Podcast
My Perfect Console with Simon Parkin
In My Perfect Console, Simon Parkin, award-winning author video game critic for The Observer invites well-known guests from the worlds of gaming, film and television, music, comedy and more to pick the five video games they would like to immortalise on a fictional games machine. They discuss those five games in chronological order of release, interspersed with biographical chat about the guest’s life and career –– a lens that often leads to new and unexpected insights.
"Thoroughly modern and ahead of its time...a gift." - NEW YORK'S VULTURE
"Charming, insightful." -- THE GUARDIAN
TIME OUT'S 50 Best Podcasts
VULTURE's Best Podcast of the Year
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- Episodes
- 215
- Releases
- Weekly
- Typical length
- 1 hr 24 min
- On air since
- 2023
- Latest episode
- 18 hours ago
Episodes
215 episodes, newest first
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1 hr 13 min
Becky Chambers, science-fiction author (The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet, As You Wake, Break the Shell).
Episode 185
Show notes
Becky Chambers is an American science-fiction writer whose work combines imaginative worlds with an unusual warmth and generosity toward the people who inhabit them. Raised in California in a family heavily involved in space science, she initially trained in the performing arts before turning to writing, and eventually self-published her debut novel, The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet, following a successful crowdfunding campaign. It became the first book in her Wayfarers series and established her as one of contemporary science fiction’s most distinctive voices.
Her fiction has won Hugo and Locus awards, and been nominated for the Women’s Prize, the Nebula Award, and the Arthur C. Clarke Award.It is often described as “cosy sci-fi” or “hopepunk”, although she has characterised it more evocatively as holding up “both a mirror and a blanket to the world”. Her new novel, As You Wake, Break the Shell, which arrived this October, begins a new duology set on a hostile alien world but centred on a love story between a pilot and a reclusive botanist, and on questions of community and dependence.
Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole
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1 hr 28 min
Matthew Seiji Burns, writer, designer, musician (Call of Duty, Halo, Eliza).
Episode 184
Show notes
Matthew Seiji Burns is an American writer, director, composer, and game designer whose career has moved between some of the biggest studios in the industry and much smaller, more personal experiments in interactive storytelling. He worked as a producer at Treyarch, Bungie, and 343 Industries on franchises including Call of Duty and Halo, before spending time at the University of Washington’s Center for Game Science, exploring how games might be used for research and scientific discovery.
He later joined Zachtronics, contributing writing and music to games including Opus Magnum and EXAPUNKS, while also creating his own interactive fiction. In 2019, he created Eliza, a visual novel about an AI-assisted counselling service that explored automation and the boundaries between human empathy and technology years before those questions became unavoidable. His latest work has takenthose concerns into a different medium: Process, his debut novel, is a darkly comic and psychologically intense story set inside Seattle’s startup culture.
LINKS
Matthew Seiji Burns – website & socials
Matthew Seiji Burns – official website
Matthew Seiji Burns – Bluesky (@matthewseiji.com)
Matthew Seiji Burns – itch.io (game experiments and back catalogue)
Process – the novel
Process – hardcover edition (Tune & Fairweather)
Process – softcover edition (Tune & Fairweather)
Process – audiobook (read by the author, Audible)
Process – free digital sampler (Tune & Fairweather)
Eliza – the visual novel (2019)
Joseph Weizenbaum – creator of the original ELIZA chatbot, Wikipedia
ELIZA (chatbot, 1966) – Wikipedia
The Writer Will Do Something (2015)
The Writer Will Do Something – co-written with Tom Bissell, itch.io
Tom Bissell – author ofExtra Lives, previous My Perfect Console guest
Matthew’s Perfect Console
Of Monks and Max (HyperCard stack, 1988) – by Brian Thomas
Loom – LucasArts (1990), Wikipedia
ICO (PS2, 2001) – Fumito Ueda / Team Ico, Wikipedia
Rez (Dreamcast, 2001) – Tetsuya Mizuguchi / United Game Artists, Wikipedia
Rez Infinite – Steam (modern version)
Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon – Steam
Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon – Wikipedia
Other games and references mentioned
Opus Magnum – Zachtronics (Steam)
Exapunks – Zachtronics (Steam)
Dark Castle – remaster (Steam)
Cosmic Osmo – Cyan (HyperCard, 1989), Wikipedia
Call of Duty: United Offensive (expansion, 2004) – Wikipedia
Star Trek: Armada II – Wikipedia
Medieval: Total War – Wikipedia
University of Washington Center for Game Science
Mark Wynne – graphic designer ofProcess(Edge magazine)
Tune & Fairweather – publisher
Jason Killingsworth – founder of Tune & Fairweather
Support the show
My Perfect Console – episode archive and data
My Perfect Console on Patreon – early access, video episodes and monthly bonus episodes
Email the show: myperfectconsole@gmail.com
Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole
Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
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1 hr 17 min
Replay: Dr Greg Zeschuk, co-founder BioWare.
