Rephonic
Artwork for The Besties
Elden Ring
Nintendo Switch 2
Game Design
Dragon's Dogma 2
Ubisoft
Hades 2
UFO 50
Animal Well
Metroidvania
Baldur's Gate 3
Game Awards
Assassin's Creed
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Summer Game Fest
Steam Next Fest
Prince Of Persia
Death Stranding 2
Video Games
Destiny 2

It's Game of the Year meets King of the Hill as four of Earth's best friends – Griffin McElroy, Justin McElroy, Chris Plante, and Russ Frushtick – rank and review their favorite video games. Because shouldn't the world's best friends pick the world's best games?

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes500Founded14 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Video GamesLeisure

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Artwork for The Besties

Latest Episodes

Saros is the continuation of decades of bullet-dodging action games from Housemarque. But it has most in common with the team’s previous game, Returnal. Is this game welcoming enough to bring newcomers into the pseudo-series? We find out! Plus, a hum... more

This is a big week of change at The Besties. But before we get to the news, we all want to chat about one of the strangest spinoffs in indie games. Vampire Crawlers adapts the iconic Vampire Survivors into a dungeon crawling, roguelike deckbuilder. A... more

This week we're diving into Nintendo's bizarre life sim, Tomodatchi Life: Living the Dream, which allows a bunch of Miis to eat cigarettes for breakfast. Griffin also regales us on his experience visiting Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios, an... more

Announced in 2020, Pragamata has finally arrived. Capcom’s new third-person shooter puts you in the boots of a space marine-type who must overcome evil robots on a moon covered in 3D-printed skyscrapers. Which comically sounds like a pretty standard ... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
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Contact Information
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Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Andy Cortez
Guest joining the show
Kind of Funny / The Besties
Episode: Pragmata Is Like Dead Space with Optimism
Matt Apodaca
The Xbox Kid, guest on Get Played
Get Played (Xbox Kid)
Episode: For Super Mario Galaxy The Movie, We Get Help from Get Played
Chris Plante
Co-host on The Besties, discussed as a guest for Marathon episode
Episode: Marathon Is Both a Miracle and a Monster
Ron Funches
Comedian and actor
Episode: Mewgenics is a Meow-sterpiece
Chris Grant
Gaming hardware analyst and commentator
Episode: The Big Switch 2 Episode – Plus the Best of SGF
Jason Schreier
Author, game industry journalist
Episode: UFO 50 with special guest Jason Schreier!
Brendon Bigley
Host of Enter the Aether podcast and a gaming enthusiast
Enter the Aether
Episode: Into the Aether of Hell with Hades 2
Lucy James
GameSpot and Giant Bomb contributor
GameSpot and Giant Bomb
Episode: A Souls-like for Fans of N64-era Mascot Games
Jordan Morris
Graphic novelist and humorist, known for his work on Bubble and the upcoming Youth Group.
Max Fun
Episode: Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora and the Art of Jackfruit Lock-picking (feat. Jordan Morris)

Hosts

Griffin McElroy
Host and co-host known for his engaging commentary and humorous insights on video games.
Chris Plante
Co-host with a distinctive perspective on gaming, contributing to a vibrant dynamic among the group.
Justin McElroy
Co-host known for his charming insights and humorous takes on the gaming world, bringing a lively energy to the discussions.
Russ Frushtick
Co-host who adds depth and humor to the discourse, creating a well-rounded experience for listeners.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 11k ratings
  • Not Ad-Free

    I subbed on their patreon “ad-free” tier but still get ads every week about other podcasts. Seems dishonest

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Sikapwach
    United States17 days ago
  • fun guys

    they are some neat fun boys. I enjoy how they play around and have fun

    Audible
    5
    Carl Smith
    United States20 days ago
  • Disappointed

    March 19, 2026 the best game of the year so far, Crimson Desert, launches. Crickets from the Besties. It’s Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 all over again.

    I just can’t respect the opinions of ‘gamers’ who won’t even mention S tier games on their gaming podcast.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Peart93
    United Statesa month ago
  • True reflection here

    For years Jackie O and her besties built hugely successful careers laughing along with humiliating women and pushing people’s boundaries as entertainment.

    When that tone is broadcast every day to millions of listeners, it shapes culture. It teaches people that humiliation and worse is funny and teaches women to minimise their own discomfort. The impact of that normalisation is real and contributes to generational harm.

    So it’s hard not to see the irony in “red flag” projects now created by tho... more

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    WintersLW
    Australia2 months ago
  • Games!

    I love the variety of games they talk about and how different their opinions are. Plante easily has the best taste but I like the other guys too. :)

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Greyson Jason
    United States3 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Overall, the hosts' personalities and entertaining dialogue are a major draw for listeners, keeping them engaged episode after episode.
Listeners appreciate the humor and camaraderie among the hosts, making it a fun and engaging listening experience.
Some criticism exists regarding the diversity of game discussions, showcasing a desire for broader representation.
Many find the insights into game mechanics and industry trends to be informative and valuable, regardless of their gaming level.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

In The Alters, Life Comes at You Fast
Q: With how terrible Steam and the rest of the stores are for searching, how do you discover worthwhile games that aren't huge, talked-out releases?
They recommend social media algorithms and sites like SteamDB that allow for filtering by release date and user ratings.
In The Alters, Life Comes at You Fast
Q: As people who notoriously don't finish games, what is a good way to stick with the games I love but fall off towards the end?
The hosts suggest picking specific games to finish, making use of game walkthroughs, or even watching game endings on YouTube.
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora and the Art of Jackfruit Lock-picking (feat. Jordan Morris)
Q: What kind of Avatar baggage are you bringing to this product before you fired it up?
Jordan mentions that while he enjoys the Avatar movies, he is not trying to convince anyone who doesn't like them that they are good.
Silent Hill 2 is the Psycho (1998) of Video Games
Q: What is Silent Hill 2?
It's a remake of the original Silent Hill 2, known for its psychological horror and complex narrative.
Where Do Star Wars Games Go From Here?
Q: What's it like reviewing a video game? Do you keep notes while playing?
Yes, I take notes and think about my review as I play, trying to note what stood out the most.

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 The Besties

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

Engaging in spirited discussions, a group of friends share their passion for video games through a unique blend of humor, critique, and camaraderie. They explore a broad spectrum of topics including game mechanics, narrative depth, and industry trends, making gaming accessible and entertaining for listeners of all backgrounds. Noteworthy episodes cover everything from anticipated releases to classic titles, while featuring personal anecdotes and lighthearted debates that resonate with gaming enthusiasts and casual players alike. This podcast stands out for its inclusive approach to gaming culture and its ability to create a sense of community among listeners, no matter their level of experience with video games.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Besties?

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

How many listeners does The Besties get?

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What are the audience demographics for The Besties?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Besties, 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 The Besties have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Besties 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 The Besties?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Besties:

1. My Brother, My Brother And Me
2. Post Games
3. Triple Click
4. The Adventure Zone
5. Wonderful!

How many episodes of The Besties are there?

The Besties launched 14 years ago and published 500 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 The Besties?

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 The Besties?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Besties from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on The Besties?

Recent guests on The Besties include:

1. Andy Cortez
2. Matt Apodaca
3. Chris Plante
4. Ron Funches
5. Chris Grant
6. Jason Schreier
7. Brendon Bigley
8. Lucy James

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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