Gaming Steve: Recent Episodes

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Back again where I explore my long history with Blizzard and what I knew about Titan!

Gaming Steve Episode 77

• Game News: Persona 5 looks awesome, Uncharted 4 is getting awesome reviews, Call of Duty gets an awesome remaster of Modern Warfare, everything is awesome!
• Gametalk: I give you an overview of my interaction with Blizzard over the years, what I learned about Titan, and how it was turned into Overwatch.
• Show Mail: I answer all your crazy questions.
• Final Thoughts: I tell you about a game that nobody knows about and is awesome!

Download the show (74 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 77.

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Back again with big Nintendo DX news and why does Nintendo resist exploiting their properties?

Gaming Steve Episode 76

• Game News: Nintendo NX to be released March 2017, Uncharted 4 leaks into the wild, and lots of Blizzard news.
• Gametalk: I give my thoughts on the latest Hearthstone expansion, Battlezone 98, Endless Legend, and Pathfinder Adventures.
• Show Mail: I answer all your crazy questions.
• Final Thoughts: Next week is the big Blizzard week where I tell all I know!

Download the show (60 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 76.

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This week I come out of nowhere and give you the latest gaming news!

Gaming Steve Episode 75

• Game News: PlayStation 4.5 coming soon plus tons of Blizzard news.
• Gametalk: I give my thoughts on Overwatch, Dark Souls III, Enter the Gungeon, and Sorcery! Parts 1-3.
• Show Mail: I answer all your burning questions.
• Final Thoughts: How long until the next show? Place your bets!

Download the show (51 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 75.

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This week I have a big “Name that Game” contest where I give out lots of good prizes! Check it out.

Gaming Steve Episode 74

• Game News: Remember kids, don’t pre-order games (unless you can easily return them).
• Gametalk: After you purchase 50 games from the Summer Steam Sale how do you get to play them all?
• Show Mail: I answer your burning questions.
• Name That Game: The contest is back and with some huge prizes this week!
• Final Thoughts: Wow, a short show, that never happens.

Download the show (42 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 74.

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Is it the Olympic Games? Halley’s Comet? A UFO sighting? No it’s another episode of Gaming Steve!

Gaming Steve Episode 73

• E3 2015 Recap
  • Who is this Steve person?
  • Why I decided to bring back the show?
  • Coverage of all the major conferences.
  • Show mail! (how did that happen?).
  • A new contest.

Download the show (98 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 73.

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Sure it’s been 2+ years since my last podcast! Err … sorry everyone. But better late than never! And maybe I’ll do another one soon! Enjoy the show!

Gaming Steve Episode 72 Program

• E3 2010 Day 1 Recap
  • Who is this Steve person?
  • Why did Microsoft lose my trust?
  • Why was the Sony press conference so boring?
  • Is the Nintendo 3DS as insanely awesome as you think it might be? (answer: no, it’s way more awesome!)
  • Will Steve ever do another podcast ever again or will you need to wait another 2+ years?
  • This and many more questions will finally be answered!

Download the show (61 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 72 (MP3).

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The Game Developers Conference has come to an end and I’ve put together a fantastic roundtable to recap the show.

On the show I have Brent Lassi from VirginWorlds.com, Michael Zenke from Slashdot and Massively.com, and Michael Gordon Shapiro from MikeMusic.com (and the man responsible for the Gaming Steve theme song).

Mike even sings a bit of his theme song on the show … something to behold. Enjoy!

Gaming Steve Episode 71 Program

• Game Developers Conference Day 3 Recap
  • How on earth did one guy create an MMORPG with a player base of 1.8 million people?
  • The Chronicles of Spellborn is still alive and kicking.
  • What are Cryptic Studios and Jack Emmert up to?
  • What did game designers rant about this year?
  • Why do game developers dress so poorly?
  • What crazy game did Steve Meretzky design at this year’s Game Design Challenge?
  • WebWars: EVE sounds freaking awesome.
  • Why is Age of Conan – Hyborian Adventures going for an M-rating?
  • Why is GDC the place to be if you want to get into the game industry.
  • Finally, we get all goofy after three intense days.

Download the show (56 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 71 (MP3).

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Sorry I didn’t have a show yesterday as I was having “hardware issues”. But I’m back today with a quick recap of GDC 2008 days 1 and 2, plus a little interview with Spore Producer Caryl Shaw.

Caryl sat down with me to talk all things Spore for a good half hour, so stop reading this and start listening to the show. Enjoy!

Gaming Steve Episode 70 Program

• Game Developers Conference Days 1 & 2 Recap
• Xbox 360 finally allows anyone to develop for their system.
• Ninja Gaiden II gets dated.
• Peter Molyneux does his snake-oil dance for Fable 2 … and we eat it up.
• Gears of War 2 is announced and dated, guess the rumors were true.
• Jack Emmert goes off on MMO developers.
• Interview with Caryl Shaw, Producer for Spore from Maxis.

Download the show (48 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 70 (MP3).

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After years of waiting, dreaming, speculating, hoping, wishing, fantasizing, and talking about Spore, we finally get … a release date! Sure it’s still seven months away, but now we all have something to look forward to for the next seven months!

Just think, seven months of waiting, dreaming, speculating, hoping, wishing, fantasizing, and talking about Spore!

Oh yeah, and lots of other news, I prepare for next week’s Game Developers Conference, and something terrible happens to my Wii … and Spore! Enjoy the show!

Gaming Steve Episode 69 Program

• 00:07:19 Game News:
• Spore is coming! Spore is coming! Lots and lots of Spore-related news!
• Blizzard surprises people by announcing their cancelled games?
• Banjo Kazooie 3 to appear in 2008, hopefully.
• ESRB reports lower percentage of Mature games.
• Puzzle Quest sequel coming in 2008.
• Ubisoft smacks Bratz for $13 million. You go girl!
• Mass Effect PC-bound this May, nobody is surprised.
• EA Sports extends their NFL monopoly until 2013, nobody is surprised.
• Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 is announced for the PC, Xbox 360, PS3 and is nearly complete, everyone is surprised!

• Cryptic Studios is bringing Champions Online to PCs and consoles, everyone is surprised!

• 00:40:24 Review: Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune for the PlayStation 3.

• 00:47:06 Name That Game: A new contest and new rules!
• 00:51:25 Show Mail: I answer your audio and text questions.
• 01:23:11 Final Thoughts: I’m getting ready for next week’s GDC, and the unthinkable happens to my Wii! The horror!

Download the show (90 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 69 (MP3).

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The first new show of 2008 and it’s a fun one! This week I have Nobu Taguchi from Namco Bandai Games on the show to chat about the very cool Culdcept Saga.

And make sure to check out this week’s Show Mail where I’m giving out four free copies of Culdcept Saga! Enjoy the show!

Gaming Steve Episode 68 Program

• 00:03:33 Game News:
• Bioshock prequel in development?
• Star Wars in Soul Calibur IV … what?
• Over one million get Wii Fit.
• GoldenEye to appear on XBLA? Don’t count on it.
• Assassin’s Creed DS leaks info and the Internet explodes.
• Xbox Live lawsuit muzzles Microsoft.
• Surprise! Smash Bros. Brawl delayed again … okay, nobody is really surprised.
• Spore and Call of Duty 4 confirmed for Macs.
• Uwe Boll returning to low-budget projects … or is he?
• Nintendo to explode with new releases in 2008.

• Master Chief not starring in Halo movie? Why is everyone so surprised?

• 00:43:31 Interview: Nobu Taguchi, localization producer for Culdcept Saga from Namco Bandai Games.

• 01:09:33 Name That Game: I’m giving away four free copies of Culdcept Saga, find out how to win yours!
• 01:11:51 Show Mail: I answer your audio and text questions.
• 01:35:40 Final Thoughts: Everyone all rested up after the holidays as here come the glut of games!

Download the show (102 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 68 (MP3).

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The holidays delayed the show for a few days, but its worth the wait as is the big week where I finally announce the winners to the win a free next-gen game console contest.

Also this week I have an extra long showmail section to keep you entertained during the slow holiday week. Enjoy the show!

Gaming Steve Episode 67 Program

• 00:05:19 Name That Game: I announce the winners to the big win a free next-gen console contest! Did you win? Listen and find out!
• 00:13:27 Game News:
• The Duke is back … always bet on Duke!
• Play PS1 games on your PSP via your PS3 … what?
• Activision takes a hard stance on locking out Rock Band controllers. Why is everyone surprised?
• Red + PSP = Double sales.
• New Mass Effect book, Ascension, to land next summer.
• Chinese teen burns classmate, blames World of Warcraft.
• Amazon sell 17 Wiis per second, but yet nobody can find them!

• Steam and others having big sales! Now you have no excuse not to buy and play Psychonauts (only $9.95!).

• 00:38:04 Show Mail: The Xtra large holiday edition.

• 01:42:55 Final Thoughts: Lots of big changes to the Gaming Steve site in 2008 and I give you a sneak peak!

Download the show (106 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 67 (MP3).

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It’s the end of the year and that means everyone has to release their “lists”. So I join in the fun and go through my picks of 2007. What were the best games of 2007? What were the hidden gems that fell through the cracks? What were the most disappointing games? And what was my pick for Game of the Year? (I guarantee that my pick will be a surprise.)

Plus find out the status of the Name That Game contest where you can win a free next-gen game console. Enjoy the show!

Gaming Steve Episode 66 Program

• 00:03:52 Game News:
• Crysis and Unreal Tournament 3 both underperform.
• GameStop opening tourney venues.
• Time loves video games.
• Blizzards confirms new MMORPG in the works and I give details.
• Everyone loves to game!
• Auran shuts shop, nobody really surprised.
• Assassin’s Creed sells a gazillion copies … but who cares! There is a new Might and Magic game coming!
• Why November sales matter for the entire year.
• Nintendo is losing a billion dollars on the Wii’s short supply.
• Nintendo and GameStop to issue rainchecks (does anyone even know what a raincheck is anymore?).
• Soda companies blame video games for obese children.

