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Artwork for Ludonarrative Dissidents

Ludonarrative Dissidents

Ross Payton
Tabletop Rpgs
Delta Green
Cyberpunk Red
Game Mechanics
Dungeon Crawl Classics
Heart: the City Beneath
Character Development
Brindlewood Bay
Kickstarter
Dogs In the Vineyard
Night City
Role Playing Games
Gen Con
Dungeon Crawling
Rifts
Call Of Cthulhu
Character-Driven Rpgs
Japan
Role-Playing Games
Ars Magica

Ludonarrative Dissidents is a podcast from Greg Stolze, James Wallis, and Ross Payton to explore and analyze tabletop RPGs. What does each game do, how does it work, and why do people play it? We are currently in season 3, and we've expanded to include sourcebooks and adventures. Visit our website at www.ludonarrativedissidents.com/ to get detailed show notes. Join our Discord at d... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes93Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
GamesLeisure

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Artwork for Ludonarrative Dissidents

Latest Episodes

The season 4 Kickstarter is in its final days! Back today to help us get more episodes unlocked!

Our guests, Chris Spivey and Adam Scott Glancy both work for Arc Dream and discuss Delta Green, The Black Company RPG and Chris' work on Harlem Unbound ... more

Special guests Gareth Hanrahan (The One Ring RPG and too many games to count) and Ben Robbins (Microscope) join us for another live episode of LND to discuss game design and history.

Back the LND Kickstarter today and join our book club on game des... more

We hosted a live episode to talk about the launch of our Season 4 Kickstarter. Join me, Greg Stolze, James Wallis and special guests Meg and Vincent Baker (Apocalypse World, Dogs in the Vineyard and many more) as we discuss the history of RPGs, possi... more

The Season 4 LND Kickstarter pre-launch page is live! www.kickstarter.com/projects/rosspayton/ludonarrative-dissidents-podcast-season-4The Quiet Year is a map game. You define the struggles of a post-apocalyptic community, and attempt to buil... more

Key Facts

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Number of Listeners
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Recent Guests

Gareth Hanrahan
Role-playing game writer and novelist whose work includes The One Ring RPG
Episode: The One Ring RPG and Microscope 2E: Live with Gareth Hanrahan and Ben Robbins
Ben Robbins
Game designer of Microscope and its upcoming second edition
Episode: The One Ring RPG and Microscope 2E: Live with Gareth Hanrahan and Ben Robbins
Meg Baker
Role-playing game designer and co-creator of Apocalypse World
Episode: Vincent and Meg Baker and Season 4 Kickstarter Launch!
Vincent Baker
Role-playing game designer and co-creator of Apocalypse World
Episode: Vincent and Meg Baker and Season 4 Kickstarter Launch!
Avery Alder
Creator of The Quiet Year and many other games
Buried Without Ceremony
Episode: The Quiet Year: An Actual Play featuring creator Avery Alder and Dr. Emily Friedman
Emily Friedman
Scholar of tabletop role-playing games
Auburn University; Folger Shakespeare Library
Episode: The Quiet Year: An Actual Play featuring creator Avery Alder and Dr. Emily Friedman
Kevin Kulp
One of the game's creators running the actual play
Swords of the Serpentine (Pelgrane Press)
Episode: Swords of the Serpentine Actual Play
Dr. Emily Friedman
Scholar on actual play
Academic expert on actual play
Episode: Ludonarrative Dissidents Livestream for June 2026
Jerry Grayson
Run Khepera Publishing. Publisher of role-playing game books
Khepera Publishing
Episode: Ludonarrative Dissidents Livestream for May

Hosts

Greg Stolze
Host of Ludonarrative Dissidents
James Wallis
Host of Ludonarrative Dissidents
Ross Payton
Host of Ludonarrative Dissidents

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 136 ratings
  • Very informed discussion about ttrpgs with veterans of the industry.

