Best Gamemaker Podcasts (2025)

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Can Delta Force Beat PUBG? Is the Take-Two Mafia a Myth & How to Fix Recruiting? | MAG #5 26:52

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20m ago26:52

26:52

On this episode of Game Makers, we explore three critical topics: how Delta Force's mobile revenue soared past PUBG's by 75% , why the "Take-Two Mafia" thesis is a myth centered on the wrong company , and a powerful framework for fixing your recruiting process by treating candidates like customers. In this episode, you will learn: MACRO: How Delta …

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Arena Breakout: Infinite Breaks Out to PC!, Destiny: End of Western IP + China Dev, Secrets and Stupid Ideas | MAG #4 51:40

6d ago51:40

51:40

In this episode, we explore the major headwinds facing the games industry, from publisher-developer tensions to the viability of long-standing business models. We start with a raw look at industry layoffs before pivoting to a deep-dive analysis of Arena Breakout Infinite's turbulent PC launch, which reveals a massive culture clash in monetization s…

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Charlie Rosen, bandleader, The 8-bit Big Band. 1:28:44

6d ago1:28:44

1:28:44

Charlie Rosen is a Grammy award-winning musician, composer, and arranger whose work sits at the intersection of jazz, pop, and video game nostalgia. As the founder and leader of The 8-bit Big Band, a 35-piece jazz-pops orchestra, he had transformed classic video game soundtracks into virtuosic symphonic showstoppers. Under his direction, the ensemb…

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MAG Monday #3: India's RMG Ban, Failure of GenAI, Amazon x Netflix Gaming+Streaming Bundle 1:29:21

13d ago1:29:21

1:29:21

Alpha: Clash Royale 5x Revenue, Understanding the Illegible Margin GameDev: The Problem with Product Validation Happy MAG-nificent Monday! 3-Macro: 3 stories impacting the competitive environment in which we operate Hike shuts down after India RMG ban Why GenAI is failing Amazon and Netflix announce Gaming+Streaming bundle 2-Alpha: 2 potential sour…

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Andy Robertson, journalist, entrepreneur (BBC, Ludocene). 1:22:12

13d ago1:22:12

1:22:12

Andy Robertson is a veteran journalist, editor, and entrepreneur who has spent his career exploring how video games can bring people together. After graduating from Brunel University with a degree in Computer Science, he worked as a freelance games critic for the BBC before launching Family Gamer TV, a YouTube channel designed to help parents and c…

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3-2-1 MAG #2: Dreamhaven Layoffs, Silksong Success, GamePass Worth Jack**** | Magic Tiles 3 - Piano Game, Rise of AA | On Decision Making 1:03:49

20d ago1:03:49

1:03:49

3. Macro Top 3 Most Significant Gaming News From Last Week: Dreamhaven Games Hit by Layoffs (GamesIndustry.biz): Dreamhaven, the studio founded by former Blizzard Entertainment co-founder Mike Morhaime, confirmed it has undergone an unspecified number of layoffs. Despite the cuts, the CEO expressed optimism about the studio's future and the project…

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Lizzie Killian, musician (Teens in Trouble). 1:21:12

20d ago1:21:12

1:21:12

Lizzie Killian is the lead vocalist and guitarist of Teens in Trouble, an indie rock band known for its anthemic melodies, sharp lyrics, and emotionally charged hooks. Before taking to the stage, she started her career as a writer covering games, then moved into communications, collaborating with titans of the industry such Capcom, EA, and Riot. In…

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Jonathan Jacques-Belletête, creative director, Hell is Us. 1:20:12

27d ago1:20:12

1:20:12

Jonathan Jacques-Belletête is a French-Canadian creative director and artist whose work has helped shape some of the most stylish and thought-provoking contemporary video games. After graduating from Dawson College in Montreal, he worked as a commercial illustrator before joining Ubisoft as an artist on the Far Cry, Prince of Persia and Assassin’s …

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3. 2. 1. Retro #1: Netease Bails on Western Studios, IGN Restructuring, Ubisoft and King Showcase AI 47:23

28d ago47:23

47:23

Top 3 Gaming News From Last Week: NetEase Shuts Down Another Western Studio (Game Developer): NetEase has closed T-Minus Zero Entertainment. This marks the third Western studio closure as part of a broader reassessment of business priorities and has raised concerns about the stability of Western studios under NetEase's ownership. IGN Publisher John…

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

28d 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…

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Finding Alpha: How to Find Your Company's Secret Advantage! 26:39

1M ago26:39

26:39

In an era where “good” isn’t good enough, this talk breaks down how to generate alpha—company-specific excess returns—by choosing the right game to play and going all-in on the highest-leverage moves. We cover the macro forces reshaping competition, case studies of teams that found alpha, and where velocity and AI change the basis of competition. W…

