My Perfect Console with Simon Parkin

Simon Parkin
  • 0,0 (0)
  • Jeux vidéo
  • Chaque semaine

In My Perfect Console, Simon Parkin, award-winning author video game critic for The Observer invites well-known guests from the worlds of gaming, film and television, music, comedy and more to pick the five video games they would like to immortalise on a fictional games machine. They discuss those five games in chronological order of release, interspersed with biographical chat about the guest’s life and career –– a lens that often leads to new and unexpected insights. "Thoroughly modern and ahead of its time...a gift." - NEW YORK'S VULTURE "Charming, insightful." -- THE GUARDIAN TIME OUT'S 50 Best Podcasts VULTURE's Best Podcast of the Year Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. -9 h

    Anna Donlon, head of Valorant Studios (Valorant, League of Legends, Call of Duty: Black Ops)

    My guest today is an American game producer and studio leader whose career has been shaped by a deep love of competitive shooters and more than two decades spent building some of the genre’s major titles. She began at Treyarch, where she worked as a senior producer on Call of Duty: Black Ops and Black Ops II, before joining Riot Games in 2015. There, she first helped lead League of Legends’ cosmetic content and in-game events. She later moved into leading a new tactical shooter project, becoming Executive Producer of VALORANT and guiding the game to its launch in 2020. Today, as Head of VALORANT Studios, she oversees the franchise’s wider creative and strategic direction, while also championing initiatives such as VCT Game Changers, Riot’s programme supporting women and marginalised genders in competitive play. LINKS Anna Donlan – Valorant & Riot Games Valorant – official site (free to play) VCT Game Changers – Riot's programme supporting women and marginalised genders in competitive play Riot Games – official site Anna's Perfect Console Silent Hill 2 (PS2, 2001) – Wikipedia Silent Hill 2 Remake (2024) – Steam Grand Theft Auto III (PS2, 2001) – Wikipedia Shadow of the Colossus (PS2, 2005) – Wikipedia Shadow of the Colossus Remake (2018) – PlayStation BioShock (2007) – Wikipedia Ghost of Tsushima – official site Ghost of Tsushima – PlayStation Ghost of Tsushima: Iki Island – Wikipedia Also mentioned Kaboom! (Atari 2600) – Wikipedia ICO (PS2, 2001) – Wikipedia Red Dead Redemption 2 – Rockstar Games Arc Raiders – Steam Call of Duty: Black Ops – Wikipedia Call of Duty: Black Ops II – Wikipedia Treyarch – Wikipedia JumpStart – educational games series, Wikipedia University of California, Santa Cruz Next week's guest Paolo Pedercini / Molleindustria – official site Future? No Thanks! – Steam (out now) Support the show My Perfect Console – episode archive Support My Perfect Console on Patreon Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Anna Donlon, head of Valorant Studios (Valorant, League of Legends, Call of Duty: Black Ops)

  2. -5 j

    Correspondence Special #9: Which games should have been on the podcast by now (and much more)

    In this special correspondence edition, Simon reads out your letters and answers your questions. Is there a cut-off point for working in games journalism? Which video game does Simon think should surely have been picked by now but hasn't? Who decides how long guests talk about their game choices? How does Simon actually make the show — from bookings to post-production to those musical stingers? What is Simon's new book about, and how did he uncover the untold legal battle thxat changed the shape of the video game industry? And did you know the UK government has a Head of Video Games and Esports who listens to the show? Us neither! All this and much more. And congratulations to letter-writer Chris Law, who wins a signed copy of Blood Echoes: A Bloodborne Anthology. . Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Correspondence Special #9: Which games should have been on the podcast by now (and much more)

  3. 15 sept.

    Chris Cantrill, comedian, writer Saturday Night Live UK.

