Gamers Week Podcast

Send us Fan Mail

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has only been officially available for a few days, but Nintendo has already confirmed that it's the fastest-selling Zelda game ever. In an industry enamored with trendy titles that are online, multiplayer, free-to-play, battle royale, and riddled with season passes and microtransactions, should the massive sales of a traditional single-player game be a wake-up call? We discuss what the early success of TOTK might mean for the gaming world.

We'll also be talking about Amazon's newly announced mulligan at a Lord of the Rings MMO, how EA Sports' relaunched college football game series will allow players to opt-in, Summer Game Fest's confirmed lineup of 40+ partners (including PlayStation and Xbox), and Nicolas Cage's upcoming role in Dead by Daylight.

Finally, class is in session with Professor Ryebread in our Gaming History 101 segment. In this episode, we're looking at the history of Tiger Electronics.

We love our sponsors! Please help us support those who support us!
- Check out the Retro Game Club Podcast at linktr.ee/retrogameclub
- Visit the Leetist Podcast at linktr.ee/LeetistPodcast
- Connect with CafeBTW at linktr.ee/cafebtw

Hosts: @donniegretro, @wrytersview, @retrogamebrews
Opening theme: "Gamers Week Theme" by Akseli Takanen
Patron theme: "Chiptune Boss" by @donniegretro
Closing theme: "Gamers Week Full-Length Theme" by Akseli Takanen

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

Best-of video game lists usually offer predictable rankings of the greatest games of all time. GQ Magazine set out to do things differently by inviting industry "experts" to rank their top games based on their own individual criteria. We discuss the resulting list, including what titles we feel don't belong and which ones we think were left out.

We'll also be talking about Xbox's response to Redfall's poor reception at launch, the newly announced dates for Nintendo Live 2023 (plus the weird way audiences must get tickets), and the latest inductees into the World Video Game Hall of Fame.

Finally, Donnie takes us all the way back to May 1993 in Retro Rewind.

We love our sponsors! Please help us support those who support us!
- Check out the Retro Game Club Podcast at linktr.ee/retrogameclub
- Visit the Leetist Podcast at linktr.ee/LeetistPodcast
- Connect with CafeBTW at linktr.ee/cafebtw

Hosts: @wrytersview, @retrogamebrews, @donniegretro
Opening theme: "Gamers Week Theme" by Akseli Takanen
Patron theme: "Chiptune Boss" by @donniegretro
Closing theme: "Gamers Week Full-Length Theme" by Akseli Takanen

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

Redfall has finally launched, but Microsoft may be wishing they'd left this one on the shelf. What was once anticipated as one of the biggest releases of the year (and certainly a crucial release for the Xbox platform) is instead being called the worst AAA release in recent memory. We"re joined by Rob from the Retro Game Club Podcast to discuss the fallout of the title's disastrous launch and what it may mean for Microsoft and the future of the Xbox brand.

We'll also be talking about how nine million people watched the full Super Mario Bros. Movie after it was illegally posted on Twitter, how PlayStation boss Shuhei Yoshida thinks a future dominated by live-service games would be "boring," and the news that indie game super hit Vampire Survivors is getting an animated series.

Finally, class is in session with Professor Ryebread in our Gaming History 101 segment. In this episode, we're looking at the history of toys-to-life peripherals.

Looking for more from Rob and the Retro Game Club Podcast? Head over to retrogameclub.net.

We love our sponsors! Please help us support those who support us!
- Check out the Retro Game Club Podcast at linktr.ee/retrogameclub
- Visit the Leetist Podcast at linktr.ee/LeetistPodcast
- Connect with CafeBTW at linktr.ee/cafebtw

Hosts: @retrogamebrews, @wrytersview, @rgcpodcast
Opening theme: "Gamers Week Theme" by Akseli Takanen
Patron theme: "Chiptune Boss" by @donniegretro
Closing theme: "Gamers Week Full-Length Theme" by Akseli Takanen

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

If Nintendo continues its current pattern, the Gamecube will be the next console added to the Nintendo Switch Online service. As one of Nintendo's more underloved consoles, there's a wealth of excellent games waiting to be discovered by a whole new audience. We discuss the titles likely to make the service's launch lineup (if and when it arrives), plus some sleepers that we'd like to see.

We'll also be talking about how Metacritic has once again promised better moderation after "abusive" Horizon DLC comments, how the Red Cross wants gamers to stop committing virtual war crimes, Nintendo's confirmation that the company will attend Gamescom 2023 later this year, and John Leguizamo's admission that real strippers were hired for the filming of the live-action Super Mario Bros. movie.

