Game Dev Unchained

Day 1 summary on the floor, reporting on what the buzz is.

Starting with Wildlight’s HighGuard, which drew heavy criticism for inconsistent art direction, weak gameplay choices, lack of public playtesting, poor performance, and rapidly shrinking player counts, leading to major layoffs and a much smaller remaining team. We argue modern live-service shooters face intense competition and need earlier public feedback, noting broader post-COVID overfunding has...

In this episode, we discuss EA going private and potentially some major layoffs before end of Year. Before deep diving in the state of play from the PlayStation conference. Connect with us:• 🖥 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://gamedevunchained.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • 🎞️ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/GameDevUnch...⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • ✉️ info@gamedevunchained.com• 💰 ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://anchor.fm/gamedevunchained/su...⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ •...

https://www.project-grail.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/iammalte/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ta-roy/ Malte and Roy to discuss their journey developing "Project Grail," a retro-inspired first-person shooter. The conversation covers their backgrounds in AAA studios, the influence of classic games like Doom and Wolfenstein, the challenges of balancing side projects with full-time jobs, and the ev...

In this solo episode, I address three significant topics in the game development industry: backlash from social media posts following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the tragic death of Microsoft engineer Pratik Pandey linked to crunch culture, and the broader industry shakeout leading to significant job losses. The discussion covers the impacts of public comments by game...

Alien: Rogue Incursion - Evolved Edition | Coming Soon to PS5, PS5 Pro, Steam, Xbox, and Epic Ross De Vito | LinkedIn In this episode we have Ross DeVito, a gameplay programmer at Survios, a VR studio. Ross shares his journey from studying mechanical engineering at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to finding fulfillment in virtual reality game development. He discusses the development of 'Alien: Rogue Inc...

In this episode, we discuss the recent layoffs in the game industry and the economic challenges faced by game studios, focusing on the long development cycles and mismanagement in AAA studios like Cloud Chamber's BioShock project. We examine the role of AI in game development, highlighting its potential to assist with asset creation and coding while noting its current limitations. The conversation...

In this episode we sit down with longtime friend and industry veteran Drew Smith for a candid conversation about the evolving landscape of game development. Drew shares his journey from hustling his way into Take-Two, producing at 2K, and working on iconic titles like Bioshock and Destiny, to navigating the challenges of remote work, starting his own studio, and adapting to a rapidly changing indu...

In this roundtable episode, the crew dives into Bungie’s upcoming "Marathon," dissecting its art style, gameplay, and what it signals about the state of AAA game development. We discuss industry layoffs, the decline of Western studios, and the challenges facing big-budget games, while reflecting on the future of game development and the rise of smaller, more agile teams. Connect with us:• 🖥 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

About this episode:hristopher Stone is a dynamic Studio General Manager who has played a key role in some of the industry's most notable AAA titles. Currently, he's leading work on Ready or Not, while his impressive portfolio also includes high-profile projects such as Callisto Protocol, Days Gone, Call of Duty, and Dead Space. In this episode, Christopher shares his journey through ground...

https://magicmind.com/gduJan⁠ Get 45% off for mental wealth bundled with Magic Mind's new Sleep Elixir for better sleep. About this episode: Leo Gonzalez is the cofounder of GoDemics, a co development studio that partners with Riot Games, Gearbox, and 2K. He's a veteran of the industry with over 15 years of experience. This episode we dive into a special segment talking about UFOs and cons...

About this episode: Tony & Abby are independent game developers behind Black Tabby Games. Following up their first success, Scarlet Hollow, Slay the Princess is already a hit. I sat down with the team to learn about how the game came to be, and their advice doing this the second time. Connect with us: • 🖥 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://gamedevunchained.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • 🎞️ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/GameDevUnch....

https://magicmind.com/gduJan Get 45% off for mental wealth bundled with Magic Mind's new Sleep Elixir for better sleep. About this episode: Tencent comes into question and is listed as a military company. Ray and I also talked about Ubisoft latest update, and how the industry is recovering. Connect with us: • 🖥 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://gamedevunchained.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • 🎞️ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.youtube.com/c/GameD...

