EXP Podcast #485: Steam Census

The word is out: people are surprisingly obsessed with virtual trucking.  How do we know this?  Thanks to an inadvertent leak, Valve exposed data that gave us an unprecedented look at the player counts of games distributed via Steam.  The hole has since been patched, but the data we have is fascinating and can be analyzed for a long time to come.  This week we take a look at some of the surprises and get quantitative when it comes to figuring out what the damn kids are playing these days.

- Here's the show's stand-alone feed
- Listen to the podcast in your browser by clicking here, right-click and select "save as link" to download the show in MP3 format, or click play below.

Show Notes:

- "Valve leaks Steam game player counts; we have the numbers," by Kyle Orland via Ars Technica
- Runtime: 41 mins 39 sec
- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #484: Dinosaurs, Switch Games, and More

What idiot built this park?

This week on the show, we discuss some of the recent games we've been playing, which includes some of the best games of 2018 so far. Journey with us to Jurassic World Evolution where we care and nurture dinosaurs, to the land of the Nintendo Switch where we play such games as Celeste, West of Loathing, and the soon-to-be-released Octopath Traveler. We also spend a bit of time with Minit, a game where your play sessions are only 60 seconds long.

It's a big batch of games this week. Join us!

- Here's the show's stand-alone feed
- Listen to the podcast in your browser by clicking here, right-click and select "save as link" to download the show in MP3 format, or click play below.

Show Notes:

- Runtime: 41 mins 48 sec
- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #483: Goodbye Gamestop?

Sage advice.

This week, we talk about the evolution and possible dissolution of a once massive empire: GameStop.  With news that they are pivoting to selling comics as well as quietly shopping around for a potential buyout, we review our past and current relationship with this divisive institution.  And of course, we give some sage advice about the difference between fighting a swarm of bees and fighting a single enormous gorilla.

- Here's the show's stand-alone feed
- Listen to the podcast in your browser by clicking here, right-click and select "save as link" to download the show in MP3 format, or click play below.

Show Notes:

- Runtime: 38 mins 52 sec
- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #482: E3 2018 Debrief

"Hey Gary, who's in Smash Bros. Ultimate again?"

Mo-cap make-out sessions from The Last of Us II, a glimpse at Halo Infinite, minor nuclear radiation from Fallout 76, and a whole lot of Smash. This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I go over all the biggest announcements, trailers, and teases from E3 2018. Give it a listen and sign our petition for adding Farkus as a canonical character to the Gears of War franchise.

- Here's the show's stand-alone feed
- Listen to the podcast in your browser by clicking here, right-click and select "save as link" to download the show in MP3 format, or click play below.

Show Notes:

- Runtime: 57 mins 37 sec
- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #481: A Glimpse Into the Pokefuture

Detective Pikachu catches you.

E3 is in full swing and we are up to our eyeballs in press conferences and teaser trailers.  We'll be back next week with a full E3 debrief.  This week: we make a future Pokepredictions about our favorite pocket sized monsters.  What with the steady stream of Pokemon-related news, we talk about the evolution of the franchise and what we're looking for in the upcoming games.

- Here's the show's stand-alone feed
- Listen to the podcast in your browser by clicking here, right-click and select "save as link" to download the show in MP3 format, or click play below.

Show Notes:

- "Pokémon boss Junichi Masuda on keeping hardcore players happy, borrowing from Pokémon Go, and Let's Go's story," by Chris Tapsell via Eurogamer
- Runtime: 38 mins 01 sec
- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #480: Revisiting Our Write-offs

This guy and I had a falling out years ago.

Sometimes you just dig your heels.  You draw a line in the sand.  You find a hill and dammit, you're going to die on it!  This week, we talk about the games we wrote off but then subsequently rediscovered.  It might have been pride, stubbornness, or an honest mistake, but something caused us to reconsider our once iron-clad opinions.

- Here's the show's stand-alone feed
- Listen to the podcast in your browser by clicking here, right-click and select "save as link" to download the show in MP3 format, or click play below.

Show Notes:

- "It took me 17 years to play Halo — and now I love it," by Allegra Frank via Polygon
- Runtime: 35 mins 31 sec
- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #479: God of War Debrief

"Do I know you from somewhere?"

We have journeyed the highest peak in midgard and battled the fiercest emissaries of Odin himself to bring you this week's episode. Today on the EXP Podcast, we review God of War. Enormous fans of the franchise ourselves, this is easily one of the most exciting releases of 2018 for Scott and I. In fact, so hyped for this game, we've already dedicated one episode to our first impressions - which you can listen to right here!

When you and your son are ready, turn up the volume and listen close to the full debrief, spoilers and all.

- Here's the show's stand-alone feed
- Listen to the podcast in your browser by clicking here, right-click and select "save as link" to download the show in MP3 format, or click play below.

Show Notes:

- Runtime: 37 mins 42 sec
- Music by Brad Sucks