    If you are serious about these games, you should listen

    Podcast Addict
    5
    jay cat
    15 days ago
  • I like it!

    I listened to the Ars Magica episode as a targeted listen to learn more about the game. I think I’ve listened to 3-4 groups review it and I think I liked this one the best. Well done!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Thorlik
    United Statesa month ago
  • Nope

    Nobody asked about your FF13 opinions.

    Also, every time they talk about RPG history, they get it wrong. No one on this podcast seems to actually know any RPG history. They have hazy, dusty memories, but they don’t have any good facts. It’s all just wrong.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Teem Dodger
    United States7 months ago
  • RPG deep dive

    LND is a great podcast about designing, running and playing TTRPGs. Loaded with tons of experience and also very funny at times. Top notch.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Holle reviewing
    Germanya year ago
  • Great potential

    Knowledgeable TTRPG luminaries discuss various games and game topics, and episodes are great when they (occasionally) rise above snark and tangents.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Corvi
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

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

The show has strong RPG design chops but can feel sprawling and tangential at times, which may deter casual listeners.
Guests and deep dives keep it rewarding for serious designers and experienced players.
The hosts' chemistry and humor are a major draw, though some episodes lean hard into industry lore.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#136
United States/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#239
Canada/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#72
Australia/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#140
France/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#148
Germany/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#217
Italy/Leisure/Games

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Vincent and Meg Baker and Season 4 Kickstarter Launch!
Q: What are you playing or what do you play other than Escape from the Aliens and Outer Space?
Vincent describes What Dust Remains, a collaborative game about a character's life and legacy, and recommends choosing a character whose ideals matter to the players. James talks about Old Cold in the Bold, a crime game for three players.
Vincent and Meg Baker and Season 4 Kickstarter Launch!
Q: What do you think is going to be the inclined plane? What do you think is going to be?
Meg discusses role-playing's longer history, including storytelling and play traditions predating modern tabletop RPGs, while Vincent and the hosts consider how the form may continue to change.
The One Ring RPG and Microscope 2E: Live with Gareth Hanrahan and Ben Robbins
Q: What's the title of it again?
Robbins identifies the game as This Means War, a public playtest project in which a game-run oracle determines events in a war while players portray people living through them.
The One Ring RPG and Microscope 2E: Live with Gareth Hanrahan and Ben Robbins
Q: What is new or different about Microscope 2?
Robbins says the second edition streamlines and clarifies the original rules, making the book more procedural and easier for newcomers to use at the table while preserving the game's core experience.
Livestream for February 2026
Q: Were there any other intelligence agencies considered for Delta Green?
Not really, but the French agency had a soft spot due to their insane historical context.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
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Interests
Professions
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Frequently Asked Questions About Ludonarrative Dissidents

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

A long-running, panel-style show where three hosts dissect tabletop RPGs to answer what each game does, how it works, and why players engage with it. Episodes blend in-depth design analysis, system mechanics, and narrative approaches with lively banter, tangents, and occasional guests, covering everything from classic lineages to modern sourcebooks and one-shots. Notable strengths include rigorous design critique paired with accessible storytelling, a willingness to explore indie publishing, and a penchant for tying game design to real-world play experiences. Listeners can expect thoughtful conversations about how games shape play, what makes campaigns engaging, and how publishing and community dynamics influence the hobby, all delivered wi... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Ludonarrative Dissidents?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Ludonarrative Dissidents:

1. Role Playing Public Radio
2. Dice Exploder
3. Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff
4. RPPR Actual Play
5. System Mastery

How many episodes of Ludonarrative Dissidents are there?

Ludonarrative Dissidents launched 4 years ago and published 93 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 Ludonarrative Dissidents?

Recent guests on Ludonarrative Dissidents include:

1. Gareth Hanrahan
2. Ben Robbins
3. Meg Baker
4. Vincent Baker
5. Avery Alder
6. Emily Friedman
7. Kevin Kulp
8. Dr. Emily Friedman

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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