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Decision Space
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Richard Garfield
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Decision Space is a board game podcast about the decisions in games.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes262Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
LeisureHobbiesGames

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Decision Space

Latest Episodes

Episode 259- April Fool's Game Show Spectacular

The only game show that takes place right here, in the space between the episodes of your favorite podcast.

Preplanners

We deep dive Cardia next week!

Music and Sound Credits

Thank you to Hembree f... more

Episode 258- Gamer's Ranch 2026 Report

Pete and Jake played a ton of games together!  New hotness, old beige games, and a big dramatic session of Blood on the Clocktower!

Timestamps

9:45- The Old King's Crown

20:15- Blood on the Clocktower

34:15... more

Episode 257- Game Difficulty and Sail

What makes games difficult and why do we sometimes enjoy that?  When does it go too far?  Pete and Brendan explore the topic after discussing a very difficult game: the 2 player cooperative trick-taker Sail.

Ti... more

Episode 256- Isle of Skye

Jake and Paul deep dive the 2016 Kinnerspiel des Jahres Winner: Isle of Skye.  Yo, that was 10 years ago?  That's craaaazy!  They go deep on the joys of variable scoring, catch up mechanisms, and the cozy vibes of building ... more

Key Facts

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Number of Listeners
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Recent Guests

C. Thi Nguyen
Philosopher, professor of philosophy and games at the University of Utah
University of Utah
Episode: Is Art a Game? C. Thi Nguyen Answers Our Questions About Philosophy, Process, and Play
Andy Nealen
Professor of games at University of Southern California and co-host on a gaming podcast.
University of Southern California
Episode: Historical Games and Pax Renaissance with Andy Nealen
Jason Schneider
Founder of Happy Camper Games, has extensive experience in developing family games.
Happy Camper Games
Episode: Trio, Jungo, and the Joys of Family Gaming with Jason Schneider
Joe Howe
A game designer and Patreon supporter who released the game 'Three Chapters'.
Episode: Podcast Year in Review: Reflections and Ranking All the Games!
Jon Perry
Board game and video game designer
Episode: Chunky Decisions and Other Design Lessons with Jon Perry
Dan Thurot
Board game critic and writer behind Space Biff
Space Biff
Episode: Exploring Cardboard Worlds: Earthborne Rangers and Vantage with Dan Thurot
Paul Solomon
Long-time contributor and educator, game designer
Episode: The State of Decision Space - Big News, Reflections, and the 2024 Listener List
Jared Ingersoll
Game enthusiast and expert in Euro games
Episode: TOP 10 Games of the '90s with Jared Ingersoll
Tyler Hackmann
A gaming enthusiast and member of the Laughing Table Friends
Episode: The Ultimate Stefan Feld Tier List with Tyler Hackmann

Hosts

Pete Wissinger
Host with frequent presence across episodes, chipping in design and play-analysis.
Brendan Hansen
Co-host known for design-focused insights and approachable yet rigorous discussion.
Jake Friedman
Host/co-host with emphasis on game design, decision spaces, and theory.
Paul Solomon
Host with background in game design and board games, provides wide-ranging design perspectives.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 388 ratings
  • Felt Like I Was One of the Guys!

    After your April Fools game show episode, I felt compelled to leave a review - It was the perfect episode to brighten a long drive! I started listening regularly not that long ago after cherry picking some episodes based on their titles and now I look forward to every Wednesday when a new show drops. Even if I’ve never heard of the deep dive game of the week, it’s still awesome to hear the conversation revolve around how it tickles the brain and, as an aspiring designer, how those concepts and d... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Music&Meeples
    United States6 days ago
  • Serendipity

    Just had the crazy experience of getting Isle of Skye in a trade the same day that you guys covered it. Can’t think of a better group of guys to get me both hyped and deeply interested in a game.

    I thoroughly enjoy your in-depth analyses and the way you talk about what makes a game tick. There’s something magical about the way board games work, and ironically you all do a great job of sharing the magic by taking as much mystery out of it as you can. Kind of like when you study physics or medici... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Ckchand
    United States21 days ago
  • Insightful and Delightful Podcast

    I’ve listened to several board gaming podcasts, and Decision Space is one of the standouts that I’ve come back to weekly for a couple years now. It has a great mix of thoughtful (and occasionally hilarious) hosts who offer meaningful insights into playing and designing games. Their “What We Talk About” episodes in particular have enriched my appreciation for games in general, and given me language to critically reflect on games I’ve played and what makes them great (or not) for me. Overall, I’m ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    mdpmclean
    Canadaa month ago
  • If you want to talk about games...

