On this week's episode, Jeff Green, a consultant for Hit Detection, former games writer for Computer Gaming World and 1UP, and a former writer for PopCap and EA, joins host Josiah Renaudin to discuss the evolution of games media. Jeff details how veterans of games media can enter the world of consultancy, the move from writing to video, how to find success with Twitch streaming, the right time to jump into crowdfunding, and the difficulties of working for a game publisher/developer.
Aug 21, 2017•1 hr 6 min
On this week's episode, co-founder for indie studio Vlambeer and speaker/world traveler, Rami Ismail, joins host Josiah Renaudin to discuss the state of independent game development. Rami explains the benefits of being open to your audience, the biggest misconception the average "gamer" has about how games are made, how he deals with media criticism, the impact geography has on game design, how to predict new genre trends, and what it was like watching his mom play a video game for the first tim...
Aug 14, 2017•1 hr 18 min
On this week's episode, Giant Bomb senior editor and host of the Bombcast, Brad Shoemaker, joins host Josiah Renaudin to discuss Giant Bomb and the state of games media. Brad details his long career in games writing, how he dealt with the shift from writing to video, how long it took to feel comfortable in front of the camera, how the site continues to find great new talent, what he sees as the next big shift in games coverage, and what's coming up on Giant Bomb.
Aug 07, 2017•1 hr 2 min
On this week's episode, founder and C3PO of Iron Galaxy Studios and a co-host of TeamGFB Radio, Dave Lang, joins host Josiah Renaudin to discuss the ins and outs of Iron Galaxy. Dave explains how the studio came together, the process of porting games to PC/other consoles, pitch meetings for upcoming action title Extinction, the pressures of being a founder of a company, and his exploits at Giant Bomb.
Jul 31, 2017•1 hr 9 min
On this week's episode, new Giant Bomb crew member and Twitter sensation, Abby Russell, joins host Josiah Renaudin to discuss the process of getting hired by Giant Bomb. Abby details her past experience, meeting everyone at E3, what it's like being the first woman hired at Giant Bomb, what she feels she brings to the site, her love for improv, and what she's playing.
Jul 24, 2017•1 hr 5 min
On this week's episode, designer and writer for Divinity: Original Sin 2 and EarthNight and former senior editor at GameSpot, Kevin VanOrd, joins host Josiah Renaudin to discuss the process of moving from games media to development. Kevin details his big move to Belgium, the ins and outs of writing for Original Sin II, what he misses most about reviewing games, dealing with Early Access criticism, the current state of games media, and his favorite games of the year.
Jul 17, 2017•1 hr 28 min
On this week's 100th episode, former producer at Giant Bomb and the current world traveler for Cloth Map, Drew Scanlon, joins host Josiah Renaudin to discuss how games impact people all around the globe. Drew explains his departure from Giant Bomb, his crowdfunding strategy, what it's like traveling the world alone, his best memories at his old job, the power of the Giant Bomb community, the struggles of creating your own schedule, and much more.
Jul 10, 2017•1 hr 1 min
On this week's episode, SpecialGun Productions co-founder and former VideoGamer staple, Steve Burns, joins host Josiah Renaudin to discuss life after games media. Steve explains what it's like working on projects for game publishers, lists the risks of crowdfunding, lays out the health of games writing and reviews, names the best games of the year, and describes what the perfect modern video game website would look like.
Jul 03, 2017•1 hr 14 min
On this week's episode, the creative director of Dragon Age, Mike Laidlaw, joins host Josiah Renaudin to discuss how the team at BioWare creates such massive open worlds. Mike explains the different roles he's played at BioWare, the struggles of even starting a five-year AAA project, what a linear Dragon Age (similar to Uncharted) would look like, how he deals with Dragon Age reviews, and the possibility of a Jade Empire 2.
Jun 26, 2017•1 hr 6 min
On this week's episode, Gameranx video king and The 1099 MVP, Jake Baldino, joins host Josiah Renaudin to discuss E3 2017. The duo covers what it's like covering the show as a YouTuber, how influencers are being misused at press conferences, how Reggie Fils-Aimé can dunk, and what E3 2018 can do to better serve the general public. Afterwards, they give out their E3 2017 awards, including the “Where’s Waldo?” award for missing game, and the game we thought might be total trash but now we’re actua...