Show notes
Yesterday came the news that EA plans to close BioWare, the Edmonton studio behind Baldur’s Gate, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Mass Effect and Dragon Age. I thought it was a good moment to revisit my conversation with Dr Greg Zeschuk, one of BioWare’s co-founders. We talk about the games that shaped him, and the long, remarkable journey of a studio that defined computer and console role-playing games for millions of people. Here’s my conversation with Greg Zeschuk.
[Original description] 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 y founded Bioware in his basement. The following year the trio released Shattered Steel and, two years after that, Baldur’s Gate, which revolutionised the world of computer role-playing games.
In the years that followed Bioware released a string of blockbuster hits, including Mass Effect, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. In 2007, just 12 years after its founding, the companywas sold to Electronic Arts as part of a deal worth $860 million. In recent years, my guest started a brewing company, Blind Enthusiasm, and today runs two microbreweries and a restaurant in Edmunton, where he has spent most of his life.
NOTES
Greg Zeschuk – BioWare & brewery
Blind Enthusiasm Brewing Company – official site
Blind Enthusiasm – The Monolith taproom, Edmonton
Greg Zeschuk on BioWare’s closure – Wired
BioWare
Ray Muzyka – BioWare co-founder, Wikipedia
Augustine Yip – BioWare co-founder, Wikipedia
Greg’s Perfect Console
Adventure (Atari 2600, 1980) – Wikipedia
Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord (Apple II, 1981) – Wikipedia
Dungeon Master (Atari ST, 1987) – Wikipedia
Elden Ring (2022) – official site
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC – Wikipedia
BioWare games discussed
Baldur’s Gate (1998) – Wikipedia
Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn (2000) – Wikipedia
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (2003) – Wikipedia
Star Wars: The Old Republic (MMO) – official site
Jade Empire (2005) – Wikipedia
Mass Effect trilogy – Wikipedia
Dragon Age: Origins – Wikipedia
Dragon Age: The Veilguard – Wikipedia
Shattered Steel (1996) – Wikipedia
Other games mentioned
Baldur’s Gate 3 – Larian Studios
Tears of the Kingdom – Nintendo
Pool of Radiance (1988) – Wikipedia
Lords of the Fallen (2023) – Steam
Context and references mentioned
EA Spouse – the 2004 open letter that sparked the games industry crunch debate
Elevation Partners – Wikipedia (private equity firm that invested in BioWare)
Interplay Entertainment – Wikipedia (early publisher partner)
Blizzard North – Wikipedia (developers of Diablo)
Order of Canada – Wikipedia (Greg was appointed in 2018)
TSR, Inc. – Wikipedia (original owners of Dungeons & Dragons)
Ian M. Banks – Culture series author, Wikipedia
Alastair Reynolds – science fiction author, Wikipedia
Support the show
My Perfect Console – episode archive
Support My Perfect Console on Patreon
Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole
Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
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1 hr 18 min
Daryl Baxter, author and journalist (The Making of Tomb Raider).
Episode 183
Show notes
Daryl Baxter is a British writer and podcaster from Lincoln whose work has ranged across games, technology, and the history of the medium. He has written for outlets including WIRED, TechRadar, Den of Geek, and the Radio Times, and now publishes Springboard, a free newsletter about gaming, technology, and mental health that deliberately avoids chasing SEO or relying on AI. Growing up with series including Sonic, Metal Gear and, especially, Tomb Raider, he eventually turned that fascination into his first book, The Making of Tomb Raider, published in 2021 and based on extensive interviews with the original Core Design team.
His new book, The Making of Tomb Raider: 1997–2000, picks up the story as a new team took control of the series, tracing the creation of Tomb Raider III, The Last Revelation, Chronicles and the expansions, while exploring the punishing annual release cycle and the pressure of sustaining one of gaming’s biggest phenomena.
LINKS
Daryl Baxter – website & newsletter
Daryl Baxter – official website
Springboard – Daryl’s newsletter on games, tech and mental health (free to subscribe)
The Making of Tomb Raider: 1997–2000 (out 30 October 2026)
The Making of Tomb Raider: 1997–2000 – Waterstones
The Making of Tomb Raider: 1997–2000 – Pen & Sword Books
The Making of Tomb Raider: 1997–2000 – Amazon UK
Daryl’s earlier books
The Making of Tomb Raider (2021) – Pen & Sword Books
50 Years of Boss Fights – Pen & Sword Books
Daryl’s Perfect Console
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (Mega Drive, 1994) – Wikipedia
Sonic 3 & Knuckles – Wikipedia
PlayStation Demo One disc (1995) – Wikipedia
Tomb Raider II (1997) – Wikipedia
Metal Gear Solid (1998) – Wikipedia
Half-Life 2 (2004) – Wikipedia
Also mentioned
TR30 Tomb Raider Day – Derby Quad, 24 October 2026
Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis – Crystal Dynamics & Flying Wild Hog (out 12 February 2027)
Tomb Raider: Catalyst – Wikipedia
Alix Wilton Regan – the new voice of Lara Croft (Wikipedia)
Peter Connelly – Tomb Raider 4 & 5 composer (Wikipedia)
Judith Gibbons – Lara Croft’s voice in Tomb Raider II, Wikipedia
Shelley Blond – Lara Croft’s voice in Tomb Raider I
Keeley Hawes – Lara Croft in Tomb Raider: Underworld
Half-Life 2 source code leak – Wikipedia
Games Master magazine – Wikipedia
Death by Video Game – Simon Parkin (buy via Bookshop.org UK)
Support the show
My Perfect Console – episode archive and data
Support My Perfect Console on Patreon
Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole
Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
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1 hr 22 min
Will de Renzy-Martin, actor (The Blood of Dawnwalker, 007 First Light, Crimson Desert).