• E3 returns to LA Convention Center, nobody cares except for gaming journalists.

• 00:55:18 Special Feature: What were the best, the hidden gems, and the most disappointing games of 2007?

• 01:23:49 Review: Mass Effect for the Xbox 360.
• 01:38:23 Name That Game: Do I pick the winner for the next-gen console this week? Do I?
• 01:40:00 Show Mail: I answer your email questions (send me some more questions please).
• 01:46:00 Final Thoughts: Why is nobody playing my 2007 Game of the Year pick?

Download the show (111 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 66 (MP3).

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Although this week’s news wasn’t as crazy as last week there was plenty of interesting items in the world of gaming. Plus find out the status of the Name That Game contest where you can win a free next-gen game console.

And by amazing coincidence I had the opportunity to sit down with yet another representative from Wizards of the Coast (seriously, it was completely unplanned). This time I get to chat with legendary Magic: The Gathering player and VP of of Digital Gaming Randy Buehler.

Randy and I discuss Wizards new digital initiative and how they plan to implement move all of their games to the online space, plus Randy critiques my Vintage (Type 1) Magic deck … awesome! Enjoy the show!

Gaming Steve Episode 65 Program

• 00:03:28 Game News:
• Xbox 360 sales to rival the Wii, PS3 still plays catchup.
• Kane & Lynch site caught fibbing about review scores.
• Boy attacked by moose “feigns death,” and loses aggro thanks to WoW.
• GameStop promoted to the S&P 500.
• Nintendo pulls their Wii ads … must make more Wiis!
• Eve Online patch accidentally bricks XP, oops!
• Activison to replace Guitar Hero III Wii discs, will anyone even notice?
• Wii Fit debuts at #2 in Japan … and Assassin’s Creed debuts at #8?
• PaRappa creators to make new music game for the Wii.

• GameSpot on Gerstmann-gate.

• 00:30:43 Interview: Randy Buehler, Vice President of Digital Gaming from Wizards of the Coast.

• 01:04:37 RetroReview: Culdcept for the PlayStation 2.
• 01:09:02 Name That Game: Do I pick the winner for the next-gen console this week?
• 01:12:32 Show Mail: I answer your email and audio questions.
• 01:35:26 Final Thoughts: Updating the site!

Download the show (99 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 65 (MP3).

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Since I’ve been gone for a little while I decided to make this show a bit special. Not only do I have a great guest but I have my biggest contest yet where you can win a free next-gen game console! That’s right, a brand new console, as well as other great prizes, and all you have to do is listen to the show!

And in celebration of National Dice Day I have a great interview with Christopher Perkins from Wizards of the Coast. Chris and I geek out and talk about Dungeon & Dragons new 4th Edition and it’s upcoming transition into the online world. Enjoy the show!

Gaming Steve Episode 64 Program

• 00:03:29 Game News:
• Mario Galaxy is the fastest-selling Mario … ever!
• Deus Ex 3 slips out of the bag.
• Nintendo’s Virtual Console sells $33 million. Is that a lot?
• Nintendo moves a million systems in a week.
• Grand Theft Auto IV: box art now, trailer later, game much much later.
• Sony signs new ad agency, a lot of people lose their jobs.
• Activision and Blizzard join forces to take over the World of Gaming.

• Gamespot editor fired over Kane & Lynch review?

• 00:48:33 Interview: Christopher Perkins, Story Design Manager RPGs/Minis R&D from Wizards of the Coast.

• 01:50:19 Game Review: The Witcher for the PC.
• 01:58:19 Name That Game: My biggest contest yet where you can win a free next-gen console!
• 02:02:23 Show Mail: I answer your email and audio questions.
• 02:26:00 Final Thoughts: I talk about the future of the show.

Download the show (148 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 64 (MP3).

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So what happens when two of the most anticipated games of the year — Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars and The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles — come out on the same day? Well I guess I’ll just have to feature interviews with the developers of BOTH games on my show!

Oh yeah, and don’t miss the cameos by Billy Dee Williams, Tricia Helfer and Joe Kucan (Kane himself!) throughout the show. Enjoy!

Gaming Steve Episode 63 Program

• 00:05:53 Game News:
• February US games sales up and everyone wins!
• Take-Two takes the fight to Thompson.
• Take-Two for sale?
• Xbox 360 becoming Elite?
• You Don’t Know Jack moves online for free!
• Microsoft probes possible Xbox Live fraud.
• New Wii browser incoming.

• PS3 finally hits the UK … and does really well.

• 00:26:30 Interview: Amer Ajami, Producer for Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars from EA.

• 00:42:52 Interview: Bruce Nesmith, Design Director for The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles from Besthesda Softworks.
• 01:22:17 Game Preview: The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles for the PC and Xbox 360.
• 01:26:03 Review: Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars for the PC.
• 01:37:21 Show Mail: I answer your email questions (send me some new audio questions!).
• 01:50:56 Final Thoughts: Oh yeah, I forgot to do Name That Game this week, sorry about that!

Download the show (115 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 63 (MP3).

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As GDC 2007 comes to an end I sit down with Christopher Grant from Joystiq to recap the conference.

In addition, I reveal new Spore information straight from Chaim Gingold (Spore Game Designer), the Spore development team gives the Gaming Steve Spore community some love, and I sit down with Chris Satchell, General Manager of XNA, about their wacky competition where four game designers created four games in four days. Crazy man, enjoy!

Gaming Steve Episode 62 Program

• Game Developers Conference Day 3 Recap
• Chris and I discuss his group panel at GDC, Ten Games You Need to Play: The Digital Game Canon.
• How are past video games being preserved for the ages?
• We discuss several upcoming games shown on the show floor.
• I reveal new Spore information and we discuss the importance of Spore for the gaming industry.
• Why we’re skipping the E for All Expo.
• I interview with Chris Satchell about the four games in four days competition.
• Wrap up the show and the conference.

Download the show (63 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 62 (MP3).

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Can you believe it … another brand new podcast? Are dogs and cats living together? Well they must be because I’m back with day 2 coverage from GDC 2007.

Today I recap the day’s events all by my lonesome because everyone else had to go party the night away. So you get to hear little old me speak about Shigeru Miyamotov, Chris Taylor, Peter Molyneux, the annual video game design challenge, Eiji Anouma and lots more on a jampacked show. Enjoy!

Gaming Steve Episode 61 Program

• Game Developers Conference Day 2 Recap
• Shigeru Miyamoto is really really really popular.
• Why were so many people disappointed with the Nintendo keynote … except me?
• Is it possible that the best video game designers in the world have the same family issues as you and me? (Yes they actually do!)
• Recap of Chris Taylor and his Supreme Commander talk.
• Can Peter Molyneux make you care about Fable 2?
• Give three famous game designers a needle and thread as their interface and what type of games do they come up with?
• Eiji Aonuma reflects on ten years of creating Zelda games and what challenges he faced, and still facing, keeping the franchise alive and fresh.

Download the show (59 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 61 (MP3).

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I’m Not Dead Yet! Yes everyone, I am back and I figured that since I started doing the show at GDC 2005 it was appropriate to resume with the start of GDC 2007.

Today I recap the day’s events and the pivotal Sony keynote and just like last year I am sharing the mic with a fellow blogger/podcaster Gamer Andy from Gamer Andy. Enjoy everyone!

Gaming Steve Episode 60 Program

• Game Developers Conference Day 1 Recap
• Andy and I talk about the excellent Sony keynote and the new Home system.
• Will a great keynote be enough to turn the press to Sony’s favor?
• We discuss the incredible-looking LittleBigWorld game as well as SingStar Online.
• Why are publishers looking for a strong leader and why do they hate the Wii so much?
• And where does this all leave Microsoft and the Xbox 360?

Download the show (52 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 60 (MP3).

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Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated! I’m back and I have a great new feature where I explain in detail the entire game development process from beginning to end. This week I examine what type of games publishers are looking to publish. Enjoy!

Gaming Steve Episode 59 Program

• 00:04:09 Game News:
• Lots of Wii info.
• Where did all the PS3s go?
• Tons of new Xbox 360 content.
• Seaman gets a seaquel.
• Wii’s first-party games to be region-free?
• Psychonauts, Bloodrayne available via Steam.
• Bully grabs the coveted Teen rating from the ESRB.
• BioWare developing for the DS.
• Microsoft offers free repairs/refunds for defective launch 360s.
• ESRB must play every game in its entirety says proposed legislation.
• 1.1 million Lego Star Wars II sold.
• Oblivion coming to the PS3.

• South Park gets hooked on World of Warcraft.

• 00:37:16 Game Review: Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime for the Nintendo DS.

• 00:41:46 RetroReview: Shining Force for the Genesis and GameBoy Advance.
• 00:47:08 Making The Game: A new special feature where I explain what it takes to make a video game from beginning to end. This week, what do publishers want?
• 00:54:34 “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week, a new clip, and the always cool prize!
• 00:57:55 Show Mail: I answer your questions … sort of.
• 01:01:26 Final Thoughts: Love that Puzzle Pirates.

Download the show (68 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 59 (MP3).

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So why was E3 really scaled back, and what the heck is XNA? All of this and more on this week’s show! Oh yeah, and more information on how to write for the site.

Gaming Steve Episode 58 Program

• 00:05:06 Game News:
• Goodbye Computer Gaming World, hello Microsoft.
• Big surprise, Spore is heading to consoles.
• Downloadable content is making a mint.
• Bioware gets MMOG middleware.
• Spore delayed again.
• The analysts’ were wrong (again), game sales are better than ever.
• Ho hum, Blizzard bans a mere 59,000 WoW accounts.
• World of Datecraft?
• Card-arcade hybrid heading to the DS.
• Japanese buy 10 million DSes.

• RIP E3 … we will miss you.

