The Ringer-Verse

Ben, Steve Ahlman, and Matt James discuss ‘GTA VI’ review timing, Ben’s research on how extreme this year’s pre-‘GTA’ gaming blockbuster boss rush has been, and their spoiler-free impressions of acclaimed new action game ‘Phantom Blade Zero.’ Then Ben brings on Kotaku’s Zack Zwiezen to talk about how ‘Battlefield 6’ and ‘ARC Raiders’ have held up one year in, the pressure on ‘Call of Duty’ to bounce back from a down year, whether ‘Modern Warfare 4’ has delivered the goods, Zack’s thoughts on online-shooter sensations ‘Wardogs’ and ‘Deadlock,’ and why Electronic Arts killed BioWare.

(00:00) Intro

(12:33) 'Phantom Blade Zero' discussion

(46:20) 'Call of Duty' and shooters Conversation with Zack Zwiezen

Host: Ben Lindbergh

Guests: Matt James, Steve Ahlman, and Zack Zwiezen

Senior Producer: Steve Ahlman

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On this month’s Recommends, Ben brings back fellow Stephen King and Mike Flanagan enthusiast Zach Dionne to talk about how Flanagan’s new ‘Carrie’ TV series takes a fresh approach to King’s iconic tale. Then they discuss King’s new novel ‘Other Worlds Than These’ and how it functions as a coda to the ‘Talisman’ trilogy and the ‘Dark Tower’ saga. They also get into King sequels they’d like to see, the future of Flanagan’s King adaptations, and three King-ian TV shows that came out (or arrived on Netflix) just in time for Halloween: ‘From’, ‘Below’, and ‘Crystal Lake.’ After that, Ben summons Jomi Adeniran and Daniel Chin to break down the story, characters, and questionable parenting decisions of the animated TV series ‘Avatar: Seven Havens’, the latest release in a busy 2026 for the ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ franchise.

(00:00) Intro

(02:58) 'Carrie' talk with Zach

(18:55) 'Carrie' spoilers!

(69:41) 'Avatar' talk with Daniel and Jomi

(91:59) 'Avatar: Seven Heavens' spoilers

(01:51:29) Outro

Host: Ben Lindbergh

Guests: Zach Dionne, Daniel Chin, and Jomi Adeniran

Senior Producer: Steve Ahlman

Additional Production: Arjuna Ramgopowell

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The Boys are back, and boy do they have content for you! First, they’re tackling DC’s newest film, ‘Clayface.' Then they discuss Nathan Fielder’s buzzing new film, ‘You Can See Everything,’ and they leave you with their thoughts on the last ‘Dune: Part Three’ trailer before the film is released in December!

(0:00) Intro

(4:41) ‘Clayface’ instant reactions

(1:04:27) Midnight Meter: ‘Clayface’

(1:11:52) ‘You Can See Everything’ instant reactions

(2:01:05) Midnight Meter: ‘You Can See Everything’

(2:02:42) ‘Dune: Part Three’ trailer instant reactions

(2:09:32) Outro

Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman

Producers: Aleya Zenieris, Devon Baroldi, and Jamie Yukich

Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell

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The Boys are back and they’re diving back into ‘VisionQuest’! They discuss the development of Paladin throughout the series so far, debate whether the MCU has reached pinnacle blip fatigue, and talk family reunion drama.

(0:00) Intro

(5:24) Spoilers ahead

(7:44) ‘VisionQuest’ Episodes 3-4 instant reactions

(59:33) Outro

Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman

Producers: Aleya Zenieris, Devon Baroldi, and Jamie Yukich

Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell

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Ben and Matt James break down the good, bad, and ugly of gaming’s recent reckoning with AI-driven development, decompilation, and cloning, and assess whether it will fundamentally reshape the medium’s economic and creative model. Then they provide their impressions of the newly released ‘Final Fantasy Resonance’ and ‘Nintendo Switch Sports Resort’ and react in real time to the dissolution of storied studio Bioware. Finally, Ben sets the scene for 'GTA VI' by bringing on The Atlantic’s Jeremy Gordon to reminisce about the October 2001 release of ‘Grand Theft Auto III’ and discuss how it altered the trajectory of open-world gaming and created the ‘GTA’ juggernaut.

