The VGBees Podcast
Host and founder of VGBees, John Warren, is joined every week by cohost Niki Grayson and guests from the video game industry for candid, funny, and enlightening conversations about video games and culture. The podcast explores trends and touchpoints in gaming, aiming to provide a well-rounded perspective on the industry. Each episode is accompanied by notes and written pieces on vgbees.com. The show encourages listeners to join the Honey Hive community to build a brighter future for games.
Episodes
Ep 108: GTA6 Pricing, Xbox Price Hike, Steam Machine Details
This week, John and Niki discuss the biggest news of the gaming week, including Grand Theft Auto VI edition details, Steam Machine details, and more price hikes for Xbox consoles.00:00:00 Intro & when it became Turkiye00:12:30 Steam Machine is in the wild and available for waitlisting00:28:13 Xbox consoles increase in price again00:33:08 Grand Theft Auto VI isn't on disc and somehow people wer
Ep 107: Xbox Studios Facing Closure, EA's New Ad Platform, UK Teen Social Ban
This week, John, Niki, and Lotus go very long on this week's seismic Xbox news, including the numerous studio closures on the table, key departures, and Microsoft CEO's Satya Nadella's curious take on why their gaming arm is struggling.00:00:00 Intro & Lotus' Big Saturday00:11:10 South of Midnight developer Compulsion Games is the unsurprising yet disappointing first studio to confirm possible
Ep 106: Xbox Preparing Layoffs, Nintendo Direct, Pokemon Go Military Defense Data
Lotus, Niki, and John recovered from Summer Game Fest 2026 and reconvened (in home studios, not John's car) to discuss an extremely busy news week, including Xbox preparing major layoffs, Nintendo Direct revealing the Ocarina of Time remake, and more information dropping about Pokemon Go and its role in data gathering for defense purposes.00:00:00 Intro & how waffle fries are madeGo to nogames
VGBees SGF 2026 Post-Show Debrief
Join Niki and John from Los Angeles as they debrief from a lively Summer Game Fest 2026.At this point, most embargoes were still in effect, but we hope you enjoy discussion regarding:Blood Dungeon, Messhof's latest gameSonic Pico ParkThe Games Business interview with Matthew Ballbad hotel fish tacosThanks for listening!Please leave us a review! We'll read it on the show and it helps us out a lot.V
Ep 105: Summer Game Fest 2026 Showcase, Tupac, Final Fantasy VII Revelation
Folks, our schedules were so packed that John & Niki had to join Lotus from the car again. Sorry! This week, it's all about Summer Game Fest 2026 Showcase, which featured reveals of Resident Evil Veronica, Final Fantasy VII Revelation, and Tupac appearing in Stranger Than Heaven.Time stamps and more SGF bonus episodes coming soon!Thanks for listening!Please leave us a review! We'll read it on
Ep 104: Witcher 3 DLC, Steam Deck Price Hikes, & 007 First Light w/ Jeff Gerstmann
John and Lotus are joined this week by Jeff Gerstmann to discuss the week's biggest games news, including: The Witcher 3's surprising expansion coming in 2027, Steam Deck's massive price hikes, and what we thought of 007 First Light.00:00:00 Intro & podcasting at yourself00:08:56 The Witcher 3 is getting new DLC in 202700:13:10 A moment for Unreal Engine 600:15:57 Ikaruga creator's next game h
Ep 103: Embracer Restructures Again, Destiny 2 Development Ending, PS Plus Price Hikes
John, Lotus, and Niki discuss the biggest news of the week, including Embracer's head-scratching restructure, Destiny 2's final update, and PlayStation Plus price hikes.00:00:00 Intro & Niki Buys a Porsche00:09:50 Terraria celebrates 15 years of absolutely bonkers player counts00:25:15 Tom Kane passes away at 6400:26:41 PlayStation Plus gets price hikes00:35:47 US National Recording Registry a
The Pittcast Season Two w/ Danielle Riendeau
Content Warning for graphic medical procedures, assault, sexual assault, suicide, and death in this episode. The Pitt is a show with a lot of tough ingredients thrown into a stew--we try to navigate these with tact and care but be forewarned the entire episode has a lot of potentially triggering discussion.GameDeveloper.com Editor-in-Chief (and Polygon, Waypoint, and Fanbyte alum) Danielle Riendea
Ep 102: Subnautica 2 Smashes Sales Expectations, Leaked Xbox Controllers, More Game Unions
Lotus and John discuss the biggest games news of the week, including Subnautica 2 creating a big bonus problem for KRAFTON's CEO, leaked Xbox controllers, and Marathon's interesting PVE-focused roadmap.00:00:00 Intro & Buc-ees Fare00:10:05 Subnautica 2's massive sales creates an interesting problem for KRAFTON's CEO00:13:15 Steam Controllers look bad, feel good, and scream when you drop them00
Ep 101: Star Fox 64 Remake, LEGO Batman, Mina the Hollower Release Date
Niki, Lotus, and John embark on a "no bummers" episode of the show, complete with discussions about the new Star Fox game, LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight's endless charm, and Mina the Hollower's long-awaited release date.00:00:00 Intro & John's parking lot predicament00:12:15 Star Fox 64 Remake00:17:15 Mina the Hollower gets a release date at long last00:19:16 Copilot removed from Xbox
The Pittcast Season One w/ Danielle Riendeau
NOTE: This bonus episode contains discussions of medical trauma, sexual assault, addiction, child abuse, mass shootings, and generally some sad stories about real life emergencies. It’s hard to avoid those topics when discussing this television show, so if you need to duck out and catch the next regular bonus, we totally get it.Additional note! This is a bonus episode of the show from 2025--we're
Ep 100: GameStop Preps eBay Purchase, usTwo's CEO Blunder, Paste Games Shuts Down
Niki, Lotus, and John celebrate 100 episodes and discuss GameStop's potential purchase of eBay, usTwo's CEO saying some wild stuff into a microphone, the final death of Paste Games, and more!00:00:00 Intros & At Least It's Friday00:06:05 GameStop could be prepping for an eBay takeover00:13:50 Saudi Arabia is divesting from some entertainment properties00:20:36 Atari acquires emulation studio I
It's Okay For The Boys To Be Childish
Lotus & John discuss the lawsuit against Mr. Beast, Xbox Game Pass carving out Call of Duty, Playdate's interesting AI policy, and much more!VGBees is 100% listener-supported. Join The Hive for bonus content, exclusive Discord access, and input on future content. https://vgbees.com/join00:00:00 Intro00:05:46 Mr. Beast sued by former employee00:13:11 Ludum Dare to "end" in 202800:18:10 Playdate
VGBees Woke Camp 2026
SUPPORT US BY JOINING THE HIVE!Hi there! Lotus is still in space teaching the aliens about baseball (they like it!), while Niki and John are earthbound to discuss the week's biggest stories in games, including:Disney lays off 1,000; Marvel visual effects guttedDisney quietly delists games from SteamXenosaga Pied Piper, somehow, is coming to Switch and PCIron Galaxy lays off unknown number of staff
The Assassination of Piglet by the Coward Buzz Lightyear
Support us by joining The Hive!This week, Lotus repaired the toilets aboard the Artemis II on its way safely (!!!!) back to Earth. Niki and John were grounded, however, and came together to discuss the biggest games news of the week. Here's the run of show:Is Sid Meier the Ken Burns of video games?The Pacers Couple is fine and goodEpic is in deep with Disney and making an extraction shooterPete Hi
Garry's Mod II: Electric Boogaloo
Support us by becoming a member of The Hive!With Niki on board the Artemis II to fix their Outlook situation, Lotus and John tackle the news and games of the week, including:Eidos-Montreal lays off 124 employeesStellar Blade's Shift Up acquires Shinji Mikami's brand new studioStormgate loses online support because their server provider was bought by an AI companyUS Patent Office rejects overbroad
Nintendo's Slice of Life Spring
Support us by joining The Hive!This week, Lotus, Niki, and John contemplate Nintendo's strange (but maybe deliberate) choice to launch Animal Crossing's Switch 2 edition, Pokemon Pokopia, and Tomodachi Life in one tidy two month stretch. Also:Epic lays off 1,000 due to Fortnite "underperforming"OpenAI cans Sora and Disney exits investmentAlex from Street Fighter 6 married his adopted sister!Ninten
Deep Learning Super Sampling Five
Support Us! Join The Hive!This week, the crew gets completely redrawn on the fly by Nvidia's new AI-powered technology that everyone besides Digital Foundry seems to hate! How do they look? So lifelike, I bet. While getting yassified (and polluting water sources near data centers!), John, Niki, and Lotus discuss:DLSS 5 and its introduction to the worldWhy everyone hates DLSS 5Jensen Huang's hilari