Episode 182
Show notes
Will de Renzy-Martin is a British actor and voice performer whose career has increasingly become intertwined with video games. As a child, he was fascinated by storytelling and by watching his older brothers play Ocarina of Time, but initially followed a rather different path, reading Computing at Imperial College London. Before long, however, he changed direction, training as an actor at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he discovered voiceover shortly before graduating in 2017.
Since then, he has built an extensive career in games, with roles in Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, Zenless Zone Zero, Warframe: The Old Peace, 007 First Light, Nioh 3, and many more. His biggest role to date, however, is Coen, the lead character in Rebel Wolves’ dark fantasy RPG The Blood of Dawnwalker, a performance that’s put him at the centre of one of 2026’s most ambitious new games.
NOTES
Will de Renzy-Martin – website & socials
Will de Renzy-Martin – official website (WillVoice.it)
Will de Renzy-Martin – Bluesky (@willvoiceit.bsky.social)
Will de Renzy-Martin – Instagram (@willvoiceit)
The Blood of Dawnwalker
The Blood of Dawnwalker – official site
The Blood of Dawnwalker – Steam
Rebel Wolves – the studio behind the game
Will’s Perfect Console
Breath of Fire II (SNES/GBA, 1994) – Wikipedia
The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask (N64, 2000) – Wikipedia
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (2006) – Wikipedia
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered – Steam
Devil May Cry 4 (2008) – Wikipedia
Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009) – Wikipedia
Other games and references mentioned
Agatha Christie – Hercule Poirot: The First Cases – Wikipedia (Will’s first major game role)
Zenless Zone Zero – Wikipedia (Will voices Von Lycaon)
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader – Steam
007: First Light – official site
Big Mouth Audio – the Glasgow audio studio where Will auditioned for Dawnwalker
Guildhall School of Music and Drama – where Will trained
Imperial College London – where Will studied Computing
Meat Machine – the AI voice acting experiment Will references
Ninja Theory – British studio (DMC reboot, Hellblade)
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice – Steam
A Game of Birds and Wolves – Simon Parkin’s book (optioned for film)
My Perfect Console website
myperfectconsole.com – the new searchable episode archive and data site
Support the show
Support My Perfect Console on Patreon
Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole
Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
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1 hr 14 min
Úna-Minh Kavanagh, writer, producer and Irish-language game localiser (Among Us, VVVVVV).
Episode 181
Show notes
My guest today is an Irish writer, producer, and multimedia creator whose work spans journalism, video games, language, and digital culture. Born in Vietnam, she was adopted at three days old by a primary school teacher from County Kerry, and brought to Ireland at six weeks of age. Irish became one of her spoken languages, and it would go on to shape both her education and her career: she later studied Irish and Journalism at Dublin City University, building a body of work that moves across reporting, video games, and digital culture.
She has written books and essays on video games, migration, identity, and food, and has become a leading voice in Irish-language digital media through her localisation work on games including Among Us and VVVVVV. In 2026, she was recognised with the Emerging Talent award at the Irish Games Awards.
NOTES
Úna-Minh Kavanagh – website & socials
Úna-Minh Kavanagh – Bluesky (@unaminh.bsky.social)
Organic Matters – Úna-Minh's new Irish indie studio
Organic Matters –https://itch.io/
CTRL: Essays on Video Games (the book featuring Úna-Minh's essay)
CTRL: Essays on Video Games – Lilliput Press (Waterstones)
Among Us – Irish language localisation
Among Us – official site (Innersloth)
VVVVVV – Irish language localisation
VVVVVV – Terry Cavanagh, official site
Úna-Minh's Perfect Console
Final Fantasy IX (2000) – Wikipedia
Nobuo Uematsu – composer, Wikipedia
Hotel Dusk: Room 215 (Nintendo DS, 2007) – Wikipedia
Persona 4 Golden (PS Vita, 2012) – Wikipedia
This War of Mine (2014) – official site
Saltsea Chronicles (2023) – Die Gute Fabrik
Also mentioned
Die Gute Fabrik – studio behind Saltsea Chronicles
Hannah Nicklin – studio lead and creative director, Die Gute Fabrik
Citizen Sleeper – Gareth Damian Martin / Jump Over The Age
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector – Steam
Limit Break – mentorship programme for marginalised game developers
IMIRT – Irish Game Makers association (Irish Games Awards)
itch.io – indie games platform
Dublin City University – where Úna-Minh studied Irish and journalism
Support the show
My Perfect Console – episode archive
Support My Perfect Console on Patreon
Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole
Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
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1 hr 22 min
Paolo Pedercini, founder MolleIndustria (McDonald's Videogame, The New York Times Simulator, Future? No Thanks!)
