The Besties
The Besties is a video game podcast in which Griffin McElroy, Justin McElroy, Chris Plante and Russ Frushtick rank and review their favorite games. The feed lists 522 episodes since 2012, now weekly at about 57 minutes. Estimated downloads are 15,000 to 45,000 per episode, implying roughly $270 to $1,130 per host-read mid-roll. Each episode centers on one or two current releases.
A long-running, highly rated gaming show with a weekly slot for game buyers.
- Apple Podcasts lists 4,860 ratings averaging 4.9 stars, among the strongest ratings for a show of this type.
- Weekly episodes of about 57 minutes focus on current releases, which suits launch timing.
- The website is a Substack with over 18,000 subscribers, giving a second channel to reach listeners.
Brand fit report
Content
- Formats
- co-hosted banter, reviews, rankings
- Tone
- friendly, humorous
- Language
- English
- Production
- Studio production
- Typical length
- 50 to 65 minutes
Audience
Commercial
- Brands seen
- None yet
- Categories promoted
- None yet
- Affiliate links
- No
No sponsor mentions found in the feed; the website is a Substack page with a subscribe button.
Suitability GARM Brand Safety Floor + Suitability
The feed is flagged explicit, and recent titles such as Wolverine Is a Disaster and Blood Dungeon Takes Us to Bullet Heaven cover action games.
We classify content, never people. No age, gender, ethnicity, religion or political views are inferred about the creator. Audience figures are estimates unless marked verified. Creators can correct anything on their profile.
Where to listen
| Platform | Link |
|---|---|
| Website | besties.fan/ |
| Apple Podcasts | podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id505516789 |
| RSS feed | feeds.simplecast.com/Urk3897_ |
Benchmark score: 100 / 100
Public rule, same for everyone. How it works.
Recent episodes
| Episode | Date | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Echo Weaver Is Like Outer Wilds in 2D | 2026-10-16 | 56 min |
| The Star Wars Game Renaissance Is Here! | 2026-10-09 | 54 min |
| Control Resonant Rewards Your Patience | 2026-10-02 | 59 min |
| With Fire Emblem, Is It Finally Time to Buy a Switch 2? | 2026-09-25 | 59 min |
| Wolverine Is a Disaster | 2026-09-18 | 57 min |
| Onimusha: Or, Capcom Refuses to Make Bad Games | 2026-09-11 | 57 min |
Last six episodes from the show's feed, latest 3 days ago, a new one about every 7 days.
It's Game of the Year meets King of the Hill as four of Earth's best friends – Griffin McElroy, Justin McElroy, Chris Plante, and Russ Frushtick – rank and review their favorite video games. Because shouldn't the world's best friends pick the world's best games?
About The Besties
The Besties is a video game podcast in which four friends rank and review their favorite games. The feed and Apple Podcasts credit Griffin McElroy, Justin McElroy, Chris Plante and Russ Frushtick as hosts. The show's website is a Substack page that describes it as a video game club for everyone and lists over 18,000 subscribers.
The feed lists 522 episodes dating to 2012. Recent episodes run weekly at about 57 minutes and cover single releases such as Onimusha, Control Resonant and Echo Weaver, plus broader topics like Summer Game Fest. Apple Podcasts shows 4,860 ratings averaging 4.9 stars. Starbooked estimates 15,000 to 45,000 downloads per episode; this is an estimate because podcasts do not publish download counts.
No sponsors appear in the feed titles or description. At Starbooked's rate, a host-read mid-roll is about $270 to $1,130 per episode. The audience is likely gaming-focused adults, making it a fit for game publishers, hardware and accessories, indie studios and game-adjacent subscription services.
Written from the show's public RSS feed, its Podcast Index listing and episode titles. Numbers updated 2026-10-19. The Besties can edit or remove this page at any time.
Questions about The Besties
How much does The Besties charge for a podcast sponsorship?
Starbooked estimates a host-read mid-roll at about $270 to $1,130 per episode, based on an estimated 15,000 to 45,000 downloads per episode. The show does not publish a rate card or download numbers.
What is The Besties about?
Griffin McElroy, Justin McElroy, Chris Plante and Russ Frushtick rank and review their favorite video games. The feed lists 522 episodes since 2012, and recent weekly episodes run about 57 minutes.
How do I contact The Besties about sponsoring an episode?
The show's contact email unlocks on Starbooked for $0.80. Boosted shows can be booked through Starbooked directly, so you can arrange a sponsored episode without searching for the right contact.
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