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Game Developer Podcast

Game Developer Podcast

GameDeveloper.com | Game Development News, Tips, & Insights 76 Episodes Oct 5, 2026

The official podcast of GameDeveloper.com, hosted by senior editor Bryant Francis. It features interviews and commentary from professionals in the video game industry, exploring how video games are made. New episodes are published every other Friday, with music by Mike Meehan.

Episodes

#79 - Why it's still worth making immersive sims ft. Harvey Smith & Ben Horne
#79 - Why it's still worth making immersive sims ft. Harvey Smith & Ben Horne Oct 5, 2026 3606 On this week's episode of the Game Developer podcast, celebrated game designer Harvey Smith and former Arkane Austin executive producer Ben Horne—also the co-founders of the new game studio Black Pony Immersive—join senior editor Bryant Francis for a conversation about the creative principles at the heart of their new venture.  When you're talking about founding any new company, you're usually dis
GDC Side Quest - Exploring co-development opportunities with Sam Carlisle
GDC Side Quest - Exploring co-development opportunities with Sam Carlisle Sep 25, 2026 2132 What's changing in the world of co-development (co-dev) and external development (ex-dev) GDC Side Quest returns with another interview recorded on the show floor of the 2026 GDC of Festival of Gaming, this time speaking with Microsoft veteran and XDS Spark co-founder Sam Carlisle. Content marketing manager Beth Elderkin joins Carlisle, who has over fifteen years of experience sourcing high-qualit
#78 - How toolmakers like ARM work with devs, ft. Peter Hodges
#78 - How toolmakers like ARM work with devs, ft. Peter Hodges Sep 18, 2026 3145 On this week's episode of the Game Developer podcast, senior editor Bryant Francis chats with Peter Hodges, director for ecosystem strategy for developer platforms at ARM. Peter is a game development veteran who uses his experience in the game-making profession to help developers integrate ARM technology into their workflows. He's currently focused on helping developers understand ARM's new Neural
#77 - Strategically making Star Wars Zero Company, ft. Greg Foertsch
#77 - Strategically making Star Wars Zero Company, ft. Greg Foertsch Sep 4, 2026 3723 On this week's episode of the Game Developer podcast, senior editor Bryant Francis sits down with Bit Reactor CEO and co-founder Greg Foertsch, who also served as creative director on Star Wars Zero Company, the newest adventure in that galaxy far far away. Foertsch sat down to discuss important perspectives on making good camera perspectives, the value in having every team member think of themsel
GDC Side Quest - Inside Austin Wintory's Collaborative Composing Process
GDC Side Quest - Inside Austin Wintory's Collaborative Composing Process Aug 28, 2026 1959 GDC Side Quest is back with another fantastic interview straight from the show floor of GDC Festival of Gaming. This month, celebrated composer Austin Wintory joins content marketing manager Beth Elderkin for a conversation about his creative process as a composer on games like Journey, Sword and the Sea, Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2, and other excellent titles. Austin also breaks down the process for
#76 - We’re finally talking about AI, ft. David "Rez" Graham and Luke Dicken
#76 - We’re finally talking about AI, ft. David "Rez" Graham and Luke Dicken Aug 21, 2026 3694 This week on the Game Developer Podcast, senior editor Bryant Francis, former Maxis senior engineer David "Rez" Graham and former Take-Two head of AI Dr. Luke Dicken—both celebrated experts in the field of video game AI—are tackling the "black hole" of a topic that is generative AI. Graham and Dicken have spent their careers studying AI techniques to help developers make better, more exciting game
#75 - What devs need to know about localization, ft.  Concha Fernández Álvarez, Aurélie Perrin, and Guido Di Carlo
#75 - What devs need to know about localization, ft. Concha Fernández Álvarez, Aurélie Perrin, and Guido Di Carlo Aug 7, 2026 4301 This week on the Game Developer Podcast, we’re diving into the discipline of localization—the undersung heroes of the video game industry. Localizers and translators are the ones who make it possible for games to sell beyond the borders of their native language—but they’re also the ones facing brutal cuts and threats to their jobs in the face of cost-cutting and dodgy implementation of generative
GDC Side Quest - A Sit-Down With The Indomitable Sam Béart
GDC Side Quest - A Sit-Down With The Indomitable Sam Béart Jul 31, 2026 1726 It's time for another episode of GDC Side Quest and another fantastic conversation recorded live on the GDC Festival of Gaming Show Floor. This month’s guest: acclaimed actor Samantha Béart, known for her work in Larian Studios' Baldur’s Gate III, Cloak and Dagger Games’s The Excavation of Hobbs Barrow, and IO Interactive’s 007 First Light. The powerhouse actor took time to discuss how they’ve see
#74 - How Jackbox Games navigated the post-pandemic sales slump ft. Mike Bilder
#74 - How Jackbox Games navigated the post-pandemic sales slump ft. Mike Bilder Jul 24, 2026 3881 This week on the Game Developer Podcast, Jackbox Games CEO Mike Bilder joins senior editor Bryant Francis to discuss how the makers of the Jackbox Party Pack series survived the—in hindsight—inevitable decline of sales after the end of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. It’s a trend that’s battered game developers all over the industry, and if Jackbox had overexpanded after its success, things
#73 - NexusMods CEO digs into the dynamics of video game modding ft. Victor Folmann
#73 - NexusMods CEO digs into the dynamics of video game modding ft. Victor Folmann Jul 10, 2026 3103 This week on the Game Developer Podcast, NexusMods CEO Victor Folmann joins senior editor Bryant Francis for a conversation about the unique and fascinating world of video game modding. For years, players have used the site as a platform to host a bona fide treasure trove of creative modifications to their favorite games. Now, Folmann believes the company can evolve from a file-hosting company to
#72 - Inside Skybound’s video game strategy ft. David “DA” Alpert and Jon Goldman
#72 - Inside Skybound’s video game strategy ft. David “DA” Alpert and Jon Goldman Jun 26, 2026 2599 This week on the Game Developer Podcast, Skybound Entertainment CEO David “DA” Alpert and co-chairman Jon Goldman join senior editor Bryant Francis to explain the company’s future video game strategy following the successful release of Quarter Up’s Invisible VS. Even in a tough economic environment for the video game industry, Alpert and Goldman are bullish on the company’s strategy and its ambiti
#71 - The art of game writing in “non-narrative” games ft. Emma Kidwell and Harrison Pink
#71 - The art of game writing in “non-narrative” games ft. Emma Kidwell and Harrison Pink Jun 12, 2026 3930 This week on the Game Developer Podcast, senior editor Bryant Francis sits down with narrative designer Harrison Pink and game writer Emma Kidwell for a conversation about the craft of creating narrative content in games that don’t strictly have a narrative focus. Between Pink’s work on Diablo VII and Kidwell’s work on Sid Meier’s Civilization VII, the pair both have plenty of experience crafting

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