Best Gamedevelopment Podcasts (2025)

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Reflecting on Timur and Phil 1:02:18

Play Pause

3h ago1:02:18

1:02:18

Timur and Phil reflect on Phil and Timur. We share some personal updates as well as news from the community. News "Why we didn't rewrite our feed handler in Rust" - post from DataBento "C++ reflection (P2996) and moc" - from Qt wiki "Poll: Does your project use terminating assertions in production?" - from Herb's blog Links Episode 376, with Rainer…

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E104: Game Dev Leaders: Save Weeks of Thrash in 20 Minutes 16:18

2d ago16:18

16:18

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: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 How do you save weeks of thrash when your team is busy and perhaps even cr…

1
Ep 424 - Building Communities that Drive Discovery with Corina Diaz 55:30

2d ago55:30

55:30

Many great indie games never find their audience, not because they lack quality, but because players have a hard time discovering them. In a crowded market filled with platforms, storefronts, and showcases, standing out can feel impossible. In this episode, we explore how studios can lay the groundwork for success long before launch. From taking ea…

1
Ep 424 - Building Communities that Drive Discovery with Corina Diaz 55:30

2d ago55:30

55:30

Many great indie games never find their audience, not because they lack quality, but because players have a hard time discovering them. In a crowded market filled with platforms, storefronts, and showcases, standing out can feel impossible. In this episode, we explore how studios can lay the groundwork for success long before launch. From taking ea…

1
From Used Car Salesman to Indie Game Publisher: The New Blood Story 1:27:41

2d ago1:27:41

1:27:41

Trent Kusters chats with Dave Oshry of New Blood Interactive. Together they discuss how he went from games journalism to publishing; navigating the ins and outs of publishing on PC and how they landed their first deal; how nostalgia meets modern in the boomer shooter genre; their approach to the publisher/developer revenue split; how they uplift in…

1
E103: Leadership Under Fire: Surviving a $100M Game Studio Crisis 57:29

9d ago57:29

57:29

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: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 What happens when doing the right thing could get you fired? Every game de…

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Ep 423 - Building Momentum Without Burning Out with Jon Hanson 46:09

11d ago46:09

46:09

Thousands of games launch every month, and building momentum can often feel like an impossible task. But momentum that matters doesn’t come from massive budgets, it comes from focus. So today, we're going to break down how indie teams can develop repeatable marketing strategies, that turns engagement into lasting relationships, setting the foundati…

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Ep 423 - Building Momentum Without Burning Out with Jon Hanson 46:09

9d ago46:09

46:09

Thousands of games launch every month, and building momentum can often feel like an impossible task. But momentum that matters doesn’t come from massive budgets, it comes from focus. So today, we're going to break down how indie teams can develop repeatable marketing strategies, that turns engagement into lasting relationships, setting the foundati…

1
How to Pitch Game Projects to Publishers with Focus Entertainment's Yves Le Yaouanq 1:33:29

10d ago1:33:29

1:33:29

Adam Orth chats with Focus Entertainment's Chief Content Officer, Yves Le Yaouanq. Together they discuss his journey and the lessons he's learned working for some of the biggest game developers and publishers in the industry; his work on the research and development side of games; the need for publishers to focus on quality of content and gameplay;…

1
Reflection and C++26, with Herb Sutter 1:03:12

13d ago1:03:12

1:03:12

Phil and Timur are joined by Herb Sutter to catch up on what's going in to C++26 which, let's be honest, is dominated by reflection. News CLion now has a constexpr debugger "CMake for complex projects" - tutorial: Part one Part two Safe C++ proposal is not being continued Episode with Sean Baxter Links Herb's Reflection talk at CppCon 2025 Herb's C…

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0369: Roundtable News | EA Goes Private and Playstation State of Play Review 52:18

16d ago52:18

52:18

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E102: 5 Game Dev Delusions That Kill Studios 28:09

16d ago28:09

28:09

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Ep 422 - Aligning Your Marketing to the Players' In-Game Experience with David Tobiasz & Jeremy Friedmann 39:34

17d ago39:34

39:34

By RenGen Media

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Ep 422 - Aligning Your Marketing to the Players' In-Game Experience with David Tobiasz & Jeremy Friedmann 39:34

17d ago39:34

39:34

By RenGen Media

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How Ready or Not Creates Tension Behind Every Door 1:39:19

17d ago1:39:19

1:39:19

Trent Kusters chats with Sean Gorman (Lead Designer) and Mark Ranson (Art Director) from Void Interactive, creators of the tactical first-person shooter, Ready or Not. Together they discuss how the studio balances realism, tension, and storytelling without glorifying violence; their “fear every door” design philosophy; lessons learned from AAA deve…

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0368: Small Teams Turn Passion into Project Grail with Malte and Rufino 1:20:18

