Tom Storr is the Co Founder of The Experimentation Group, a consultancy that helps mobile game studios grow through structured experimentation. With over a decade of experience in product leadership, analytics, and free to play design, he works with teams to uncover what truly drives engagement, retention, and monetisation. At TXG, Tom partners with studios to embed a culture of testing and iteration, using A B experiments, live ops design, and economy optimisation to build games that scale sustainably.Before founding TXG, Tom spent seven years at King, where he worked across the Candy Crush, Bubble Witch, and Pet Rescue franchises, translating player data into features that moved the needle on engagement and revenue. His work has helped rebuild match 3 retention from 1 to 45 percent in six weeks and lift Coffee Golf’s RPI by 75 percent through progression and economy redesigns. Based in London, Tom continues to champion experimentation as both a mindset and a methodology for building better games.Chapters:00:00 - From Microsoft to King – A Journey in Game Monetization02:40 - The Role of Experimentation in Game Development05:34 - Balancing Qualitative and Quantitative Research08:33 - Why Hypothesis-Driven Testing Matters11:26 - Understanding Player Behavior and Retention14:35 - How Goals Shape Player Engagement17:33 - The Social Side of Gaming – Competition and Connection20:24 - Gamification Lessons Beyond Games23:27 - The Future of Experimentation in Gaming34:05 - Embracing Change and Learning from Failure36:24 - The Psychology Behind Experimentation39:01 - Sharing Knowledge and Documenting Insights42:56 - Key Metrics That Define Game Success46:00 - What A/B Testing Really Means in Mobile Games49:58 - The Future of Mobile Gaming and Innovation55:55 - Rethinking User Acquisition01:00:28 - Advice for Aspiring Game Experimenters.

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.#gamedevelopment #gamedesign #mobilegames #productmanagement #gameeconomy #experimentation #abtesting #playerretention #freetoplay #gamingindustry #useracquisition #monetization #playerbehavior #thepartyisfull #gengisacademy

Bader AlQahtani is a Technical Combat Designer at Brain Jar Games, specializing in responsive melee systems and AI-driven enemy design for action-adventure titles. With a background in Unreal Engine and a portfolio spanning studios such as Studio Pixanoh, Studio Blanc, and KaloPlay, Bader brings a refined understanding of how to make combat feel impactful, expressive, and deeply satisfying. His approach blends the technical precision of system design with a cinematic eye for player feedback and rhythm — the “three Cs” of camera, character, and controller — to create gameplay that feels both intuitive and empowering.A graduate of NYU’s Game Center with a foundation in design from Parsons School of Design, Bader’s journey into game development was driven by curiosity, iteration, and a lifelong fascination with fighting games and player mastery. Influenced by titles like Devil May Cry and God of War, his work reflects a philosophy of balance between readability, challenge, and player expression. Whether building boss AI, prototyping combo systems, or mentoring aspiring designers, Bader’s passion lies in crafting the kind of combat that makes players feel like they’ve truly earned every hit.Chapters:00:00 – What Is Technical Combat Design?02:39 – Defining the Core of Combat Design05:46 – Bader’s Journey Into Game Design14:46 – Breaking Into the Game Design Industry20:20 – Networking and Industry Connections25:35 – Why Asking Questions Matters28:59 – The Future of Combat Design30:02 – The Weight and Responsibility of Combat Design30:50 – How Behavior Trees Changed Game AI31:54 – Balancing Predictability and Challenge36:26 – Designing Abilities and Their Oppositions38:54 – Risk, Reward, and Stakes in Gameplay41:28 – Lessons Learned in Combat Design47:36 – The Rise of Junior Combat Design Roles51:56 – Building Healthy Team DynamicsTT: www.tiktok.com/@therealgengisIG: www.instagram.com/therealgengis/...#GameDevelopment #CombatDesign #TechnicalDesign #GameDesign #AIinGames #PlayerExperience #Mentorship #GameIndustry #DesignBalance #CombatMechanics #TeamDynamics #GameCareers #DesignJourney #LevelDesign #GengisAcademy #ThePartyIsFull #GameDev #Videogame #Gaming

Ellise Collins is a Game Designer at Lucid Games with a multidisciplinary background spanning design, animation, and technical art. Over the past eight years, she has worked on titles such as Destruction AllStars (2021), Nightingale (2023), and an unannounced project at Lucid, where her focus includes designing systems, content, and player experiences for large-scale live service games. Her path into game design was forged through hands-on learning in smaller studios, where she combined her animation roots with broader responsibilities across gameplay, UI, and VFX — giving her a holistic understanding of how creative and technical disciplines intersect.Before joining Lucid, Ellise spent nearly four years at BIGUMAKU Ltd and Minilab Studios, where she contributed across art, animation, and implementation for titles like Artie’s World, Hilda Creatures, and Muvimi. Her early career as an animator evolved into a hybrid developer role, building shaders, rigs, and prefabs, and collaborating directly with engineers to deliver polished, game-ready assets. Ellise brings this hybrid mindset into her current work, balancing creative vision with production realities, and mentoring others on how to navigate non-linear career paths in the games industry. She is also an active speaker at industry events such as Snappy Gurus Careers Week, sharing her journey and insights with aspiring developers.Chapters:00:00 - From Animation to Game Design: A Journey03:00 - The Importance of Communication in Game Development05:58 - Navigating Design Trials and Learning on the Job08:57 - Collaboration: The Key to Successful Game Design11:50 - Iterative Design: Embracing Change and Feedback14:48 - Selling Ideas: The Art of Persuasion in Game Development17:59 - Prototyping: The Path to Effective Game Design20:58 - Understanding Player Feedback in Live Service Games23:55 - The Evolution of Game Development: Learning from Mobile Games33:57 - The Shift in Game Development Dynamics38:53 - AI’s Role in Game Design45:28 - Evolving Roles in Game Design51:11 - Learning Through Experience59:59 - Advice for Aspiring Game DesignersReach out to Ellise: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellise-collins-465902128/...#GameDesign #GameDevelopment #MMORPG #CareersInGames #WomenInGames #Animation #SystemsDesign #LiveServiceGames #Videogame #Gaming #CareerAdvice #Careers #GameDev #LucidGames

Bob Watson is a QA Manager and Lead QA with 25 years of experience driving test strategy, planning, and execution across projects ranging from indie releases to AAA franchises. Currently leading QA at a stealth-mode startup and formerly Studio QA Manager at Romero Games, he has built and scaled QA teams, introduced automation-driven triage systems, formalized playtest processes, and created career-path frameworks that turn QA into a sustainable discipline within studios. His approach blends rigorous methodologies like black/white-box testing and session-based exploratory testing with pragmatic reporting that empowers developers to ship with confidence.

Previously, Bob was Senior QA Manager at DICE, leading QA for the Battlefield franchise, QA Director at CD PROJEKT RED supporting The Witcher 3’s award-winning DLCs, and QA Manager at Ubisoft Singapore on Ghost Recon Phantoms and Skull & Bones. His career also spans roles at NCSoft, Disney Interactive, and Bigpoint, where he has consistently focused on psychological safety, mentorship, and building multi-studio QA partnerships. Bob’s leadership style is defined by servant-leadership values and a passion for turning testing into a craft that elevates both games and the teams that make them.

Chapters:

00:00 – Understanding Quality Assurance (QA) in Gaming

03:03 – The Role of Communication in QA

05:59 – Deep Dive into Bug Analysis

09:09 – The Balance of Process Improvement and Trust

11:55 – Quality as a Team Mindset

14:49 – The Evolution of QA’s Role

17:35 – Exploring Fun and User Experience in QA

20:59 – The Importance of Data in QA Feedback

23:51 – Empathy and Collaboration in QA

26:43 – Navigating the Developer-QA Relationship

35:28 – Empowering QA Professionals

38:49 – The Value of Experienced QA Teams

42:19 – The Disposable Nature of QA

45:30 – The Glass Ceiling in QA Careers

50:28 – Scaling QA in Large Teams

58:00 – The Future of AI in QA

01:02:34 – Getting Started in QA Careers

Reach out to Bob: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertiainwatson/...#GameDevelopment

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#QualityAssurance #GamingIndustry #Leadership #CareerInGames #GameProduction #Testing #LiveOps

James Older is a Creative Director and Co-founder at Landmark Games with over a decade designing and shipping mobile titles. He leads product vision from concept to live release, mentors multidisciplinary design teams, and blends UX, economy, and monetisation to deliver player-first experiences.

His toolkit spans Unity, metagame systems, level design, gameplay balancing, KPI-driven iteration, and Live Ops planning—underpinned by hands-on user testing and clear documentation that keeps teams aligned and moving.

Previously, James was Lead Game Designer at Big Pixel Studios on a major Adult Swim IP, Senior Game Designer at Ubisoft’s Future Games of London on Hungry Shark World, and a senior designer at BIGUMAKU, with early roles at Hooplo shaping social and mobile concepts. Across roles, he has built new IP, worked with large brands, and championed quality and team growth while shipping successful F2P products to global audiences.

Chapters

00:00 – Journey into Game Development

03:11 – The Art and Science of Game Design

06:02 – Creating Engaging Game Experiences

08:57 – Understanding Player Psychology

11:59 – The Evolution of Gaming Audiences

14:47 – The Impact of Mobile Gaming

17:53 – The Role of Innovation in Game Design

21:03 – The Future of Game Monetization

23:53 – Balancing Game Design and Player Engagement

35:16 – The Evolution of Gaming Mechanics

39:26 – The Future of Gaming Technology

42:13 – Audience Dynamics in Gaming

50:34 – Building a Game Studio: Insights from Landmark

56:41 – The Emotional Connection with Virtual Pets

01:05:58 – Advice for Aspiring Game Developers

Connect with James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesolder/

#GameDevelopment #GameDesign #PlayerEngagement #IndieGames #MobileGames #GameProduction #CommunityBuilding #CareerInGames

Doug Pennant is a Senior Producer at Infinity Ward and the author of The Pocket Mentor for Game Production. With over 13 years of experience across PC, console, and VR development, Doug has managed projects from pre-production through release while fostering transparent, interconnected studio cultures.

He’s passionate about mentorship and accessibility, having given a GDC talk on designing for color-blindness, and he continues to champion practices that make game development more inclusive and sustainable. Alongside his production career, Doug shares insights to help the next generation of producers grow faster and smarter.

Before joining Infinity Ward, Doug spent nearly a decade at Creative Assembly, where he advanced from QA into production, managing cross-discipline collaboration, improving pipelines, and mentoring staff through both co-located and distributed teams. He also produced VR projects at FundamentalVR, building processes around budgets, velocity, and team health. Whether shipping AAA titles or writing guides for aspiring producers, Doug has built a reputation for combining structured project management with empathy, accessibility, and an enduring passion for game development.

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#AI #Videogames #ChatGPT #TeamCulture #GameIndustry #Gaming #OfficeCulture #WorkCulture #CreativeWriting #GameDev #GameDesign #GameDevelopment

Benjamin Carcich is the Principal and Co-founder of Valarin Inc. and the host of the Building Better Games podcast and newsletter. With a background in production leadership at Riot Games and years of experience coaching and consulting, he helps producers and development teams build better processes, cultures, and outcomes.

Through Valarin, Benjamin provides training in agility, leadership, facilitation, and work systems, and offers one-on-one coaching to support career growth and organizational effectiveness.

Before founding Valarin, Benjamin served as a Development Manager and later Senior Manager at Riot Games, where he led cross-functional teams, production operations, and training initiatives across League of Legends and other projects. Earlier in his career, he was an officer in the U.S. Army, where he honed his leadership skills under demanding conditions.

Today, he combines his military, production, and coaching experience to help individuals and studios create effective teams and sustainable game development practices.

The Party Is Full Episode 12, out now…

#leadership #gamedevelopment #riotgames #riot #leagueoflegends #military #careerdevelopment #leaders #gamedesign #gaming #podcast

Greg Reisdorf is a veteran game designer and creative director with over 23 years in the industry, best known for his 13 years leading multiplayer design on Call of Duty, where he directed more than 100 maps, weapons, and modes, and helped drive over $10 billion in revenue. His innovations in multiplayer design, including advanced movement systems, weapon variants, and combat pacing, have shaped one of the most successful franchises in gaming history.

Before his time at Sledgehammer Games, Greg worked at Electronic Arts on titles such as The Godfather II and Dante’s Inferno, and has also taught game design as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Silicon Valley. Today, he is the co-founder of Oncade, a new platform reimagining game distribution through community-driven, direct-to-player engagement.Discover Oncade: https://oncade.gg/https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregreisdorf/TT: www.tiktok.com/@therealgengisIG: www.instagram.com/therealgengis/

Kenny Chan is a game product manager, producer, and designer with over 17 years of experience across AAA, mobile, and indie games. Starting his career in QA, he went on to hold leadership roles at Ubisoft, Wargaming, gumi Asia, and Nitro Games, where he led projects such as Wayfinder’s mobile adaptation and a new Netflix mobile title based on one of the platform’s biggest IPs.

With expertise in product vision, live monetization, gameplay design, and cross-functional team leadership, Kenny has shipped games on Android, iOS, PC, and console. He is passionate about creating fresh, player-first experiences, building diverse teams, and exploring how AI can enhance the craft of game development.https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennych/TT: www.tiktok.com/@therealgengisIG: www.instagram.com/therealgengis/...#GameDesgin #GameDev #GetIntoGames #GameDevJobs #CareerAdvice #CareerHelp #GameJobs #Videogames #Gaming #Netflix #MobileGame #Ubisoft #Wargaming

Joe Burridge helps game studios build world-class teams. He leads talent at Play Ventures, supporting portfolio companies with hiring, org design, and scaling strategies. Previously, he recruited for Epic Games and EA, hiring across global tech and studio teams for titles like Fortnite, Rocket League, Battlefield, Frostbite, and more. Joe also hosts The Talent Game Podcast, where he shares practical hiring advice, career tips, and insider insights on the games industry. He’s passionate about helping people break into games, grow their careers, and find the right studio fit, whether you’re shipping solo projects or scaling AAA.
Chapters00:00 - Introduction to Recruitment in Gaming05:00- The Importance of Recruitment08:00 - The Power of Storytelling in Interviews11:51 - Joe's Journey into the Gaming Industry20:02 - What Makes a Good Hire?30:07 - Networking Strategies for Success37:00 - Crafting Effective CVs and Cover Letters44:00 - The Role of Recommendations in Recruitment51:55 - Final Thoughts on Breaking into the Gaming Industry