The Summoning Hour

By Joe "Rakaul" Belousek

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Category: Video Games

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Episodes: 133

Description

The Summoning Hour is an everything-gaming podcast and live show hosted by Joe “Rakaul” Belousek, a veteran game producer exploring games and the people who make, play, study, and love them.

From developer interviews and roundtables to gameplay streams, solo development sessions, and live whiteboard breakdowns, the show looks at games from every angle. Sometimes that means talking with industry guests. Sometimes it means breaking down a feature, reviewing an indie game, designing something from scratch, or thinking out loud about how games actually get made.

The Summoning Hour is analytical and educational, but still cozy, conversational, and approachable. It is for aspiring developers, curious players, indie creators, and anyone who wants deeper conversations about games without losing the joy of why we play in the first place.

At its heart, this show is for the love of the game, whatever your game is.

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, and Deezer. Watch live streams on Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, TikTok, and LinkedIn.

Join the conversation on Discord!

Recurring Shows:

Ready Check - Developer interviews, roundtables, and industry conversations.

Draft & Craft - Whiteboard sessions where you design, break down, or rebuild ideas live, with or without guests.

Ship Happens - Production, project management, live service, feature delivery, and “how games actually get made” breakdowns.

Patch Notes Pending - Game reviews, indie spotlights, gameplay impressions, and technical/design breakdowns.

Solo Queue Dev - Solo development in Godot with AI support

LFG Spotlight - Short 10–15 minute conversations highlighting developers, producers, artists, designers, QA folks, and other game workers looking for their first or next opportunity.

The Game Table - Casual gameplay sessions, multiplayer hangs, and “just for the love of the game” streams.


