Parhaat Simon Parkin Podcastit (2024)

1
G. T. Karber, crime writer, Murdle. 1:25:41

6d ago1:25:41

1:25:41

My guest today is G. T. Karber, the innovative crime writer and creator of the Murdle series of puzzle books. The son of a judge and a civil rights attorney, he studied mathematics and English literature at the University of Arkansas, then took a Masters at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. It was while he was working on a project in a coffee shop …

1
Billy Basso, game-maker, Animal Well. 1:21:29

13d ago1:21:29

1:21:29

Billy Basso is an American creator of video games. Born in Chicago, he studied film, then earned his masters in Computer Science at DePaul University. After a stint working as a video editor, he moved into game development, first making educational games for schools in Chicago, and later at NetherRealm Studios, where he worked on smartphone version…

1
Correspondence Special #5: The Best Video Game SFX? 35:44

18d ago35:44

35:44

In this special correspondence edition, Simon reads out your correspondence and answers your questions. Which ten games have been picked in the first 100 episodes more than any others? What are the best Christmas-themed video games? What are the best video game sound effects of all time? Who are the video game industry's true founding fathers (or m…

1
Jordan Mechner, creator of Prince of Persia. 1:27:03

20d ago1:27:03

1:27:03

Jordan Mechner is an American author, game designer, graphic novelist and screenwriter. While a student at Yale University he designed and programmed the martial arts game Karateka. To create the animations in the game he pioneered a rotoscoping process to capture Super 8 film footage of his friends and family members. My guest further developed th…

1
Andy McNamara, former editor-in-chief, Game Informer. 1:22:03

27d ago1:22:03

1:22:03

Andy Macnamars is the former editor-in-chief of Game Informer. He joined the bi-monthly magazine for its launch in 1991 as an editorial assistant. Within eighteen months he had been promoted to editor’s seat, which he the occupied for 25 years, growing the magazine’s readership from around 60,000 subscribers to, at its height, eight million, making…

1
Corinne Busche & John Epler, game directors, Dragon Age: The Veilguard. 1:18:06

1M ago1:18:06

1:18:06

Corrine and John are the director and creative director of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Corinne Busche majored in digital animation at the University of Utah. In 2006 she joined the studio now known as EA Saltlake, working through the ranks to become a Design Director for The Sims series. John Epler studied English language and literature at the Univ…

1
Sarah Elmaleh, voice actor (Fortnite, Halo Infinite, Gears of War 5). 1:21:36

1M ago1:21:36

1:21:36

My guest today is the American voice-actor and activist Sarah Elmaleh. As a student at Wesleyan University she performed in a variety of theatrical productions and radio plays, spending a portion of her studies at the British American Drama Academy in Oxford. After graduating she moved to Brooklyn, New York, and was working as a stage actor when sh…

1
Matt Firor, founder of ZeniMax Online Studios (The Elder Scrolls Online). 1:10:34

2M ago1:10:34

1:10:34

My guest today is the founder and director of ZeniMax Online Studio, Matt Firor. After studying history at George Washington University, he co-founded the developer Interesting Systems Inc., where he created a MUD-style text adventure titled Darkness Falls. In 1995 he co-founded Mythic Entertainment, where he produced pioneering online games such a…

1
Pitof Comar, film director (Catwoman, Alien: Resurrection). 1:11:51

2M ago1:11:51

1:11:51

My guest today is a French film director and pioneer in the world of digital imaging. Born in Paris, he studied architecture and medicine at university before joining the film industry. He co-founded Duran Duboi, a postproduction house that created visual effects for music videos by artists including Prince, Madonna, Lenny Kravitz, and Boy George. …

1
Hannah Nicklin, playwright, narrative designer (Mutazione, Saltsea Chronicles). 1:16:10

2M ago1:16:10

1:16:10

My guest today is Hannah Nicklin, a British writer and narrative designer for video games. After studying Drama at Loughborough University, and Playwriting at the University of Birmingham, she returned to Loughborough for a doctorate in interactive design as anti-capitalist practice. After several years working as a poet, theatre-maker, and academi…

