The Party Is Full: Inside the Games Industry

Colan Neese is a gaming industry insights and strategy leader who has spent his career helping companies understand how games are discovered, played, and sustained. He currently works across Screen Engine and mindGAME Data, where he leads commercial and strategic efforts to turn complex market and audience data into clear, actionable insight for game studios of all sizes. Previously, Colan held senior roles at Twitch, Nielsen, Alida, and Spiketrap, working closely with publishers, platforms, and creators to make sense of player behavior, engagement, and cultural trends shaping the games business.What sets Colan apart is his ability to bridge data, storytelling, and career perspective. His path into games was not linear, and that experience informs how he thinks about education, networking, and adaptability in a rapidly changing industry. In conversations about gaming, Colan brings a big-picture lens, touching on the rise of indie games, the challenges of discovery, the influence of cinema and streaming culture, and how user-generated content and new platforms are reshaping how games are made and found. He is especially passionate about making industry knowledge accessible to the next generation looking to build meaningful careers in games.https://www.linkedin.com/in/colanneesehttps://substack.com/@patchnotesgaminghttps://www.mindgamedata.comhttps://www.screenengineasi.com

James Brooksby is a veteran game studio founder and CEO with over 25 years of experience building, scaling, and leading development teams across the UK games industry. He played a pivotal role in the early growth of Kuju Entertainment, helping it scale to around 350 staff, before going on to found and lead multiple studios including doublesix, Born Ready Games, and Edge Case Games. Across premium, digital, and free-to-play models, James has overseen the development and publishing of titles such as Strike Suit Zero, Fractured Space, and Classified: France ’44, navigating everything from angel investment and VC funding to acquisition by Wargaming.Today, as CEO of Absolutely Games, James focuses on building sustainable strategy game franchises grounded in long-term thinking, strong studio culture, and disciplined decision-making. Drawing on decades of leadership experience, he champions values-based studio building, community collaboration, and long-tail game development — with a clear emphasis on creating games, and teams, that are built to last.https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-brooksby-87a496/https://www.absolutelygames.net/

Joni Lappalainen is the CEO and co-founder of Dreamloop Games, widely known as Finland’s console experts. Over the past decade, he has produced more than 30 shipped game projects and helped over 40 studios successfully bring their titles to PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PC. As Creative Director and Writing Lead on Inescapable: No Rules, No Rescue, Joni combines hands-on development experience with deep production leadership, guiding teams from concept to certification with a sharp focus on execution, market readiness, and sustainable studio growth.Beyond Dreamloop, Joni plays a central role in shaping Finland’s game ecosystem. As Chairperson of the Finnish Game Developers Association, Vice President of Tampere Game Hub, and Showrunner of the Finnish Game Incubator, he leads strategy, governance, and mentorship efforts that support the next generation of studios. Through the nationally recognized 10-week incubator program, he has helped dozens of teams secure publishing deals, investment, and long-term viability — reinforcing Finland’s reputation as one of the world’s most collaborative and high-performing game development communities.Chapters:00:00 - The Journey of a Builder in the Gaming Industry06:00 - Game Development as a Business12:00 - The Pandemic and the Changing Landscape18:00 - The Future of Gaming and Cross-Media30:00 - The Evolution of Game Marketing38:00 - Data-Driven Game Development48:00 - The Checklist Model for Shipping Games01:00:00 - The Metrics That Define Success01:12:00 - Why Finland’s Gaming Community Thriveshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/joni-lappalainen-dreamloop/https://www.dreamloop.net/

Mark Chen is a games and media scholar, UX researcher, and Teaching Assistant Professor in Media, Technology, and Learning Design at Appalachian State University. His work explores gaming culture, interaction design, qualitative research, and internet studies, with a particular focus on how people learn, collaborate, and form meaning inside online worlds. Mark is the author of Leet Noobs, an ethnography of a World of Warcraft guild that examines how players developed expertise through game mods and social dynamics, and how those same systems ultimately contributed to the guild’s collapse.Beyond academia, Mark is a long time game designer and former museum technologist, having designed educational games at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. He also runs Esoteric Gaming, a publication dedicated to celebrating diverse and often overlooked gaming practices. Across research, design, and teaching, Mark’s work sits at the intersection of play, learning, community, and the ethical use of technology in shaping how we connect and make meaning in digital spaces.https://www.linkedin.com/in/markdangerchen/https://markdangerchen.net/https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13159692-leet-noobs

