Gaming The System - The Feminist Gaming Podcast
The podcast where 3 intersectional feminists examine gaming and games through a feminist lens.
New Episodes every Thursday.
Alex, Jem and Matt believe gaming is good. Gaming is good for relaxation, for learning, for bringing people together and for your mental health. But like all media, there is both good and bad and we want to address how we make gaming a safe and healthy environment for women and minority groups (although lets not forget that people of colour are the global ethnic majority).
We want to see the small steps towards an intersectional feminist future that have been made in games to go further. We are Gaming the System because we want to see our beloved world of Gaming reflect the values we hold dear, and until it does we are here to shine a light on what needs to change.
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PAYPAL & PATREON
If you want to support us, you can send us a one-off donation via paypal or subscribe monthly to our Patreon.
For paypal, send your donation to:
wearegamingthesystem@gmail.com
For patreon:
patreon.com/gamingthesystem
Episodes
286 episodes
Gaming the Side Quests (Episode 284)
This week Jem, Alex, and Matt go hunting for the side quests that quietly steal the show — the optional detours where some of gaming's best writing and its most surprising characters tend to hide. Expect judgment calls in Dragon Age: Inquisitio...
Bafta's 2026: The Big Finish! (Episode 283)
Alex hosts Jem and Matt on Gaming the System, promoting their Patreon and PayPal support, then launches into a discussion of awards and categories through the lens of Clair Obscur, which they describe as transcendent and unfairly dominant in co...
BAFTA 2026: More Categories, Bigger Questions (Episode 282)
Picking up from Family Game, Alex, Jem, and Matt work through Audio Achievement, Music, Narrative, New IP, and Debut Game — with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 casting a long shadow over most of the conversation. Matt has strong feelings about thi...
God of War: Laufey Trailer Reaction - Episode 281
PlayStation dropped the God of War: Laufey gameplay trailer at State of Play this month, and Matt and Alex were EXCITED.In this episode, they react live to the reveal before unpacking what they saw. From Faye's combat style and the weigh...
BAFTA 2026: Half the Awards, All the Opinions (Episode 280)
Alex and Matt kick off GTS's two-part coverage of the 22nd BAFTA Games Awards, working their way through the first half of the night's categories and they have opinions.The pair run through Multiplayer, Artistic Achievement, Evo...
Girls Sports and P.E Part 01 - Our School Sports Origins (Episode 278)
In this episode of Gaming the System, host Matt and guests Alex and Jem discuss girls’ experiences of sport in childhood and adolescence, focusing on how school PE can shape lifelong relationships with physical activity. Alex describes growing ...
The Dark Matter of Gaming: Attitudes & Wellbeing Part 2 (Episode 277)
Sometimes the things shaping how we feel about our hobby are the things we can't see.In Part 1, we dug into Oxford research showing that when it comes to gaming and mental health, the hours matter far less than whether the time felt wort...
Gaming the Guilt: Shame, Pressure, and What Healthy Gaming Really Looks Like (Episode 276)
Is screen time the enemy, or is it the shame we attach to it? In this episode, GTS examine new research suggesting it's not how long you spend gaming that affects your mental health, but whether you feel that time was worthwhile. ...
Mount Rushmore of Gaming Part 02 (Episode 275)
On Gaming the System, host Matt joins Alex and Jem to kick off a lighter episode building their “Mount Rushmore” of gaming icons.
Mount Rushmore of Gaming Part 01 (Episode 274)
On Gaming the System, host Matt joins Alex and Jem to kick off a lighter episode building their “Mount Rushmore” of gaming icons.
273 - GTS News: New study on Misogynistic Abuse in gaming
In this episode of Gaming the System, Gem, Alex, and Matt discuss a recent Sex Roles study showing that women gamers who identify as feminists or take action for gender equality are blamed more for the sexism they experience online, especially ...
GTS News: DLSS 5 Slop, Accessibility Non-features and Fortnite V-Bucks Inflation (Episode 272)
This week Jem, Matt and Alex take a look at three stories from across the games industry.Alex kicks things off with Nvidia's DLSS 5 controversy. Their latest AI graphics feature has been accused of applying unwanted filters to game visua...
271 - Gaming for the CV Part 2 - Soft Skills
In part two of their “Skill Boosts from Gaming” series, Alex, Gem, and Matt discuss soft skills developed through games, focusing on resilience, teamwork, communication, empathy, and problem-solving/critical thinking. They use examples like Sla...
270 - Gaming for the CV Part 1 - Hard Skills
Alex hosts gem and Matt on Gaming the System to discuss, tongue-in-cheek, how gaming can help build “hard skills” that could translate to a CV. They focus on campaign/project management through clear goals, planning, progress tracking, and deci...
Women in Games Part 2 - Who's Training the Machine? (Episode 269)
In Part 1, Jem, Alex, and Matt explored the Women in Games Manifesto and the persistent gender gap in the games industry. In this follow-up episode, the conversation turns to artificial intelligence. Could it be the catalyst for change the indu...
The Balance Paradox: Women, Games & the Fight for Equity (Episode 268)
This week, Jem, Alex and Matt dig into the updated Women in Games (WIG) Manifesto, originally released in 2024 and refreshed in January 2026. With women making up at least 50% of gamers but only 24–30% of the games industry workforce, the imbal...
267 - Making a Man Out of GPU - Part 2
The hosts discuss how visible identity affects prejudice and whether men are less likely to challenge toxic masculinity because they can “pass” as traditionally masculine through code switching. They explore the “crisis of masculinity,” arguing...
266 - Making a Man Out of GPU - Part 1
This episode continues a multi-part conversation on masculinity and “positive masculinity,” focusing on who gets to define masculinity and how the concept has changed throughout history. The discussion is sparked by China’s media crackdown on “...
265 - Video Game Concerts: A Musical Adventure - Part 2
Join us as we recount an incredible evening filled with live performances of iconic game soundtracks and encounters with talented composers. From the captivating music of 'Return' and 'Disco Elysium' to Gareth Coker’s breathtaking work for 'Ori...
264 - Video Game Concerts: A Musical Adventure - Part 1
In this episode of Gaming the System, join us as we dive into the enchanting world of live video game music performances. Our host recounts their recent experience at a world premiere concert of BAFTA-winning and nominated video game music at t...
Meeting Wayfarer's Rest - Sanding Tables and Crafting Community (Episode 263)
What does it take to turn a passion for gaming into a thriving high street fixture? In this episode, Alex and Jem sit down with Sarah and Katie, the founders of Wayfarer’s Rest in Godalming, Surrey, UK to discuss their journey from non-b...
262 - GTS News! Rockstar Games' Union Controversy, AI's Impact on Gaming, and Roblox's Age Restrictions
In this episode, we delve into some pressing issues in the gaming industry as we kick off 2026. Alex discusses the allegations of union busting at Rockstar Games, where 30 employees were dismissed under controversial circumstances. We explore t...
261 - Christmas Game-cation and 2026 Predictions
In our first session recording of the year, we dive into an exciting discussion about our gaming activities over the Christmas holidays and look ahead to the games we're anticipating in the coming year. Join us as Jim shares his experiences wit...