Best podcasts to listen to while gaming

If you’re the type of person who needs to constantly keep your brain and your hands busy, then you probably understand the strange urge to play video games and listen to podcasts at the same time.

The part of our brains that loves to feel productive also loves to multitask. Nevermind that multitasking is actually probably actively making us less productive in the end. Unfortunately, we live in a world with constant and often simultaneous stimulation. So go ahead, fulfill your sick, twisted need to play games and listen to podcasts together.

Games and podcasts can make ideal bedfellows if you have the right pairing. Of course, the game can’t be too narrative-focused. Or, if it does have a narrative, it should be one that’s either of negligible quality (sorry Assassin’s Creed) or doled out in between long stretches of time with no cutscenes. Meanwhile with the right kind of podcast, your gaming session can transform from a mindless time-sink into an edifying experience.

A wide variety of video games fit the bill. So we’ve gone ahead and picked out some of the best across a wide array of genres — from stressful shoot-em-ups to chill life simulators — alongside which podcasts they pair best with.

Doom Eternal

Animal Crossing

• Why it’s perfect: Honestly, what isn’t perfect about this game? Vibe out and make mad bells by fishing, catching bugs, collecting wood, turning turnips, and listening to a podcast to ensure you stay engaged throughout all that resource gathering. For those who need to hear the blip, blip, bloops of the fish to time the perfect pullback, take one earbud out while going for that loach who looks at you with reproach.

• Pairs well with: 1) True crime and spooky story podcasts like Crime Junkie, Last Podcast on the Left, And That’s Why We Drink, Haunted Places, Astonishing Legends, and Spooked to balance out the pure wholesomeness with murder and scares. 2) Engrossing and informative podcasts like Hardcore History, Radiolab, Reply All, 99% Invisible, Invisibilia, and Code Switch.

• Platforms:  Nintendo Switch

• Price: $59.99

• See also: Stardew Valley, Don’t Starve, Minecraft

Tetris 99

Destiny 2

• Why it’s perfect: There’s a lot of grind in online multiplayers like Destiny 2 (and the others listed below). While listening to a podcast might be a little too much stimulus for when you need to play multiplayer, there’s plenty to do solo before a raid.

• Pairs well with: 1) Binge-worthy limited series that you can consume in a couple sittings like Root of Evil, S-Town, Serial, and The Habitat. 2) Podcasts with either deep dives or daily updates on pop culture outside of games like The Rewatchables, Show Me The Meaning!, Pop Culture Happy Hour, Slate Culture Gabfest, or The Daily Zeitgeist to offset dedicating so much of our time and brain space to the game’s virtual world. 3) In all likelihood, if you’re a fan of this game, you probably also love shows like Rick and Morty and South Park, so check out Wisecrack’s deep dives into all their episode on The Squanch and Respect Our Authoritah. 4) Don’t forget what’s happening in the real world by listening to The Daily or Up First while you play.

• Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows

• Price: $6.99-$39.99 (depending on platform and sales)

• See also: Overwatch, Division 2, Battlefield V, Fortnite, Call of Duty Warzone

The Outer Worlds

• Why it’s perfect: A seemingly endless amount of questing, these types of open world role-playing games also benefit from a fair bit of mindless grinding that makes them great for podcasting.

• Pairs well with: 1) Podcasts with either deep dives or daily updates on pop culture outside of games like The Rewatchables, Show Me The Meaning!, Pop Culture Happy Hour, Slate Culture Gabfest, or The Daily Zeitgeist to offset dedicating so much of our time and brain space to the game’s virtual world. 2) Since these games often attract story lovers, try great storytelling podcasts like This American Life, Heavyweight, Lore, The Moth, or Snap Judgment. 3) Chances are if you’re a fan of this game, you probably also love shows like Rick and Morty and South Park, so check out Wisecrack’s deep dives into all their episode over on The Squanch and Respect Our Authoritah. 4) Don’t forget what’s happening in the real world by listening to The Daily or Up First while you play. 

• Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows

• Price: $38.99 – $59.99 (depending on platform and sales)

• See also: Skyrim, Fall Out 76, Borderlands 3, Fall Out: New Vegas

Super Mario Odyssey

• Why it’s perfect: It’s simple, brilliant, accessible platforming and puzzle fun, the Nintendo way. In terms of story, you know how it goes already: Bowser pulls some shit, Peach gets taken, and you put on your Big Boy Overalls and save her.

• Pairs well with: 1) True crime and spooky story podcasts like Crime Junkie, Last Podcast on the Left, And That’s Why We Drink, Haunted Places, Astonishing Legends, and Spooked to balance out the pure wholesomeness with murder and scares. 2) Binge-worthy limited series that you can consume in a couple sittings like Root of Evil, S-Town, Serial, and The Habitat. 3) Engrossing and informative podcasts like , , , , , and .

• Platforms: Nintendo Switch

• Price: $59.99

• See also: Splatoon 2, Super Mario Maker 2, Pokemon Let’s Go, Luigi’s Mansion 3

Alto’s Adventure

• Why it’s perfect: Easily accessed on your phone, this beautiful endless runner snowboarding mobile game keeps your thumbs busy while delivering calm and joy.

