Hot Button

Episode 125: Dastan Checks In - Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

Fri, 05 Jun 2026 05:09:35 -0500

We’ve returned to the studio again to discuss the full history and making of 2010’s Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time: the film! Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and starring everybody’s favorite white Iranian Jake Gyllenhaal, we’re here to provide a deep dive on what brought this mediocre piece of cinema into existence!

Hot Button Movie Commentary: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

Fri, 29 May 2026 13:21:55 -0500

The movie gang is back! Listen along with the crew today as we watch when the once popular Ubisoft action-adventure series was adapted onto the big screen. This from your friends at Disney no less! Don’t forget to return next week to find out how this middling flick came to life.

Hot Button’s 2025 Game of the Year Deliberations Part 2

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 12:02:11 -0500

It is time. Come here us debate the winners and losers in our final group of GotY categories for 2025: Biggest Surprise, Most Disappointing, Worst Game, and then the top 10 Best Games in ranked order!

Biggest Surprise: 0:01:41
Most Disappointing: 1:33:51
Worst Game: 2:56:01
Best Game: 3:43:09

Episode 124: My Bloody Valentine in 2-D - The History of Doki Doki Literature Club

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 14:51:32 -0500

It’s a Valentine’s Day special to break up our Game of the Year bonanza as we recount the development and controversial outcome of when an anime indie horror dating sim took the internet by storm before then becoming the center of attention from it’s connection to multiple real world tragedies.

Hot Button’s 2025 Game of the Year Deliberations Part 1

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 13:03:58 -0500

2026 is here! Before we fully embrace that though, the crew must first definitively and collectively decide on which video games topped our lists for 2025 across eight exciting categories! The batch for today include: Best Aesthetic, Best Story, Best Character, and Best Moment or Sequence!

Best Aesthetic - 0:02:54
Best Narrative - 1:24:50
Best Character - 2:24:40
Best Moment or Sequence - 3:21:55

Episode 123: Hot Button Year-Seven Edition

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 12:22:23 -0500

Happy holidays, listeners! Our gift to you is that we’re not dead and we have also dedicated ourselves to updating the massive amount of topics that we’ve covered since we started all the way back in 2018. What is Peter Molyneux working on these days? How much does Poop Slinger cost? Tune in to find out!

Episode 122: “Hentai_Overflow” - The Time Bigoted Hackers Took Down LittleBigPlanet and Titanfall

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 14:58:36 -0500

Today we take a trip back to 2021 to have a concerning conversation as well as share some insights on the insecurities and impermanence of online video game ecosystems. This along with witnessing, in two different examples, the worst of what can happen when your once beloved property is taken over by the dregs of the internet.

Episode 121: Not Like This - The Sad Story of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5

Fri, 13 Jun 2025 15:01:17 -0500

Let us relive some trauma on this episode as we dig into the dark chapter of one of the absolute best franchises to ever grace gaming. Turns out that underfunding an inexperienced studio to tackle a major project in an unreasonable time frame is a poor path to success, who knew!

Episode 120: The Seven Deadly Sins of Dante’s Inferno

Fri, 28 Mar 2025 10:46:35 -0500

Who’s ready to party like it’s Easter Sunday, because this week we’re going to get blasphemous and explore what is probably the most elaborate and insane PR campaign for a video game ever. Seven full months of religious-infused stunts destined to promote the character action title that time forgot. Ain’t no sunshine into these layers of Hell!

Episode 119: The Joy of Sex - A Hot Button Guide to Love Making

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 13:00:00 -0500

It’s an 18+ adults only Valentine’s Day special today as we break out the worst console ever made, the Philips CD-i, and recount the true story of when a “sex manual” from the early 70s was bizarrely adapted into an interactive video game from the early 90s. Not even the folks responsible can hide from us!

Hot Button’s 2024 Game of the Year Deliberations Part 2

Sat, 08 Feb 2025 14:44:15 -0500

The discussions conclude as we find our answers to the four final categories: Best Surprise, Biggest Disappointment, Worst Game, and of course a collaborative list of the ten Best Games overall!

Biggest Surprise 0:02:02
Most Disappointing 1:30:04
Worst Game 2:36:45
Best Game 3:26:21

Hot Button’s 2024 Game of the Year Deliberations Part 1

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 12:12:39 -0500

This week begins our mission of naming the top of what gaming in 2024 had to offer. In our first half of the debates, we honor our picks for: Best Aesthetic, Best Story, Best Character, and (perhaps our personal favorite) Best Moment or Sequence. Let the arguments commence!

Best Aesthetic 0:01:02
Best Narrative 1:12:38
Best Character 2:00:31
Best Moment or Sequence 3:03:46

Episode 118: Hot Button Year-Six Edition

Fri, 29 Nov 2024 13:01:41 -0500

Woo lad! It’s been a whopping six years and nearly 120 episodes! You know what that means. Today we reinvestigate the back catalog to see what’s new with our topics. It’s honestly surprising just how much can change in the last 12 months. Come find out!

Episode 117: “Intruder Alert! Intruder Alert!” - The Curse of Berzerk!

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 11:00:00 -0500

We close out the spookiest of all holidays with the unusual tale of how a fun 80s arcade shooter came to be! That was before it killed someone, played a role in a homicide case, and found itself in the middle of multiple conspiracy theories!

Episode 116: This is a Brutal Blood Sport! - The History of Manhunt

Sat, 19 Oct 2024 11:04:04 -0500

Halloween season has officially started so this week we get our hands dirty with Rockstar’s found footage murder simulator… classic? From its controversial portrayal of a deranged man forced into the seedy underground world of snuff film creation to its divisive launch, ensuing bans, and connection to a heinous real-life crime! We cover it all! Not to mention provide a nuanced discussion of using violence as a form of artistic expression and social commentary! Hooray!

Episode 115: Oh, Bugger - Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 14:33:50 -0500

It’s our most boob-filled discussion to date as we dissect the development and release of one of the biggest box office hits to ever be based on a classic video game! A blunder filled with interesting casting choices, over the top wire work, cute snow dogs, and an eccentric soundtrack to boot.

Hot Button Movie Commentary: Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

Fri, 20 Sep 2024 09:31:39 -0500

Come join the crew in watching the 2001 action-adventure blockbuster hit starring Angelina Jolie! And trust us when I say that you won’t want to take on this task alone… because this film sucks! Weak characterization, sloppy editing, and poor cinematography are only the start of this dud. But don’t worry, our audio track is here to spice things up and save you from utter chaos! Then you’ll have all the context ya need for when we dig into its full production on the next episode. Stay tuned!

Episode 114: Microtransactions #6

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 13:07:28 -0500

We got a fresh batch of weird little stories for the pod this week as we discuss the tangled web of digital music licensing, interactive cures to fight real world disease, and what happens when a public wedding proposal inside of a popular video game goes awry.

Episode 113: The History of Valve Part 2 (Episode Two)

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 12:15:25 -0500

And we’re back with our deep dive through the Valve timeline! This week we take a step into the realm of virtual reality as well as explore the mega company’s most recent success following the release of their SteamDeck handheld series!

Episode 112: The History of Valve Part 2 (Episode One)

Fri, 28 Jun 2024 12:38:52 -0500

Today we dig into Valve Software’s big foray into not only developing their in house operating system, but also their very own home hardware. Everything from the Steam Link, to the Steam Controller, to the Steam Machine and everything in between!

Episode 111: The Failure of the Coleco Chameleon

Fri, 17 May 2024 11:39:45 -0500

What do you get when you combine a brand new retro-style system, a botched crowdfunding campaign, and a bunch of tricksters? Why you get the Coleco Chameleon of course! The cartridge based home console that never was, from a team now only known for their deceptive attempt to fool a demographic who was all well too informed to fall for it.

Episode 110: The Dumb History of Flappy Bird

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 11:01:35 -0500

Ten years ago, the popularity and drama of the silly little mobile app Flappy Bird was inescapable. On this episode we investigate its suspicious origins, controversies, bizarre release and unrelease, the ensuing wave of copycats, as well as find out what happens when a creator is tormented by his very own invention.

Episode 109: Don’t Do the Do - The Perils of the 2014 MTN Dew Game_Jam

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 12:52:38 -0500

It’s a good ol’ fashioned reality show nightmare this week as we dig into the time America’s favorite soft drink sponsored a gaming television program full of popular faces and yet, production failed so hard that it never even made it to air!

