EFG | Polygamer

Stephen Duetzmann is the editor-in-chief of Engaged Family Gaming, a website by and for parents to help identify games appropriate for the entire family. Games are a powerful medium for teaching logic, leadership, and empathy — but it takes research and investment to choose the right games. The ESRB ratings are a good first step, but knowing what games your kids are playing and how to participate in their gameplay can turn gaming from a passive, solitary pastime to an active, shared one.

In this discussion, Ken and Stephen discuss what led him to launch his own website for gamer parents; his two PAX East panels on parenting and gaming; the value of gaming in a society that often perceives it as contributing to childhood obesity; Stephen’s experience watching his kids play Final Fantasy IV, one of his favorite games from his own childhood; whether family-friendly games are more likely to come from indie developers, triple-A studios, or both; and the representation of LARPing in Hollywood movies.

Stream the audio edition of this interview below or from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Overcast, Pandora, Pocket Casts, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, RadioPublic, or the Internet Archive. Click past the jump for links to resources mentioned in this episode.

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In celebration of Father’s Day, this week’s guest is the host’s father, Edward F. Gagne. Born in the 1940s, Ed has witnessed the evolution of entertainment across the better half of a century, from early radio shows to black-and-white televisions to the latest home game consoles. Often a curious and early adopter of technology, Ed brought into his household such toys as a pinball table, Atari 2600 game console, and Apple II computer, exposing his four sons to advances that would revolutionize industries. He also fed their love of fantasy and science fiction, tuning the family into Star Trek and bringing home the earliest novels of R. A. Salvatore — when Ed himself wasn’t playing Tetris for literally decades on end!

In this interview, Ken asks his dad what passed for fun in each decade of his life; what it was about each medium that appealed to him; how he hoped to influence his children’s passions and interests with these decisions; and his thoughts on modern video games’ ability to positively or negatively influence today’s youth. Unlike a previous Polygamer episode that interviewed parents currently in the trenches, this episode provides the unique perspective of someone who has already raised the next generation of geek as he reflects back on his life and roles.

Download the audio edition of this interview below or from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Overcast, Pandora, Pocket Casts, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, RadioPublic, or the Internet Archive. Click past the jump for links to resources mentioned in this episode as well as a transcript.

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Podcast: Download (Duration: 1:12:36 — 34.2MB) | Embed

Tag Archives: EFG

Polygamer #44: Stephen Duetzmann of Engaged Family Gaming

Polygamer #24: Happy Father’s Day, Edward F. Gagne