1
Danny Wallace, writer & broadcaster (Yes Man, Assassin's Creed series). 1:06:48

2M ago1:06:48

1:06:48

My guest today is the award-winning humourist, writer, and presenter Danny Wallace. Born in Dundee, Scotland, he published his first professional video game review at the age of thirteen while conducting work experience for Sega Power, a magazine that subsequently offered him a job. At 22, after graduating from The University of Westminster, he bec…

1
Nainita Desai, composer (Immortality, Call of Duty, Tales of Kenzera: Zau). 1:14:12

3M ago1:14:12

1:14:12

My guest today is Nainita Desai, the British composer for film, television and video games. Born and raised in London by her Indian parents, she earned a degree in mathematics, then studied sound design at the National Film and Television School. She started her career as a sound designer on the films Little Buddha, Lessons of Darkness and Death Ma…

1
Eugene Jarvis, gamemaker (Defender, Robotron: 2084, Smash TV). 1:16:25

3M ago1:16:25

1:16:25

My guest today is the American video game designer and programmer Eugene Jarvis. Born in California, he studied computer science at Berkeley, where, in the basement of the physics laboratory, he played the early video game Spacewar. After graduating he worked for Hewlitt Packard, but quit after three days to join Atari, where he began programming f…

1
Uwe Boll, film director (House of the Dead, Alone in the Dark, Postal). 1:13:24

3M ago1:13:24

1:13:24

My guest today is the German filmmaker Uwe Boll. Born in Wermelskirchen he decided he wanted to direct films at the age of ten, after seeing Marlon Brando star in Mutiny on the Bounty. It wasn’t until he was in his mid-thirties, however, that he directed his first major motion picture, Blackwoods, a psychological thriller that a critic for the New …

1
Derek Yu, gamemaker (Spelunky, UFO 50). 1:11:10

3M ago1:11:10

1:11:10

My guest today is the American video game artist and designer, Derek Yu. Born in Pasadena, California in the early eighties, he started mapping out games on graph paper when he was still a child. After graduating college with a degree in computer science, he moved to San Francisco to work as a freelance illustrator. In 2007 he developed a satirical…

1
Correspondence Special #4: Clickbait? 35:20

3M ago35:20

35:20

In this special correspondence edition, host Simon Parkin reads out listeners' correspondence and answers your questions. Hear Simon discuss the recent, headline-making episode with former PlayStation President Chris Deering, listener responses to the controversy, as well as discussion of what term we should use to describe the genre formerly known…

1
Chris Deering, former President of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. 1:14:25

3M ago1:14:25

1:14:25

My guest today is an American businessman and the former and first president of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, Chris Deering. Raised in Boston, Massachusetts to immigrant parents, my guest had a strict upbringing. Despite the disadvantages he faced, he graduated with distinction with a degree in computer science at Boston College, then studied…

1
Eliot Higgins, founder of Bellingcat. 1:12:41

4M ago1:12:41

1:12:41

My guest today is Eliot Higgins, a British citizen journalist and founder of Bellingcat, a website that specialises in open-source intelligence. In 2012, while unemployed, he became involved in online discussions about the conflict in Syria, where few journalists were able to operate. Despite having little prior interest in the region, he began to …

1
Bonus: Game Club vs. The Messenger 34:44

4M ago34:44

34:44

In this special episode, Simon is joined by comedian Glenn Moore to discuss the subject of July's My Perfect Console 'Game Club', The Messenger. Throughout July 2024, Glenn and Simon, along with many of you, the listeners, played through the 2018 platformer The Messenger, a game chosen by Abu Salim during his episode of My Perfect Console. Glenn an…

1
Maddy Thorson, game-maker (Towerfall, Celeste). 1:08:51

4M ago1:08:51

1:08:51

My guest today is Maddy Thorson, a Canadian writer and designer for video games. At the age of 14, she obtained a copy of GameMaker, software on which she learned to make simple games. After studying computer science at Grande Prairie Regional College in Alberta, she moved to Vancouver and there rented a house in which she and her friends began wor…

