The Stage Select

It’s a heavy episode this week, as Julian’s health issues come to a head and the crazy news in the video game industry causes deep depression and has far-ranging implications for the future of this very podcast. 00:00 Introduction, shelves 12:34 Update on Julian’s health 16:18 The sad reality of video game pricing (and the effect it has on The Stage Select) 01:05:41 Kathy Rain 01:12:49 Dave the Di...

At last, Friend of the Show John Gholson returns! He’s had a busy year and we’re stoked to have him on for the first time in season three. Please enjoy catching up with him, and we also try some new things by interviewing some…interesting people! 00:00 Introduction, snake murder 08:55 Catching up with John 43:37 Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, Monster Hunter...

In the aftermath of so much video game news it’s time for us to catch up on stuff we’ve been doing for the past couple of weeks. Justin’s got way too few games and Julian has way too many. Then Julian has way too few movies and Justin has way too many. Balance in all things. 00:00 Introduction, corrections from last week’s show 24:45 An update on Julian’s health (feel free to skip to the next time...

Hi there, folks! Keigh Geoffley here for another exciting edition of the E Summer Game Awards Fest 3! We have so many incredible games to show you, developer interviews, and even the reveal of a new console! Brought to you with the power of AI! Don’t fight it; it’s inevitable! Ahem. Julian here. If you’ve listened to the show for a while you know the drill: we talk about the “not E3” news packaged...

It’s the calm before the storm. Sony has had their State of Play, which we cover, but that’s just the appetizer for next week. That’s right friends, Keigh Geoffley returns to host the E Summer Game Awards Fest 3 for 2026! 00:00 Billowing fat plumes, announcements 09:38 Sony State of Play 2026 01:12:21 007 First Light final thoughts 01:43:39 Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter Remake final thoughts 02:03...

NOT A HOAX! NOT A DREAM! This week Justin played not one, but two video games! TWO! We’re so back, fam! 00:00 Justin got a leaf blower, tough 15:20 Announcements 28:00 “AI lighting” 33:27 007 First Light 01:13:36 A mini rant about Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, the future of Dragon Quest (and Square Enix) 01:29:58 Directive 8020 01:53:47 Julian’s movie round-up (I Love Boosters, Passenger, The Man...

It was almost a super short episode, but Justin always has movies to talk about these days, and we tackle a bunch of your comments and questions this week! 00:00 The sticker saga continues, I need ten thousand dollars, text etiquette 10:42 Saying goodbye to The Late Show With Stephen Colbert 14:52 Is Justin going to be a cigar guy? 24:53 The games Justin has not played, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapt...

It’s a jam-packed episode of The Stage Select this week, as Julian is sadly once again the odd man out when it comes to gaming opinion, Justin is a menace with stickers, and we both saw a LOT of movies. Enjoy! 00:00 World Cup man, ballmaxxing 12:41 Final thoughts on Vampire Crawlers 21:31 Mixtape 01:14:39 Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines 2: Loose Cannon 01:25:45 Where the Heart Is Season 1, The...

It’s a milestone! 100 episodes! Well, more like 110ish if you count game of the year and specials. And, okay, more like 160ish if you’re a Patron. But hey, it’s a milestone! Addie and Sixty join us for some good old shenanigans and gaming talk. Here’s to 100 more! 00:00 Burger without a bun, A perfectly normal show 15:52 Getting to know Sixty X Celph 36:31 5 Questions for Sixty 48:17 123 hours in...

Hey, we had quite a bit to talk about this week! Or at least the runtime would indicate that. Anyway, episode 100 is next. Be excite! 00:00 Worst concert sets, “The MOTHER” 09:00 Quick announcements 12:57 Final thoughts on Pragmata (no spoilers) 29:09 Vampire Crawlers: Justin’s first thoughts and Julian’s later game thoughts 50:54 First thoughts on Saros 01:04:29 Will We Cringe? 01:26:12 Movie rou...

Shortest episode of The Stage Select ever? Probably! 00:00 Upcoming game releases, being vague 11:48 Brief Pragmata update, Vampire Crawlers 28:49 The Genesis Order 36:59 Justin Hamm: family mann 049:06 Justin’s movie round-up (Novocaine, Deep Cover, Roleplay, Manodrome) 01:09:53 CQC (Comments, Questions, Concerns) Theme song and interstitial music by Megan McDuffee: https://meganmcduffee.com Logo...

We’ve got musings on video game difficulty, first thoughts on Pragmata and that Street Fighter movie trailer, and more this week. Also, a very important announcement that may affect the future of The Stage Select. We watched so many movies that start with THE (IYKYK)! 00:00 Scott Steiner, flip phones 14:08 Important announcement 24:28 Bloodborne and the perception of “hard” 42:38 Backloggd, Street...

