Total Playtime

Total Playtime
  • 5.0 (12)
  • VIDEO GAMES
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Total Playtime is a podcast about videogames, mostly, hosted by games industry veterans Alice Bell, Nate Crowley and Jon Hicks. Join them for discussion of the latest and most interesting PC and indie games, grumbles about the state of games media, and impromptu quizzes dredged from the unknowable depths of Nate's brain. Public episodes are released every two weeks, and if you support us on Patreon you'll get weekly episodes. Send us questions, ideas and feedback at totalplaytimepod@gmail.com, and follow us on BlueSky if you like. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 12/25/2025

    Episode 25: The Awards Awards

    Merry Christmas, sausages one and all, and please enjoy our seasonal gift of grumbling about a Geoff Keighley event. All four of us, plus Anthony Hopkins, took time out from Christmas shopping/wrapping/disorganisation to judge the best of the year-end awards season, and also debate movie series that Alice should binge-watch in her act of seasonal self-harm. Plus: the least-qualified discussion of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 on any gaming podcast this year, Lenny Kravitz as recession indicator, Rolf the Dog smoking a joint with Joe Rogan and finally building The Interat. Correction: Alice mistakenly credited Rage 2 to Ubisoft when it was of course Bethesda and Jonty was too polite to point this out UNTIL NOW. You can listen to the episode directly right here, or find it in your pod catching apps. iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/total-playtime/id1790845149 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1jPv8y9BRzqATFT7zXRxKW RSS: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/6786cf573ceecdbe85eac067 Acast: https://shows.acast.com/total-playtime Music by God Ribbon, art by Marsh Davies and our entire existence care of our Patreon supporters, who remain the most special sausages even in the face of stiff seasonal competition. Thanks again for making all of this happen. You can send us comments, feedback and suggestions for terrible movie franchises to totalplaytimepod@gmail.com. Games! Star Wars Fate of the Old Republic, Ace Combat 8, Bradley the Badger, Control: Resonant, Tomb Raider: Catalyst, Sunset Overdrive, Order of the Sinking Star, Ontos, Total Warhammer 40k, Stupid Never Dies, Gang of Dragon. Links! The interminable appearance of the Street Fighter Cast. Here is a music journalist getting mad at "gaming 'journalists' and other slack-jawed, brainless zombies" for disrespecting Andrew WK's E3 performance. Damion Schubert pointed out that Game Awards pricing is actually pretty good by contemporary marketing standards. Casey Hudson and Jason Schreier disagreed on when Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic will come out. The Divinity trailer was gross AF. The internet was entirely normal about the Divinity statue. The first trailer for Baldur's Gate 3 was also a bit much. Alan Hazelden on being part of a Jonathan Blow game. Some people got hype, and then disappointed, by Half-Life 3 again. Anthony Jeselnik's Top 10 books of 2025. Recommendations! The Sycamore Gap Mystery and The Salt Path Scandal (here's the Observer exposé), A Passion for Passion, the Inside of You podcast, The Three Body Problem.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 7m

  2. 12/11/2025

    Episode 24: They Play Horses, Don't They?

    In this episode we discuss the (frankly, needlessly) controversial HORSES, an Italian surrealist horror game that has been banned from Steam and, latterly, the Epic Game Store, and boy everyone and their mother has been yapping about it. What do we think of Steam's ban? Is nudity ever okay? And what's up with this Ian dude? (Answers: Steam can do what they want but this is still bad; no, live in shame you freaks; it is beyond the remit of this podcast to discover that). A big thank you to God Ribbon for our music, Marsh Davies for our art, and our Patron supporters, who are all too hot for TV. You can share comments, suggestions, and NO FEEDBACK WHATSOEVER to totalplaytimepod@gmail.com. You can listen to the episode directly right here, or find it in your pod catching apps. iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/total-playtime/id1790845149 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1jPv8y9BRzqATFT7zXRxKW RSS: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/6786cf573ceecdbe85eac067 Acast: https://shows.acast.com/total-playtime Links! *deep breath* Horses got banned from Steam, in events described by the devs here and supplement by a statement from Valve; Eurogamer also further interviewed Pietro Righi Riva, studio director, here. The game was also yoinked from Epic and briefly delisted by Humble (a summary from the Verge here). This kerfuffle despite the fact that most people who play the game kind of shrug at the content (Edwin, at our old stomping ground, seemed to like it, and his review provides a lot of context). Also, Ian Bogost rose from the dead to remind us that games shouldn't have stories anyway, and if they do they're bad. Horses is available on Itch, Humble and GOG. Games! Brendy has been shredding in Skate Story. Jonty has been playing The Séance of Blake Manor and is incorrect about it. Santa Ragione's website with links to their other games is here. Recommendations! Brant recommends The Ooh Directory (via PCGamer), Jonty recommends internet newsletter Read Max, and I recommend cooking channel Kaz Cooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1 hr

  3. 11/27/2025

    The John Cena Xbox 360 Anniversary Special

    We celebrate the birth of the Xbox 360, and God's own sausage-in-a-suit-jacket Phil Spencer. But mostly the Xbox 360. We reminisce about what the 'box mean to us, and Jonty reveals some of the behind-the-scenes dead-eyed virtual child Milo goss you've been waiting for. Plus! Games Satan returns with possibly his weirdest question yet. A big thank you to God Ribbon for our music, Marsh Davies for our art, and the best sausages in the world, our Patreon supporters, for financing our silliness. You can share comments, suggestions, feedback, and Xbox memories to totalplaytimepod@gmail.com. You can listen to the episode directly right here, or find it in your pod catching apps. iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/total-playtime/id1790845149 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1jPv8y9BRzqATFT7zXRxKW RSS: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/6786cf573ceecdbe85eac067 Acast: https://shows.acast.com/total-playtime Links! Eurogamer's piece on the end of the 360, and their hub of 360 articles. Here's the Milo demo, and the whole 2010 conference that Jonty was at if you're arsed. Enjoy the 360 reveal feat. Elijah Wood on PCGamer. Recommendations! Conceited by Lola Young, Wharf Aquatics, Wirecutter's mystery Amazon pallet unboxing, and The Turn Of The Screw by Henry James. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1 hr

  4. 11/13/2025

    Episode 22: GTA6 Definitely Won't Be Delayed Again

    This week is another two-hander, as Jonty and Nate are both away, so Brendy earns his keep by joining me as we have mild opinions about Rockstar delaying Grand Theft Auto VI, but stronger opinions about Rockstar firing a bunch of developers out of nowhere. We also discuss an interesting interview from Tomas Sala, developer of Bulwark and The Falconeer, AND, as a special treat, we've been playing some topical and current video games this week.  A big thank you to God Ribbon for our music, Marsh Davies for our art, and ethical and sensible Patreon supporters for financing our silliness. You can share comments, suggestions, feedback, and union support to totalplaytimepod@gmail.com. You can listen to the episode directly right here, or find it in your pod catching apps. iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/total-playtime/id1790845149 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1jPv8y9BRzqATFT7zXRxKW RSS: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/6786cf573ceecdbe85eac067 Acast: https://shows.acast.com/total-playtime Links! GTAVI is delayed, but Strauss Zelnick is like 'no worries m8'. Rockstar has been accused of union busting and can suck it if this is indeed the case (since we recorded Rockstar are facing legal action). Tomas Sala on finding a sustainable dev life away from virality, via Eurogamer. Matthew "Iggy" Kowalski needs a kidney. Games! Arc Raiders! Dispatch! The Séance of Blake Manor! Recommendations! Bronder recommends Gutshot by Amelia Gray, and I recommend A Very Vexing Murder by Lucy Andrew Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 16m

  5. 10/30/2025

    Episode 21: An Xbox Where His Hand Should Be

    This week we're down a Jonty (not permanently, don't worry) but up a new chair, thanks to our Patreon pals! And it's been a week of upheaval elsewhere, as Microsoft and Xbox has been the focus of a lot of news. Halo is re-back, but also on PlayStation!? What do we think this means for hexboks? Nothing particularly encouraging, but Brendy is annoyed by some Halo rocks. PLUS Nate makes fun of AI, and Alice has been playing Bloodlines 2, as is her curse. A big thank you to God Ribbon for our music, Marsh Davies for our art, and our very cool and majestic Patreon supporters for being the wind beneath our wings - a wind that allows for a new host, no less. You can share comments, suggestions, feedback, and strong opinions about Halo rocks at totalplaytimepod@gmail.com. Links! Xbox allegedly pushes for 30% margins, is unconcerned by other platforms, and is putting arguably its flagship product on the Sony box. Remember when the internet stopped working? That was because of one software bug, but best not to worry unless your bed bricked. EA signed a deal with Stability AI, and it's fun to laugh at bad AI, unless you're on dating apps, I guess. Games! Keep Driving! Bloodlines 2! PowerWash Simulator 2! Dawn Of War! Carimara! Recommendations! Make a kind of mincemeat toast instead of a mince pie, observe Stewthius, the perpetual stew, watch ish's terrifying Minecraft social experiments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 6m

