My Perfect Console with Simon Parkin

Pierce Brown is an American novelist whose work has made him one of the defining voices in modern science fiction. After a restless childhood that saw his family move repeatedly and left him passing through more than ten schools, he began writing in earnest just after high school. After years of rejection, he found his breakthrough with Red Rising, the first instalment in an epic saga that fused classical tragedy, Roman myth, and space opera into an international bestseller.

Since then, the series has grown into a global phenomenon, winning a devoted readership for its high-stakes politics and fierce emotional intensity. Alongside his work as a novelist, he has embraced gaming culture—contributing to the Red Rising board game and speaking openly about his love of everything from StarCraft II to Mass Effect and Cyberpunk. Now, as the series is being reissued in special tenth-anniversary editions, a new generation of readers is discovering the world that made his name.

LINKS

Pierce Brown – website & books
Pierce Brown – official website
Red Rising – the complete saga
Red Rising: Sons of Ares – prequel comic series
Pierce Brown – Instagram (@piercebrownofficial)

Red Rising board game
Red Rising – Stonemaier Games (designed by Jamey Stegmaier)

Pierce's Perfect Console
Command & Conquer (1995) – Wikipedia
Command & Conquer: Red Alert – Wikipedia
Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun – Wikipedia
Shogun: Total War (2000) – Wikipedia
Total War series – official site
Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn – Wikipedia
Black & White (2001) – Wikipedia
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind – Wikipedia

Books and other references mentioned
Plato's Republic – Wikipedia
Antigone by Sophocles – Wikipedia
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas – Wikipedia
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card – Wikipedia
The First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie
Gattaca (1997 film) – Wikipedia
Gustave Doré – illustrator, Wikipedia

Support the show
My Perfect Console – episode archive
Support My Perfect Console on Patreon
Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole

Take the Acast listener survey to help shape the show: My Perfect Console with Simon Parkin Survey 2025
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John Robertson is an Australian comedian, writer, and performer who has carved out a singular space between stand-up, theatre, and video games. Beginning his career on the UK and international comedy circuit, he became known for his high-energy, unpredictable style—before creating The Dark Room, a live-action text adventure where audiences shout commands, face absurd deaths, and attempt to survive his chaotic world.

The show has toured globally, sold out runs at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and grown into an online phenomenon, streamed to millions and adapted into digital formats. Alongside this, he has written and performed a wide range of solo shows and interactive work, creating a unique space where comedy, games, and audience participation collide.

John Robertson – website & show

John Robertson – official website
The Dark Room – live show information
The Dark Room – live dates and tickets
The Dark Room – Edinburgh Fringe 2026 at the Gilded Balloon
The Dark Room – Dark Room Deathstravaganza at Leicester Square Theatre, 22 November
John Robertson – Twitch (Robbotron)

John's Perfect Console
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Mega Drive, 1992) – Wikipedia
Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo – Wikipedia
Wii Sports Resort – Wikipedia
Sid Meier's Civilization V – Wikipedia
Hitman: World of Assassination – official site
Hitman: World of Assassination – Steam

Other games and references mentioned
Caves of Qud – official site
Caves of Qud – Steam
PAX West – Seattle gaming convention
Switch Sports – Nintendo

Next week's guest
Pierce Brown – official website
Red Rising – Pierce Brown's debut novel

Support the show
My Perfect Console – episode archive
Support My Perfect Console on Patreon
Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole

Take the Acast listener survey to help shape the show: My Perfect Console with Simon Parkin Survey 2025
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andreas Thorstensson is a Swedish entrepreneur, former professional gamer, and studio founder whose career has moved from the early days of esports to the challenge of rebuilding one of the world’s biggest sports genres from the ground up. Born in Stockholm, he began programming as a child and later emerged in competitive Counter-Strike under the name ‘bds’, becoming world champion in 1999 and earning a reputation as both a player, and builder of tools, platforms, and communities around the game.

