“The unending paradox is that we do learn through pain.” - Madeleine L'EngleBy Fanbyte

merritt welcomes new regular cast Lotus, Niki and Fūnk-é to discuss the latest squid/kid-based release from Nintendo, "lesbian Tetris," lo-fi pants, Metroid Prime pinball, dodging attacks because of friendship, the latest Steam releases, and a lot more. Segments: Splatoon 3 Check In, Gabe's New & Tasty, Get Rec'd Games discussed: Splatoon 3, Tres-B…

merritt and Jordan return from the back rooms just in time to prevent Nerium's hostile takeover of the podcast, while Fūnk-é looks on with mirthful bemusement. Also, video games! Segments: Spooky Games Season, Gabe's New & Tasty, Get Rec'd Games discussed: Gloomwood, Save Room - Organization Puzzle, Cult of the Lamb, Tinykin, The Imperial Gatekeepe…

In the final episode (for now) of Thanks for the Knowledge, John takes you through the week’s biggest news, including some acquisitions, the bizarre continued rollout of Halo Infinite features, major Twitch creators leaving the platform, and more! We’ll also get you ready for the week ahead and talk shop about where you’ll be able to get your news …

This week on Fanbyte’s flagship podcast Fandwidth, Niki reports back from the perfectly-tutorialized Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Fūnk-é practices for their move with Subway Surfers, John takes the Midnight Fight Express, and Nerium checks out the new Final Fantasy XIV content. Más Fanbyte: Follow us on Twitter! Join our Fandwidth channel on Discord Ple…

This week, John decided to take the entire massive Warner Bros Discover merger and all of its fallout and lay it on the table for Mike Williams to explain and dissect. It’s a great conversation. You’ll learn a lot. Also, we’ll catch you up with what you missed at Gamescom Opening Night and the global price increases hitting PlayStation 5. Más Fanby…

merritt, Nerium, Mike, and Jordan casually chat about various modern video games. There seems to be an error in this episode but we can assure you that everything is fine. Thanks for listening, have a nice day and don't worry. Segments: British Strategy Syndrome, Gabe's New and Tasty Games discussed: Total War: Warhammer 3, Two Point Campus, Entrop…

This week, John’s back and he’s talking to friend of the site Niki Grayson all about Embracer’s latest round of acquisitions and when they expect their messy Smash Bros. clone to drop. Plus, get a look at the week ahead. Más Fanbyte: Follow John and Paul on Twitter! Join our TFTK channel on Discord Please show us some support by reviewing us on App…

In our most games-packed episode to date, merritt, Nerium, Fūnk-é and Jordan discuss the current state of their GOTY lists, what they want to make time for in the coming months, games from yesteryear that they've recently connected with, the latest titles on Gabe's big store, and of course, more recommendations for living your daily life. Segments:…

With John still on the International Space Station, Senior Podcast Producer Jordan Mallory helms the ship to interview News Editor Imran Khan and "Yamuthafuckin Boy" Michael Higham about their on-the-ground experience at EVO 2022, including their hands-on time with Street Fighter 6, the latest in Bud Light technology, what EVO has to offer beyond t…

Danielle, Nerium and merritt assemble for another week of discussion and diatribes, this time involving Danielle's girlfriend's deadly Disco Elysium choices, playing games developed by alligators (such as Xenoblade Chronicles 2), the anti-gremlin murder instincts that all moms have, Mario Kart 8's new courses, the latest on Steam's New and Trending…

This week, filling in for John is our Weekend News Writer Andrea Shearon to break down all of the week’s biggest headlines. Joining Andrea is our very own Senior Managing Editor Nerium Strom to discuss the Arcane docuseries, Subway Surfers becoming the world’s most popular speedrun game, a Judge ordering TextNow to name users who threatened Bungie …

merritt, Nerium, Fūnk-é and special guest Lotus™ recount (mostly) pleasant experiences they had this week in games, the surprising latest collab in Lotus' gacha of choice, Frogun's contentious difficulty, the secret language used to discuss Xenoblade Chronicles spoilers, what's new and trending on Steam, and whether I like it or not, Homestuck. Seg…

