Gamers Week Podcast

Send us Fan Mail

While some might say that 2022 was a slow year as far as new releases were concerned, that doesn't mean there weren't still some absolutely stellar titles making their debut. With Sony's God of War Ragnarok and Horizon Forbidden West, Nintendo's Splatoon 3 and Pokemon Arceus, and killer third-party releases like Elden Ring and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, there was no shortage of amazing games to play. We're counting down the best games of 2022 and picking our own personal GOTYs.

We'll also be discussing how 2022 saw the rise (and fall) of the video game leaker,  how the Xbox Series X has a lot to prove in 2023 after its unusually quiet 2022, a hot take that performance mode has destroyed the point of video game consoles, and how Hideo Kojima believes he'll still be making video games as an AI in a hundred years.

Finally, class is in session with Professor Ryebread in our Gaming History 101 segment. In this episode, we're looking at first-to-market video game consoles that were later overshadowed by more successful competitors.

Tune in to the Gamers Week one-year anniversary Twitch livestream celebration!
- Tuesday, January 3rd
- 6 PST/9 EST
- twitch.tv/gamersweekpodcast

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
Merch: gamers-week-podcast.creator-spring.com

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

According to the FTC, Epic will pay $275 million for violating the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and another $245 million for design relying on dark patterns "to dupe millions of players into making unintentional purchases." Is this just a case of parents not paying enough attention to what their children are doing online? Or does Epic bear some responsibility to help keep kids safe? We discuss this landmark case and what it might mean for the future of online gaming.

We'll also be talking about how Microsoft might introduce an ad-supported Game Pass tier, John Carmack's announcement that he's leaving Meta, the gamer that claims parents have hired him to beat their children at video games and crush their confidence, and the biggest gaming news stories of 2022.

Finally, class is in session with Professor Ryebread in our Gaming History 101 segment. In this episode, we're looking at the 1980 lawsuit in which Atari sued Phillips over Pac-Man.

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
Merch: gamers-week-podcast.creator-spring.com

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

The Game Awards aired last week, and thanks to the Wednesday curse, we’re just now able to do our wrap-up of the live stream. So for our main topic, we’re going to review our predictions and find out which one of us got the most picks correct. Then we’ll be recapping the biggest game announcements from the show, including Hades 2, Crime Boss: Rockay City, Death Stranding 2, and more.

We'll also be discussing Bloomberg's claim that the esports boom is fading as investors and sponsors dry up, how Diablo IV developers are bracing for the game's impending release, the Federal Trade Commission's lawsuit to block Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, and the newfound footage of a long-lost Michael Jackson Sega game.

Finally, class is in session with Professor Ryebread in our Gaming History 101 segment. In this episode, we're looking at the history of Game Freak founder and creator of Pokémon, Satoshi Tajiri.

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
Merch: gamers-week-podcast.creator-spring.com

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

So much has changed in the video game industry in the last 30 or so years that sometimes it feels like modern games are nearly unrecognizable when compared to their retro counterparts. We're joined by Christopher Cross, a long-time game dev who has worked in the video game industry since 1996 (Diablo, Medal of Honor, and Marvel Avengers are just a few of the titles on his resume), to chat about how gaming has changed over the past few decades and even where it may go in the next few.

We'll also be discussing how Microsoft has entered into a "10-year commitment" to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo consoles following its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the new Mario Kart 8 Deluxe update that lets players finally customize their items, and the upcoming ToeJam & Earl movie in the works from Amazon and Stephen Curry.

Want to hear more from Christopher Cross?
- twitter.com/CoffeeWithCross
- youtube.com/@CoffeewithCross

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
Merch: gamers-week-podcast.creator-spring.com

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

The feud between Sony and Microsoft surrounding the Xbox maker’s attempted acquisition of Activision Blizzard has continued to heat up, so for our main topic this week, we’re looking at a roundup of Sony vs Microsoft headlines. This includes Sony's claim that Microsoft is trying to turn it into Nintendo, Sony's assertion that Xbox Game Pass has reached 29 million subscribers, and Microsoft's admission that "many" PlayStation exclusives are "better quality" than those on Xbox.

We'll also be discussing how Phil Spencer has all but confirmed that The Elder Scrolls VI will be an Xbox console exclusive, how Sonic creator Yuji Naka has been arrested in an insider trading scandal, China's claims that it's solved youth game addiction, and the upcoming video game console that's tailored for dogs.

Finally, Donnie takes us all the way back to November 1998 with his Retro Rewind.

Listen to A Video Gaming Christmas by Kev Bayliss, David Wise, and Grant Kirkhope on Spotify and help support the Special Effect charity!
- https://open.spotify.com/album/7Midl1uxvPs35TfAotXElo

To support Special Effect directly, visit https://www.specialeffect.org.uk/

Listen to our interview with Kev Bayliss!
- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-21-its-on-like-donkey-kong-a-conversation/id1603295416?i=1000560962868

Listen to our guest appearance on A Gamer Looks at 40!
- https://www.buzzsprout.com/1426576/11712191-ep-57-a-live-read-of-the-nintendo-power-legend-of-zelda-comic-w-gamers-week-podcast

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
Merch: gamers-week-podcast.creator-spring.com

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

The nominees for the Game Awards 2022 have been revealed, but the response from much of the gaming world has been... *shrug*. Why do the Game Awards garner such apathy from gamers (if not outright hatred)? And having acknowledged that the awards are largely nonsense, which games are we rooting for?

