Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Travis Scott, Activision Pitches, Good Vs. Bad Producers, EQ, Social Networks, MicroProse, Steve Jobs, Taking the High Road with Chris Hewish
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Travis Scott, Activision Pitches, Good Vs. Bad Producers, EQ, Social Networks, MicroProse, Steve Jobs, Taking the High Road with Chris Hewish
On this episode, we welcome guest Chris Hewish, President of Xsolla. We start by discussing Chris’s take on the effects of coronavirus, his new role at Xsolla, and how he got started in the game industry, offering insight into what he wishes he had known at the beginning. He then shares valuable advice for people entering the industry and for people trying to advance their careers in Design or Production – hint: bootstrapping your way in and learning emotional intelligence can help.
Chris divulges a few of his favorite games he’s worked on and what he’s excited about, including the evolution of cross-platform play and games becoming their own social platforms. We discuss some potential threats to the game industry and share candid thoughts on AR/VR/MR technology. Some funny stories are shared, a few including odd pets, and Chris talks about his current game of choice keeping him up. The episode wraps up with an overview of Xsolla’s platform, along with some more powerful advice for people currently working in the game industry.
“I wish I had known that sometimes there’s more power, not power in a control sense, but there’s more power in being able to move things forward by listening than there is by telling.” - Chris Hewish
Chris Hewish is a multifaceted leader who's worked in both the developer and publisher sides of the business; having been directly involved in designing or producing over 50 Console, PC, Mobile, and VR games. His unique skill-set combines the design and production skills of a developer, with the business and strategic acumen of a publisher; all supported by a servant leader mentality. He’s managed individual game teams, operated multi-game studios, and run worldwide interactive business units at companies like Activision, DreamWorks Animation, Survios, and Skydance Interactive. He loves creating concepts, building prototypes, establishing roadmaps, managing production, owning P&L’s, and being a strategic thinking vision holder who brings the best out of the teams he works with.
Visit Chris’s website
Follow him on Twitter
Discussion Details:
[01:02] Introducing Chris Hewish
[01:30] Dealing with COVID-19 both personally and professionally
[04:08] Chris’s new role as President at Xsolla
[05:19] How he got started in the industry
[11:15] What do you wish you had known when you started?
[14:48] Advice for someone looking for their first job in the industry
[18:41] Advice for someone trying to advance their career in Design or Production
[26:02] Chris’s favorite games to work on
[28:38] What Chris is excited about
[34:18] Potential threats to the gaming industry
[38:08] Thoughts on VR/AR/MR technology
[41:13] Some funny stories including one with a pet spider
[49:02] Games Chris plays now
[50:14] Some details about Xsolla
[54:45] Best piece of advice for people working in the industry right now
[57:12] Outro
Show Links:
*Games Workshop
*Sid Meier
*Bruce Shelley
*Vampire the Masquerade
*Travis Scott in Fortnite
*Creating in Roblox
*EQ
*MicroProse
*Apex Legends
*Xsolla
Game Dev Advice:
*New: Game Dev Advice Patreon
*Game Dev Advice Twitter
*Game Dev Advice Email
*Game Dev Advice Website
*Level Ex Website - we’re hiring for all kinds of roles
*Game Dev Advice Hotline: (224) 484-7733 – give me a call and ask a question
*Don't forget to subscribe and go to www.gamedevadvice.com for full show notes with links
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
View all episodes
By The HP Video Game Podcast Network - John JP Podlasek
5
5050 ratings
On this episode, we welcome guest Chris Hewish, President of Xsolla. We start by discussing Chris’s take on the effects of coronavirus, his new role at Xsolla, and how he got started in the game industry, offering insight into what he wishes he had known at the beginning. He then shares valuable advice for people entering the industry and for people trying to advance their careers in Design or Production – hint: bootstrapping your way in and learning emotional intelligence can help.
Chris divulges a few of his favorite games he’s worked on and what he’s excited about, including the evolution of cross-platform play and games becoming their own social platforms. We discuss some potential threats to the game industry and share candid thoughts on AR/VR/MR technology. Some funny stories are shared, a few including odd pets, and Chris talks about his current game of choice keeping him up. The episode wraps up with an overview of Xsolla’s platform, along with some more powerful advice for people currently working in the game industry.
“I wish I had known that sometimes there’s more power, not power in a control sense, but there’s more power in being able to move things forward by listening than there is by telling.” - Chris Hewish
Chris Hewish is a multifaceted leader who's worked in both the developer and publisher sides of the business; having been directly involved in designing or producing over 50 Console, PC, Mobile, and VR games. His unique skill-set combines the design and production skills of a developer, with the business and strategic acumen of a publisher; all supported by a servant leader mentality. He’s managed individual game teams, operated multi-game studios, and run worldwide interactive business units at companies like Activision, DreamWorks Animation, Survios, and Skydance Interactive. He loves creating concepts, building prototypes, establishing roadmaps, managing production, owning P&L’s, and being a strategic thinking vision holder who brings the best out of the teams he works with.
Visit Chris’s website
Follow him on Twitter
Discussion Details:
[01:02] Introducing Chris Hewish
[01:30] Dealing with COVID-19 both personally and professionally
[04:08] Chris’s new role as President at Xsolla
[05:19] How he got started in the industry
[11:15] What do you wish you had known when you started?
[14:48] Advice for someone looking for their first job in the industry
[18:41] Advice for someone trying to advance their career in Design or Production
[26:02] Chris’s favorite games to work on
[28:38] What Chris is excited about
[34:18] Potential threats to the gaming industry
[38:08] Thoughts on VR/AR/MR technology
[41:13] Some funny stories including one with a pet spider
[49:02] Games Chris plays now
[50:14] Some details about Xsolla
[54:45] Best piece of advice for people working in the industry right now
[57:12] Outro
Show Links:
*Games Workshop
*Sid Meier
*Bruce Shelley
*Vampire the Masquerade
*Travis Scott in Fortnite
*Creating in Roblox
*EQ
*MicroProse
*Apex Legends
*Xsolla
Game Dev Advice:
*New: Game Dev Advice Patreon
*Game Dev Advice Twitter
*Game Dev Advice Email
*Game Dev Advice Website
*Level Ex Website - we’re hiring for all kinds of roles
*Game Dev Advice Hotline: (224) 484-7733 – give me a call and ask a question
*Don't forget to subscribe and go to www.gamedevadvice.com for full show notes with links
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
More shows like Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast
View all
The Changelog: Software Development, Open Source
283 Listeners
Classic Gaming Podcast
58 Listeners
Super Best Friends Video Game Sleepover
43 Listeners
Game Dev Podcast | Coffee with Butterscotch
158 Listeners
Weekly Games Chat
267 Listeners
Software Engineering Daily
626 Listeners
Game Dev Unchained
61 Listeners
NVIDIA AI Podcast
339 Listeners
Syntax - Tasty Web Development Treats
986 Listeners
The Life & Times of Video Games
11 Listeners
Darknet Diaries
7,951 Listeners
Noclip Crewcast
310 Listeners
Practical AI
191 Listeners
Backstage Gaming
7 Listeners
Super Gamer Boys
32 Listeners
The HP Podcast (From Handsome Phantom)
40 Listeners
Active Quest
15 Listeners
Indie Pod: An Indie Games Podcast
14 Listeners
Game Developer Podcast
31 Listeners
Game Dev Field Guide
104 Listeners
Dwarkesh Podcast
426 Listeners
The Indie Game Development Podcast
30 Listeners
AI and I
32 Listeners
Full Time Game Dev
21 Listeners