The Gaming Playbook w/ Harry Phokou #38 – Kate Edwards: The #1 Mistake Studios Make Going Global in Games
In this episode, I sit down with Kate Edwards, CEO of Geogrify, culturalisation strategist, and former Executive Director of the IGDA, to unpack the hidden mistakes developers make when building games for a global audience.
From Age of Empires getting banned in South Korea, to the backlash around Indiana Jones, to why inclusivity and allegorical distance matter more than ever, Kate breaks down the cultural pitfalls that can derail even the biggest titles, and what studios can do to avoid them.
We cover:
- Why culturalisation is critical for global game success
- The real cost of ignoring stereotypes in game worlds
- How allegorical distance helps avoid offensive tropes
- What inclusivity in games looks like beyond tokenism
- The rise of social media backlash and how to handle it
- Lessons from 30+ years across Microsoft, IGDA, and Geogrify
Whether you’re an indie dev, AAA veteran, or just curious about how culture shapes games, this episode is a masterclass in building worlds that truly resonate with players everywhere.
Connect with Kate:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geogrify/
Check out SetJetters: https://setjetters.com/
Connect with Harry:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hphokou/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hphokou
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hphokou
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This September, I’m excited to be attending the @Live Service Gaming Summit, a must-attend event for anyone building, scaling, or evolving live service games.
From content cadence and monetisation to backend resilience and community building, the summit dives deep into what it really takes to create games that last.
Check out the latest event agenda here: https://www.iqpc.com/events-live-service-gaming-summit/agenda-mc/?utm_source=Harry%20Phokou&utm_medium=External%20Email&utm_campaign=49350.002_LSGSummit_Harry_Phokou_NL_Agenda&utm_term=&utm_content=&disc=&extTreatId=7621796
Use code PHOKOU20 for 20% off your pass
Let me know if you’re attending too, would love to connect!
#LSGSummit #LiveServiceGames #GameDev #GamingIndustry #LiveOps #GameDesign #Monetisation #GamingEvents
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:46 Who is Kate Edwards? 30+ years in games
03:50 From geographer to Microsoft and the games industry
07:36 Why culturalisation is critical for global games
09:37 Age of Empires banned in South Korea & lessons learned
14:10 Should indie developers worry about culturalisation?
18:18 The rise of social media backlash in games
27:22 Allegorical distance: designing worlds without stereotypes
32:06 Inclusivity in games: avoiding generic representation
42:28 SetJetters: Kate’s film tourism startup
46:48 Leading the IGDA: building a global developer community
51:44 What makes a game compelling to players?
59:25 Advice for aspiring devs breaking into the industry
1:05:57 Networking, hidden job markets & overcoming introversion
#gamedev #gamedesign #indiegamedev #gamingcommunity #videogames #inclusivitymatters #culturalisation