Patrick Klepek, Keza MacDonald

SPAWNPOINT

Leisure EN ↓ 20 episodes

A podcast from Crossplay, a newsletter at the intersection of parenting and gaming, featuring longtime games reporters (and parents!) Patrick Klepek and Keza MacDonald, alongside a slew of insightful guests. www.crossplay.news

Be sure to visit the podcast's website and support the creator: www.crossplay.news

Author

Patrick Klepek, Keza MacDonald

Category

Leisure

Podcast website

www.crossplay.news

Latest episode

May 21, 2025

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Episodes

Gamer Dad vs. Game Developer 21.05.2025

Spawnpoint host and Crossplay editor Patrick Klepek is joined by Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred game director Brent Gibson to discuss playing and making games as a parent. Gibson, importantly, is the father to an 11-year-old daughter and 13-year-old son, but his day job involves working on a video game that has to be fun for a player who might have dozens of hours available every month, or in the cas...

Spawnpoint, Episode 08: The Switch 2 Is Here 04.02.2025

Rumors of a new Switch have been floating around for quite literally years now, but later this year, a new Switch arrives. How much will it cost? We don’t know. What games are coming at launch and later? Nintendo hasn’t said. The more important question for Spawnpoint hosts Patrick Klepek and Keza MacDonald, however, is whether they’re buying one Switch 2—or a new Switch for everyone in the house....

Spawnpoint, Episode 07: Mario Parties 27.11.2024

For years, Keza has avoided bringing Mario Party into the home, worried how her children would react. Would they fight the same way she used to with her brother? For Patrick, could his children get over the fact that both of them can’t be Peach? All this and more on the latest episode of Spawnpoint , the official podcast of Crossplay , including discussion on our kids’ relationship with video game...

Spawnpoint, Episode 06: Holding Hands 14.10.2024

Welcome back to another episode of Spawnpoint ! Keza is back from visiting the Nintendo museum in Japan, while Patrick is playing a familiar game: allergies or cold? What they have in common, though, are children who are obsessed with Astro Bot , but they’ve struggled with playing the game in different ways. Plus, while Keza isn’t high on the new Zelda , her children are having a blast. We also ta...

Even Busy Parents Love Dragon's Dogma 2 12.09.2024

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.crossplay.news It’s time for another Spawnpoint bonus episode exclusively for Crossplay subscribers, in which Patrick and Keza sit down to discuss one of the few very long video games they’ve played and finished this year, Capcom’s Dragon’s Dogma 2 . We’re both parents, but why did we prioritize finishing this over, say, any other g...

Spawnpoint, Episode 05: What Do We Want Governments to Do About Games? 16.08.2024

Spawnpoint returns, with Patrick Klepek (Crossplay) and Keza MacDonald (The Guardian) mulling over Turkey recently banning Roblox , increasing regulatory scrutiny over video games, and a growing panic among world governments about social media, to ask a seemingly simple question: what do we want them to do about? In the mailbag, we sympathize with a father simply trying to help his kid make reason...

Spawnpoint Bonus: Making Time For Long Video Games 22.07.2024

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.crossplay.news Crossplay subscribers, you’re in for a treat: the first Spawnpoint bonus episode. This podcast is exclusive to paying subscribers at Crossplay ! On Spawnpoint , Patrick and Keza rarely have time to talk about the games they’re playing, so now, one per month, our two hosts will get together to talk about what THEY’VE b...

Spawnpoint, Ep. 04: Direct to the Heart 08.07.2024

Apologies for the re-send on this, but it looks like there was an audio goof on this that I did not notice while I was on holiday last week. It should be fixed now. Sorry!!! -pk It’s been a minute, but Spawnpoint is back, featuring Patrick ( Crossplay ) and Keza ( The Guardian ). Patrick and Keza actually met up IRL recently, but neglected to record a podcast in-person! Total geniuses. Nonetheless...

The Gamer Educator 17.05.2024

You’ve read Ash Brandin’s words on Crossplay, now hear from “The Gamer Educator'' in their own voice, as well. Ash joins Patrick to discuss what prompted Ash to start an Instagram account about helping parents navigate games, screen time, and technology, and in-between dodging school bell noises, the two discuss establishing digital literacy for young kids.  Crossplay subscribers get access to epi...

