The VGBees podcast

25:13

After taking a four year break on his Oklahoma ranch, Blake Shelton is back on the road and riding the high of his new album, For Recreational Use Only . After 29 number one hits, and a detour into Hollywood, Blake’s scorching hot single “Texas” proves he’s still got it. Country Thunder CEO Troy Vollhoffer recalls meeting Blake Shelton during a crazy storm that really put the “thunder” in Country Thunder. After 23 seasons on The Voice , Blake opens up about spreading himself thin and making the choice to be “a TV guy or a touring guy.” The two reminisce about Toby Keith and why being a road dog is the best way to learn how to entertain a crowd. Blake reveals how his worst on-stage “ass-kicking” taught him how to be himself in front of a crowd. After taking so much time away from the spotlight, Blake shares that it was Post Malone who reminded him that he’s still a country singer at heart.…

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Host and founder of VGBees, John Warren, is joined every week by cohost Niki Grayson and illustrious guests adjacent to video games and culture for candid, funny, and enlightening conversations about an art form that is both uniting and dividing us. Every week, The VGBees Podcast will explore trends and touchpoints you need to know in order to have the most well-rounded idea of what's going on in games. Explore vgbees.com after each episode for notes on each episode as well as written pieces by our collaborators and guests. We all have to work together to build a brighter future for games, so Join The Honey Hive today!

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The VGBees Podcast explicit

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The VGBees Podcast

1
This Sense of Impending Doom Is an Xbox 1:33:21

6 днів тому1:33:21

1:33:21

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 delay 3rd party titles apparently lagging on Switch 2 historic sales figures for Switch 2 Xbox's core strategy Mario Kart World Donkey Kong Bananza Cyberpunk 2077 on Switch 2 Poxel FBC: Firebreak Deltarune Also, we answer your burning HIVE QUESTIONS from our lovely Discord community.…

The VGBees Podcast

1
Gamifying HIPAA Violations w/ Lotus 1:49:33

13 днів тому1:49:33

1:49:33

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 swag Sonic Racing: Crossworlds Lumines Arise MindsEye Mario Kart World the rise of fascism and incompetence of our oppressors Nintendo Switch 2 first week sales figures and much, much more Also, we answer your burning HIVE QUESTIONS straight from our lovely Discord .…

The VGBees Podcast

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Audio Poison: The VGBees SGF Mixer 2025 1:28:48

20 днів тому1:28:48

1:28:48

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. But we did it anyway! The VGBees Way. Is it a fun episode? Yes. John tackles the Sony State of Play and thoughts on Elden Ring: Nightreign while we get lots of really fun cameos from folks across games media! Video version recommended on this one, but the audio is definitely worse there. We'll record more "normal" eps during SGF. Thanks for your patience and support! Hive Questions will be called upon this weekend!…

The VGBees Podcast

1
There's An Ys In Here Somewhere 2:05:08

27 днів тому2:05:08

2:05:08

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 show EA's cancelation of Black Panther and the closure of Cliffhanger Memories of E3 Battle Aces shutting down Tencent's recent catalog Xbox moving away from proprietary handheld (for now) Elden Ring Nightreign 's PC problems getting paid to hate a game Also, we answer your burning HIVE QUESTIONS from our Discord !…

The VGBees Podcast

1
Randy's Looking Over Your Shoulder w/ Dan Ryckert 2:01:33

5 weeks тому2:01:33

2:01:33

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 Hungry Tommy Tallarico owning a business like owning a car? Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown To a T Deliver At All Costs Star Citizen We answer your HIVE QUESTIONS from our Discord like we do every single week!…

The VGBees Podcast

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Basic Bogging w/ Jenna Stoeber 1:50:21

6 weeks тому1:50:21

1:50:21

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 East Karaoke go-tos Ending our time with Blue Prince Nintendo Switch 2 colliding with Summer Game Fest The non-story of Kingdom Hearts IV 's screenshot drop Bungie possibly lifting stolen art directly into Marathon's alpha and more! Also, we answer your HIVE QUESTIONS , which you can provide for us every single week on our Discord .…

The VGBees Podcast

1
Conclave Elimination Chamber 1:47:29

7 weeks тому1:47:29

1:47:29

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 survive killing Avatar Aang in Fortnite flying an X-Wing in Fortnite glitching a car out of existence in Fortnite the genius of Fortnite nearly eight years in the act of play in Despelote grounding yourself when you're disappearing into games (or whatever, frankly) We answer your HIVE QUESTIONS every single week on the show, but you must JOIN THE HIVE to do so!…

The VGBees Podcast

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Inside Blitzball w/ Jeff Gerstmann 2:16:23