We'll also be discussing the mayhem caused by Twitter Blue users impersonating video game companies, how Xbox proactively suspended up to 4.8m user accounts in the first half of 2022, the news that Nintendo still won't commit to backwards compatibility for its next-gen consoles, and how Rockstar reportedly turned down a Grand Theft Auto movie starring Eminem.

Finally, class is in session with Professor Ryebread in our Gaming History 101 segment. In this episode, we're looking at the history of laserdisc 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, @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
Merch: gamers-week-podcast.creator-spring.com

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

Sales numbers always generate big headlines in the video game industry. But while some titles come and go, others remain heavy hitters, sitting atop the sales record books and accumulating numbers that most games can only dream of. We take a look at these top 10 video game juggernauts and wonder... is this not only a list of the best-selling games of all time but the flat-out best games of all time?

We'll also be discussing how Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 hit $1 billion in revenue faster than any past CoD title, the news that Final Fantasy 16 will be a PS5 exclusive for 6 months according to Sony marketing, Sega's new job posting for an "Associate Manager, Lore" to help keep Sonic's lore in check, and the McCrispy, McDonald's new grease-resistant gaming chair.

Finally, class is in session with Professor Ryebread in our Gaming History 101 segment. In this episode, we're looking at the legacy of video game designer Kenji Eno.

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
Merch: gamers-week-podcast.creator-spring.com

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

Xbox boss Phil Spencer gave several interviews this week, and his quotes have fueled much of the world’s recent gaming news. This week, we're diving into a roundup of Xbox headlines, including Spencer's claim that Xbox loses as much as $200 on every console it sells, Xbox's changing tone on Game Pass in light of the service failing to hit target numbers, and Spencer's admission that "it’s been too long" since Xbox’s last big first-party game.

We'll also be discussing Sega's announcement that the Sonic franchise has surpassed 1.5 billion sales and downloads, how Square Enix wants to focus on “hit global titles” due to Japan’s aging population, the developer backlash against the Call of Duty fan who turned up in person to protest their Modern Warfare 2 ban, and Sega's long-lost $3 million live-action erotic thriller that has been preserved and made playable online.

Finally, class is in session with Professor Ryebread in our Gaming History 101 segment. In this episode, we're going on a backstage tour of the video game collection at the Strong National Museum of Play.

Listen to our interview with Andrew Borman of the Strong National Museum of Play!
- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-18-dear-sony-and-microsoft-no-one-wants-in-game-ads/id1603295416?i=1000558336432

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
Merch: gamers-week-podcast.creator-spring.com

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

Most video games have a good mixture of easy and hard levels to keep gamers properly entertained and challenged throughout the game. But some levels dial the difficulty up to 11, and apparently, Reddit has a lot to say about what it considers to be the hardest video game levels ever. We're joined by Brian from Drink A Beer & Play A Game to debate the levels on this list while adding a few of our own.

We'll also be discussing how the system requirements to run the upcoming Silent Hill 2 remake will push your PC to its limits, the news that Xbox has shelved its "Keystone" streaming dongle, how the Resident Evil 4 remake has already made an unforgivable mistake, and how Rockstar is throwing a life preserver to that guy with 6,000 hours of Red Dead Online on Stadia.

Finally, Donnie takes us all the way back to October 1994 with his Retro Rewind.

Watch Brian on the Power Hour Podcast!
- linktr.ee/DBPG

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, @ABeerAndAGame
Opening theme: "Gamers Week Theme" by Akseli Takanen
Patron theme: "Chiptune Boss" by @donniegretro
Closing theme: "Gamers Week Full-Length Theme" by Akseli Takanen
Merch: gamers-week-podcast.creator-spring.com

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

The long-awaited release of Platinum Games' Bayonetta 3 has been marred by a rather messy controversy. The voice of Bayonetta in the previous two entries publicly stated that she did not return for the third installment because the pay was insultingly low. She then encouraged fans to boycott the game, igniting a debate about the chronically low pay offered to video game voice actors. Platinum Games has disputed her claims, and as more information comes to light, which party's version is closer to the truth? We discuss the drama and whether or not gamers really should boycott the upcoming title.

We'll also be talking about everything announced in the Silent Hill Transmission showcase (including the leaked Silent Hill 2 remake), the developer who claims the Xbox Series S console has "hamstrung" an entire generation of video games, and the newly announced Mortal Kombat role-playing game (don't get your hopes up, there's a catch).

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

Watch us guest host on the Power Hour Podcast!
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mVZCrmH7tI

Catch the replay of the Blockbuster Video World Championships 3 from PRGE!
- twitch.tv/retrogamingexpo

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
Merch: gamers-week-podcast.creator-spring.com

Support the show