Achievement Oriented

By The Ringer

What's Achievement Oriented about?

Every week, The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion delve into the virtual world, discussing the latest video game releases and trends, interviewing industry experts, and exploring fascinating subcultures.

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Achievement Oriented episodes:

12.29.2017
Games of the Year, 'Gorogoa,' and 'The Last Jedi' (Ep. 67)
In an extra-long, year-ending episode, The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion discuss Ben's VR Christmas gift (0:15), before welcoming Ringer colleagues Justin Charity and Matt James for a roundtable debate about the best games of 2017, which they share...
12.15.2017
Ever-Evolving Games: 'PUBG,' 'Star Citizen,' 'GTA Online,' and 'Zelda' (Ep. 66)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion discuss their opinions about porgs and cute creatures in 'Star Wars' and imagine an alternate history in which BioWare adapts 'Game of Thrones' instead of 'Star Wars' (0:15). Then they bring on three...
12.08.2017
Triumphant Nintendo, 'Xenoblade,' and Loot Boxes vs. the Law (Ep. 65)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion discuss the scare-reducing "safe mode" in the new Xbox port of sci-fi horror game 'Soma' (0:15) then welcome colleagues Justin Charity and Victor Luckerson to talk about Nintendo's dramatic 2017 turnaround, 'Xenoblade Chronicles...
12.01.2017
EA's Reddit-Driven Downfall and Overwatch League Unknowns (Ep. 64)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion discuss the microtransaction controversy sweeping the industry and talk to the influential Reddit poster who helped start the backlash against 'Battlefront II' (8:40).They then bring on ESPN esports reporter Jacob Wolf to preview...
11.24.2017
We Finally Did a Mailbag Episode (Ep. 63)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion soundtrack your holiday travel with their first-ever mailbag episode, answering listener questions about the best and worst trends and games of 2017, the games they most regret missing, open-world design vs. linear levels...
11.17.2017
Loot Boxes Are Bad, but 'Battlefront II' Is Good (Ep. 62)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion discuss the recent releases of several high-profile Switch ports, what their success means for the system's future, and what might have been for the PlayStation Vita (0:57). Then they review the highlights and...
11.10.2017
'Assassin's Creed: Origins' and the Xbox One X (Ep. 61)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion discuss whether 'Assassin's Creed: Origins' innovates enough on the franchise's familiar formula to bring them back to the fold (0:15), then welcome Polygon senior reporter Samit Sarkar for a conversation about the benefits...
11.09.2017
'Call of Duty: WW II,' 'The Frozen Wilds' DLC, and 'Super Lucky's Tale' (Ep. 60)
In an intimate bonus episode, The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion discuss Jason's concussion (0:15) and Ben's binge with three newly released games: back-to-basics big-budget shooter 'Call of Duty: WW II' (6:12), 'The Frozen Wilds' (the first downloadable content...
11.03.2017
More 'Mario,' Visceral, Gambling on Loot Boxes, and 'South Park' (Ep. 59)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion briefly discuss the latest trailer for 'The Last of Us Part II' (1:00) then bring on Kotaku news editor and 'Blood, Sweat, and Pixels' author Jason Schreier for a wide-ranging discussion about 'Super...
10.27.2017
'Super Mario Odyssey,' 'Shadow of War,' 'Wolfenstein 2,' and 'Darkwood' (Ep. 58)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion mark the pod's first anniversary by discussing a quartet of recent releases. First, Ben and Jason examine what makes 'Super Mario Odyssey' amazing and why the Switch is owning 2017 (1:00). Then they...
10.20.2017
The Holiday Deluge, 'Stardew' on Switch, and the AI of 'Echo' (Ep. 57)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion discuss the beginning of the grueling/exciting torrent of fall releases and what they anticipate will be a successful gaming holiday season (0:55), then bring on comedian Nick Wiger to discuss his experience with...
10.13.2017
'NBA 2K' Player Ratings and the Rise and Fall of 'Backyard Baseball' (Ep. 56)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion talk about Ben's video game bachelor party, how 'GoldenEye 007' has aged, and ultra-precise esports competitors (1:45). Then they bring on Mike Stauffer of 'NBA 2K' developer Visual Concepts to ask how he...
