Gemini, GTA, and the search for the next big thing

Google announced a bunch of new stuff last week, from Gemini 2.0 and Project Mariner to Android XR and Project Moohan. As ever with Google, it feels like a lot of stuff without necessarily a coherent plan behind it. But if you look closely enough, and start to put some of the pieces together, the combination of those announcements might add up to something like Google’s vision for the future of everything.

On this episode of The Vergecast (our last Tuesday episode of the year), The Verge’s Kylie Robison and Victoria Song join the show to do some Google puzzling. They describe their experiences with all of Google’s new projects and experiments, and explain why Google thinks XR could be the killer app for AI — and vice versa.

After that, Chris Grant, group publisher for The Verge and Polygon, joins to talk about the two biggest 2025 stories in gaming: the impending launches of Grand Theft Auto VI and the Nintendo Switch 2. He explains why GTA is such an important and enduring gaming franchise, why he’s confident the Switch 2 won’t be like the Wii U, and why the whole gaming world is waiting for these two things so intently.

Finally, we answer a question from the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com!), with some help from The Verge’s publisher Helen Havlak. Helen mentioned last week that she uses Figma to manage her garden, and let’s just say you all had some follow-up questions about that. So Helen came back to explain her whole system.

Oh, and did we mention we’re doing a live Vergecast at CES? We’re doing a live Vergecast at CES! Wednesday, January 8th, 5PM, at the Brooklyn Bowl at the Linq Promenade. It’s free, it’s going to be great, come join us!

If you want to know more about everything we discuss in this episode, here are some links to get you started, beginning with Google:

• Google’s AI enters its ‘agentic era’
• I saw Google’s plan to put Android on your face
• Gemini 2.0: what’s new in Google’s new flagship AI model
• Google announces Android XR, a new OS for headsets and smart glasses

And in games:

• GTA VI: all the news on Rockstar’s next entry in the Grand Theft Auto series
• Switch 2: all the news and rumors on Nintendo’s next console

Also, here is some screenshot inspo of Helen’s Figma garden in all its to-scale glory.