Building Better Games
Leadership in game dev is hard. I can't make it easy, but I can make it a heck of a lot better. My name is Benjamin Carcich, and this podcast helps leaders in game dev who feel stuck, ignored, and out of options find their path to success. I've spent the last several decades studying and leading in environments ranging from the U.S. Army through to game development. I want to share what I've learned. Better leadership is a huge opportunity in the games industry. Let's make it better together. Better leaders build better games.
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3 Leadership Mistakes Quietly Crippling Your Game Studio
11/18/2025
3 Leadership Mistakes Quietly Crippling Your Game Studio
If you’re a leader in game dev who feels stuck, there is a path forward that levels up your leadership and accelerates your team, game, and career. Sign up here to learn more: Are you leading a team that has plenty of people but can’t seem to get moving? You care deeply about your team and your game, but projects crawl and decisions drag in the. It's almost never just a talent problem. Instead, it's three quiet leadership mistakes that choke momentum. In this episode, you’ll learn what those three mistakes are, how they’re showing up in your studio, and what you can do instead so you can move faster and see real progress on your game. We break down the mistakes one by one with simple shifts you can start immediately. What You'll Learn: The Velocity Trap: Why any speed you have is "pretend" if your team doesn't share a clear North Star (Vision). The Cart in the Mud: The four specific foundational elements you must have in place to earn the right to scale , and what to do when you realize you've scaled too fast. The Crunch Lie: Why overwork and extended crunch quickly make you slower than if you never crunched at all, and how to operate at a sustainable pace. A Simple Reality Check: How to rate your studio's Vision, Scale, and Workload (1-5) to identify your biggest blocker and immediately focus your leadership energy. GameDeveloper.com Article: Connect with us: 🔗Ben’s LinkedIn: 🔗BBG’s LinkedIn: 🔗Instagram: 🔗Website: 🔗YouTube: #GameDevLeadership #GameStudioLife #ProjectManagement #GamedevTips #BuildBetterGames
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E107: Stop Hiring “Testers.” Start Doing QA.
11/11/2025
E107: Stop Hiring “Testers.” Start Doing QA.
If you’re a leader in game dev who feels stuck, there is a path forward that levels up your leadership and accelerates your team, game, and career. Sign up here to learn more: You can't just test quality into a game at the end. You have to build it in from the start. Ignoring your Quality Assurance team's full value is a fast way to lose millions. The state of game development is at a challenging inflection point, characterized by high-risk live service ambitions and a brain drain of senior talent. Host Ben Carcich sits down with Nathan Tiras, former Game Dev veteran (Riot Games, Singularity 6), to dissect this instability and dive deep into the discipline seen as an "entry-level" role: Quality Assurance (QA). Nathan, who worked his way from a QA Analyst at Riot to the Director of QA and Live Service at Singularity 6 (makers of Palia), argues that QA is not just "testing" but a critical quality function that represents the voice of the player. This deep-dive explores how leaders must move beyond the "QA as tester" stereotype to unlock the massive subjective value and risk-prevention only highly skilled, respected QA professionals can provide. What You’ll Learn in this Episode: What “quality” really means in 2025, and why the best QA teams shape player experience How bringing QA in at pre-production saves time, money, and your launch day sanity Why bug counts don’t define QA’s worth The human edge of judgment, creativity, and tribal knowledge that no tool can replicate How great leaders build quality teams that protect business continuity and deliver real returns Learn more about Nathan: LinkedIn: Company: Instagram: Board Game Geek: Check his other YouTube appearances: Connect with us: 🔗Ben’s LinkedIn: 🔗BBG’s LinkedIn: 🔗Instagram: 🔗Website: 🔗YouTube: #GameDev #GameQA #QualityAssurance #GameLeadership #GameProducer #LiveServiceGames #BuildingBetterGames
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E106: Why Jira Hurts Game Studios
11/04/2025
E106: Why Jira Hurts Game Studios
If you’re a leader in game dev who feels stuck, able to spot problems but struggling to make a real difference, there is a path forward that levels up your leadership and accelerates your team, game, and career. Sign up here to learn more: Are you inadvertently forcing your team to serve a tool, instead of letting your tools serve your team and game? In a recent conversation with Clinton Keith, Ben asked how Clint would help all of game development. Clint’s response? “Delete Jira” - and Ben laughed to keep from crying. Jira is a powerful tool, but in the hands of uninformed game development leadership, it often becomes a weapon against the very teams it's meant to help. Ben, who has used Jira and other tools as a producer within large studios, dissects the common, catastrophic misuses of Jira. While you might be better off deleting the tool, the real work is about fixing the broken cultural and organizational patterns that turn a simple work management system into the "boss" of your game studio. Learn the four cascading failure patterns that are draining your team's effectiveness and how to correct them, making collaboration and player outcomes your true north. What You'll Learn In This Episode: Why senior leaders keep breaking Jira without realizing it How Jira causes centralization and decision bottlenecks What Jira DOESN’T tell you, and why that makes it dangerous How perverse incentives emerge from overreliance on Jira and other tools like it The reason you end up feeling like a slave to the tool How to avoid the traps Jira leads you into Connect with us: 🔗Ben’s LinkedIn: 🔗BBG’s LinkedIn: 🔗Instagram: 🔗Website: 🔗YouTube: #gamedevleadership #jiraantipatterns #gamedevelopment #agilefailure #buildingbettergames
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E105: Your “2-Day” Task Takes 2 Months. Here’s the Fix.
10/28/2025
E105: Your “2-Day” Task Takes 2 Months. Here’s the Fix.