Finally, class is in session with Professor Ryebread in our Gaming History 101 segment. In this episode, we're looking at the history of point-and-click games.

We love our sponsors! Please help us support those who support us!
- Check out the Retro Game Club Podcast at linktr.ee/retrogameclub
- Visit the Leetist Podcast at linktr.ee/LeetistPodcast
- Connect with CafeBTW at linktr.ee/cafebtw

Hosts: @donniegretro, @wrytersview, @retrogamebrews
Opening theme: "Gamers Week Theme" by Akseli Takanen
Patron theme: "Chiptune Boss" by @donniegretro
Closing theme: "Gamers Week Full-Length Theme" by Akseli Takanen

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

Sega has officially confirmed that it is planning to acquire Rovio Entertainment, a deal that will see the video game company pay $776 million for the Angry Birds developer. Sega says that acquiring Rovio will allow it to strengthen its own mobile game portfolio, and at the same time, it'll be able to use its video game console expertise to help Rovio expand beyond mobile devices. We discuss this new acquisition and try to decide whether this counts for Donnie's prediction that Sega "will be back in a big way."

We'll also be talking about how the Nintendo hacker Gary Bowser has been released from prison but still owes millions, how Jack Black’s "Peaches" from The Super Mario Bros Movie has hit the Billboard Hot 100, and ten rumored video games that could still release in the second half of 2023.

Finally, Donnie takes us all the way back to April 1996 in Retro Rewind.

We love our sponsors! Please help us support those who support us!
- Check out the Retro Game Club Podcast at linktr.ee/retrogameclub
- Visit the Leetist Podcast at linktr.ee/LeetistPodcast
- Connect with CafeBTW at linktr.ee/cafebtw

Hosts: @wrytersview, @retrogamebrews, @donniegretro
Opening theme: "Gamers Week Theme" by Akseli Takanen
Patron theme: "Chiptune Boss" by @donniegretro
Closing theme: "Gamers Week Full-Length Theme" by Akseli Takanen

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

In the past week or so, a few reports have emerged about Sony having a new handheld device in the pipeline. The commercial case for Sony re-entering that market is tough to make, however, Sony will never fully accept ceding the handheld space to Nintendo, especially in the company's native Japan. We debate the pros and cons of Sony's possible return to the handheld landscape, as well as discuss what we'd like to see from the rumored device.

We'll also be talking about Microsoft's claim that Nintendo had nothing to do with the Xbox emulator crackdown, the IGDA's new game-crediting policies to help developers get recognition, Nintendo's newly announced Nintendo Live 2023 event, and how The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog has hit 1 million downloads on Steam.

Finally, class is in session with Professor Ryebread in our Gaming History 101 segment. In this episode, we're looking at the launch of the Panasonic 3DO.

We love our sponsors! Please help us support those who support us!
- Check out the Retro Game Club Podcast at linktr.ee/retrogameclub
- Visit the Leetist Podcast at linktr.ee/LeetistPodcast
- Connect with CafeBTW at linktr.ee/cafebtw

Hosts: @retrogamebrews, @donniegretro, @wrytersview
Opening theme: "Gamers Week Theme" by Akseli Takanen
Patron theme: "Chiptune Boss" by @donniegretro
Closing theme: "Gamers Week Full-Length Theme" by Akseli Takanen

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

Since the first trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, we've known that the game is basically going to be more Breath of the Wild. In fact, when it comes to selling audiences "more of the same," nobody does it better than Nintendo. But is that really a bad thing? We're joined by Kenny Thomas of the Leetist Podcast to debate the merits of iterative sequels, as well as discuss what we hope to see from the next big entry in the Zelda series.

We'll also be talking about how sales of the PSVR2 headset are off to a slow start, how Monster Energy is once again starting beef with a game developer over its name, the news that a new live-action Street Fighter adaptation is on the way, and how Shigeru Miyamoto cruelly teased new Mario games for "future Nintendo Directs."

Finally, Kenny quizzes our gaming trivia knowledge in "Wikiliteration."

