episode

Ben, Steve Ahlman, Matt James, and Justin Charity wrap a podcast present and put it under the tree. First, they name “naughty” and “nice” trends in gaming this year, from high-profile, live-service flops to the decline of console exclusivity (08:55). Then, they celebrate the most unforgettable titles of 2024 by drafting their favorite releases across several categories, including sprawling RPGs, riveting action adventures, and indie darlings (39:20).
Host: Ben Lindbergh 
Guests: Steve Ahlman, Matt James, and Justin Charity 
Producer: Devon Renaldo 
Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopal

Ben is a writer, podcaster, and editor who covers culture and sports. He hosts ‘Effectively Wild’ at FanGraphs and previously wrote for FiveThirtyEight and Grantland, served as editor-in-chief of Baseball Prospectus, and authored ‘The MVP Machine’ and ‘The Only Rule Is It Has to Work.’

Ben Lindbergh

Justin Charity is a senior staff writer at The Ringer covering music and other pop culture. After years of living in D.C. and NYC, and a brief stint in Wisconsin, he’s now based in Cleveland, Ohio.

Justin Charity

Matt has been creating original art for The Ringer since 2017. In addition to his design responsibilities, he is a regular guest on the Button Mash podcast and a writer on the topic of video games.

Matt James

Steve joined The Ringer in 2019. He is a producer, host, and lover of all things fandom. He’s been fortunate to be able to write, produce, host, and participate in some of the podcasts on the Ringer Podcast Network, which have been some of the best experiences of his career!

2024 Games of the Year Draft

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