Best Zoey Wyeld Podcasts (2025)

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Episode 36 - Not-E3 2025 Predictions 2:04:31

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1d ago2:04:31

2:04:31

We’re heading into June, which means an avalanche of news, directs, presentations, announcements and — most importantly: queer games! First up, we have lots of headlines. The US government is trying to censor a trans gaming-focused PBS documentary, “Misc. A Tiny Tale” gets a release date, “Tavern Talk” announces a prequel, “Coffee Talk Tokyo” gets …

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Episode 35 - Lesbian Witches are Taking Over 1:34:15

9d ago1:34:15

1:34:15

The summer gaming events are starting to heat up, which means lots of queer news and games, too! Ekamy joins me this week to discuss news, the Six One Indie Showcase, and a strong dose of two lesbian witch-themed indie games. Headlines are stacked! We have news on Borderlands 4, Haunted Chocolatier, the sequel to Cyberpunk 2077, The Last of Us TV s…

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Episode 34 - Love at the Milky Way Diner, Scarlet Hollow 1:29:08

16d ago1:29:08

1:29:08

The Super Mario Bros movie sequel has a new title, but what does it mean the story? Epic Games has added a Darth Vader AI chatbot to Fortnite, and of course players got him to say the worst things imaginable. Plus, the Fallout show has been renewed for another season, Nintendo has detailed the free Switch 1 game upgrades on Switch 2, and Naughty Do…

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Episode 33 - Playdead’s Inside: A Secret Queer Game? 1:45:08

23d ago1:45:08

1:45:08

Another busy week of headlines: Stardew Valley sequel talks, Level-5 weighs in on AI usage in the industry, GTA 6 gets a new trailer, renewed hope for a Chrono Trigger remake, Dragon Age development drama, and more! I also highlighted a bunch of indie queer games that are in development, some of which are coming out very soon. All of these games so…

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Episode 32.5 - BONUS - The Backlog: Hackers, Layoffs, and Pre-orders 58:17

26d ago58:17

58:17

It’s been a busy time for news and I’ve had to cut a bunch of headlines in recent episodes, so Amy-Lynn joined me to cover everything I missed! We talk about the Game Freak hacker (finally), EA layoffs and another Titanfall cancelation, Polygon has been purchased by Game Rant’s owner (I mistakenly refer to them as Valnut), Nintendo reinforces their…

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Episode 32 - Which queer games would make great movies and TV shows? 1:51:21

30d ago1:51:21

1:51:21

This week Ekamy and Lloyd_Lloydster join me to discuss what we’ve been playing and also cover the last two weeks of headlines. In terms of news: Discord might see some major changes soon (for the worse). GTA VI has been delayed while Ghost of Tsushima gets a release date — but what do these things have to do with the recent Xbox price increases? Pl…

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Episode 31 - They finally let a trans woman play the Nintendo Switch 2! 59:12

1M ago59:12

59:12

Please forgive me for that dorky, bad-joke title, True Avatars! I’m just really excited because this week, I went to the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience event in Toronto and had the chance to test out the Switch 2 over a month before its official release! I also got to play a bunch of games, including Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza, Metroid Pri…

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Episode 30 - Final Baldur’s Gate 3 Patch, Mario Kart World Direct, The Last of Us Season 2 Premiere 1:14:49

1M ago1:14:49

1:14:49

Nicole joins me for this week’s double whammy segments: discussing that underwhelming(??) Mario Kart World Direct and the exciting premiere for The Last of Us Season 2. We share our thoughts, criticisms, and all the queer goodness. It’s also a busy week for news: Dead by Daylight introduces the game’s first playable trans character, PlayStation Plu…

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Episode 29 - Spilled! Impressions & Queer Headline Catchup 1:06:19

2M ago1:06:19

1:06:19

This week Amy-Lynn joins me to catch up on what we’ve been playing (and want to play)! In particular, we discuss Spilled!, which is a recently released cosy game from a queer dev about cleaning up oil spills! It’s really good, and True Avatars is here with many of the reasons you need to check it out. We also cover a bunch of queer headlines! The L…

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Episode 28 - Interview with Endellion of Zorkie Studios: Encouraging Players to Make Ethical Decisions 1:24:49

2M ago1:24:49

1:24:49

Back in Episode 24, we played several game demos during Steam Next Fest. One of those demos was “Quality Dreams, Reasonably Priced,” a dystopian visual novel from Zorkie Studios with a surprising premise — what if you had the ability to approve or decline someone’s gender-affirming care? That’s an oversimplification of the game’s narrative, but QDR…