Episode 180
Show notes
Paolo Pedercini is an Italian game designer, artist, educator, and activist whose work has spent more than two decades challenging assumptions about what video games are for, and what they are allowed to say. In 2003, he founded Molleindustria as a project dedicated to the "reappropriation of video games and the radicalisation of popular culture."
Since then, he has created a remarkable body of short, provocative games about labour, capitalism, religion, technology, and political power, including McDonald’s Videogame, Oiligarchy, Every Day the Same Dream, Phone Story, and Democratic Socialism Simulator. His games have often been satirical, often controversial, and always interested in using play as a way of thinking through systems and ideology. Now he is working on his most ambitious project yet: Future? No Thanks!, an open-world comedy adventure about a grumpy old man completing his bucket list in a solarpunk future.
NOTES:
Paolo Pedercini / Molleindustria
Molleindustria – official site (all Paolo's games)
Paolo Pedercini – Bluesky (@molleindustria.org)
Future? No Thanks! (out now)
Future? No Thanks! – official site
Other Molleindustria games mentioned
McDonald's Video Game – play free in browser
Oiligarchy – play free in browser
Every Day the Same Dream – play free in browser
Democratic Socialism Simulator – itch.io
Faith Fighter – play free in browser
Sweatshop (as mentioned by Simon)
The New Yorker piece (as mentioned by Simon)
The Division 2 and the Severing of Politics from Video Games – The New Yorker
Paolo's Perfect Console
Cannon Fodder (Sensible Software, 1993) – Wikipedia
Shadow of the Colossus (2005) – Wikipedia
Grand Theft Auto V – Rockstar Games
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – Wikipedia
Push Me Pull You – House House (Steam)
House House – developer of Untitled Goose Game and Big Walk
Radiator Forever – Robert Yang (itch.io)
Other games and references mentioned
Theme Park – Bullfrog Productions (1994), Wikipedia
GTA San Andreas Hot Coffee mod – Wikipedia
The Yes Men – activist/prankster duo
itch.io – indie games platform
Aftermath – independent games journalism
Tom Bissell – My Perfect Console episode
Untitled Goose Game – House House
Next week's guest
Úna Míng Kavanagh – IMIRT emerging talent award 2026
Úna Míng Kavanagh – TikTok (@unamingkavanagh)
Support the show
My Perfect Console – episode archive
Support My Perfect Console on Patreon
Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole
Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
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1 hr 30 min
Anna Donlon, head of Valorant Studios (Valorant, League of Legends, Call of Duty: Black Ops)
Episode 179
Show notes
My guest today is an American game producer and studio leader whose career has been shaped by a deep love of competitive shooters and more than two decades spent building some of the genre’s major titles. She began at Treyarch, where she worked as a senior producer on Call of Duty: Black Ops and Black Ops II, before joining Riot Games in 2015. There, she first helped lead League of Legends’ cosmetic content and in-game events.
She later moved into leading a new tactical shooter project, becoming Executive Producer of VALORANT and guiding the game to its launch in 2020. Today, as Head of VALORANT Studios, she oversees the franchise’s wider creative and strategic direction, while also championing initiatives such as VCT Game Changers, Riot’s programme supporting women and marginalised genders in competitive play.
LINKS
Anna Donlon – Valorant & Riot Games
Valorant – official site (free to play)
VCT Game Changers – Riot's programme supporting women and marginalised genders in competitive play
Anna's Perfect Console
Silent Hill 2 (PS2, 2001) – Wikipedia
Silent Hill 2 Remake (2024) – Steam
Grand Theft Auto III (PS2, 2001) – Wikipedia
Shadow of the Colossus (PS2, 2005) – Wikipedia
Shadow of the Colossus Remake (2018) – PlayStation
Ghost of Tsushima – official site
Ghost of Tsushima – PlayStation
Ghost of Tsushima: Iki Island – Wikipedia
Also mentioned
Kaboom! (Atari 2600) – Wikipedia
Red Dead Redemption 2 – Rockstar Games
Call of Duty: Black Ops – Wikipedia
Call of Duty: Black Ops II – Wikipedia
JumpStart – educational games series, Wikipedia
University of California, Santa Cruz
Next week's guest
Paolo Pedercini / Molleindustria – official site
Future? No Thanks! – Steam (out now)
Support the show
My Perfect Console – episode archive
Support My Perfect Console on Patreon
Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole
Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
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38 min
Correspondence Special #9: Which games should have been on the podcast by now (and much more)
Show notes
In this special correspondence edition, Simon reads out your letters and answers your questions.
