10 Years of 2-Player RPGs: Party of One Celebrates Milestone Anniversary

Party of One, the award-winning actual play podcast about getting to know brilliant artists, entertainers, and trendsetters through the shared, universal experience of play, celebrates a rare milestone in podcasting this week: 10 years on the air and still going strong. In honor of the anniversary, host Jeff Stormer and producer Jen Frank are celebrating with a week of special episodes, including behind-the-scenes interviews, special guests, and livestream celebrations.

Launched in 2015, Party of One blends conversational interviews with live storytelling experiences, told through the medium of tabletop RPGs. The premise is simple: Each episode, Jeff sits down with a guest one-on-one to play a game and tell a story. Along the way, he chats with the guest about their passions, creative processes, and lets his guest show a different side of their personality.

The show kicks off its 10th anniversary celebration on Monday, October 27th, with week of special episodes, including:

• An interview with Mike Schubert (The Newest Olympian) in which the two talk podcasting and their creative origins while playing the CryptID Show, an RPG about supernatural encounters and call-in radio shows
• An Inside the Podcaster’s Studio style interview in which longtime friend and podcaster Alex Flanigan chats with Jeff about the 10-year journey of the show
• An intimate playthrough of The Time We Have, a 2-player RPG about brothers sharing their final moments amidst a zombie apocalypse with the game’s designer, Elliot Davis
• A livestream celebration on Twitch, including a multi-player game of See Issue X, in which Jeff and guests create their own convoluted comic book continuity

In its 10 years on the air, Party of One has spotlighted over 400 guests, ranging from tabletop luminaries such Brennan Lee Mulligan (Critical Role, Worlds Beyond Number) and Austin Walker (Friends at the Table), to writers such as Kieron Gillen (Young Avengers, DIE) and Jadzia Axelrod (Hawkgirl, Galaxy: The Prettiest Star), podcasters such as Jonathan Sims (The Magnus Archives), to game designers, professional wrestlers, puppeteers, and more. The show has also carved out a unique space in the gaming world, spotlighting over 300 different tabletop RPGs (the most of any podcast in the history of the actual play genre), bringing games and their creators to new audiences, and expanding the tabletop hobby in the process.

“It feels a little surreal, if I’m being honest,” Stormer said about reaching the 10-year milestone. “It’s hard to believe it’s been a decade. But we’re immensely proud of what we’ve accomplished with the show. We’ve made friends, gotten to know some fascinating creators, and most importantly, played a lot of great games. What more can you ask for, really? I’m looking forward to another ten years of the same. We’re just getting started.”

About Party of One

One part interview, and one part improv storytelling through games. A podcast about getting to know artists and entertainers through the shared, universal act of play. Each episode, host Jeff Stormer sits down with a guest one-on-one to play a game, tell a story, and have the kinds of experiences that can only occur when creative processes are allowed to run wild. There’s laughs, surprises, occasionally a few tears… it’s a good time.