Eric McConnell is a product leader working at the intersection of games, media, and business. He is currently a Senior Product Manager at Amazon, where he leads engagement and retention strategy for digital manga across Japan and international markets. Over his career, Eric has worked across games and platforms at companies including Amazon Games, EA Sports, Jackbox Games, Warner Bros. Games, Google, Zynga, and Rockstar Games, spanning roles in product management, game design, LiveOps, and monetization. His work has ranged from rebuilding large-scale game economies to leading zero-to-one multiplayer concepts and defining product strategy for live services.Before and alongside his product career, Eric has remained close to making games himself. He is the founder of indie studio Haunt Couture Games, where he solo shipped Anti-Hack, handling everything from design and development to analytics and go-to-market. Across both AAA and indie work, Eric focuses on how metrics, player behavior, and creative vision intersect, and on helping teams make better decisions in complex, often ambiguous environments. He brings a grounded perspective on careers in game product management, balancing art and business, and learning how to grow by shipping real things.Game PM Field Manualhttps://ericmcconnell.com/index.php/the-game-pm-field-manual-2/Substack/Bloghttps://www.gameindustrypatchnotes.comLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-mcconnell/

What does game design actually mean in 2026. This TPIF roundtable brings together three experienced design leaders who have built and shipped games across multiple eras of the industry. Hal Sandbach is a veteran design director and former Head of Design at d3t, with a career spanning from Psygnosis and Codemasters through to Sony and Evolution Studios. Nigel Kershaw is Director at Wushu Studios with over thirty years of hands on development experience, known for championing creativity and fun even as teams scale. Will Maiden is a gameplay and systems designer at Chief Rebel, currently leading core product work on Fellowship, with deep experience in prototyping, pitching, and building modern multiplayer systems.Together, they unpack how the role of the designer has evolved across modern studios, game engines, and genres. From creative problem solving and player psychology to procedural generation and AI driven systems, this episode explores how games are really made today and why the designer often acts as the glue between code, art, production, and player experience.The conversation moves between big picture philosophy and the realities of day to day development. There is debate around innovation and risk, the pressure to ship, the usefulness and limits of data, and how vision changes once a team starts building. It is an honest look at the trade offs, tensions, and messy decisions behind modern game design, from prototype to release.https://www.linkedin.com/in/hal-sandbach/https://www.linkedin.com/in/willmaiden/https://www.linkedin.com/in/nigel-kershaw-266b94/

Jack Emmert is a veteran game developer and studio leader best known for his foundational work in the MMORPG genre. As a co founder and long time leader at Cryptic Studios, Jack played a central role in shaping some of the most influential online worlds of the last two decades, including City of Heroes, Star Trek Online, and Neverwinter. Over the course of his career, he has worn many hats ranging from lead designer to creative director to COO and CEO, giving him a rare end to end perspective on how MMOs are conceived, built, launched, and sustained over time.After sixteen years at Cryptic, Jack stepped away to broaden his perspective, joining Daybreak Games where he worked alongside EverQuest I and II veterans on long running live games such as DC Universe Online, Lord of the Rings Online, and Dungeons and Dragons Online. That experience deepened his thinking around longevity, community trust, and the realities of operating true forever games. In recent news, Jack has returned to Cryptic Studios, bringing with him a renewed perspective shaped by decades of MMO evolution and leadership across multiple philosophies. Today, he remains one of the most thoughtful and experienced voices in online game development, focused on authenticity, player experience, and the communities that keep virtual worlds alive.https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackemmert/https://crypticstudios.com/