Is there a cut-off point for working in games journalism? Which video game does Simon think should surely have been picked by now but hasn't? Who decides how long guests talk about their game choices? How does Simon actually make the show — from bookings to post-production to those musical stingers? What is Simon's new book about, and how did he uncover the untold legal battle thxat changed the shape of the video game industry? And did you know the UK government has a Head of Video Games and Esports who listens to the show? Us neither! All this and much more.
And congratulations to letter-writer Chris Law, who wins a signed copy of Blood Echoes: A Bloodborne Anthology.
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Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole
Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
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1 hr 29 min
Chris Cantrill, comedian, writer Saturday Night Live UK.
Episode 178
Show notes
Chris Cantrill is a British comedian, writer, and actor from West Yorkshire whose work combines rapid-fire jokes with an off-kilter view of everyday life. He first came to prominence as one half of the acclaimed sketch duo The Delightful Sausage, alongside Amy Gledhill, earning Edinburgh Comedy Award nominations for Best Show in both 2019 and 2022. As a solo performer, he added another nomination in 2024, before returning to Edinburgh this summer and finally winning the Comedy Award for Best Show in 2026.
Alongside stand-up, he has appeared in programmes including Alma’s Not Normal, Daddy Issues, Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared, and Avoidance, while his writing credits stretch across television and radio. Most recently, he joined the writing team of Saturday Night Live UK, which returns for its second season this week.
LINKS
Chris Cantrill
Saturday Night Live UK
Simon's Observer Features
How Saturday Night Live Landed in the UK
Jack Shep on That Princess Di Impression
Chris's Perfect Console
Other games discussed
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole
Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
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1 hr 26 min
Sarah Maria Griffin, poet, author (Eat the Ones You Love; Strange is the Light)
Episode 177
Show notes
My guest today is an Irish writer, poet, critic, and podcaster. Born and raised in Dublin, she began writing seriously as a teenager, studied English, Media and Cultural Studies at IADT, and later completed a Master’s in Creative Writing at NUI Galway. Her early work included the poetry collection Follies and Not Lost, a book of essays about emigration written after she moved to San Francisco in 2012.
Since returning to Ireland, she has published a series of acclaimed novels, including Spare and Found Parts and Other Words for Smoke, which won Teen and Young Adult Book of the Year at the Irish Book Awards. Her 2025 horror novel Eat the Ones You Love was followed by a shortlist for Author of the Year, and she is now the 2026 Arts Council Writer Fellow at Trinity College Dublin. Alongside her fiction, she writes about games for The Guardian. Her new horror novel, Strange Is the Light, is out now, and she is currently working on another book, about video games, titled Everything Not Saved.
LINKS
Sarah Maria Griffin – books & socials
Sarah Maria Griffin – official website
Sarah Maria Griffin – Instagram (@sarahgriffski)
Sarah Maria Griffin – Substack
Sarah Maria Griffin – writing about games for The Guardian
Strange as the Light (out 8 September 2026)
Strange as the Light – Waterstones
Strange as the Light – Titan Books
Strange as the Light – Bookshop.org UK
Earlier novels
Eat the Ones You Love – Waterstones
Other Words for Smoke – Waterstones
Sarah's Perfect Console
EarthBound (SNES, 1994) – Wikipedia
EarthBound – Nintendo Switch Online
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask – Wikipedia
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door – Nintendo
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door – Wikipedia
Night in the Woods – official site
Other references mentioned
Chicory: A Colorful Tale – official site (Greg Lobanov, also made Wandersong)
826 Valencia – literacy non-profit, San Francisco
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin – Waterstones
Rock, Paper, Shotgun – games journalism
Glenn Moore – Button Boys podcast
Next week's guest
Chris Cantrill – Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Show winner 2026 (Rewilding)
Chris Cantrill – Chortle profile
Support the show
My Perfect Console – episode archive
Support My Perfect Console on Patreon
Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole
Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
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1 hr 27 min
Mike Diver, journalist, author (Aliens: The Video Games)
Episode 176
Show notes
Mike Diver is a British journalist, editor, and author whose career has moved fluidly between music criticism and video games writing, always with an eye for subculture, history, and stories beyond the mainstream. He began at the music website Drowned in Sound, where he rose to become content editor, before going on to work with Clash and contribute to publications including Kerrang! and Rock Sound.
Later, he turned increasingly to video games, writing for outlets including Edge and Kotaku - as well as heading up teams at VICE Gaming (later Waypoint) and GAMINGbible - and bringing the same curiosity and critical energy to games culture, retro hardware, and the history of the medium. Alongside his journalism, he has written six books on video games and edited several more, covering subjects from indie games and esports to Sonic the Hedgehog and Final Fantasy. His latest book, Aliens: The Video Games, continues that fascination with the way great pop-cultural worlds mutate and endure through interactive form.
