Headshots: Psychology + Gaming

#63: A recent Kotaku article about a game developer who was diagnosed with PTSD after working on Mortal Kombat 11 inspired this conversation about the potential secondary and vicarious trauma that can occur from prolonged exposure to graphic content. Players may see a fatality for a few seconds while the employees who make the game […] The post The Cost of Making Graphic Video Games appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#62: We have favorite games and series but what makes that your favorite game series? We are joined by special guest Marc Cuiriz, host of the new Assassin’s Creed podcast The Codex to talk about what makes our favorite game series our favorite. Not to be confused with our favorite games because that might be […] The post Why is THAT your favorite game series? appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#61: In a recent Kotaku article, Cecilia D’Anastasio wrote “…video games aren’t just entertainment—they’re communication technologies” and we completely agree. We discuss the article and some research around communication and gaming. Follow us on Twitch at twitch.tv/geektherapy Get all the latest Geek Therapy Gaming updates. Questions? Comments? Discuss this episode on the GT Forum. Notes: […] The post Video Games Are Communication Technologies appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#60: A study finds a specific region of the brain that stores pokémon information? 100,000 people played Pokémon simultaneously and beat the game? We’ll be able to play Pokémon in our sleep? We love pokémon so much!

#59: Apex Legends introduced a ping system that has changed the way we think about non-verbal communication in games. It’s great. Every game should copy this feature immediately. We also discuss other examples of non-verbal communication we appreciate. Join the Geek Therapy Discord server. Get all the latest Geek Therapy Gaming updates. Questions? Comments? Discuss […] The post Ping! Non-Verbal Communication appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#58: The Black Mirror episode Bandersnatch is a game, right? We discuss Bandersnatch as a work of interactive fiction, compare it to other games in the genre, and what we think of Netflix’s interactive future. We also discuss choice-supportive bias, where we positively defend a choice because, well, we made it. Follow us on Twitch […] The post Bandersnatch and Choice-Supportive Bias appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#57: Lauren shares her recent escape room experiences, we discuss escape rooms for learning, and what we’d like to see in future escape rooms. Join the Geek Therapy Discord server. Get all the latest Geek Therapy Gaming updates. Questions? Comments? Discuss this episode on the GT Forum. — Visit us at www.HeadshotsPodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter: @HeadshotsCast | @CHICKENDINOSAUR […] The post Escape Rooms and Learning appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#56: We discuss the wonderful and uplifting Wandersong, a game about saving the world despite everyone telling you it’s impossible. It’s a very colorful game in which you sing to solve problems. It’s amazing. Go play it right now. Get all the latest Geek Therapy Gaming updates. Questions? Comments? Discuss this episode on the GT […] The post Wandersong appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

Check out season 2 of Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast! The post Headshots Season 2 Trailer appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#55: Josué and Lauren follow up the last episode with more horror games, this time talking about their favorite horror games. If you like Silent Hill and Eternal Darkness, this episode is for you. Join us on November 3rd in raising money for sick and injured kids. – geektherapy.com/extralife Questions? Comments? Discuss this episode on […] The post Our Favorite Horror Games appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#54: Josué and Lauren geek out about horror games. Lauren loves horror games and Josué played a bunch of them for science. What are your favorite horror games? Join us on November 3rd in raising money for sick and injured kids. – geektherapy.com/extralife Questions? Comments? Discuss this episode on the GT Forum. — Visit us […] The post Horror Games appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#53: Josué and Kelli talk about the academic concept of peer review in games research and gaming media in general. Is a YouTube essay any more or less significant to games research than a journal article? And what would academic peer review of YouTube videos even look like? Join us on November 3rd in raising […] The post Peer Review appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#52: Josué and Lauren discuss video game preservation because it’s scary to think about how much game history has been lost. Some people are doing great things to preserve the history of video games and we want to celebrate their efforts. Also, someone, anyone, bring back Scott Pilgrim, please. Join us on November 3rd in […] The post Game Preservation (aka Bring Back Scott Pilgrim) appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#51: Lauren asked members of the GT Community about their most memorable game deaths and then wrote a paper on it. Lauren and Josué discuss what makes a game death memorable and why so many people answer the question with “Aeris from FFVII.” This topic was inspired by Gabby DaRienzo and the Play Dead Podcast. Questions? […] The post Memorable Game Deaths appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#50: Your favorite games are sometimes the ones you remember the most fondly, not the games you are best at or know the most about. In the 50th(!!!) episode of Headshots, Josué realizes he loves Mega Man games despite knowing very little about them.  Questions? Comments? Discuss this episode on the GT Forum. — Visit […] The post Mega Man Memory Collection appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#49: The new God of War surprised us by how genuine the relationships felt and all of the emotions we experienced throughout our playthroughs. Josué and Lara discuss how much they related to the game, what they felt, and why they think it matters. *Get Geek Therapy merchandise at geektherapy.com/store. (Affiliate Disclosure) — Visit us at www.HeadshotsPodcast.com. Follow us […] The post God of Feels appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#48: Josué and Kelli discuss reactions to games like Sea of Thieves and No Man’s Sky that seem to make many gamers angry. We talk about the feelings that follow playing a game that doesn’t meet expectations or simply isn’t what you wanted it to be. Questions? Comments? Discuss this episode on the GT Forum. […] The post Manage Your Expectations appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#47: Josué and Lauren played Detroit: Become Human and had experienced completely different stories. We take a very long and spoiler-filled look at our experiences and discuss many of the game’s themes. What did you think of Detroit? Questions? Comments? Discuss this episode on the GT Forum. This episode is sponsored by: Plus 7 Intelligence, […] The post Detroit: Become Human appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#46: Kelli and Josué discuss STAY, a pixel-art adventure game whose protagonist Quinn is a therapist that has been abducted. You play as the only person who can communicate with and help Quinn. The game deals with mental health issues and you can constantly monitor Quinn’s mood, his trust of you, and your bonding with him. […] The post STAY appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#45: Josué and Lauren have been playing Minit which got them talking about the different ways time is used in games. *Enter our gaming week giveaway by visiting geektherapy.com/giveaway. For more on Mega Cat Studios, visit megacatstudios.com. — Visit us at www.HeadshotsPodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter: @HeadshotsCast | @KelliNDunlap | @JosueACardona | @CHICKENDINOSAUR Headshots is a member of the Geek Therapy Podcast Network. […] The post Time appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#44: Fortnite is huge. Everybody is playing it. But why? We discuss some of the reasons why we think people love Fortnite and compare it to other phenomenons like GTA5, Minecraft, and Pokémon GO. *This episode includes an advertisement for Gamefly. If you use the link geektherapy.com/gamefly, Geek Therapy may receive compensation. (Affiliate Disclosure) — Visit us […] The post The Fortnite Phenomenon appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#43: Josué and Lara played A Way Out, directed by Josef Fares.  They had a lot of fun but Josué really disliked how it made him feel at one point because he disagreed so strongly with the choices he was given. Join us for a spoiler full discussion of A Way Out. *This episode includes an advertisement […] The post A Way Out appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#42: This episode of Headshots is actually episode #130 of another show on the Geek Therapy Network called GT Radio where talk about all the ways and reasons why we love co-op games. What are your favorite co-op gaming memories? *Consider subscribing to Geek Therapy on Twitch. For instructions on how to subscribe for free using Amazon […] The post The Joys of Co-Op Gaming appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#41: Kelli and Josué take a look at One Hour One Life, “a multiplayer survival game of parenting and civilization building” created by Jason Rohrer. We think it’s a unique game that we want to keep revisiting for many different reasons. *Consider subscribing to Geek Therapy on Twitch. For instructions on how to subscribe for free using Amazon Prime […] The post One Hour One Life appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#40: The future of location-based games looks very bright now that Google has made its Maps API available to game developers. Josué and Kelli pitch ideas for new games based on some of their favorite properties. *Consider becoming a member of Geek Therapy on Patreon. For more information visit patreon.com/geektherapy. Notes: TaleBlazer – http://bit.ly/2GeQ5nf Headshots #19 – How […] The post What’s the Next Pokémon GO? appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#39: Some games are just better than others at conveying emotions through gameplay. We played the mobile game Florence and were floored by its ability to make you feel something through game mechanics. We talk about other games as well this week but Florence takes center stage. *Check out GT Radio, the original Geek Therapy […] The post Play to Feel appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#38: Josué is really enjoying Monster Hunter: World. He thinks it may be the quest for mastery in the game that has made this one of the most fun gaming experiences he’s had in a very long time. Josué and Kelli try to explain and find a name for what he’s experiencing. *Check out GT Radio, […] The post Mastery Hunter appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#37: Celeste’s Assist Mode got us thinking about “easy mode” in other games and why we don’t see them more often. Also, how is mocking players who choose an easier difficulty a good idea? *This episode includes an advertisement for Humble Monthly. If you use the link geektherapy.com/humblemonthly Geek Therapy may receive compensation. (Affiliate Disclosure) […] The post Easy Mode? appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#36: We discuss some of the mental health issues that streamers face by looking at the toll streaming can take on them and also what happens when viewers come to a stream for support and advice. *This episode includes a promotion for Geek Therapy on Patreon. For more information visit patreon.com/geektherapy. (Affiliate Disclosure) Notes: Geek […] The post Streaming and Mental Health appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#35: We discuss the World Health Organization’s proposed Gaming Disorder diagnosis from the beta draft of the ICD-11. *This episode includes an advertisement for Humble Monthly. If you use the link geektherapy.com/humblemonthly Geek Therapy will receive compensation. (Affiliate Disclosure) — Visit us at www.HeadshotsPodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter: @HeadshotsCast @KelliNDunlap @JosueACardona Headshots is a member of the Geek Therapy Podcast […] The post Gaming Disorder (Beta) appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#34: Josué is joined by Patrick O’Connor who shares how everyone in his home is playing Super Mario Odyssey, very differently. We talk playing games as a family, how parents can be actively involved in their kids’ gaming, and how to monitor responsibly. Notes: Common Sense Media – https://www.commonsensemedia.org/ Patrick O’Connor on Twitter – @Comicspedia — Visit […] The post Super Family Odyssey appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#33: Kelli and Josué weigh in on the loot box discussion. Is everyone talking about the same thing? — Visit us at www.HeadshotsPodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter: @HeadshotsCast @KelliNDunlap @JosueACardona Headshots is a member of the Geek Therapy Podcast Network. Join us on the Geek Therapy Facebook Group. Geek Therapy Discord server – www.GeekTherapy.com/discord Geek Therapy Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/GeekTherapy The post Loot Boxes appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