The Battle of Yerba Buena
Support us by joining The Hive!This week, Niki, Lotus, and John played some great games and took a full week off from games news because there just wasn't anything to talk about! What's that? [holds earpiece] I'm being told there was a lot of news this week. Okay. Well. Here's what they talked about, I guess!Sony testing dynamic pricing everywhere but JapanEA conducting layoffs at Battlefield 6 de
At Long Last, Nintendo Gets Litigious
This week, Niki, Lotus, and John reconvene to rejoice over what seems like a masterpiece in the Pokémon oeuvre. But first, lots of big news, including:Nintendo sues the US government over tariffsYoshi gets a bobblehead night with the LA DodgersNetflix CEO thinks $16b will be cut at Warner Bros after Paramount purchaseJapan's labor laws obfuscate games industry turmoilUnity cutting access to asset
Voluntarily Surrendering Your License To Print Money w/ Michael Higham
On this week's show, the crew deals with several major post-scripts from last week's jam-packed news discussion block. Fortunately, Lotus, Niki, and John are joined by certified GOAT Michael Higham to unpack it all.Michael beat Resident Evil Requiem and John played it on Switch 2The global storage shortage gets very real with Seagate and Western Digital allocating stock of hard drives through 2026
Xbox Deserves This
Support us by joining The Hive!This week's show was packed to the gills with discussion-worthy topics and that was before Phil Spencer announced his retirement, Sarah Bond resigned, and Asha Sharma ascended the Xbox throne. From there, Lotus, Niki, and John discussed:Sony shutting down BluepointTencent allegedly funded HighguardCastlevania franchise and Metal Gear Solid V dev Shutaro Ida passed aw
Are You Strong Enough To Be My Cat w/ Charles Harte
SUPPORT US BY JOINING THE HIVEFolks, this week was VERY jam-packed with discussion-worthy games news and that was BEFORE we even welcomed Game Informer's Charles Harte to the show. Together, Lotus, Niki, John, and Charles discussed:Mewgenics' blend of deep, enjoyable tactical combat and off-putting breeding mechanicsThe, let's call them rancid, vibes of Mewgenics' central thesisMewgenics' commitme
Tycho and The Heavy Fold
This week, the whole gang is back together to discuss the biggest games news of the week, which sometimes wasn't about games at all! Including:Iron Lung opens #2 at domestic box office, paving the way for perhaps a new wave of independent film distributionAshes of Creation developer closes after clash between Creative Director and BoardBorderlands 4 Nintendo Switch 2 port "on pause" indefinitelyPo
Abandoning Your Launch Strategy 101
With Lotus on the International Space Station this week, John and Niki wasted no time discussing these completely relevant topics:MoisturizerHaircarePelotonTchoukballOkay but they did get down to the most important games news of the week, including:The Highguard team quit their shadowdrop plans to take a slot at The Game AwardsCould Geoff not fill the last slot of the evening?What does it mean for
Ubisoft Creative House Six: Earmarked for the Public Investment Fund
This week, Niki, John, and Lotus confront the biggest gaming stories of the week, including:Ubisoft's major reorg, including game cancelations and new structuresTencent getting into podcasts, which we're sure will go greatMarathon gets a release date and a surprising collector's editionCapcom experiments with generative AI to stop being creativeFable takes a baffling stance on morality in the year
Two Bucks is Free (Except When It's Not)
This week, Lotus, Niki, and John set out to dissect the price sensitivity opus laid out by Peak's devs in an interview with Stephen Totilo. Is eight bucks really five bucks? This and much more, including:AGDQ's haul and interesting futureHytale's long path to Early AccessMeta's VR investment goes toe upSteam Community Awards face major changesSpry Fox spinning out of NetflixInverse & The Verge
PEGI 16: Bad Language, Drugs, Discourse
This week, Lotus, Niki, and John are back and ready to tackle the first fresh news of 2026, including:The passing of Sega cofounder David RosenDiscord files for an IPONew Life is Strange is leaked to ratings siteJason Schreier causes Take-Two's stock price go down, kindaMinecraft getting new baby animalsLarian's CEO still doesn't seem to understand Gen AIIndependent Games Festival nominees announc
