Hello everybody! I hope all is well. I'm here today with an update on the production cycle of Chapter Select going forward. To cut to the chase, we are loosening up the production cycle to give us more time to make seasons, while removing self-imposed deadlines that are starting to feel unachievable. In turn, this means seasons will take longer to release, but the quality will increase. Let's break it down. ### Only Releasing Seasons when Complete After we wrap up [[S6 - Pokémon|Season 6 – Pokémon]] here next month, we are shifting away from releasing in some semblance of real time. Every season up to now has had overlap between playing and recording with the season's release. For example, right now we are planning on recording *Pokémon Black* and *White* this upcoming Monday. We recorded the first episode of season six, back in May 2022. Right up until the deadline we'd have to hit for every episode to release in 2023, we has recorded six or seven episodes. These last four episodes have taken much long than anticipated due to all sorts of factors. If we had just held ever episode until the season was complete, we wouldn't have this race to the finish line we are experiencing and have experienced with each season so far. So we are removing that restriction. What this will do for the show is let us up the production value. I can try new ideas and techniques during the edits that previous crunch wouldn't allow for. I can go back months later and fix or add something that occurred to me mid-season without worrying about breaking seasonal continuity. It gives us more time to play the games! Logan and I will still have internal deadlines. He works well under some sort of goal. We are just going to keep those to ourselves and give you all the show when it is ready to go. Therefore... ### No More Two Seasons a Year We are no longer promising two seasons a year. We want to make this show and get it to you as soon as possible, but we are no longer adhering to a bi-annual schedule. You'll still get [[S7 - Metroid Prime|Season 7 – Metroid Prime]] in 2024: It won't take us over a year to play four more games. I'd love to get [[S8 - Castlevania|Season 8 – Castlevania]] out in the year too, but we will have to wait and see. I feel like these two changes go hand-in-hand. There's another (selfish) benefit to these changes though. I can play more video games that I want. This year, I've played almost entirely games exclusive to this show. I love that. I've never had a higher completion percentage in a single year. I want to play all the games we pick, or we wouldn't have picked them. But there are so many other games that I want to spend time with and I haven't because I feel locked to this show. I haven't touched *Tears of the Kingdom*. I haven't play *The Last of Us Part I*. I started [[Thursday Night Stream – Dead Space|Dead Space on stream]] and haven't gone back. All this *Alan Wake II* talk has me so fascinated to play those games. I feel such a strong dedication to adhering to our schedule that I've almost exclusively touched *[[S5 - Resident Evil|Resident Evil]]*, *Pokémon*, and *Metroid Prime* in the last year and a half. As I approach 30, my life and time are shifting. I am prioritizing spending time with my wife and daughter. My day job doesn't involve gaming at all. I get maybe an hour a day to play before anyone wakes up. Or edit a show. Or write posts. etc. etc. etc. ### So What's on Deck? Well, like I mentioned before, we are in the endgame of Season 6 – *Pokémon*. Our episode on *Pokémon Diamond* and *Pearl* is out this Wednesday at the usual time. We are set to record *Pokémon Black* and *White* this upcoming Monday; which gives us a month to play *Black 2* and *White 2*. 🙃 Our episode on *Metroid Prime Remastered* has been recorded. I'm sure we'll jump to *Federation Force* after this *Pokémon* rush. 🙃 We haven't started playing *Castlevania* yet. I am eager to get started. Heck, I would have already, if not for the lock on *Pokémon*. All the more reason to open up this scheduling release valve. We do have a great slate of guests lined up for *Castlevania* though. I am amped to make these episodes with the folks we've asked. I think you all will enjoy them too. Thank you all for taking the time to read this and more so for your understanding and patience. Even [[Celebrating 15 Years of Podcasting|15 years into making shows]], I'm still learning, adjusting, and improving. I take that all as a good sign. Here's to our best seasons to come.