If you’re a leader in game dev who feels stuck, able to spot problems but struggling to make a real difference, there is a path forward that levels up your leadership and accelerates your team, game, and career. Sign up here to learn more: How much is your bad code costing you, and how much is your team's suffering just a ritual of amateur theatre? In this episode, Engineering and Agile expert Tim Ottinger and Ben challenge the core belief systems that plague software development, from the focus on individual productivity to the self-inflicted wounds of long release cycles. They break down the shocking truth about what slows software projects down, the high cost of errors in a complex system, and why doing work when it’s easy is the only way to avoid the crushing complexity of doing it when it’s hard. What you’ll learn in this episode: ● Why teams might refuse to change and improve the way they work ● The importance of finding problems now, rather than waiting till later ● Why “crunch time” is killing your output, not boosting it ● When to be throwing work away and when to be making things real Bibliography: Paired Programming Illuminated by Lori Williams and Robert Kessler: The Goal by Eliyahu Goldratt More about our guest: Tim Ottinger is a legendary figure in software development, having programmed since 1979 and been active in the early days of Extreme Programming and Agile. As a Senior Consultant at Industrial Logic, co-author of Agile In A Flash and a contributor to Clean Code, Tim brings decades of practical experience to dissect what goes wrong in most software development and how you can start doing better. Accolades and Publications: ● Co-Author: Agile In A Flash (with Jeff Langr). ● Contributor: Clean Code. ● Writing Credits: C++ Report, Object Magazine Online, Pragmatic Bookshelf magazine, Software Quality Connection. ● Recognized for: Compassionate and patient approach to working with individuals, sincerely interested in helping people reach their goals. Social Media and Websites: ● Website (Blog): ● Company Blog: ● Twitter/X: @tottinge. ● LinkedIn: ● Email: ● Other: Connect with us: 🔗Ben’s LinkedIn: 🔗BBG’s LinkedIn: 🔗Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buildingbettergames/# 🔗Website: 🔗YouTube: #gamedev #SoftwareEngineering #Agile #GameIndustry #Leadership
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E104: Game Dev Leaders: Save Weeks of Thrash in 20 Minutes
10/21/2025
E104: Game Dev Leaders: Save Weeks of Thrash in 20 Minutes
If you’re a leader in game dev who feels stuck, able to spot problems but struggling to make a real difference, there is a path forward that levels up your leadership and accelerates your team, game, and career. Sign up here to learn more: How do you save weeks of thrash when your team is busy and perhaps even crunching, but your key goals aren't moving? This solo episode with Ben reveals the hidden cost of avoiding difficult conversations and the simple, 20-minute fix that can unblock your entire game development team. The problem isn't your process, your backlog, or lack of effort—it’s failure to pause and actually talk to each other. You'll learn: 5 signs you need to stop trying to outwork the problems Why pushing every problem to standup or retro isn’t working How the right conversation can be worth more than weeks of work Don't let denial or the fear of one more meeting cost you months of development time. It's time to stop wasting effort and have the one real conversation you need. Connect with us: 🔗Ben’s LinkedIn: 🔗BBG’s LinkedIn: 🔗Instagram: 🔗Website: 🔗YouTube: #GameDev #GameDevelopment #TeamAlignment #Agile #Productivity #BuildingBetterGames
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E103: Leadership Under Fire: Surviving a $100M Game Studio Crisis
10/14/2025
E103: Leadership Under Fire: Surviving a $100M Game Studio Crisis
If you’re a leader in game dev who feels stuck, able to spot problems but struggling to make a real difference, there is a path forward that levels up your leadership and accelerates your team, game, and career. Sign up here to learn more: What happens when doing the right thing could get you fired? Every game dev leader faces this nightmare: being held accountable for results but not empowered to make the decisions needed to achieve them. That tension creates chaos, burns out teams, and kills great games. In this powerful episode, Ben sits down with Clinton Keith, author of Agile Game Development and one of the pioneers of Agile in the games industry. Clinton shares raw, unfiltered stories from real studio crises, including the moment a CEO threatened his team’s lives to force change. This isn’t a lecture; it’s a candid look at what happens when pressure spikes, trust erodes, and leaders have to choose between survival and integrity. Together, Ben and Clinton break down the industry’s most toxic patterns, from “efficient waste” caused by rapid scaling to the trust issues that cripple creative freedom. They also explore how proven frameworks from the military and medicine, like the OODA Loop, can help game studios move faster, safer, and with more clarity. 👉 Watch this episode for a brutally honest look at what real leadership takes in game development and how to lead when the system itself feels broken. What you’ll learn in this episode: ✅ The Accountability Trap: Why even great leaders get stuck in broken systems (and how to break free) ✅ Scale Creates Waste: The hidden cost of growing your studio too fast ✅ The Trust Fix: Why control kills creativity (and how vulnerability builds real leadership) ✅ Beating Bad Systems: How to call out problems and keep your job ✅ Lessons from the Military & Medicine: Battle-tested frameworks that make your team faster and safer 🎮 About Clinton Keith: Clinton is a Certified Scrum Trainer and coach who has worked with over 150 studios worldwide. With experience ranging from building fighter jets to developing Midtown Madness and Midnight Club, he’s helped countless teams reduce crunch, improve collaboration, and build games that truly deliver value. Learn more about Clint: 🔗Amazon Page: 🔗LinkedIn: 🔗Website: Connect with us: 🔗Ben’s LinkedIn: 🔗BBG’s LinkedIn: 🔗Instagram: 🔗Website: 🔗YouTube: #GameDevLeadership #AgileGameDevelopment #GameIndustry #StudioCulture #GameProduction
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E102: 5 Game Dev Delusions That Kill Studios
10/07/2025
E102: 5 Game Dev Delusions That Kill Studios
Stop leaving reality behind and ship better games! If you’re a leader in game dev who feels stuck, able to spot problems but struggling to make a real difference, there is a path forward that levels up your leadership and accelerates your team, game, and career. Sign up here to learn more: Is your studio living in a delusion that will only end in pain? Seemingly great teams burn millions of dollars only to shut down because they left reality behind. This episode breaks down the five game dev delusions that kill studios, which I've seen in well-funded, 100+ person teams, unfunded indies, and VC-backed startups. If you lead a team or want to avoid losing touch with reality, this is for you. We cover five "Ps" of delusional failure: Play, Planning, People, Players, and Purpose AND provide the concrete actions you must take to stay grounded, align your team, and ship a game that makes a difference. What You'll Learn in This Episode: ✔ Why chasing “the first fun” is a mistake ✔ How to spot vapor estimates before they sink you ✔ Why “best people” hiring puts the cart before the horse ✔ The “audience size” trap (and what to do instead) ✔ Why more work isn’t getting you over the line ✔ What gives leaders an edge in staying grounded Connect with us: 🔗Ben’s LinkedIn: 🔗BBG’s LinkedIn: 🔗Instagram: 🔗Website: 🔗YouTube: #gamedevleadership #gamedevelopment #gamedevlife #startups #gameproducer