    Chris Cantrill is a British comedian, writer, and actor from West Yorkshire whose work combines rapid-fire jokes with an off-kilter view of everyday life. He first came to prominence as one half of the acclaimed sketch duo The Delightful Sausage, alongside Amy Gledhill, earning Edinburgh Comedy Award nominations for Best Show in both 2019 and 2022. As a solo performer, he added another nomination in 2024, before returning to Edinburgh this summer and finally winning the Comedy Award for Best Show in 2026. Alongside stand-up, he has appeared in programmes including Alma’s Not Normal, Daddy Issues, Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared, and Avoidance, while his writing credits stretch across television and radio. Most recently, he joined the writing team of Saturday Night Live UK, which returns for its second season this week. LINKS Chris Cantrill Website Instagram The Delightful Sausage Saturday Night Live UK SNL UK on Sky Simon's Observer Features How Saturday Night Live Landed in the UK Jack Shep on That Princess Di Impression Chris's Perfect Console Duke Nukem: Time to Kill Final Fantasy VII Bloodborne Animal Well The Case of the Golden Idol Other games discussed Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Dark Souls Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Resident Evil 2 Remake The Witcher 3 Elden Ring Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Chris Cantrill, comedian, writer Saturday Night Live UK.

  4. 8 sept.

    Sarah Maria Griffin, poet, author (Eat the Ones You Love; Strange is the Light)

    My guest today is an Irish writer, poet, critic, and podcaster. Born and raised in Dublin, she began writing seriously as a teenager, studied English, Media and Cultural Studies at IADT, and later completed a Master’s in Creative Writing at NUI Galway. Her early work included the poetry collection Follies and Not Lost, a book of essays about emigration written after she moved to San Francisco in 2012. Since returning to Ireland, she has published a series of acclaimed novels, including Spare and Found Parts and Other Words for Smoke, which won Teen and Young Adult Book of the Year at the Irish Book Awards. Her 2025 horror novel Eat the Ones You Love was followed by a shortlist for Author of the Year, and she is now the 2026 Arts Council Writer Fellow at Trinity College Dublin. Alongside her fiction, she writes about games for The Guardian. Her new horror novel, Strange Is the Light, is out now, and she is currently working on another book, about video games, titled Everything Not Saved. LINKS Sarah Maria Griffin – books & socials Sarah Maria Griffin – official website Sarah Maria Griffin – Instagram (@sarahgriffski) Sarah Maria Griffin – Substack Sarah Maria Griffin – writing about games for The Guardian Strange as the Light (out 8 September 2026) Strange as the Light – Waterstones Strange as the Light – Titan Books Strange as the Light – Bookshop.org UK Earlier novels Eat the Ones You Love – Waterstones Other Words for Smoke – Waterstones Sarah's Perfect Console EarthBound (SNES, 1994) – Wikipedia EarthBound – Nintendo Switch Online The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask – Wikipedia Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door – Nintendo Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door – Wikipedia Night in the Woods – official site Night in the Woods – Steam Wandersong – official site Wandersong – Steam Other references mentioned Disco Elysium – Steam Chicory: A Colorful Tale – official site (Greg Lobanov, also made Wandersong) 826 Valencia – literacy non-profit, San Francisco Dublin Youth Theatre Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin – Waterstones Rock, Paper, Shotgun – games journalism Glenn Moore – Button Boys podcast Next week's guest Chris Cantrill – Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Show winner 2026 (Rewilding) Chris Cantrill – Chortle profile Saturday Night Live UK – ITV Support the show My Perfect Console – episode archive Support My Perfect Console on Patreon Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Sarah Maria Griffin, poet, author (Eat the Ones You Love; Strange is the Light)

  5. 1 sept.

    Mike Diver, journalist, author (Aliens: The Video Games)

