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Artwork for CORE - Core Gaming for Core Gamers

CORE - Core Gaming for Core Gamers

Scott Johnson - Jon Jagger - Beau Schwartz
Final Fantasy XIV
World Of Warcraft
Elden Ring
Baldur's Gate 3
Cyberpunk 2077
No Man's Sky
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Diablo IV
Microsoft
Video Games
Path Of Exile 2
Resident Evil
Ubisoft
Fortnite
Valheim
Dispatch
Diablo 4
Steam
Indie Games
Final Fantasy

Hosted by podcasting vet, Scott Johnson, Jon Jagger and Beau Schwartz. Weekly, on the frogpants network. Video games and the issues around them every week!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes504Founded11 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Video GamesLeisure

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for CORE - Core Gaming for Core Gamers

Latest Episodes

We are all playing WoW Forever and having a great time. We have thoughts. Digging deeper in the Tidy Up genre. Playing Queen's Domain, Phantom Blade Zero, Backdraft, Aethermancer, Probably Stolen, Platypus Reclayed, Monsters are Coming, The Sorting B... more

Scott Jon and Beau are back for another action-packed CORE! Phantom Blade Zero seems to be doing jussssst fine. Also the games of November. Forsaken is the new NMS expansion! Plainsrunning is happening. Scott played Shelves of Sorcery, DinoBones, Tap... more

YouTube

That Bioware news really hurts. We get into it. Plus, everything from 40k Boltgun II done and dusted, to 100 percenting Belmont's Curse. Plus a load of other games, and a new Diablo board game that sounds super rad! All that and more on this week's C... more

YouTube

A reminder to check out the latest articles on CORE.SHOW. Plus, Control Resonant is rad, so is Star Wars Galactic Racer, and boy howdy does Castlevania Belmont's Curse start out strong. Also some time with Gears of War E-Day, Pools, 9 Kings, Over the... more

YouTube

Key Facts

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Number of Listeners
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Recent Guests

Kyle Cooler Kyle
Make-A-Wish recipient, Kyle, featured guest
Doghouse Systems affiliation discussed
Episode: CORE Crossover: Let’s Grind Some Gears
Nick from Springfield, MA
Listener caller
Listener on CORE Show
Episode: CORE 538: Something is Forever
Johanna Farris
Microsoft executive host on BlizzCon stage
Blizzard Entertainment (as an on-stage presenter)
Episode: The Instance: 2026 Blizzcon Opening Ceremonies
Shane Maddox
Solo indie game developer
Self-published game Gyro
Episode: MORE CORE: Making the indie game, "Gyro", with solo-dev Shane Maddox.
Liam O'Brien
Voice actor and guest on CORE
Independent/ Various studios
Episode: CORE from Nerdtacular 2026!
Brian Dunaway
Panelist from The Instance
The Instance
Episode: CORE from Nerdtacular 2026!
Lucy James
Co-host joining on stage to welcome segment
Looking for Game (new game discovery site)
Episode: CORE + Summer Games Fest LIVE!
Masayoshi Yokoyama
Game developer from RGG Studio
RGG Studio
Episode: CORE + Summer Games Fest LIVE!
Ben Starr
Voice actor in Fortnite who appeared as a guest
Epic/Fortnite
Episode: CORE + Summer Games Fest LIVE!

Hosts

Scott Johnson
Host of CORE shows and core gaming discussions, with extensive history on Frog Pants Network.
Jon Jagger
Co-host known for energetic participation and strategic debating style.
Beau Schwartz
Co-host with strong takes and a penchant for energetic, opinionated discussion.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 677 ratings
  • Squadron 42

    The game is listed on Steam to be released in Q2 2027. I guess it’s time for someone to start writing letters. Yes?

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    R_Kaine
    United States24 days ago
  • More Beau & Scot Less Jon

    Edit: My god, Jon needs his own show to talk about his kid and his personal life. You're letting your elementary school child watch Terminator 2? As a teacher, shame on you. You get worse the more you speak so please stop speaking for 90% of the podcast. Can't wait until Scott makes fun of his height again.

    Jon is the biggest know-it-all I've ever listened to on a podcast. He also talks so goddamn much I have to skip a significant portion of the podcast so I don't have to listen to his pseudo-i... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    __Tile__
    United States5 months ago
  • Disappointed

    This show was great when it was focused on Heroes of the Storm…maybe that’s because it was a focused thing, so when you started listening, you knew what you were getting into. You came into listen about one thing, and they were going to talk about one thing.