• 00:42:15 Interview: Chris Satchell, General Manager of Game Development for Microsoft chats about XNA.

• 00:55:59 Review: Dead Rising for the Xbox 360.
• 01:04:57 “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week, a new clip, and the always cool prize!
• 01:07:32 Show Mail: I answer your audio questions.
• 01:31:12 Final Thoughts: Make sure to check out the new Caesar IV demo.

Download the show (95 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 58 (MP3).

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Don’t worry everyone, I didn’t go anywhere. I just had a series of unfortunate events, but here’s a new show … just for you! Enjoy!

Gaming Steve Episode 57 Program

• 00:08:17 Game News:
• Now you can move from Azeroth … for a price.
• When will we see the Wii?
• Sony white PSP ad draws fire.
• Street Fighter II and other classic games announced.
• Pokemon to go online.
• No games for Zune?
• Driver abandons the Atari ship.
• Target pulls UMDs.
• EA announces yet another Lord of the Rings again.
• Sony slapped with another patent suit.

• June sales way up.

• 00:36:52 Game Preview: Maelstrom for the PC.

• 00:39:08 Game Preview: ATI press event.
• 00:43:16 Review: Prey for the PC and Xbox 360.

• 00:52:06 “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week, a new clip, and the always cool prize! lili

• 00:55:41 Show Mail: I answer your audio and email questions.

• 01:40:19 Final Thoughts: Doom RPG is awesome … who knew?

Download the show (105 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 57 (MP3).

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Now this is a show! I got Peter Moore, I got a preview of the first RTS for the Xbox 360, I got a review of the Nintendo DS, I got an interview with the godfather of RTS, Louis Castle, I got you a detailed overview of Microsoft Game Studios in Seattle … I got a lot. Enough with the talk, on with the show!

Gaming Steve Episode 56 Program

• 00:03:15 Game News:
• Dungeons & Dragons Online goes solo.
• Wii price and date to be announced … by September.
• EVE Online invades China big time.
• Dragon’s Lair goes HD.
• Blizzard making everything into an MMO?
• DS Lite sells 136k in first two days.
• Tim Schafer demands 360-compatible Psychonauts.
• Spore spreads to mobile phones (again).
• Lara Croft is coming back.

• Microsoft is working on a handheld … what exactly?

• 00:31:54 Interview: Peter Moore, Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Interactive Entertainment Business in the Entertainment and Devices Division. Oh yeah, and he also runs something called the Xbox 360.

• 01:07:36 Game Preview: The Battle for Middle Earth II for the Xbox 360.
• 01:22:56 Interview: Louis Castle, Vice President of Creative Development for Electronic Arts and the creator of such classics as Dune II and Command & Conquer.
• 01:34:56 Review: Nintendo DS Lite.

• 01:41:25 “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week, a new clip, and the always cool prize! li

• 01:45:34 Show Mail: I answer your audio questions.

• 02:19:23 Final Thoughts: Digital download is just awesome.

Download the show (145 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 56 (MP3).

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Another week, another cool interview. This week I bring back fan favorite Greg Canessa the General Manager of Xbox Live Arcade. Also I give you a preview next week’s show in which I visit Microsoft Game Studios in Seattle. Enjoy!

Gaming Steve Episode 55 Program

• 00:09:37 Game News:
• Damn those nukes I got aliens to kill!
• A new Paper Mario game for the GameCube? Is that thing still alive?
• Alienware assimilates Blu-ray drives.
• Half-Life 2: Episode One launches.
• Amsterdam to open game-addiction clinic.
• Minnesota game bill signed into law.

• One out of two MMOers play WOW … wow.

• 00:29:30 Interview: Greg Canessa the Group Manager for Xbox Live Arcade.

• 00:57:27 Game Review: Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends for the PC.
• 01:04:18 RetroReview: Paper Mario for the Nintendo 64.
• 01:11:32 “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week, a new clip, and the always cool prize!
• 01:15:19 Show Mail: I answer your audio and email questions.
• 01:49:38 Final Thoughts: I can’t stop ranting!

Download the show (116 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 55 (MP3).

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Wow, I asked you to send me your questions about E3, and did you ever! I do my best to plow through all of your questions and comments about E3. I also have a crazy interview with Cliffy B from Epic Games, Lead Designer of the upcoming Gears of War. Enjoy!

Gaming Steve Episode 54 Program

• 00:02:00 Game News:
• Phantom CEO charged with pump and dump.
• Xbox Live downloads crazy popular.
• Dell opts for AMD chip.
• Study downplays link of video games to violence.
• DS Lite Euro release date set.
• The Wizard is coming! The Wizard is coming!

• Kill Curt Schilling (in EverQuest that is).

• 00:24:46 Interview: Cliff Bleszinski (AKA Cliffy B) from Epic Games, Lead Designer of the upcoming Gears of War for the Xbox 360.

• 00:41:08 Game Review: Heroes of Might and Magic V for the PC.
• 00:48:28 “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week, a new clip, and the always cool prize!
• 00:51:10 Show Mail: I answer a ton of audio questions about E3.
• 01:47:14 Final Thoughts: The last E3 wrap-up, I hope.

Download the show (113 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 54 (MP3).

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Today I have the craziest show I have ever done. Not only do I recap this year’s E3 but I have a whopping six interviews from the show floor … AKA “The Super Interview Spectacular Show”. Enjoy!

Gaming Steve Episode 53 Program

• E3 2006 Day 3 Recap
• 00:00:49 Detailed hands-on preview of the Wii, its games, and a detailed report of too many games to list from the show floor.
• 00:33:41 Super quick interview with Will Wright about Spore.
• 00:34:33 Interview with Tim Train, VP of Operations and Development of Big Huge Games about the newly released Rise of Legends for the PC.
• 00:53:34 Interview with Paul Sage, Lead Designer of Tabula Rasa from NCSoft.
• 01:02:12 Interview with Mark Tucker, Lead Designer of Dungeon Runners from NCSoft.
• 01:09:54 Interview with Michael Khaimzon, Lead Designer of Crysis from Crytek.
• 01:16:25 Interview with Kevin Unangst, Director of Global Marketing for Games for Windows from Microsoft.
• 01:30:06 Final wrap-up of the E3 2006.

Download the show (96 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 53 (MP3).

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It’s only day two of E3 and today I have a dynamite show! Not only do I co-host the show with World of Warcraft Senior Level Designer John Staats, not only do give you a blow-by-blow description of my Spore experience (along with a dozen other games), but I managed to score an interview with Shane Kim, GM of Microsoft Game Studios. All of this and it’s only day two of E3. This is one for the record books. Enjoy!

Gaming Steve Episode 52 Program

• E3 2006 Day 2 Recap
• What’s it like to build a creature in Spore? And is Will Wright actually giving the Spore demostration?
• John and I give our impressions of Viva Pinata, Crackdown, Gears of War, Two Human, and Mass Effect for the Xbox 360.
• Next John and I switch gears and give our impressions of God of War 2, Heavenly Sword, Resistance Fall of Man, and the overall Sony presence.
• John and I next visit Bethesda and check out Star Trek Legacy, Star Trek: Tactical Assalt, and Pirates of the Caribbean Legend of Jack Sparrow.
• Back to Windows Vista and how Windows is going to enhance PC gaming.
• Finally I sit down and chat with Shane Kim and I wrap up the day’s coverage (starts at 1:13:18).

Download the show (93 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 52 (MP3).

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In this very special episode of Gaming Steve I am reporting to you directly from the E3 Expo show floor and today I share the mic with my co-host from the GDC conference. Christopher Grant from Joystiq sits down with me to discuss day one of E3. So sit back and enjoy myself and Chris chatting about all things E3.

Gaming Steve Episode 51 Program

• E3 2006 Day 1 Recap
• Chris and I discuss the Nintendo keynote and what it’s like to use the Wii controller.
• Review of the Microsoft keynote and their surprising announcements.
• Chris gives the Sony keynote an “F” and what about that crazy PS3 pricing?
• General thoughts about the upcoming console wars and how they’re going to play out.

Download the show (59 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 51 (MP3).

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Oh boy, it’s that time of year again! Not only do you get a standard show but you also get an extended E3 preview special where I go through all of next week’s madness. I even tell you how to get into E3 and how you should prepare if are lucky enough to attend.

And don’t forget to come back next week as I bring you my daily coverage E3 from the show floor with my partner Xfire. Enjoy the show!

Gaming Steve Episode 50 Program

• 00:03:51 Game News:
• Revolution renamed Wii.
• Xbox still in the red.
• Yet another ex-Gizmondo exec arrested.
• Audition for Guitar Hero II.
• Factions goes live.
• Texas lawmaker proposing game tax.
• Kingdom Hearts II sells 1 million in North America.
• Twilight Princess on May 15?
• Analysts predict bleak future for UMDs.

• DS Lite to be priced and dated May 4?

• 00:26:22 E3 Preview: I break down all the systems, games, rumors and what to expect at next week’s E3. I also give you the dirt on how to get in if you don’t have a ticket and how to survive E3.

• 00:54:34 “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week, a new clip, and the always cool prize!
• 00:57:03 Show Mail: I answer your audio and email questions.
• 01:33:41 Final Thoughts: Look for my E3 coverage next week and see if pass out on the air!

Download the show (97 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 50 (MP3).

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It seems like E3 is just a few weeks away … oh wait. It is just a few weeks away! So what surprises await the gaming masses at this year’s E3? PS3, Revolution, Halo 3, Spore, what news is going to make the big headlines in a few weeks? This week I take a look to E3 and what we should expect to hear.

Also big news as I join forces with Xfire and their 4 million users to bring you all my E3 coverage this year. Four million people .. that is a lot of new people to the site. Enjoy the show!

