place. Unfortunately though, Final Fantasy hasn't been a big focus for Square Enix at this year's show, with only a few small pieces of information coming out.

Still, that doesn't mean there isn't a lot to talk about, so join us as we discuss E3 2018 so far!

E3 is just around the corner, so it's time for some prediction madness (and some news!)

Yep, that's right, this episode we're running through all of the pre-E3 2018 news related to Kingdom Hearts 3, including the playable demo and the concert that will be taking place.

Then it's onto the big ticket item itself, Kingdom Heart 3's presence at E3 outside of the demo. The guys discuss thing such as new trailers, the theme song, voice acting, Final Fantasy characters, new worlds and of course, the release date!

To round out the episode, we then have some classic questions relating to the future of Kingdom Hearts after the third major game releases and DLC.

E3 2018 is only a few very short weeks away, so we felt it was the perfect time to run-through some of our juicy predictions for what we think they'll show!

We've decided to therefore split it into two segments. First-up, there's our "dream list" of Final Fantasy content; stuff that we would absolutely love to see, but we appreciate that there's a degree of luck involved. Then there's the "dead cert" stuff, that's almost guaranteed to be there.

To round things out, we've also got a small news update! It's good to be back, hopefully you didn't miss us too much!

We were lucky enough to be invited to play Kingdom Hearts 3 at the Kingdom Hearts 3 Premier Invitation Event in Los Angeles... and we're going to tell you all about it, as Churro is reporting on location this episode!

To give you a quick run-down on the aspects we're going to cover... of course we're going to look at the demo contents, how great it looked, the different mechanics available, the worlds and the mini-games. But, oh, there's so much more!

And even though there's so much to talk about, there's even a small questions segment at the end of the episode!

We've unfortunately had to delay episode 172 of Final Fantasy Union due to illness. Hopefully we'll be on the mend soon so that we can still record a show, but it'll likely come out this weekend.

Apologies that we couldn't make it work this time around guys, we've really tried, but our voices just aren't up to the task :(

We've learnt some new details about the release of Utada's theme tune for Kingdom Hearts 3, and there's speculation that it may coincide with the release of a new trailer in or around E3 2018.

Branden also quizzes Churro about his newfound obsession with Union Cross, and the how he feels about getting the chance to play some of Kingdom Hearts 3!

On top of that, there's also plenty of time for some questions to round out this rather action-packed episode of Kingdom Hearts goodness!

It's time to look to the future, so this episode we're talking about our hopes and dreams for Final Fantasy XVI!

We'll be running through numerous topics relating to Final Fantasy XVI, including when we think it'll actually be announced, what kind of experience we're looking to see and when we think it'll be released.

We're also got a ton of questions this episode where we'll be discussing mini-games, Theatrhythm, music and underrated Final Fantasy games!

Not too long ago, Square Enix hosted an event for KINGDOM HEARTS Union χ[Cross] and there was tons of stuff there! 

This ranged from Kingdom Hearts 3 mini-games that were available to play, through to a new trailer for the game being shown off to those in attendance. It means there's an absolute boat load of things to discuss!

As always, we also have a ton of questions to answer and this time we're talking about the potential for an expanded Hundred Acre Wood story, the Keyblade War and potential future episodes of the podcast!

We've known it's been coming, but the new wave of DLC for Final Fantasy XV has now been fully revealed.

This episode Darryl and Lauren spend some time talking through the different Episodes that were revealed during PAX East 2018, including the content they will contain and when they will actually release.

There's also some other news relating to Final Fantasy XV in the form of Comrades becoming a standalone and some updates to the Windows Edition!

And, we're also talking about Final Fantasy cross-over titles. Which games would we like to see blend together with our beloved franchise? 

It's time to talking some newmors this episode, as a voice actor has said they're working on a new "Kingdom of Hearts" game. Another voices have also said they're working on a game, but which one is it?

Branden, Churro and Sabrina discuss the possibilities here, while also tackling some rather intricate questions.

They'll be talking about whether they'd want a remake of the original Kingdom Hearts, but using Kingdom Hearts 3 as a base, and what they think will happen with saving in Kingdom Hearts 3, as the games often have a more traditional save system.

This episode, inspired by re-watching Disney's Robin Hood, we're discussing entry points into the franchise, and how that may affect opinions about the older games!

It leads to a discussion around the storytelling we've seen in the different eras and whether or not newer fans will have the same positive experience when going back to play older titles.

In addition, there's also a smidgen of news coverage! We've got some updates to the Final Fantasy XV Universe, the Final Fantasy 7 Remake and even a little bit extra on the side!

Can you believe that the Kingdom Hearts franchise is now 16 years old? We can't either! And that's what we're talking about today as Branden is joined by Churro to talk about what it's like to have been a fan throughout the years.

The guys also talk about how their perceptions have changed over time, whether or not the wait has been worth it to see a conclusion to the Xehanort saga and where they want the series to go now!

And of course, there are the customary questions about all sorts of things, from Kingdom Hearts 3 appearing on Switch to some classic lore.

We hope you enjoy!

We've got a bit of a chance of pace this episode, as Darryl and Lauren talk through some pieces of Final Fantasy music that really resonate with them.

Each of hosts has to select four pieces of music that personify a game in the franchise, music that gets them pumped or psyched to experience it!

Outside of that, we're also looking at some of the recent news, such as Noctis appear in Tekken 7, Vayne arriving in Dissidia NT and some new board members at Square Enix!

With Final Fantasy XV receiving so much DLC, we turn our attentions to what this might mean for Kingdom Hearts 3. It's one of the main questions that Branden and Churro run-through this episode, which also features a ton of other discussions.

There's even more detailed analysis from the D23 Expo video, including some snippets from Nomura about the fact everything they've shown is still very much a WIP. We've also got more information on the Gummi Ship and some new details around the Tangled World!

And to round out the episode, we've got a question about Sora's changing hair colour!

Enjoy :D

There's going to be even more DLC created for Final Fantasy XV, but how do we feel about this - has it ruined the overall experience? That's one of the questions tackled by Lauren and Darryl in this episode, amongst many, many others!

We're also talking about classic Square/Square Enix franchises that could potentially be revived, what kind of remake we'd like to see for future Final Fantasy titles and flat out, whether or not we think they should just stop producing more content for Final Fantasy XV!

It makes for a rather interesting episode, with plenty of different points of view on display and it's all rounded out with a sweet guitar arrangement!

We hope you guys enjoy!

We had so much Kingdom Hearts 3 news at D23 that we decided to dive into even more analysis this episode, as well as answering some pertinent questions!

It sees Branden, Churro and Sabrina discuss the D23 trailers in much more depth, as well as the worlds we now know will appear in Kingdom Hearts 3.

In addition, we've got three rather tasty questions related to Young Xehanort, potential Kingdom Hearts 3 censorship and Organisation XIII!

We hope you guys enjoy!

It's been a while since we've focussed on Final Fantasy news, but we've got a whole episode dedicated to it this time around!

Yep, we're going to be looking in-detail about how Dissidia: Final Fantasy NT performed after launch, from the perspective of sales and also from its critical reception. We've also got a small update regarding the Final Fantasy 7 Remake, and then some rather extensive opinions about the Final Fantasy XV Royal Edition and its additional story content!

We hope you guys enjoy the episode!

D23 Expo just happened in Japan and there was a HUGE array of news relating to Kingdom Hearts 3!

Not only did we get an awesome new trailer, it revealed a whole host of new information, including a brand new world... Monsters Inc! This has been rumoured for a while, but it's great to see it fully realised.

We also got to see the Tangled world in action, learn more about the Toy Story world and Utada Hikaru's new theme tune was revealed to the world for the first time!

There's also a ton more discussed, so make sure you're fully tuned in for this bumper episode!

Dissidia NT has now been out for a week and we've got an extensive discussion about how we feel!

We'll be covering lots of different topics, from the story and the gameplay, through to the voice acting! And we'll be talking about it a lot, providing some constructive feedback where we feel it's necessary!

On top of that, we've also got questions from the community relating to 3rd party characters in Dissidia, favourite locations and favourite optional bosses!

It looks like OPM UK may have just revealed some huge story details for Kingdom Hearts 3... but is it too good to be true?

In an article within the magazine, they spoke about Kingdom Hearts 3 having a split-perspective story between Sora and Riku and there also being a Fantasia World... but did they just confuse it with Kingdom Hearts 3D?

We've also got questions about DLC, and potential ports of Chain of Memories to the Nintendo Switch.

Over the years, there have been so many different battle systems incorporated into Final Fantasy main series games, but what are the differences between them and which is our favourite? Well, that's exactly what we're discussing today on the podcast!

One of our premium Patreon supporters, Bleu Machine, also dropped in to talk about Dissidia NT and Final Fantasy XIII amongst other things.

And the show wouldn't be complete without a rundown of recent developments in the world of Final Fantasy, which includes our thoughts on the recent Final Fantasy XV: Royal Edition debacle.

As we kick off 2018, we thought it would be the perfect time to dive into the Kingdom Hearts 3 rumour-mill to see what's happening!

And there's actually quite a lot to discuss, from leaks that have come from external development partners, through to musicians who are claiming to have worked on the project.

There's also some time for Branden to run-through questions relating to Kingdom Hearts Union X and dream battles that could take place in Kingdom Hearts 3!

 

Welcome to 2018 everyone, it's time to look at what we've got in store! So, for this episode we're running through all of the big Final Fantasy XV updates we've seen and what that means for us throughout 2018.

Yep, we're talking Episode Ardyn, we're talking expansive patches and we're talking expansions to the Final Fantasy XV Universe!

It makes for a rather fun-packed episode, with plenty of updates and we even have some other news thrown in too for good effect!

Next year is going to be a huge year for Kingdom Hearts 3 and if two new leaked screenshots are to be believed, things could get even crazier as they show a Monsters Inc. world in the game!

We discuss the rumour and implications all throughout the show, but that's not all!

To round out the year, we've also included the "Lost Episode" where we talk all about Kingdom Hearts merchandise and there's some pretty extensive detail here!

We hope you all have a happy holiday and we'll see you in 2018!

It's time for a change of pace, as this episode we're talking about 2017, but more from the perspective of what we got up to throughout the year!

We'll be talking house moves, different initiatives we've tried with the community, different games we've been playing, like NieR Automata and Nioh and in a more general sense, what it's actually been like to podcast this year.

We hope you enjoy this "retrospective" episode, and the fact we're publishing it a day earlier than normal! Happy holidays everyone :D

 

Amongst discussing recent Kingdom Hearts news, including platforms for potential Kingdom Heart 3 news, this episode Branden talks all about his recent trip to Tokyo!

Yep, Branden is talking all about visiting the Square Enix Cafe, as well as the Square Enix HQ and Artnia cafe!

In addition, there are also plenty of questions to run-through, such as why we haven't received much Kingdom Hearts 3 information recently, and whether we'll see some Kingdom Hearts characters appear in other games, like Super Smash Bros.

Square Enix has announced that they're planning to expand the World of Final Fantasy and that's what we're discussing in detail throughout the episode.

For starters, they've revealed a new game called World of Final Fantasy Meli-Melo, which will be releasing on smartphones in Japan, but they also stated that due to impressive sales, they will be looking to expand the franchise further in the future.

In addition, we also talk about news relating to Final Fantasy XV and some other smaller updates to the franchise!

 

With Kingdom Hearts 3 turning into a rather gorgeous looking game, which platform will be best to play it on? That's one of the questions the guys answer today, while talking through a ton of other topics.

There's an update on the total number of sales the series has managed to garner, as well as speculation on what Square Enix may choose to do with the Nintendo Switch!

We've also got questions about side quests and some theories that Branden will run through, as the whole gang get involved!

We had the amazing opportunity to interview Naoki Yoshida, producer and director on Final Fantasy XIV, not too long ago and this episode, we're talking all about the experience!

On top of that, we've also got some news relating to Dissidia NT and also Final Fantasy XV...

Then, to round things out, we have a couple of different question topics. It means we'll be talking briefly about FFTCG, which elements of Final Fantasy XV we'd like to see them carry forward and whether we think there will ever be another turn-based game!

We've got another bumper questions episode for you guys this time around where we tackle questions like... could Kingdom Hearts 3 work on Nintendo Switch?

Branden is joined by Churro and Sabrina to talk about all things Kingdom Hearts, with questions around coverage at upcoming trade shows, Gummi Ship sections and how the story might pan out in future Kingdom Hearts games.

It makes for a rather varied episode, and we hope you enjoy it!

With Final Fantasy XV almost a year old and only the Final Fantasy 7 Remake on the horizon... when should Final Fantasy XVI Release?

It's a question that was asked by a member of our community as they wanted to understand whether we'd prefer they release Final Fantasy 16 sooner, or focus on spin-offs and other titles within the franchise first?

In other questions, we also speak about the localised Ultimania guidebooks and which game we would want to have a sequel or prequel

It makes for a fun-filled episode, and we hope you enjoy it!

To help you recover from our deep dive into Kingdom Hearts X, we've got some news relating to Kingdom Hearts 3 this episode.

We learnt about the heights of some famous characters, some new world information and got a small update on the progress into some of the game's character models.

For the questions, we delve into the future of single player games and some theories about the story of Kingdom Hearts X!

It's been a bit quiet on the Final Fantasy news front over the past few weeks, but in an interview that took part during the Tokyo Game Show that was just published, Tabata spoke about the Final Fantasy VII Remake.

He was asked a rather direct question, but the topic somehow got onto him directing a potential sequel to the Final Fantasy VII Remake - craziness! We therefore discuss what this might mean from a narrative perspective.

Outside of that, we do actually have a few morsels of news that Square Enix drip fed to us, so there are some fun discussions around Mobius!

For today's masterful analysis, we're taking a massive look at Kingdom Hearts X!

We'll be answering questions like, what's the deal with the Unchained State? What's the deal with Luxu and what's the deal with the Master of Masters?

We'll also be talking about what our expectations are for Kingdom Hearts after the release of Kingdom Hearts 3... which is a scary thought!

It's time for a mini-wrap up episode from the 2017 Tokyo Game Show, where the big news related to Final Fantasy XV!

Our main topic is directly related to this, as we discuss the announcement that Final Fantasy XV will be receiving new story content throughout 2018, something which is rather unprecedented!

Outside of that, we also run-through the various news stories that cropped up, such as the announcement of a new Dissidia NT character and another VR game for Final Fantasy XV!

Following on from last episode, the crew are now taking a deep dive into Kingdom Hearts X Back Cover!

This sees a look into the characters you should know about, as well as how the story plays out! It's a pretty detailed segment, so if you're interested in finding out more, you will definitely enjoy it!

On top of that, we also have a ton of questions... such as Whose Nobody Xion and whether they've heard of newcomers to the franchise struggling with getting into the franchise!

Today we're discussing the future of the Final Fantasy franchise, but in a way that you might not expect!

It comes after legendary creator Yoshinori Kitase spoke to Kotaku about his vision for future games within the franchise and how he wants to incorporate things he's learnt on Mobius into home console titles.

It's an interesting thought and it leads onto interesting discussions around the potential for an early access Final Fantasy title, as well as the direction things could potentially go from a gameplay perspective.

Outside of that, we have the customary news update including the announcement of a new game and an update on the future of the Type franchise!

Kingdom Hearts X is often somewhat forgotten about, so for this episode we thought it'd be grand to do a COMPLETE summary of Season 1!

It means we're therefore going to be talking about the premise, the characters and of course, the scenario. Yep, we're going to be hitting the scenario hard here, as there are a ton of little details within the story that could be rather important!

We hope you enjoy the recap, even if you perhaps aren't playing Kingdom Hearts X!

We're very privileged to have legendary Final Fantasy music arranger TPR join us this episode, as he talks about his new album launch and answers plenty of our questions!

He also joins us as we recap what was a rather crazy Gamescom 2017, where there were an absolute ton of announcements relating to the Final Fantasy XV Universe.

We'll be talking about surprise announcements such as Final Fantasy XV PC and Final Fantasy XV: Pocket Edition, as well as the new downloadable festival!

With Kingdom Hearts 3 pretty much skipping Gamescom 2017, we thought it would be the perfect time to have a questions episode! 

It means we'll be discussing plenty of fun topics, such as the likelihood of Kingdom Hearts 3 appearing on PC and whether we think there's a chance other Disney films will appear within the game.

On a different tact, there are also questions relating to... how you can try to get your friends into Kingdom Hearts and whether we think a "Super Smash Bros" style game could work for the franchise.

Just prior to Gamescom, Square Enix decided to do a huge news blast for Dissidia: Final Fantasy NT, the console version of Dissidia Arcade!

They revealed the release date for the game, but also detailed the Ultimate Collector's Edition and also announced that there would be a Season Pass that will contain six additional characters.

This episode, we're reacting to all of this news, while giving some other general thoughts about Gamescom and some of the other small pieces that have happened in the last few weeks!

For this episode of Kingdom Hearts Union, we're joined by renowned voice actress Erika Harlacher. She has appeared in quite a few Japanese games over the years, and most recently appeared in Persona 5! Did we mention she's also a huge Kingdom Hearts fan?

Aside from a rather neat interview, this episode runs through a recent interview with Shinji Hashimoto, who was appearing at MAGIC 2017. He spoke about Marvel appearing in Kingdom Hearts 3 and also why they haven't spoken too much about the game.

As always, there's also quite a few in-depth questions, so we hope you enjoy listening to them!

The music of Final Fantasy has been something of a marvel over the years so we've decided to dedicate this episode to just that, Final Fantasy music.

Throughout the episode, we discuss numerous topics such as... when did you actually start paying attention to the music of Final Fantasy, outside of it being just generic background music?

We also discuss our favourite composers in addition to the famed Nobuo Uematsu and discuss the world after his departure - specifically with reference to Final Fantasy XII and Final Fantasy XV.

We hope you enjoy!

Branden tackles the ever-exciting world of Kingdom Hearts by himself today as he runs-through numerous pieces of news relating to job hirings on Kingdom Hearts 3. 

There are also a few different questions, one of which relates to whether or not Branden feels Kingdom Hearts 3 will feel like an incomplete game, in similar fashion to Final Fantasy XV.

Things then move onto theoretics, as there's a question relating the Keyblade of Hearts from the original Kingdom Hearts.

We hope you guys enjoy!

Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age has now released and we're talking all about it in this special episode!

Yep, we're going to be running through our initial experiences with Final Fantasy XII back when it initially released, but then we'll be running onto how we feel about The Zodiac Age so far - have our opinions changed over time? It means there's a significant focus on the story, the soundtrack and more!

We hope you enjoy the episode!

Wow, D23 was awesome! There was a ton of new information about Kingdom Hearts 3 and we can't wait to delve into it!

This show is therefore quite extensive, as we run through the new Kingdom Hearts 3 trailer, which of course revealed a brand new world in Toy Story. 

Things then move onto discussions about the release year for Kingdom Hearts 3, as Square Enix revealed that the game will be releasing in 2018 and there's also a run-through around some comments Nomura has made regarding the depth of the worlds featured.

All in all, it makes for one hell of a show!

Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of Final Fantasy, was recently asked about whether he'd like to return to work on the Final Fantasy franchise. His response was very open ended, but he didn't shoot down the suggestion.

But it begs the question, should Sakaguchi return? Would it be a good thing for the franchise or should they give some other people the opportunity so shine?

We take a big old look at the current state of play when it comes to directors on the main Final Fantasy series, while also taking a look at where they've all ended up. We also shine a small spotlight on some of the upcoming talent within Square Enix when it comes to directing bigger games.

Hopefully you enjoy the deep dive into Final Fantasy directors!

We've been promised something of a big show for Kingdom Hearts 3 at D23 Expo, but there's still tons to speculate about!

For example, we know there's going to be a new world announced for Kingdom Hearts 3, but which world will it be? Last time they announced Big Hero 6! We've also been told that we will receive a much longer trailer and that it will contain new content.

Nomura has said that the new trailer will make people much happier than the one they showed prior to E3 2017. Who knows, they may even through a release window our way.

The guys also talk about their experiences at the Kingdom Hearts World Tour, including their favourite songs and parts of the concerts.

E3 2017 has been and gone everyone, but it's time to take a look back at the show and digest everything that came out of it!

This episode Darryl is joined by Chris aka Hoogathy, who has been a regular contributor to the Final Fantasy Union website for many years. Together, they look at everything that happened prior to E3, the show itself and a couple of things that have come after.

It means we'll be talking about a few different topics, such as Dissidia NT, the focus on mobile phone games and Episode Prompto!

E3 2017 is now done and dusted and from a Kingdom Hearts perspective, it was surprisingly good! We actually had quite a bit of information, from a new trailer, through to what we have to look forward to in the near future.

Branden and Churro (who was at E3) breakdown everything we saw from Kingdom Hearts at this year's show and run-through what we're expecting to see at D23 in July, where they've said a new world will be shown!

We hope you enjoy the show guys, it's a bumper edition!

Square Enix has hit E3 2017 pretty hard, with a ton of announcements, trailers and reveals before the show even started!

This episode is therefore to run-through everything that's happened so far and also to run-through the Square Enix Presents schedule, so you guys know everything that's coming up!

It should be a good E3 everyone, here's hoping we make it out the other side all in one piece!

Kingdom Hearts 3 has had quite the journey throughout E3 already following its announcement back in 2013. We take look through history to help inform our predictions!

Yep, that's right, we're looking at every major event since the E3 2013 announcement, running through all of the key moments throughout the game's development so far.

And this all culminates in our predictions for the Kingdom Hearts franchise at E3 2017 - so please be excited!

Even though it doesn't feel like it should be, E3 2017 is right around the corner, so it's prediction time! And that's the first major segment of the show, as we talk about the games we think will be there and in what capacity they will appear!

Following on from that, we have a ton of questions from the community, relating to a whole host of topics.

We've got questions about Dissidia: Final Fantasy Arcade, Final Fantasy XVI and even our views on what distinguishes Western RPGs from Japanese RPGs!

It makes for a pretty action-packed episode!

There's a rather alarming rumour doing the rounds at the moment, which suggests Kingdom Hearts 3 is having content removed to hit a 2018 release date! And it's a rumour that features as the main topic of the show.

What is the rumour, where did it come from and does it matter? All these questions are answered!

We also have some questions from the community about the possibility of Kingdom Hearts 3 being shown at E3, how long we're willing to wait for Kingdom Hearts 3 to release and the likelihood of a Kingdom Hearts VR game!

We have a rather interesting episode for you guys this week, as our main topic revolves around the release of Final Fantasy XV and how it's affected our opinions of the upcoming Final Fantasy 7 Remake.

There's also a few news stories relating to Dissidia: Final Fantasy, Brave Exvius and Final Fantasy XIV, as well as some questions about the 30th Anniversary, NieR Automata and representation for more types of characters within the main series games!

We hope you enjoy!

According to a new fiscal report, Kingdom Hearts 3 isn't coming out this year and it might not even release next year, as it was placed (alongside the Final Fantasy 7 Remake) in the "2018 and Beyond" category! Not the news we were hoping for!

To lighten things up though, this episode we have a Patreon support on as a guest and there's also some questions from the community for the gang to answer.

Oh, and you also get to listen to Branden complaining about having time off, what more could you ask for? xD

This episode of Final Fantasy Union has a strong focus on looking at the individual stories that we've been presented over the years and whether they had a profound effect on us.

It sees us look at many of the different stories and what they brought to the table, including the more recent Final Fantasy XV.

We hope you enjoy the featured discussion, as it's the main and only focus on the episode!

This episode of Kingdom Hearts Union focusses on what the Kingdom Hearts franchise can learn from other modern games. This relates to story structure, gameplay, quests, physics and more!

There's also a ton of questions for Branden and Churro to run through, relating to Keyblade transformations in Kingdom Hearts 3, through to what kind of DLC they'd like to see in Kingdom Hearts 3.

Oh, and there's also a question about what world Branden and Churro would like to appear in, if they were given the ability to be NPCs in the game!

Uncovered: Final Fantasy XV was just over a year ago and since that event, the Final Fantasy machine went into overdrive. Final Fantasy XV kicked off in a monstrous way, but there was also World of Final Fantasy, tons of updates around Dissidia: Final Fantasy Arcade, the mobile titles and even things on the peripheral, like The Zodiac Age and the Final Fantasy VII Remake.

But now that Episode Gladiolus is out, it's gone rather mellow! Our main segment is to therefore talk about the past year and talk about the future.

We've also got some questions, about favourite job classes, whether we'll see a Dirge of Cerberus HD and whether we think the next main-line game will be turn-based or not.

Enjoy!

Famitsu, the most reputable video games magazine in Japan has conducted a huge survey to find out all about Kingdom Hearts.

There were numerous questions involved, such as first game, favourite characters and what people love most about the series. There are definitely some interesting results thrown in there!

The second major part of the podcast focusses around let's play videos and live streams - are they valid? Branden and the team discuss this rather interesting topic.

Despite the fact Final Fantasy XV released towards the end of last year, the news just doesn't seem to be slowing down. And there's been so much news, we had to dedicate an entire episode about it!

We have obviously had the release of Episode Gladiolus, but that wasn't all. Chapter 13 Verse 2 released alongside this, as well as some updates. The Final Fantasy XV MMO has also been officially unveiled and we've had an extended teaser trailer for Episode Prompto!

It's all go at the moment and we couldn't be more excited!

With this year celebrating the 15th anniversary of the original game, this episode we're taking a trip down memory lane as we have a special segment focussed on the development of Kingdom Hearts.

It's a very detailed look at almost every aspect of development, from clashes with Disney, through to finding the correct musical score, so we hope you enjoy it!

As always, there's also plenty of news to run through and we have a question from the community about world-specific transformations in Kingdom Hearts 3!

It's a mega question episode this time around, as Darryl and Lauren run-through over 10 questions from members of the community!

Before that though, there's a bit of news, which relates to Final Fantasy XV, Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age and also World of Final Fantasy.

The questions themselves are very broad, ranging from which Final Fantasy games we've achieved 100 percent completion on, through to merging Final Fantasy games and even what content we'd want to see for the future of Final Fantasy XV!

It's a bumper episode of Kingdom Hearts Union this time around as there's plenty of news to run through, as well as an interview that was published that featured Tetsuya Nomura and Yoko Shimomura.

Also be sure to check out the questions segment, as there's quite a few interesting little nuggets in there, as Branden is joined by Churro and Sabrina to talk about everything that's happened in the world of Kingdom Hearts over the past two weeks!

With the release of Final Fantasy XV dividing the fan base once again, this episode's featured topic (as suggested by a long-time listener!) is about that very topic... worst game syndrome. As let's face it, what we're seeing with Final Fantasy XV isn't a new thing.

We take a look back over the years to see how the franchise has changed, with the hope of understanding how we've got the situation we find ourselves in.

Outside of that, there's also news for Final Fantasy XV, the Final Fantasy VII Remake and Final Fantasy Explorers Force!

We hope you enjoy!

With this year serving as the 15th anniversary of Kingdom Hearts, it's time to take another look at what this year could mean for the franchise in terms of releases.

Kingdom Hearts 2.8 has already released and there's also Kingdom Hearts 1.5+2.5 on the horizon, but what's happening beyond that and what's the current development status for Kingdom Hearts 3. All will be discussed with episode!

We also have a question that deals with the best order to play the Kingdom Hearts 2.8 compilation, so there's plenty to discuss and enjoy!

Hajime Tabata, who is of course the director of Final Fantasy XV, has been talking about the game's story. Specifically, he's talking about what they were looking to accomplish in terms of its focus and its depth.

