Think Like A Game Designer Jordan Weisman — From Battletech to Shadowrun: The Power of Curiosity and Collaboration (#93)
About this Episode
This episode is a little different from the usual Think Like a Game Designer conversation. Instead of a freeform discussion, I came prepared with a curated list of questions to guide the conversation, giving us a structured look into Jordan’s creative process, his philosophies on innovation, and the lessons he’s learned over decades of building worlds. The result is a fast-paced, insight-packed episode that feels like sitting in on a masterclass in game design.
About Jordan Weisman
Jordan Weisman is a legendary figure in interactive entertainment, whose career spans tabletop games, video games, theme parks, and beyond. As the creator of Battletech, Shadowrun, and Crimson Skies, and the founder of iconic companies like FASA and WizKids, Jordan has shaped generations of players and creators alike. His work is defined by boundless curiosity, fearless experimentation, and a lifelong commitment to collaborative storytelling.
In this episode, Jordan and I explore what it means to think small, fail boldly, and keep learning no matter how much success you’ve had. We discuss how curiosity drives innovation, why emotional courage is more important than financial risk, and how respect—for yourself, your team, and your audience—is at the heart of great creative work. Whether you’re just starting your design journey or looking to rekindle your passion after decades in the industry, Jordan’s insights offer a masterclass in staying creative for life.
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Justin’s Questions
What’s something that you’re passionate about outside of your career, and what do you love about it? (00:01:33)
* During the pandemic, he rediscovered model building and diorama crafting, a childhood hobby that brings him therapeutic joy.
* He enjoys it because it’s tangible, visual storytelling where you can actually see progress, a much different process than game design, which often feels abstract or slow.
What do you love about that kind of model building and creating? (00:04:05)
* It aligns with Jordan’s love of world-building and storytelling when creating small, detailed scenes that tell a story visually.
* It’s satisfying because each session produces visible progress, reinforcing creativity and immersion.
What is advice that you would give to someone that’s just starting out in your industry? (00:04:06)
* Think small. Beginners often aim for massive projects like the ones they admire.
* Start with something you can finish using your own limited resources.
* Completion and execution teach more than ideas ever will.
* Focus on learning through doing, not imagining.
Now let’s flip to the other side of the equation: what do you see as an important lesson that industry veterans need to learn? Or put another way, what advice do you think your older self might give to you? (00:06:30)
* Avoid hubris. Experience can blind you. Everything you know might be wrong.
* Listen to young minds. Youth brings creativity because it hasn’t learned what’s supposedly impossible.
* Over time, past failures make people too cautious; veterans must keep their beginner’s mindset.
* Innovation demands courage to look foolish publicly; fear of embarrassment kills creativity.
* Stay humble, keep experimenting, and reassess old assumptions regularly.
Are there any practices or rituals or ways that you try to keep yourself in that beginner’s mind? How can one get the advantages of experience and minimize the disadvantages? (00:08:09)
* You must be willing to “go face first into the mud.”
* As he said in the previous question, public embarrassment is the price of innovation.
* Surround yourself with young thinkers, question assumptions, and resist dismissing ideas based on past failures.
* Always check whether past lessons still apply, because markets and contexts change. Jordan gives an example of a failed company born from his overconfidence, where he didn’t re-research the market because he assumed he already knew it.
What do you consider the most important skills to cultivate for your profession, and how do you cultivate these skills? (00:15:13)
* Endless curiosity: Study adjacent fields like comics, fiction, tech—anything that feeds creative cross-pollination.
* Build a box: Instead of “thinking outside the box,” define constraints clearly to evaluate ideas. For example: He designed Mage Knight by creating a checklist of problems (ease of entry, low cost, retailer needs) and solving within that “box.”
* He values self-education: when he didn’t know toy manufacturing, he paid a small company to teach him the process.
So let’s get to the areas where the industry or you have been dead wrong. What common advice do you hear about your industry that is dead? (00:24:26)
* “Nothing is ever dead.” Genres, mechanics, and IPs always come back (vinyl, RPGs, etc.)
* When people say something’s over, it’s actually ready for reinvention.
* He used to believe in-person collaboration was essential, but remote work proved him wrong.
* He often misjudged products (like thinking Funko Pops would flop).
* Absorb wisdom but not edicts.
* Success and failure are cyclical, making timing and humility matter more than certainty.
What books, articles, or learning resources have had the biggest impact on you? And if there are any key takeaways that stuck with you that come to mind? (00:30:53)
* Mentions Reed Hastings’ book (Netflix culture) and Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull (Pixar). The value here is the small-team principles and leadership lessons, though he’s skeptical of the “find five geniuses” model.
* His biggest lessons came from mentors, not books: Mark Miller (creator of Traveller): taught him kindness and professionalism. His father, Mort Weissman: joined FASA, ran the business side, and kept it alive.
* He emphasizes mentorship, respect, and kindness as lasting business principles.
What is the right way to find a partner? (00:33:14)
* Finding a partner is like finding a life mate: talk about goals, work habits, expectations.
* Negotiate the “prenup” early, meaning you should decide how you’ll split if things go wrong.
* Avoid the naive approach he took (asking friends at the table).
What about systems, software, and tools that have had a big impact on your workflow?(00:38:18)
* Internal tool: his “box” process for evaluating ideas.
* Software: Slack (no internal email, all communication centralized), Google Docs (collaboration), ClickUp/Jira (task tracking).
* Avoid “Not Invented Here” syndrome: don’t build tools you can buy.
* Focus on your core innovation; outsource or use existing solutions for everything else.
* Reuse mechanics unless your innovation demands new ones.
* Let your team choose tools bottom-up instead of enforcing top-down.
What’s your favorite project, and what lessons did you learn from it? (00:45:46)
* His favorite is always the one he’s working on now, but emotionally, Shadowrun and Crimson Skies stand out. Shadowrun came from trying to differentiate from Cyberpunk and combining fantasy with cyberpunk via the Mayan calendar. Crimson Skies was born from personal burnout after his wife pushed him to rediscover his passion. It led to reinvention and eventually Microsoft’s acquisition of his company.
* His lesson here is that passion and reinvention are crucial; listen to loved ones and know when to move on from stale success.
You can find the previous episode with Jordan below:
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