Gaming Steve Episode 49 Program

• 00:02:45 Game News:
• Disciples III reborn.
• Guitar Hero gets an encore.
• Command & Conquer 3 coming.
• Sony shaves $20 off the cost of PS2.
• Heroes of Might and Magic strikes gold.
• Guild Wars characters for sale.
• Xbox 360 getting new CPU.
• Play Dungeons & Dragons Online free for a week.
• Yet more downloadable content available for Oblivion.
• Silent Hill scares up $20 million.

• Viacom to acquire Xfire.

• 00:32:30 E3 Preview: What are the hottest games going to be at E3 this year?

• 00:41:32 RetroReview: Caesar III for the PC.
• 00:47:07 Game Review: Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day for Nintendo DS.
• 00:52:48 “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week, a new clip, and the always cool prize!
• 00:54:48 Show Mail: I answer your audio and email questions.
• 01:29:10 Final Thoughts: Gaming Steve and Xfire? And what to expect at E3?

Download the show (97 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 49 (MP3).

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Today I have a real treat as I finally managed to figure out a way to mix boardgames with video games as I got a chance to sit down and chat with Mark Kaufmann, Vice-President of Days of Wonder and makers of several successful boardgames as well as the new the Ticket to Ride: The Computer Game.

Mark and I talk about how he got into this business, what it takes to startup a boardgame company in North America, why they’re jumping into the computer game market, as well as much more. Enjoy!

Gaming Steve Episode 48 Program

• 00:04:57 Interview with Mark Kaufmann from Days of Wonder, makers of many boardgames as well as the Ticket to Ride: The Computer Game.
• 00:50:43 It’s the same old story … so many games, so little time.

Download the show (54 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 48 (MP3).

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Hey everyone, I’m back! Sorry for the delay, but I think you’ll enjoy the several treats I have in this episode.

Not only do I finally reveal some new Spore info but I interview Greg Canessa the Group Manager for crazy popular Xbox Live Arcade. Enjoy!

Gaming Steve Episode 47 Program

• 00:06:30 Game News:
• Wal-Mart quitting UMD movies?
• Mario stamps Japan.
• More Oblivion content coming.
• Nintendo is raking in the Yen.
• Telltale Games lowers episodic prices.
• SiN Episode 1 heading to retail.
• Capcom music hits Japan’s iTunes.
• Apple software boots Windows.
• Lionhead joins Microsoft.
• Twenty titles at Revolution launch?

• Oblivion obliterates sales charts.

• 00:39:12 SporeTalk: What new information did I learn at GDC?

• 00:47:20 Interview with Greg Canessa the Group Manager for Xbox Live Arcade.
• 01:32:12 “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week, a new clip, and the always cool prize!
• 01:35:06 Show Mail: I answer your audio questions.
• 01:56:56 Final Thoughts: Oblivion is taking over the world! And there are just too many good games out right now. What to do … what to do?

Download the show (121 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 47 (MP3).

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So what happens when my laptop computer dies on me and I have to travel all weekend? You get my final GDC podcast today instead of Friday (sorry about that all). But the good news is that this is one of the craziest episodes of them all with not one, not two, but three co-hosts this episode! Crazy I tell ya!

Today I share the mic with Alon Waisman from ChatterBox, Wes Ehrlichman from The Gamer’s Quarter, and Nathan Cox an aspiring game artist. Enjoy!

Gaming Steve Episode 46 Program

• Game Developers Conference Day 5 Recap
• How to get a job at GDC.
• An overview of some of the more interesting game sessions.
• You will not believe how crazy MMORPGs are in China (did you know that people actually pay money not to play games?)
• Will digital downloads revolutionize the industry?
• Was anything interesting on the show floor?
• Game awards? What are they good for?
• Recap of all the keynotes and announcements.
• Wes insults gamers everywhere.
• The big five-day recap.

Download the show (65 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 46 (MP3).

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Today was “Spore Day” at GDC with four different talks concerning Spore, and I was at every single one of them. But just how much new information was revealed during these talks? And what new revelations did Satoru Iwata reveal about the Revolution? This and more on today’s show!

Oh yes, and once again I share the mic, today with John Callaham from FiringSquad. Enjoy!

Gaming Steve Episode 45 Program

• Game Developers Conference Day 4 Recap
• John and I discuss Spore talk number one: “Advanced Prototyping” with Chaim Gingold and Chris Hecker.
• We discuss the Nintendo keynote speech.
• Will Wright talks, but does he say anything?
• John gives us a rundown of the expo floor.
• A review of this year’s “Game Design Challenge” and why was Will Wright wearing a tiara?
• Spore talk number three: “Spore: PrePD Through Prototyping” by Eric Todd.
• And finally Spore talk number four: “Building Community Around Pollinated Content in Spore” by Caryl Shaw.
• A recap of last night’s Independent Game Festival & Awards and the Game Developers Choice Awards.

Download the show (55 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 45 (MP3).

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In this very special episode of Gaming Steve I am reporting to you directly from the Game Developers Conference show floor. And today I do something I have never done before on the show, I share the mic with a co-host! Christopher Grant from Joystiq and Xbox 360 Fanboy sits down with me to discuss the day’s news and events. Sit back and enjoy nearly an hour of GDC madness (oh yes, and the photo is of myself and Peter Moore).

Gaming Steve Episode 44 Program

• Game Developers Conference Day 3 Recap
• Chris and I discuss the “Blogger Breakfast” with Peter Moore, Chris Satchell, Larry Hryb, John Porcaro, and Cesar Menendez.
• Review of the PlayStation 3 keynote by Phil Harrison and the myriad of PS3 and PSP announcements.
• Chris and I geek out talking about Ronald Moore’s “Building A Better Battlestar” keynote speech.
• General thoughts about what we saw and heard throughout the day.

Download the show (55 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 44 (MP3).

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Today is the first day of the Game Developers Conference, but before I even set foot into the convention center I got a chance to sit down and chat with Jeff Strain, Co-Founder of ArenaNet and makers of Guild Wars.

Jeff and I talk for over an hour and cover a huge number of topics. Find out how on earth they expect to release a brand new Guild Wars Campaign twice a year(!), more details on the technology behind ArenaNet, how they manage to continuously balance the game, Jeff’s thoughts on various MMO subscription models, as well as much more. Enjoy!

Gaming Steve Episode 43 Program

• 00:02:28 Interview with Jeff Strain from ArenaNet, makers of Guild Wars and the upcoming Guild Wars: Factions.
• 01:07:19 My thoughts on the game and the upcoming Game Developers Conference 2006.

Download the show (74 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 43 (MP3).

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I start off year two of the Gaming Steve podcast show with a nice little recap of the last year and the many changes the site has undergone. In addition, the long-awaited Gaming Steve t-shirt is finally revealed, I explain some small changes to the show, and get ready for a week of GDC craziness! Enjoy!

Gaming Steve Episode 42 Program

• 00:50:00 Special 1 Year Anniversary: A retrospective look at the explosive growth of the site and what the future holds for Gaming Steve.
• 00:15:32 Game News:
• GBA gets Player’s Choice.
• Microsoft’s Origami folds into an Ultra Mobile PC.
• New Guild Wars dated.
• Anti-game study approved by Senate panel.
• BioWare working on a new MMORPG and forms a new studio.
• ESA launches Video Game Voters Network.

• God of War 2 to rock your world.

• 00:43:00 Review: Ticket to Ride for the PC and Macintosh.

• 00:51:29 “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week, a new clip, and the always cool prize!
• 00:55:24 Show Mail: I answer a dozen audio questions.
• 01:52:44 Final Thoughts: Next week is the Game Developers Conference … aka a week of gaming insanity!

Download the show (118 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 42 (MP3).

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This week I provide the second part of my hands-on preview of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, talk about some of the changes on the site and podcast after one year, and a new person joins the Gaming Steve forums. You might know him, he goes by the name Will Wright and made a game called The Sims or something…. Enjoy!

Gaming Steve Episode 41 Program

• 00:07:02 Game News:
• Sony sells the Metreon.
• Red 5 Studios and Webzen sign a deal.
• Dungeons & Dragons Online launches.
• World of Warcraft hits 6 million and adds the Spanish language.
• Live Arcade gets five more.
• Microsoft to start $10 Greatest Hits program.
• Oblivion is done, all hail Oblivion.
• What the heck is this Microsoft Origami project?
• Another analysts predicts PS3 delay.

• Rockstar Games serves up … Table Tennis?

• 00:30:37 SporeTalk: Spore to evolve onto handhelds? And when is a game “leak” really a “leak”?

• 00:38:36 Game Preview: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion for the Xbox 360 and PC, part two.
• 01:14:15 RetroReview: Planescape: Torment for the PC.
• 01:26:55 “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week, a new clip, and a very cool prize!
• 01:30:32 Show Mail: I answer your text and Oblivion questions.
• 01:58:03 Final Thoughts: What should I do next week for my one year anniversary show? And what to expect from my reports at the Game Developers Conference 2006 and I-Con appearances.

Download the show (124 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 41 (MP3).

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This week I provide the first part of my hands-on preview of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, I review a new game cut directly from the Star Control mold, retro-review the best Bungie game you have never played, answer your Oblivion questions, and so much more. Enjoy!

Gaming Steve Episode 40 Program

• 00:04:08 Game News:
• Merrill Lynch guesses at $800 PlayStation 3 cost and causes a mild panic.
• EA slashes new game prices by 20 percent.
• Infinium opens their books.
• Ex-Gizmondo Exec trashes a million dollar Ferrari.
• Condemned to storm PCs this April.
• Classic Sierra games set for re-release.

• DS Lite to wear only white at launch.

• 00:27:44 SporeTalk: An overview as to how the download and ranking system will function.

• 00:32:22 Game Preview: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion for the Xbox 360 and PC, part one.
• 01:12:45 Game Review: Space Rangers 2: Rise of the Dominators for the PC.
• 01:26:07 RetroReview: Pathways into Darkness Macintosh.
• 01:35:17 “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week, a new clip, and a very cool prize!
• 01:38:10 Show Mail: I answer your audio questions.
• 01:57:03 Final Thoughts: So when can I scratch my Oblivion itch again?