Death of the Father 26.04.2024

Spawnpoint is excited to welcome actor Abubakar Salim ( Raised By Wolves, House of the Dragon, Assassin’s Creed Origins ) for a touching conversation about Tales of Kenzera: Zau , a video game about processing the grief associated with the death of Abubakar’s father. A little more than a decade ago, Patrick Klepek’s own father died of a heart attack, and the two find common ground on the often lon...

Spawnpoint, Episode 03: The Strange Sadness of Theme Parks 19.04.2024

Welcome to another episode of Spawnpoint , a podcast hosted by Patrick Klepek and Keza MacDonald, two parents trying to navigate the increasingly complex world of raising children and gaming. On this episode, we unpack navigating theme parks with children, after Patrick’s trip to Disneyland and Super Nintendo World, while Keza recounts visiting the Pokémon International Championships with her fami...

Finding New Games For Your Kids Is Weirdly Difficult 05.04.2024

Spawnpoint is thrilled to be joined by Andy Robertson, editor of Family Gaming Database , a wonderful website to sort through the thousands of video games released each year and figure out which ones are best for you and the kiddos in your life. Patrick and Andy chat about how their experiences as parents led them to creating Crossplay and Family Gaming Database, and how it’s had them confronting...

Spawnpoint, Episode 02: The Privileged Princess 20.03.2024

The second episode of Spawnpoint is here, with your gaming parents, Keza and Patrick, returning for another monthly chat. This time, Patrick’s daughter discovers (begrudgingly) how a demo works, and Keza puzzles over people worrying about her son’s Pokémon obsession. We also discuss the concept of boundaries in a world where it’s increasingly possible for parents to digitally snoop on their childr...

Crossplay Podcast Interview: Jenova Chen 08.03.2024

Welcome back to another episode of Spawnpoint , the official Crossplay podcast. This week, an interview with Flower and Journey designer Jenova Chen about his popular online social game, Sky: Children of the Light . Jenova opens up about being a parent, and what it’s like running a massively multiplayer online game where you have to make difficult calls about harassment, bullying, and the private...

Welcome to Spawnpoint 19.02.2024

Crossplay founder and editor Patrick Klepek is joined by The Guardian ’s games editor, Keza MacDonald, for the first episode of Crossplay’s new podcast, Spawnpoint . Patrick (father of two daughters, ages 7 and 3) and Keza (mother of 4 and 7-year-old boys, stepmum to an 18-year-old) discuss what it’s like parenting children in a world obsessed with video games, and what to expect from the future o...

Spawnpoint 4: comedy games and funny business with Dan Marshall 02.03.2020

The maker of Behold the Kickmen, Lair of the Clockwork God and others talks about the underappreciated art of comedic games and also games you can play while a newborn is sleeping on you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.crossplay.news/subscribe

Spawnpoint 3: Happiness, Creativity and No Man's Sky ... with Sean Murray 21.02.2020

Spawnpoint is back with a great guest: Hello Games' Sean Murray, who talks about the pain and glory of running an independent games studio (and raising children). Making a game is hard enough - imagine trying to do it whilst also having three kids! I talked to Sean about No Man's Sky and the maddening peaks and troughs that come with both creative endeavour and child-rearing. Hosted on Acast. See...

The return of Spawnpoint (and a very on-brand absence) 06.11.2019

Hello Spawnpoint listeners! It's been a while! I have more interviews coming your way soon, but in the meantime I wanted to bring you up to speed on the reasons why I've been quiet. All is explained. While I put the finishing touches to some great new episodes, please get in touch with me about all matters Spawnpoint by emailing hellospawnpoint@gmail.com and please, please get on the mailing list...

Spawnpoint 2: Indie dev parent life with Leanne Bayley 19.07.2019

I talk to Leanne Bayley about the maternity brain drain in development, how video games are an essential component of long-distance relationships but board games might be the answer for parents. Also, I recommend five perfect shorter games for people who can't commit to today's sprawling epics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to...

Spawnpoint 1: Nolan North and Troy Baker 04.07.2019

Welcome to the first episode of Spawnpoint, a podcast by and for gamer parents! I kicked things off with an interview with video game performance legends Nolan North and Troy Baker, who were delighted to chat about games, parenthood and their YouTube show, Retro Replay Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other su...

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