10.06.2017
The Frustration-Free Challenge of 'Cuphead' (Ep. 55)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion discuss Jason's ever-changing real-life look and how his hairstyles affect his character-creation strategy (1:40), then share their impressions of the new Windows and Xbox run-and-gun game 'Cuphead' (7:30). Next, they bring on brothers...
09.29.2017
The SNES Classic, Revisiting 'Night Trap,' and Gaming Fear (Ep. 54)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion reminisce about 'Red Dead Redemption' and react to the trailer for 'Red Dead Redemption 2' (1:10). Then they bring on their colleague Victor Luckerson to recap his all-day marathon with the newly released...
09.25.2017
Video Game Writer Walt Williams on 'Significant Zero' (Ep. 53)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion reflect on why video game makers are hesitant to talk about the development process publicly (0:15). Then they talk to one who isn't: Walt Williams, who's worked on 'BioShock,' 'Spec Ops: The Line,'...
09.22.2017
'2K18' Release Week (Ep. 52)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion discuss Jason's inaugural experience as a video game writer on 'NBA 2K18' (1:05). Then they talk to 'NBA 2K18' director Chris Papierniak about the difference between game direction and film direction, how to...
09.15.2017
Streaming Sins, Space Games, and 'Metroid' (Ep. 51)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion discuss Jason's return to the new and (possibly) improved 'No Man's Sky' (0:55), then bring on colleague Justin Charity to talk about celebrity streamer PewDiePie's latest offense, indie developer Campo Santo's response, the...
09.08.2017
'Blood, Sweat, and Pixels,' 'Destiny 2,' and 'Localhost' (Ep. 50)
For their 50th episode, The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion welcome Kotaku news editor Jason Schreier to discuss the industry trends and revelations inside his new book ('Blood, Sweat, and Pixels: The Triumphant, Turbulent Stories Behind How Video Games...
09.01.2017
Recent Releases, 'Uncharted,' and 'Good Game' (Ep. 49)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion discuss their impressions of 'Undertale,' 'Sonic Mania,' and 'Uncharted: The Lost Legacy' (0:45), then interview 'Uncharted' writer and Naughty Dog veteran Josh Scherr about the game's breakneck development, Naughty Dog's winning formula for...
08.25.2017
Making Mo-cap Magic, and Going Inside an Esports Team (Ep. 48)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion talk to stuntwomen and voice actors Maggie Macdonald and America Young about their work in video games including 'Halo 5,' the 'Dead Space,' 'Uncharted,' and 'Saints Row' series, and the newly released 'Agents...
08.18.2017
'Dream Daddy' and Giant Bomb's Successful Pivot to Video (Ep. 47)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion banter about 'No Man's Sky' updates, mundane objects that look great in games, and Ben's plans for a video game bachelor party (1:20), then bring on their colleague Alison Herman to discuss the...
08.11.2017
Gamer Grooming and the Golden Age of Board Games (Ep. 46)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion discuss the addition of a free-for-all deathmatch mode to team-based shooter 'Overwatch' (1:05), then bring on makeup artist Ada Trinh to discuss her work with Blizzard, Riot, and esports athletes; why gamers need...
08.04.2017
'Tacoma' and 'PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds' (Ep. 45)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion discuss whether makers of future consoles will feel pressure to support portability to keep pace with the Switch (2:37), then talk about Ben's impressions of 'Tacoma,' the new game from The Fullbright Company...
07.28.2017
Developing 'Pyre' and Composing Supergiant's Soundtracks (Ep. 44)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion talk to Greg Kasavin, creative director and lead writer of indie developer Supergiant Games, about the company's new game, 'Pyre,' its surprising shoutout from Arby's, the apocalyptic settings of Supergiant's games, how 'Pyre'...
07.21.2017
