January 15, 2014 We're joined by Will Smith of Tested.com for a manic look at the aftermath of the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show, the heat and motion detecting revenge of Robot News, and other things which when taken in aggregate generally represent the future. We then marvel at this week, which seems to feature nothing but amazing independent games crashing into one another.

Things Discussed: CES 2013, Oculus Rift: Crystal Cove, Samurai Gunn, Nidhogg, Risk of Rain, Far Cry 2, Euro Truck Simulator 2

January 8, 2014 A message from the future arrives, delivered by hand: Idle Thumbs 140 -- a real bionic back massage of a cast -- is here, with reactions to the CES Steam Machine announcements, failed pursuit of the Nuclear Throne, and more terrible happenings in the world of DayZ. With special guest Chris Remo.

Games Discussed: SteamOS, Nuclear Throne, Flywrench, DayZ

January 1, 2014 It's time for Old Man Video Games to put away his scythe and hourglass and make room for the Video Game Baby. We ring in 2014 with a triple length Idle News Podblast (that might just be a regular episode). Happy new year!

Games Discussed: The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, DayZ, Spelunky

December 25, 2013 In this festive mailbag blast, we open three gifts for you. Or maybe two? One of them is definitely the highly anticipated conclusion of the Hat Baron Trilogy, which is the reason you're here. One of them is a Steam Box. The third gift is Video Games.

Things Discussed: The Steam Box, Zuma, Dishonored Jesus, Team Fortress 2, Dota 2, Christmas Blast, Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon

December 18, 2013 A single tap on your window. You turn. A flash, and the faint sound of a woman's voice, synthesized. "Data Complete." You look down to the street and catch a glimpse of an anodized aluminum foot disappearing around the corner. You return to your video game, and notice it is tailored impeccably to your tastes.

Games Discussed: Starbound, DayZ, Take On Helicopters, Just Cause 2 Multiplayer Mod, Spelunky

December 12, 2013 Nick Breckon was juiced. The hook sunk into his gills. He felt the itch. He decoded the shit. He failed to appear on this podcast. He's no man's guy. In his stead: Nels Anderson and Olly Moss. They are not the enemy. You are the enemy.

Games discussed: Android: Netrunner, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, Super Mario 3D World, No Man's Sky, Samorost 3, Depth, Soundself, Device6, Blindsight, Papa Sangre

December 4, 2013 I know you read about this episode, but that's not quite how it happened. Jake was unable to resist the temptation of Super Mario 3D World and became completely enveloped by it. Sean was charmed by Call of Juarez: Gunslinger but wants to play more to see how far it goes. Chris did get the good Internet at home. No no, they didn't play Assassin's Creed 4; they just talked about it a lot. That's my goof.

Games Discussed: Call of Juarez: Gunslinger, Super Mario 3D World, Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag, Mushroom 11, XCOM: Enemy Within, Star Citizen, TI-86 Mario

November 27, 2013 Patrick "Sports" Klepek joins the team for a quick huddle about the events of the day. Nintendo knocks it out of the park with Super Mario 3D World, and Jake is prepared to come out swinging for Luigi. But questions remain. Can Valve maintain full-court press in support of SteamOS? What will become of the no-holds-barred world of Steam hat trading? There's only one guaranteed slam-dunk: sports.

Games Discussed: Super Mario 3D World, Super Mario 3D Land, Super Mario TI-86, SteamOS, Spelunky, XCOM: Enemy Within, Star Citizen, insidious underground Steam hat-based economy, Tank 2004, Find Doctor

November 21, 2013 The next generation is here and seems pretty similar, but way sweatier. Nick sweatily plays NBA 2K14, Jake sweatily attends the NYU Practice game design conference, Chris sweatily probes the beginning of the new XCOM expansion, and Steve "Hot Scoops" Gaynor sits in the guest seat, sweating profusely.

Games Discussed: NBA 2K14 (PS4), Killzone Shadow Fall, XCOM: Enemy Within, Crusader Kings II, Pause Ahead, Untitled Pong-Style Game, Risk Of Rain

November 13, 2013 Oh yeah. We meet in the temple and we fence, and then we read. Beautiful. Nick pretends he's really tall, but few care despite his seven rings. Even more beautiful. Oh yeah.

Games Discussed: Foiled!, Device 6, NBA 2K14

November 7, 2013 Just when you think Chris has fallen so deep into Spelunky there's no escape, out of the darkness emerge two open arms, ready for the catch. Jeff Green joins us this week for talk of games journalism, SteamOS, live streaming, his decade-later return to Black Mesa, and more Spelunky.

Things Discussed: Games journalism, Spelunky, The Wolf Among Us, Grand Theft Auto V, Black Mesa: Source, SteamOS, The Stanley Parable

October 30, 2013 If our dark cyber-future lets you experience life through the eyes of a chicken, then so be it. If our dark cyber-future lets a chicken experience life through the eyes of man, has science gone too far? This episode best experienced with at least one sense augmented through technology, and one sense disabled to compensate. With special guest Zack Johnson, co-creator of the Kingdom of Loathing and host of the Video Games Hot Dog podcast. [Episode photo by Norm Chan of Tested.com]

Games Discussed: Oculus Rift, CastAR, Chicken Walk, Delver, Eldritch, Super Smash Bros (series), Candybox 2, Neptune's Pride

October 23, 2013 You're presented with two doors, and can only enter one. The choice seems simple but before you know it you've spent an hour in a psychosomatic tornado, endlessly circling around a subject you think you can grasp in full, only to realize you've been off on a tangent the entire time. This is The Stanley Parable. This is this week's podcast. This is a reminder.

Games Discussed: The Stanley Parable, The Stanley Parable, The Stanley Parable, The Stanley Parable Demo

October 16, 2013 As the saying goes, "When life gives you an insane shipping schedule, sleeplessness, and you think you may be getting a little bit sick, make an episode of Idle Thumbs where you dig through the mailbag and answer a bunch of quality questions readers have sent in." We'll be back next week with a full episode!

Things Discussed: You

October 10, 2013 Week 127. Sean spends a week in an empty mansion under the pretense of ridding it of ghosts, when in reality he robs the owners blind. He gets lost in a secret passage for two days. Chris spends a third week documenting his time lost in the caverns. Though he accomplishes little, he feels fulfilled. Jake remains at home with the door locked and the curtains drawn, counting the minutes since the mechanical cat's shadow last passed by the window. He loses one mind.

Games Discussed: The Yawhg, Crusader Kings 2, Grand Theft Auto V, Batman: Arkham City, The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, Spelunky, Soma