Looking for more from Kenny?
- twitter.com/THECaptGeech
- theleetist.com

We love our sponsors! Please help us support those who support us!
- Check out the Retro Game Club Podcast at linktr.ee/retrogameclub
- Visit the Leetist Podcast at linktr.ee/LeetistPodcast
- Connect with CafeBTW at linktr.ee/cafebtw

Hosts: @donniegretro, @wrytersview, @THECaptGeech
Opening theme: "Gamers Week Theme" by Akseli Takanen
Patron theme: "Chiptune Boss" by @donniegretro
Closing theme: "Gamers Week Full-Length Theme" by Akseli Takanen

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

You know her for her roles in NBA JAM, the Aerosmith game Revolution X, and of course, the sacred role of the toughest woman in video games, Mortal Kombat's Sonya Blade. Yes, this week, we're joined by Kerri Ann Hoskins to talk about her history with video games, her behind-the-scenes stories of Mortal Kombat, and what she REALLY thinks about those crazy obsessive fans.

We'll also be talking about the bleak rumors surrounding E3’s future as more and more publishers back out of the show, how US congress members are accusing Sony of hurting Xbox in Japan, the news that GameCube and Wii emulator Dolphin will be coming to Steam this year, and Tony Hawk's admission that he considered backing another skating game before signing with Activision.

Looking for more Kerri Ann Hoskins?
- twitter.com/KerriAnnGallery
- instagram.com/KerriAnnGallery
- kerriann.gallery

We love our sponsors! Please help us support those who support us!
- Check out the Retro Game Club Podcast at linktr.ee/retrogameclub
- Visit the Leetist Podcast at linktr.ee/LeetistPodcast
- Connect with CafeBTW at linktr.ee/cafebtw

Hosts: @wrytersview, @donniegretro, @retrogamebrews
Opening theme: "Gamers Week Theme" by Akseli Takanen
Patron theme: "Chiptune Boss" by @donniegretro
Closing theme: "Gamers Week Full-Length Theme" by Akseli Takanen

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

At GDC this week, Ubisoft sparked debate by showing off its new Ghostwriter tool, an AI designed to aid its writers in creating dialogue for in-game NPCs. The company says the tool was designed to mitigate "pain points" for its writing staff, but some industry writers fear it's just the first small step to having AI programs take over more and more of game development. We discuss the pros and cons of AI as it relates to video games and wonder what else could be made easier with the use of AI (perhaps this podcast...?).

We'll also be discussing the YouTuber who bought every single Wii U and 3DS e-shop game ahead of the store closure, the news that Twitch's CEO is stepping down after 16 years (accompanied by mass layoffs), the controversy over KFC's Diablo 4 beta codes, and the impending video game-to-TV adaptation boom.

Finally, class is in session with Professor Ryebread in our Gaming History 101 segment. In this episode, we're looking at the career of video game composer Nobuo Uematsu.

We love our sponsors! Please help us support those who support us!
- Check out the Retro Game Club Podcast at linktr.ee/retrogameclub
- Visit the Leetist Podcast at linktr.ee/LeetistPodcast
- Connect with CafeBTW at linktr.ee/cafebtw

Hosts: @donniegretro, @retrogamebrews, @wrytersview
Opening theme: "Gamers Week Theme" by Akseli Takanen
Patron theme: "Chiptune Boss" by @donniegretro
Closing theme: "Gamers Week Full-Length Theme" by Akseli Takanen 

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

It’s one thing to require multiplayer games to be online at all times so that people can play with each other, but it’s another thing entirely to lock single-player console games behind that same obligation. It’s a practice that creates hurdles for game preservation, as well as unnecessarily gatekeeping those with slower internet speeds. We look at this increasingly common trend among game devs and discuss whether anything can be done to combat it.

We'll also be talking about the 2023 Video Game Hall of Fame finalists (including The Last of Us, GoldenEye 007, and Wii Sports), how the synopsis of the new Silent Hill movie reboot hints at changes to the video game, and the bizarre controversy over signposting in the Resident Evil 4 Remake demo.

Finally, class is in session with Professor Ryebread in our Gaming History 101 segment. In this episode, we're looking at the launch of the Nintendo 64.

We love our sponsors! Please help us support those who support us!
- Check out the Retro Game Club Podcast at linktr.ee/retrogameclub
- Visit the Leetist Podcast at linktr.ee/LeetistPodcast
- Connect with CafeBTW at linktr.ee/cafebtw

Hosts: @retrogamebrews, @wrytersview, @donniegretro
Opening theme: "Gamers Week Theme" by Akseli Takanen
Patron theme: "Chiptune Boss" by @donniegretro
Closing theme: "Gamers Week Full-Length Theme" by Akseli Takanen 

Support the show