Episode 108: Suck It Down - The History of Diakatana

Fri, 08 Mar 2024 10:37:54 -0500

This week John Romero is about to make you his bitch as we explore the troubled development and release of one of the largest high profile blunders ever to grace our industry. So join us as we hop back to the optimistic days of the mid 1990s and show you just where this epic sci-fi FPS, created by some of the biggest names in games, went horribly wrong.

Hot Button’s 2023 Game of the Year Deliberations Part 2

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 13:01:47 -0500

We’re back with our second and final part on the best (and worst) of 2023! Why not celebrate Valentine’s Day by listening to us argue four more awards categories, including… Biggest Surprise, Most Disappointing, Worst Game, and of course a ranked top 10 of the Best of the Best!
Biggest Surprise - 00:01:45
Most Disappointing - 00:37:53
Worst Game - 01:47:30
Best Game - 02:03:51

Hot Button’s 2023 Game of the Year Deliberations Part 1

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 12:05:05 -0500

With 2024 now upon us, what do you say we take a look back and discuss our top releases of last year. This week we kick it off with awards for Best Aesthetic, Best Narrative, Best Character, and Best Moment! Be sure to return for the remaining categories in Part 2 of 2 coming soon! Note - There will be story spoilers during certain conversations and we will label where to skip ahead in the time codes below.
Best Aesthetic - 00:02:10
Best Narrative - 00:53:49
Best Character - 01:52:22
Best Moment or Sequence - 02:36:08

Episode 107: Unity Returns!

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 13:15:04 -0500

Sometimes something happens that we just can’t sit on. In perhaps what is likely THE most self-destructive move we have ever seen in almost any industry, today we buckle down and discuss the recent explosion of controversy from the folks at the Unity company. Please note that this recording is not only an expansion of the latest anniversary update, but also a follow-up to the history we covered of the game engine in episode 85!

Hot Button Game Awards 2023 Special Follow-Up

Fri, 22 Dec 2023 12:56:19 -0500

The annual VGAs have officially concluded. This week we give a play-by-play of the night’s events as well as our thoughts on every major reveal and announcement. This along with the tallying up the results of who in the podcast room made the most accurate predictions of them all!

Hot Button Game Awards 2023 Special

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 08:47:27 -0500

Awards season is upon us! Today we place our bets and personal picks as we run through all the main categories set to presented at Geoff Keighley’s big show. Who’s chosen group of nominees will come out on top? Tune back in next time to hear which one of us is crowed the winner!

Episode 106: Hot Button Year-Five Edition

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 12:59:49 -0500

Five years! Can you believe it? Take a trip through time with us this week as we check back in with all our past episodes and update a half decade plus of some of the biggest stories in gaming!

Episode 105: Cruis’n Toward Bankruptcy - The History of Midway

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 11:33:43 -0500

Get over here! At long last, we cover the third great pillar of defunct American software publishers! From the arcade classics to seventh gen sleepers, we take a look at everything these dead kings of the “B” game threw at us. The hits and the misfires! These folks left quite the mark on our industry. So allow us to take you on a guided tour of their humble beginnings, rise to stardom, fall from grace, and eventual collapse.

Episode 104: Dark Horse - The Twisted Tale of Drowned God

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 13:23:47 -0500

Halloween is now upon us… therefore it’s time the podcast tackles what is likely one of the most distressing stories to ever find its way into gaming history. Today we explore the tragedy and mind of an artist faced with the unimaginable. So you best be prepared for our discussion of death, conspiracies, aliens, PC adventure titles, and psychobilly rock music?

Episode 103: Bodies Bodies Bodies

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 11:40:15 -0500

In what might be the most unusual kick-off of our Halloween season, on this episode we examine five separate instances of when developers used actual real images of the recently deceased in their video games and why.

Episode 102: Street Fighter: The Movie: The Game: The Podcast

Sat, 30 Sep 2023 19:46:50 -0500

You’ve seen the motion picture, now it’s time for us to take a look at the video game… based off the movie… based off the video game? Today we examine the series’s most forgotten entry and why it failed to connect with fans. All three versions!

Episode 101: Street Fighter: The Movie: The Podcast

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 12:47:22 -0500

This week we have returned to give a proper summary on what in the world we all just watched as well as a thorough analysis of how this wonderfully schlocky cult film made its way into theaters everywhere! For you it is the most important day of your life. But for us, it is Tuesday.

Street Fighter: The Movie: The Commentary

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 14:35:30 -0500

It’s another Hot Button commentary track! Now with more schlock! Sit down alongside us and hear our real-time thoughts on the only 1994 kung-fu action flick to be based off of a premiere fighting game franchise from Capcom, and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme! You know the one! So be properly prepared for when we will soon get into the crazy production of it all in the coming weeks!

Episode 100: The Life and Death of the Gizmondo

Tue, 08 Aug 2023 12:30:00 -0500

We did it, folks! It’s our 100th episode! And boy did we save one of the best topics to celebrate it, because it is time for us to remind the world of when a group of dangerous Swedish mobsters clumsily attempted to infiltrate our favorite industry with one of the absolute worst gaming handhelds ever created! There’s twists, there’s turns. Get ready for an exciting adventure, filled with guns, drugs, car crashes, sellout celebrities, and ofcourse… endless stupidity!

Hot Button Interview with Alyse Knorr on GoldenEye 007

Fri, 19 May 2023 11:48:18 -0500

You’ve heard the episodes! Now we go straight to the source! On a very out of the ordinary Hot Button this week, we sit down and have a chat with writer Alyse Knorr about her GoldenEye 007 entry for the highly regarded Boss Fight line of gaming-focused books. We discuss everything from our personal experiences with the shooter that started it all, to her one-on-one talks with the Rare crew, to what it was like to collect so much hard-hitting research that made our series possible!

Episode 99: Welcome Back, 007 - The History of GoldenEye for the Nintendo 64 Part 3

Mon, 08 May 2023 13:33:48 -0500

The thrilling conclusion to our GoldenEye trilogy is here! Today we reflect on the powerful legacy it left behind and explore the future it built for everyone involved. From Perfect Dark to TimeSplitters to full-blown remakes and remasters, oh my!

Episode 98: Welcome Back, 007 - The History of GoldenEye for the Nintendo 64 Part 2

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 11:50:46 -0500

We’re back to continue on with the tale of how one of your favorite childhood classics came to be! In our story’s middle chapter, we’ll take you through the rest of GoldenEye’s fascinating development as the crew at Rare prepares for its monumental launch onto the 64 and into our hearts.

Episode 97: Welcome Back, 007 - The History of GoldenEye for the Nintendo 64 Part 1

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 11:08:37 -0500

Hot Button has returned with something truly special. This week we take a trip to the mid-90s, and in what is perhaps the industry’s unlikeliest success story, explore the time when a crack team of young designers turned a Hollywood spy flick into one of the most beloved and influential video games to ever grace home consoles. On this first episode of our new series, hear us cover the humble beginnings of developer studio Rare as well as their budding friendship with Nintendo and secret agent James Bond.

Hot Button’s 2022 Game of the Year Deliberations

Mon, 23 Jan 2023 11:56:24 -0500

It’s officially 2023! However before we return to our regularly scheduled programming, we’re first going to take a look back at these past twelve months and decide as a group what the absolute best (as well as worst) game releases were for the whole year. So buckle down and listen to us collaboratively build our definitive top 10 list!”

Note - This episode was recorded prior to the criminal charges against High on Life creator Justin Roiland were publicly revealed.

Episode 96: Hot Button Year-Four Edition (Kinda)

Fri, 09 Dec 2022 12:30:29 -0500

No, we’re not dead! Come hear where we’ve been! The hiatus may have been longer than expected, but that didn’t certainly stop the world from turning. And the news from happening. In this return special we got all the latest updates on our backlog of fun stories over the past near half decade. Announcements, deaths, and everything in between. Plus some laying out of killers plans for the podcast’s future too!

Hot Button’s 2021 Game of the Year Deliberations Part 5

Fri, 04 Feb 2022 11:59:02 -0500

It’s the grand finale you’ve all been waiting for! Our definitive ranked top 10 list of the absolute best releases of 2021 as well as a shameful crown for the crappiest game!

Timestamps:
Worst Game - 00:01:36
Game of The Year - 00:39:43

Hot Button’s 2021 Game of the Year Deliberations Part 4

Fri, 28 Jan 2022 11:21:15 -0500

We are almost there, folks! Today’s awards are a double dose of categories. What were the Biggest Disappointments and Biggest Surprises that gaming had to offer during the year? Which titles brought us up and which let us down? There’s only one way to find out!

