The Midnight Release

Chase, Austin, & Friends

 A nostalgic, late-night rewind through the golden age of gaming, pop culture, and friendship. Join Chase and Austin every week as they relive GameStop midnight launches, classic console wars, and the games and nostalgia that shaped us. 

  1. 13 DE JAN.

    Episode 11 - Used and Sometimes Abused

    From trade-ins and promo cards to midnight launches and penny-out merch, this week we dive headfirst into the used-game economy and the GameStop culture that shaped a generation. Nostalgia, chaos, and a little emotional damage included.  In Episode 11 of The Midnight Release, Chase and Austin go full GameStop nostalgia mode with “Used and Sometimes Abused.” This week’s Story Mode focuses on the wild, wonderful, and sometimes unhinged world of used games and trade-ins — from questionable customer trades and brutal trade values to Edge cards, PowerUp Rewards, midnight launches, and why GameStop (and its competitors) felt like more than just a store. Along the way, we reminisce about: The weirdest things people tried to trade inTrade values then vs. nowGame Informer, promo deals, and conference perksStore remodels, TVs, penny-out merch, and early access experiencesWhy midnight launches hit different — and why we miss them so muchFor Side Quests, we jump into: Disc of the Day, spotlighting Pokémon across generations — past, present, and futureRewind Select, where we rewind even further to music stores, CD listening stations, anti-skip lies, MP3 players, iPods, and the wild west of LimewireTo close things out, we reflect on whether it’s nostalgia, aging, or something deeper that keeps pulling us back — and tease next week’s gaming-focused episode, “Retro Resurrection.” As always, some memories are worth lining up for.

    1h3min
  2. 6 DE JAN.

    Episode 10 - End of an Era

    The way we consume movies, games, and media has fundamentally changed. In this episode of The Midnight Release, we dive into the end of physical media and the rise of digital, unpacking what we gained, what we lost, and why nostalgia still hits harder when something can sit on a shelf.  From VHS tapes and DVD binders to digital storefronts and streaming libraries, media has gone through a massive transformation over the last few decades. In Episode 10: End of an Era, Chase and Austin kick off 2026 by breaking down the shift from physical to digital media across movies, games, and entertainment as a whole. They reflect on formats that defined generations, the rise (and fall) of retailers carrying physical media, and how gaming — especially consoles — made the pivot faster than anyone expected. The conversation spans everything from: VHS, DVD, Blu-ray, and steelbook collectionsStreaming services changing how we watch moviesPhysical vs digital gaming ownershipGameStop’s fight to stay relevant in a digital-first worldCollector’s editions, midnight launches, and nostalgia that can’t be downloadedAlong the way, they jump into side quests covering social media trends, character guessing games, and deep-pull New Year memories that remind us just how much has changed — and how some traditions still stick around. As always, this episode blends gaming culture, pop culture, and nostalgia, asking the big question: Was the convenience worth the cost? 🎧 Line up with us — some memories are still worth holding onto.

    1h6min

Sobre

 A nostalgic, late-night rewind through the golden age of gaming, pop culture, and friendship. Join Chase and Austin every week as they relive GameStop midnight launches, classic console wars, and the games and nostalgia that shaped us.