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E101: How Layoffs Go Wrong—and the Right Way to Do Them
09/30/2025
E101: How Layoffs Go Wrong—and the Right Way to Do Them
Ready to take your game development career to the next level? Join the Game Dev Leadership Accelerator: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 Do layoffs mean studio leadership is bad? While the popular answer is often "yes," the truth is more complex. Layoffs can reveal many things, from bad times in the market to failures to manage finances to corporate greed. But if you’re a leader, the real test is how you behave when your company’s survival is on the line. Trent Kusters, the co-founder and Studio Head of League of Geeks, joins Ben Carcich for a deeply personal and frank discussion about his experience of laying off almost all of his employees and transitioning the studio into hibernation. Trent argues that leaders are often "ignorant and or untrained" in the critical business, legal, and ethical frameworks needed to navigate a shutdown event with compassion and integrity. In this discussion, you'll learn: ✅ Why financial foresight and business savvy matter ✅ The true costs of a studio shutdown (even hidden ones like clearing out old desks) ✅ How to build a “rip zone” into your balance sheet to protect everyone ✅ Why living your company values—even when it costs hundreds of thousands—builds a true home for talent ✅ A five-point framework for planning, communicating, and managing a human-centric layoff Trent’s GDC Talk (requires GDC Vault Access) : Learn more about Trent Kusters: 🔗League of Geeks Website: 🔗LinkedIn: 🔗X (Twitter): Connect with us: 🔗Ben’s LinkedIn: 🔗LinkedIn: 🔗Instagram: 🔗Website: 🔗YouTube: #GameIndustry #GameDevLeadership #StudioLayoffs #FinancialLiteracy #GameProduction
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E100: Don’t Hire Until You See These 3 Signs
09/23/2025
E100: Don’t Hire Until You See These 3 Signs
Ready to take your game development career to the next level? Join the Game Dev Leadership Accelerator: In this special Q&A episode for Episode 100, we're answering your most pressing questions from the Game Production Community Discord! Join Ben Carcich as he dives into critical topics that every game development leader faces, from navigating project pivots to building a healthy team culture. We'll explore: ✅ When to scale your team up (or down) ✅ How to prepare for meetings and ensure they are actually valuable ✅ Why "safe" project pivots don't exist and what to do instead ✅ The common gaps in game production and how to fill them ✅ The evolution of the game producer role over the last decade This episode is packed with Ben's honest, experience-based insights to help you move past conventional wisdom and build better games. A special thanks to Jan for curating these questions from the GPC Discord, and for Juney who runs it. 👉 Connect with Jan here: 👉 Check out the Game Production Community Discord: Connect with us: 🔗 LinkedIn: 🌐 Website: ▶️ YouTube: If you enjoyed this video and want to see more content on how to build better games, hit Subscribe! Your support helps us create more videos that help you solve the problems that matter. #GameDev #GameDevelopment #GameProducer #Leadership #GameDesign
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E99: Stop Using 2-Week Sprints - Here's Why They’re Failing You
09/16/2025
E99: Stop Using 2-Week Sprints - Here's Why They’re Failing You
Stuck in slow loops and broken systems? The Game Dev Leadership Accelerator can help you make lasting change. Sign up to learn more: Why do most teams default to two-week sprints, even when they're wrong? In this episode, Ben Carcich breaks down a simple model with three dials that you should use to tune your iteration length. He explains why iteration length is a product lever, not a calendar convenience for your leadership, and how choosing the right rhythm for your team can reduce thrash, increase learning speed, and improve value delivery. What you’ll learn in this episode: The three dials that shape iteration length What the “reciprocal commitment” of an iteration is and why it matters The problem with rolling work from sprint to sprint How shorter iterations improve focus and learning without adding more meetings Why shorter beats longer iterations for exposing hidden problems This episode is for game developers and leaders who want to learn how to: Set an iteration length you can defend and adjust to reduce thrash. Avoid becoming a slave to a broken work system that doesn't serve you. Have more effective meetings and move faster with less effort. Connect with us: LinkedIn: Website: YouTube: If you enjoyed this video and want to see more content on how to build better games, hit subscribe! Your support helps us create more videos that help you solve the problems that matter. #GameDev #ProjectManagement #Leadership #Agile #Scrum
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E98: Why Most Game Launches Flop (And How to Avoid It)
09/09/2025
E98: Why Most Game Launches Flop (And How to Avoid It)
Is there a way to predict whether a game will hit or flop? In this episode, Ben is joined by Colan Neese, who has spent a lot of time looking at how audiences relate to products at companies like Twitch and Nielsen. Colan's work at Mind Game Data is focused on "puzzling through the problem of anticipating which games are likely to take off at launch and which seem to be headed nowhere". The conversation challenges the conventional wisdom about what drives a successful launch, revealing why our data-driven approaches have been too narrow to anticipate success. In this episode, you’ll learn: 🎮 Why launching at the wrong time can sink your game 👥 How building a community early can make or break you 🔊 The truth about player attention (it’s not just about genres or loud voices online) 📅 When to move your launch date, despite the cost 🕵️♂️ And how to spot if your game is actually gaining traction without outside help Learn more about Colan Neese: Connect with Colan on LinkedIn at and subscribe to his newsletters: Mind Game Patch Notes: LinkedIn Newsletter: The Game Dev Leadership Accelerator is live. A successful game begins with leaders who catalyze success instead of wasting everyone’s time. This conversation is a great example of the mindset we teach at Building Better Games at focusing on what matters, not what distracts. Are you ready to level up your leadership? Book a call with us now!: Connect with us: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-carcich Website: https://www.buildingbettergames.gg YouTube: #GameDev #GameIndustry #DataAnalytics #MarketingStrategy #Leadership
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E97: The 3 Tools Your Team Needs To Deliver Great Games
09/02/2025
E97: The 3 Tools Your Team Needs To Deliver Great Games