1
Holly Gramazio, curator, novelist (The Husbands). 1:18:30

4M ago1:18:30

1:18:30

My guest today is Holly Gramazio, a writer, curator, and game designer. Born in Australia, she earned her PhD in Creative Writing at the University of Adelaide, then moved to London where she founded the Somerset House-based games festival Now Play This, an annual celebration of experimental games. In 2019 she wrote the script for Dicey Dungeons, a…

1
Listener Console Special #1 21:32

4M ago21:32

21:32

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 www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole where you can become a supporter and receive a raft o…

1
Luke Muscat, gamemaker (Fruit Ninja, Jetpack Joyride). 1:20:44

4M ago1:20:44

1:20:44

My guest today is Luke Muscat, the Australian video game designer behind some of the best-known smart phone games yet made. After graduating from Queensland University of Technology with a degree in IT and Games, he joined Halfbrick Studio, a game developer in Brisbane that specialised in games licensed from film and TV. There he designed a simple …

1
Tribute Episode: Brett Jones, artist (Goldeneye 007, Perfect Dark, Guardians of the Galaxy). 33:53

5M ago33:53

33:53

A special episode to celebrate the life and work of Brett Jones, an artist and animator for video games, film and television who passed away in July. Jones worked on the seminal N64 movie tie-in game, Goldeneye 007, which successfully brought the first person shooter genre to consoles. He made instrumental contributions to its sequel, Perfect Dark,…

1
Steve Meretszky, author of interactive fiction (Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy; A Mind Forever Voyaging). 1:18:00

5M ago1:18:00

1:18:00

My guest today is the American video game developer Steve Meretzky. Born and raised in Yonkers, New York, he attended MIT, where he earned a degree in construction management. In 1981, after two years spent working in the construction industry, a friend asked him if he would like to become a tester for Infocom, a publisher that specialised in inter…

1
Rhianna Pratchett, writer for games (Heavenly Sword, Mirror's Edge, Tomb Raider). 1:18:25

5M ago1:18:25

1:18:25

My guest today is an English writer for video games, TV, film, comics, and books. Born into a literary household – her father was the celebrated fantasy novelist Terry Pratchett –– she studied journalism at the University of Arts in London. After graduating she joined the staff of PC Zone, where she worked her way up from editorial assistant to the…

1
Richard Sparks, librettist, writer (L.A. Opera, Not the Nine O'Clock News). 1:11:55

5M ago1:11:55

1:11:55

My guest today is the British scriptwriter and librettist for opera, Richard Sparks. In 1978 he wrote a sketch for Rowan Aktinson, the actor who later played Mr Bean, which Atkinson performed in the Secret Policeman’s Ball, a series of benefit shows organised by John Cleese to raise funds for Amnesty International. The success of the sketch led my …

1
Kelsey Beachum, narrative designer (Outer Wilds). 1:21:37

6M ago1:21:37

1:21:37

My guest today is the American game writer and narrative designer Kelsey Beachum. After graduating from Michigan State University, she worked in publishing, first as editor of the Cryogenic Society of America, then in editorial operations for the satirical current affairs publication, The Onion. In 2012 stared work on a space-mystery game titled Ou…

1
Mike Drucker, comedy writer, the Tonight Show. 1:13:48

6M ago1:13:48

1:13:48

My guest today is Mike Drucker, an American comedy writer and producer. After graduating with a master’s degree in literature from New York University, he worked as a localisation editor for Nintendo, writing English language jokes for games such as Kid Icarus: Uprising. After a year working as Head Video Writer for the website IGN, he joined Late …

1
Michael Sherman, director of e-sports, Riot Games. 1:14:13

6M ago1:14:13

1:14:13

My guest today is Michael Sherman, director of esports for Riot Games. While attending the University of Texas at Dallas for Computer Science, he worked as an Automotive Safety Software Engineer for Texas Instruments, inventing a wireless car-seat that would sound an alarm if a child was left in the car. In 2013 he moved into the emerging world of …