Download the show (122 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 40 (MP3).

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Today I got a change to sit down with Pete Hines, Vice President of Public Relations & Marketing at Bethesda Softworks and makers of the highly anticipated The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.

Pete and I talk for well over an hour and cover a huge number of topics ranging from the basic to the hardcore questions that the fans wanted me to ask.

Find out how the Oblivion Xbox 360 achievements and downloadable content will work, Pete reveals a secret in-game “easter egg”, new details on the Radiant AI system, as well as what’s next for the Elder Scrolls series. We even manage to sneak in a few questions on Fallout 3, the new Star Trek license, as well as much more. Enjoy!

Gaming Steve Episode 39 Program

• 00:01:57 Interview with Pete Hines from Bethesda, makers of the upcoming The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.
• 01:20:15 My thoughts on the game itself and a small tidbit from next week’s detailed on-hands preview of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.

Download the show (85 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 39 (MP3).

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This week I talk about my upcoming interview with the The Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion team, I review Darwinia (another IGF Competition Finalist), answer lots of audio questions, and so much more. Enjoy!

Gaming Steve Episode 38 Program

• 00:03:17 Game News:
• Crystal Quest shoot onto Xbox 360 Arcade, but it isn’t the same Quest as before.
• The DS to support voice chat.
• “Hasta la Vista Baby” … Halo 2 heading to PC.
• DS download stations coming Stateside.
• Half-Life 2 becomes episodic.
• Solitaire games gets NYC worker fired.
• Xbox 360 shortages coming to an end?

• A look at the January top 20 console sales.

• 00:25:18 SporeTalk: A quick overview of what the heck is Spore anyhow? And some info on the Spore demo.

• 00:41:35 Game Review: Darwinia for the PC.
• 00:52:12 RetroReview: Command & Conquer for the PC, Macintosh, Nintendo 64, PlayStation, and Saturn.
• 01:02:43 “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week, a new clip, and a very cool prize!
• 01:07:36 Show Mail: I answer your audio and email questions.
• 01:57:41 Final Thoughts: What do you do when you get into the gaming doldrums?

Download the show (124 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 38 (MP3).

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This week I talk about Diablo III and Starcraft 2, give details about my upcoming talks at I-CON 25, review an IGF Competition Finalist, answer a ton of show mail, and so much more. Enjoy!

Gaming Steve Episode 37 Program

• 00:06:08 Game News:
• New DS hitting Japan this March.
• The US gets Brainy this spring.
• Xbox 360 loses the remote.
• Stargate enters the MMO universe.
• Blizzard stirring up hell recruiting for the Diablo team.
• The Empire strikes gold.
• S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and Supreme Commander delayed until 2007.

• PCs to be Condemned this spring.

• 00:29:13 SporeTalk: I answer lots of questions about Spore.

• 00:38:19 Game Review: Weird Worlds: Return to Infinite Space for the PC.
• 00:49:42 RetroReview: Aliens vs. Predator 2 for the PC.
• 00:56:47 “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week, a new clip, and a very cool prize!
• 01:02:28 Show Mail: I answer your audio and email questions.
• 01:46:00 Final Thoughts: Results from last week’s Final Thoughts contest, why Starcraft 2 isn’t coming any time soon, and more.

Download the show (113 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 37 (MP3).

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This week I give details about the first official Gaming Steve Tournament for Mario Kart DS, a new contest about your “funniest” gaming moment, and answer a ton of show mail.

Gaming Steve Episode 36 Program

• 00:04:17 Game News:
• GameStop expects to fulfill 360 orders in February (but not online or EB Games orders).
• Give thanks, the Revolution to be released by Thanksgiving.
• Majesco no longer a “premium” publisher.
• WoW nabs millionth European customer and more than 5.5 million worldwide.
• China’s online game regulations relaxed.
• Gizmondo Europe bankrupt.
• Heroes of Might and Magic V beta now open.
• E3 dresses up the babes and games.
• Nintendo snags 3 million online.
• New Mother has a date.
• 50 Cent sells through a million.
• Star Trek: Legacy to beam onto PCs and the 360.

• Sony zips up Zipper.

• 00:31:12 SporeTalk: I answer lots of questions about Spore.

• 00:41:09 Game Review: Dragon Quest VIII for the PlayStation 2.
• 00:58:32 RetroReview: Baldur’s Gate II for the PC.
• 01:10:47 “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week, a new clip, and a very cool prize!
• 01:14:26 Show Mail: I answer your audio and email questions.
• 02:01:11 Final Thoughts: A new contest and details about the Gaming Steve Mario Kart DS Tournament.

Download the show (126 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 36 (MP3).

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This week I review a Japanese import for the Nintendo DS and actually play it on the show. The results are, err, interesting. Also the results from the “Final Thoughts Contest” from a few weeks ago and the list of your favorite games of 2005.

Gaming Steve Episode 35 Program

• 00:01:45 Game News:
• BloodRayne opening declared “a debacle”.
• EA trademarks “System Shock”.
• The Tetris are coming! The Tetris are coming!
• 25 to Life (anyone remember this game?) is released.
• 2005 a record year for US console gaming.
• 2005 is also a record year in the UK.
• Meanwhile Nintendo totally owns Japan in 2005.

• US PC sales drop 14 percent.

• 00:21:29 GameTalk: What is the future of PC gaming?

• 00:36:33 SporeTalk: I answer lots of questions about Spore.
• 00:47:43 Game Review: Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan! for the Nintendo DS.
• 00:56:30 RetroReview: System Shock 2 for the PC.
• 01:06:10 “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week, a new clip, and a very cool prize!
• 01:09:06 Show Mail: I answer your audio and email questions.
• 01:46:00 Final Thoughts: Results of the “Final Thoughts Contest” from a few weeks ago, what were your best games of 2005, and getting “into the gaming zone”.

Download the show (118 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 35 (MP3).

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Welcome to my first interview podcast for 2006 where I got the chance to sit down with Jeff Strain, Founder and President of ArenaNet, and makers of the hugely successful Guild Wars.

During our talk we discuss the upcoming expansion Guild Wars: Factions, Jeff’s thinking behind creating a dynamically generated MMO world, the technology behind their worldwide servers and content streaming system, the upcoming schedule for new future content, as well as much more. Enjoy!

Gaming Steve Episode 34 Program

• 00:03:16 GameTalk: Interview with Jeff Strain from ArenaNet, the makers of Guild Wars.
• 00:31:00 Show Mail: I answer your audio and email questions.
• 01:09:00 Final Thoughts on my contest from last week, the new Gaming Steve T-shirts, and what I’m currently playing.

Download the show (73 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 34 (MP3).

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Why not start off the new year with a healthy dose of some Gaming Steve? I’m back with the first podcast of 2006, enjoy!

Gaming Steve Episode 33 Program

• 00:02:17 Game News:
• Pokemon USA threatens to sue cancer researchers.
• World of Warcraft pop 5 million and counting.
• Monster WOW patch released.
• G4 takes on Trek.
• EA adjusts earnings downward.
• NHL checks EA exclusivity offer.
• Judge blocks California game law.
• Jack Thompson buys shares in Take-Two.
• Video games get commemorative postage stamps.

• Why was Take-Two’s Paul Eibeler the “Worst CEO of 2005”?

• 00:35:03 GameTalk: Too much mail! Moved this week to the Show Mail segment.

• 00:35:53 SporeTalk: A look at my third exclusive Spore artwork and important Spore-related dates.
• 00:42:19 Game Review: Condemned: Criminal Origins for the Xbox 360.
• 00:58:30 RetroReview: The Bard’s Tale for the IBM PC, Apple ][, Apple ][GS, Commodore 64, Atari ST, Amstrad CPC, Amiga, NES, Macintosh, and Sinclair ZX.
• 01:11:33 “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week, a new clip, and a very cool prize!
• 01:14:14 Show Mail: I answer your many email questions.
• 02:13:12 Final Thoughts on … does anyone listen to this section?

Download the show (136 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 33 (MP3).

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In the last Gaming Steve of 2005 I sit down with the Vice President of Big Huge Games, Tim Train (Civilization, Master of Orion, Alpha Centauri). Big Huge Games made the excellent Rise of Nations and is hard at work on the upcoming RTS Rise of Legends.

In the interview we cover the game’s unique setting, issues we both had with Alpha Centauri, how the RTS genre is evolving, playing Magic: The Gathering, how to balance a complex RTS, the very cool Rise of Legends single-player campaign, the why the director’s cut of the movie Aliens really stinks. Oh yeah, and I also go over my best games of 2005. Enjoy!

Gaming Steve Episode 32 Program

• 00:03:14 GameTalk: Interview with Tim Train from Big Huge Games, the makers of the upcoming Rise of Legends.
• 01:13:41 Special Feature: The best games of 2005.
• 01:51:08 Final Thoughts on what 2006 will bring us and farewell until then!

Download the show (113 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 32 (MP3).

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Happy Holidays everyone! And as my gift to you I give you the biggest damn show I have ever done! Enjoy!

Gaming Steve Episode 31 Program

• 00:05:28 Game News:
• IGF nominees announced.
• EverQuest goes Titanium.
• Working Designs closes up shop.
• Midway closes Aussie and San Diego studios.
• Xbox 360 fails to impress Japan.
• November game sales down 18 percent.
• Activision warns of “significantly lower” earnings.
• NCsoft and Marvel make nice.
• Jamdat investor sues to stop EA purchase.
• Wik swings onto Xbox Live Arcade.
• Civil suit in Alabama goes forward.

• eBayer pays big bucks for photo of Xbox 360.

• 00:47:53 GameTalk: Are we heading towards another video game crash?

