There’s no denying how much podcasting has changed how we consume content. With so many podcasts out right now, it can be hard to find the right one. These are the best gaming podcasts available right now.
The Official The Last of Us Podcast dropped in June 2020 to coincide with the release of The Last of Us Pt. 2. But with The Last of Us Pt.1 recently released, there’s never been a better time to give this one a listen.
Comedian Christian Spicer hosts this podcast, but there are few laughs. Christian brings on guests essential to bringing the world of The Last of Us to life. He talks with everyone from creator Neil Druckman to actors Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson.
The podcast is geared toward fans of the series, but those unfamiliar will still find it interesting to hear about the development of a AAA title. The entire story for both games is spoiled throughout the podcast, so if you haven’t played either, be warned. But for fans of the games, The Official The Last of Us podcast is a must-listen gaming podcast.
Get Played
Get Played, formerly How Did This Get Played, began with an original idea before morphing into a normal gaming podcast. The original idea was a play from the widely popular How Did This Get Made podcast, where three actors watch and discuss cinema’s worst movies.
Get Played aimed to do the same with video games, beginning with such gems as Sonic 2016 and Superman 64. It was soon discovered that there just wasn’t a wealth of easily accessible bad video games the way there is with movies.
The format changed, but the three hosts, comedians Heather Anne Campbell, Nick Wiger, and Matt Apodaca, provide enough fun banter that the show is a joy to listen to.
The host’s approach video games from an outside-the-industry point of view. They do not work in gaming journalism or development. They are simply funny people that love gaming. Get Played is a refreshing take on the gaming podcast and is worth a listen for any video game enthusiast.
Pixels & Ink Podcast
Pixels & Ink is a gaming podcast from CGM that covers everything in entertainment from an indie perspective. The show is hosted by Brendan Frye, Jordan Biordi, Chris De Hoog, Eduard Gafton, and Dayna Eileen. Each host brings a unique perspective on video games and the digital medium.
What sets Pixels & Ink apart is the host’s love for gaming and the unique perspective they bring to their content. If you love video games and nerding about everything from Star Wars to Lord of the Rings, Pixels & Ink is a must-listen.
No Clip
Noclip is the companion podcast to the long-form video game documentary YouTube channel. Noclip has been making interesting documentaries on the video game industry for years. Their series on Supergiant’s Hades highlighted the difficulties of small team development.
Danny O’Dwyer hosts the show as he features a guest to discuss the gaming industry. Every episode doesn’t feature a deep dive subject like his YouTube documentaries. Additionally, many gems in the catalog feature developers and creators giving a peek behind the curtain of game development.
If you begin with a normal episode, you’ll still get to hear the host and his pal discuss anything new in gaming that week. A host of gaming podcasts discuss the week’s gaming news, but the Noclip podcast is a cut above the rest.
Triple Click
Triple Click is hosted by gaming journalism veterans Jason Schreier, Maddy Myers, and Kirk Hamilton. Jason Schreier has written two books on the gaming industry, Maddy Myers is the senior games editor at Polygon, and Kirk is a full-time musician and podcaster. All three worked together at Kotaku before starting Triple Click.
The unique perspective these three voices give to gaming makes Triple Click so special. They spend much of their time discussing news and new game releases but also dedicate entire episodes to trends they see in the industry.
Triple Click gives its listeners an insider view of the gaming industry from people uniquely familiar with game criticism. Hearing about trends, news, and new games from a group so uniquely qualified to do so, is why Triple Click is one of our favorite gaming podcasts.
Game Scoop
Game Scoop is one of the longest-running gaming podcasts and features different contributors from IGN. Despite the name, Game Scoop is not the best podcast for gaming news. Rather, Game Scoop shines with its two fan favorite segments. Videogame 20 questions and a look back at old gaming magazines.
In each episode, the host of the Game Scoop will go through an old gaming magazine from the 90s or early aughts. It’s nostalgia-ridden and reminds us of the old days of reading through our monthly EGM or Nintendo Power copy.
Another fan favorite is the video game 20 questions. Each episode ends with the host having the title of a video game, and every other podcaster is given 20 questions to try and guess the title. It’s fun to play along with the team, trying to figure out what random title the host has for the week.
Game Scoop also brings analysis and criticism to all the week’s gaming news. If you’re looking for one outlet to get your weekly gaming fix in, Game Scoop is a great option.
Play, Watch, Listen
If you want a podcast about gaming that features people from multiple sides of the gaming world, look no further. Play, Watch, Listen features Alanah Pearce, Troy Baker, Mike Bithell, and Austin Wintory, bringing their thoughts on video games.
Each person featured on this podcast has a unique role in gaming. Alanah previously worked at IGN and is now a writer for Santa Monica studios. Troy Baker is a gaming voice actor notable for his work on the Last of Us. Mike Bithell is a games director who has worked on the Dead to Rights series. And Austin Wintory is a composer who worked on the Grammy-nominated PS3 exclusive Journey.
The pedigree of each host is vast, and the podcast gives listeners perspectives from so many facets of game development. If you are looking for a deep dive into gaming creation, Play, Watch, Listen is one of the best gaming podcasts to do so.
Into the Aether
Into the Aether is a “low-key” video game podcast hosted by two gaming enthusiasts. Where Into the Aether sets itself apart is with its long exhaustive episodes on different topics. Don’t be alarmed by a four-hour podcast on Mass Effect or a three-hour episode on Nier Automata. The hosts keep the conversation fresh throughout.
Into the Aether is one of our favorite podcasts because we love deep dives into our favorite games. Exploring games through an exhaustive lens is a fun exercise that Into the Aether provides. If you have some time to kill, Into the Aether is one of our favorite gaming podcasts.
Kinda Funny Gamescast & Games Daily
The Kinda Funny team has been making gaming content since 2015, featuring a mix of veterans and fresh faces. The Kinda Funny team creates two gaming podcasts that are our favorites. Kinda Funny Gamescast and Kinda Funny Games Daily.
The Kind of Funny Gamescast is a weekly hour-long gaming podcast highlighting the biggest news and releases in gaming. Games Daily is a daily podcast, which is broadcast live on Twitch, that covers all the gaming news of the past 24 hours.
If you are looking for a way to stay up to date with all the gaming news, there is no better outlet than Kinda Funny Games Daily. Games Daily also regularly features unique guests from all over the industry talking about what is new in the world of video games.
Gamescast is a more traditional gaming podcast, except it includes the antics of the Kinda Funny crew. If you are not familiar with the team behind this company, it’s headed up by Greg Miller and other former IGN alums.
Greg and his team have created a unique business with their team. They started their own company and strive to keep community engagement up and frequent. The dedicated fans of Kinda Funny have been supporting the effort for years, and their dedication to gaming makes these two some of our favorite gaming podcasts.
The Besties
The Besties podcast has had a tumultuous history, experiencing more cancelations and format shifts than any other podcast on our list. It began as a King of the Hill-type podcast where hosts bring a different game to battle. Now, it acts as a weekly discussion on one to two newly released games.
The chemistry between the four hosts makes The Besties such a special podcast. The four hosts are founders of Polygon, with two still working and two moving into full-time podcasting. Having two full-time podcasters means the episodes move smoothly with little to no filler.
The Besties have been around so long that the community has rallied around and uniquely connected with the show. The show is full of inside jokes and references to past content; it feels like even the hosts don’t know what the format is sometimes. Despite all the changes, the crew keeps a great rapport and delivers solid weekly content. The Besties is easily on our favorite gaming podcasts.
Wrapping Up
Do you agree with our lists? Are there some podcasts we left out? Let us know in the comments what your favorite gaming podcast is.
