The Insert Credit Show

Your Insert Credit Panel discusses the future of Xbox, the difference between dad games and mom games, and weird little guys. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Watch episodes with full video on YouTube Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums SHOW NOTES: KEXP Italian AOC “This wild aura, man. Can’t let this go.” Falsetto 1: When are you convinced to go back to a particular game after putting it down? (02:51) Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare Cronos: The New Dawn Red Dead Redemption II Deadwood Sega Genesis Sony PlayStation World of WarCraft Quest 64 Quest 64 Official The Ooze barleybap 2: Through video game history, how has the job of level designer evolved? (07:44) TUME Disney’s Aladdin Hirokazu Yasuhara Sonic the Hedgehog series Uncharted series Titanfall 2 Iwata Asks Legend of Zelda series Shigeru Miyamoto Takashi Tezuka 3: What are the differences between a dad game and a mom game? (12:59) Pragmata Cooking Mama Bayonetta Amnesia: Rebirth Super Metroid NieR NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… Stardew Valley The Sims Black & White Peter Molyneux You know it’s bad for AI when even Peter Molyneux, king of overpromising, is tepid on its use in game dev Grateful Dead Black Sabbath 4: Design a video game trilogy intended to grow up with the player base (19:39) Pokemon series Palworld Mewgenics! Final Fantasy XII Master Chief Game Freak NFT 5: Death_Strandicoot asks, is Xbox a third party now? Is there still a Big 3? (28:01) Halo: Campaign Evolved launches on PS5 ‘We Are Xbox’: read the memo defining Microsoft’s gaming future Developers, developers, developers Nintendo Sony Roblox Epic Fortnite Circana List of largest video game companies by revenue 6: What are some new ways to torture players in masocore games? (33:42) Masocore Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy QWOP Dark Souls Minecraft Marvel Rivals Jackass Virtual Boy Speedrunning 7: What is the McDonald’s Sprite of video games? (38:42) McDonalds Sprite Steam Deck LIGHTNING ROUND: GameFAQ&As - Roblox Mobile (43:51) Recommendations and Outro (49:51): Frank: apply for Video Game History Foundation’s Charity Development Coordinator if you meet the qualifications Ash: For All Mankind Brandon: Boogiepop Phantom, Ikarie XB-1 (1963), Baby Steps Developers React to 7 Minute Speedrun This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more!

The panel reviews Cookie’s Bustle, a Japanese PC adventure game hindered by endless copyright strikes and finally freed by the Video Game History Foundation. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Watch episodes with full video on YouTube Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums SHOW NOTES: Yoko Kanno Cowboy Bebop The Real Folk Blues Vincent Diamante Alto saxophone The Offspring Phil Collins Wet Leg Wednesday The Weeknd Taking Back Sunday Wednesday Campanella Cookie’s Bustle Streisand Effect 1: How did we get here? (05:53) Rodik, Inc ClassicsOfGame Video Game History Foundation Games That Weren’t Moon Child The Video Game History Hour 2: How hard is it to get this Japanese abandonware game from 1999 running on your PC in 2026? (11:38) Sega Genesis QuickTime 3: What is happening in Cookie’s Bustle and what are you doing in it? (18:18) sebmal Mr. Bean James Bond Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures Lara Croft 4: Apart from financial cost, what are the material advantages of keeping a development team small? (36:43) Tokyo Godfathers (2003) 5: Chopemon asks: If you were to go on an adventure, what items have video games taught you to take that you wouldn’t normally think to take? (43:26) 6: Developer Keisuke Harigai once said in a 2001 interview that he designed Cookie’s Bustle with the European market in mind. What do you think that means? (49:51) Keisuke Harigai New Jersey LucasArts Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord Grim Fandango Euro Truck Simulator series Farming Simulator series Football Manager series Total War series Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Atomic Heart Disco Elysium 7: Do you like Cookie’s Bustle? (56:07) Tony Hawk series Mario Party series Gold Saucer Mr. Bones Bennett Foddy GDC Penn & Teller’s Smoke and Mirrors Alter Ego SimTunes CD-ROM Myst Wii Fit MobyGames To-Gen-Kiko 8: Let’s talk about the mystique of inaccessible games (01:04:24) Fushigi Yûgi Atari Atomiswave Dreamcast QAnon George Lucas LIGHTNING ROUND: Recommendations (01:15:56) Brandon: Moon Child Frank: The Cookie’s Bustle collection at the Video Game History Foundation Ash: Pizza This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more!