Timestamps:
Biggest Disappointment - 00:01:05
Biggest Surprise - 01:22:20

Hot Button’s 2021 Game of the Year Deliberations Part 3

Fri, 21 Jan 2022 15:29:28 -0500

We’ve reached the halfway point! Hot Button’s official Game of the Year deliberations continue on with Best Remake, Best Expansion, and Biggest Disaster! After we discuss what the Biggest Timesinks of 2021 were and then… Best Chelsie Game?

Timestamps:
Best Remaster, Remake or Rerelease - 00:01:35
Best Expansion or Improvement - 00:46:38
Biggest Disaster - 01:37:47
Best Chelsie Game - 02:27:02
Biggest Timesink - 03:04:08

Hot Button’s 2021 Game of the Year Deliberations Part 2

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 15:04:56 -0500

It’s the spoiler-packed second chapter of Hot Button’s Game of the Year awards! On this episode we get into what we thought was the Best Moment or Sequence from a game, our favorite Best New Character, and which title featured the Best Narrative overall. This as well as finding out what was the Best Creature or Monster that we ran into in all of 2021!

Timestamps:

Best Moment or Sequence - 00:01:43
Best New Character - 02:27:50
Best Narrative - 03:48:36
Best Creature or Monster - 04:56:13

Hot Button’s 2021 Game of the Year Deliberations Part 1

Fri, 07 Jan 2022 00:18:27 -0500

2022 is here! That must mean it’s time for Hot Button to take a look back on these past 12 months of releases and host its first ever Game of the Year deliberations! In our opening batch of categories, we discuss our nominees and find winners for Best Game Pass Game, the Game We Needed most, and Best Aesthetic. These along with Best Use of Music and Best Use of Time Loop!

Timestamps:
Best Game Pass Game - 00:05:25
Game We Needed - 00:48:11
Best Aesthetic - 1:54:21
Best Use of Music - 03:02:14
Best Use of Timeloop - 03:52:06

Hot Button Game Awards 2021 Special Follow-Up

Wed, 15 Dec 2021 12:15:01 -0500

It’s time we tally up the results and see who came out on top following the airing of this year’s The Game Awards! NFTs thankfully weren’t welcome at the event, however it did come jam-packed with trailers, announcements, and of course those sweet trophies given to the victorious. So join in listening to us run through it all! Play by play! From Sting to the Matrix.

Hot Button Game Awards 2021 Special

Wed, 08 Dec 2021 08:16:41 -0500

It’s awards season y’all! In this episode, we run through every category and nomination featured in Geoff Keighley’s big annual game of the year event. We then choose our picks on who we think will take home the gold and why as we play against each other in betting which title is going to come out on top in the end. Will it be Resident Evil: Village? Will it be Psychonauts 2? Is one of us upset that Returnal wasn’t included? Tune in to find out just how we align!

Timestamps:
Best Narrative - 00:03:45, Best Art Direction - 00:11:27, Best Score and Music - 00:17:09, Best Audio Design - 00:27:22, Best Performance - 00:35:18, Games for Impact - 00:44:54, Best Ongoing Game - 00:49:19, Best Community Support - 00:52:39, Best Indie Game - 00:55:48, Best Mobile Game - 01:03:27, Best AR/VR Game - 01:10:55, Innovation in Accessibility - 01:13:40, Best Action Game - 01:23:09, Best Action Adventure - 01:27:43, Best Roleplaying Game - 01:36:00, Best Fighting Game - 01:41:29, Best Family Game - 01:44:15, Best Sim/Strategy Game - 01:52:41, Best Sports/Racing Game - 01:56:14, Best Multiplayer Game - 02:02:52, Best Debut Indie Game - 02:10:15, Content Creator of the Year - 02:15:45, eSports Awards - 02:23:08, Best Game Direction - 02:31:46, Game of the Year - 02:35:42, Most Anticipated Game - 02:52:50

Episode 95: Hot Button Year-Three Edition

Fri, 26 Nov 2021 04:17:16 -0500

It’s a full house this week as we celebrate our third birthday together. So join us in going back through every topic we’ve ever covered from the very beginning all the way to today! A near two and half hours of updating, correcting, and reflecting on the good times. This along with poking fun at the constant strangeness this industry seems to endlessly relish in.

Episode 94: Microtransactions #5

Wed, 10 Nov 2021 14:16:23 -0500

Our mini-stories series is back! This week we super vary it up and get into the licensing around car manufacturers in racing games, the theft of some classic internet memes, and finally which deep secrets lay hidden behind the legendary Demon’s Souls door.

Episode 93: Watching You - The Tale of Camdrome

Sun, 31 Oct 2021 11:45:31 -0500

In what might be one of the most mysterious projects we have ever covered, this week we explore the confusing history of a social experiment who’s intentions to this day are still being investigated. A supposed horror FMV title played through web cameras that also may have even shared close connections with some of the top names in the indie gaming space. Whether or not it ever was destined to see release is truly the ultimate question here in the finale of our 2021 Halloween series!

Episode 92: A Free Mind is a Tasty Mind - Stubbs the Zombie/F.E.A.R. Cannibalism Controversy

Wed, 20 Oct 2021 08:36:29 -0500

Are video games teaching your children to eat each other? This week we discuss the time that the industry became under fire in the absolute dumbest way imaginable, along with the origins of an inept advocacy group who hand-waved their way into headlines by picking a fight the Entertainment Software Ratings Board.

Episode 91: I Podcast, Therefore I AM - The History of I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream Part 2

Fri, 15 Oct 2021 15:13:24 -0500

And we’re back with the second and final part on the captivating development behind Cyberdream’s playable 1995 translation of Harlan Ellison’s “I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream”. This week, we get deep into it’s actual production, release, and legacy! Along with our personal experiences of analyzing it’s intensely terrifying narrative themes.

Episode 90: I Podcast, Therefore I AM - The History of I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream Part 1

Fri, 08 Oct 2021 10:03:36 -0500

It’s finally that time of year again, everybody! And what better way to kick off the spooky scary Halloween season than by digging into the story of how one of cult gaming’s most fascinating point-and-click PC adventure titles came to fruition, a direct adaptation AND expansion of Harlan Ellison’s sci-fi horror masterpiece “I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream”. On Part I, we break down this twisted work of fiction as well as the early days of the author and developer team who made it all possible.

Episode 89: Well Bam, There It Is! - The History of the Xbox 360 Kinect

Wed, 29 Sep 2021 10:49:52 -0500

Don’t y’all just hate those pesky controllers? Wouldn’t your body or voice make a better one? Back in 2010, Microsoft sure thought that! This week we get into life of the motion-sensing camera peripheral for the Xbox 360 known as the Kinect. Everything from its inception to its reception as well as all the tech talk and personal experiences in between.

Episode 88: For the Love of Gaia… - Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

Wed, 15 Sep 2021 09:27:27 -0500

We’ve watched the film, now it’s time for the full breakdown. This week we get deep into the production and release of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within! A costly cinematic disaster of a computer animated sci-fi epic that for some reason shares a name with the hugely successful gaming series that inspired it. If you’ve also ever wanted to know how Square and Enix became Square Enix, than this is the story for you!

Hot Button Movie Commentary: Final Fantasy The Spirits Within

Wed, 08 Sep 2021 06:59:34 -0500

Our third official Hot Button commentary is here! Listen to us watch 2001’s mess of a sci-fi epic, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, a film that is TOTALLY based off the popular video game franchise and not at all a bizarre fever dream of CGI and heady writing guaranteed to make your head spin.

So allow us to ease the pain of your viewing experience and be sure to check in again next week when we give you the full story of how this cinematic disaster came to be!

Episode 87: Dead Faction - The History of THQ

Wed, 25 Aug 2021 08:32:17 -0500

This week we dive back into the publisher graveyard and go through the full life of one of gaming’s biggest rises and falls. From Red Faction to Saint’s Row to Darksiders, we cover THQ’s extensive library of releases as well as the various developers behind them. It all seemed as if the B-tier game for them was on lock… or at least it was until their unfortunate demise.

Episode 86: The Development of Rogue F*cking Warrior

Wed, 11 Aug 2021 09:06:14 -0500

What happens when you mix a Navy Seal, Mickey Rourke, and Bethesda together? Apparently a pretty downright terrible first-person-shooter. This week we dig into the notorious Rogue Warrior, based on Dick Marcinko's "autobiography" of the same name! An unintentional comedy of broken mechanics and laughably poor writing, all wrapped up in an anti-communist package that only Reagan himself wouldn’t find excessive.