Running Out of Stuff to Safely Say About Gen AI in Public
This week, John, Niki, and Lotus stare down the barrel of a very slow gaming news week, so they tackle some additional stuff, too, including:Twitter's Gen AI CSAM and sexual violence catastropheMicrosoft's CEO begging us to stop calling Gen AI "slop"GOG cofounder buys GOG from CD PROJEKT (which he also cofounded)GPUs are going to get even more expensiveSplitgate sequel is not going very wellWe pla
VGBees Games of the Year 2025
Note: a better quality audio upload will be available in a couple days.Hello! Another year has flown by and Niki, Lotus, and John are here to talk about their favorite games and gaming-adjacent things from 2025! Included in the GOTY chat:Donkey Kong BananzaHades IIAvowed*Ball X PitPokemon Legends: Z-ABlippo+KinophobiaMario Kart WorldThe Nintendo Switch 2Also, the news of the week!Star Citizen will
Gibbed in the MRI Machine
This week, Niki treats John and Lotus to the first ever VGBees Podcast Edition of Scam Text Theatre! After this momentous occasion, the crew turns its sights to the biggest news of the week, including:Larian's CEO decides to drag his company into a gen AI quagmirePeople Make Games boycott Xbox (and transforms John's thinking in the process)League of Legends is getting a massive reworkNaughty Dog i
Protecting Muppet Kayfabe
Editor's note: this week's episode failed to upload individual stems of each recording, which means this final product is a bit rougher than usual. This is John and Streamyard's fault. Jordan did a great job with it.This week, Niki, Lotus, and John are all here to discuss the Biggest Night in Gaming™ aka The Game Awards. Included in the overall discussion:Casey Hudson's Star Wars RPGLarian's horri
Everything is Safe in Netflix's Capable Hands!
This week, John and Lotus celebrate the return of Niki to the show by immediately yelling at them for saying no one knows who Ron Gilbert is. Also!Netflix is buying Warner Bros. for $82.7b, including WB's gamesRon Gilbert's Death by Scrolling had big trouble finding publisher moneyHorses banned by Epic Games StoreEA's buyout is going 93.4% to the SaudisMina the Hollower needs to be a huge hit, Yac
Hold Your Horses
This week, Lotus and John dissect the biggest news stories of the week, including:Horses banned from Steam and the oddities surrounding itSplash Damage enters consultation ahead of layoffsCoatsink to lay off roughly half their studioNintendo to acquire 80% of Bandai Namco Studios SingaporeDDR5s and SSDs face massive price hike amidst shortageDemonschool does something fun with their creditsHere's
The Joe Pesci of Podcasts
This week, Lotus and John are feeling particularly thankful for the handful of absolutely bananas stories that dropped in their laps! Including:Tencent's ultimate investment in UbisoftYoko Taro's projects keep getting canceledUnity coming to UnrealMegabonk withdraws from The Game AwardsUnknown Worlds vs Krafton gets unbelievably weirdRoblox CEO says the wildest things you can imagine on a podcastA
Even You Could Be Samus Aran's Sidekick!
This week, Lotus and John tackle an absolute boatload of games news and notes, including:Valve's Steam Machine, Frame, and Controller all due in 2026Halo Infinite's final update coming this monthThe mishandling of The Game Awards Future Class is another black mark on whatever legacy Geoff Keighley is trying to leaveSony's fiscal report shows 40% share of software revenue to live service gamesMarat
Matt Booty's 10,000 Testers
This week, Niki returns after a taxing move to talking to Lotus and John about a game they played called Life's Eternal Puzzle. Not out on any consoles I can find but still interesting!Also!Grand Theft Auto VI is delayedRockstar's fired employees were allegedly leaking information (uh huh)Protests erupt outside RockstarTexas sues Roblox (get ready to get acquainted with Ken Paxton, one of the wors
Sneakadoodle Interview w/ Joe is Hungry (Bonus Episode)
From the VGBees Bonus Feed -- join The Hive today to get bonus episodes like this all year.John gave himself such a strange and wonderful birthday gift this year by asking Joe from the Joe Is Hungry YouTube channel for ninety minutes of his time. Joe, kindly, obliged. And this is the result. If you've never watched Joe Is Hungry, it is a fast food review channel with a growing and vocal fandom. Yo