Writer, Musician, and Experimental Games Workshop Organizer Liz Ryerson takes on GDC 2026’s expo hall and buttered cocoa with the help of Ty Underwood, Kory, and many more. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Segments: 1: Mar 9 at 1-17 PM - in the park (00:14) 2: Mar 11 at 1-05 PM - game changer (03:51) 3: Mar 11 at 3-21 PM - overheard at GDC (08:45) 4: Mar 12 at 4-01 PM - GDC expo floor (10:10) 5: Mar 16 at 5-14 PM - rambly sick after show reflections (01:20:20) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums Insert Credit Gaiden is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!

Writer and Game Developer Mathew Kumar joins an episode hosted by Esper Quinn, covering live service games, personalized Silent Hills, and the Kentucky Loan Ranger. Hosted by Esper Quinn, with Frank Cifaldi, Brandon Sheffield, and Mathew Kumar. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Watch episodes with full video on YouTube Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums SHOW NOTES: Sensible Soccer: European Champions ZX Spectrum Batman “All I need are tasty waves, and total carnage.” Captain Planet PC Engine 1: What would it take to get you into a live service game today? (03:57) Marathon Whose Line Is It Anyway? Fortnite Steam Deck PSP Helldivers II Left 4 Dead 2: Has a video game ever led to you taking up a non-video game hobby? (10:56) Death Stranding Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series BioShock Infinite Sonic the Hedgehog series Magic: the Gathering Crimson Desert Pokémon Pokopia PowerWash Simulator Wanderstop Ivy Road Closes its Doors Demonschool 3: Brandon Sheffield asks, have you ever found a piece of media you didn’t realize was based on a video game, then played the video game? (17:24) Sonic the Hedgehog (2020) Gnosia (anime) Gnosia Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm Mortal Kombat series Street Fighter (1994) Street Fighter series Pac-Man cartoon Pac-Man The Crow (1994) Worlds of Power Pokemon series Dennō Senshi Porygon The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026) Super Mario Galaxy 4: If you had access to the most advanced 3D graphics rendering capabilities available today, what would you make? (24:19) Cyberpunk 2077 Afrika Yakuza series 5: Alex Jaffe asks, what would your Silent Hill be like? (30:20) Silent Hill 2 Silent Hill f Silent Hill Pyramid Head Winnie The Poohing Hudson News 6: What’s the most work you ever put into a video game doing something that wasn’t explicitly encouraged by the game? (37:00) The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Game Developer Magazine Crysis 2 P.T. Resident Evil 4 Bubbles Defender Exile: Wicked Phenomenon Castlevania series 7: What is the anime waifu car wrap of video games? (47:05) Gran Turismo 7 NicoMaki Xbox 360 The iDOLM@STER series PSM Magic Knight Rayearth Triforce Nintendo DS Kyary Pamyu Pamyu LIGHTNING ROUND: Name Design - Magic Cards, Odyssey Block Edition (51:05) Acceptable Losses Cunning Wish Basking Rootwalla (not a real animal, but based on the real Chuckwalla) Faceless Butcher Gallantry Hunting Grounds Bamboozle Recommendations and Outro (58:32): Brandon: Skip Tracer (1977) Mathew: Backyard Bloodbaths Frank: Thunderbean Esper: Blippo+ This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more!