Episode Date
How I Find Indie Games Nobody Is Talking About Yet.
Sep 22, 2026
Why Your First Indie Game Should Be Smaller Than You Think | Gllama Games
Aug 18, 2026
Fighting Games Are Easier to Play and Harder to Enter | Cameron Fraser
Aug 11, 2026
The Truth About Game Dev Hiring | Christeen Mackey
Aug 04, 2026
Game Dev Is a Team Sport: Trust, Collaboration & Career Growth | Joey Kalitovic
Jul 28, 2026
Can Worldbuilding Evolve Beyond the Hero’s Journey? | Zhenya Zerkolenkov
Jul 21, 2026
What Does 20 Years in Games Design Teach You? | Nellie Hughes
Jul 13, 2026
Episode 4 - What Makes a Fantasy World Feel Authentic? | Dmitry Ryabchuk
Jul 06, 2026
Episode 3 - Can You Monetize Games Without Losing Player Trust? | Tamerlane Barak
Jun 29, 2026
Episode 2 - Tyler La Belle
Jun 22, 2026
Episode 1 - Reintroduction
Jun 15, 2026
The Summoning Hour - Garvey the Director of Student and Education Programs at Twitch
Dec 14, 2020
The Summoning Hour - AFK Live Stream
Aug 10, 2020
Summoning Hour - Revisiting Mark McCready Connections to Queen Maragaret Esports and the BEA!
Jul 20, 2020
The Summoning Hour - NYIT CyBears' Duran Talks Shop!
Jul 06, 2020
The Summoning Hour - Back with Christian Gross of AVGL
Jun 29, 2020
The Summoning Hour - My CEX 2020 Talk!
Jun 22, 2020
Black Lives Matter
Jun 15, 2020
The Summoning Hour - Kaitlin Teniente of St. Mary's Esports
May 18, 2020
The Summoning Hour - Ashley Denktas of UCLA Esports
May 11, 2020
The Summoning Hour - Kaylan Duncan, Esports Director for Norwich University
Apr 20, 2020
The Summoning Hour - Covid-19 & What Clubs Are Doing
Apr 13, 2020
The Summoning Hour - Olin Hayes - Esports and Sports Caster
Apr 06, 2020
Man, Myth and Legend, the Brains behind College Esports Expo - Kevin Mitchell
Mar 30, 2020
The Summoning Hour - Students of College Esports Expo
Mar 23, 2020
The Summoning Hour - AFK Segment - Education High Ground and COVID-19's Impact
Mar 16, 2020
The Summoning Hour - Revisiting Northeastern University with Rick and Tyler
Mar 09, 2020
The Summoning Hour - AFK Segment - Player Conduct, Trash Talk and Esports
Feb 17, 2020
The Summoning Hour - AFK Segment - 02 - PlayVS and Epic Games Strike a Deal
Feb 06, 2020
The Summoning Hour - AFK Segment - 03 - PlayVS and Epic Games Strike a Deal Part 2
Feb 03, 2020
Episode 076 - Back Where it All Started: Mississippi State University Esports
Jan 24, 2020
The Summoning Hour - AFK Segment - 01
Jan 22, 2020
Episode "077" - Introducing Summoning Hour AFK, Open for Business, EGF Power 5 Invitational
Jan 20, 2020
Episode 75 - Wesley Peck, University of San Diego's Esports Pilot Lead
Dec 09, 2019
The Summoning Hour (Trailer)
Dec 04, 2019
Episode 074 - Shaun Byrne , Esports Prof & Director for St. Clair College
Nov 25, 2019
Episode 073 - Ohio Northern University
Nov 19, 2019
Episode 072 - Collegiate Esports and NCAA Paying Players - What Does It Mean
Nov 11, 2019
Episode 071 - My Schools to Watch and Honorable Mentions
Oct 28, 2019
Episode 070 - Quack Quack! University of Oregon Ducks
Oct 21, 2019
Episode 069 - Alfred State University Esports Returns!
Oct 14, 2019
Episode 068 - David Willis, Head Coach for St. Edwards University Esports
Oct 07, 2019
Check Your 6 - Season 3 Week 1 & Pro League Recap
Oct 06, 2019
Episode 067 - James 'Hops' Hoplin - Washington State Uni's Esports Coordinator
Oct 01, 2019
Check Your 6 - Season 3 Kick-Off & Pro League Update
Sep 28, 2019
Episode 066 - York Esports with Robert and Moe
Sep 23, 2019
Episode 065 - Glenn Cravens - Author and Esports Analyst
Sep 16, 2019
Episode 064 - Gary Gonzalez of Convoke
Sep 09, 2019
Episode 063 - President Mark of Queen Margaret University's Esports Society
Sep 02, 2019
Episode 062 - Michael Policar, 15 Minute Financial Advisor Podcast Host
Aug 26, 2019
Episode 059 - Part 2 - Creative Solutions
Aug 19, 2019
Episode 061 - Four Members of University of British Columbia
Aug 12, 2019
Episode 060 - John and Marco of CollegeCOD
Aug 05, 2019
Episode 059 - Part 1 - Longevity & Challenges
Jul 29, 2019
Episode 058 - Boise State Esports - NACE Convention & Overwatch
Jul 18, 2019
Episode 057 - Will Hershey of Roundhill Investments
Jul 08, 2019
Episode 056 - Richard Huggan, Managing Director of Hitmarker
Jul 01, 2019
Episode 055 - Eugene Frier, Director of Esports & Gaming of Texas Wesleyan University
Jun 24, 2019
Episode 054 - Greg Adler Director/Coach of University of Texas at Dallas Esports
Jun 17, 2019
Episode 053 - Mike 'xpR' Pipher of Collegiate R6
Jun 10, 2019
Episode 052 - Cristian Guerra, Analyst for Dark Zero Esports
Jun 03, 2019
Check Your 6 - Collegiate Rainbow6 Finals Introduction
May 24, 2019
Episode 051 - Scott Zackman - Esports is not Always Smiles
