Podcasts by Free Play Podcast

Free Play 180 | Reboots: Do We Need 'Em? from 2023-11-29T06:00

In our season finale, Matt, Bubba, and Kate end Season 9 with the usual foolishness and introduce a new segment called “Do We Need ‘Em?”, where they look at some items and decide if we need them...

Free Play 179 | Matt&Bubba Go To War from 2023-11-15T06:00

In an episode that is unhinged chaos, even more than usual, Kate updates us on the latest challenge issued to Matt and Bubba from her uncle’s nerd friends about a Dice Throne competition.

Free Play 178 | Dice Throne Family Feud from 2023-10-18T06:00

This week’s episode is jam packed with even more chaos than usual. Drama arises between Kate’s uncle, Matt, and Bubba over a single game of Marvel Dice Throne that took 4 hours to complete. Is i...

Free Play 177 | Better Late Than Never (Season 9 Premiere) from 2023-10-04T06:00

It’s been a wild summer and the gang is so glad to finallyyyyy be back at it on the illustrious Free Play podcast which will be more unhinged than ever this season, guaranteed. Matt, Bubba, and ...

Free Play 176 | PiiU-S5 (Season 8 Finale) from 2023-05-30T06:00

In the season finale of Free Play, Matt & Bubba talk about the PlayStation Showcase - and the Handheld that is much more reminiscent of the WiiU controller than the Switch. 

Free Play 175 | TOTK First Impressions from 2023-05-23T06:00

Tears of the Kingdom is out and making waves in the gaming world. Matt & Bubba give you their first impressions in the penultimate episode of this season.

Free Play 174 | Twitter Blues from 2023-05-09T06:00

Many odd things have happened since Elon Musk took over Twitter. The latest has been the upheaval of the verification system which had really helped in separating the trolls from the rich and fa...

Free Play 173 | Deep-Faked Drake from 2023-05-02T06:00

What if I sent you a link to an awesome song that was just released on Spotify by Drake and The Weeknd. It sounds just like their voices and just like their production. Turns out, it's a song cr...

Free Play 172 | Zelda Hype from 2023-04-25T06:00

Tears of the Kingdom is releasing in a few short weeks and Free Play is discussing Matt’s hopes, dreams, and fears about this long awaited experience. There are so many theories about what this ...

Free Play 171 | Mario Movie: Better Than It Had Any Right to Be from 2023-04-18T06:00

With Matt out of the office for the day, Bubba and Kate chat about reading people’s texts over their shoulder in airplanes, if deviled eggs are good or not, and most importantly: their thoughts ...

Free Play 170 | Super Nintendo World from 2023-04-04T06:00

There is a lot happening in the world of Free Play this week. Matt recaps PAX East and his disappointments with Nintendo’s lackluster Zelda presence. E3 is canceled. They’ll talk about the new S...

Free Play 33 | Lost Episode | Game of the Year 2018 from 2023-03-28T06:00

In this lost episode from the earlier days of the Free Play Podcast, Bubba, Matt & Kate discuss the contenders for Game of the Year for the 2018 VGA's. The likely reason this never made it t...

Free Play 169 | The Last of Us: Season 1 from 2023-03-21T06:00

Season 1 of the HBO adaptation of The Last of Us wrapped this past week and as fans of Naughty Dog and Sony’s original games, Bubba, Matt & Kate wanted to chat about it. HBO really set the b...

Free Play 168 | LTN Turns 5 from 2023-03-07T06:00

We’re celebrating LTN’s 5th birthday and can’t believe how fast the time has gone. So much has happened in the past five years and looking back brings up a lot of memories. Kate took the time th...

Free Play 167 | Netflix Tabletop Games from 2023-02-21T06:00

Every once in awhile, Bubba sends something Kate's way that she's actually interested in. This week, it was a link to The Last Kingdom Board Game Kickstarter from Gamelyn Games. The Last Kingdom...

Free Play 166 | E3 Without the Big 3 from 2023-02-14T06:00

E3 has had a rough time the past couple years with cancellations and the event held online. 2023 marks a return to in-person for both the press and the public but Nintendo, Sony, and Xbox won’t ...

Free Play 165 | Non-Linear Streaming from 2023-02-07T06:00

Welcome to Season 8 of the Free Play podcast! During the break, Bubba, Matt & Kate watched Kaleidoscope, Netflix’s non-linear streaming experience where you can watch the episodes in any ord...

Free Play 164 | Nerds of Christmas Past from 2022-12-06T06:00

Free Play’s “cut-man”, CJ Burroughs, suggested Bubba, Matt & Kate chat about some of their memories about nerdy Christmas gifts that they received as young nerds way back when. They also wan...

Free Play 163 | Who Doesn’t Love Killer Microwave AI? from 2022-11-22T05:00

Some people, like Bubba, look upon the impending era of our AI overlords with excitement and joy. Others, like Kate, are a little unsure. And stories with headlines like “Someone turned their im...

Free Play 162 | Our Biggest Gaming Disappointments from 2022-11-15T07:52:06

Have you had a disappointment in the game space that really bummed you out? Never fear, the Free Play Podcast is here to help you recover and move on. After Kate had an underwhelming God of War ...

Free Play 161 | LTN Con 2022 Recap from 2022-11-01T05:00

LTN Con is one of our favorite weekends of the year here at Love Thy Nerd. It’s a time of coming together as a community, playing games, and learning how to love and serve our nerdy neighbors be...

Free Play 160 | The Super Mario Movie Trailer from 2022-10-11T04:00

Nintendo finally reveals a teaser trailer for the Super Mario Movie at New York Comic Con. Fans are protesting online about Chris Pratt’s performance (even with barely a sentence uttered). Bubba...

Free Play 159 | Did Twitch Mess Up? from 2022-10-04T05:00

Twitch has taken creators by surprise in a bad way with their latest announcement. They stated how revenue splits for bigger streamers will go from 70/30 to 50/50.This information has the Twitch...

Free Play 158 | Tearz of the Kingdom from 2022-09-27T05:00

Well nerds, it’s the moment Matt has been waiting for. For 6 whole years. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will allegedly be released on May 12, 2023. It’s it TEARS of the kingdom as in...

Free Play 32 | Lost Episode | Right-Out-of-the-Box Games (with Justin Bowers) from 2022-09-13T04:00

In this lost episode from the earlier days of the Free Play Podcast, Bubba, Matt & Kate welcome Justin Bowers to discuss games perfect for family gatherings - ones that you can play easily r...

Free Play 157 | Facebook Gaming's Downfall from 2022-09-06T04:00

When both social media and nerd culture have placed an emphasis on live streamed gaming content, what happens when an industry giant like Facebook/Meta begins to shut down its connection to gami...

Free Play 156 | Recast or Nah: T'Challa from 2022-08-30T04:00

Bubba, Matt & Kate discuss the internet argument over whether T'Challa should just be recast or not, following his death in 2020. Plus, what we've been playing AND we don't know how to count...

Free Play 155 | It's Our 200ish Episode Party! from 2022-08-17T02:00:08

This might shock some of you, but Matt, Bubba, and Kate have been co-hosting a podcast together since 2017! Before the Free Play Podcast with Love Thy Nerd, they hosted the Arcade Podcast with G...

Free Play 154 | Outwit. Outplay. Out-Nerd. from 2022-08-02T03:00:55

Survival shows have become super popular with a specific demographic of folks. Bubba and Kate just happen to be in that group. What is it about these shows that makes them nerd out on people’s s...

Free Play 153 | Season 6 Finale from 2022-05-31T20:12:45

E3 used to be the summer’s most exciting time for video games with all the press conferences from the biggest developers, but over time it’s slowly gone downhill with this year having no E3 at a...

Free Play 152 | What’s Your Reason to Play? from 2022-05-24T02:00:44

Why do people play games these days? What’s their motivation and reason? Community Content Producer FrostByte4 sent in a topic about how games like Halo used to drop with no updates, DLCs, or thing...

Free Play 151 | Bad Bunny, Bueno Muerto? from 2022-05-03T02:00:13

Bad Bunny, reggaeton superstar and WWE wrestler, has been cast in the lead role in Sony’s Spiderman universe stand alone movie, El Muerto. Who is Bad Bunny and who is El Muerto? Why make a movie...

Free Play 150 | Warner Bros. Buyout from 2022-04-19T08:00:02

When the Kate is away, the boys will play and this week we do just that with our good friend, chef, artist, maker, and fellow streamer, Asiathegirl. What does she th...

Free Play 149 | iFreeplay from 2022-04-12T08:00:15

Apple has announced so many attempts to competitively get into the gaming space with many of those either never happening at all, not living up to expectations, o...

Free Play 148 | The Free Play Oscars from 2022-04-05T08:00:27

We don’t often delve into this side of pop culture, but the Oscars this year ushered in a new level of... Chaos. Something we can relate to here on the Free Play Podcast. We submit our own nomin...

Free Play 147 | Playstation's Answer to Game Pass from 2022-03-29T08:00:20

Playstation’s subscription service is supposed to launch really soon (it could even be out now) and we’re curious about what benefits and services it’ll offer. Will there be PS5 exclusives avail...

Free Play 146 | Review Bombed from 2022-03-23T18:53:37

Community Content Producer Andy - aka Prodigas - asked us our thoughts on review bombing, why people feel the need to score games 0 out of 10 that haven’t e...

Free Play 145 | Games That Teach us Things from 2022-03-15T13:12:15

There is massive potential for games to be able to teach us new skills, especially as technology gives developers and designers new ways to be creative. Listen

Free Play 144 | Non-Gaming Partners from 2022-03-08T12:44:14

If you know us here at Free Play you know we don’t normally do big brain topics that require thinking. But we got a topic submission asking about what it’s like to h...

Free Play EP 143 | Live From TantrumCon 2022 With Moviga from 2022-03-02T03:57:10

Hold onto your butts because this week Free Play is teaming up with Moviga to bring you a cross-promotional, 2-part episode LIVE from Tantrum Con 2022. So get ready for laughing, media ...