Content warning: This episode feature discussion of suicide and depression. #32: Josué interviews his friend Jonathan, a disabled veteran, about how video games and streaming communities saved him during a tough time. Notes: Jonathan on Mixer – https://mixer.com/Johnny7500 Jonathan on Twitter – https://twitter.com/johnny75001 Rolling for Change podcast – http://podcast.rollingforchange.com Geek Therapy Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/GeekTherapy — Visit us at www.HeadshotsPodcast.com. Follow […] The post Streaming Saved Me… Video Games Saved Me appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#31: Josué has had a pretty rough couple of months but his Switch helped him get through it. This is a quick update on what we’ve been up to and when to expect new episodes. Notes: PAX Unplugged panel – http://bit.ly/2m8kb34 In Post-Hurricane Puerto Rico, This Used Game Store Is A Welcome Escape – http://bit.ly/2iJOBUw — Visit […] The post I Love My Switch! appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#30: Kelli and Josué discuss Ninja Theory’s Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, perhaps the greatest representation ever of mental health topics like psychosis. Notes: Hellblade – http://www.hellblade.com Hellblade Help – http://hellbladehelp.info — Visit us at www.HeadshotsPodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter: @HeadshotsCast @KelliNDunlap @JosueACardona Headshots is a member of the Geek Therapy Podcast Network. Join us on the Geek Therapy Facebook Group. Geek Therapy Discord server […] The post Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#29: Kelli and Josué discuss what it takes to build a gaming community. Notes: GriffballHub – http://www.grifballhub.com/ Geek Therapy on Twitch – https://www.twitch.tv/geektherapy Guided Games | Destiny Wiki – http://destiny.wikia.com/wiki/Guided_Games Geek Therapy Discord server – www.GeekTherapy.com/discord — Visit us at www.HeadshotsPodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter: @HeadshotsCast @KelliNDunlap @JosueACardona Headshots is a member of the Geek Therapy Podcast Network. Join us on the Geek Therapy […] The post Building a Gaming Community appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#28: Josué and Lauren take a deep dive into Giant Sparrow’s What Remains of Edith Finch. Spoilers. Notes: The Villain of Edith Finch by Joseph Anderson on YouTube – http://bit.ly/2vZYVOk Lauren Keller on Twitter – @ChickenDinosaur — Visit us at www.HeadshotsPodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter: @HeadshotsCast @KelliNDunlap @JosueACardona Headshots is a member of the Geek Therapy Podcast Network. Join us on the Geek […] The post What Remains of Edith Finch appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#27: Can games improve mental health in prisons? We start the conversation by discussing Waypoint’s excellent week-long feature titled “At Play in the Carceral State.” Notes: At Play in the Carceral State: A Letter from the Editor – Waypoint – http://bit.ly/2vDvFz4 Geek Therapy Discord server – www.GeekTherapy.com/disord — Visit us at www.HeadshotsPodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter: @HeadshotsCast @KelliNDunlap @JosueACardona Headshots is […] The post Mental Health and Games in Prisons appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#26: Kelli and Josué have been playing a lot of Disney Emoji Blitz. A LOT. It may have to do with how “juicy” the game is, meaning that its feedback is emotionally satisfying. Notes: Disney Emoji – http://bit.ly/2tX6nY3 How to Design for the Gut (Good article on “juiciness”) – http://bit.ly/2tXazH7 — Visit us at www.HeadshotsPodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter: @HeadshotsCast @KelliNDunlap @JosueACardona […] The post Disney Emoji Blitz is so juicy! appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#25: Rewards are a big part of why we play games so Kelli and Josué discuss a GDC 2017 presentation on reward psychology by Ben Lewis-Evans, a user experience researcher at Epic Games, that address the good and bad rewards we see in games and how they affect us. Notes: GDC Vault – Throwing Out the […] The post Reward Psychology appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#24: May is Mental Health Awareness Month so Geek Therapist Lara Taylor joins Josué to talk about video games and mental health services. They address some of the misconceptions about video game “addiction” and discuss how they’ve used video games in therapy. — Visit us at www.HeadshotsPodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter: @HeadshotsCast @KelliNDunlap @JosueACardona Headshots […] The post Mental Health Awareness Month: Video Games and Therapy appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.

#23: Kelli and Josué discuss how games can be a part of a much bigger story told through different media. Think of how Star Wars and Halo stories are told through books and movies in addition to games. Do stories in other formats make your play experience better and vice versa? Notes: Transmedia Storytelling on […] The post Transmedia = More Story appeared first on Headshots: The Psychology and Gaming Podcast.