Episodes
The Dial Up Entrepreneur | Scott Miller (Apogee Entertainment, Duke N…
In this episode I speak with Scott Miller, founder of Apogee Entertainment (Commander Keen, Duke Nukem) and 3D Realms (Max Payne, Prey). Scott is responsible for pioneering the shareware model of game distribution — giving aw...
Hell Broke Loose - The Making of Far Cry 2 | Clint Hocking (Creative …
Today I’m talking with Clint Hocking, Creative Director of Far Cry 2 and Watch Dogs: Legion. Clint has had a long and varied career in the video game industry, working on the original Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell series, as well as roles at Valve Corporation, Ubisoft, LucasArts, and Amazon Game Studi…
Making Atomfall: Risk & Reward | Ben Fisher (Head of Design)
In today’s episode, I speak with Ben Fisher, Head of Design on Atomfall and Sniper Elite: Resistance. Ben is a key figure at Rebellion, and we break down how Atomfall’s opening establishes tone, pacing, and player behaviour i...
Writing Outer Wilds: Joy, Grief, and Letting Go | Kelsey Beachum (Out…
Today I sit down with Kelsey Beachum, writer of Outer Wilds , for a deeply honest conversation about the creative process — including what it was like collaborating with her brother Alex Beachum on one of the most loved games...
Scope, testing, and Finishing Games | Nina Freeman: Cibele, Lost Reco…
In today’s episode I speak with Nina Freeman about how one learns from their mistakes, and how one learns to learn from them. Nina is a video game developer who finishes every game she starts. She is known for her autobiograp...
Why Platformers need to evolve | Chris Wade, Big Hops
Today i'm speaking with Chris Wade, game director at Luckshot Games and creator of Big Hops. Big Hops really caught my attention as a platformer that bought in emergency gameplay mechanics to create a truly unique experience....
Why Great Games still Fail | Mario R. Kroll, Video PR & Marketing exp…
Today I'm speaking with Mario R. Kroll, founder of UberStrategist. Mario has over 30 years of industry experience in PR and marketing within video games. This was a fun and candid conversation about what it takes not only to get a game noticed in a crowded marketplace, but also how to get yourself …
How Portal Was Written | Erik Wolpaw (Portal) — The Examined Game
The Examined Game #4 In this episode of The Examined Game I speak with veteran Valve writer Erik Wolpaw on the power of great writing in video games. I am such a huge fan of Erik's work, particularly across the Portal series ...
Why Play Matters | Julia Minamata (The Crimson Diamond)
The Examined Game #3 Julia Minamata is the solo developer of the text parser adventure game The Crimson Diamond , a love letter to the classic Sierra On-Line adventures. I adored playing The Crimson Diamond and wanted to talk...
Restoring the Mona Lisas of video games | Larry Kuperman (Nightdive …
The Examined Game #2 In today's episode I speak with Larry Kuperman, Vice President of Business Development at Nightdive Studios. Nightdive Studios have made a well-deserved name for themselves with their near-flawless remakes and remasters of classic games, including System Shock, System Shock 2, …
Taking risks in AAA Games | Richard Lemarchand (Uncharted, Naughty Do…
The Examined Game #1 In today's episode I pose to Richard Lemarchand, the co-lead game designer for the original Uncharted trilogy, the question: “How do you learn to take risks in AAA games?” I have wanted to speak with Richard on this topic ever since I heard an interview where he described takin…