Competing with Steam as a Goof
This week, Niki has been taken by the Swamp Monster so Lotus and John are fending for themselves. Lucky for you, they love to yap! Included in the gab sesh:EA's generative AI tools all suck and no one likes themAmazon is cutting tens of thousands of jobsMany Amazon Games projects have shut downAmazon Games was apparently (???) competing with Steam the whole timeDon't Nod is working with Netflix IP
Phil & Todd Flood the Zone
On this week's episode, Niki, Lotus, and John discuss Microsoft's extremely weird week/month/year/decade. Including:the 30% margin mandateflooding the zone with Fallout news, The Outer Worlds 2, Keeper, and Ninja Gaiden 4the inevitable return of HaloHalo Campaign Evolved being one of the worst titles everGrunts aren't supposed to glistendev kits see huge price hikePLUS:Krafton is "AI first"Jennife
Body Works, Body Worlds, Body Bath & Beyond
Hi folks! This week, Niki fills out an application for an apartment, John gets something wrong (again), and Lotus explores Steam Next Fest! Included in their discussion:Assassin's Creed lead departs UbisoftTencent and Sony apparently worked on a The Last of Us project togetherTomunobu Itagaki's legacyHard Drive's descent into 2005 internet bullshitQuantic Dream's new multiplayer projectLumines Ari
Assassin's Creed: Roku City
This week marks the beginning of the Lotus era at The VGBees Podcast. She joins John and Niki as the third permanent cohost of the show and immediately brings insight to the program like...what if Nintendo likes making money?But also!the dense delight of Digimon Story: Time Strangerthe apparent end of Hyper Light Breaker's developmentthe rumor that AMD needed a 10,000,000 unit commitment for Xbox'
Flashing Neom Lights of Late Stage Capitalism
This week, Niki and John have a lot to chat about in and around a busy few days in video games, including:Xbox Game Pass Ultimate's huge price hikeinterpreting the latest in Microsoft's non-planObsidian bearing the brunt of Microsoft's decision-makingJared Kushner and Saudi Arabia are taking EA privateSeumas McNally Award Winner Consume Me's greatnessWheel of Fortune on the PlayStation 5Hades II i
It's Time For Wolf Girls w/ Michael Higham
This week, Niki and John are joined by none other than Michael Higham on this, the very special 69th episode of The VGBees Podcast. In this jam-packed episode, we cover:Wolverine's profoundly bloody introductionthe Returnal of it all of Sarosa brief look at new Virtua Fighter Project detailsthe impossible bigness of Anantaa conversation about remakes prompted by the perplexing Deus Ex remasterForz
Borderlands: The Borderlands of Borderlands: Now With More Borderlands
This week, John regrets to inform you and Niki that Borderlands 4 is just more Borderlands, for better or worse. John thinks maybe worse. Niki's right, it's just 2K's Madden. Also:the very interesting misfire that is Skate.Dying Light: The Beast is apparently great but we can't get past the Hinterlands of Dying Light 2the poor PC performance of Borderlands 4 and Randy Pitchford's admittedly very,
Pokémon Dinkum
This week, Niki and John dive way way way into the mega-sized Nintendo Direct this week. Did you know that Super Mario is 40 years old??? Just like John! Wow! Also:paying for Super Mario Galaxy againNintendo remembers Super Mario Galaxy 2 existsthe new Mario movie is just Super Mario GalaxySuper Mario Wonder for Switch 2Mario Tennis FeverYoshi and the Mysterious BookVirtual Boy on Nintendo Switch
Silksong Is And Always Was Coming Out
Hello! This week, John and Niki discuss the most explosive game release of the year, Hollow Knight: Silksong. 500,000 concurrents? Broken shops? Unfathomable discourse? You got it, baby.That, and:The downfall of games critThe value of asking piracy forum dwellers to weigh in on the most popular game of the year007 First Light gameplayFootball Manager 26College basketball coming to NBA 2KFiraxis la
This Podcast Was Built In The Frostbite Engine
This week, John is back at full strength and here to discuss all the games Niki has played! Among the discussion points:Layoffs at Giant Squid & Rec RoomConversation boundaries and etiquetteSword of the SeaWe Are OFKCircuits RoyalePokemon Red Rescue TeamPokemon Rescue Team DXMetal Gear Solid 3 Deltaand more!Also, we answer your BURNING HIVE QUESTIONS from our lovely Discord.
