5 Must-Listen Episodes: The Post Games Starter Pack
Where to start with your new favorite podcast
50 episodes! 50 episodes?! Where does a new listener start?
Typically, I tell folks the best place to start Post Games is whichever episode headline sounds the most appealing. After all, the show is created to be evergreen, so that you can listen to the whole catalogue today, tomorrow, or years from now.
But what if you want to speedrun the catalogue? I’ve collected five episodes that will allow you to hear the variety of interviews and topics that the show covers.
Already a regular listener? This is the perfect post to share with friends who might enjoy the show, too!
1. The “Too Many Games” Problem
Episode 21
The most successful and prolific video games reporter of our generation, Jason Schreier, talks about the “too many” games paradox. Even the most talented developers can’t guarantee their games will be discovered amongst the thousands of new releases each year. Meanwhile, the audience has never had more options in terms of scale, genre, and point of view.
Why?
Over the course of my first five months of episodes, I noticed a trend across my interviews with game makers: an intense anxiety around game discovery. My chats with both Schreier and GameDiscoverCo’s Simon Carless (Why Great Games Sometimes Flop) felt like the end of Post Game’s first anime arc.
Patreon Bonus Segment:
Schreier is a reporter at Bloomberg, making him one of a tiny few reporting on games for a mainstream publication. Naturally, we had an extended chat about mainstream media’s approach (and lack thereof) to gaming coverage.
2. 18 Reasons to Be Thankful for Video Games
Episode 27
Ahead of Thanksgiving, 19 of my favorite people in video games shared what about the hobby they’re thankful for. The guest list includes veteran game designers, recovering AAA executives, indie award winners, and a beloved comedian/superhero.
Why?
To differentiate Post Games from a games press driven by an ad-supported model that incentivizes reactive reporting and takes, I needed to build an editorial calendar and build a pipeline that allowed me to juggle lots of interviews and contacts at the same time. This episode was the first of the calendar’s fruit, a gargantuan project that could only be done with months of lead time. But it would be a dud without the guests themselves, who delivered thoughtful and heartfelt answers.
Patreon Bonus Segment:
I recorded my own extended self-reflection and titled it “Why I’m thankful for change (and how you can create your own).”
3. Two Blue Prince Interviews, Seven Months Apart
Episode 28
In early 2025, I began a year-long project that I assumed would run as a written feature on Polygon. Ahead of the release of Blue Prince, I spoke with its creator about his anxieties, hopes, and his state of being. Rather than transcribe and publish the conversation, I saved the file, planning to pair it with another interview at the end of the year. Weeks after that first interview, my time at Polygon came to an end. As Post Games gained momentum, I decided to revive the project, now in audio form. Polygon was kind enough to allow me to use the original interview, and Blue Prince’s Tonda Ros was generous enough to make time ahead of the Game Awards. It’s a podcast episode, but it’s also a time machine for everyone involved.
Why?
It’s a miracle! That everyone participated. That a single podcast episode could blend two eras of my career. That Blue Prince would become one of 2025’s most critically acclaimed games. This is the closest I’ve ever come to Babe Ruth calling his shit.
Patreon Bonus Segment:
Tonda Ros talks about his plans beyond Blue Prince, including why he’s not interested in a movie or a sequel.
4. Games About Death Improve Our Lives
Episode 11
Ahead of my 40th birthday, I found myself dwelling on death. Desperate to talk to someone with some perspective, I reached out to gaming’s foremost expert. Video game writer and narrative director Kaitlin Tremblay has co-written three games exploring the many sides of death: A Mortician’s Tale, Seasonala Cemetery, and the upcoming Ambrosia Sky.
Why?
This is the moment I had my first real taste of what Post Games could become. I’m proud of the episodes I made before this one, and I think they’re worth listening to. But here’s where I realize the secret isn’t knowing about games; it’s caring about people.
Patreon Bonus Segment:
Why I’ve been playing a game about death for half of my life. I reflect on a very short, very impactful game that I revisit every few years. And how it changes alongside me.
5. Edmund McMillen Wants You to Ask the Uncomfortable Questions
Episode 39
I had no interest in playing Mewgenics, nor did I want to talk to its creator, Edmund McMillen. His previous game, The Binding of Isaac, is one of the most successful and beloved indie games of the past decade, but its depiction of cleft lips had kept me at arm's distance. I didn’t feel mocked, but I was… well, skeptical. Fortunately, my friend and longtime collaborator Russ Frushtick encouraged me to hop on the phone with Edmun and talk through my discomfort with his work. In less than an hour, I learned that McMillen and I had more in common than I could have ever imagined.
Why?
This is the first time a guest cried on the show. It’s also the first time I cried on the show.
Patreon Bonus Segment:
Edmund stuck around to talk about the sunny side of life, including pinball and long walks on the beach. I’m serious.
Bonus:
6. The Pokémon Origin Story
Past Games, Episode 2 - Patreon Exclusive
Since December, I’ve been recording monthly bonus episodes in which an expert guides me through the history of a video game, series, or moment that’s celebrating an anniversary in 2026. I call the series Past Games, and to give folks a taste of its style, I made this episode on the history of the original Pokémon available to everyone.
Why?
Who wouldn’t want to hear how a video game zine maker would befriend Shigeru Miyamoto and create arguably the most successful media property since Mickey Mouse?
Patreon Bonus Segment:
The whole episode is a bonus for Patreon supporters, as is the rest of the Past Games series.
As a fairly new listener, I’m looking forward to checking these episodes out! I’ll say that my first episode was “Games Can Save Us from the Hell of Silicon Valley Optimization.” I then went backwards to listen to “The ESA Saved Video Games Once. Can It Do It Again?”
Being 41 now and reflecting on what an outsized impact video games have had on my life, and being genuinely curious for the first time how I might get into the industry with the explicit purpose of helping it become a healthier, more equitable one to work in, your conversations in those two episodes hit me dead on at the right place, right time. Thanks, Chris!
This is a great podcast. Thoroughly enjoying it. More please.