The Thomas Brush Show

Indie Game Joe, a former painter and decorator turned indie producer, designer, and marketing specialist, shares the wild story behind Digital Cybercherries’ million-selling games. They explore disastrous launches, Steam refunds, imposter syndrome, and why short games can thrive. The conversation dives into hooks, emotional design, satisfying gameplay “juice,” trailers, social media clips, and recovering from a troubled multiplayer release.

Mateo Covid and I discuss his viral friend slop game Paddle Paddle Paddle.► Play Paddle Paddle Paddle: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3570070/Paddle_Paddle_Paddle/► Get 50% off my game dev course during the massive Summer Sale: https://fulltimegamedev.mykajabi.com/full-time-game-dev-sale► Wishlist Twisted Tower: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1575990/Twisted_Tower/

I chat with Jonathan Blow about his 10 year project The Order OF The Sinking Star, and the state of the industry.► Play Order Of The Sinking Star► Get 50% off my game dev course during the massive Summer Sale► Wishlist Twisted Tower

I chat with the creator of Forbidden Solitaire, Jake Birkett, about how he finally made a hit indie title after 20 years! ► Play Forbidden Solitaire► Check out Full Time Game Dev (50% Off)► Wishlist Twisted Tower

I chat with the co-creator of Into The Unwell, a rubber-host action packed roguelite. ► Check out State of Unreal► Wishlist Into The Unwell► Wishlist Twisted Tower

A creator recounts a four‑plus year journey building a hit game and why it was pulled from Steam. They discuss tradeoffs between technical pride and product mindset, using engines to avoid wasted work, and the five‑minutes‑of‑fun principle. Launch momentum from streaming and financial pressure that drove last‑minute changes also come up. The tale ends with a DMCA takedown and the fixes that followed.

Sebastian Drews, indie developer behind metroidvania Constance, shares his story from beginner to selling 67,000 copies. He talks marketing risks like leveraging Silksong comparisons, design choices for bosses and pacing, lessons from demos and QA limits, and a deep Unity walkthrough of their map, parallax tricks, and level tools.

Xalavier Nelson Jr., indie creative director behind Strange Scaffold known for quirky hits like Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator. He talks process, choosing the right scale, and how frequent, distinct releases build a reliable studio. Short games, consistent vision, and the DIDIT decision framework come up as practical shapes for sustainable game making.

Thomas Mahler, game director and Moon Studios co-founder behind Ori, shares the wild journey of No Rest for the Wicked. He recounts a publisher buyback, a rescue via a free weekend that sparked massive sales, and the custom engines and tooling that shaped the art and level design. He also discusses balancing systems, long-term maintainability, and practical uses for AI in development.

Jonathan Blow, the mastermind behind iconic indie games like Braid and The Witness, shares insights on creating games in 2026. He discusses the challenges of marketing amid the crowded internet landscape and how pricing pressures have evolved. Blow emphasizes the importance of choosing the right platform, notably Steam, for indie success. He reveals his ambitious 10-year project, Order of the Sinking Star, describing the need for a custom programming language and engine to enhance workflow and artistic vision. His thoughts on the future of AI in game development complete this enlightening conversation.