Today I'm talking with indie game designer Edmund McMillen (The Binding of Isaac, Mewgenics, Super Meat Boy) about the way he approaches making games. Edmund has a pretty simple philosophy when it comes to game design, even if the games themselves are extremely complex and multilayered. He designs games to please himself, and so far that's worked remarkably well as a business model because it turns out there are millions of other players who want to play the kinds of games he wants to make.
We discuss everything from the twisted idea behind Mewgenics, the resurgence in popularity of The Binding of Isaac, and what he's learned about the mindset of players. We also talk about why you'd lose your mind trying to please everyone, and the importance of understanding what players are really asking for when they give feedback on his games.
00:00 Why AAA Games Play It Too Safe
00:52 Introduction
01:51 Edmund McMillen's Recent Steam Games
06:43 Revealing His Most Played Steam Games
11:43 2,200 Hours in Mewgenics
13:58 Can a Developer Ever Experience Their Own Game Like a Player?
15:43 Why Edmund Only Makes Games for Himself
19:32 Staying Motivated Through Six Years of Development
21:15 Designing Without Planning Everything
24:28 Why Creative Freedom Made Mewgenics Better
26:35 Emotional Prototyping & Outer Wilds
28:47 The Origin Story of Mewgenics
37:19 The Downside of Spending Six Years on One Game
39:57 What Success Actually Means as a Game Developer
41:37 The Binding of Isaac Keeps Selling More Every Year
42:34 4 Million Sales During Steam Summer Sale
46:05 Looking Back at Indie Game: The Movie
48:59 Learning From Mistakes & Improving Every Game
50:05 Why Players Wanted More Mewgenics After Finishing It
53:43 Why Listening to Every Player Is a Bad Idea
56:37 Review Bombs, Localisation & Managing Fans
58:51 Ending
#thebindingofisaac #mewgenics #gamingpodcast #gaming