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Artwork for Five Games for Doomsday

Five Games for Doomsday

Ben Maddox
Board Games
Clue
Board Game Geek
Gloomhaven
New Year's Resolutions
Horseless Carriage
Temple Of Elemental Evil
Christmas
Thunder Road
Spiel Des Jahres
Berlin
Betrayal Legacy
Pandemic Legacy Season 1
Ginkgopolis
Wyrmspan
Waterdeep
Aldebaran Duel
Brass Birmingham
New Jersey
Tim Cook

Five games for Doomsday is a show in which people are thrust into a cabin in the woods but can only take five of their games with them. Which will they choose?Become a supporter of this podcast: www.spreaker.com/podcast/five-games-for-doomsday--5631121/support.

PublishesDailyEpisodes870Founded8 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
HobbiesLeisureGames

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Artwork for Five Games for Doomsday

Latest Episodes

Ben and Uli are joined by war game legend, Mark Herman to talk aboout the importance of historical games.

Become a supporter of this podcast: www.spreaker.com/podcast/five-games-for-doomsday--5631121/support.

Support the show here

Ben sits down with Friedemann Friese to talk Leira Con and his life in games.

Become a supporter of this podcast: www.spreaker.com/podcast/five-games-for-doomsday--5631121/support.

Support the show here

In this news flash Ben speaks with author of The Score, C.Thi Nguyen.

Become a supporter of this podcast: www.spreaker.com/podcast/five-games-for-doomsday--5631121/support.

Support the show here

In this episode Ben and Isaac talk about getting to the end of the book and some of the interesting things they've found out.

Become a supporter of this podcast: www.spreaker.com/podcast/five-games-for-doomsday--5631121/support.

Support th... more

Key Facts

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

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Recent Guests

C. Thi Nguyen
Author of The Score; philosopher of games
University of Utah
Episode: The Score with C Thi Nguyen - 5G4D News Flash
Luke Laurie
Board game designer and developer, Cardboard Alchemy
Cardboard Alchemy
Episode: Luke Laurie
Richard Launius
Game designer; noted Lovecraftian designer and Arkham Horror co-creator
Episode: 5G4D Classics - Richard Launius
Hanno Gerke
Head of Lookout Games
Lookout Games
Episode: Cd Hunter's Game of the Century - Semi Finals
Petra Murmak
Head of CGE's Codenames development
Czech Games Edition
Episode: Cd Hunter's Game of the Century - Semi Finals
JJ Neville
Game designer of Mycelia.
Episode: Battle Report - Mycelia(Sample of Patreon Content)
Malachi Ray Rempen
Owner of Keen Bean Studios and designer of board games
Keen Bean Studios
Episode: Malachi Ray Rempen on Almighty
Besime Uyanik
CEO of Ion Games
Ion Games
Episode: Besime Uyanik on MinIon Subscriptions
Christian Opperer
Illustrator and graphic novel writer, known for his work on Cloud Age and Ohanami.
Episode: Christian Opperer

Hosts

Ben Maddox
Primary host and interviewer; involved in designing, publishing, and discussing board games; known for deep-dive questions and wide-ranging conversations.
Steve
Co-host who contributes banter, topic framing, and industry perspectives; focuses on interviews, news segments, and analysis.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 195 ratings
  • Hands down the best board game podcast

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Markus Shepherd
    2 years ago
  • 5G4D can’t be beaten.

    I’ve been listening to Ben since the earlier days of his previous podcasting venture, and over the years he has just gotten better and better. I don’t always agree with his opinions, but I never tire of his hard work and dedication to delivering excellent interviews and commentary. He and Steve have developed a comfortable rapport, and the show always delivers some laughs as well as really interesting content. Ben’s game reviews break away from the tired format of “sort of teach the game, just e... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Up Late Again
    United States3 years ago
  • Low brow humour, highbrow content

    Simply the best board game podcast on the net. Thoughtful interviews are the core of the podcast, but it’s fearless treatment of philosophical issues is excellent. Ben, Steven and guest may not always be right, but they are always thoughtful and challenging.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    cdhunter-gladiator
    New Zealand3 years ago
  • In this podcast you'll get everything. The best serious interview series in board gaming and at the same time the silliest game plays (battle report) but also some fine acting on the solo RPG shows.

