Rephonic
Artwork for Ludology
Game Design
Board Games
Tabletop Role-Playing Games
Board Game Design
Education
Aerith Magin
Dungeons and Dragons
Phantom Ink
Game Mechanics
Player Psychology
Board Game Industry
Tabletop Gaming
Tabletop Role Playing Games
Unpub
Player Experience
Emotional Intelligence
Mistwind
Theme
Engagement In Games
Child Development

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 monthlyEpisodes695Founded15 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
LeisureGamesVideo Games

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Ludology

Latest Episodes

Sen flies solo and interviews Yeonsoo Julian Kim, narrative designer behind "The Fog Knows Your Name" and "Undying Fortress" on Choice Of Games, about interactive fiction games, TTRPGs, horror, and more!

Erica and Sen speak with author and academic, J. Rey Lee, about his book entitled, "Unsettling Catan: Detached Design in Eurogames". They discuss Catan's impact on the hobby, what detached design actually is, and what game designers can do to avoid d... more

Sen and Erica interview George and Jack Furnival, the couple behind Carrooka - the tabletop snooker game. To see exactly what we're talking about on the podcast, check out pictures on their website: www.carrooka.com

Be sure to listen to the compani... more

Sen talks to Chris Chung at BreakoutCon 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Chris talks about the origins of Lanterns, his work on the My Little Pony deckbuilder, and online playtesting.

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.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

The Dice Tower
The Dice TowerTom Vasel, Julie Ahern, and Eric Summerer
Shut Up & Sit Down
Shut Up & Sit DownShut Up & Sit Down
Board Game Barrage
Board Game BarrageBoard Game Barrage
Board Game Hot Takes
Board Game Hot TakesBoard Game Hot Takes

Recent Guests

Yeonsoo Julian Kim
Narrative designer and interactive fiction author
Avatar Legends; Thirsty Sword Lesbians; Choice Of Games
Episode: Ludology 358 What's Your Story?
J. Ray Lee
Author and academic; author of Unsettling Catan
Episode: Ludology 357 Unsettling Catan
Jack Furnival
Designer/ craftsman behind Carrooka
Carrooka (Furnival partnership)
Episode: Ludology 356 Put A Little English On It
Georgina Furnival
Co-creator, seamstress, and collaborator on Carrooka
Carrooka (Furnival partnership)
Episode: Ludology 356 Put A Little English On It
Christopher Chung
Board game designer and developer known for Lanterns; designer of My Little Pony: Deck-Building Game
Renegade Game Studios / Foxtrot
Episode: Pros and Cons Ep 18
Spenser Starke
Game designer and producer, lead designer of Daggerheart
Darrington Press, Critical Role
Episode: Ludology 354 Like A Dagger In My Heart
Peter Williamson
Co-founder and partner at Barometer XP and executive director of Game Genius
Barometer XP / Game Genius
Episode: Ludology 353 The Power of Play
Liqin Gu
Marketing and Sales Director at Longpack
Longpack Manufacturing
Episode: Ludology 352 Making the Game
Mitch Zhang
Marketing Director at Longpack
Longpack Manufacturing
Episode: Ludology 352 Making the Game

Hosts

Erica Buiris
Host of Ludology; multiple affiliations noted across episodes
Sen Fung Lim
Co-host of Ludology; frequent collaborator with Erica Buiris

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 549 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 Statesa year 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 States2 years ago
  • Jacob Geller

    He sent me

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jamez iz cool
    United States2 years ago
  • Really gets into the details of gaming, and understanding them. Highly recommend.

    Podchaser
    5
    George
    3 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 States3 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Overall, the show is regarded as insightful for game design and industry topics.
Listeners praise deep, design-focused discussions and value expert guests.
Some reviews note political discussions when present, with mixed reactions.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#249
United States/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#121
United Kingdom/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#149
Italy/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#34
Ukraine/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#62
Taiwan/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#75
Hong Kong/Leisure/Games

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Ludology 357 Unsettling Catan
Q: What motivated you to write about Unsettling Catan, and how did the project come together with the editors of the new tabletop game series?
He describes the evolution from a long-studied interest in Catan to a larger project spurred by editors Paul Booth and Aaron Tramiel, who invited him to contribute to a series while emphasizing contemporary relevance.
Ludology 357 Unsettling Catan
Q: For listeners who may not know you yet, can you share a bit about your background and what led you to study boardgames from an academic and cultural perspective?
Lee explains his path as an academic with a literature and philosophy background, his pivot to studying board games as cultural artifacts, and how his earlier Lego work influenced his approach to game systems and critique.
Ludology 356 Put A Little English On It
Q: For listeners who don't know snooker, what has to happen and how does that relate to Carrooka's gameplay?
Snooker requires hitting a red, then a color in a specific order, which creates strategic, positional play; Carrooka mirrors that by allowing players to plan shots and leave the white striker in ways that set up difficult next shots for opponents, combining cue discipline with board positioning.
Pros and Cons Ep 18
Q: What have you learned as a play tester and designer in this community?
That observing how others play your game reveals ideas you never imagined, and giving feedback with kindness helps everyone improve while keeping the process constructive and growth-focused.
Pros and Cons Ep 18
Q: What piece of advice would you give to designers starting out?
Know when to stop designing and start testing with others; early designs often need external feedback to become viable, and you should seek honest, constructive input rather than only praise from close friends or family.

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 Ludology

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

Analytical discussions focused on board game design, history, and player experience rather than routine news or reviews. Episodes explore how games are crafted, from abstract design principles and thematic decisions to production realities and community dynamics. Expect deep dives into game mechanics, design philosophy, and the broader cultural and educational implications of gaming, often featuring designers, researchers, and industry professionals who share practical insights, critique, and real-world stories. Notable is a willingness to blend rigorous theory with accessible storytelling, plus frequent attention to how collaboration, production, and community spaces shape what ends up on tables nationwide.

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?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Ludology, 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 Ludology?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Ludology, 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 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. So Very Wrong About Games
3. Shut Up & Sit Down
4. Board Game Barrage
5. Board Game Hot Takes

How many episodes of Ludology are there?

Ludology launched 15 years ago and published 695 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.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Ludology?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Ludology 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 Ludology?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Ludology. 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 Ludology?

Recent guests on Ludology include:

1. Yeonsoo Julian Kim
2. J. Ray Lee
3. Jack Furnival
4. Georgina Furnival
5. Christopher Chung
6. Spenser Starke
7. Peter Williamson
8. Liqin Gu

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