Episode 85: The Little Engine That Could - History of Unity

Mon, 26 Jul 2021 16:18:09 -0500

We’ve told you where Unreal came from, now it’s time we give the same treatment to Unity! A free cross-platform game engine that we almost guarantee that you’ve had experience with, regardless of where you play or what genres you like. Today we look at its development history as well as its uses and impact on the greater industry and beyond.

Hot Button Movie Commentary: The King of Kong - A Fistful of Quarters

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 08:45:54 -0500

It’s the second ever Hot Button commentary track! Once you finished listening to our series on Twin Galaxies and Billy Mitchell, you can now take a trip to 2007 and join us in a watch of the very film that brought them both back into the limelight brighter than ever before.

Episode 84: Can’t Ditch the Mitch! - The Story of Billy Mitchell and Twin Galaxies Part 2

Wed, 07 Jul 2021 10:17:20 -0500

It’s investigation time in the studio, because we’re back with part 2 of our series on the careers of several of the classic arcade scene’s most famous record holders… and therefor scandals. Everything from Dragster to Pac-Man to Donkey Kong. The race to the top of the scoreboard knows no bounds! So come find out the truth behind Billy Mitchell, as well as his hot sauce. Spoiler: It’s delicious.

Episode 83: Can’t Ditch the Mitch! - The Story of Billy Mitchell and Twin Galaxies Part 1

Wed, 23 Jun 2021 12:51:30 -0500

So who has what it takes to be the ultimate Donkey Kong master? On part 1 of our new series, we take you through the origins of classic arcade’s biggest leap into the realm of tournaments and organized gaming world records ever. Along with the early years of its most controversial competitor.

Hot Button E3 2021 Special

Fri, 18 Jun 2021 16:09:11 -0500

The Electronic Entertainment Expo has returned! And so has our bonus episode! On today’s recap, we run through each of the conferences, good and bad, as well as discuss all the fun announcements from this past week that’ll help us game our way into the next year and beyond!

Timestamps:

Summer Games Fest - 0:06:10, Wholesome Direct - 0:31:30, Ubisoft - 0:33:17, Devolver - 1:09:25, Gearbox - 1:18:12, Koch Media - 1:20:20, Microsoft & Bethesda - 1:23:28, Square Enix - 2:03:05, Back 4 Blood - 2:22:06, PC Gaming Show & Future Games Show - 2:22:43, Take Two/Intellivision/Verizon/Mythical/Indie Showcawse - 2:30:47, Limited Run - 2:34:51, Capcom - 2:39:26, Nintendo - 2:43:57, Bandai Namco - 3:06:05, Wrap Up - 03:08:49

Episode 82: You’ve Gotta Be Jivin’ Me! - History of Night Trap Part 2

Tue, 01 Jun 2021 08:16:26 -0500

It’s controversy time! This week we’re back in the Senate room with the second and final part of our series on Night Trap. Find out how a team of fun-loving film makers and game designers accidentally helped in leading us to the most important formation in the entire medium’s history!

Episode 81: You’ve Gotta Be Jivin’ Me! - History of Night Trap Part 1

Fri, 21 May 2021 09:49:00 -0500

The parents are gone so what’s the first thing you think of? Party! On part 1 of our series on the infamous Night Trap, we take you through a time when Hasbro helped kick off the beginning of full motion video games! Everything from the on-set film shoot by their dedicated crew to the sudden cancellation of the console that almost ended it all. It’s a campy adventure filled with stumbling vampires, guns that shoot sparks, and rockin’ 80s power ballads!

Episode 80: The History of G4 - Hot Button Gamer's Guide

Mon, 03 May 2021 05:18:21 -0500

At last! Our triumphant return! Listen in as we run through the trials and tribulations of that time when television and video games attempted to join hands in glorious partnership. These are the salad days, hard downfall, and eventual re-reckoning into the modern age with what was/is G4 Tech TV.

Episode 79: Microtransactions #4

Mon, 04 Jan 2021 18:01:22 -0500

And we’re back to ring in the new year with a lost episode of Microtransactions! This week it’s all about scams, conspiracies, and miscommunications, as we venture into the weird world of 3 controversies that likely flew under your gaming radar.

Episode 78: Hot Button Year-Two Edition

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 09:04:07 -0500

It’s our second anniversary so that means it's time for another recap! We cover not only the episodes from our second (and first) year, but also the insane 12 months that was 2020. Hear all about our switch to a bi-weekly schedule, the adjustment to remote recording, and our delayed plans for additional content. All this along our usual updates, fixes, jokes and discussion about past content. Also there may even be some hints at the future of Hot Button too! Join us, along with our producer Jason, in celebrating the past year as much as we could without getting too bleak!

Episode 77: We’ve Got A Console For You - The Launch and Times of the Xbox One

Mon, 09 Nov 2020 09:20:16 -0500

With the launch of the Xbox Series X and S on the horizon, it’s time we took a look back at the story surrounding Microsoft's previous generation machine, the Xbox One. The tumultuous reveal, it’s shaky launch, the new Kinect sensor, GamePass, the One X, Project xCloud, and everything else in between. Listen in on the conclusion to our trilogy on the family of consoles that started all the way back at episode 6!

Note: This episode was recorded before major details were revealed, including price and release date. Tune in to our year-two anniversary to hear our thoughts on the Xbox Series X|S reveal as well as our first impressions on the console.

Episode 76: Porto And Her Beloved Ghast - Investigating Killswitch

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 07:44:45 -0500

As promised, we are back for a trip around the digital campfire with the tale of Killswitch. A supposed video game made in limited quantities by the Karvina Corporation in 1989, except now it’s time for us to take a crack at its many curious mysteries. Could the file actually delete itself upon death or completion? Was it indeed made by a cult? Did the 5,000 unites produced exist? And did copy of it really sell at auction for a staggering $733,000? All this and more as our Creepypasta investigation continues!

Episode 75: 40.24248, -121.4434 - Investigating Pale Luna

Mon, 19 Oct 2020 12:44:55 -0500

In the electronic age, urban legends like Polybius have fallen by the wayside, but that doesn't mean we can't find another spooky story to tell. Enter creepypastas! Join us around the digital campfire as we tell the tale of Pale Luna, an old text-based adventure game lost to time. Afterwards we go an internet investigation into the validity of the tale. Is it fact or is it fiction?

Episode 74: Xinnie the Pooh - The Story of Devotion

Sun, 11 Oct 2020 16:41:51 -0500

What happens when Disney’s pantsless honey-loving teddy bear makes it into a Taiwanese psychological horror game? A lot actually! On our second episode of Hot Button’s 2020 Halloween special, we dig into just what the hell happened last year with cult-favorite Steam darling Devotion and why it continues to be banned from sale across the world.

Episode 73: The Story of The Story of Kamikuishiki Village

Mon, 05 Oct 2020 11:24:15 -0500

Hot Button’s 2020 Halloween special begins today! In our first entry, we take a look at a lesser documented Japanese PC strategy title that shares quite a disturbing connection to a murderous cult. A group also known for it’s recruitment of young people interested in pop culture as well as it’s horrific coordinated attacks on the public. How does a video game come into play in all this? You’ll just have get into the spooky season with us and find out!

Episode 72: Lights! Action! Acclaim! - The History of Acclaim Entertainment

Mon, 21 Sep 2020 12:43:12 -0500

Ever wonder what happened to some of the old third-party publishers of yesteryear? This week we look into a heavy hitter as we pour one out for Acclaim Entertainment! Find out how running a company based around arcade ports and licensing The Simpsons, Batman, Cool Spot, and many more can only last for so long. Especially when combined with a bunch of questionable business practices and a whole lot of crazy PR stunts.

Episode 71: Rules of N-Gagement - History of the Nokia N-Gage

Mon, 07 Sep 2020 03:22:31 -0500

Modern smartphones have really streamlined quite a bit for us here in 2020, so it can be easy to forget what it was like back in the early 2000s when your pockets had to be loaded up with multiple different electronics to get through the day. Cell phone, MP3 player, game console. It was time for one device to finally come along and unite them all! This week we discuss Nokia’s short venture into the world of handheld gaming and side-talk about one of the industry’s most notorious failures, the N-Gage.

Episode 70: Eat, Prey, Love - The Development of Prey

Mon, 24 Aug 2020 07:48:23 -0500

We already covered one 3D Realms game stuck in development hell, why not a second one? That's right! We're talking about Prey! Find out how a game that started as simply a "dark sci-fi themed title with a focus on alien abduction", turned into a cult hit shooter in just a decade of development. Also learn how it's planned sequel went from Mirror's Edge to System Shock in the same amount of time.