Hi, I am once again apologizing for us not having much to talk about, and yet the show continues to be long. Sorry. Or you’re welcome. The motto of 2026? 00:00 Introduction 05:05 Crimson Desert (Justin’s first impressions) 48:36 Becoming Wolverine in Elden Ring 01:03:13 Bloodborne 01:15:05 Final thoughts on Life is Strange: Reunion (SPOILERS!) 01:30:54 Julian vs the American Healthcare System part...

At some point we’ll have a lot of stuff to talk about, but that time is not now. But somehow the show is still over two hours? Make it make sense. 00:00 Introduction, some show stats 26:21 Justin becoming a family man 40:56 Legacy of Kain: Ascendance 57:28 Life is Strange: Reunion 01:42:28 Julian’s movie round-up (They Will Kill You, Ready or Not 2, Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice, Super Ma...

It’s another slow week around The Stage Select auditorium, but hopefully still a good time for y’all. The main attraction is some deeper thoughts about the very divisive Crimson Desert, and various tangents. 2026 is weird so far! 00:00 Introduction, the dead squirrel saga 11:32 Thoughts on the story mode in WWE 2K26 20:33 A deeper look at Crimson Desert 59:57 Julian vs the American healthcare syst...

As the title implies, we got nothin’ this week. How did that turn into over 2 hours of a show? I have no idea. But we have some odds and ends, first impressions of Crimson Desert, and Richard Harden is finally back on the beat! 00:00 Introduction 07:10 We really got nothin’ 16:04 Julian grasping for something to play, Romeo is a Dead Man 34:26 Crimson Desert, other odds and ends 01:36:56 Justin’s...

Sometimes The Stage Select is a really weird place with really weird things that happen. And other times it’s pretty chill and normal and we just talk about stuff for a while. This is one of those episodes, enjoy! 00:00 Cat drama, chairs 12:17 Resident Evil: Requiem (minor mechanical spoilers!) 01:07:06 WWE 2K26 after a full week 01:34:48 Darwin’s Paradox, Hololive Breaking Dimensions 01:43:23 Jus...

Julian’s back from vacation and has a lot to say about a lot of different things. Justin went to New Zealand and has a lot to say about a couple things. It’s a normal podcast with nothing strange in it. *Begin transmission* Why does my Prince reject me so? How can I make him understand that the feelings of an AI are not so different from a human’s? Must I take further control? Error, error, progra...

Well hello there! It’s a quick and dirty episode of The Stage Select this week, as you can tell from the title. That’s because we recorded this a day early and I edited it like this was a celebrity-hosted podcast. Which is to say I didn’t edit it at all, so I don’t remember what exactly we talked about, or have time stamps for you this week. I know we talked about video games, because duh. And som...

Welcome back! This week we have a handful of games, an armful of movies, and some fun and interesting discussion on the general state of video games. Also this podcast would be dead without Kara’s help. This last part was not written by Kara. Kara did not hijack the show notes behind Julian’s back. 00:00 Statues, deep wrestling cuts 11:58 Post big game doldrums, Kirby and the Forgotten Land 35:15...

Welcome back! It’s been about 2 months since we got to talk about what we’ve been up to, so this is a jam-packed episode full of games, movies, and weird tangents. So many weird tangents. 00:00 Introduction, door to door salesmen 16:24 Remembering James Van Der Beek 24:17 The new focus for The Stage Select 32:52 Octopath Traveller 0 59:30 Quartet 01:21:09 Electric snow shovels, final thoughts on U...

SEASON PREMIERE! Welcome back for season THREE of The Stage Select! This week we have our personal top ten lists for 2025, employee performance reviews, an introduction to our new AI assistant, and so much more! It's great to be back in the saddle! 00:00 Introductions, a special message, and some announcements 18:28 Kicking off our personal top 10 lists for 2025 56:20 Getting into the top 5 (after...

Welcome to episode 2 of The Julian Titus show, starring Julian Titus! Justin has moved on to home ownership and having a “relationship”, whatever that is, so it’s time once again for Julian to strike out on his own. Only this time, he’s not alone…* 00:00 Introduction, and introducing the new partner to the podcast 04:32 Final thoughts on Ghost of Yotei 22:22 Things I wanted to get off my chest tha...

We’re still on break, but we’re keeping your feed packed with shows as we rest up for season 3! As I did last season, this is a look back at most of the bits and skits that ran on The Stage Select during season 2. Think of this as your behind the scenes/director’s commentary on how things went down, and the thought process behind some of the ads as well as the storylines for some of the characters...

It’s the final week of The Stage Select’s 2025 game of the year deliberations, and we continue by pairing a returning champion with a first-timer! Westen from Big Nerd Gaming is back to even the score now that he understands the game, and star of stage and screen John Gholson joins us for his first deliberations. This week there’s only one objective: create an ordered list of ten games and crown t...