Another Friday, another Fantasy update! Following a lively podcast and a written end-of-April update, we’re back with some more Dynasty League developments to share.
Earlier this month, we conducted our first waiver wire of the season! Unlike past fantasy seasons, where we only conducted a single set of waiver pick-ups in the summer, this year we decided to shake things up. It helps that Nintendo recently announced its upcoming Switch 2 games lineup, which gave a nice excuse to pick up (and drop) some assets.
The following wire was conducted on Friday, May 9 (incidentally, the same day I was walking the crowded halls at PAX East 2025). We talked through the rules and draft order over Discord — and then we let it rip! We also agreed to hold our second (and final) waiver wire of the year sometime this summer, after all the dust settles from Summer Game Fest.
Enjoy the waiver antics!
– David Silbert, Editor and League Commissioner
Waiver Wire Rules
- When it is your turn to draft, you may elect to drop one of your games and pick up a new one.
- The game you pick up cannot already be scored.
- The game you drop can be scored (i.e., you can drop your lowest score if you’d like).
- If you drop an unscored game, someone else can pick that game up (if they so choose).
- Important: If you decide you don’t want to participate in this month’s wire, you can defer your pick for waiver wire #2 in June/July (exact date TBD).
- While deferring won’t grant you priority in Wire #2, it will ensure you’ll have two games to drop/add then.
Waiver Wire Draft Order
The draft order for this waiver wire was determined based on team standings, with the lowest-scored team drafting first and the highest-scored team drafting last.
As for me, I’m in a unique situation: None of my games have released, so my team is currently unscored. Seeing as how I have flexibility other teams don’t have (i.e., I can still drop any of my games), the league collectively considered that an advantage. After some discussion, I agreed to draft last.
- Team Allison a.k.a. “RIP Switch 1”
- Team Sam a.k.a. “This Team Is an Xbox”
- Team Zack a.k.a. “Don’t Eff Me, Gary!”
- Team Gary a.k.a. “Gary’s Glorious Games”
- Team Amanda a.k.a. “Oops I Did It Again”
- Team David a.k.a. “Why Are We Here? Just To Suffer?”
May 2025 Waiver Wire Draft!
Allison With Pick #1
I’m sorry to DK Super Fan Sam Martinelli, but I’ve gotta do it if I wanna stay at least a little competitive. I’m gonna swap Slay the Spire 2 for Donkey Kong Bananza.
There have been hints as far back as 2021 that the team behind Super Mario Odyssey, Nintendo EPD, is the one working on Donkey Kong Bananza, and if that is true, the game is destined to be incredible. As excited as I am about Slay the Spire 2, we have yet to hear any news about its inevitable early access release. Realistically, we probably won’t see a full release of that game this year, and for that, I am deferring to Donkey Kong Bananza.
Sam With Pick #2
Okay, after Alison swooped in and took my obvious choice (and gave a helpful suggestion via DM — appreciate it!), I’m gonna do the second most obvious thing.
I’m dropping Civilization VII and picking up Mario Kart World. The Mario Kart games aren’t just big sellers; they tend to get pretty high scores. Moreover, there seems to be genuine excitement around World. It appears to be far more than just the logical next step; it looks like a major leap forward for the franchise, and a clear hit for the Switch 2 at launch.
Zack With Pick #3
Though Backyard Baseball was a passion pick for me, the fact is, it likely won’t be released in 2025. Also, as David gently reminded me in our last podcast, it technically shouldn’t have been eligible for fantasy, as it’s still untitled and thus hasn’t formally been announced. So, I have little choice but to find a replacement.
I definitely did not have another game in the tank after DK and Mario Kart. After doing some last-minute research, I stumbled upon MindsEye, a game that should be out in just a few weeks, as it’s set to release on June 10. Developer Leslie Benzies of Grand Theft Auto fame is leading this brand-new IP, and while I hadn’t heard of it until five minutes ago, I’m now convinced this is my key to victory. And with Grand Theft Auto VI officially delayed to 2026, this seemed like as good of a fill-in as I could snag.
Gary With Pick #4
After Zack locked in his need for the Benz, my path to victory became clear. I’m dropping City of the Wolves (for personal reasons) and cashing in my waiver pick: Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 remake. Two of the greatest games of all time, with new content and remade from the ground up? Sign me up.
Also, I’m moving Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra back to the bench, especially since it’s been officially delayed until 2026.
Amanda With Pick #5
Gimme Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour.
Jk jk jk lol.
I seriously considered passing on this waiver wire and saving for two picks in the fall. After all, South of Midnight’s 77 score wasn’t BAD; it just wasn’t anywhere near as high as I wanted it to be. (Plus, according to Allison, who reviewed South of Midnight, as well as other site writers who have played it, this score was undeservedly low.) However, as I’ve previously stated, my goal IS TO WIN this year, and I’m focusing on my strategy: having games that I know are coming out this year on my main roster.
To that effect, I’m going to drop South of Midnight and pick up The Alters by 11 Bit studios, famed for Frostpunk, Frostpunk 2 (which I reviewed last year), and the award-winning This War of Mine. All of those games scored in the low 80s, so that would already be better than my 77. The Alters is set to release on June 13, and the team released a demo last year that received “overwhelmingly positive” reception on Steam.
11 Bit Studios is an indie studio, but a big-sized one, around 300 people, and I think they create strong games. I’m genuinely excited for this one: You play as “Jan Dolski, a space miner who must create alternate versions of himself in order to survive on an inhospitable planet.” So, fingers crossed for this sci-fi, space survival… both as a player, and as a player.
