Feature: This Persistent Life: The 5 Best MMO Podcasts
THIS PERSISTENT LIFE 002: This week, Miguel calls out his favorite MMO podcasts.
I often see forum topics asking respondents to cite the music to that they play MMOs to. I never reply to these, and this is only partly because I'm a poor internet citizen. No. The sad truth is that, when it comes to music, I'm out of the loop. It's sobering for me to admit this, having been a huge music fan all my life, but these days, the part of my psyche that enjoyed seeking out new music has completely smoldered. If you look at my music folders, it's mostly all stuff from 10 to 50 years ago. I used to be the guy that mail-ordered stuff from overseas. Now, all I listen to is Gang Starr and Iron Maiden. I guess this is what happens when you get (29 years) old.
The good news is that I'm not relegating myself to listening to the soundtracks provided by the developers of the games I play. Far from it. I've found a new method by which to perform the aural multi-task: podcasts. Five years ago, I never would have thought that I'd be so compelled to listen to people talk over the internets. But now, I have a steadily-increasing list of broadcasts that I listen to on the weekly. In this week's column, I thought I would share some of the cooler MMO-related podcasts I've discovered.
Before I get started, I'd like to mention that I've started up an e-mail account for feedback for this column: seriousbidness@gmail.com. I know that GamePro.com has talkback features built in to its articles, but I thought I'd open this e-mail up for folks who wanted to hit me up direct. So feel free to do so! Anyhow, onto the list.
VirginWorlds
VirginWorlds, in my opinion, sets the benchmark for MMO podcasts. Simply put, host Brent copiously spouts mad knowledge. He seems to have the sort of command of the genre that many of the younger hosts out there lack, and his broadcasts cover the gamut in regards to the games he covers. He touches on most topics with authority and cred, which makes it clear that he's been involved in the MMO scene for a long, long time. If you're going to limit yourself to a single podcast on the subject, make it this one.
In his latest episode, Brent announced what he's calling the VirginWorlds Podcast Collective. Still in its nascent stages, the collective will host a number of MMO-themed podcasts under the VirginWorlds umbrella. Think the Vault Network, but for MMO podcasts. If Brent manages to keep a level of quality consistent with his own show, then this is good news indeed.
Incidentally, in that same episode, Brent aired a review of/rebuttal to last week's (inaugural) installment of This Persistent Life. As fan of the show, needless to say, I was hyped to get the mention. He had some pretty critical things to say about the piece, but he also touched on some points that he felt that I'd missed. Give it a listen.
The Instance
The Instance is my favorite WoW podcast, bar none. Since I'm a pretty hardcore WoW player, I don't really rely on any outside source for news, other than my own trolling of the official boards. But these guys bring the commentary in a manner that is brisk, and compelling. Their three-man format is very well executed; there's Scott Johnson who brings the honed broadcast chops; Randy, who seems to be the most cerebral of the bunch, and Andrew, their "heart and soul," who's the host most in touch with the nitty-gritty playerbase. It's a winning combination. They also have a handful of amusing guest contributors who do a good job of filling in their gaps of expertise. None of the regular hosts seem particularly PvP savvy, for instance, but their "PvP Tip of the Week" segment does a decent job of filling this deficiency. Overall, a very polished, entertaining podcast, and one that should be on the playlist of every WoW head.
[Addendum]: In the May 14th installment of The Instance, Scott Johnson stated that Andrew would no longer be contributing to the podcast, citing creative differences with the rest of the staff. Personally, as a long time fan of the show, I am very sad to see him go. I eagerly await the announcement of his new project, and wish him the best of luck! Keep in touch, Andrew!
Massively Online Gamer
I'll be honest--the MOG guys were a bit off the chain for me at first. But hosts Gary Gannon and Ryan Vernier have steadily grown on me over time. They know their stuff, and particularly, they're well-versed enough in the console scene to comment credibly on its inevitable convergence with the MMO space. Their approach is many times more irreverent than the more straight and narrow podcasts out there; case in point, their May 1st podcast had an interview with none other than Brad McQuaid... as portrayed by Mr. Gannon. Or was it Vernier? It was one of them anyway, and indeed, it elicited teh lolz. Too bad they had to go and fawn all over the guy that made those internet WoW porn films the following week. I'll let you Google that one yourself.
Game/On
Game/On is MMORPG.com's official podcast, and it's hosted by a pair of guys called Jon Wood and Garret Fuller. They run a shorter format show--usually clocking in at 12 to 15 minutes--though it strangely doesn't seem so short. These guys have a talent at bringing the banter while simultaneously keeping themselves on topic. It airs on Fridays, so treat it as what it is--an MMO news brief that you can listen to while you farm mats and such.
Game Theory
Now, this isn't really an MMO podcast, but it's one that any gamer should listen to nonetheless. Hosted by Colin Campbell, Gary Whitta, and Jeremy Williams, Game Theory is far and away the best gaming podcast on the internet. Their guests are of VIP status, and they lay on them incising, pertinent questions. The cynical side of me wants to say that Game Theory suggests what gaming journalism could look like once it "grows up." When I'm feeling more generous about my profession, though, I find it that their work is a good mark to shoot for. Definitely "required reading."
Now, it's inevitable that I've missed some great podcasts in this column, so if you believe that I have, feel free to tell me so. I expect this "podcast round-up" to become something of a recurring feature of This Persistent Life, as this realm of communication continues to develop, so if I'm digging on your suggestions, I will definitely shout them out on the next go.
Till next week, don't let the loot chase keep you from enjoying the summer too much. There's a wide, wonderful world out there!
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