Stuck in a House, No Outside w/ Lotus
With John on the International Space Station, Niki and Lotus talk all things Gamescom 2025, including:Call of Duty: Black Ops 7Black Myth: Zhong KuiResident Evil RequiemWorld of Tanks: HeatGhost of YoteiWorld of Warcraft MidnightUNBEATABLEJohn Carpenter's Toxic CommandoHollow Knight: SilksongLEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark KnightPlus, a big, big dive into why Lotus is DONE with Marvel Rivals.Also,
1-900-GAMBLER w/ Lotus
This week, Niki and John are joined by Lotus, who has a lot of smart ideas about how messy the "reporting" around itch.io has gotten, frozen alcohol, and whole word comprehension. Also:the breakdown of "games journalist" as an ideaHardspace Shipbreaker goes to Blackbird 100%common core mathdrinking in parking lotsFrankenstein shoesadult bracesgetting addicted to going to the hospitalWe also answer
Twelve Minutes, Not the Video Game
Niki and John had a great time talking about the Nintendo Indie World Showcase this week on the show right after they spent twelve minutes talking about a thing that's embargoed! When will you hear about it? Next week!What remains is still a rip-roaring two hours of video game bliss, including:Mage ArenaMerge MaestroPrimal PlanetFortnite's new Power Rangers/Halo seasonPuzzmoand more!Also, we answe
Battlefield Now with More Battlefield
This week, John and Niki discuss the latter's big media day with Battlefield 6, the game that's aiming for 100,000,000 players! Do they think it can happen? You'll have to listen to find out. Also:The stranger side of big PR gaming eventsTerri Schiavo (really)Ray Romano's net worthNintendo Partner ShowcaseDonkey Kong BananzaWhich eight Capcom games outsold Monster Hunter Wilds this quarterand much
The Podcast with All the Answers
Hi there! This week, Niki and John went super long and recorded three solid hours of discussion, including:College Football 26Donkey Kong BananzaWhat if the Switch 2 Lite has an OLED?The simple brilliance of TennoconWhat other PR teams miss about the process of making gamesThey also go very deep on this week's payments processor crackdown on adult Itch.io games and the government's continued assau
Donkey Kong Will Fix You
Niki's live from London, Ontario this week at Tennocon while John's getting up at the crack to podcast. What a show, too! We're absolutely loving Donkey Kong Bananza and John might be obsessed with the Horse Girl Game????Also, we discuss the rise of fascism as expressed via:Roblox verifying the identities of children via AIFinancial transaction companies cracking down on Steam's adult contentThe 2
The We Ate Too Much Hurtado BBQ Special
Niki is IN JOHN'S HOUSE this weekend. Wild stuff. They grabbed lunch at Hurtado BBQ and ate a truly irresponsible amount and then decided to podcast! Smart? Not really. But here we are! Discussion points:AEW All In TexasThe Steam Summer SalePeakRematchSongs/games of the summerSeasonal/weather-specific gamesWe also answer your HIVE QUESTIONS from Discord.
Big Head, Keg Torso, Can't Lose w/ Grant Stoner
On a very special public bonus of the show, John is joined by fellow disabled games media person Grant Stoner (IGN, Polygon, VGBees) to celebrate Disability Pride Month! How do they celebrate? By regaling each other with tales of crippledom from yesterday and today! Also:The importance of sources in investigative journalismAdvice for disabled writers working in the fieldThe most out of pocket inte
Beard Care At the End of the World w/ Garrett Martin
This week, Niki and John are joined by perhaps the greatest games media talent scout in the industry's history, Endless Mode's Editor-in-Chief Garrett Martin. He hung out to tell us about the new site, what to expect from its amazing writers, and, of course, theme parks! Also:nearly half an hour of AEW All In Texas preview discussion (sorry non-wrestling fans)Kotaku's sale to KeleopsMicrosoft's as
The Miracle of Childbirth
This week, Niki and John go deep (again) on Mario Kart World and its most head-scratching design choices. Tired of us talking about that? Okay! We also talked about:Andrew Wilson's obscene pay bump at EAMicrosoft's upcoming massive layoffPeak sells 2m copiesNintendo "fixes" something everyone thought was fine in Mario Kart Worldthe dark corners of Cyberpunk 2077and much more!Also, we answer your b
This Sense of Impending Doom Is an Xbox
John returns to the podcast after spending last week in the hospital and joins Niki to talk about the second full week of Switch 2 as well as:the indefinite Marathon delay3rd party titles apparently lagging on Switch 2historic sales figures for Switch 2Xbox's core strategyMario Kart WorldDonkey Kong BananzaCyberpunk 2077 on Switch 2PoxelFBC: FirebreakDeltaruneAlso, we answer your burning HIVE QUES
Gamifying HIPAA Violations w/ Lotus
This week, John was zooted in the hospital recovering from surgery (he's fine!), so Niki and Lotus took the reins and delivered a banger of an episode, featuring:Summer Game Fest swagSonic Racing: CrossworldsLumines AriseMindsEyeMario Kart Worldthe rise of fascism and incompetence of our oppressorsNintendo Switch 2 first week sales figuresand much, much moreAlso, we answer your burning HIVE QUESTI
Audio Poison: The VGBees SGF Mixer 2025
John broke his ankle in a car accident so couldn't make it out to SGF this year, so instead Niki attended the planned VGBees Mixer and we decided to set up a little area for John to digitally greet guests. And then we decided to make it into an episode. Smart? Not really! Jordan Mallory, our intrepid producer, did a marvelous job making this at least listenable, but conceptually it was not smart.
