The Sandbox.Space Weekly Podcast by GDEX

ShawneeXP Gaming Accelerator Managing Director Garrett Davis joins us today to talk about the changing dynamics of the industry and how indies may be the hope for the future.

Garrett Davis is a game developer, serial entrepreneur, and startup accelerator director with a deep passion for building and scaling gaming companies, consulting firms, and startup ecosystems. He is the Managing Director of the ShawneeXP Gaming Accelerator, where he leads efforts to support early-stage game studios through funding, mentorship, and industry connections. His work focuses on strategic partnerships, fundraising, curriculum development, and community engagement.

Visit this episode's page and watch the video version at https://www.thesandbox.space/podcast/250709

Watch the show live on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/thegdex

Voice Actor & Director, Michael Schwalbe joins us for a great conversation about the industry and creativity. This one is not to be missed!

Sand. Cloth. Metal. Screams. Weeny...worm. Let's Go Plac-...wait, what? Voiceactor and casting / performance director Michael Schwalbe has contributed to over 100 released videogames and anime in their career (and a whole lot of commercials and other stuff that people care about much less). Formerly Senior Voice Director for miHoYo's Zenless Zone Zero, Michael has directed over a thousand hours of recording sessions for indies and AAA alike, and specializes in unlocking the physicality and freedom of performance that allows a talent to tap into their true artistry. You can also find him on Instagram, LinkedIn and Bluesky. Some past credits can be found at https://imdb.me/michaelschwalbe.

Visit this episode's page and watch the video version at https://www.thesandbox.space/podcast/250702

Watch the show live on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/thegdex

Our friend IzzyDojo joins us today to talk GDEX, game development and a lot more.

Mike Schmittle is a content creator and the founder of IzzyDojo. Hailing from Ohio, he is on a mission to cultivate a thriving gaming community. When he's not immersed in virtual worlds, you can find him constructing intricate models and engaging in lively discussions on a wide range of topics on YouTube, Twitch and TikTok.

Visit this episode's page and watch the video version at https://www.thesandbox.space/podcast/250625

Watch the show live on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/thegdex

Lead Programmer and long time game developer Tom Allenbaugh joins the show for a great conversation about the Nintendo Switch 2 and getting weird with video games.

Switch 2: https://www.polygon.com/nintendo-switch-2/606222/switch-2-launch-sales-record
Games Pass: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/dev-who-launched-game-into-game-pass-warns-against-launching-games-into-game-pass/1100-6532306/
Hideo Kojima: https://www.polygon.com/news/605954/hideo-kojima-weird-games-death-stranding-2-walking-simulator

Tom Allenbaugh is the technical lead of Multivarious, GDEX and the Sandbox.Space. He also teaches a game development capstone as an adjunct at Columbus State Community College. You can find him around many corners of the internet as Argembarger.

Visit this episode's page and watch the video version at https://www.thesandbox.space/podcast/250611

Watch the show live on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/thegdex

Game designer and programmer Caleb Eno joins to talk about the changing game engine landscape, building communities, and lots more.

GDEX: https://www.thegdex.com
COGG: https://thecogg.com
VolpeForAmerica Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/volpeforamerica
Witcher 4 Tech Demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_aRhNcHryA
Hypercharge Article: https://www.polygon.com/news/602867/hypercharge-ps5-shooter-bestseller-devs-defend-game

Caleb Eno is one of Ohio's most devoted and passionate developers and is a core admin of the Central Ohio Gamedev Group. He has been building web and application software since at least 2015 and knows a thing or two about cybersecurity, technical design, level design and educational software. You can catch him gaming with his wife as GamingInTheGarret on YouTube and Twitch. You can also hear him on another podcast, Pages of Play, on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Visit this episode's page and watch the video version at https://www.thesandbox.space/podcast/250604

Watch the show live on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/thegdex

Sandbox.Space Executive Director does a solo show and talks to the chat about community toxicity in what is an industry we all love and how we can focus on making the industry better for all of us to enjoy.

Chris Volpe is the final boss of GDEX and The Sandbox.Space! Executive Director and Founder of GDEX and Multivarious Games. He has been helping to grow the games industry in the Midwest for over a decade and has worked in the indie and AAA space to develop games. You can check out many of his personal works at volpecreates.com

Visit this episode's page and watch the video version at https://www.thesandbox.space/podcast/250521

Watch the show live on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/thegdex

We're talking a ton of Nintendo Switch 2 in this weeks episode featuring special guest @AbdallahSmash!

Abdallah "Smash" Elayan is a renowned Nintendo Ambassador and family-friendly content creator on YouTube, offering a diverse range of engaging gaming content for viewers of all ages. With a passion for Nintendo games, he is the go-to destination for families and gamers looking for high-quality, entertaining, and informative content. As the #1 destination for family-friendly gaming, Abdallah brings an exciting mix of gameplay, reviews, tutorials, and community engagement to his channel. You can also find him as @AbdallahNation on Twitter/Instagram.

Visit this episode's page and watch the video version at https://www.thesandbox.space/podcast/250514

Watch the show live on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/thegdex

Narrative Designer and Founder of Digimancy Games joins us this week to discuss creating compelling game stories, and how to build strong main and side quests.

George Ziets is a veteran design lead and writer who has been developing games since 2001. He spent most of his career making RPGs at Obsidian and InXile, where his credits included Wasteland 3, Pillars of Eternity, Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer, and Fallout: New Vegas. In 2019, George co-founded a new RPG studio, Digimancy Entertainment, where he is now CEO and Narrative Director.

Visit this episode's page and watch the video version at https://www.thesandbox.space/podcast/250507

Watch the show live on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/thegdex

Good friend of the show, Voice Actor and Director, DB Cooper, joins us this week.

With a pedigree in musical and dramatic theater, DB Cooper has been acting and directing for more than 30 years. You’ve heard DB in Bioshock 2, Shadowverse, DC Universe Online, Hearthstone, Job Simulator; and in Monster Train where she created voices for 47 Good Guys, 18 Bad Guys, and 10 other creatures for the Legions of Heaven and Hell. Her work on the 2025 release of Monster Train 2 included 37 voices. DB was VO Supervisor for ZeniMax Online Studios; casting and directing 13 projects for The Elder Scrolls Online. She's the voice of the BMW iVISION Dee, featured at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, 2023, and the announcer for the 2025 Nordics Bartender’s Choice Awards. DB has narrated corporate films for Chanel, Merck, NVIDIA, and HTC. She's also the narrator for Run. Hide. Fight. -- The FBI’s active shooter training program. She was producer/director for summer stock theater-in-a-barn for 9 years, a classic rock radio deejay for 6, and a commercial announcer for CBS Radio for 13 years. DB is a vocal archetype, creature sound, and video game combat consultant, teaching people how to take bullets, howl in agony, and die since 2007.

Visit this episode's page and watch the video version at https://www.thesandbox.space/podcast/250430

Watch the show live on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/thegdex

Long time game dev Marcus Cenci talks with chris about the important steps in getting started designing games. Loads of great conversation for those looking to improve their game design processes.

Marcus Cenci, Founder of Mumble Mouth Games and Cofounder of Brass Knuckle Development, is an accomplished professional in the video game industry with over 17 years of experience as an Art Director and Lead Artist. Among many other impressive accomplishments, he has gotten to make his mark on the Saints Row and Madden NFL series, and was once the Studio Art Director at Lost Boys Interactive.

Visit this episode's page and watch the video version at https://www.thesandbox.space/podcast/250423

Watch the show live on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/thegdex