My Perfect Console with Simon Parkin

My guest today is an Irish writer, poet, critic, and podcaster. Born and raised in Dublin, she began writing seriously as a teenager, studied English, Media and Cultural Studies at IADT, and later completed a Master’s in Creative Writing at NUI Galway. Her early work included the poetry collection Follies and Not Lost, a book of essays about emigration written after she moved to San Francisco in 2012.Since returning to Ireland, she has published a series of acclaimed novels, including Spare and Found Parts and Other Words for Smoke, which won Teen and Young Adult Book of the Year at the Irish Book Awards. Her 2025 horror novel Eat the Ones You Love was followed by a shortlist for Author of the Year, and she is now the 2026 Arts Council Writer Fellow at Trinity College Dublin. Alongside her fiction, she writes about games for The Guardian. Her new horror novel, Strange Is the Light, is out now, and she is currently working on another book, about video games, titled Everything Not Saved.LINKSSarah Maria Griffin – books & socialsSarah Maria Griffin – official websiteSarah Maria Griffin – Instagram (@sarahgriffski)Sarah Maria Griffin – SubstackSarah Maria Griffin – writing about games for The GuardianStrange as the Light (out 8 September 2026)Strange as the Light – WaterstonesStrange as the Light – Titan BooksStrange as the Light – Bookshop.org UKEarlier novelsEat the Ones You Love – WaterstonesOther Words for Smoke – WaterstonesSarah's Perfect ConsoleEarthBound (SNES, 1994) – WikipediaEarthBound – Nintendo Switch OnlineThe Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask – WikipediaPaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door – NintendoPaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door – WikipediaNight in the Woods – official siteNight in the Woods – SteamWandersong – official siteWandersong – SteamOther references mentionedDisco Elysium – SteamChicory: A Colorful Tale – official site (Greg Lobanov, also made Wandersong)826 Valencia – literacy non-profit, San FranciscoDublin Youth TheatreTomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin – WaterstonesRock, Paper, Shotgun – games journalismGlenn Moore – Button Boys podcastNext week's guestChris Cantrill – Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Show winner 2026 (Rewilding)Chris Cantrill – Chortle profileSaturday Night Live UK – ITVSupport the showMy Perfect Console – episode archiveSupport My Perfect Console on Patreon

Mike Diver is a British journalist, editor, and author whose career has moved fluidly between music criticism and video games writing, always with an eye for subculture, history, and stories beyond the mainstream. He began at the music website Drowned in Sound, where he rose to become content editor, before going on to work with Clash and contribute to publications including Kerrang! and Rock Sound.Later, he turned increasingly to video games, writing for outlets including Edge and Kotaku - as well as heading up teams at VICE Gaming (later Waypoint) and GAMINGbible - and bringing the same curiosity and critical energy to games culture, retro hardware, and the history of the medium. Alongside his journalism, he has written six books on video games and edited several more, covering subjects from indie games and esports to Sonic the Hedgehog and Final Fantasy. His latest book, Aliens: The Video Games, continues that fascination with the way great pop-cultural worlds mutate and endure through interactive form.LINKSMike Diver – website & bookMike Diver – Aliens: The Video Games: An Unofficial Guide (Waterstones, out 30 August 2026)Aliens: The Video Games – publisher White Owl / Pen and SwordAlien games discussedAlien: Isolation – SteamAliens: Dark Descent – SteamAliens: Colonial Marines – WikipediaAliens: Infestation (Nintendo DS) – WikipediaAliens vs. Predator (Capcom, 1994 arcade) – WikipediaAlien: Rogue Incursion – SteamAlien: Isolation 2 – official announcement trailerMike's Perfect ConsoleSensible Soccer (1992) – WikipediaSensible World of Soccer – WikipediaStreets of Rage 2 – WikipediaStreets of Rage 4 – official siteSnatcher – Wikipedia1944: The Loop Master – WikipediaCapcom Arcade 2nd Stadium (includes 1944) – SteamThe Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – official siteThe Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – SteamOther games and references mentionedDrowned in Sound – Wikipedia (music website where Mike began his career)Vice Gaming / Waypoint – WikipediaAftermath – independent games journalism siteRespec – independent games journalism siteMina the Hollower – Yacht Club GamesYuzo Koshiro – composer of Streets of Rage 2 soundtrack, WikipediaHideo Kojima – WikipediaEvercade – retro gaming handheldNext week's guestSarah Maria Griffin – official websiteEat the Ones You Love – Sarah Maria Griffin's latest novel (Waterstones)Sarah Maria Griffin – writing about video games for The GuardianSupport the showMy Perfect Console – episode archiveSupport My Perfect Console on Patreon

