Best Leisure Television Podcasts (2025)

1
Alex Seropian, co-founder of Bungie (Live @ University of Chicago). 1:44:06

32m ago1:44:06

1:44:06

Alex Seropian is a pioneering American video game developer whose work helped shape some of the most iconic series in the medium. After studying mathematics at the University of Chicago, he co-founded Bungie in 1991, first developing Operation Desert Storm then titles such as Pathways Into Darkness, Marathon, and Myth. In 2001, he and his team rele…

1
Mark Cerny, lead system architect, PlayStation 4 & 5. 1:30:56

3d ago1:30:56

1:30:56

Mark Cerny is an American programmer, and game designer whose career has shaped not only how we play, but the systems we play on. A San Francisco native, he dropped out of UC Berkeley at 17 after receiving an invitation to join Atari. At 18 he designed the arcade hit Marble Madness. He then moved to Japan to work with Sega, for whom he founded the …

1
Brandon Adler, game director, The Outer Worlds 2. 1:20:01

10d ago1:20:01

1:20:01

Brandon Adler is an American game director and producer whose career has been defined by his work on some of Obsidian Entertainment’s most acclaimed role-playing games. After serving in Iraq with the U.S. Air Force, my guest studied Game Art & Design at The Art Institute of California. He joined Obsidian as a tester for Neverwinter Nights 2 before …

1
Correspondence Special #8: Catching guests out, coding on ships, and best moments in games 28:48

21d ago28:48

28:48

In this special correspondence edition, Simon reads out your letters and answers your questions. Why are guests so often caught out when asked to name their console? What is the best moment in a video game? What might a My Perfect Console game jam look like? And can Simon settle a dispute between a father and his kids in the car?All this and much m…

1
Andy Davidson, creator of Worms. 1:27:53

17d ago1:27:53

1:27:53

My guest today is a British game designer whose ingenuity and persistence turned a bedroom project into one of the most iconic multiplayer series in video games. In 1991, he took the characters from the popular Amiga game Lemmings and placed them in a game of his own, a simulation of artillery fire. At school, the game proved popular among his frie…

1
Shuhei Yoshida, former president, Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios. 1:23:17

24d ago1:23:17

1:23:17

Shuhei Yoshida is former president of Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios, and one of the most beloved figures in the video games industry. After graduating from Kyoto University with a degree in economics, he joined Sony in 1986 to coordinate the company’s PC business. Then, as one of the early members of the PlayStation project, he h…

1
Danny Abbasi, musician, Miniseries. 1:19:54

1M ago1:19:54

1:19:54

1
Rami Ismail, gamemaker (Nuclear Throne, Ridiculous Fishing, Luftrausers, Australia Did It). 1:32:20

1M ago1:32:20

1:32:20

Rami is a developer, speaker, and global ambassador for indie games. As the co-founder of Vlambeer, he helped create a string of critically acclaimed titles—including Super Crate Box, Ridiculous Fishing, Luftrausers, and Nuclear Throne—that helped define a new era of independent game development. Beyond his work on games, he’s become one of the mos…

1
Lorien Testard, composer (Clair Obscur: Expedition 33). 1:18:08

2M ago1:18:08

1:18:08

Lorien Testard is a French musician and composer. He started his career as a guitar teacher, composing instrumental tracks for imaginary video games in his spare time. He began to upload them to his Soundcloud, and soon had a collection of more than fifty pieces online. His life changed when he shared one of the tracks in an indie game forum. A vid…

1
Chris Plante, writer, editor (Polygon, The Verge, Limetown, Post Games). 1:27:48

2M ago1:27:48

1:27:48

Chris Plante is a journalist, editor, and one of the sharpest voices working in video game media. After studying at New York University, he worked as freelance writer for outlets including The Guardian, Vulture, and Edge before, in 2012, co-founding Polygon, a website blending coverage of pop culture, longform storytelling, and thoughtful games cri…