'Splatoon 2,' 'Destiny 2,' and Aliens and Love in 'Grand Theft Auto' (Ep. 43)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh, Jason Concepcion, and Justin Charity discuss their impressions of 'Splatoon 2' and the 'Destiny 2' beta (4:00). Then, Ben and Jason bring on Kai and Gramz, two members of 'Grand Theft Auto' data-mining group Team Guru,...
07.14.2017
'Overwatch,' 'Castlevania,' and Games Done Quick (Ep. 42)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion discuss some of the challenges facing competitive 'Overwatch' in Season 5, including depleted rankings and a misaligned rewards system (0:39). Then they bring on their colleagues Matt James and Micah Peters to talk...
07.07.2017
Gamer Sensei, 'Pokémon Go,' and Funemployment (Ep. 41)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion first talk to William Collis, cofounder of Gamer Sensei, an esports startup that matches players with coaches who tutor them on how not to be bad at games (2:14). Then they welcome colleague...
06.30.2017
The Ascent of 'Rocket League' and a Comeback for 'Crash Bandicoot' (Ep. 40)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion briefly discuss Nintendo's SNES Classic (1:12), and then are joined by their colleague (and fellow 'Rocket League' enthusiast) Rob Harvilla for a conversation with Psyonix Studios' Corey Davis, the design director for 'Rocket...
06.23.2017
'Arms,' Animating Sex Scenes, and Long Loading Times (Ep. 39)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion discuss their impressions of Nintendo's new Switch brawler, 'Arms' (1:10), the pros and cons of motion controls and the Pro Controller (2:42), and the game's esports future (7:50). Then they bring on Kotaku's...
06.16.2017
Esports Roundup and a World-Size Sim (Ep. 38)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion talk to Compete's Eric Van Allen about Nintendo's surprising new esports acumen with 'Splatoon 2,' 'Arms,' and 'Pokkén Tournament' (2:07), esports franchising and the future of competitive 'Overwatch' and 'League of...
06.14.2017
All of Our E3 Reactions [Bonus Episode] (Ep. 37)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion digest the week's biggest news and announcements out of E3, discussing the notable trends, highlights—including Nintendo, Ubisoft, co-op and multiplayer, pirates, and long-awaited sequels and reboots—and lowlights like Xbox One X, the developments...
06.09.2017
How a Good Game Goes Bad (Ep. 36)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion talk to Kotaku news editor Jason Schreier about why developers divulge details about troubled projects to reporters (2:55), Schreier's exposé of the problems plaguing Bioware's development of the disappointing 'Mass Effect: Andromeda' (8:28),...
06.02.2017
'The Walking Dead,' 'Rime,' and Casting Characters (Ep. 35)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion talk about the Switch as a mobile experience (2:20) and Ben's impressions of 'The Walking Dead: A New Frontier' (4:30), and 'Rime' (9:33). Then they listen to an excerpt from Ben's conversation with...
05.26.2017
Doug Liman, Jonathan Allen, and 'Dota' (Ep. 34)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion speak to director Doug Liman about the influence of video games on his movies 'Swingers,' 'The Bourne Identity,' and 'Edge of Tomorrow' (2:44), the narrative differences between video games and movies (8:57), how...
05.19.2017
'Prey', the Business of Gaming, the Future of E-sports, and Expert Glitchers (Ep. 33)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion pine for VR rigs and talk to their colleague Justin Charity about Arkane Studios' first-person shooter, 'Prey' (4:20), how the pace of a playthrough affects the player's impressions (6:05), and whether a disappointing...
05.12.2017
How to Get Back into Gaming and Laying Down Video Game Law (Ep. 32)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion talk to colleague Justin Charity about how he's made up for lost time after an extended hiatus from gaming (2:10), his recent article on streaming culture (8:46), his second (!) playthrough of the...
05.05.2017
Developing in VR and Controller Mods for the 'Melee' Gods (Ep. 31)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion speak to game designer and Funomena cofounder Robin Hunicke at the Tribeca Games Festival about the challenges and possibilities of developing VR games, the potential for more realistic portrayals of love and sex...
05.02.2017
