My Perfect Console with Simon Parkin

Rob Dubbin is a comedy writer and game designer whose work spans late-night television, journalism, and interactive storytelling. After studying History and Literature at Harvard University, he began his career in comedy, becoming an Emmy-winning writer on The Colbert Report and later The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Away from television, his writing has appeared in publications including The New Yorker and The Verge.More recently, he has moved into game design and tools, becoming the co-creator of Scripto, a collaborative writing platform for format-driven work—from television scripts to video games—where he serves as Head of Games. His current projects include co-hosting The Secret Lives of Games podcast and he recently launched the boardgame Starfriends. Across all of his work, he has become a thoughtful advocate for clarity and economy in writing—particularly in games, where he believes every word must earn its place.SHOW LINKS:Rob DubbinRob Dubbin – official websiteRob Dubbin – work & projectsRoblemsolving – Rob's blogRob Dubbin – itch.ioBrainfruit Studio / Star FriendsBrainfruit Studio shopStar Friends – official siteStar Friends – Kickstarter campaignScriptoScripto – collaborative writing softwareScripto – aboutScripto – eight takes on game writingThe Secret Lives of Games / EggplantEggplant – the Secret Lives of Games podcast networkEggplant – aboutThe Secret Lives of Games – on Apple PodcastsRob's Perfect ConsoleZZT – zzt.org archive and communityZZT (1991) – Internet ArchiveStar Control 2: The Ur-Quan Masters – open source portFree Stars: The Ur-Quan Masters – SteamMaster of Magic Classic – SteamMaster of Magic Classic – GOGSlice & Dice – developer siteSlice & Dice – itch.ioSlice & Dice – SteamCaves of Qud – official siteCaves of Qud – SteamCaves of Qud – itch.ioOther games and references discussedLetterboxd – film rating and diary appWavelength – party gameApples to Apples – official siteGame Developers Conference (GDC)Harvard UniversityThe Colbert Report – Comedy CentralThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert – CBSBecome a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsoleTake the Acast listener survey to help shape the show: My Perfect Console with Simon Parkin Survey 2025 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Prokop Jirsa is a Czech game designer whose work has helped redefine what historical realism can look like in a modern role-playing game. After completing his Master’s degree at the Prague University of Economics and Business, he joined Warhorse Studios as a designer on Kingdom Come: Deliverance. There, he helped shape the game’s uncompromising approach to first-person immersion, historically grounded combat, and player choice rooted in consequence rather than power fantasy. Following the success of the first game, he continued that work as Lead Designer on its sequel—expanding its systems, scope, and narrative ambition while holding fast to the studio’s commitment to authenticity and player agency. Across his career, his design philosophy has consistently favoured trust in the player, an approach that has earned Warhorse a devoted audience and a distinctive place in contemporary RPG design.Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsoleTake the Acast listener survey to help shape the show: My Perfect Console with Simon Parkin Survey 2025 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jon Ingold is a British game designer and writer whose work has helped redefine how narrative, choice, and player agency function in interactive storytelling. He began making parser-based text adventures and releasing them free on the internet. After studying mathematics at Cambridge University, he moved into professional game development at Sony PlayStation, where he worked as a designer in the concept group on several unreleased titles. In 2011, he co-founded the independent studio Inkle, where he has been a driving force behind a body of critically acclaimed narrative games, including 80 Days, Heaven’s Vault, Overboard!, and A Highland Song. Alongside his studio work, he co-created the open-source scripting language Ink, now used widely across the games industry to build reactive, branching narratives. His latest project, TR-49, is a haunting narrative deduction game built around a mysterious wartime machine, and the urgent act of making meaning from archives before time runs out. Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsoleTake the Acast listener survey to help shape the show: My Perfect Console with Simon Parkin Survey 2025 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before the start of My Perfect Console's fourth season, we revisit a classic early episode with comedian, writer and podcaster, Heather Anne Campbell.My guest today is an Emmy-nominated writer, sketch comedian, voice actor and performer. As a teenager she studied improv comedy at the famous ImprovOlympic studio in her home city of Chicago, training that prepared her for when she later starred on Whose Line Is It Anyway and the sketch comedy show Key and Peele.She has worked on the writing staff of Saturday Night Live, The Twilight Zone and, most recently, the sixth season of Rick & Morty. Throughout her career she has also written and talked about video games, not least in her current role as one of the hosts of the popular games-related podcast, Get Played. “Comedy and video-games are the same thing: fantasies within set rules,” she once said. “I love both of them, equally. When I can marry the two in some future project, I'll be complete.”Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsoleTake the Acast listener survey to help shape the show: My Perfect Console with Simon Parkin Survey 2025 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Please enjoy this collection of some of our favourite clips from My Perfect Console episodes released in 2025. Featuring: Tonda Ros, Kat Abugazaleh, Nathan Brown, Adanna Nedd, Joel Morris, Basia Bulat, Andy Davidson, Bennett Foddy, Rami Ismail, Brian Gibson, Greg Jenner, Chris Plante, Tomm Hulett, Harvey Smith, Mark Cerny, Dr. Greg Zeschuk, Lorien Testard, and Alexander O. Smith.Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsoleTake the Acast listener survey to help shape the show: My Perfect Console with Simon Parkin Survey 2025 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.