🎮 There are tons of “game dev tools” out there promising to fix your problems… but too often, teams end up serving the tool instead of the tools serving them. In this video, I’ll break down a simple, practical guide to streamline your process. You’ll learn not just what you need, but why it matters whether you’re running a team, starting a game studio, or pushing an R&D project forward. ✨ What you’ll learn in this episode: The Power of Vision → Why a clear, shared vision is your best defense against wasted effort. (And how to avoid traps like jargon, prototype obsession, or endless feature lists.) The Collaborative Space → How a simple whiteboard can become your team’s creative playground — without crushing the fun with overbuilt systems. The Visual Task Board → Why a lightweight task board beats a complicated system every time — and how to avoid becoming a slave to your own process. 👉 Whether you’re an indie dev, part of a startup, or working on experimental projects, these three tools will help you keep things moving in the right direction. If you want to start using Favro, my preferred work management system, with a template based on the advice in this episode, sign up here: Full Disclaimer: I am a Favro affiliate, because they have been my favorite tool for years. Starts small, scales well, insanely flexible. Check them out! If you are a leader frustrated with broken systems and feeling like you are endlessly solving the wrong problems, I want to help. I am kicking off a Game Dev Leadership Accelerator where I help leaders and producers level themselves up and solve the problems that matter. Check the link to be notified once the course is available: Connect with us: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-carcich Substack: https://bencarcich.substack.com Website: YouTube: #GameDev #GameDevelopment #ProjectManagement #GameProduction #Leadership
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E96: Setting Goals: It’s Not Just About Shipping A Game, with Melissa Phillips
08/26/2025
E96: Setting Goals: It’s Not Just About Shipping A Game, with Melissa Phillips
Setting goals is harder than you think. In this episode, Ben Carcich is joined by Melissa Phillips, founder of Games Leadership, to dive deep into a topic that leaders often approach with little understanding: goal setting. From a professional perspective, goal setting is about helping people find fulfillment in what they are doing. Melissa discusses how goals have evolved from a basic survival need to a more complicated, individualistic pursuit. What you’ll learn in this episode: Why money is a terrible goal The problem with only having giant goals The importance of celebrating small wins A surprisingly effective way to find your true goals Why communicating goals to others matters The reality of your changing goals A successful game begins with better processes. This conversation is a great example of the mindset we teach at Building Better Games. Learn more about Melissa Phillips (Founder, Games Leadership) 🔗LinkedIn: 🔗Website: 🔗 (A 12-week program helping leaders craft a sustainable and personalized leadership model.) Connect with us: LinkedIn: Substack: Website: YouTube: #GameDev #Leadership #ProjectManagement #CareerDevelopment #Goals
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E95: The Challenge Of Live Service Games And How To Win with Ryan Scott
08/12/2025
E95: The Challenge Of Live Service Games And How To Win with Ryan Scott
Are live service games truly dying, or are we just seeing a new era of evolution? In this episode, we sit down with game designer and product thinker Ryan Scott to unpack the difficult world of live service titles. Ryan brings a wealth of knowledge from his time working on major titles, sharing his unique insights on what makes a live service game thrive or fail. We dive deep into the concept of "switching costs," the importance of meeting specific player needs, and the delicate balance between mastery and novelty that defines a game's longevity. 🎮We talk about: Live service games - dying? The importance of serving real player needs Why a “better” game is not enough to win The elements to balance when updating live service games The 3 questions to consider before any update How elegance relates to design and complexity Who you are building your game for - and who you aren’t building it for Why every game is not “Esports-ready” even when the hype says they are Here's the breakdown of the games and companies we talked about in this episode: The Games: Apex Legends Battlefield One Battlefield Five Call of Duty (CoD) Concord Counterstrike (CS) Dota 2 Fortnite Halo Hearthstone League of Legends Marvel Rivals Overwatch Path of Exile Rainbow Six Smite Specter Divide StarCraft II The Cycle Valorant Warframe World of Tanks World of Warcraft (WoW) The Companies & Studios: Blizzard Epic Riot Games Sony Valve 343 Industries/Halo Studios Learn more about Ryan Scott: LinkedIn: In today's complex and costly industry, planning and estimation matter more than ever but are often destructive rather than helpful. Elevate your studio's decision-making and collaboration by learning how to get more out of estimation in less time. Learn more in our Advanced Estimation Course: Connect with us: Ben's LinkedIn: LinkedIn: Instagram: Website: YouTube: #GameDev #GamingIndustry #GamePublishing #BusinessOfGames #GameMarketing
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E94: Why You Should Think About Publishing More In Game Dev with Elizabeth Howard
07/29/2025
E94: Why You Should Think About Publishing More In Game Dev with Elizabeth Howard
Do you need game publishing to ship your game successfully? What does a leader in a publishing organization truly do? Join us for a conversation with Elizabeth Howard, an industry veteran with over 20 years of experience across Aspyr, 2K, and Bungie, where she led publishing and production. Elizabeth views game development and publishing as two parts working together to ship games, defining publishing as everything outside of dev. This episode explores the nature of game publishing, the historical dev-pub divide, and the need for greater integration and shared goals in today's complex market. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Why publishing is about selling the game, not building it How shared goals between devs and publishers drive success The mistake most indie devs make Why every indie game needs a real publishing strategy What publishers really look for: risk, culture fit, and audience Why dev and publishing should be seen as one connected system Learn more about Elizabeth Howard: LinkedIn: Resources mentioned:: Aspyr: 2K Games: Bungie: Digital Bandidos: In today's complex and costly industry, strategic planning and effective estimation can help you succeed. Unfortunately, most studios don’t know how to estimate in a way that makes the time spent worthwhile. If you want to spend less time and get more value out of estimation, check out our Advanced Estimation Course: Connect with us: Ben’s LinkedIn: LinkedIn: Instagram: Website: YouTube: #GameDev #GamingIndustry #GamePublishing #BusinessOfGames #GameMarketing
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E93: The Collapse of the Games Industry with Trent Kusters
07/15/2025
E93: The Collapse of the Games Industry with Trent Kusters
