Play, Watch, Listen

Follow Play, Watch, Listen
Share on
Copy link to clipboard

Join Alanah Pearce (games media), Troy Baker (voice actor), Mike Bithell (game director), and Austin Wintory (game composer) as they talk about all the games, movies, TV and 'whatever else' they've experienced that month, from four unique perspectives in the games industry.

Alanah Pearce


    • May 24, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 1h 5m AVG DURATION
    • 173 EPISODES

    Ivy Insights

    The Play, Watch, Listen podcast is a delightful and engaging show that offers a unique perspective on the video game industry and beyond. With hosts Alanah Pearce, Troy Baker, Mike Bithell, and Austin Wintory, each episode is filled with insightful discussions, humor, and a genuine camaraderie that makes it feel like you're part of their conversation.

    One of the best aspects of this podcast is the diverse range of topics discussed. While video games are often the starting point for their conversations, they quickly branch out into broader subjects such as philosophy, art, music, and even politics. This variety keeps the show fresh and exciting, offering listeners new perspectives and insights into different aspects of life and creativity. The hosts' depth of knowledge across various fields adds depth and substance to these discussions.

    Another standout aspect of The Play, Watch, Listen podcast is the chemistry among the hosts. It's evident that they genuinely enjoy each other's company and have a deep respect for one another's opinions. Their dynamic creates a comfortable environment where they can engage in friendly debates while still maintaining a sense of unity. This creates an enjoyable listening experience where you can't help but be captivated by their banter and wit.

    However enjoyable this podcast may be, there are some drawbacks worth mentioning. Occasionally, tangents take over the discussion to the point where it becomes difficult to follow the initial topic or find relevance to gaming at all. While these tangents can be entertaining at times, they can also feel disjointed and detract from the overall coherence of the episode. Additionally, there are moments when certain hosts talk over others or dominate the conversation more than necessary. Finding a balance in speaking time could improve listener engagement.

    In conclusion, The Play, Watch Listen podcast is a must-listen for anyone interested in video games or entertainment as a whole. The combination of knowledgeable hosts with diverse backgrounds makes for fascinating discussions that offer both intellectual stimulation and lighthearted enjoyment. While there may be some room for improvement in terms of staying on topic and balancing airtime, the overall quality of the show far outweighs any minor flaws. Give it a listen and prepare to be entertained, enlightened, and inspired.



    Search for episodes from Play, Watch, Listen with a specific topic:

    Latest episodes from Play, Watch, Listen

    170. We love Blue Prince (but maybe won't finish it, is that okay?)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2025 68:24


    Alanah and Austin chat Blue Prince, addictive video games, and Satisfactory.

    169. From The Banner Saga to Towerborne (ft. Arnie Jorgensen)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2025 73:53


    This week, Mike, Alanah, and Austin chat to co-founder of Stoic, the creators of The Banner Saga and, more recently, Towerborne!

    168. Our Nintendo Switch 2 Reactions!

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2025 58:08


    This week, Alanah and Mike discuss the Switch 2 presentation! 

    167. Lay-Offs, Microsoft's new AI (sorry, Phil), and Who Framed Roger Rabbit

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2025 54:45


    This week, Alanah and Mike start out by talking about the lay-offs across WB Games, then jump into talking about Microsoft's newly announced AI "Muse", and then we - finally - get Alanah's thoughts on Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

    166. Talking to Eternal Strands director Mike Laidlaw!

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2025 73:01


    This week, Austin and Alanah sit down to talk to Mike Laidlaw, the game director of Dragon Age: Origins who most recently started his own studio and make ETERNAL STRANDS. Which Austin also worked on, because of course he did. He cannot be contained.

    165. The Studio Making Four Games A YEAR!? (ft. Xalavier Nelson)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2025 87:01


    Apologies for the delay here - the audio file was corrupted! This week, Mike and Alanah are joined by Strange Scaffold's Xalavier Nelson Jr to talk about how the studio makes so many high quality games, and what it really means to be a good game director.

    164. The State of Video Games in 2025

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2025 53:59


    After a break due to the LA fires - which we talk about to begin with here - we chat about a recent 200-page document called "The State of Video Games in 2025" from Matthew Ball. If you'd like links to the charities we mentioned, please check those out on the YouTube version of the podcast!

    163. Game Design Challenges & the Indiana Jones Game!

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 23, 2024 59:26


    Happy four years of PWL! Sorry about Mike's audio here, we don't know what happened.

    162. Can Indies Save The Games Industry?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 6, 2024 61:31


    Alanah left her job at Sony, and Mike got in trouble for saying something on Bluesky. We discuss the state of the games industry now that it's December 2024, and the notion that "indies will save" everything.

