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Artwork for Ludonarrative Dissidents

Ludonarrative Dissidents

Ross Payton
Tabletop Rpgs
Dungeon Crawl Classics
Heart: the City Beneath
Delta Green
Game Mechanics
Dungeon Crawling
Character-Driven Rpgs
Dark Fantasy
Gen Con
Kickstarter
Hole In the Sky
The Lost Universe
Role-Playing Games
Superhero Role-Playing Games
Body Horror
Savage Worlds Adventure Edition
Night's Black Agents
James Bond 007
Pendragon
Actual Play Podcasting

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 monthlyEpisodes77Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
LeisureGames

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Artwork for Ludonarrative Dissidents

Latest Episodes

We have a special guest, Adam Scott Glancy, one of the Delta Green co-authors! He clarifies a few points about Delta Green Countdown.

Watch the livestream on Youtube

⁠⁠⁠⁠Discuss this episode on our Discord.

Sponsor: Technical Difficulties Podcast - check out an excellent actual play RPG podcast, featuring Delta Green, Eclipse Phase, and many other fine systems featured on LND.

Delta Green Countdown is a massive sourcebook for the original edition of De... more

Our first livestream of the year! We talk about new games we played and a grabag of topics.

Watch the livestream on Youtube

⁠⁠⁠Discuss this episode on our Discord.

ALICE IS MISSING is a self-contained one-session RPG for 3–5 players, designed by Spenser Stark and released in 2020 by Hunters Entertainment with Renegade Game Studios, after a Kickstarter that raised $138,000. It’s been described as ‘unique’, ‘subl... more

Key Facts

Accepts Sponsors
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

Adam Scott Glancy
Designer at Pagan Publishing and contributor to Delta Green
Pagan Publishing
Episode: Livestream for February 2026
Gareth Hanrahan
Author and RPG designer known for creating the Laundry Files RPG
Episode: Hole in the Sky - Dungeon Crawl Classics Module #86 - Actual Play

Hosts

James Wallis
One of the co-founders and a frequent host. Recognized for deep dives into game design, narrative structure, and historical influences in RPGs.
Ross Payton
Co-host and producer with ongoing contributions as a designer and commentator on RPG systems and industry trends.
Greg Stolze
Co-host and frequent contributor, known for game design insights and critique of mechanics and publishing history.

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 121 ratings
  • 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
    Germany4 months 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 Statesa year ago
  • “Soooo… uuuuh… yeah.”

    This persistent refrain seems to be caused by one of the hosts constantly getting distracted and losing his train of thought halfway through a sentence. Another host interrupts with constant pointless overindulgent digressions. The topics are very interesting, but recent episodes just can’t seem to stay on topic. They never follow through on the framing device questions they supposedly have for themselves. I don’t know if they’re too busy or distracted by a live chat or if their hearts just aren... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    trurl_klapaucius
    United States2 years ago
  • Sophomoric

    If you want a morning shock jock attitude on games, this is your show. In their review of Pendragon, one critique of the game was that it can’t stand up to modern sarcasm, with an example of “what is stopping someone from throwing a Frankish axe at a man’s groin and saying ‘I just franked your beans’?” Blame juvenile player behavior on the game?

    Dice Exploder is a much better game design podcast.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Icengine
    United States2 years ago
  • Greg Stolze

    Greg is so obnoxious. He constantly cuts the others off, goes on tangents, pronounces a lot of game names incorrectly even when in English, this guy just jerks off to himself. Can’t stand his need to try and make comparisons to something grander ALL THE TIME. He’s so bad he brings the shows quality down.

    The other two hosts are fantastic and actually can be funny without trying to quiet each other.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Chromie92
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Insightful and knowledgeable about RPG design and industry history, with humor that lands for many listeners.
Some guests and hosts face criticism for interruptions or tangents, but the host trio remains a strong draw for the audience.
Some listeners feel recent episodes drift and overrun topics, detracting from framing questions.
Episodes mix sharp analysis with entertaining anecdotes, a strong draw for serious tabletop fans.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#55
Sweden/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#114
Colombia/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#154
Norway/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#171
Israel/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#196
Russia/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#199
Finland/Leisure/Games

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

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.
Livestream for February 2026
Q: What broke down during the long gap between Delta Green books?
It was not planned; they faced significant issues with money and distribution, particularly with printers that led to delays.
Livestream for February 2026
Q: How can you run it after, say, Impossible Landscapes or the Cowboy Years when the grind was what did you win?
Countdown is several campaigns in one where you focus on one folk group at a time instead of switching weekly between them.
Delta Green: Convergence
Q: What do you think is the purpose of this scenario? What is it trying to do for the players or to the players?
It's really interesting. I came fresh to Convergence. I've not read it before. It's very much set in 1996...

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
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Frequently Asked Questions About Ludonarrative Dissidents

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

A discussion-driven show that dissects tabletop RPGs by examining how games work, what players experience, and why certain systems endure. Across episodes, the trio dives into design choices, mechanics, and the cultural context of titles like Delta Green, craft-heavy sourcebooks, and indie adventures, all while weaving in personal play anecdotes and industry anecdotes. The tone blends rigorous analysis with humor, frequently revisiting common design challenges, historical influences, and the evolving landscape of role-playing games. A standout aspect is its willingness to critique sensitive material and historical portrayals, while still celebrating inventive mechanics and storytelling approaches that push the form forward.

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Which podcasts are similar to Ludonarrative Dissidents?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Ludonarrative Dissidents:

1. Dice Exploder
2. RPPR Actual Play
3. Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff
4. System Mastery
5. The GROGNARD Files

How many episodes of Ludonarrative Dissidents are there?

Ludonarrative Dissidents launched 4 years ago and published 77 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. Adam Scott Glancy
2. Gareth Hanrahan

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