Jun 22, 2017•1 hr 20 min
On this week's episode, game communication and marketing dude from Motion Twin, Steve Filby, joins host Josiah Renaudin to talk about the new Steam hit, Dead Cells. Steve explains how the idea came about, the advantages of putting your game on Early Access, the impact positive reviews have had on sales, when you can expect the PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch versions, and what to expect from the game moving forward.
Jun 12, 2017•52 min
On this week’s episode, Giant Bomb co-founder and former GameSpot mainstay, Jeff Gerstmann, joins host Josiah Renaudin to talk about the past, present, and future of the games industry. The two discuss Giant Bomb’s focus on video over written content, what the company would look like if it started in the age of Patreon, the possible storylines to come out of next week’s E3 conference, how console half-steps like Pro and Scorpio have changed the industry, what Microsoft needs to do to succeed mov...
Jun 06, 2017•1 hr 24 min
On this week's episode, TV reporter at The Wrap and former games freelancer, Carli Velocci, joins host Josiah Renaudin to discuss the process of going from prolific freelancer to full-time writer. The duo explains how difficult it can be to enjoy games while writing about them, how to find new motivation after the freelance hustle ends, the differences between writing about games and writing about TV, and what TV shows you should be watching.
May 29, 2017•56 min
On this week's episode, Nina Freeman, a level designer at The Fullbright Company and the creator of Cibele, joins host Josiah Renaudin to talk about creating indie games both big and small. Nina details her work with Fullbright, how the team made major changes to Tacoma deep into development, the differences between working with a team and doing smaller, more personal projects, what games she's jealous of, and how she deals with game reviews.
May 22, 2017•42 min
On this week’s episode, The Ringer staff writer, New York Times bestselling author of The Rap Year Book, and the best follow on Twitter, Shea Serrano, joins host Josiah Renaudin to talk about the ins and outs of pop culture and sports freelance writing. Shea explains how he went from a middle school science teacher to writing for Bill Simmons, how you should never write for free, the different editors who influenced him, how daunting it can be to write a book for the first time, and the importan...
May 15, 2017•51 min
On this week's episode, freelance video game mercenary, YouTube personality, wrestler in training, and returning guest, Simon Miller, joins host Josiah Renaudin to discuss the European freelance scene. The duo covers the current state of VideoGamer, the process of going from full-time back to freelance work, why crowdfunding isn't always the answer, how to find success on YouTube, and why going to the gym can really change your life.
May 08, 2017•1 hr 16 min
On this week's episode, former co-host of G4’s X-Play and the current president of TheoryHead, Adam Sessler, joins host Josiah Renaudin to talk about the new games media landscape. They cover modern game reviews, how we talk about games, the importance of sites like Waypoint, how X-Play was done from episode to episode, the brilliance of Horizon: Zero Dawn's design, and what Adam's up to now.
May 01, 2017•56 min
On this week's episode, senior editor at Giant Bomb and author of The Dumbest Kid in Gifted Class and Anxiety as an Ally, Dan Ryckert, joins host Josiah Renaudin to discuss Dan moving from Giant Bomb West to Giant Bomb East, the difficulties of getting full-time games writing work, the current best route for breaking into the industry, the responsibility a video game personality has to their audience, and Taco Bell weddings.
Apr 24, 2017•53 min
On this week's episode, MMAjunkie and USA Today columnist and co-host of the Co-Main Event Mixed Martial Arts Podcast, Ben Fowlkes, joins host Josiah Renaudin to discuss what it's like covering the UFC. They explore how the UFC often sees the media as an extension of PR, how to handle the discussion of concussions, the process of getting a short story published, covering live sporting events from home, and the growth of the Co-Main Event Podcast.
