CheckpointAFK

Latest Episodes:

Preventing Sexual Misconduct in Esports w/ Cecilia D'Anastasio Jul 23, 2020

Show notes

The Checkpoint crew is joined by guest host, Cecilia D'Anastasio to discuss some of the recent accusations of sexual misconduct in esports and what actions to take to prevent them in the future. Then they open up about their history with Final Fantasy XIV and the community.

Bonus: Gaming Communities and Fighting Toxicity with Dead by Daylight Game Director, Matheiu Cote Jul 11, 2020

Show notes

Game Director for Dead by Daylight, Mathieu Cote joins the Checkpoint crew to discuss the importance of communities in gaming, plus how to deal with toxicity online.

Why Gamers NEED to VOTE! Jul 07, 2020

Show notes

The Checkpoint crew is working with Gamers.Vote and discuss how there are 133 Million gamers who are eligible to vote and the importance of voting. Plus, will the Fallout series be a dud? Then the crew closes with a serious discussion about sexual misconduct in the FGC Esports circuit.

Cyberpunk 2077 and Bye Bye Mixer Jul 01, 2020

Show notes

The Checkpoint crew deep dive into the failure of Mixer and why streamers were not willing to make the transition over to Facebook Gaming. After CD Project Red had released more information about the game during its Night City Wire event, the crew theorize about the game and discuss their Cyberpunk 2077 gameplay wish list.

LGBTQIA Representation in Video Games Jun 23, 2020

Show notes

This week, CheckpointAFK celebrates PRIDE! Kali Sloan and Chadd Callahan are joined by variety Twitch streamer, Parker Hadley (@GuacOnMySock), and esports diversity & inclusivity consultant, Amanda Stevens (@AmandaTNStevens) to discuss everything LGBTQIA and gaming.

PlayStation 5 Reveal w/ Guest Host Brandon Brathwaite Jun 16, 2020

Show notes

Another week and another awesome guest host on Checkpoint AFK. This time we bring in esports writer and host Brandon Brathwaite. Norris, Kali, and WeirdBeard talk to him about how police are depicted in video games and his reactions to the Playstation 5 Keynote! And make sure you check out our special announcement from Axis Replay!

Coppers on Your Console

Police reform is at the top of everyone's mind right now. Protests against police brutality and enter their 3rd week in the US and don't look like slowing down anytime soon. So we took this opportunity to think about how Police are portrayed in video games. Are there more games where Police are a force of nature or is it more about the tough cop experience? How doe that affects how we view the police? We break it all down with Brandon Brathwaite.

PlayStation 5 Reveal

For our final topic, Brandon Brathwaite and the Checkpoint Gang breakdown their favorite announcement from the Playstation 5 Reveal event. The hour-long event contained a first look at the games coming out for the system and a look on the hardware its self. While the design seems polarizing, the games weren't as over ten launches or near launch titles got trailers. Did they outshine their Microsoft rivals or did they fall into the same traps they did about "gameplay"? We speculate on its cost and additional features the console may have and how it will perform.

Game Companies Respond To Protests w/ Guest Host Malik Forte Jun 08, 2020

Show notes

On this week's Checkpoint AFK, Gaming and Esports personality, Malik Forte, joins us for a conversation about the George Floyd protests and how gaming is stepping up to support. Alongside the Checkpoint support crew of Kali Sloan and Chadd Callahan, Norris and Malik share their perspectives on how the world is changing and what it may look like post-2020.

L.A. Riots 2.0?

By being based out of Los Angeles, Malik talks to us about his experience at the George Floyd protests that shut down LA over the week. Malik recounts being on the ground when the protest turned for the worse and how it compared to other demonstrations. The crew also talks about future generations and what it will mean to them to see such massive demonstrations and discord.

Keep Politics In The Video Games

Malik and the Checkpoint crew also talk about game companies and how they've reacted to the protests. Many developers like Ubisoft and Square Enix chose to donate to Black social justice groups or vowed to increase diversity. Many like EA and the Niantic committed to both. Malik lets us know that while EA may have a sour reputation with gamers, they've stepped up when it comes to diversity. We have a great discussion on how certain companies could effectively speak to the black community. And how others took us by surprise with their commitments. We examine who did what and what the impact this could have on the gaming community.

The One With The Protests w/ Guest Host Erin Simon Jun 03, 2020

Show notes

On this week's CheckpointAFK, Erin Simon joins us to talk about the death of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement. We also discuss the Snyder Cut of Justice League and Kali makes a shocking confession.

Black Lives Matter

While it's not a gaming topic, Black Lives Matter is too important of a discussion for us not to have. Former Cheddar Esports host Erin Simon joins us to talk about the importance of the movement and what we can do to help. If you'd like to help more, please visit this website.

The Snyder Cut of Justice League

If you enjoyed the discussion about the Snyder cut of Justice League, then make sure you check out this week's episode of The Other Identity. Robbie and Ben Morse dive deep into the topic.

ERP Brothels

And yes, you heard that correctly. Kali admitted to being a long time erotic role-player and even doing so for money. You can check out the article that inspired the conversation here!

Streaming Viewership Grows, Except For Mixer May 28, 2020

Show notes

Streaming viewership numbers are out and all stream providers are celebrating, all except Mixer. Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook Gaming have increased tremendously since the crisis, but Mixer has barely seen a bump. Is it still Twitch vs Mixer? Or is it now Twitch vs YouTube vs Facebook vs Mixer?

The Checkpoint crew also discuss Dignitas' all-female Valorant team, Dignitas Female. The crew is excited to see the inclusion of women, but is this really a step in the right direction?

Is Summer Game Fest A Bust? May 20, 2020

Show notes

As E3, Tokyo Game Show, and numerous others are canceled, the Summer Game Fest has begun. First up is from the Unreal Engine 5. However, it didn't reveal any new games or showcase any actual gameplay from an actual game. The CheckpointXP crew wonder how long before we start seeing more emphasis on gameplay.

Also, the news of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 and 2 getting a remake has the team excited, but are we relying too much on nostalgia?