By Jordan Blackman
4.9
4646 ratings
The podcast currently has 38 episodes available.
Jordan sits down with legendary video game composer, producer, and entrepreneur Tommy Tallarico, whose career spans over 30 years in the gaming industry. Known for his work on iconic titles like Prince of Persia, Earthworm Jim, and MDK, Tommy shares his inspiring journey from homelessness to launching major projects such as Video Games Live and the new Intellivision Amico console. This episode dives deep into Tommy’s mindset for success, offering advice on goal-setting, perseverance, and the importance of networking. Tommy also discusses his approach to creating successful video games and his passion for bringing back family-friendly gaming experiences.
Topics covered:[01:43] Tommy's early career journey: from game tester to game audio
[06:30] First big break with Prince of Persia and redefining sound design in games
[10:15] Tommy’s mindset on success
[13:10] Goal-setting and climbing metaphorical mountains in your career
[17:10] Networking and why selling yourself is key to success
[20:00] The importance of passion and genuine connection with others
[24:10] Intellivision Amico and the return of couch co-op gaming
[32:15] How Amico offers a unique digital board game experience
[36:00] Working with indie developers and offering personalized development support
[40:50] The impact of COVID-19 on game development and team collaboration
[44:20] Tommy’s final thoughts on on success and his future projects
Jordan sits down with Amy Jo Kim, a game designer, community architect, and innovation coach, named by Fortune as one of the “Top 10 Influential Women in Games.” Amy Jo has contributed to hit games like The Sims, Rock Band, Ultima Online, and Covet Fashion, and has worked on non-gaming products such as eBay, Netflix, and NYTimes.com. She is also the author of “Community Building on the Web” (2000) and “Game Thinking” (2018).
Amy Jo dives deep into her concept of “Superfans” and explains why they are critical to achieving market success. She discusses her approach to creating innovative products, how to find superfans early, and how this methodology can scale projects to achieve global success.
Topics covered:02:58 Introduction to Amy Jo Kim and her journey in the gaming industry
06:26 Combining game design with innovation across industries
07:44 The power of Superfans: engaging early adopters to drive product success
12:12 Avoiding the “Fast Follow” strategy: learning from copycat games
16:14 Testing your core game loop with superfans and early adopters
20:07 The role of Superfans in evolving game design
22:06 Why tuning the core loop is essential for success
25:38 The connection between the core loop and player journey
28:22 Using Superfan techniques to build a community
34:43 Identifying superfans in casual games
38:31 Join Amy Jo Kim’s Superfan Challenge
Resources & media mentioned in this episode:Connect with Amy Jo Kim:
Games & companies mentioned:
Jordan sits down with Jon Radoff, the founder of Beamable,the creator-centric platform for building live games in Unity. Jon's career spans across multiple areas of the game industry, from building one of the first commercial internet games to leading the development of popular mobile games like Game of Thrones Ascent and Star Trek Timelines. Jon shares his insights on building successful games by taking multiple "shots on goal," balancing creativity with data, and understanding when to pivot or push forward with a project. He also dives into the future of the metaverse and how it could impact game development.
Topics covered:[03:16] Jon’s start in games: creating one of the first commercial games on the internet
[08:26] Moving into mobile games and the creation of Game of Thrones Ascent
[10:15] How to balance creativity and data in game development
[13:00] The importance of taking "shots on goal" in game design and business strategy
[17:53] When to start testing and gathering feedback on game ideas
[20:05] Building an audience and gathering feedback before having a playable game
[25:22] Lessons learned from Star Trek Timelines and using real-time data from players
[28:30] Managing risk and deciding when to stop working on a game
[31:45] Balancing iteration time versus moving on to a new project
[35:03] Creativity in game development versus pure data-driven design
[38:25] The future of game creation and Beamable’s vision
[44:43] Jon’s thoughts on the metaverse
Resources & media mentioned in this episode:Connect with Jon:
Check out Beamable:
Games mentioned:
Jordan interviews Joakim Achrén, a gaming entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience. Joakim shares his journey from co-founding two venture-backed gaming startups, including Next Games (which IPOed in 2017), to his current role at Elite Game Developers. Joakim helps aspiring game entrepreneurs launch their own studios and is also an angel investor in companies like Skunkworks Games, Lightheart Entertainment, and Savage Game Studios. He also provides deep insights into how mobile game entrepreneurs can navigate the challenges of game development, from early validation to scaling successful games.
Topics covered:[03:31] Joakim's early career and his journey into game development
[06:52] Starting Next Games and working with AMC on The Walking Dead
[09:48] The "bug" that inspired Joakim to help game founders
[12:11] Biggest mistakes mobile game developers make
[14:56] Joakim's view on Game Pass and the evolution of free-to-play models on PC and console
[17:35] Understanding the gap between early validation and real user data
[22:06] The common pitfalls in mobile game concepting and iteration
[27:57] The balance between innovation and "stealing like an artist"
[31:45] Building an audience-first approach in game development
[36:15] Pixar’s "Brain Trust" model and how it applies to game studios
[40:36] The impact of COVID-19 on the game industry and the rise of social gaming
[44:20] Joakim’s thoughts on the future of mobile gaming and game development
Connect with Joakim Achrén:
Learn more about Elite Game Developers:
Books mentioned:
Games mentioned:
Jordan sits down with Tadhg Kelly, an experienced consultant specializing in augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and video games, with a rich background in game design and production. Tadhg has held significant roles at notable companies like BSkyB, Lionhead Studios, Climax Studios, and Mobile Game Doctor. His work spans a variety of game projects, from board games and live-action role-playing games to large-scale PC games and innovative AR/VR technologies. In this episode, Tadhg shares his journey from game designer to consultant, offering invaluable insights into the industry's evolution and the lessons he has learned along the way.
Topics covered:[03:04] Tadhg’s journey from game designer to consultant
[06:15] Lessons learned from working on various game projects
[09:47] Examples of “cliff projects” and challenges in game development
[13:00] Consulting and transitioning from traditional game development
[17:19] The “Sexy / Worthy Trap” and how it influences successful games
[22:27] Simple mistakes in the early stages of game development
[24:06] Why assumptions about gameplay and player psychology can lead to failure
[26:57] The importance of being “sexy” rather than “worthy” in game development
[30:09] Writing game design documentation and focusing on the user experience
[36:30] Lessons from working on platforms like OUYA and Magic Leap
[44:43] Tadhg’s thoughts on consulting and what’s next in the game industry
Connect with Tadhg:
Games & companies mentioned:
Jordan interviews Travis Boatman, CEO and co-founder of Carbonated, a mobile game studio based in LA. Travis is a 25-year veteran of the game industry, with over 20 years of experience in mobile games. He has previously served as SVP of Mobile at Zynga and Electronic Arts (EA), where he led global studios and mobile game strategy. Travis discusses his entrepreneurial journey, the pillars of a successful studio, and his approach to building games in a rapidly evolving market.
Topics covered:[03:02] Travis’ journey from game producer to running Carbonated
[06:15] The three pillars of the game industry
[10:42] How technology drives game mechanics and innovation
[13:38] Why staying updated on technology trends is crucial for long-term success
[15:18] Starting Carbonated and the role of a strong technical co-founder
[24:39] The impact of mobile on high-quality games like Call of Duty and Fortnite
[27:27] Strategies for building a two-product studio and managing team morale
[33:38] Understanding player feedback through platforms like Reddit and Discord
[37:00] Why trying to appeal to everyone in game design often leads to failure
[38:35] Travis’ thoughts on keeping focus in game development
Resources & media mentioned in this episode:Connect with Travis Boatman:
Learn more about Carbonated:
Games & companies mentioned:
Jordan sits down with Nick Fortugno, an entrepreneur, game designer, and interactive narrative expert. Nick is the co-founder and Chief Creative Officer at Playmatics, a company known for creating innovative digital and real-world experiences for top organizations like Pro Publica, Red Bull, AMC (including the CableFAX award-winning Breaking Bad: The Interrogation), Disney, the American Museum of Natural History, and more. Nick also teaches at Parsons School of Design, where he's helped shape their game design curriculum.
Topics covered:[03:29] Nick’s early career and transition into game design
[06:35] The foundation and evolution of Playmatics
[08:02] The two key lessons that helped Playmatics survive and thrive
[11:36] Innovative game design approach at Playmatics
[16:09] How game genres evolve and how designers can think beyond genre constraints
[19:40] The value of early prototypes and using failure to innovate
[21:00] Using MDA as a approach to game design
[24:29] What Nick looks for when hiring game designers and producers
[28:56] The role of AI and machine learning in future game development
[34:25] How social gaming has grown during the pandemic
Connect with Nick Fortugno:
Learn more about Playmatics:
Games & companies mentioned:
Jordan interviews Emma-Jane MacKinnon-Lee, a dynamic innovator at the intersection of gaming, web3, and digital fashion. Emma-Jane is the founder of DIGITALAX, the pioneer digital fashion NFT protocol and marketplace for gaming and esports. In this episode, she discusses how web3 technologies like NFTs, cryptocurrency, and decentralization are transforming the gaming industry. Emma-Jane dives deep into the metaverse and discusses how the game industry stands to be disrupted during the rise of ”web3” technologies that enable digital scarcity, decentralization, and interoperability.
Topics covered:[03:15] Emma-Jane's journey from space engineering to gaming and NFTs
[06:28] What DIGITALAX is and how it relates to the game industry
[09:05] What Ethereum is and its relevance to gaming and NFTs
[11:50] Layer two solutions: Making Ethereum scalable and sustainable
[14:24] The rise of the metaverse and its impact on digital economies
[16:58] How NFTs create interoperability and value across different digital ecosystems
[22:04] Challenges of interoperability between different games and environments
[24:27] How decentralized value systems (NFTs and blockchain) empower game developers
[30:29] The importance of programmable incentives in building gaming ecosystems
[33:23] The role of mod culture in gaming and digital fashion
[44:04] Emma-Jane’s advice for developers entering the NFT space
Resources & media mentioned in this episode:Connect with Emma-Jane MacKinnon-Lee:
Learn more about DIGITALAX:
Games & companies mentioned:
Jordan sits down with Colm Larkin, a programmer, game designer, and board game enthusiast. He is the founder of Gambrinous and creator of indie hits Guild of Dungeoneering and Cardpocalypse. Colm has recently been appointed as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at IMIRT, the Irish Game Makers Association. In this interview, Colm shares his inspiring journey from part-time game developer to full-time studio owner and discusses the lessons learned along the way.
Topics covered:[04:51] Colm’s journey from part-time game dev to full-time studio owner
[06:18] The "One Game a Month" challenge and the early development of Guild of Dungeoneering
[10:41] Overcoming perfectionism and finishing projects
[17:15] How Colm knew it was time to expand the team
19:04 Managing time and being productive as an indie developer
20:47 Partnering with an artist and how it transformed Guild of Dungeoneering
[22:59] How unique art styles can help indie games stand out
[28:02] Early marketing strategies and pre-order success
[30:06] Advice on working with publishers and finding the right fit
[34:48] Colm’s thoughts on oversharing and working on a “secret” project
Resources & media mentioned in this episode:Connect with Colm Larkin:
Learn more about Gambrinous:
Games & companies mentioned:
The podcast currently has 38 episodes available.