LINKS
Mike Diver – website & book
Mike Diver – Aliens: The Video Games: An Unofficial Guide (Waterstones, out 30 August 2026)
Aliens: The Video Games – publisher White Owl / Pen and Sword
Alien games discussed
Aliens: Colonial Marines – Wikipedia
Aliens: Infestation (Nintendo DS) – Wikipedia
Aliens vs. Predator (Capcom, 1994 arcade) – Wikipedia
Alien: Rogue Incursion – Steam
Alien: Isolation 2 – official announcement trailer
Mike's Perfect Console
Sensible Soccer (1992) – Wikipedia
Sensible World of Soccer – Wikipedia
Streets of Rage 4 – official site
1944: The Loop Master – Wikipedia
Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium (includes 1944) – Steam
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – official site
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Steam
Other games and references mentioned
Drowned in Sound – Wikipedia (music website where Mike began his career)
Vice Gaming / Waypoint – Wikipedia
Aftermath – independent games journalism site
Respec – independent games journalism site
Mina the Hollower – Yacht Club Games
Yuzo Koshiro – composer of Streets of Rage 2 soundtrack, Wikipedia
Evercade – retro gaming handheld
Next week's guest
Sarah Maria Griffin – official website
Eat the Ones You Love – Sarah Maria Griffin's latest novel (Waterstones)
Sarah Maria Griffin – writing about video games for The Guardian
Support the show
My Perfect Console – episode archive
Support My Perfect Console on Patreon
Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole
Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
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1 hr 36 min
Soren Johnson, game designer (Civ III, Civ IV, Spore, Old World)
Episode 175
Show notes
Soren Johnson is an American programmer and game designer whose work has helped shape the modern strategy genre. After earning a master’s degree in Computer Science from Stanford University, he joined Firaxis Games, where he worked as both a programmer and designer on Civilization III before going on to lead the design of Civilization IV, one of the most celebrated strategy games yet made.
Over the years he has contributed to a wide range of projects, including Spore, Dragon Age Legends, and Offworld Trading Company, bringing a distinctive blend of historical insight, systemic thinking, and player-driven design. Today he is the founder and design director of Mohawk Games, where he recently led the development of the acclaimed historical strategy game Old World. Alongside his development work, he continues to explore the craft of game design through his long-running blog and podcast, both of which are titled “Designer Notes”.
Soren Johnson – website & podcast
Soren Johnson – Designer Notes blog
Designer Notes podcast – episode archive
Designer Notes – Apple Podcasts
Mohawk Games & Old World
Old World: Empires of the Indus DLC – Mohawk Games
Soren's Perfect Console
Pinball Construction Set (1983) – Wikipedia
Seven Cities of Gold (1984) – Wikipedia
Legacy of the Ancients (1987) – Wikipedia
Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri (1999) – Wikipedia
Other games and references mentioned
Sid Meier's Pirates! (2004 remake) – Wikipedia
Civilization Revolution – Wikipedia
Offworld Trading Company – Steam
Danielle Bunten Berry – Wikipedia (designer of M.U.L.E.)
Trip Hawkins – Wikipedia (founder of Electronic Arts)
Game Developers Conference (GDC) – official site
Simon's book
Trial of the Space Invaders – pre-order (Bookshop.org UK)
Trial of the Space Invaders – pre-order (Amazon UK)
Support the show
My Perfect Console – episode archive
Support My Perfect Console on Patreon
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1 hr 16 min
Glen Henry, gamemaker, co-founder Jamaica Game Developer Society.
Episode 174
Show notes
My guest today is a Jamaican game developer and studio founder. Based in Kingston, he is the founder of Spritewrench Studios, a narrative-focused micro studio he built after realising, in his final year at university, that he did not need to leave Jamaica or join a hundred-person team to make games of his own.
Inspired by that possibility, he began creating small projects, taking part in game jams, and steadily turning Spritewrench from a name into a company. His work is shaped by a commitment to cultural representation that reaches beyond cliché, and by a wider effort to grow the local scene through the Jamaica Game Developer Society, where he has worked to connect creators and open up pathways into the industry. Now, with Duppy Detective Tashia, a point-and-click mystery rooted in Caribbean folklore, he is bringing that vision to a wider audience.
Glen Henry & Spritewrench Studios
Spritewrench Studios – official website
Spritewrench – itch.io (all games)
Glen Henry – Instagram (@spritewrench)
Duppy Detective Tashia
Duppy Detective Tashia – Steam
Duppy Detective Tashia – itch.io
Jamaica Game Developer Society
Jamaica Game Developer Society – official site
JGDS – YouTube channel (Crash Course series)
Glen's Perfect Console
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker – Wikipedia
Viewtiful Joe (GameCube, 2003) – Wikipedia
Spelunky Classic – free download (Derek Yu's site)
Hollow Knight: Silksong – official site
Also mentioned
Indie Game: The Movie – official site
Black Voices in Gaming – community Discord
Rami Ismail – game developer and advocate
Chase Bethea – composer (Duppy Detective Tashia)
Bubblexity – BChaotic (Jamaican student dev team, Steam)
TIGSource – indie game development forums
Next week's guest
Soren Johnson – designer of Civilization IV
Old World – Mohawk Games (Steam)
Simon's book
Trial of the Space Invaders – pre-order (Bookshop.org UK)
Trial of the Space Invaders – pre-order (Amazon UK)
Support the show
My Perfect Console – episode archive
Support My Perfect Console on Patreon
Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole
Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
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1 hr 11 min
Amelia Tait, journalist, children's author.
