The Ringer-Verse

The Boys are back, and they're here to discuss Steven Spielberg's highly anticipated new film. They dive into how Spielberg chose to personify extraterrestrials, Emily Blunt's performance, and the state of working in Hollywood today. (0:00) Intro (6:57) Spoilers ahead (13:20) ‘Disclosure Day' reactions (1:12:30) Disclosure Day' Midnight Meter (1:13:49) Outro (1:14:57) Post Credits Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After being bombarded by gaming news at Sony's PlayStation State of Play, Summer Game Fest, the Xbox Games Showcase, and beyond, Ben, Steve Ahlman, and Matt James get together to analyze the biggest game announcements and trailers. First, they discuss some major themes and takeaways from the week, including the onslaught of releases in store before 'GTA VI' and the industry's about-face on live-service games and console exclusivity. Then, they focus on how hype-worthy each event was and assess what they saw (and in some cases, played) of heavy hitters such as 'God of War Laufey,' 'Marvel's Wolverine,' 'Resident Evil Veronica,' 'Star Wars: Galactic Racer,' 'Final Fantasy VII Revelation,' 'Halo: Campaign Evolved,' 'Gears of War: E-Day,' and many more.Host: Ben LindberghGuests: Matt James and Steve AhlmanSenior Producer: Steve AhlmanAdditional Production: Arjuna Ramgopowel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Boys are back, and this time they're giving their reactions to the newest movie iteration of Van's most beloved IP: ‘Masters of the Universe.' Then, they jump into the latest nerd news, breaking down Tom Holland's recent comments about making 'Spider-Man' after working with Christopher Nolan. (00:00) Intro (10:03) Spoilers ahead (11:30) ‘Masters of the Universe' reactions (1:12:32) Nerd News (1:20:19) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Rob Mahoney, Steve Ahlman, and Charles HolmesProducers: Jamie Yukich and Devon BaroldiAdditional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a departure from the typical "Recommends" format, Ben Lindbergh brings on 'Vulture' TV critic and 'TV Is Good' cohost Kathryn VanArendonk for a wide-ranging discussion centered on a sci-fi/fantasy pairing of 'Outlander' (which just concluded an eight-season Starz run), 'For All Mankind' (which just wrapped its fifth season of six on Apple TV), and their respective spinoffs (especially 'Star City,' which just premiered). They start by assessing how much the shows have in common, what sets them apart, and how they reflect TV trends, before diving deeper into each franchise, first in a high-level way and then (with warnings) by reacting to the latest seasons. (00:00) Intro (04:14) Kathryn VanArendonk Joins (15:39) 'Outlander' (38:29) 'Outlander' Spoilers (48:18) 'For All Mankind' (65:03) 'For All Mankind' Spoilers (78:25) 'Star City' Host: Ben Lindbergh Guest: Kathryn VanArendonk Senior Producer: Steve Ahlman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ben, Matt James, and Steve Ahlman earn a license to podcast about two early Game of the Year candidates: '007: First Light' and 'Mina the Hollower.' First, in Patch Notes, they discuss the future of 'Destiny' and Bungie after the end of development on the almost decade-old 'Destiny 2,' and what the huge hikes in the price of Valve's Steam Deck portend for the Steam Machine, the current console generation, and the future of gaming. Then, they share their spoiler-free reviews of 'First Light,' James Bond's long-awaited return to gaming at the hands of 'Hitman' maker IO Interactive, and the much-anticipated 8-bit homage 'Mina,' from the makers of 'Shovel Knight.'Intro (0:00)Reactions to ‘Destiny 2' ending (1:28)Steamdeck price increases! (14:32)‘First Light' review (32:22)‘Mina the Hollower' reactions (1:05:04)Outro (1:33:37)Host: Ben LindberghGuests: Matt James and Steve AhlmanProducer: Devon RenaldoAdditional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Boys are back, and they're here to discuss Amazon Prime's newest show: ‘Spider-Noir'! Then, they spend some time brainstorming what other Spider-verse characters they'd like to see have their own show. (0:00) Intro (15:04) Spoilers ahead (19:40) ‘Spider-Noir' premiere reactions (1:01:57) Brainstorming Spider-Man shows (1:15:22) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris, Steve Ahlman, and Jamie Yukich Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Boys are back, and they're here to discuss the newest addition to the Disney+ ‘Star Wars' universe: ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu'! Then they give you their thoughts on where the movie ranks among other ‘Star Wars' films. (0:00) Intro (5:39) Spoilers ahead (7:21) ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu' reactions (1:21:38) Midnight Meter: ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu' (1:28:50) ‘Star Wars' film rankings (1:39:20) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Guest: Joanna Robinson Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

No 'GTA' trailer? No problem! Ben Lindbergh, Matt James, and Steve Ahlman dissect five big games you can play today. While steering clear of spoilers, they explore how ‘Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight' expands on the Lego gaming formula and draws on decades of the Caped Crusader's past; whether ‘Forza Horizon 6' delivers on the hype surrounding the series' visit to Japan; why ‘Mixtape' touched a nerve in the gaming community; whether ‘Subnautica 2' demands a deep dive in early access; and whether ‘Yoshi and the Mysterious Book' can restore the Switch 2's momentum after Nintendo announced a new price hike. Intro (0:00) ‘Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight' review (4:54) First thoughts on ‘Forza Horizon' (33:34) Reactions to ‘Mixtape' (1:01:23) ‘Subnautica' deep dive (1:25:05) ‘Yoshi and the Mysterious Book' takes (1:33:09) Outro (1:43:16) Host: Ben Lindbergh Guests: Matt James and Steve Ahlman Producer: Devon Renaldo Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Boys are back, and this time they're saying goodbye to one of the most iconic comic book adaptations of the past decade, Prime Video's ‘The Boys.' They debate whether the show's finale stuck the landing and share their thoughts on the ending of each beloved character. Then, to wrap up the podcast, the guys share their reactions to the recent ‘Lanterns' trailer and discuss whether this newest edit enhanced or dampened their expectations.(0:00) Intro(10:46) Spoilers ahead(13:01) ‘The Boys' series finale reactions(1:36:40) Nerd News: ‘Lanterns' trailer(1:54:15) OutroHosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve AhlmanProducers: Jamie Yukich and Devon BaroldiAdditional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Boys are back, and they're here to talk about the penultimate episode of the five-season long show ‘The Boys.' They dive into how this episode is setting up the finale and what it might mean for the characters we've spent so much time with. (0:00) Intro (6:23) Spoilers ahead (7:49) ‘The Boys' Season 5 Episode 7 reactions (1:04:42) Nerd News: ‘The Odyssey' and Lupita Nyong'o (1:09:50) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Boys are back, and they're here to talk about the newest addition to the Disney+ MCU, ‘The Punisher: One Last Kill.' Then they dive into ‘Mortal Kombat II' with a surprise guest, ESPN's David Dennis Jr., making an appearance to comment on #CookieGate. (0:00) Intro (7:58) Spoilers ahead (10:48) ‘The Punisher: One Last Kill' reactions (37:57) Midnight Meter: ‘The Punisher: One Last Kill' (40:54) ‘Mortal Kombat II' reactions (55:36) Midnight Meter: ‘Mortal Kombat II' (59:28) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Guest: David Dennis Jr. Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ben Lindbergh and Steve Ahlman sit down and chat about the extended sneak preview they got of the latest from TT Games, 'Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight'! They touch on and highlight its mix of classic Lego humor and Arkham-inspired gameplay, open-world Gotham, character-driven mechanics, and the celebration of Batman lore. Host: Ben Lindbergh Guest: Steve Ahlman Producers: Devon Renaldo and Steve Ahlman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It has begun! Ben brings back OG cohost Jessica Clemons for a flawless game adaptation discussion. First they react to Nintendo's announcement of a ‘Star Fox 64' remake for Switch 2 and the internet's notes on the game's character redesigns. Then they talk ‘MKII': their disagreement about the 2021 reboot, their overall impressions of the sequel, their takes on what worked well and what didn't, their review of Karl Urban's portrayal of Johnny Cage, and more, plus a spoiler section with thoughts on specific plot points, their expectations for the next movie, which ‘MK' characters they'd still like to see on-screen, and the box office battle between ‘Mortal Kombat' and the upcoming ‘Street Fighter' film.(00:00) Intro(1:52) ‘Star Fox 64' remake for Switch 2 announcement(8:00) ‘Mortal Kombat II' reactions(24:55) Karl Urban as Johnny Cage(46:12) Spoiler section!(55:47) ‘MK' characters we'd like to see on-screen(58:02) ‘Mortal Kombat' vs. ‘Street Fighter' at the box office(1:02:38 OutroHost: Ben LindberghGuest: Jessica ClemonsProducers: Devon Baroldi and Chris SuttonAdditional Production Supervision: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Boys are back, and they are filling you in on their final thoughts on ‘Daredevil: Born Again' Season 2. Then they dive into the penultimate episode of ‘The Boys' and discuss how fans are reacting to the new ‘The Odyssey' trailer. (0:00) Intro (27:56) Spoilers ahead (29:22) ‘Daredevil: Born Again' Season 2 finale reactions (1:11:14) ‘The Boys' Season 5, Episode 6 reactions (1:23:21) ‘Daredevil: Born Again' Midnight Meter (1:24:53) Nerd News: The ‘Odyssey' trailer reactions (1:45:27) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell and Jacob Cornett Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ben Lindbergh, Steve Ahlman, and Matt James assess their hype levels for several recently announced release dates for upcoming games and video game movies, react to the ‘Resident Evil' teaser, and share their thoughts on Microsoft's Game Pass price cut and Xbox brand rehabilitation. Then they review Sony's new PS5-exclusive rogue-like shooter ‘Saros' and compare it to its predecessor ‘Returnal.' Finally, they play Mash or Pass with four other new games: ‘Vampire Crawlers,' ‘Invincible VS,' ‘Tides of Tomorrow,' and ‘Aphelion' (plus “Rage Quit” rants about a ‘Battlefield' movie and rolling credits too early). (00:00) Intro(1:14) Upcoming games and video game movies (11:54) ‘Resident Evil' teaser(17:16) ‘Battlefield' rage quit (22:12) Microsoft's Game Pass price cut(28:15) 'Saros' review(51:54) Rolling credits rage quit (56:38) Mash or Pass Host: Ben LindberghGuests: Steve Ahlman and Matt JamesProducers: Devon Renaldo and Chris SuttonAdditional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a one-month deviation from the typical "Recommends" format, Ben Lindbergh forms a coalition of co-hosts with Jomi Adeniran and Daniel Chin for a full-episode discussion of ‘Invincible' Season 4: the overall arc of the show, the season's lows and lofty highs, the audience's enthusiasm, deviations from the source material, favorite moments and casting decisions, the spoiler-free long-term outlook for the series, Mark's close calls, Paul's spaghetti, and so much more. Host: Ben LindberghGuests:  Jomi Adeniran and Daniel ChinProducer: Devon RenaldoAdditional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell, Stefan Anderson, and Jacob Cornett Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Boys are back, and they're here to talk about the newest trailer of the highly anticipated trailer of ‘House of the Dragon' Season 3.' Then they give you all of their thoughts on Season 5, Episode 5 of ‘The Boys,' and finally they bring you an interview with the creator of 'The Comic Shop' web series, Cheyenne Ewulu. (0:00) Intro (1:27) Midnight Mud (19:27) ‘House of the Dragon' Season 3 trailer reactions (26:36) ‘Gen V' Nerd News (35:57) ‘Daredevil' Nerd News (39:20) ‘The Boys' Season 5, Episode 5 reactions (1:05:29) Cheyenne Ewulu interview (1:27:39) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Guest: Cheyenne Ewulu Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell and Jacob Cornett Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Boys are back, and they're here to talk about the new musical biopic ‘Michael.' Then, they jump into the latest nerd news: The release of the 'Clayface' trailer and their reactions to the ‘Mando & Grogu' clip. (0:00) Intro (5:23) ‘Michael' Reactions (59:50) ‘Michael' Midnight