Best Gamedevelopment Podcasts (2025)

1
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II with Lead Designer Prokop Jirsa 1:53:00

1h ago1:53:00

1:53:00

Trent Kusters chats with Prokop Jirsa, Lead Designer on Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, the hit historical RPG by Warhorse Studios. Together they discuss the key pillars of the Kingdom Come series that influence the decisions they make around narrative and design; their focus on emergent gameplay and how that informs their philosophy on quest structu…

1
E90: The Engineering Talent Pipeline is Broken: Juniors, AI & the Future of Game Dev w/ Carly Taylor 1:18:25

1h ago1:18:25

1:18:25

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 tal…

1
Ep 404 - Redefining the Publishing Landscape with Ben Kvalo 1:05:26

12h ago1:05:26

1:05:26

The publishing model most indie devs face is outdated and often stacked against them. Rigid contracts, hidden expectations, and a lack of real partnership force devs to choose between full independence or giving up too much. But thankfully, a new approach is emerging. In this episode, we explore what a modern publishing model looks like, one that’s…

1
Ep 404 - Redefining the Publishing Landscape with Ben Kvalo 1:05:26

12h ago1:05:26

1:05:26

The publishing model most indie devs face is outdated and often stacked against them. Rigid contracts, hidden expectations, and a lack of real partnership force devs to choose between full independence or giving up too much. But thankfully, a new approach is emerging. In this episode, we explore what a modern publishing model looks like, one that’s…

1
Writing the Mythos of South of Midnight with Zaire Lanier and Dani Dee 1:17:03

2d ago1:17:03

1:17:03

Alexa Ray Corriea chats with writers Dani Dee and Zaire Lanier about their work on Compulsion Games latest action-adventure, South of Midnight. Together they discuss how they began their careers in writing and what led them to Compulsion Games; how the team stayed authentic to the folklore of the American Deep South; the process of writing the main…

1
From Refactoring to (physical) Relocation 51:24

4d ago51:24

51:24

Kristen Shaker joins Timur and Phil. Kristen talks to us about her C++ on Sea keynote about the C++ interview process, her previous work at Google, and why she has made a slightly unusual career change. News libc++ removed the base template for std::char_traits "how to break or continue from a lambda loop?" - Vittoria Romeo Results from the 2025 An…

1
Ep 403 - Winning at PR Without a Big Budget with Shanté Micah & Josh Moody 1:05:02

8d ago1:05:02

1:05:02

Many indie studios feel locked out of traditional PR, feeling like you need an agency and big budget just to get noticed. In this episode, we break down how to earn meaningful media coverage with a story worth telling and how to create a system to share it. Learn how a strategic approach to visibility can build credibility, attract players, and dri…

1
Ep 403 - Winning at PR Without a Big Budget with Shanté Micah & Josh Moody 1:05:02

8d ago1:05:02

1:05:02

Many indie studios feel locked out of traditional PR, feeling like you need an agency and big budget just to get noticed. In this episode, we break down how to earn meaningful media coverage with a story worth telling and how to create a system to share it. Learn how a strategic approach to visibility can build credibility, attract players, and dri…

1
Expedition 33 with Maelle Actor Jennifer English 59:29

8d ago59:29

59:29

Alexa Ray Corriea chats with actor Jennifer English, best known for her iconic roles in games like Elden Ring, Baldur's Gate III, and Sandfall Interactive's debut smash hit, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Together they discuss her prior career in classical theater as well as her previous work in games leading up to playing Maelle in Expedition 33; wo…

1
E89: The Cost of Power: Leadership, Burnout & Survival in Game Dev with Melissa Phillips 1:00:32

14d ago1:00:32

1:00:32

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, Melis…

1
Austin Wintory on Life, Childhood, Creativity and Towerborne 1:01:52

14d ago1:01:52

1:01:52

Join me by the fire for a soulful and deep conversation with Grammy-nominated composer Austin Wintory, whose work on Journey, Flow, The Banner Saga, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, and the new Towerborne has redefined what music can do in games.In this episode of Bonfire Conversations, we talk about childhood, creativity, meeting your heroes, memoirs, …

