Award-winning tabletop game designer Geoff Engelstein discusses his journey in game design, psychology's influence on gameplay, and evolving design tools. Topics include passion and perseverance in game design, empowering the next generation of designers, bridging theory and practicality in game design, and creating specific player experiences.

Veteran strategist Stephan Brissaud shares insights on game design, marketing, and retail strategies. He discusses building strong gaming communities, core traits for success, networking in the industry, and embracing curiosity and passion in game development.

Eric Price, president of Japanime Games and GAMMA, discusses uniting VTubers and Players through Oshi Push, a trading card game. Topics include sourcing games from Japan, GAMA's role, evolution of collectibles in Japan, and creating a Vtuber-based TCG. He also talks about the launch of Oshi Push, plans for a digital edition, and future game sets.

Neeraj Kashyap, a blockchain gaming pioneer, discusses the challenges and potential of Web3 gaming. Topics include player ownership, onboarding, play-to-earn, vampire attacks, economies, NFTs, and user engagement for profit. The conversation highlights the fusion of blockchain and gaming, financialization of in-game assets, decentralized game logic, and navigating security concerns in the Web3 gaming landscape.

Ben Robbins, RPG creator, talks about Microscope RPG, fostering inclusivity in game design, constraints for creative collaboration, transitioning from passion to profession in game design, crafting fictional worlds for creative freedom, subtle cues in game design for player experiences, and structuring game demos effectively for engaging gameplay.

Jason Morningstar, award-winning RPG designer, discusses emotional risks in game design, creating unique experiences with Fiasco, balancing financial considerations, designing playful learning experiences, GM-less role-playing with Fiasco, and using filters in game design.

Emmy Award-winning producer Jane Chung Hoffacker discusses IP creation, writer's room dynamics, indie game design, and the evolution of game genres. She shares insights on building animation studios, navigating diversity in entertainment, and embracing change in starting a board game company. The episode is filled with reflections on project launches, feedback, and Emmy Awards experiences, highlighting the power of cohesive world-building and passionate storytelling in game creation.

C. Thi Nguyen is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Utah and the author of the incredible book "Games: Agency as Art." In this episode, Thi delves into his theory of games as an art form that revolves around agency. His website, Objectionable.net, showcases an extensive collection of published papers on games, the philosophy of technology, and other intriguing topics. My conversation with Thi digs into the essence of games—exploring their power, addictiveness, and how game concepts can be applied to enhance your daily life. Don't miss this episode for a thought-provoking journey into the philosophy of games with Thi Nguyen.Visit http://justingarydesign.com/ for show notes, game design lessons, and more! Get full access to Think Like A Game Designer at justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe

Maxine “MJ” Newman joins me to chat about her leap from lawyering to senior game designer at Fantasy Flight Games. As a game designer at Fantasy Flight, MJ serves as the co-lead designer for the popular Arkham Horror card game and is also a developer on the Lord of the Rings card game. We discuss everything from her dad sparking her game design love to the Arkham Horror card game and its teamwork-boosting twists. Outside of her work, MJ is also a self-published novelist and contributing writer to publications like Dragon magazine. MJ discusses the creative differences between her career as a game designer and her work as an author, comparing the solitude of book writing to the team effort of game creation. If you're into stories of passion projects turning into careers, storytelling within card games, and how game jams can spark creativity, you'll love this talk. Tune in to hear how she's making her mark in the gaming world and beyond. Enjoy!Visit http://justingarydesign.com/ for show notes, game design lessons, and more! Get full access to Think Like A Game Designer at justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe

This episode is stand-alone, but if you’d like to hear more about the Mega Crit team behind Slay the Spire, check out last week’s episode!Anthony Giovannetti, the co-creator of "Slay the Spire" and a pioneer in digital deck-building games, joins us for a discussion following our episode with his design partner, Casey Yano. He delves into their early days of game development, emphasizing the importance of completing and learning from projects, regardless of the outcome. Anthony also reflects on balancing work and life during the intense launch of Slay the Spire and discusses the positive impact of embracing fan-made mods like Downfall, which significantly boosted the game's popularity and sales. I highly recommend listening to Anthony’s episode along with Casey’s to glean every bit of wisdom from this incredible design team. Having Anthony on the Think Like A Game Designer Podcast was an absolute blast—enjoy! Get full access to Think Like A Game Designer at justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe