Rephonic
Artwork for Critical Moves

Critical Moves - Strategy Gaming

Critical Moves Podcast
Stellaris
Total War
RTS Games
Strategy Game Remasters
Indie Developers
Game Mechanics
Strategy Games
Paradox Interactive
AAA Studios
Dawn Of War
Grand Strategy
Dlcs
Age Of Empires 4
Homeworld 3
Rome Total War
Age Of Empires
Warhammer
Game Design
Video Game Mods
Stellaris 4.0

Critical Moves is a strategy games podcast that takes RTS, 4X, and tactics seriously. Most gaming podcasts don’t even bother with strategy games. We do. Each week we cover real-time strategy, turn-based tactics, 4X empire builders and indie experiments, plus shining a new light on old classics.

These aren't quick reviews or recycled talking points. It’s sharp criticism and honest discussion about ... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes74Foundeda year ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Video GamesLeisure

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Critical Moves

Latest Episodes

Dr. Ben Angell returns to Critical Moves to lead a discussion on innovation in strategy games, the topic he chose when we interviewed him on his work for the Age of Empires 2 Chronicles DLC. Jack and Tim join him in examining why so many RTS releases... more

YouTube

It's Turnbased Thursday Fest week, and Al, Sid, and Jack are leaning in hard. This episode is a full deep dive into the turn-based genre: what makes it so compelling, why "just one more turn" became gaming's most universal phrase, and whether turn-ba... more

YouTube

Chris McElligott-Park (Arcen Games) returns to Critical Moves to discuss the 1.0 full release of Heart of the Machine, launching March 6th via Hooded Horse. We dig into what makes this strategy RPG unlike anything else in the genre — its branching mo... more

YouTube

Timothy, Jack, and Adam review their Steam Nextfest demo experiences across a wide range of strategy titles, from a god game that felt genuinely finished to an RTS sequel that felt like 1994. The discussion moves beyond individual game impressions in... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

eXplorminate
eXplorminateexplorminate
Single Malt Strategy
Single Malt StrategySingle Malt Strategy
Meta Abuse
Meta AbuseMeta Abuse
The Besties
The BestiesRuss Frushtick, Chris Plante, Griffin McElroy, Justin McElroy

Recent Guests

Thomas Vandenberg
Creator and original pioneer behind the game Kingdom
Raw Fury
Episode: Thomas van den Berg on Kingdom's Design Philosophy and the Flash Game Era (Ep.56)
Chris McElligott-Park
CEO of Arcen Games
Arcen Games
Episode: Chris McElligott-Park on Game Design, Narrative, and Arcen’s Origins (Ep.42)
Joe Beard
Host of the Example of Play YouTube channel, focused on tutorial videos for strategy games.
Example of Play
Episode: Strategy Games Are Terrible at Teaching You Anything (Ep.37)
Brandon Casteel
Lead Game Designer for Tempest Rising
3D Realms
Episode: Why Tempest Rising Could Be the RTS to Watch in 2025 (Ep. 25)
Dr. Luke Hughes
Main developer of Burden of Command
Game Developer
Episode: Can You Lead? Luke Hughes on the Emotional Weight of Burden of Command (Ep 22)

Hosts

Jack
Host with a keen interest in strategy game development and industry analysis.
Adam
Co-host who provides insights into game narratives and player experiences across various titles.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 33 ratings
  • Best new pod

    Probably the best video game podcast around. Deserve a bigger audience

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Cookbook author 21
    United States2 months ago
  • Enjoy the Strategy chatter

    Thanks for doing these podcasts. I enjoy listening to a podcast with a focus on Strategy games.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    SeanM7765
    United States2 months ago
  • Always enjoyable & thoughtful

    Look forward to the episodes whether or not they cover games that I am currently playing. Always enjoyable with thoughtful and intelligent commentary.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Racing Willow
    United Kingdom3 months ago
  • Great and chill podcast!

    Podcast Addict
    5
    dumbwrench
    a year ago

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Space 4X: Explore, Expand, Exploit, Exterminate (Ep.69)
Q: What are the new games to look out for in the space 4X genre?
Games like Stellar Reach and CV Revival promise to combine traditional 4X mechanics with character-driven narratives and dynamic, living galaxies.
Space 4X: Explore, Expand, Exploit, Exterminate (Ep.69)
Q: What do you think makes Master of Orion a standout game among other 4X titles?
Master of Orion set the foundation for many elements in the genre, such as deep colony management and tactical turn-based ship combat, distinguishing it from earlier games.
Terra Invicta: The Long War From The Shadows (Ep.65)
Q: Is any of it scripted?
It starts out pretty scripted, but player actions can delay or trigger events on different timelines.
Terra Invicta: The Long War From The Shadows (Ep.65)
Q: How does the influence work in the game?
You have a council with agents that you can use to influence nations slowly, depending on your faction's dynamics.
Terra Invicta: The Long War From The Shadows (Ep.65)
Q: Who is this game for? Is it for 4X players, Grand Strategy players, or action-oriented RTS players?
This game is definitely niche, but if you like Grand Strategy and sci-fi, it's likely for you.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Critical Moves

What is Critical Moves about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Focus is on strategy video games, specifically real-time strategy, turn-based tactics, and 4X empire builders. Each episode features in-depth analysis of various games, exploring their mechanics, design choices, and community engagement, distinguishing itself from other gaming podcasts that treat strategy games as secondary content. Consistently delivering sharp criticism and candid insights, hosts often engage directly with developers to bring out meaningful discussions about game development, highlighting both the genius and failures found in strategy titles. This approach ensures that both avid fans and newcomers can appreciate the depth of strategy gaming.

Where can I find podcast stats for Critical Moves?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Critical Moves. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Critical Moves and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Critical Moves get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Critical Moves, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Critical Moves?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Critical Moves, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Critical Moves have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Critical Moves has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Critical Moves?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Critical Moves:

1. eXplorminate
2. Single Malt Strategy
3. Meta Abuse
4. Three Moves Ahead
5. The Besties

How many episodes of Critical Moves are there?

Critical Moves launched a year ago and published 74 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Critical Moves?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Critical Moves?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Critical Moves from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Critical Moves?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Critical Moves. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Critical Moves?

Recent guests on Critical Moves include:

1. Thomas Vandenberg
2. Chris McElligott-Park
3. Joe Beard
4. Brandon Casteel
5. Dr. Luke Hughes

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.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days