    161. Should DLC Be Nominated for Game of the Year?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 24, 2024 56:25


    We're back from a brief hiatus! Immediately discussing: should Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree be nominated for GOTY even though it's a DLC? Also: Mike announced another video game! 

    160. We Love 11 Bit Studios

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2024 61:42


    This week, FROSTPUNK 2! 

    frostpunk bit studios
    159. Star Wars: Outlaws and Bugs in Video Games

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2024 56:57


    This week, AUSTIN TURNS 40 (technically over a week ago at the time of publishing). So, we indulge him with almost an entire episode about Star Wars (Outlaws) and video game bugs.

    158. Should Games Cost More?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2024 73:01


    This week, Alanah, Austin, and Mike discuss the economic state of the games industry and if game prices need to go from $60 to $70.

    157. This Episode is Mostly About The Expanse

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2024 61:40


    After a month off, we have returned to bring you TOP QUALITY VIDEO GAME CONTENT! But mostly, a lot of us talking about the TV show The Expanse. And Sex in the City?

    156. GamePass gets a Price Increase

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2024 69:37


    Austin, Mike, and Alanah chat about Austin's demanding freelance schedule, the GamePass price increase (and GamePass' impact as a whole), and the Halifax Harbor Explosion. Note: almost all details of said Halifax explosion are, indeed, incorrect.

    155. Alanah is Suddenly Obsessed with 1993's Myst

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 2, 2024 53:43


    Alanah and Mike discuss OLD game development! And Myst! 

    154. Our thoughts on Summer Game Fest... & Music Licensing

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2024 76:33


    This week we talk about Summer Game Fest and, because we never stay on topic, music licensing! Also featuring Rahul. 

    153. Games Journalism is Very, Very Broken

    Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2024 55:53


    This episode features journalist Nathan Grayson chatting to Mike and Alanah about the state of games journalism (and that side of the industry) in 2024. This comes after IGN announced multiple aquisitions.

    152. The Fallout TV Show ft. Tim Cain (the creator of Fallout!)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2024 54:46


    This week, Alanah and Austin chat to one of the creators of the Fallout franchise, Tim Cain, all about the Fallout TV show. Includes spoilers.

    151. From Actor to Game Director!

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2024 74:21


    This week, we talk to Abubakar Salim about his transition from actor to full-blown game director. How did he do it!?

    150. WE TURN ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY!

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2024 88:10


    Featuring Rahul Kohli, and the return of Troy, AND we're all in the same room!?

    149. This year's GDC

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2024 43:29


    This week, Mike and Alanah chat about GDC, LinkedIn, business cards, and give great life advice.

    148. TikTok Ban, Kate Middleton, Dune 2 & More!

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2024 82:27


    A LOT OF TOPICS THIS WEEK, WE SIMPLY CAN'T BE CONTAINED.

    147. Even More Games Industry Lay-Offs

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2024 63:21


    This week Mike and Alanah chat about the continued lay-offs impacting the games industry.

    146. Games We Wish We Could Play Again for the First Time

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 17, 2024 72:47


    It's an Austin and Alanah special, and we actually talk about video games the WHOLE TIME!? This week, we talk about games we wish we could play again, and games that fundamentally 'change' however many hours in.

    145. Zoom of Theseus

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2024 51:00


    The title says it all, I don't understand what more context you could possibly need?

    144. The Gang Has an Existential Crisis

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2024 86:01


    Apologies for the weird audio mix here. Regardless, this week we talk about Society of the Snow (a little), and then delve into the world of AI and capitalism. Again. Oh no.

    143. What is "game direction", anyway?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2023 58:24


    This is publishing a little later than planned because of internet issues, but this week we talk about Cunk on Earth, game direction, and more! Thanks for another year of listening to Play, Watch, Listen, everyone!

    142. The Lay-Offs (& Our Favourite Things of the Year)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 10, 2023 50:01


    You can't talk about good games this year without also talking about lay-offs, so hey, let's do both!

    141. The Fall of the House of Usher ft. Rahul Kohli & Andy Grush!

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2023 86:16


    This week, Austin and Alanah chat to Rahul (actor) and Andy (composer and 1/2 of the Newton Brothers) about their work on The Fall of the House of Usher! Also, Stray Gods gets nominated for a Grammy, and the F1 Grand Prix debuts in Vegas. Apologies for the audio levels.

    140. Unity's CEO Resigned

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2023 52:55


    An update on the Unity system, and an important question: do you own any baskets? Why?

    139. We Have Questions About Starfield's Design

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2023 60:34


    This week, Mike and Alanah go over some of the biggest question's about Starfield.