Free Play 142 | Netflix's Nerdy Plans from 2022-02-23T06:06:33

Netflix makes a move into the mobile game business with games we’ve never heard of like Bowling Ballers, Asphalt Xtreme, Krispee Street, Dominoes Cafe, and Hextec...

Free Play 141 | When Kickstarters Go Too Far from 2022-02-16T00:06:04

This week Matt found a Kickstarter for Marvel Zombies - A Zombicide Game and the highest tier that included ALL the good stuff was over $600. He was crushed. The Kickstarter was also finished, s...

Free Play 140 | Digital Versions of Physical Games from 2022-02-08T09:00:43

Tabletop games have been making a move to the digital world through Tabletop Simulator and digital versions of tabletop games you know and love. 

Physical games offer the benefits of in-p...

Free Play 139 | Microsoft's Acquisition and Gaming's Future from 2022-02-01T09:00:30

You’ve probably heard all about Microsoft’s in-progress acquisition of Activision/Blizzard where Microsoft could come to own franchises like Call of Duty, World of W...

Free Play EP 138 | Free Play Game Awards from 2021-11-24T02:53:23

It’s that time of year again where everyone starts picking their best games of the year so we thought we’d hop on that bandwagon and put together an even BETTER a...

Free Play 137 | Disney+ Day 2021 from 2021-11-17T09:00

Disney Plus Day 2021 was this week and the amount of content was… overwhelming. We had Bubba blind react to some of the biggest and most interesting shows that Disney announced like the continua...

Free Play EP 136 | Skyrim the Board Game from 2021-11-09T20:01:02

You know that here at the Free Play Podcast we love both video and tabletop experiences. So what happens when these two things collide to make board games based off of popular video games? We ta...

Free Play 135 | How About Some Halloween Booritos? from 2021-11-03T08:00:20

Halloween in-game events always make our games a little more festive. With spoopy activities or limited time skins and items to earn, there’s usually something to be gained during this season. W...

Free Play EP 134 | Hot Takes&Zombie Survival from 2021-10-26T08:00:25

We’re mixing it up a little on today’s episode with our new segment, HOT TAKES, where we dig into random gaming related dilemmas off the internet. And we answer a chat submitted question about whic...

Free Play 133 | It'sa ME... a STARLORD! from 2021-09-28T19:45:04

Everyone has been talking about the moment where Nintendo announced that Chris Pratt was going to be the voice of Mario. Yes, MARIO! And reactions have been mixed. We did not see that one coming...

Free Play EP 132 | Playstation Hot or Not? from 2021-09-14T08:31:01

Playstation held their September showcase this week and 2 out of 3 of us were pretty excited by what we saw. If you think about it, you can probably guess who was less than enthused. Between ann...

Free Play EP 131 | Gaming Gets Banned from 2021-09-09T01:19:04

This week, China implemented a new ban on online games. This means that everyone under the age of 18 is only allowed to play for ONE hour on Fridays, weekends, and special holidays. Why would th...

Free Play EP 130 | Online Concerts from 2021-08-31T17:25:59

Have you been to one of those concerts in games? You know, the ones in Fortnite and Travis Scott or Marshmello? Minecraft is also no stranger to hosting concerts in-...

Episode 129 | Google's Super Secret Plan from 2021-08-24T08:00:17

Does Google have a super-secret plan? Throughout the course of the Epic Games vs. Apple lawsuit, a 70-page document from Google about a grand dream of the “world's largest game platfo...

Free Play EP 128 | Nintendies from 2021-08-17T22:53:08

Guess what nerds, Kate is back from her wilderness exploring. Just in time for some exciting news from Nintendo! The Nintendo Indie World Showcase brought some interesting games to the table. From ...

Free Play EP 127 | Is Warzone Dead? from 2021-08-11T15:43:50

There is a lot going on over at Blizzard/Activision and we have to wonder if it is effecting Call of Duty Warzone. Hackers. Low content flow. Hackers. Who picks up the pieces? Well, that's what ...

Free Play EP 126 | SEASON 5 PREMIERE!!!! from 2021-08-04T01:46:31

On the season 5 premiere of the Free Play Podcast, Matt and Bubba hold down the fort and catch up on what they have been up to over the summer break. Also, Scarlett Johansson is suing Disney over B...

Free Play EP 125 | Season Finale with FrostByte IV! from 2021-05-25T06:41:31

It’s our Season 4 finale! Matt is out of town and we have a special guest! Luke aka FrostByte IV joins us today as we share a wild story that includes Mass Effect...

Free Play EP 124 | Jacked Up Journalism from 2021-05-18T17:06:50

Games journalism often seems to be hyper focused on instances of crunch and negativity in game development. But what happens when a story comes out that is comple...

Free Play 123 | Make Your Own game Awards from 2021-05-11T08:00

What does it take to give awards out to tabletop games? Do you have to be some kind of legit thing or….. Can anyone just do it? We take a look at the American Tab...

Free Play EP 122 | Backlog Intervention from 2021-04-28T17:18:54

We know some people who have some pretty hefty game collections. But what about 25,000 games? All on Steam? Patch notes in a recent Steam update mentioned a fix f...