1
Claire L. Evans, musician, writer, artist (YACHT, Blippo+). 1:21:22

2M ago1:21:22

1:21:22

1
Alexander O. Smith, translator (Vagrant Story, Phoenix Wright, Final Fantasy series). 1:33:58

2M ago1:33:58

1:33:58

Alexander O. Smith is a translator, writer, and creative producer whose work has brought some of Japan’s most acclaimed stories to audiences around the world. After graduating from Harvard University with a degree in classical Japanese Literature, he went on to become one of the most respected voices in literary and video game translation. He is be…

1
Charlie Rosen, bandleader, The 8-bit Big Band. 1:27:51

3M ago1:27:51

1:27:51

Charlie Rosen is a Grammy award-winning musician, composer, and arranger whose work sits at the intersection of jazz, pop, and video game nostalgia. As the founder and leader of The 8-bit Big Band, a 35-piece jazz-pops orchestra, he had transformed classic video game soundtracks into virtuosic symphonic showstoppers. Under his direction, the ensemb…

1
Andy Robertson, journalist, entrepreneur (BBC, Ludocene). 1:22:12

3M ago1:22:12

1:22:12

Andy Robertson is a veteran journalist, editor, and entrepreneur who has spent his career exploring how video games can bring people together. After graduating from Brunel University with a degree in Computer Science, he worked as a freelance games critic for the BBC before launching Family Gamer TV, a YouTube channel designed to help parents and c…

1
Lizzie Killian, musician (Teens in Trouble). 1:21:12

3M ago1:21:12

1:21:12

Lizzie Killian is the lead vocalist and guitarist of Teens in Trouble, an indie rock band known for its anthemic melodies, sharp lyrics, and emotionally charged hooks. Before taking to the stage, she started her career as a writer covering games, then moved into communications, collaborating with titans of the industry such Capcom, EA, and Riot. In…

1
Jonathan Jacques-Belletête, creative director, Hell is Us. 1:20:12

3M ago1:20:12

1:20:12

Jonathan Jacques-Belletête is a French-Canadian creative director and artist whose work has helped shape some of the most stylish and thought-provoking contemporary video games. After graduating from Dawson College in Montreal, he worked as a commercial illustrator before joining Ubisoft as an artist on the Far Cry, Prince of Persia and Assassin’s …

1
Tonda Ros, gamemaker, Blue Prince. 1:31:44

4M ago1:31:44

1:31:44

My guest today is an American visual artist whose work is redefining how we think about mystery, architecture, and imagination in interactive storytelling. In 2013 he founded Dogubomb, a Los Angeles-based independent Film and Game Studio making music videos, films, and commercials for clients such as Magic the Gathering and Netflix. In 2016 my gues…

1
Brian Gibson, artist, musician (Lightning Bolt, Guitar Hero, Thumper). 1:17:34

4M ago1:17:34

1:17:34

Brian Gibson is a musician, artist, and game designer best known for blurring the lines between sound, movement, and chaos. As the bassist for the legendary noise-rock duo Lightning Bolt, he’s released seven studio albums and played countless ferocious, high-velocity live shows. But he’s also spent much of his life working on video games, first as …

1
Correspondence Special #7: Zelda snubs, lost gaming communities, and fake monkey languages. 36:54

4M ago36:54

36:54

In this special correspondence edition, Simon reads out your letters and answers your questions. Why has The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time never made it onto a Perfect Console? Where have in-person gaming communities gone, and can they be revived? What happened to educational games after the days of Oregon Trail and Carmen Sandiego? Which made-u…

1
Ralph Panebianco, critic, YouTube creator (Skill Up). 1:23:05

4M ago1:23:05

1:23:05

Ralph Panebianco is an Australian video game reviewer and YouTube creator known for his sharp insights, no-nonsense delivery, and deep love of the medium. His reviews have been watched more than three hundred million times, and since 2015 his channel, Skill-Up, has become one of the most popular destinations for game criticism, both in Australia an…

