Episode 087

The new hotness. It’s a very real effect in the gaming hobby, and it has exploded right alongside the interest in gaming. But what type of effects does it truly have, and who is driving it?

Length: 33:50

Show Links: RSS | iTunes | Download Episode

Welcome back to Vox Republica, the Cardboard Republic Podcast!

We post new episodes every Thursday, with each episode being about 20 – 30 minutes long.

DESCRIPTION: After recapping a handful of the 2015 Origins winners, Ryan and Erin discuss whether the positives and negatives of gaming hype, including the inherent issues of new hotness blindness and how diversifying game coverage can help.

GUEST: None

RECENTLY PLAYED GAMES:

• Cash N’ Guns
• Yggdrasil
• Suburbia
• Tzolk’in
• Lanterns

QUICK TOPICS:

• We go over a few of the Origins 2015 winners

LENGTHY TOPIC:

• The nature of ‘new hotness’ hype
  • Are there positive aspects? If so, what are they?
  • What factors drive the new hotness effect?
  • The effect on the normal consumer
• Gaming media’s role in driving hype
  • What are our motivations behind hyping games?
  • Do we have an obligation to cover more than the top titles?
  • Why does media have a tendency to focus on such a small percentage of games?
    • Is this good or bad?
  • The lack of diversification (in multiple ways)

We’d love to hear from you! You can send questions or feedback via email at podcast@cardboardrepublic.com. You can also reach us social media, including Twitter and BoardGameGeek.

Audio Credits: Intro music track is “Swing!” by Bargo!, used under Creative Commons license.