Video Game Journalist Catherine Masters joins the panel to cover console prices, the Microsoft BDS boycott, and Bubsy helping Mario with something. Hosted by Catherine Masters, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Watch episodes with full video on YouTube Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums SHOW NOTES: “If I had a game console, I bet I’d play it all day.” Nintendo DS Lite Dogz 2 Atari 2600 Intellivision Sega Game Gear Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble Intellivoice B-17 Bomber DualShock Game Genie Rumble Pak Sound Blaster Mike Mika 1: How much more expensive can game consoles get? (04:43) Sony raises PS5 prices by up to $150 PlayStation 5 Popular Kids Console Nex Playground Gets $50 Price Hike Nex Playground PlayStation 4 Sony Reportedly Testing Dynamic Pricing on the PlayStation Store Nintendo Switch Demonschool Halo series 2: Why do people treat a Steam release like “the” PC release? (09:51) Steam itch.io GoG Kingdom Hearts series Epic Games Store EA Origin PlayOnline UPlay Steam Deck Alanis Morisette - Ironic 3: After a year, what impact has the BDS Microsoft boycott had? (15:23) BDS Microsoft Boycott RC Cola OpenAI Entire Claude Code CLI source code leaks thanks to exposed map file Anthropic OpenAI just gave up on Sora and its billion-dollar Disney deal 4: What’s the deal with all these egg games? (19:05) Fowl Damage Egging On Arctic Eggs Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg Egg Squeeze Terry Kavanaugh yolkfolk.com Dizzy and Seymour Dizzy Bubsy The Yolkfolk Dizzy: Prince of the Yolkfolk Slender Man The Backrooms 5: Alex Jaffe asks, what tattoo would you give to a tech bro asking for “gamer cred”? (24:55) Offspring - Pretty Fly for a White Guy Super Mario series Triforce Hylian Shield Berserk Master Chief The cake is a lie Skibidi Toilet Lara Croft SGMATRK Warthog 6: What games could you rework from single player to multiplayer? (31:10) National Videogame Museum (United Kingdom) Twitch Plays Pokemon The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures No Way Out Knuckles’ Chaotix Super Mario Odyssey IndieCade Tetris: The Grand Master Celeste Mr. Bones Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice 2p1c by LilAggy and parkenharbor Games Done Quick Bennett Foddy QWOP Baby Steps 7: What should Catherine do instead of watching Insert Credit this week? (36:17) Giant Bomb RndStranger PC Engine The Video Game History Hour Remap Radio Sega Saturn Triple Click 8: What’s the juicy cotoure tracksuit of video games? (38:56) Juicy Cotoure tracksuit Lollipop Chainsaw Ugg boots Stellar Blade Wet Oneechanbara series Super Smash Bros. series Mario Kart series MultiVersus 2K Sports Fortnite Candy Crush Saga Love and Deepspace Goddess of Victory: Nikke Bejeweled Juicy couture an Ed hardy collab photoshoot NYC fashion week LIGHTNING ROUND: Pokedexperts (47:45) Recommendations and Outro (56:33): Catherine: Hire Catherine if you’re a reputable publisher, make plans to finish things, Memory Card, Catherine’s work at The AV Club Ash: Pursuit of Jade, revolution now Brandon: 1000 Women in Horror, Apocalypse Hotel, 東風 by Sawteeth, Frédérick Raynal’s kickstarter for Popcorn Duel + Spinner Frank: You can just watch Star Trek whenever you want without paying anyone money This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by 0nlygh0sts, Kyle Brown, Kory, Alexander Davies, willROAR, Jordan Thornquest, Death_Strandicoot, Sean Patrick, PlazmaGoose, and more patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more! (A previous version of this episode used an image from yolkfolk.com that we were not aware was AI generated. This has been fixed, and we apologize for showing it to you. Generative AI sucks, sorry about that.)

Your Insert Credit Panel covers bargaining with publishers, sordid secrets of video game couples, and the Zohran Mamdani of esports. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Watch episodes with full video on YouTube Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums SHOW NOTES: Cookie’s Bustle Linux Steam Deck Fleetwood Mac - Landslide Stevie Nicks “Nothin here except a stinkin’ pile of manure.” Coke Zero Looney Tunes 1: What’s your favorite cartridge shape? (03:19) Atari Jaguar Sonic & Knuckles Game Boy Game Gear Sega Genesis HuCard TurboGrafx-16 WonderSwan Game Boy Advance 2: As a game developer, how do you buy more time from your publisher? (08:21) Ysbryd Games Demonschool Hollow Knight: Silksong Yu Suzuki Space Harrier Hayao Nakayama 3: What are the most important skills people don’t talk about in esports? (13:16) Esports Zohran Mamdani Holes Filled SonicFox Bovine spongiform encephalopathy Sumo 4: Given recent drama, what are some other secrets of video game character couples? (18:55) Capcom Addresses Street Fighter 6 ‘Incest’ Controversy Alex Street Fighter III Bayonetta 3 Sonic ’06 Sonic Princess Elise the Third Shadow Maria Robotnik Tails Mary Shelly Frankenstein 5: What video game would you recommend to Mary Shelly? (27:15) Date Everything Elden Ring White Day: A Labyrinth Named School Yume Nikki Silent Hill f Fatal Frame Frankenstein: The Monster Returns Monster Mash Amiga Guitar Hero series Spooky Scary Skeletons Final Fantasy XV 6: SteveWithaB asks, was there a time you remember being bullied for enjoying video games? (30:04) Columbine High School shooting Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) Sega Saturn 7: What is the waking up just a few minutes before your alarm of video games? (37:47) Treasure Co., Ltd. Ironic Batman: Arkham series Resident Evil: requiem Crimson Desert Grand Theft Auto VI LIGHTNING ROUND: ARE YOU FUCKING STUPID? (41:26) The inspiration for this Lightning Round archive.gamehistory.org Recommendations and Outro (58:38): Frank: Kinetica, actually donate the stuff you set aside to donate Brandon: Suddenly In The Dark (1981) Ash: Out of the Closet Thrift Stores Jaffe: Donate goods to Housing Works This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more!