Somer Esat is a senior engineering leader with over 12 years of experience building and scaling high performing engineering organizations in the games industry. He spent a decade at Blizzard Entertainment as Senior Engineering Manager on Overwatch and Overwatch 2, where he helped grow the engineering organization from roughly 35 to over 65 engineers while supporting a globally loved live service franchise shipping on a consistent six week cadence. Known for his calm leadership style and deep care for people, Somer has built teams grounded in ownership craftsmanship and psychological safety while delivering complex systems at scale.Across his career, Somer has partnered closely with executives and cross functional leaders to translate long term vision into execution, develop strong leadership benches, and create durable engineering cultures that scale. His work spans engineering strategy talent development leveling frameworks live service operations and leadership coaching, with a particular focus on helping engineers grow from individual contributors into confident effective leaders. Somer is passionate about building organizations where empowered teams do their best work and where sustainable processes lead to world class player experiences.https://www.linkedin.com/in/someresat/

Richard Browne is a veteran games industry executive with over 35 years of experience spanning game development, publishing, transmedia, and business leadership. His career has evolved alongside the industry itself, from the early days of console and PC development through to modern live services, digital distribution, and global publishing. Over the decades, Richard has helped bring dozens of games to market across every major platform, working with some of the most respected studios, publishers, and creative teams in the world. His work has consistently sat at the intersection of creative vision, commercial strategy, and technological innovation.Most recently, Richard served as Head of External Publishing at Digital Extremes, where he built and led a 30-strong publishing organization overseeing development, marketing, technology, and go-to-market strategy for third-party titles, including the launch of Wayfinder. Today, through Blue Moon Production Company, Richard advises developers and publishers on IP development, publishing strategy, and market positioning, acting as a connector between creative teams, partners, and capital. Known for his honest, experience-driven perspective, he remains deeply passionate about the craft of making games and helping the next generation of creators navigate an increasingly complex industry while staying true to their creative vision.https://www.linkedin.com/in/brownerichard/

Xaryu "Josh Lujan" is a veteran World of Warcraft creator, PvP competitor, and streamer best known for his mastery of Mage gameplay and deep understanding of MMO systems. He began playing during the original Classic era and rose to prominence through high level Arena competition, earning multiple Rank One titles. During the early growth of Twitch, Xaryu built a following by streaming competitive PvP, innovating high skill challenges, and establishing himself as one of the most consistent and technically skilled Mage players in the game.In recent years, Xaryu has become a leading voice around World of Warcraft Classic, Hardcore WoW, and the future of MMORPGs. He is a strong advocate for preserving the core vision of Classic WoW, emphasizing player identity, meaningful friction, and social interdependence over convenience driven design. Through Hardcore runs, community challenges, and streamer driven projects like OnlyFangs, he has helped shape Classic WoW into a space for emergent storytelling and high stakes social play. Today, he is widely respected not just as a top tier player, but as a thoughtful and influential voice on what makes online worlds enduring and meaningful.Chapters:00:00 Intro and meeting Xaryu03:45 Discovering WoW and why early MMOs felt magical09:30 Addiction, balance, and building healthier gaming habits13:00 Treating real life like MMO dailies17:35 Going viral and surviving WoW’s ups and downs21:30 What makes WoW Classic special24:45 Retail WoW, QoL changes, and unintended consequences27:30 Classic Plus, game design leadership, and community vision35:50 Expansion fatigue and lessons from chess and Counter-Strike41:40 Progression models and long term content value46:00 Class identity, imbalance, and why uniqueness matters54:00 Why Arena does not belong in Classic Plus59:30 Dueling, social PvP, and in-world competition01:01:05 Server-wide events and living worlds01:04:00 Mystery, Easter eggs, and rediscovery01:13:30 Hardcore WoW and why it changed everything01:19:00 Preparation, consequence, and meaningful gameplay01:23:30 Ultra Hardcore, immersion, and mortality01:32:00 Hardcore as reality TV and emergent storytelling01:36:00 Payo PvP moment and viral chaos01:39:00 OnlyFangs, streamer guilds, and social experiments01:41:30 What players truly want from online worlds01:44:45 Advice for aspiring creators and streamershttps://www.youtube.com/@Xaryuhttps://www.twitch.tv/xaryuhttps://www.instagram.com/joshlujan/?hl=enhttps://xaryu.tv/collections/all

