The Gamer Parent's Strategy Guide

E-sports have become a global phenomenon, with championship leagues around the world and televised events in major sports networks. But online gaming is also problematic, with cyber-bullying and other toxic behaviors permeating in the fanbases of all games and platforms. Vanta Leagues was founded to change the discussion in both of those fields. I had the opportunity to discuss Vanta Leagues with co-founder Ed Lallier. We discussed how the league's curriculum focuses not only in improving gameplay, but community and teamwork, teaching life skills that could be used even when the game is turned off. It also looks to combat cyber-bullying right from the get-go. Vanta Leagues is a bold new venture, hoping to make a positive impact in e-sports.

Why is The Gamer Parent's Strategy Guide a thing? What is the goal, and how do you, the listener base, play into it? I declare my intentions, and ask for your help. We're on a mission together to educate parents everywhere and be the advocate for gaming everywhere.

This week, I have a wonderful just-two-dads-chilling conversation with RD Reynolds, author, the man behind Wrestlecrap, and co-host of The Joker's Mustache podcast. We discuss a wide range of topics: the insane inflation of classic consoles (especially for pinball), how and why classic games don't appeal to kids these days, and how kids today are missing out on the experience of arcade conversions. Of course, we talk parenting and how we don't have much overlap in the games we play with our kids. We cap it off discussing Rupert's Kids Arcade in Shelbyville, Indiana, a wonderful charity arcade that you should visit if you're in the area. Just a nice chat with a good friend and fellow dad. They don't all have to be serious.

Everybody has issues that provoke strong feelings and responses. Maybe you refuse to buy a product because of who endorses it, or refuse to cheer for a sports team because someone on their roster has a troublesome past. Or maybe you can separate the art and the artist. It's a tricky situation for adults to navigate. So, what should we expect from older kids when issues like racism, sexual harassment, representation, and crunch culture collide with video games? Is it reasonable to expect them to be up on industry news? Is it responsible to tell them about these issues, or are we poisoning the well? Inspired by the recent Activision-Blizzard news, I discuss this issue on this week's episode. And for another point of view on it, I brought in my two teenage sons, to find out how they consume video game news, and if social issues in gaming matter to them.

Yours truly guested on the Project Pixel Gaming podcast for super-sized collaboration episode! We spend a bunch of time shooting the breeze on favorite games, how the N64/PS1/Saturn generation is the most transformative generation (but also the worst to look back on), and a lot more. Our big topic is on the monetization of children through micro-transactions; how games are using micro-transactions to lure children into spending money, how some games have turned these cosmetic items into symbols of social status and harm children's mental health, and what parents can do best to stop this exploitation of their kids in their own houses.

The ascendance of video games to the most profitable entertainment medium on Earth has children all over the planet wanting to be the ones making them. But is it everything they think? Is it playing games all day? How many different facets of game design are there? I sat down with Geoffrey Golden, a narrative designer who has worked with Capcom, Ubisoft and many more, about how he got into the business. We dispel some the myths kids might have, and give parents advice on how to encourage and prepare their kids if they're serious about getting into game design.

2nd episode in a week! You're not crazy! COVID-19 changed a lot in this world, and one thing it really changed is the way we consume games, and and our relationship with them. As parts of the world start to come out of the darkness of COVID, we will have to reckon with how we gamed and how we allowed our children to play games, and what needs to change now.

It's a solo episode and a grab bag of topics, on a most unusual day! I apologize profusely for June's lack of content, likely over-promise for July, and then get to two topics: the recent controversy surrounding Scott Cawthon, creator of the Five Nights At Freddy's series, and how it gives parents an opportunity to discuss separating art from the artist (or even if you should). I also discuss the announcement of the "re-designed" Nintendo Switch, and how big of a letdown and ripoff this is.

This may also be the start of Monday mini-sodes. Or it may not. We'll see.

After an unintended break, we're back! Sean Garmer of the Video Games 2 The Max podcast and reviews on 411mania's Games section sits down with me to have a discussion about the differences between raising a boy and a girl in gaming. What are the crucial differences? How has the industry changed for girls since the 80's, and how far does it have to go? We also go off on a few amusing tangents, because we're two guys talking video games. It happens in these informal discussions, you know.

The new Mortal Kombat movie has arrived! How does it stack up against the 1995 version? Is it more violent? Less cheesy? Just as poorly acted? Perhaps the most important question: is this movie okay to watch with your kids?

With the recent announcement by Sony that the online stores for the PlayStation 3, PSP and Vita would be closing this summer, a lot of wonderful digital-only games will become more difficult, if not impossible, for players to buy and enjoy. Jed Shaffer goes through his personal collection of PS3 games, and picks out the best for recommendations. Classic PS1 games that will become too expensive to buy on the aftermarket ... remasters and remakes that improve classic games ... and digital-only releases from indie developers (and one from Sony) that don't have cross-buy on PS4! Sports games, unique games previously only available in Japan, quirky indie games, platformers, and more. If you've still got a PS3, you MUST listen to this episode while there's still time. And if you don't, GO OUT AND GET ONE! A ton of games are about to go the way of P.T. Don't miss out!

With Sony just dropping a whopping TEN indie games for free through their Play At Home program, it's a good time to take a good look at the six non-VR-required games: Abzu, Subnautica, Rez Infinite, The Witness, Thumper, and Enter The Gungeon. Are they suitable for kids? Is there anything for adults to enjoy here? I break down the pros and cons of each game, who the ideal player is for each one, and what parents need to know about them.

Kelly Ryan, owner and proprietor of NerdMomNutrition.com joins the show for a one-on-one interview! We chat about how the stresses women put on themselves to do everything can be harmful, how moms should embrace being a gamer and don't feel guilty about making time to play, what to let your child play or see you play, who our personal favorite Doctor is, and a lot more! It's a fascinating insight into the mom's side of gaming, one every mom and dad should listen to.

It's the debut episode of The Gamer Parent's Strategy Guide Podcast! Jed Shaffer, author of the same-named column on 411Mania Games, brings his column to life, and not in pog form! For the first episode, Jed brings on a personal friend, Jason Huff, pastor at CrossWay Church in Michigan, to discuss the vexation of many gamer parents: game ratings and the ESRB. How much value should we be putting in that letter? Are all M's and T's equal, or do game ratings, by definition, have subjectivity to them? Can the rating truly reflect a game's value beyond its content? All this, and a lot more on the very first episode!

Want to know what to expect from The Gamer Parent's Strategy Guide podcast? Well, that's what I've made a trailer for. Or, you could check out my column on 411Mania.com/games. First episode to drop 3/11/2021!