• 01:17:07 SporeTalk: A look at my second exclusive Spore artwork and I answer some questions.
• 01:27:30 Game Review: Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time for the Nintendo DS.
• 01:37:47 Game Review: Shadow of the Colossus for the PlayStation 2.
• 01:47:07 RetroReview: Hercules for the arcade.
• 01:52:19 “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week, a new clip, and a mystery prize!
• 01:56:09 Show Mail: I answer your audio and email questions.
• 02:37:42 Final Thoughts on the new T-Shirt designs and the new Gaming Steve Spore website.

Download the show (164 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 31 (MP3).

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I’m back from vacation with a monster episode and a little bit of everything. Exclusive Spore design artwork (with more to come!), I take answer your questions, I review the 360 and more!

Gaming Steve Episode 30 Program

• 00:02:35 Game News:
• Xbox 360 has rocky start at retail.
• Revolution to be unveiled in May.
• Ten most violent games named.
• Stainless Steel Studios and Digital Anvil are melted down.
• Xbox 360 lands across the pond.
• Defective 360s? Here comes the lawsuits.
• Illinois game laws overturned.
• ESRB fails the grade.
• EA swallows Jamdat.

• Clinton introducing federal game regulation.

• 00:36:00 GameTalk: The end of games as we know it?

• 00:56:27 SporeTalk: A look at my exclusive Spore artwork and the evolution of design.
• 01:04:43 Game Review: The Xbox 360 system.
• 01:33:42 RetroReview: Coleco Telstar systems.
• 01:43:31 “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week, a new clip, and a mystery prize!
• 01:47:52 Show Mail: I answer your audio questions.
• 02:09:22 Final Thoughts on the T-Shirt design contest and playing games while on vacation.

Download the show (135 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 30 (MP3).

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In this special Gaming Steve episode I sit down with Scott Brown and Ryan Seabury from NetDevil, the makers of the upcoming Auto Assault. In the interview we cover the game’s setting, the three player races, the character creation process, new features in the public Beta, the crafting, the weapons, the cars, and the oh-so-much-fun mindless destruction. Enjoy! Gaming Steve Episode 29 Program * 00:07:04 GameTalk: Interview with Scott Brown and Ryan Seabury from NetDevil, the makers of the upcoming Auto Assault. * 00:28:52 Show Mail: I answer your gaming questions. * 00:45:04 Final Thoughts on developing games in chilly Colorado.

Download the show (48 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 29 (MP3). Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3).
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This week’s episode is a “super special episode” as I cover the worldwide launch of the Xbox 360 at Best Buy in Midtown Manhattan. If you think you’re a hardcore gamer wait until you meet these guys. They waited in the freezing cold and rain, many for upwards of 20+ hours, just so that they could buy an Xbox 360 12:01 AM Tuesday morning. Check it out:

Gaming Steve Episode 28 Program

• 00:02:50 Talking with the guys waiting in line.
• 00:16:15 Chatting it up with the Best Buy Geek Squad.
• 00:20:18 The pre-sale employee “psych up” meeting.
• 00:21:35 The doors open, and the madness begins.
• 00:29:23 Wrap up of the big event, time to get some sleep.

Download the show (33 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 28 (MP3).

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Welcome to the bonus episode of Gaming Steve. This was actually part of the last episode but it was so big that I had to cut it into two. Make sure to listen to the details on the Gaming Steve T-Shirt design contest and join our Frappr! family. Enjoy the bonus goodness!

Gaming Steve Episode 27 Program

• 00:04:02 Game News:
• PlayStation 3 won’t play borrowed, used, or rented games?
• Jack leaves on his own terms.
• World domination of Warcraft continues.
• Man profits from virtual island.
• 360s in short supply.
• 360 to play 200+ Xbox games in US but …
• … Japan only gets 12 games and …
• … Europe gets 156 games.
• Xbox 360 midnight madness.
• Darwinian evolves onto Steam.
• Nintendo Wi-Fi hits speed bump.
• EA slashes prices.
• What is … World of Warcraft?

• Rare’s Perfect gamble.

• 00:42:10 GameTalk: How is the industry changing?

• 01:03:04 SporeTalk: Tell me what you want to hear.
• 01:08:08 Game Review: City of Villains for the PC.
• 01:24:39 RetroReview: Chiller for the arcade.
• 01:33:15 RetroReview: Death Race for the arcade.
• 01:36:10 “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week, a new clip, and a mystery prize!
• 01:42:53 Final Thoughts on Gaming Steve Frappr, the T-Shirt design contest, help me in testing out iTunes, and my Xbox 360 coverage next week.

Download the show (112 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 27 (MP3).

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In this special Gaming Steve episode I sit down with Jack Emmert, aka “The Statesman”, Creative Director of Cryptic Studios. In the interview Jack and I talk about City of Heroes and the newly released City of Villains (of course), the future of comics, what’s next for Cryptic, Jack’s favorite comics, and much more. Oh yeah, and we talk about the comic book classic Atari Force, enjoy!

Gaming Steve Episode 26 Program

• 00:03:59 GameTalk: Interview with Jack Emmert, aka “The Statesman”, Creative Director at Cryptic Studios.
• 00:28:28 Show Mail: I answer your audio and email questions.
• 01:16:05 Final Thoughts on finding an Xbox 360, the PSP as a gaming platform, and where is the rest of the show?

Download the show (83 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 26 (MP3).

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I guess I have totally given up on trying to make the show shorter as every time I try it just ends up longer. Oh well, enjoy this week’s gaming goodness.

Gaming Steve Episode 25 Program

• 00:01:36 Game News:
• Xbox.com is reborn.
• Video Games Live canceled … again.
• Peter Jackson POed with EA.
• Virtual property sells for $100k.
• Uwe Boll splits Dungeon Siege movie (Ed note: after the show was recorded Uwe changed his mind and will now release one 2 hour and 40 minute movie instead).
• Blizzard fires up the Burning Crusade.
• Star Wars Galaxies commits seppuku.
• Sony Online developing “free” MMO.
• City of Villains unleashes its evil on the world.
• Elder Scrolls IV missing Xbox 360 launch.
• Sony starts selling PSP Media Manager.
• Starcraft: Ghost skipping GameCube.
• Xbox 360 Lounge opens in Tokyo.
• Doh! EA snags The Simpsons for next-gen.
• Bioware and Pandemic form partnership.

• EA announces Command & Conquer 12-pack.

• 00:46:08 GameTalk: I answer lots of viewer questions.

• 01:18:34 SporeTalk: A new picture from the “E3 Spore Room”.
• 01:20:00 Game Review: Civilization IV for the PC.
• 01:38:56 Game Review: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney for the Nintendo DS.
• 01:45:04 RetroReview: LaserDisc arcade games.
• 01:51:34 RetroReview: Dragon’s Lair for the arcade.
• 01:59:18 RetroReview: Space Ace for the arcade.
• 02:04:58 RetroReview: Dragon’s Lair II: Timewarp for the arcade.
• 02:10:40 “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week, a new clip, and a mystery prize!
• 02:15:50 Final Thoughts on the new podcast setup, send me your questions, and site email.

Download the show (145 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 25 (MP3).

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This week I got a chance to speak with Xbox Live’s Major Nelson where we chat about the new Xbox Live, cool new Xbox 360 features, Major’s gaming history, German booth babes, and much more. Check it out.

Gaming Steve Episode 24 Program

• 00:04:22 Game News:
• GameTap unleashes classic games to the masses.
• California game restriction law disputed.
• Big Mac, fries, and Wi-Fi.
• Xbox 360 controller for sale in stores … really.
• Wal-Mart demoing the 360.
• GameStop receiving 360 kiosks.
• San Andreas hits retail yet again.
• 10 million PSPs in 10 months.
• Dead or Alive 4 … now with more Spartan.
• Satin Sliver PS2 buggy?
• Gizmondo? Bless you.

• The Main Event: Penny Arcade vs. Thompson.

• 00:31:10 GameTalk: Interview with Xbox Live’s Major Nelson, Larry Hryb.

• 00:59:46 SporeTalk: I break open some emergency rations.
• 01:00:40 Game Review: The Warriors for the Xbox and PS2.
• 01:11:15 RetroReview: Swordquest for the Atari 2600.
• 01:24:19 “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week, a new clip, and the cool prize!
• 01:29:24 Final Thoughts on upcoming interviews, sending me audio questions, Civilization IV and more.

Download the show (96 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 24 (MP3).

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After spending two days playing with the Xbox 360 I decided that I needed to do something special for this week’s show. So I sat down with Nick Puleo from Evil Avatar, John Callaham from Gamecloud, and James Ransom-Wiley from Joystiq to dissect every aspect of the Xbox 360. We talk about the hardware, the interface, every single game at the event, and a lot more for over an hour and a half! It’s like getting two shows in one, check it out.

Gaming Steve Episode 23 Program

• 00:02:15 Game News:
• EA Settles Lawsuit.
• GameStop and EB become one.
• GameStop cuts 700 jobs.
• The Goverantor targets violent video games.
• Judge sentences gamer to death.
• Activision cards web users.
• Game pirate walks the plank.
• Xbox 360 backwards compatible with just Halo?
• Steven Spielberg and EA get back together.

• Blizzard is spying on you.

• 00:21:55 GameTalk: Roundtable discussion of the Xbox 360 New York City Press Event with Nick Puleo from Evil Avatar, John Callaham from Gamecloud, and James Ransom-Wiley from Joystiq.

• 01:52:45 SporeTalk: SporeTalk to calm down for a little while.
• 01:55:04 Game Review: Dragonshard for the PC.
• 02:06:03 RetroReview: The Vectrex Arcade System.
• 02:16:06 “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week, a new clip, and a very cool prize!
• 02:19:54 Final Thoughts on the NYC Xbox 360 press event.

Download the show (145 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 23 (MP3).

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Everyone has been nice and patient, waiting for the “big podcast surprise”. Well the wait is over! Check out the new and improved Gaming Steve Podcast where I cover:

00:02:42 Game News: + Sam & Max Resurrected … again. + Field Commander to deploy on the PSP. + Sims 2 preparing to Open For Business. + PlayStation 3 controller design not final? Of course! + Black & White 2 descending next week. + G4 founder vacates his post. + Microsoft in legal battle … again. + Advent Children DVD flies off Japanese shelves. + EB Games out of Xbox 360s? + Game Boy Micro arrives. + Guild Wars enlists one million. + GTA to release several new versions. + Age of Empires III golden. + Man sentenced in GTA leak. + 25 to Life delayed. + NYPD commish rips True Crime. + Xbox 360 controller sold on eBay. + Xbox lost Microsoft $4 billion (and counting). + Perfect Dark Zero loses features. + Far Cry Instincts ships out. + Ubisoft unveils PSP Prince of Persia. + Serious Sam sequel ready for action. + Get ready for the HD-DVD/Blu-ray wars. + Madden bug makes Michael King feel 7 inches tall. + Castlevania to continue haunting next-gen. + Half of Xbox 360 users will use Xbox Live? + New Metal Gear Acid 2 details emerge. + Cyan Worlds lives!

• 00:44:12 GameTalk: Why is the Nintendo Revolution controller good for gaming?
• 01:02:58 SporeTalk: I uncover a nice little surprise (look on the Gaming Steve Forums to find it!).
• 01:05:03 Game Review: We Love Katamari for the PlayStation 2.
• 01:21:30 RetroReview: Starpath Supercharger for the Atari 2600.
• 01:32:09 “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week, a new clip, and a new prize!
• 01:35:40 Final Thoughts on finding an Xbox 360 next month and watch out for the upcoming avalanche of games.

Download the Podcast (101 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 22.

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With the fall gaming season right around the corner things are starting to get busy in the world of gaming. So let’s jump right into this week’s show!

00:00:55 Game News: + Nintendo ringtones? Sweet! + GameStop-EB merger almost complete. + World of Warcraft expansion to debut at BlizzCon. + Rockstar serving decaf in September. + Age of Empires III demo sets sail. + Myst V set for bittersweet farewell. + News Corp. absorbs IGN. + Key Blizzard departures appear at Red 5 Studios. + Guild Wars: Sorrow’s Furnace stoked. + Girls of gaming strip down for Playboy (again). + The first game-movie hybrid UMD to be released. + Anarchy Online continues to be free. + EverQuest & EverQuest II expanded. + WOW patch adds oodles of new content. + Sims 2 Nightlife ready to party! + It’s Sony turn to recall their AC adapters. + Retailers react to California games bill. + ESRB demands publisher audit for hidden game content. + Michigan “violent gaming” bill signed into law.

• 00:35:56 GameTalk: Welcome to the post-Hot Coffee world.
• 00:57:48 SporeTalk: Spore, the “dark period”.
• 00:59:34 Game Review: Rebelstar: Tactical Command for the GameBoy Advance.
• 01:13:15 RetroReview: Chrono Cross for the PlayStation.
• 01:21:15 “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week, a new clip, and a new prize!
• 01:24:24 Final Thoughts on the iPod Nano, the length of the show, and the huge number of upcoming releases.

Get the podcast from this page (91 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 21.

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This week is the “extra large news week” edition plus two “reviews” and two “RetroReviews”! Oh yeah, and if you buy the new “super insane crazy Xbox 360 bundle” I’ll have you on my show! Enjoy the gaming bounty:

00:02:30 Game News: + Game Boy Micro coming September 19th … how many more can they make?! + Zelda: Twilight Princess delayed, of course. + Xbox $399. + All hail! Caesar returns to the PC! + Madden 2006 tackles sale charts. + Star Wars Galaxies causes a great disturbance in the Force. + Halo goes Hollywood. + China gets serious with online gaming addicts. + Come on, buy the Xbox 360 Omega bundle for $2000 … I dare you! + Auto Assault applies the brakes. + Asheron’s Call 2 goes dark. + Nintendo buys itself. + We Love Katamari, oh yes we do! + Another week, another million people join WOW. + Xbox Live 2.0 priced.

• 00:40:20 GameTalk: What on earth was Microsoft thinking when they priced the Xbox 360?
• 00:57:30 SporeTalk: No news is good news?
• 00:59:09 QuickTake: Advance Wars Dual Strike for the Nintendo DS.
• 01:13:55 QuickTake: Nintendogs for the Nintendo DS.
• 01:20:33 RetroReview: Military Madness for the TurboGrafx-16.
• 01:26:49 RetroReview: The Little Computer People Discovery Kit for the PC.
• 01:32:00 “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week, a new clip, and a new prize!
• 01:34:32 Show mail!
• 01:39:10 Plus some very quick random thoughts.

Get the podcast from this page (100 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 20.

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After a semi-slow summer the big games are starting to appear. First up is Chris Taylor’s new Dungeon Siege II for the PC … find out if it’s a winner or a stinker. Oh yeah, I also cover these stories as well:

00:01:26 Game News: + No more Hot Coffee for you! + “Video games made me do it” fails in court. + Parents ignore game age ratings. + GameTap set for October launch. + Madden 2006, the only game in town. + Blizzard shuts down their Northern operation. + Microsoft wants money from everyone. + How many Xbox 360 different bundles will Microsoft release? + Sony may release PS3 in 2007. + Quake 3 source code to be released. + Dirk the Daring return to the Dragon’s Lair!

• 00:37:58 GameTalk: What happens when you try to buy gold for World of Warcraft?
• 00:58:22 SporeTalk: The calm before the storm.
• 01:01:03 Game Review: Dungeon Siege II for the PC.
• 01:24:04 RetroReview: NetHack/Rogue for Unix/PC/everything.
• 01:29:24 “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week, a new clip, and a new prize!
• 01:32:46 Plus some more random thoughts on the gaming calm before the storm.

Get the podcast from this page (98 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 19.

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So what happens when I try to do a shorter podcast? I end up recording my longest show ever. Nice. Check it out:

• Hot Coffee news until your head explodes!
• Every 30 seconds Xbox Live grows by one.
• World of Warcraft just keeps getting bigger and bigger.
• Microsoft confirms worldwide Xbox 360 launch.
• Advertising to invade all video games all the time.
• Hot Coffee Part 2 — The Sims 2.
• GameTalk: Hot Coffee is over — now what?
• SporeTalk: How is Spore going to handle controversial downloadable content and the “new, more sensitive” ESRB?
• In-depth review of Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee for the PSP.
• RetroReview: Heroes of Might and Magic III for the PC.
• “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week, a new clip, and a new prize!
• Plus some more random thoughts on why gaming is good for “the children” and some recommended reading.

Get the podcast from this page (104 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 18.

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As many of you out there are probably aware the gaming community has been under attack yet again, only this time the stakes have been significantly raised. A few weeks ago it was discovered that there may or may not have been hidden sex scenes and mini-games in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. This discovery had brought the politicians and watchdog groups out in droves and has caused a serious investigation by the ESRB ratings board.

Because of the serious impact this could have across the entire industry I thought we should investigate this issue more closely and discuss the larger issues at stake. In this special edition of Gaming Steve I speak with Dennis McCauley from GamePolitics.com who was instrumental in breaking this story and has written extensively about this topic. In this episode of Gaming Steve Dennis and I speak about:

• Dennis McCauley’s web site GamePolitics.com and why he started this very interesting web site.
• The “Hot Coffee” mod in general.
• What is the status of the ESRB investigation into this matter.
• What was the response from Rockstar and Take Two Interactive.
• How this content may affect the entire gaming industry, even if it wasn’t part of the original game.
• How the ESRB rating differ from the MPAA movie ratings.
• Here come the politicians … and will they ever stop lambasting GTA and violent video games?

Get the podcast from this page (40 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 17.

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You want your podcast? You’ll get your podcast! Check out the latest podcast goodness: * Help out on the Gaming Steve website, if you dare! * Microsoft and Nintendo, strange bedfellows indeed. * The Justice League of America … coming to a console near you. * Let the Madden madness begin! * Chip an Xbox, pay the man. * Gaming addicts get their own clinic. * PS3 to sell for $399, cost $494 to make. * BlizzCon buzzes into town. * GameTalk: The ESRB under fire. * SporeTalk: What to expect in the upcoming months. * In-depth review of Laser Squad Nemesis for the PC. * RetroReview: The Operative: No One Lives Forever for the PC. * “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week, a new clip, and a new prize! * Upcoming game releases. * Plus some more random thoughts on slow gaming summer.

Get the podcast from this page (92 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 16.You can also subscribe to the weekly podcast.

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So the long, slow, hot days of Summer are upon us, what better time to listen to the latest show, where I cover:

• Halo the movie … the Microsoft way or no way!
• More Resident Evil movies planned.
• World of Warcraft keeps growing and growing…
• The Matrix Online … sold!
• Don’t buy this violent video game, even though it’s not out yet and nobody has played it.
• THQ to publish Supreme Commander, hell yeah!
• Some interesting game releases this week.
• GameTalk: How to get a job in the game industry — Part 2.
• SporeTalk: So … now what?
• Quicktake: Early impressions of Dungeon Siege II for the PC.
• In-depth review of Kirby: Canvas Curse for the Nintendo DS.
• RetroReview: Total Annihilation for the PC.
• “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week, a new clip, and a new prize!
• Plus some more random thoughts on playing older games.

Get the podcast from this page (87 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 15.

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Here it is, part two of my interview with gaming legend Will Wright where we talk more about Spore. In addition to the interview I also cover:

• Sony ships 90 milllllllllion PS2s.
• Microsoft just loves losing money on the Xbox.
• Anti-game bill nearly law.
• Nintendogs causes DS sales to soar.
• Blizzard keeps on banning.
• GameTalk: How to get a job in the game industry.
• SporeTalk: Part two of my interview with Will Wright (Warning: This is pretty hard to understand, but the complete interview transcript is listed as well).
• In-depth review of Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones for the GameBoy Advance.
• RetroReview: Conker’s Bad Fur Day for the Nintendo 64.
• “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week and a new clip.
• Plus some more random thoughts on the future of PC gaming.