Greg Street is a veteran game designer and studio leader with more than two decades of experience shaping some of the most influential games and online worlds in the industry. He was recently the Studio Head and Game Director at Fantastic Pixel Castle, a fully remote AAA MMORPG studio backed by NetEase, leading the development on a new MMO project codenamed Ghost. Greg is best known for his time as Lead Systems Designer on World of Warcraft at Blizzard Entertainment, where he oversaw major systems including classes, combat, items, professions, PvP, and encounters, contributing to multiple expansions during one of the game’s most formative eras.Following Blizzard, Greg spent nearly a decade at Riot Games in senior leadership roles, including Design Director on League of Legends, Head of Creative Development, VP of IP and Entertainment working on projects like Arcane and Riot Forge, and VP and Executive Producer on Riot’s MMO R&D initiative. Earlier in his career, he was a Lead Designer at Ensemble Studios, working across the Age of Empires franchise, including Age of Empires III. Known for his clear design philosophy, emphasis on playtesting, and deep understanding of player behavior, Greg continues to be a leading voice on MMO design, community driven development, and the future of online worlds.Chapters:00:00 From Oceanography to Game Design02:37 Influences and Early Game Design Philosophy05:23 Playtesting and Understanding Player Behavior10:38 Entering MMOs and the Blizzard Years14:15 Building World of Warcraft as a Living World20:50 Exploration, Knowledge, and MMO Mystery22:58 Designing Classes, Talents, and Player Choice29:06 The Evolution of Game Design in WoW31:37 Balancing New Players and Veterans34:19 Retention, Long Term Engagement, and Community39:15 Solo Play, Hardcore Modes, and Player Rituals49:47 Classic WoW, Cataclysm, and Design Consequences56:03 Managing Multiple MMO Versions57:26 The Future of MMORPGs59:30 Storytelling and Player Driven Narratives01:04:53 The Real Challenges of MMO Development01:07:34 New Ideas for MMO Content and Combat01:10:33 Mods, Community, and Player Empowerment01:15:40 Advice for Aspiring Game Designers01:19:26 What’s Next for Greg Streethttps://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-street-b356447/

Raphael Stange is the CEO of Nitrado, one of the world’s leading providers of multiplayer server infrastructure for game studios and players. A lifelong gamer, Raphael’s perspective is shaped by thousands of hours spent in online worlds like EVE Online, giving him a player first understanding of what makes multiplayer games thrive. At Nitrado, he works closely with developers to help them launch, scale, and sustain online games, supporting everything from early access builds to global live service titles, with a strong emphasis on performance, flexibility, and community driven experiences.Under Raphael’s leadership, Nitrado has become a trusted infrastructure partner for major studios and platforms, including collaborations with Rockstar Games through its FiveM ecosystem. He is a strong advocate for modding as a core pillar of modern multiplayer games, believing that player creativity and community servers are essential to long term engagement and game longevity. Through Nitrado and its GameFabric platform, Raphael focuses on building infrastructure that empowers studios and creators alike, enabling custom servers, modded experiences, and scalable online worlds that put players at the center.Chapters:00:00 - Introduction and Unconventional Paths into Games03:06 - A Lifelong Fascination with MMORPGs06:01 - Where Marketing Meets Game Development08:53 - Navigating the Complexity of the Games Industry11:56 - How Marketing in Games Has Evolved15:00 - The Changing Role of AI in Marketing17:44 - What Agentic AI Means for Digital Marketing20:56 - Understanding Multiplayer Server Infrastructure23:47 - Nitrado and the Realities of Game Server Management27:00 - Why Modding and Community Matter40:55 - How Modding Shapes Long Term Game Success45:52 - The Future of Modding and Player Created Content51:20 - Roblox and the Rise of Platform Games55:58 - Building Infrastructure for the Next Generation of Online Games01:03:14 - Advice for Aspiring Game Developers01:09:54 - Leadership Lessons from Building and Scaling Companieshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelstange/https://server.nitrado.net/

