Original Air Date: Feb. 2, 2021 - Do you know who wrote the last gaming article you read? Do you know how or why they wrote it? In this episode, you'll hear about a trend certain outlets have adopted that are raising major ethics concerns from outside the gaming community (this time) and what you need to look out for when browsing the news.Show NotesOn paid media council programs • https://www.theguardian.com/media/2021/jan/23/rolling-stone-magazine-culture-council-publication by Archie Bland fo...
Jul 17, 2025•32 min
Original Air Date: Jan. 28, 2021 - A popular studio's future is in question amid allegations of inappropriate behavior stemming from the highest levels of management. We discuss what's being reported and examine everyone's responsibility to identify and help change this pattern in the workplace.Support our sponsorsThis show was sponsored by Appfigures! Appfigures is all about giving game makers the tools they need to reduce risk and get more downloads. To find out more, head to https://appfigure...
Jul 17, 2025•41 min
Original Air Date: Jan. 28, 2021 - An alternative philosophy to consider when projects and other collaborations break down, and a look at how Hasbro took a collection of imperfect classics and made them new.Support our sponsorsThis show was sponsored by Appfigures! Appfigures is all about giving game makers the tools they need to reduce risk and get more downloads. To find out more, head to https://appfigures.com/on/GameDevBreakdown to try Appfigures for free. if you like it, use our special cod...
Jul 17, 2025•39 min
Original Air Date: Jan. 14, 2021 - Alien Scumbags designer and developer, James Ross, calls in to discuss his game's early success and some of the unique ways he's involved community members in the project. We also age ourselves with talk of floppy disks and Game Maker version 1.0.Support our sponsorsThis show was sponsored by Appfigures! Appfigures is all about giving game makers the tools they need to reduce risk and get more downloads. To find out more, head to https://appfigures.com/on/GameD...
Jul 17, 2025•53 min
Original Air Date: Jan. 11, 2021 - For a change of pace, we go back and follow up on a set of previous news stories to see where things ended up. Topics include LEGO and Unity, the Playdate, EA's FIFA loot boxes, and Moore...Support our sponsorsThis show was sponsored by Appfigures! Appfigures is all about giving game makers the tools they need to reduce risk and get more downloads. To find out more, head to https://appfigures.com/on/GameDevBreakdown to try Appfigures for free. if you like it, u...
Jul 17, 2025•34 min
Original Air Date: Jan. 7, 2021- We've endured the nightmares of 2020 and grabbed every small victory possible along the way. Time to regroup and look ahead.Support our sponsorsThis show was sponsored by Appfigures! Appfigures is all about giving game makers the tools they need to reduce risk and get more downloads. To find out more, head to https://appfigures.com/on/GameDevBreakdown to try Appfigures for free. if you like it, use our special code GDB3030 to get 30% off for the next 3 months.Sho...
Jul 17, 2025•42 min
Original Air Date: Jan. 4, 2021 - We close out allllll that Virtual Indie Games Expo 2020 coverage with the creative minds behind the upcoming roguelike platformer CreatorCrate and the asymmetric VR game--that is, co-op between a headset wearer and their smartphone-equipped teammates--Operation Armstrong.To find out more about the first Virtual Indie Games Expo, visit https://indiegamesexpo.com/. Our thanks to the organizers for access to the event.Support our sponsorsThis show was sponsored by ...
Jul 17, 2025•50 min
Original Air Date: Dec. 30, 2020 - The party never stops in this episode as the designers behind the card-based drinking game Last Call for Alcohol and the Jackbox-style party game Assimilate! call in to discuss promoting physical games at a distance, design conventions for unusual experiences, and more.To find out more about the first Virtual Indie Games Expo, visit https://indiegamesexpo.com/. Our thanks to the organizers for access to the event.Support our sponsorsThis show was sponsored by A...
Jul 17, 2025•48 min
Original Air Date: Dec. 28, 2020 - Following their appearances at Virtual Indie Games Expo 2020, the designers behind the Crumbs and Clash of the Genres board games call in to discuss inspiration, pandemic survival, and in one case, getting cut off on Fox News.To find out more about the first Virtual Indie Games Expo, visit https://indiegamesexpo.com/. Our thanks to the organizers for access to the event.Support our sponsorsThis show was sponsored by Appfigures! Appfigures is all about giving ga...
Jul 17, 2025•38 min
Original Air Date: Dec. 23, 2020 - Following their exhibits at Virtual Indie Games Expo 2020, creators behind GunDrill and the TeamJumpers games discuss indie life, platform release strategies, navigating game engine options, dealing with negativity, and more.To find out more about the first Virtual Indie Games Expo, visit https://indiegamesexpo.com/. Our thanks to the organizers for access to the event.Support our sponsorsThis show was sponsored by Appfigures! Appfigures is all about giving gam...