Episode 173
Show notes
Amelia Tait is a British journalist and author whose work has made her one of the sharpest observers of modern life online and off. As a freelance writer, she has built a reputation for following the strange, revealing currents of contemporary culture — writing about the internet, and remarkable people for publications including The New Yorker, The Guardian, Wired, and the New York Times.
Her reporting is often drawn to the places where technology and absurdity collide, finding the human story inside subjects other people might dismiss as niche or ephemeral. Now she has turned that same wit and curiosity to fiction with her debut children’s book, Lily Tripp: Diary of an Accidental Time Traveller, a funny, fast-moving adventure about a girl bouncing through history while trying to survive friendship drama and the general embarrassment of being thirteen.
LINKS
Amelia Tait – website & writing
Amelia Tait – official website
The Waiting Room – Amelia's Substack newsletter
Lily Tripp: Diary of an Accidental Time Traveller
Lily Tripp – Waterstones (Waterstones Children's Book of the Month, June 2026)
Amelia's Perfect Console
Theme Hospital (1997) – Wikipedia
The Simpsons: Road Rage (2001) – Wikipedia
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker – Wikipedia
The Sims Bustin' Out (Game Boy Advance, 2003) – Wikipedia
Stardew Valley – official site
Other games mentioned
Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Nintendo
The Simpsons: Hit & Run – Wikipedia
Amelia's journalism – selected pieces
Are Disney Adults the Happiest Debtors on Earth? – The New Yorker
Amelia Tait – articles on The Guardian
Next week's guest
Duppy Detective Tashia – Glen Henry / Spritewrench Studios – Steam
Spritewrench Studios – itch.io
Support the show
My Perfect Console – episode archive
Support My Perfect Console on Patreon
Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole
Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
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1 hr 17 min
James Trickey, comedian.
Episode 172
Show notes
James Trickey is a British comedian whose work blends sharp writing, physical comedy, and, in his new show, one of the more extraordinary Edinburgh Fringe stories in recent memory. By day he works as an accountant; by night he has been building a reputation as one of the most promising young voices on the live circuit, with appearances across the UK, a Chortle Student Comedy Award nomination, and a Best New Show nomination at the Leicester Comedy Festival.
Last year, his sold-out Edinburgh debut, Don’t Count on Me, marked him out as a rising talent, earning strong reviews and an enviable word-of-mouth reputation. Since then, he has appeared on the BBC’s Funny Parts and returned to the Fringe with a new show shaped in part by the strange and unexpectedly dramatic events of last summer.
LINKS:
James Trickey – follow & tickets
James Trickey – Instagram (@jamestrickey_)
James Trickey: Split – Edinburgh Fringe 2026 tickets (Pleasance Courtyard, 9:25pm, 5–30 August)
James Trickey: Split – Avalon press release
James's Perfect Console
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion – Wikipedia
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered – Steam
God of War (2018) – PlayStation
The Last of Us Part II – PlayStation
The Last of Us Part II – Wikipedia
Bristol comedians to watch
Abi Clarke – comedian and content creator
Jessie Nixon – Chortle profile
Ted Milligan – British Comedy Guide
Pravanya Pillay – PBJ Management
Also mentioned
Glenn Moore – at the Monkey Barrel, Edinburgh Fringe
Super Mario Advance (Game Boy Advance) – Wikipedia
League of Legends – official site
Support the show
My Perfect Console – episode archive
Support My Perfect Console on Patreon
Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole
Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
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1 hr 33 min
Pierce Brown, science fiction novelist (Red Rising series).
Episode 171
Show notes
Pierce Brown is an American novelist whose work has made him one of the defining voices in modern science fiction. After a restless childhood that saw his family move repeatedly and left him passing through more than ten schools, he began writing in earnest just after high school. After years of rejection, he found his breakthrough with Red Rising, the first instalment in an epic saga that fused classical tragedy, Roman myth, and space opera into an international bestseller.
Since then, the series has grown into a global phenomenon, winning a devoted readership for its high-stakes politics and fierce emotional intensity. Alongside his work as a novelist, he has embraced gaming culture—contributing to the Red Rising board game and speaking openly about his love of everything from StarCraft II to Mass Effect and Cyberpunk. Now, as the series is being reissued in special tenth-anniversary editions, a new generation of readers is discovering the world that made his name.