Free Play 121 | It Remakes No Sense from 2021-04-20T08:00

Rumor has it that the Last of Us is getting a remake.  Not a remaster, they already did that. But a remake. For a game that came out in 2013. We have questions. Q...

Free Play 120 | Games in the Time of COVID from 2021-04-06T08:00

It’s hard to believe that it’s been about a year since COVID really began to take over our lives. How has the pandemic affected the video and board game industrie...

Free Play 119 | The Future of Discord from 2021-03-30T16:26:33

Microsoft has had several failed acquisition attempts of other companies like Tiktok and Pinterest as well as the flop of their streaming service, Mixer. But Micr...

Episode 118 | Scat-egorical References from 2021-03-18T17:16:35

What’s the best way to get nerds up and moving? Giving them free games in exchange for steps. The new app Hero Trainer rewards your steps by giving you gift cards...

Episode 117 | Two Ways To Do Kickstarter from 2021-03-10T00:52:20

It is obvious how much communication between a campaign and its backers can impact the overall success of the Kickstarter itself and we dig into it this week on t...

Episode 116 | State of Lame 2021 from 2021-03-02T09:00

We’re used to seeing some seriously big game announcements in press conferences held at E3 and other conventions. With COVID and the lack of large conferences, the focus now more than...

Episode 115 | Nerdom on the Small Screen from 2021-02-23T09:00

We’ve seen nerd dom make its way to the big screen through the Lord of the Rings, the MCU, and much more. But recently we’ve seen a shift in nerdy adaptations of things that we love a...

Episode 114 | CD Projekt Wrecked from 2021-02-18T15:36:15

The latest in video game news this week once again concerns CD Projekt Red who had source codes for Cyberpunk 2077, The Witcher 3, an unreleased version of The Witcher 3, and Gwent the card game...

Episode 113 | The State-ia of Stadia from 2021-02-09T09:00

The news media was quick to declare the end of Google Stadia only two years after the launch. With the studio head stepping down and developers looking for new jobs, things just don’t...

Episode 112 | Tesla and The Witcher 3? from 2021-02-02T09:00

Tesla is known for being an innovative brand, with Elon Musk constantly coming up with new ideas for infinity and beyond. Literally. This week a story on Tesla boasted that the Model ...

Episode 110 | 2020 Game of the Year from 2020-11-27T20:47:33

2020 has been a trip of a year, and the annual Video Game Award nominees are a testament to that. Did we agree with the list or could it have been altered just a little? Well, that's what we wan...

Episode 109 | PS5&Xbox Series X Review from 2020-11-19T13:49:37

With Matt and Bubba finally getting their hands on a PS5 and an Xbox Series X, we delve into the pros and cons of each console that they’ve noticed this week. Kate has not made the leap to the P...

Episode 108 | Best Games of the Current Generation from 2020-11-13T09:00

The age of the current-gen consoles is coming to a close with the release of the PS5 and the Xbox Series X. We saw some truly amazing games come out on these platforms: Red Dead Redemption 2, Ov...

Episode 107 | Cloud Gaming&Cyberpunk 2077 from 2020-11-05T09:00

Control on the Switch is now available, but on launch day there was a queue to even play the game that boasted instant streaming. While the queue is no longer, it raises questions about the stre...

Episode 106 | Console Wars and Overrated Games from 2020-10-29T08:00

The arrival of the new PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S alongside the stalwart Nintendo Switch gives fresh fuel to the ever-burning fire of the console wars. Brand loyalty and identity crisis f...

Episode 105 | Zelda's 35th Anniversary, Mango Jaw, and Fables from 2020-10-22T14:16:41

Zelda's 35th Anniversary is coming up next year in 2021. Our resident Zelda expert Matt Warmbier speculates on what might come as part of the Zelda anniversary. Will we get a Breath of the Wild ...

Episode 104 | Uncooked Games from 2020-10-15T22:06:01

You know those games that just….. Don’t seem ready to be played? You know, the ones that get released with bugs like you wouldn’t believe? Yeah. Those are what we call “undercooked” games. The o...

Episode 103 | LTN Con Online 2020 Recap from 2020-10-10T18:42:58

Well… we did it. We held our very first online con, and we think it was pretty dope. We had great speakers from some of our favorite people in nerd culture missions, played a metric ton of games...

Episode 102 | Next-Gen Pandemonium from 2020-09-25T08:00

There has been so much chaos and pandemonium surrounding XBOX and Playstation’s latest announcements. We discuss why there are such small amounts of consoles available for pre-order, ...

Episode 101 | Cats, Chickens, and Bent Backs from 2020-09-18T08:00

After the excitement of our 100th live episode, we update you all on what really matters: Matt’s sick chicken, new cat, and Bubba’s bent back. And trust us, Kate hasn't laughed that hard in a wh...

Episode 100 | EPISODE ONE HUNDY (LIVE!) from 2020-09-01T05:44:22

Free Play turns 100! Bubba, Matt, and Kate record this monumental achievement live on Twitch with you, our loyal listeners, and backers. Kate talks about her walkabout vacation visiting a lot of...

