In the last decade Nintendo has become synonymous with quirky hardware designs: sometimes inspired leaps of creativity like the original Wii and 3DS, and sometimes befuddling mish-mashes like the Wii U. So, as the first details on the venerable game maker’s seventh-generation console began to trickle out this year, fans and analysts alike were gripped with suspense. Would the new platform be a return to form or a second consecutive stumble? Now that we’ve had our first official look at the Switch, it’s clear that Nintendo is continuing to follow its own muse, this time emphasizing a unique take on the future of home and mobile gaming. Join Chris and Derek for a look ahead at Nintendo’s next chapter, and a wide-ranging discussion of the Switch’s unique creative possibilities.

Curling up with a great game on a crisp autumn afternoon is surely one of life’s best simple pleasures. With the leaves outside changing and the days growing shorter, let’s settle in for a cozy chat about fall gaming memories, as well as the end-of-year releases we’re most excited to play this year. There’s a lot of great games to discuss, so get yourself a toasty mug of hot chocolate and let’s begin! Plus, a special bonus this week: Chris and Derek finally introduce themselves.

The social communities that form around games are complicated creatures. The enthusiasm and energy of a positive, engaged audience can elevate a good game into a phenomenal experience. Yet when communities lapse into immature or toxic behavior, the results make games less welcoming for everyone. So: as players and as creators, how can we better steer our communities towards the positive side of this divide? Join Chris, Derek, and special guest Amanda Knowlton from Gamers with Jobs for a spirited discussion of the best and worst aspects of playing games together.

In a crowded marketplace, a game’s success or failure often hangs on the creator’s ability to woo an audience prior to release. Game creators have to be able to explain, often months or even years before their game is complete, what it is that will make the experience they are offering unique. When done well, this kind of pre-release messaging can build communities and propel previously unknown games to success. But! The path is a perilous one. When creators promise more than they can deliver, the audience’s ire can be swift and severe. This week, Chris and Derek tiptoe onto the treacherous tightrope of managing expectations. What’s the right way to build excitement for your game without over-reaching your grasp?

When we think about making games we tend to focus on the creative journey: the path of ideas and insights leading from a rough initial design to an engaging final product. Most of the time though, this process is only half of the true challenge. Taking a game from start to finish also requires negotiating an obstacle course of real-world challenges. How do you find like-minded collaborators? Where can you go for working capital? And of course, if you can’t work full-time on your great idea, how do you squeeze in the sheer number of hours you need to make it happen? This week Chris and Derek take on these tough questions with special guest host Dru Erridge, a game developer who bootstrapped his own creation from the seed of an idea into an incredibly impressive project. Let’s find out how he did it!

Choosing how to price a game is a deeply tricky business, one that requires almost as much psychological insight as it does economic. Setting your game’s price too high can starve it of the players and exposure it needs to take off; pricing too low can erode your game’s perceived value with no guarantee of return. And of course, in the age of the App Store, all creators have to reckon with the seismic effect that free-to-play has had on player expectations and economic behavior. So what’s the right answer? In this week’s episode Chris and Derek delve into this difficult debate, searching for the elusive balance between creator sustainability and player value.

Virtual reality has long been a totem of our collective imagination. Who wouldn’t want to leap into a fully realized alternative world? The fantasy of VR is one that taps into our most elemental sense of wonder. Now, for the first time, VR’s promise has been neatly packed into mass market consumer devices, available to anyone whose optimism (and graphics card) are sturdy enough to brave the new frontier. Will the first generation of VR hardware validate the medium’s promise or break the spell? In this episode Chris and Derek discuss VR’s moment of truth, and peer into the future of immersive game design.

A game design can begin in many different places, from an idea for a new mechanic, to a story, to a sketch. But what happens when a design starts with something even more elemental? Can you base a whole game design on something as elusive as a feeling? This week Chris and Derek take on this question in the context of Transistor, a deeply atmospheric adventure RPG from the award-winning team at Supergiant Games. Join us as we delve into Cloudbank’s mysteries and consider what it means to design from the heart.

Rocket League launched in July 2015 to incredible critical and audience acclaim. With five million downloads in the first three weeks, the game was an incredible “overnight” success for developer Psyonix Games. Yet as is often the case for apparent out-of-the-blue hits, this particular triumph is one that was actually many years in the making. In this episode Chris and Derek discuss Rocket League’s superbly well-honed competitive gameplay, and consider what’s possible when you refuse to give up on your great idea.

As Blizzard’s first new IP in nearly two decades, Overwatch has a lot to live up to. Does the game match the towering anticipation that preceded its release? Chris and Derek discuss their thoughts after a first week with Overwatch’s heroes.