Soren Johnson is an American programmer and game designer whose work has helped shape the modern strategy genre. After earning a master’s degree in Computer Science from Stanford University, he joined Firaxis Games, where he worked as both a programmer and designer on Civilization III before going on to lead the design of Civilization IV, one of the most celebrated strategy games yet made.Over the years he has contributed to a wide range of projects, including Spore, Dragon Age Legends, and Offworld Trading Company, bringing a distinctive blend of historical insight, systemic thinking, and player-driven design. Today he is the founder and design director of Mohawk Games, where he recently led the development of the acclaimed historical strategy game Old World. Alongside his development work, he continues to explore the craft of game design through his long-running blog and podcast, both of which are titled “Designer Notes”.Soren Johnson – website & podcastSoren Johnson – Designer Notes blogDesigner Notes podcast – episode archiveDesigner Notes – Apple PodcastsDesigner Notes – SpotifyMohawk Games & Old WorldMohawk Games – official siteOld World – official pageOld World – SteamOld World – GOGOld World – Epic Games StoreOld World: Empires of the Indus DLC – Mohawk GamesSoren's Perfect ConsolePinball Construction Set (1983) – WikipediaM.U.L.E. (1983) – WikipediaSeven Cities of Gold (1984) – WikipediaLegacy of the Ancients (1987) – WikipediaSid Meier's Alpha Centauri (1999) – WikipediaOther games and references mentionedCivilization IV – WikipediaCivilization III – WikipediaSid Meier's Pirates! (2004 remake) – WikipediaCivilization Revolution – WikipediaOffworld Trading Company – SteamSpore (2008) – WikipediaBalatro – SteamVampire Survivors – SteamSchedule I – SteamLethal Company – SteamBennett Foddy – personal siteDanielle Bunten Berry – Wikipedia (designer of M.U.L.E.)Trip Hawkins – Wikipedia (founder of Electronic Arts)Jake Solomon – WikipediaGame Developers Conference (GDC) – official siteSimon's bookTrial of the Space Invaders – pre-order (Bookshop.org UK)Trial of the Space Invaders – pre-order (Amazon UK)Support the showMy Perfect Console – episode archiveSupport My Perfect Console on Patreon

My guest today is a Jamaican game developer and studio founder. Based in Kingston, he is the founder of Spritewrench Studios, a narrative-focused micro studio he built after realising, in his final year at university, that he did not need to leave Jamaica or join a hundred-person team to make games of his own.Inspired by that possibility, he began creating small projects, taking part in game jams, and steadily turning Spritewrench from a name into a company. His work is shaped by a commitment to cultural representation that reaches beyond cliché, and by a wider effort to grow the local scene through the Jamaica Game Developer Society, where he has worked to connect creators and open up pathways into the industry. Now, with Duppy Detective Tashia, a point-and-click mystery rooted in Caribbean folklore, he is bringing that vision to a wider audience.Glen Henry & Spritewrench StudiosSpritewrench Studios – official websiteSpritewrench – itch.io (all games)Glen Henry – Instagram (@spritewrench)Duppy Detective TashiaDuppy Detective Tashia – SteamDuppy Detective Tashia – itch.ioJamaica Game Developer SocietyJamaica Game Developer Society – official siteJGDS – YouTube channel (Crash Course series)Glen's Perfect ConsoleThe Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker – WikipediaViewtiful Joe (GameCube, 2003) – WikipediaSpelunky Classic – free download (Derek Yu's site)Spelunky Classic – WikipediaHades – official siteHades – SteamHollow Knight: Silksong – official siteAlso mentionedBastion – Supergiant GamesTransistor – Supergiant GamesIndie Game: The Movie – official siteBlack Voices in Gaming – community DiscordRami Ismail – game developer and advocateChase Bethea – composer (Duppy Detective Tashia)Bubblexity – BChaotic (Jamaican student dev team, Steam)TIGSource – indie game development forumsGlobal Game JamNext week's guestSoren Johnson – designer of Civilization IVOld World – Mohawk Games (Steam)Simon's bookTrial of the Space Invaders – pre-order (Bookshop.org UK)Trial of the Space Invaders – pre-order (Amazon UK)Support the showMy Perfect Console – episode archiveSupport My Perfect Console on Patreon