1
Greg Jenner, historian. 1:31:03

4M ago1:31:03

1:31:03

Greg Jenner is a historian, author, and broadcaster who has made the past delightfully accessible to millions. Born in Kent, he studied Archaeology & History at the University of York, then mediaeval studies, before serving as historical advisor to the BBC’s hit children’s series Horrible Histories. He has since authored several acclaimed books tha…

1
Nathan Brown, writer, analyst, former editor Edge. 1:28:51

4M ago1:28:51

1:28:51

Nathan Brown is a writer, editor, and consultant with a deep well of experience in the video game industry. After starting his career in finance he switched to become a journalist, he spent more than a decade at the British publication Edge magazine, where he eventually rose to the role of editor. Since leaving traditional games media, he has carve…

1
Kat Abughazaleh, influencer, politician. 1:06:56

5M ago1:06:56

1:06:56

Kat Abu is a journalist, influencer, and digital powerhouse who’s taken her sharp wit and political insight from the internet to the campaign trail. Best known for her viral videos dissecting right-wing media as a senior video producer at Media Matters for America, she built a vast following online by blending incisive commentary with biting humour…

1
Jimi Famurewa, food critic. 1:16:30

5M ago1:16:30

1:16:30

Jimi Famurewa is a British-Nigerian author, broadcaster and food critic whose writing blends cultural insight, wit, and deep empathy. As the former restaurant critic for the Evening Standard, he’s become one of the most recognisable voices in British food writing, known for capturing not just what’s on the plate, but also the people, stories, and h…

1
Ed Night, comedian. 1:11:03

5M ago1:11:03

1:11:03

Ed Night is one of the sharpest and most original voices in British stand-up. He began performing comedy as a teenager and, in 2017 his debut hour at the Edinburgh Fringe, Anthem For Doomed Youth, saw him become one of the youngest ever nominees for the Edinburgh Comedy Award for Best Newcomer. Since then, he’s established a reputation for his dark…

1
Cabel Sasser, co-founder Panic (creators of the Playdate console). 1:27:49

5M ago1:27:49

1:27:49

Cabel Sasser is a designer, developer, and co-founder of one of the most beloved indie software companies in tech. In 1999, he co-founded Panic, the Portland-based studio known for its beautifully crafted Mac software and, later, its publishing work on standout indie games like Firewatch and Untitled Goose Game. Most recently, he helped lead the cr…

1
Peter Whalen, game director (Hearthstone, Teamfight Tactics). 1:21:49

5M ago1:21:49

1:21:49

Peter Whalen is a game designer and creative lead known for his work at the intersection of strategy, storytelling, and competitive play. After graduating from Princeton with a degree in Mathematics, he earned his doctorate in algorithms at Georgia Tech. He then began his career in video games, first at Blizzard, where he was a senior designer on H…

1
Ray Chase, voice actor (Final Fantasy XV, Xmen '97, Demon Slayer). 1:21:29

6M ago1:21:29

1:21:29

Ray Chase is an American voice actor whose range and versatility have made him one of the most recognisable voices across anime, video games, and audiobooks. Known for bringing to life characters such as Noctis in Final Fantasy XV, Bruno Bucciarati in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Cyclops in Xmen ’97, and Zukuna in Jujutsu Kaisen, he has also voiced ma…

1
Robbie Singh, streamer, studio founder (Omeda). 1:07:20

6M ago1:07:20

1:07:20

Robbie is a studio head with one of the most unusual origin stories in the games industry. A former content creator and streamer, he fell in love with Paragon, the ambitious MOBA from Epic Games—so much so that when Epic closed the game in 2018, he refused to let it die. With no prior game development experience and no plans to enter the industry, …

1
Listener Console Special #3 49:18

6M ago49:18

49:18

In this special episode, five My Perfect Console supporters share the games they would like to put on their ideal, fictional games machine, and the reasons behind their choices. If you would like to share your console with the My Perfect Console audience, head to this post for more details. Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range …

