Rephonic
Artwork for Ludology
Tabletop Role-Playing Games
Game Design
Board Game Design
Board Game Industry
Child Development
Board Games
Game Mechanics
Unpub
Covid-19 Impact
Crowdfunding
The Spill
Toy Design
Player Psychology
Marketing In Games
Takaido
Intrinsic Motivation
Child Education
Engagement Strategies
Kickstarter
Environmentalism

Welcome to Ludology, an analytical discussion of the how's and why's of the world of board games. Rather than news and reviews, Ludology explores a variety of topics about games from a wider lens, and discusses game history, game design and game players. Ludology is part of The Dice Tower Network, the premier board game media network.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes685Founded15 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
GamesVideo GamesLeisure

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Artwork for Ludology

Latest Episodes

Erica and Sen talk with Dr. Joe Macisco, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences at Wright State University's Boonshoft School of Medicine. Joe has been working on designing serious games for use in the publi... more

Sen and Erica welcome Sarah Shipp, guest host of Thinking Beyond Mechanisms, to talk about some of the ways in which theme can be measured and how that affects game design.

Sen and special guest host Doug Levandowski (Kids on Bikes) talk with Noxweiler Ignatius Berf (or "Nox" for short) about his work on the storytelling game, Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees, based on the comic series of the same name. They discuss ... more

Erica and Sen welcome Jordan Goddard of Indy Game Lab to talk about his company's newest product - family games that are packaged inside of Christmas ornaments. Currently on Kickstarter, Jordan discusses why he chose to create games that might only c... more

Key Facts

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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Carl de Visser
Board game designer and co-designer of Endeavor
Endeavor
Episode: Ludology 347 Sail Away
Jarratt Gray
Board game designer and co-designer of Endeavor
Endeavor
Episode: Ludology 347 Sail Away
Kristin Vermilya
Audio producer and reporter working on a documentary about TTRPGs
Independent Producer
Episode: Ludology 345 Out of the Dungeon
Nathan Long
Senior game writer at InXile Entertainment, author and game designer with a history in screenwriting and game writing.
InXile Entertainment
Episode: Pros and Cons Ep 14
Daniel H. Kwan
Fellow writer and game designer
Episode: Pros and Cons Ep 12
Daniel Newman
Designer and publisher under New Mill Industries, known for bringing trick-taking games from Japan to the Americas.
New Mill Industries
Episode: Ludology 344 Indie Games Night Market
Simon Ennis
Filmmaker and director of the documentary 'The Hobby, Tales from the Tabletop'
Episode: Ludology 342 Games on the Big Screen
Dekan Wheeler
Senior Product Manager at UltraPro
UltraPro
Episode: Ludology 341 Accesorize Your Games
Ellie Dix
Board game designer, author, and founder of The Dark Imp
The Dark Imp
Episode: Ludology 340 Corporate Game Play

Hosts

Erica Buyuras
Co-host of discussions that analyze game design and mechanics, emphasizing themes and emotional experiences in gaming.
Sen Fung-Lim
Co-host who brings a critical academic perspective to the analysis of gaming principles and experiences.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 547 ratings
  • Always Sparks Inspiration

    I've been listening through several hosting iterations and it remains solid and thought provoking as ever

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Fin Coe
    United States7 months ago
  • Casual conversation from serious experts

    I like the episodes the best when Lim’s academic perspective and Bouyouris’s business acumen come to the fore. They approach each guest with candor and curiosity and remember to keep the fun of gaming in of the conversation.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jeff in LFP
    United Statesa year ago
  • Jacob Geller

    He sent me

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jamez iz cool
    United Statesa year ago
  • Really gets into the details of gaming, and understanding them. Highly recommend.

    Podchaser
    5
    George
    2 years ago
  • Turned to junk

    This uses to be a great podcast. Then it became a platform for SJW’s to promote leftist politics. But, I still listened every other week to game tech and anatomy of a board game. Now, 2023, it’s just a wank fest of jargon, pretense, and elitist self-congratulation. Their use of meaningless 50-cent words is beyond worthless and I feel more stupid for hearing it. After hearing the latest self-important mechanism mini-episode I can see it’s time for this designer to get out of here and back to the ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    horgar
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

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

There are mixed views on the balance of social commentary and game-focused content; some prefer a strict focus on mechanics and design.
Many appreciate the insightful discussions that inspire creative thinking about game design.
Listeners find value in the depth of analysis provided on game mechanics and player experiences.
Overall, the podcast is praised for being an educational resource for aspiring game designers.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#139
Canada/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#183
United Kingdom/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#21
Italy/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#161
Italy/Leisure
Apple Podcasts
#201
France/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#29
Ukraine/Leisure/Games

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Ludology 350 Beneath The Trees
Q: What would be an example of like an Act 3 prompt?
There's a prompt called Red Herring, where you can switch some materials and frame somebody else, and another one is called Into The Night, which gives players the chance to escape and hide their crimes.
Ludology 350 Beneath The Trees
Q: How did you pick this intellectual property, this comic book, this graphic series to make a game about?
I think that the core of it, what drew me to it was that it's what we've been calling Cozy Core Horror, it feels warm and fuzzy, but man, do they go there.
Ludology 349 Reindeer Games
Q: How do you approach different family dynamics in holiday game designs?
He mentioned designing separate family and strategy packs to cater to diverse gaming experiences across different ages and skill levels.
Ludology 349 Reindeer Games
Q: How do you ensure the replayability of Christmas-themed games?
Jordan explained that while he doesn't expect them to be played year-round, the games are designed to be fun enough for at least a few uses each holiday season.
Ludology 349 Reindeer Games
Q: What inspired the line of Christmas-themed games?
Jordan shared that the idea was sparked during December downtime at his studio, wanting to create unique ornaments that contained games.

Audience Metrics

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions About Ludology

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

An analytical exploration of the intricacies of board games, this podcast offers listeners engaging discussions focused on the principles behind game design, emotional connections in gameplay, and the evolution of game mechanics. Rather than distributing news or reviews, episodes dive into themes such as thematic design, player psychology, and social dynamics within games, featuring perspectives from both emerging and established game designers. The content appeals not only to avid gamers but also to those interested in the philosophical and cultural implications of gaming.

Where can I find podcast stats for Ludology?

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

How many listeners does Ludology get?

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What are the audience demographics for Ludology?

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How many subscribers and views does Ludology have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Ludology 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 Ludology?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Ludology:

1. The Dice Tower
2. Shut Up & Sit Down
3. So Very Wrong About Games
4. Board Game Barrage
5. The Secret Cabal Gaming Podcast

How many episodes of Ludology are there?

Ludology launched 15 years ago and published 685 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 Ludology?

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.

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What guests have appeared on Ludology?

Recent guests on Ludology include:

1. Carl de Visser
2. Jarratt Gray
3. Kristin Vermilya
4. Nathan Long
5. Daniel H. Kwan
6. Daniel Newman
7. Simon Ennis
8. Dekan Wheeler

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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