In 2001, he co-founded SK Gaming, helping turn esports into a more professionalised business, and later spent a decade in technology and startups. In 2021, frustrated by the state of football games, he returned to development to found GOALS AB, a Stockholm studio with an ambitious aim: to give football the video game it deserves. Its first title, GOALS, is a free-to-play, cross-platform football simulator built around a gameplay-first, fully skill-based philosophy.

Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole

Take the Acast listener survey to help shape the show: My Perfect Console with Simon Parkin Survey 2025
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Abigoliah Schamaun is an American comedian, writer, actor, and podcaster whose open-hearted style has made her one of the most distinctive voices on the UK stand-up circuit. After cutting her teeth in the clubs of New York, she moved to Britain and there steadily built a reputation as a charismatic performer, becoming a popular headliner on the live comedy scene. Alongside her stand-up, she has appeared on shows including Pointless Celebrities, Captive Audience, Outrageously Funny Comedy, and I Live with Models.

More recently, through the podcast Neurodivergent Moments, which she co-hosts with Joe Wells, she has spoken with warmth and candour about ADHD and neurodivergence,. Now, that podcast has inspired a new book, Neurodivergent Moments: Sex, Sunscreen, Turtles and How (Not) to Pack a Suitcase, a funny, personal collection of essays out now.

Abigoliah Schamaun – official site & socials
abigoliah.com – official website

Neurodivergent Moments – the book
Neurodivergent Moments: Sex, Sunscreen, Turtles and How (Not) to Pack a Suitcase – Linktree (buy links & live events)

Neurodivergent Moments – the podcast
Neurodivergent Moments podcast – Acast
Neurodivergent Moments – Patreon (bonus content)

All British Comedy Explained – the podcast
All British Comedy Explained – official site
All British Comedy Explained – Apple Podcasts
All British Comedy Explained – Spotify

Abigoliah's Perfect Console
Super Mario Land – Wikipedia
Mortal Kombat (1992) – Wikipedia
Beat Saber – official site
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Nintendo

Other people and references mentioned
Joe Wells – co-author and podcast co-host
Sea of Thieves – official site
Penelope Keith – Wikipedia
Nerd of Mouth podcast
Support My Perfect Console on Patreon
Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole

Take the Acast listener survey to help shape the show: My Perfect Console with Simon Parkin Survey 2025
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Luke Whittaker is a British game designer and creative director. With a background in animation and games design, he co-founded the BAFTA-winning indie studio State of Play in 2008, helping establish a reputation for meticulous, hands-on craft and playful experimentation. He was the creator and lead designer of Lumino City, the puzzle adventure built entirely from hand-made paper and card models, which won a BAFTA for Artistic Achievement.

Since then he has worked on a string of distinctive projects including the Apple Award-winning pinball painting game INKS and the paper-crafted puzzle games KAMI and its sequel. As writer, director, and lead artist on South of the Circle, he even travelled to Antarctica to research a deeply human Cold War love story. Now, with Spycraft, a 1960s spy adventure that blends a physical board with video game mechanics—and comeswith a physical gadget built to play it—he continues to blur the boundaries between digital play and physical craft.

Relevant Links:

Luke Whittaker & State of Play
State of Play Games – official site
State of Play – about the studio

Spycraft & the Board device
Spycraft – State of Play Games page
Spycraft – on the Board store
Board – the gaming device Spycraft runs on

South of the Circle
South of the Circle – State of Play Games page
South of the Circle – Steam
South of the Circle – Apple App Store

Luke's Perfect Console
North & South (1989) – Wikipedia
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure – Wikipedia
Sega Rally Championship – Wikipedia
ICO – Wikipedia
Firewatch – official site
Firewatch – Wikipedia

Other games and references mentioned
Lumino City – State of Play Games page
Samorost – Amanita Design
Machinarium – Amanita Design
KAMI 2 – State of Play Games page
Shadow of the Colossus – Wikipedia
Oxenfree – Night School Studio
RetroPie – retro gaming on Raspberry Pi
The Turner Contemporary – Margate
Support My Perfect Console on Patreon

Become a My Perfect Console supporter and receive a range of benefits at www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole

Take the Acast listener survey to help shape the show: My Perfect Console with Simon Parkin Survey 2025
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.