Hatchetjob.com

We talk about GTA IV expansion The Lost And Damned, Dawn of War II, Battle Royale and whether people actually play cheap Steam games.With Danjo, SouldaddyMusic is Maenam by Jami Sieber27 min. talk / 5 min. music / 20 MBThe Lost And DamnedBattle RoyaleDawn of War IIGabe Newell's talk Email us

Ian Bogost is a videogame critic, designer and researcher, as well as an author.  We speak to him about how games can be used for activism and instruction, not 'just' having fun.With: Ian Bogost, Danjo, Someguy, Souldaddy50 min. talk / 5 min. music / 27.3 MBMusic is 'The Dreamer's Overture' by JT BruceLinksBogost.comPersuasivegames.comDawkins discussionMolyneux's problemFast Food NationMolleindustria (McD game maker)A Force More Powerful Email us

We discuss and brainstorm ways to improve Xbox Live matchmaking.  Email us your ideas to be read on air: hatchetjobshow@gmail.comWith Danjo, Someguy, SouldaddyMusic is 'Day & Night' by Charlie Bit Me (qpec) 37 min. talk / 5 min. music / 20.1 MBLinks:TED talk with the money experimentWe're taking questions for our next guest, Ian Bogost, co-founder of Persuasive Games.

We chat to Siobhan Thomas, a games academic who believes there's tremendous potential for games companies to use people with learning disabilites as games testers and QA staff.   (Some Qs from GWJ.)With Danjo, Siobhan, Someguy, Souldaddy33 min. talk / 5.30 min. music / 18.9 MB Music is 'Baked Chicken Heat' by Fireproof BabiesLinksMencapLondon Southbank Uni. Game CulturesEllingham Employment ServicesIGDA user testing talk Inclusive New Media Design

As part of our general catch up show, we chat to Tom Bramwell, Eurogamer.net editor.  Topics covered include recession and innovation, who benefits from 'exclusive reviews',  journalists and publishers being manipulated and Dawn of War II.With Danjo, Someguy, Tom BramwellMusic is 'Sad Robot' the Procacci remixEurogamer.netDawn of War IIMirror's Edge Email us

As part of our general catch up show, we chat to Tom Bramwell, Eurogamer.net editor.  Topics covered include the difference between US and UK journalists and the Resident Evil 5 demo. Pt.1Eurogamer.netRise of the ArgonautsResident Evil 5Music is 'Cafe Connection' by Morgantj29 min. talk / 3 min. music / 17 MB Email us

We discuss World of Warcraft, MMOs and RPGs with Devmani, AKA Randy, a hardcore MMO player who knows World of Warcraft about as well as anyone could.  (Part two. Includes ganking.) With Danjo, Devmani, Someguy, Souldaddy Music is 'Salty, Nascent, Just For Me' by Scott Altham 39 min. talk / 4 min. music / 20.7 MB World of WarcraftEve OnlineUltima Online Email us

We discuss World of Warcraft, MMOs and RPGs with Devmani, AKA Randy, a hardcore MMO player who knows World of Warcraft about as well as anyone could.  (Part one.)With Danjo, Devmani, Someguy, SouldaddyMusic is 'Claytonia' by Thursday Group28 min. talk / 8.30 min. music / 17.7 MBWorld of WarcraftDungeons & Dragons Email us

We discuss Sam & Max on the Wii, Bill Bryson's 'A Short History of Nearly everything' and Niall Ferguson's 'The Ascent of Money'.  (I got all the maths wrong on Sam & Max.)With Danjo, Messiac (games dev lecturer), SomeguyMusic is 'Broken Stereo' by Sean Fournier19 min. talk / 5 min. music / 11.7 MBLinks Sam & MaxLeisure Suit LarrySecret of Monkey IslandA Short History of Nearly EverythingThe Ascent of MoneyRoyal Court Theatre Email us

We discuss Elite, Virtual Learning Environments and using games for teaching. (But no Gundam.) With Danjo, Messiac, Someguy Music is 'Maroon Sedans, Earpieces, Sunglasses' by Romancito Links: EliteElite downloads Ian Bell's site FrontierVirtual Learning Environments Email us

Can gamers be trusted to control NPCs in Left 4 Dead?  Or will they default to being unpleasant for the hell of it?With: Danjo, Someguy16 min. chat / 3 min. music / 15.8 MBMusic is 'The song of the Wandering Aengus' by Citizen Nyx. Email us

Wrapping up 2008, we talk about open worlds, remembering moments in games, what frustrated us and more.With Danjo, Someguy, SouldaddyMusic is 'Ode to Odie' by the Kazoo Funk Orchestra39 min. chat / 3 min. music / 20.3 MB Email us

Interview part 2 - Tristan is developing a game with Microsoft's XNA system. We talk to him about the quality of games, developed using XNA, on Xbox Live's Community Game section.With: Danjo, Someguy, SouldaddyMusic is 'Emona 1' by Maya Filipič. Email us

Interview - Tristan is developing a game with Microsoft's XNA system and learning how to use it at the same time.  We ask what he thinks of XNA and how easy it is to use for non-technical people.Music is 'March (Funkenstein Monstermix)' by Duckett18 min. chat / 4 min. music / 10.2 MB Email us

Interview - we talk to R. Hunter Gough, developer of In The Pit, an audio-only game in the Xbox 360's 'community games' section.Xbox Marketplace page for In The Pit - http://tinyurl.com/6kgp6mWith: Danjo, Someguy, SouldaddyMusic is 'Monster' by Ghostown37 min. talk / 5 min. music / 20.1 MB Email us

Part two of our weekly catch up. Topics include growing old as gamers, using mobile phones to trigger emotional memories and being evil in games.Music is 'True Metal Of The World (AH-AH)' by NanowaRWith: Danjo, Someguy, Souldaddy29 min. talk / 4 min. music / 15.8 MB Email us

Part one of our weekly catch up.  In this part we talk about Fallout 3, compare it to Mass Effect and discuss AvaPeeps online dating. With Danjo, Someguy, Souldaddy Music is 'Computer - Sporkboy's vocal exploits mix' by Sporkboy. 26 min. talk / 3 min. music / 13.9 MB Email us

Trip Hawkins, founder of Electronic Arts, talks to us about modern-day EA closing its casual label, its relationship with creative developers, how he balances being a creative person and a businessman and what he thinks of Sony's HOME for Playstation 3.UPDATE:We had some questions about Trip comparing HOME to WoW.  I got in touch with him and he said this:"The only reason I noted WoW and HOME together is that they are both from hardcore game companies with a hardcore bias.  Hence they both care about 3D graphics and immersion based on audiovisual realism, and their concept of "social" is to be gameplay competitors online.  By contrast, what I call the Omni Consumer is more socially motivated and is more likely to adopt technology that is simpler and more convenient and that they know their friends can handle, plus the Omni Consumer may be seeking social benefits like making a date in real life."To find out more about the omni consumer concept, listen to part two of the interview.With: Someguy, Souldaddy21 min

 Trip Hawkins, founder of Electronic Arts and creator of the Madden series, talks to us about arranged marriages in Japan, technology expanding social networks and why loneliness will be a major health issue of the future.With: Souldaddy, Someguy11 min. talk / no music / 6.4 MB Email us

Trip Hawkins, founder of Electronic Arts and creator of the Madden series, talks about pre-teens using credit cards to play games, why Nintendo got it right, how the West has overrated the market for MMORPGs and why Blizzard, and hardcore gamers, will have to get used to people buying gold and items.With - Someguy, Souldaddy15 min. talk / no music / 9.3 MB Email us