In a separate interview, Tabata also spoke about what he wants to do now that Final Fantasy XV has been launched. He recalled a conversation he had with series creator, Sakaguchi!

We've also got some news about various games, like Mobius and the Final Fantasy VII Remake, as well as some questions from the community!

It's Valentine's Day everyone, so it's therefore the perfect time to read some awesome fan fiction! And that's what Branden does throughout this one hour special episode.

There are three glorious fan fictions featured in this episode, each with love as a central theme. We hope you guys enjoy this special episode, before we return back to normal broadcasting next episode!

Final Fantasy has turned 30 everyone, and Square Enix hosted an official event to kick off the year-long celebration.

We're joined by YouTuber Sue Lightning this episode to run-through everything that happened during the event and the aftermath!

There's news relating to Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age, Final Fantasy XV, Dissidia: Final Fantasy, the Final Fantasy VII Remake and more! We hope you enjoy it!

Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue is now here everyone, and it's time for us to take a deep dive into everything that this game offers.

The first part of the podcast is our standard review, looking at the graphics, gameplay, story and music for each part of the collection.

The second part of the podcast is a full-on spoilercast where we're running through everything offered within 0.2 and Back Cover! 

It's a pretty substantial episode, so we hope you guys enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed pulling it together!

As Final Fantasy turns 30 years old this year, this episode is focussed around our expectations for the year, with tons of predictions around potential announcements!

We already know that Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age and Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood are releasing this year, but what about other titles such as Dissidia Arcade or Final Fantasy XV on PC?

Given the vast quantity of questions we had on our Final Fantasy XV review episode, we also have some spill-over this episode so there's an extended questions segment to run through them all!

Happy New Year Final Fantasy Union listeners!

As promised, we're kicking things off with our Final Fantasy XV review episode! It's scary to think that Final Fantasy XV has almost been out for two months now, but here we are and we're ready to give our thoughts, relatively spoiler free!

We'll take a look through the story, the gameplay, the various different things such as quests, the music, the graphics... it's a massive long conversation!

There are also some questions from the community thrown in at the end, so be sure to listen and let us know what you think!

Kingdom Hearts Union starts off the year with a bang, with Branden, Churro and Sabrina discussing all the news surrounding the impending release of Kingdom Hearts 2.8 and beyond!

Some reviews for Kingdom Hearts 2.8 have already started to surface and the Game Informer review detailed a lot of information about the game. On the Kingdom Hearts 3 news front there's a ton of debates about whether Utada will be involved with the game, as her father is making conflicting statements!

The bulk of the episode relates to Kingdom Hearts 3 and whether it will indeed come out in 2017. There are quite a few hints, but at this point, it's difficult to tell.

Wow, what a year it's been for Final Fantasy! We've had a ton of game releases, but it's also been a stellar year for announcements and events!

For this episode, we thought it would be the perfect opportunity to round-out the year and run-through all of the big announcements! Yep, that means we'll be talking about Uncovered: Final Fantasy XV, the delay, the release, games like Final Fantasy Explorers and World of Final Fantasy and even Dissidia: Final Fantasy!

Thank you all for your support this year! Be sure to check back in the new year for our Final Fantasy XV special episode!

This episode of Kingdom Hearts Union is jam packed full of so many different cool topics, ranging from the announcement of a limited edition Kingdom Hearts PS4 to celebrate the 15th anniversary, through to when Sora will be added to World of Final Fantasy!

We also got the final Kingdom Hearts 2.8 trailer so that's discussed IN-DEPTH by Branden, Churro and Sabrina.

There's also some interesting questions, leading to discussions about the worlds appearing Kingdom Hearts 0.2 and Kingdom Hearts 3, as well as the graphical capabilities present within the Kingdom Hearts 1.5/2.5 HD Remaster, that will be releasing on PS4!

Yayyy, Final Fantasy XV is finally here everyone! After the longest wait imaginable, it's in our hands and our hearts!

Join us as we discuss the game's release and our impressions so far, as unfortunately we weren't able to play the game Day One like many of you lucky souls!

Either way, we still have plenty to discuss, relating to WHY we haven't been able to play it so far, and what happened in the lead-up to launch! We hope you enjoy! :D

We've got a ton of news on this episode of Kingdom Hearts Union, with new concert dates added to the World Tour and some new screenshots!

Yep, some new character renders have been released and there are questions.

Speaking of questions, we have another load of awesome questions from the community. They relate to the ending of the original game, through to whether Final Fantasy characters could similar to the Disney Princesses and if so, who would they be?

 

We had the awesome opportunity to speak with Liam Mulvey, who plays Libertus Ostium in Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV.

This interview provides an awesome insight into the production of the film and just the sheer scale of the production. There are also some questions about Libertus' hair, and whether or not we think we'll see him again in the Final Fantasy XV universe.

We hope you enjoy it, and we hope there are going to be many more interviews as part of this series! Fingers crossed! :D

With Final Fantasy XV on the horizon, we decided that it would be best to have this episode focus on reflection.

It's been a long development cycle, especially if you take it all the way back to the announcement of Final Fantasy Versus XIII and our lives have changed a lot in that time. So we decided it'd be interesting to think back and discuss how we felt during the different times.

We hope you enjoy the episode! We'll see you soon for some thoughts about the game, if we get to play it before we next record!

We've got plenty to discuss on this episode of Kingdom Hearts Union, as Branden is joined by Sabrina and Churro as they tackle all the latest news, while delving into a ton of questions from the community!

For one, the gang talk about Shinji Hashimoto's appearance at Lucca Comic and Games, where he spoke about Kingdom Hearts 2.8 and Kingdom Hearts 1.5+2.5 on PS4.

In addition, we have questions from the community relating to the potential influence the Final Fantasy VII Remake will have on Kingdom Hearts three and some thoughts about the Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Tokyo Game Show trailer!

World of Final Fantasy has now been out for a little while on both the PS4 and PS Vita, so we delve in to let you know what we thought about different aspects of the game!

For this episode, I'm joined by podcast veteran Spencer, who returns to share his experiences with the game and to add a different perspective to the review, as we're both at different points and are playing on different systems!

We've got a few fan-questions thrown in too! We hope you enjoy the review!

Everything went Kingdom Hearts crazy in the past fortnight, with new game announcements, information about support for other upcoming games.

Kingdom Hearts 1.5 and 2.5 will now be coming to the PS4, which means that come March, you will be able to experience every single Kingdom Hearts game on one single platform... it's the dream we've all been waiting for!

The guys also discuss the Kingdom Hearts possibilities when it comes to the recently announced Nintendo Switch!

It's a fun-packed episode, and we hope you really enjoy it!

 

Welcome to the 133rd episode of Final Fantasy Union! We've got plenty to talk about this episode, with the release of World of Final Fantasy (and the demo) and also a rather interesting Final Fantasy XV topic!

This specific topic, who we believe will die in Final Fantasy XV (if anyone) was suggested by one of our Patreon supporters. Join us, as we talk about various theories we've heard, and also what logically makes sense!

We hope you enjoy the discussions, there's plenty of theories abound! :D

It's a news-heavy episode this time around, as amongst other things, as Nomura has spoken to Dengeki magazine and revealed a ton of information!

There are discussions around the different box arts for the HD collections, Kingdom Hearts 2.8's support of the PS4 Pro, specifically 4K and that 0.2 is continuing to see improvements all the time! Nomura also said that next year will be a year of "nonstop" Kingdom Hearts news.

For questions, discussions relate to whether Kingdom Hearts 3 will run at 60fps and whether the Osaka studio will ever make anything other than Kingdom Hearts games!

We hope you enjoy! :D

Square Enix are all about the mobile games right now, so we discuss what this potentially means for the Final Fantasy VII Remake. Will they release lots of supporting games, will they produce even more mobile spin-offs like G-Bike or will they do something completely different?

It's an interesting topic, and it's one that Jake Brown (Final Fantasy Peasant) joins us to discuss!

As Final Fantasy XV gets ever-closer, there's also quite a bit of news to plough through and we have other news relating to Theatrhythm: All-Star Carnival and World of Final Fantasy

Questions also make a triumphant return, with The Last Story, Final Fantasy XVI and the rivalry between WoFF and FFXV discussed.

Enjoy!

Branden and Churro are back to give you all your Kingdom Hearts goodness, with a boatload of news and questions from the community!

News this episode relates to Kingdom Hearts 3. Nomura did an interview where he talked about voice recordings and dissidia and Utada Hikaru has just released a new album!

On the subject of questions, the pair discuss a potential tie-in with Once Upon A Time, talk about what Kairi was doing at the End of the World in the original Kingdom Hearts and the Kingdom Hearts manga!

Tokyo Game Show 2016 has come and gone and we have plenty to talk about thanks to plenty of coverage around Final Fantasy XV.

 

To kick things off, our main discussion is about Final Fantasy XV on the PS4 Pro, what you can expect and whether you should even worry about this news. Oh, and we discuss the rumour that Final Fantasy XV was actually delayed to accommodate for this.

 

There also got a new trailer at TGS and a new summon was announced! Final Fantasy XV also topped a Famitsu poll and Square Enix launched a 30th Anniversary website! 

 

We hope you enjoy the episode, we managed to cram quite a lot in!

This year's Tokyo Game Show had a ton of news relating to Kingdom Hearts, but the big news related to the release date of Kingdom Hearts 2.8 HD Final Chapter Prologue.

 

There was also a new trailer, featuring a brand spanking new rendition of Simply of Clean by Hikari and Nomura spoke more about what we can expect with Kingdom Hearts 2.8 and Kingdom Hearts 3.

 

With everything going crazy around the PS4 Pro, the main discussion this episode talks about how Kingdom Hearts will benefit from this new technology and whether it's worth getting a PS4 Pro or just sticking with the standard version.

 

It's a bumper episode this time around, so we hope you enjoy!

Wow, what an absolutely crazy two weeks it's been. In a bit of an usual style, this episode is all about what we've been up to over the past two weeks. Yes, that's right, there's no news - just our experiences!

 

For one, we had our third fan gathering this past weekend! It was great to meet some of our FFU listeners, but just to hang out with so many Final Fantasy fans. There were close to 150 in total and it made for an awesome day!

 

Darryl was able to attend the Abbey Road concert for Final Fantasy XV, which was a rather special night. That segment talks all about what it was like to hear the tracks live and also some impressions on the pieces themselves.

 

We hope you enjoy!

Kingdom Hearts Union is back in action and we've got a ton of content for you to digest! We've got loads of news around upcoming things for TGS and Kingdom Hearts X, as well as a small update on Kingdom Hearts First Breath.

 

The big topic is then... what is the door to darkness? This topic was suggested by one of our awesome listeners and it takes quite a bit of discussion to get to the bottom of it! We also have some other questions in there too, so we hope you enjoy listening to our answers.

 

If you've got something you want us to discuss, be sure to ask!

It's a jam-packed episode this time around we delve into Mobius: Final Fantasy, talk about a new Dissidia game and of course... speak about the Final Fantasy XV delay!

 

We've been thoroughly enjoying Mobius: Final Fantasy since it came out, so wanted to talk through why we feel it's better than Record Keeper and also Brave Exvius! It's a lengthy section, comprising about half the show.

 

We also take the time to tackle the Final Fantasy XV delay after its official confirmation and run through other news relating to a new character in Dissidia: Final Fantasy Arcade and the announcement of Dissidia: Final Fantasy Opera Omnia!

We're breaking the rules this week and publishing the podcast a day early! But it's for a good reason, some of us are attending a Kingsglaive premiere tomorrow, so we wouldn't be around :(

 

It's good news though, as you get to hear all about what it was like to attend the First Breath Kingdom Hearts concert! Not only was Nomura in attendance, but the music sounded absolutely amazing and yes, there were lots of tears!

 

We're also joined a Patreon supporter this episode and there's some questions from the community about some interesting details. One of which relates to the mysterious voice that speaks to Sora and Roxas during tutorials in the first two games.

What a weekend we just had! We actually recorded this episode just as the rumours were breaking, so it's a lil bit out of date, but it was still a huge rollercoaster!

 

We are joined by Jake Brown (aka the Final Fantasy Peasant) this episode. The first part of which discusses the rumour, as it was then, and the potential repercussions or reasons why the decision might have been made. We obviously know the reasons now, but hopefully the discussion is still interesting!

 

For the second part we take a look at sequels produced following the merger of Square Enix and also go through a bit of a history lesson at the same time. Are they good, or are they bad? 

 

Finally, we answer some questions from the community about entry points into the franchise and also whether you should play Final Fantasy III!

Kingdom Hearts 3 keeps getting closer and closer, so what better time for another Kingdom Hearts University to help you figure out the best way to get up to speed with the franchise!

 

Branden tackles this rather expansive topic, which lets you understand which games are the most important as you look to catch-up with everything Kingdom Hearts in preparation for the third main series installment into the franchise.

 

We also have some community questions! This time the questions are about Back Cover and Organisation XIII's castle. We hope you enjoy! :D

We've got a fun discussion for everyone this episode, as we tackle the topic of whether Final Fantasy X-2 should be considered the worst numbered game in the franchise. Well, it's a little bit more positive than that, but you get the jist!

 

We also have a Patreon supporter come on the show to talk all about their Final Fantasy journey, which is pretty awesome! This particular guest has also been featured on a previous show in the music segment!

 

On top of all of this, we also have some news for you guys in what makes a pretty bumper episode! We hope you enjoy it, as it's almost double the normal length!

We've got quite a few topics to discuss in this episode of Kingdom Hearts Union, especially with Kingdom Hearts making a splash at SDCC 2016.

 

There was a demo featured and we also learnt about a new Sora Play Arts Kai that's due for release towards the beginning of 2017. Some artwork from the 3rd anniversary of Kingdom Hearts X also teased some new costumes for Riku and Kairi!

 

We also have plenty of questions to discuss, with topics ranging from a DVD/Blu-ray release of Back Cover through to a theory around the ending of the original Kingdom Hearts title! Enjoy! xD

Final Fantasy XV is just a few short (or long!) months away, but there's another Final Fantasy game coming out pretty soon after, World of Final Fantasy. It had a strong showing at E3 and there have been murmurs that people might actually be more excited for this spin-off!

 

Our main topic this episode discusses what World of Final Fantasy brings to the table and why you should perhaps be giving it more of your focus, if you weren't already!

 

We also have a shred of news as Mobius Final Fantasy has gained a release date, Final Fantasy VII has released on Android and we some new characters have been revealed in Final Fantasy XV!

It's time to celebrate everyone, as Kingdom Hearts Union has now reached episode 100! Branden is joined by Churro and Sabrina to party like "nobody's" business!

 

It's also the perfect time to bring back Kingdom Hearts University. This time, the group talk about The Final Battle With Xehanort and it's split into multiple parts. Oh, and did we mention that this episode was recorded LIVE!?

 

As a result, the show also featured plenty of live questions and of course, the classic music segment! We really hope you've enjoyed the journey with us so far, long may it continue!

The dust has now settled from E3 2016 and as often happens, that means there's a huge news lull! What better time to discuss some of the older Final Fantasy titles, specifically experiences we've had when venturing back to play them again (or for the first time).

 

Darryl is joined by Lauren and Jared to talk about different entry routes into the series and how that might affect how older titles are perceived. There's also the interesting topic of going back to replay titles, and how potential things change due to developments elsewhere. It's a topic we could probably have spent an age discussing!

 

There is also some new (shock!) relating to Final Fantasy XIV, the release of Final Fantasy Brave Exvius and the delay of Justice Monsters Five. 

 

We hope you enjoy the episode!

Let us just say... E3 2016 was so amazing! The guys were able to share so many cool experiences with other Kingdom Hearts enthusiasts and meet some of the creators for the game!

 

For this episode, of Kingdom Hearts Union, it's all about the aftermath. There's a specific focus therefore, on news relating to Kingdom Hearts 2.8.

 

To try and make it digestible, we've broken it down into the individual games that are featured within Kingdom Hearts 2.8. There's some awesome insights that have been revealed and we even discuss tie-ins with Kingdom Hearts 3!

 

(also, apologies for the slightly late arrival of the show!)

We're back following our Final Fantasy Type-0 HD episode to give you all the news on E3 2016 and what a show it was!

 

To start with, Square Enix kicked things off way before with the surprise announcement of Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age and then others relating to World of Final Fantasy. However, when the actual show started, Final Fantasy XV didn't necessarily have the best showing.

 

For our main topic this episode, we discuss how Final Fantasy XV's reputation in the wider industry was potentially damaged by its showing on the biggest stage and the subsequent miss-steps that took place throughout the show. Don't worry though, we're still pumped for the game!

In case you didn't know, we were at E3 2016 in force, with Branden and Churro heading out! They are also joined this episode by Logan, another E3 attendee and Kingdom Hearts enthusiast to talk about their experiences.

 

The first half is focussed on Kingdom Hearts 2.8 HD Remix. Each of the guys shares their experiences with the demo that was on the show floor. This is then followed by an overall piece about E3 2016.

 

There are definitely some stories here, including getting to meet Tae Yasue and getting featured on the official Kingdom Hearts Twitter feed!

Continuing on with our Final Fantasy Type-0 HD celebrations, part two of our special podcast episode has arrived and we are talking all about gameplay, structure and presentation!

 

Darryl is joined by Jared for this second part, as we spend an extensive amount of time running through the different gameplay mechanics on show, from battles through to different how the story is delivered.

 

After that, the focus shifts onto the graphics, voice acting and even the musical quality, so we hope you enjoy all of our various conversations around the game!

 

Normal service will be resumed next episode, but we hope you've enjoyed these two special episodes!

To mark the (slightly belated) one year anniversary of Final Fantasy Type-0 HD's release, we've recorded a special podcast to talk all about it!

 

It used to be something of a tradition on the show, but we haven't done one of these for a while. However, if you aren't familiar, these are in-depth, spoiler-heavy shows... so if you haven't played Type-0 HD yet, do so before you listen!

 

For this first part, Darryl and Lauren take on everything to do with the story. That means we try our best to explore the different levels of the story and delve into the characters we loved!

 

We hope you enjoy it, it's a pretty long episode by normal standards!

Kingdom Hearts Union Episode 97 has arrived and there are so many topics to talk about. This kicks off with a whole host of big announcements, including the fact that Branden and Churro are heading to E3 again this year! That's not all either, but you'll have to check out the episode for the other announcements.

 

This episode's main focus is E3 predictions! Branden, Churro and Sabrina talk through their safe bets, decent bets and of course, their crazy bets!

 

There's also time for a question from community member bloom4815, who asked about what type of legendary weapon could be incorporated into a future Kingdom Hearts game... that isn't a keyblade!

 

We hope you enjoy!

Episode 122 of Final Fantasy Union has arrived and there's a bit of a news explosion for everyone this time around! Our main discussion topic relates to an interview conducted by Famitsu with Sakaguchi and Tabata, where Sakaguchi dishes some dirt! It's pretty enlightening and it's somewhat refreshing to see Sakaguchi talk about things in this way.

 

Outside of that, we've got news relating to Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster, Final Fantasy Brave Exvius, Final Fantasy XV Collectors Editions and Final Fantasy XIV!

 

We also have Josh on as a Patreon guest. He talks about his favourite Final Fantasy games and what he's looking forward to. 

 

To round things out, we then had quite a few questions from the community. Topics range from limited edition PS4s, through to Final Fantasy XV mini-games and Toriyama's secret projects! Enjoy!

It's taken what seems like an age, but the time has come for Branden, Churro and Sabrina to rank the Kingdom Hearts games in their order of preference! It's always a contentious thing to do, but the guys are pretty confident with their selection.

 

The other featured discussion for the episode is from a community member called Frankie. They asked what we like most about the series and whether it affects our view of other titles around.

 

Questions on the show this episode relate to the recent live action Disney remakes and also how well we believe Kingdom Hearts 2.8 HD Remake will sell. We hope you enjoy listening!

It's a bit of a ranty episode this time around on Final Fantasy Union, as we caught wind that some people had booed the music of Final Fantasy XIII at a recent Distant Worlds concert. Much of the episode is spent talking about this specific action, looking at why they might have done it, whether they should or not, etc.

 

Don't worry though, we do also have some news, albeit a little late as there were some additional announcements that came out today relating to Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster on Steam and the announcement that Brave Exvius will be getting localised.

 

We hope you enjoy the episode, and the music at the end and we'll see you next time!

Fantastic news for fans of the music in Kingdom Hearts, there will now be a worldwide Kingdom Hearts concert series allowing you to soak it all up in its gloriousness. 

 

Branden is joined by Churro and Sabrina to run through what this announcement means for fans and to talk about some of the background behind the world tour, including messages from Nomura and Shimomura.

 

In addition to this awesome news, there's a featured discussion that talks about things from Kingdom Hearts Unchained X that we'd like to see transitioned over into Kingdom Hearts 3 when it releases. This includes things like Keyblade upgrades, costumes and even side missions.

 

As always, we also have some questions from the fans. This time, they relate to Kingdom Hearts 3 Final Mix and how we'll handle spoilers when Kingdom Hearts 3 comes out.

Final Fantasy Union is back for Episode 120, but it's not the usual hosts running the show this time around! Branden has invaded and he's joined by Jared to discuss Final Fantasy XV, as Lauren and Darryl are on holiday.

 

The featured topic revolves around Final Fantasy XV being make or break for the franchise and it focusses on three main areas: use of technology, overall experience and how it challenges the status quo. 

 

We also have some news for you guys, relating to the release of Final Fantasy IX on Steam and some info about Kingsglaive's release and the production of more Ultimate Collector's Editions for Final Fantasy XV! Enjoy!

Kingdom Hearts Unchained Chi has finally released in North America, so we've got an episode full of impressions!

 

Branden is joined by Churro as they talk through loads of different parts of the game, including the battle system, mission structure and of course, the story that's featured throughout!

 

We also have a few (unrelated) questions about music for Kingdom Hearts 3 and whether or not we believe the Kingdom Hearts series deals with humour in a positive way.

Uncovered: Final Fantasy XV was an explosion of everything Final Fantasy and everything that's happened since has been absolutely mind blowing! It's therefore the perfect time to catch you guys up on everything that happened during the show and has happened since!

 

The first part of the show is therefore us talking through a bit of the pre-Uncovered coverage, the show itself (with little pieces of info attached) and then everything that's happened after thanks to interviews with Tabata and various other publications.

 

The second part of the show see us dive into the Final Fantasy XV Platinum Demo. I'm sure most of you have had the chance to check it out for yourselves, but if you want to hear what we think, we've got you covered! There's even time for a couple of questions on the end too.

 

It makes for a pretty awesome episode and we are certainly psyched for Final Fantasy XV.

Everyone's talking about Final Fantasy XV right now following a rather successful Uncovered: Final Fantasy XV event. It poses the question, should Kingdom Hearts adopt a similar model?

 

Branden is joined by Churro as they discuss whether or not Kingdom Hearts, as a franchise, should look to start releasing multiple properties (not necessarily games) within a year, but release them less frequently outside of these sprints, or just stick to a single release every year.

 

There are also some questions relating to who will voice Master Xehanort in Kingdom Hearts 3 and another relating to the theory behind Emblem Heartless - not something that should be missed!

The dust has now settled from Uncovered: Final Fantasy XV and we thought it'd be the perfect time to do a special episode so you guys didn't have to wait two weeks to hear our thoughts!

 

Darryl is joined by Branden for this episode due to their special connections with Uncovered. We were also hoping to get Churro on the show too (as he sat pretty much next to Sakaguchi), but he was unfortunately not available

 

For Final Fantasy Union, it was immense. We were featured heavily during the pre-show thanks to our event a few weeks ago. Lauren was also the first interview they played during this segment, so it was pretty surreal! Branden was also featured in the pre-event thanks to his art. He was the first fan artist show during the calendar segment, with his drawing representing the month of November.

 

For the show itself, we talk about everything from the release date of Final Fantasy XV, to Kingsglaive, to Brotherhood, to theme songs, to collector's editions!

 

We hope you enjoy it!

Uncovered: Final Fantasy XV, quite possibly the greatest release date spectacle of our time, is almost upon us! It's therefore rather fitting that we have a podcast dedicated to its potential awesomeness.

 

Darryl is joined by Lauren and Jared to discuss everything Uncovered, from potential release dates through to other surprise announcements we feel they might ping out way.

 

We also delve into all the recent Final Fantasy XV news that's cropped up in the last week or so and there have been some interesting nuggets involving Cactaurs, Airships and languages. 

 

It makes for another action-packed show and hopefully it's enough to tide you over before the craziness of Uncovered starts!

For this episode of Kingdom Hearts Union, Branden is joined by Churro and Sabrina as they talk about how the Kingdom Hearts franchise talks about death. It was a subject suggested by community member Tigercrane, who also joined them on the show to talk about it!

 

In addition to this, other discussions relate to Axel's keyblade and there's further debate about when exactly the crew think Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 will release this year.

 

It might therefore sound like a bit of a short episode, but it very much isn't! There's plenty to discuss and there's also a fun music segment at the end which we hope you all enjoy.

Nobuo Uematsu decided to depart from Square Enix some time ago, but for this episode, Darryl and Lauren discuss whether or not it has affected the franchise in a big way. It makes for actually a rather long topic of conversation, so hopefully you enjoy it!

 

We also have another Patreon supporter on the show in Barry Norton. He's another one of us British folk and it's great to here his thoughts on the franchise at the moment and how his opinions have changed about certain games over time.

 

Last, but not least, we have some questions from the community. These relate to another potential Chocobo Racing title and whether or not the direction of a sequel can hinder the overall experience created.

With this saga set to end with Kingdom Hearts 3, the main focus for the 91st episode of Kingdom Hearts Union relates to who the new villain will be in future titles!

 

This was a topic suggested by two community members and Branden is joined by Churro and Sabrina to discuss who will be replacing Ansem, Xemnas and Xehanort.

 

Additional topics this episode relate to an ideal length of game for Kingdom Hearts 3 to be and whether or not mechanics related to buying items from shops should be altered for the next major iteration in the Kingdom Hearts franchise.

With renewed interest in Final Fantasy VII thanks to the remake, our featured topic this episode relates to whether or not there's the potential for the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII to continue. 

 

It's a topic that was suggested by a community remember, in specific reference to the secret movie that appears at the end of Dirge of Cerberus. It was heavily hinted that there would be another game featuring Genesis Rhapsodos and Weiss the Immaculate, but nothing ever appeared. Could success with the Final Fantasy VII remake change this?

 

As additional topics, we discuss Record Keeper and also discuss the ifs, buts and maybes relating to if Square Enix decided to venture back into the realm of movies. Oh, and we have a super special guest this episode in the form of Patreon supporter Christian Burge, who talks about his Final Fantasy story!

There's something of a cross-over on this episode of Kingdom Hearts Union, as Branden and Churro tackle a question relating to how Final Fantasy characters are dealt with in the Kingdom Hearts universe.

 

It comes based on two questions, one related to how well they are integrated, and another relating to the Cloud/Sephiroth/Tifa story-arch that appears throughout the main games.

 

That's not all though, we have further topics relating to the kind of voice talent they might now be able to attract considering Disney has taken more of an interest again in the franchise and whether Sora will receive any keyblade armour.

 

It makes for another fun-packed episode, with plenty of meaty topics for Branden and Churro to discuss.

With the hype starting to build around Final Fantasy XV, based on a fan suggestion Lauren and I discuss why it could end up being great and why it might not be. It actually ends up being a rather lengthy discussion and topics range from the director, the characters to the depth of announcements and gameplay.

 

We also have another community fan gathering come up on the 19th of March, 2016. So if you're in the UK, be sure to check out the site to find out more information. There will be triple triad tournaments, a massive quiz and even Bryce Hitchcock is attending!

 

In addition to running our main Final Fantasy XV topic, we also have a couple of news stories. In a related angle, we get to talk about the previous Active Time Report, but also talk about the release of Final Fantasy IX on iPhone/Android and Final Fantasy II being free on the portal app.

 

We also have some questions related to character design and Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings, rounding out a rather packed episode!

Welcome to Kingdom Hearts Union Episode 89! We've got plenty of awesome discussion topics this time around, with the main one focussing on the ports of Kingdom Hearts games we've received so far.

 

This was suggested by a community member, and it's perfect for Branden, Churro and Sabrina to dive into. The topic was brought up in relation to speed runners and their complaints about the quality of the games. Potential PS4 versions of 1.5 and 2.5 are also brought into the discussion.

 

It doesn't take too long for things to move onto Kingdom Hearts 3 though and we have some questions about summons and release dates!

Final Fantasy Explorers released this past week, so we thought it would be the perfect opportunity to have an episode dedicated to the first of many Square Enix Japan releases this year!

 

Lauren and Darryl are joined by Jared, with the three offering rather different opinions based on their previous experience within the monster hunting sub-genre. We've got Monster Hunter veterans covered, fans of games like Toukiden and Soul Sacrifice, and we also have the opinion of someone who hasn't ventured too much into this type of game before.

 

We also take the opportunity to run-through some fan questions. These relate to the game's difficulty, the voice acting and also the job classes that are offer. Hopefully you guys find it interesting and if you've already purchased Explorers, we hope you're enjoying it!

It's time for Kingdom Hearts Union: Episode 88 everyone! For this episode Branden is joined by Churro and Sabrina as they talk about numerous topics, including whether or not they feel Kingdom Hearts 3 is close to completion!

 

This main topic relates to rumours circulating due to the comments of some voice actors. They were taking part in a panel at Albuquerque Comic Con and let slip!

 

Next up, we have he featured discussion which relates to what Kingdom Hearts can learn from other successful video games and what genres the Kingdom Hearts franchise should potentially venture into. There's even some additional questions thrown in for good measure at the end, making this one bumper, action packed episode for all your Kingdom Hearts needs!

 

 

Why is Final Fantasy VII Remake going to be a multi-part series? It's a damned good question! Darryl and Lauren discuss the ins and outs of this semi-controversial move on this week's edition of Final Fantasy Union.

 

Aside from this pretty detailed discussion, we also answer some questions from the community related to the longevity of Lightning as a protagonist in the Final Fantasy universe and talk about classical music and how those from outside of the video games industry potentially perceive it.

 

Closing out we have a lovely Final Fantasy IV cover for you all. All that and more this episode of Final Fantasy Union!

We're back with the first Kingdom Hearts Union episode of the year, and Branden is joined by Churro and Sabrina to run through quite a few different topics!

 

The main topic of this episode relates to the writing we've seen in the franchise to date - specifically, which game has had the best writing so far? The gang goes through each of their favorite games in the series and which ones they felt needed a bit more love.

 

There was also a new Kingdom Hearts 2.8/Kingdom Hearts 3 trailer that surfaced at Jump Festa which released over our holiday break. The crew discusses along with a few questions from our fans. One of which is about whether or not they think Kingdom Hearts 3 has the potential to be game of the year.

Welcome to 2016! Boy do we have a year in store for you guys!

 

To start off, Lauren and I run through a lot of the plans we have for Final Fantasy Union this year, including some awesome changes to the podcast schedule (and Patreon), the launch of a new site in the near future and how we're hitting YouTube pretty damn hard. It's exciting times for us and your support through all our endeavours is much appreciated!

 

Next up, we talk through some of the recent news relating to Final Fantasy IX and Final Fantasy VI, as well as a rather interesting piece surrounding Lightning and Louis Vuitton!

 

Then we head into our main segment, Final Fantasy in 2016, where we run through all of the games planned for release this year, plus all the other titles confirmed for release this year out of Square Enix Japan. It's going to be a superb year for gamers, but I don't think our wallets are going to be too happy by the end of it!

 

Last, but not least, we have questions from the community. The first one relates to what Toriyama's up to, then we talk about a potential Final Fantasy VI Remake. All in all, it's a massive episode and a fantastic way to start off the year. Onwards, and upwards!

We have a full-on episode of Kingdom Hearts Union for you this time, as Branden, Churro and Sabrina issue a state of Kingdom Hearts address.

 

It sounds pretty serious, and it is! We take a look at how much the Kingdom Hearts franchise has sold and how this compares to other games out there on the market today. This then moves onto the present state of Kingdom Hearts and finally, the future of the franchise and what we think it will hold.

 

This itself comes with plenty of questions, such as what we think will happen in 2016 (aside from the obvious), how we deal with such long development cycles and what we're hoping from for Kingdom Hearts 3.

 

Thank you all for a wonderful 2015, and we'll see you all next year!

Final Fantasy X-3 is the topic of discussion this episode, as it's been something we've wanted to delve into for a while. It's been mentioned here and there, but we figured it was about time to actually go through some theories for some interesting story lines that could exist should Final Fantasy X-3 ever be created by the guys at Square Enix.

 

To start off, Lauren takes the mic and takes us through a scenario where Final Fantasy X-3 acts as a prequel focussed on Braska, Auron and Jecht. This is then followed by Darryl's scenario, where Final Fantasy X-3 acts as a sequel focussed on Rikku, Paine and the Al Bhed.

 

Of course, we also have some news! It's a little shorter than normal, but we still have a chance to tackle Mooglegate, the ramp up for Dissidia Arcade in Japan and the revealing of Cloud Strife in Super Smash Bros.! We've also got some fan questions on these topics too, so we hope you enjoy our responses!

D23 Japan happened a short while ago and it was pretty awesome from a Kingdom Hearts perspective. We had news relating to Kingdom Hearts 2.8 HD and Kingdom Hearts 3, as well as information for the Kingdom Hearts X [Chi] games.

 

During the show, there was a ton of footage shown to audiences, and we're hoping it will be made public. We got to see some new attraction flows and a new world for Kingdom Hearts X [Chi]. If you're curious what they showed, we've got you covered.

 

In addition, we had some fan questions relating to Kingdom Hearts 1.5/2.5 coming to PS4 and what a Kingdom Hearts version of Persona 4 Dancing All Night would be like... rather interesting!

 

We hope you guys enjoy the show and always, please share it around/review if you like it :)

Following the release of Square Enix's recent financials, we take a look at how the company has changed its approach within recent years and how the company's new mantras have manifested themselves into the games we are now seeing.

 

Things have changed considerably following the departure of Yoichi Wada and from a Final Fantasy perspective, things are looking pretty good. We've seen the production of mobile games that have actual substance, and we have a handful of very promising console games on the horizon.

 

The later part of the episode relates to some recent news from Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy XV, Dissidia: Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy XIV!

 

We hope you enjoy it, and also agree that the future is looking pretty good for the franchise that we love!

Kingdom Hearts Union: Episode 84 has arrived and it's another brocast with Branden and Churro! For the first part of this episode, the pair discuss an interview conducted by Dengeki Magazine in Japan with the series' creator Tetsuya Nomura. It means there is plenty to talk about including the pertinent topic of what is "Kingdom Hearts?"

 

In addition, the two field questions from the community! There are two rather specific topics, with the first relating to Kingdom Hearts 2.8 receiving a digital release. The second asks whether or not we feel Kingdom Hearts 3 will be able to attract some bigger name voice actors again, like we saw in previous main-line installments within the franchise.

 

It all makes for  rather exciting episode and we hope you enjoy it!

Although we covered a fair amount of news from Tokyo Game Show 2015 during our special episode, Hajime Tabata continued to reveal new information following the event. Darryl, Lauren and Jared do a not-so-quick round-up of this, discussing why people were so attached to Stella and what other potential content cuts mean for the game.

 

Outside of this, we wanted to do a feature to talk about who some of our favourite Final Fantasy characters are. Each of the hosts were tasked with choosing one character who they felt represented something strong and good about the franchise, with the idea being that they would make a case for why that character deserves to be treasured as one of their favourites. We hope you enjoy it, as we get a little emotional at points.

 

Music this episode is provided by a YouTuber called RebeccaETripp, who did a wonderful arrangement of the music that plays while in the Salikawood.

Square Enix pretty much rendered half of Kingdom Hearts Union 83 redundant, but we're here with a special episode to give you all the info on Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 and Final Fantasy XV!

Yes, pretty much straight off, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 was announced during the Sony Press Conference, but things didn't stop there. We had a new trailer for Final Fantasy XV, a new game announcement in the form of Final Fantasy Type-0 Online and of course, there was the Final Fantasy XV Active Time Report with Hajime Tabata.

 

Darryl is joined by Branden as they run through all of the pressing concerns and information that was detailed (albeit in a slightly condensed form for some topics), perfect for catching up on Square Enix's interests at this year's Tokyo Game Show.

As a preface to this episode, Square Enix rendered about half of the show kind of redundant with the announcement of Kingdom Hearts 2.8: Final Chapter Prologue today, so apologies for that! We will be recording a separate episode later this week with our full TGS reactions to the news.

 

Anyway, a large bulk of the show sees Branden, Churro and Sabrina discussing the rumours of Kingdom Hearts 2.9 and what it could potentially be. It's interesting how close some of their deductions were! In addition, there are some questions from the community, so be sure to listen to the episode and take some of it with a pinch of salt!

We had something of a news explosion this episode, with both Gamescom and PAX Prime throwing up plenty of topics for discussion. The main point is that Hajime Tabata has declared that Final Fantasy XV will release in 2016! We also delve into the Dawn trailer and give our thoughts, while also discussing how Tabata is steering the ship!

 

That's not all though, as we have a few questions from the community this episode. It gives us the chance to talk about the newly launched Triple Triad, the infamous Final Fantasy X~Will and X-2.5, as well as the importance of vocal themes. We hope you enjoy the episode, which is rounded out by a cover of Terra's theme by YouTuber Josiah McDaniel.

D23 just wrapped up, and with it came a lot of news! Big Hero 6 will officially be a world in Kingdom Hearts 3 and will feature a new storyline that takes place after the film.

 

Branden, Churro, and Sabrina discuss this as well as questions from the community! What do we think about other Disney Worlds like Tangled being in Kingdom Hearts 3? What kind of secret movie should Kingdom Hearts 3 have? You'll have to listen to the show to find out what we think! Also, to commemorate the announcement of a new world, we have a rocking cover of the Gummi Ship theme from jam2995!

It's crazy to think Final Fantasy IX released over 15 years ago! To celebrate this milestone, Darryl and Lauren are joined by self-confessed Final Fantasy IX fanboy Jared, as the trio share first memories of Final Fantasy IX, discuss their favourite characters and some of their favourite moments from the game. There's even a bit of time left at the end to discuss Uematsu-san's monumental original soundtrack!

In the last of our Final Fantasy Type-0 HD voice actor interviews (conducted in partnership with Square Enix!), we decided to go back to where it all began. Yes, that means we are again speaking with Orion Acaba, the voice of Nine. The interview provides an insights into what has been an interesting transition for Orion. When we first spoke, Final Fantasy Type-0 HD was yet to release and Orion's new hit show (Critical Role) had not gone to market. It means we have plenty to talk about, as Orion (a self-confessed Final Fantasy addict) shares his thoughts on mass array of topics including how he feels after playing Type-0 HD, the Final Fantasy VII Remake and his relationship with Liam O'Brien. It makes for a bumper interview, the perfect way to round the series out.

For the eleventh interview in our Final Fantasy Type-0 HD voice actor series, we got the chance to speak with Matthew Mercer (the voice of Trey). This, as with all the previous ones, was conducted in partnership with Square Enix. You might also know Matthew from his roles in various other games including Resident Evil (Leon S. Kennedy), Persona 4: Arena (Kanji), and Super Street Fighter IV (Fei-Long). He's also been in a number of anime shows/films including Sailor Moon R (Prince Dimande), Naruto: Shippuden (Shiranami), and Fate/Zero (Kiritsugu Emiya). He even lent his voice to a number of characters in the series "There Will be Brawl". In this interview, we talk about his love for Final Fantasy and his Trey similarities, amongst other things!

Even though E3 2015 was over a month ago, it's still difficult to fathom how awesome it was from a Kingdom Hearts perspective. It looks like it's going to get better though, as Branden and Churro discuss provisional information about D23 Expo in Anaheim. In addition, the pair field questions from the community - primarily about what they feel would ruin the Kingdom Hearts 3 experience for them. Bets are also placed about a potential release date for Kingdom Hearts 3 making it another action-packed show!

We are joined by Robbie Daymond, the voice of Kurasame in Final Fantasy Type-0 HD for another of our special interview episodes with Square Enix! Stepping into a somewhat unfamiliar role, Robbie takes on the role of Kurasame, the sullen commanding officer of Class Zero and does it with some serious style. We ask a whole host of fan questions throughout and engage in a fun chat with Robbie that tackles numerous topics, such as his favourite game in the franchise and his horse riding hobby.

There's no two ways around it, E3 2015 was awesome for Final Fantasy fans. Not only did we get a new game announced (World of Final Fantasy), Square Enix also announced the holy grail... yes, we will be geting a full-on remake of Final Fantasy VII on the PS4. In this episode, we sift through the announcement and give our thoughts about key decisions that will need to be made. We also take some questions from the community, which sees us discussing which Final Fantasy character we would most want to punch... nice!

We are joined by Mike Vaughn, the voice of King in Final Fantasy Type-0 HD for another of our special interview episodes with Square Enix! Mike has been voice acting for quite some time now and has been featured in numerous games, ranging from Iggy Koopa through to Spider-man. We talk about numerous things, such as gamer being night people and how Mike's career has changed over time. It's a great interview, that's actually a lot longer than some of the others we have done. We hope you enjoy it!

This year's MCM Expo was a blast for Lauren and I, but the clear highlight was getting to meet up with Ali Hillis, the voice of Lightning in the Final Fantasy XIII franchise, to have a face-to-face interview. It was a bit shorter than we had hoped for, but the planning was all pretty last minute and the interview almost didn't take place! We're very happy it did though, and hopefully you guys are too. With no Final Fantasy XIII game coming out (shock), we took the time to ask Ali about some other topics relating to voice acting and also her surprise cameo in Final Fantasy Type-0 HD as Emina. Enjoy!

E3 2015 was an intense experience for fans of Kingdom Hearts and we were there first-hand to experience the euphoria and soak it all up. Branden and Churro are joined by Sabrina this episode as they all discuss their experience at this year's show, recanting stories of what it was like to be in the Square Enix press conference as well as sitting down for a round-table interview with legendary Kingdom Hearts creator, Tetsuya Nomura. The gang also take the time to dissect the E3 2015 trailer for Kingdom Hearts 3 and run through some of the various theories that have been filtering through the internet. It's a show you won't want to miss.

We are joined by Corri English, the voice of Sice in Final Fantasy Type-0 HD for another of our special interview episodes with Square Enix! Corri has dabbled with voice acting over the years, having appeared in franchises such as Skyrim, Mass Effect and Dragon Age, but is also part of a successful band called Broke Down Cadillac. In this interview, we ask Corri about her role as Sice and also what it was like to be featured on The Mentalist! Corri has had such an interesting career so far and is incredibly passionate about Sice as a character, so we hope you enjoy listening to the interview!

Branden, Darryl and Churro sit down for a special podcast to talk about the absolute truck load of news that came out of E3 2015. Not only did we get to see extended coverage of Kingdom Hearts 3, as well as the announcement of a completely new world, but we also got to hear more about Kingdom Hearts Unchained Chi. But that's only half of it, during the Sony Press Conference, two new games were announced from the Final Fantasy franchise: World of Final Fantasy and a full-on Final Fantasy VII Remake. Both of these titles will be timed exclusive for PS4, as well as a shed load of other titles that were shown off, including Star Ocean 5 and a new extension to the NieR franchise. Sure, Final Fantasy XV missed the show as we expected, but with everything that we got, this one was hell of an E3 for fans of Square Enix!

There have been some Final Fantasy XV bombshells since the last episode, as Hajime Tabata took to the stage in the latest Active Time Report to share some details about the game's development. There was a primary focus around the story and we now know that Stella Nox Fleuret has been cut from the game and replaced by Lunafreya. Nojima's role has also changed and some of the initial scenes shown off when the game was Final Fantasy Versus XIII have also been cut. It means there is plenty to talk about and that's without even getting into the other news (Episode Duscae 2.0) and the return of the quiz!

We are joined by Bryce Papenbrook, the voice of Machina Kunigiri in Final Fantasy Type-0 HD for another of our special interview episodes with Square Enix! Bryce has been voice acting for many years now and it has seen him fill some pretty legendary roles, such as Eren Jaeger in Attack on Titan and of course, Zidane Tribal in the Dissidia: Final Fantasy series. We question Bryce about numerous things, such as whether Zidane is a better ladies man than Machina and whether his martial arts training helps at all with his voice over work. It makes for a rather curious interview and we hope you enjoy it!

With E3 2015 right around the corner, it's the perfect time for some Kingdom Hearts-related predictions. Branden is joined by Churro as the pair talk about their hopes and dreams for this year's premium trade show, from both a Kingdom Hearts perspective and with a view of wider gaming. There is also some news too! The mobile project that was teased last month has been announced as a full on game called Kingdom Hearts Unchained Chi, something which has the hosts and fans pretty stoked. The show also talks about the KH2.co.uk going into "silent mode" and there is a fan question from someone who thinks that Branden's "What If?" segment is a pretty stellar idea.

Eliza Jane Schneider joins us for our sixth Final Fantasy Type-0 HD interview, which are being undertaken in partnership with Square Enix! Eliza has been involved with voice acting for many years and has had roles within Assassin's Creed and also South Park. In Type-0 HD, she plays "mother" aka Dr. Arecia. Throughout the interview, we talk about her role as the mother of the group, but also discuss Eliza's keen interest in dialects. It even gets quite technical, so be sure you listen for some interesting facts about languages.

It's all going on with Final Fantasy at the moment and Square Enix in general! Not only has it been announced that there will be a Square Enix press conference at E3 2015, there was also a super special edition of the Active Time Report. In this episode we discuss both topics with some significant detail. To that end, there is detailed coverage about the feedback that has been collected from Episode Duscae and Hajime Tabata also alluded to the fact that we might be seeing Episode Duscae 2.0. We also have a bit of news from the wider Final Fantasy universe thrown in too for good measure, making it a pretty extensive episode!

Jeff Fischer joins us for our fifth Final Fantasy Type-0 HD interview, which are being conducted in partnership with Square Enix. Jeff, as well as playing himself in American Dad, plays Eight in Type-0 HD and has many, many stories to tell about voice acting! Lauren and Dad ask him questions aplenty, including what it's actually like to play himself in an animated series and how he feels about the fact that Eight refuses to use any weapons other than his own fists. It makes for a fun interview, so be sure to listen to the end!

Kingdom Hearts Union Episode 78 sees Branden joined by Sabrina as they tackle some actual news... well, it's news about news! Yes, that's right, we learn about recent developments relating to the D23 Fan Expo that is set to take place later this year. There is also a statement from Tetsuya Nomura about an upcoming Kingdom Hearts mobile project - coukd it be a new game? The crew also explore a new section called What If? Here, key plot points from previous Kingdom Hearts games are explored to determine what would have happened if they were changed ever so slightly. It leads to some interesting discussions, as do the awesome questions that we have received from the fans. We hope you enjoy the episode!

Cristina Vee joins us for our fourth Final Fantasy Type-0 HD interview, which are being conducted in partnership with Square Enix. Cristina of course plays Cinque in the game and we are so happy she was able to spend some time with us answering questions from the community! We talk through a wide range of topics, which start off with Cristina talking about what inspired her to pursue a career in voice acting. There are plenty of questions in there about Cinque including one about what she says during an iconic line. This is one interview you won't want to miss!

We're joined by Kristin Klabunde, the voice of Cater for our latest Final Fantasy Type-0 HD interview and she is just as energetic in the interview as in the game. We talked with Dan (from Square Enix) and Kristin about a variety of things, ranging from awards that Kristin has won thanks to her voice work and advice she has for people who are looking to get into the industry. In addition, Kristin also gives some insights into what it's been like to relocate for her career and she also learns about how much of a fan favourite Cater has become!

We have an abundance of news for everyone this episode, all from a wide range of games. There are pieces relating to Final Fantasy Type-0 HD, Final Fantasy Record Keeper, Final Fantasy XI, Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn and of course, Dissidia: Final Fantasy. Be sure to listen through to get the latest info about Dissidia and its return to the video game scene. We also have a full-on feature relating to Heavensward, as suggested by Patreon backer Clay Killough. It details everything you need to know about the upcoming expansion - if you have held off playing Final Fantasy XIV, now is the perfect time to get right back into it, or dive in for the first time. As always, we hope you enjoy the episode!

We're joined by Peyton McCormick, the voice of Rem Tokimiya for our latest Final Fantasy Type-0 HD interview, and she was a bundle of fun to interview. We talked with Dan (from Square Enix) and Peyton about a wide range of topics, including Peyton's views of Rem's musical theme from within the game, her exposure to the franchise and how she portrayed the character! Peyton answered in a lot of depth most of the time, so hopefully you guys thoroughly enjoy listnening to this interview the whole way through!

We're joined by Mark C. Hanson, the voice of Qator Bashtar for our latest Final Fantasy Type-0 HD interview! Not only that, but we are now officially partnering with Square Enix for this interview series, so expect to hear a ton more in the future! Many thanks to everyone who asked questions for Mark as we had a blast talking to him. We run through a whole range of topics, from his personal studio, through to how he got started in voice acting. There's also a funny little ending to the show, so many sure you listen to the entire interview!

Kingdom Hearts news has been a bit light, so for Kingdom Hearts Union Episode 77, Branden is joined by Churro and Sabrina as they talk about their experiences with Final Fantasy XV: Episode Duscae. As the game was originally under the direction of Tetsuya Nomura, there are clear comparisons between Final Fantasy XV and the Kingdom Hearts franchise. The group take a look at these similarities, especially from a gameplay perspective, before delving into other aspects of the demo. As always, there are also some questions from the fans thrown in there for good measure and there is also a tiny bit of Kingdom Hearts news. In short, it's another fun episode for you all to enjoy!

Final Fantasy Type-0 HD has at least landed on Western shores (well, North America at least), so that becomes our featured discussing this episode. We are joined by Stealth, who talks about his memories of checking out the original PSP version, while Darryl and Lauren talk about their experiences with the PS4 version of the game. In addition, Darryl had the chance to check out the Final Fantasy XV demo last week, so he runs through some of the elements, with a primary focus on combat and weaponry. We also have some news about Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward and Final Fantasy Record Keeper and we have the triumphant return of the Ultimate Final Fantasy Quiz! Yes, it's back with a renewed format ready for another year of trivia. Featured music this episode is from Final Fantasy XV, we had to really.

Bryce Hitchcock (Deuce in Final Fantasy Type-0 HD) joins us on Final Fantasy Union for this speciial edition episode as we continue speaking with the voice actors from Square Enix's latest RPG. Bryce has been acting for quite a few years now and has dabbled in TV work, voice acting and music. Join us as we ask Bryce about her role within Type-0 HD, her wider career and how she's going to start a new trend with ukelele music. It's a really fun interview and with it arriving so close to the launch of the game, we hope it will get you super psyched... maybe even hyped, for Type-0 HD.

In our second interview for Final Fantasy Type-0 HD, we are joined by Jonathon McClendon, who plays the lead character Ace! We have some great questions as part of this show and without wanting to spoil it too much, you will all be pleased to know that Jonathon is a huge gamer who was thrilled to be able to talk about his role as Ace and more importantly, how he landed the role. There are also some wider discussions about the video games industry and of course, Type-0 HD. Thanks to all who asked questions, we had a blast and we hope you do too when listening!

Kingdom Hearts Union Episode 76 and it is marked by the return of Kingdom Hearts University! Yes, that's right, Branden is back with Churro and Sabrina to educate listeners on a brand new topic from the world of Kingdom Hearts and this time it's Kingdom Hearts Chi. The topic was suggested by Patreon backer William Helmrich and it proves a rather interesting one, as without going into spoilers, the group talk about the connections with Chi and the upcoming Kingdom Hearts 3. The group also have the unfortunate news of talking about some recent passings in the world of Kingdom Hearts as both the English and Japanese voices for Master Xehanort passed away and there is also another special mention for Monty Oum. There's also some room for some intense questions from the community at the end of the show and we have a track from Mree (on YouTube), which you really won't want to miss out on.

We are joined by the hugely talented Orion Acaba for a special Final Fantasy Union interview. Orion voices Nine in Final Fantasy Type-0, but has also had roles in other games such as the Phoenix Wright franchise and the Tales franchise. We ask a whole ton of questions offered up by the community and it turns out that Orion is both a huge gamer and a huge fan of Final Fantasy We get into some great discussions about the franchise and how his role as Nine came about. This is one interview you won't want to miss out on!

We are joined by Mark Robins for Episode 101 of Final Fantasy Union as we talk about the music of Final Fantasy and video game music as a whole. Mark has been campaigning to get video game music more recognition for a few years now and it all started with Aerith's Theme, a track that allowed the community to rally together towards a common goal. Since then, numerous video game franchises have been featured in the Classic FM Hall of Fame, which is the largest commercial radio station in the UK and it's lead to a lot more air time for video game music. We also have a featured discussion about the potential for a Final Fantasy XII HD Remaster, with opinions from the community and also the hosts. Oh, and there's a little bit of news about the impending release of Final Fantasy Type-0 HD and Final Fantasy XV: Episode Duscae, which was featured during some of the trailers for Type-0 HD.

In Episode 75 of Kingdom Hearts Union, Branden is joined by Churro for their second special valentines episode. Yes, that's right the dynamic duo of Kingdom Hearts will be discussing how love could work as a theme in Kingdom Hearts 3 and how they feel it would be best perceived by audiences should Nomura and the crew over at Square Enix decide to make the connection between Sora and Kairi more obvious. Thoughts are shared about the new Kingdom Hearts Tribute Album and there is also news regarding some job postings at Square Enix relating to Kingdom Hearts 3. There are also two fan questions, one about Kingdom Hearts Chi coming to Western audiences and another asking why Kingdom Hearts games aren't available for digital download. It's another cracking episode and you won't want to miss out!

It's time for the first episode of Final Fantasy Union in 2015 and what an episode to start off with! Yes, this episode is our 100th and we have brought back some familiar faces from the podcast's history to help celebrate the occasion. It means that Darryl and Lauren are joined by the original host, Kyle Wynen, as well as Lauren McFadden and Colin Tan! Join us as we do some hardcore reminiscing about our history with the podcast, play catch-up to find out what those three rascals have been up to and of course, get their opinions about the current state of Final Fantasy. It's an episode you don't want to miss. Oh, and there's even a little blooper at the end!