    Mike Diver is a British journalist, editor, and author whose career has moved fluidly between music criticism and video games writing, always with an eye for subculture, history, and stories beyond the mainstream. He began at the music website Drowned in Sound, where he rose to become content editor, before going on to work with Clash and contribute to publications including Kerrang! and Rock Sound. Later, he turned increasingly to video games, writing for outlets including Edge and Kotaku - as well as heading up teams at VICE Gaming (later Waypoint) and GAMINGbible - and bringing the same curiosity and critical energy to games culture, retro hardware, and the history of the medium. Alongside his journalism, he has written six books on video games and edited several more, covering subjects from indie games and esports to Sonic the Hedgehog and Final Fantasy. His latest book, Aliens: The Video Games, continues that fascination with the way great pop-cultural worlds mutate and endure through interactive form. LINKS Mike Diver – website & book Mike Diver – Aliens: The Video Games: An Unofficial Guide (Waterstones, out 30 August 2026) Aliens: The Video Games – publisher White Owl / Pen and Sword Alien games discussed Alien: Isolation – Steam Aliens: Dark Descent – Steam Aliens: Colonial Marines – Wikipedia Aliens: Infestation (Nintendo DS) – Wikipedia Aliens vs. Predator (Capcom, 1994 arcade) – Wikipedia Alien: Rogue Incursion – Steam Alien: Isolation 2 – official announcement trailer Mike's Perfect Console Sensible Soccer (1992) – Wikipedia Sensible World of Soccer – Wikipedia Streets of Rage 2 – Wikipedia Streets of Rage 4 – official site Snatcher – Wikipedia 1944: The Loop Master – Wikipedia Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium (includes 1944) – Steam The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – official site The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Steam Other games and references mentioned Drowned in Sound – Wikipedia (music website where Mike began his career) Vice Gaming / Waypoint – Wikipedia Aftermath – independent games journalism site Respec – independent games journalism site Mina the Hollower – Yacht Club Games Yuzo Koshiro – composer of Streets of Rage 2 soundtrack, Wikipedia Hideo Kojima – Wikipedia Evercade – retro gaming handheld Next week's guest Sarah Maria Griffin – official website Eat the Ones You Love – Sarah Maria Griffin's latest novel (Waterstones) Sarah Maria Griffin – writing about video games for The Guardian Support the show My Perfect Console – episode archive Support My Perfect Console on Patreon Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Mike Diver, journalist, author (Aliens: The Video Games)

  6. 25 août

    Soren Johnson, game designer (Civ III, Civ IV, Spore, Old World)

    Soren Johnson is an American programmer and game designer whose work has helped shape the modern strategy genre. After earning a master’s degree in Computer Science from Stanford University, he joined Firaxis Games, where he worked as both a programmer and designer on Civilization III before going on to lead the design of Civilization IV, one of the most celebrated strategy games yet made. Over the years he has contributed to a wide range of projects, including Spore, Dragon Age Legends, and Offworld Trading Company, bringing a distinctive blend of historical insight, systemic thinking, and player-driven design. Today he is the founder and design director of Mohawk Games, where he recently led the development of the acclaimed historical strategy game Old World. Alongside his development work, he continues to explore the craft of game design through his long-running blog and podcast, both of which are titled “Designer Notes”. Soren Johnson – website & podcast Soren Johnson – Designer Notes blog Designer Notes podcast – episode archive Designer Notes – Apple Podcasts Designer Notes – Spotify Mohawk Games & Old World Mohawk Games – official site Old World – official page Old World – Steam Old World – GOG Old World – Epic Games Store Old World: Empires of the Indus DLC – Mohawk Games Soren's Perfect Console Pinball Construction Set (1983) – Wikipedia M.U.L.E. (1983) – Wikipedia Seven Cities of Gold (1984) – Wikipedia Legacy of the Ancients (1987) – Wikipedia Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri (1999) – Wikipedia Other games and references mentioned Civilization IV – Wikipedia Civilization III – Wikipedia Sid Meier's Pirates! (2004 remake) – Wikipedia Civilization Revolution – Wikipedia Offworld Trading Company – Steam Spore (2008) – Wikipedia Balatro – Steam Vampire Survivors – Steam Schedule I – Steam Lethal Company – Steam Bennett Foddy – personal site Danielle Bunten Berry – Wikipedia (designer of M.U.L.E.) Trip Hawkins – Wikipedia (founder of Electronic Arts) Jake Solomon – Wikipedia Game Developers Conference (GDC) – official site Simon's book Trial of the Space Invaders – pre-order (Bookshop.org UK) Trial of the Space Invaders – pre-order (Amazon UK) Support the show My Perfect Console – episode archive Support My Perfect Console on Patreon Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Soren Johnson, game designer (Civ III, Civ IV, Spore, Old World)

  7. 18 août

    Glen Henry, gamemaker, co-founder Jamaica Game Developer Society.