David With Pick #6
As for me, this decision probably won’t shock many: I’ll be deferring my pick and saving it for waiver wire #2 later this summer.
As the only team yet to have scored a game, it’s easy to think me down for the count. That’d be premature thinking. The reality is, many games of mine that looked like distant releases — Deltarune Chapter 3 & 4, Death Stranding 2, Lost Soul Aside — have gained summer release windows. Add in Ghost of Yotēi for October, and I feel quite comfortable with my team as constructed.
By keeping two picks for the summer wire, I’ll be able to see how DS2 and Deltatune fare, giving me added flexibility in case one does poorly and/or Hades II or Silksong officially slips to 2026.
Other Fantasy News & Notes
The waiver wire might be the main attraction, but it wasn’t the only major development this past month. Here’s a quick recap of what’s new since our last Fantasy update:
- A slew of games in our league got release dates, including Mafia: The Old Country (August 8, 2025); Ghost of Yōtei (October 2, 2025); and, if a premature store listing is to be believed, Discounty (August 28, 2025).
- Fantasy giveth, Fantasy taketh. Along with those release dates, we also have a game delay: Lost Soul Aside has slipped from its May 30 date and will now release on August 29. Hopefully, the extra months of polish will show in the end product (and Metacritic score)!
- As Sam mentions below, Doom: The Dark Ages has hit store shelves. It’s currently holding steady at an 85 Metacritic score, which, coupled with Sam dropping Civilization VII, brings Team Sam up from an 80.0 to an 83.0. He’s now tied with Team Zack for third, with plenty more room in the season to climb further!
Speaking of rankings, here’s how the leaderboard is shaping up heading into June:
- Team David – N/A (no change)
- Team Allison – 73.8 (down from 74.0)
- (Tie) Team Sam – 83.0 (up from 80.0)
- (Tie) Team Zack – 83.0 (no change)
- Team Gary – 86.3 (no change)
- Team Amanda – 91.5 (up from 86.7)
BONUS: Post-Waiver Wire Banter
Amanda: Hey guys, nobody picked Borderlands 4.
Gary: Shocked!
Amanda: Shocked, I tell you!
David: Amanda, with your philosophy, you might just have another surprise hit on your hands with The Alters! But yeah, Zack should’ve picked Borderlands 4, honestly. MindsEye is a really deep cut.
Gary: Looking at this waiver wire… two Nintendo titles, a remake, a AA game, and a tech demo. Does anything encapsulate our site more?
Sam: Well, I’m happy because right after this waiver, Doom: The Dark Ages started getting reviews, and it looks like it’ll be an 85ish for fantasy.
Allison: Now I don’t feel as bad for taking Donkey Kong lol.
Sam: No, you should still be ashamed of yourself. (JK, I’m happy with Mario Kart.)
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Zack has been hooked on games ever since his older brother taught him where to find the secret warp whistles in Mario Bros. 3. He has never felt more joy than when Yoshi congratulated him on getting 120 stars in Mario 64 or more sadness than when he played Kingdom Hearts 3 after waiting 14 years for it. Zack mails a letter to Nintendo every day asking them to bring back Chibi Robo and will gladly tell you all about why it’s one of the greatest games of all time. He was hoping that writing for the site would help him get through his backlog, but it actually just made it worse now that he’s hearing about so many more great hidden gems. Oops…
Sam has been playing video games since his earliest years and has been writing about them since 2016. He’s a big fan of Nintendo games and complaining about The Last of Us Part II. You either agree wholeheartedly with his opinions or despise them. There is no in between. A lifelong New Yorker, Sam views gaming as far more than a silly little pastime, and hopes though critical analysis and in-depth reviews to better understand the medium's artistic merit. Twitter: @sam_martinelli.
Allison has been playing all sorts of games since the late ‘90s. She particularly enjoys life sims, casual games, tactical RPGs, and anything Mario. Her dream jobs are to be a Stardew Valley speed runner and a Mary Tyler Moore historian. As a recent MBA graduate, Allison hopes to use her extra time tackling her backlog and the never-ending list of 2023 releases.
David is the founder of The Punished Backlog. He has a problem finishing games he starts. Just beat: Nine Sols, UFO 50. Working on: Metaphor: ReFantazio. Can't wait for: Hollow Knight: Silksong. Follow David on Twitter at @David_Silbert to keep up to date with all things The Punished Backlog.
Amanda Tien (she/her or they) loves video games where she can pet dogs, punch bad guys, make friends, and have a good cry. She started writing for the site in 2020, and became an editor in 2022. She enjoys writing about mystery games, indies, and strong femme protagonists. Her work has also been published in Unwinnable Monthly (click here to read her cover feature on Nancy Drew games), Salt Hill Journal, Poets.org, Litro Magazine, Public Books, and more. She was the Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Columbia University's Culinarian Magazine, and served for two years as the Managing Editor of Aster(ix) Literary Journal. She recently graduated with a MFA (Master of Fine Arts) in Creative Writing from the University of Pittsburgh. Her writing, art, graphic design, and marketing work can be viewed at www.amandatien.com. She does not post a lot on social, but you can find her on X and on Instagram.
Gary is a jack-of-all-trades video game enthusiast based in Boston, MA. A semi-professional fighting game player, even less professional Apex Legends player, and even less professional adult, he spends most of his time poking at strange indie gems and reading about the need for more diverse voices in gaming criticism. He invites anyone to recommend anything he's missed in the gaming world via Twitter or BlueSky, where he can found under the username @grtnpwrfl. When he isn't spending his time playing games, Gary is an avid New England Patriots fan and frequent hiker.
