Johnny Galvatron, Creative Director behind the BAFTA award winning game, The Artful Escape, discusses his transition from rockstar to game developer; building his first studio and finding the right talent; working with Annapurna Interactive for a star-studded cast; the captivating travel sequences and influences in 'The Artful Escape'; the concept of agency in video games; the purposeful and captivating first act of the game; and creating a successful game and planning for the future.

Scot Lane, New World Game Director, discusses how he and Amazon Games designed the game's various systems, handles live content pipeline, analyzes feedback to make decisions, and gives advice for developers working on live service games.

Gregorios Kythreotis and Martin Kvale discuss their game Sable, including the development of Shedworks studio, collaborating with Japanese Breakfast on the soundtrack, infusing humor into the characters, and creating a game focused on meditation instead of combat.

Bungie's Luke Smith discusses designing repeatable gameplay and balancing the Destiny Universe for veterans and new players. They explore the benefits of live service experiences and creating spaces of belonging. They also discuss the potential for adding service-like experiences to non-service projects and the importance of seizing opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Game developer and designer Andrew Shouldice discusses his journey into game development and the decision to go indie, the influences behind Tunic, the pressure of debuting your first project, the joy of mystery and discovery, and building a world full of secrets. They also talk about early experiences with video games, the initial reactions to the game from Microsoft executives, creating and designing the game manual, the exploration and combat mechanics, unexpected player behavior, and the demand for a printed manual.

Xalavier Nelson Jr. chats with writer and content creator Alanah Pearce. Together they discuss how her love of writing and video games began; creating content across a variety of mediums; getting her start in game development; cleared misconceptions after leaving media and joining development teams; and the importance of creating accessible games for all people and her venture the Video Game Accessibility Awards. Watch this episode on our Youtube channel.

Christopher Chancey discusses designing an RPG without combat, tackling difficult subjects in games, creating games for children, and his work with Indie Asylum and the Montreal development scene.

Oliver Lewin and Graham Parkes, developers of Before Your Eyes, discuss the creation of the blinking mechanic, learning through failure, and the narrative challenges they faced. They share their experience releasing their first title and winning a BAFTA. They also explore the writing process, the importance of blinking in the game, branching narratives, and creating accessible non-skill based games.

Austin Wintory chats with Jeff van Dyck, the composer and sound designer behind 2021's indie hit, Unpacking. Together they discuss how Unpacking features over 14,000 individual sound effects; how the interactivity of games lead the Foley and music design process; how the transition from midi to linear recording affected audio workflows; and his journey in the games industry working on titles like Total War and Alien: Isolation.  To watch this episode, visit our Youtube channel.

Austin Wintory chats with Maclaine Diemer, one of the composers behind ArenaNet's long-running MMO, Guild Wars. Together they discuss his insightful presentation at GDC 2022; his career path from sound design to composing music; and the importance understanding nuance when creating music that references foreign cultures while also being open to having tough discussions about appropriation. Watch the full interview on our Youtube channel.