There's An Ys In Here Somewhere
Niki and John are riding solo this week while we prepare for Summer Game Fest. Included in their hangout:Coverage expectations of Geoff's big showEA's cancelation of Black Panther and the closure of CliffhangerMemories of E3Battle Aces shutting downTencent's recent catalogXbox moving away from proprietary handheld (for now)Elden Ring Nightreign's PC problemsgetting paid to hate a gameAlso, we answ
Randy's Looking Over Your Shoulder w/ Dan Ryckert
This week, Niki and John are joined by one fifth of the owners of Giant Bomb, the unfathomable Dan Ryckert! Yes, wrestling comes up. Yes, fast food brands are discussed. Yes, extremely local minutia is mentioned. Also:Joe is HungryTommy Tallaricoowning a business like owning a car?Death Stranding 2: On the BeachTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical TakedownTo a TDeliver At All CostsStar CitizenWe
Basic Bogging w/ Jenna Stoeber
Hello Hive! This week, Niki and John are joined by extremely talented and funny video essayist, streamer, and podcast host Jenna Stoeber! In addition to a lively discussion of whether can is barrel, the group discussed:Jenna's PAX EastKaraoke go-tosEnding our time with Blue PrinceNintendo Switch 2 colliding with Summer Game FestThe non-story of Kingdom Hearts IV's screenshot dropBungie possibly li
Conclave Elimination Chamber
This week, John and Niki ride as a duo to talk about the big American Pope. Also:big questions about how independent games outlets can survivekilling Avatar Aang in Fortniteflying an X-Wing in Fortniteglitching a car out of existence in Fortnitethe genius of Fortnite nearly eight years inthe act of play in Despelotegrounding yourself when you're disappearing into games (or whatever, frankly)We ans
Inside Blitzball w/ Jeff Gerstmann
This week, Niki and John were supremely lucky to have Jeff Gerstmann on the show to discuss the shocking sale of Polygon to Valnet (laying off the vast majority of the team there) and the implosion of Giant Bomb, the very website Jeff cofounded 17 years ago. We did not plan Jeff's appearance like this! We promise. Niki, as of this recording, was still technically under contract there!Very wild and
French Robert Pattinson w/ Fūnk-é Joseph
This week, Niki and John are joined by game developer and former colleague (and current friend) Fūnk-é Joseph to discuss the Nintendo DS! That's it! That's all! Just two hours of Nintendo DS! Actually, you'd probably be totally cool with that, but we did move onto other topics, including:the Nintendo Switch 2 preorder messDonkey Kong Bananza's clear connection to Red Factionhow Mario Kart World is
Possums in the Blueprints w/ Jessica Cogswell
This week, Niki and John are joined by the wonderful Jessica Cogswell of Gamespot dot com. We talk hot neighborhood gossip including a harrowing tale from Jess right from her own back yard. Of course, we also talked about games, including:The reveal of Bungie's MarathonNew Mario Kart World detailsThe good and bad of Blue Prince, one of the year's most polarizing gamesLeaving the bloat behind in Fi
Inquiries On Animes w/ Lotus
This week, John & Niki are joined by former Fanbyte colleague and current social media manager at System Era, Lotus! We started by getting caught up on Starseeker, the next game from the makers of Astroneer, one of the many titles affected by the odd YouTube technical issues during the Nintendo Direct. Also:More tariff changesMore Switch 2 preorder delaysThe GameCube controller has bizarre lim
Trade War 2025 w/ Imran Khan
Only two short days after the announced details of the Nintendo Switch 2 and about twelve hours after we recorded this week's main VGBees Podcast episode, Donald Trump's trade war with the rest of the world created the environment responsible for Nintendo announcing the delay of US pre-orders for their new console.I decided it was worth recording a public feed bonus with my friend and former colle
Bananza at Jungle Jim's w/ Charles Harte
In this supersized episode, John and Niki are joined by Game Informer Associate Producer Charles Harte to unpack the 60 minute Nintendo Direct for Switch 2 and all of the accompanying (and globally relevant) stories coming out of the event. Including:The console's price pointMario Kart World's features & $80 price pointWhat $80 Nintendo games mean for the industryWhy Switch 2 costs what it cos