    ...this is the show for you. The hosts do a great job of digging into the concepts and building blocks of games to understand how they work and how we interact with them. The ideas themselves are timeless and applicable, but they also weave in new as well as classic games as examples or counter-examples for the ideas being discussed. Way to go guys, keep it up!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Salt and Sass
    United States2 months ago
  • Waxing poetic about playing, without the pretentiousness

    I missed seeing their smiling faces on YouTube so much that I had to find them here. I suppose the soothing sounds of the D space will have to do.

    While I enjoy the meticulous breakdowns of the intricate mechanics and decisions in heavier games, I especially enjoy their appreciation for the more elegant, streamlined and easily shared side of our hobby.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Hearkener
    United States2 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Community-driven with insightful design vocabulary and examples.
Deep, thoughtful discussions with accessible explanations for designers and players.
A standout for exploring game design through decision-making and mechanisms.
Solid host chemistry; rigorous yet down-to-earth and friendly.
The show digs into concepts and builds a practical understanding of games.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#190
United States/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#176
Canada/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#74
France/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#127
Italy/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#222
Australia/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#15
Saudi Arabia/Leisure/Games

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Area Control, Majority, and Conflict (What We Talk About)
Q: What makes a good area control game?
A good area control game creates close decisions where players can experience swings in power and have emotional highs and lows, which makes the gameplay memorable.
Trio, Jungo, and the Joys of Family Gaming with Jason Schneider
Q: How did your experiences influence the design of family games?
Growing up with games like cards and experiences from Sesame Street helped me realize the importance of entertaining both children and adults together, which is reflected in the mission of Happy Camper Games.
Trio, Jungo, and the Joys of Family Gaming with Jason Schneider
Q: What is the difference between a children's game and a family game?
A children's game often requires adults to cheat to make it enjoyable for kids, whereas a family game engages both kids and adults with competitive or cooperative elements that allow for meaningful decision-making.
Brain Burning Decision Spaces and Castles of Mad King Ludwig
Q: Why are we not grabbing Castles of Mad King Ludwig off the shelves as much?
It occupies a middle ground between light and heavy games, making it less appealing for certain game nights, while players have moved onto other types of experiences.
Brain Burning Decision Spaces and Castles of Mad King Ludwig
Q: Why do you think it is that a lot of board gamers love brain burn in games?
Board games often attract people who like to challenge their brains to do something difficult, similar to how people enjoy physical exercise.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
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Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Decision Space

What is Decision Space about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A board-game focused discussion that probes how decisions shape play, design, and player experience. Across episodes, the show dives into game mechanics, design philosophy, and the psychology of play, often unpacking complex systems with rigorous yet accessible analysis. Guests range from philosophers and game theorists to designers and educators, offering varied perspectives on why certain rules, scoring, and decision spaces create engaging play. Notable is a willingness to formalize concepts with shared terminology, plus a strong community around deep-dive conversations and approachable explanations for listeners who want to improve their own design or play.

Where can I find podcast stats for Decision Space?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Decision Space. 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 Decision Space and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Decision Space get?

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What are the audience demographics for Decision Space?

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How many subscribers and views does Decision Space have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Decision Space 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 Decision Space?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Decision Space:

1. So Very Wrong About Games
2. Board Game Hot Takes
3. Board Game Barrage
4. Game Brain: A Board Game Podcast About Our Gaming Group
5. Shut Up & Sit Down

How many episodes of Decision Space are there?

Decision Space launched 5 years ago and published 262 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 Decision Space?

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 Decision Space?

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What guests have appeared on Decision Space?

Recent guests on Decision Space include:

1. C. Thi Nguyen
2. Andy Nealen
3. Jason Schneider
4. Joe Howe
5. Jon Perry
6. Dan Thurot
7. Paul Solomon
8. Jared Ingersoll

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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