Steve McLeod is the founder of Feature Upvote, a feedback management platform used by game studios around the world to make sense of overwhelming volumes of player input. With more than two decades of software development experience, Steve has built his career around creating simple, reliable tools that help teams understand what their players actually need. His focus on usability, scalability, and performance led him to develop Feature Upvote in 2017 after realizing traditional tools like Jira were not built for the realities of player-driven development.Today, his platform supports studios of all sizes, from emerging indies to teams behind breakout titles such as Valheim, Core Keeper, Northgard, Cities: Skylines II, Enshrouded, and Dune: Spice Wars. Feature Upvote helps these studios surface meaningful insights from thousands of suggestions, votes, and comments, ensuring that feedback from both power users and the silent majority is captured and understood.Chapters:01:32 – Steve’s Journey into the Gaming Industry02:56 – Collecting Player Feedback06:06 – Balancing Player Feedback and Game Vision09:12 – The Art of Listening to Players12:01 – The Dilemma of Public Feedback15:12 – Creating Effective Feedback Boards18:12 – Understanding Player Demographics20:51 – The Evolution of Player Bases24:08 – Surfacing Feedback Opportunities28:48 – Effective Feedback Mechanisms in Gaming31:30 – Navigating Feedback Channels (Public vs Private)33:36 – The Impact of Mob Mentality on Game Reception35:12 – Managing Feedback Tone and Community Dynamics40:28 – Incentivizing Player Feedback44:47 – The Role of AI in Analyzing Player Feedback53:41 – Feedback in Gaming vs Banking57:42 – Navigating Customer Feedback on Reddit01:01:11 – Understanding Player Demographics and Game Mechanics01:03:21 – The Role of Feedback in Game Design01:06:05 – The Clash of Production Models in Game Development01:09:22 – Streamers as Influencers of Player Feedback01:12:05 – The Helldivers 2 Controversy01:15:18 – Advice for Aspiring Game Developers and Creatorshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mcleod-fuv/https://featureupvote.com/ @TheCommunityLoungeYT  ...#gamedevelopment #gamedesign #playerfeedback #communitymanagement #playerengagement #indiegamedev #AAAstudios #gamingpodcast #aitools #sentimentanalysis

Hal Sandbach is a veteran Game Designer, Director, and Design Leader whose career spans almost three decades across studios including Psygnosis, Codemasters, Warthog, Evolution Studios, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, and d3t. Since beginning his journey in 1997, he has shaped game systems and experiences across genres from FPS to AAA racing, developing a philosophy rooted in clear vision, psychological insight, and deliberate design. Hal believes that great games are engineered with an understanding of how people think and feel, creating experiences that are motivating, memorable, and deeply enjoyable.As a leader, Hal is known for his communication-first approach and his ability to build intrinsically motivated, high performing design teams. During his tenure as Head of Design at d3t, the studio earned several Best Places to Work awards, reflecting his commitment to culture, mentorship, and people-centered leadership. He has also taught Game Design Theory at Sheffield Hallam University and remains passionate about helping designers grow, communicate clearly, and create the kinds of experiences that players love to share. Outside of work, Hal enjoys writing, walking, and the occasional climb when opportunity calls.Chapters00:00 — The Journey into Game Design02:51 — Evolution of the Gaming Industry05:41 — The Importance of Team Dynamics08:33 — Communication in Remote Work11:46 — The Role of Vision in Game Design14:32 — The Shift in Game Production17:15 — Empowering Creative Teams20:05 — Cohesive Game Design23:06 — The Impact of AI on Game Development34:37 — The Nuances of AI in Creative Work37:03 — Optimism Around AI in Game Development39:11 — The Growing Pains of AI Integration42:21 — Creativity and Originality in AI-Driven Design45:21 — Balancing Innovation and Risk in Game Development49:42 — Polish vs Feedback: The Game Development Dilemma52:09 — The Role of Community in Game Development58:02 — The Future of Gaming: Player Empowerment and AI01:02:51 — Emotional Investment in Gaming Experiences01:07:42 — Design Philosophy and Player Motivation01:08:20 — Understanding Motivation in Games01:10:28 — Self-Determination Theory and Player Agency01:16:35 — The Psychology of Game Design01:19:30 — Game Mechanics and Player Engagement01:23:13 — The Joy of Making Games01:26:50 — Communication in Game Design01:29:38 — Advice for Aspiring Game Designershttps://www.linkedin.com/in/hal-sandbach/...#GameDesign #GameDevelopment #GamingIndustry #GameDev #GameDesignPodcast #TPIFPodcast #ThePartyIsFull #AIinGaming #AIGameDev #FutureOfGaming #GameInnovation #AIDesignTools #GameDevLife #RemoteWork #TeamDynamics #CreativeLeadership #DesignLeadership #PlayerMotivation #GamePsychology #UserExperienceDesign #PlayerAgency #NarrativeDesign #CommunityDrivenDevelopment #UGC #PlayerEmpowerment #GameCommunities #AspiringGameDevs #GameDesignCareers #LearnGameDesign

