Ep. 387: Poems, Plagues, Pokémon Pokopia & the Backlog Paradox
Jeff survived the family plague (barely), and this week we're recording live — poems and all.
This episode kicks off with a live poem creation featuring the Steam Deck and Skate 3. From there, Jeff shares how the Steam Deck was his lifeline while sick on the couch: full Steam library plus PS5 streaming, all from under the blankets. We compare it to the consoles that shaped our lives — the Game Boy SP, the PSP, and why portability matters more than ever for gaming dads.
Then we dig into Pokémon Pocketopia on the Switch 2. Jeff's family is all-in and Trevor might not be far behind. We break down what it is (Minecraft meets Pokémon in a post-apocalyptic world), the Switch 2's GameShare feature that lets you play co-op from a Switch 1, and whether this could be the next Animal Crossing for families.
Jeff's kid discovered Skate 3 on Game Pass and asked dad for help beating a challenge. 100+ hours of muscle memory kicked in — double kickflips, dark slides, 920s. The kid walked out of the room. Trevor confesses he may have traumatized his own kids at Mario Kart and GoldenEye beyond recovery.
We also talk about the "I didn't marry a loser" social media trend — wives pushing back on the incompetent dad stereotype — and what it means that this generation of dads has arrived. Millennial dads are spending three times more quality time with their kids than previous generations. It hit us right in the feels.
Finally, it's the debut of New Dad Gaming Questions! A listener sent in a study from 2averagegamers.com: what 10,000 Reddit comments reveal about the adult gaming backlog. The median gamer sits on 100–150 unplayed games, plays 8–10 hours a week, and 75% feel genuinely guilty about it. Adults who can finally afford all the games they want but lack the time to play them. Sound familiar? Welcome to New Dad Gaming.
🎮 Topics: Steam Deck sick day, Pokémon Pocketopia, Switch 2 GameShare, Skate 3 dad flex, Mario Kart trauma, "I didn't marry a loser" trend, modern fatherhood, gaming backlog paradox, No New Games 2025, adult gaming guilt
📬 Got a story, question, or a backlog confession? Reach out at newdadgaming.com