Welcome to the first Kingdom Hearts Union episode of 2015! The gang is back to ring in the new year with all things KH. Branden, Churro, and Sabrina jump right into the fray. First up is the news but not much has been released since the special KH holiday special. However, we did get footage from the KH2.5 launch event and Yasue tells us that development for KH3 is moving along at a pace. In lieu of news, the trio spends some time with a special segment in which they recommend games to play in 2015 to hold your interest while we wait for the next KH installment to hit stores. They all offer suggestions of SE games coming out in 2015, non SE games coming out, and even past games that you should play if you haven’t already! You will certainly not be hurting for titles to play! Next up are your questions and this show finds the group discussing topics such as Riku’s relation to Xehanort, favorite key blades and why, and what will happen in the final battle with Xehanort. And rounding out the show is a customary remix and we kick off the year with a beautiful piano rearrangement of Dearly Beloved. We can’t wait to see what’s in store for 2015 and we hope you guys will join us for what’s sure to be a crazy ride!

Surprise everyone! Just when you thought you wouldn't hear another Kingdom Hearts Union until 2015, Branden, Churro, and Sabrina got together to record a special show just for you! In this Holiday special the gang discuss the recent Kingdom Hearts 3 footage that was shown at the Kingdom Hearts 2.5 launch events and what they're planning to do during the Holiday season. Rounding out the show is a special recreation of Hikari with the old school Final Fantasy VII synthesizer. Fill up on some Christmas cheer and enjoy the show!

Thank you everyone for your support throughout 2014, here's a little Xmas message from all the hosts. We'll see you in 2015 for what should be a fantastic year!

Welcome back everyone to the last episode of Final Fantasy Union for the year of 2014! Darryl and Lauren sit down one final time this year to dive into all thing Final Fantasy. The duo round out the year with some site updates, some news, and a TON of your questions! After announcing the general updates from the site, Darryl and Lauren take a look at the recent news that’s been released. First is the Final Fantasy 15 demo and how it won’t be available at the launch of Type-0 AND it will only be available for a short time. Speaking of Type-0, there have been a few new trailers for the game that have showcased some rather gritty subject matter that could be very interesting! And finally, Final Fantasy 13-2 is coming to PC with all the DLC included! Next up: your questions and there are a LOT this episode! The duo discuss issues such as favorite characters from FF9, what FF needs more or less of, which FF worlds should be expanded further, river vs. mountain chocobos, new forms of transportation in FF15, what other podcasts would they do other than FF, whether FF games should have a faster release cycle, and more (literally, there are several more). As you can imagine, there are plenty of tangents and rants to enjoy! We round out the year of FFU episodes with a great remix from Final Fantasy 7 that sends 2014 out with style! We hope you guys have a wonderful and safe holiday season and we’ll see you all again in 2015 for episode 100!

The end of 2014 is almost upon us and this brings the final episode for Kingdom Hearts Union of the year! But don’t fret; we have a super long show to keep you entertained and to send us into the new year the right way! Branden sits down with Churro and Sabrina to talk all things KH. First up is the news and unfortunately there isn’t much. Kingdom Hearts 2.5 has release dates set for the west as well as some big launch events in London and California. The gang from KHU and Gaming Union will be at some of the events, so be sure to stay tuned for any news! The trio then go into a special segment called “Hope for the Future” which takes a look at what’s happened in life of the video game industry as well as KH in the past year and how it could benefit the future of Kingdom Hearts games! What will we see? What’s going to happen? 2015 is winding up to be a great year. And then the gang answer your questions and this time, they deal with issues such as what the HD remakes on the PS4 would look like, which KH game they each like the most, and is it possible that KH3 will be released on the next gen systems (e.g. PlayStation 5). Rounding out the show is a great remix from KH 358/2 that we really enjoy! We hope you guys have a safe and happy holiday season and we’ll see you all in the new year!

Another week brings another episode of Final Fantasy Union! Darryl and Lauren are back once again to discuss all things Final Fantasy. The duo have been on some great FF adventures recently and they can’t wait to regale you with their tales. First up was their experience at the Final Fantasy 14 Fan Festival in London. Hear how wonderful and detailed the festival was and what Darryl and Lauren were able to do while they were there. They then talk about their back-to-back Final Fantasy concerts they were able to attend: The big Distant Worlds orchestral concert and the more intimate A New World concert. Next up is the news from the past couple of weeks. The couple talks about the new Final Fantasy 15 footage, enemies, and how both the English and Japanese dubs may be available in the western release. Also, SE announced that they have set an internal release date for the game. Next is the news for Type-0 which came in the form of a new trailer as well as Tabata expressing an interest in making more Type games. We’ll see what happens. Darryl and Lauren then connect with special guest Brian who is the final FFU Quiz contestant. Is he able to take the lead? There’s only one way to find out. Rounding out the show is the customary remix and this show brings you a wonderful re-arrangement of a Type-0 track that’s a ton of fun. Bundle up, keep warm, and we’ll see you guys again in a few weeks!

Hello to our fellow Kingdom Hearts fans and welcome back to another episode of Kingdom Hearts Union! Branden, Churro, and Sabrina sit down together and dive into a discussion about all things KH. First up on the docket is the news. The gang talks about how KH2.5 HD has been released in Japan and that there are spoilers for you to check out on the internet. However, don’t worry, we don’t talk about them at all! They also talk about the recent announcement that KH3 is being developed in the Unreal Engine. What does that mean for the game and how will it make the game better? Listen in and you’ll find out! After the news, the trio moves into a brand new segment called KH University. This segment is designed to help everyone understand the more complicated and esoteric parts of Kingdom Hearts. Let’s face it, Nomura hasn’t made the story terribly easy to follow and KH University will help you unravel the mystery and confusion. The first chapter in this new segment is all about Xehanort! Immediately after KH University, the gang jump into your questions and this show, they talk about whether or not Birth By Sleep Part 2 will actually be developed and released or if it’s just an empty promise. The show comes to close with a wonderful cover of the Halloween Town theme song that you’re going to enjoy! Are you as excited for the future of Kingdom Hearts as we are? We hope you are and we’ll see you guys again in just a few weeks!

Final Fantasy Union is back once again to give you your weekly serving of all things Final Fantasy. Darry and Lauren sit down with special guest, Stealth, and they dive headfirst into the fray. First up, the trio talks about the rumor concerning Final Fantasy 16 that’s been going around. Is it too early to speculate? How accurate could it be? Next is news concerning Final Fantasy 15; the biggest piece of news has been that Nomura has been removed as the director for the project. Is this a good thing or will it hurt the franchise? Rants, tangents, and discussions are ever present on this hot button issue. In addition to Nomura leaving the project, they also talk about the game being half completed, a new combat system being announced, the game wanting to reach a new and broader audience, and the huge demo that will be out with the Final Fantasy Type-0 HD remake. Speaking of Type-0, we FINALLY have a release date in the west! They also talk about how Agito+ will be coming to the Vita as well as FF13 being released on PC for the first time! Next up, the Final Fantasy Quiz. Listen in as contestant Josh tries his luck. Does he give our current leader a run for his money or does he fall short? Listen in to find out. The show rounds out with a great remix from Final Fantasy 4 that ends the show with style! We hope you guys are as excited about the future of Final Fantasy as we are and we’ll see you all again in just a few short weeks!

What a crazy couple of weeks it’s been in the world of Kingdom Hearts! It’s time for another episode of KHU to take you through all the new developments in the franchise. Branden and Churro sit down once again and jump right into the fray. First up is the bomb-shell piece of news that Nomura has been taken off the development team for Final Fantasy 15! What does that mean, how will it effect KH3, will he stay at Square Enix? So many questions. They also then go through the new information about KH3 development, KH2.5 new secret movies, and the status of KH:X. After a lot of discussion over this news, the duo launch into a discussion about the Tokyo Game Show. They discuss the different announcements that Square Enix provided and how it can effect the Kingdom Hearts franchise. Hopefully, more KH news will be released soon! The guys then turn their thoughts and discussion to the world of merchandise where they discuss what would be the best Kingdom Hearts merchandise that SE and Disney could make for the fans. The show comes to an end as it always does with a fan made remix of a Kingdom Hearts tune . This show, we have a KH2 remix in store for you that you’re sure to enjoy! Sit back, relax, enjoy the show, and we’ll see you guys again in a few weeks!

Welcome back everyone to another episode of Final Fantasy Union. Darryl and Lauren sit down once again to chat about the world of Final Fantasy but this time, they are joined by a very special guest: Michael from RPGamer! This show, you are in for a massive amount of discussion and ranting about Square Enix, so sit back and enjoy! First up is an in depth discussion about the upcoming Tokyo Game Show. The gang talks not about what will be there, but rather what won’t be at the show. Is not having FF15 or Type-0 at the show a good thing or a bad thing? Next up is more news about some of the Final Fantasy projects. The trio talks about Type-0’s showing at PAX and the new info we got from the show, new release dates and job classes announced for Final Fantasy Explorers, as well as some miscellaneous information coming from the company including things like a new studio, new additions to FF14, and a new streaming service. The flood of news brings about a lot of tangents and ranting that you’re sure to enjoy! Rounding out the show like always is the music segment and this show, we have a great remix from Final Fantasy 8 that you’re sure to enjoy. We really hope you enjoy the longer show and we’ll see you guys again soon!

We’re back again everyone! September is here and Kingdom Hearts Union is here to ring in the fall season. Branden is joined by Churro and Sabrina and as always, they dive right into the Kingdom Hearts fray. First up, the news. As you might expect, unfortunately there isn’t much at all. However, SE has opened a casting call to all KH fans for something related to Kingdom Hearts 2.5 HD. What could it be for? Now that we are in September, there is a big event right around the corner: the Tokyo Game Show. The trio discuss what we might expect to see at the show. Will there be any news on Kingdom Hearts 3? Will anything new be released about KH 2.5HD? Should we get our hopes up or just play it cool? Listen in to hear what the gang thinks! And then, they move on to your questions and we have some wonderful ones to go through! The trio talk about issues such as what will happen with Roxas and Ventus and what would it be like if we could direct the next KH game after KH3. Rounding out the show as it always does is the music segment and this week, we have an awesome 8-bit remix from Kingdom Hearts 2 Final Mix that’s a lot of fun! We hope you guys enjoy the show and we’ll be back again in just a few weeks!

Another week brings another episode of Final Fantasy Union to entertain you! Darryl and Lauren sit down to talk all things Final Fantasy and they launch straight into the show. This episode starts off with a wonderful discussion on Final Fantasy 8. It is argued by many to be the most open ended story in all the FF games. Darryl and Lauren discuss it at great length and read your comments and input on the issue. After the lengthy discussion, the duo moves into the news. Unfortunately, Square Enix has left us in a bit of a lull for anything new but there are a few scraps of info for you. They talk about how one of the main programmers leaves SE and how SE has acquired a new trademark called “Prequel Trilogy”. What does it mean? What will it apply to? We don’t know, but that certainly doesn’t keep up from speculating! Next up, the gang joins up with special guest Mike who is the newest contestant on the Final Fantasy Quiz. How does he do? Listen to find out. A wonderful remix from Final Fantasy 4 rounds out the show nicely. Enjoy the episode and we’ll see you guys again soon!

The future of Kingdom Hearts Union is upon us! Branden, Churro, and Sabrina sit down once again to discuss all things Kingdom Hearts. First thing on the docket is the State of the Kingdom Hearts Union address. Listen in to hear what the gang has planed for the future of the show and how you can help and get involved! After the update, the trio moves on to the news. They go in depth into the announcements such as Nomura at San Diego Comic Con (and how Churro met him), Square Enix losing a big technical director, the KH 2.5 HD cover being revealed, the KH 1.5/2.5 collector’s editions for the Japanese release, and the KH 2.5 HD collector’s edition for North America. Hearing Churro’s story of meeting Nomura is exciting and touching! Next up, questions! The hosts sit down and answer some great questions: do they want Kingdom Hearts X (Chi), what was their favorite part of KH2, and which enemy class from the KH series is their favorite? Enjoy the end of the show with a great Kingdom Hearts 2 remix. We really hope you enjoyed this extra long episode and we’ll be back with you in a few weeks!

Final Fantasy Union is BACK AGAIN for another fun show. Darryl and Lauren sit down and talk about all things Final Fantasy. First topic on the list is controversial! The couple discuss the recent Type-0 fan translation cancellation by Square Enix. Darryl and Lauren read some of your comments to get your feelings on the situation. Interestingly, your responses are pretty varried. How do Darryl and Lauren feel? You’ll have to listen to find out. Next up, the news and we have some great announcements to talk about this episode. First up is the new Explorers game that’s been announced. They talk about its release date, the musical theme that’s been released, and the classes that have been announced. Next up is the cryptic announcement for Record Keeper. What does the timer on the teaser site mean? Will it only be a Japanese release? More information is sure to come. The Final Fantasy Quiz is the next part of the show. Join David as he tests his skills and knowledge; listen in to see how he does! Rounding out the show as usual is the music segment and we have an awesome Final Fantasy 7 remix that will kick your teeth in! We really hope you guys enjoyed the show this week and we’ll be back with you again soon! Cheers!

Another week is upon us and another episode of Kingdom Hearts Union is here for you! Branden and Churro sit down once again for another awesome bro-cast about all things Kingdom Hearts. First up on the itinerary is the news. The guys work through the information at hand including KH2.5 will have battle scenes for Re:Coded, Birth By Sleep will unfortunately not have multiplayer, and Tai Yasue’s favorite pick for a new Disney world is Frozen. Square Enix also addressed the general disappointment that fans expressed from lack of KH news at E3. After the news, the duo launch into a discussion about an interview that KHU landed (which is LIVE right now). The interview was with Seth Kearsley, the director of the much rumored KH animated series that, unfortunately, never came to fruition. Would the series have been a good idea? Should they still make it? What should it look and feel like? Branden and Churro leave no stone unturned! Then we have your answers to the last Burning Question. We need your answers for the new BQ which is “What would you want a Kingdom Hearts animated series to be like?” Get us your responses; we are so excited to hear your thoughts! Bringing the show to a close is a remix from Kingdom Hearts 2 that is a phenomenal re-arrangement and cover of Sanctuary; this is one you won’t want to miss! Enjoy the show and we’ll see you guys again in a couple of weeks!

Wouldn’t it be amazing if there was a Kingdom Hearts TV show? How about a movie? Ten years ago it was rumored that Disney was developing a Kingdom Hearts animated series. As far back as November of 2004 there were reports from people that had seen a pilot episode for Kingdom Hearts, but it was never confirmed, leaked, or mentioned ever again. Now in 2014 Kingdom Hearts Union is proud to sit down with Seth Kearsley, the director and writer hired by Disney to adapt Kingdom Hearts into a television series! Seth has worked on many animated series such as Mummies Alive (1998), Family Guy (2005), and Looney Toons (2012) as well as feature films such as Adam Sandler’s Eight Crazy Nights. Mr. Kearsley has also made a small selection of the storyboard available online. Join Branden, as he travels back to 2002 with Seth Kearsley and unlock the truth behind this show that never was!

E3 2014 has come and gone and Final Fantasy Union is back to perform the post-mortem on the event. Darryl is joined by Lauren and special guest, Branden from Kingdom Hearts Union. They waste no time by jumping straight into the discussion. First up is the news (or lack there off) for FFXV at the show. They hypothesize when we might hear more news and where that news will come from. They then talk about Type-0 and Agito and its eventual release to the western audience. No release dates yet. Final Fantasy XIV had a lot of news about their new patch scheduled to release in early July. And finally, a brand new game was announced called Final Fantasy Explorers on the 3DS. Interestingly, it’s been rumored to be only a western release. See what the trio think about this new title and what it could mean! The Final Fantasy Quiz is BACK again and Darryl and Lauren put contestant, Chris, to the test. How does he do? Listen and find out! Rounding out this post-E3 episode is a wonderful remix from Final Fantasy 7 that you’re sure to enjoy! Even though E3 was a bit of a bust for Final Fantasy, we hope you enjoyed the show. Stay tuned for more news and podcast episodes coming soon and we’ll see you guys in a couple weeks!

Well, much to our disappointment, Square Enix has announced that there will be no new news for Kingdom Hearts at E3 2014. However, that doesn’t deter our awesome podcast team from making a great show. Branden is joined by Churro and Sabrina and they dive right on in to this extra long episode! First off, the gang talks about the announcement that SE made concerning KH3 and E3 this year. However, there was a new teaser trailer for the game and the trio give their thoughts and theories on what they trailer could mean. THEN, they reenact the trailer for your entertainment! Outside of KH3 news, we have release dates for KH 2.5 HD in Japan, North America, and Europe! Because E3 is upon us, the hosts have a special segment called “Games you should care about”. This is a segment about games you should play in the meantime while we wait for KH3 to hit shelves. The Burning Question for next time is “What game showed at E3 2014 are you most excited for apart from KH3 or FFXV?” Get your answers in! After that, it’s time for your questions and this show we have a great discussion about whether or not Riku will/should have a game devoted to him or if it should just stay with Sora. Shenanigans ensue! The show comes to a close with a wonderful remix from both KH and 358/2 that’s great fun. We hope you guys really enjoy E3 this year and we’ll see you again in a few weeks!

Another day, another episode of Final Fantasy Union! Welcome back everyone for the 92nd episode of FFU. Darryl is joined as always by Lauren and Spencer and they jump right into the main course of the show: what’s going to happen at E3? They start off giving their individual thoughts on what we’ll see. Are they optimistic or pessimistic? They then break down E3 based on the different FF games. First up is Final Fantasy XV; will there be a new trailer or news that we don’t already know? Maybe even a release date?!? The gang then talks about FF Type-0/Agito. There’s been almost no word on this game. Is it time for Square Enix to release the game? And let’s not forget about SE’s most popular title right now: Final Fantasy XIV. When will the new expansion be here? We have so many questions and hopes for E3 this year; with any luck, Square Enix will not disappoint. Perhaps they will raise the bar from last year. We’ll know very soon! The FF Quiz is back this show with Colson; listen in to see how he does and whether or not he tops the chart! The show rounds out with a wonderful remix from Final Fantasy 7 that you’re sure to dig. Enjoy the show, keep your fingers crossed for E3, and we’ll see you guys in a couple of weeks!

Hey everyone and welcome back to another (albeit, late) episode of Kingdom Hearts Union! The old saying, better late than never, is certainly applicable here. After many technical difficulties, the gang pushed hard and still got the show ready for you! This show has some great discussions that you won’t want to miss. First off, the trio take a look at the different ways that Square Enix released information and news for the past games in order to try and hypothesize what we just might see at E3 2014 which is JUST around the corner. In the same vein, the gang reads your responses to the Burning Question which was what you think will be shown for KH at E3 this year. Your responses are positive but also quite realistic; Nomura has fooled us more than once! However, after last year’s E3 event, who’s to say what we’ll see? Afterwards, we have an amazing question from you guys that seems to be on everyone’s mind right now: will there be a Frozen crossover in KH in the future? What about FF13 or FF15? The hosts let you now their thoughts! Rounding out the show, as always, is a great remix and this episode brings an arrangement from KH Dream Drop Distance. We can’t thank you guys enough for all the love and support you give us; we can’t wait to be back with you in just a few short weeks!

Greetings everyone and welcome back once again to Final Fantasy Union! The time has come for the trio, Darryl, Lauren, and Spencer, to come together and discuss all things Final Fantasy. This show brings some crazy and fun discussions that you’re sure to enjoy! The show starts off with a real bang as the gang sits down and talks, in depth, about the recent press release from Square Enix admitting to losing focus in the way they develop and release their games. There is a veritable ton of ranting, discussion, and tangents. With any luck, the FF that we once new may be returning! After this hefty segment, next up is the news. Listen in as the hosts talk about Sony dumping their SE stock shares, the new Theatrhythm game having a TON of songs from all the different FF titles (not just the games; the movies too), FF14 surpassing 2 million users, and FF15/KH3 being rumored to make an E3 appearance. There is certainly a lot to get through so hang on tight. Next on the agenda are your responses to the Burning Question which was “Which did you spend more time playing: Lightning Returns or FF10/10-2 HD?” You guys were pretty much all on the same side on this one; you’ll have to listen to hear which side it is. And following your answers are your questions for the gang. This time, they discuss issues like their thoughts on FF4 and what one hero/villain in any FF game would they change if they could. The music segment rounds out the show as usual with a really fun remix from Crisis Core. E3 is almost here and we’ll be here to let you know all the details as they come in!

Another day, another awesome Kingdom Hearts Union show! Welcome back to the 65th episode with Branden and Churro; the first bro-cast of the year. The guys start things off with a discussion concerning the recent comments from the Square Enix CEO regarding the direction of games that they create. Lots of fun ranting and tangents to be had! Then the gentlemen move into your responses to the last Burning Question which was what do you think will be released next after KH 2.5. Interestingly, your answers are not as geared towards new game releases but rather CE versions or supplementary material for KH. This is why we love hearing your thoughts; you never fail to keep surprising us! The next Burning Question is ready for you to answer which is “What do you expect to see from Kingdom Hearts at E3 2014?” What’s next on the itinerary? Why, it’s your questions of course. The duo address questions concerning FF summons in KH, Chain of Memories on the GBA and whether it still holds up, and will Disney help promote/hype KH3 as much as they did for KH2. The guys have fun with these! And then wrapping up the show as always is the music segment. Enjoy the KH2 Final Mix remix that we found on YouTube! We can’t wait to see you all again in a few weeks!

In this episode, the voice of Chocolina, Julie Nathanson, joins Final Fantasy Union for the first time to talk about her role in Final Fantasy XIII-2 and Lightning Returns! This marks the final interview in our series for the release of Lightning Returns and it was a pleasure to talk to Julie. As always, we had a chance to field our own questions, but also had a ton of questions from the community, which was great! This interview was recorded after the release of Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII and continues on with our series of interviews with the voice cast. It's definitely one for fans of Chocolina, even if you just listen to the beginning! (although we recommend you listen to more)

Hey everyone and welcome back to another episode of Final Fantasy Union! This show, Darryl is joined by Lauren and Spencer and they are all over the Final Fantasy X HD release. First up is an incredibly in depth discussion about the new game release. The trio waxes nostalgic about their very first experience playing Final Fantasy X. Hear what they thought and felt when they played the game for the first time years and years ago. They talk about who their favorite characters are as well as how popular the game is on social media right now. Is it worth picking up? After listening, you’ll have to decide for yourself! The Final Fantasy quiz is next up on the schedule. Community member Lief joins the show to try his luck at the FF quiz. See how you do with the questions he had to answer. And now we move onto your questions. The gang have discussions about wether or not remaking Final Fantasy 7 is really that hard, their thoughts on FF12: Revenant Wings, and what FF creature who has been absent from the games for a while should come back.Wrapping up the show is the music segment which comes from Lightning Returns. Enjoy the show and we’ll be back soon!

Kingdom Hearts Union is back again with another episode made just for you; yes, YOU, reading this sentence right now! We hope you enjoy the show, Dave and Marry! If you’re name is Dave or Marry, how freaked out are you right now?!? ANYWAY, welcome back to another show with Branden who is joined by Churro and Sabrina. This show takes a small detour from the norm with a fun new segment called the “Survey Segment”. Square Enix released a survey asking fans questions about their gaming habits as well as their favorite KH games. The trio goes through many of the questions and answer them for your enjoyment. Come see what games the gang have played and what the think about the franchise in general. After the Survey, it’s time for your responses to the Burning Question that was asked 2 episodes ago! Better late than never :). They read your responses to what you think the next KH game will be after 2.5 HD. Your answers are pretty darn varied which is always fun! We need your answers for the new Burning Question which is “What would you like to see in a KH Collector’s Edition?” The show ends on a high note with a great remix from the franchise, except this time, it’s an original composition rather than a remix. A composer has written what they think a battle theme for KH3 would sound like if there were a Frozen themed world. It’s a wonderful track that you’ll want to hear. We hope you guys really enjoyed the show, especially you Jamie and Brent. We’ll see you all again in a few weeks!

Welcome back everyone to another episode of Final Fantasy Union! Darryl is here and is joined by Lauren and Spencer and they don't waste any time. This episode is a especially fun as there has been a brand new game release in the FF universe and the trio start things off by going into a DEEP discussion of their thoughts and feelings for the game. However, don't worry, the show is spoiler free! They spend time giving their opinion on the story, gameplay, the trilogy as a whole, and much much more! We had asked you guys what you thought about the game and they read your responses; you were quite positive! Right after the Lightning Returns review, Darryl and Lauren team up with Arvis for the second Final Fantasy Quiz segment. You can hear how well he does! Then they move into your questions and this show they have some great topics! Listen in as they talk about issues like the relevance of the earlier FF games and whether Final Fantasy 15 be out in 2014 or not. The remix at the end of this show goes hand in hand with our featured discussion as it's a remix from Lightning Returns! We hope you guys enjoyed the show and we can't wait to be with you all in a few weeks!

This is a very short episode of the podcast which brings Darry, Lauren, Branden and Churro together to tell you guys us on Patreon (http://www.patreon.com/ffkhunion). It's a service that kind of works like Kickstarter, but it's based around supporting creators on an ongoing basis and getting some cool rewards for doing so. You can find out more about those on the page, but if we are able to get enough pledges, we will hopefully go back to doing one episode a week!

In this episode, the voice of Lumina, Jessica DiCicco, joins Final Fantasy Union for the first time to talk about all things Final Fantasy XIII and beyond! We had tons of fun speaking with Jessica about her first major role within the Final Fantasy franchise and were lucky enoug to field numerous questions from the website and fans alike. This interview was recorded after the release of Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII and continues on with our series of interviews with the voice cast. If you're a fan of Lumina, who's a new character in this final iteration in the Final Fantasy XIII saga, then you will love this interview!

In this episode, the voice of Vanille, Georgia van Cuylenberg, joins Final Fantasy Union for a first time to talk about all things Final Fantasy XIII and beyond! Lauren and Darryl have tons of fun speaking with Georgia and although there were a few technical issues, we were able to field numerous questions from the website and fans alike. This interview was put together as part of our hype surrounding the release of Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII. If you're a fan of Vanille, then this interview will be a blast!

Welcome back everyone to this special romantically themed, Valentines Day inspired, episode of Kingdom Hearts Union! This week, Branden is joined by Churro, Sabrina, and Olivia and they are all together to regale you with their romantic ideas based around Kingdom Hearts. First off is a special segment called "Kingdom Hearts You". Branden has a series of romantic hypothetical questions to each of the hosts and they each provide their input and ideas. It's a love-fest with hilarious responses that you're sure to enjoy. Afterwards are your questions to the gang. This long episode has one great question that the group talks about: would they buy a KH game if it only lasted a few short hours.? You're in store for a wonderful discussion! Finally, the gang sends out their special Valentine's Day shout-outs to those close to them. The show finishes up with a great remix from the original game that started it all. Don't miss out on this fun arrangement of Simple and Clean. We hope you've had a wonderful Valentines Day as well as a great start to 2014. We'll see you again in a few weeks!

In this episode, the voice of Fang, Rachel Robinson, joins Final Fantasy Union once again! Lauren and Darryl sit down with Rachel to answer lots of fan questions as a build up to Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII. If you're a fan of Oerba Yun Fang and the Final Fantasy XIII Saga, then this is an interview you should thoroughly enjoy listening to!

In this episode, the voice of Lightning, Ali Hillis, joins Final Fantasy Union for a third time to talk about how life has changed for her as the main protagonist of the Final Fantasy XIII Saga! Lauren and Darryl field numerous questions from the website and fans alike, all in preparation for Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII. If you're a fan of Lightning, then this is an interview you won't want to miss!