May 20, 2019
Episode 050 - East Coast Polytechnic Institute with Mike & JJ
May 13, 2019
Check Your 6 #9 - Heading Into the Round of 8
May 10, 2019
Episode 049 - WSU FGC Spring Revisit
May 06, 2019
Episode 048 (49th recorded!) - Me. Myself and ESI
Apr 29, 2019
Check Your 6 #8 - Regional Playoffs!
Apr 19, 2019
Episode 047 - Catching Up with Alfred State University Esports
Apr 16, 2019
Check Your 6 #7 - Week 8 Recap & Playoff Picture Heading into Week 9
Apr 12, 2019
Episode 046 - Leeds Beckett University's Esports Society
Apr 08, 2019
Check Your 6 #6 - Week 7 Recap, Week 8 Match-ups and the current Playoffs Picture
Apr 06, 2019
Episode 045 - Trio of Leadership from Alfred State Esports
Apr 04, 2019
Summoning Hour Update
Apr 03, 2019
Check Your 6 #4 - Week 5 Recap, Week 6 Match-ups to Watch and CSULB R6 Interview
Mar 27, 2019
Check Your 6 #5 - Week 6 Recap & Week 7 Match-ups to Watch
Mar 27, 2019
Episode 044 - Anthony & Andrew of CSULB
Mar 25, 2019
Episode 043 - Iain, former President of Glasgow University's Esports Society
Mar 18, 2019
Episode 042 - Summoning Hour 042 - Cole Ricke of GCU Hearthstone and Kyoto Esports
Mar 11, 2019
Check Your 6 - Approaching Week 5 of Collegiate Rainbow 6 Siege
Mar 07, 2019
Check Your 6 - Heading into Week 4 and Interview with TAMU R6
Mar 02, 2019
Episode 041 - University of Oklahoma - Measuring More Than Winning
Feb 26, 2019
Episode 040 - Northeastern University Esports
Feb 18, 2019
Check Your 6 - University of North Carolina of Chapel Hill
Feb 15, 2019
Episode 039 - Chris Haskell, Director of Boise State Esports - Building Your Moonshot Rocket
Feb 11, 2019
Episode 038 - Evan Hirsh - RIT Esports President and Founder - LF Challenge
Feb 04, 2019
Episode 037 - Marco of RIT - Perpetual State of Loving Esports
Jan 28, 2019
Episode 036 - Ben Hosford from LSU - Know Your Worth
Jan 21, 2019
Episode 035 - Del of St. Ambrose University - Underdogs from the Start
Jan 14, 2019
Episode 034 - Allie Murdock - Communities, Esports and VR Oh My
Jan 07, 2019
WSU Extra Life "Fight All Night" 24-Hour Charity Stream
Jan 03, 2019
Episode 033 - Kathy Chiang of UCI - Collegiate Esports Frontrunners
Dec 24, 2018
Episode 032 - Cray Gage & Sergio of Ole Miss Esports - Rivalries Run Deep
Dec 17, 2018
Episode 031 - Tim and Michael of WSU FGC - That Fighting Spirit
Dec 10, 2018
Episode 030 - Will and Tanner of UW - Finding the Only Way Forward
Dec 03, 2018
Episode 028 - Bobby Belter of WSU - Go Cougs!
Nov 26, 2018
Episode 27 - Ohio State University - Leading the Way
Nov 19, 2018
Episode 026 - Mississippi State's Esports Eggbowl Experience
Nov 05, 2018
Episode 025 - Jules Scott - Podcasting a Spell on You!
Oct 29, 2018
Ep 24 - Downtime with WarlockRakaul - Highlight 2
Oct 26, 2018
Ep 24 - Downtime with WarlockRakaul - Highlight 1
Oct 25, 2018
Episode 024 - Downtime Retrospective with Me, Warlock Rakaul
Oct 22, 2018
Episode 023 - Andre & William of Western Michigan University - Up and Comers
Oct 15, 2018
Ep 022 Highlight - Lucas Selman, Executive Director of ASU Esports - Student Support
Oct 12, 2018
Ep 021 Highlight - Albert Lee & GCU - 50,000 Leagues Under Esports
Oct 09, 2018
Episode 022 - Lucas Selman of ASU - Driving a Vision Forward
Oct 08, 2018
Ep 021 Highlight - Albert Lee & GCU - Booming Community
Oct 06, 2018
Episode 21 - Albert Lee - Community Community Community
Oct 01, 2018
020 Highlight - Skill, Luck and Knowing People
Sep 26, 2018
Episode 20 - Chuck Jackman & Da-Hee Im Explain it All
Sep 24, 2018
Ep 001 Highlight - Andrew B and the Pervasiveness of Coding
Sep 20, 2018
Episode 19 - MSU Esports - Rivalry and Sheer Grit
Sep 17, 2018
Episode 18 - Timmon Pham - Underrated
Jul 31, 2018
Episode 17 - Roundtable with Chris Pounder and Cody Sargent
Jul 16, 2018
Episode 16 - Marty "Lazerchickenzzz" Strenczewilk of Splyce
Jun 30, 2018
Episode 15 - Kevin Katona - A Prototype in Time Saves Nine
Jun 19, 2018
Episode 14 - Mike Primiano - It's About the People
Jun 12, 2018
Episode 13 - Hugh Norfolk - Don't #!$% It Up
Jun 05, 2018
Co-hosting with C-Baaz about Video Games
Jun 01, 2018
Episode 12 - Janson Smalling - You Don't Really Know
May 20, 2018
Episode 11 - Byron Miller
May 16, 2018
Episode 10 - Crystal "Caulle" Reid
May 09, 2018
Episode 09 - Paul Zimmer
Apr 22, 2018
Episode 08 - J3ns0y
Apr 17, 2018
Episode - 07 - Mae
Apr 08, 2018
Episode 06 - Lindsay Peck
Apr 02, 2018
Episode 05 - Pontus Rundqvist
Mar 26, 2018
Episode 04 - Shawn Sharp
Mar 12, 2018
Episode 03 - Evan Teicheira
Mar 04, 2018
Management Tip - Giving Feedback
Feb 28, 2018
Episode 02 - Rob Thody
Feb 24, 2018
Episode 001 - Andrew Belousek
Feb 18, 2018
Episode 0 - My Mission
Feb 13, 2018