The Ringer-Verse

The Ringer

The Ringer-Verse is your go-to nexus podcast feed for all things nerd culture and fandom, featuring:

'The Midnight Boys': Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman react to the latest in fandom and share their instant reactions to the newest nerd culture releases, all while bringing the banter every week.

'Button Mash': Ben Lindbergh and company discuss the latest in the world of video games, from headline-making new releases, to industry trends, to game swaps and nostalgic re-plays.

Follow the House of R feed for deep dives from Mal and Jo!

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777 episodes
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Episodes777

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Dec 31, 2025 · 1 hr 10 min
Ringer-Verse Recommends: December 2025 (Featuring ‘Pluribus’)
With various hosts scattered or taking time off for the holidays, Ben Lindbergh and Van Lathan toss out the typical Recommends format for this month and devote the whole episode to one show that hasn't been covered on The Ringer-Verse or ‘House of R’: ‘Pluribus.’ Ben and Van explore what made Vince Gilligan's Apple TV series a challenging yet fulfilling watch, discuss what sets the series apart from other sci-fi fare, and look ahead to a (distant) second season. Happy New Year! Host: Ben Lindbergh Guest: Van Lathan Senior Producer: Steve Ahlman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Dec 24, 2025 · 1 hr 13 min
‘Fallout’ Season 2, Episode 2 Reactions | Button Mash
Ben and Daniel Chin patrol the Mojave and discuss the literally mind-blowing second episode of the second season of 'Fallout,' "The Golden Rule." After sharing their overall review, they assess each of the episode’s four main settings and story lines, point out the parallels between characters, and wrestle with this season’s accelerated world-building. They also consider whether becoming a ghoul is good, the Golden Rule vs. the Ghoul-den Rule, the likelihood of surviving a nuclear explosion by hiding in a fridge, aliens in 'Fallout' lore, and more. Intro (0:30) Overall review of the episode (03:32) Hank catch-up (06:20) What’s new with Norm (13:26) Lucy and the ghoul (18:30) Maximus and the Brotherhood (38:01) Fridge science, 'Fallout' lore, and more (50:00) Host: Ben Lindbergh Guest: Daniel Chin Producer: Brian H. Waters Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Dec 23, 2025 · 2 hr 14 min
2025 Games of the Year Draft | Button Mash
Ben, Matt, Steve, and Joshua Rivera recap an eventful year in video games by summing up the overall quantity and quality of games released in 2025, identifying both naughty and nice trends in the industry, and drafting their favorite titles across several categories. (00:00) Intro (3:35) Overall Quality of 2025 Games (8:35) Naughty and Nice Industry Trends (43:32) Games of the Year Draft Host: Ben Lindbergh Guests: Matt James, Steve Ahlman, and Joshua Rivera Producer: Isaiah Blakely Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Dec 19, 2025 · 1 hr 31 min
‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ Reactions | The Midnight Boys
The Boys are back to give you all of their thoughts on the newest installment of James Cameron’s ‘Avatar’ universe: ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash.’ (0:00) Intro (22:15) Spoilers Ahead (23:54) ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ Reactions (1:25:06) Midnight Meter (1:27:32) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Chris Thomas, Devon Baroldi, Aleya Zenieris, and Sarah Reddy Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Dec 17, 2025 · 1 hr 26 min
‘Fallout’ Season 2 Premiere Reactions (Plus Justin Theroux!) | Button Mash
