Gaming The System - The Feminist Gaming Podcast

GamingtheSystem
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Society & Culture
  • Updated Weekly

The podcast where 3 intersectional feminists examine gaming and games  through a feminist lens.  New Episodes every Thursday. Alex, Jem and Matt believe gaming is good.  Gaming is good for relaxation, for learning, for bringing people together and for your mental health. But like all media, there is both good and bad and we want to address how we make gaming a safe and healthy environment for women and minority groups (although lets not forget that people of colour are the global ethnic majority). We want to see the small steps towards an intersectional feminist future that have been made in games to go further. We are Gaming the System because we want to see our beloved world of Gaming reflect the values we hold dear, and until it does we are here to shine a light on what needs to change. -----PAYPAL & PATREONIf you want to support us, you can send us a one-off donation via paypal or subscribe monthly to our Patreon.For paypal, send your donation to:wearegamingthesystem@gmail.comFor patreon:patreon.com/gamingthesystem 

  1. 6d ago

    God of War: Laufey Trailer Reaction - Episode 281

    PlayStation dropped the God of War: Laufey gameplay trailer at State of Play this month, and Matt and Alex were EXCITED. In this episode, they react live to the reveal before unpacking what they saw. From Faye's combat style and the weight behind her character design, to the introduction of antagonists Sekhmet and Begtse, the return of Bear McCreary, and the tantalising threads connecting back to the 2018 game. They also get into the online criticism that followed the trailer, and why it doesn't hold up. If you want to watch along, the full trailer is over on our YouTube channel https://youtu.be/4mx7dih_Vdk Note: the live reaction segment has been lightly condensed for audio. Episode tags: #GodOfWar #GodOfWarLaufey #Faye #PlayStation #StateOfPlay #Sekhmet #BearMcCreary #TrailerReaction 📢 Support the Podcast! Let us know on BlueSky (@gamingthesystem.bsky.social), Instagram (@gamingthesystempodcast) or in the comments on YouTube! If you love Gaming The System, consider supporting us: 🔹 Patreon: patreon.com/gamingthesystem – get exclusive content! 🔹 PayPal Donations: gamingthesystem@gmail.com 🔹 Subscribe & Review: Share the podcast with fellow gamers! 🎙 Gaming The System releases new episodes every Thursday Thanks for listening, and remember – there’s always another game to play that isn’t full of nonsense. 🎮✨ #GamingTheSystem #GamingCulture #FeministGaming  #feministgamingpodcast​ #feministgamers​ #intersectionalgaming​ #equalityingames​ #GamingRepresentation #AccessibleGaming #IntersectionalGaming #GamingTheSystemPodcast

    27 min

  2. Jun 4

    BAFTA 2026: Half the Awards, All the Opinions (Episode 280)

    Alex and Matt kick off GTS's two-part coverage of the 22nd BAFTA Games Awards, working their way through the first half of the night's categories and they have opinions. The pair run through Multiplayer, Artistic Achievement, Evolving Game, Performer in a Supporting Role, British Game, Animation, Game Design, and Technical Achievement. Along the way, they dig into whether BAFTA's categories are broad enough to be meaningful, the tension between hyperrealism and genuine artistry, and whether studios that shipped broken games at launch should get credit for fixing them a decade later. Matt has thoughts on that last one. Strong ones. They also touch on the changes BAFTA made to its voting process this year, bringing in specialist craft chapters for key categories for the first time and what that might mean for who wins going forward. Part two is coming, with the remaining categories plus a deeper look at representation, inclusion, and the controversies surrounding the ceremony. Episode-specific tags: #BAFTAGames2026 #BAFTAGamesAwards #ClairObscur #GhostOfYotei #DeathStranding2 #Atomfall #Dispatch #NoMansSky #Blueprince 📢 Support the Podcast! Let us know on BlueSky (@gamingthesystem.bsky.social), Instagram (@gamingthesystempodcast) or in the comments on YouTube! If you love Gaming The System, consider supporting us: 🔹 Patreon: patreon.com/gamingthesystem – get exclusive content! 🔹 PayPal Donations: gamingthesystem@gmail.com 🔹 Subscribe & Review: Share the podcast with fellow gamers! 🎙 Gaming The System releases new episodes every Thursday Thanks for listening, and remember – there’s always another game to play that isn’t full of nonsense. 🎮✨ #GamingTheSystem #GamingCulture #FeministGaming  #feministgamingpodcast​ #feministgamers​ #intersectionalgaming​ #equalityingames​ #GamingRepresentation #AccessibleGaming #IntersectionalGaming #GamingTheSystemPodcast

