424: Skyrim in 2026, Valheim’s “Beautiful Ugly,” and Letting Games Breath | New Dad Gaming Ep. 382 | Ep. 282

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

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

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

Timestamps:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Links & Resources:

• Join the conversation: newdadgaming.com

• Connect with us on social: @NewDadGaming

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