Episode 69: It Came From The 3rd Dimension - Development of the Virtual Boy

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 07:14:13 -0500

Oculus...Vive...Index...Boy? What happens when a veteran Nintendo engineer with a passion for re-purposing cheap tech gets swept up in the 90s VR craze? Join us as we discuss Nintendo's foray into the world of "virtual reality" for better or worse... OK fine, much worse.

Episode 68: Criminal Actions Per Minute - Starcraft Match Fixing Part 2

Mon, 27 Jul 2020 10:37:49 -0500

And we are back again with part II of more StarCraft crimes, featuring guest Chris Neuteboom! Except now it’s time to explore the corruption found behind some of the top competing players in Blizzard’s most anticipated sequel ever. Does that mean more high-profile arrests? You betcha!

Episode 67: Criminal Actions Per Minute - Starcraft Match Fixing Part 1

Mon, 13 Jul 2020 12:05:25 -0500

Guest Chris Neuteboom is back on the podcast this week as we run through the early beginnings of e-sports as well as the various scandals exposed in both the Starcraft and Starcraft II professional scenes. It’s a tangled web of match-fixing, broadcasting disputes, blackmail, Korean politics, and lawsuits, all culminating in one of gaming’s most expensive controversies yet!

Episode 66: Microtransactions #3

Sun, 28 Jun 2020 16:40:02 -0500

Microtransactions is back! And we’re here with another batch of hot stories for everyone this week as we talk about the wholesomeness of a solitary MMO player, the hilarious and blatant thievery of a long-lost PC game pulled from shelves, and the wild world of the crookedness behind EA’s FIFA pro scene.

Episode 65: Kicking Ass, Taking Names, and Making Games - The History of E3

Sun, 14 Jun 2020 22:17:47 -0500

It’s that time of year once again! E3 time! But unfortunately we can't run you through all of the news from E3 2020 as we did before. And that’s because E3 2020 isn't happening. So instead, we are going to go all the way back to 1995 and tell you the story of the very first E3 ever. Where it came from, who started it, and of course who else they pissed off along the way. Join us for this fascinating story of how one of the world’s largest trade shows was created, concluding with a nice 25-year walk down memory lane as we recap every E3 from the beginning to now. Kaz Hirai, Jamie Kennedy, and Mr. Caffeine await!

Episode 64: Forever's a Long Time, Bitch - The Development of Duke Nukem Forever

Mon, 25 May 2020 00:05:50 -0500

Video games take a long time to make these days. Most take about 2 to 3 years, others can take the better part of a decade. But only one game can hold the Guinness World Record for the longest development cycle ever. And that title is Duke Nukem Forever! On this episode, we follow ol’ Duke and his creator George Broussard on their famous and often hilarious 15 year journey to make the highly anticipated follow-up to 1997's Duke Nukem 3D. Hail to the King, Baby!

Episode 63: Millions to Billions - The History of Valve Part 2

Mon, 11 May 2020 11:14:34 -0500

We continue on today with part 2 in our multi-episode history of the Valve Corporation! After the release their first game Half-Life went so well, they figured "How hard can outdoing ourselves be?" Well, 5 years, millions of dollars, one huge security breach, and a few lawsuits later, they would come to regret asking that question. It's time for more Valve crunch, and for Gabe to let off a little steam.

Episode 62: Metropolis Down - The Rise and Fall of Maxis’ Sim City

Sun, 26 Apr 2020 20:55:50 -0500

Bad game launches can unfortunately be commonplace these days, but very few can reach levels of disaster so high that it effectively kills an entire long-running franchise AND beloved studio. Hear the story of how everyone’s favorite urban-planning simulation went from winning Game of the Year awards to instead topping lists of the most disappointing titles ever released. How once masterful design could somehow devolve into a pile of technical problems and ill conceived ideas so poor, that it would lead such an important series to it’s sad now often forgotten grave. So let’s all pour one out for company Maxis and find out just what in the hell went wrong with Sim City (2013).

Episode 61: Millions to Billions - The History of Valve Part 1

Sun, 12 Apr 2020 14:32:15 -0500

Today we answer the age old question of what happens when two extremely talented millionaire programmers gain access to a cutting edge engine and a team of creative geniuses. It's the perfect storm of privilege, timing, and know how. Join us for our new multi part series as we take a whack at the history of one of gaming's giants, the infamous Valve Corporation. In part 1, we discuses the beginnings of the company and the development of it's debut game Half-Life. A game so great that even John Carmack can't deny it.

Episode 60: Pac Ma'am - The History of Ms. Pac Man

Sun, 29 Mar 2020 21:44:19 -0500

It's the 1980s. Arcades are all the rage and Pac-Man Fever is sweeping the nation, but how will Japan capitalize on the craze? They go to MIT of course! On this episode of Hot Button, we dive into the development and lawsuits of Ms. Pac-Man, and explore how the sequel to one of the most popular arcade titles ever produced came from one of the most unlikeliest of places.

NOTE: Due to the recent outbreak of COVID-19 and the quarantine procedures put forth by our state and federal governments, this episode was recorded remotely. Please bear with us as we may have some audio hiccups while we sort this out. Thank you for understanding and enjoy!

Episode 59: Brogrammers Gone Wild - The Guy Game

Sun, 15 Mar 2020 20:08:43 -0500

It’s time to get sleazy in the Hot Button studio this week as we discuss the origins of one of the dumbest, grossest, and most exploitative titles to ever weasel its way to the mainstream gaming market. A story not just involving strip clubs and fast cars, but also... Nintendo? And Metroid? Find out how a once respected developer almost found their way into a jail cell following the discovery of something that even 4chan will ban you for.

Episode 58: From Russia With Fun! - History of Tetris Part 4

Mon, 02 Mar 2020 03:14:49 -0500

We made it y’all. The final piece of our Tetris saga! Hear the results of every win, loss, deal, lawsuit, and death. No thread left undone. Take our hand as we guide you through it all. From it’s changes over the years, to it’s use in scientific research, to the legacy that it left behind. A legacy that would change the world forever.

Episode 57: From Russia With Fun! - History of Tetris Part 3

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 13:25:50 -0500

The race to finally get Tetris on the NES and Game Boy is on! On part three of our epic saga, we run through deal after deal and try to separate those that wish to team up from those that just want to screw each other over. Who will come out victorious? Only one way to find out.

Episode 56: The Last Temptation of Pidgeot - Twitch Plays Pokémon

Mon, 03 Feb 2020 10:13:49 -0500

What happens when 100,000 people try to play a video game at the same time? Fan art? Political struggle? Religion??? Today we take a look at the journey and legacy of the phenomenon Twitch Plays Pokemon! A massive social experiment that ignited an entire culture of lore the likes of which the internet will never forget.

Episode 55: From Russia With Fun! - History of Tetris Part 2

Sun, 19 Jan 2020 21:11:47 -0500

And we’re back with some more Tetris talk! Today we dive deep into the confusing and tangled web of licensing in order to find out just who exactly owned what in the battle to acquire the rights of what would soon become the best selling video game ever made. Nintendo, Atari, Maxwell, Sega. Everyone is here!

Hot Button 2020 Update

Fri, 10 Jan 2020 15:42:17 -0500

Join us for a few short minutes this week, as we give you a quick update about where Hot Button is going in the year 2020, what changes we're making, and what new content we're working on.

Episode 54: From Russia With Fun! - History of Tetris Part 1

Sun, 05 Jan 2020 23:17:00 -0500

Time to kick off 2020 with diving into the history of one of gaming’s biggest phenomenons ever, Tetris! On the first part of our series today, we go back to 1984 Russia and find out just where exactly it all got started along with who was involved in the ensuing battle that would bring Alexey Pajitnov’s groundbreaking title off of just single Soviet computer and onto platforms all over the world.

Episode 53: Minecraft Takes Down the Internet - Mirai Botnet

Sun, 29 Dec 2019 16:32:52 -0500

What happens when online squabbles over a video game get so powerful that they take down the entire internet? Well, that’s a question we don't need to ask since it actually happened! On our last episode of 2019, we cover the Mirai Botnet. A hacking tool invented to hack servers for a small indie game called Minecraft. Join us as we tell you about how small fights over independently run game servers led to billions if not trillions of dollars in corporate damages.

Episode 52: Microtransactions #2

Mon, 23 Dec 2019 01:30:00 -0500

And we’re back with not only one story this week, but three! Join us on our second Microtransactions episode as the team brings a few more interesting small topics to the table. Topics that revolve around war, poop, and even AIDS research. Find out how all these things are connected to video games here and only here!

