Pretty, Precious, Pondering the Pew Pew Bang Post

I’ve listened to many podcasts in my short life. Most of the podcasts I listen to are about video games or video games news. My need for “insider” knowledge of the industry started with a lil ole magazine called Game Informer. Gamestop was the one stop shop for all things video games when I was a kid and my mother decided to get a pro-membership to help afford my video game craving. Along with the discount on most items came an included subscription to the magazine. I remember eagerly going through each copy I got and being disappointed that none of the games I played were being reviewed. Turns out racing games and all Pokemon games weren’t the teams forte. I still enjoyed the articles that would speculate what the next console rumors were and the sass that came with the magazine. I’m unsure if it was an annual copy but every year they’d have an issue that was filled with nothing but responses to what their fans had sent in, and these reviewers were not nice! They would berate the people complaining about giving Overwatch game of the year and harp on the idiocracy of their readers, it was unhinged and the best issue every year. Maybe this is why you like to be bullied… 

I didn’t realize it while reading it but Game Informer set a standard for my expectations of games media content. They matched the dudebro culture that comes stereotyped with video games and made me think that was the only thing I wanted. It wasn’t until Pew Pew Bang came out that I realized I enjoy the girly side of gaming the most. Some of my favorite gaming moments were playing the Barbie adventure games on the GameBoy Color. I mean you got to be Barbie and dive to the seafloor and be a mermaid, that’s amazing. I love lifestyle simulators, and anything you get to design and customize to your heart's content. The first person shooters, and loot shooters and extraction shooters, and the, we get it, are great and I do have my fun with them but they are too intense sometimes. I know that separating the shooters to boys and the lifestyle games to girls is shallow and doesn’t build solidarity between the genders. But if you really need me to spell out to you that I am aware that anyone can enjoy these games, then you need to get some experience in your feet. Like it or not stereotypes shape public perception and preconceived notions, we try not to let them change our opinions but they do. If you’re looking for not your stereotypical gaming podcast and something fresh to listen to give Pew Pew Bang a chance. Now without further ado let me actually get into what Pew Pew Bang is.

In this year of our lord and saviour 2025 the internet was blessed by a gift. The negativity of the world had become too powerful and a strong tidal wave of positivity and good vibes was needed to level out the grim reality. Four horsewoman of the positivity revolution decided to come together. You have the pretty: Sarah Podzorski, a local Minnesotan, video game industry veteran, and one of the people responsible for getting Undertale localized in Japan. The precious: Janet Garcia, a “newcomer” to the video games media landscape, self built and self employed marvel of excellent takes as well as actually being the busiest woman in the industry. The pondering: Haley Maclain, a video game lawyer, yeah that’s a thing, based in Nova Scotia, Canada. Formerly a Game Informer intern her experience and her thoroughness brings a true sense of ethos to everything she speaks on. Finally you have the Pew Pew: Kelsey Lewin, cofounder of the Video Game History Foundation and owner of the national video game chain store: Pink Gorilla Games. Kelsey is the unofficial official leader of the Pew Pew squad and is the grease that keeps the Pew Pew train on track; even though the train never had tracks to begin with. If it isn’t obvious by now the main theme of Pew Pew Bang is video games but they also have hinged & unhinged life advice along with community questions. This is merely the corporate pitch for Pew Pew Bang for the whole picture must include the sleepover vibes that come paired with those late night talks you’d have with your friends. The concept was great at first but the cast has really clicked together now that they are in their second season. They all feel extremely comfortable with each other and it allows each of them to have their hyperbolic moments. At the time of this blog posts release their latest episode: The Life-Ruining Games Episode is a great jumping on point and a great example of one cast member fangirling so hard for Uno that it makes me want to go out and buy an Uno deck. Every time an episode comes out my heart jumps in excitement and I feel as if they made each episode with me in mind even though I’ve never written into the show. I don’t think this is a unique feeling for listeners & watchers of this podcast because so many things they cover and say feel like unacknowledged or assumed thoughts that someone is voicing for the first time.

If my unending praise for this podcast is not enough, perhaps something a bit more official, like the fact that Pew Pew Bang was nominated and awarded the Astra Award for Best Gaming Podcast of 2025. Clearly there is something of great worth here so pull out your smart devices and give Pew Pew Bang a listen for you won’t regret it. For any Pew Pew Bang members reading this thank you so much. Those monikers are very interchangeable between the four of you, Leo is the real Pew Pew for his editing, and this isn’t parasocial because we’ve met or at least been in the same room because I went to Really Rad Weekend for your panel and it was awesome! Thanks for all that you do and please keep it up, my only request is to think about adding Ana Diaz to the sleepover.