(0:00) Intro
(1:40) AI talk
(34:45) 'Final Fantasy Resonance'
(46:32) 'Nintendo Switch Sports Resort'
(54:08) Follow-ups to last week's pod
(57:41) Bioware news
(1:01:49) Jeremy Gordon joins the show

Host: Ben Lindbergh
Guests: Matt James and Jeremy Gordon
Producer: Isaiah Blakely

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The Boys are back and they’re jumping into the next two episodes of ‘VisionQuest’. They discuss the Vision we knew from ‘Avengers’ versus the Vision we see in this show, rate the kid-pluck level so far, and have a lively debate about the MCU character ethics.

(0:00) Intro

(7:19) Spoilers ahead

(9:56) ‘VisionQuest’ Episodes 3-4 instant reactions

(1:19:25) Outro

Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman

Producers: Aleya Zenieris, Devon Baroldi, and Jamie Yukich

Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell

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To live is to pod; to pod is to live! First, Ben, Steve Ahlman, and Matt James react to the latest 'GTA VI' and 'Ocarina of Time' trailers and talk about Ben's hands-on session with the 'Ocarina' remake. Then, they share recommendations for a few recently released games that fit a Halloween theme. After that, they honor the 40th anniversaries of 'Castlevania' and 'Metroid' and the release of 'Castlevania: Belmont's Curse' by bringing on GameSpot's Steve Watts to discuss what "Metroidvania" means, debate whether it's a good name for the genre, review 'Belmont's Curse,' advise a listener on when to look up game solutions, and do a draft of the greatest Metroidvanias across several categories. Finally, Ben and Daniel Chin share their spoiler-free reviews of the big-screen 'Street Fighter' reboot.
(00:00) Intro
(00:13) 'GTA'/'Ocarina of Time'/spooky-season games
(27:42) The Metroidvania Draft
(1:54:49) Daniel Chin joins for 'Street Fighter'
Host: Ben Lindbergh
Guests: Matt James, Steve Ahlman, Steve Watts, and Daniel Chin
Senior Producer: Steve Ahlman
Senior Production Supervision: Arjuna Ramgopowell

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The Boys are back and they’re returning to the MCU! They give you all of their thoughts on the first two episodes of ‘VisionQuest,’ diving into the new ensemble cast of Marvel AIs, the return of Ultron, and some of the Marvel Easter eggs we’ve seen so far.

(0:00) Intro

(7:01) Spoilers ahead

(9:57) ‘VisionQuest’ Episodes 1-2 instant reactions

(1:11:13) Outro

Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman

Producers: Aleya Zenieris, Devon Baroldi, Jamie Yukich, and Kevin Cureghian

Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell

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The Boys are back and they are coming to you from New York City! They give you their thoughts on what they’ve seen so far at NYCC 2026, including news from 'Daredevil: Born Again,' 'X-Men '97,' and the DC-Skydance merger.

(0:00) Intro

(1:53) 'Daredevil: Born Again'

(7:40) Marvel panel

(19:08) 'X-Men '97'

(24:17) 'VisionQuest'

(27:34) ‘Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’

(29:55) DC and Skydance

(44:16) Outro

Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman

Producers: Aleya Zenieris, Devon Baroldi, and Jamie Yukich

Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell

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Ben brings on Chris Ryan, host of The Watch, to discuss whether Hollywood has hit peak gaming adaptation. First, Chris reminisces about his gaming heyday and how his habit lapsed. Then, as Skydance consolidates its Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount IP, Ben and Chris come up with pitches for video game versions of Taylor Sheridan shows. After that, they examine the latest trend in gaming adaptations: bundling a bunch of gaming properties together in package deals. Finally, they talk about 'GTA VI' hype and how the buzz about the game's soundtrack stands out in 2026, and then Ben provides a few updates and impressions about what he's been playing.

