With the success of this feature 2 weeks ago, we decided to make it a bi-weekly piece. In case you missed the first installment, the goal is to spotlight smaller podcasts that have something unique to offer which you may not have found on your own.
The Brainy Gamer Podcast is hosted by Michael Abbott (@brainygamer) who is a professor of theater and film studies at Wabash College, fitting, isn’t it? Rather than taking a traditional approach, the Brainy Gamer Podcast does something that we have heard many argue should be done when talking about games; it takes them as a serious medium. The idea is to approach games with an eye towards the analytical.
Throughout it’s 2 year run, Michael has had a chance to speak with many of the visionaries within the industry, from Hit Detection’s N’Gai Croal to Leigh Alexander of Gamasutra and many more. With guests like this it’s easy to see the focus on a conversation concerning real issues. It is approaches like these that make you realize that if we want games to be taken seriously, we have to start taking them seriously ourselves in a mature manner. You will never hear the words “it’s just a game” uttered here.
A Life Well Wasted has become widely loved for doing a similar sort of thing that the Brainy Gamer Podcast has been doing for a couple years now. Although the actual execution is different and the Brainy Gamer Podcast focuses more on talking with prominent members of the gaming community, the goal feels very much the same.
If you are looking for something a little deeper than the usual game mechanics discussion, the Brainy Gamer Podcast is a great place to start. It is not a weekly show, but when there is a new show you can be sure it is because Michael has something interesting and important to say. Also be sure to check out the Brainy Gamer blog for more insights outside of the show.
Here is the latest show, Episode 28:
This edition of the Brainy Gamer Podcast focuses on games that can make a difference. It features interviews with two people in the vanguard of innovative game design for social change: Suzanne Seggerman (pictured left) president and co-founder of Games for Change; and Mary Flanagan (pictured right), founder of the Tiltfactor Lab and Values at Play initiative. We discuss a wide range of topics, and we gear up for the G4C Festival in New York City later this month.
Runtime – 52:41
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