LINKS
Pierce Brown – website & books
Pierce Brown – official website
Red Rising – the complete saga
Red Rising: Sons of Ares – prequel comic series
Pierce Brown – Instagram (@piercebrownofficial)
Red Rising board game
Red Rising – Stonemaier Games (designed by Jamey Stegmaier)
Pierce's Perfect Console
Command & Conquer (1995) – Wikipedia
Command & Conquer: Red Alert – Wikipedia
Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun – Wikipedia
Shogun: Total War (2000) – Wikipedia
Total War series – official site
Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn – Wikipedia
Black & White (2001) – Wikipedia
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind – Wikipedia
Books and other references mentioned
Antigone by Sophocles – Wikipedia
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas – Wikipedia
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card – Wikipedia
The First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie
Gattaca (1997 film) – Wikipedia
Gustave Doré – illustrator, Wikipedia
Support the show
My Perfect Console – episode archive
Support My Perfect Console on Patreon
Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole
Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
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1 hr 36 min
John Robertson, comedian, creator The Dark Room.
Episode 170
Show notes
John Robertson is an Australian comedian, writer, and performer who has carved out a singular space between stand-up, theatre, and video games. Beginning his career on the UK and international comedy circuit, he became known for his high-energy, unpredictable style—before creating The Dark Room, a live-action text adventure where audiences shout commands, face absurd deaths, and attempt to survive his chaotic world.
The show has toured globally, sold out runs at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and grown into an online phenomenon, streamed to millions and adapted into digital formats. Alongside this, he has written and performed a wide range of solo shows and interactive work, creating a unique space where comedy, games, and audience participation collide.
John Robertson – website & show
John Robertson – official website
The Dark Room – live show information
The Dark Room – live dates and tickets
The Dark Room – Edinburgh Fringe 2026 at the Gilded Balloon
The Dark Room – Dark Room Deathstravaganza at Leicester Square Theatre, 22 November
John Robertson – Twitch (Robbotron)
John's Perfect Console
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Mega Drive, 1992) – Wikipedia
Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo – Wikipedia
Sid Meier's Civilization V – Wikipedia
Hitman: World of Assassination – official site
Hitman: World of Assassination – Steam
Other games and references mentioned
PAX West – Seattle gaming convention
Next week's guest
Pierce Brown – official website
Red Rising – Pierce Brown's debut novel
Support the show
My Perfect Console – episode archive
Support My Perfect Console on Patreon
Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole
Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
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1 hr 20 min
Andreas Thorstensson, former Counter-Strike champion, founder GOALS AB.
Episode 169
Show notes
Andreas Thorstensson is a Swedish entrepreneur, former professional gamer, and studio founder whose career has moved from the early days of esports to the challenge of rebuilding one of the world’s biggest sports genres from the ground up. Born in Stockholm, he began programming as a child and later emerged in competitive Counter-Strike under the name ‘bds’, becoming world champion in 1999 and earning a reputation as both a player, and builder of tools, platforms, and communities around the game.
In 2001, he co-founded SK Gaming, helping turn esports into a more professionalised business, and later spent a decade in technology and startups. In 2021, frustrated by the state of football games, he returned to development to found GOALS AB, a Stockholm studio with an ambitious aim: to give football the video game it deserves. Its first title, GOALS, is a free-to-play, cross-platform football simulator built around a gameplay-first, fully skill-based philosophy.
Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole
Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
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1 hr 24 min
Abigoliah Schamaun, comedian.
Episode 168
Show notes
Abigoliah Schamaun is an American comedian, writer, actor, and podcaster whose open-hearted style has made her one of the most distinctive voices on the UK stand-up circuit. After cutting her teeth in the clubs of New York, she moved to Britain and there steadily built a reputation as a charismatic performer, becoming a popular headliner on the live comedy scene. Alongside her stand-up, she has appeared on shows including Pointless Celebrities, Captive Audience, Outrageously Funny Comedy, and I Live with Models.
More recently, through the podcast Neurodivergent Moments, which she co-hosts with Joe Wells, she has spoken with warmth and candour about ADHD and neurodivergence,. Now, that podcast has inspired a new book, Neurodivergent Moments: Sex, Sunscreen, Turtles and How (Not) to Pack a Suitcase, a funny, personal collection of essays out now.
Abigoliah Schamaun – official site & socials
abigoliah.com – official website
Neurodivergent Moments – the book
Neurodivergent Moments – the podcast
Neurodivergent Moments podcast – Acast
Neurodivergent Moments – Patreon (bonus content)
All British Comedy Explained – the podcast
All British Comedy Explained – official site
All British Comedy Explained – Apple Podcasts
All British Comedy Explained – Spotify
Abigoliah's Perfect Console
Mortal Kombat (1992) – Wikipedia
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Nintendo
Other people and references mentioned
Joe Wells – co-author and podcast co-host
Sea of Thieves – official site
Support My Perfect Console on Patreon
Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole
Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
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