Greetings everyone and welcome back to another episode of Final Fantasy Union. This show is a wild ride that you're sure to enjoy. Join Darryl and Lauren as they jump into the fray. This episode starts off with a retrospective look at the Final Fantasy 13 franchise; the good and the bad. Next up, the news. The duo discusses new info for Lightning Returns including its sales reports in Japan and pre order deals and extras for the western audience. There is also news for the FF10 XD release including the strong sales figures in Japan and information on the collectors edition of the games. The news rounds out with information from Final Fantasy 14 including a PS4 release date and subscription time cards for the North America audiences. Next up is a brand new section in which Darryl and Lauren quiz a member of the audience. Listen in as fan Ianba is put through the paces! After the quiz, the couple moves into your questions! This time, they talk about what SE's biggest mistake was in the previous console generation and whether or not there is enough demand for FFX-3 for SE to make a decent return on investment. Lots of fun conversations to be had so don't miss out. The show rounds out, as you may have guessed, with a piece of music. This episode showcases a remix from Final Fantasy 10 that you won't want to miss! We hope you enjoy the newest section to the podcast and we'll see you next time.

It's 2014 and Kingdom Hearts Union is BACK to get the year started in Kingdom Hearts style! Branden is joined by Churro and Sabrina and, like always, they dive straight in. First up is the news and there's certainly a bit to go through. The gang talks about the attraction flow abilities, key blade transformations, news from the Osaka team, Nomura writing KH3 still, and Haley Joel Osment's comments about KH3. There is a ton to get through and the trio spend a good deal of time with lots of fun tangents. After that, your answers to the last Burning Question which was about your thoughts on the HD remixes so far. Your responses are really wonderful and you don't all agree which makes for some great conversation! Get you answers in for the next Burning Question which is "What game do you think will release next after KH 2.5 HD?" Your questions are up next and we have 3 wonderful questions. The hosts have discussions about what the key blade could transform into, will KH ever have ports on the Vita, and what will SE do after releasing KH3? The show rounds out as it always does with a remix and this show has an awesome song from the original KH game that you'll love! Welcome to 2014, we can't wait to share this year with you!

Hello everyone and WELCOME to the first podcast of 2014. Final Fantasy Union is back and ready to get down to business. Darryl is joined by Lauren and Spencer and they don't waste any time jumping in. First up, the gang spends a healthy amount of time going over and discussing the pseudo announcement of Final Fantasy 10-3. What will it be, when will it come out, etc. They then go straight into the news which deals with Lightning Returns special editions, 10 HD release information, and the new patch for Final Fantasy 14 (patch 2.1). Also, there are new figurines/statues that are available that look quite gorgeous (seriously, check them out). Next up are your responses to the last Burning Question which was whether or not SE has been spoiling Lightning Returns with too much information before it's release. It would seem that you agree with the trio; they are and your responses are wonderful and fun to go through! As always, get your answers in for the next show's Burning Question which will be announced a little closer to the show so be on the lookout! The music segment this show is a bit special as it's a fun "track" for Final Fantasy 7 which you're sure to enjoy! Have fun and Happy New Year to you all; we'll see you in a few weeks!

Hey everyone and welcome back to another episode of Kingdom Hearts Union! This show is the last show of 2013 and Branden is joined by Churro and Sabrina to send the year out with a bang! This episode begins with a look back at the year that we've had in the world of Kingdom Hearts; it's been a pretty big one! The gang takes some time to discuss things like the new CEO at Square Enix, Kingdom Hearts 3 being announced, Kingdom Hearts 1.5 hitting shelves, and the D23 Tokyo conference and the announcements that came from it! After taking some time to look back, the trio then look to the future with your answers to the Burning Question which was "what do you hope to see from KH in 2014?" You guys have some awesome predictions and desires for the year to come! The Burning Question for the first show in 2014 will be "What do you think of the KH HD remix releases so far?" As always, make sure you get your answers in! Next up on the docket are your questions. Since this show is all about looking back, the question is wonderful! You'll hear the gang talk about who they thought Roxas was going to be before they knew who he was! Rounding out the show is a wonderful remix from the first KH game, so don't miss out. We want to thank each and every one of you for your continued support for Kingdom Hearts Union over the years. We've had a great year bringing you this series and we can't wait for what we can bring in 2014; we hope that you guys are as excited as we are! Have a wonderful and safe holiday; we'll see you next year!

Hey everyone and welcome back to the next episode of Final Fantasy Union! This 86th episode sees Darryl who is joined by Lauren and Spencer and the trio make their way into the world of Final Fantasy. First up is the news and this week we have a lot! First up is an interview where a producer shares that younger fans prefer spin-offs to main games; the ranting ensues. Lightning Returns has its release in Japan, more characters are returning, and the Japanese audio will be available for all (free for some). Final Fantasy X HD get's a western release date but the Vita version is in limbo with no new information. Final Fantasy XIV has a new patch coming out in December and Lightning makes a appearance in the MMO. And there may be a new Dissidia game on the SE production floor. Next up are your responses to the Burning Question which had to do with whether or not you're playing FInal Fantasy XIV right now. You guys are definitely playing the game and seem to be enjoying it (as we are)! The new question is a big one: "Regarding Lightning Returns, will less be more?" Get your answers in! Now it's time for the gang to answer your questions. The trio talks about how the XIII battle system is different and requires a different play style, whether female protagonists are as good in FF as the male, and what will SE do after they release FFXV. As you can imagine, there is some wonderful discussion here! the show rounds out with a fun remix from Final Fantasy 4. We hope you all have a WONDERFUL rest of the year and FFU will see you again in 2014!

Hello and welcome back to another episode of Kingdom Hearts Union! This bro-cast is brought to you by Branden who is joined once again by Churro and they dive right into the content. As always, first up is the news and there was some exciting information. The guys talk about how the D23 trailer that was shown was actually in engine and how the visuals are said to be in an early state and are still being refined. Nomura also reported on something called Attraction Flow in the battle system for KH3. Unfortunately, we don't know much about it yet. And in typical Nomura fashion, he said that there are new components of KH3 that haven't been revealed yet (vague). After lots of discussion, the guys move onto your responses to the Burning Question from last week which dealt with what secret bosses should be in KH3 (that haven't been in the game already). You did not disappoint with your answers. Don't forget to get your answers in for the new Burning Question which is "What do you hope to see from Kingdom Hearts in 2014?" Next up are your questions which the duo answers, but this time brings a special twist. The guys have gone back into the list of questions that have been asked over the last three years and chose some of the ancient ones to answer! The bros talk about things like what would their personal key blades look like, would should be in the limited edition version of KH3, and which Organization XIII members would they want to get to know more about! Enjoy the throwback questions but don't leave just yet. The show rounds out with a kickin' Hollow Bastion remix which you will certainly enjoy. We hope you enjoyed the show and we'll see you again in a few weeks!

Welcome back once more to another episode of Final Fantasy Union! This extra long show features Darryl who is joined by Lauren and special guest Brian and they have a lot to talk about. First up is the news (with a healthy supply of ranting). The trio discusses the creation of a new quality control panel; who's on it, is it good, and more! Then, there is a bit of news about Lighting Returns including no plans for Final Fantasy XIII-4 and new gameplay footage showing off different mechanics from the game. The Final Fantasy X HD game finally gets a Japanese release date, but no release date for the west. Final Fantasy XIV gets a big patch working on end game dungeons, population caps, server transfers, and more and they release a lot of new information on Housing coming in 2.1. There is a Final Fantasy VII PC mod that's getting some cool attention. And finally, Final Fantasy VI is coming to mobile devices. Next up are your answers to the burning question which dealt with what FF game should be turned into a musical/opera. Your answers were wildly creative and fun! Get your answers in for the next Burning Question which is "Are you playing Final Fantasy XIV?" After your responses, the gang spends a little more time talking about Final Fantasy XIV and their adventures so far! This long episode ends as it always does with a great remix; this time you'll be able to hear a great FF7 remix! Enjoy the show and we'll see you again in November!

Kingdom Hearts Union is back for a special D23 Japan Expo emergency podcast to talk about all the recent Kingdom Hearts news announced! Branden, Churro, Spencer, and Olivia start off by talking about the newly announced Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX. Then we get into the main topic of discussion which is all about the brand new trailer that released for Kingdom Hearts III. This more than makes up for the complete lack of any real news to come out of TGS this year. We also take a look at the interview Nomura had at the event talking about Kingdom Hearts II thanks to Olivia's translation. The Burning Question from the last episode is still the same and in case you forgot is "What character would you like to see as a secret boss in KH3 that has never been in a KH game before?" The ending song this week is also an amazing violin medley from many classic songs in Kingdom Hearts. Be sure to let us know what you thought of all the recent news in the comments below.

Kingdom Hearts Union is BACK once again to give you your fill of all things Kingdom Hearts! Branden and Churro come together for another "bro-cast" that you're sure to enjoy. This episode brings back the long lost 3 segment show and first up is the news. The guys wish a happy birthday to Nomura, talk about the D23 conference that's going on in Japan, and how the Tokyo Game Show was a major bust this year for ANYTHING Kingdom Hearts related. If you were hoping for more from TGS, unfortunately you'll have to wait and pray for next year to be better. However, the duo don't lose their stride and they move right into your responses to the last Burning Question. You regale them with your thoughts, ideas, and hypotheses for what we might see in Kingdom Hearts 3; you do NOT disappoint with your answers! Bure sure to get your answers in for the next BQ which is "What character would you like to see as a secret boss in KH3 that has never been in a KH game before?" Next on the itinerary: your questions! Branden and Churro tackle issues like the most desired worlds in KH3 and whether or not we should be able to customize our character's appearance. The show wraps up like always with a remix and this episode brings a wonderful Kingdom Hearts 2 rearrangement that you don't want to miss. We hope that you continue to enjoy playing KH1.5 and we'll see you again soon!

Welcome back to another episode of Final Fantasy Union! This show is riddled with information and discussion. Darryl is joined by Lauren and Spencer and they jump straight into the news (and there's a lot). The Tokyo Game Show recently ended and there is a lot of news to report including a new trailer for FF15; story information for Lightning Returns as well as new costumes and gameplay; Final Fantasy 10 vita bundle announcements and a broad release date announced; Final Fantasy 14 servers are fixed, the announcement of new content for patch 2.1, and Lightning coming to the game; Final Fantasy Agito is coming to mobile platforms. Next up are your answers to the last Burning Question which was your thoughts on old characters returning to Lightning Returns. You guys all seem excited but are concerned if they will do it well; I guess we'll see. Get your answers in for the next burning question which is "if you could have any Final Fantasy game turned into a musical, which would it be and why?" And then your questions are answered by the crew. This show has two great questions about what will happen to Square Enix if 15 is a flop and which FF character are they most relatable to. The show ends with a wonderful remix from Final Fantasy 7 that you're sure to enjoy. We hope you enjoyed the longer show and we'll see you again in a few weeks!

Fall is here and so is another episode of Kingdom Hearts Union! Happy September everyone and welcome back! Branden sits down with Churro and special guest, Spencer, and they jump into the Kingdom Hearts universe! This show is a bit special as the guys have a new game to talk about, and talk about it they do. The trio dives straight into talking about their experiences with Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD. Did they like it, did they hate it? How's the visual upgrade, the new music, the individual games? You'll have to listen to find out (and you'll enjoy what you hear)! After talking about all the different aspects of the game, they then move into your responses from the previous Burning Question which was what you thought would be revealed at TGS in regards to KH. As always, get your answers in for the next Burning Question which is "What do you speculate about Kingdom Hearts 3? Story, Worlds, Characters, ANYTHING!" And then the trio turns to answering your questions and we have a really nice one this time. Listen to the discussion about The City of Bells area, how it was used, and if it was implemented correctly. Rounding out the show is a wonderful remix from 358/2 Days! Enjoy KH1.5 HD and we'll see you again in just a few weeks!

Happy September ladies and gentlemen and welcome to the 83rd episode of FInal Fantasy Union! Darryl is joined by Lauren and Spencer and they jump right into the fray! First up is news and there's a bit to get through! There's new info about Lightning Returns including the return of Sazh, guest characters in battle, the length of the game, and the first development vlog for the game! Final Fantasy 10 HD also got a little news with the release of the newly arranged battle music that we're in for! And then Final Fantasy 14 including the game being released and the beta records for MMO's being smashed! The trio then move into your responses to the Burning Question from the last episode which was what you were expecting from TGS this year. You guys stayed very optimistic which made us feel warm fuzzies! Get your answers in for the new BQ which is "Are you happy with all of the old characters returning?" And then your questions for the gang and we have two great questions this episode. Listen as the gang talks about their individual levels of excitement for Final Fantasy 14 and whether or not "Ask Square-Enix" will still be released even though Yoichi Wada has been canned. If you're a long time listener of the show, you know what's up next: the music segment! We have a fantastic arrangement from Final Fantasy 7 that you're sure to enjoy. Get your FF14 fix now and we'll see you in just a few weeks!

Welcome back everyone to the 57th episode of Kingdom Hearts Union, your one-stop shop for all things Kingdom Hearts. Branden is joined by Churro and very special guest Sabrina, and they don't waste any time getting down to business! First up is the news that you need to know. There isn't much in the way of brand new info so the crew spends time getting you caught up and reminding you on what you need to know. Listen to hear about the KH1.5 release information, the TGS updates for KH3, and the KH Manga review to check out! They then jump straight into your responses to the previous Burning Question which was hearing how you felt when KH3 was announced. Your answers were heartwarming and incredibly touching which brought about a lot of nostalgia for the hosts. The next BQ is a big one that you'll want to respond to: "What do you think Square Enix will reveal at TGS for Kingdom Hearts 3?" And then your questions for the trio; we have some good ones! Listen in as they discuss Sora as the protagonist after the Xehanort saga, would Disney buying Square Enix be a good or bad thing, and whether or not KH3 will be longer than KH2. The show rounds out with its customary music segment which is a wonderful mashup of different Kingdom Hearts songs; you won't want to miss it so listen through to the end! KH1.5 is ALMOST HERE; stick around and we'll all experience it together!

Welcome back to another episode of Final Fantasy Union and join us as we plunge into the world of FF! Darryl and Lauren come together for a wonderful two person show and they jump straight into the fray. First up is the news and there is a TON of it! A lot of it deals with Final Fantasy 13 Lightning Returns including the return of certain characters such as Caius, a new enemy extinction mechanic, and breast design and physics (not joking about that last one). There is also news about the Final Fantasy 10 HD remix and the music; quite a few of the tracks from 10 will be re-recorded with live instruments to make it sound the best possible! And finally there is some news from the MMO known as Final Fantasy 14! Next up is the Burning Question and the duo talks all about the whole boobie debacle and they go through your responses and thoughts as to how this could affect the game, both good and bad. Be sure to get your answers in for the new Burning Question! The show wraps up with a lovely remix from the OCRemix FF6 album; it's a wonderfully peaceful guitar mix that you will love! We'll be back in a few weeks and we'll see you then!

Welcome back to another week and another episode of Kingdom Hearts Union. We apologize for the delay in this episode which was brought about due to some technical difficulties. But, better late than never! This time around, Branden is joined by Churro and special guest Brian and the craziness begins. First up is the news and the gang covers the information on Kingdom Hearts X (Chi) in Japan, the Disney D23 event in Japan, and the different pieces of news from the Famitsu interview with Nomura! Without missing a beat, they then move into your responses to the Burning Question about which KH2 cutscene is your favorite and why. You have some wonderful answers and be sure to get your answers in for the next Burning Question which is "How does it feel knowing that Kingdom Hearts 3 is finally coming?" Next on the list are your questions and we have quite a few this time. The trio spends time talking about issues like whether or not the Osaka Team will do a good job on KH3, will the new art style help KH3, which organization members are going to be in KH3, and how will the art style effect finishing moves and paired character moves. After lots of discussion, the music segment rolls around and we have a great Kingdom Hearts 2 remix for you to hear. The next show will be on August 20th so be sure to check back in and we'll see you then!

Happy July everyone and welcome back to the world of FInal Fantasy Union, the place to get your Final Fantasy fix! Darryl is joined this time by Lauren and very special guest Beyhan and they dive into things straight away. This show is all about the news as SE has dumped a ton of it! First off is the news for Lightning Returns including the Cloud Strife costume, the digital download release info, the return of a previous character from 13, and the release date for the soundtrack! Next up are the updates for Final Fantasy X HD; there's brand new cutscenes with original voice acting which has been written by Nojima as well as an update on the Cross Save feature. Final Fantasy XV also has news with Nomura talking about how both XV and Kingdom Hearts 3 will have similarities between the two games since they are both being developed simultaneously! The gang moves into the online world with the news from Final Fantasy XIV including the player numbers for the Beta version as well as a cameo appearance of a previous FF character in the online adventure. The final piece of news deals with Final Fantasy VII and how it's being released on Steam! However, the trio don't end there as they answer 2 of your questions this week which deal with whether or not FFXV will surpass FFVIII as the most successful FF game and how a certain aspect of the gameplay in FF7 works. Be sure to stick around for the incredible music segment with a mix from the new OCR album for FF6 (you won't want to miss it). And make absolutely sure that you stick around to the very end; you'll love it :).

E3 for 2013 has come and gone, but we are STILL riding the massive tidal wave that Square Enix stirred up this year and KHU is back for another episode to talk about what we know, what we don't, and what's to come. Branden sits down with the whole gang: Churro, Jackie, and Lauren. Because of the bombshells that were dropped at the conference, the outline for this show has changed a bit to accommodate it! The first part of the show focuses on the raw facts that we know right now. The group goes through information such as the announcement of KH3, the pre-rendered trailer that was shown at E3, being in development for both PS4 and Xbox One, which SE team is developing the game, and the story info that we know right now. Don't worry if you think it's nothing but information dumping; there are rants and tangents a-plenty! The second part of the show, called Interview Review, is a in-depth look and the answers that Nomura has given in the interviews he did at E3 such as the anxiety from the spin offs, some of the gameplay specifics, online elements that might be in the game, and some of the visual elements we might see! Don't forget to answer the Burning Question for the next show which is "What is your favorite cutscene from KH2 and why is it special to you?" The show ends with a wonderful remix from the franchise! Things are happening all over the place and KHU is here to keep you up to date and entertained. We'll see you next time!

E3 2013 has been absolutely bonkers for information and news and the gang from FFU and KHU have come together to talk about the huge announcements. Darryl sits down with Branden and Spencer for this special E3 episode to talk about the huge news coming from Square-Enix this year! First up, the guys take some time to talk about the conference in general and give their input on how the show is going and how the different press events went; who won, who lost, biggest reveals, etc. But immediately after, they go straight into the news from Square-Enix; the announcement of Final Fantasy 15 and Kingdom Hearts 3. After giving their initial thoughts, they spend time talking about FInal Fantasy 15, it's exclusivity, it's relation to Final Fantasy 13, and the supporting cast members in the game. Then the trio talks about Kingdom Hearts 3 and what we know at this point. They talk about the teaser trailer, the story elements, how Microsoft players will be able to play without playing the other games, how Nomura thinks that the announcement was too early, and how more info will be at TGS and Disney Expo. The guys don't hold back on their thoughts and ideas, so make sure that you don't miss out! E3 has not disappointed this year and we'll be here to keep you posted on all the news and information that will be coming over the next few months! Stay tuned and enjoy the wild ride we're on!

Hello everybody and welcome back to the wonderful world of Kingdom Hearts with this, the 54th episode of KHU! We finally have a full cast of hosts for you this week as Branden sits down with Churro, Jackie, and Lauren. This is the last show before the huge E3 press conference and the gang spends a lot of time talking about expectations for the event! However, before that, they will take you through the news (what little there is). First up is a release date for Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD Remix in the west in early fall of this year which, if you preorder now, you'll get a free limited edition art book! The second piece of news is that Square Enix will be live streaming their booth at this year's E3 event. You can tune in to see everything (at least we think so). And now on to the meat of the show. This episode is filled with your responses to the previous burning question which was seeing what you think Square Enix will be announcing at E3 and what effect will it have on KH. While most of you try to remain positive, we all seem to be in agreement that we don't expect much of anything KH related to make a debut at the conference. However, we'll just have to wait and see. The next burning questions is "What is your favorite cutscene from Kingdom Hearts 2 and what makes it special to you?" And rounding out the show as usual is a wonderful Kingdom Hearts remix that is a great medley of songs from both KH1 and KH2. The next show will be the E3 post show wrap up, so make sure you don't go too far and we'll see you then!

May is here, E3 is right around the corner, and Final Fantasy Union is back again to talk all things Final Fantasy. Darryl sits down with Lauren and Spencer and they get into the nitty gritty. However, even though E3 is a mere couple of weeks away, the gang uses this episode to do something special. They spend a great deal of time talking about their thoughts, likes and dislikes about Final Fantasy 13-2. Nothing in the game is off limits, so this is your official SPOILER WARNING! First off are the characters. The trio spends a great deal of time talking about the three primary characters of Serah, Noel, and Caius while using your comments to help them guide the discussion. They then spend time talking about most of the secondary characters; which ones worked and which ones didn't. Since this is a sequel, they were able to compare the cast in 13-2 to the original 13. Next up, the story and whether it worked or not with the Historia Crux, the different time periods, and time travel. That moved them seamlessly into talking about the gameplay. While it is similar to 13, they had plenty of changes to talk about such the party monster leveling system and limit breaks, the battle engagements, and the level system found in the crystarium. Which parts were better or worse than the original. And then, the music. Each host has their own pick that they talk about while also talking about the soundtrack as a whole! Reactions and preferences are definitely mixed so listen in to hear how! To round out the episode, you'll get a nice remix of a piece from 13-2 that you'll enjoy! Be sure to stay tuned for new FF developments that are expected to come over the next few weeks!

Hello everyone and welcome back to another episode of Kingdom Hearts Union where we get you your fix of all things Kingdom Hearts! This week, Branden and Churro sit down to have another wonderful bro-cast. First on the docket: the news. Unfortunately, there's not much, but the guys still have some great discussion over it. They talk a great deal about the KH 1.5 HD Remix event that was held in London that featured the game and some of the merchandise. After that, the duo talks about some of the Square Enix company news and how it could affect the Kingdom Hearts franchise. They go through Matsuda's (new CEO) statement of examining all of the SE's properties to make the company more profitable as well as Nomura saying that FF13 Versus will be shown again soon. The next show will be a huge episode of your responses to the new Burning Question which is "What will Square Enix announce for E3 and how will it affect Kingdom Hearts?" Get your answers in! And now, your questions. The guys touch on a lot of topics including which story twists have been the hardest to deal with, the most epic fails in the KH games, what did everyone think the plot of KH3D would be before playing the game, and more. As you can imagine, tangents and rants are in abundance, so don't miss out! Wrapping up the show is the music segment which brings an awesome guitar remix of Traverse Town; you'll definitely want to hear it! The next show will be here in a couple of weeks and then E3 will be right after so get hype; we may have some awesome KH news on the way!

Welcome back again to world of Final Fantasy with this, the 79th episode of Final Fantasy Union. We have your fix from the Final Fantasy universe this week with Darryl who is joined by Lauren and Spencer! First up, the news, and boy do we have some doosies this time. The gang talks about the Final Fantasy X HD remix that will include X-2. Unfortunately, if you want it for the Vita, you'll have to buy them both (X and X-2) separately. In addition, they talk about how the music from FF came in third in the Classic FM Hall of Fame because of your support! And then the biggest piece of news: Yoichi Wada steps down from being the president of Square Enix most likely due to huge financial losses (listen to the show to hear what the losses were). Next up on the schedule is the Burning Question. SInce SE announced all information about FFX HD, the old BQ wasn't relevant anymore, so we asked another. The trio spends time reading your thoughts on Wada leaving and what it could mean for SE, and you don't hold back (which we love)! And lastly, we have your questions and this week, there is a great discussions. Listen in as they talk about whether or not future FF games should be cross platform as the XIII series has been. As always, don't miss out on the music segment at the very end. In honor of the news about FFX HD, the remix this week comes from the game and you won't want to miss it! This explosive show is one that you won't want to skip!

Happy April everyone and welcome to the 52nd episode of Kingdom Hearts Union! The gang is back and Branden is joined by Churro and Jackie to discuss all things KH. First thing's first: the news. There are several huge developments that have come up in last couple of weeks that you simply won't believe. The trio talks about hidden data in KH 1.5HD that suggests that Sherwood Forest might be in a future title as well as a couple log files that reference Agent 47 (main character from Hitman). In addition, there has been a photo leaked from the Game Developers Conference (currently going on) that may be hinting at a new KH game. And let's not forget the biggest piece of news which is Yoichi Wada, the CEO of Square-Enix, has resigned! Big news segment this show. Next up is a special section that is a discussion all about the release of KH 1.5HD in Japan. The group talks about the good and the bad about what was and wasn't included in the release. You'll walk away from the discussion with a good idea of what to expect when the game hits western shores! And finally, the questions segment! This episode brings a great conversation as the trio talks about how much Nomura has planned out KH, will KH get it's own Theatrhythm game, will the concept of death be introduced to KH (even though it hasn't up to this point), and what will be the primary song for KH3. But don't turn off the show yet because there a great "remix" from Kingdom Hearts Final Mix that many of you will love and recognize! Don't miss out on the insane news and discussions this week and we'll see you again at the end of the month!

It been 4 weeks since the last episode of Final Fantasy Union and the gang is BACK for another show to bring you all things Final Fantasy. Darryl is joined by Spencer and Lauren once again. This two segment show brings lots of rants and tangents, so buckle in for a wild and crazy ride. First up is the news (or lack thereof). With all the news in the video game industry, the trio discusses how SE has been ridiculously silent on the Final Fantasy front. Since the last show, there have been news pieces about Lightning Returns being released digitally (no release date), Final Fantasy X HD character renders of Yuna and Tidus (no gameplay footage at all), and some misunderstanding about the clothing development for Final Fantasy Versus XIII. With all of these announcements, Square Enix has told us that more information is coming "soon". Next up is the Burning Question from last episode and your responses. The gang talks about whether or not Final Fantasy Versus XIII will be on the PS4. Your responses to the question provides some amazing discussion points for the hosts and they go off on many rants and tangents! They also discuss the potential backlash against SE if Versus XIII were to be released on the PS4 rather than the PS3. It's a great roundtable so don't miss it! Be sure to get your answers in for the next BQ which is "How much did the Final Fantasy X HD tease anger you?" Last up is a killer remix from Final Fantasy V that you'll want to hear! Enjoy the show and we'll see you again in a few weeks!

Kingdom Heart Union is back again for another show about this wonderful franchise! This particular show has been fraught with difficulty due to technology issues, but we still have a show for you! Branden is joined by Churro and Brian and they jump straight in for this super long show. FIrst up is the news. This time around there are updates about the Kingdom Hearts browser game and it's weird name. Also, there is a lot of great news regarding KH 1.5 remix including release dates and pre-order information! Don't miss it! Next up is the Burning Question. The group goes through your answers to the previous question which was "Should KH continue after the Xehanort Saga?" There are a lot of great discussions from the answers you guys provide! As always, get your answers in for the next BQ which is "How would you use the PS4 touchpad to improve a future KH game?" The trio then moves directly into your questions and we have some great ones this week. The guys discuss answers to questions like should there be a game were you play as the heartless, how do they feel about the 358/2 cutscenes in KH1.5 remix, and should Rikku get his own love interest in the series? You'll definitely want to hear what the guys have to say! They wrap the show up with a wonderful remix of the song 'Another Side' so make sure you stick it out to the end! The next show will be here in a few weeks and we'll see you then!