1
Ep 402 - Making Sense of Game Marketing Attribution with Matthias Mirlach 1:11:16

15d ago1:11:16

1:11:16

Attribution often feels like a black box for indie devs, but ignoring it can cost you time, money, and momentum. In this episode, we break down what attribution really is, why it matters, and how small teams can start tracking what counts while learning how to avoid misleading metrics, balance data with creative instincts, and make smarter marketin…

1
Ep 402 - Making Sense of Game Marketing Attribution with Matthias Mirlach 1:11:16

15d ago1:11:16

1:11:16

Attribution often feels like a black box for indie devs, but ignoring it can cost you time, money, and momentum. In this episode, we break down what attribution really is, why it matters, and how small teams can start tracking what counts while learning how to avoid misleading metrics, balance data with creative instincts, and make smarter marketin…

1
Navigating the Shifting Corridors of BLUE PRINCE with Creator Tonda Ros 1:59:59

15d ago1:59:59

1:59:59

Trent Kusters chats with Tonda Ros, the creator of the mind bending puzzle roguelike, Blue Prince. Together they discuss his prior career navigating the film industry and how he found himself creating his first game; the early tools and resources that helped him get started; brining in additional team members and what that meant for the project tim…

1
libstdc++ 1:02:11

18d ago1:02:11

1:02:11

Jonathan Wakely joins Phil and Timur. Jonathan talks to us about libstdc++ (GCC's standard library implementation), of which he is the lead maintainer, and tackles some tough questions like ABI compatibility - and how GCC and libstdc++ approach it. News GCC 15 released (release notes) Boost.OpenMethod review (finished) 2025 Annual C++ Developer Sur…

1
Ep 401 - How to Turn Jams into Plans and Opportunities with Juliana Brito 53:39

22d ago53:39

53:39

When it comes to game jams, too many projects get shelved before they reach their full potential. In this episode, we’re going to explore how jams and small projects can become launchpads for long-term opportunity with the right support. From mentorship and incubation to funding access and marketing guidance, learn how structured programs are helpi…

1
Ep 401 - How to Turn Jams into Plans and Opportunities with Juliana Brito 53:39

22d ago53:39

53:39

When it comes to game jams, too many projects get shelved before they reach their full potential. In this episode, we’re going to explore how jams and small projects can become launchpads for long-term opportunity with the right support. From mentorship and incubation to funding access and marketing guidance, learn how structured programs are helpi…

1
How 3 Brothers Started a Game Studio - Butterscotch Shenanigans 1:07:53

22d ago1:07:53

1:07:53

Trent Kusters chats with brothers Adam and Seth Coster of indie studio, Butterscotch Shenanigans, who recently released Crashlands 2, the sequel to their hit debut release. Together they discuss their story of 3 brothers working in different fields who came together to make games; the mistakes and lessons they learned while building the studio; how…

1
0363: Roundtable News | Marathon Already Gassing Out? 1:13:27

28d ago1:13:27

1:13:27

About this episode:Marathon is supposed to usher in a return of great AAA western gaming, but did it fall short? Tune in for our impressions and outlook. Connect with us:• 🖥 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://gamedevunchained.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• 🎞️ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/GameDevUnch...⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• ✉️ [email protected]• 💰⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://anchor.fm/gamedevunchained/…

1
Composer of Andor on Season 2, Working with Tony Gilroy, Star Wars Horror and Eli Roth 23:55

28d ago23:55

23:55

Dive deep into the sonic landscape of Andor Season 2 (Available on Disney Plus) with composer Brandon Roberts! In this exclusive Bonfire Conversations interview, Brandon shares the incredible journey of stepping into the Star Wars universe, following in the footsteps of John Williams and Nicholas Britell, to score one of the most critically acclaim…

