Player Driven

This episode of Player Driven, in collaboration with Community Clubhouse, dives into the future of kids' gaming and digital safety. Greg speaks with Karin Johnson, co-founder of Magic Potion Games and a former leader at Club Penguin and Fortnite, along with Kieran Donovan, founder of K-ID and a regulatory compliance expert. Together, they explore how studios can build engaging, age-appropriate games while staying ahead of global compliance challenges. From the development of Imagine Island to the regulatory maze K-ID helps developers navigate, this is a must-listen for anyone creating games for younger audiences.

• The rise of Imagine Island as a spiritual successor to Club Penguin
• Why building “kids-first” (not just kid-appropriate) matters
• How K-ID simplifies global compliance across age bands, chat, and monetization
• Best practices for launching safe online games with embedded trust and safety
• The business value of early compliance and community-focused design
• How emerging web game platforms are helping studios reach more players

• Magic Potion Games
• K-ID

• Game designers building for Gen Alpha
• Studio leads exploring COPPA and GDPR-K compliance
• LiveOps and trust and safety professionals
• Community managers seeking to scale safe social play
• Parents curious about the future of kid-friendly gaming

Enjoyed the conversation? Subscribe to Player Driven for more episodes that blend player experience, safety, and smart business strategy. Leave a review and share this episode with fellow game developers, educators, and community leads.

Guest: Julie Banta, Director of Engineering, Build & Release at Respawn Entertainment

Summary:
In this episode of Player Driven, Greg sits down with Julie Banta, Director of Engineering at Respawn, to explore the underappreciated world of build and release operations. From her unlikely start in finance and insurance to helping manage one of the world’s top live service games, Julie shares her unique journey, the role of real-time feedback in LiveOps, and how a great team culture can make or break success.

They discuss:

• What Build & Release actually does in a live service game like Apex Legends
• Navigating fast-turnaround bug fixes and cross-platform coordination
• How to connect your past experiences to break into the gaming industry
• Leadership, burnout, and the importance of a people-first team
• The need for diversity and inclusivity in both dev teams and the games themselves

Timestamps:

• 07:00 – From finance to EA: career pivots and transferable skills
• 16:00 – The pressure and complexity behind LiveOps launches
• 29:00 – Fast feedback loops and using Reddit as a QA tool
• 40:00 – How Julie leads her team with empathy and trust
• 46:00 – Women in gaming and why representation matters
• 54:00 – Advice for indie devs and those breaking into the industry

Links:

• Connect with Julie on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Respawn and Apex Legends
• More episodes at playerdriven.io/podcast

Mike Pappas discusses Modulate's Toxmod, a sophisticated voice AI that analyzes emotional nuance and behavioral dynamics in online interactions. Initially focused on combating toxicity and promoting positivity in gaming, the technology is now expanding to address fraud and challenges like deepfakes. Mike emphasizes the importance of transparency with users, collaboration with studios based on their codes of conduct, and a privacy-centric approach focusing on behaviors, not individuals.

Key Themes & Insights:

• Advanced  Voice Analysis: Toxmod interprets emotion, nuance, and behavioral impacts in voice, not just words, to identify harmful or positive interactions.
• Studio Collaboration & Transparency: Modulate tunes Toxmod to studio-specific guidelines, with studios making final decisions. Open communication with players about moderation is crucial.
• Privacy-Conscious Moderation: The system focuses on identifying harmful or positive behaviors exhibited by users, rather than building profiles of individuals.
• Expanding Beyond Gaming: Originally for gaming toxicity, Modulate's tech is now being applied to detect fraud and improve interactions in other sectors, like call centers.
• Addressing Evolving Threats: The technology can help identify synthetically generated audio often used in scams, treating it as a form of fraud when coupled with problematic behavior.

Resources Mentioned:

• Modulate: modulate.ai

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In this episode, we delve into the evolving landscape of mobile game monetization with Chip Thurston, Head of Gaming at FastSpring. We explore the implications of the Apple vs. Epic ruling, the shift towards direct-to-consumer (DTC) strategies, and how webshops are becoming essential for game studios aiming to retain more revenue and foster stronger player relationships.

• Impact of the Apple vs. Epic ruling on mobile payments
• Transition from app store reliance to DTC models
• Advantages of integrating webshops for game studios
• Understanding the Merchant of Record model
• Strategies for scaling monetization efforts

Chip Thurston is the Head of Global Partnerships at FastSpring, a leading e-commerce platform for software and digital products. With extensive experience in digital monetization, Chip provides valuable insights into optimizing revenue streams for game developers.

• FastSpring Official Website
• Meet Chip on LinkedIn

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In this episode, Greg sits down with Jim Welch, a composer turned developer turned studio founder whose creative journey spans Dragon Ball Z trailers to launching a party game in the spirit of Jackbox. We explore Jim’s path from audio to entrepreneurship, the founding of The Devhouse Agency, and why his team is now investing in original IP. From creative leadership to WebGL distribution strategy, this episode is packed with insights for anyone building in games, immersive tech, or creative services.