How will the game industry adapt? Are we hurtling towards a gig economy? In this powerful conversation, we sit down with Trent Kusters, co-founder and studio head of League of Geeks, to talk about the future of our industry. Trent takes us on a deep, honest exploration of the game industry’s current state, from platform power struggles and algorithmic curation to the erosion of full-time game dev careers. This vital conversation goes beyond just metrics, delving into the human element, sustainability, and the legacy we're creating for the next generation of talent. Here's what we'll learn in this episode: - The emergence of a game dev gig economy - Full-time game dev jobs are becoming more rare - How power is consolidating with platform distributors - Indie success is now a scary prospect, with a lot less clarity - Why Leaders need sound financial foresight and tight governance - How algorithm-driven curation misses humanity and judgment - Why it takes 10 years to make a game studio Resources mentioned: Doughnut Economics by Kate Raworth: Insomniac Games Founder, Ted Price | The AIAS Game Maker's Notebook Podcast: Creating a Rhythm-Action Game with Hi-Fi Rush Director John Johanas | AIAS Game Maker's Notebook: Matthew Ball's Presentation: The State of Video Gaming in 2025: Shams Jorjani's "The Business of Video Games" featuring Xalavier Nelson Jr.: Learn more about Trent Kusters: League of Geeks Website: https://leagueofgeeks.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trentkusters/ X (Twitter): Recommended games to check out! I Am Your Beast: Town To City: Caves of Qud: Want to know when you’ll be done? Master game and software estimation so you can make better decisions sooner. Learn more in our Advanced Estimation Course: Connect with us: Ben’s LinkedIn: LinkedIn: Instagram: Website: YouTube: #GameDev #GamingIndustry #GameDevelopment #GameStudio #GameIndustryInsights
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E92: 5 Principles Game Producers Need with 35-Year Industry Vet Steve Sargent
07/01/2025
E92: 5 Principles Game Producers Need with 35-Year Industry Vet Steve Sargent
What does it truly take to deliver a great game consistently in an industry known for its challenges and complexities? Join us for a conversation with Steve Sargent, Head of Production at Blind Squirrel Games, a veteran with over 35 years of experience in the game industry, including work on iconic titles like BioShock: The Collection and Mass Effect Legendary Edition. Steve dives deep into the art and science of game production, sharing the things to do, and also what to avoid, from his extensive career. You'll learn: The core role of production Why reporting can actually add value - if it’s done right! The five key behaviors that drive trust and success in game development Why pursuing "efficiency at all costs" can actually be detrimental to creating a great game The importance of understanding "the why" behind your processes, rather than just following rituals How to foster an environment where team members feel empowered to take ownership and solve problems Why planning is essential for alignment, even when the details change Whether you're an aspiring producer, an indie developer, or a seasoned leader, Steve's hard-earned wisdom offers actionable takeaways to help you build better games and stronger teams. Learn more about Steven Sargent: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-sargent-00ba59/ Blind Squirrel Entertainment: MobyGames Profile: Resources: Agile Game Development with Scrum by Clinton Keith: Mike Cohn's Books on Amazon: Connect with us: LinkedIn: Twitter: Instagram: Website: YouTube: #GameProduction #GameDev #AgileDevelopment #TeamLeadership #BlindSquirrelGames
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E91: How to Stop Compromising and Make the Studio You Actually Want with Critical Path Games
06/17/2025
E91: How to Stop Compromising and Make the Studio You Actually Want with Critical Path Games
Game production lives and dies on planning—but most teams are still building like it’s 2010. In this episode, Ben is joined by Jeanne-Marie Owens and Jesse Houston of Critical Path to reveal better ways a studio can function based on decades of experience. From the myth of the “critical path” to the illusion that things will magically come together in the final stretch, they explain why “figure it out later” kills projects, how lack of real commitment cripples teams, and what it actually takes to build a dependable studio culture. Hint: It’s not a short list of “values.” This is a wake-up call for any studio still relying on outdated ideas about how work gets done, and a practical guide to doing better. 🔍 You’ll Hear: - Why “fix it later” is the most expensive lie in game development - What the critical path really means—and how most studios misuse it - Why real planning requires saying no - The deadly effect of partial commitment on team morale and outcomes - Why you have to be willing to make choices that limit your own options - How senior leaders create or destroy the culture by what they tolerate If you’re a studio leader, producer, or creative tired of chaos and ready to build games with clarity, intention, and momentum, check it out! Connect with Critical Path Games: Critical Path Games – 🎮 Join the Building Better Games Community: - BBG Discord – Connect with devs, producers, and leaders building better studios: - Level Up Your Production Skills – Take our flagship course: - Get Leadership Insights Weekly – Subscribe to the BBG newsletter: https://www.buildingbettergames.gg/newsletter 🌐 Connect with Us: LinkedIn: Website: Facebook: YouTube: 👉 Subscribe for weekly episodes on game dev leadership, production, and culture. #GameProduction #GameLeadership #CriticalPath #StudioCulture #BuildingBetterGames
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E90: The Engineering Talent Pipeline is Broken: Juniors, AI & the Future of Game Dev w/ Carly Taylor
06/03/2025
E90: The Engineering Talent Pipeline is Broken: Juniors, AI & the Future of Game Dev w/ Carly Taylor
Hiring only senior engineers might feel like a smart move, but is it breaking game development? In this episode, Ben sits down with Carly Taylor (an engineer and data scientist formerly on Call of Duty, now at Databricks) to tackle one of the most pressing and misunderstood issues in game development today: the crumbling pipeline of engineering talent. They dive deep into the tragedy of the commons happening across studios, where short-term thinking and overreliance on senior talent are putting the future of game engineering at risk. Carly sheds light on the danger of under-investing in junior talent, the mentorship void left behind by remote work, and the role AI is really playing (hint: it's not what vendors are promising). Whether you're leading a studio, managing engineers, or trying to break into games yourself, this episode is a wake-up call. You’ll Hear: -Why the next generation of engineers is not being mentored -How studios are draining the senior talent pool -The real technical challenges of using AI in games -Why hiring only senior devs doesn’t produce better games -What juniors bring to the table (and why companies should listen) -How remote work disrupted knowledge transfer and how to rebuild it -Why game dev is still one of the most passionate industries in tech Connect with Carly Taylor: - Website: https://www.rebeldatascience.com/ - Substack: https://carlytaylor.substack.com/ - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carly-taylor - Databricks: https://www.databricks.com/dataaisummit/speaker/carly-taylor Join the Building Better Games Community: - BBG Discord: https://discord.gg/ySCPS5aMcQ - Level Up Your Production Skills: https://www.buildingbettergames.gg/succeeding-in-game-production - Subscribe to the BBG newsletter: https://www.buildingbettergames.gg/newsletter Connect with Us: - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-carcich - Website: https://www.buildingbettergames.gg - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbg.valarininc - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BuildingBetterGames 👉 Subscribe for weekly episodes on game dev leadership, production, and culture.
