The Midnight Release
A nostalgic, late-night rewind through the golden age of gaming, pop culture, and friendship. Join Chase and Austin every week as they relive GameStop midnight launches, classic console wars, and the games and nostalgia that shaped us.
Episodes
54 episodes
Episode 46 - When Weekends Hit Different | Before the Notifications
Remember when the weekend actually felt like an event?Before smartphones, constant notifications, streaming, and social media followed us everywhere, weekends had a different kind of freedom. You disappeared for hours, met up with...
Episode 45 - Dragon Ball That Started it All | From Toonami to the Spirit Bomb
Dragon Ball didn't just become something we watched — for a lot of us, it became part of who we were.In this episode of The Midnight Release, we're going all in on Dragon Ball — from discovering Dragon Ball Z on To...
Episode 44 - Summer Blockbusters | When the Movies Became the Event
From Opening Weekend to Opening Night — The Movies That Owned Our Summers.What made a summer movie feel like an event?Before streaming, before movies could hit digital platforms weeks after theaters, there was somethi...
Episode 43 - The Disney Download | Everything Announced at D23 2026
The Midnight Release is back with another episode — and this time, we're downloading everything from D23 2026 in a surprise pivot episode with all this news!Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, Kingdom Hearts, Disney Parks and plenty...
Midnight Reflections - It's Okay to Say it Hurts | On Pain, Resilience & Letting People In
Midnight Reflections returns with a quieter conversation about something many of us are taught to hide: pain.Some of us become so good at pushing through, minimizing what hurts, and telling everyone “I’m fine” that we forget we do...
Episode 42 - The Backlog Never Sleeps | When Your Wishlist Attacks
The backlog never sleeps.There is always another game to play, another game on sale, another game we swear we're going to get to, and somehow another dozen games waiting around the corner.This week on The Midnig...
Episode 41 - Legendary Childhood Debates | The Arguments That Never Really Ended
Some arguments never truly end.This week on Midnight Release, we're revisiting the legendary debates that defined our childhoods, school lunch tables, online forums, gaming communities, and friend groups. Whether it was Nintendo vs. Sega...
Midnight Reflections - Collect Memories, Not Things? | Why Collectibles, Physical Media, and Nostalgia Matter More Than Ever
In this fourth installment of Midnight Reflections, Chase explores one of the most common pieces of life advice: "Collect memories, not things."It's a sentiment that many of us agree with. After all, family vacations, fir...
Episode 40 - Peak Cinematic Throwbacks | The Movies We Grew Up With
From VHS tapes and movie rental stores to midnight premieres and DVD special features, we're taking a trip back through the movies that helped shape an entire generation.This week on Midnight Release, we're talking about the films we gre...
Episode 39 - Cheat Codes & Urban Legends | The Secrets We Swore Were Real
Before YouTube walkthroughs, Reddit guides, and dataminers revealing everything on day one, gaming knowledge spread through playground rumors, handwritten notebooks, gaming magazines, and that one friend who claimed his cousin worked at Nintend...
Episode 38 - The Hall of Fame Argument | Settling the GOAT Debates
What happens when you try to settle decades of arguments in a single episode?This week on The Midnight Release, we're putting everything on the table for our biggest debate yet. From gaming, movies, television, anime, and music, we're at...
Episode 37 - Three Perfect Chapters | The Art of the Movie Trilogy
Some movies tell a great story.Others need three films to become legendary.This week on The Midnight Release, we're diving into some of the most iconic movie trilogies ever created—from Middle-earth and Gotham City to a gal...
Episode 36 - One More Quarter...or Swipe | From Arcades to Barcades
There was a time when a pocket full of quarters meant an entire afternoon of adventure.This week on The Midnight Release, we're stepping back into the golden age of arcades—from local favorites like Aladdin's Castle, Tek World, Sk...
Midnight Reflections - When a Number Becomes a Story | The Meaning We Give to Coincidence
For as long as I can remember, one number has quietly followed me through life: 724.It has shown up on clocks, receipts, license plates, addresses, hotel rooms, random moments, and some of the biggest milestones I've ever experien...
Episode 35 - Previously On... | The Shows we Planned Our Week Around
There was something special about television before streaming. We didn't binge entire seasons in a weekend—we planned our week around them.This week on The Midnight Release, we're taking a nostalgic journey through the television ...
Episode 34 - You Had to Be There | General 90s & 00s Nostalgia
Some memories aren't tied to major events.They're tied to the little things.The sounds, commercials, furniture, gadgets, and everyday experiences that quietly disappeared without anyone noticing.In this episode, we're revis...
Midnight Reflections - Paternal Passions | Finding What We Love and Passing It On
Happy Father's Day.In this episode of Midnight Reflections, Chase looks back on growing up without a father figure to introduce him to gaming, movies, anime, music, and many of the hobbies that would eventually shape who he became.
Episode 33 - I Think We're Back | Sony State of Play, Summer Game Fest, Xbox Showcase, Nintendo Direct
After years of wondering if gaming would ever see another 1998 or 2007, 2026 is making a serious case for itself.This week on Midnight Release, we're breaking down one of the most announcement-packed stretches in recent gaming history as...
Episode 32 - Press Start to Watch | The Evolution of Video Game Movies
For years, video game movies carried a reputation that was nearly impossible to escape.From the infamous 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie and the unforgettable Mortal Kombat theme song to the Resident Evil franchise, Doom, Silent Hill, Sonic...
Midnight Reflections - 1998 Changed Everything
At the time, it felt like just another year. Looking back, it became one of the most important years of my life.In this first Midnight Reflection, I revisit the family milestones, personal losses, movies, games, and memories that shaped ...
Episode 31 - Page 72 for Nostalgia
Before YouTube walkthroughs, social media reveals, and instant gaming news, there was one thing every gamer looked forward to each month: opening the mailbox and finding the latest gaming magazine.This week on Midnight Release, we're fli...
Episode 30 - Roll for Nostalgia
From Monopoly nights and family arguments over Risk to Dungeons & Dragons campaigns, deck builders, and modern tabletop madness — this week the Midnight Release crew gathers around the table for a full nostalgia trip through the world of bo...
Episode 29 - Remembering the Burns and Skips
From burned CDs and LimeWire downloads to AMVs, TRL, Guitar Hero, and Spotify playlists — this week the Midnight Release crew dives deep into the music that shaped an entire generation.Episode 29 explores how music evolved alongside gami...