Happy February everyone and welcome to another episode of Final Fantasy Union! Darryl is joined by Lauren and Spencer and as always they dive into the world of Final Fantasy. First up is an announcement of a new show called "Ask Square-Enix" which will be a podcast where you guys get to ask just about any question and the podcast gang will sit down with an SE rep to get you your answers! Don't miss it. Next up is the news. This show has two different pieces including some information on Lightning Returns and a fan made hack of Type-0 for fans in the west. The trio jumps into your responses to the previous Burning Question which was "is SE still your main JRPG company?" You responses were overwhelming in a good way! This segment brings quite a fun tangent that the gang goes into so prepare for some ranting. Get your answers in for the next BQ which is "Do you think Final Fantasy Versus XIII will be released on the PS4?" And what would a FFU episode be without your questions? We have a great question that the hosts discuss which is whether or not Ni no kuni is a direct competitor to Final Fantasy. The show rounds out with a great Final Fantasy 7 remix from everyone's favorite song: Aeris' Theme. With 2013 officially heating up, make sure you keep your eyes and ears open for all FF news; we'll be sure to get it to you!

This week brings a historic episode for Kingdom Hearts Union; it's the 50th show! Branden is joined by the amazing Churro and the fantastic Jackie as they spend their time immersed in this phenomenal world! First up is a WARNING to all listeners: ALL KH3D SPOILERS ARE FAIR GAME. So, if you haven't played the game and don't want to hear the big story points and surprises, you would do well to tread with caution! After going through quite a few of the big spoilers from the game, they move on to the news! This show brings one major update which deals with Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD Remix and the unofficial confirmation of its localization to the west! Take a listen as the crew shares their rather convincing evidence! Next up: your responses to the previous show's Burning Question in which you give us phenomenal ideas of what a KH Valentines Day would look like. There are a couple of wonderful fan-fiction pieces that you'll certainly want to hear! As always, get your answers in for the next question which is "Should Kingdom Hearts continue after the Xehanort Saga? Why or Why not?" The trio flows right into your questions. You can look forward to discussions about whether chocobos should be in the franchise and whether or not is Kairi's character really necessary. It's a great collection of questions with some awesome discussions. But don't stop the show yet, because they round it out with a wonderful remix from KH2 Final Mix. We want to thank you all for supporting and following us for the last 50 episodes and with your help and love, here's to the next 50 shows!

Welcome to the first episode of Final Fantasy Union in the year 2013! While most of the industry is laying low right now, we have a ton of news and updates from the FF universe. Darryl sits down with Spencer and Lauren and they hit it hard. First up, Spencer regales us with his trip that he took to try out and experience Lightning Returns. He has a lot of information from the event as well as announcing a competition for YOU to win a prize! However, the news doesn't stop there! Aside from the numerous Lightning Returns announcements, there are pieces of info about the Final Fantasy X HD remake and the new FF iOS game! Up next is the Burning Question and your answers from the previous show. You let us know how long you've been playing the FF franchise and it's great to hear everyone's backstory with the series! Along those same lines, the crew gives you the new Burning Question for next time which is "Is Square-Enix still your main company for JRPGs?" With all the news from the Square Enix event and all of your wonderful answers to the Burning Question, the gang runs out of time to have a proper questions segment (don't worry, there will one next time). Rounding out the show is a fantastic remix from from the game that started it all: the original Final Fantasy. You won't want to miss it! The new year is here and there's a lot more to come; don't miss out!

Welcome to 2013 and the first episode of Kingdom Hearts Union. We all survived the apocalypse and we're celebrating by talking about KH. This week, we have a two person episode with Branden and Lauren! They don't waste any time and jump straight into the news. Because Jump Festa just happened, there's a good bit of news to get through, most of which is about KH 1.5 HD Remix. In addition to that, the gang has a special 10th Anniversary podcast show coming soon AND Branden has been slaving away to create his own Kingdom Hearts comic called "I'm Always with You" (which you can find at http://branden9654.deviantart.com/). Next up are your responses to the previous Burning Question. You guys give some great ideas on how Square-Enix/KH can stay relevant until Kingdom Hearts 3 comes out. Be sure to get your answers in for the next show which is "What would a KH Valentines Day look like?" And then the duo move on to your questions and boy did you guys give us two great ones! This episode, Branden and Lauren tackle issues like past gameplay mechanics that should be in future titles and will Yoko Shimommura step down as the composer? As always, we have a remix from KH to round out the show and this episode brings you a remix that's over 8 minutes long; lots of musical goodness for you. 2013 is here and the KH crew is gonna rock it hard.

The end of the year is upon us and the gang at Final Fantasy Union is here to bring you the final show of 2012. Darryl is joined by Lauren and Spencer and they have a good deal to get through. First up, the gang talks about the 25th anniversary of Final Fantasy and what it means to them. Afterwards, they jump right into the news which includes a good deal about Lightning Returns like the screen shot of the menu screen, music composers for the game, and the announcement of the first trailer at Jump Festa. But the news doesn't stop there as Theatrhythm has been released on the iDevices; the gang spends a little time discussing what this really means. Next up, your responses to the last Burning Question from episode 74. You don't spare your feelings about the character of Lightning! The question for the next episode will get all of you involved because it's "How long have you been playing Final Fantasy?" Without pause, the trio goes immediately into your questions and this show has two great ones. Listen to hear what the hosts think about Hamuazu's music as compared to Uematsu's and whether or not Sony will include FF characters in Allstars: Battle Royale (if they do, which characters do they want to see). Don't turn off the show yet because the episode rings in the new year with a great remix from Final Fantasy 7. Get your FF fix now and have great rest of the year; we'll see you 2013!

The end of 2012 is upon us and Kingdom Hearts Union is back for its last show of the year. This week Branden is joined by Churro and they bro it up this episode. First up is the news even though the KH universe is staying pretty quiet right now. However, the guys report on an update for KH 1.5 HD which tells us that the game is 80-90% completed with a new feature for those people who complete the game. The duo speculate what the addition could be. In addition, Churro announces a special KH 10th Anniversary Podcast that will feature people from KHU as well as a multitude of other people from the KH fan population! You definitely won't want to miss it. Next up is the Burning Question and the guys read your responses from last show's question. There are some fantastic answers with one very special fan fiction story. Be sure to get your answers in for the new question which is "How can KH stay relevant until KH3 comes out?" Without missing a step, the guys start answering your questions which includes how much longer SE be able to focus on side stories rather than the main storyline, will KH3 be on the PS3 or the Wii U, what Disney worlds would you want to see Final Fantasy character show up in, and more! To close out this final show of the year, the guys choose a great remix of Dearly Beloved that you're sure to enjoy! Have a wonderful holiday, and great new year, and we'll see you in 2013!

Welcome to another episode of Final Fantasy Union! Darryl is joined once again by Lauren and Spencer and they jump right in. FIrst off, Darryl and Lauren regale us with their experience at the Distant Worlds Anniversary show they were able to attend and it was quite a doosie! The story is a great update as there is very little news this time around, however, they still go through what there is including localization attempts for Type-0 and a few developments on Lightning Returns. Without missing a beat, they move straight into your answers to the Burning Question from the last show that was also about Lightning Returns; your responses keep them busy! Make sure you get your answers in for the new question which is "What do you like most about Lightning?" And then what's next? You may have guessed it: your questions. This show brings two great inquiries which have to do with the comments made by the past SE president and and collectables from the FF series that the trio may have picked up over the years. As always, don't turn the show off yet as there is a great remix from Final Fantasy 10 waiting for you. As the year of 2012 starts to come to an end, FFU is here to get you your Final Fantasy fix!

Happy November everyone and celebrate the start of the new month with a new episode of Kingdom Hearts Union! Branden is joined by Churro and Jackie to discuss this wonderful world! The trio jumps right in and start things off with the news. This time around, there are a quite a few announcements to get through that mostly deal with the new KH HD title. There are some gameplay announcements, 358/2 details, and the fact that KH HD has been in production longer than the FFX HD project. Next up, Burning Question! The gang reads through your responses to last week's question and you guys surprise them with your thoughts! They give you guys another question to answer for the next show which is "What would a KH Christmas/Holiday be like on Destiny Islands (post KH2/pre DDD)?" Get your creative answers in! Without missing a beat, they move into your questions and they have a couple this time including what story related questions will be answered in future KH games and will Star Wars or Indiana Jones be in future titles! Don't turn the show off yet because this episode rounds out with a great remix from KH: Chain of Memories that you won't want to miss. With the year beginning to come to close, get your KH fix here so you know what you can look forward to!

Final Fantasy Union is back again for its 73rd episode with news from the franchise. Darryl is joined by Lauren and Spencer and they waste no time by jumping straight into the news that has emerged from Square-Enix. This episode, they talk about updates for the new game "Lightning Returns" with quotes from Nomura and Toriyama. If that's not enough, stick with it to hear about the the recent news on Final Fantasy Type-0 and how a NEW edition is going to be released…not in the west. After some ranting from the trio, they move into the Burning Question and your responses to the question about Tabata and his place in creating home console games. Your answers are actually pretty varied! Make sure you get your answers in for the next BQ which is "Are you convinced by Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII (is SE doing the right thing by creating this game)?" Don't go too far as your questions are next, and this time the gang focuses on two. Listen in to hear their thoughts on when the Final Fantasy 10 HD remake will come out and what characters from the games they reacted to opposite to what the developers had planned. To end the show, we have another great remix for you and this time around, the re-arrangement comes from Final Fantasy 12 (believe it or not) so make sure you don't stop listening until the end! Square-Enix appears to be making progress in the Final Fantasy franchise and FFU is the place to hear ALL about it!

October is here, TGS has come to an end, and Kingdom Hearts Union is back again to talk about the KH universe. This week, Branden is joined by Jackie, Churro, and a very special guest, SQEXGAL (also known as Olivia). After a giving Olivia a warm welcome, the gang dives into the olympic sized pool of news from KH. They spend a good deal of time talking about the Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD Remix and the KH browser game, each of which has tons of information to absorb! Next on the itinerary: Burning Question. The group, as always, goes through your responses from the last BQ on the previous show and they notice how TGS changed your answers! Be sure to get your answers in for the new BQ which is "What are your favorite features on the new HD Remix and will you buy it?" Next up: your questions, and this time, there are quite a few. Listen as the gang discusses topics like secret movies in the new HD remix, whether having TWEWY characters in KH3D was good or bad, what they could change about KH3D if they had the opportunity, and what worlds would you like to see in KH3 (whenever it actually comes out). The show wraps up with a great remix from the original KH game; you won't want to skip it. Things are heating up in the KH world and KHU is here to make sure you know it all!

Welcome back to Final Fantasy Union for another episode of all things in the FF universe. After months and months of radio silence with only a little amount of news, Square Enix dumps a lot on us recently and Darryl, Lauren and Spencer are here to talk about it. There is a lot of news about Final Fantasy 14, Final Fantasy 3 re-release, and the new game that's been announced, Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13. They spend a good deal of time talking through each of the news points while throwing in a healthy portion of rants. And after the news, the gang moves into the questions segment. This show, there is only one question but it's a big one. This show, the gang goes into an in-depth discussion about which Final Fantasy game has the best romantic story while also talking about how crucial a romantic aspect to an FF story is. And don't go too far because the show rounds out with a remix from Final Fantasy 6 from the guys over at OverClocked Remix. Final Fantasy has a lot of news and information right now; be sure to listen in so you can get it all!

Hello Kingdom Hearts fans and welcome to another show of KHU; your one stop shop for all things Kingdom Hearts! This week, Branden is joined by the lovely Lauren and the even lovelier Churro. After the intros and greetings, the trio jumps straight into the news which deals with the KH music album release date, the sales figures for KH3D, and what Square Enix have announced they will be showcasing at TGS. They discuss a little and then move onto the Burning Question. After reading through your answers from the previous show, they give out the new question which is "How long of a gap do you think will be reasonable between the announcement and release of Kingdom Hearts 3?" Get your answers in! And then, the group goes to your questions and this time there are some great ones. Listen in as they discuss which KH enemy types they want in KH3, what issues are holding the KH franchise back, and whether or not Max Goof should make an appearance. But don't turn the podcast off yet because there is a great remix from KH 358/2! Get your fix for KH here and get ready for TGS!

Final Fantasy Union is back again for another show so you can get your FF fix. Darryl warms up the mic with the Spencer and Lauren and they waste no time getting into the nitty-gritty. First up is the news which includes an announcement about the 25th Anniversary event and then news about the new FF mobile game about to release. After a bit of ranting, they move onto the main section of the show. This week, they decide to not go into the questions. Instead, they revisit the very popular "remeniss about a particular FF game." Last time, it was a rant fest about Dirge of Cerberus. This time around, the gang decides to discuss their experiences with…..you'll have to listen to find out! And at the end, there is a wonderful Final Fantasy 14 remix to let you sit back, relax, and just chill. Enjoy some time spent in the world of Final Fantasy and get ready for the 25th anniversary event!

It's time for another episode of Kingdom Hearts Union and the gang is back to talk about everything in this universe! Branden is joined by Churro, Jackie, and Lauren and they jump straight into the discussion. This show brings a special discussion as they start things off with their review of Kingdom Hearts 3D. Did they like it, did they hate it? You'll have to listen to find out! Next up is the Burning Question and the group goes through your awesome responses. Be sure to get your answers in for the new BQ next time which is "What do you think will be announced at TGS regarding Kingdom Hearts?" And then, the show moves into the questions that you have. This time, they talk about what could be added to the series to create a new experience, emotional reactions to different characters, and what would happen if the "good guys" suddenly become the "bad guys". And don't go too far, because the show rounds out with a great remix from the first KH. With the new KH game out in stores, listen in to hear how it holds up!

Final Fantasy Union has returned once again for another Final Fantasy Fantastic episode! This week, Darryl is joined by Colin, Lauren, and special guest Spencer. As promised, this episode is all about questions; in particular, your questions. After a brief introduction, the gang launch directly into answering your inquiries! Listen to the group respond to questions about their favorite moogle, the false FF Versus 13 rumor, how good a Chris Nolan FF game would be, whether X-2 and XII will get an HD treatment like X, was Versus 13 just a marketing scheme to get people to buy the other 13 games, which FF ending should be changed, FF themed restaurants, and much MUCH more. You'll have to listen to the full episode to hear them all! And as always, the show closes out with a great remix and this week brings a remix from Final Fantasy 10-2 that'll get your blood pumping. Enjoy this episode and see if your question was answered.

Welcome to a very special episode of Final Fantasy Union. This impromptu show brings Darryl and Brian together to talk about Final Fantasy 11. The guys spend some time talking about their experiences in the game and stroll down memory lane. Then they talk about Brian's new album called "The Land of Vana'diel" which is a full, 18 track album that rearranges the music from the FF11 original soundtrack. The album releases AUGUST 1st, 2012 and is COMPLETELY FREE. www.landofvanadiel.com is where you need to go. Hear Brian talk about his inspiration for the album, get some new information on the album that hasn't been released yet, and make sure you stick around to hear a FULL track from the project as a preview. Come join the duo as they spend some time in the land of nostalgia and get excited about "The Land of Vana'diel" and its eminent release!

The gang for Kingdom Hearts Union is back again and they are here to talk about all things Kingdom Hearts as usual. Branden is joined by Churro, Darryl, and Lauren and they go straight into the news. This episode they talk about the KH Anniversary music album and the songs that were chosen as well as the release of the KH3D demo on the Nintendo E-Shop. And then it's off to the Burning Question. You guys gave some great answers that the gang goes through. Be sure to get your answers in for the next BQ which is "Which CGI Disney movie do you most want to see in the KH series?" And then they go into your questions which include how KH3 will end the story, where the story may go after KH3, and what music from any other game would you want to hear in a KH game. The show comes to a close with a remix that can only be described as a cornucopia of music from the KH series. Get your fix of KH before the new game comes out!

E3 is several weeks gone but Final Fantasy Union is back to wrap it up while also talking about the new developments in the FF franchise. Darryl is joined by Colin and Lauren and they waste no time getting into the news. This week includes thoughts on the Agni's Philosophy tech demo, Square Enix changing their development, and a new Final Fantasy XI expansion. After some fun ranting, they move over to the Burning Question. There are some great responses that the trio go through and then they announce the BQ for the next show: "Will Agni's Philosophy be a new IP or Final Fantasy XV?" And then, as always, they go into your questions. This week, they focus on one question which is which FF game would be best as a movie or television series? The show rounds out with a fun remix from the original Final Fantasy game so stay tuned to the very end! Will SE survive the evolution of the games industry? Take a listen to hear what we think!

E3 has now come and gone, and Kingdom Hearts Union is here to let you know what happened at the conference this year! This week, Branden is bro-ing it up with Churro and they jump straight in. First off is the E3 wrap-up from Churro who was at the show this year. He regales us with amazing stories. And then, they move into the Burning Question. They read through your suggestions of what the previous KH games should be renamed to (there are some really creative and hilarious ideas!). Don't miss out on answering the next BQ which is "If KH3 ends up being a next gen game, what will the next gen offer for KH3 that the current gen can't?" And then it's off to your questions and there are several including another game to be announced that's not KH3, what other franchises should make cameos in KH, which KH characters could be killed off, and why hasn't KH2 final mix not been brought to the west. Don't miss out! And then the show wraps up with a beautiful remix from KH 358/2 Days! Enjoy the man-date between Branden and Churro and enjoy getting your Kingdom Hearts fix.

With E3 right around the corner, Final Fantasy Union is back again to help give you your fix of FF goodness. This week, Darryl is joined by Colin and Lauren and they jump headfirst into this universe. First stop: the news. This week, they talk about FF7 remake news and updates on FF Versus 13 (don't get excited, there's not much). After a bit of a rant, they move onto the Burning Question from last episode and read a lot of your responses. Believe it or not, there is a varied opinion on the topic. Be sure to answer the new question which is "Would you want a Crystal Chronicles reboot on the Wii U?" Next up, your questions and this show we have 2 great questions including which FF character would they want to save them in a tight situation and then what is the worst character design in terms of looks, personality, story, etc. And as always, the show rounds out with a great remix and this time the remix comes from Final Fantasy 12! Enjoy this show as you wait for Square-Enix to release its info at E3!

With E3 right around the corner, the KHU gang comes together to get in their thoughts on the Kingdom Hearts franchise. Branden is joined by Churro, Jackie, and Lauren and they don't hesitate to jump right into the news. This time around, the news includes the preorder bonuses for KH3D, a KH3D demo coming to North America, and some comments from Nomura about the future of the franchise. And then it's straight into the Burning Question responses from you guys. But make sure you listen to get the new question for next time which is "If you could rename any KH game, which would it be and what would you name it?" Onto the questions and this time the gang talks about DLC for KH3, whether or not there will be Kingdom Hearts news at E3, will KH be featured in the PlayStation all-stars battle royal, and which KH song is their favorite? After the gang gets all the questions out of their system, they bring the show to a close with a nice remix from the first game. With any luck, we'll see some news at E3, so make sure you come back to get all the info here!

Annnnnnddddd we're back again with another show of Final Fantasy Union and this is a long one, folks. This week, Darryl is joined by Lauren and Brian they talk about a lot of various topics (with a healthy dose of rage). They start off with news about FF13-2 DLC and, believe it or not, Versus. After that, the gang go into your responses from the previous show and there's a lot of hater-ade, so enjoy! Be sure to answer the new BQ which is "Do you want more installments from the Fabula Nova Crystallis series?" And then they move into a boatload of questions. To keep the description from being a wall of text, you'll have to listen to hear what all they talk about! And of course, they rock the music segment with a remix from Final Fantasy 10. We've got a lot of great stuff this show, so be sure to listen in and enjoy!

Another four weeks have passed which means only one thing: a new episode of Kingdom Hearts Union is here! This week, join in with Branden, Churro, and Jackie as they jump into the KH world. They start off going through the news (yes, there is actually news!) with the sales figures for KH3D in Japan, a game breaking glitch, and the release dates for North America and Europe. After the news, they move into the Burning Question section. However, this episode approaches this a bit differently than last time (do to us accidentally never posting last show's question on the forums…oops). However, they spend a great deal of time talking about KH3 and what might happen! And then, the trio goes straight into your questions. This show, the gang goes through four of your questions including the pros and cons of some of the voice actors, will KH turn into a kid friendly game, which character would they like to voice if they could, and what will the art style for KH3 be with the newest gen consoles. And no show is complete without some music and this week, there is a fantastic piano mix of Simple and Clean. KH3D is almost here and KHU will help you bridge the gap! Get in now!

Final Fantasy Union is back again to talk about all things FF, and this time around, we have an extra long show for you. This week, Darryl is joined by Colin and Lauren and they jump straight into the fray. Unfortunately, there isn't much news this week, but the gang spends a bit of time talking about Theatrhythm and its release date. Afterwards, they go into your answers to the Burning Question which was "Should Square Enix let another studio create an FF game?" The answers are incredibly varied and the gang goes off on quite a few tangents! And then the three hosts move into a special segment this time around. Instead of going into questions, the trio spend time talking about their experience in one particular FF game: Final Fantasy 9! They talk about what it was like the first time they played it, who their favorite characters are, what music they love, their favorite scenes, and what aspects of the game appealed to them the most. Did they like the game? You'll have to listen to find out! And as always, the show rounds out with a remix and this episode brings a nice arrangement from Final Fantasy 2. Come join us for this super long episode of FFU and enjoy!

The voice of Noel Kreiss joins Final Fantasy Union! In this episode of FF Union, Lauren interviews voice actor Jason Marsden, the voice of Noel Kreiss in Final Fantasy XIII-2. Jason answers lots of fan questions and gives a behind-the-scenes look at voice acting in Final Fantasy XIII-2.

A new week brings a new episode of Kingdom Hearts Union but this time around, we have a VERY special show. You see, KH will be celebrating its 10th anniversary the day after this show is released and the gang gets together to celebrate it in style! Branden has a full house this time and is joined by Churro, Jackie, Lauren, and Darryl. The group starts off with your answers to the last Burning Question which was what is your fondest memory from the games and what does KH mean to you? After a teary-eyed moment of nostalgia, the show then goes into a very special segment: a trivia game where Branden asks the other 4 co-hosts questions (and no, they don't know the questions before hand). Listen to them sweat it out and see whether they pass or fail! After they catch their breaths and get their hearts started again, they go into your questions and this week there are 2 great inquiries: what instrument your pet Darkside would play and if KH3 was the last KH game ever, how would you want Nomura to wrap up the story? Never fail, the show ends with a fantastic remix of Dearly Beloved. Come join us and celebrate a full decade of a franchise that pulls our memories of being younger into our favorite past-time: video games. Viva la Kingdom Hearts!

The voice of Caius Ballad joins Final Fantasy Union! In this episode of FF Union, Lauren and Brian interview voice actor Liam O'Brien, the voices of Caius Ballad in Final Fantasy XIII-2. Liam answers lots of fan questions and gives a behind-the-scenes look at voice acting in Final Fantasy XIII-2.

Another week, another episode of Final Fantasy Union is here to discuss all things FF related. Unfortunately, there’s very little to discuss! Join in with Darryl, Colin, and Lauren as they sit down to chat about the franchise. After ranting a while about there being very little news since the release of FF13-2, they move into the two pieces of news: the DLC in FF13-2 for Sazh and the estimated sales figures. The gang is not impressed with either of them so listen in to find our why. They move right into reading your answers to the Burning Question which was “What do you think of the FF13-2 DLC?” After a brief discussion on what it would be like if Square-Enix outsourced the FF franchise to another company, they go right into your questions including how they each played Noel in the game, their thoughts on the voice acting in the game, and whether Versus will be released on the PS4 rather than the PS3. And this show, the music gives you a throwback to the era of FF2 with a killer remix. Even though it may have been a slow week, the trio does not disappoint with plenty of discussion and a fair amount of ranting so make sure you get your fix!

The voices of Snow and Serah joins Final Fantasy Union! In this episode of FF Union, Lauren and Darryl interview voice actress Laura Bailey and voice actor Troy Baker, the voices of Serah and Snow in Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy XIII-2. Troy and Laura answer lots of fan questions and gives a behind-the-scenes look at voice acting in Final Fantasy XIII-2.

Kingdom Hearts Union is back again and brings us ever closer to the release of Dream Drop Distance. This week is packed with news about the new title. Join in with Branden, Churro, Jackie, and Lauren as they start working through it all including a ten-minute trailer, an interview in Nintendo Power, the SE premier party, a European release date, and lots of other interesting info from the gameplay. After wading through the boat load of news, the gang goes into the Burning Question and read’s your answers to “What do you expect from Nomura in 2012?” The answers may surprise you! And then the quartet moves right into your questions! This week, hear the group’s thoughts on whether KH needs more followers/fans, which characters should be paired and who each host would be paired with, and what’s going to happen with Birth By Sleep 2. The show rounds out with an amazing BBS remix! As always, you’re not gonna want to miss this show, so sit down, relax, and let the sultry voices of the hosts take you on a Kingdom Hearts journey!

The end of January brought us a massive game for FFU: Final Fantasy XIII-2. This show, Darryl is join by Colin, Lauren, and David and they spend an hour talking about how the game panned out. In case you're not far into the game, don't worry; the group keeps the show spoiler free! The quartet start off the discussion about the story, the characters and their development. How did Serah and Noel turn out? Find out here. Then the gang talks about the gameplay, the battle system, the puzzles, and the general progression of the game. After an extended period talking about the monster companions, they get onto the controversial music and whether it was good or bad. And then what would our impressions show be without your input. The group go through a few of your opinions to see what you guys think about the game. The show rounds out with a great XIII-2 remix, so don't stop listening until the end! Listen in to get all the FFXIII-2 news and impression with your favorite people...and Darryl.

Kingdom Hearts Union is back and ready to kick 2012 off like true gamers! Sit down with the group, which this week brings Branden, Lauren, Churro, and Jackie to talk about all things KH. Welcome in the new host, Branden, as he makes his debut as the man in charge this show. This first episode of the year is practically swamped with KH news since the last show. Listen in to hear all about the new worlds, trailer, AND Japanese release date for KH 3D! But that’s not all, the gang talks about new gameplay videos, the return of Axel, growth of the characters, and the announcement of a surprise for the 10th anniversary of the franchise. And without missing a beat, your KH pals move straight into your questions. This episode has four of them including feelings on Vanitas’ return, how KH would have been different if Sora wielded a chainsaw, will KH3 be the next game after KH 3D, and whether new KH games will be multi platform. After all your inquiries, the show rounds out with a great version of Traverse Town that comes from Brian, the guy who makes the podcast for you to hear! The new year is here, and Kingdom Hearts is looking like it’s gonna be epic. Be sure to listen in to find out how!

The voice of Lightning joins Final Fantasy Union once again! In this episode of FF Union Lauren and Darryl interview voice actress Ali HIllis, the voice of Lightning in Final Fantasy XIII. Ali answers lots of fan questions and gives a behind-the-scenes look at voice acting in Final Fantasy XIII-2.

Final Fantasy Union is back from the holiday break and is bringing the new year in with the demo of FF13. Darryl is joined by Colin and Lauren and after telling you about all of the new editions to FFU, they launch into their thoughts and analysis of the demo. Was it good or was it bad? You’ll have to listen to their in depth discussion to find out. Afterwards, the gang jumps straight into your questions and this episode there are a LOT. The questions this time include which FF games are the most underrated, how many FF13 installments there will be, should Sakaguchi be re-hired, did you use your favorite characters in the games or replace them with the more powerful character, and whether or not the DLC for FF13-2 is a good thing or a bad thing. The show rounds up with a great remix from FF7 and make sure you stick around to the end for the first bloopers of 2012. Get psyched, the new year of FFU is here!