Jul 17, 2025•41 min
Original Air Date: Dec. 21, 2020 - Following their exhibits at Virtual Indie Games Expo 2020, creators from Laser Beams & Particle Streams Software, Inc. share details on the upcoming 4X/RTS/Space flight sim, Rank: Warmaster and Ryan S. Peterson tells us about his upcoming platform brawler, Altercation.To find out more about the first Virtual Indie Games Expo, visit https://indiegamesexpo.com/. Our thanks to the organizers for access to the event.Rank: Warmaster links • http://RankWarmaster....
Jul 17, 2025•39 min
Original Air Date: Dec. 17, 2020 - In this episode of the GameDev Breakdown podcast, Ryan Engle calls in to explain how he started as a soloist with an augmented reality putting prototype and wound up leading a team through the development of the definitive virtual reality Topgolf experience.Episode links • https://www.oculus.com/experiences/quest/2412327085529357/ at the Oculus store • https://twitter.com/Rengle820 on Twitter • http://topgolf.comIf you enjoy GameDev Breakdown • Sign up for our ...
Jul 17, 2025•51 min
Original Air Date: Dec. 14, 2020 - EA has scooped up Codemasters at great cost. Germany is investigating Facebook over potentially anticompetitive practices in handling the Quest 2. Players are seeking--and receiving--refunds for Cyberpunk 2077, and it only gets weirder from here.Episode news storieshttps://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-12-14-ea-agrees-USD1-2-billion-acquisition-of-codemastersEA will purchase Codemasters to the tune of over $1.2 billion. The companies say this will allow t...
Jul 17, 2025•42 min
Original Air Date: Dec. 10, 2020 - We wrap up the console development series with a look at Sony PlayStation hardware, the development programs they run, interesting funding initiatives, and an unusual story about how Sony delisted a previous podcast guest.If you enjoy GameDev Breakdown • Sign up for our https://codewriteplay.com/newsletter/! • https://codewriteplay.com/the-gamedev-breakdown-podcast/ to the podcast on the platform of your choice • Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/gamedev...
Jul 17, 2025•37 min
Original Air Date: Dec. 7, 2020 - TREE Industries CTO, Joshua Johnson, gives an inside look at one of the disc golf community's most anticipated titles, Ultimate Disc Golf. We talk indie development business, the challenges of using all-purpose physics engines for very specific applications, and more.Show topicshttps://ultimatediscgolfgame.com/Ultimate Disc Golf is an upcoming disc golf game from TREE Industries. The game has been profiled on the UDisc blog and elsewhere around the sport's commu...
Jul 17, 2025•46 min
Original Air Date: Dec. 3, 2020 - Versus CEO and Co-Founder, John Vitti, calls in to discuss the early success of Versus Game, designing around human nature, players as designers, and we speculate about our chances against the eventual rise of the machines.Show Topics • John’s background • How Versus works • Gaming during covid • Prediction and human nature • Working with celebs and influencers • Lessons in entrepreneurship and scalingJohn's Links • http://VersusGame.com • https://www.youtube.co...
Jul 17, 2025•41 min
Original Air Date: Nov. 30, 2020 - Over the weekend, Todd presented virtually to students, indies, and other industry folks at GameDev Camp 2020 to present insight gathered through interviews conducted throughout the last year. This episode recaps the event and includes the full audio of the presentation.Speakers featured in the presentation include: • Mingaile Striaukaitė, Communications Manager, Tag of Joy • David Jagneaux, Editor, UploadVR • Robert Hubert, Development Director, AGOG Entertain...
Jul 17, 2025•28 min
Original Air Date: Nov. 26, 2020 - In continuing our console development basics series, we look at what it takes to develop an indie game for Nintendo's latest game console, the Switch. If you like more options, we'll look at a way you can make a limited Switch game with no permission from Nintendo whatsoever. Finally, we'll take a look at the most manageable option for going old school with your own NES project.Community EventsCatch Todd's http://gamedevcamp.org/ presentation free via https://w...
Jul 17, 2025•40 min
Original Air Date: Nov. 23, 2020 - There's a lot of new buzz about Microsoft's love for indie developers. Have they really made it easy to target the Xbox? In this episode, Todd looks at indie options for bringing a new or existing project to Xbox systems.If you enjoy GameDev Breakdown • Sign up for our https://codewriteplay.com/newsletter/! • https://codewriteplay.com/the-gamedev-breakdown-podcast/ to the podcast on the platform of your choice • Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/gamedevp...
Jul 17, 2025•42 min
Original Air Date: Nov. 18, 2020 - Pixelmatic Chief Creative Officer, Jason Lee, calls in to discuss his design contributions to legendary RTS series (Age of Empires, Company of Heroes, and Warhammer 40,000), Pixelmatic's upcoming space strategy game (Infinite Fleet), and the challenges of implementing actual cryptocurrencies both for in-game trade and to raise funds for the game's development.Jason's Links • http://InfiniteFleet.com • https://www.youtube.com/c/InfiniteFleet/featured • https://t...