Ben Lindbergh and Van Lathan return to the Wasteland for the first weekly Button Mash breakdown of ‘Fallout’ Season 2. First, they recap the premiere and discuss how it sets up the season. Then, Ben talks to Justin Theroux about joining the show in the role of Robert House. Finally, Ben brings on Polygon senior editor Chris Hayner for a primer on the game that inspired much of this season, ‘Fallout: New Vegas.’ Intro (0:00) 'Fallout' Season 2 premiere recap (11:56) Interview with Justin Theroux (52:13) Inside 'Fallout: New Vegas'—the game behind the season (1:00:33) Host: Ben Lindbergh Guests: Van Lathan, Justin Theroux, and Chris Hayner Producer: Devon Renaldo Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Dec 12, 2025 · 1 hr 5 min
Our Top 10 Highlights From the Game Awards | Button Mash
Ben Lindbergh and Matt James share their instant reactions to gaming's annual awards show/trailer fest! First they discuss the dominance of ‘Clair Obscur: Expedition 33,’ Matt’s experience attending the show in person, and the award winners that made them happiest and saltiest. Then they count down their respective top 10 lists of exciting announcements about upcoming games. Intro (0:00) Reactions to the Game Awards (2:20) Top 10 highlights (18:36) Outro (1:01:26) Host: Ben Lindbergh Guest: Matt James Producer: Devon Renaldo Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Dec 10, 2025 · 1 hr 42 min
Christmas Movies Draft | The Midnight Boys
The Boys are back and here to bring you their very merry Christmas movies draft! Five categories of holly jolly fun, from Comedy to Wild Card! (0:00) Intro (7:44) Christmas Movies Draft (1:39:06) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris, Devon Baroldi, and Jacob Cornett Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Dec 6, 2025 · 2 hr
‘Metroid Prime 4,’ ‘Marvel Cosmic Invasion,’ and ‘Five Nights at Freddy's 2’ Reactions | Button Mash
After stepping inside Samus’s visor for the first time in years, Ben and Polygon's Giovanni Colantonio compare notes on the much-anticipated ‘Metroid Prime 4: Beyond,’ a great game grafted onto parts of other, less-good games. In their spoiler-lite chat, they puzzle over the game’s discordant elements, praise its strengths, and analyze how it fits into the franchise’s lineage before assessing the Switch 2's launch-window lineup now that Nintendo has released its last title of 2025. Then Jessica Clemons joins Ben to discuss their impressions of a new beat-'em-up brawler, ‘Marvel Cosmic Invasion,’ and a new video game movie that’s been beaten up by critics, ‘Five Nights at Freddy's 2.’ Intro (0:00) ‘Metroid Prime 4’ Overview (3:00) 'Marvel Cosmic Invasion' Review (1:06:34) Reactions to ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’ (1:39:49) Outro (1:56:47) Host: Ben Lindbergh Guests: Giovanni Colantonio and Jess Clemons Producer: Devon Renaldo Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Dec 3, 2025 · 1 hr 43 min
Wakandans at Thanksgiving? It’s Time for a Midnight Mailbag! | The Midnight Boys
The Boys are back and they’re asking the Midnight Riders for their most burning questions about the nerd-verse! From Yoda to Jomi-cookie-gate, they’re here to give you all the answers. (0:00) Intro (9:04) Midnight Mailbag (1:39:09) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 28, 2025 · 56 min
'Zootopia 2' and Disney Sequels | Mint Edition
Spoilers ahead! Jomi, Steve, and Jess dive into the long-awaited 'Zootopia 2,' sharing their full review and exploring how the sequel expands the world of the original. They discuss the franchise’s cultural impact and what Disney got right (and wrong) this time around and look ahead to a potential 'Zootopia 3,' discussing where Judy, Nick, and the rest of the city could go next. Finally, they zoom out for a broader conversation on Disney sequels, the hurdles they’ve faced, why some manage to shine, and why others fall short. Intro (0:00) 'Zootopia 2' review (4:43) Disney sequels: hits, misses, and challenges (27:57) Outro (52:44) Hosts: Jomi Adeniran and Steve Ahlman Guest: Jessica Clemons Producer: Devon Renaldo Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 26, 2025 · 1 hr 30 min
White Girl Movies Draft | The Midnight Boys