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Episode 27.5 - BONUS - Is Nintendo making a HUGE mistake with the Switch 2? 1:19:36

2M ago1:19:36

1:19:36

Nintendo’s Switch 2 directly finally arrived and we have all our initial thoughts and reactions in this bonus episode! Joining me this week are Ekamy and game dev Zoe Straw as we discuss the specs, the games (which look awesome, and some of which are queer!), and the very controversial prices. Could Nintendo be overestimating what fans are willing …

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Episode 27 - Nintendo Direct News & The Playersexuality Debate 2:00:24

2M ago2:00:24

2:00:24

Nintendo surprised us with a last minute Direct, a livestream focused entirely on upcoming games coming to the original Nintendo Switch. Possibly the final Switch 1-focused direct.. ever. Ekamy and Lloyd_Lloydster join me to talk about all the announcements including Metroid Prime 4, Rift of the Necrodancer (feat. Celeste!), Tomodachi Life: Living …

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Episode 26 - Day of the Devs & Retro Game Collecting 1:25:00

2M ago1:25:00

1:25:00

This week was packed with news: there's an update on the Scopely-Pokémon GO purchase, Ubisoft has a team of lawyers ready to deter toxic gamers, and Life is Strange: Double Exposure wins an award… but nobody is there to claim it?! Plus, Day of the Devs just had an event in San Francisco and there were some very exciting queer indie games shown off!…

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Episode 25 - Split Fiction: Queer Gaming with Your Partner 2:05:36

3M ago2:05:36

2:05:36

Two major topics this week, True Avatars! Of course, we have a few smaller headlines, including the Steam Spring Sale (go pick up some queer indie games!) and the Silent Hill f reveal. But then there’s the major headline: Amy-Lynn and Lloyd_Lloydster join me to discuss how Scopely, a predatory mobile game company that’s owned by a country with a ce…

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Episode 24 - Steam Next Fest: We Played Lots of LGBTQ+ Demos! 1:39:09

3M ago1:39:09

1:39:09

Ekamy and I played a lot of queer game demos this week, as part of Steam Next Fest! This week's headlines include the future of “The Last of Us” series, tariffs affecting physical media, Fable got delayed, Dragon Age: The Veilguard is being given out for FREE (kinda), and much more! Steam’s Next Fest is a big deal, because there’s always lots of up…

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Episode 23 - Pokémon Legends Z-A Hype Train 1:23:47

3M ago1:23:47

1:23:47

Pokémon Day finally arrived, and we’re REALLY excited for Legends Z-A, the Paris-inspired followup to one of the best Pokémon games in recent memory. Amy-Lynn and Nicole join me as we talk about our favourite moments from the Pokémon Presents overall, plus a lot of speculation and theories as we digest our first look at gameplay for Legends Z-A. Un…

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Episode 22 - Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, Sonic Racing CrossWorlds, and Pokémon Day Predictions 1:53:24

3M ago1:53:24

1:53:24

The Amies are back and we’re talking about all the news from the last two weeks, including "The Last of Us" Season 2's premiere date, another “Deltarune” update, surprising layoffs on “Marvel Rivals,” and Nintendo ending its loyalty program. In the second half, we’re discussing initial thoughts on the new bisexual AF game “Lost Records: Bloom & Rag…

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Episode 21 - Interview with Rocket Adrift: Avoiding “The Button” and Creating Authentic Queer Characters 1:33:33

4M ago1:33:33

1:33:33

In the first segment, I discuss the PlayStation State of Play and all the games shown off, including “Sonic Racing CrossWorlds,” “Borderlands 4,” “Darwin’s Paradox,” and “Lost Records: Bloom & Rage.” Then later on I’m joined by Toronto-based developer Rocket Adrift — Sloane Smith, Lindsay Rollins, and Titus McNally — for an in-depth interview on “P…

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Episode 20 - Psychroma & Raptor Boyfriend: The Games of Rocket Adrift 1:48:39

4M ago1:48:39

1:48:39

This week I’m joined by a returning guest, Lloyd_Lloydster (he/him), who’s here to help me cover a busy week of news stories! Headlines include how tariffs might affect the games industry, lots of Nintendo Switch 2 news, and how “Kingdom Come Deliverance II” has some queer representation! Plus so much more. In the second half, it’s just me, as I ta…