Hot Button Game Awards 2019 Special Follow-Up

Wed, 18 Dec 2019 12:30:00 -0500

Your game of the year answers are finally here! Hear us run through everything revealed at the official 2019 Game Awards and see how we each scored in the process. Hot announcements, new consoles, live performances, we cover all the wins/losses and find out which one of the three of us placed the best bets!

Hot Button Game Awards 2019 Special Part 2

Fri, 06 Dec 2019 12:00:00 -0500

Our Game of the Year series continues! On part II of today’s episode in celebrating the best of 2019, we pick up right where we left off and finish the full list of The Game Award’s official nominations. We even saved the biggest categories for last like best direction, Game of the Year, and best... uhh... eSports coach?

Hot Button Game Awards 2019 Special Part 1

Fri, 29 Nov 2019 13:57:47 -0500

Making it through to the end of the year just means it’s now closer to awards season! On our special two-parter, we discuss the absolute best of gaming in 2019 by running down the recently announced nominations featured in Geoff Keighley’s annual Game Awards show. Hear us list off the greats, category by category. What deserves to be there? What shouldn’t be there? Who do we want to win? Who do we think will win? What do we feel were the most egregious snubs? Our bets are now placed for the first half the event. Be sure to come back next week to listen to the rest!

Episode 51: I Have a Mouth, and I Must Scream... But Only with Hazard Pay - Video Game Voice Actor Strike

Fri, 22 Nov 2019 14:04:57 -0500

Performance is one of the greatest advancements video games have made in the past 20 years. Voice acting went from an afterthought of development to a vital piece of delivering a top quality story. However, what happens when those hard-working actors feel highly mistreated? Their union SAG-AFTRA steps in! On this episode, we cover their fight for better working conditions, higher pay, residuals, and actual protections for the craft. We’re gonna tell you all about how that fight went, and why you probably didn’t even notice the longest dispute for rights the union had ever been a part of!

Episode 50: Hot Button Year-One Edition

Fri, 15 Nov 2019 16:46:48 -0500

It’s our one-year anniversary! Can you believe we have been doing this for 50 whole episodes now? Us either! Which is why today we are gonna take a trip down memory lane and run through our library of topics starting from our first release all the way through to the present. Hear how we update stories that need to be updated, fix mistakes that need to be fixed, and make jokes that we somehow didn’t get to before. It’s our “where are they now?” episode and even our sound guy is here to celebrate!

Episode 49: World of Warcraft's Corrupted Blood Incident

Fri, 08 Nov 2019 13:35:17 -0500

Plagues are not new subject matter to video games. Many a fictional post-apocalyptic world starts with a plague. But what happens when the world's biggest MMO accidentally introduces a plague that kills off a ton of it's lower level players, almost making the game unplayable? On this episode we are joined by MMO expert Dan Bittner, as we break down World of Warcraft's Corrupted Blood Incident. Learn how a simple bug in a new raid led to players running through the skeleton covered streets of Orgrimmar and Stormwind in a panic. And how these player’s reactions not only changed the world of Azeroth, but also the way Epidemiologists study the spread of disease IRL.

Episode 48: Tales from EVE Online

Fri, 01 Nov 2019 12:56:46 -0500

This week we discuss a group known for its lying, backstabbing, racketeering, piracy, war for profit, and corporate greed. No, not Congress, the players of the infamous mmorpg EVE Online. We talk a bit of history, some of its several thousand player battles, and a few of it's more frighteningly dedicated members.

Episode 47: Itchy Tasty - The Origins of Resident Evil

Fri, 25 Oct 2019 12:08:04 -0500

Halloween is just around the corner, so what do you say we close out the end of our spooky scary series by exploring the origins of gaming’s most spooky scary series. This week we enter the world of survival horror to discover just how the Resident Evil franchise was born and how zombies would see their biggest revival in pop culture yet. It’s a story that might go back much further than you think!

Episode 46: Kowloon’s Curious Kusoge - Hong Kong 97

Fri, 18 Oct 2019 12:00:00 -0500

Our Hot Button Halloween series trucks on with one of the greatest mysteries of the retro gaming underground, Hong Kong 97’! An unlicensed Super Famicom title that featured terrible gameplay, stolen artwork, gross politics, and the inclusion of an actual dead body to boot. Who made this? Why did they make this? Was the corpse real? It’s a full investigation here on the show today as we dig through the entire history of the infamous title, beginning to end!

Note: This episode was recorded a month ago and is not related to the current controversies surrounding game company Blizzard and their stances on the state of Hong Kong’s ongoing fight for independence. We do plan on covering these such events in the future.

Episode 45: Superstition Bowl - The Madden Curse

Fri, 11 Oct 2019 11:56:03 -0500

Its the second week in October, which means it’s time for more spooky Hot Button episodes! And with football season in full swing, what better topic to cover than the infamous Madden Curse? Is being on the cover of America’s most popular sports game a career ending decision? Or is football just an incredibly dangerous sport with a ton of superstitious fans? Follow along as we check in on some of the former cover athletes to find out.

Episode 44: Sinneslöschen's Ladder - The Polybius Conspiracy

Fri, 04 Oct 2019 12:00:00 -0500

It’s Halloween time y’all! And what better way is there for us to celebrate here at Hot Button than by doing an entire month of topics connecting video games with the world of horror. Our first entry this week is about one of the industry’s biggest urban legends, Polybius. A mysterious arcade cabinet said to have plagued children back in the early 1980s. Was it a top secret government project to control their minds? Or was it just a harmless rumor born out of the days of early internet trickery? The truth might actually be scarier than you think.

Episode 43: Hatred

Fri, 27 Sep 2019 11:40:02 -0500

It didn’t take long after the invention of games for many to be centered around the idea of killing enemies, but what happens when a questionable developer makes one so grim, so tasteless, and so nihilistic that it risks even being able to be released at all? Find out how Hatred, an isometric shooter where you indiscriminately murder as many innocent people as possible, found it’s way for sale. Despite its 18+ ‘Adults Only’ rating and just awful critical response. NOTE: This episode was intended to be released on August 9th, 2019, but due to tragic circumstances around its release date, we decided that the best course of action would be to delay it for a later launch. Please see our previously shared statement for more details. Statement Here: https://www.hotbuttoncast.com/statement-8-9-19

Episode 42: Pandora's Gearbox - History of Gearbox, Borderlands, and Randy Pitchford Part 2

Fri, 20 Sep 2019 11:14:30 -0500

Our two-parter on the life and times of Randy Pitchford and company Gearbox concludes! This week, guest Melanie Grear returns to the studio and joins the crew in the rundown of where Battleborn went wrong, what took Borderlands 3 so long, and why Randy should probably not be allowed to have a Twitter account or visit Medieval Times.

Episode 41: Pandora's Gearbox - History of Gearbox, Borderlands, and Randy Pitchford Part 1

Fri, 13 Sep 2019 11:30:00 -0500

Borderlands 3 is out today! And what better way is there to celebrate its launch than to dig into the history behind the franchise as well as the man most credited in bringing it to the world. This week returning guest Melanie Grear joins us in chronicling the life and times of eccentric game developer Randy Pitchford and how his studio Gearbox put themselves on the map, for better and for worse.

Episode 40: Microtransactions #1

Fri, 06 Sep 2019 12:11:58 -0500

This week we are launching a new series! One that will host collections of shorter more bite-sized stories out there in the world of games. For our first batch of topics, we get into some noted crazy uses for the Playstation 3’s Cell Processor, talk about Australia’s cracking down on video game weed, and even cover what is universally called the biggest comeback in all of professional esports!

Episode 39: Play [Space] Station - Development of the Playstation Part 2

Fri, 30 Aug 2019 11:27:25 -0500

With Nintendo's ultimate backstab out of the way, Sony makes it move into the games industry. And we make our move into the final part of our Playstation series! Join us as we look into how that hot little gray box from the Walkman guys would be a vital tool for developers to help create games that’d shape the world for years to come. All while simply dominating the 5th generation of consoles in the process. Also, stay tuned at the end for a surprising update on the fate of the once thought abandoned Nintendo Play Station!

Episode 38: Play [Space] Station - Development of the Playstation Part 1

Fri, 23 Aug 2019 12:10:08 -0500

It's hard to imagine the video games industry without Sony in it. But why did they join the console war in the first place? On part one of our two part episode on the Playstation, we cover Sony's deal with Nintendo to help them in the fight against Sega, and how that plan (with a little backstabbing) led to to the creation of Nintendo's biggest rival, as well as the creation of one of the best selling consoles of all time.