Jul 17, 2025•59 min
Original Air Date: Nov. 15, 2020 - By community request: Thoughts on the topic of motivation, both in everyday life and in indie game development.This episode came from the Patreon vault! It was recorded last year but never widely released. My book project is mentioned a number of times. That book is still forthcoming. The topic was changed to incorporate expertise from numerous people I've interviewed here on GameDev Breakdown, then we started the pandemic. The last chapter is being written and...
Jul 17, 2025•25 min
Original Air Date: Nov. 12, 2020 - Lego and Unity have teamed up to offer an educational experience set in the Lego universe, but is there more than meets the eye? We'll discuss who the new Lego microgame project is for, what you can accomplish with it, and speculate wildly about what's next.The https://blogs.unity3d.com/2020/09/09/create-your-first-game-brick-by-virtual-brick-with-the-lego-microgame/ is available at Unity's blog. Once you have the right version installed, you'll find it in the ...
Jul 17, 2025•31 min
Original Air Date: Nov. 9, 2020 - Weakest Link contestant Spencer Scott calls in ahead of his debut on NBC's popular game show to talk about his experience, his mindset under pressure, and the early experiences in his life that may have helped set him on his path. We also take a look at the design of The Weakest Link, what makes it compelling, and what might make for a successful video game adaptation in the modern day.Show topics: • Catch our chat with Spencer ahead of his episode of Weakest Li...
Jul 17, 2025•32 min
Original Air Date: Nov. 5, 2020 - By community request, we take a look at the games as a service model, its performance in the game industry, and its impact on traditional revenue models in games.As mentioned in the show, this episode uses a study on industry data collected in 2018, but you'll notice many of the trends we'll discuss are still holding strong.Thanks again to Charlie Cox for the topic! If you enjoy hearing the Patreon vault shows, let us know and we'll bring you more!If you enjoy G...
Jul 17, 2025•22 min
Original Air Date: Nov. 2, 2020 - A major industry publisher has finally been burned in the global crackdown on loot crates. It could have been easily avoided.EA gets wrecked in Netherlands district court • GamesIndustry.biz - https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-10-29-ea-fined-10m-over-loot-boxes-as-dutch-court-sides-with-gambling-authority • TheSixthAxis.com - https://www.thesixthaxis.com/2020/10/29/fifa-ultimate-team-fut-packs-dutch-law-netherlands-fine-removed/If you enjoy GameDev Bre...
Jul 17, 2025•20 min
Original Air Date: Oct. 26, 2020 - A creative director at Google Stadia makes surprising comments about the relationship between streamers, studios, and publishers. The community points out it's not the first time he's gained controversial attention. Jason Schreier emerges from the Fortress of Condescension to dunk on...everyone. We look for the dividing line separating fact from fiction about Alex Hutchinson.Alex Hutchinson • Active in game industry since early 2000s. • Credits at EA, Ubisoft, ...
Jul 17, 2025•40 min
Original Air Date: Oct. 22, 2020 - SEGA celebrates its 60th anniversary by releasing a cancelled Golden Axe reboot on Steam, complete with a tongue-in-cheek title sequence and apologies for its bugs and jankiness. The developer cries foul and tells the story behind its chaotic production.If you enjoy GameDev Breakdown • Sign up for our https://codewriteplay.com/newsletter/! • https://codewriteplay.com/the-gamedev-breakdown-podcast/ to the podcast on the platform of your choice • Follow us on Twi...
Jul 17, 2025•33 min
Original Air Date: Oct. 19, 2020 - An email from a familiar name illustrated a perfect example of why you should be kind to people in your content space, or failing that, at least be quiet. We’ll also discuss why a sky-high number of followers on social media isn’t exactly what you should be chasing.TopicsOn Wheaton's Law • Wherever you are, someone is below your level. It’s usually easy to help or encourage people. It’s even easier to say nothing, if you prefer. • Keep your attitude under contr...
Jul 17, 2025•30 min
Original Air Date: Oct. 15, 2020 - By community request, we look at what successful developers have to say about pricing your indie game. I'll talk about my experience, too, so you know what not to do.The pricing topic runs deep. Some platforms have pricing limitations and requirements, but most are wide open, leaving you to solve the mystery for yourself. Do you price according to your valuation of your own work? Do you focus on the competition? What about the target audience? These are the que...
Jul 17, 2025•40 min
Original Air Date: Oct. 12, 2020 - Do you really have time to support your own video game? If you're an indie game developer, the answer is probably no, but app and game stores expect you to provide this service for your customers. In this episode of GameDev Breakdown, we'll take a look at some strategies you can leverage to make this part of life a little easier.Here's the problem: indie developers work full-time jobs, they develop on nights and weekends, and they have to release their games fo...
Jul 17, 2025•19 min
