The VGBees Podcast

NOTE: This bonus episode contains discussions of medical trauma, sexual assault, addiction, child abuse, mass shootings, and generally some sad stories about real life emergencies. It’s hard to avoid those topics when discussing this television show, so if you need to duck out and catch the next regular bonus, we totally get it.
Additional note! This is a bonus episode of the show from 2025--we're freeing it from the confines of the bonus feed to prepare you for The Pittcast Season 2, which will be available for the public and not just in the bonus feed.
The Pitt is one of this year’s best TV shows and such a delightful surprise for folks who might have been missing a truly great medical drama in their lives. John treated himself to over an hour chatting about the show with full-time games media legend (Polygon, Waypoint, Fanbyte, and current EIC at Game Developer) and part-time volunteer EMS Danielle Riendeau.
They cover a lot of ground in a relatively short time, including:
Michael Crighton’s estate and the battle for the ER revival
Noah Wylie aging like fine wine
This wonderful cast (even the nepo babies are great)
Advanced medical procedures and practical effects
How Covid changed things for many medical professionals
Managing PTSD & addiction in the medical field

If you liked this bonus episode, consider telling a friend to JOIN THE HIVE. You get bonuses like these and access to special areas of our Discord.

Niki, Lotus, and John celebrate 100 episodes and discuss GameStop's potential purchase of eBay, usTwo's CEO saying some wild stuff into a microphone, the final death of Paste Games, and more!
00:00:00 Intros & At Least It's Friday
00:06:05 GameStop could be prepping for an eBay takeover
00:13:50 Saudi Arabia is divesting from some entertainment properties
00:20:36 Atari acquires emulation studio Implicit Conversions
00:24:39 MTG: Arena devs unionize
00:28:48 usTwo CEO speaks way too candidly about labor relations within company
00:39:45 GreedFall dev Spiders being liquidated; mismanagement alleged
00:44:22 GameMaker integrates with Claude Code
00:48:00 The program is interrupted by Niki's neighborhood "Snacks Man"
00:51:55 Mac Minis are super expensive now because of AI
00:58:58 Last Flag not continuing content updates or console development
01:05:15 Thick as Thieves gets shorter, cheaper
01:08:08 AV Club Games is no more, which spells the end of Paste Games
01:14:50 Flotsam is a cell-shaded city builder on sea that Lotus really likes
01:22:22 Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream is playing with dolls
01:36:00 CorgiSpace is a collection from one of the medium's most prolific creators
01:42:44 Titanium Court avoids Balatro time suck because of reading
01:44:00 Niki continues to build a NAS
01:54:55 We answer your Hive Questions for Episode 100
03:06:40 Outro
Thanks for listening!
Please leave us a review! We'll read it on the show and it helps us out a lot.
VGBees is ad-free, AI-free, and completely supported by you! https://vgbees.com/join
VGBees is a weekly games media podcast hosted by Niki, John, and Lotus.

Lotus & John discuss the lawsuit against Mr. Beast, Xbox Game Pass carving out Call of Duty, Playdate's interesting AI policy, and much more!
VGBees is 100% listener-supported. Join The Hive for bonus content, exclusive Discord access, and input on future content. https://vgbees.com/join
00:00:00 Intro
00:05:46 Mr. Beast sued by former employee
00:13:11 Ludum Dare to "end" in 2028
00:18:10 Playdate to block generative AI asset games; allow generative AI coded games
00:26:55 BAFTA Game Awards pulls trailer of "triggering" game
00:35:48 Sanrio & Toei both form game subsidiaries
00:39:39 Xbox carves out Call of Duty from Game Pass
00:50:17 Nintendo sued over tariff refund hoarding
00:54:49 Titanium Court is a feast for players looking for more substance in their roguelikes
01:02:20 Lotus went to a bunch of live sports events
01:14:05 Lotus went to Little Craft Fest 2026
01:25:00 Lotus & John answer your Hive Questions straight from the Discord
02:04:05 Outro
Thanks for listening! Please leave us a review!
We'll read it on the show and it helps us out a lot.
VGBees is ad-free, AI-free, and completely supported by you! https://vgbees.com/join
VGBees is a weekly games media podcast hosted by Niki, John, and Lotus.

SUPPORT US BY JOINING THE HIVE!
Hi there! Lotus is still in space teaching the aliens about baseball (they like it!), while Niki and John are earthbound to discuss the week's biggest stories in games, including:
Disney lays off 1,000; Marvel visual effects gutted
Disney quietly delists games from Steam
Xenosaga Pied Piper, somehow, is coming to Switch and PC
Iron Galaxy lays off unknown number of staff
Jollibee x Final Fantasy XIV crossover event
Season 3 of Playdate is coming
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 creative lead is weird
Lana Del Rey is the 007 First Light songstress
Epic's HR lead also lost their job
Imagine Dragons' capture the flag game is out
Mouse: PI for Hire is unremarkable in every way that matters
Setting up a NAS in the endtimes
We answer your burning HIVE QUESTIONS from the Discord

Thanks for listening! Please leave us a review! We'll read it on the show and it helps us out a lot.

Support us by joining The Hive!
This week, Lotus repaired the toilets aboard the Artemis II on its way safely (!!!!) back to Earth. Niki and John were grounded, however, and came together to discuss the biggest games news of the week. Here's the run of show:
Is Sid Meier the Ken Burns of video games?
The Pacers Couple is fine and good
Epic is in deep with Disney and making an extraction shooter
Pete Hines has choice words for Microsoft
State of Decay 3 didn't really exist when they released the reveal trailer
Glen Israel apocalyptically posts about Microsoft on LinkedIn
Doki Doki Literature Club removed from Google Play Store
Prove You're Human is the next game from the 1000xResist devs
Yoshihisa Kishimoto passes away at the age of 64
Marvel Rivals will apparently evolve from 6V6 PVP
Gunzilla, the new owner of Game Informer, accused not paying games salaries and contracts for months
Slay the Spire 2 took a while to beat, but it's been a blast
Niki's upcoming appearances on Astrogoblin
We answer your burning Hive Questions, like "what's a food that's better left out a while?"

Thanks so much for listening! Leave us a review and we'll read it on the show!
Note: we discuss three Microsoft stories this week. Microsoft continues to be a complicit player in the genocide happening in Gaza. Go to nogamesforgenocide.com to learn more about the BDS boycott and to make your own pledge.