01:22 – Starting with Sound: Jim shares his journey from composing for anime at Funimation to learning code through game jams.
07:27 – Founding Devhouse: Why starting a co-dev studio wasn’t a single moment, but a gradual realization built from side projects and passion.
09:32 – Hiring to Solve Pain: Early hires were engineers just like Jim, generalists who could help him scale his overloaded client work.
14:18 – Specialist vs. Generalist: How Devhouse learned to brand and position its skills clearly as the business matured.
20:30 – First Clients Came from Network: Jim leveraged relationships with former collaborators and positioned himself affordably as a solo founder.
26:29 – Why Build Original IP Now: Diversification and creative satisfaction. Jim didn’t want Devhouse to only live or die by service contracts.
29:02 – Trash Heist — Devhouse’s New Game: A phone-based party game with competitive chaos and second-screen play. Inspired by Jackbox, built to bring people together.
32:54 – Distribution Strategy: WebGL makes cross-platform play possible. Steam is the starting point, but smart TVs and casting are in the conversation.
35:33 – Balancing Client Work and Passion Projects: Dedicated internal teams and careful scoping allow for parallel development of games and service work.
37:16 – Founder Lessons: Sales and people management were the biggest curveballs. Learning to lead and let go is a continuous process.
40:10 – Where Gaming is Headed: Shrinking AAA budgets, a rise in small studio bets, and the growing importance of authentic community building.
45:19 – Call to Action: Trash Heist is dropping soon — Jim encourages listeners to check it out and support indie innovation.

• The Devhouse Agency
• Trash Heist on Steam COMING SOON!
• Jim Welch on LinkedIn

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to Player Driven on your favorite podcast app and share it with someone building their own path in the game industry. For more conversations with creators, founders, and innovators in gaming, visit playerdriven.io.

In this episode of Player Driven, Greg chats with two standout voices in gaming operations—Heidi Christine, CMO and Head of Community at Pixels, and Conor McGinley, Customer Support Lead at Twin Harbor Interactive. Together, they unpack what it really takes to grow and sustain vibrant communities while also delivering high-quality support at scale. From automation and self-service to the role of Discord and the realities of Web3 toxicity, this conversation delivers actionable insights for studios of any size.

Whether you’re trying to balance support load with growth, make Discord less chaotic, or simply empower your community to help itself, this is the episode you’ve been waiting for.

• Why support and community must be separated—until they’re not
• How Pixels scaled from chaos to structure using Discord, Intercom, and "Farmhands"
• Conor’s take on automation, AI, and when bots actually make sense
• Handling burnout in small teams and building flexible support flows
• How Web3 changes the intensity of player behavior and expectations
• Empowering internal teams and community leaders to move fast without asking for permission
• Why retention starts with understanding why players spend their time with you

Heidi Christine is the CMO and Head of Community at Pixels, a Web3 studio known for its vibrant MMO-style farming sim. She’s built a thriving, global player base with decentralized strategies, high player trust, and real-world crypto integration.

Conor McGinley leads customer support at Twin Harbor Interactive, creators of longform strategy games like Supremacy 1914 and Call of War. He’s known for his analytical approach to ticket flows, bot frameworks, and scalable support systems.

• Pixels Game
• Twin Harbor Interactive
• Community Clubhouse
• Imagine Island - Magic Potion Games
• HelpShift

• Support and CX leads looking to improve efficiency
• Community managers overwhelmed by Discord
• Indie and Web3 studios scaling fast with limited headcount
• Devs interested in retention, LiveOps, and community-led growth
• Anyone balancing automation with authentic player connection

Enjoyed the episode? Be sure to follow Player Driven for more practical takes from the people who power the games you love. Share this with a community lead, support agent, or founder who could use a smarter way to scale.TBD

In this episode of Player Driven, host Greg engages in an insightful conversation with Josh Plotnek, Head of Content at Keewano, diving deep into the significance of actionable insights derived from game data analytics. The discussion highlights how understanding player behavior through data can drastically improve player experience and game performance. Josh shares practical tips for studios of all sizes, emphasizing how AI-driven analytics can help uncover hidden issues, transforming raw data into meaningful actions.

• Name: Josh Plotnek
• Role: Head of Content at Keewano
• Expertise: Data Analytics, Content Strategy, Game Development Insights
• Company: Keewano

Keewano is a groundbreaking analytics platform that leverages advanced AI to provide actionable insights into player behavior, enabling gaming studios of any size to enhance player experience, retention, and engagement.