8 weeks тому2:16:23

2:16:23

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 sad and emotionally-draining day, but we still go around to other topics, including: What to make of the State of Play for Borderlands 4 Apple losing the ability to block third party payment platforms Xbox price hikes Skin Deep , the new hilarious immersive sim from Blendo Jar Jar's in Fortnite now Clair Obscur is still unbelievably French We even got Jeff to briefly talk about Blitzball. What a treat. As usual, we pulled your burning HIVE QUESTIONS straight from our Discord like we do every single week.…

The VGBees Podcast

1
French Robert Pattinson w/ Fūnk-é Joseph 2:07:36

9 weeks тому2:07:36

2:07:36

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 mess Donkey Kong Bananza's clear connection to Red Faction how Mario Kart World is attracting the haters Marathon alpha Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 , the world's most French game explaining Blue Prince All of this and your HIVE QUESTIONS , answered each and every episode.…

The VGBees Podcast

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Possums in the Blueprints w/ Jessica Cogswell 2:06:44

10 weeks тому2:06:44

2:06:44

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 Marathon New Mario Kart World details The good and bad of Blue Prince, one of the year's most polarizing games Leaving the bloat behind in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Also, Jess commits to getting John into Magic: The Gathering at SGF this year. Niki's clean and will not participate. Finally, we answer your burning HIVE QUESTIONS , featuring some bangers about music, mediocre games that never drop price, and snacks.…

The VGBees Podcast

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Inquiries On Animes w/ Lotus 1:27:25

11 weeks тому1:27:25

1:27:25

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 changes More Switch 2 preorder delays The GameCube controller has bizarre limitations The Piranha Plant camera for Switch 2 is 480p Those Titanfall 3 rumors A Slay the Spire mod with waifus Also, we played: South of Midnight Hot Wax MTG Arena As always, we answer your burning HIVE QUESTIONS , which you can ask each and every week if you're a member of The Hive.…

The VGBees Podcast

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Trade War 2025 w/ Imran Khan 47:38

12 weeks тому47:38

47:38

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 colleague Imran Khan to discuss the event. We covered a lot of ground, including: A recap of Wednesday's announcements Trump's specific new tariffs announced Wednesday afternoon Nintendo's response on Friday How this expands WAY beyond Switch 2 Why manufacturing jobs will not be created sustainably here in the US Why this moment may or may not radicalize the average gamer How these conditions may cause more delays, price increases, and supply issues If this is your first time thinking about things like this, welcome! We don't judge! Just consider looking at your hobbies getting priced out of your comfort zone as the first step in looking at the world in a more intersectional way! Okay!?! If you like the idea of maybe making more bonus podcasts, consider supporting us at vgbees.com/join .…

The VGBees Podcast

1
Bananza at Jungle Jim's w/ Charles Harte 2:41:14

12 weeks тому2:41:14

2:41:14

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 point Mario Kart World 's features & $80 price point What $80 Nintendo games mean for the industry Why Switch 2 costs what it costs Double mice with Drag x Drive The shocking reveal of Bloodborne spiritual successor The Duskbloods Enhanced editions of Nintendo Switch games Donkey Kong Bananza Also, we discuss games we've been playing, including: South of Midnight Atomfall Avowed Finally, we answer your burning HIVE QUESTIONS , including one about exploring weird themed grocery store Jungle Jim's in Cincinnati.…

The VGBees Podcast

1
Galileo Galiwho w/ Ben Pack 2:05:08

13 weeks тому2:05:08

2:05:08

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 2 Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Eternal Life of Goldman Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream Rhythm Heaven Groove Marvel Cosmic Invasion Nintendo Virtual Game Cards (?????) Also discussed: Cristiano Ronaldo joining Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves Tencent & Ubisoft creating a new subsidiary to house certain IP Avowed R.E.P.O. All Systems Dance Assassin's Creed Shadows The crew also answers your burning HIVE QUESTIONS like we do each and every week!…

The VGBees Podcast

1
An Immigration Conversation with Abogada Kate 28:14

13 weeks тому28:14

28:14

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 Lincoln-Goldfinch (aka Abogada Kate ) is an immigration attorney in Austin, TX, serving families and individuals through the complicated and sometimes harrowing immigration process. In this conversation we cover: How the day to day work of an immigration law office has changed since November 2024 and since Trump took office How our rule of law has eroded and what advice Kate would have for citizens and non-citizens during this unstable period Thoughts on the Mahmoud Khalil case How the legal profession is responding to the Trump administration's tactics The process of becoming a US citizen The prospect of overhauling our immigration system The beauty of being a country of immigrants How attitudes about labor can shape the immigration conversation for better and for worse How we can protect non-citizens and permanent residents If you would like more resources on the rights of immigrants, go to https://www.abogadakate.com/safety/ to download guides on what to do if an immigrant is approached at home, at work, in their cars, etc.…

