Most gaming podcasts these days do the same thing: round up the news and talk about the big releases of the week. There is nothing wrong with that, but our love of games isn’t tied to a release schedule. Whether you’re a hardcore fan or a casual player who only has time for a select number of games a year, the reason you fell in love with this medium is that you loved one game first. We want to put the focus back on some of our favorite franchises, explore how they changed over the years, and examine why they left a mark on the industry.

Video Gameography is a serialized podcast. Each season we’ll explore a new franchise and why it’s essential. In every episode, we’ll examine one game in that series (starting with the first entry), talk about its lore, production history, and the impact it left on those who played it.

There is no shortage of great industry franchises we hope to cover: God of War, Halo, Grand Theft Auto, Doom, The Legend of Zelda, Pokémon, etc. However, our first season zooms in on Nintendo’s iconic Metroid franchise. Did you know that Samus’ iconic big shoulder design was a result of the limitations of the Game Boy? Or that she was originally named after the legendary Football/Soccer legend Pele? Or that Metroid Fusion is the only game in the series that can be completed with an item collection percentage of zero? 

Join hosts Ben Reeves, Marcus Stewart, and a collection of rotating guests as we examine your favorite gaming franchises. New episodes drop every Saturday, starting on October 16. It’s going to be a wild ride. 

For more Game Informer podcasts, be sure to check out the GI Show, which covers weekly news and all the details on the big game releases, and All Things Nintendo with host Brian Shea which deep dives into Nintendo’s library of games every week.