23d ago1:20:18

1:20:18

https://www.project-grail.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/iammalte/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ta-roy/ Malte and Roy to discuss their journey developing "Project Grail," a retro-inspired first-person shooter. The conversation covers their backgrounds in AAA studios, the influence of classic games like Doom and Wolfenstein, the challenges of balan…

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E101: How Layoffs Go Wrong—and the Right Way to Do Them 1:28:39

23d ago1:28:39

1:28:39

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 corpo…

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Julian Winding: "The Neon Demon" Composer on His Career, Life, "Copenhagen Cowboy" and Uncle Nicolas Winding Refn 36:42

23d ago36:42

36:42

Julian Winding, the Danish composer and electronic artist behind The Demon Dance from Nicolas Winding Refn’s The Neon Demon, joins me on Bonfire Conversations. In this episode, we dive deep into his upbringing in Denmark and England, his early rock beginnings, and how he found his voice in electronic and film music.Julian opens up about collaborati…

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Ep 421 - Turning Puzzles Into Player Retention Tools with Ivan Voitovich 43:15

24d ago43:15

43:15

Puzzles aren’t just a design choice — they’re a powerful driver of player retention. When done well, they keep players engaged, build trust, and create momentum. When done poorly, they frustrate players and cut your game’s lifespan short. In this episode, we dig into how puzzle design shapes retention through interesting narrative adventures and ex…

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Ep 421 - Turning Puzzles Into Player Retention Tools with Ivan Voitovich 43:15

24d ago43:15

43:15

Puzzles aren’t just a design choice — they’re a powerful driver of player retention. When done well, they keep players engaged, build trust, and create momentum. When done poorly, they frustrate players and cut your game’s lifespan short. In this episode, we dig into how puzzle design shapes retention through interesting narrative adventures and ex…

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0367: Games Recap | Crunch Deaths, Mass Layoffs, Political Firings, and Global Shifts 48:04

28d ago48:04

48:04

In this solo episode, I address three significant topics in the game development industry: backlash from social media posts following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the tragic death of Microsoft engineer Pratik Pandey linked to crunch culture, and the broader industry shakeout leading to significant job losses. The discuss…

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E100: Don’t Hire Until You See These 3 Signs 1:09:42

30d ago1:09:42

1:09:42

Ready to take your game development career to the next level? Join the Game Dev Leadership Accelerator: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 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 developmen…

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"Hell is Us" Director on His Life, Career, Deux Ex and Future 1:33:19

30d ago1:33:19

1:33:19

In this episode of Bonfire Conversations, host Hamidreza Nikoofar sits down with Jonathan Jacques-Belletête, the visionary artist and game director behind Hell is Us and the art director of Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Mankind Divided.Jonathan reflects on his journey from Montreal to the global stage, the creation of the iconic Cyber-Renaissance a…

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Ep 420 - What to Know About Tomorrow’s Audience with Josh Bound 1:08:58

1M ago1:08:58

1:08:58

The next wave of gamers is already here. Students, from middle to high school don’t just view games only as entertainment but also as spaces for community, creativity, and leadership. But how do their unique motivations and playstyles translate into the future of game audiences? In today’s episode, we’re going to dive into insights from years of wo…

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Ep 420 - What to Know About Tomorrow’s Audience with Josh Bound 1:08:58

1M ago1:08:58

1:08:58

The next wave of gamers is already here. Students, from middle to high school don’t just view games only as entertainment but also as spaces for community, creativity, and leadership. But how do their unique motivations and playstyles translate into the future of game audiences? In today’s episode, we’re going to dive into insights from years of wo…

1
E99: Stop Using 2-Week Sprints - Here's Why They’re Failing You 38:40

1M ago38:40

38:40

Stuck in slow loops and broken systems? The Game Dev Leadership Accelerator can help you make lasting change. Sign up to learn more: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 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 ite…

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0366: Alien: Rogue Incursion | Bridging VR and Flat Screen Experience with Ross DeVito 1:00:02

1M ago1:00:02

1:00:02

Alien: Rogue Incursion - Evolved Edition | Coming Soon to PS5, PS5 Pro, Steam, Xbox, and Epic Ross De Vito | LinkedIn In this episode we have Ross DeVito, a gameplay programmer at Survios, a VR studio. Ross shares his journey from studying mechanical engineering at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to finding fulfillment in virtual reality game development.…

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Ep 419 - The Hidden Purpose of Your Steam Page with Andrew Pappas 45:43

1M ago45:43

45:43

Most developers see their Steam page as a way to describe their game. And while that’s true, its real purpose goes deeper: capturing a player’s limited attention and showing them, in seconds, that your game is for them. In this episode, I share lessons from my own posts and conversations on why the purpose of your Steam page goes beyond text, featu…

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Ep 419 - The Hidden Purpose of Your Steam Page with Andrew Pappas 45:43

