My Perfect Console with Simon Parkin

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Pierce Brown, science fiction novelist (Red Rising series). Jul 28, 2026

Show notes

Pierce Brown is an American novelist whose work has made him one of the defining voices in modern science fiction. After a restless childhood that saw his family move repeatedly and left him passing through more than ten schools, he began writing in earnest just after high school. After years of rejection, he found his breakthrough with Red Rising, the first instalment in an epic saga that fused classical tragedy, Roman myth, and space opera into an international bestseller.

Since then, the series has grown into a global phenomenon, winning a devoted readership for its high-stakes politics and fierce emotional intensity. Alongside his work as a novelist, he has embraced gaming culture—contributing to the Red Rising board game and speaking openly about his love of everything from StarCraft II to Mass Effect and Cyberpunk. Now, as the series is being reissued in special tenth-anniversary editions, a new generation of readers is discovering the world that made his name.

LINKS

Pierce Brown – website & books

Pierce Brown – official website

Red Rising – the complete saga

Red Rising: Sons of Ares – prequel comic series

Pierce Brown – Instagram (@piercebrownofficial)

Red Rising board game

Red Rising – Stonemaier Games (designed by Jamey Stegmaier)

Pierce's Perfect Console

Command & Conquer (1995) – Wikipedia

Command & Conquer: Red Alert – Wikipedia

Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun – Wikipedia

Shogun: Total War (2000) – Wikipedia

Total War series – official site

Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn – Wikipedia

Black & White (2001) – Wikipedia

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind – Wikipedia

Books and other references mentioned

Plato's Republic – Wikipedia

Antigone by Sophocles – Wikipedia

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas – Wikipedia

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card – Wikipedia

The First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie

Gattaca (1997 film) – Wikipedia

Gustave Doré – illustrator, Wikipedia

Support the show

My Perfect Console – episode archive

Support My Perfect Console on Patreon

Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John Robertson, comedian, creator The Dark Room. Jul 21, 2026

Show notes

John Robertson is an Australian comedian, writer, and performer who has carved out a singular space between stand-up, theatre, and video games. Beginning his career on the UK and international comedy circuit, he became known for his high-energy, unpredictable style—before creating The Dark Room, a live-action text adventure where audiences shout commands, face absurd deaths, and attempt to survive his chaotic world.

The show has toured globally, sold out runs at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and grown into an online phenomenon, streamed to millions and adapted into digital formats. Alongside this, he has written and performed a wide range of solo shows and interactive work, creating a unique space where comedy, games, and audience participation collide.

John Robertson – website & show

John Robertson – official website

The Dark Room – live show information

The Dark Room – live dates and tickets

The Dark Room – Edinburgh Fringe 2026 at the Gilded Balloon

The Dark Room – Dark Room Deathstravaganza at Leicester Square Theatre, 22 November

John Robertson – Twitch (Robbotron)

John's Perfect Console

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Mega Drive, 1992) – Wikipedia

Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo – Wikipedia

Wii Sports Resort – Wikipedia

Sid Meier's Civilization V – Wikipedia

Hitman: World of Assassination – official site

Hitman: World of Assassination – Steam

Other games and references mentioned

Caves of Qud – official site

Caves of Qud – Steam

PAX West – Seattle gaming convention

Switch Sports – Nintendo

Next week's guest

Pierce Brown – official website

Red Rising – Pierce Brown's debut novel

Support the show

My Perfect Console – episode archive

Support My Perfect Console on Patreon

Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andreas Thorstensson, former Counter-Strike champion, founder GOALS AB. Jul 14, 2026

Show notes

Andreas Thorstensson is a Swedish entrepreneur, former professional gamer, and studio founder whose career has moved from the early days of esports to the challenge of rebuilding one of the world’s biggest sports genres from the ground up. Born in Stockholm, he began programming as a child and later emerged in competitive Counter-Strike under the name ‘bds’, becoming world champion in 1999 and earning a reputation as both a player, and builder of tools, platforms, and communities around the game.