Gaming Union Log, star date...uh...2012. The new year is HERE and MiniGUP is bringing in the new year with style! Even though this is the first show of the year, it is the last episode of MiniGUP. However, where MiniGUP ends, Gaming Union is coming up full force! This episode, Chloe is with Darryl and Colin and they start the show with a couple of your responses from the last episode! After reading your awesome comments, the trio then goes into announcing all the new/epic content you can expect this upcoming year. Believe us when we say it’s pretty friggin’ big! After giving you guys everything to look forward to, the gang goes into the highlights from MiniGUP including their experiences at 2011 E3, the new year rap, and a few other rants. And what MiniGUP show would it be without your questions. The big question this episode is how can the community get involved with Gaming Union as a whole. Get psyched people; this next year is gonna be amazing!

The last episode of Kingdom Hearts Union has arrived and we have a big cast to make it a blow out show. Darryl, Churro, Branden, and Jackie join Lauren this time around. Unfortunately, the world of KH has no news, but that doesn’t deter the group from getting into the KH universe. They start things off with the Burning Question from last episode which was “How do you feel about Pinocchio coming back?” The answers were relatively varied with some of you looking forward to it while other of you dreading the return of the puppet in need of Rhinoplasty. After reading your responses, the group moves into your questions and this time around, we have three terrific inquiries. This show has questions like whether they would play if FF or Disney wasn’t in KH, whether or not the mini games are worth it, and witch KH character has a personality most similar to each host. As always, there is a great remix of the Simple and Clean track from KH. Get your KH fix now and enjoy the last show of the year!

As we wind things down for the year, we come to our final FFU until 2012. However, that doesn't mean that we’ve skimped on the show! Darryl, Lauren and Colin spend a copious amount of time on Final Fantasy! Things start off with Colin giving his run down of the event he got to go to for 13-2! And then, they tackle the waterfall of news including info for 13-2, localization of Type-0, and how Square-Enix vows to shorten their development timeline for all new games. After a massive rant/tangent, they move into the Burning Question which is “When do you think we’ll see Versus 13?” The answers are what you probably expect :). And the gang doesn’t ignore you or your questions and in this final episode, we have two great ones! The trio tackles their feelings on FF15 being an action RPG and whether or not they would want to be able to control the appearance of the main character in a FF title. To wrap up the show and the year, enjoy a remix of the FF prelude! It’s been an amazing year at FFU, and next year is shaping up to be truly phenomenal. We’ll see you soon!

MiniGUP is back for the last episode of 2011 and they are gonna rock it out right! This week, Chloe is joined by Colin and by special guest, Jordan. After gushing over Jordan’s return, they launch into the show. First off are the community responses from last show which deals with the replay value of games. Afterwards, the next stop is the main topic which is a retrospective look at 2011 and the games that the trio loved, hated, or were indifferent to! In the same manner, they then move into the wish list for next year; the gang talks about what they want and they read out what you want! And as always, you have questions and we have answers. This show, there are two questions dealing with PS2 HD remakes and when will the PS4 be here. Get your fix of MiniGUP now and enjoy the end of the year! We’ll see you soon!

Kingdom Hearts Union is all about the Dream Drop Distance this week and the gang is ready to dive in. This week, Lauren is joined by Darryl and Churro and they get down to business. They start the show off with an announcement of how you guys can get KH stickers. After the giveaway, news is next on the docket and they jump into the DDD news including the new composer, the new trailer and playable demo, and the announcement of the new Pinocchio world. Without missing a step, the terrific trio goes into the responses to the Burning Question, which was “What would you get Nomura for his Birthday?” Special thanks to Eskimo Keith for providing our Troll quota. And then the final segment: questions. This week, there are two main inquiries which include what kind of collection games would they want to see in KH titles and what FF characters they think will be in KH3. The show rounds out with a fantastic remix as the gang says goodbye. The end of the year is almost here, so get your fix before the apocalypse :)!

What....we have Versus news for once? Perhaps the zombie apocalypse has finally arrived. Well, until the rise of the undead convert us all, the gang comes together to talk about all things Final Fantasy. Darryl is joined by Colin and Lauren and they jump headfirst into the news which includes lot of details about 13-2, a tentative releases for 13 Verses, and Type-0’s play-through and cast of characters! After giving out all the updates from the past couple weeks, the trio jump into the Burning Question which is “What would you give up for Final Fantasy Type-0.” The answers range from new games, remakes of games, candy, and our mortal souls. And as it is with every FFU, we have answers from your questions! This week, there are three that cover how they would feel if Square had to sell their IPs, how they would like an FF7 to be remade, and what would it be like if a FF game was set in a real world location. There is fun to be had. The gang wraps things up with a fun orchestral remix from FF9. Get your fix now before zombies eat your brain!

Another week is upon us and MiniGUP is the cure for whatever has you down! This week they keep it simple and easy with Lauren and Darryl sitting down as a duo to discuss the latest and greatest in the gaming industry. They start things of with a few community responses from last episode including thoughts on Man Week and whether or not there are too many FPS’ on the market today. Afterwards, they proceed to their main topic which is the announcement of GTA 5 and begin to speculate what it may be like based on what we’ve seen from the franchise up to this point. They don’t waste much time because before you know it, their off to answer your questions which deals with thoughts on a new company creating a brand new console and what are the gang’s policy when it comes to replaying a game. The dynamic duo doesn’t disappoint so don’t delay downloading (yay for alliteration!).

Well, after the last episode’s technical debacle, the gang is back finally and it is long over due. Lauren sits down with Churro, Branden and Darryl to talk all things Kingdom Hearts. Unfortunately, the KH news is non-existent for this episode, but the group is not short on questions. They start things off with a great announcement where you can win free Kingdom Hearts stickers! Stay tuned for how you can win them. Afterwards, they go into the Burning Question that was asked 6 weeks ago which was “What was the first Kingdom Hearts game that you played.” The results were a little shocking. Without missing a beat, the quartet moves into your questions, and there are a veritable ton this week! The questions include the future of KH after the completion of the Xeonort saga, will the KH HD remake be the final mix version, when will the KH racing game come out, what other genre of VG would work well for KH, which Disney movie would be the worst to put in KH, thoughts on KH: Birth by Sleep 2, and believe it or not, more. After they finally get through all the awesome questions, they round things out with a great remix. This episode may be long overdue, but it’s here and it’s rocking things hard!

We are back with another fun episode of Final Fantasy Union with lots of news and questions. Darryl is joined by Colin and Lauren and they jump straight into the news from FF including FF13-2’s announced DLC, the European pre-order bonuses for FF13-2, and the new release dates and versions for FF14. After the trio rants about how asinine FF14’s release dates are, they move into the burning question seamlessly which is “will you ever play Final Fantasy 14.” The answers are quite varied and may surprise you. After going through your responses, they transition into your questions. This week, the group covers three: what our younger selves would think about the current FF titles, why people want remakes of FF titles but then complain when they’re not getting new games, and how well with the FF10 HD remake sell. And when they’re done talking about FF10, the show rounds out with a great remix from FF10. This show is positively full of craziness and fun, so don’t miss out!

The new week brings a new episode of MiniGUP where the regular gang talks about all things gaming. Astharis is joined by Colin , Darryl, and Lauren this show and they have quite a few topics to get through. They start things off with some community responses from last week’s topic, which was “are there too many first person and third person shooters?” After ranting a bit about it, they move onto their first new topic, which is talking about Uncharted 3 and whether it will make the same splash that Uncharted 2 made. After Chloe gushes enough, they move on to an event that has been going on at Gaming Union: Man Week, which was an event paying homage to the manliest men in gaming. The discussion spans multiple different game series and Colin expresses his man crush for all men in Meal Gear Solid. After the testosterone is sufficiently exhausted, they move onto the one question for the episode, which is “what do you think about the concept of the HD remakes and why do you by them?” This show is packed full of gaming discussion and craziness. Go no further!

The new episode of FFU is here and packed full of news for FF13-2 and FF14. This week, Darryl is joined by Colin, David, and Lauren to tackle all of these breaking stories. They start off by going through all the news from FF13-2 including seeing the new Snow and Hope, the announcement of a new area like the Gold Saucer from FF7, DLC for post launch, Music, and more. After they wade through it, they move onto the news from FF14 which deals with the new update that has just been released. After a quick breather, the group launches into the responses from last episode’s Burning Question, which was “What are your thoughts about the FF13-3 domain registration?” And what would a FFU episode be without your questions and this time, there are two. They answer questions about a new FF11 compilation and the best written character story. The show is rounded up with a fantastic remix from FF5. If you want to hear the massive developments in the Final Fantasy franchise, then tune in now!

MiniGUP is back this week for another show all about gaming. This time around, Darryl, Colin, and Lauren sit down to talk about the current issues and your questions. Clo is sitting this one out due to her crazy schedule at EuroGamer this year. The first part of the show is devoted to all things PlayStation Vita including its price, desirability, game lineup, and its general potential with the gaming market in comparison to the new wave of mobile gaming. Afterwards, they move into your questions, which include hearing voices in your head when reading someone else’s post and whether or not there are too many Fist Person Shooters (FPS) on the market today. To say the least, the discussion is interesting and may go in a direction that you wouldn’t expect. If you’re interest is peaked, then make sure to listen in to this longer than normal episode!

Well, it’s safe to say that the Kingdom Hearts news drought has been replaced temporarily with a veritable ton of news. This week Lauren, Darryl, and Branden sit down to talk about all the news from TGS including the new Disney world, new companions, and all the new information that’s been released on the story according to the new trailer. They then talk more about the game with the news that’s been released about the gameplay. Next, the trio moves on to reading your answers from last week’s Burning Question which was “What do KH fans expect from TGS?” The gang doesn’t waste time before they move into the questions that you have! This episode, they focus on two questions including their thoughts on a Kingdom Hearts MMORPG and what worlds they feel have fallen short and could have been done better. While you digest all of the opinions flying around, you can listen to the music for this show, which is a trance remix of Dearly Beloved. Here is your KH episode so enjoy yourself!

Square Enix has given FFU a lot of news to talk about this week and the gang has a field day going through it all. This time around, Darryl, Colin, and Lauren sit down and start the show by rifling through all the news that just came out including stories about FF13-2, FF14, and Type-0 (delayed again). The news from FF13-2 brought a rather in depth discussion for whether or not SE is letting too much out of the bag too early. After Colin stops raging, the group moves onto the responses from the latest Burning Question which was “what did you think about the Type-0 demo if you played it?” On the whole, the consensus was pretty one sided, but you’ll have to listen to find out what it was and to find out what the new Burning Question is. The trio wastes no time and launches themselves straight into your questions including thoughts on the story from FF13, favorite FF directors, and which FF era is your favorite. This week’s music section takes a nostalgic trip back to days of Final Fantasy 2 and the gang talks about what they like! As Darryl says in the show, this is a great episode!

The MiniGUP gang has come together again to bring you your dose of audio delight. Clo, Colin, Darryl and Lauren join each other for a gaming pow-wow. They start things off with a community response or two from last episode about the pirate accents. Afterwards, they go into an in depth discussion about Gamestop and the fiasco that the goofy company created with the recently released Deus Ex. After ranting over the corporation, they move onto talking about their piles of shame in rather alarming and shaming detail. In the same manner, the group talks about what they’re playing at the moment and how Lauren is jelly about anyone who’s playing Dead Island already. As the show comes to a close, the gang talks about all the games they want to platinum and how it will probably never happen (yay for commitment). Enjoy yourself!

Kingdom Hearts Union is back and better than ever with a new show! Lauren, Churro, and Branden sit down to discuss the KH universe. However, before they start, they welcome a new guest to the show, Jackie, who is quite the KH guru. After the “hellos” have been passed around, the crew jumps into the show with a little news about KH 3D at the Tokyo Games Show. Afterwards, they move into the Burning Question from the last show which was “With the trouble the 3DS has had, how will it effect KH 3D?” The gang spends a lot of time discussing and reading your responses. They don’t wait for long before they launch into the questions that you guys have. This episode has two great questions including which voice actors are the best and if KH characters had last names, what would they be. The answers are quite entertaining. The show is rounded out with a gorgeous piano/violin remix that you’ll love. Another day, another fantastic episode of KHU so don’t miss out!

Final Fantasy Union is back with a longer show than normal! The gang joins up together to talk all things FF. Darryl, David, Colin, and Lauren start the show off by talking a little about the Special Character Battle that just finished up and give their thoughts on the final matchup between Noctis and Cloud. Then they move into a great discussion between Colin and David about their impressions on the Type-0 demo that was released recently. After the guys stop gushing about it, they talk about the burning question from last show which was “what do you think about 13-2 being released in winter of 2012.” They tell you the general consensus and then they go into the questions for this episode, which include the guys’ thoughts on the music from Type-0, DLC for Dissidia 012, and the future of the FF franchise with Vita coming out. As always, the show is rounded out with a nice piece of music. Get your FF fix from the place that loves to give it away for free.

MiniGUP is back to give you your dose of awesomeness. The gang gets together to talk about all things gaming. Join in with Astharis, Colin, Darryl, and Lauren as they take you through all the new developments from GU including being nominated for best gaming website on the GMA’s! After basking in the glow of their epic-ness, they go into some of the responses from last episode’s topic and they even read some of the winners from the pirate saying twitter contest! Afterwards, they launch into their discussion about whether or not we play video games with our siblings or alone. They then move onto the main question which is “If you could be a play tester for any company what company would it be” and Darryl makes it clear that he might commit suicide if he ever had to do it. Another great show is in store for you!

This episode of Kingdom Hearts Union may be short, but it’s packed with KH flavor. Branden decided that making money to live was more important than being on the podcast for free and left Lauren, Churro, and Darryl on their own (we love you Branden). The gang talks about the one news piece that concerns KH 3D and the playable cut scenes. Afterwards, they go into the responses from the previous Burning Question which was “which KH level was your least favorite.” Believe it or not, the cast actually fully agree on something when it comes to their personal preference. As always, they move onto the questions that you guys have and they get into a great discussion about which franchise has the more complex story line: KH or MGS! They round things out with a nice KH remix of the Hollow Bastion theme! Get your concentrated dose of KHU now!

Even though this FFU show is full of news, there are no questions; my how the tables have turned. Darryl, Colin, David, and Lauren sit down together to go through the news this week. They cover the FF13-2 release dates for Japan and North America and how SE is trolling Europe. They also go through the new Type-0 trailer that’s packed full of new info as well as all of the classic SE games that are being released on PSN. They don’t pause for long before going into talking about the Burning Question from the last episode, which was “what is your favorite FF song.” The gang even goes further and talks about their favorite music. Colin is outcast for choosing music from FF12. The music segment comes from FF8 and will serenade you out to the end of the show. As always, don’t miss out!

This episode of MiniGUP is full of fan rage and depression with the multitude of controversial topics. The gang jumps into community responses from the previous episode about Uncharted 3. Shortly after, Clo, Colin, Darryl, and Lauren get into a heavy discussion about digital distribution and how it could easily take the games industry into a horrible situation for us, the gamers. The intensity of the conversation doesn’t waiver for even a moment as the group then moves into a heated debate about Capcom and where they may be going as a company, publisher, and game developer. They round out the show with a question from you guys and the quartet talk about the new Ratchet and Clank and how co-op campaigns can be both a good and bad thing. This is definitely a show full of in depth conversations and is one not to be missed.

Holy cow, there is actually news this week in the world of Kingdom Hearts. Lauren, Darryl, Branden, and Churro sit down to talk about how Nomura has finally come out of his hole and has given some much needed info KH 3D, even though the information we received is rather cryptic. Famitsu also released the results from their KH poll and we have all the info ready to give you! After the long lost news section, the crew goes through your answers from the last Burning Question which was “what were your thoughts from KH’s presence (or lack of) at E3?” And what KHU show would be complete with out your questions? What band should do a song for KHU and who is your favorite voice actor? The show gets rounded out by some amazing music from the game to leave you wanting more! Don’t miss out!

FFU is here and we have news to report, no thanks to E3! Darryl, Colin, and Lauren have a sit down to chat about what has transpired in the last couple weeks including Type-0 release updates, the potential for new HD remakes, and the announcement of a brand new FF game. Afterwards, the trio goes into the burning question and reads your answers to the inquiry “What did you think about the FF coverage at E3?” After rambling on, the gang has 4 questions that they respond to including what Crisis Core character was the most annoying, is SE advertising enough in North America, should the original creators of FF join together to make the new FF installment, and what subtitle would we give for any of the main series Final Fantasy games? The show is rounded out by a great remix from FF10 as the gang says their goodbyes. It’s quite the show this time around; make sure you don’t miss it!

The Uncharted 3 Beta has arrived and the gang could not be happier. This episode, Astharis, Colin, Lauren, and Darryl sit down to talk about various issues in the gaming industry. They start off by recapping what happened last episode and read your comments about what you thought on E3 this year. Then, they go into an in depth discussion about the new Uncharted 3 multiplayer beta. Do they like it; do they hate it? Who’s to say! They spend a little time talking about what their gaming plans are for this summer which ends up to everyone having to admit to their piles of shame. They round out the show with discussion about the new copyright bill in America that could affect us all. How will it turn out? Listen in to find out.

Well, suffice it to say E3 was quite a disappointment when it came to Kingdom Hearts. The gang assembles to discuss how much Nomura and SE hates us. After the flame fest, the group moves into the news about the Famitsu KH poll and how that could affect future games. Afterwards, they go through your answers to the burning question on which key blade was best. They then go into an in depth discussion as to what the KH franchise would need to do to make the series worthy of the coveted Game of the Year award. The show is rounded out with a lovely arrangement of Dearly Beloved. As always, you won’t want to miss this!

With E3 having come to a close, a plethora of info about FF 13-2 has come out. If you want to hear about what’s been going on, then go no further. Darryl, Lauren, and Colin are back from their adventures in Los Angeles and sit down to talk about all things Final Fantasy. They give their news from a interview with Kitase about Type-0 and then they move into their impressions on 13-2. After playing the demo, they talk about gameplay, graphics, combat system, characters, basic story (what we know so far) and much much more. They go into their burning question and then answer a few of your questions before rounding out the show with a gorgeous FF13 remix from OCR. It time for you to get your Final Fantasy on, playa!

E3 has come and gone and we’ve got the run down of what information dropped at the huge event. This episode of MiniGUP, Astharis sits down with Colin and Darryl and has them talk about their experience at this year’s conference. Hear what the guys have to say about each press event from the big three (Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo) and then they start talking about specific releases and news pieces from the show. Wii U, PlayStation Vita, Uncharted 3, and Assassin’s Creed are but a small sampling of everything that the group talks about. Listen in to hear how E3 panned out in 2011!

This marks the last FFU episode before the gang travels off to the land of E3! Join in with Darryl, Colin, and Lauren as they sit down to talk all things Final Fantasy. They start off with a little news about Type-0 and discuss whether or not SE will release it in the west. They then move into the big burning question which was "Should the new FF game be just on Project Cafe?" The group moves into a discussion about what FF material will be seen at E3 which morphs into a discussion about what SE should be doing with the FF franchise. And what FFU show would it be without your questions? After flaming one another, they round things out with a great piece of music. If you need your FF fix, you know what to do: download, listen, and enjoy!

E3 is nearly upon us and MiniGUP is here to talk about what’s to come. Join in with Astharis, Colin, Darryl, and Lauren as they launch into their pre-E3 debate on what they’re looking forward to, what they expect to see, and what they hope to experience. After that, they jump into a discussion about parents buying Mature rated games for their underage children; is it bad parenting or a sign of maturity in the youth of today? After that, the gang gives their thoughts and opinions on what they feel about the new installment into the Assassin’s Creed franchise: Revelations. Is this a cheap knock-off or will it truly be a good game? If you want to know the answers to all these questions, you know what to do: download and join us once again!

OMG...we actually have news this week for Kingdom Hearts! Is the earth in its final days? Who’s to say, but despite the impending apocalypse, Lauren, Churro, and Darryl sit down with a new face...er, voice...on the show, Branden. They talk about how you can turn you’re phone into a keyblade, read responses from you on what you thought of Re: Coded, and then they go into your questions. Was the voice acting any good? What boss was they hardest to beat? Do you think KH will release all of its games on PSN for the 10th anniversary? And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. They round things out with a fantastic piece of music. Come enjoy this episode of KHU with the first piece of news in months…we certainly did!

The FF news drought has let up a little and the gang jumps in. Darryl, Colin, David, and Lauren talk a bit about Type-0 and the news that came in last couple weeks. After that, they jump into some discussions about FF on Project Café, what FF game they would want a sequel of some sort, and they spend time reading your responses to the burning question. They round out the fun show with some great music from FF10-2. Such is the life of fame, and you won’t want to miss it! Jump in for all the fun!

The very face of MiniGUP has changed, and it now generates nothing but pure, undiluted awesome. Join in with the crew in this 22nd episode of MiniGUP as we celebrate Astharis taking the reins as host with her trusty number 2, Colin. Darryl and Brian troll the episode as well! The group spends some time recapping the previous show and reading some of your comments and then they launch into two different discussions. First deals with Sony and the “problems” they've had over the last couple of weeks. After that, the MiniGUP posse goes into a discussion about the summer drought and whether or not there is one this year. It all breaks down as they confess to their individual piles of shame. The new era of MiniGUP is here and it is not to be missed!

The news drought continues on as Nomura is still hibernating in his cave, so the gang turns to questions. Join in with Lauren as she fearlessly leads Darryl, Churro, and Melissa through a bunch of listener questions. Will we hear info about KH at E3 this year, should the story get darker or stay light hearted, is Re:Coded a waste of space, do you want more Final Fantasy character involvement in KH3, and much more. It’ll take more than a news drought to keep us down, even if the apocalypse gets here before KH3 is announced (bah Nomura!)! Make sure you don’t miss the new Burning Question for next episode so that we can read your response!

The Final Fantasy news drought has been broken for this episode. Want FF5? Well, unless you live in Europe, you can’t have it, or so we hear from Darryl, Colin, and Lauren in this 51st episode. After some news, they jump into a lot of questions. Here’s are a few questions to look forward to: should numbered FF titles be on handhelds/MMO, will there be a FF7 remake on the NGP, and what would FFU do if Square-Enix shuts down or if the old creative team makes a new company better than SE? Also, this episode brings a new type of question called the Burning Question. Lot’s of fun and shenanigans ensue.

Big changes are coming the Gaming Union podcast channel and our sites. Darryl, Brian, and Colin have all the info of what's gonna be changing! In addition, the guys sit down to talk about two hot button issues in the games industry right now. They start things off with a discussion on the 3DS; who has it, who wants it, and do they care? They then move right along into an depth talk about the current Sony vs Anonymous war. Who was right and who was wrong and do we really have ownership of our consoles? Listen in to hear what the guys think, but give us your input so that we can let the world know just how awesome and smart you are on the next episode of MiniGUP!

New changes are coming to the Gaming Union podcast series. Take a quick listen to hear what we've got planned!

Well folks, we’re still in the thick of this blasted news drought; Nomura must still be hibernating. So, this episode Lauren, Darryl and Churro turn to the fans and their questions, and there are some good ones this time. Who is their least favorite character? What would KH be without Nomura? And if they could create a new character, who would they be? This is a show for you, the listeners. Trust us when we say get in while the gettin’ is good!

Gaming Union has reached a major landmark in its history with this, the fiftieth episode of Final Fantasy Union. Almost a year a go, Final Fantasy XIII was released, which is the game that Gaming Union was built around. Because of this wonderful coincidence, Darryl, David, Colin, and Lauren gather together to talk about the good and the bad from the game that put GU on the map! The gang talks about the story, gameplay, presentation, and everything else from the experience. Did they like the title or did it fall short of their expectations. Come listen and celebrate with us on this epic episode!

We celebrate episode de 20 with class, dignity, and a special guest...well at least the guest part is true. This week, Darryl, Lauren, and Brian are joined by PR guru from Namco Bandai, Pete Oliver. The gang discusses two main issues: What is has been our most favorable console experience and is controversy in the gaming industry a good thing? Then they turn their sites to some questions, and this episode they answer two great inquiries: what makes you purchase a new console and will Square-Enix still be around in 10 years. This is an episode full of great topics, good people (aside from Brian), and a great time for the group to talk about how the industry can evolve. Enjoy this extra long show, and get your MiniGUP on!

The Kingdom Hearts news drought is worse than ever, but the KHU crew will not be deterred from their appointed podcast episode! Lauren, Darryl, Churro, and Melissa get together for a special show; they analyze the good and the bad from the game that started it all: Kingdom Hearts 1. Listen in as the group talks about how the first game in this epic franchise set the tone for the what we’ve gotten and what’s yet to come. They talk about gameplay, story, presentation, favorite and least favorite sections, and much more. Did the first game create an amazing foundation or did it fall short? You’ll have to listen to find out.

Square-Enix isn’t helping much with the Final Fantasy news drought, but that doesn’t stop the gang from having a good time this episode. Join in with Darryl, David, Colin, and Lauren as they talk briefly about the latest Dissidia Duodecim updates as well as the unfortunate departure of one of SE’s long standing designers. After that, the group goes from one tangent to another and discusses all the different areas of Final Fantasy and where the franchise will be going as well as how FF has impacted each of their lives. To be entertained, go no further!

Welcome back to the world of MiniGUP; a place with great topics, fun questions, and zany discussion (mostly the strange things that Colin says). Join Darryl, Astharis, Lauren, and Colin as they talk about the new releases for the month of March, games of this generation that were overlooked, and whether or not different versions of games should be released in all regions. As always, the gang has a lot of fun, so be sure to join them as they get crazy!

With the Kingdom Hearts franchise going through a massive news drought, the gang decides to come together and spend episode 24 answering your questions. Join Lauren, Churro, Darryl, and Brian as they sit down to discuss lots of KH topics. They dive into what a live action KH movie would look like, who their least favorite boss was, do they like physical combat or magic combat better, and they even talk about what they would say to Nomura if they had the chance (KH3 anyone?). It’s a zany episode with lots of fun and lots opinions flying every which way. Don’t miss out!

The 48th episode of Final Fantasy Union has arrived, and with it, complete hilarity. Join in with Darryl, Coiln, Lauren, and a very special guest. The FF universe is going through a bit of a news drought, but what the content lacks, the gang makes up for in wild tangents and crazy conversations. Then they turn their interest to questions where they discuss what FF music to buy, what other type of FF games should be made, and what enemies they felt guilty about bludgeoning to death. And at the end, the gang has an extra long blooper session. This is not an episode to miss to be sure!

The gang comes together for another MiniGUP pow-wow! Join Darryl, Astharis, Colin, and Lauren as they sit down for a nice chat about gaming. This episode, they start things off by reporting the new games to come out in February and which ones they are most excited for. They move into 2 great discussions: which game character they are most attached to and NGP vs. 3DS. The gloves come off and the topics get crazy; don’t miss out!

Re: Coded is here and the gang sits down to give their initial thoughts. Lauren, Darryl, Churro, and Melissa also wade their way through all of the new information that Nomura has provided on KH 3D (or rather Kingdom Hearts 3D 3D) in addition to the announcement of KH Birth by Sleep 2! Join the group as they then go through a bunch of questions like should KH have an anime series, what happened behind the Door to Darkness, and what they want in KH3! There is a lot of info and discussion to make this a great show; don’t miss out!