1
Correspondence Special #3: What was the best year for video games? 34:41

6M ago34:41

34:41

In this special correspondence edition, host Simon Parkin reads out listeners' correspondence, answers questions, and offers at least one clue about a forthcoming special guest. Hear Simon discuss which was the best year for video games, which video game characters would make the best stand-up comics, and what Hollywood will do for #content when th…

1
Eric Barone, creator of Stardew Valley. 1:15:06

6M ago1:15:06

1:15:06

My guest today is the American game designer and musician Eric Barone. Born in Los Angeles, he spent his childhood in the suburbs of Seattle. In 2011 he graduated from the University of Washington Tacoma with a degree in computer science, but was unable to find employment. He started developing a video game to hone his programming skills. Supported…

1
Nina Freeman, gamemaker (Cibele, Tacoma, Last Call). 1:12:51

7M ago1:12:51

1:12:51

Nina Freeman is an American independent video game writer and designer. While a student at Pace University in New York, she was drawn to the work of Frank O’Hara and other poets of the New York School, who documented their lives through witty, confessional verse. She began to explore ways in which she could employ a similar tone, not in poetry, but…

1
Abubakar Salim, actor (Napoleon, House of the Dragon). 1:13:06

7M ago1:13:06

1:13:06

My guest today is the British actor Abubakar Salim. Born in Hertfordshire to a family of first-generation Kenyan immigrants, he joined the National Youth Theatre at the age of sixteen, then won a scholarship to study at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. He made his professional stage debut in 2010 playing Osric in Prince of Denmark at t…

1
Chet Faliszek, gamemaker (Half-Life 2 series, Left 4 Dead series, The Anacrusis). 1:22:20

7M ago1:22:20

1:22:20

My guest today is the American writer and game designer Chet Faliszek. In the nineties he and his friend Erik Wolpaw founded the website Old Man Murray. The satirical online publication poked fun at video gaming’s sacred cows and established a tone that is still prevalent across the internet today. After catching the attention of Half-Life creator …

1
MPC Game Club: Stephen's Sausage Roll (feat. Glenn Moore). 37:25

7M ago37:25

37:25

Friend of the podcast Glenn Moore joins Simon for a special bonus episode to discuss April's book-club-game, Stephen's Sausage Roll edition. This previously supporter-only episode gives a taste of the bonus monthly episode My Perfect Console supporters receive through Patreon. Throughout April 2024, Glenn and Simon, together with many of the My Per…

1
Veronica Roth, novelist (The Divergent Trilogy, When Among Crows). 1:10:00

7M ago1:10:00

1:10:00

My guest today is the American novelist and short story writer, Veronica Roth. Born in New York and raised in Illinois, she studied creative writing at Northwestern University. While a student, she wrote Divergent, a dystopian science fiction novel set in a post-apocalyptic version of Chicago. The book sold to a publisher even before she graduated,…

1
Correspondence Special #2: The best game Keita Takahashi never made. 33:20

7M ago33:20

33:20

In this special correspondence edition, host Simon Parkin reads out listeners' correspondence, answers questions, and offers at least one clue about a forthcoming special guest. Hear about the genius game that Katamari Damacy creator Keita Takahashi never made, the latest on film director Steven Spielberg's adaptation of 'A Game of Birds and Wolves…

1
Teddy Dief, gamemaker (Hyper Light Drifter, We are OFK). 1:16:29

7M ago1:16:29

1:16:29

My guest today is the American videogame designer and writer, Teddy Dief. Born in Illinois, they graduated from Columbia University with a degree in music, computer science, and Japanese. Then while studying for an MFA in filmmaking and game design at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, they worked on Pirates of the Caribbean Online, and as a designer …

1
Keith Stuart, journalist & novelist (A Boy Made of Blocks, Love is a Curse). 1:20:18

8M ago1:20:18

1:20:18

My guest today is the English author and journalist, Keith Stuart. He grew up in a town near Stockport in Greater Manchester, then studied English and Drama at Warwick University. After graduating he joined Big Red Software, testing Game Genie codes for the Game Boy, and coming up with names for the vehicles and tracks in Big Red Racing. In 1995 he…