Amelia Tait is a British journalist and author whose work has made her one of the sharpest observers of modern life online and off. As a freelance writer, she has built a reputation for following the strange, revealing currents of contemporary culture — writing about the internet, and remarkable people for publications including The New Yorker, The Guardian, Wired, and the New York Times.Her reporting is often drawn to the places where technology and absurdity collide, finding the human story inside subjects other people might dismiss as niche or ephemeral. Now she has turned that same wit and curiosity to fiction with her debut children’s book, Lily Tripp: Diary of an Accidental Time Traveller, a funny, fast-moving adventure about a girl bouncing through history while trying to survive friendship drama and the general embarrassment of being thirteen.LINKSAmelia Tait – website & writingAmelia Tait – official websiteThe Waiting Room – Amelia's Substack newsletterLily Tripp: Diary of an Accidental Time TravellerLily Tripp – Waterstones (Waterstones Children's Book of the Month, June 2026)Lily Tripp – Amazon UKAmelia's Perfect ConsoleTheme Hospital (1997) – WikipediaThe Simpsons: Road Rage (2001) – WikipediaThe Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker – WikipediaThe Sims Bustin' Out (Game Boy Advance, 2003) – WikipediaStardew Valley – official siteStardew Valley – SteamOther games mentionedAnimal Crossing: New Horizons – NintendoThe Simpsons: Hit & Run – WikipediaAmelia's journalism – selected piecesAre Disney Adults the Happiest Debtors on Earth? – The New YorkerAmelia Tait – articles on The GuardianNext week's guestDuppy Detective Tashia – Glen Henry / Spritewrench Studios – SteamSpritewrench Studios – itch.ioSupport the showMy Perfect Console – episode archiveSupport My Perfect Console on Patreon

James Trickey is a British comedian whose work blends sharp writing, physical comedy, and, in his new show, one of the more extraordinary Edinburgh Fringe stories in recent memory. By day he works as an accountant; by night he has been building a reputation as one of the most promising young voices on the live circuit, with appearances across the UK, a Chortle Student Comedy Award nomination, and a Best New Show nomination at the Leicester Comedy Festival.Last year, his sold-out Edinburgh debut, Don’t Count on Me, marked him out as a rising talent, earning strong reviews and an enviable word-of-mouth reputation. Since then, he has appeared on the BBC’s Funny Parts and returned to the Fringe with a new show shaped in part by the strange and unexpectedly dramatic events of last summer.LINKS:James Trickey – follow & ticketsJames Trickey – Instagram (@jamestrickey_)James Trickey: Split – Edinburgh Fringe 2026 tickets (Pleasance Courtyard, 9:25pm, 5–30 August)James Trickey: Split – Avalon press releaseJames's Perfect ConsoleThe Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion – WikipediaThe Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered – SteamHalo 3 – WikipediaUndertale – official siteUndertale – SteamGod of War (2018) – PlayStationGod of War (2018) – WikipediaThe Last of Us Part II – PlayStationThe Last of Us Part II – WikipediaBristol comedians to watchAbi Clarke – comedian and content creatorAlex Kitson – Chortle profileJessie Nixon – Chortle profileTed Milligan – British Comedy GuidePravanya Pillay – PBJ ManagementAlso mentionedAlfie Brown – comedianGlenn Moore – at the Monkey Barrel, Edinburgh FringePokémon Crystal – WikipediaSuper Mario Advance (Game Boy Advance) – WikipediaLeague of Legends – official siteSupport the showMy Perfect Console – episode archiveSupport My Perfect Console on Patreon

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.LINKSPierce Brown – website & booksPierce Brown – official websiteRed Rising – the complete sagaRed Rising: Sons of Ares – prequel comic seriesPierce Brown – Instagram (@piercebrownofficial)Red Rising board gameRed Rising – Stonemaier Games (designed by Jamey Stegmaier)Pierce's Perfect ConsoleCommand & Conquer (1995) – WikipediaCommand & Conquer: Red Alert – WikipediaCommand & Conquer: Tiberian Sun – WikipediaShogun: Total War (2000) – WikipediaTotal War series – official siteBaldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn – WikipediaBlack & White (2001) – WikipediaThe Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind – WikipediaBooks and other references mentionedPlato's Republic – WikipediaAntigone by Sophocles – WikipediaThe Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas – WikipediaEnder's Game by Orson Scott Card – WikipediaThe First Law trilogy by Joe AbercrombieGattaca (1997 film) – WikipediaGustave Doré – illustrator, WikipediaSupport the showMy Perfect Console – episode archiveSupport My Perfect Console on Patreon

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 & showJohn Robertson – official websiteThe Dark Room – live show informationThe Dark Room – live dates and ticketsThe Dark Room – Edinburgh Fringe 2026 at the Gilded BalloonThe Dark Room – Dark Room Deathstravaganza at Leicester Square Theatre, 22 NovemberJohn Robertson – Twitch (Robbotron)John's Perfect ConsoleSonic the Hedgehog 2 (Mega Drive, 1992) – WikipediaSuper Puzzle Fighter II Turbo – WikipediaWii Sports Resort – WikipediaSid Meier's Civilization V – WikipediaHitman: World of Assassination – official siteHitman: World of Assassination – SteamOther games and references mentionedCaves of Qud – official siteCaves of Qud – SteamPAX West – Seattle gaming conventionSwitch Sports – NintendoNext week's guestPierce Brown – official websiteRed Rising – Pierce Brown's debut novelSupport the showMy Perfect Console – episode archiveSupport My Perfect Console on Patreon

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.