Meter (1:04:43) ‘Clayface' Trailer Reactions (1:11:40) ‘Mando & Grogu' Clip Reactions (1:18:34) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell and Jacob Cornett Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Boys are back, and they're diving straight into ‘The Boys' Season 5, Episode 4, discussing the political elements of the season, speculating about characters we may see again down the road, and talking about Homelander's god complex. Then they check in on ‘Daredevil: Born Again' and catch up with Matt Murdock and Jessica Jones, who makes a surprise cameo in Episode 6. (0:00) Intro (8:50) ‘The Boys' Season 5, Episode 4 reactions (41:43) ‘Daredevil: Born Again' Season 2 check-in (1:22:53) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell and Jacob Cornett Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ben Lindbergh, Matt James, and Joshua Rivera join forces to share their spoiler-free reviews of three hot new IPs from international game developers: Capcom's sci-fi thriller 'Pragmata,' and indie debuts 'Mouse: P.I. for Hire' and 'Replaced.' They play "Mash or Pass?" and provide their ratings for each game on the Mash Meter, while marveling at Capcom's comeback, lamenting the decline of single-player first-person shooters, and pondering whether pixel art is a personality. (00:00) Intro (05:07) Pragmata (46:18) Mouse P.I. For Hire (65:56) Replaced Host: Ben Lindbergh Guests: Matt James, Joshua Rivera Senior Producer: Steve Ahlman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our boys return to break down The Boys, Season 5, Episode 3. They discuss the incredible coincidence of Homeland's godly hallucinations happening this week of all weeks, and break down the nuances of his epic father-son face-off with Ryan. Then, the guys share their instant reactions to Kristoffer Borgli's 'The Drama.'(0:00) Intro(7:25) Spoilers ahead(8:37) ‘The Boys' Season 5, Episode 3 instant reactions(56:30) ‘The Drama' reactionsHosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve AhlmanProducers: Jamie Yukich and Devon BaroldiAdditional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The boys are back to talk about… ‘The Boys!' They dive into the premiere of the final season and discuss the pursuit to finally kill Homelander. Then they give you a little Nerd News and talk about the ‘The Punisher: One Last Kill' trailer. (0:00) Intro (12:06) Spoilers ahead (13:47) ‘The Boys' Season 5 premiere instant reactions (49:23) ‘The Punisher: One Last Kill' trailer reactions Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell and Jacob Cornett Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Boys are back with guest Rob Mahoney and they're diving into the newest Nintendo film, ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.' They then bring you the latest in nerd news and discuss the trailer for ‘Supergirl.' And if you stay until the end, we have a treat: a lively debate on the philosophy of the ‘Star Wars' universe. (0:00) Intro (11:01) Spoilers Ahead (11:33) ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie' Instant Reactions (48:25) Midnight Meter (57:01) ‘Supergirl' Trailer Reactions (1:05:58) Outro (1:09:07) Post Credits Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Rob Mahoney Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ben and Charles Pulliam-Moore of The Verge hop in the warp pipe to discuss the latest Mario movie: how the sequel compares to its predecessor, how it does and doesn't adapt the ‘Galaxy' games, the divide between critical reaction and popular appeal, Nintendo's cinematic ambitions and the prospect of an NCU, how the movie connects to the Switch 2's lineup, and a few observations (in a special spoiler section of the episode) about specific cameos and reveals. Intro (0:00)First thoughts on ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie' (2:45)NCU potential (27:20)‘Super Mario Galaxy Movie' spoilers and observations (59:06)Outro (1:18:53) Host: Ben LindberghGuest: Charles Pulliam-MooreProducer: Devon RenaldoAdditional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Spring has arrived, and with it, a bounty of nerd-culture content! First, Ben Lindbergh and Van Lathan explain the compulsive appeal of 'Paradise,' first in a