1
E88: Why Eastern Game Dev Might Be The Future with Rob Wynne and Clark Kosene 1:16:08

28d ago1:16:08

1:16:08

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…

1
Ep 400 - A Practical Guide to Smarter Crowdfunding with Thomas Bidaux 53:12

29d ago53:12

53:12

From trailers to reward tiers, creators often stress over the wrong things when preparing for a Kickstarter launch. So in this episode, our guest challenges common misconceptions and shares hard-earned insights from analyzing numerous campaigns. We’ll cut through the noise and offer practical, proven strategies that anyone would be confident to bac…

1
Ep 400 - A Practical Guide to Smarter Crowdfunding with Thomas Bidaux 53:12

29d ago53:12

53:12

From trailers to reward tiers, creators often stress over the wrong things when preparing for a Kickstarter launch. So in this episode, our guest challenges common misconceptions and shares hard-earned insights from analyzing numerous campaigns. We’ll cut through the noise and offer practical, proven strategies that anyone would be confident to bac…

1
Avowed Game Director Carrie Patel talks World Building and Narrative Design 1:02:07

29d ago1:02:07

1:02:07

Alexa Ray Corriea chats with Carrie Patel, the Game Director on Obsidian Entertainment's Avowed. Together they discuss how the team worked within the Pillars of Eternity universe while expanding the world and characters; transitioning the gameplay from an isometric RPG to a focus on first person action; writing memorable companions; and the complex…

1
Stuart Maine on 28 Years in Game Development: Starting a Studio, Building Great Teams, Career Advice & Lessons for Aspiring Devs & His New Books 50:23

1M ago50:23

50:23

In this interview, veteran game designer Stuart Maine shares his 28-year journey in the gaming industry, detailing his humble beginnings in a cyber café to becoming a senior designer at Two Desperados, a mobile games company in Serbia. Stuart recounts his early days at Bullfrog and his time at renowned companies like Acclaim and Blitz, working on n…

1
Software development in a world of AI 1:15:17

1M ago1:15:17

1:15:17

Daisy Hollman joins Phil and Anastasia. Daisy talks to us about the current state of the art in using LLM-based AI agents to help with software development, as well as where that is going in the future, and what impacts it is having (good and bad). News Clang 20 released Boost 1.88 released JSON for Modern C++ 3.12.0 Conferences: Pure Virtual C++ 2…

1
Ep 399 - What It Really Takes to Launch a Game Studio with Colin McInerney 1:06:15

1M ago1:06:15

1:06:15

A lot of developers dream of starting their own studio, but the reality is far from glamorous. In this episode, we dive deep with our guest to unpack the overlooked, gritty, and often emotional process of building a studio from scratch. From pitching to production pipelines, they're going to share what aspiring founders need to prepare for, emotion…

1
Ep 399 - What It Really Takes to Launch a Game Studio with Colin McInerney 1:06:15

1M ago1:06:15

1:06:15

A lot of developers dream of starting their own studio, but the reality is far from glamorous. In this episode, we dive deep with our guest to unpack the overlooked, gritty, and often emotional process of building a studio from scratch. From pitching to production pipelines, they're going to share what aspiring founders need to prepare for, emotion…

1
From Dragon Age to Eternal Strands with Mike Laidlaw 1:13:13

1M ago1:13:13

1:13:13

Alexa Ray Corriea chats with Mike Laidlaw, Chief Creative Officer at Yellow Brick Games. Together they discuss his career developing role-playing games including his role as Creative Director on the Dragon Age franchise; the development of his new studio's first release, Eternal Strands; creating the physics based combat system; the key pillars for…

1
E87: Toxic Culture in Game Development: The Real Metrics That Matter with Charlie Sull 48:06

1M ago48:06

48:06

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…

1
Ep 398 - Why Insurance Matters for Game Devs with Phil Wildman 51:01

1M ago51:01

51:01

The game industry is full of risks, IP disputes, cyberattacks, contract issues, even failed crowdfunding campaigns. And while we never anticipate these things happening to us...sometimes, they surface when we least expect it, inviting all sorts of chaos. So today, we explore how devs can avoid the hassle of the unknown by understanding how insuranc…

