The Game Production Academy

By Liam Wickham

Welcome to the Game Production Academy podcast. I am Liam Wickham. This podcast is for game producers and production leaders who want more predictable delivery without burning teams out. I cover pl

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· Education

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FAQs about The Game Production Academy:

How many episodes does The Game Production Academy have?

The podcast currently has 14 episodes available.

The Game Production Academy episodes:

February 04, 2026 Art Production in Mobile Games vs. Console Games: Key Differences and Challenges
In this episode, Purva Garg, experienced senior game producer, dives deep into the intricacies of art production in mobile games compared to console games. We discuss the differences in volume, pace, and complexity of assets, and how these factors impact production timelines.
The conversation reveals the unique pressures and mindsets in mobile game development, highlighting the constant need for content due to the live and free-to-play nature of mobile games.
We also explore the impact of user acquisition costs, the role of LiveOps, and the crucial balance producers need to maintain between planned and reactive work.
Tune in to understand the complexities and strategies involved in managing art production in the fast-paced world of mobile gaming.
00:00 Introduction to Art Production in Games
00:08 Differences in Output Volume and Speed
00:43 Challenges in Mobile Game Art Production
02:59 Live Games and Continuous Content Generation
03:56 Prototyping and Agile Development in Mobile Games
05:18 Importance of Visuals in Mobile Games
06:49 Marketing's Impact on Game Development
09:18 User Acquisition and Retention Strategies
13:10 Prioritization and Team Management
25:46 Balancing Tech Debt and Content Creation
Original YouTube recording:
https://youtu.be/sl1Vy6s96UU
Welcome to Game Production Academy. I am Liam Wickham. This channel is for game producers and production leaders who want more predictable delivery without burning teams out. I cover planning, leadership and risk management with practical tools you can use immediately - templates, examples and case breakdowns.
I am also the author of Risk Management for Video Game Professionals (CRC Press, 2026). If you teach or study game production, you can use the same material to build industry-ready practice.
Links
Risk Management Book
game-production.com/riskmanagementbook
Free Resource Library
game-production.com/freeresources
Newsletter
...
...more
31min
January 30, 20269 Critical Game Development Risks (Market Fit, Scope, QA, Launch, Trust)
In this webinar-to-podcast episode, Liam Wickham breaks down nine critical risks that repeatedly derail game projects, with early warning signals and practical mitigations you can apply immediately.
You will hear:
Why risk management gives teams a shared language to spot problems early and act before delivery becomes unstable
The nine critical risk patterns, including:
Market misalignment (building a game nobody wants) and vision drift
Pre-production shortcuts that create expensive late surprises
Scope churn (scope creep and feature creep) as a predictable crunch and delay engine
Communication gaps (silos, undocumented decisions, delayed propagation)
QA underinvestment, where defects compound until stability and delivery collapses
Launch failures, negative reception and the public trust spiral after release - plus what credible recovery looks like
This is designed for producers, studio leads and discipline leads who want fewer late surprises, less rework and more predictable delivery.
Free companion PDF (board export):
https://game-production.thinkific.com/products/digital_downloads/criticalrisks
Original webinar recording:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp-Sfj9rVqc

Welcome to Game Production Academy. I am Liam Wickham. This channel is for game producers and production leaders who want more predictable delivery without burning teams out. I cover planning, leadership and risk management with practical tools you can use immediately - templates, examples and case breakdowns.
I am also the author of Risk Management for Video Game Professionals (CRC Press, 2026). If you teach or study game production, you can use the same material to build industry-ready practice.
Links
Risk Management Book
game-production.com/riskmanagementbook
Free Resource Library
game-production.com/freeresources
Newsletter
...
...more
47min
January 19, 2026Widen Your Job Search: Games Skills to Tech Roles
Hello! I’ve put a free download on Game Production Academy. I made it for anyone who has been job-hunting in games for months and needs more options quickly. I have worked inside and outside the games industry, and I have had to translate my own CV between games roles and non-games roles regularly. I have also worked across nearly all of the role types covered in this toolkit, so the guidance here is grounded in how these jobs operate day to day.
This episode is actually an audio only version of my YouTube video but I reckon it's ok to listen to! I talk you through what's in the guide.
https://youtu.be/822DXdbyGrs?si=tgHJVXGxzTyNuDZS
This 30 page toolkit, written by me, helps you:
Identify role targets that match what you already do
Translate your CV and LinkedIn profile into language employers outside games recognise
Understand which gaps matter and which do not
Apply more widely without pretending to be someone you are not
Download here:
https://game-production.thinkific.com/products/digital_downloads/unlock-potential-outside-gaming
If you know someone who’s out of work, please share it with them. (You can still apply for games roles. This is about widening the net, not “leaving games”.)
Welcome to Game Production Academy. I am Liam Wickham. This channel is for game producers and production leaders who want more predictable delivery without burning teams out. I cover planning, leadership and risk management with practical tools you can use immediately - templates, examples and case breakdowns.
I am also the author of Risk Management for Video Game Professionals (CRC Press, 2026). If you teach or study game production, you can use the same material to build industry-ready practice.
Links
Risk Management Book
game-production.com/riskmanagementbook
Free Resource Library
game-production.com/freeresources
Newsletter
...
...more
12min
February 14, 2025 Recruitment Masterclass with Simon Hope from Aardwark Swift
Me and Simon Hope had a chat about production recruitment back in 2022 I think it was. Hope you enjoy it!
Welcome to Game Production Academy. I am Liam Wickham. This channel is for game producers and production leaders who want more predictable delivery without burning teams out. I cover planning, leadership and risk management with practical tools you can use immediately - templates, examples and case breakdowns.
I am also the author of Risk Management for Video Game Professionals (CRC Press, 2026). If you teach or study game production, you can use the same material to build industry-ready practice.
Links
Risk Management Book
game-production.com/riskmanagementbook
Free Resource Library
game-production.com/freeresources
Newsletter
...
...more
1h 3min
February 14, 2025 Product Management Masterclass with Anil Das-Gupta and Callum Godfrey
Back in 2021, Callum Godfrey and Anil Das-Gupta chat about product management in mobile and PC/console. This is a great chat, full of healthy debate!
Welcome to Game Production Academy. I am Liam Wickham. This channel is for game producers and production leaders who want more predictable delivery without burning teams out. I cover planning, leadership and risk management with practical tools you can use immediately - templates, examples and case breakdowns.
I am also the author of Risk Management for Video Game Professionals (CRC Press, 2026). If you teach or study game production, you can use the same material to build industry-ready practice.
Links
Risk Management Book
game-production.com/riskmanagementbook
Free Resource Library
game-production.com/freeresources
Newsletter
...
...more
1h 53min
February 14, 2025 Renee Wooten - Being a woman in the games industry
Renee talked frankly about being a woman in the games industry, back in 2020.
Welcome to Game Production Academy. I am Liam Wickham. This channel is for game producers and production leaders who want more predictable delivery without burning teams out. I cover planning, leadership and risk management with practical tools you can use immediately - templates, examples and case breakdowns.
I am also the author of Risk Management for Video Game Professionals (CRC Press, 2026). If you teach or study game production, you can use the same material to build industry-ready practice.
Links
Risk Management Book
game-production.com/riskmanagementbook
Free Resource Library
game-production.com/freeresources
Newsletter
...
...more
35min
February 14, 2025 Renee Wooten - Associate Producer - Part 1
Me and Renee chat back in 2020 about game production.
Welcome to Game Production Academy. I am Liam Wickham. This channel is for game producers and production leaders who want more predictable delivery without burning teams out. I cover planning, leadership and risk management with practical tools you can use immediately - templates, examples and case breakdowns.
I am also the author of Risk Management for Video Game Professionals (CRC Press, 2026). If you teach or study game production, you can use the same material to build industry-ready practice.
Links
Risk Management Book
game-production.com/riskmanagementbook
Free Resource Library
game-production.com/freeresources
Newsletter
...
...more
1h 30min
February 14, 2025 Production Chats: Chris Sykora, Associate Producer
Me and Chris have a chat around production - from 2020.
Welcome to Game Production Academy. I am Liam Wickham. This channel is for game producers and production leaders who want more predictable delivery without burning teams out. I cover planning, leadership and risk management with practical tools you can use immediately - templates, examples and case breakdowns.
I am also the author of Risk Management for Video Game Professionals (CRC Press, 2026). If you teach or study game production, you can use the same material to build industry-ready practice.
Links
Risk Management Book
game-production.com/riskmanagementbook
Free Resource Library
game-production.com/freeresources
Newsletter
...
...more
1h 28min
February 14, 2025 Production Chats: Chris Keeling, Executive Producer
Me and Chris have a chat about production - from 2020.
Welcome to Game Production Academy. I am Liam Wickham. This channel is for game producers and production leaders who want more predictable delivery without burning teams out. I cover planning, leadership and risk management with practical tools you can use immediately - templates, examples and case breakdowns.
I am also the author of Risk Management for Video Game Professionals (CRC Press, 2026). If you teach or study game production, you can use the same material to build industry-ready practice.
Links
Risk Management Book
game-production.com/riskmanagementbook
Free Resource Library
game-production.com/freeresources
Newsletter
...
...more
1h 33min
February 14, 2025 Production Chats: Anthony Kyne, Lead Producer
In 2020, me and Anthony chatted about all things game production. Enjoy!
Welcome to Game Production Academy. I am Liam Wickham. This channel is for game producers and production leaders who want more predictable delivery without burning teams out. I cover planning, leadership and risk management with practical tools you can use immediately - templates, examples and case breakdowns.
I am also the author of Risk Management for Video Game Professionals (CRC Press, 2026). If you teach or study game production, you can use the same material to build industry-ready practice.
Links
Risk Management Book
game-production.com/riskmanagementbook
Free Resource Library
game-production.com/freeresources
Newsletter
...
...more
1h 36min

FAQs about The Game Production Academy:

How many episodes does The Game Production Academy have?

The podcast currently has 14 episodes available.