Gaming The System - The Feminist Gaming Podcast

GamingtheSystem
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  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
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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

    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

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. APR 16

    273 - GTS News: New study on Misogynistic Abuse in gaming

    In this episode of Gaming the System, Gem, Alex, and Matt discuss a recent Sex Roles study showing that women gamers who identify as feminists or take action for gender equality are blamed more for the sexism they experience online, especially by people with stronger sexist attitudes. They outline two studies using a League of Legends scenario involving a gamer named Lucia, where participants assigned more blame when Lucia was described as a feminist or as engaging in more extreme collective action. The hosts connect these findings to broader patterns of victim-blaming, institutional sexism, and manosphere-driven misogyny, and they explore how “feminist killjoy” fears can discourage speaking up. They share personal experiences of gendered hostility in gaming spaces, discuss “passing” and choosing battles, and reflect on how the podcast provides support and confidence while sometimes increasing visibility as a target. 📢 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

    56 min

  7. APR 9

    GTS News: DLSS 5 Slop, Accessibility Non-features and Fortnite V-Bucks Inflation (Episode 272)

    This week Jem, Matt and Alex take a look at three stories from across the games industry. Alex kicks things off with Nvidia's DLSS 5 controversy. Their latest AI graphics feature has been accused of applying unwanted filters to game visuals, including some telling changes to female characters' faces. Matt brings the receipts on Fortnite's quiet currency devaluation, despite Epic Games pulling in $6 billion last year. The conversation opens up into a wider chat about digital ownership and in-game economies. And Jem covers the ESA's new Accessible Games Initiative, asking whether standardised accessibility tags on storefronts are a genuine step forward, or just performative without the systemic change to back them up. 📢 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

  8. APR 2

    271 - Gaming for the CV Part 2 - Soft Skills

    In part two of their “Skill Boosts from Gaming” series, Alex, Gem, and Matt discuss soft skills developed through games, focusing on resilience, teamwork, communication, empathy, and problem-solving/critical thinking. They use examples like Slay the Spire, Soulsborne games, Hades, Elden Ring, Overcooked, It Takes Two, Split Fiction, Fortnite, World of Warcraft raids, Operation: Tango, Journey, Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes, God of War/Ragnarök, Cozy Grove, Spiritfarer, Portal 2, Baldur’s Gate 3, Hitman, The Witness, Professor Layton, L.A. Noire, and Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments. The conversation covers learning from failure, process over outcomes, ego in teams, co-op communication tools like pings and shared language, bonding with strangers, and how games model empathy and effective collaboration. 📢 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

    1h 5m
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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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