1
Elena Lobova, Ukrainian entrepreneur, game developer. 1:14:17

6M ago1:14:17

1:14:17

My guest today is a Ukrainian game developer, entrepreneur, and one of the most respected community-builders in the video games industry. After graduating from East Ukrainian Volodymyr Dahl National University with a Master's in Computer Science she began her career in mobile game development. She founded initiatives such as Achievers Hub and Globa…

1
Game Club (with Glenn Moore): Return of the Obra Dinn. 30:48

7M ago30:48

30:48

Simon is joined by Glenn Moore for today's Game Club episode discussing the game we've been playing throughout May, former guest of the show Lucas Pope's Return of the Obra Dinn. Throughout the month, Glenn, Simon, and many of you, the listeners, have been playing through the modern classic puzzle game, as chosen by comedy writer Joel Morris on his…

1
Bennett Foddy, philosopher, game designer (QWOP, GIRP, Getting Over It). 1:19:49

7M ago1:19:49

1:19:49

Bennett Foddy is a game designer, moral philosopher, and musician best known for creating challenging games that explore frustration, perseverance, and the nature of play. Originally from Australia, he played bass for the electronic group Cut Copy, then in 2008 came to global recognition with QWOP, a slapstick track-and-field simulation that became…

1
Tomm Hulett, game designer (Silent Hill series, Contra, Bloodstained, River City Girls). 1:16:15

7M ago1:16:15

1:16:15

Tomm Hulett is a game designer and director who has spent his career championing bold, narrative-driven experiences. While at Konami, he worked on multiple Silent Hill titles, including Book of Memories, a critically acclaimed reimagining of the franchise. On the internet, however, his name became linked with the struggles of later Silent Hill game…

1
Grentperez, musician. 1:07:08

7M ago1:07:08

1:07:08

Grentperez is a 23-year-old Filipino-Australian singer-songwriter who has captivated audiences worldwide with his soulful melodies and heartfelt lyrics. Born and raised in Sydney, he began sharing song covers on YouTube at the age of 13, soon amassing more than 100 million views. His 2021 debut single, Cherry Wine” achieved gold certification and t…

1
Alex Kealy, comedian. 1:17:18

7M ago1:17:18

1:17:18

Alex Kealy is an English stand-up comedian. Born in Hampshire, he studied history at Oxford University, where he assumed the role of music editor on the student newspaper. After graduating, he worked as a researcher for The Institute of Art and Ideas. But the call of the stage proved strong, and in 2016 he debuted his first Edinburgh show, titled “…

1
Liam Wong, photographer, director. 1:28:37

8M ago1:28:37

1:28:37

Liam Wong is a Scottish photographer, art director, and game designer. Born in Edinburgh he began his career in the video game industry after graduating from Abertay University. After a stint at Crytek UK, he eventually join Ubisoft Montreal, and there became the youngest director at the company. His work on acclaimed titles like Far Cry 4 helped s…

1
Guillaume Provost, studio director Compulsion Games (South of Midnight, We Happy Few). 1:23:17

8M ago1:23:17

1:23:17

Guillaume Provost is a game designer, creative director, studio founder and CEO, with a passion for building immersive, story-driven experiences. After working as a programmer for games companies such as Pseudo Interactive and Arkane, in 2009 he founded his own independent studio, Compulsion Games. Under his leadership, the studio gained worldwide …

1
Correspondence Special #6: WarioWare: Idiom Edition, The Observer's future game coverage, and more. 32:32

8M ago32:32

32:32

In this special correspondence edition, Simon reads out your correspondence and answers your questions. What's next for game coverage at The Observer newspaper following its sale to Tortoise? How can we invite fan-favourite guests back on the show? How should you respond when a dodgy man in a pub asks: "What's the damage?" All this and much more. B…

1
Celia Hodent, UX specialist (Ubisoft Montreal, LucasArts, Epic Games). 1:18:44

8M ago1:18:44

1:18:44

Celia Hodent is a French author and former director of user experience at Epic Games. Born in France, she earned her doctorate in psychology in Paris, hoping to become a professional academic. Her childhood love of video games, however, drew her to the games industry, and in 2008 she joined Ubisoft to work on the editorial team. In 2010 she transfe…

