The Game Deflators E349 | Anthem Ends, 3DS and Switch Bit Rot + Mario Swings for the Fences

The Game Deflators

In this episode, John and Ryan bring a fastball of nostalgia and digital reckoning to your speakers. The duo dives into EA’s announcement to shut down Anthem's servers in January 2026, dissecting the legacy of a game that promised big but struggled to soar. Then it's a deep-tech discussion as they unravel the silent killer behind your favorite handheld and console games—bit rot in SSDs affecting Nintendo 3DS, Vita, Switch, and even the shiny new Switch 2. Should collectors be worried?

To close things out on a high note (and a few strikes), they revisit the chaotic joy of Mario Superstar Baseball on the GameCube. Is it still a home run, or does it whiff in today’s gaming landscape?

Articles covered:

https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2025/07/bioware-flop-anthem-dies-january-2026-servers-to-be-turned-off

https://www.thegamer.com/nintendo-switch-3ds-game-cartridges-unplayable-data-loss-if-left-for-multiple-years/

Want more Game Deflators content? Find us at www.thegamedeflators.com

Find us on Social Media

Twitter @GameDeflators

Instagram @TheGameDeflators

Facebook @TheGameDeflators

YouTube @The Game Deflators

Permission for intro and outro music provided by Matthew Huffaker http://www.youtube.com/user/teknoaxe 2_25_18