Story x Story

This week, Nigel and Tazziii live, die, and repeat once more for a dive deep into All You Need Is Kill (from 25:06), with Comic Creator and WIP Comics Member Lara Callaghan.We compare this new anime adaptation to earlier versions (including Edge of Tomorrow) and explore whether it brings anything new to the table. From there, we dig into the film’s distinctive visuals and its more internal, character-led perspective, looking closely at the arcs, relationships, and themes that come up across its many loops.This week’s storytelling tip is about third-act constriction: how narrowing a protagonist’s options, space, and agency can intensify tension and force decisive character choices.Other stories we’re enjoying include: Zerocalcare (Books), The Serpent and the Wings of Night (Book), Interview with the Vampire (Netflix), Love Through a Prism (Netflix), The Art of Sarah (Netflix), My Demon (Netflix), Cannon Busters (Netflix), Invincible (Amazon Prime), Yumi and the Nightmare Painter (Book), Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 (Disney+).Connect with Lara online:Website: https://wipcomics.co.ukinQ! London’s Queer Comic Festival: https://inqlondoncomicfair.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wip_comicsTwitter/X: https://x.com/WIP_ComicsBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/wipcomics.bsky.socialConnect with mayamada:mayamada is a manga brand and mission-driven creative agency all about equipping young and aspiring creatives to thrive on the creative journey - whether they're discovering what's possible, developing new skills, or sharing expertise with the next generation.Website: https://mayamada.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mayamadatvTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mayamadatvBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mayamada.comYouTube: https://youtube.com/mayamadatvTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mayamadaJoin our Studio77 community on Discord to connect with other creatives and be part of the journey https://discord.gg/b5fmnuT

NOTE: We recorded this episode before Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond left Microsoft. For Nigel and Tazziii’s initial take on that news, watch The Studio77 Report for Spring 2026 on the mayamada YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/9Tw-70R9as4?t=1805Our first video game roundtable of 2026 sees Nigel and Tazziii sit with Mathew Allcock, Wayne Emanuel, and Janelle McCurdy to discuss the games they're playing and the video game news stories that have caught their attention (from 21:31).We get into a range of stories including the implications of Valve's Steam Machine and Steam Frame delays caused by the ongoing RAM crisis and debate what rising RAM prices mean for the cost of gaming as well as the potential impact on next-generation console release schedules. The conversation then turns to whether Xbox's multi-platform strategy is actually working and the cost to their brand, while also looking into Larian Studios' controversial AI troubles and Nintendo's ambitious cinema plans.Games being enjoyed this week: Reanimal (PC), My Little Puppy (PC), Resident Evil Village (PS5), The Alters (PC), Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (PC), Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike (Xbox 360), FC26 (PS5), Divinity Original Sin 2 (PC), Lego Fortnite (PC), Uncharted 4: A Thief's End (PS4), Animal Crossing (Switch), Lego Fortnite (PC), Sifu (PC), God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla (PS5)Connect with Wayne online:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wayne-emanuel-7846a812Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_wayneemanuelConnect with Mat online:Website: https://thewobblygamer.co.ukInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewobblygamerTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thewobblygamerTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/thewobblygamerConnect with Janelle online:Website: https://janellemccurdy.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/janellemccurdyyTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@janellemccurdyBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/janellemccurdy.bsky.social

This week, Nigel and Tazziii sit down with Jade Leamcharaskul, a composer and game audio producer, to discuss her journey from game development to focusing on music composition. We get open and honest as we talk about dealing with imposter syndrome, knowing your worth, and the value of networking to gain major opportunities. This is a great conversation with a long-time freelancer packed with lessons for those looking to build a creative career path in video games.Connect with Jade online:Website: https://www.jdwasabi.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jdwasabiTwitter: https://twitter.com/JDWasabiYouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/jdwasabi

This week, we're sharing the closing roundtable from the 2025 "Do I Look Like A Gamer?" Next 1UP: End of Year Livestream. Nigel and Tazziii are joined by three prominent voices from the gaming community: Sally Sheppard (game educator and founder of Wyrdren Games), InDeeDee (content creator and community builder), and Daniel Morrison (founder of Creative Genius Games).This conversation explores what community means for the future of gaming - especially as major UK events like EGX and Insomnia have closed their doors as standalone events. We also discuss what needs to improve in games education to better prepare the next generation of developers, and what gives them hope as we look towards 2026.It's an insightful discussion about resilience, representation, and the responsibility we all share in shaping a more welcoming gaming industry.This is our final Rewind episode before Season 8 begins next week! We'll be back in February with brand new interviews, discussions, and stories from across the creative industries.Tune in to the mayamada Twitch channel each month for more content with our hosts and the mayamada community: Studio77 Report, Casual Conversations With Comic Creators, and Games Night.Connect with Sally online:Website: https://www.wyrdren.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wyrdrengamesTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sallygamedevConnect with InDeeDee online:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialindeedeeTwitter: https://x.com/InDeeDeeEffectTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@indeedeeBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/officialindeedee.bsky.socialConnect with Daniel online:Website: https://www.creativegeniusgames.co.ukInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/creativegeniusgamesTwitter: https://x.com/CreativeGeniusGTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@creativegeniusgames

In this Rewind episode, we're revisiting the first roundtable discussion from the 2025 "Do I Look Like A Gamer?" Next 1UP: End of Year Livestream, where Nigel talks with three super supportive voices from across the games industry.Joining the conversation were Jarvs Tasker, Head of Communications at Happy Volcano and an award-winning accessibility advocate; Roshelle Patterson, a games UX researcher whose work spans AAA titles like World of Warcraft and indie projects focused on climate and social issues; and Dom Shaw, a passionate champion for neurodivergent and LGBTQIA+ communities with over a decade of experience across events, charity, and advocacy work.This roundtable explored the personal lessons each took from a difficult year in 2025, the invaluable power of community in sustaining creative work, the importance of putting your work out into the world even when it feels unpolished, and the real value of industry awards and recognition. Despite rocky times in games, we managed to pick out great encouragement and some practical wisdom for anyone navigating the games industry during uncertain times.This is Part 2 of our Next 1UP Rewind series. Throughout January, we'll be sharing more segments from the livestream before recording new episodes for Season 8 in February!Tune in to the mayamada Twitch channel each month for more content with our hosts and the mayamada community: Studio77 Report, Casual Conversations With Comic Creators, and Games Night.Connect with JarvsTwitter: https://x.com/JarvdusaConnect with RoshelleStory x Story #212: Behind The Story With Roshelle Patterson https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/mayamada/episodes/Story-x-Story-212-Behind-The-Story-With-Roshelle-Patterson-Video-Games-e31t99lLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roshelleantoinetteConnect with DomTwitter: https://x.com/DominicShaw94

It's the final episode of 2025!! For our Season 7 Wrapped episode, Nigel and Tazziii are back with their personal top five favourite stories of the year. And this year we're adding some new categories including 'In Memoriam' for stories we've said goodbye to, and 'Personal Story Highlight' for those moments that really stood out. Of course, we've still covering honourable mentions, stories that surprised and disappointed us, as well as our favourite ongoing or unfinished stories. So join us as we recap our favourite comic, anime, TV, film and video game stories that made us stop and take notice over the past 12 months.We want to hear from you too! What were your favourite stories of 2025? Which moments or characters stood out to you? Join the conversation in our Discord and share your own picks with us.We're going on a recording break over January, but will be back in February with Season 8 of Story x Story. In the meantime, you'll be able to enjoy some great bonus Rewind episodes until we start recording again in 2026 - Happy New Year!