Final Fantasy Union is back and ready to rock out the new year FF style. This week, Darryl, David, Colin, and Lauren gather together and give out the NUMEROUS news pieces including FFXIII Versus, FFXIII Agito being renamed Type-0, Dissidia additions, and much more. The crew then gives their opinion on what they feel defines a Final Fantasy game as a true FF game; is it the music, the gameplay, the characters, the story, or is it something more? With music from the legendary zircon rounding out the show, FFU kicks it off hard for 2011!

The gang from MiniGUP is back and ready to hit the new year running. Join Darryl, Astharis, Colin, and Lauren as they get 2011 going with some great topics. Listen in as they talk about GU’s merch store, the list of games coming out this month, and what they’re most excited for. Then enjoy as they discuss their favorite game endings, whether the gaming industry crash again like it did in the 70s, and how excited they are for Uncharted 3. Be sure to listen in to hear Astharis positively lose it when they discuss that last point! MiniGUP is back and better than ever.

KHU is back and ready to rock out to 2011! Fozzie, Darryl, Melisa, and Churro are bringing in the new show for the new year with all things Kingdom Hearts. Join the gang as they talk about Re:coded, how to win a copy of Birth by Sleep Final Mix, and the NA Twitter feed. The group also has a nice round table discussion about what gameplay type they prefer, what some of their most surprising moments in the games were, and much more. Welcome back to the new year of KHU; it’s gonna be epic!

Gaming Union welcomes you to 2011 with this special interview with Robert Clotworthy, the voice of Jim Raynor in Starcraft 1 and 2! Listen in to hear Fozzie talk to Robert about how he got involved in the successful franchise, his thoughts on Raynor’s character, and the future projects he’s working on. With music from the game underscoring the interview, this is one conversation you’ll want to hear!

Happy Holidays everyone! GamingUnione.net is rounding out the year with a very special Holiday podcast episode that involves all of the podcast crew. The gang joins up to bring a very unique story about the trials and tribulations of gaming! Join Darryl, Brian, Fozzie, Colin, David, Astharis, Melissa, and Churro as they save the holiday season from the most sinister of foes. If you enjoyed the past podcast radio dramas (e.g. FFU Episode 4) then you are in for a treat so big that you won’t know whether to laugh, cheer, cry, give all your money to us, etc; you know, the normal reactions to this kind of thing :). Will the gang be able to save the Holiday Season? Listen to find out!

The last Final Fantasy Union episode of 2010 is here, and the gang brings a special show. Darryl, Fozzie, and Colin are together to talk about all things FF. This week, the group talks about news for Dissidia, FF 13 Agito, and more. Then, they go into a heated discussion on whether SE will ever listen to the requests from the west (that rhymed) and which FF iconic character they would want: a Cactuar, Moogle, or Tonberry (hint, Tonberry gets no love). Enjoy this final episode before they come back in the new year!

The final is over, and that means it's an end to the Final Fantasy Union Character Battle podcast series. Sad times. The group talk about the final, while also talking about some statitics from the competition as a whole, and talk a bit about what the future might bring for the Character Battle. Don't miss it!

Let’s have a big “woot woot” for the last MiniGUP Episode for 2010! The full gang is here this week to send the year off with a bang. Darryl, Fozzie, Astharis, and Colin all get together to talk about how well Kinect and Move have done so far in addition to whether they think their success will be long lived or a flash in the pan. The crazy group also discusses the price of games these days and if they feel it’s too high or just right. Get your fill of MiniGUP now so you can hibernate on the current supply until they come back next year!

It's the penultimate podcast and we've got a full house to talk about the fallout from Squall beating Cloud and Auron beating Zack. There's also plenty of shenanigans to go around too, so hopefully you'll all enjoy the silliness, including, Toddler Tidus!

The gang is back for another fun episode of Kingdom Hearts Union. Fozzie is joined by the usual suspects: Darryl, Churro, and Melissa! Listen in as they talk about sticker packages and the new NA Twitter post. They also go into an in depth discussion about which battle system was their favorite, which version of Dearly Beloved is the best, and what a keyblade based around the Twilight saga would look like. This is the last episode of KHU for 2010; make sure you don’t miss out on the fun!

The quarter finals are over and everything is going almost to plan. Darryl is joined by Lauren and Colin to talk about the fights, specifically Tidus vs Squall and to take a look at the semi-finals. As usual, there are plenty of shenanigans along the way.

Final Fantasy Union brings a very special discussion this week! Join Darryl, Fozzie, Colin, and David as they talk about the news for Dissidia and FF14. Since there were not many questions this episode, the gang decided to do an in depth discussion on the game that is fabled for being awful: Dirge of Cerberus. A great show with hilarious content; don’t miss out!

We're almost to the business end of the competition, as the Quarter Finals are looming. It means the competition is really starting to heat up and the fights are getting even closer. The group tackles Tidus vs Tifa, while also looking at some other fights and talking about Colin's obsession with naked Yuna.

MiniGUP is here again with some great community discussion! Join in with Darryl, Fozzie and Colin as they talk about FPS vs. Fighting games in addition to how they handle difficult games. After that, the trio shows where their loyalties lie when they discuss what console/company they love (or hate) more than the others. All the secrets come out today! If that weren't enough, a special guest appearance from everyone's favorite killer robot governor helps round out the fair and balanced discussion!

Episode 9 of the Final Fantasy Union Character Battle Podcast sees out the next round of the competition, but there weren't a huge amount of surprises. The crew also take a look at next week's fights, including Vincent Valentine vs Auron while talking about Korean Pop music.

The new Kingdom Hearts Union show is finally here with two new faces (err...voices)! Join Fozzie and Darryl as they introduce and talk with the two newest additions to the KHU crew, Melissa and Churro. Listen as they discuss new Birth by Sleep developments and the most up to date info on KH 3DS. Check out the viewer questions this week and hear what the gang has to say about the KH gameplay controls, whether KH 3DS is worth the price of a 3DS console, and whether or not new Kingdom Hearts games should allow players to pimp their Keyblades. The new era of KHU is here; join in with us to make this new era legendary!

Episode 8 of the Character Battle Podcast is here and it's been quite a controversial week. It started off with Kefka vs Fang, but the more controversial bout was probably Gabranth vs Aeris. We discuss the situation and give a ruling while also looking next week's upcoming fights.

It's time for another episode of Final Fantasy Union with Darryl, Colin and Astharis. Join them this week as they talk about new Dissidia information and how one fan almost brought down Square-Enix. Listen in on their discussion for who their favorite Final Fantasy artist is, when Final Fantasy 15 will be released, and whether SE will continue to release MMORPGs. As an added bonus, be sure to check out what their real thoughts are on Final Fantasy 12 and how it relates to ice cream. If that weren't enough, you can even enjoy the wonderful remix from Final Fantasy 6!

It's time for the seventh episode of the of the Final Fantasy Union Character Battle podcast and I'm joined by Astharis and Colin, as we talk about the first week of competition in this round. Noctis vs Terra is our featured fight and it was certainly fun to see people's comments on this.

Enjoy this special episode of MiniGUP as Fozzie interviews James Harper, the voice of Arcturus Mengsk in Starcraft 1 and 2. Find out about James' past, what projects he has enjoyed most in his career, and what it was like voicing such an evil character. Who knows, maybe Arcturus will make a cameo in the show as well!

Welcome back for another exciting episode of MiniGUP. This week, jump into the conversation between Darryl, Fozzie, Astharis, and Colin as they discuss the fate of Final Fantasy XIII at the Golden Joystick Awards, how effective Kinect's half a billion dollar marketing campaign will be, and whether or not the current console generation was built to last. Lots af great stuff to listne to here!

It's a full house again as Fozzie re-joins the team after what's been a busy period. It's also the end of the second round, so the team reflects on the last right in that round - Auron vs Seifer, and dazzle the world with some statistics.

It's time for another episode of Kingdom Hearts Union. This week, be sure to join in with Fozzie, Darryl and Brian as they discuss news for Kingdom Hearts 3, Re: Coded, and the new official KH Twitter feed from the folks at Square Enix! The gang also answers two very interesting characters that leads to deiscussion about a new Dissidia game concept, Amercian vs. English Monopoly. and why Sqaure Enix may hate Final Fantasy.

So, after last week's kerfuffle, the team are back (minus Fozzie) to talk about what's almost the final week of the second round of competition. There was some controversy surrounding Basch's fight with Jecht, but it was also a week that saw many races fall.

The crew is back this week to talk about all things Final Fantasy! Join Darryl and Colin as they welcome back the long lost David to the show. Listen as the guys talk about Dissidia, XIII, and other Final Fantasy titles. Be sure to check out the question segment to hear the fellas discuss how the difficulty of the games have changed over time and how it effects the experience; they also talk about what/who they might steal from the games if they could!

MiniGUP is back this week to talk about voice acting and MMORPG's. Join Darryl, Astharis, Fozzie and Colin as they talk about the worst voice acting moments in games, how MMO's may be fun but also turn you into a complete zombie, and take note of the upcoming Gaming Union contest that we want everyone to be apart of!

It's another week, so it's time for another episode of the Final Fantasy Union Character Battle Podcast. The crew reflect on the fight between Kuja and Genesis, while also offering their thoughts on the fights of next week, including the heavyweight battle between Barret and Zack.

This landmark episode of Kingdom Hearts Union sees the rise of a new KH game, but also the departure of dear friends. Join Lauren, Marina and Fozzie as they talk about Birth by Sleep, reminisce about their favorite moments from the Kingdom Hearts series, and bid Lauren and Marina a sweet farewell for their last episode on the show.

It's time for the third Final Fantasy Union Character Battle podcast and this episode, the team reflect on last week's results - in particular, Tifa vs Rinoa. They also take a look at this week's upcoming fights, with Kuja vs Genesis Rhapsodos perhaps the most interesting.

This week brings a very special episode in the history of Final Fantasy Union as the gang groups up to answer your questions. Join Darryl, Fozzie, Colin and Astharis as they talk about their first FF experiences, which characters they would like to live with or beat up, and even what animals from the games they would like to eat and what they might taste like. Believe it or not, that's just the tip of the iceberg. Take our word for it; you're not going to want to miss this!

The second character battle podcast is upon us and we reflect on the first few fights in the second round of the competition. Darryl is again joined by Fozzie, Astharis and Colin as they share their views on bouts such as Cloud Strife vs Edgar Figaro.

It's the start of a new era as this is the first MiniGUP to feature a questions segment! Darryl is joined by Fozzie, Astharis and Jordan as they tackle the two normal threads (Games You're Tired Of Hearing About and Special/Collector's/Deluxe Editions) and two questions about motion controls and trophies/achievements. Enjoy!

You asked for it, so here it is - the character battle podcast. Darryl is joined by Fozzie, Astharis and Colin to talk about the first round of competition, while also giving some predictions for the upcoming fights.

Birth By Sleep is upon us, but the girls actually spend most of their time talking about Re:Coded and the new official Kingdom Hearts Twitter feed. Also be sure to check out the questions segment, where Lauren, Fozzie and Marina discuss their opinions on a Kingdom Hearts movie.

With GamesCom a few weeks ago, the crew take the chance to discuss some of the information that was prised out of Yoshinori Kitase. Topics discussed are Versus XIII's release date, Final Fantasy XV's development time and a banned Final Fantasy XIII advert in the UK. Darryl is joined by Colin and KHU co-host Fozzie for this episode. Also be sure to check out the questions segment for some interesting responses.

On this episode of MiniGUP, the staff talk about what people would do if they had the chance to remake Final Fantasy VII and speak about gaming experiences with the family. Darryl, Fozzie and the newly appointed Astharis are the ones available to discuss these topics while also spending a bit of time talking about the character battle that’s currently taking place on Final Fantasy Union.

Gamescom, Birth by Sleep, and Re: Coded are just a few of the topics discussed this week. Join Lauren, Fozzie and Darryl as they discuss all things Kingdom Hearts in including multiplayer in Birth by Sleep, Re: Coded is almost ready to be released, their favorite parts in all of the KH games, and speculation in Kairi's role in the next few games!

For the first time in a while, it's been a dry spell for news. Even so, the crew still manage to talk about rumours for the Xbox 360 version of Final Fantasy XIII in Japan and even discuss Tetsuya Nomura being forced to tweet. There are also so fun listener questions to go through in a show that saw the return of David and Lauren and also the introduction of Colin. Not to be missed, that's for sure.

What are your favorite video game levels and what games have stood the test of time? Join Darryl, Fozzie and Colin as they take a stroll down nostalgia lane.

With the Kingdom Hearts news drought, Lauren, Marina and Fozzie take a slew of questions from the audience. Listen tothe girls and their predictions on the new Kingdom Hearts game that will be released shortly after Birth by Sleep as well as their thoughts on the special edition copy of Birth by Sleep to be released in Europe!

The goods on Final Fantasy Versus XIII and Final Fantasy XIV are the stars of this episode, but this episode of Final Fantasy Union also marks host Kyle Wynen's last show. Alongside reminiscing like old times, the crew of Kyle, David and Darryl tackle word that Versus XIII's story is complete, news on Final Fantasy XIV's fees, release date, and a bit of controversy involving the game and Microsoft! Also to mark the occasion, the crew brings an extended show, clocking in at nearly an hour, as they also tackle listener questions on Versus XIII's potential to fail, Tifa getting her own game, and more. Don't miss this episode as Kyle says his final good byes.

Games aren't just synonymous with glitches, but other hilarious moments. This episode, the MiniGUP crew tackle their weirdest moments in gaming, along with Rock Band and the future of the music genre. Jamie, Alex, Darryl and Kyle crack things up with nostalgia, but disagreements arise with the future of Rock Band.

Details on Kingdom Hearts Re:coded and Kingdom Hearts 3D have been coming out of the woodwork, but is it good news? Lauren, Fozzie and Kyle are in for this episode of Kingdom Hearts Union, tackling discussion of porting KH: coded from cellphone to the Nintendo DS, and debating the merits of Kingdom Hearts 3D, yet another portable KH game, releasing before Kingdom Hearts 3.

Despite no E3 showing, Final Fantasy Versus XIII has finally broken cover with an assortment of gameplay details. All that, and discussion of pirated versions of Dissidia, Final Fantasy Agito XIII hitting the development back burner, and Final Fantasy XIV not hitting the Xbox 360 at all, on this episode of Final Fantasy Union. It's just Kyle and David this episode, also tackling questions about Final Fantasy XV (yes, XV), and the seemingly dropped sequel to Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII. Will we ever see Genesis Rhapsodos again?

E3 2010 has come and gone, and the Gaming Union team saw it all first hand. Jordan, Alex, Jamie and Kyle bang heads together to determine the best games and surprises of this year's E3, and not to mention the biggest let-downs. Listen in for all the top choices, and why you should keep an eye on the development of these games!

Live from Los Angeles, California for E3 2010, Jamie, Nick, Colin and Kyle have check out the Square Enix booth, and report in on all the Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts goodness! Impressions on Final Fantasy: 4 Heroes of Light, Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep, Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded, and the Nintendo 3DS, which happens to have a certain upcoming FF and KH demo.

Live from Los Angeles, California for E3 2010, Jamie, Jordan, Alex, Darryl, and Kyle debate how Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony performed at each respective pre-E3 press conference. What is the crew excited about, and what are they disappointed in? How does the year ahead now look for each company? Some are bright and some are bleak, check out the full episode for the scoop!

E3 is just around the bend, and Jordan, Jamie and Kyle are in to tackle what might hit the gaming world next week. The crew debate what reveals might come of the Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo's Pre-E3 Press Conferences, what they can't wait to see on the show floor, and generally what to expect from E3 2010.

Lauren is joined by Darryl in this episode of Kingdom Hearts Union, and they talk about the Birth by Sleep western release date, the announcement of new voice actors and Nomura's impending arrival at this year's E3. There's also some interesting questions answered, so be sure to check it out.

Insomniac Games are going multiplatform, and Killzone 3 has bust onto the scene! Jamie, Jordan and Kyle tear into Insomniac's plans and what it means for the company and their fans, and pick apart the leading new reveals Killzone 3's brought to town. Why would Insomniac go Xbox 360? And can Killzone 3 improve on its predecessor, in 3D? Opinions clash!

Yoichi Wada, President and CEO of Square Enix, teases Final Fantasy Versus XIII for Xbox 360, and Final Fantasy XIII tops 5 million in sales. Kyle and Jamie tackle the news for the first episode of FF Union with only two hosts, also ringing in the come back of 'Whatcha Been Doing', alongside listener questions ranging from Versus XIII player party members, and the music of Final Fantasy.

Kingdom Hearts news drought continued up to the recording of the latest episode, but KH Union make up once again by tackling way more listen questions than usual, turning them into full discussions! The full crew are in, debating Kingdom Hearts battle systems, favourite keyblades, reactions to secret endings, Sora as a permanent main character, and more.

Bungie and Activition have signed an exclusive 10 year deal, and as a result, the MiniGUP crew and the Gaming Union members have a lot to say! Along with discussing the new Bungie/Activision deal, Jamie, Jordan and Kyle aslo jump on discussion about the forthcoming Modnation Racers for the PS3.

The man that directed all the English voice actors of Final Fantasy XIII joins Final Fantasy Union, Jack Fletcher! Known for his Voice Directing and Voice Casting roles in the likes of Final Fantasy X, X-2, XII, Tactics, and films Princess Mononoke, Kiki's Delivery Service, Castle in the Sky, Animatrix, and more, Jack Fletcher answers all kinds of fan questions all about Final Fantasy XIII.

Kingdom Hearts is suffering a news drought, but KH Union is in to tackle the latest appearance of Tetsuya Nomura in the KH news universe, and answer an abundance of listener Questions. With Lauren and Fozzie away, Marina, Darryl and Kyle helm the show, debating KH main characters, the crew's favourite KH music, KH1 and KH2 being ported to the PS3, and KH3 on the Xbox 360. Lots of joking is had to make up for the lack of Kingdom Hearts news!

This episode gets some complex debate going over why or why not to buy the next Modern Warfare, and what games affect gamers emotionally, and their significance. Kyle, Jordan, Alex and Darryl dig into Gaming Union members' thoughts on both topics, and surprise, opinions are mixed again!

Final Fantasy XIII sales are in, and 'The 4 Warriors Of Light' is coming to the West! Kyle, Jamie and Darryl are in to discuss, and joke about, FFXIII Sales, The 4 Warriors Of Light, Final Fantasy IX coming to PSN, and an update on Final Fantasy Versus XIII. Listener questions get the crew going on grilling FFXIII and FFXII at the same time, and speculating about the next Final Fantasy movie.

The voice of Oerba Yun Fang joins Final Fantasy Union! In this episode of FF Union Kyle and David interview voice actress Rachel Robinson, the voice of Oerba Yun Fang in Final Fantasy XIII.

Kingdom Hearts series director Tetsuya Nomura, the crazy guy, is talking about three new KH games, and KH Union is on the story. The full crew of Lauren, Fozzie, Marina and Kyle are in, tackling one anothers conflicting opinions of the potential future of the KH series, all in good fun, as well as Birth by Sleep freebies, and double the listener questions! Did we mention the return of bloopers?

With the abrupt announcement of the Nintendo 3DS, and Sony's full reveal of the PlayStation Move, the GUP crew can't help but tackle both topics. Kyle, Jordan, Jamie and Darryl dig into Gaming Union members' thoughts on the 3DS and Move, and opinions are very mixed!

The voice of Snow joins Final Fantasy Union! In this episode of FF Union Kyle and Jamie interview voice actor Troy Baker, the voice of Snow in Final Fantasy XIII. Troy answers lots of fan questions, and gives a behind-the-scenes look at voice acting in Final Fantasy XIII, and games in general. You might be surprised by how big of a gamer he is!

The speculated release window for Birth by Sleep has actually been confirmed! Fozzie, Marina and Kyle discuss this, while also talking about the future of Kingdom Hearts Coded, Kingdom Hearts 3. As always, there's always time for some listener questions, and a talk about the series' composer, Yoko Shimomura.

The voice of Lightning joins Final Fantasy Union! In this episode of FF Union Kyle and Jamie interview voice actress Ali HIllis, the voice of Lightning in Final Fantasy XIII. Ali answers lots of fan questions, and gives a behind-the-scenes look at voice acting in Final Fantasy XIII.

Final Fantasy XIII has finally released, and the FF Union crew are in with their first impressions of the game. As part of this special episode, the show is over one hour long, covering impressions, news of the future of Final Fantasy XIII, and a very special music segment. Fans have been asking for it, so we also included background music!

The voice of Larxene joins Kingdom Hearts Union! In this episode of KH Union Kyle and Fozzie interview voice actress Shanelle Gray, the voice of Larxene in Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories, and Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days.

This episode is all about the PlayStation Network vs. Xbox Live. First up, Kyle, Jordan and Adam tackle the March 1st crashing of PSN, and then discuss the chance of a payed premium PSN service.

It's our last episode before Final Fantasy XIII's release, and it's been a long time coming! Kyle, Lauren, David, and Darryl hit up news of an FFXIII Xbox 360 bundle and a collectors edition, Square Enix once again dropping downloadable content for FFXIII, word of Final Fantasy XV from Square Enix, and more! As always the crew tackle listen questions, this time hammering a familiar target, Final Fantasy XII.

KH: Birth by Sleep actually has a release window! Lauren, Marina, Fozzie and Kyle discuss the possible release dates in this episode of Kingdom Hearts Union, as well as new info from Tetsuya Nomura on the history of Sora, and Birth by Sleep's development. All that and more, plus listener questions.

The culture of determining review scores of games, and favourite video game worlds are up for discussion this episode. Kyle, Jamie, Adam and Darryl are in to jump on the forum discussions, and generally grill one another's thoughts.

Final Fantasy XIII development, XIV rumours, VII remake, and the rumoured Fortress game news are up for discussion this episode. Kyle, Jamie, David and Darryl also tackle listen questions about the old Lost Cutscenes, and Final Fantasy character growth systems.

KH: Birth by Sleep is off to some great sales numbers in Japan, and Lauren, Fozzie and Kyle are in to discuss! The crew cover other news from January, including KH: Coded, and in interview with series creator Tetsuya Nomura about the future of Kingdom Hearts. Also disucced are ever more listener questions, including why the show avoids spoilers.

3D gaming and Uncharted 3 had lots of discussion going on the Gaming Union Forums. Kyle, Fozzie and Darryl are in to pick apart the forum discussions, and give there two cents in this episode of MiniGUP. Also announced is January's Member of the Month.

Kyle, Darryl and David are in to discuss post-Japanese/pre-North American Final Fantasy XIII release news, carefully! The crew tackle the English version of FFXIII being complete, FFXIII Play Arts (oh boy), Square Enix's random tour bus, and the latest International FFXIII trailer, as well as listen questions.

The whole crew is in, and Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep has been released in Japan! The crew discuss the release of the game, Japanese review scores, more Somebodies revealed, and Nomura teasing the future of Kingdom Hearts. The show is Birth by Sleep spoiler-free, and also tackles more listener questions!

The full crew of Kyle, Jamie, Lauren and David is in, and finally, Final Fantasy XIII has been released in Japan! The crew discuss the release, sales, review scores, and release controversy. The crew also tackle listener questions on FFXIII console bundles and more!

Lauren, Fozzie and Kyle are in with plenty of Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep news! Zack Fair joins the Birth by Sleep cast, as do Sora, Kairi and Riku. Box art and KH music news round out the show alongside listener questions.

The first episode of MiniGUP has made it! That's the Mini Gaming Union Podcast, and Darryl and Kyle are in from some streamlined community discussion. The duo first jump on a thread by forum-member/staffer, Karen, about survival horror games fading away, and then hop to a thread about Final Fantasy characters in Kingdom Hearts by forum-member ROFLver Ocelot. MiniGUP is GamingUnion.net's bite size podcast for the community, and just by posting in the forums you just might hear yourself in the show.

With the show newly renamed to "Final Fantasy Union" Kyle, David and Darryl ring in the last episode before Final Fantasy XIII's Japanese release. The crew cover news of FFXIII's box art, Cid Raines, game mechanics, game length, and much more.

Lauren, Fozzie, Marina and Kyle bring KH Union into its new format and schedule in the most enthusiastic show yet. The crew discuss Organization 13 characters' "somebodies", the new world, "Disney Town", and ring in the new KH Union Questions Segment!

Originally recorded as The FXN Podcast. Kyle, Lauren, and Darryl jump on discussion of Final Fantasy XIII's announced European and North America release date. The crew are also joined by David halfway through the show, and also jump on news of Versus XIII, FFXII summons, weapons, and other tidbits.

Marina and Lauren kick off Episode 3 of Kingdom Hearts Union, with Kyle joining in a few minutes into the show. The crew go over the translated Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep TGS 2009 trailer, new characters, KH: 358/2 Days impressions, and more!

The voice of Axel joins Kingdom Hearts Union! In this episode of KH Union Kyle and Lauren interview voice actor Quinton Flynn, the voice of Axel in Kingdom Hearts 2, Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories, and Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days.

Kyle is in, recorded straight from Tokyo Game Show 2009! Joined by Gaming Union Editor-in-Chief, Darryl, the duo got their hands on Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep with Square Enix, and tell all about playing as Ven, Aqua and Terra. Lots to talk about and on location, listen in for tons of Birth by Sleep impressions!

Originally recorded as The FXN Podcast. Kyle and Darryl do the FXN Podcast from Japan on the last day of Tokyo Game Show 2009! The duo got their mitts on Final Fantasy XIII, and eyes glued to Versus XIII and Agito.

Lauren takes the reins as Kingdom Hearts Union host, and is joined by Fozzie, Marina, and Kyle. The KH Union crew hit up tons of Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep news, including Neverland making it into the game, the game being over 50 hours long, the Japanese website opening, and a possible delay! Lauren also has an exciting announcement regarding the next Kingdom Hearts voice actor to be interviewed on Kingdom hearts Union!

Originally recorded as The FXN Podcast. Kyle, Jamie, David and Darryl hit up discussion of Final Fantasy XIII's announced release date for Japan, when it might come out in North America, and added content for North America and Europe. The crew also cover questions from listeners about the PS3 Slim, mainline Final Fantasy on the DS, the rumoured GRIN Final Fantasy game, and more!

The voice of Ansem joins Kingdom Hearts Union! In this episode of KH Union Kyle and Lauren interview voice actor Richard Epcar, the voicing of Ansem in Kingdom Hearts 2, Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories, and Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days.

Originally recorded as The FXN Podcast. Kyle, Lauren, David and Darryl are in with the latest news of Final Fantasy XIII, really, it's all XIII this episode! Word from GamesCom, XIII on Xbox 360 discs, voice actors, and a North American FFXIII demo are all in this episodes line up.

Kyle and Lauren are joined by Marina and Fozzie to form the new Kingdom Hearts Union crew and kick off the first epic episode. The crew cover the latest news on Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days and Birth by Sleep with news of Lilo and Stitch, pre-order bonuses, release dates and more!

Originally recorded as The FXN Podcast. Kyle, Jamie, and Lauren are joined by returning special guest, Marina, for a close-up look at what we know about Final Fantasy XIII's story, world, and characters so far. The crew also kick it into a beefy Questions Segment, answering listener questions on pre-orders, forums, FXN swag, Dissidia, and more. In this episode Kyle also has a very exciting announcement for everyone into Kingdom Hearts.