Episode 99.5 | The 100th Episode Stop Gap from 2020-08-14T16:14:15

Bubba, Matt & Kate are scattered to the winds before their 100th episode! That means you get the B-team of Jonathan and Aaron but fear not we will be talking abou...

Episode 99 | Gen Con Online recap from 2020-08-07T08:00

Gen Con Online was crazy. We played a ton of games and streamed every last second of that experience. We know and share the sentiment that we “Would rather be at Gen Con”, but when li...

Episode 98 | Ghost of Tsushima Deep Dive from 2020-07-31T08:00

Matt, Bubba, and I are ALL playing Ghost of Tsushima and we wanted to chat more about our in-game experiences. But first, we answer our good friend Frost’s question: what did Kate (ak...

Episode 97 | Ghost of the Expanse from 2020-07-24T08:00

We’re stoked about the latest hotness to hit the shelves: Ghost of Tsushima and have finally got copies in our hands. Well.... almost all of our hands… I.. made a mistake. I’ll tell y...

Episode 96 | Podcast Pants from 2020-07-17T08:00

There are few things a person needs in 2020 during a global pandemic more than a reliable internet connection.  Maybe a solid pair of podcas...

Episode 95 | Shark Week from 2020-07-10T08:00

Bubba is gone in some dark void where there’s no internet. Matt and Kate, the ever-loyal hosts, are still here bringing you hard-hitting content on the best way to make iced tea, fidd...

Episode 94 | LTN Arcade Weekend Recap AND MORE!!!! from 2020-07-03T08:00

Hey, everyone.  It’s been a bit.  We miss you.  Pul...

Episode 93 | The Last of Us Part 2 State of Play from 2020-06-12T08:00

Well, here we go… The Last of Us 2 is a thing and its happening sooner than expected.  And that’s okay! Listen

Episode 92 | Tony Hawk Nostalgia from 2020-05-29T08:00

If this podcast had an origin story… Tony Hawk would be the genesis of that story.  Matt, Kate, and I all played a lethal amount of this ga...

Episode 91 | Steven Speaks from 2020-05-22T08:00

Apologies for not having a show last week as Matt's computer decided to not record any audio at all. We may do something special with what we have, so stay tuned. This week we have a special seg...

Episode 89 | Assassins Creed: New Horizons from 2020-05-08T08:00

Bubba's internet (or lack thereof) has broken his stalk market experience in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Kate is beyond excited for the new Assassins Creed and will here no ...

Episode 88 | Truths, No Lie: A Game from 2020-05-01T08:00

It’s been an interesting week in the world. There have been a lot of ideas and questions asked of so very high ranking officials… but none as important as the one...

Episode 87 | Nookazon and the Turnip Exchange from 2020-04-24T18:25:28

Animal crossing is hard.  You have to catch bugs, shake sticks out of trees, and make friends.  Lucky for us, the internet is here to rescue us from the burden th...

Episode 86 | Ask Us Anything Part 2 from 2020-04-17T08:00

Bunny Day has come and gone… and most of us would be just fine with never seeing another one of those water eggs ever again.  Pointless craf...

Episode 85 | Trash Room&WrestleMEHnia from 2020-04-10T08:00

The self-isolation descent into insanity continues as Bubba, Matt, and Kate continue to document their activities (or lack thereof). Kate organized a video game hostage handoff that involved Who...

Episode 84 | Puma Momma Drama from 2020-04-03T08:00

Bubba, Matt, and Kate return this week to take our minds off the state of the world. Instead, they talk about Matt's disgusting backed up bathtub, Kate's news report tells a sordid and twisted t...

Episode 83 | Animal Crossing: Pillage the Village from 2020-03-27T08:00

It's another week of quarantine for Bubba, Matt, and Kate as they all set sail for deserted islands in Animal Crossing: New Horizon. The trio talks about their experiences in exploring ...

Episode 82 | Quarantine is on the Horizon: Zero Dawn from 2020-03-20T08:00

Well, here we are.  The entire world in the midst of a global pandemic.  It crazy, really. Listen

Episode 81 | Live from PAX East 2020 from 2020-03-13T08:00

Bubba and Matt are at PAX East 2020 with Love Thy Nerd's Editor-In-Chief Drew Dixon. The trio reflects on the games they have played and where they feel Love Thy Nerd can be an influencer amongs...

Episode 80 | Free Play AUA from 2020-03-06T09:00

Bubba, Matt, & Kate take your questions in this Ask Us Anything episode along with Matt and Kate's "free range posse" escapades in Red Dead Online. 

Episode 79 | Test Your Friends from 2020-02-21T09:00

Kate wants to go into scary mines with her Switch while re-enacting scenes from Red Dead, Matt shames Bubba and Kate into joining his posse, and Bubba introduces a new game, "Test Your Friends" ...

Episode 78 | Ghost Towns&Gloomhaven from 2020-02-14T09:00

This week on the Free Play podcast, Kate reads yet another entry from her Red Dead Diary, Matt plays his 41st play of Marvel Champions, and I catch you up on the ...

Episode 77 | Red Dead Flea Market from 2020-02-07T09:00

Bubba, Kate, and Matt are back for season 3 in a free for all episodes where there is no plan, any game they have been playing is up for discussion, and introductions to Free Play insider lingo ...

Episode 76 | Jennifer Graham-Macht of Parks Memories from Keymaster Games from 2020-01-31T13:01:51

Jennifer Graham-Macht of Keymaster Games joins Bubba for a sit-down interview about her background as a local game store owner, the board game Parks, and the upcoming Kickstarter from Keymaster ...

Episode 75 | Top 8 Tabletop Games of 2019 from 2019-12-27T09:00

Well, we did it.  This is the last Free Play episode of 2019 and Matt and I are in the same room to record it!Listen

Episode 74 | The Free Play Holiday Gift Guide from 2019-11-29T09:00

The holiday season is in full swing, and chances are you’re probably out shopping for that special someone in your life… even if it’s you… which it probably is. Listen

Episode 73 | Too Many Streaming Services? from 2019-11-22T09:00

Are there too many streaming services? I mean, who doesn’t love a good binge-watching session with their favorite streaming TV show, but it seems to be getting harder and harder to get everythin...

Episode 72 | Should RPGs Be Shorter? from 2019-11-15T09:00

Who doesn’t love a 400 hour story mode?  I mean, when you are in a world that you love playing a game that lets you escape the one that you actually live in… you ...

Episode 71 | What is Death Stranding Even About? from 2019-11-08T09:00

After what feels like a thousand years of waiting, we finally had a chance to see what Kojima has up his sleeve.  Is it another Silent Hill? What about something ...

Episode 32 | Spoopiest Moments in Games (Community Edition) from 2019-11-01T08:00

Just because Halloween is over doesn’t mean that we can’t keep the spoops rollin’!  We polled our Facebook Community and asked them about a few of the more memorable times when they got a little...

Episode 69 | Gaming's Weirdest PR Stunts from 2019-10-25T08:00

Well… Fortnite broke itself… and the internet.  In what can only be described as a pretty great PR stunt for epic games, they literally obli...

Episode 68 | LTN Con 2019 Recap from 2019-10-11T08:00

LTN Con has LTN Come and LTN Gone, and it was good! Nerds from all over the US and Canada came to learn what exactly Love Thy Nerd is, who runs it and why it’s im...

Episode 67 | The Legend of FreePlay: Matt’s Awakening from 2019-09-27T03:14:06

We’ve been excited about the Link’s Awakening remake since the day it was announced and, ladies and gentlemen, IT IS FINALLY HERE. Is it everything we hoped it wo...

Episode 66 | How Much Money is Your Game Time Worth? from 2019-09-20T04:30:54

Games cost money, and we’ll gladly hand over all the pennies that we’ve got for them. But how many plays or hours do you ex...

Episode 65 | Buy All the Nintendo Things! from 2019-09-13T03:34:29

We got another major update from Nintendo last week about the upcoming hotness for Switch. And they did not disappoint, as usual. Updates that included everything...

Episode 64 | Bye Bye Spider-Guy from 2019-08-30T08:00

Some things are too good to be true and aren’t made to last.  Spider-Guy in the MCU falls well within that category.Listen

Episode 63 | Loving Nerdy Neighbors at GenCon 2019 from 2019-08-16T02:49:17

If you’ve ever wanted to know what it’s like to be in a confined space with 70,000 of your closest friends nerding out over board games for four days in Indianapo...

Episode 62 | Marvel's Spider-Man and Stranger Things 3 SpoilerCast from 2019-07-26T04:26:02

This is it… buckle up, kids… we are doin’ a spoiler cast.  This week we are talking about Playstation’s Spider-Man and the hit Netflix original, Stranger Things. You’ve been warned… so do what y...

Episode 61 | Nintendo Switch Lite&Pro Rumors from 2019-07-19T04:57:32

Nintendo has officially figured out that nerds love the Switch.  We keep asking for every game to make its way to the console and they have answered our cries by ...

Episode 60 | The Future of Augmented Reality from 2019-07-12T08:00

Sometimes reality isn’t all it's cracked up to be.  If I want to travel to the moon or lift a car over my head it’s a whole lot easier to do it in digital space t...

Episode 59 | Are Loot Boxes Ethical? from 2019-06-28T23:59:24

Who doesn’t love being rewarded for playing a game?  I mean, when you look at all that hard work and dedication that we put into honing our craft it only seems fair to get a little something som...

Episode 58 | E3 2019 Coverage Part 2 from 2019-06-21T18:03:33

It’s been a crazy whirlwind of dope announcements with this year’s E3. We covered the first half of press conferences on last week’s episode. Today we’re talking ...

Episode 57 | E3 2019 Coverage Part 1 from 2019-06-14T03:12

If there’s one thing nerds like, it’s learning all of the things about new games and consoles coming out in the now to near future.  Microsoft, Bethesda, EA, Devolver and Google have all had the...

Episode 56 | Pokémon Dreamin' from 2019-06-07T03:24:34

In 1996, we were introduced to three lovable characters named Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Pikachu. These pocket monsters would change the gaming world forever. Fast forward to 2019, over 20 years...

Episode 55 | Leveraging Fun and Games from 2019-05-31T04:16:15

Wether you're crushing your friends in Super Smash Brothers on the Switch, or eradicating flesh eating bacteria in Pandemic, games are fun or at least they are supposed to be. They offer rest fr...

Episode 54 | Game Analysis Paralysis from 2019-05-24T08:00

Do you or someone you love suffer from Gaming Analysis Paralysis? Do you find it difficult and sometimes downright impossible to find a game to play when there ar...

Episode 53 | Sonic and the Future of Video Game Movies from 2019-05-17T15:18:34

Fandoms are the lifeblood of the nerd world.  Mess with them and you’ll probably get cut. Hollywood knows that… right?  Like… they should at least be able to learn from past experiences like Str...

Episode 52 | Is Kickstarter Killing Creativity? from 2019-05-10T07:00

We’ve all been there.  It’s 2 am and you’re trolling around on the internet when a force beyond your control stops your scroll dead in it’s tracks.  That force’s ...

Episode 51 | What's New In The News from 2019-05-03T04:46:44

It’s been a while since we’ve really proven our validity as a gaming media outlet.  So long, in fact, that we actually almost didn’t do this one… but too much has...

Episode 50 | Phoenix Fan Fusion Pre-Show Coverage from 2019-04-26T08:00

Part of what we do here at Love Thy Nerd is go out into the world of nerddom and meet new people, make new friends, and love on every nerd as best as we can. Listen

Episode 49 | A Lost Episode with Horpens and Bread Slime from 2019-04-19T08:00

Bubba, Matt, and Kate are out this week because that’s what happens when two of you work for a church and it’s Easter week.

So they’ve decided to treat you, beloved listener, to an unrele...

Episode 48 | 90's Nostalgia from 2019-04-12T08:00

The 90’s were a seriously tubular time in history.  Everything about the 90’s was loud and cutting edge.  The colors, the synthesizers, and more importantly… the ...

Episode 47 | We Tried Our Best from 2019-04-05T04:44:51

Games are a big part of our lives for those of us that really really love them. When you love something, people know about it. We at the FreePlay Podcast are Chri...

Episode 46 | Google Here to Stadia? from 2019-03-29T02:57:21

Times are a changin’!  Things that were once thought impossible are becoming a reality.  Technology is moving us forward at an alarming pace, and Skynet is immine...

Episode 45 | Games DIY from 2019-03-22T08:00

Playing games is a big part of the hobby.  Some would say that the other part of it is collecting games.  Looking at you, Backlog… but there is a side of the hobby that we may not think about ne...

Episode 44 | What's Up Birds? from 2019-03-15T04:22:24

This past week, Stonemaier games’ retail release of Wingspan wasn’t met with the response they might have hoped.

Onl...

Episode 43 | You're Not Hardcore Unless You Game Hardcore from 2019-03-08T09:00

You know what they say… “They just don’t make them like the used to.” For us… that thing is “games.”  They used to be Listen

Episode 42 | Git Gud Kate from 2019-03-01T09:00

Games have all kinds of inherit value that they rarely get credit for. They can help us understand the best way to act in any number of situations… one of which would be when not to throw a flas...

Episode 41 | Nintendogs Direct from 2019-02-22T14:53:03

Sometimes, our bros over at Nintendo know what they are doing when they drop things on us during their YouTube directs.  Other times they co...

Episode 40 | Horse Stories & Groundbreaking Games from 2019-02-15T09:00

Matt is still in mourning over the loss of his Red Dead horse, Horepens and is also frustrated with the lack of common sense of his replacement mount, Dude. Despite the emotional vulnerability, ...

Episode 39 | Gaming in the Workplace from 2019-02-08T11:00

As members of the nerd community we are sadly not strangers to the negative press that our favorite past tends to get. "You are wasting your life!", "You will become violent!" are just some of t...

Episode 38 | The Free Play Behind The Scenes VIP Demo from 2019-02-01T14:00

Podcasts are funny, right?  You get a chance to listen in on a conversation you’re not a part of and for whatever reason… it’s not weird.  We want to make sure th...

Episode 37 | Retrospectives At PAX South 2019 from 2019-01-25T11:00

We can't think of a better way to kick off a new convention year than at PAX South 2019! Bubba and Matt are on hand with Chief Content Nerd Drew Dixon to talk about the games they've played and the...

Free Play 36 | LTN: Year One (Free Play Finale) from 2018-12-21T19:50:12

2018 is almost over and that means so is the first year of Love Thy Nerd.  It’s been a crazy 10 or so months and we’ve seen some amazing things happen.  Our community has grown to over 1,300 people...

Free Play 31 | Nintendo Sixty Foooooooooooour Classic from 2018-11-16T09:00

It’s finally allegedly happening! We will definitely probably get the Nintendo 64 Classic just in time for Christmas 2018… if the leaks are true, which they are… because I read them on the interne...

Free Play 30 | Red Dead Reflections from 2018-11-09T09:00

I scream you scream.  We all scream for games.  We scream with joy because of how great they are and also scream in empathetic agony for what it cost the creators in time, money, relationships, and...

Free Play 29 | Staying Current from 2018-11-02T10:00

Let’s face it:  There just isn’t enough time or money to do all of the things that we need or want to do.  We can’t play all the games, watch all the movies and tv shows or read all of the comics. ...

Free Play 28 | Spoopy Games from 2018-10-27T07:14:54

You may be wondering if you’re too old to trick or treat. A good rule of thumb is: if you have to ask… you probably are. Who needs trick or treating? Why not just head on over to the grocery sto...

Free Play 27 | Let's Get Digital, Digital! from 2018-10-19T17:39:25

If you’re old enough to remember the feelings of both frustration and relief when your Nintendo Entertainment System cart wouldn’t play but blowing on the contacts… letting it hang over the lip of ...

Free Play 26 | Easter Eggs from 2018-10-05T08:00

Hunting Easter eggs is equal parts rewarding and frustrating.  But the pay off always seems to be worth it. Easter eggs in video games can be either a long journey or a complete accident.  We thin...

Free Play 25 | A Sad Telltale from 2018-09-28T10:00

In 2012, Telltale’s “The Walking Dead Season 1” received several "game of the year" awards as well and single-handedly brought back a genre of video game that lay dormant for almost 30 years.
<...

Free Play 23 | Escape Rooms from 2018-09-14T10:00

Have you ever done an escape room? Various scenarios designed to stretch your mental capacity and force you to solve inane riddles and puzzles by thinking outside of the box… sometimes literally. ...

Free Play 22 | Conquering Nerd Rage from 2018-08-31T08:00

Dealing with the emotions caused by the games we play is a very real problem, but we at Love Thy Nerd exist, in part, to offer hope, peace and a positive way to manage the pressure of life that we ...

Free Play 21 | To Not Be Continued from 2018-08-25T16:52:26

Well, they say a picture is worth a thousand words. Logic would dictate that thousands of moving pictures spread out over upwards of 18 movies are easily more words than anyone will ever be able t...

Free Play 20 | Not-So-Violent Video Games from 2018-08-17T08:00

Did you know that there are games without a single shred of violence in them?  Scout’s honor, I looked it up online just to be sure. Passive, peaceful games are a thing, and you can build farms, c...

Free Play 19 | The Best of GenCon 2018 from 2018-08-10T08:00

GenCon 2018 is in the books!  And oooooo weee, there were so - many - games this year.  If you had a week to walk the expo hall you still wouldn’t have been able to even see all the games, let alon...

Free Play 18 | GenCon 2018 Preview from 2018-08-03T10:00

If you love tabletop games, conventions, and repurposing super jocky sports venues to fulfill nerdy needs, then you’re gonna’ LOVE GenCon.  4 days chocked full of way more board games than you can ...

Free Play 17 | SDCC 2018 from 2018-07-27T11:00

San Diego Comic-Con is the best of the best.  All of the new things in the nerdy movie, comic book and small-screen are shown at this convention.  We watched a few trailers, so I think that makes u...

Free Play 16 | The Retro Revolution from 2018-07-20T11:00

This week on the Free Play podcast we're talking graphics.  With all of the advancements that we are making with technology, why is it that the graphics in video games seem to be trending backward?

Free Play 15 | Streaming Vs. Single Player from 2018-07-13T12:00

On this week's episode, Bubba and Kate talk about the state of rich, single-player experiences in video games.  Is it worth it to go buy a game if you've already had it spoiled by watching it onlin...

Free Play 14 | Music in Video Games from 2018-07-06T19:10:59

We all have that one song from our favorite game that floods our minds during the silent parts of our day.  They make you think and feel certain things during the game and that's what we in the biz...

Free Play 13 | Nintendo's Success from 2018-06-29T21:12

With the Switch, Nintendo is winning in every sense of the word.  We know that this isn't always the case, but for the time being... Nintendo is doing pretty well.  We want to celebrate that this w...

Free Play 12 | E3 Pt. 2 from 2018-06-22T11:00

On the chopping block in this week's episode are Sony, Nintendo, Square Enix and PC's E3 2018 conferences.  We look at the good the bad and the ugly as well as let you know who we feel did the best...

Free Play 11| E3 2018 Part 1 from 2018-06-15T12:00

E3 is a media circus... and we want to ride the elephant.  In this, the first of a two-part series, Bubba, Matt and Kate look at the EA, Microsoft, Ubisoft and Bethesda press conferences.

Free Play 10 | Communal Gaming - DEEP DIVE from 2018-06-08T11:00

Stepping outside of the normal week-to-week nonsense, Bubba, Matt and Kate take a look at the importance of the gaming community as well as a few of the problems it may cause.  They also leave you ...

Free Play 9 | Console Hardware Flops from 2018-06-01T11:00

This week, Bubba rants about how good Starbucks is at handling pressure, Matt rants about how good Starbucks is at listening to reggae, and Kate rants about her grandpa who rants about Starbucks po...