Our panel of experts discuss AI in game development, how to guide players, and Duke Nukem’s actual, real balls of steel. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Watch episodes with full video on YouTube Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums SHOW NOTES: Xzibit Pimp My Ride Titan Quest Ep. 430 - Pac-Man 2cular Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures Ghost Witch of Netor Three’s Company John Ritter Will Eisner “I awakened prematurely, and I have found nothing but filth and destruction.” Pecan pie Cherry pie Pumpkin pie Apple pie Pizza pie Nobou Umeatsu Metaphor: ReFantazio 1: At what point is a production tool considered AI? (08:38) GenAI Claude AI Linux GrapheneOS Unreal Engine 5 2: What are the benefits of setting a game in the post-apocalypse? (15:26) Rage Pokémon Pokopia Pokémon Blue Version Star Wars Cowboy Bebop 3: What’s the worst answer you’ve ever heard from a video game professional to a question? (20:43) Naoki Yoshida Final Fantasy XVI Final Fantasy XVI has a medieval approach to diversity PlayStation 3 Gamasutra Shuhei Yoshida Ouya Simon Carless GameDiscoverCo 4: What video game facts would you put on a Snapple cap? (26:16) Snapple Scrapple Liverwurst Pong IGF Gex series Dana Carvey Dana Gould Viggo Mortensen Broke His Toe In ‘The Two Towers’ Donkey Kong series K. K. Slider Shigeru Miyamoto Sonic the Hedgehog Yuji Naka Duke Nukem Fushigi 5: LeFish asks, what are the best ways of misdirecting players in videogames? (33:49) Yellow paint BioShock Kaizo Dead Space The Secret of Monkey Island Zero Suit Samus Final Fantasy XV Cortana 6: What are historically the smallest decisions that have had the largest impact on video games? (40:30) Magnavox Odyssey Nolan Bushnell Video game modding Game & Watch D-pad Wii Sports Reggie Fils-Aimé Satoru Iwata 7: What is the realizing you were dehydrated when the water you drink is too good of video games? (45:56) Artichoke Super Mario series Crow Country Sonic Mania Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II Shōnen Steel Ball Run: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Hunter x Hunter YuYu Hakusho Sega Dreamcast LIGHTNING ROUND: Letters Delivery (51:26) Recommendations and Outro (54:52): Brandon: The videogame inspired by Philip Glass that nobody noticed, Demonschool is on sale (please rate and review), check out the library Ash: Do whimsical things outside your normal routine, Frank: Go out and find stuff Jaffe: Stay indoors This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more!

