Chris Taylor: Creator of Total Annihilation on Big Risks and Never Asking Permission

We Thought It Would Be Easy

Jul 08, 2025•1 hr 31 min•Ep. 2

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Episode description

In this episode, storied game designer Chris Taylor (Total Annihilation, Supreme Commander) joins Jordan Weisman and Jonathan Grant for a candid conversation about fearless creativity, costly mistakes, and why groundbreaking games often mean never waiting for permission. From pioneering real-time strategy to surviving the brutal highs and lows of independent studio life, Chris shares his boldest bets - and what it truly takes to deliver on ambitious game-design dreams.

Check out Chris' web‑based RTS project Kanoogi:
https://www.kanoogi.com/

00:00 Jordan Weisman and Jonathan Grant welcome Chris Taylor
03:10 Chris Taylor's Early Career and Hardball
08:09 Transitioning to Boxing Games
12:18 Taking the Leap: Leaving EA for Total Annihilation
15:08 The Rise of Total Annihilation: A New Genre
21:00 Balancing Complexity: The Challenge of Game Mechanics
29:00 The Role of Trust in Creative Teams
34:37 Subtraction in Design: Knowing What to Remove
40:25 Creative Freedom and Game Development
43:52 From Cave Dog to Gas Powered Games
55:13 Work-Life Balance in Game Development
01:00:18 The Pain of Innovation
01:04:34 Lessons from Mistakes and Expectations Management
01:13:50 The Burden of Expectations & Navigating Failure
01:19:01 The Evolution of Game Development
01:24:11 The Changing Landscape of the Gaming Industry

Follow Chris:
https://x.com/DeathBot9

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