This week, as John sails the open seas, guest host Imran Khan is joined by illustrious IGN reporter Rebekah Valentine to discuss her takeaways from Comic Con, what that whole secret Nier church thing was all about, Annapurna Interactive’s recent showcase, her favorite games of the year so far and so much more. Más Fanbyte: Follow Imran and Paul on …

We've modified the Channel F format to squeeze in more video games and the discussion thereof, but fear not, all the important bits are still here: the show is still hosted by merritt k, she's still trying to kill her guests (Nerium, Fūnk-é and Charles the Intern), and it's still an uproariously funny way to spend an hour and change. Segments: Surp…

This week, John sat down with merritt k who recently returned from the deserts of Las Vegas where she played the current build of the Saints Row reboot. What’d she think? You’ll have to find out in the episode, silly. Also, we’ll catch you up with some of the week’s biggest stories, like NFT Worlds making Minecraft 2, The Last of Us’ leaking proble…

Jordan, Nerium and Niki whip out their Digivices in a last-ditch effort to defeat merritt, whose Metal Podcastmon once again proves too much for our young heroes to handle. (Did that make sense? I don't know anything about Digimon.) Buckle up for what is somehow our most games-light and games-heavy episode to date, and remember to eat your Vegeta T…

This week, John chatted with fellow Skate-heads Paul Tamayo and Niki Grayson about the recent announcements surrounding the vaunted EA series. As always, we’ll also catch you up with the biggest headlines of the week, like the wild stuff John Riccitiello said about devs, BioWare making old DLC free, and Kirby’s new Fall Guys-like. Additional Readin…

To celebrate the third anniversary of Fire Emblem: Three Houses, merritt has concocted a rigorous (and somewhat biased) challenge for friends/cohosts LB, Nerium and Fūnk-é. Who lived? Who died? For whomst were smooch feelings strongest? And what characters did merritt forget about entirely? Meanwhile, the gang takes a quick trip to the skyscraper z…

This week, John shouldn’t even be here. He was supposed to be at a management retreat but got sick instead, so he decided to put together a quick episode talking about the week’s biggest news, including God of War: Ragnarok getting a release date, the return of E3, and details from this week’s PlayStation indies showcase. Additional Reading: God of…

The gang has this week off from our normal recording schedule due to a national holiday, so Producer Jordo (hey that's me!) cut together his favorite jokes and japes from the latest incarnation of Channel F, stretching from Episode 101 to Episode 159. Unless you're the O-est of OGs, you probably haven't heard a lot of the goofs in here! And if you'…

This week, John managed to snag 45 minutes with Jeff Gerstmann fresh off his move to the independent media circuit! Join them as they discuss the state of games media, the best games so far of 2022, explaining Overwatch 2 in under a minute, and AEW’s ascent. John will also catch you up with the week’s biggest news including the new Nintendo Direct!…

Special guest Eric Silver, host of Games & Feelings and Join the Party (and head of creative at Multitude Productions), joins Steven and Fūnk-é for more of merritt's maniacal machinations, and by "maniacal machinations" we mean fun games and friendly banter. Well, the Pokemon that come up aren't fun, they're terrifying, but the rest of this episode…

It’s getting hotter and just generally worse in the country right now, but at least we can talk about video games for a few minutes. John sat down with Imran Khan and Giant Bomb’s Jeff Grubb to chat about Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Final Fantasy XVI, and this Winter’s potentially quiet release schedule. You should find and donate to your local abortio…

Look, by now y'all know this isn't an evil series of traps designed to teach people the true value of life. It's just merritt having some fun with her pals, who this week happen to Fūnk-é, Steven and Danielle, and I'm sorry for lying to you for so long. Today the games are about casting a Metal Gear Solid film adaptation and the history of Rare Lim…