Galileo Galiwho w/ Ben Pack
This week, John and Niki are joined by the wonderful Ben Pack to discuss this week's fascinating, funny, and sometimes confusing Nintendo Direct!The strange (reported) rollout plan for Switch 2Metroid Prime 4: BeyondEternal Life of GoldmanTomodachi Life: Living the DreamRhythm Heaven GrooveMarvel Cosmic InvasionNintendo Virtual Game Cards (?????)Also discussed:Cristiano Ronaldo joining Fatal Fury:
An Immigration Conversation with Abogada Kate
Texas, my home, has been a battleground over the soul of the American Dream as it pertains to immigrants from around the globe. I want to use whatever platform I have to educate myself and my audience about things that matter to me. Right now, our laws are eroding around us and immigration attorneys like my guest in this bonus episode are part of a group fighting for the vulnerable every day.Kate
The Draft Kings of Gaming w/ Tim Rogers
This week, Niki joins (for about half an hour) from the Fandom Chamber of Audio Recording in San Francisco to help John find a Lexus LS 400 he can buy. They're joined by special guest Tim Rogers, who helped the crew rethink their camera and monitor setups. Whatever notes John had for the show...don't worry about it. Instead, Tim and John spent 2.5 hours discussing:Yasuke being cool as hell in Assa
Suing Yourself for Fun & Profit w/ Pat Gill
This week, Niki and John are joined by Polygon's Patrick Gill, who goes deep on why Monster Hunter Wilds is so good, his most recent video guide on the game, and which weapons Niki and John should used based on their chosen professional wrestling style. Good stuff. Also:The fucking Strains are at it againScopely buys Niantic's gaming wing for $3.5bSaudi fund inks 3-year deal with Capcom for Street
Jesus Underscore Christ with Andrea Shearon
This week, Niki and John are joined by former Fanbyte colleague and current PC Gamer writer Andrea Shearon! We had to ask our resident Final Fantasy XIV expert about Yoshi-P leaving the Square-Enix Board of Directors and about the future of the company. Also:Sega is the best-reviewed publisher of 2024Sega is releasing fewer games but doubling down on big franchisesMonster Hunter Wilds has a massiv
Marketing Strategies for CEOs: A VGBees Masterclass w/ Michael Higham
This week, Niki and John are joined by bestie of the show Michael Higham to discuss cooking habits, the games we're playing, and the news of the week, including:the secret to great homemade ranchthe Pokémon PresentsPokémon Legends: Z-APokémon ChampionsWarner Bros. closing Monolith and canceling Wonder WomanCEOs and their marketing strategiesBossa Games' CEO's weird LinkedIn postAvowedSouth of Midn
The Saudis Own VGBees Now w/ Merritt K
This week, John and Niki are joined by the one and only Merritt K, one of the brilliant minds behind Fledgling Manor. The show starts, of course, with the most important news of the week: how much the Nintendo Tip Line cost per minute. Also:NetEase laying off the Seattle Marvel Rivals teamMicrosoft's new Muse generative AI initiativeNiantic in talks to be purchased by Scopely for $3.5bHades II get
Not About Divorce and Being Mean to Your Kid
This week, John asks Niki all about Split Fiction, the follow-up to award-winning It Takes Two. It is another one of those, for better or worse (mostly better). They also dive way, way, way into the big changes coming to Overwatch 2. What are they? Do they matter? Where did this franchise lose its way?Also:Sony's State of PlaySarosTides of AnnihilationShinobi: Art of VengeanceDarwin's ParadoxOnimu
John & Niki: True iicons
This week, John and Niki discuss what it would take to get them to attend the new ESA-fronted conference called iicon starting next April in Las Vegas. It's like GDC but worse, somehow. Also:Metal Gear Solid Delta gets a release dateGrand Theft Auto 6 confirmed for fall 2025timeline on new Nvidia cards coming back in stockKingdom Come: Deliverance 2Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward VectorVirtua Fighter