In 2001, he co-founded SK Gaming, helping turn esports into a more professionalised business, and later spent a decade in technology and startups. In 2021, frustrated by the state of football games, he returned to development to found GOALS AB, a Stockholm studio with an ambitious aim: to give football the video game it deserves. Its first title, GOALS, is a free-to-play, cross-platform football simulator built around a gameplay-first, fully skill-based philosophy.

Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole

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Abigoliah Schamaun, comedian. Jul 07, 2026

Show notes

Abigoliah Schamaun is an American comedian, writer, actor, and podcaster whose open-hearted style has made her one of the most distinctive voices on the UK stand-up circuit. After cutting her teeth in the clubs of New York, she moved to Britain and there steadily built a reputation as a charismatic performer, becoming a popular headliner on the live comedy scene. Alongside her stand-up, she has appeared on shows including Pointless Celebrities, Captive Audience, Outrageously Funny Comedy, and I Live with Models.

More recently, through the podcast Neurodivergent Moments, which she co-hosts with Joe Wells, she has spoken with warmth and candour about ADHD and neurodivergence,. Now, that podcast has inspired a new book, Neurodivergent Moments: Sex, Sunscreen, Turtles and How (Not) to Pack a Suitcase, a funny, personal collection of essays out now.

Abigoliah Schamaun – official site & socials

abigoliah.com – official website

Neurodivergent Moments – the book

Neurodivergent Moments: Sex, Sunscreen, Turtles and How (Not) to Pack a Suitcase – Linktree (buy links & live events)

Neurodivergent Moments – the podcast

Neurodivergent Moments podcast – Acast

Neurodivergent Moments – Patreon (bonus content)

All British Comedy Explained – the podcast

All British Comedy Explained – official site

All British Comedy Explained – Apple Podcasts

All British Comedy Explained – Spotify

Abigoliah's Perfect Console

Super Mario Land – Wikipedia

Mortal Kombat (1992) – Wikipedia

Beat Saber – official site

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Nintendo

Other people and references mentioned

Joe Wells – co-author and podcast co-host

Sea of Thieves – official site

Penelope Keith – Wikipedia

Nerd of Mouth podcast

Support My Perfect Console on Patreon

Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Luke Whittaker, gamemaker. (South of the Circle, Lumino City). Jun 30, 2026

Show notes

Luke Whittaker is a British game designer and creative director. With a background in animation and games design, he co-founded the BAFTA-winning indie studio State of Play in 2008, helping establish a reputation for meticulous, hands-on craft and playful experimentation. He was the creator and lead designer of Lumino City, the puzzle adventure built entirely from hand-made paper and card models, which won a BAFTA for Artistic Achievement.

Since then he has worked on a string of distinctive projects including the Apple Award-winning pinball painting game INKS and the paper-crafted puzzle games KAMI and its sequel. As writer, director, and lead artist on South of the Circle, he even travelled to Antarctica to research a deeply human Cold War love story. Now, with Spycraft, a 1960s spy adventure that blends a physical board with video game mechanics—and comeswith a physical gadget built to play it—he continues to blur the boundaries between digital play and physical craft.

Relevant Links:

Luke Whittaker & State of Play

State of Play Games – official site

State of Play – about the studio

Spycraft & the Board device

Spycraft – State of Play Games page

Spycraft – on the Board store

Board – the gaming device Spycraft runs on

South of the Circle

South of the Circle – State of Play Games page

South of the Circle – Steam

South of the Circle – Apple App Store

Luke's Perfect Console

North & South (1989) – Wikipedia

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure – Wikipedia

Sega Rally Championship – Wikipedia

ICO – Wikipedia

Firewatch – official site

Firewatch – Wikipedia

Other games and references mentioned

Lumino City – State of Play Games page

Samorost – Amanita Design

Machinarium – Amanita Design

KAMI 2 – State of Play Games page

Shadow of the Colossus – Wikipedia

Oxenfree – Night School Studio

RetroPie – retro gaming on Raspberry Pi

The Turner Contemporary – Margate

Support My Perfect Console on Patreon

Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rob Dubbin, comedy writer, game designer (The Colbert Report, Scripto). Jun 23, 2026

