The Game Business Show GoldenEye and TimeSplitters developers reunite to find out if they can still make a hit game
Dec 4, 2025
Andy Robinson, founder of Video Games Chronicle, joins Dr. David Doak, a veteran game developer known for GoldenEye and TimeSplitters, to discuss their new project, a roguelike word game called Beyond Words. They delve into insights on the gaming industry's back catalogue dominance, revealing how nostalgic titles affect new game sales. Doak reflects on their design choices, explaining the benefits of small teams for rapid iteration. The duo shares their shift from shooters to word games and their hopes for future projects. Expect a nostalgic blend of old-school spirit and innovative gameplay!
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Ship With Financial Discipline
- Maintain shipping discipline even with ample funding to avoid perpetual 'ingestion' projects.
- Prioritise producers who know when to stop and release a product to meet market realities.
AI Labels Won't Solve Dataset Issues
- Labels like 'AI used' may become less meaningful as AI becomes ubiquitous, but dataset transparency matters.
- The core concern is not tools but whether training sets plagiarise creators' work.
Evergreen Titles Keep Selling Year After Year
- Publishers can repeatedly monetise evergreen titles via discounts, subscriptions and media tie-ins.
- Capcom and others show older releases can sell millions annually when managed well.