What makes a truly great gaming community? Sean Baptiste, who helped grow Harmonix’s forum from a dozen diehards to hundreds of thousands of fans, shares what it really takes. From the secret struggles behind QA on Karaoke Revolution, to rocking out with the stars at the Grammys, Sean reflects on how fan feedback shaped Rock Band, how social media changed the game, and why authentic engagement still matters more than ever.

Contents:

00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories
52:18 - Sean Baptiste Interview

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Show notes

Dan's Escapist Column: https://tinyurl.com/35srz7e8
Mario 64 Dreamcast Port Impresses: https://tinyurl.com/chayc96w
Combo Portable TV Demo: https://tinyurl.com/mp5fy7ck
Lost PS2-Style RPG Revealed: https://tinyurl.com/4rb98wfn
Commodore Drive Turned PC: https://tinyurl.com/4b79jdnz
7-Day Dark Souls Demake: https://tinyurl.com/2sp2bc57
Yie Ar Kung-Fu Genesis Port: https://tinyurl.com/yc7y5pmx

This week we welcome Fatboy Slim, aka Norman Cook, for a chat about the retro tech behind his biggest hits. From discovering MIDI to refusing upgrades for decades, Norman explains how the Atari ST became the backbone of his workflow, powering Beats International, Freak Power and every Fatboy Slim track right up to Eat Sleep Rave Repeat. We talk step-time sequencing, floppy disks, crashing STs, pirate radio, bedroom studios and how a track made 25 years ago on an Atari is still charting today.

Fatboy Slim: https://www.fatboyslim.net/

Contents:

00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories
47:59 - Fatboy Slim Interview

Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show:

Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com

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We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon:

https://theretrohour.com/support/

https://www.patreon.com/retrohour

Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8

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Show notes

My Arcade Mini Sega Arcades: https://tinyurl.com/bderxanv
Road Rash Gets a Spiritual Successor: https://tinyurl.com/yc266zz7
Final Build of Cancelled Resident Evil Game Boy Color Port Discovered: https://tinyurl.com/2rfetz22
Roguecraft DX Comes to Retro Platforms: https://tinyurl.com/4pa8nc8j
Long-Lost Mega Drive Sequel to Pit Fighter Found: https://tinyurl.com/3knexpjd
The Sega Saturn Gets a New Miami Vice-Style Game in 2026: https://tinyurl.com/53nc55jj

This week we’re joined by Mike Tucker and Quang DX from Bitmap Bureau to talk about the making of Terminator 2D: No Fate. We hear how their lifelong love of Terminator 2 turned into a three-year obsession, why so many classic T2 games missed the mark, and how this project set out to put that right. From painstakingly recreating iconic film moments in pixel art, to difficulty balancing, licensing hurdles, hidden Easter eggs, and expanding the Future War beyond the film, this is the story of how the Terminator game fans always wanted finally became reality. 

Bitmap Bureau: https://www.bitmapbureau.com/

Contents:

00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories
55:33 - Terminator 2D: No Fate Interview

Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show:

Bitmap Books - https://www.bitmapbooks.com

Leeds Gaming Market: https://leedsgamingmarket.com/

Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needs

Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour

We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon:

https://theretrohour.com/support/

https://www.patreon.com/retrohour

Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8

Website: http://theretrohour.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/
X: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour

Show notes

Sonic Lands on the Amiga: https://tinyurl.com/4rckwhvw
Celebrate 50 Years of Jaws: https://tinyurl.com/348uw48e
CES Retro Tech: https://tinyurl.com/3fwpynyh
Modder Creates Switch-Style Dock for the Nintendo 3DS: https://youtu.be/Kqn9QqYMQOM
The Iconic QuickShot II Joystick Returns in 2026: https://tinyurl.com/2p9pr8k9
Support for the Sega Dreamcast Web Browser Ends After 25 Years: https://tinyurl.com/4c9ppapc
Streets of Rage 2 New Era v3 Out Now: https://tinyurl.com/3xd8jrx3