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Tonda Ros, gamemaker, Blue Prince. 1:31:44

1M ago1:31:44

1:31:44

My guest today is an American visual artist whose work is redefining how we think about mystery, architecture, and imagination in interactive storytelling. In 2013 he founded Dogubomb, a Los Angeles-based independent Film and Game Studio making music videos, films, and commercials for clients such as Magic the Gathering and Netflix. In 2016 my gues…

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Call of Duty vs. Battlefield, Dreamhaven Struggles, AI - Tencent & Unity | Game Dev Review #1 1:07:59

1M ago1:07:59

1:07:59

GAME DEV REVIEW #1 NEWS: Top 5 Gaming News Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Officially Revealed (GameSpot): Activision has unveiled the next entry in its massive first-person shooter franchise, "Call of Duty: Black Ops 7." The reveal trailer, showcased at Gamescom, provided a first look at the game's near-future setting and hinted at a narrative connected…

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Creating a Modern but Retro Immersive Sim in Skin Deep 1:44:01

1M ago1:44:01

1:44:01

Trent Kusters chats with Brendon Chung, Tynan Wales, and Suzanne Will about their immersive first-person shooter, Skin Deep. Together they discuss the inspiration for Skin Deep and how it evolved from it's original design; their desire to create an accessible entry point for the immersive sim genre; their ideas around level design and player guidan…

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Brian Gibson, artist, musician (Lightning Bolt, Guitar Hero, Thumper). 1:17:34

1M ago1:17:34

1:17:34

Brian Gibson is a musician, artist, and game designer best known for blurring the lines between sound, movement, and chaos. As the bassist for the legendary noise-rock duo Lightning Bolt, he’s released seven studio albums and played countless ferocious, high-velocity live shows. But he’s also spent much of his life working on video games, first as …

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Navigating the Game Industry Reset: Layoffs, AI Hiring & Career Strategy with Keith Caswell (ex-EA, Microsoft) 1:57:45

1M ago1:57:45

1:57:45

The games industry is in a state of flux. Layoffs are widespread, AI is disrupting hiring, and the future feels uncertain. To navigate this new landscape, we're joined by Keith Caswell, a 20-year HR veteran with leadership experience at Microsoft, Electronic Arts, and Wizards of the Coast, for a masterclass in career and talent strategy. Whether yo…

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The Many Roles of Actor Alex Jordan on The Alters 1:17:36

1M ago1:17:36

1:17:36

Alexa Ray Corriea chats with actor Alex Jordan who most recently starred in the sci-fi survival game, The Alters. Together they discuss his journey as an actor and his work in video games; the unique opportunity The Alters provided due to it's premise revolving around clones; how he worked with the development team to find a distinct voice for each…

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Correspondence Special #7: Zelda snubs, lost gaming communities, and fake monkey languages. 36:54

2M ago36:54

36:54

In this special correspondence edition, Simon reads out your letters and answers your questions. Why has The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time never made it onto a Perfect Console? Where have in-person gaming communities gone, and can they be revived? What happened to educational games after the days of Oregon Trail and Carmen Sandiego? Which made-u…

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Ralph Panebianco, critic, YouTube creator (Skill Up). 1:23:05

2M ago1:23:05

1:23:05

Ralph Panebianco is an Australian video game reviewer and YouTube creator known for his sharp insights, no-nonsense delivery, and deep love of the medium. His reviews have been watched more than three hundred million times, and since 2015 his channel, Skill-Up, has become one of the most popular destinations for game criticism, both in Australia an…

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Creating the Music for Doom: The Dark Ages with Composer Duo, Finishing Move 2:10:04

2M ago2:10:04

2:10:04

Austin Wintory chats with Brian Trifon and Brian Lee White from the award winning music composition and sound design team, Finishing Move Inc. Together they discuss their history in music and what led them to games; why they began collaborating on game scores and the advantages that brings; how they tackled a massive franchise with set audience exp…

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Greg Jenner, historian. 1:31:03

2M ago1:31:03

1:31:03

Greg Jenner is a historian, author, and broadcaster who has made the past delightfully accessible to millions. Born in Kent, he studied Archaeology & History at the University of York, then mediaeval studies, before serving as historical advisor to the BBC’s hit children’s series Horrible Histories. He has since authored several acclaimed books tha…

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How Ray Chase went from Actor to Game Developer with Date Everything 1:28:46

2M ago1:28:46

1:28:46

Alexa Ray Corriea chats with actor Ray Chase about his first project as a game developer, Date Everything. Together they discuss his memorable work as the voice behind many of our favorite characters and why he decided to try his hand at development; where the idea to date household objects came from; how they managed to write dialogue for 100+ dat…

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Why Data Is The New Superpower In Gaming! 1:16:16

