08: My Horse Books
Summary
Join Side Story for a deep dive into sports games, from the unexpected similarities in gacha titles like Uma Musume and Pokemon to the mechanics of traditional simulations like MLB The Show and NBA 2K. The discussion explores how evolving game design, player individualization, and competitive metas mirror real-world sports, while also critiquing the impact of microtransactions and monetization. The episode reflects on the broader cultural context of sports, including nationalism, industry issues, and the tension between play and profit.Episode description
Despite our audio editing software totally devouring Austin's file and corrupting nearly a fully produced episode file, this week's episode of Side Story could not be stopped. Not by the ups-and-downs of gacha horsegirl racing. Not by the whims of the Pokemon League. Not even by actual, real life athletic leagues and the many games they inspire. Catching a theme? Thats right, this week Austin, Keith, Dre, and first time guest Art Martinez-Tebbel dig into everyone's favorite subject: Sports.
Show Notes
How I Won a Tournament with the Hardest Strategy
Run Button Let's Play Silent Hill Homecoming - Part 17 - This One Is About Baseball
Soulcalibur IV playthrough - Arcade mode - Yoda
Adam Dunn had the weirdest career in MLB history | Dorktown
"When I Point At You, You Speak" | Moneyball | CineClips | With Captions
Remap: THE RETURN OF OBERHOF RACING STARTS NOW!
Quote Origin: When He Turned Out the Light He Was in Bed Before the Room Was Dark
The Ghost of McCoy: The death of professional baseball in Rhode Island
Overview on Microsoft BDS Boycott
Chapters
00:00 Introduction 02:39 Uma Musume Pretty Derby 29:51 Pokemon: Scarlet and Violet 01:14:59 What Makes Sports Games Interesting 01:21:11 Baseball Is The Best Sport, or Keith: The Sports Hater 01:42:10 NBA2K, Franchise and MyCareer Modes, and the Sports Gacha 01:50:46 Interesting Weird Sports Things Happening 02:18:47 MLB: The Show's Storylines Mode 02:28:01 Lootboxes, Large Language Models, and Layoffs
Featuring Austin Walker, Keith Carberry, Andrew Lee Swan, and Art Martinez-Tebbel
Produced by Austin Walker
(Brief additional music from Run Button Podcast theme, Statikz ft J Arthur Keenes - Let's Go To Tokyo)