1M ago45:43

45:43

Most developers see their Steam page as a way to describe their game. And while that’s true, its real purpose goes deeper: capturing a player’s limited attention and showing them, in seconds, that your game is for them. In this episode, I share lessons from my own posts and conversations on why the purpose of your Steam page goes beyond text, featu…

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0365: Roundtable News | AI, Remote Work and Industry Layoffs 1:18:56

1M ago1:18:56

1:18:56

In this episode, we discuss the recent layoffs in the game industry and the economic challenges faced by game studios, focusing on the long development cycles and mismanagement in AAA studios like Cloud Chamber's BioShock project. We examine the role of AI in game development, highlighting its potential to assist with asset creation and coding whil…

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E98: Why Most Game Launches Flop (And How to Avoid It) 1:41:08

1M ago1:41:08

1:41:08

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 launc…

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Mor Loushy: Director of "American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden" 38:33

1M ago38:33

38:33

In this episode of Bonfire Conversations, I sit down with award-winning filmmaker Mor Loushy, director of Netflix’s powerful three-part documentary series American Manhunt: The Osama Bin Laden Mission.With the remembrance of September 11 approaching, this story carries an even deeper weight. The series takes us inside one of the most dramatic manhu…

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Ep 418 - Why You’re Not Attracting the Right Teammates with Tim Wood 1:04:09

2M ago1:04:09

1:04:09

Finding the right teammates isn’t about checking boxes or broadcasting open roles. It’s about creating the kind of opportunity people want to be part of. Today, we’re digging into what actually draws people to a project by looking at how we communicate it, which is often in subtle ways we don’t even notice. We’ll explore how aligning your message w…

1
Ep 418 - Why You’re Not Attracting the Right Teammates with Tim Wood 1:04:09

1M ago1:04:09

1:04:09

Finding the right teammates isn’t about checking boxes or broadcasting open roles. It’s about creating the kind of opportunity people want to be part of. Today, we’re digging into what actually draws people to a project by looking at how we communicate it, which is often in subtle ways we don’t even notice. We’ll explore how aligning your message w…

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0364: The Challenges of Finishing a Game with Drew Smith 1:03:58

2M ago1:03:58

1:03:58

In this episode we sit down with longtime friend and industry veteran Drew Smith for a candid conversation about the evolving landscape of game development. Drew shares his journey from hustling his way into Take-Two, producing at 2K, and working on iconic titles like Bioshock and Destiny, to navigating the challenges of remote work, starting his o…

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E97: The 3 Tools Your Team Needs To Deliver Great Games 31:16

2M ago31:16

31:16

🎮 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 stu…

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Ep 417 - Should Indies Care About Web3? with Jyro Blade 55:40

2M ago55:40

55:40

Web3 in games is loud, controversial, and often feels far removed from indie realities or vision, but is it possible that there are lessons from this space worth paying attention to? So today, we're going to explore what Web3 really means for indie developers: how accessible (or inaccessible) the tech actually is, the unique player dynamics it intr…

1
Ep 417 - Should Indies Care About Web3? with Jyro Blade 55:40

2M ago55:40

55:40

Web3 in games is loud, controversial, and often feels far removed from indie realities or vision, but is it possible that there are lessons from this space worth paying attention to? So today, we're going to explore what Web3 really means for indie developers: how accessible (or inaccessible) the tech actually is, the unique player dynamics it intr…

51
Escape From Tarkov and the Creation of Extraction Shooters with Nikita Buyanov 1:26:09

2M ago1:26:09

1:26:09

Log in to your account at www.escapefromtarkov.com and redeem the code NIKITAONGMNPODCAST to receive a special gift from Battlestate Games. Trent Kusters chats with Nikita Buyanov, the COO, Founder, and Game Director at Battlestate Games, creators of Escape From Tarkov. Together they discuss his journey in games to the founding of Battlestate Games…

51
From Disney’s “Where’s My Water?” to Solo Indie Dev Success: How Creativity and Persistence Built a Game Career, with Tim “Walaber” FitzRandolph 1:21:34

2M ago1:21:34

1:21:34

In this episode, we dive deep into Tim’s creative journey behind Disney’s hit mobile game Where’s My Water? and what it really takes to break into and succeed in the game industry. From starting out in QA testing to leading creative teams at Disney, and later becoming a successful solo indie developer, Tim’s conversation is packed with insights, st…

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The Future of Voice Acting: AI, Games & Talent Representation | Emma Harvey Interview 29:26

2M ago29:26

29:26

In this episode of Bonfire Conversations, I sit down with Emma Harvey, founder of Harvey Voices, one of the UK’s leading voice talent agencies.Emma shares her journey from drama school to building a powerhouse agency representing some of the industry’s most recognized voices. We discuss:- How Harvey Voices began and grew into one of the UK’s top ag…

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E96: Setting Goals: It’s Not Just About Shipping A Game, with Melissa Phillips 59:12

2M ago59:12

59:12

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 discuss…