1. Data Alone Isn't Enough (07:35)
   Collecting data is the starting point; real value comes from understanding the "why" behind player behavior to make impactful decisions.
2. Recognizing Frustration vs. Engagement (20:08)
   Player frustration can be either positive (engaging) or negative (leading to churn). Analyzing "recovery behaviors" helps studios differentiate and respond effectively.
3. Start Small, Then Scale Your Analytics (14:39)
   Smaller studios can utilize accessible tools like Unity Analytics and Firebase, gradually scaling to more sophisticated AI-driven analytics solutions as they grow.
4. Leveraging AI to Uncover Hidden Issues (11:27)
   Advanced analytics powered by AI can identify complex problems within games, such as pinpointing an item missed in earlier levels that causes significant churn later on.
5. Future of Analytics: Conversational and Accessible (49:34)
   The future of data analytics is making complex insights conversational, allowing anyone on the team to ask direct questions and receive clear, actionable answers.

• Keewano Blog
• Unity Analytics
• Firebase

Tune into the full episode to discover more about turning your game data into powerful insights and actionable strategies to enhance player satisfaction and loyalty.

🔹 Episode Summary:
What happens when a former teacher with no game dev background builds a studio of junior developers and releases a cozy solarpunk game on Steam? You get Plantasia — a passion-driven project built on heart, hustle, and clear values.

Greg sits down with Ayla Derrick to talk about the origin of Cave Bear Games, the lessons learned from launching on Steam, and the importance of leading with empathy in the indie space.

🔑 Key Topics & Timestamps:

[00:02:00] From Teacher to Game Developer: Ayla’s Unlikely Start
Discover how Ayla Derrick pivoted from teaching to game dev and built a successful studio with no prior experience.

[00:07:00] Building a Studio of Juniors — and Making It Work
Learn how a team of junior developers created a game on Steam under Ayla’s leadership, proving that passion beats pedigree.

[00:13:00] Designing Plantasia for the Bottom Third of Your Screen
Explore the design of Plantasia, a solarpunk idle game intentionally built to sit on the bottom of your screen.

[00:20:00] Going Viral, Going Live: The Early Access Launch Story
Hear the inside story of how Cave Bear’s Plantasia launched on Steam after a viral moment turned their studio real.

[00:27:00] Leadership by Teaching: Why Studio Culture Matters
Discover how Ayla applies classroom leadership to studio culture and why it keeps her team motivated and growing.

🗣️ Quotes:

“We didn’t mean to become a studio. We just went viral, and suddenly we had to be one.”

“The pillars were communication, education, and passion. That’s what kept us together.”

🔗 Links:

• Cave Bear Games
• Wishlist Plantasia on Steam
• Ayla on LinkedIn

In this episode of Player Driven, we sit down with Jason Wasserman and Vincent Nguyen, the co-founders of Nice Gang, to dive into their journey from major animation studios like Blue Sky (Ice Age, Rio, Ferdinand) to launching their own game studio and original IP, Eighth Era.

With Season 2 of Eighth Era launching today, Jason and Vincent share how lessons from animation shaped their game design approach, the importance of creative partnerships, and why building a long-term community matters more than ever.

If you care about worldbuilding, player loyalty, and creating original stories in a crowded market, this episode is a must-listen.

• How experience at Blue Sky and Disney influenced the way Nice Gang operates today.
• The real skills Jason (business, scaling) and Vincent (visual worldbuilding) bring to the team.
• Why original IP is the foundation of everything they are building with Eighth Era.
• How they see opportunities for Eighth Era to expand beyond gaming (animation, collectibles, more).
• Their approach to growing a loyal community for the long-term, not just at launch.

• 00:00 – Intro + Season 2 Launch
• 02:00 – Meet Jason and Vincent: Backgrounds + Skills
• 07:00 – Lessons from Animation: What Carried into Game Development
• 15:00 – Founding Nice Gang: The Why and How
• 22:00 – Building a Creative Partnership That Lasts
• 28:00 – Worldbuilding Eighth Era: Staying Original
• 36:00 – Thinking Beyond the Game: The Future of the IP
• 43:00 – Building a Long-Term Player Community
• 48:00 – Final Advice and Where to Follow Nice Gang

Key Takeaways:

• Gamifying corporate training turns passive learners into active participants.
• Boring topics (like InfoSec) come to life when wrapped in story and play.
• You don’t need to be a full-stack developer to build great games—just curiosity and courage.
• Player feedback = gold. AJ evolved his product based on student reactions.
• “Productive laziness” is a feature, not a bug—automate the boring to unleash creativity.

Top Moments:

• 04:52 — The D20 That Started It All: How AJ turned a dull compliance class into a D&D-inspired tabletop game.
• 13:44 — Goombas and Burnout: A sneak peek at “SecOps Chaos,” AJ’s synthwave burnout simulator for security pros.
• 19:40 — Cheap Wings, Big Ideas: AJ’s midweek pub sessions and the notebook that fuels his creativity.
• 25:34 — Changing Perception, One Game at a Time: Why mid-sized companies are the sweet spot for gamified training.
• 42:26 — Turning Weakness into a System: AJ shares how he built an app to capture ideas on the fly—his secret weapon against creative blockers.

Guest Links:

• Brekade Website
• AJ Leece on LinkedIn