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

Paolo Abela is a multiplayer specialist with over 12 years in game development. At Unity, he works on core multiplayer tools like Netcode for GameObjects, templates, and Unity Game Services. He helps thousands of developers build and scale online games. As founder of Fatum Games, Paolo leads the development of Ariokan, a live online card game where players create official cards in real time. Through his consulting brand JustDevIt, he supports indie and AA studios with multiplayer architecture, prediction, rollback, scaling, and launch readiness. He’s shipped over 10 games, taught hundreds through YouTube tutorials, and helps teams avoid costly mistakes when building online games.

Find Paolo's links here: https://paoloabela.carrd.co/

TT: www.tiktok.com/@therealgengis

IG: www.instagram.com/therealgengis/

Alexander Brazie is a veteran game designer with 20+ years in AAA games, known for his work on World of Warcraft, League of Legends, Ori & the Will of the Wisps, No Rest for the Wicked, and multiple unannounced projects. He’s the Co-Founder of Game Design Skills, an online platform dedicated to leveling up designers through hands-on guides, courses, bootcamps, and a thriving Discord community of 3,300+ devs. Alexander’s experience spans combat, balance, systems and leadership roles across Blizzard, Riot, Moon Studios, and consulting gigs worldwide. At Blizzard he helped overhaul Warlocks, built boss encounters and engineered the pet battle system; at Riot he led key support improvements, redesigned Xerath, and helped create the enduring vision trinket system; at Moon he drove core combat for a coop precision ARPG and crafted the shard and weapon systems in Ori. Beyond AAA, he’s helped startups shape teams, build culture, and solve tough design problems. Today he’s on a mission to help 100,000 game designers grow their skills and careers through practical education and a no-BS approach to making “fun” tangible.00:00 - Introduction to Game Design Journey04:05 - Evolution of Game Design Over the Years07:29 - Lessons from Designing The Burning Crusade21:42 - Changing Dynamics of Players and Developers26:17 - The Impact of Community and Optimization33:06 - Nostalgia and the Future of MMORPGs34:04 - The Social Dynamics of MMOs38:44 - The Impact of Dungeon Finder on Community43:37 - Scarcity and Risk in Gaming48:39 - The Future of MMORPGs53:29 - Generational Shifts in Gaming Preferences57:36 - The Evolution of League of Legends01:03:05 - Innovations in League of Legends01:05:54 - The Evolution of Gameplay Strategies01:10:44 - Balancing Game Mechanics for Player Engagement01:16:13 - Essential Qualities for Game Designers01:21:57 - Learning from the Past: The Art of Game Design01:29:00 - Closing Thoughts and Community Engagement

AJ ‘Dr Doom’ Shewki is the CEO and co-founder of LIV, the platform where the next generation of players create and connect in VR. A ramen-obsessed, powerlifting gamer with a love for death metal, AJ has built his career around live gaming, esports, and immersive tech. At LIV, he’s on a mission to make streaming and sharing in VR as effortless as it is on a smartphone. Under his leadership, LIV has powered Oculus Quest launch trailers, Beat Saber’s Linkin Park videos, and set the standard for mixed reality capture. Now based in Lisbon, AJ continues to build for a global audience, shaping the future of social experiences in immersive worlds.🖼️ Find out more about LIV: https://www.liv.tv/ ➡️ Follow @LIV on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, @poweredbyliv on TikTok👤 Connect with AJ directly on: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashewki/...#VR #XR #VirtualReality #ImmersiveTech #GamingIndustry #Esports #GameDev #MixedReality #ContentCreation #StreamerLife #FutureOfGaming #Metaverse #TechInnovation #SocialGaming #Creators #IndieDev #BeatSaber #OculusQuest

Sierra “Cc” Clark and Aspen Clark are the sister co-founders of Walk in the Park Studios, an indie game studio on a mission to craft bright, inviting, and deeply meaningful gaming experiences. Before launching their own venture, both honed their skills in the AAA industry, working on large-scale projects that gave them a sharp eye for technical design, narrative, and what truly keeps players engaged.

https://www.walkintheparkstudios.com

Aspen Clark is a mission and level designer with credits on Fallout 76, Starfield, and Five Nights at Freddy’s: Secret of the Mimic. She blends narrative, systems, and spatial storytelling to craft emotionally resonant gameplay. Aspen now leads Walk in the Park Studios, where she’s building a heartfelt co-op platformer about returning home, designed to be as meaningful as it is memorable.

Chapters:02:12 - The Realities of Starting an Indie Studio06:04 - Building a Team: Family and Collaboration11:27 - Understanding White Boxing in Game Design15:47 - Onboarding Players: The Art of Tutorialization23:21 - The Dangers of Data-Driven Design26:57 - The Unique Appeal of Expedition 3330:07 - The Timelessness of Nintendo Games34:21 - The Art of Narrative Design38:35 - Vision in Game Development46:43 - Understanding Player Groups53:13 - Game Engines Explained01:08:49 - Traits of a Successful Game Developer01:12:35 - Lessons Learned from Mentorship01:15:16 - Turning Mistakes into Opportunities01:19:36 - Advice for Aspiring Game Developers

Not every good game survives. Not every fun feature matters. So what actually makes a game work?In this episode, I sit down with Aaron Morley, Lead Product Manager at Sumo Digital, to explore how product thinking shapes the games we play — and why success in this industry is about more than just fun.We dive into: • The real difference between product and production roles • Why some features fail even with perfect data • What it means to design with players, not just for them • How live games evolve (and how to know when to pivot) • What devs can learn from dads with no time and MMO nostalgia#gamedev #productmanagement #gameindustry