    36 min

  3. Jun 2

    GTS Girls Sports and P.E. Part 2

    The second half of our examination of Girls Sport. 📢 Support the Podcast! Let us know on BlueSky (@gamingthesystem.bsky.social), Instagram (@gamingthesystempodcast) or in the comments on YouTube! If you love Gaming The System, consider supporting us: 🔹 Patreon: patreon.com/gamingthesystem – get exclusive content! 🔹 PayPal Donations: gamingthesystem@gmail.com 🔹 Subscribe & Review: Share the podcast with fellow gamers! 🎙 Gaming The System releases new episodes every Thursday Thanks for listening, and remember – there’s always another game to play that isn’t full of nonsense. 🎮✨ #GamingTheSystem #GamingCulture #FeministGaming  #feministgamingpodcast​ #feministgamers​ #intersectionalgaming​ #equalityingames​ #GamingRepresentation #AccessibleGaming #IntersectionalGaming #GamingTheSystemPodcast

    41 min

  4. May 21

    Girls Sports and P.E Part 01 - Our School Sports Origins (Episode 278)

    In this episode of Gaming the System, host Matt and guests Alex and Jem discuss girls’ experiences of sport in childhood and adolescence, focusing on how school PE can shape lifelong relationships with physical activity. Alex describes growing up with cerebral palsy in mainstream schools, feeling frustrated and ashamed by inaccessible activities, lack of funding for accommodations, and being shouted at by teachers, while also noting swimming and judo were framed through physiotherapy. Jem shares loving sport in primary school but being driven away by a hostile, competitive high school environment, repeated humiliation in PE, and being allowed to sit out athletics until later discovering aerobics as a more positive option. 📢 Support the Podcast! Let us know on BlueSky (@gamingthesystem.bsky.social), Instagram (@gamingthesystempodcast) or in the comments on YouTube! If you love Gaming The System, consider supporting us: 🔹 Patreon: patreon.com/gamingthesystem – get exclusive content! 🔹 PayPal Donations: gamingthesystem@gmail.com 🔹 Subscribe & Review: Share the podcast with fellow gamers! 🎙 Gaming The System releases new episodes every Thursday Thanks for listening, and remember – there’s always another game to play that isn’t full of nonsense. 🎮✨ #GamingTheSystem #GamingCulture #FeministGaming  #feministgamingpodcast​ #feministgamers​ #intersectionalgaming​ #equalityingames​ #GamingRepresentation #AccessibleGaming #IntersectionalGaming #GamingTheSystemPodcast

    33 min

  5. May 14

    The Dark Matter of Gaming: Attitudes & Wellbeing Part 2 (Episode 277)

    Sometimes the things shaping how we feel about our hobby are the things we can't see. In Part 1, we dug into Oxford research showing that when it comes to gaming and mental health, the hours matter far less than whether the time felt worthwhile. This week, we pick the thread back up and follow it somewhere unexpected. Matt offers a striking metaphor borrowed from physics: dark matter made visible because of how it pulls on everything around it. The way we feel about our gaming and the way others react is shaped by forces we can't always name. 120 hours in game is badge of honour in some circles and a dirty secret in others. We touch on how gaming can be a refuge during stressful moments, family card games can reaffirm sibling bonds, and finding your tribe, or tribes. We finish up with another study from the Oxford Internet Institute, which maps out 13 distinct mechanisms through which gaming can affect mental health. Finally the conversation might begin to move past "how much" and toward "how, why, and for whom." Listen to Part 1: [link to Part 1] Further reading: "13 ways gaming affects your mental health – for better and worse" — Oxford Internet Institute https://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/news-events/13-ways-gaming-affects-your-mental-health-for-better-and-worse/ #GamingAndMentalHealth #GamingWellbeing #MentalHealthInGaming #OxfordInternetInstitute #GamingResearch #GamingAsRefuge #FindYourTribe #PlayMatters 📢 Support the Podcast! Let us know on BlueSky (@gamingthesystem.bsky.social), Instagram (@gamingthesystempodcast) or in the comments on YouTube! If you love Gaming The System, consider supporting us: 🔹 Patreon: patreon.com/gamingthesystem – get exclusive content! 🔹 PayPal Donations: gamingthesystem@gmail.com 🔹 Subscribe & Review: Share the podcast with fellow gamers! 🎙 Gaming The System releases new episodes every Thursday Thanks for listening, and remember – there’s always another game to play that isn’t full of nonsense. 🎮✨ #GamingTheSystem #GamingCulture #FeministGaming  #feministgamingpodcast​ #feministgamers​ #intersectionalgaming​ #equalityingames​ #GamingRepresentation #AccessibleGaming #IntersectionalGaming #GamingTheSystemPodcast

    30 min

  6. May 10

    Gaming the Guilt: Shame, Pressure, and What Healthy Gaming Really Looks Like (Episode 276)

    Is screen time the enemy, or is it the shame we attach to it? In this episode, GTS examine new research suggesting it's not how long you spend gaming that affects your mental health, but whether you feel that time was worthwhile.  Jem, Alex and Matt unpack Perceived Value of Video Games, but Not Hours Played, Predicts Mental Well-Being in Casual Adult Nintendo Players, a study led by Dr. Nick Ballou (Oxford Internet Institute)  published in March 2025.  Across 703 players and over 140,000 hours of Nintendo Switch gameplay, the research found no meaningful link between playtime and wellbeing. But, they did find that players who felt their gaming was a positive use of time showed measurably better outcomes. They dig deep into what the research doesn't quite address: who gets to decide what counts as time well spent?  Is the pressure to justify our gaming habits doing more damage than the hours logged ever could - particularly for women? Expect personal stories, honest reflections on gaming-related shame, and a conversation that pushes back hard on the idea that healthy gaming has a time limit attached to it. Part one of two. #GamingAndMentalHealth #GamingWellbeing #MentalHealthAwareness #ScreenTime #GamingResearch #CasualGaming #WomenWhoGame #GamingShame #NintendoSwitch #OxfordResearch #HealthyGaming #GamingLife #MindfulGaming #GamingAndWellness #GamersOfInstagram  📢 Support the Podcast! Let us know on BlueSky (@gamingthesystem.bsky.social), Instagram (@gamingthesystempodcast) or in the comments on YouTube! If you love Gaming The System, consider supporting us: 🔹 Patreon: patreon.com/gamingthesystem – get exclusive content! 🔹 PayPal Donations: gamingthesystem@gmail.com 🔹 Subscribe & Review: Share the podcast with fellow gamers! 🎙 Gaming The System releases new episodes every Thursday Thanks for listening, and remember – there’s always another game to play that isn’t full of nonsense. 🎮✨ #GamingTheSystem #GamingCulture #FeministGaming  #feministgamingpodcast​ #feministgamers​ #intersectionalgaming​ #equalityingames​ #GamingRepresentation #AccessibleGaming #IntersectionalGaming #GamingTheSystemPodcast

    27 min

  7. Apr 30

    Mount Rushmore of Gaming Part 02 (Episode 275)

    On Gaming the System, host Matt joins Alex and Jem to kick off a lighter episode building their “Mount Rushmore” of gaming icons. 📢 Support the Podcast! Let us know on BlueSky (@gamingthesystem.bsky.social), Instagram (@gamingthesystempodcast) or in the comments on YouTube! If you love Gaming The System, consider supporting us: 🔹 Patreon: patreon.com/gamingthesystem – get exclusive content! 🔹 PayPal Donations: gamingthesystem@gmail.com 🔹 Subscribe & Review: Share the podcast with fellow gamers! 🎙 Gaming The System releases new episodes every Thursday Thanks for listening, and remember – there’s always another game to play that isn’t full of nonsense. 🎮✨ #GamingTheSystem #GamingCulture #FeministGaming  #feministgamingpodcast​ #feministgamers​ #intersectionalgaming​ #equalityingames​ #GamingRepresentation #AccessibleGaming #IntersectionalGaming #GamingTheSystemPodcast

    34 min

  8. Apr 23

    Mount Rushmore of Gaming Part 01 (Episode 274)

    On Gaming the System, host Matt joins Alex and Jem to kick off a lighter episode building their “Mount Rushmore” of gaming icons. 📢 Support the Podcast! Let us know on BlueSky (@gamingthesystem.bsky.social), Instagram (@gamingthesystempodcast) or in the comments on YouTube! If you love Gaming The System, consider supporting us: 🔹 Patreon: patreon.com/gamingthesystem – get exclusive content! 🔹 PayPal Donations: gamingthesystem@gmail.com 🔹 Subscribe & Review: Share the podcast with fellow gamers! 🎙 Gaming The System releases new episodes every Thursday Thanks for listening, and remember – there’s always another game to play that isn’t full of nonsense. 🎮✨ #GamingTheSystem #GamingCulture #FeministGaming  #feministgamingpodcast​ #feministgamers​ #intersectionalgaming​ #equalityingames​ #GamingRepresentation #AccessibleGaming #IntersectionalGaming #GamingTheSystemPodcast

    35 min
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About

The podcast where 3 intersectional feminists examine gaming and games  through a feminist lens.  New Episodes every Thursday. Alex, Jem and Matt believe gaming is good.  Gaming is good for relaxation, for learning, for bringing people together and for your mental health. But like all media, there is both good and bad and we want to address how we make gaming a safe and healthy environment for women and minority groups (although lets not forget that people of colour are the global ethnic majority). We want to see the small steps towards an intersectional feminist future that have been made in games to go further. We are Gaming the System because we want to see our beloved world of Gaming reflect the values we hold dear, and until it does we are here to shine a light on what needs to change. -----PAYPAL & PATREONIf you want to support us, you can send us a one-off donation via paypal or subscribe monthly to our Patreon.For paypal, send your donation to:wearegamingthesystem@gmail.comFor patreon:patreon.com/gamingthesystem 

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