The Boys are back, and they’re drafting white girl movies! From Meg Ryan to Lindsay Lohan, they draft in five categories: Fantasy/Action, Romantic Comedy, Musical, Drama, and Wild Card. (0:00) Intro (9:29) White Girl Movies Draft (1:27:05) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris, Devon Baroldi, and Devon Renaldo Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 25, 2025 · 1 hr 8 min
Ringer-Verse Recommends: November 2025 (Featuring 'It: Welcome to Derry')
We all pod down here. You'll pod, too. Recommends returns for a Thanksgiving feast! First, Ben brings on Zach Dionne to talk about 'It: Welcome to Derry,' Hollywood's obsession with Stephen King (including several new adaptations in 2025), the dos and don'ts of adapting King, the historical highs and lows, and the future of King's work on-screen. After that, other Ringer-Verse hosts and friends salute unsung releases to complete another expanded installment of the monthly roundup of fandom favorites from TV, anime, movies, video games, books, comics, and beyond that were released recently but not yet covered in-depth on a full-length episode. (00:00) Intro (02:38) 'It: Welcome to Derry' with Zach Dionne (19:17) Bigger Stephen King discussion (49:22) Van's recommendation (50:20) Steve's recommendation (51:30) Daniel's recommendation (53:58) Chuck's recommendation (54:30) Matt's recommendation (59:48) Jomi's recommendation (61:16) Listener recommendation Host: Ben Lindbergh Guests: Zach Dionne, Jomi Adeniran, Steve Ahlman, Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Matt James, and Daniel Chin Senior Producer: Steve Ahlman Social: Jomi Adeniran Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 24, 2025 · 1 hr 21 min
Speedrunning the Surprise Steam Sensations of 2025 | Button Mash
Ben brings on Simon Carless of GameDiscoverCo and Morgan Park of PC Gamer to explain the success of some of the most popular games released this year that haven’t previously been discussed on the podcast: surprise Steam sensations ‘R.E.P.O.,’ ‘Schedule I,’ ‘Peak,’ ‘Megabonk,’ ‘Escape From Duckov,’ and ‘RV There Yet?’ They break down how unknown PC games go viral, how long their time in the spotlight usually lasts, and what these huge hits have to teach us about the gaming landscape in 2025. Intro (0:00) Steam sensations speedrun (11:52) Outro (1:17:15) Host: Ben Lindbergh Guests: Simon Carless and Morgan Park Producer: Devon Renaldo Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 21, 2025 · 1 hr 25 min
'Wicked: For Good' Reactions | The Midnight Boys
The Boys are back for good! They unpack all things ‘Wicked: For Good,’ including the highly anticipated musical numbers, the interweaving of the original ‘Wizard of Oz’ story, and the depiction of animals in the movie. (0:00) Intro (9:27) Spoilers ahead (11:11) ‘Wicked: For Good’ reactions (1:02:35) Midnight Meter (1:21:46) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 18, 2025 · 1 hr 23 min
The Online Shooters Shoot-Out: ‘Battlefield’ vs. ‘Call of Duty’ vs. ‘ARC Raiders’ | Button Mash
Ben is joined by Kotaku’s Claire Jackson and Zack Zwiezen as they react to the just-announced nominations for the Game Awards (focusing on the Game of the Year candidates, the record number of nominations for ‘Clair Obscur,’ and the debate about the definition of “indie”) and then break down the industry implications, player considerations, and AI ramifications of the competition brewing among a trio of online-multiplayer powerhouse shooters: ‘Battlefield 6,’ ‘Call of Duty: Black Ops 7,’ and ‘ARC Raiders.’ Intro (0:00) The Game Awards nominations (3:23) The first-person shooter showdown (22:10) Host: Ben Lindbergh Guests: Claire Jackson and Zack Zwiezen Senior Producer: Steve Ahlman Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 15, 2025 · 1 hr 32 min
Brainiac in ‘Superman 2’? Plus ‘Running Man’ Reactions! | The Midnight Boys
The Boys are back, and they’re ready to talk all things ‘The Running Man’! Then they get into the nerd news of the week with ‘Superman 2’ and even do a mini draft of the best rappers-turned-actors. (0:00) Intro (7:07) Spoilers ahead (9:36) Instant reactions to ‘The Running Man’ (55:05) Midnight Meter (57:33) Nerd News (1:11:30) Outro (1:14:58) Post Credits Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 14, 2025 · 2 hr 35 min
