Gaming news with riffs, friction, and receipts.
Hitbox! follows quick-moving game obsessives through releases, industry news, and whatever detour got stuck in their heads. A discussion of Marathon or Pokopia can turn into old PlayStation trophies, Survivor rules, Mario movie lore, or a broken car without losing the thread.
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Hitbox! is a brisk gaming show with the shape of a catch-up and the energy of a conversation already in progress. It covers new releases, platform news, pricing decisions, patches, movie tie-ins, old games, and the strange little rituals that surround playing games as an adult. The show can spend real time on Marathon, Pokemon Champions, Pokopia, Crimson Desert, PlayStation pricing, Xbox, or GenAI in games. It can also pause for car trouble, mystery tattoos, protein powder horror, Survivor, Rock Band, Whiplash, Drive, or a stack of old PlayStation and PS2 cases rescued from storage. That looseness is part of the point. The gaming criticism usually arrives through lived examples rather than tidy verdicts. A free-to-play Pokemon discussion becomes a question about accessibility, competitive barriers, and how quickly spending can creep in. A Crimson Desert segment becomes an argument about day-one reviews, missing fast travel, patches, and how hard it is to judge a game that changes under players’ feet. A Pokopia conversation lingers on pacing, daily tasks, and why waiting feels better when there is still something meaningful to do. Hitbox! is funny, but the jokes do not replace the analysis. The show is especially good at noticing how small design decisions affect real patience. It cares about whether a game respects time, whether friction is interesting or just irritating, and whether nostalgia can survive being looked at too closely. Its pop-culture tangents work because they feed the same habits of attention. Mario movie crowd reactions, Survivor rule changes, and old library games all become ways to talk about fandom, memory, hype, and expectation. The result is loose, skeptical, affectionate game talk for people who like news with texture and arguments that keep moving.
Made for: For players who follow games closely but prefer conversation to clean headlines. It suits listeners who enjoy blunt opinions, practical design talk, pop-culture detours, and long-running chemistry.
What sets it apart: Hitbox! stands out by making the small stuff matter: fast travel points, daily missions, review timing, old hardware, theater reactions, and the price of staying competitive. The show turns those details into broader arguments without sanding off the weirdness.
Realist gaming news brought to you every Wednesday by Justin Matkovich and Peter Hunt Szpytek.
Based on 5 episodes we listened to · September 2026
Hitbox! tests gaming news and popular opinion against firsthand play, sharp comparisons, and a lively conversational rapport.
Hitbox! turns gaming news into a running conversation between Justin Matkovich and Peter Hunt Szpytek, with firsthand play, industry developments, and pop-culture reactions feeding the argument.
Gaming criticism meets Baja Blast in a mason jar, with you happily caught in the splash zone.
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Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
Frustration, access, and a specific kind of game nostalgia.
The episode starts in frustration and settles into practical game talk. The Marathon discussion lands on the point where play stops feeling fun and starts feeling like a test of patience, while the Pokemon section turns to accessibility and how free systems can still quietly…
A loose, funny episode that shifts from solo Marathon to Mario movie reactions and a likely Smash setup.
This episode moves between two sturdy threads, with Marathon and the Mario movie each getting a fair shake. Marathon comes off as the more social game, though one player is still clearly enjoying it alone after repeated attempts to line up a group session went nowhere.
A gross opener gives way to a sharp, easy case for Picopia's better pace.
The episode opens with a gross, funny food panic, then leans into the kind of banter that keeps a conversation moving. A friend's protein powder may have had a worm or maggot in it, which sends the hosts into tapeworm jokes, disgust, and a renewed suspicion of orzo.
A grounded launch-day conversation about buying games before the fixes arrive.
Hitbox starts with a late-night car trouble story, then moves into a practical look at launch patches, missing fast travel, and what it means to judge a game that can keep changing after release.
A shaggy console chat that turns game comparisons into a bigger taste argument.
A loose, funny console chat keeps returning to familiar arguments about drinks, old habits, and why some games land for one person and miss for another.
Nilay Patel presses tech and media CEOs on how they actually run their companies.
Physician Shoshana Ungerleider pairs TED talks with interviews on aging, drug prices, and menopause.
Food52 hosts break down recipes and food-business origin stories, from sourdough to Salty Pimp cones.
They start with Marathon.
The hosts start by talking about Marathon and how different it feels when you play it alone.
The episode opens with a text about a possible worm or maggot in protein powder.
They open on car trouble.
The host discusses their renewed enthusiasm for Survivor season 50 after previous disappointment with recent seasons, highlighting changes in rules, game duration, and the return of veteran players.
Justin and Peter discuss recent gaming news and tangentially review the movies Whiplash and Drive.
Justin and Peter discuss old video games and memorabilia Justin acquired from a friend, including Final Fantasy VII, Tiger Woods PGA 2007, and Silent Hill 3.
The hosts share personal anecdotes about getting tattoos and haircuts before transitioning into gaming news.
Two hosts engage in humorous banter about enjoying the outdoors and going for a walk after feeling stressed.
Hosts discuss Super Bowl highlights, a viral sports betting story, and the dangers of online gambling.
The show opens with a drink bit and settles into the loose talk it does best.
The host rants about problems with Xfinity Comcast, including login issues and being forced to get an unused cell phone to lower internet bills.
The hosts discuss a disappointing movie experience and transition into video game talk, likely covering game of the year candidates.
The hosts discuss their hot dog eating challenge and holiday plans before transitioning to gaming news.
Two hosts banter about a hot dog eating challenge, discussing numbers and condiment preferences.
Justin recounts his experience listening to the true crime podcast The Root of Evil, which explores the Black Dahlia murder and the perpetrator's family, and reflects on why people are drawn to true crime.
The hosts apologize for a late episode, discuss wedding planning, and share a story about attending a Paul McCartney concert.
The hosts discuss a co-host's falling out of love with the TV show Survivor due to recent format changes and an overabundance of advantages and twists.
Two hosts joke about the challenge of tying a real bow tie for an upcoming wedding.
Two hosts discuss personal changes and new experiences, including trying kombucha, with humorous banter.
The hosts discuss their trip to Las Vegas for a music festival and one host's resulting illness, delaying the episode.
The hosts vent about tech frustrations, including OBS troubleshooting and annoying website login prompts.
Two hosts engage in a humorous debate about the quality of fast food, specifically comparing Buffalo Wild Wings and Taco Bell.
This episode discusses a review of the video game Ghost of Yotei and Xbox's second price increase in 2025, with casual banter about personal life and fireworks.
The hosts discuss playing the new Mario Party game after receiving it as a bridal shower gift, focusing on the unexpectedly long playtime.
The hosts discuss a Chicago-style deep dish pizza order and share a humorous review.
Justin and Peter engage in a comedic debate about what qualifies as a hot dog, discussing various types and their previous consensus.
A person consults a trusted friend about whether it's appropriate to put a larger bed on their wedding registry after realizing their current full-size bed is making them miserable.
The hosts discuss their experiences at Summer Game Fest 2025, share personal updates, and humorously debate hot dog consumption habits.
Two friends banter about a text message requesting no Haritos at a party, reminiscing about a past awkward moment.
The hosts discuss the announcement of a new pope from Chicago, exploring public reactions, the pope's modern relevance, and a humorous comparison to the movie selection process.