• Pairs well with: 1) Binge-worthy limited series that you can consume in a couple sittings like Root of Evil, S-Town, Serial, and The Habitat. 2) Engrossing and informative podcasts like , , , , Imaginary Worlds, , and . 3) Making the crushing but necessary news from The Daily or Up First more digestible.

• Platforms: iOS, Android, Mac

• Price: $4.99 – $9.99 (depending on platform)

• See also: Dots, Monument Valley

Read Dead Redemption 2

• Why it’s perfect: While it’s heralded as a great narrative, we have our doubts about the merits of Red Dead Redemption 2‘s story. And regardless, you spend large swaths of time just traversing and exploring the world, which makes it great for catching up on podcasts.

• Pairs well with: 1) It’s easy to lose yourself in extremely immersive worlds like this one and forget it was built by hundreds of people putting in countless hours while making millions of design choices. So listen to smart video game podcasts that provide deeper analysis into games and the industry like Kotaku Splitscreen, Waypoint Radio, and The Besties. 2) Engrossing and informative podcasts like , , , , Imaginary Worlds, , and . 3) Podcasts with either deep dives or daily updates on pop culture outside of games like The Rewatchables, Show Me The Meaning!, Pop Culture Happy Hour, Slate Culture Gabfest, or The Daily Zeitgeist to offset dedicating so much of our time and brain space to the game’s virtual world.. 4) Don’t forget what’s happening in the real world by listening to The Daily or Up First while you play. 5) Podcasts about women’s representation in media to offset the excessive amounts of masculine toxicity like The Bechdel Cast or Feminist Frequency Radio.

• Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows

• Price: $59.99

• See also: Death Stranding

Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 

• Why it’s perfect: Any time spent in this gorgeous, expansive open world is time well-spent. A testament to how games can be powerful even without traditional narratives, go forth and explore every corner of this masterpiece with reckless abandon and your podcasts for companionship.

• Pairs well with: 1) Engrossing and informative podcasts like , , , , Imaginary Worlds, , and . 2) Add more traditional storytelling to the experience with This American Life, Heavyweight, The Moth, or Snap Judgment, Root of Evil, S-Town, Serial, and The Habitat.

• Platforms: Nintendo Switch

• Price: $59.99

• See also: Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, No Man’s Sky

Yakuza 0

• Why it’s perfect: To be fair, the Yakuza series has some of the best, funniest, most bizarre plot points in video games. But consuming it alongside another medium doesn’t detract from that. There’s a lot of downtime in this beat-em-up that can be enriched with some choice pods.

• Pairs well with: 1) Comedy podcasts with similar chaos humor energy like the improv on Comedy Bang Bang and The Dollop. 2) Engrossing and informative podcasts like , , , , Imaginary Worlds, , and . 3) Podcasts about women’s representation in media to offset the excessive amounts of masculine toxicity like The Bechdel Cast or Feminist Frequency Radio.

• Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows

• Price: $19.99

• See also: Just Cause 4, Horizon Zero Dawn, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Nioh 2

Rocket League

• Why it’s perfect: Our favorite made-up sports game, Rocket League is the most stressful nonsense you can spend hours mastering and can be replayed for hours. While it’s online play and requires teamwork, it very much doesn’t require verbal communication.

• Pairs well with: 1) Comedy podcasts with similar chaos energy like the improv on Comedy Bang Bang and The Dollop. 2) Engrossing and informative podcasts like , , , , Imaginary Worlds, , and . 3) Great storytelling podcasts, both limited series and ongoing, like This American Life, Heavyweight, The Moth, or Snap Judgment, Root of Evil, S-Town, and Serial.

• Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Mac, Linux, Windows

• Price: $9.99 – $19.99 (depending on platform and sales)

• See also: FIFA 20, Madden NFL 20, NBA 2K19

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

• Why it’s perfect: You can bet your ass you’re going to be spending long, stressful hours in this game doing the same thing over and over again. Don’t do it alone. 

• Pairs well with: 1) Comedy podcasts that help you chill out during high-stress encounters like Comedy Bang Bang, Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend, and The Dollop. 2) Engrossing and informative podcasts like , , , , Imaginary Worlds, , and .

• Platforms: Playstation 4, Xbox One, Windows

• Price: $59.99

• See also: Dark Souls 1 and 2 and 3 , Bloodborne

The Sims 4

• Why it’s perfect: A simulator is a game you can spend countless hours in, but it’s a lot of busywork. With podcasts, you feel a lot less bad about making your Sim do all this productive stuff like work out or read a book while you just sit there on your computer for eight hours straight.

• Pairs well with: 1) Engrossing and informative podcasts like , , , , Imaginary Worlds, , and . 2) Podcasts with either deep dives or daily updates on pop culture outside of games like The Rewatchables, Show Me The Meaning!, Pop Culture Happy Hour, Slate Culture Gabfest, or The Daily Zeitgeist to offset dedicating so much of our time and brain space to the game’s virtual world. 3) Add some storytelling to the experience with This American Life, Heavyweight, The Moth, or Snap Judgment, Root of Evil, S-Town, Serial, and The Habitat. 4) Don’t forget what’s happening in the real world by listening to The Daily or Up First while you play. 

• Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Mac, PC

• Price: $39.99 (but we recommend springing for bundles with expansion packs if you’re going to be playing a lot)

• See also: Cities: Skylines, Planet Zoo, Jurassic World Evolution