Episode 37: Never Sell Me The Odds - Battlefront 2 Loot Boxes

Fri, 16 Aug 2019 11:23:40 -0500

"It is a dark time for gamers. Although EA's reputation has been destroyed, executive troops have driven the gamer forces from their hidden base and pursued them across the internet...". Today we take a look at EA's Star Wars Battlefront II, and how a complete disconnect with their fan base and predatory business practices divided players and developers once again.

Episode 36: The Tale of Drain Man - Super Mario Bros. Movie Part 2

Fri, 02 Aug 2019 12:00:00 -0500

It’s time to dive back into the world of Dinohatten in Part II of our analysis of the Super Mario Bros. movie. This week we cover the film’s messy production, failed release, and renowned cult legacy! It’s a twisted story of booze filled accidents and last minute budget cuts. You’ll definitely want to hear just how these shenanigans concluded. And be sure to stick around for a little bonus at the end as well. Trust us, trust the fungus.

Episode 35: The Tale of Drain Man - Super Mario Bros. Movie Part 1

Fri, 26 Jul 2019 12:00:00 -0500

You’ve heard us react to it, now listen to us talk about it! On part 1 of our plumber’s journey, we explore just how this mess of a project got started. Just who are our directors? Our writers? Where did the cast come from? And how did the producer even get this thing pitched and funded to begin with? It’s Nintendo meets Hollywood madness all wrapped up in a wacky early 90s package!

Hot Button Movie Commentary: Super Mario Bros.

Fri, 19 Jul 2019 11:53:12 -0500

This week we’re gonna try something truly special. The HB crew is joined by guests Chelsie Romano, Mel Grear, and our one-of-a-kind audio wizard Jason Domenico in a screening of the Super Mario Bros. film... and we’re inviting you to sit down and watch with us!! That’s right. Play our audio commentary track alongside viewing this 1993 cyberpunk ‘classic’ and it’ll be like we’re right there with ya, riffing on everything you see, from the film’s ominous use of 9/11 foreshadowing as well as it’s gratuitous cleavage shots. Then after you have had time to really let this masterpiece sink in, we will return next week with a full breakdown of how in the world all that bullshit came to be! If you do not already own a copy of the Super Mario Bros. film, you can find the movie through the Amazon link on our website. Than once things are properly set up, just listen for our instructions on how to sync and enjoy.

Episode 34: Currently Undergoing Maintenance - 2011 PSN Security Breach

Fri, 12 Jul 2019 00:00:00 -0500

Have you ever gone to play an online game only to find out that a service like Xbox Live or PSN was down. This effects people all the time. Sometimes they are down for a few hours, or even a day. But what if they were down for an entire month? In 2011, that is exactly what went down with PSN, and we have all the information on when it happened, how it happened, and most importantly, who caused it and why.

Episode 33: Destiny - From Beginning to Endgram Part 2

Fri, 05 Jul 2019 12:18:22 -0500

How does the most expensive video game ever made release to lukewarm reviews? In Part 2 of our series on Bungie's epic space MMO Destiny, we cover more of the troubled development, and take a deeper dive into what went wrong in our own little post-mortem. What was cut last minute, what was shifted around, and how did most of the story and lore end up on a website instead of in the game?

Episode 32: Destiny - From Beginning to Endgram Part 1

Fri, 28 Jun 2019 12:23:32 -0500

Only a few times in a generation does a title change the way we play games, redefine a genre, and cements itself as one of the most groundbreaking and entertaining games of all time. That game of course is Halo, but those guys made another game called Destiny. In part 1 of our series on Bungie's new loot-driven massively multiplayer epic, we discuss the development, and the lead up to it's release. What went right? What went wrong? Why was there a Beatle involved? Follow us as we piece together a story from bits of information, just like they did!

Episode 31: Skyrim's Paid Mods

Fri, 21 Jun 2019 13:36:43 -0500

Despite being released in 2011, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is still one of the most played video games on many platforms to this day. How is that possible? One word, Mods. Join us for the story of what happens when Skyrim developer Bethesda decides it’s time for them to profit off of the beloved free feature that has been keeping their game on top for so long.

Hot Button E3 2019 Special

Fri, 14 Jun 2019 16:33:31 -0500

It’s that time of the year again y’all! And no, I’m not talking about the Cricket World Cup. It’s E3 time! Join us today from a living room sofa as we break down each conference and game announcement day by day, along with all your favorite Twitch chat stirring moments. Everything from breathtaking Keanu to plucky Japanese presenters to doggies out on stage. We cover it all off script and unrehearsed!

Episode 30: Occupy Eorzea - The Final Fantasy XIV Housing Crisis

Fri, 07 Jun 2019 13:05:39 -0500

This week we talk about everyone’s favorite Final Fantasy XIV feature, gentrification! That’s right, not even in video games can you escape the housing crisis. Special guest (and now ex-criminal land owner) Chelsie Romano runs us through the events of when one of the world’s most massive online RPG’s suddenly became a property rush hellfest. We got the inside scoop right here. Please look forward to it!

Episode 29: Nintendo vs Let's Players

Fri, 31 May 2019 12:30:00 -0500

Youtube drama is all the rage these days, so we're jumping on the bandwagon with the story of the Nintendo Creators Program! We go over Nintendo's "generous offer" to allow people to stream and make Let's Plays of their games while only taking half of the money, and the millions of angry youtube rants and reaction videos that followed.

Episode 28: Requiem for a Dreamcast - History of Sega Consoles (Part 2)

Fri, 24 May 2019 13:47:09 -0500

Our Sega Saga continues! In our second and final part, we cover the story of how Sega learned nothing from the success of the Genesis, and made a bunch of bad decisions leading up to the release and failure of their last console ever, the Dreamcast. Learn how they went from almost dethroning Nintendo to completely exiting from the console business in just over decade.

Episode 27: Requiem for a Dreamcast - History of Sega Consoles (Part 1)

Fri, 17 May 2019 12:30:00 -0500

For better or worse Sega has been a part of our culture for 80 years. From a domination of the arcade industry to pissing off the entire internet with a hedgehog's teeth. Today we look into how Sega sprinted, tumbled, innovated, and poorly timed it's foray into the console game, in which they were either wildly successful or a horrible failure, depending on when and where you look.

Episode 26: Warner Bothers - How the Westworld was Lost

Fri, 10 May 2019 12:30:00 -0500

It's time for some more court documents! This episode, it’s Robot Cowboys vs Mutants as we cover the lawsuit between Bethesda and Warner Bros over the “similarities” in Fallout Shelter and the Westworld mobile game. We’ll tell you about how one smaller company plagiarizing itself led to two entertainment giants fighting it out in the courtroom.

Episode 25: Video Game Special Editions Live!

Fri, 03 May 2019 12:30:00 -0500

Hot Button Live from the Volume Cafe! Special Edition!! In our very first live episode, we break down a list of some of the dumbest, most unnecessary, most inappropriate, and most ill conceived video game collector’s bundles ever. From the cheapest add on junk to the most expensive publicity stunts. Fridges to figurines! Panties to Baterangs! Remote control cars.. to real cars. We cover it all!

Episode 24: Birth of A Killer App - The Origin of Halo Part II

Fri, 26 Apr 2019 13:30:00 -0500

For the second and final part in our series on Halo: Combat Evolved, we learn about the game's journey from Mac game to Xbox exclusive. Want to hear a bunch of billionaires get mad at each other over a game about a spaceman shooting purple aliens? We got you covered. Join us to catalog everything that made the cut and everything that didn't, as one of the the best FPS games of all time limped its way across the finish line.

Episode 23: Birth of A Killer App - The Origin of Halo Part I

Fri, 19 Apr 2019 12:55:40 -0500

Every once and a while a game comes along that changes the industry forever. And few have changed the game in the way that Halo: Combat Evolved has. From Microsoft's success in the console game, to the proliferation of the FPS genre on consoles, a lot can be attributed to the Halo series. On this episode, we dive into the history of Bungie, and the story of how Halo came to be. Join us on part one of a two part journey, as we discover how one of the most iconic first person shooters of all time didn't even start as a shooter let alone a first person game, and how it almost had some of the stupidest names we have ever heard.

Episode 22: The Termination of Jeff Gerstmann by the Coward GameSpot

Fri, 12 Apr 2019 13:14:24 -0500

Have you ever been unjustly fired from a job? Well, today we run through the life of gaming figure Jeff Gerstmann and how he once lost his premier title as editorial director over an honest review that effected thousands of dollars in ad revenue for popular website GameSpot. Hear us breakdown everything from publisher relationships, to the obsession with numeric scores, to the art of criticism, while also discovering how something new can be born out of years of dealing with complete corporate bullshit.