Tribeca Games Festival [Bonus Episode] (Ep. 30)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion interview the head writer for Blizzard's 'Overwatch,' Michael Chu (3:31). They discuss the challenges of implementing elements of story to a multiplayer game (5:20). Chu explains how the 'Overwatch' team handled heading up...
04.28.2017
Ian Dallas on 'Edith Finch' and Chris Person on Video Game Highlights (Ep. 29)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion talk to Giant Sparrow creative director Ian Dallas about his new first-person exploration game, 'What Remains of Edith Finch’ (3:38), the melding of moviemaking and video games (5:28), the centrality of story (7:39),...
04.21.2017
World of Warcraft' and 'Ultimate Epic Battle Simulator' (Ep. 28)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion banter about Ben finally losing his 'Overwatch' virginity (1:43), 'Star Wars: Battlefront II' (3:12), and the SNES Classic (4:13). Then, they welcome writer Tony Palumbi to discuss his new book 'Blood Plagues and...
04.14.2017
Defying the Specs and Expanding the Decks (Ep. 27)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion talk about Jason's new Nintendo Switch and belated 'Breath of the Wild' impressions, then bring on the creator of the YouTube channel 'LowSpecGamer' to talk about how he gets modern games to run...
04.07.2017
'Persona 5,' 'Nier: Automata,' and the Evolution of Japanese Games (Ep. 26)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion report the results of a survey designed to reveal their gaming motivations, then bring on their colleague Justin Charity to discuss his spoiler-free impressions of newly released Atlus RPG 'Persona 5' and Square...
03.31.2017
The Athlete-Gamer Episode, with Trevor May and Ryan Blaney (Ep. 25)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion banter about Jason's move, convoluted 'Kingdom Hearts' titles, and what they want from 'Destiny 2,' then talk to Minnesota Twins pitcher Trevor May about how injury rehab impacts his gaming, his attempts to...
03.24.2017
'Mass Effect: Andromeda' and 'Moral Combat' (Ep. 24)
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion have a spoiler-free discussion about their impressions of the perplexing 'Mass Effect: Andromeda,' Bioware's brain drain, and the ways in which recent releases have raised the bar for big-budget games (0:45). Then they...
03.21.2017
Ep. 23: 'Ghost Recon Wildlands' and eSports Analytics
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion talk to writer Reid McCarter and lecturer in video game studies Hugo Montembeault about the dark side of Ubisoft's 'Ghost Recon Wildlands,' realism in shooters, and big-budget games' ongoing struggle to depict real-world...
03.17.2017
Ep. 22: Gaming Drugs and eSports Injuries
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion talk to Compete writer Maddy Myers about experimenting with supplements that promise gaming benefits, covering competitive gaming's growing pains, and gender imbalance in eSports (0:30). Then they bring on Dr. Caitlin McGee to...
03.10.2017
Ep. 21: 'The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild' and the Nintendo Switch
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion bring on Kotaku news editor (and author of the forthcoming book 'Blood, Sweat, and Pixels') Jason Schreier to discuss reviewing great games (1:00), how 'Breath of the Wild' departs from and improves upon...
03.03.2017
Ep. 20: 'Achievement Oriented' on 'Horizon Zero Dawn,' 'Resident Evil 7,' and Video Game Phobias
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion have a spoiler-free chat about the newly released PS4 exclusive 'Horizon Zero Dawn,' discussing its obvious influences, how it tweaks the open-world formula, and whether games have gotten too long (1:00). Then they...
02.24.2017
Ep. 19: 'Achievement Oriented' on Becoming a Meme and Setting Speedrunning Records
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion briefly consider the future of TV video game adaptations, reacting to comments by 'Castlevania' producer Adi Shankar and 'The Expanse' co-author Ty Franck (3:30). Then they bring on longtime Giant Bomb video producer...
02.17.2017
Ep. 18: 'Achievement Oriented' on Google Doodle Games and Ubisoft's Sword-Fighting Experiment
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion talk to Jordan Thompson, lead software engineer for the latest Google Doodle game, about building games for a massive search-engine audience with unique control constraints and compatibility concerns (0:15). Then they bring on...