1
Ep 398 - Why Insurance Matters for Game Devs with Phil Wildman 51:01

2M ago51:01

51:01

The game industry is full of risks, IP disputes, cyberattacks, contract issues, even failed crowdfunding campaigns. And while we never anticipate these things happening to us...sometimes, they surface when we least expect it, inviting all sorts of chaos. So today, we explore how devs can avoid the hassle of the unknown by understanding how insuranc…

1
Creating the Super Earth of Helldivers 2 with Arrowhead's Johan Pilestedt 3:17:22

1M ago3:17:22

3:17:22

Trent Kusters chats with Johan Pilestedt, the Game Director on Arrowhead Game Studios' smash-hit, HELLDIVERS™ 2. Together they discuss his path in games that led to the founding of Arrowhead alongside his classmates in Sweden; the development and release of their first title, Magicka; the original ideas around that laid the foundation for the Helld…

1
Ep 397 - Debunking Steam Algorithm Myths with Chris Zukowski 43:15

2M ago43:15

43:15

Steam’s algorithm is the engine that powers visibility on the platform, but understanding how it works is often a big mystery. So today, we’re going to bust some of the most common and persistent myths indie developers believe about how the algorithm functions, getting to the bottom of which signals actually matter, so you can stop worrying and foc…

1
Ep 397 - Debunking Steam Algorithm Myths with Chris Zukowski 43:15

2M ago43:15

43:15

Steam’s algorithm is the engine that powers visibility on the platform, but understanding how it works is often a big mystery. So today, we’re going to bust some of the most common and persistent myths indie developers believe about how the algorithm functions, getting to the bottom of which signals actually matter, so you can stop worrying and foc…

1
Becoming Indiana Jones with Troy Baker 1:19:49

2M ago1:19:49

1:19:49

Alexa Ray Corriea chats with actor Troy Baker. Together they discuss his award winning performance as Indiana Jones in MachineGames's Indiana Jones and the Great Circle; his biggest challenges in playing an iconic character; lessons he learned from his past projects that informed his preparation and performance; and the difference between a perform…

1
Standard Library Hardening 58:28

2M ago58:28

58:28

Louis Dionne joins Phil and Timur. Louis talks to us about his role as code owner of libc++ (clang's standard library implementation) and the standard library hardening proposal that was just accepted into C++26, why this is important, and what you can do even today. News GDC 2025: How Build Insights Reduced Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II’s Build …

1
E86: Why User Acquisition Isn't Just For Mobile Anymore with Matej Lančarič 1:09:46

2M ago1:09:46

1:09:46

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…

1
Ep 396 - The Power of Player-Centric Marketing with Greg Posner 52:09

2M ago52:09

52:09

Traditional marketing methods often struggle to cut through the noise, leaving indie developers searching for better ways to reach their audience. But what if the key isn’t just better tactics or bigger budgets, but a deeper understanding of players themselves? In this episode, we dive into how player-centric design principles can transform marketi…

1
Ep 396 - The Power of Player-Centric Marketing with Greg Posner 52:09

2M ago52:09

52:09

Traditional marketing methods often struggle to cut through the noise, leaving indie developers searching for better ways to reach their audience. But what if the key isn’t just better tactics or bigger budgets, but a deeper understanding of players themselves? In this episode, we dive into how player-centric design principles can transform marketi…

1
Magic, Kevlar, and Conspiracies with Tactical Breach Wizards Dev Tom Francis 2:37:25

2M ago2:37:25

2:37:25

Trent Kusters chats with game designer Tom Francis of Suspicious Developments, developers of hit indie tactical strategy games like Gunpoint, Heat Signature, and Tactical Breach Wizards. Together they discuss how Tom went from games journalism to game development; his ideas around challenge and difficulty; weaving gameplay with narrative; and his t…

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Gamedevelopment Podcasts

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