Hot Game Summer 2022 rolls on with major news about Final Fantasy VII Remake, Dragon’s Dogma, Starfield, and more! John also sits down with Kenneth Shepard and Mike Williams to discuss the wealth of new information regarding Overwatch 2 and its release. Additional Reading: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the sequel to Remake Crisis Core is getting a r…

After imbibing some secret ooze, Steven, Niki and John face off against the deadly quizmasters and trivia geeks of merritt's Foot Clan. Or something. We talk about Ninja Turtles, okay? Also we take a road trip to Pennsylvania and Pac-Man really fouls up the British isles. Segments: Bad Game Summaries, Speed Pitching (Wikipedia Edition), Double Jeop…

We’re in the thick of Hot Game Summer 2022 and John sat down with Diego Argüello and Paul Tamayo to talk about the games we’re most excited about that we saw from this week’s showcases. John will also catch you up on the latest news and the extensive list of games coming out this coming week. Additional Reading: Everything you missed from Geoff’s S…

This week Fūnk-é, Niki and Steven have to "Catch 'Em All!", and by "catch" we mean "survive" and by "'em all!" we mean "merritt's longest and most upsetting quiz yet," wherein the darkest Pokemon lore is pulled from the shadows and forced into your brain (whether you want it there or not). Plus, what kind of gym leader would you be? Show your work.…

This week, John called up on the expertise of featured contributor Fūnk-é Joseph and IGN’s award-winning Reb Valentine to dive into all of the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet details we learned this week. We also catch you up with all the big game announcements that came out of Sony’s banger State of Play and much more! Additional Reading: Everything yo…

Youtube pioneer James Rolfe (aka the Angry Video Game Nerd) joins merritt for a special interview about his relationship with monsters, the early days of video on the internet, raising kids in the era of social media, his methods for time management and project prioritization, how consuming games has changed over the years, and a sad realization ab…

This week, John chatted with Steven Strom and The Verge’s Ash Parrish about cool games in our backlogs, No Man’s Sky’s latest expedition, and why a total Halo newbie should most definitely watch the TV show. Also, we catch you up with the latest news, including Raven Software’s historic unionization vote, The Sims 4 adding pronouns, and The Summer …

IGN Senior Editor Jonathon Dornbush joins Fūnk-é, merritt and Steven for a topsy-turvy episode where the tables have turned and the stakes are higher than ever! With Fūnk-é at the helm, can the crew survive long enough to win the Golden Cartridge, and thus, the right to change each other's lives forever?! Plus, the return of Staff Picks! Segments: …

This week, John hosts a roundtable discussion with featured contributor Fūnk-é Joseph & podcast producer Paul Tamayo about the Playdate! We think it harkens back to a better era of handheld gaming, but you should listen to hear why. John also catches you up with the biggest news of the week, including Death Stranding’s sequel, Final Fantasy VII new…

This week, merritt forces Steven, LB and Fūnk-é to reminisce upon the legacy of Todd Howard et al. with a quiz about Morrowind 2, which is definitely real and an official video game, before making a few more (very expensive) calls to the Legally Distinct Video Game Power Hotline for a little assistance with some of yesteryear's equally extant games…

This week, John taps news editor Imran Khan to fill us in on some big game delays, EA’s early 2023, and EA’s messy divorce from FIFA. We’ll also tell you about a bonkers diversity tool Activision-Blizzard is using as well as the game you should be playing to get your new Vampire Survivors fix. Más Fanbyte: Fanbyte Podcast Network (Like this show an…

John, Fūnk-é and Imran endure yet another arbitrary set of tasks for merritt's amusement, this time testing their knowledge of mid-century Polish filmmaking and Barbie® video games, among other things. Segments: Before and After, Speed Pitching (Polish Cinema Edition), Barbie's Malibu Dream Quiz More from Fanbyte: Fanbyte Podcast Network (We do oth…

This week, John enlists the help of Axios games reporter Stephen Totilo to fill in important gaps in the week’s top stories, including a new lawsuit filed against Activision-Blizzard, Square-Enix dumping some Western studios to Embracer, and Reggie Fils-Aime’s book tour. We also get you ready for the upcoming week’s game releases including some Xbo…