Stephen Reid is a veteran community and marketing leader with over 20 years of experience building some of gaming’s most iconic online communities. From BioWare’s Star Wars: The Old Republic to Meta’s Facebook Gaming, Stephen has shaped how studios connect with players, turning customers into fans and fans into superfans. His career spans leadership roles at 2K, HTC Vive, Inworld AI, and 1047 Games, where he launched global IPs, led community teams of up to fifty, and crafted social strategies that reached audiences in the millions.He is a passionate advocate for authentic storytelling and transparency in games, blending creative vision with operational expertise. His work sits at the intersection of community health, influencer relations, and brand identity, where genuine communication meets measurable impact. Whether managing Discord servers with a million players or redefining tone of voice for a global franchise, Stephen builds strong communities through trust, not tactics.https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenreid/...#CommunityManagement #GameDevelopment #GamingIndustry #MMORPG #PlayerEngagement #GameDesign #OnlineCommunities #VirtualWorlds #GamingCulture

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...#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 Gaming03:03 – The Role of Communication in QA05:59 – Deep Dive into Bug Analysis09:09 – The Balance of Process Improvement and Trust11:55 – Quality as a Team Mindset14:49 – The Evolution of QA’s Role17:35 – Exploring Fun and User Experience in QA20:59 – The Importance of Data in QA Feedback23:51 – Empathy and Collaboration in QA26:43 – Navigating the Developer-QA Relationship35:28 – Empowering QA Professionals38:49 – The Value of Experienced QA Teams42:19 – The Disposable Nature of QA45:30 – The Glass Ceiling in QA Careers50:28 – Scaling QA in Large Teams58:00 – The Future of AI in QA01:02:34 – Getting Started in QA CareersReach out to Bob: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertiainwatson/...#GameDevelopment ...#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.Chapters00:00 – Journey into Game Development03:11 – The Art and Science of Game Design06:02 – Creating Engaging Game Experiences08:57 – Understanding Player Psychology11:59 – The Evolution of Gaming Audiences14:47 – The Impact of Mobile Gaming17:53 – The Role of Innovation in Game Design21:03 – The Future of Game Monetization23:53 – Balancing Game Design and Player Engagement35:16 – The Evolution of Gaming Mechanics39:26 – The Future of Gaming Technology42:13 – Audience Dynamics in Gaming50:34 – Building a Game Studio: Insights from Landmark56:41 – The Emotional Connection with Virtual Pets01:05:58 – Advice for Aspiring Game DevelopersConnect with James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesolder/#GameDevelopment #GameDesign #PlayerEngagement #IndieGames #MobileGames #GameProduction #CommunityBuilding #CareerInGames