    138. Explaining the Unity Engine drama ft. Rami Ismail

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2023 83:26


    We're back! This week Austin chats about Jacob Collier - apparently the best musician alive - and then Alanah asks Mike and special guest Rami Ismail all about the Unity drama.

    137. The Games Industry and Communication

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2023 72:15


    This week, Mike and Alanah discuss some of the responses to Baldur's Gate 3's exceptional quality.

    136. Taylor Swift and Stray Gods (ft. Liam Esler!)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2023 82:01


    We have our first ever guest! Summerfall Games' Liam Esler joins Alanah and Austin to talk about Taylor Swift's enormous Eras Tour, plus, of course, the launch of Stray Gods.

    135. Austin talks Stray Gods

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2023 53:43


    This week, Alanah, Mike, and Austin are back to chat about Stray Gods, plus a little bit of Barbie and Oppenheimer at the very end.

    134. Who is the Apple Vision Pro for?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2023 58:17


    This week, we talk about Apple's new Vision Pro and how it might assist with each of our vocations, as well as AI, again. Turns out it's still relevant. Who'd have thought?

    133. Zelda and When Players Over-Think Puzzles

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 7, 2023 61:36


    This week (technically last week, the audio file just got stuck in processing and I didn't realise), Austin, Alanah, and Mike discuss The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and if players can be prevented from over-thinking puzzles.

    132. Tron: Identity and Stray Gods

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2023 81:42


    We're back from a month off! And this week, we catch up on Bithell Games' latest release - Tron: Identity. Then Austin (and his dog Canvas) join to catch us up on a game he and Troy have been hard at work on, called Stray Gods. Turns out both games excell in player choice. Neat. Did I mention Canvas?

    131. Physics in Zelda and E3 got Cancelled

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2023 53:21


    This week, Alanah and Mike talk about what makes Zelda's recent physics so impressive, E3's cancellation, and the latest from Bithell Games - Tron: Identity!

    130. Troy on playing James in The Last of Us

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2023 51:17


    This week, Alanah and Mike aggressively interrogate Troy about his experience playing Joel in The Last of Us (spoilers). 

    129. Games Industry Networking & Rocksteady's Suicide Squad

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2023 29:35


    Alanah and Mike talk about DICE, and how alcohol is often encouraged at games industry events (but probably shouldn't be), plus why Rocksteady may have gone from making the Arkham series to making a game like Suicide Squad. 

    128. Austin on Why Assassin's Creed Won at the Grammys

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2023 50:55


    This week, Alanah and Austin talk about The Grammys, and why/how Assassin's Creed: Valhalla won while games like Elden Ring and God of War were not nominated.

    127. The Last of Us TV Show Episode 3

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2023 54:19


    This week, all four of the Play, Watch, Listen horsemen are together to discuss the third episode of HBO's The Last of Us series. There are spoilers. 

    126. The Menu (again), Fine Dining, and The Last of Us Ep. 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2023 62:46


    This week, Alanah and Mike discuss The Menu, then Troy joins and the group talks about the fine dining experience and food as 'art'. Then, of course, we step into talking about The Last of Us episode 2.

    125. Programming, The Menu (a little), & The Last of Us ep. 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2023 51:59


    This week, Alanah asks Mike an impossible question about programming, we talk a tiny bit about The Menu, and then jump into our reactions of HBO's The Last of Us episode 1.

    124. The Last of Us TV Show Premiere, Reviews, and Games as Movies

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2023 60:22


    This week, AUSTIN IS LATE! But Troy, Mike, and Alanah are there from the start to chat about The Last of Us TV show, plus successful game-to-movie adaptations.

    123. AI Art (Again) & The Last of US TV Show

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2022 67:42


    This week, Alanah and Mike discuss AI art and it's inevitability, and then are joined by Austin and Troy who close out with a discussion on The Last of Us TV show. 

    122. Game Awards & The Mick Gordon Doom Eternal Situation

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 10, 2022 52:36


    This week, Alanah and Mike chat about The Game Awards, which I cut short for the public version just because it was definitely a conversation we've had numerous times. Then, Austin joins and we get to chatting about the latest update regarding Mick Gordon and Doom Eternal's music. 

    121. Why You Can't Pause/Rewind Video Game Cutscenes

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2022 80:11


    This week, Mike and Alanah chat about Immortality, their picks for 2022's game of the year, and then get into details regarding why some oft requested features can't make it into published video games.

    120. This is an Episode of This Show

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 26, 2022 32:47


    You'll see.

    Claim Play, Watch, Listen

    In order to claim this podcast we'll send an email to with a verification link. Simply click the link and you will be able to edit tags, request a refresh, and other features to take control of your podcast page!

    Claim Cancel