Comedian songwriter and former child actor(?!) Brent "Brentalfloss" Black hopes to survive three of merritt's most devious games yet. With the help of Steven and Niki, can Brent rhyme his way out of a bind? How good is the gang's knowledge of ADHD medication? How do you help someone beat a game that doesn't exist? Find out!! Segments: ADHD Med, Cry…

This week, John sits down with Overwatch superfan/apologist Kenneth Shepard to talk about the ongoing Overwatch 2 PvP beta and where the once-celebrated franchise goes from here. We also run down the biggest headlines of the week, including Acti-Blizz shareholders saying yes to big golden parachutes, Yuji Naka’s online honesty about Balan Wonderwor…

Rachel Reichenbach, aka Rainylune, aka Patreon's Saint of Frogs, joins Fūnk-é and John as the latest special guest to endure merritt's twisted challenges. What does the internet's foremost purveyor of frog ephemera know about one of history's most famous toads? How do you design an adventure/party game about The Defenestration of Prague? Is Staff P…

This week, John chats with Mike Williams about the streaming landscape, including Netflix’s turbulent week, Warner Bros. Discovery, the CNN+ debacle, and more. We’ll also get you caught up with major news stories including a wild one about Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg interfering with a planned exposé regarding Bobby Kotick and a restraining order from…

It's an unusually literary week on Channel F as Dillon, Danielle and D'Steven are put under the gun and/or crime novel by merritt, just before having their knowledge of 20th century French literature put to the test. Meanwhile, Dillon's quest to complete ancient video games continues, Danielle enjoys the retro-tinged spoils of modern game design, a…

This week, John is joined by Brand Editor of Fanbyte, Niki Grayson, to answer the burning question: is Overwatch 2 the most cursed game of all time? From there, we dive into the explosive news that Gavin Newsom’s office apparently interfered with the case against Activision-Blizzard. We’ll also, of course, dig into games coming out this week! Addit…

Best-selling/award-winning/very tall author Ryan North joins Fūnk-é and Steven for an especially villainous (and Canadian) episode, wherein merritt challenges the panel to solve some of the problems facing today's evil masterminds, in addition to testing their knowledge of the public domain. As Ernest Hemingway once said, "wear sunscreen!" (Also ch…

This week, John chats with Fanbyte’s News Editor Imran Khan about his time with LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, LEGO’s new partnership with Epic, Remedy’s Max Payne remakes, and more! John also fills out this month’s Xbox Game Pass slate, lets you in on some Nintendo e-Shop deals, and updates you on Activision-Blizzard and Riot Games labor issu…

A spoilercast for a Kirby game? Yes!! They done dang put a real-ass story in Kirby and the Forgotten Land, so LB, Fūnk-é and merritt are here to dive as deeply into it as mouthful mode will allow. It goes without saying that everything will be spoiled so listen accordingly! More from Fanbyte: Fanbyte Podcast Network (We do other podcasts too!) Foll…

VTuber librarian mouse/Twitch partner Maroony finds herself alongside Steven and Danielle, who must attempt to rehabilitate history's worst (gaming) offenders at merritt's behest. Later, after brief detours through the old west and Dream World, the gang dispenses another rapid-fire round of positively powerful protips. Segments: Spin Doctor Mario, …

This week, John sits down with Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier to discuss the new PlayStation Plus tiers, Breath of the Wild 2’s delay, the death of E3, and more. John also catches you up with news about Funomena’s troubles, Final Fantasy XIV live letter, and the home run hitter coming to Xbox Game Pass this week! Additional Reading: All-new Play…

There's a new Kirby on the block, and to celebrate merritt probes Fūnk-é, LB and Steven's collective knowledge of the little pink puffball's various transformations. Later, merritt's victims host their own Reddit AMAs, just without prior knowledge of who they are or what they're doing. Plus, the the gay cannibal king of Ireland is here! Segments: K…