'Dispatch' Deep Dive, and the PS5/Xbox Series Turn Five | Button Mash
Ben Lindbergh, Jomi Adeniran, and Daniel Chin discuss news surrounding a few coming attractions—another 'Grand Theft Auto VI' delay, trailers for 'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie' and 'Fallout' Season 2, and Valve's announcement of a new Steam Machine—before breaking down the highs and lows of hit episodic superhero adventure game 'Dispatch' (including one spoiler-ish interlude about Jomi's forlorn electronic love life). Then Ben talks to 'Dispatch' creative director Nick Herman and narrative director Pierre Shorette about how the game got made, all the ways it could have turned out differently, and fan horniness. Finally, Ben brings on Game File writer/reporter Stephen Totilo to discuss the fifth birthday of the current console generation, assess why it's widely perceived as disappointing despite a plethora of great games, and forecast the future of gaming. Intro (0:00) Video game news (3:16) 'Dispatch' reactions (26:34) Jomi's spoiler interlude (37:58 - 42:20) Interview with Nick Herman and Pierre Shorette (55:09) Five Years of PS5 and Xbox With Stephen Totilo (1:39:25) Outro (2:32:00) Host: Ben Lindbergh Guests: Jomi Adeniran, Daniel Chin, Nick Herman, and Pierre Shorette Producer: Devon Renaldo Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 7, 2025 · 1 hr 8 min
'Predator: Badlands' Reaction | The Midnight Boys
The Boys are back, and they’re ready to talk all things ‘Predator’! First, they react to the newest addition to the 'Predator' universe, ‘Predator: Badlands.’ Then they rank the top five ‘Predator’ movies. (0:00) Intro (3:51) Spoilers ahead (5:30) Instant reactions to ‘Predator: Badlands’ (56:22) Midnight Meter (59:25) Top five 'Predator' movies (1:04:24) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Chris Thomas, Jade Whaley, and Aleya Zenieris Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 1, 2025 · 1 hr 9 min
Ringer-Verse Recommends: October 2025 (Featuring 'The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon')
No tricks, all treats! Recommends returns for a dose of fall fun. First, Ben brings on CBR writer Katie Doll to talk about the rise, fall, and future of 'The Walking Dead' in honor of the 15th anniversary of the franchise, with an emphasis on 'Daryl Dixon' Season 3. After that, other Ringer-Verse and House of R hosts and friends salute unsung releases to complete another expanded installment of the monthly roundup of fandom favorites from TV, anime, movies, video games, books, comics, and beyond that were released recently but not yet covered in-depth on a full-length episode. ‘The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon’ (03:08) ‘Star Wars: Visions’ Season 3 (45:15) ‘Once Upon a Katamari’ (46:10) ‘Haunted Hotel’ (47:02) ‘Tron: Ares’ soundtrack (48:09) ‘Ball x Pit’ (49:05) ‘LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy: Pieces of the Past’ (50:45) ‘Dispatch’ (57:27) ‘Listener Recommendations’ (58:47) Host: Ben Lindbergh Guests: Katie Doll, Jomi Adeniran, Steve Ahlman, Van Lathan, Mallory Rubin, Matt James, Devon Renaldo, Arjuna Ramgopowell Senior Producer: Steve Ahlman Social: Jomi Adeniran Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Oct 31, 2025 · 1 hr 12 min
'Halo' Hits PlayStation, 'Ninja Gaiden 4,' and 'The Outer Worlds 2' | Button Mash
This is an Xbox ... episode of Button Mash! First, Ben Lindbergh and Matt "The Matt-ster Chief" James breaks down what the upcoming multi-platform remake of the original 'Halo' portends for the future of Xbox. Then, they stick with the theme by sharing their spoiler-free reactions to two new Xbox-published multiplatform games, 'Ninja Gaiden 4' and 'The Outer Worlds 2.' Intro (0:00) The Future of Xbox (1:46) 'Ninja Gaiden 4' and 'The Outer Worlds 2' Reactions (25:18) Outro (1:09:13) Host: Ben Lindbergh Guest: Matt James Producer: Devon Renaldo Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices