Podcast Summary: The Besties – "Fortnite’s Humongous Simpsons Update Raises an Awkward Question"
Release Date: November 14, 2025
Hosts: Chris Plante, Griffin McElroy, Justin McElroy, Russ Frushtick
Overview
In this episode of The Besties, the crew dives deep into Fortnite’s massive Simpsons update, reflecting on how the legendary TV show’s world has been lovingly rendered in the game and what this means for the future of cross-media, brand-saturated gaming. The team also explores the boundaries between celebration and commercialization, discusses the increasing Robloxification of Fortnite, reviews the clever, satirical game "Queue Up," recommends games for late-in-life newcomers, and shares notable recent TV shows and games.
Main Discussion: The Simpsons Take Over Fortnite
Introduction to the Update
- The episode’s central focus is Fortnite’s ambitious recreation of Springfield and the accompanying Simpsons content.
- The hosts marvel at the depth and quality of the update, describing it as a AAA-level realization of the dream many Simpsons fans have held for decades.
Notable Quote
"You can go to the Simpsons house and run around, and y'all—being in the Simpsons house is weird because I know how to get around the Simpsons house."
—Justin McElroy [04:48]
The Springfield Map & Details
- Full Springfield recreated: Simpsons house, power plant, city hall, and major landmarks.
- Interiors are show-accurate, even down to micro details like magazines in the Kwik-E-Mart.
- Environmental interactivity, e.g., releasing the hounds at Burns Manor, dropping into Mr. Burns’ office trapdoor with treasure below.
Notable Quote
"Every time you crest a hill, you are stunned that they put that much effort into whatever you're seeing."
—Chris Plante [05:33]
Reference Density & Fan Service
- Battlepass is loaded with deep-cut gags (Ned Flanders’ mustache glider, emergency kits, etc.).
- Special Simpsons/Disney animated shorts tie into the update, available both in-game and on Disney+.
The Ephemeral Nature of Live Events
- Concern over limited-time content: Once the season ends (end of November), Springfield likely vanishes from Fortnite.
- Discussion of creative mode and content preservation.
- The update draws a new wave of players but may leave latecomers in the dark.
Notable Quote
"It would be a real shame if hardcore Simpsons fans only found out about this a month later."
—Russ Frushtick [11:31]
The Robloxification of Fortnite
- Fortnite is evolving into a user-generated, multi-experience hub, pulling inspiration from Roblox (e.g., user-made maps, social/roleplaying areas).
- Ongoing industry lawsuits about cross-platform intellectual property and copyright.
Notable Quote
"It’s beginning to look a lot like Roblox... all that stuff from Roblox is happening in Fortnite with just like better mechanics."
—Justin McElroy [12:02]
Multiplayer, Accessibility & The Joy of Family Gaming
- The crew shares recent victories with their families, highlighting Fortnite’s accessible matchmaking and occasional bot-filled lobbies to ease newer players in.
- Touching moments: winning a match with their kids brings shared joy.
Notable Quote
"Is there a better moment than when you can fucking clutch up a win in front of your child in that experience? Holy shit, man. I feel so tall."
—Griffin McElroy [23:38]
Brand Synergy, Ads, and the State of Modern Gaming
Are Games Just Big Ads?
- The hosts compare Fortnite’s crossover content to games like Astro Bot (which is full of PlayStation references) and debate whether joyfully playful mashups soften the commercial edges.
- They question the boundary between playful homage and relentless brand synergy.
Notable Quote
"It’s all pretty whack, obviously...but this feels less like capitalizing on and more like Simpsons celebratory. To me, there's so much more in here than you could ever experience in one run. It's very loving, very, like, thoughtfully recreated."
—Justin McElroy [15:55]
IP Tensions and Legal Logistics
- Intense negotiations between brands (Nike, Reebok, Disney, Marvel, etc.) to permit unlikely crossovers.
- Fortnite’s size lets Epic Games strong-arm unique costume and branding deals, resulting in a mismatched—ultimately delightful—brand soup.
Notable Quote
"Because Fortnite got so fucking big, Epic was able to use their legal strong arming to just let them do whatever."
—Russ Frushtick [18:12]
Satire, Critique, and Gameplay: Queue Up
What is Queue Up? [26:20]
- Satirical “game-as-service” and “esports” send-up: essentially a coin-flipping game layered with superficial complexity.
- Explores fairness, upgrades, metagame grind, and pokes fun at modern live-service games’ psychological design.
- Includes a visual novel narrative critiquing microtransactions, EULAs, and data exploitation.
Notable Quotes
“It is like so full of these gags about modern games as service kind of contrivances that are objectively very funny. But then it drops you into the game with fucking no explanation as to what's going on..."
—Griffin McElroy [26:32]
“The absurdity of fairness in competitive games, that you have people who want fairness but then also want ‘upgrade pass’ constantly."
—Chris Plante [36:31]
Community Q&A: Gaming for Absolute Beginners [38:19]
Reader Question: What games are welcoming for adults brand-new to gaming (especially co-op)?
Highlights of Suggestions:
- Jackbox Party Packs: Accessible, social, no gaming expertise needed.
- Stardew Valley (Co-op)
- Classic Beat-em-ups: (e.g., Castle Crashers)
- Story Games: Telltale’s The Walking Dead
- LEGO-Brand Games: Gentle beginner-friendly.
- Caveat: Portal 2, while a great puzzle game, may be a steep first pick due to complex controls.
Honorable Mentions & What They've Been Playing
TV Recommendations
- Haunted Hotel (Netflix): Animated supernatural comedy with edge and heart, compared to Gravity Falls and Beetlejuice.
- Pluribus (Apple TV+): Vince Gilligan's (Breaking Bad) new, high-concept sci-fi drama. Highly recommended for its pilot.
Game Shoutouts
- Luminesce Arise: The new trance-puzzle game from Enhance. Explored both the mechanics and the soundtrack’s evolution.
- Humanity: A lemmings-style puzzle from Enhance (studio behind Luminesce Arise); recently discounted and heartily recommended.
- Queue Up: The earlier-discussed satirical idle game.
- Ayn Thor: Griffin details playing Phantasy Star Online GameCube ROM hack on a handheld—highlighting the DIY/retro emulation trend.
- Hades II: Russ is closing in on the ending; advice that early access has side effects for full release play.
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Fortnite Simpsons Update begins in earnest: 04:34
- In-depth on Springfield’s map & experience: 04:48–09:00
- Join/leave issues with Fortnite crossover content: 11:01
- Discussion on Robloxification and cross-platform IP tensions: 12:02–13:53
- Celebration vs. Commercialization in games: 15:21–18:58
- Queue Up review (game-as-service satire): 26:20–37:59
- Community Q&A (games for new adult players): 38:19–43:15
- Honorable TV/game recommendations: 43:41–62:36
- Next week’s "Game of the Year" table-setting preview: 62:44–63:43
Memorable Moments & Quotes
-
Justin, on multi-brand mayhem:
“I watched a YouTube video…it was just a YouTube short of someone playing as Goku gliding in, landing on the Simpsons roof, going through the door and sitting on the couch with like fucking Darth Vader and several other…characters…if I’d seen that three years ago…that's fucking AI. Like that's a joke. And the fact that it exists in the real world…is wild.” [21:37]
-
Justin, on gaming with kids:
“Cooper had to bail because it was too intense.” [23:50]
-
Plante, on The Besties’ mission:
“There is not an insignificant number of people who listen to this very show who do only have time to play Fortnite and maybe, like, two other games, and then they listen to us because it’s our job to go out bravely…to play those other games…We can tell you what to say at the cocktail parties…You keep playing Fortnite. We’re here for you!” [14:23]
Tone & Takeaways
The conversation is warm, funny, and introspective, frequently veering into loving cynicism about the relentless surge of IP crossovers, but always returning to genuine excitement when the execution and detail—such as with the Simpsons update—deliver fan-delighting results.
The Besties remain hyperaware of gaming's modern brand soup and the existential questions it raises, while championing earnest, creative work whenever they find it, whether that’s in blockbuster crossovers, sneaky indie games, or innovative TV storytelling.
Closing
The crew previews a looming, intense Game of the Year showdown and encourages listeners to catch up on key releases and highlights before the big debate.
For full enjoyment, check out:
- Fortnite (Simpsons event, before it vanishes)
- Queue Up for clever satire on modern games
- Luminesce Arise and Humanity for trancey puzzle action
- TV: Haunted Hotel (Netflix), Pluribus (Apple TV+)
Next week: Laying the groundwork for Game of the Year deliberations.