1
Masaya Matsuura, musician, gamemaker (PaRappa the Rapper). 1:19:20

8M ago1:19:20

1:19:20

My guest today is Masaya Matsuura, a Japanese musician and game designer widely considered to be the inventor of rhythm action video games. Born in Osaka City, music ran in the family; his father often performed with his guitar in clubs around Shinagawa Station in Tokyo. My guest was an unruly student until he discovered a love of keyboards and syn…

1
Sarah Keyworth, comedian. 1:18:11

8M ago1:18:11

1:18:11

My guest today is the English stand-up comedian Sarah Keyworth. Born in Nottingham in 1993 they studied drama at De Montfort University, where they became an active member of the university's comedy club. After graduating, my guest then worked for the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, while performing on the circuit. Their first show, Dark …

1
John Johanas, creative director Tango Gameworks (The Evil Within, Hi-Fi Rush). 1:26:29

8M ago1:26:29

1:26:29

My guest today is John Johanas, creative director at the Tokyo-based studio Tango Gameworks. Born on Long Island, New York, he played in a Radiohead covers band while in High School. After graduating with a degree in East Asia studies from Brandeis University, he moved to Japan to work as an English teacher. He started translating Japanese books in…

1
Siobhan Reddy, co-deputy chair, BAFTA. 1:13:34

9M ago1:13:34

1:13:34

My guest today is Siobhan Reddy, a video game executive and the co-deputy chair of BAFTA. Born in South African to Irish and Australian parents, at the age of four she moved to Campbelltown, New South Wales in Australia. There as a student she became interested in filmmaking and technology. At eighteen she moved to the UK and began working for Perf…

1
Correspondence Special #1: Revisiting Jack Thompson. 38:25

9M ago38:25

38:25

In this special correspondence edition, host Simon Parkin explores feedback from the recent episode with Jack Thompson, reads out listeners' correspondence, answers questions, and offers at least one reveal about a forthcoming special guest... Be attitude for gains. https://plus.acast.com/s/my-perfect-console. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy…

1
Wes Fenlon, senior editor, PC Gamer. 1:22:44

9M ago1:22:44

1:22:44

My guest today is Wes Fenlon, a San Francisco-based writer and senior editor at the video game publication PC Gamer. Having graduated from The University of Georgia with a degree in journalism and magazines, my guest freelanced for The Wirecutter –– the product review website now owned by the New York Times –– and Tested.com where he reviewed and r…

1
Jack Thompson, Former lawyer, "anti-video-game activist." 1:15:32

9M ago1:15:32

1:15:32

My guest today is former lawyer who gained recognition in the late nineties and early 2000s as an "anti-video game activist", criticizing the content of violent video games and their alleged effects on children. Via a series of high-profile lawsuits, including several against Rockstar, the creator of the Grand Theft Auto series, he claimed that Mat…

1
Abhi Swaminathan, gamemaker (Venba). 1:13:15

9M ago1:13:15

1:13:15

My guest today is a game developer and founder of Visai Games. At the age of twelve he moved to Canada from Southern India, then, hoping to enter the games industry, studied Computer Science at the University of Toronto. After graduating, my guest took a programming job at the mobile games studio, Uken Games. In his spare time he and an artist frie…

1
Val McDermid, crime writer, Booker Prize judge. 1:07:12

10M ago1:07:12

1:07:12

My guest today is a Scottish crime writer. Born into a working-class family in Fife, she studied English at St Hilda’s College Oxford, where she was the first student to be admitted from a Scottish state school. She first worked as a journalist, then a dramatist and, in 1987, published her first novel, Report for Murder. Since then, my guest has re…

1
Patrick House, neuroscientist and writer. 1:20:49

10M ago1:20:49

1:20:49

My guest today is an American neuroscientist and writer. Born in New York, he earned his Ph.D. in neuroscience from Stanford University in 2014, researching Toxoplasma gondii, the single-celled feline parasite that infects mouse brains and may––or may not––mess with their fear of cats. As well as studying ancient genetics – specifically conducting …

Kuuntelemisen arvoisia podcasteja

Simon Parkin podcastit

Kuuntelemisen arvoisia podcasteja

Pikakäyttöopas