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E89: Stop Crippling Your Team: How Leaders Create—and Fix—Bottlenecks
05/20/2025
E89: Stop Crippling Your Team: How Leaders Create—and Fix—Bottlenecks
Building a game is hard. Leading the team to do it well without losing yourself along the way? That’s even harder. In this episode, Ben sits down with Melissa Phillips, founder of Games Leadership and a former Head of Studio, to talk about the messy, emotional, and deeply human side of game leadership. From BAFTA boardrooms to indie trenches, Melissa brings a rare blend of psychological insight and real-world experience to one of the most overlooked conversations in game development: what happens when power, pressure, and people collide. They dig into what founders get wrong, why doing “everything right” can still lead to failure, and how today’s leaders can navigate burnout, broken systems, and the crushing uncertainty of building something new. You’ll hear: Why leadership in games is different and often lonely The hidden cost of scaling a team too fast How power changes you (whether you like it or not) What founders need before they build the next big thing Why we need to talk about failure and what it teaches us What it really means to lead with resilience in an industry built on chaos If you’re a founder, leader, or future studio builder, this one’s for you. Connect with Melissa & Games Leadership: 🌐 🔗 🎓 Explore the Games Leadership Blueprint – 12-week leadership program Join the Building Better Games Community Looking to grow as a developer, producer, or studio leader? We've got you covered. ✅ Join the BBG Discord Connect with a community of developers, producers, and industry leaders working to build healthier studios and stronger games. 🔗 ✅ Level Up Your Production Skills Explore our flagship online course, Succeeding in Game Production, and become the producer your team needs. 🔗 ✅ Get Insights in Your Inbox Subscribe to our newsletter for fresh, actionable leadership and production content delivered straight to you. 🔗 Connect with Us: LinkedIn: Twitter: Instagram: Website: YouTube: 👉 Subscribe for weekly episodes on building better studios, better games, and better leadership in the game industry. #GameLeadership #IndieGameDev #StudioCulture #GamesIndustryInsights #LeadershipInGames
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E88: The 3 Levers to Make Games Travel East ↔ West
05/06/2025
E88: The 3 Levers to Make Games Travel East ↔ West
What if the next great game studio doesn’t come from the West? In this episode, Ben chats with Rob Wynne and Clark Kosene from Rising Tide Studios—an unannounced AAA-inspired indie team taking a bold leap: building a game that truly bridges Eastern and Western audiences. We dive deep into why the moat of Western AAA game development is disappearing fast—and how China, with more devs than the U.S. and EU combined, is already playing on equal footing. Rob and Clark share the untold story of how Rising Tide’s founding team (ex-Activision and former Soulslike directors) aims to skip the slow forming-storming norm and go straight to "performing" with their next-gen isometric action roguelike. Why are Western games losing ground? Can a game truly appeal to both Western and Eastern markets? How do you create narrative depth without sacrificing gameplay flow? Why creativity thrives on constraints—and how Rising Tide harnessed it Clark also reflects on transitioning from screenwriting to games, and the team’s surprising approach to embedding story: real-time commentary inspired by Chinese crosstalk comedy. Their goal? A game where narrative flows during gameplay—not in between. If you're interested in global game dev trends, narrative innovation, or the future of indie-AAA (triple-I) development, don’t miss this conversation. Stay Connected: Ben Carcich (Host, Building Better Games) LinkedIn: Substack: Website: YouTube: Rob Wynne (Co-founder, Rising Tide Studios) LinkedIn: Website: YouTube: Clark Kosene (Narrative Lead) LinkedIn: Website: YouTube: Rising Tide Studios Website: YouTube: Get full uncut episodes & behind-the-scenes content:
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E87: Toxic Culture in Game Development: The Real Metrics That Matter with Charlie Sull
04/22/2025
E87: Toxic Culture in Game Development: The Real Metrics That Matter with Charlie Sull
How would you know if your studio’s culture is toxic—before it’s too late? In this exclusive conversation, we talk with Charlie Sull, co-founder of CultureX and researcher with MIT, about how to spot, measure, and fix toxic workplace culture—especially in the high-stakes world of game development. Forget ping pong tables and free snacks. Culture is your operating system, and if leaders don’t prioritize it, dysfunction spreads fast. We break down: What creates a toxic culture The Toxic Five behaviors that damage morale and hurt retention Why standard employee surveys fail—and what to do instead How AI and Glassdoor data can tell you some hard truths about your company Real stats on game studios vs. other industries—who’s getting it right? If you're a studio head, team lead, or future cultural change-maker, this episode will challenge your assumptions and give you new tools to build a better workplace. What You’ll Learn: Why culture is more than perks—it’s your company’s operating system The Toxic Five traits that silently destroy trust and retention How Glassdoor + AI reveal the truth about your team’s culture Why top leadership, not HR, is key to lasting culture change What game dev studios like EA and Blizzard can teach us about reform How to apply the Will + Knowledge formula to lead cultural transformation Books & Authors Mentioned (and Must-Reads!) from This Episode The Advantage by Patrick Lencioni - Focuses on the "heart" vs. "science" sides of business—emphasizing the value of culture Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni - Referenced for understanding team behavior and dysfunction Works by Charles O’Reilly - Recommended by Charlie Sull for understanding organizational culture and leadership - Notable titles include Winning Through Innovation and Lead and Disrupt Research & insights from CultureX (Charlie Sull’s organization) - Practical tools and AI-driven metrics for measuring and improving workplace culture 🔗 Learn More & Connect Charlie Sull & CultureX 🌐 Website: 🔗 LinkedIn: 🎧 Podcast Series: Culture Champions (MIT Sloan Management Review) Join the Community Our Discord community is live! Join the conversation with game developers, producers, and industry leaders committed to improving the future of game development: Looking to level up your game production skills? Explore our online course designed to help you become a more effective game producer: Stay ahead with game development insights delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe to our newsletter: Connect with Us: LinkedIn: Twitter: Instagram: Website: Support the Show! Help us create more amazing content by joining us on Patreon: Let’s keep building better games—together.
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E86: Why User Acquisition Isn't Just For Mobile Anymore with Matej Lančarič
04/08/2025
E86: Why User Acquisition Isn't Just For Mobile Anymore with Matej Lančarič
Building a great game is hard—but getting players to actually discover and play it? That’s often harder. In this episode of Building Better Games, Ben sits down with user acquisition expert Matej Lančarič, whose decade of experience spans mobile, PC, Steam, and cross-platform launches. Together, they dive deep into the realities of user acquisition (UA), creative strategy, and why great games still fail without a clear plan to get players in the door. We break down: What “user acquisition” really means in 2024 Why CPI, LTV, ROAS, and retention all matter—but don’t tell the whole story How studios waste UA budgets by skipping data health and onboarding funnels Why today’s ads look nothing like the games—and why they still work The surprising metrics that matter most (and how to track them) What the best studios are doing to lower CPI and extend LTV curves The role of creative testing, paid channels, and landing page optimization Matej shares how mobile’s UA evolution is coming to PC and console games, and why studio leaders must get hands-on with their marketing strategy before it’s too late. Whether you're a game developer, producer, or studio lead, this episode is your tactical crash course on how to actually reach players in 2024’s overcrowded game market. Connect with Matej Lančarič: Website: LinkedIn: Twitter: Join the Community Our Discord community is live! Join the conversation with game developers, producers, and industry leaders committed to improving the future of game development: Looking to level up your game production skills? Explore our online course designed to help you become a more effective game producer: Stay ahead with game development insights delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe to our newsletter: Connect with Us: LinkedIn: Twitter: Instagram: Website: Support the Show! Help us create more amazing content by joining us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BBGOfficial 👉 Subscribe for weekly episodes focused on building better studios, better games, and better leadership in the game industry.
