The 8 best gaming podcasts to listen to in 2026

There are thousands of gaming podcasts, and most of them sound alike. Picking good ones means choosing by what you want: daily news, relaxd conversation, industry analysis, or a trip back to the games you grew up with.

Here are eight gaming podcasts that are worth your time this year, whether you listen on the commute or while a big download finishes.

1. Kinda Funny Games Daily

Best for: daily news without having to read ten websites

If you want one show that keeps you up to date, start here. It’s a daily video game news podcast hosted by Greg “GameOverGreggy” Miller, Tim Gettys and Blessing Adeoye Jr, with games industry veterans and guests covering PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo and the rest of gaming. Each episode runs through the day’s headlines and ends with listener comments, so it feels like a morning briefing with friends.

2. Giant Bombcast

Best for: long, funny, off-topic conversations

The Bombcast is one of the longest-running shows in the medium. It started in 2008 and releases weekly episodes that often run around three hours. Giant Bomb is now independently owned by a company formed by co-owners Jeff Bakalar and Jeff Grubb. The format is still new releases, news and listener emails, with plenty of tangents. Its September 1 episode, for example, covered the Gamescom trip and the wave of September releases, including Onimusha: Way of the Sword and Star Wars: Zero Company.

3. Triple Click

Best for: smart discussion that’s also easy to listen to

Hosted by Kirk Hamilton, Maddy Myers and Jason Schreier, with new episodes every Thursday, Triple Click balances reporting experience with warm, funny conversation. Its “Triple Play” episodes go deep on one game at a time. Recent ones covered The Blood of Dawnwalker, a vampire game from former Witcher 3 developers, and Star Wars: Zero Company. The hosts also keep “Triple Click Picks,” a list of games they strongly recommend, and recently updated it.

4. The Nextlander Podcast

Best for: veteran hosts with decades of experience

Longtime friends and games media colleagues Vinny Caravella, Brad Shoemaker and Alex Navarro talk weekly about what they’re playing, what’s happening in the industry, and whatever else they’re up to. Episodes have chapter markers, so you can skip straight to the games you care about. Their September 3 episode brought in Video Games Chronicle’s Jordan Middler to discuss Metal Gear Solid, GTA 6, Onimusha: Way of the Sword and The Blood of Dawnwalker.

5. Retronauts

Best for: nostalgia and gaming history

If your favorite gaming memories involve a PS2 memory card, this is your show. Retronauts explores video game history one game at a time. Hosts Jeremy Parish and Bob Mackey team up with expert guests each week, covering everything from old black-and-white arcade machines to modern remakes. Recent episodes have covered Tomb Raider, the Famicom Disk System, and a two-part look at Mario trivia.

Retronauts suits this moment because the classics are coming back. Capcom’s Onimusha shows it clearly.

The Onimusha comeback, in short. Onimusha: Way of the Sword launched on September 4 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC. It sold more than 1 million copies worldwide on day one and pushed the series past 10 million units. It’s the first main entry since Dawn of Dreams in 2006. Capcom credits its demos and hands-on events, and the game won Best Gameplay and Best Sony PlayStation Game at the Gamescom Awards 2026.

The retro connection is part of its identity. The hero, Miyamoto Musashi, is modelled on legendary actor Toshiro Mifune. Capcom worked with his family and Mifune Productions for approval and said no generative AI was involved. That continues a series tradition that has included the likenesses of Takeshi Kaneshiro, Yusaku Matsuda and Jean Reno. Capcom also says reviving dormant series is now a deliberate strategy: an Okami sequel is in development, and Resident Evil Requiem has sold more than 6 million units.

PC players can buy the game on Steam, the Epic Games Store and the Microsoft Store, according to Gematsu. Buyers who don’t purchase directly from a storefront use a redeemable code, and an Onimusha: Way of the Sword Key for PC is activated the same way as any other digital code.

The launch also comes as the market moves away from discs. Circana reported US new physical game sales of $85 million for July, the lowest July since its tracking began in 1995, and Sony plans to stop producing physical software for new games from January 2028. Shopping habits have changed too. A PC player on a budget used to look for a second-hand disc. Now the same player searches for a cheap game key, usually from a third-party seller.

For long-time fans, a series returning after 20 years is exactly what Retronauts-style listening is about: remembering where these games came from while playing where they’ve ended up.

6. The Game Business Show

Best for: understanding the industry behind the games

After more than eight years leading GamesIndustry.biz, Christopher Dring founded The Game Business in March 2025. The podcast offers interviews, analysis and data on what’s really happening in the games industry. It has also covered the disc question: one episode discussed the publishers that need to prepare fans for PlayStation ending disc production in January 2028. If sales figures and strategy interest you more than reviews, this is the one to follow.

7. Game Maker’s Notebook

Best for: hearing directly from developers

Produced by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, Game Maker’s Notebook features in-depth conversations between game makers about the business and craft of interactive entertainment. The guests actually make the games, which makes it a good fit for aspiring developers or anyone curious how games get made. One recent episode had composer Austin Wintory talking with Bence Pajor, audio director on Embark Studios’ Arc Raiders.

8. The Jeff Gerstmann Show

Best for: sharp, experienced industry commentary

Jeff Gerstmann co-founded Giant Bomb, and his own weekly show draws on decades of covering games. Listeners describe him as a source of insight, criticism and knowledge who also brings empathy, humility and humor. Episodes are long and cover news, industry trends and whatever Jeff has been playing.

How to build your gaming podcast rotation

You don’t need all eight. A good mix looks like this:

• One daily or weekly news show (Kinda Funny Games Daily or Giant Bombcast)
• One discussion show that matches your taste (Triple Click or Nextlander)
• One deeper show on history, business or development (Retronauts, The Game Business Show or Game Maker’s Notebook)

Add your picks to your PlayPodcast library and new episodes will be ready whenever you are, whether that’s the commute, the gym, or a 60 GB download.

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