About this episode
The episode discusses counterprogramming Summer Game Fest, the film 'Backrooms', and the potential of YouTubers as filmmakers.
On this week’s episode, Nathan and Chris are joined by musician, writer, and game developer Liz Ryerson hot on the heels of counterprogramming Summer Game Fest with the second annual Unearthed Treasure Room showcase. The basic idea? SGF is made up of nearly 20 showcases of games yet to come—too many, frankly!—but there are countless already-released games that deserve another shot. We discuss why it’s important to counterprogram something as commercialized as SGF despite a relatively tiny viewership, as well as what games can look like when they’re less constrained by the bounds of specific genres. Then we get lost in Backrooms , the film sensation based on YouTube videos (that were in turn based on a 4chan meme). How does the movie draw on video game aesthetics to create something that feels fresh? And is this new crop of YouTubers turned filmmakers—as also demonstrated by Obsession —the injection of new life Hollywood has been looking for? Or is this another, perhaps slightly more subtle example of popular people and properties being squeezed into tired molds? Lastly, in honor of God Of War ’s magnificent new gelatinous cube, we discuss other shapes we’d like to see…
People in this episode
Hosts: Nathan Grayson, Chris Person
Guest: Liz Ryerson
Topics covered
- video game showcases
- counterprogramming
- YouTube filmmakers
- game aesthetics
- anthropomorphized shapes
Keywords
- video games
- Unearthed Treasure Room
- game development
- YouTube
- Hollywood
- film aesthetics
- anthropomorphism
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Summer Game Fest
Books & works: God Of War, Obsession, Backrooms
More episodes of Aftermath Hours
- Bummer Game Fest · June 12, 2026 · 1h 24m
- Zero Steam Decks: For People Who Aren’t Rich · May 29, 2026 · 1h 40m
- A New (Forza) Horizon · May 22, 2026 · 1h 47m
- Remembering Being A Teenager · May 15, 2026 · 1h 27m
- Fantastic Mr Star Fox (With Alanah Pearce) · May 8, 2026 · 1h 31m
- Suddenly, Saudi (Investment Money Is Drying Up) · May 1, 2026 · 1h 11m
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Aftermath Hours podcast page.