Necrosoft Games Director and Intrepid Reporter Brandon Sheffield interviews fellow developers and attendees of GDC 2026. Hosted by Brandon Sheffield, with Brendon Chung, Tony Grayson, Laura Michet, Chris Pruett, Phil Salvador, and Antonio Uribe. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Watch episodes with full video on YouTube Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums SHOW NOTES: Brandon Sheffield GDC 2026 Yerba Buena Gardens 1: Antonio Uribe, AKA Fáyer, creator of PancitoMerge and Dig! Dig! Dino!, on baked goods and making a Playdate game (04:14) Fáyer PancitoMerge Arco Dig! Dig! Dino! Playdate The Whiteout Casual Birder Fulcrum Defender Into The Breach Suika Game Threes Harvest Moon series Stardew Valley PICO-8 Itch.io Game Boy Advance Nintendo DS Nintendo Switch 2: Phil Salvador, Library Director of Video Game History Foundation, on building a library (21:56) Phil Salvador Video Game History Foundation Chuck E. Cheese The Secrets of Sega Channel: VGHF recovers over 100 Sega Channel ROMs (and more) William Volk Papers Game Developer Magazine archive.gamehistory.org NeverDead MLB SlugFest Rejected Audio Activision 1994 Expense Report Form 3: Tony Grayson, Director of Antonblast for Summit Sphere, on platformers (36:08) Tony Grayson Antonblast Wario Land series Pizza Tower Bonk series Persona series Peak Highguard 2XKO Fortnite Apex Legends Demonschool Cuphead It Takes Two 4: Laura Michet, Narrative Director of Blendo Games and writer of Skin Deep, on comedy in video games (50:05) Laura Michet Blendo Games Skin Deep The Substance (2024) Riot Forge Skype 5: Brendon Chung, Creative Director of Skin Deep from Blendo games, on signposting in immersive sims (01:02:03) Brendon Chung Skin Deep Immersive Sim Repo Man (1984) System Shock series Thief series Deus Ex series BioShock series Dishonored Series Prey series Deathloop Brigand: Oaxaca Die Hard (1988) Final Fantasy Tactics series Into the Breach Phantom Brigade 6: Chris Pruett, Director of Games at Meta, on modern horror games (01:17:35) Chris Pruett Robot Invader Silent Hill f Resident Evil: Requiem Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake R.E.P.O. Five Nights at Freddy’s series Mouthwashing 7: Brandon Sheffield, Writer and Director of Demonschool, on AI and being home from GDC (01:29:00) Tripuzz Stahlfeder: Tekkō Hikūdan AirGrave Santos Patrick Miller This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more!

Our heroes convene to discuss the changes at Microsoft and Sony, the liberation of Cookie’s Bustle, and the Year of the Horse. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Watch episodes with full video on YouTube Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums SHOW NOTES: Sunsoft Plastic Man Catwoman Ragman Sandman Sgt. Rock Sega Genesis Game Boy Color Batman Returns (1992) Michelle Pfeiffer “I love you! Don’t reject me!” Mega Max X Maverick Jaeger Guns N’ Roses 1: What does the landscape of console gaming look like now and in the future? (03:58) Asha Sharma named EVP and CEO, Microsoft Gaming Sony Has Reportedly Returned to Console Exclusivity MindsEye developer announces more job cuts while alleging ‘corporate sabotage’ Highguard Overwatch Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Pokémon Pokopia The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks Mat Piscatella 2: When in a video game would you prefer to play as yourself, versus a character with a distinct personality? (12:45) White Men Can’t Jump (1992) White Men Can’t Jump Atari Jaguar Elena Dark Souls series Nathan Drake 3: If you had to lock in video game aesthetics forever, would that point be right now, or another time? (17:36) Final Fantasy XII Final Fantasy XIII Yakuza series The bread scene Vagina Bones Steam Next Fest Street Fighter III Scott Pilgrim EX 4: What was the endgame for the Cookie’s Bustle patent troll? (23:59) We’ve freed Cookie’s Bustle from copyright hell. Here’s how. Cookie’s Bustle Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures Mr. Boop Chiitan 4chan Mr. Bones 5: Frank, talk about the weird NextFest experience you had (32:03) Steam Next Fest Fester’s Quest HowLongToBeat.com 230 games came out the first week of 2026: An Investigation. (Jenna Stoeber’s video) Apple Arcade Steam Deck 6: The AV Club’s Catherine Masters asks: Happy year of the horse! What does a AAA horse game on the level of Forza or God of War look like? (41:34) The Patreon.com/insertcredit Gacha Machine Forza series God of War series Turbo MLB The Show series Red Dead Redemption II The Mane Quest The Legend of Khiimori Horses of Hoofprint Bay Shadow of the Colossus Tina Belcher CSI: Crime Scene Investigation 7: The AV Club’s Catherine Masters asks, what would the Pink Pony Club be like as a place in a game? (48:52) Pink Pony Club Chappell Roan Gwent: The Witcher Card Game Crazy Horse Too LIGHTNING ROUND: Year of the Horse - Mane Six (54:56) Twilight Sparkle Fluttershy Rarity Applejack Rainbow Dash Pinkie Pie Recommendations and Outro (01:01:06): Brandon: The second Kekko Kamen movie, Riverbend (1989): 6K Restoration Kickstarter, The Caller (1987), don’t overexert yourself while exercising Ash: Touch grass, move your body, look at the sky Jaffe: Go to physical therapy This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more!