Today I sit down with Kelsey Beachum, writer of Outer Wilds, for a deeply honest conversation about the creative process.
We discuss the fear and anxiety of putting your work into the world when you've poured your heart and soul into it, and the strange phenomenon of imposter syndrome that can arise even when the response from players is overwhelmingly positive. Kelsey reflects on what it means to feel unworthy of the reception a game receives — and how she navigated that.
We also discuss what it was like collaborating with her brother Alex Beachum on one of the most loved games of the past decade.
We also dig into Kelsey’s career since Outer Wilds, which has included work on Avowed, The Outer Worlds, and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, and talk candidly about burnout — what causes it, what it costs, and the importance of finding collaborators and companies whose values align with your own.
This was one of the most open and generous conversations I've had on the show. Kelsey held nothing back, and I think anyone who makes things — games, films, stories — will find something here that resonates.
#outerwilds #gaming #podcast #videogames #mentalhealth