(0:00) Intro
(10:25) Skydance news
(17:26) Taylor Sheridan pitches
(1:01:33) 'GTA VI' updates
(1:25:00) Outro

Host: Ben Lindbergh
Guest: Chris Ryan
Producer: Devon Renaldo
Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell

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The Boys are back and they have new haircuts! With the end of the beloved first season of HBO’s ‘Lanterns,’ the boys are giving you a packed episode! First they discuss their thoughts on the finale and the season as a whole, then they welcome ‘Lanterns’ writer-showrunner–executive producer, Chris Mundy, onto the show!

(0:00) Intro

(8:16) Spoilers ahead

(11:05) ‘Lanterns’ Season 1 finale instant reactions

(1:13:49) Midnight Meter

(1:21:49) A Chat with Chris Mundy

(2:00:17) Outro

Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman

Guests: Chris Mundy and Rachel Lindsay

Producers: Jamie Yukich, Devon Baroldi, and Aleya Zenieris

Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell

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Ben, Matt James, and Steve Ahlman marvel at how many good games are coming out in quick succession and wonder whether this is the best week ever for Button Mash material. Then they share their extensive, spoiler-free impressions (and rankings) of three big, brand-new releases: ‘Star Wars: Galactic Racer,’ ‘Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve,’ and ‘Gears of War: E-Day.’

(0:00) Intro
(7:42) ‘Star Wars: Galactic Racer’
(45:04) ‘Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve’
(1:10:37) ‘Gears of War: E-Day’
(1:36:18) Outro

Host: Ben Lindbergh
Guests: Matt James and Steve Ahlman
Producer: Devon Renaldo
Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell

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The Ringer's Daniel Chin is here to breakdown Thaal Sinestro in HBO's latest DC series, 'Lanterns.' Starting with the basics, Daniel will dive into who the iconic Green Lantern villain is, what his relationships to key characters are, and what his role could be in the season finale.

(00:00) Intro
(01:51) Who is Sinestro?
(04:40) What is Sinestro’s relationship with Hal Jordan?
(09:01) What is Sinestro’s relationship to the Green Lantern Corps?
(12:49) Season finale speculation

Host: Daniel Chin
Producers: Steve Ahlman and Carlos Chiriboga
Editor: Jon Jones

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"We do not know when it will be safe to go outside. We only know that day is not this day." That's what Ben Lindbergh says to himself when he's working from home, but not when he's in studio to discuss 'Silo' and other recent nerd-culture releases! On this month's Recommends, Ben brings on Alex Kirshner to make the case for 'Silo' as a series worth sticking with, discuss the explosive end of Season 3, and look ahead to the final season. Then Scott Tobias and Keith Phipps join to talk 'Dark Matter' Season 2, share their all-time tier lists of Apple TV sci-fi series, break down 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' Season 4, assess the state of 'Star Trek' as the franchise turns 60, and cover Korean sci-fi epic 'Hope' and, briefly, 'Practical Magic 2.' Finally, Ben recommends 'Lego Star Wars: The Mandalorian' and other Disney+ kids' content and muses about the rapid rise and fall of 'The Mandalorian' and live-action 'Star Wars' and MCU streaming series.
(00:00) Intro
(03:09) Alex joins the show
(16:27) 'Silo' spoilers
(39:20) Scott and Keith join the show
(40:08) Talking 'Dark Matter'
(53:00) The Apple TV tier list
(72:03) ‘Strange New Worlds’
(81:52) The state of ‘Star Trek’
(89:02) 'Hope'
Host: Ben Lindbergh
Guests: Alex Kirshner, Scott Tobias, and Keith Phipps
Senior Producer: Steve Ahlman
Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell

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The Boys are back, and they’re bringing you a special episode featuring ‘Lanterns’ writers/producers Vanessa Baden Kelly and Justin Britt-Gibson!

Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman

Guests: Vanessa Baden Kelly and Justin Britt-Gibson

Producers: Aleya Zenieris, Devon Baroldi, and Jamie Yukich

Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell

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The Boys are back, and they’re ready to jump into the penultimate episode of ‘Lanterns’ Season 1! They discuss the town dynamics of present-day Rushville, John’s relationship with Hal-ogram, and the color spectrum of Lanterns.

(0:00) Intro

(5:24) Spoilers ahead

(7:35) ‘Lanterns’ Episode 7 instant reactions

(1:17:53) Outro

Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman

Producers: Aleya Zenieris, Devon Baroldi, and Jamie Yukich

Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell

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Three Button Mashers (Ben Lindbergh, Matt James, and Steve Ahlman) break down three old games and three new games! First, they discuss the steps Blizzard, Bungie, and Microsoft are taking to sustain or restore interest in 'World of Warcraft,' 'Destiny,' and 'Halo,' respectively, and what the announcement of 'World of Warcraft: Forever,' the un-vaulting of legacy 'Destiny 2' content, and the transfer of 'Halo' from Halo Studios to Activision say about the best ways to revitalize beloved but long-in-the-tooth franchises. Then they share their spoiler-free reviews and impressions of Remedy's sequel to 'Control,' 'Control Resonant'; the latest 'Silent Hill' spinoff, 'Townfall'; and Nintendo's new 'Fire Emblem' epic, 'Fortune's Weave.'

(0:00) Intro
(2:13) Blizzard, Bungie, and Microsoft updates
(31:12) 'Control Resonant'

(1:06:58) 'Silent Hill: Townfall'
(1:26:37) 'Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave'
(1:44:00) Outro

Host: Ben Lindbergh
Guests: Matt James and Steve Ahlman
Producer: Devon Renaldo
Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell

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The Boys are back, and they’re ready to jump into ‘Lanterns’ Episode 6! They discuss how DC has changed the model with this show and if they’ll be able to keep it up, as well as John’s outfit choices this episode. They finish by providing their current manhunter rankings!

(0:00) Intro

(6:20) Spoilers ahead

(8:22) ‘Lanterns’ Episode 6 instant reactions

(1:33:13) Outro

Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman

Producers: Aleya Zenieris, Devon Baroldi, and Jamie Yukich

Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell

Check out ‘The Comic Shop’ Kickstarter Page!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cheyennethegeek/the-comic-shop-a-mockumentary-sitcom

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Ben, Daniel Chin, and Joshua Rivera team up to break down the new 'Resident Evil' movie reboot, cowritten and directed by Zach Cregger. They discuss how the film compares to Cregger's previous work and the preexisting 'Resident Evil' film franchise, where it falls on the horror-humor spectrum, Cregger's approach to adapting the games, the prerelease fan response, whether the movie is better because it's a franchise film, and their favorite set pieces, gags, and Easter eggs. Then, in a clearly indicated closing spoiler section, they briefly share their thoughts on the ending of the movie.

(0:00) Intro

(3:13) 'Resident Evil' movie breakdown

(1:04:14) Honest thoughts on the ‘Resident Evil’ ending (SPOILERS)

(1:14:57) Outro

Host: Ben Lindbergh
Guests: Daniel Chin and Joshua Rivera
Producer: Devon Renaldo
Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell

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The Boys return to break down the crazy twists and turns of 'Lanterns' Episode 5, and this time they’re joined by special guest Chris Ryan! The guys and CR give their reactions to the big Manhunter reveal, discuss John’s arc as “The One,” theorize about what else can happen in Rushville now that it’s been largely destroyed, and so much more. Finally, they end the show with an update to their possible Manhunter rankings.
(0:00) Intro
(6:38) Spoilers ahead
(9:35) ‘Lanterns’ Episode 5 instant reactions
(1:24:37) Outro
(1:27:00) Post-credits
Hosts: Van Lathan, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman
Guest: Chris Ryan
Producers: Devon Baroldi and Jamie Yukich
Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell

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