In this powerful episode, we sit down with the development team behind Take Us North , a narrative-driven survival adventure game that offers an immersive look at migrant and asylum-seeker journeys across the U.S.–Mexico border.

We unpack:

• The origins of the project and what inspired its creation

• The research and real-life stories that shaped the game's design (including work with migrants, anthropologists, and migration scholars)

• How the game challenges misconceptions and fosters empathy via interactive storytelling

• The current Kickstarter campaign and how you can help bring this vital project to life

Support the Take Us North Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/takeusnorth/take-us-north/

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Thank you for supporting meaningful storytelling through games—together, we can help more people find their way home.

Join hosts Kahlief Adams and Cam Hawkins as we count down the Top 10 games from Gamescom 2025 that have us absolutely hyped! From surprise announcements to long-awaited sequels, we break down why these titles are dominating our must-play lists.

In this episode, we also dive deep into our hands-on previews and reactions to some of the games we've been playing, like Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree, the brutal action of Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, our thoughts on the Xbox ROG Ally X handheld, and the return of a legendary franchise with Ninja Gaiden 4.

Whether you're looking for indie gems, AAA blockbusters, or the next game to consume your life, we've got you covered with our honest takes and hype levels for each title. Don't miss our hot takes on which games lived up to the hype and which ones surprised us the most!

What games from Gamescom 2025 are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments below!

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Join us on Spawn on Me as we sit down with the incredible Victoria Tran to uncover her latest must‑read—and learn how community management is evolving in 2025. Victoria breaks it all down with insight and practical wisdom. Whether you're building niche communities, hosting IRL meetups, or craving authentic connection in a digital world dizzied by automation—this interview is the compass you didn’t know you needed.

Tap in to discover the future of community building, one conversation at a time

Go support the fam and get the book here! https://www.victoriatran.com/book

I just spent 8 HOURS playing Battlefield 6, and let me tell you - this game is about to change EVERYTHING! From the insane destruction physics to the massive 128-player battles, EA has finally delivered something that might actually dethrone Call of Duty. After 8 hours of pure gameplay, I can confidently say this might be the comeback Battlefield desperately needed.

We sit down with the creative minds behind Last Flag, the brand new 5v5 capture-the-flag shooter from Night Street. Hear directly from the team—and voice actor Eli Harris—about what makes this retro-inspired, game show-style shooter stand out. Plus, we dig into how Imagine Dragons made the leap from chart-topping musicians to launching a full-fledged game studio.Learn how this bold new project mixes music, mayhem, and multiplayer magic to bring something truly different to the CTF genre.

In this episode of Spawn On Me, I sit down with Ben Kvalo, CEO of Midwest Games, to dive into what makes this new publishing label stand out in an ever-evolving industry. We explore the role of publishers in today’s market, the challenges indie developers face, and whether the gaming industry is oversaturated with too many titles.

Ben shares his thoughts on building sustainable careers for the next generation of developers, and the value of player feedback, and we discuss how platforms like Xbox Game Pass are impacting discoverability. If you’ve ever wondered how publishers make decisions, support studios, or think about the long game in gaming—this one’s for you.

Topics We Cover:

• What makes Midwest Games different from traditional publishers

• The growing difficulty of standing out in a crowded market

• How publishers can better support marginalized and new devs

• Are players giving developers helpful feedback?

• The real benefits and challenges of Game Pass for studios

Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share the show with your crew on YouTube, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

In Episode 550 of Spawn on Me, host Kahlief Adams and guest host Cam Hawkins dive into the massive Xbox layoffs and the fallout from Summer Game Fest coverage we missed.Xbox Layoffs Recap: Dissecting Microsoft’s July 2nd cuts of approximately 9,000 jobs across Xbox and gaming studios including Rare, Initiative, Turn 10, ZeniMax, and King Barcelona. We also discuss the cancellation of major projects like Everwild and Perfect Dark.Industry Reaction: We analyze Phil Spencer’s internal memo and the controversial suggestion for impacted staff to leverage AI tools like Copilot for job hunting.Studio-by-Studio Breakdown: Who’s affected? Rare, Turn 10, Initiative, ZeniMax, King Barcelona, and others. What does this mean for the future of Xbox exclusives?SGF Missed Gems: A quick roundup of standout announcements from Summer Game Fest that slipped under the radar in our previous coverage.Stay tuned and subscribe for more gaming breakdowns with a focus on people of color in the industry.

In this exciting episode of Spawn On Me, Kahlief sits down with Rick Thiher, the General Manager of EVO, the premier fighting game tournament. They dive deep into EVO's latest expansion efforts and how the organization is working to enhance the experience for players and fans around the world. Discover the motivations behind expanding to new countries, the challenges faced, and the importance of making fighting games accessible on a global scale. Whether you're a competitive gamer, a fighting game enthusiast, or a fan of esports stories, this episode offers valuable insights into the future of EVO and the growth of the fighting game community worldwide.

Tune in to learn about the strategic vision, community-building efforts, and the exciting new opportunities that lie ahead for EVO and its global audience.

In this powerful episode of Spawn on Me, we sit down with Olivia Brown from Project Unloaded to dive deep into the critical work of tracking and analyzing gun violence data. Olivia shares insights into how Project Unloaded is revolutionizing our understanding of gun violence through comprehensive data collection and community-driven research.

We explore the challenges of gathering accurate gun violence statistics, the impact of data transparency on policy decisions, and how grassroots organizations are filling crucial gaps in national reporting. Olivia discusses the human stories behind the numbers and explains how better data can lead to more effective violence prevention strategies.

Whether you're interested in public health, social advocacy, or data-driven solutions to complex problems, this conversation offers valuable perspectives on one of America's most pressing issues. Join us for an eye-opening discussion about the intersection of technology, community organizing, and social change.

Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share your thoughts in the comments below!

Join Kahlief Adams and special guest Cameron Hawkins as they break down the absolute best games that caught their attention at Summer Game Fest 2025. From the jaw-dropping surprise reveal of Resident Evil Requiem to exciting sequels like Mortal Shell 2 and Death Stranding 2, they dive deep into what made this year's showcase memorable and which games have them most hyped for the months ahead. Whether you missed the event or want to hear fresh takes on your favorite announcements, this episode of Spawn On Me has all the gaming hot takes you need.