Episode 21: Brown v Entertainment Merchants Association Part II

Fri, 05 Apr 2019 12:30:00 -0500

A landmark Supreme Court decision is said to reshape the law as we know it, and affect all court rulings going forward. Things like Brown v Board of Education, Roe v Wade, Gideon v Wainwright. Today we will hear the oral arguments for another landmark supreme court case. In the conclusion to our two part series on Brown v EMA, we discuss why the Constitution guarantees every 16 year old the right to play Postal 2.

Episode 20: Brown v Entertainment Merchants Association Part I

Fri, 29 Mar 2019 13:08:42 -0500

On part one of our two part series on Brown v EMA, we explore the court cases and appeals that led to the landmark Supreme Court case. Follow us through State Senates, District Courts and Circuit Courts as the video game industry proves time and again that video games, like movies and books, are protected under the First Amendment.

Episode 19: Formation of the ESRB Part III

Fri, 22 Mar 2019 13:00:00 -0500

Welcome to the thrilling conclusion to our epic three part series on the ESRB. We discuss more senate hearings, more companies arguing, and more M rated content. Will the rag tag group of game devs and publishers be able to fight off those pesky politicians with their new initiative? You probably know the answer, but tune in to find out how!

Episode 18: Formation of the ESRB Part II

Fri, 15 Mar 2019 12:35:00 -0500

Our epic three-parter on the ESRB continues! Will Nintendo and Sega finally put aside their petty differences and team up against those Washington fat cats? Or will two giant corporations continue to fight like school children? We’ve got the answers here!

Episode 17: Formation of the ESRB Part I

Fri, 08 Mar 2019 13:30:00 -0500

You have seen the logo on every game. M for Mature. T for Teen. E for Everyone. But do you know where they come from? In our biggest Hot Button undertaking to date, we look into the formation of the ESRB. Follow along on part one of our epic three part journey, as we look into how people's spines being ripped out, girls in their panties, and a couple of blue plastic guns forced the government to intervene, and forever changed the way games are developed, sold and played.

Episode 16: IGN Plagiarism Scandal

Fri, 01 Mar 2019 15:58:52 -0500

Melania Trump, Shia LaBeouf, Led Zeppelin. What do you think of when you hear these names? That’s right, plagiarism! On this episode, we rip into the career of ex-IGN editor Filip Miucin and what looked like his endless quest to steal as many words from other writers as he could... that is until 2018 when his now infamous review of Dead Cells finally backfired.

Episode 15: Super Columbine Massacre RPG! Part II

Fri, 22 Feb 2019 13:00:00 -0500

Our story of Danny Ladonne’s controversial title continues! Including an entry into the world of indie game competitions, beef with another fellow creator, and of course, push back from outlets all across the country. Will his message regarding the outcomes around Columbine be secure? Time for us to analyze and reflect on what many today still call the most offensive game ever made.

Episode 14: Super Columbine Massacre RPG! Part I

Fri, 15 Feb 2019 13:00:00 -0500

What would you say if we told you that a video game about the Columbine High School shooting exists? Now what you say if we told you that it also featured Pikachu and Friedrich Nietzsche? Well today we’re not only going to talk about how that game is somehow real, but also the story of how it came to be and how the public reacted to it. This one is a bit of a sensitive topic as well so listener discretion is advised.

Episode 13: No Man's Sky

Fri, 08 Feb 2019 13:00:00 -0500

This week on Hot Button, we breakdown ambition vs. reality with the announcement and release of everybody’s most hated game of 2016, No Man’s Sky. Can this small team of five turn this massive space exploration game around into a success? Or will the fans just keep relentlessly hammering it down into a swarm of bad reviews and lawsuits? We’ve got all the answers here!

Episode 12: The Ouya

Fri, 01 Feb 2019 13:30:00 -0500

The year is 2013. Forget about the PlayStation 4, forget about the Xbox One, cause today it’s time we discuss everybody’s favorite failed Android-based micro console... the Ouya. How could this massively funded Kickstarter product built to revolutionize an entire industry fall just flat on its face? We’ve got all the answers right here!

Episode 11: History of the Xbox 360

Fri, 25 Jan 2019 13:54:21 -0500

Continuing after our episode on the original Xbox (Go check it out if you haven't yet!), we take an exhaustive look into the development of Microsoft’s crowning achievement, their follow up console, the Xbox 360! Can Microsoft learn from their past mistakes and finally pull ahead of Sony in the console war? You may already know the answer, since you probably have an Xbox 360 sitting in a closet somewhere. But how did they do it? Come listen and find out!

Episode 10: CSGO Skin Betting & Gambling

Fri, 18 Jan 2019 14:33:27 -0500

On this episode of Hot Button, we are joined by our first ever guest, esports 'expert' and crime aficionado Chris Neuteboom, as we take a journey into the seedy underbelly of 'legal' Counter Strike: Global Offense skin betting and gambling. Tune in to find out just how many lawsuits can pop up next time you decide steal your mom's credit card!

Episode 09: Modern Warfare 2's 'No Russian'

Fri, 11 Jan 2019 14:02:14 -0500

Anyone else remember the time that Call of Duty had you participate in a mass murder? Cause we do. Today we discuss the development and controversy around Modern Warfare 2’s infamous 'No Russian' airport mission. Warning: Some graphic content is discussed and listened to in this episode.

Episode 08: Epic Games v Silicon Knights

Fri, 04 Jan 2019 14:25:00 -0500

David vs Goliath. Rocky vs Ivan Drago. The 1980 US Men's Hockey Team vs Russia. History is full of stories where the underdogs come out on top. This is not one of them. Today on Hot Button, we are looking into the legal battle between Silicon Knights and Epic Games, over the use of Epic's Unreal Engine 3. Listen in to find out how David died, and Goliath went on to make Fortnite.

Episode 07: The Re-rating of Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

Fri, 28 Dec 2018 14:37:40 -0500

Listen right now criminal scum! This week we discuss the re-rating of a title in Bethesda's SKYRIM series, Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. We learn once again the cost of alienating your community and how a few mods of exposed private parts can do more damage to gaming than any amount of gratuitous violence.

Episode 06: History of the Original Xbox

Fri, 21 Dec 2018 13:33:31 -0500

It’s time we take a deep dive into the development of the Xbox! Can Bill Gate's disdain for a certain Japanese tech company really change the video game industry forever? Would the PC Master Race really exist without Disney's The Lion King? We explore the answers to these questions, along with many more you never thought to ask about Microsoft's first game console.

Episode 05: Video Game Contests Part III - Just Cause 3

Sat, 15 Dec 2018 14:52:12 -0500

Ever think about what it would be like to have your very own secluded tropical paradise? Well, join us on the thrilling conclusion of our trilogy as we talk about the time that Square Enix thought it would be a good idea for players to compete against each other to win an actual island all for themselves! What could go wrong, right?

Episode 04: Video Game Contests Part II - Curiosity: What’s Inside the Cube?

Fri, 07 Dec 2018 09:30:41 -0500

The saga of game contests gone wrong continues! Our second chapter introduces 'Curiosity: What’s Inside the Cube?', a mobile tapper game from Fable and Populous creator Peter Molyneux’s with the promise of a grand mystery prize hidden inside. What lies at the center of this free-to-play nightmare? Listen in and find out!

Episode 03: Video Game Contests Part I - Advent Rising

Fri, 30 Nov 2018 13:58:36 -0500

What do a skateboard, a year's supply of Sobe water, and $1,000,000 all have in common? They were all prizes for playing Advent Rising! The first in a failed trilogy of games written by noted racist Orson Scott Card. So join us on the first part of our own trilogy of botched video game contests.

Episode 02: Hot Coffee

Fri, 23 Nov 2018 14:59:21 -0500

Alright everyone. Today it’s time to talk about Hot Coffee, everybody’s favorite sexy Grand Theft Auto mini-game!!

Get ready to hear our in-depth discussion on the infamous mod that almost destroyed the entire future of game regulation as we know it. Custom content, the game rating system, pixel porn. We tackle it all while dunking on some politicians and corporate shills, take that system!

Episode 01: 38 Studios

Fri, 16 Nov 2018 13:06:54 -0500

Join us on our first episode as we tell you the tale of how a once successful Major League Baseball player became a rather unsuccessful video game entrepreneur, but only after releasing a beloved action RPG that lead to... an investigation from the FBI?

It’s time to find out the full story behind Curt Schilling’s 38 Studios, Kingdoms of Amalur, and abandoned MMO Copernicus!