Apr 17, 2017•42 min
On this week's episode, Jake Baldino, captain of the Gameranx YouTube channel, joins host Josiah Renaudin to discuss how and why you can't stream Persona 5, the state of paid coverage on YouTube, video criticism vs. traditional written criticism, the responsibility a YouTuber has to their audience, and what to do when dangerous rhetoric is pushed by popular channels.
Apr 10, 2017•58 min
On this week's episode, the senior writer for Mafia 3, Charles Webb, joins host Josiah Renaudin to discuss the process of building the story for a AAA game. They cover how to craft an open-world narrative, side quests vs. main quests, the response to Mafia III, diversity in big-budget projects, and the upcoming DLC being worked on.
Apr 03, 2017•42 min
On this week's episode, Greg Buchanan, a writer at Hello Games, Salix Games, and former narrative designer at Supermassive Games, joins host Josiah Renaudin to discuss how video game stories come together. They discuss the writing process, narrative design, indie vs. AAA projects, understanding a game's lore, and whether or not video game writing needs to catch up with other media.
Mar 27, 2017•59 min
On this week's episode, freelance writer for Paste, PCGamer, and Bullet Points Monthly, Reid McCarter, joins host Josiah Renaudin to discuss the state of AAA video game reviews. The two tackle the response to Ghost Recon: Wildlands, cover how some writers can slip into a cycle of lazy criticism, wonder how the writing in Wildlands ever made it by an editor, and argue over whether certain reviews should be called out for ignoring troubling thematic elements.
Mar 20, 2017•1 hr
On this week's episode, the head of video for Giant Bomb and the host of the Giant Beastcast, Vinny Caravella, joins host Josiah Renaudin to discuss the progress of Giant Bomb East, the importance of personality at Giant Bomb, Drew's departure, the balance between written and video content at the website, how special the Giant Bomb community has become, the current trends in games media, and what you can expect from Giant Bomb this year.
Mar 13, 2017•1 hr 11 min
On this week's episode, freelancer Joseph Knoop joins host Josiah Renaudin to discuss this year's Game Developers Conference. The duo cover the best panels the conference had to offer, how to get paid to go to GDC or any other big video game show, the costs involved in traveling across the country to cover an event, how to handle post-show parties and bar outings, and why GDC might be the best conference for freelancers to attend.
Mar 06, 2017•57 min
On this week's episode, actor from TV shows like Smallville, The Expanse, and Supernatural and the voice of Adam Jensen from Deus Ex, Elias Toufexis, joins host Josiah Renaudin to discuss games, TV, and motion capture. Elias details his different TV roles, the process of voicing someone with as many lines as Adam Jensen, how his distinct voice has both helped and hurt his career, and what he's working on in 2017.
Feb 27, 2017•46 min
On this week's episode, Justin McElroy, the editor-at-large at Polygon and a co-brother on My Brother, My Brother, and Me, joins host Josiah Renaudin to talk about how MBMBAM became a series on Seeso, the challenge of adapting a podcast for a live audience, the process of making crazy shows like Things I Bought at Sheetz, and what it's been like to see Polygon grow and change.
Feb 20, 2017•42 min
On this week's episode, actor, writer, host of the UFC Minute, and former All That cast member, Lisa Foiles, joins Josiah Renaudin to discuss how she got into acting, her experiences on All That, being a new mom, her former work with major video game sites like GameSpot and IGN, the UFC, and what games she's most looking forward to in 2017.
Feb 13, 2017•1 hr
On this week's episode, author of Champion of the World, lead MMA writer for Bleacher Report, and host of the Co-Main Event Podcast, Chad Dundas, joins Josiah Renaudin to discuss what it's like to get a book published, the nature of covering the UFC and mixed martial arts, freelance opportunities in sports writing, and the big success of the Co-Main Event Podcast.
Feb 06, 2017•45 min
On this week's episode, Wedbush Securities research analyst and host of the Pachter Factor, Michael Pachter, joins host Josiah Renaudin to discuss the business of making video game projections. Pachter explains why the Nintendo Switch might need a price cut, when we can expect to see the PlayStation 5, why Microsoft will always be second in the console race, the future of virtual reality, and why you don't need to worry about 4K until 2020.
Jan 30, 2017•44 min
