{"podcast":{"title":"Naavik Gaming Podcast","slug":"naavik-gaming-podcast-3874499","podcast_index_feed_id":3874499,"rss_url":"https://feeds.transistor.fm/naavik-gaming-podcast","website_url":"https://naavik.co/podcast","image_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/GSz2f4CgN8TocpoKV4kcuK-9RXeImzbrIjm8mvxj7xk/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9kYWVl/NmFiNWZkNTg2NDJh/ODQ0NjIzNmRiMDdl/YjJjOC5wbmc.jpg","author":"Naavik","episode_count":461,"summary":"The Naavik Gaming Podcast is a business-focused exploration of the companies, trends, strategies and leaders that are defining the future of games. To learn more and see other great content visit www.naavik.co.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-16T22:19:33.450254+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/naavik-gaming-podcast-3874499"},"episode":{"title":"The Future of Games Media: AI, Substack, and the Rise of Independent Journalism","slug":"the-future-of-games-media-ai-substack-and-the-rise-of-independent-journalism","published_at":"2026-03-31T12:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/naavik-gaming-podcast-3874499/the-future-of-games-media-ai-substack-and-the-rise-of-independent-journalism","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/naavik-gaming-podcast-3874499","url":"https://share.transistor.fm/s/0dfcad54","audio_url":"https://media.transistor.fm/0dfcad54/57d54180.mp3","summary":"In this episode, host Kalie Moore sits down with Stephen Totilo, founder of Game File and a veteran games journalist with over two decades of experience across MTV News, Kotaku, and Axios to unpack how the media landscape around gaming is rapidly evolving. As traditional outlets shrink and more journalists go independent, Stephen shares what it actually looks like to build a sustainable, subscription-based publication and why he chose to bet on himself rather than join another institution. The conversation explores the shift from institutional media power to individual credibility, and how trust, audience relationships, and direct monetization are reshaping journalism in real time - while also raising new challenges for discovery, sustainability, and the next generation of reporters entering the field. Kalie and Stephen also dive into the realities of running an independent media business, from balancing reporting with entrepreneurship to navigating ethical considerations in a world where sources can also be subscribers. They discuss the growing intersection between journalism, the creator economy, and AI, including how Stephen uses AI tools for transcription and translation to unlock stories that would have previously been inaccessible, while also confronting the rise of “AI slop” in pitches and content. The episode closes with practical advice for game developers and PR professionals on how to work with modern media, emphasizing the importance of storytelling, understanding reporter incentives, and building meaningful relationships in an increasingly fragmented media ecosystem. We’d also like to thank modl.ai for making this episode possible! Using a combination of computer vision, reasoning models, and feedback loops, modl:QA+ autonomously explores builds, detects b…","meta_description":"In this episode, host Kalie Moore sits down with Stephen Totilo, founder of Game File and a veteran games journalist with over two decades of experience a…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":4489,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/naavik-gaming-podcast-3874499/episodes/the-future-of-games-media-ai-substack-and-the-rise-of-independent-journalism/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/naavik-gaming-podcast-3874499/the-future-of-games-media-ai-substack-and-the-rise-of-independent-journalism.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}