The VGBees Podcast

1
The Draft Kings of Gaming w/ Tim Rogers 2:35:56

14 weeks тому2:35:56

2:35:56

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 Assassin's Creed Shadows The Easy-Bake Oven Witcher 3- ification of Assassin's Creed Sports gambling and the possible equivalent in games Horse Armor Pomeranians Lost media (and if that's even what we'd call what people are referring to as "lost media" now) Kitchen Nightmares And a lot more, honestly! We also answer some of your burning HIVE QUESTIONS , including a rundown of all the weird things we call our dogs.…

The VGBees Podcast

1
Suing Yourself for Fun & Profit w/ Pat Gill 1:51:10

15 weeks тому1:51:10

1:51:10

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 again Scopely buys Niantic's gaming wing for $3.5b Saudi fund inks 3-year deal with Capcom for Street Fighter 6 tournaments The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion is getting a remake soon Power Wash Simulator 2 announced Also discussed: Fortnite The Forever Winter Skin Deep Half Sword Avowed Mullet Madjack Fragpunk As always, we answer your HIVE QUESTIONS like we do each and every week! Lots of wrestling chat in this one, if that's your pleasure.…

The VGBees Podcast

1
Jesus Underscore Christ with Andrea Shearon 1:53:53

16 weeks тому1:53:53

1:53:53

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 2024 Sega is releasing fewer games but doubling down on big franchises Monster Hunter Wilds has a massive launch Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 25 years of PlayStation 2 Avowed Lost Records: Rage & Bloom Rue Valley Fruit Fight Kingdom Come Deliverance II Also, we answer your burning HIVE QUESTIONS like we do each and every week.…

The VGBees Podcast

1
Marketing Strategies for CEOs: A VGBees Masterclass w/ Michael Higham 1:49:40

17 weeks тому1:49:40

1:49:40

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 ranch the Pokémon Presents Pokémon Legends: Z-A Pokémon Champions Warner Bros. closing Monolith and canceling Wonder Woman CEOs and their marketing strategies Bossa Games' CEO's weird LinkedIn post Avowed South of Midnight We also answer ONE of your Hive Questions this week. Yep. Ran out of time. We're going to record a bonus to get to the rest of them, so stay tuned for that if you're a Hive Member !…

The VGBees Podcast

1
The Saudis Own VGBees Now w/ Merritt K 1:44:17

18 weeks тому1:44:17

1:44:17

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 team Microsoft's new Muse generative AI initiative Niantic in talks to be purchased by Scopely for $3.5b Hades II gets a big update (and into some interesting territory with SAG-AFTRA) Also, we talk about Avowed and 1994's hottest game, Stone Protectors . We answer your HIVE QUESTIONS , including who we would cast in this year's star-studded Call of Duty ad.…

The VGBees Podcast

1
Not About Divorce and Being Mean to Your Kid 1:54:31

19 weeks тому1:54:31

1:54:31

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 Play Saros Tides of Annihilation Shinobi: Art of Vengeance Darwin's Paradox Onimusha Reality Break Tekken Tag Tournament 2: Wii U Edition Avowed Of course, your HIVE QUESTIONS are also answered like they are each and every week!…

The VGBees Podcast

1
John & Niki: True iicons 1:44:57

20 weeks тому1:44:57

1:44:57

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 date Grand Theft Auto 6 confirmed for fall 2025 timeline on new Nvidia cards coming back in stock Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. Marvel Rivals Eternal Strands Animal Crossing: New Horizons Of course, we answer your HIVE QUESTIONS like we do each and every week.…

The VGBees Podcast

1
Emergency Basketball Podcast: The Luka Doncic Trade 1:36:03

20 weeks тому1:36:03

1:36:03

The entire sports world was shocked when 5-time All-NBA 1st Teamer and 25 year old megastar Luka Doncic was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for a Randy's donut and some unpaid parking tickets. Okay maybe it's not quite that bad, but it's really, really, really close. Your local basketball experts and fans of both teams in question, John and Niki, break down what you need to know about why the trade happened, what happens to both of these teams, and the long-term effects this trade may have around the league. They also get into why sports are great and why the current crop of major team ownership is in it for entirely the wrong reasons. Come for the jokes about how this basically shaved 10 years off of John's life, stay for the genuinely heartfelt conclusion about why sports are all about community. Some media you might be interested in: ESPN's longform piece about the trade The bizarre Nico Harrison press conference The Shams tweet everyone thought was fake…

The VGBees Podcast

1
It's Hard to Let Go 1:40:14

21 weeks тому1:40:14

1:40:14

This week, Niki and John dive into the news that BioWare is downsizing and outsourcing part of Mass Effect 5 's development. More than that, it strikes our hosts that maybe the series should go away if it means saving the jobs of the remaining employees tasked with such a burden. Anyway, it's a good discussion about a complicated problem. Also: the Video Game History Foundation's excellent new digital archives have launched Forza Horizon 5 is coming to PS5 with crossplay Microsoft's two-sided strategy Eternal Strands Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. Ninja Gaiden II Black We also answer your HIVE QUESTIONS , including "what's the video game equivalent of 'hot singles in your area?'"…

The VGBees Podcast

1
Boy the Musical 1:35:42

22 weeks тому1:35:42

1:35:42

This week, Niki and John take in the most recent Xbox Direct showcase and dive into each game discussed, including: Ninja Gaiden 4 South of Midnight Expedition 33 Doom: The Dark Ages They also discuss the cancelation of Celeste follow-up Earthblade and the blog post announcing it. In addition, the news that EA is disappointed in the sales of both Dragon Age: The Veilguard and EA Sports FC 25 is examined through a lens that understands the latter is much, much, much more interesting and noteworthy than the former. As always, the duo answers your burning HIVE QUESTIONS , including whether $100 video games will catch on and which game would make the best musical.…

The VGBees Podcast

1
Mario Kart 2 1:50:53

23 weeks тому1:50:53

1:50:53

This week, Niki and John discuss the biggest story in games. That's right, it's the MegaByte Nation Gaming Expo from Los Angeles, CA! What are Game Hogs up to? What does a UMD of old Family Guy episodes cost? Oh also we discuss the official announcement of Nintendo Switch 2, including: form factor changes Joy-Cons are also mice? guesses about the new Mario Kart speculation on release date and much more! We also answer your Hive Questions like we every single week! Which game would change the hearts and minds of a Footloose- style town that hates video games?…

The VGBees Podcast

1
All the Ingredients for a Speedrun 53:03

24 weeks тому53:03

53:03

This week, Niki is laying low to escape the horrible fires facing Los Angeles. John runs solo, discussing the games news of the week, including: Nintendo Switch 2 rumors the delay of Assassin's Creed Shadows Tencent's designation as a military organization the new LEGO Game Boy We also answer your HIVE QUESTIONS and discuss John's fleet of emulation devices. Here are some links for donations/causes to help aid in the recovery of Los Angeles. Watch Duty - donations go toward running an incredibly helpful tracking service for Angelenos Canine Rescue Club - helping match displaced pets with fosters in times of great distress like this Gear Drive Fire Support - organizing local needs in a handy spreadsheet Pasadena Humane - providing emergency care and treatment of animals affected by the fires California Community Foundation - donating to their wildlife recovery fund directly contributes to local recovery efforts World Central Kitchen - providing meals for first responders and others in need of nourishing meals All Power Books - local Los Angeles bookstore organizing distribution of shelf stable food, water, and other necessities to people in need…

The VGBees Podcast

1
Why Don't These Games Make Me Cry? 1:24:09

25 weeks тому1:24:09

1:24:09

This week, Niki and John both shake off their respective Holiday illnesses to come together for the first episode of 2025! They reflect on what they might have missed in 2024, including: Mouthwashing 1000xResist Metaphor: ReFantazio The Rise of the Golden Idol Also, what would the first episode of the new year be without predictions for games to play in 2025: Death Stranding 2: On the Beach FBC: Firebreak Pokemon Legends: Z-A Skate Judas We also answer your burning HIVE QUESTIONS like we do each and every week!…

The VGBees Podcast

1
The VGBees 2024 Games of the Year 1:31:28

27 weeks тому1:31:28

1:31:28

It is that time of year! VGBees has awarded its official (well John and Niki's) Games of the Year 2024! We had two overlaps, so we cover eight total games and wow we had a blast revisiting the year's very best games. Not to spoil the surprise (stop reading if you don't want to know), but in alphabetical order we discuss: Astro Bot Balatro Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Content Warning Crow Country Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Path of Exile 2 Thank Goodness You're Here! No HIVE QUESTIONS in this special episode, but you can always join and ask us questions every single week and we'll answer them on the show!…

The VGBees Podcast

1
Brick & Jack: Football Geniuses 1:58:16

27 weeks тому1:58:16