Behind the Scenes

What happens when your breakout hit collides with a publisher’s sudden bankruptcy—and your runway shrinks to three weeks? For Jan Theysen of KING Art Games, the HMH collapse turned a million‑euro royalty forecast into frozen projects and an urgent scramble to avoid layoffs—until Gameforge’s Klaas Kersting stepped in with a fast, no‑nonsense browser game deal that bridged the gap and saved the stud...

What happens when a six‑month filler refuses to stay small—and becomes your studio’s defining bet? For Konrad Kunze of FusionPlay, it began with a gap on the calendar, a “let’s mash RPG and fishing” experiment, and a cold DM to Viva La Dirt League that turned into a full creative partnership—then a publisher deal with Team17. In this episode, Konrad traces the unlikely arc from a stopgap prototype...

Please note: This interview episode was recorded in German. The entire conversation was recorded in German, preserving the original tone, humor, and depth of a discussion that thrives on nuance, personality, and shared history. In this episode, the host talks with Viola “Vio” Tensil about a career that never followed a straight path. The guiding hookline says it all: “Not planned – a career as a p...

What happens when an eight‑figure paper dream collapses—and becomes your chance to take back control? For Dieter Schöller, founder of Headup Games, it meant a near‑total stock wipeout, a buyback of his studio for EUR 500,000, and rebuilding on his own terms. In this episode of “behind the scenes,” Dieter traces his arc from law student and Wolfenstein modder to indie publisher just as digital dist...

What happens when George Lucas picks up your prototype, mashes the red button, and asks, “Why isn’t the fire button working?” For Lucasfilm Games veteran David Fox, that moment turned Rescue on Fractalus! from a principled, nonviolent rescue sim into a tense, unforgettable classic—complete with one of gaming’s earliest jump scares. In this episode of "behindthescenes," David takes us back to the e...

Special Episode: Live from the German Developer Award 2025 in Cologne Please note: This special episode is recorded in German. Gordon and Andreas attended the German Developer Award 2025 in Cologne and take you straight to the heart of one of the most important events in the German games industry. In this special episode, you’re there from the very beginning: when the show kicks off, when the atmo...

What happens when a mid‑career crisis, the frustration of “another game about orcs and zombies,” and worries about the world collide? For Jörg Friedrich, it meant walking away from business as usual, starting something small and personal—and ultimately helping change Germany’s rules on Nazi symbols in games. In this episode of “behindthescenes,” we sit down with Jörg Friedrich—co‑founder of Paintb...

Please note: This interview is conducted in German. Andreas talks with Lucina Hum, founder of Bisalina Speedruns. What happens when a niche you love refuses to grow—so you decide to grow it yourself? For Lucina Hum , speedrunner of more than a decade and organizer of Bisalina Speedruns , the answer lies somewhere between passion, frustration, and unwavering vision. In this episode of Behind the Sc...

What happens when your perfect plan collides with millions of passionate players? For Stephen Flowers, Senior Writer on the smash-hit Helldivers 2 , the answer was to throw the plan out the window and embrace the chaos. In this episode of "Behind the Scenes," recorded live at devcom 2025, we sit down with Stephen Flowers for an unflinchingly honest look at one of the most explosive and successful...

What does it take to bet your entire company on a single idea? For Don Daglow, the pioneering designer and founder of Stormfront Studios, the answer was to risk everything on a concept the world had never seen: a graphical online role-playing game. In this episode of "Behind the Scenes," recorded live at devcom 2025, we sit down with Don Daglow for a masterful look back at the birth of a genre. Th...

Please note: This interview is conducted in German. Andreas talks with Simon & Sebastian, the hosts of “Trek am Dienstag”. What happens when a defining part of your youth keeps returning in a form that feels unfamiliar? For Simon and Sebastian, hosts of the long-running podcast Trek am Dienstag , that question sits between affection, fatigue, and cautious optimism. In this episode of the Behin...

What happens after you co-create a global phenomenon? For Minh Le, the visionary behind Counter-Strike , the answer was to walk away from the security of Valve and risk it all on an ambitious successor: Tactical Intervention . In the debut episode of "Behind the Scenes," recorded live at devcom 2025, we sit down with Minh Le for an unflinchingly honest conversation about the project that came next...