Rephonic
Artwork for Something Rotten
Disco Elysium
God Of War
Max Payne
Metal Gear Solid 2
Hideo Kojima
Iron Lung
Metal Gear Solid
Exit 8
Silent Hill
In the Miso Soup
Merch Orders
Spec Ops: the Line
Kim Kitsuragi
Call Of Duty: Black Ops
Platform 8
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons Of Liberty
Max Payne 2: the Fall Of Max Payne
Addiction
Violence
Writing

Blake Hester and Jacob Geller explore the world of dark, violent, and nihilistic video games.

PublishesMonthlyEpisodes95Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Leisure

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Something Rotten

Latest Episodes

Jacob and Blake convene to answer YOUR questions!

Something Rotten is better on Nebula – sign up today and find the premium feed at nebula.tv/somethingrotten/

Check out Sniper Shirts and use discount code "ROTTEN" for $5 off your order: ht... more

Blake and Jacob reconvene to discuss the movie adaptation of Exit 8. Sorry, Richard Brody! It's all love.

Something Rotten is better on Nebula – sign up today and find the premium feed at nebula.tv/somethingrotten/

Send thoughts and questio... more

SORRY ABOUT THE AUDIO I WAS FLYIN BY THE SEAT OF MY PANTS

Blake is joined by Leo Vader and Chris Plante to unpack Resident Evil Requiem. A game that's great, probably. Full spoilers!!!

Something Rotten is better on Nebula – sign up today and find ... more

HEARTWARMING! A first-time director with millions of dollars and a built-in audience of 38.4 million subscribers got his little indie film played in theaters across the nation. Too bad Blake Hester, Jacob Geller, and Ashley Bardhan are here to poopoo... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
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Recent Guests

Chris Plante
Video game journalist and host at Postgames
Postgames
Episode: Resident Evil Requiem Spoilercast (ft. Chris Plante and Leo Vader)
AJ Moser
Friend of the pod, previously appeared on a Max Payne commentary episode.
Episode: God of War III — Episode 2 (ft. AJ Moser)
Ashley Bardhan
Senior writer at GamesRadar
GamesRadar
Episode: God of War III — Episode 1 (ft. Ashley Bardhan)
Toussaint Egan
Curation Editor at Polygon
Polygon
Episode: God of War — Episode 2 (ft. Toussaint Egan)
Matt Leone
Special Projects Editor at Polygon, experienced video game journalist
Polygon
Episode: God of War — Episode 1 (feat. Matt Leone)
Lily Alexandre
YouTube and Nebula video essayist
YouTube, Nebula
Episode: The Haar — Episode 2 (ft. Lily Alexandre)
Julie Muncy
Returning guest who has worked on the video game Interstate 35.
Game Developer
Episode: In The Miso Soup — Episode 2 (ft. Julie Muncy)
Chris Franklin
A long-time video essayist and creator from Errant Signal
Errant Signal
Episode: Spec Ops: The Line — Episode 2 (ft. Chris Franklin)
Mike Rugnetta
Current host of the podcast NeverPost and a pioneering video essayist
NeverPost Podcast
Episode: Spec Ops: The Line — Episode 1 (ft. Mike Rugnetta)

Hosts

Blake Hester
Host of the show; co-host; frequently leads discussions and brings strong opinions on games, culture, and media.
Jacob Geller
Co-host; engages in deep, thoughtful game analyses and cultural critique; known for measured, articulate discourse.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 1.4k ratings
  • Cool pod

    That iron lung movie ep sure is something. I love how they barely talked about the movie lol Ashley was so funny. But yeah really interesting pod, funny and insightful idk what i’m saying

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    fasteggboy
    United States3 months ago
  • Really fun listen

    No matter what game it is both hosts always find a great way to make it fun to listen to even if there is no knowledge on the game themselves. One of my favorite podcasts!

    (Ps I hope they come back)

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    jckpth
    United States4 months ago
  • Great Chemistry

    I eagerly await every episode

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jack Koeberle
    United Statesa year ago
  • Mostly great

    The only issue I have is that one of the hosts (Blake?) seems to not know or actively care or pay attention to what is happening in the games they are taking about. But it makes sense since I think he usually covered COD games. Luckily Jacob tempers the conversation and keeps things on track.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    DwuudZ
    United Statesa year ago
  • Great but

    Loving the podcast but if Blake keeps talking about the last of us 2 like that I’m gonna have to shiv him.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    crackmonger
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

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

They offer thoughtful takes on mature and controversial games.
Some listeners note strong show insights but occasional nitpicks can feel nitpicky to some.
Audience praise for engaging debates and diverse perspectives on gaming culture.
Guests and topics consistently feel relevant and well-executed.
The hosts have great chemistry and make complex game topics accessible.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#111
Finland/Leisure
Apple Podcasts
#144
Russia/Leisure
Apple Podcasts
#203
Norway/Leisure
Apple Podcasts
#233
Colombia/Leisure

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Listener Q&A Special!
Q: What was the most interesting thing you saw at GDC this year?
Blake and Jacob describe a mix of practical talks on audio field recording, collaboration workflows, and intimate, design-driven demos that stood out more than the typical hype around AI showcases.
God of War — Season Finale
Q: Are there notable instances of rotten works of media created or led by women?
Yes, examples include works by Sachi Hamano and Julia Ducournau, illustrating that female creators also contribute to the themes of rot in media.
God of War — Season Finale
Q: What do you think is the most rotten Greek myth?
Many myths involve grotesque and violent themes, such as Zeus's frequent rapes and Prometheus's eternal torment. The nature of these stories often reflects deep societal issues.
God of War III — Episode 1 (ft. Ashley Bardhan)
Q: Ashley, do you find Kratos a sympathetic character in God of War III?
No, not at all. I think we gave up on that in God of War II.
Spec-Ops/Black Ops — Season Finale
Q: What is your take on Civil War?
I think it's more about photojournalism than politics, and it highlights the complexities of modern conflicts in a compelling way.

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 Something Rotten

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

A sharp, film-tinged take on dark, violent, and nihilistic video games, with conversations that blend tight analysis, candid banter, and personal anecdotes from behind the mic. Episodes frequently explore game design, narrative tone, and cultural impact, often linking what happens in virtual worlds to broader media and arts discourse. The duo's chemistry—ranging from playful nitpicks to serious critique—paired with thoughtful guests and timely takes on controversial topics, makes it engaging for listeners who enjoy thoughtful, no-bullshit discussions about difficult games and their place in culture.

Noteworthy strengths include a knack for stitching together game analysis with cinematic and societal context, willingness to push back on wide... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Something Rotten?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Something Rotten:

1. The MinnMax Show
2. Pew Pew Bang
3. Post Games
4. Remap Radio
5. Side Story

How many episodes of Something Rotten are there?

Something Rotten launched 6 years ago and published 95 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 Something Rotten?

Recent guests on Something Rotten include:

1. Chris Plante
2. AJ Moser
3. Ashley Bardhan
4. Toussaint Egan
5. Matt Leone
6. Lily Alexandre
7. Julie Muncy
8. Chris Franklin

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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