What's Achievement Oriented about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Achievement Oriented episodes:

Games of the Year, 'Gorogoa,' and 'The Last Jedi' (Ep. 67)

Ever-Evolving Games: 'PUBG,' 'Star Citizen,' 'GTA Online,' and 'Zelda' (Ep. 66)

Triumphant Nintendo, 'Xenoblade,' and Loot Boxes vs. the Law (Ep. 65)

EA's Reddit-Driven Downfall and Overwatch League Unknowns (Ep. 64)

We Finally Did a Mailbag Episode (Ep. 63)

Loot Boxes Are Bad, but 'Battlefront II' Is Good (Ep. 62)

'Assassin's Creed: Origins' and the Xbox One X (Ep. 61)

'Call of Duty: WW II,' 'The Frozen Wilds' DLC, and 'Super Lucky's Tale' (Ep. 60)

More 'Mario,' Visceral, Gambling on Loot Boxes, and 'South Park' (Ep. 59)

'Super Mario Odyssey,' 'Shadow of War,' 'Wolfenstein 2,' and 'Darkwood' (Ep. 58)

The Holiday Deluge, 'Stardew' on Switch, and the AI of 'Echo' (Ep. 57)

'NBA 2K' Player Ratings and the Rise and Fall of 'Backyard Baseball' (Ep. 56)

The Frustration-Free Challenge of 'Cuphead' (Ep. 55)

The SNES Classic, Revisiting 'Night Trap,' and Gaming Fear (Ep. 54)

Video Game Writer Walt Williams on 'Significant Zero' (Ep. 53)

'2K18' Release Week (Ep. 52)

Streaming Sins, Space Games, and 'Metroid' (Ep. 51)

'Blood, Sweat, and Pixels,' 'Destiny 2,' and 'Localhost' (Ep. 50)

Recent Releases, 'Uncharted,' and 'Good Game' (Ep. 49)

Making Mo-cap Magic, and Going Inside an Esports Team (Ep. 48)

'Dream Daddy' and Giant Bomb's Successful Pivot to Video (Ep. 47)

Gamer Grooming and the Golden Age of Board Games (Ep. 46)

'Tacoma' and 'PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds' (Ep. 45)

Developing 'Pyre' and Composing Supergiant's Soundtracks (Ep. 44)

'Splatoon 2,' 'Destiny 2,' and Aliens and Love in 'Grand Theft Auto' (Ep. 43)

'Overwatch,' 'Castlevania,' and Games Done Quick (Ep. 42)

Gamer Sensei, 'Pokémon Go,' and Funemployment (Ep. 41)

The Ascent of 'Rocket League' and a Comeback for 'Crash Bandicoot' (Ep. 40)

'Arms,' Animating Sex Scenes, and Long Loading Times (Ep. 39)

Esports Roundup and a World-Size Sim (Ep. 38)

All of Our E3 Reactions [Bonus Episode] (Ep. 37)

How a Good Game Goes Bad (Ep. 36)

'The Walking Dead,' 'Rime,' and Casting Characters (Ep. 35)

Doug Liman, Jonathan Allen, and 'Dota' (Ep. 34)

'Prey', the Business of Gaming, the Future of E-sports, and Expert Glitchers (Ep. 33)

How to Get Back into Gaming and Laying Down Video Game Law (Ep. 32)

Developing in VR and Controller Mods for the 'Melee' Gods (Ep. 31)

Tribeca Games Festival [Bonus Episode] (Ep. 30)

Ian Dallas on 'Edith Finch' and Chris Person on Video Game Highlights (Ep. 29)

World of Warcraft' and 'Ultimate Epic Battle Simulator' (Ep. 28)

Defying the Specs and Expanding the Decks (Ep. 27)

'Persona 5,' 'Nier: Automata,' and the Evolution of Japanese Games (Ep. 26)

The Athlete-Gamer Episode, with Trevor May and Ryan Blaney (Ep. 25)

'Mass Effect: Andromeda' and 'Moral Combat' (Ep. 24)

Ep. 23: 'Ghost Recon Wildlands' and eSports Analytics

Ep. 22: Gaming Drugs and eSports Injuries

Ep. 21: 'The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild' and the Nintendo Switch

Ep. 20: 'Achievement Oriented' on 'Horizon Zero Dawn,' 'Resident Evil 7,' and Video Game Phobias

Ep. 19: 'Achievement Oriented' on Becoming a Meme and Setting Speedrunning Records

Ep. 18: 'Achievement Oriented' on Google Doodle Games and Ubisoft's Sword-Fighting Experiment