2M ago1:16:16

1:16:16

Four years after Apple's ATT shook the mobile gaming world, measurement remains complicated—but not impossible. Airbridge CEO Roi Nam joins us for an unfiltered technical discussion on what's actually working in iOS UA today. We explore SKAN 4.0, the power of CAPI, Web-to-App strategies, and why some studios see 54% LTV lifts while others struggle.…

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Nathan Brown, writer, analyst, former editor Edge. 1:28:51

2M ago1:28:51

1:28:51

Nathan Brown is a writer, editor, and consultant with a deep well of experience in the video game industry. After starting his career in finance he switched to become a journalist, he spent more than a decade at the British publication Edge magazine, where he eventually rose to the role of editor. Since leaving traditional games media, he has carve…

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From Concept to Character: AI Animation Revolution in Gaming 58:03

2M ago58:03

58:03

Join us for an eye-opening conversation about how AI is completely transforming the game animation industry. Viren Tellis, CEO of Uthana, shares how their technology is enabling developers to animate characters in seconds instead of days, democratizing game development for indie creators. What you'll discover: The three game-changing ways to create…

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How Moonhood Handcrafted The Midnight Walk with Real Claymation 2:07:42

2M ago2:07:42

2:07:42

Trent Kusters chats Klaus Lyngeled and Olov Redmalm from Moonhood, who recently released the handcrafted cozy horror game, The Midnight Walk. Together they discuss their early careers and how they found themselves working together and eventually co-founding their own studio; their previous work on titles such as Fe and Lost and Random and how that …

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Kat Abughazaleh, influencer, politician. 1:06:56

2M ago1:06:56

1:06:56

Kat Abu is a journalist, influencer, and digital powerhouse who’s taken her sharp wit and political insight from the internet to the campaign trail. Best known for her viral videos dissecting right-wing media as a senior video producer at Media Matters for America, she built a vast following online by blending incisive commentary with biting humour…

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How Two Studios Brought LEGO Horizon Adventures to Life 1:43:54

2M ago1:43:54

1:43:54

Trent Kusters chats with Stéphane Varrault from Guerrilla Games and Xu Xiaojun from Studio Gobo about their collaborative work on LEGO® Horizon Adventures. Together they discuss how their two studios worked together on bringing Aloy's adventures to the LEGO® universe; what it takes to appeal to a younger audience; how they designed the game to focu…

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The Hidden Cost of Building Games: Sacrifice, Success, and What Really Matters ft. Mishka Katkoff, Deconstructor of Fun 1:15:59

2M ago1:15:59

1:15:59

What's the real cost of being a startup gaming founder? In this very off-topic conversation, my old friend Mishka Katkoff (Deconstructor of Fun) and I go deep on the topics nobody puts in their pitch deck. We share personal stories about the psychological and physical toll of the grind, and question the nature of ambition in the game industry.This …

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Jimi Famurewa, food critic. 1:16:30

3M ago1:16:30

1:16:30

Jimi Famurewa is a British-Nigerian author, broadcaster and food critic whose writing blends cultural insight, wit, and deep empathy. As the former restaurant critic for the Evening Standard, he’s become one of the most recognisable voices in British food writing, known for capturing not just what’s on the plate, but also the people, stories, and h…

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Uncovering the Secrets Behind Bionic Bay with Creator Juhana Myllys 1:31:13

3M ago1:31:13

1:31:13

Adam Orth chats with Juhana Myllys, creator of physics based platformer Bionic Bay. Together they discuss how he identifies great ideas and where he finds inspiration; the early designs and concept art that led to the development of Bionic Bay; designing the core gameplay such as the swap mechanic and platforming; and creating a visual language tha…

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Web Shops: From 10% to 50% Revenue – The Playbook Top Games Don't Want You to Know 1:21:14

3M ago1:21:14

1:21:14

Apple and Google are taking 43% more money from your game than you think – and your competitors are using web shops to capture that revenue instead. In this eye-opening discussion, Stash's Chief Growth Officer reveals how top mobile games generate 50%+ of revenue through direct-to-consumer channels while others leave millions on the table.Why you n…

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Ed Night, comedian. 1:11:03

3M ago1:11:03

1:11:03

Ed Night is one of the sharpest and most original voices in British stand-up. He began performing comedy as a teenager and, in 2017 his debut hour at the Edinburgh Fringe, Anthem For Doomed Youth, saw him become one of the youngest ever nominees for the Edinburgh Comedy Award for Best Newcomer. Since then, he’s established a reputation for his dark…

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Creating the Music for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 with Composer Lorien Testard 1:16:07

3M ago1:16:07

1:16:07

Austin Wintory chats with Lorien Testard, the composer for Sandfall Interactive's debut hit RPG, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Together they discuss his background in music theory and how he connected with Sandfall; working with singer Alice Duport-Percier to create the vocal pieces; creating a soundtrack with diverse sounds that keeps a unified vis…