The podcast, which was announced via a Go Fund Me page, is simply called “Talking Games with Reggie and Harold,” and will run in conjunction with the New York Video Game Critics Circle’s nonprofit organization. “Talking Games with Reggie and Harold will be a unique seven-part podcast with former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé and award-winning author/journalist Harold Goldberg,” reads the official announcement. “Donations will benefit the New York Video Game Critics Circle nonprofit’s mentoring work in the time of COVID-19.” “Reggie is an NYVGCC board member and Harold is the organization president.”
The program is designed to bring games courses to homeless high school students in New York City. “While everyone has been hard hit by this terrible COVID-19 virus in some way, the hardest hit, under-served communities in the Bronx need our help,” reads the mission statement. “And no community has been hit harder than students in homeless shelters, who live in complex situations in the best of times and are having trouble even connecting to a WiFi hotspot right now. These are our communities in need. These are the communities we want to help.” Apparently the main podcast will be available for free, but various extras will be made available to people who donate in any capacity. According to ResetEra, these include:
Opportunities to submit questions for Reggie. Bonus podcast content, including longer versions of interviews in the podcast and some audio that wasn’t available in the podcast that’s new. Access to an exclusive private auction with various video gaming memorabilia up for bidding from the vaults of NYVGCC members, such as a Nintendo Power magazine signed by Shigeru Miyamoto. The first chapter of Harold Goldberg’s novel (on audiobook) that is somewhat inspired by Rockstar Games’ L.A. Noire and Grand Theft Auto IV.
For those curious about what the New York Video Game Critics Circle nonprofit’s programs actually entail, that’s been broken down, too:
DreamYard Project in the Bronx: Offering mentoring, internships, workshops, job information and college scholarships for intelligent, but under-served students. Journalism classes at The Henry Street Settlement: The New York Video Game Critics Circle brings games education to community events as well. Mentoring at, and consulting for, Older Adult Technology Services (O.A.T.S.), at their Senior Planet tech center in Manhattan’s Chelsea area. The New York Public Library system and American Museum of Natural History panels: Talks and discussions about jobs in games, games history and how games bring people together.
Reggie Fils-Aimé retired from his presidential position at Nintendo of America last April. He currently lectures at Cornell University, and once stopped Nintendo from aging up its logo.