  6. 10/17/2025

    Episode 20: A Series of Developer Complaints

    Alice is unavailable so we are joined by another voice of podcasts past: James Archer, the RPS master of waring hard. He assists us in considering the latest collection of furious developer commentary and shares his judgement on the handheld Xbox thing, for which he is rewarded by being anointed Archbishop of Games Canterbury. You may think these freeform attempts at rolling our own belief system are unsustainable but we're British (derogatory), this stuff is in our blood. Thanks to God Ribbon for our music, Marsh Davies for our art, and our beloved Patreon backers for funding the podcast and make it happen. You can share comments, suggestions and prospective papal edicts at totalplaytimepod@gmail.com. Links! Game File revealed that Ubisoft cancelled a Reconstruction-era Assassin's Creed game. Glen Israel left 343 Industries in an extremely portentous way. Halo already did an anime. The IWGB union published an open letter savaging the management at Build A Rocket Boy. The ROG Xbox Ally X. Games! Assassin's Creed Freedom Cry. Halos Infinite and 4. Prototype lets you punch people into spaghetti by design rather than graphical error. Everybody loved Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, eventually. Rimworld Odyssey. Dawn of War: Definitive Edition. There's an updated version of Red Alert in Command and Conquer Remastered. Battlefield 6. Cloverpit. Recommendations! Tenggar Cavalry, Kartuli and Peacemaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 8m

  7. 10/02/2025

    Episode 19: I Thought It Was A Joke When You Said Jared Kushner

    Circumstances forced us to once again talk about serious things this week, as EA has (subject to approval, lol) been bought by a consortium of definitely not the worst people you don't know. Meanwhile, we got a first look at Insomniac's Wolverine game, and for a 'cat rescued from a tree' sorry of levity, Randy Pitchford posted through Borderland's 4's PC optimisation problems. Thanks to our Patreon backers for making this podcast possible! Please consider joining them so that we can start our own ethically pure esports league. Our music is by God Ribbon, our art is by Marsh Davies and our inbox is totalplaytimepod@gmail.com. Links! Don't worry, universally beloved Andrew Wilson is staying on at EA (here's SuperJoost on the acquisition). Wolverine is exceptionally violent, possibly in retaliation for his being kidnapped and ransomed. Borderlands 4 works fine on PC, thank you very much, and Randy Pitchford is fine about it (more on this from HitPoints) Games! Borderlands 4 is fine on PC, stop asking! Marvel at the dynamically soiling onesie in Baby Steps, write your own jokes here about Megabonk, and go off the titular world in RimWorld's new Odyssey DLC. Plus: pleasing moments in Hades 2! Recommendations! The Woolwich Harbour ferry, the town of Cleethorpes, and the reboot of Matlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 8m

  8. 09/22/2025

    Episode 18: Thematic Insect Attack

    Alice has been Nic Cage Wickerman'd by her own dog, a sorry state of affairs, but one that does at least tie in with talking about Hollow Knight: Silksong, a somewhat popular game, as we understand it. You know who else is popular? That Mario fella. He turned 40 this past weekend (sort of, if you start counting from Super Mario Bros. rather than Donkey Kong, which is technically Mario's first appearance even though he was called Jumpman at the time) [deep breath]. Also Nate torments us with a medieval bestiary and we conceive of a gritty Wind In The Willows reboot. What's not to love? Thanks to our Patreon backers for making this podcast possible! Please consider joining them so that we can force Jonty to go to Gamescom as Business Arbiter. Our music is by God Ribbon, our art is by Marsh Davies and our inbox is totalplaytimepod@gmail.com. Links! Happy Underwhelming 40th Birthday Nintendo Direct to Mario! Including a tiny tease of the next Mario movie. Reviews are dripping out now for Silksong (including IGN, which hadn't drapt at time of recording), but hilariously the first patch made it easier. People are saying it's too hard, in fact. Three (mini) Kobolds In A Trenchcoat. Games! Silksong has been out a couple of weeks, the bugs are too sexy. Hades II has been out for longer, but the pretend kind of out where you get two releases, like the Queen. Strange Antiquities is a very lovely Purveyor Of Cursed Items simulator for fans of Strange Horticulture. Recommendations! Jonty makes the bold statement that The Usual Suspects is a good movie, Alice responds that so is The Ballad Of Wallis Island, and Nate double recommends Alien Earth and Blue Eye Samurai. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 13m
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5
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

Total Playtime is a podcast about videogames, mostly, hosted by games industry veterans Alice Bell, Nate Crowley and Jon Hicks. Join them for discussion of the latest and most interesting PC and indie games, grumbles about the state of games media, and impromptu quizzes dredged from the unknowable depths of Nate's brain. Public episodes are released every two weeks, and if you support us on Patreon you'll get weekly episodes. Send us questions, ideas and feedback at totalplaytimepod@gmail.com, and follow us on BlueSky if you like. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Total Playtime
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    26
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Total Playtime
  • Show Website
    Total Playtime

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