About this episode: In this episode, I sit down with Jordan Smith (20 year game design veteran) to talk about what it takes to keep pushing forward as a game developer when the industry feels like it’s falling apart. We share stories about staying passionate, dealing with uncertainty, and finding strength in tough times—things I know we’ve all faced at some point in our careers. (1) Jordan (Altura...

About this episode: Coming back after a hiatus, I talk about what conversations and topics I'll be tackling for 2025. Connect with us: • 🖥 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://gamedevunchained.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • 🎞️ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/GameDevUnch...⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • ✉️ info@gamedevunchained.com • 💰 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://anchor.fm/gamedevunchained/su...⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ •📸 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/gamedevunchained⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

About this episode: Jim Gray is a seasoned video game professional with over two decades of experience, having led engineering and development teams at notable companies such as ILMxLAB, Sledgehammer Games, and Midnight Society. He has a strong background in gameplay programming and engineering management, contributing to titles like Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare and Ralph Breaks VR . Currently,...

About this episode: Ubisoft is making all types of bad headlines. This was recorded even before the rumor that the brothers are looking to sell to Tencent. Given more credence to our doomsday prediction that Ubisoft is on its last desperate legs. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Raymond Graham (@Wadarass) / X⁠ Connect with us: • 🖥 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://gamedevunchained.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • 🎞️ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/GameDevUnch....

Magic Mind is offering a saving of 48% for unchained listeners. This is their best offer yet and it won't last long! Give that brain a boost and start your day with Magic Mind. Go to ⁠⁠⁠https://www.magicmind.com/DEVUNCHAINED20⁠⁠⁠ About this episode: Scott Rogers with over 25 years in the game industry and an accomplished author drops by on the show to discuss the latest in the game development...

Magic Mind is offering a saving of 48% for unchained listeners. This is their best offer yet and it won't last long! Give that brain a boost and start your day with Magic Mind. Go to ⁠⁠⁠https://www.magicmind.com/DEVUNCHAINED20⁠⁠⁠ About this episode: From the horrific Sony exclusive Concord and bug-filled Star Wars: Outlaws, when people hear AAA most gamers groan and moan knowing that they are...

Magic Mind is offering a saving of 48% for unchained listeners. This is their best offer yet and it won't last long! Give that brain a boost and start your day with Magic Mind. Go to ⁠⁠https://www.magicmind.com/DEVUNCHAINED20⁠⁠ About this episode: Shawn Beck is from an award-winning Malaysian game studio, Weyrdworks, introduced his studio's philosophy and shared insights into the Malaysian...

Magic Mind is offering a saving of 48% for unchained listeners. This is their best offer yet and it won't last long! Give that brain a boost and start your day with Magic Mind. Go to ⁠https://www.magicmind.com/DEVUNCHAINED20⁠ About this episode: We discussed the current challenges and future outlook for the game industry. Oli suggested that while the industry is experiencing a delayed effect f...

About this episode: Ray and I discussed various challenges and trends in the game development industry, including funding issues, layoffs, and the impact of streaming services like Game Pass and Netflix. We also critiqued the current state of publishing and movie industries, and the trend of game publishers and developers moving towards subscription services. Lastly, we discussed the evolving PC g...

Magic Mind is offering a saving of 20% for unchained listeners. This is their best offer yet and it won't last long! Give that brain a boost and start your day with Magic Mind. Go to https://www.magicmind.com/DEVUNCHAINED20 About this episode: In this episode, I welcome Xalavier Nelson Jr., founder of Strange Scaffold, discussing his game "Life Eater" tackling moral ambiguity and int...

Subscribe to Game Dev Unchained! Get access to subscriber-only episodes for a monthly subscription. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevunchained/subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ About this episode: In this episode, we dive into the transformative role of AI in the gaming industry. We explore how AI enhances creativity, streamlines game development, and empowers...

Subscribe to Game Dev Unchained! Get access to subscriber-only episodes for a monthly subscription. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevunchained/subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ About this episode: James Montagna discusses the challenges and creative processes behind reimagining classic games like 'Yar's Revenge' for modern audiences. He highlights the...