Get the podcast from this page (87 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 14.

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Here it is, the podcast where I sit down with gaming legend Will Wright and talk to him about Spore. In addition to the interview with Will I also cover: * I wrap up the various games I saw at E3 this year. * GameTalk: Who “won” and “lost” at E3? * SporeTalk: Part one of my interview with Will Wright (Warning: This is pretty hard to understand, but the transcript is in this post as well). * In-depth review of Guild Wars for the PC. * RetroReview: Civilization for the PC. * “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week and a new clip. * Plus some more random thoughts on E3 and a small preview of part two of my interview with Will Wright.

Get the podcast from this page (79 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 13.You can also subscribe to the weekly podcast. To view the transcript of my interview with Will Wright select “continue reading” below.

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In this special epsiode of Gaming Steve I cover the first day of E3 2005 including: * Getting through the lines. * Xbox 360 booth and games — boom or bust? * PS3 demo — boom or bust? * Is Spore anywhere at the E3 booth? * Starcraft: Ghost impressions. * Guild Wars update. * City of Villains impressions. * Hellgate: London impressions. * Rise of Legends Rise of Nations impressions. * Dungeon Siege II impressions. * Age of Empires III impressions. * Black & White 2 impressions. * Heroes of Might & Magic V impressions. * The Outfit impressions. * Time for sleep.

Get the podcast from this page (42 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 12. You can also subscribe to the weekly podcast.

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Oh yeah, I’m back in business with an extra-large pre-E3 Gaming Steve podcast where I cover:

• Xbox 360 is finally revealed … let the console wars begin!
• What games are coming out for the Xbox 360?
• The Xbox 360 sure is powerful.
• Sony tries to steal some of Microsoft’s thunder.
• Nintendo reminds us that they’re still around.
• Sly 3 goes 3D.
• DS Superstar Saga 2?
• Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories new PSP title?
• World of Warcraft Battlegrounds in testing.
• GameTalk: The E3 Survival Guide.
• SporeTalk: If Spore is going to be shown behind closed doors at E3 what does that mean?
• Quicktake: Early impressions of Guild Wars for the PC.
• In-depth review of Psychonauts for the Xbox.
• RetroReview: Maniac Mansion 2: Day of the Tentacle for the PC.
• “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week and a new clip.
• Plus some more random thoughts on the upcoming E3.

Get the podcast from this page (79 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 11.

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Hey all, this week we have an “extra special episode” of Gaming Steve where I interview Michael G. Shapiro, the music composer for the newly released Empire Earth II. In addition you’ll find: * Intro music from Empire Earth II. * Turner announces GameTap. * The V-Chip is coming to video games. * The Nintendo DS keeps on selling. * GameTalk: Interview with TV, film, and game composer Michael G. Shapiro where we talk about his music background, how he got into the industry, the development process for composing the Empire Earth II soundtrack, helpful hints for up-and-coming composers, and what games does he enjoy? * “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week and a new clip. * Some more random thoughts on the daily craziness of Xbox 360 “news” items. * Closing music from the Empire Earth II soundtrack.

Get the podcast from this page (77 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 10.You can also subscribe to the weekly podcast.

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Hey all, sorry for the slight delay in getting this week’s show to you. But it is a dozy this week! Nearly an hour and a half long of Gaming Steve goodness where I cover: * EB Games and GameStop try to take over the world. * World of Warcraft has honor. * Nintendo Revolution comes and goes. * The two flavors of Xbox 360. * Microsoft serious about Xbox 360 and HD. * Sony Online to sell virtual property. * GameTalk: Highlights from the Games & Mobile Forum 2005. * SporeTalk: Why are the gaming magazines calling me? * Quicktake: Early impressions of Jade Empire for the Xbox and Psychonauts for the Xbox. * In-depth review of The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap for the GameBoy Advance. * RetroReview: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic for Xbox and PC. * “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week and a new clip. * Plus some more random thoughts on the upcoming E3.

Get the podcast from this page (86 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 9.You can also subscribe to the weekly podcast.

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Another week, another podcast. Here’s the latest and greatest where I cover: * Sony and Microsoft dance around their new launches. * Xbox 360 name confirmed? * OurColony.net launched. * Half-Life 2 expansion pack announced. * GameTalk: Do Microsoft and Sony even need E3 anymore? * SporeTalk: What can possibly be put into a Spore expansion pack? * Quicktake: Early impressions of Jade Empire for the Xbox. * In-depth review of Metal Gear Acid for the PSP. * “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week and a new clip. * Plus some more random thoughts on “building excitement”.

Get the podcast from this page (61 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 8.You can also subscribe to the weekly podcast.

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Another week, another podcast. Here’s the latest and greatest where I cover: * PSP doesn’t sell a million. * Sony to invent the Matrix. * New versions of Katamari Damacy, Fable, Halo, and Project Gotham heading your way. * Xbox 2 unveiled before E3? * GameTalk: Will the PSP make it? * SporeTalk: Juicy inside information on Spore. * In-depth review of God of War for the PS2. * “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week and a new clip. * Plus some more random thoughts.

Get the podcast from this page (63 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 7.You can also subscribe to the weekly podcast.

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Another week, another podcast. Here’s the latest and greatest where I cover: * Sony gets dual shocked. * PSP not a sellout? * Clinton jumps on the violent videogames bandwagon. * GameTalk: So what’s up with the PS3, Xbox2, and Revolution? * SporeTalk: New weekly feature talking about Will Wright’s upcoming Spore. * In-depth review of the PSP. * “Name That Game!” contest winner from last week and a new clip. * Plus some more random thoughts.

Get the podcast from this page (76 minutes): Gaming Steve Episode 6.You can also subscribe to the weekly podcast.

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Hey all, if you downloaded the podcast which was up for the first few hours it was missing the sound effect for the “Name That Game!” contest. This has been fixed and the new podcast has the sound effect. Now back to the show! Another crazy week, another crazy podcast. Here’s the latest and greatest where I cover: * The future of the web site. * A bit of Spore stuff. * The PSP launch. * Why are Xboxes catching on fire? * EA gets pounded. * GameTalk: Should game designers unionize? * Quicktake on the new God of War for PS2. * In-depth review of World of Warcraft for the PC. * “Name That Game!” contest winners from last week, a new clip, and format for this week. * Interview preview. * Plus more of my random thoughts.

Get the podcast from this page: Gaming Steve Episode 5.You can also subscribe to the weekly podcast.

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Wow, what a week! Just a few days ago this site didn’t even exist. Then I go to GDC, record some thoughts, talk about Will Wright’s Spore and the site explodes. Now reaching close to 25,000 visitors since Monday I made sure to get the new podcast up nice and fast where I talk about — what else — Spore, and answer the dozen or so questions I got over the week. So without further ado, here is the latest podcast of Gaming Steve:

In this show I personally thank everyone who has come to the site and given me their support and great comments. In the News segment I talk about the PSP and its big launch next week. In Gametalk I answer about a dozen different questions I got over the week about Spore. So once again I talk about Spore in extreme detail and try to answer all the various questions I got over the week. Next, I introduce the “Name That Game!” weekly contest where I play three different tunes for you to try and identify. Be the first one to tell me what they are and win a $20 gift certificate to Amazon!

In Reviews I take on Resident Evil 4 for the GameCube. Sure it’s a great game, but just how great is it? And what makes this Resident Evil so different from those in the past? And finally I talk a bit about the upcoming Jade Empire for the Xbox and give you some inside dirt about the game.

Also make sure to check out the new Spore Forum.

Get the podcast from this page: Gaming Steve Episode 4.

Enter the “Name That Game!” contest on this board.

You can also subscribe to the weekly podcast.

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Today was the third and final day of the Game Developers Conference (GDC) and today was the day of big announcements!

In this podcast I have an extensive, detailed preview of Will Wright’s new game Spore. My preview is almost an hour long and I go through painstaking detail of every screen, mouse-click, and item I saw during the Spore demo. In addition I’ll gladly answer any and all questions anyone might have, feel free to email me or post a comment and I’ll respond.

I also cover a lecture on The Sims 2, find out how to get a free lunch at the GDC, check out some of the independent games featured at the conference, preview new games on the show floor, and talk about the worst presentation I have ever seen!

Get the podcast from here: Gaming Steve at the GDC Day 3.

You can also subscribe to the weekly podcast.

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Today was day two of the Game Developers Conference (GDC) and I have yet more coverage.

Listen to my thoughts on the Bioware lecture and their preview of Jade Empire, the Nintendo keynote speech, leveling up in “ConfQuest” (the real-world massively multiplayer RPG I’m playing at the GDC), listening to Tim Schafer, Warren Spector, and Neil Young talk about interactive stories, my first roundtable, finding out why all the movies in Resident Evil 4 were done in real-time, and the big finish to “ConfQuest”!

Get the podcast here: Gaming Steve at the GDC Day 2.

You can also subscribe to the weekly podcast.

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Today was the first day of the Game Developers Conference (GDC) began and I try to cover all the madness. This is my 6th GDC and in this first podcast I talk about the differences from this year and past years.

I also cover “ConfQuest,” the real-world massively multiplayer RPG I’m playing at the GDC, Microsoft’s keynote (will they unveil Xbox 2?), the “Game Design Challenge” where Clint Hocking, Peter Molyneux, and Will Wright try to design a game based upon the life of Emily Dickinson, Peter Molyneux’s new games, an interesting speech by Raph Koster, boozing it up on the Expo floor, the GDC Awards ceremony, and so much more.

Get the podcast here: Gaming Steve at the GDC Day 1.

You can also subscribe to the weekly podcast.