1
Joel Morris, comedy writer (Philomena Cunk, Black Mirror, Paddington). 1:31:27

8M ago1:31:27

1:31:27

Joel Morris is a multi-award winning comedy writer, and a contributor to the widely beloved Paddington films. One of the best regarded comedic talents in Britain, during the past two decades he has written for everyone from David Mitchell to Miranda Hart to Ronnie Corbett. A long-time collaborator with Charlie Brooker, he was a key part of the BAFT…

1
Saraya Bevis, professional wrestler. 1:13:25

9M ago1:13:25

1:13:25

Saraya is one of the biggest names in professional wrestling. Born into a successful wrestling family in Norwich, England, she left home at fifteen to forge her own path in the ring. Under the name Paige, she became the youngest WWE Divas Champion in history and was the subject of the hit 2019 film Fighting with My Family, written and directed by S…

1
Seamus Blackley, originator of the Xbox. 1:19:25

9M ago1:19:25

1:19:25

Seamus Blackle is a physicist, game designer, and technology visionary best known as the originator of the Xbox. After studying physics at Tufts University, he began his career in high-energy physics before pivoting to the video game industry. He worked on titles including System Shock and Flight Unlimited. In the late nineties, while an employee a…

1
Keith Burns, artist. 1:19:44

9M ago1:19:44

1:19:44

Keith Burns is an award-winning aviation artist and illustrator. As a student he dreamed of becoming a comic book artist but after his teachers at art college discouraged him from the career path, he dropped out and became a bus driver. Ten years later he received an email inviting him to submit a comic strip to a talent finding project. His submis…

1
Marjolein Robertson, comedian. 1:23:08

9M ago1:23:08

1:23:08

Marjolein Robertson is a Scottish comedian, improviser, and storyteller. Born in Lerwick, on the Shetland Isles, she first started performing with Shetland Youth Theatre at the age of 13. After graduating from the University of Edinburgh, she was working as a town planner, saving for a mortgage, when she and her partner decided to move to Amsterdam…

1
Steffan Powell, BBC's Gaming and Culture Correspondent. 1:27:03

10M ago1:27:03

1:27:03

Steffan Powell is a reporter, television and radio presenter. Born in the Amman Valley in South Wales he joined the BBC while in his twenties, soon working his way up to the position of senior broadcast journalist for Radio One’s Newsbeat. In 2021 he became BBC News’ first ever Gaming and Culture Correspondent, appearing across the broadcasters’ ne…

1
Dr. Greg Zeschuk, co-founder Bioware. 1:26:17

10M ago1:26:17

1:26:17

Greg Zeschuk is the co-founder of Bioware. While a medical student at the University of Alberta he told his future wife that, if he could, he’d make video games for a living. After he graduated, the dream came true when, in 1995, he and two friends founded Bioware in his basement. The following year the trio released Shattered Steel and, two years …

1
Listener Console Special #2 54:15

10M ago54:15

54:15

In this special episode, five My Perfect Console supporters share the games they would like to put on their ideal, fictional games machine, and the reasons behind their choices. If you would like to share your console with the My Perfect Console audience, head to this post for more details. Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range …

1
Basia Bułat, folk musician. 1:21:20

10M ago1:21:20

1:21:20

Basia Bulat is a Canadian folk singer-songwriter. Born in Toronto into a family of Polish immigrants, music was always a close presence in the family home: her mother taught piano and guitar. After graduating with a degree in English literature from the University of Western Ontario, she began to pursue music as her own career path. Her debut album…

1
Adanna Nedd, narrative designer (Spirit Swap: Lofi Beats to Match-3 To). 1:20:27

10M ago1:20:27

1:20:27

Adanna Nedd is a narrative designer and writer for video games. Born in the Chesapeake Bay State of Maryland, she studied Information Technology & English at Penn State University as a Millennium Scholar. While at Penn State, she started multiple research projects investigating how players represent themselves in video games through their choice of…

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