    For quite a few years now they have been covering video games as a whole. That’s a broad topic, but the hosts tend to have narrow views and strongly oppose differing ones. The hosts also have the unfortunate tendency to slide in political ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    clicky510
    United States7 months ago
  • Beau repeats himself and gets on his high horse

    Edit 2: Whoever __Tile__ is he sounds like a troll. I wonder if it’s Beau himself, or one of his followers. Maybe this guy should just go watch Beau’s streams if he wants more uninformed, high horse, boomer opinions about games.

eEdit: in the most recent podcast Beau whose boomer hands can’t seem to get timing right with slow fingers said about Clair Obscur, “they didn’t think about their game.” This guy rails against corporate AAA games but when it comes to indies he sounds like AAA lover. Ser... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    SL_CT
    United States8 months ago
  • More Beau & Scot Less Jon

    Jon is the biggest know-it-all I've ever listened to on a podcast. He also talks so goddamn much I have to skip a significant portion of the podcast so I don't have to listen to his pseudo-intellectual takes and constant self-righteousness about video games. My favorite episodes are the ones he misses so I hope we get more of those.

    This show would be five stars without Jon. Maybe it's spelled John but I didn't care enough to look.

    Also, if a Disney adult says you have good taste that isn't a... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    __Tile__
    United States9 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Guests and topics—ranging from indie devs to industry analysis—are seen as a strength.
Long-term listeners appreciate candid takes and humor, though some critique mic etiquette and pacing.
Fans note strong host chemistry but some episodes split focus with politics.
Listeners praise in-depth gaming discussion and camaraderie between hosts.
The show's energy and willingness to tackle industry trends make it a staple for core gamers.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#18
United States/Leisure/Video Games
Apple Podcasts
#69
United States/Leisure
Apple Podcasts
#17
Canada/Leisure/Video Games
Apple Podcasts
#36
United Kingdom/Leisure/Video Games
Apple Podcasts
#60
Canada/Leisure
Apple Podcasts
#124
United Kingdom/Leisure

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

CORE 540: A Good Curse
Q: I've never played any PC VR titles before, having only had a PSVR one in the past. Do you have any must have titles apart from Alex or do you have a list anywhere? I'm looking forward to training out Cyberpunk and the VR mods. Two, so any recommended mods would also be great. What do you say?
Beau recommends Half-Life: Alyx, Beat Saber, racing games, Star Wars: Squadrons and the Gunman Contracts mod, and suggests exploring VR titles and mods based on personal interest. He notes that VR games vary in polish, comfort and seated support, and recommends Beardo Benjo for coverage of PC VR games and mods.
CORE 541: Scrib Doon!
Q: What the heck is DLSS5 and why are people freaking out about it in regards to World of Warcraft?
The hosts explain that earlier DLSS versions use AI-generated frames to improve performance, while DLSS 5 also changes how objects and characters look. They say it can clash with a game's art direction and lore because it lacks context about the designers' intent.
CORE 526: The Gabe-Cube
Q: Brian Wheatley asks for the optimum order to play Resident Evil games to experience the story best.
Jon suggests a core narrative path: Resident Evil 2 Remake, Resident Evil 4 Remake, and Resident Evil 9 Requiem to cover the Leon arc, with optional additions like Resident Evil 3 Remake, and mentions of other remakes and future entries depending on interest and access.
CORE Special: Warren Davis & The Creation of Q*Bert
Q: Did any experiences in improv inform your work in the games industry?
Improv did have some sort of an effect just because it takes away your fear, which makes life easier.
CORE Special: Warren Davis & The Creation of Q*Bert
Q: What do you think we're going to see in the future regarding retro gaming?
I think every aspect of those games, including digitized graphics, are bound to have some sort of resurgence.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About CORE - Core Gaming for Core Gamers

What is CORE - Core Gaming for Core Gamers about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A lively roundtable of three long-running hosts discusses video games, industry trends, and the culture surrounding gaming each week. Episodes blend hands-on impressions, open-world and RPG design debates, hardware and platform discussions, and occasional guest segments from developers, actors, and industry veterans. The trio often dives into current events, marketing moves, and the business side of games, all delivered with humor, personal anecdotes, and a penchant for strong opinions. A standout is the show's willingness to tackle contentious topics (exclusivity, AI in games, studio strategy) while keeping a conversational, community-driven vibe that appeals to dedicated gamers and industry watchers alike.

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Which podcasts are similar to CORE - Core Gaming for Core Gamers?

These podcasts share a similar audience with CORE - Core Gaming for Core Gamers:

1. The Instance: World of Warcraft Podcast
2. Film Sack
3. Play Retro Show
4. The Morning Stream
5. The Starting Zone: The World of Warcraft Podcast!

How many episodes of CORE - Core Gaming for Core Gamers are there?

CORE - Core Gaming for Core Gamers launched 11 years ago and published 504 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on CORE - Core Gaming for Core Gamers?

Recent guests on CORE - Core Gaming for Core Gamers include:

1. Kyle Cooler Kyle
2. Nick from Springfield, MA
3. Johanna Farris
4. Shane Maddox
5. Liam O'Brien
6. Brian Dunaway
7. Lucy James
8. Masayoshi Yokoyama

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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