World of Warcraft didn’t simply launch—it exploded into one of the biggest games in history. Rich Barham helped lead WoW’s in-game support operation from before launch through The Burning Crusade and Wrath of the Lich King.

In this conversation, Rich shares what it took to scale alongside millions of players, what early Blizzard was really like, and how that culture changed as the company grew.

We also discuss his experiences at ZeniMax, Riot Games, IO Interactive and Antimatter Games, along with studio leadership, cancelled projects, industry layoffs and why talented developers are struggling to find work.

Rob Chestney joins me to discuss his career as a writer and narrative designer across some of gaming’s biggest worlds. Rob was part of Star Wars: The Old Republic from its earliest stages, helping shape the game’s factions, planets, class stories and lore. He also wrote Kira Carsen and T7-O1, contributed to the Galactic Timeline videos, and worked with Blur during the creation of SWTOR’s iconic cinematic trailers. We also talk about the original culture at BioWare, SWTOR’s enormous expectations at launch, the influence of World of Warcraft, writing for The Elder Scrolls Online and New World, artificial intelligence, fantasy literature, journalism, criticism, and the people behind the games we love. This is a wide-ranging conversation about storytelling, game development, and the original vision behind Star Wars: The Old Republic.

Michael “Leo” Gummelt joins Pembridge TV to discuss his career at Raven Software, the creation of Jedi Knight’s legendary lightsaber combat, and his work on Call of Duty and Warzone. Best known for helping shape the combat system behind Jedi Outcast and Jedi Academy, Leo breaks down what made those games special—and why many fans still believe that lightsaber combat remains unmatched.

Today’s guest is Chris Avellone — one of the most influential writers in RPG history, known for his work on classics like Fallout 2, Planescape: Torment, Fallout: New Vegas, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II.

Across all of those games, Avellone became known for creating morally complex worlds and characters that pushed RPG storytelling far beyond simple good-versus-evil narratives.

Jakub Vamberský is a game industry professional best known as the Community Lead for Gray Zone Warfare at MADFINGER Games. He focuses on bridging the gap between developers and players—handling communication, feedback loops, and community-driven development.

Before stepping into that role, he built experience in community management and player engagement, earning a reputation for being transparent and responsive during development cycles. His work on Gray Zone Warfare has been especially visible, as the game relies heavily on player feedback, iterative updates, and open communication during its early stages. 

In short, he’s one of the key voices shaping how the game interacts with its player base—and how much players feel heard during development.