    My guest today is a Jamaican game developer and studio founder. Based in Kingston, he is the founder of Spritewrench Studios, a narrative-focused micro studio he built after realising, in his final year at university, that he did not need to leave Jamaica or join a hundred-person team to make games of his own. Inspired by that possibility, he began creating small projects, taking part in game jams, and steadily turning Spritewrench from a name into a company. His work is shaped by a commitment to cultural representation that reaches beyond cliché, and by a wider effort to grow the local scene through the Jamaica Game Developer Society, where he has worked to connect creators and open up pathways into the industry. Now, with Duppy Detective Tashia, a point-and-click mystery rooted in Caribbean folklore, he is bringing that vision to a wider audience. Glen Henry & Spritewrench Studios Spritewrench Studios – official website Spritewrench – itch.io (all games) Glen Henry – Instagram (@spritewrench) Duppy Detective Tashia Duppy Detective Tashia – Steam Duppy Detective Tashia – itch.io Jamaica Game Developer Society Jamaica Game Developer Society – official site JGDS – YouTube channel (Crash Course series) Glen's Perfect Console The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker – Wikipedia Viewtiful Joe (GameCube, 2003) – Wikipedia Spelunky Classic – free download (Derek Yu's site) Spelunky Classic – Wikipedia Hades – official site Hades – Steam Hollow Knight: Silksong – official site Also mentioned Bastion – Supergiant Games Transistor – Supergiant Games Indie Game: The Movie – official site Black Voices in Gaming – community Discord Rami Ismail – game developer and advocate Chase Bethea – composer (Duppy Detective Tashia) Bubblexity – BChaotic (Jamaican student dev team, Steam) TIGSource – indie game development forums Global Game Jam Next week's guest Soren Johnson – designer of Civilization IV Old World – Mohawk Games (Steam) Simon's book Trial of the Space Invaders – pre-order (Bookshop.org UK) Trial of the Space Invaders – pre-order (Amazon UK) Support the show My Perfect Console – episode archive Support My Perfect Console on Patreon Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Glen Henry, gamemaker, co-founder Jamaica Game Developer Society.

  8. 11 août

    Amelia Tait, journalist, children's author.

    Amelia Tait is a British journalist and author whose work has made her one of the sharpest observers of modern life online and off. As a freelance writer, she has built a reputation for following the strange, revealing currents of contemporary culture — writing about the internet, and remarkable people for publications including The New Yorker, The Guardian, Wired, and the New York Times. Her reporting is often drawn to the places where technology and absurdity collide, finding the human story inside subjects other people might dismiss as niche or ephemeral. Now she has turned that same wit and curiosity to fiction with her debut children’s book, Lily Tripp: Diary of an Accidental Time Traveller, a funny, fast-moving adventure about a girl bouncing through history while trying to survive friendship drama and the general embarrassment of being thirteen. LINKS Amelia Tait – website & writing Amelia Tait – official website The Waiting Room – Amelia's Substack newsletter Lily Tripp: Diary of an Accidental Time Traveller Lily Tripp – Waterstones (Waterstones Children's Book of the Month, June 2026) Lily Tripp – Amazon UK Amelia's Perfect Console Theme Hospital (1997) – Wikipedia The Simpsons: Road Rage (2001) – Wikipedia The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker – Wikipedia The Sims Bustin' Out (Game Boy Advance, 2003) – Wikipedia Stardew Valley – official site Stardew Valley – Steam Other games mentioned Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Nintendo The Simpsons: Hit & Run – Wikipedia Amelia's journalism – selected pieces Are Disney Adults the Happiest Debtors on Earth? – The New Yorker Amelia Tait – articles on The Guardian Next week's guest Duppy Detective Tashia – Glen Henry / Spritewrench Studios – Steam Spritewrench Studios – itch.io Support the show My Perfect Console – episode archive Support My Perfect Console on Patreon Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Amelia Tait, journalist, children's author.
Tout afficher (208)

Bande-annonce

À propos

In My Perfect Console, Simon Parkin, award-winning author video game critic for The Observer invites well-known guests from the worlds of gaming, film and television, music, comedy and more to pick the five video games they would like to immortalise on a fictional games machine. They discuss those five games in chronological order of release, interspersed with biographical chat about the guest’s life and career –– a lens that often leads to new and unexpected insights. "Thoroughly modern and ahead of its time...a gift." - NEW YORK'S VULTURE "Charming, insightful." -- THE GUARDIAN TIME OUT'S 50 Best Podcasts VULTURE's Best Podcast of the Year Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Informations

  • Création
    Simon Parkin
  • Années d’activité
    2023 - 2026
  • Épisodes
    208
  • Classification
    Contenu explicite
  • Copyright
    © Simon Parkin
  • Site web de l’émission
    My Perfect Console with Simon Parkin

Vous aimeriez peut‑être aussi