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Episode 19 - Discovering Our Identities through Video Games 1:36:12

4M ago1:36:12

1:36:12

My oldest and gayest friend, Graeme, is back! Graeme is a gay man and he previously joined me in Episode 2 (which you should definitely go back and check out)! In the first chunk, it’s just me as I cover games I’ve been playing and the not-so-great news about Bioware this week. Graeme pops in for the second chunk, and he and I talk about how video …

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Episode 18 - Interview with Lloyd_Lloydster: Transitioning with Your Audience 1:21:38

4M ago1:21:38

1:21:38

This week I welcome Lloyd_Lloydster! Lloyd is a trans man and Twitch streamer who socially transitioned in real time in front of his audience. In the first half of the episode, it’s just me, Zoey, as I talk about the games I’ve played, and the news. Headlines include the cancelation of Earthblade from Extremely OK Games (Celeste), the GLAAD Media A…

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Episode 17 - What’s it Like to Launch a Game in Early Access? 1:29:55

4M ago1:29:55

1:29:55

Zoe Straw is back, and this week she’s here to talk about a game she worked on called Aloft (the new cosy survival game from Astrolabe Interactive). Come hear about what it’s like to launch a game in early access! But wait, there’s more! Zoe also recently participated in a game jam, where she developed an arcade shooter with a unique gravity-based …

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Episode 16.5 - BONUS - Nintendo Switch 2 Finally Revealed! 50:51

5M ago50:51

50:51

Hi True Avatars, and welcome to your first ever bonus episode! Join me and the Amies as we discuss everything from the big Switch 2 reveal trailer, plus some more rumours and speculation… and of course, the new Mario Kart! 00:00:00 - Intro 00:32:10 - New Mario Kart discussion This episode was recorded on January 17 2025. Sources: https://www.youtub…

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Episode 16 - Interview with Frank Hopewell-Smith: Market Research for Video Games 2:01:39

5M ago2:01:39

2:01:39

This week is a big episode! I have a really exciting guest joining me for the second half of the show: Frank Hopewell-Smith! Frank is a gay man who works for 2CV, a global market research agency, where he helps video games with marketing, branding, and appealing to the “everyperson gamer.” Frank wears a lot of hats, and during his career he has wor…

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Episode 15 - GLAAD Gaming Report and Sonic 3 Trans Joy 2:05:45

5M ago2:05:45

2:05:45

In a previous episode, Amy-Lynn mentioned an interest in diving deeper into the GLAAD Gaming report: “The State of LGTBQ Inclusion in Video Games.” So this week, she and I took the time to do just that! We also discuss what we’ve been playing (Psychroma, Aloft, Arcade Spirits, Kitsune Tails, and more), all the news from over the holiday break, and …

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Episode 14 - Looking Ahead to Queer Gaming in 2025 1:57:13

5M ago1:57:13

1:57:13

The Amies™ are back again, and this week we’re taking a peek at what 2025 has in store for gayming. First up, we discuss the AAA and indie games that have been confirmed for the coming year, and then we dive into our speculation and predictions. 2025 is looking to be an amazing year with lots of potential for strong 2SLGBTQIA+ representation in the…

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Episode 13 - 2024 “Queer” in Review 1:51:41

5M ago1:51:41

1:51:41

Join me and The Amies™ as we go back through 2024’s queer games, news, events, and announcements. Was 2024 a good year — full of progress for queer games and developers? Or was this year a step back, as everything so happens to seem these days? The answer, without spoiling the whole episode, is much more optimistic than you may think! We break down…

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Episode 12 - The “Gayme” Awards 49:53

5M ago49:53

49:53

Let’s talk about E3 2024… I mean, The Game Awards 2024! This year was an entertaining show full of fun reveals, exciting performances and some clever gimmicks. But from a queer standpoint, the show had no real soul. Queer representation was present, but there wasn’t nearly enough of it. And Geoff Keighley finally acknowledged the thousands of layof…

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Episode 11 - Interview with Zoe Straw: Chasing Your Game Dev Dreams 1:51:07

6M ago1:51:07

1:51:07

This week is a double whammy of Zoe(y)s! I am joined by Zoe Straw, a transgender woman and very cool game developer from Montreal! First off, we discuss what we’ve been playing, move onto the news (which includes a discussion about the unsustainable state of AAA games, an Elden Ring 2 update, and more), and finally an in-depth interview with Zoe ab…

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Episode 10 - Interview with Undiscovered Country: Body-swapping and Killing Gameplay 1:06:22

6M ago1:06:22

1:06:22

This week I welcome Maddi Patton, a bisexual woman/writer and Alexander Martin (aka droquen), an ally/game director. Maddi and Alex are two thirds of Undiscovered Country, a brand new indie game studio from Toronto, Canada. Maddi and Alex share their hopes, dreams, and plans for their upcoming visual novel, “Killing of the Quiet”. We talk about how…

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Episode 09 - Interview with June in Black: Being Trans in the Games Industry 1:02:38

6M ago1:02:38

1:02:38

This week I interview June in Black, a transgender woman who works in the video games industry. June shares her unique lived experience as someone who transitioned while working in video games. She has worked at some well-known studios in the past cutting trailers, promotional videos, and behind the scenes content for some of your favourite games! …

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Episode 08 - A Queer Guide to Holiday Sales 1:34:34

7M ago1:34:34

1:34:34

Amy-Lynn and Ekamy are back this week for some Amy Squared double trouble! We discuss the news (including GOG's preservation program, DLC at The Game Awards, and the importance of unions in the video games industry), and in the second half we do a deep dive on how to take advantage of discounted video games during the upcoming holiday shopping seas…

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Episode 07 - Discovering Bisexuality and Pansexuality through Video Games 1:24:42

7M ago1:24:42

1:24:42

This week I welcome Ekamy, a bisexual Twitch streamer. We cover what we’ve been playing, some concrete Switch 2 news, more Dragon Age: The Veilguard queer goodness, and the lack of first party single player PS5 games. In the second half, Amy discusses the exploration of her bisexuality (and potential pansexuality) through many video game romances. …

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Episode 06 - New Games! Life is Strange, Pokémon TCG Pocket, and Sonic 1:59:17

7M ago1:59:17

1:59:17

This week is a double length episode to make up for missing the previous week. I start the podcast off solo, discussing the latest news and rumours (including my big Nintendo Switch 2 theory), and then going on a rant about Life is Strange: Double Exposure (and yes, this game has a lot of queer representation… but it’s not enough to make up for the…

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Episode 05 - Pronouns in Podcast 1:08:21

8M ago1:08:21

1:08:21

Devona (Helldevo) and Amy-Lynn (returning from the first episode) join me this week as we discuss the latest gaming news — including Bandai Namco’s “layoffs” and Sony’s new PlayStation concert tour. For this week’s segment, we jump into a discussion on pronouns and customizable avatars in video games, with a particular focus on non-binary represent…

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Episode 04 - Alarm Clocks and Retro Games 1:06:19

8M ago1:06:19

1:06:19

This week I take a little detour to rant about Alarmo, Nintendo’s over-priced and underwhelming new hardware. I also welcome my friend Enid to discuss her interest in retro video games, including increasing prices and how we define a video game as “retro.” 00:00 - Introduction, Astro Bot, Silent Hill 2 remake 05:25 - News 20:42 - Retro game chat wi…

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Episode 03 - Me, Myself, and Pokémon 55:15

8M ago55:15

55:15

This week it’s just me, Zoey, your host, as I cover the news, geek out about how great Astro Bot and the Dualsense are, and talk about why Pokémon is my favourite video game series. Plus, I speculate about my hopes and dreams for Legends Z-A, next year’s followup to Legends Arceus. ***Spoiler warning for the last scenes in The Legend of Korra*** 00…

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Episode 02 - Gay Relationships in Video Games 1:22:02

8M ago1:22:02

1:22:02

This week I host my friend Graeme, a gay man, as we discuss the new Zelda game, Echoes of Wisdom, the State of Play and other news, and some notable gay relationships in video games. Some are confirmed, others are unconfirmed, and some are straight of headcanon (Cloud and Sephiroth anyone?). ***Spoiler warning for Unpacking and Final Fantasy VII Re…

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Episode 01 - Welcome to True Avatars 1:07:08

8M ago1:07:08

1:07:08

Welcome to the inaugural episode True Avatars - A Video Game Podcast! This week I welcome Amy-Lynn, a trans feminine gamer, as well as a close friend of mine. We discuss the news of the past week, including Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s trans-friendly character creator, Switch 2 rumours, and the Nintendo-Palworld lawsuit. In the second half, we talk …