Kevin Nguyen, author and Features Editor at The Verge, discusses his new novel "Mỹ Documents", what it means to write about video games, comparisons between mediums as a critic, and the unfortunate sale of Polygon.

• (01:30) - Intro and Blue Prince
• (03:08) - The sale of Polygon to Valnet
• (06:42) - Pivoting to My Documents
• (15:04) - Brazil and Bossa Nova in New Waves and My Documents
• (16:34) - First gaming memory
• (18:47) - How does gaming come up in the writing?
• (30:08) - Gaming sweet spots
• (34:40) - A-ha moments
• (37:24) - Favorite games
• (39:37) - What is the draw to games?
• (46:36) - Lightning round
• (50:43) - The future of games
• (51:58) - Blue Prince pro strats
• (52:46) - Final thoughts

Links

"Mỹ Documents" (Penguin Random House)

"New Waves" (Penguin Random House)

Strong Songs Podcast (Website)

Game Maker's Toolkit - Developing (YouTube)

Press Reset: The Story of Polygon (YouTube)

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Social

Guest: Kevin Nguyen
Bluesky

Host: Kyle Starr
Bluesky | Threads | Instagram | Mastodon

Show: Y-Button
Bluesky | Threads | Instagram | Mastodon

Video game journalist Andy Robertson discusses his new project Ludocene — a game discovery service in the form of a deck-building dating app. Ludocene is based on human-curated data and offers users the ability to augment their recommendations with filters and "Expert cards" — games journalists and trusted curators who've been paid to provide recommendations — to offer a truly one-of-a-kind discovery experience.

Andy also dives into his origins with video games and why he thinks they're important for people of all ages and the culture at large.

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Links

Ludocene (Kickstarter)

Family Gaming Database (website)

Taming Gaming (Unbound | Amazon)

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Social

Guest: Andy Robertson
Bluesky | Twitter/X

Host: Kyle Starr
Bluesky | Threads | Instagram | Mastodon

Show: Y-Button
Threads | Instagram | Mastodon

Writer and programmer Alanna Okun shares how video games influenced the recent decision to leave her tenured career in journalism for an education in interactive technology — a conversation through the boom and bust of the 2010s media landscape to a revelation of control and expression found in making video games.

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Links

bitsy (website)

Knit a Hat: A Beginner's Guide to Knitting (Microcosm Publishing)

NYU Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP) (website)

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Social

Guest: Alanna Okun
Website | itch.io | Instagram

Host: Kyle Starr
Threads | Instagram | Mastodon

Show: Y-Button
Threads | Instagram | Mastodon

Pixar Creative Director (Theme Parks), Tasha Sounart, discusses her career journey, from animating at Pixar on A Bug's Life through Cars to directing Double Fine's Costume Quest, to her return to Pixar and overseeing the implementation of Pixar properties in Disney Parks. She shares how video games influence physical attractions, gaming as a family, and her fondness for RPGs and MMOs.

[DISCLAIMER: Kyle here. My Host audio quality is subpar in this episode. I failed to realize that I was peaking a bit when captured. AJ did everything in their power to clean this up, but there's only so much that can be done with poorly captured audio. I've listened back to this episode a few times and I don't feel it detracts from Tasha's interview whatsoever. That said, I'll be more mindful in the future.]

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Links

Pikuniku (website)

Pixar pixel-art tile artwork (LinkedIn)

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Social

Guest: Tasha Sounart
Mastodon | LinkedIn

Host: Kyle Starr
Threads | Instagram | Mastodon

Show: Y-Button
Threads | Instagram | Mastodon

Award-winning journalist and non-fiction writer, Simon Parkin, discusses his journey into journalism, curiosity about video games, the transition from 2D to 3D gaming, and informing the broader culture about the medium.

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Simon Parkin's website (with links to his books, articles, and audio)
simonparkin.com

My Perfect Console
shows.acast.com/my-perfect-console

Pushing Buttons newsletter from The Guardian
theguardian.com/games/series/pushing-buttons

Raiden (Youtube)

DoDonPachi (Youtube)

Return of the Obra Dinn
obradinn.com

Chants of Sennaar
rundisc.io/chants-of-sennaar/

"The Wager" by David Grann
davidgrann.com/book/the-wager/

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Social

Guest: Simon Parkin
Instagram | Twitter/X

Guest Show: My Perfect Console
Instagram | Twitter/X

Host: Kyle Starr
Threads | Instagram | Mastodon

Show: Y-Button
Threads | Instagram | Mastodon

Chris Plante, Editor-in-chief of Polygon and co-host of The Besties podcast, chronicles his journey into games journalism, his fondness for "7/10 (rated)" video games, and what makes video games different (and the same!) as other mediums.

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Polygon: Gaming and Entertainment News, Reviews, and More
Polygon.com

The Besties (podcast)
themcelroy.family/besties

The Besties (newsletter)
thebesties.substack.com

GameDiscoverCo (Simon Carless's awesome newsletter)
gamediscover.co

1994 Fisher Price Magna Mover Town
Youtube

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Social

Host: Kyle Starr
Threads | Instagram | Mastodon

Show: Y-Button
Threads | Instagram | Mastodon

Stephen Hilger, co-host of Into the Aether podcast, discusses the power of video games on childhood, art, and imagination.

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Into the Aether
intothecast.online

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Social

Guest: Stephen Hilger (Into the Aether)
Twitter/X | Instagram

Host: Kyle Starr
Mastodon | Threads | Twitter/X | Instagram

Show: Y-Button
Mastodon | Twitter/X

Music industry extraordinaire and founder of Washed Up Emo, Tom Mullen, joins the show to discuss his lifelong fascination with video games, the link between music and games, staying relevant with the youths, and his love of strategy guides. Can you guess the song he brought to Guitar Hero III?

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Washed Up Emo
https://www.washedupemo.com/

Is This Band Emo?
http://isthisbandemo.com/

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Music

'Liminal Fields' by Vulture Feather

https://vulturefeather.bandcamp.com/album/liminal-fields

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Social

Guest: Tom Mullen (Washed Up Emo)
Twitter | Instagram

Host: Kyle Starr
Mastodon | Threads | Twitter | Instagram

Show: Y-Button
Mastodon | Twitter