Show notes

Rob Dubbin is a comedy writer and game designer whose work spans late-night television, journalism, and interactive storytelling. After studying History and Literature at Harvard University, he began his career in comedy, becoming an Emmy-winning writer on The Colbert Report and later The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Away from television, his writing has appeared in publications including The New Yorker and The Verge.

More recently, he has moved into game design and tools, becoming the co-creator of Scripto, a collaborative writing platform for format-driven work—from television scripts to video games—where he serves as Head of Games. His current projects include co-hosting The Secret Lives of Games podcast and he recently launched the boardgame Starfriends. Across all of his work, he has become a thoughtful advocate for clarity and economy in writing—particularly in games, where he believes every word must earn its place.

SHOW LINKS:

Rob Dubbin

Rob Dubbin – official website

Rob Dubbin – work & projects

Roblemsolving – Rob's blog

Rob Dubbin – itch.io

Brainfruit Studio / Star Friends

Brainfruit Studio shop

Star Friends – official site

Star Friends – Kickstarter campaign

Scripto

Scripto – collaborative writing software

Scripto – about

Scripto – eight takes on game writing

The Secret Lives of Games / Eggplant

Eggplant – the Secret Lives of Games podcast network

Eggplant – about

The Secret Lives of Games – on Apple Podcasts

Rob's Perfect Console

ZZT – zzt.org archive and community

ZZT (1991) – Internet Archive

Star Control 2: The Ur-Quan Masters – open source port

Free Stars: The Ur-Quan Masters – Steam

Master of Magic Classic – Steam

Master of Magic Classic – GOG

Slice & Dice – developer site

Slice & Dice – itch.io

Slice & Dice – Steam

Caves of Qud – official site

Caves of Qud – Steam

Caves of Qud – itch.io

Other games and references discussed

Letterboxd – film rating and diary app

Wavelength – party game

Apples to Apples – official site

Game Developers Conference (GDC)

Harvard University

The Colbert Report – Comedy Central

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert – CBS

Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

George Osborn, strategist, author (Power Play: Video Games, Politics, and the Battle for Global Influence.) Jun 16, 2026

Show notes

George Osborn is a journalist, strategist, and analyst whose work explores the increasingly fraught intersection of video games, business, and politics. He has worked as a reporter, consultant, and as Head of Campaigns and Communications at Ukie, the UK trade body for games, developing a rare vantage point on how the medium shapes, and is shaped by, power.

He is also the founder of Half-Space Consulting and the editor of the Video Games Industry Memo newsletter, where he examines the forces driving the modern games business. In his new book, Power Play: Video Games, Politics, and the Battle for Global Influence, he argues that games have become far more than entertainment: they are now digital third places, contested spaces in which authoritarian regimes, populists, and extremists seek to wield influence.

LINKS:

George Osborn:

The book: Power Play – buy via Bookshop.org UK (supports independent booksellers)Power Play – Waterstones

Power Play – Bookshop.org US

The newsletter: Video Games Industry Memo – George's newsletter (free to subscribe)

The Games:

Also mentioned Bellingcat – investigative journalism outlet founded by Eliot Higgins

Support My Perfect Console on Patreon

Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gabríel Ólafs, pianist, composer, founder Reykjavík Orkestra. Jun 09, 2026

Show notes

Gabríel Ólafs is an Icelandic pianist, composer, and producer whose work blends classical tradition with fantasy and a strikingly modern sense of atmosphere. Born in Reykjavík in 1998, he began playing piano at the age of five, receiving both classical and jazz training before emerging as a recording artist while still a teenager.

His debut album, Absent Minded, was released in 2019, and his subsequent work has expanded steadily in scope—from the solo intimacy of Piano Works to the folk-inspired Lullabies for Piano and Cello, which grew out of a 1906 Icelandic songbook he discovered in an antique shop.

He is also the co-founder of the Reykjavík Orkestra, and has quickly become one of the most distinctive young voices in contemporary instrumental music. Most recently, with Polar, he has moved further into speculative, atmospheric composition, drawing in part on the dreamlike emotional language of video games.

Gabriel Ólafs:

Website Releases Archive Spotify Apple Music YouTube Instagram

Polar:

Listen on Spotify Listen on Apple Music Buy CD (Decca Classics) Buy from Decca Records US YouTube Playlist

Polar: Traveler's Log:

Listen on Spotify

Polar: Building A World:

Watch on YouTube

The Waves:

Listen on Spotify

Forza Horizon 6:

Official Site Xbox

Other Gabriel Ólafs Releases / Labels:

Oli Records Decca Classics Releases Archive

Jóhann Jóhannsson / IBM 1401:

Listen on Spotify Watch on YouTube

Nils Frahm:

Website Spotify

Gabriel's Perfect Console: World of Warcraft The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered God of War Death Stranding Baldur's Gate 3

Other Games Discussed The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Diablo IV Metal Gear Solid 2

Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elise Kova, romantic fantasy novelist. Jun 02, 2026

Show notes

Elise Kova is a fantasy novelist whose rise from online serial writer to international bestseller has made her one of the defining voices in modern fantasy. She began writing young, producing her first novella in sixth grade, and later returned to storytelling in earnest when she started Air Awakens in 2012 as a hobby, posting chapters online and building an early community of devoted readers. After querying the book without success, she chose to publish it independently in 2015, a decision that gave her full creative control and transformed her career.

Within a year she had become a full-time author, and soon afterwards her work began appearing on bestseller lists, from USA Today to the New York Times. Since then, her novels have reached readers around the world, selling millions of copies and spawning a string of beloved fantasy series, including the Loom Saga, Married to Magic, Dragon Cursed and Arcana Academy. Next, she returns to that world with Prince of Swords, one of her most eagerly awaited books yet, publishing in July 2026.

Elise Kova – Website & Books:

Elise Kova's official website

Elise Kova – About & FAQ

Prince of Swords – Elise Kova's website

Prince of Swords – Penguin Random House

The Games:

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Final Fantasy X

Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne

Persona 3

Bloodborne

Music mentioned:

Zedd – Clarity (Spotify)

Simon's books & projects:

Trial of the Space Invaders: The Case that Changed Video Games

Look for the Light: The Last of Us Anthology – Tune & Fairweather (pre-order)

Support My Perfect Console on Patreon

Next week's guest Gabríel Ólafs – Polar (Spotify)

Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brendan Greene, game-maker (PUBG, Prologue: Go Wayback!) May 26, 2026

Show notes

Brendan Greene is a game designer whose work reshaped the landscape of competitive multiplayer video games. Raised on a barracks in County Kildare, he grew up in an army family with little more than an Atari 2600 for company. He studied Fine Art in college, taught himself web design, and spent years freelancing — even moving to Brazil — before rediscovering video games through the DayZ mod for Arma 2.

What began as hobbyist tinkering on Reddit forums became something much bigger when he created the Battle Royale mod in 2013, inspired by the cult Japanese film. Three years later, the mod became PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds. PUBG’s brutal, hundred-player survival format exploded into a global sensation, helping cement the battle royale genre as a dominant force in modern video games. Now, through PlayerUnknown Productions, he has returned to his fascination with emergent storytelling with Prologue: Go Wayback!, a game that challenges players to navigate nature’s unforgiving systems and carve their own path through the wilderness.

Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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