    Podcast Addict
    axllxa
    3 years ago
  • I would like to be stuck on an island with Ben

    I really like both the quick fire well thought out reviews and the bigger moain episodes where you really get under the skin of the guests. A really interesting podcast. Brilliant stuff

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    We're Not Wizards
    United Kingdom3 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Consistently delivers thoughtful, provocative discussions that challenge the status quo in board gaming.
Thoughtful interviews with designers and publishers, plus sharp game insights.
Energetic, witty hosting with deep knowledge of the hobby, though occasional commercial breaks can disrupt pacing.
High-quality long-form conversations, with entertaining banter.
Great balance of design, business, and hobby topics; some guests push into political territory.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#203
Canada/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#233
United Kingdom/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#132
Germany/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#146
Australia/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#217
France/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#14
South Korea/Leisure/Games

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Live at Leiria with Friedemann Friese
Q: So, what's your attitude toward testing here at Leiria Con, and how is it different from Essen?
The focus is less on testing rules and more on acceptance—seeing if people enjoy the flow and feel of the game, and whether it resonates enough to publish.
The Score with C Thi Nguyen - 5G4D News Flash
Q: I want to ask a question about philosophy now. There feels like an impulse to give a name to a concept, a vocal shorthand. To what degree is philosophy about taxonomy and to what degree is it about defintion?
Naming helps carve up concepts, but the book argues for deeper purpose than labels; it's about carving up the world to illuminate relationships between ideas like gamification, value capture, and the ethics of information; the terms evolve as the ideas evolve.
The Score with C Thi Nguyen - 5G4D News Flash
Q: And forgive me, I forget your term now, the results player, the achievement player. Can you explain to the listeners, sort of basically, what those two archetypes are?
Two quick arguments explain striving play: one, cooperation with a spouse who is stronger in certain kinds of reasoning can lead to delicious, balanced play when strategy guides are avoided; the other is the idea that the purpose of play often lies in the struggle and social experience rather than purely in winning.
Malachi Ray Rempen on Almighty
Q: So let's get up to Almighty then, because I did a video on games I was looking forward to in 2024. And Almighty featured on that video, because I liked the idea.
Almighty is an asymmetric area control lane battler where players play as ancient gods with unique mechanisms, influencing neutral mortals.
Malachi Ray Rempen on Almighty
Q: So, Malachi, first of all, people will probably know you from Roll Camera, your co-op filmmaking game. But what is Keen Bean been up to and what's the sort of situation at the moment?
Keen Bean has been primarily focused on developing Almighty, which has taken up a significant part of my development pipeline.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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Frequently Asked Questions About Five Games for Doomsday

What is Five Games for Doomsday about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A sharp, design-forward board game podcast that pairs deep-dive interviews with concise game reviews and industry analysis. Episodes frequently center on high-profile designers and publishers, exploring design decisions, development tensions, and the broader impact of games like Agricola, Pandemic, War of the Ring, and Codenames. The show also uses a recurring “five games for doomsday” premise to frame personal histories, creative processes, and business insights, making it valuable for listeners who want both tactical game critiques and candid creator stories. A standout trait is the host's willingness to push provocative questions while staying entertaining, often weaving cultural and political threads into discussions about games and the... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Five Games for Doomsday?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Five Games for Doomsday:

1. Board Game Barrage
2. So Very Wrong About Games
3. Board Game Hot Takes
4. Sporadically Board with Mike and Dan
5. The Dice Tower

How many episodes of Five Games for Doomsday are there?

Five Games for Doomsday launched 8 years ago and published 870 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 Five Games for Doomsday?

Recent guests on Five Games for Doomsday include:

1. C. Thi Nguyen
2. Luke Laurie
3. Richard Launius
4. Hanno Gerke
5. Petra Murmak
6. JJ Neville
7. Malachi Ray Rempen
8. Besime Uyanik

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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