general, high-level, non-spoilery sense, and then in a (clearly indicated) spoiler section on the series' just-concluded second season. After that, other Ringer-Verse hosts, friends, and listeners salute unsung releases to top off another monthly roundup of fandom favorites from TV, anime, movies, video games, books, comics, and beyond that were released recently but not yet covered in depth on a full-length episode. Intro (0:00)‘Paradise' (2:50)‘Paradise' Season 2 finale and spoiler section (21:10)Steve's recommendation (1:01:07)Arjuna's recommendation (1:03:18)Matt's recommendation (1:04:50)Ben's recommendation (01:07:18)Aleya's recommendation (1:14:31)Daniel's recommendation (1:17:40)Listener nomination (1:20:52Recap of picks  (1:22:49) Host: Ben LindberghGuests: Van Lathan, Steve Ahlman, Arjuna Ramgopowell, Matt James,  Aleya Zenieris, and Daniel ChinProducer: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Boys are back and they're diving into Disney+'s ‘Daredevil: Born Again' Season 2 premiere! They discuss Fisk's role in the new season, compare the Disney+ Daredevil to the Netflix Daredevil, and debate Daredevil's ability to rival other MCU characters. (0:00) Intro (7:28) Spoilers ahead (9:03) ‘Daredevil: Born Again' Season 2 premiere reactions (1:17:28) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Boys are back and excited to talk about all things ‘Project Hail Mary'! Come for the film review, but stay for the great food debate of 2026! (0:00) Intro (9:11) Spoilers Ahead (11:34) ‘Project Hail Mary' Instant Reactions Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Boys are back, and boy, are they excited about the recent trailer drops! First, they dive into the trailer for the next installment of Tom Holland's 'Spider-Man' series: ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day.' Then, they discuss the ‘Dune: Part Three' trailer and go over all of the new additions to the cast. Plus, they look at plot changes from the books in the first two parts of the ‘Dune' series. (0:00) Intro (7:21) ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day' trailer reaction (46:37) ‘Dune: Part Three' trailer reaction (1:32:32) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's real … but is it spectacular? Ben, Matt James, and Steve Ahlman gather to discuss one of the most ambitious, most anticipated, and most enigmatic games of the year, open-world action-adventure epic ‘Crimson Desert.' They begin by breaking down why the game remained mysterious until its release, whether it lives up to the huge hype, how it incorporates some of the best aspects of other open-world classics, and some of its perplexing problems, along with their disagreements about the game, their shared wonder at its visuals and scale, and their sense of its significance. Then they predict the game's Metacritic rating, share their own personal scores, and pass along some non-spoilery tips and tricks to ease the early hours. Email us at ringerversegaming@gmail.com! Intro (0:00)First reactions to ‘Crimson Desert' (2:00)Predictions and tips (1:21:24)Outro (1:27:35) Host: Ben LindberghGuests: Matt James and Steve AhlmanProducer: Devon RenaldoAdditional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

House of R and The Midnight Boys team up to bring you the 2026 Versies Awards and celebrate all the highs and lows of fandom content from 2025. Intro (00:00) Best Visuals (04:52) Best Line (12:35) Best Character (19:19) Saddest Moment (26:10) Best Music (34:15) Best New Character (42:35) Best Director (49:03) Best Showrunner (53:28) Best Movie Performance (56:48) Best Show Performance (01:02:14) Best Movie (01:14:29) Best Show (01:21:13) Hosts: Mallory Rubin, Van Lathan, Joanna Robinson, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zeneris, Carlos Chirigoba Editors: Jamie Yukich, Stefano Sanchez, John Richter Editorial: Craig Gaines, Helena Hunt, Jack McCluskey Graphics: Neil Francisco Studio Production: Jacob Cornett, Kevin Cureghian, Chris Thomas, Chris Wohlers Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Boys are back, and they're recasting ‘Sinners'! But before they dive into that, they're giving you their thoughts on the new trailer for HBO Max's ‘Lanterns.' (0:00) Intro (10:16) Nerd News: ‘Lanterns' trailer (30:27) ‘Sinners' recast Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gotta 'cast 'em all! First, Ben, Matt James, and Steve Ahlman form a fireteam to discuss Bungie's long-awaited extraction shooter ‘Marathon.' They forecast whether it'll fare more like hit ‘ARC Raiders' or flop ‘Highguard,' examine the stakes for Sony's big bets on Bungie and live-service games, and react to a possible revival of the PlayStation/Xbox console wars, followed by a “Rage Quit” rant about the backlash to promotional photos for video game adaptations such as ‘God of War.' Then Ben brings on Charles Pulliam-Moore from The Verge to discuss the delights of Pokémon life-sim spinoff ‘Pokopia,' its significance for Switch 2, and the Pokémon franchise's 30th anniversary, evolution, and future, plus a second “Rage Quit” about the Trump administration coopting video games like ‘Pokopia' to make memes. Email us at ringerversegaming@gmail.com! Intro (0:00) ‘Marathon' first impressions (3:35) Live service games discussion (39:11) Are the PlayStation/Xbox console wars back? (43:56) Rage quit! (48:32 ) First thoughts on 'Pokémon Pokopia' (57:08) Switch 2 discussion (1:19:25) The future of Pokémon (1:22:16) Rage quit vs. Trump (1:35:12) Outro (1:46:23) Host: Ben Lindbergh Guests: Matt James, Steve Ahlman, and Charles Pulliam-Moore Producer: Devon Renaldo Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Boys are back, and this time they're stepping into the role of CEO to discuss the projects they'd be green-lighting and IP moves they'd be making if they were at the helm of the Paramount–Warner Bros. megadeal. (00:05) Intro(12:45) Armchair CEO(1:16:48) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve AhlmanProducers: Jamie and Devon BaroldiAdditional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Short month, long episode! First, Ben Lindbergh and Charles Holmes extoll the virtues of one of their favorite fantasy stories, the anime series ‘Frieren: Beyond Journey's End,' touching on its themes, influences, and characters, as well as why it makes a great gateway show for non-anime fans. They also discuss some other highlights of a peak period for anime (including ‘Journal With Witch' and ‘Jujutsu Kaisen'), preview a few coming attractions, and take a detour with discussion of ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu.' After that, other Ringer-Verse hosts, friends, and listeners salute unsung releases to top off another monthly roundup of fandom favorites from TV, anime, movies, video games, books, comics, and beyond that were released recently, but not yet covered in depth on a full-length episode. Intro (00:00) ‘Frieren' (03:04) ‘Journal With Witch' (25:34) ‘Jujutsu Kaisen' (37:15) Van's recommendation (50:15) Steve's recommendation (51:55) Miles's recommendation (54:37) Daniel's recommendation (56:21) Devon's recommendation (58:30) Arjuna's recommendation (59:32) Matt's recommendation (61:29) Listener nomination (69:03) Recap of picks (71:13) Host: Ben Lindbergh Guests: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Devon Renaldo, Daniel Chin, Miles Surry, Arjuna Ramgopowell, Matt James, Steve Ahlman Senior Producer: Steve Ahlman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ben, Matt James, and Joshua Rivera team up to take on one of the most anticipated video games of the year: 'Resident Evil Requiem,' the ninth mainline entry in the 30-year-old survival-horror franchise. First, they analyze the significance of Sony's shocking closure of Bluepoint Games, and an Xbox leadership shake-up. Then they compare their 'Resident Evil' histories, have an in-depth (but spoiler-free) discussion about how 'Requiem' weaves together different strands of the series, and offer their final verdicts on the game. Email us at ⁠ringerversegaming@gmail.com⁠! Intro (0:00) Patch Notes (3:00) Bluepoint Closure (3:30) Xbox Leadership Changes (10:40) First Thoughts on ‘Resident Evil Requiem' (29:11) Mash or Pass? (1:10:50) Outro (1:16:00) Host: Ben Lindbergh Guest: Matt James and Joshua Rivera Producer: Devon Renaldo Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Boys are back and drafting the best Black TV shows of all time! From 'A Different World' to 'In Living Color' to 'Scandal,' they build their