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E85: Why Your Game Vision Sucks (And Why You're Not Alone!) with Graham McAllister
03/25/2025
E85: Why Your Game Vision Sucks (And Why You're Not Alone!) with Graham McAllister
In this episode, we welcome back organizational psychologist Graham McAllister for part 3 of our deep dive into one of the most critical challenges in game development—game vision. If you're a game developer, leader, or aspiring leader, this is an essential conversation that exposes why studios struggle to align on vision and how that misalignment contributes to failed games, frustrated teams, and organizational friction. Graham shares exclusive insights from his groundbreaking research, revealing why even seasoned studios misfire on creating shared mental models and what happens when product vision and creative vision pull teams in opposite directions. We break down how team psychology, leadership gaps, and missing frameworks are silently derailing your projects—and what you can do to change that. Whether you're leading a game team, working in production, design, or aiming for studio leadership, this episode will reshape how you approach collaboration, alignment, and success. Key Topics: The missing link in game vision no one talks about Why teams consistently fail to align on player experience The hidden rift between creative and product vision The psychological traps even veteran leaders fall into How to bridge the communication gap between departments Actionable insights for game makers to improve alignment & culture Resources & Next Steps: Connect with Graham McAllister: Read Graham’s research and updates on the upcoming Game Vision book: Check out Graham’s player psychology book (free online or via Amazon): Like this episode? Subscribe and hit the bell to stay updated on building better teams and creating successful games: Join the Community Our Discord community is live! Join the conversation with game developers, producers, and industry leaders committed to improving the future of game development: Looking to level up your game production skills? Explore our online course designed to help you become a more effective game producer: Stay ahead with game development insights delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe to our newsletter: Connect with Us: LinkedIn: Twitter: Instagram: Website: YouTube: Support the Show! Help us create more amazing content by joining us on Patreon: We want to hear from YOU! What struggles have you faced with game vision on your projects? Drop your experiences in the comments.
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E84: The Real Cost Of Founding A Game Startup with Joseph Kim
03/11/2025
E84: The Real Cost Of Founding A Game Startup with Joseph Kim
The gaming industry is changing rapidly, and the global landscape is shifting in ways many studios aren’t prepared for. Are Western game studios becoming too complacent? What role will international development play in the future of game creation? In this episode, Joseph Kim, CEO of Lila Games, shares hard-earned lessons about building a game studio in India, the challenges of hiring and leading globally, and the realities of making tough business decisions in game development. Key Takeaways: The Complacency Problem – Many Western studios lack the urgency and work ethic to stay competitive in today’s game industry. Why Small Teams Outperform Big Teams – Large studios often have unresolved issues that everyone knows about but no one addresses. The key to success is a strong culture of accountability. Experience as a Team Matters More Than Individual Talent – A well-coordinated team that has worked together for years will almost always outperform a group of "rockstar" hires. The Reality of Game Development in India – The country has talent, but cultural perception, technical challenges, and legal hurdles create unexpected difficulties for game studios. The Pre-Production Trap – Everyone knows pre-production is critical, yet studios repeatedly rush through it, leading to costly inefficiencies. People and Culture Define Success – A game studio doesn’t fail because of a lack of ideas—it fails due to misaligned leadership, poor hiring decisions, and weak company culture. Hard Conversations Matter – Many studios suffer from unspoken problems. Addressing issues early is the difference between success and failure. Decision-Making Should Be a Science – Too many game studios rely on gut feelings rather than structured, first-principles thinking when making critical decisions. Connect with Joseph Kim GameMakers Newsletter: LinkedIn: Website: Expert Profile: Check out this episode: YouTube: Join the Community Our Discord community is live! Join the conversation with game developers, producers, and industry leaders committed to improving the future of game development: Looking to level up your game production skills? Explore our online course designed to help you become a more effective game producer: Stay ahead with game development insights delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe to our newsletter: Connect with Us: LinkedIn: Twitter: Instagram: Website: YouTube: If you're a game developer, leader, or someone looking to start a game studio, this episode provides essential insights into the future of game development. Like, comment, and subscribe for more industry discussions.
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E83: 3 Steps To Leading Well In Game Development
02/25/2025
E83: 3 Steps To Leading Well In Game Development
What does it take to lead effectively in the gaming industry? Many leaders in game development step into their roles without formal training—learning through trial and error. In this episode, we break down what real leadership looks like, how to avoid common pitfalls, and how to drive meaningful change without falling into the trap of just "managing" processes. Key Takeaways: The difference between management vs. leadership in game dev How to set and maintain the right goals for your team Avoiding false urgency and overconfidence in decision-making Why building trust and influence is crucial for game development success Practical steps to gain real followers and inspire your team Why This Matters: Many game development leaders unknowingly fall into the trap of micromanagement, focusing more on processes than people. If you want to build better games, create stronger teams, and lead with purpose, you need to develop real leadership skills. Your Challenge: Are you truly leading, or just managing? How well do you communicate your vision to your team? What’s one leadership skill you can refine today? Join the Building Better Games Community Our Discord community is live! Join here to engage with leaders and producers in game dev looking to make our industry a better place: Interested in an online course on becoming a better game producer? Check it out here: Subscribe to our newsletter for game development insights: Follow & Subscribe: Ben’s LinkedIn: YouTube Channel: Spotify Podcast: 🚀 Support the Show! Help us create more amazing content by joining us on Patreon:
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E82: The Most Expensive Mistake In Game Dev
02/11/2025
E82: The Most Expensive Mistake In Game Dev
What if everything you thought about prototyping was wrong? Many teams rush to validate an idea too soon, but what if the real secret to success is building a studio that learns better? In this episode, Leif Johansen breaks down the myths of prototyping and how studios can create a structured approach to experimenting with game ideas. Key Takeaways: - Stop Searching for the “Perfect Prototype” – The best teams prioritize many small, fast failures over one high-stakes prototype. - Prototyping Is a Science and an Art – The most successful studios create intentional experiments that map out their design space before committing to a vision. - Build a Learning Machine, Not Just a Game – A strong studio isn’t just about good ideas—it’s about a team that knows how to test and refine them. - Innovation Comes from Small Fixes, Not Big Ideas – World of Warcraft and Apex Legends didn’t just win by reinventing the wheel; they won by refining existing formulas with micro-improvements. - Hiring Too Fast Can Kill Your Game – Too many studios hire for downstream roles (art, animation) before locking in core mechanics, creating inefficiencies and wasted resources. 👉 Connect with Leif Johansen - Leif Johansen LinkedIn: Our Discord community is live! Join here to engage with leaders and producers in game dev looking to make our industry a better place: Interested in an online course on becoming a better game producer? Check it out here: Subscribe to our newsletter for game development insights: Follow & Subscribe: - Ben’s LinkedIn: - YouTube Channel: - Spotify Podcast: 🚀 Support the Show! Help us create more amazing content by joining us on Patreon:
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E81: Bad Playtests Break Teams—Here’s the Fix
01/28/2025
E81: Bad Playtests Break Teams—Here’s the Fix
Is the games industry maturing or collapsing? How have our old models and comparisons hurt how we develop? In this episode, Leif walks us through how game dev has shifted, and how you need to think differently to stay relevant. Enjoy! Key Takeaways: Playtesting and Leadership: How leaders set the tone for playtesting with their behavior, not their words. The Slow Rise of “Forever” Games: How players spending more time in older games is reshaping play patterns. Drinking Our Own Kool-aid: Too many games have an expectation that they’ll wildly succeed and make decisions that cause anything but breakout success to lead to studio failure The Challenge of Scale: Games may be different, but we may need to look outside our space to tackle the problem of large organizations. Specialization in Game Dev: Generalists have value, but large companies are often looking for specific, deep skills rather than breadth of capability 👉 Connect with Leif Johansen • Leif Johansen LinkedIn: Our discord community is live! Join here to engage with leaders and producers in game dev looking to make our industry a better place that makes better games: If you’re interested in an online course on becoming a better game producer, head here: Subscribe to our newsletter for more game development tips and resources: Ben's LinkedIn: YouTube Channel: Spotify Podcast: Help us create more amazing content! Join us on Patreon today:
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E80: Stop Betting Everything on One Game — Start Shipping 10 on UEFN
01/14/2025
E80: Stop Betting Everything on One Game — Start Shipping 10 on UEFN
Why did Bungie's founder leave the AAA world to start building games in UEFN? What are the advantages and challenges of UGC platforms? Today, we talk with Alex Seropian, veteran game designer and founder of Bungie and Look North World, about the future of our industry. Enjoy! Key Takeaways: UGC Platforms Provide Some Serious Advantages: Tools like Fortnite Creative and Roblox empower creators, enabling rapid prototyping and innovation. Game Dev is Evolving: The shift from small teams to massive AAA productions introduces challenges beyond what we expected and that remain unsolved. Rapid prototyping is essential for aligning ideas with player expectations but not all large studios are set up for it. Balancing Art and Business is not a trivial tightrope to walk. You need creativity, you also need solvency. Playtesting Matters. Rigorous and intentional player feedback is crucial for refining gameplay and UGC can get you this much more easily UGC isn’t all roses and rainbows. There are unique challenges and limitations to navigate being on UEFN, Roblox, or other platforms. Community Engagement: Early interaction with players increases the potential, and similar to playtesting, UGC can give you a bit of a leg up here. 👉 Connect with Alex Seropian Alex Seropian LinkedIn: Youtube: Website: Our discord community is live! Join here to engage with leaders and producers in game dev looking to make our industry a better place that makes better games: If you’re interested in an online course on becoming a better game producer, head here: Subscribe to our newsletter for more game development tips and resources: Ben's LinkedIn: YouTube Channel: Spotify Podcast: Help us create more amazing content! Join us on Patreon today:
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E79: Why AAA is Failing and How to Recover and Other Questions - Our First Q&A Episode!
12/31/2024
E79: Why AAA is Failing and How to Recover and Other Questions - Our First Q&A Episode!
No guests today! Instead, I'll be taking questions from the Building Better Games discord and answering them. I cover10 questions including the challenges with AAA dev, the rise of co-dev, and what production careers look like. Enjoy! Question #1 : How do you ensure that you (the royal you) are making a game that will be fun for players, not just fun for its designers to make? (Or maybe in this context - what are the ways in which production can support product management and ensure the sprint-to-sprint goals align with what internal player advocates are asking for?) Question #2 : What would you say needs to happen to make the big players more competitive / successful again? Question #3: Do you think there’s an observable trend towards an increased amount of codevelopment as a way to mitigate costs/risk? What issues do you see this posing for coherent design and production if there is an increasing reliance on external development partners? Question #4: There are clear signs when certain aspects of a game are lacking - incoherent design, low quality assets, buggy software. What are the player-facing symptoms of a game that is lacking in production or leadership competencies? Question #5: Production organizations at larger game studios often suffer from issues of structure, such as a substantial number of producers, senior producers, and even lead producers all rolling directly up into an overburdened production director, because there doesn’t seem to be an understood space for a “producer manager” between frontline production and executive/director-level production leadership. What is the rationale for this gap when <discipline> manager is a well-understood conceit in other gamedev disciplines (e.g. designers will have design managers reporting to a design director, artists will have department managers reporting to a director, engineers have managers between them and directors, etc.)? Is it just that production is typically not a large enough organization to merit managers? That producers are seen as organized and not in need of more traditional personnel management? Question #6: How can you become better at your role as a producer when you aren’t at your job? Or in other words, how can you get better at what you do aside from getting more experience? Question #7: For mid- and senior level producers: What does a career development track look like? Often it seems like the only future for a highly competent producer is executive producer (a stretch for many and not a realistic path for most) or production director, which itself is a rarified commodity at larger developers. What are the progression opportunities an IC producer should be considering? Question #8: As the only Production guy on my team (and 1 of 3 "operations people"), how would you deal with getting questions and answers when you have nobody around to rubber ducky with? Question #9: When talking about the past, how can you learn to abstract experiences and look past the specifics? Are there any resources you recommend for learning how to tell stories so that you’re not bogged down in the details of history? Question #10: How are game developers selecting and setting up test groups to see their players are enjoying the game and it’s a good market fit? Are there aspects of this process that could see refining and improving? Or common pitfalls other developers tend to see in this process? LinkedIn for Steve Bromley () and Graham McAllister () Steve Bromley's Book: Graham McAllister URL: Steve Bromley URL: Agile Game Development: Build, Play, Repeat by Clinton Keith: Lean from the Trenches by Henrik Kniberg: Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull and Amy Wallace: Turn the Ship Around by L. David Marquet: Our discord community is live! Join here to engage with leaders and producers in game dev looking to make our industry a better place that makes better games: https://discord.gg/ySCPS5aMcQ If you’re interested in an online course on becoming a better game producer, head here: https://www.buildingbettergames.gg/succeeding-in-game-production Subscribe to our newsletter for more game development tips and resources: https://www.buildingbettergames.gg/newsletter Ben's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-carcich/ YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@buildingbettergames Spotify Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6QD5yIbFdJXvccO8Z5aXpm Help us create more amazing content! Join us on Patreon today: https://www.patreon.com/BBGOfficial
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