teams across five categories: sitcom, pre-'90s classic, UPN, Shondaland, and wild card. Who will come out on top? (00:00) Intro(14:48) The Black TV Draft(1:50:00) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve AhlmanProducers: Jamie Yukich, Aleya Zenieris and Devon BaroldiAdditional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Boys are back, and they're ready to dive into the highly anticipated Season 1 finale of ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms'! (0:00) Intro (8:09) Spoilers ahead (9:50) ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' Season 1 finale reactions (41:14) Midnight Meter (1:00:39) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey! Listen! Ben Lindbergh gets together with three fellow 'Legend of Zelda' lovers—Mothership co-founder Maddy Myers, The Guardian games editor Keza MacDonald, and New York Times reporter Zachary Small—to celebrate the franchise's 40th birthday. First, Ben, Zachary, and Maddy ask Keza questions about Nintendo and ‘Zelda' inspired by her new book about the history of Nintendo, ‘Super Nintendo.' Then, they each share their origin stories as ‘Zelda' players, and the ‘Zelda' games they have personal soft spots for. After that, they draft their favorite Links, world maps, items, bosses, dungeons, songs, and companion characters from across the series. Email us at ringerversegaming@gmail.com! Guest intros (00:00)Questions for Keza (11:11)Draft rules (41:27)Beginning of draft (45:34)Draft recap (1:37:29)Goodbyes (1:41:43) Host: Ben LindberghGuests: Keza MacDonald, Maddy Myers, and Zachary SmallProducer: Chris SuttonAdditional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Boys are back and they're giving you a mid-week surprise pod on two trailers that the nerd-verse is buzzing about: ‘House of the Dragon' Season 3, and ‘The Mandalorian & Grogu.' They sneak a bit of ‘Toy Story 5' in there, too. (0:00) Intro (00:59) ‘The Mandalorian & Grogu' Trailer (18:05) ‘House of the Dragon' Season 3 Trailer (22:09) ‘Toy Story 5' Trailer (28:07) Post-credits Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Boys are back, and they're ready to dive into the most recent episode of ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms'! They discuss Dunk's character evolution so far, draw comparisons to other ‘Game of Thrones' shows, and contemplate who is worthy of wielding Mjolnir. (0:00) Intro (5:09) Spoilers ahead (7:30) ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' Episode 5 reactions (1:05:59) Outro (1:12:36) Post-credits Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Jade Whaley Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ben Lindbergh, Matt James, and Steve Ahlman speedrun the month's major gaming news and releases. In Patch Notes, they break down HBO's 'Baldur's Gate' adaptation, layoffs for developers of struggling free-to-play games 'Highguard' and '2XKO,' Sony's latest bid for live-service success with 'Horizon Hunters Gathering,' and the highlights of February's PS5 State of Play. Then, in the Minigames section, they share spoiler-free impressions of six recently released games: 'Nioh 3,' Dragon Quest VII Reimagined,' 'Romeo is a Dead Man,' 'Mewgenics,' 'Mario Tennis Fever,' and 'Reanimal,' featuring thoughts on the state of Switch 2 and the debut of a new segment, Only in Video Games.Email us at ringerversegaming@gmail.com!Intro (0:00)Patch Notes (2:00)'Baldur's Gate' Adaptation (2:22)Layoffs (14:25)'Horizon Hunters Gathering' (26:32)State of Play (34:10)Minigames (44:41)'Nioh 3' (45:38)'Dragon Quest 7' (49:34)'Romeo Is a Dead Man' (53:31)'Mewgenics' (59:31)'Mario Tennis Fever' (1:05:21)'Reanimal' (1:18:44)Outro (1:26:16)Host: Ben LindberghGuests: Matt James and Steve AhlmanProducer: Devon RenaldoAdditional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Boys are back, and they start off the episode by jumping back into the great lightsaber debate. Then they dive into ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' Episode 4, starting with a look at Baelor as a character. (0:00) Intro (18:52) Spoilers ahead (20:44) ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' Episode 4 reactions (1:21:32) Outro (1:24:29) Post Credits Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices