Game Dev Local Podcast

In this episode, Oscar is joined in his podquest to 'learn everything about #gamedev you never dared to ask' by Simon Sparks, an expert in People, Talent, and Culture in games. We explore what 'culture' means in practice in games and how.

In this episode, we will discuss Friendly Fire Digital's experience on the Game Academy course and what we are currently working on with the team we have created since the course ended

In this episode, Zsuzsa, Head of People and Culture at Wushu Studios, joins us to chat about what makes the people at Wushu tick, and what spirit and values they aim for consistently

In this episode, Emily and Sadie will discuss the pros and cons of their University experience whilst also discussing and providing advice for Networking.

In this episode, Oscar is joined in his podquest to learn everything about #gamedev you never dared to ask by fellow #GDL Host and indie game legal consultant Myska Hattersley. They talk about her journey from growing up in South Africa with a focus on law (and Drones) into finding her place in the industry she had always aspired to.

In this episode, Oscar is joined in his podquest to learn everything about #gamedev you never dated to ask by fellow #GDL Host and producer at Climax Roni Yosko. They talk about the differences and challenges we face when making games in an AAA team verses indie - and what lessons can be learned on both sides.

In this episode, Nina is joined by Brendan Walker to dive deep into the evolving world of indie VR development. Over the last decade, the landscape of VR has shifted - so what does it take to survive as an indie VR dev today? Brendan shares his experiences navigating the highs and lows, from pitching prototypes to dealing with touch development decisions, and the challenges and considerations made...

In this episode of Growing Pains, GDL host and Games Strategy Consultant Jay Uppal sits down with Timofey Sugaipov, ex-Analytics Engineer at Trailmix Games to talk all things Data. Data has become one of the biggest keywords in the last decade in both the Games and Tech industries, but its role and function in studios is still a bit of a mystery to most. In this episode, we deep dive into the core...

In this episode of the Game Dev Local Podcast, host Oscar continues his ongoing podquest to uncover everything about game development that you never dared to ask. This time, he's joined by Game Dev Local founder Stuart De Ville for a deep dive into platforms, channels, and discovery—three key pillars of getting your game noticed in today’s competitive market. From choosing the right platforms...

Success in game development isn’t just about making a great game—it’s about making the right decisions at every stage. From prototyping and team management to marketing and funding, indie developers need solid strategies to navigate an increasingly competitive industry. In this episode, GDL Director Tom Morgan and Founder Stuart De Ville break down key tactics indie devs can use to build sustainab...

In this episode of Growing Pains, GDL host and Games Strategy Consultant Jay Uppal sits down with Rhys Elliott, Games Journalist and Games Analyst at MIDiA Research, together they discuss some of the biggest gaming trends that are impacting the industry today. Delving into everything from AI to Ads and the ever-elusive Switch 2. This episode covers our top takes for some of what 2025 holds in stak...

In this episode, Chris Gregory and Emily Inkpen from Alternative Stories, the team behind 'The Dex Legacy' join Oscar to explore what lessons we can learn from the writing and sound world-building from Audio Drama. Oscar was previously a guest on Alternative Stories and Fake Realities Podcast which can be found here: Alternative Stories: https://alternativestories.com/ Emily Inkpen: https:...

In this episode, Nina and Jeff chat about the secret sauce in strong teams and the value of passion, perspective, and communication across all forms of design.

In this episode of Growing Pains, GDL host and Games Strategy Consultant Jay Uppal sits down with Teemu Haila, CPO and founder of Metaplay, they discuss Teemu's path in Games from the early days of mobile and live-service games to the behemoth the industry has become today. His journey in games has seen him found and lead several teams across various facets and regions within the industry. So tune...

The GDL podcast is back for 2025. In this special episode, the Founder and CEO of GDL is joined by Jay Uppal (host of the popular GDL Growing Pains series) to talk all things Games and beyond. Warning: Lot of tangents abound. So, if you want to hear more about The State of Play and where we’ve been, where we are going, and how we fit into the world, and hey if that’s not enough, then just tune in...

In this episode, GDL Host Laura Donohue Speaks to Jimmy Zhou, an Insights Manager at Riot Games, about the benefits of being a mentor and mentee, how to get the most out of a mentorship, and how to find your perfect mentor.

Gunnar Holmsteinn from Quest Portal joins Oscar on his Podquest to explore the influence of Dungeons and Dragons and his decision to make the next generation of Virtual Table Tops (VTTs) - we also talk a little about a positive use of AI to support the games master.

In this episode of Growing Pains, GDL host and Games Strategy Consultant Jay Uppal sits down with Kae Cheung, senior designer at Payload Studios, they discuss Kae's path into game design and the broader industry trends that impacted Payload Studios. Once a proud champion of UK's games industry, Payload is only one of a number of studios that has recently been brought to the verge of bankruptcy. Ja...

Amelia Price from Sustainable Film joins Oscar on his Podquest to explore the different challenges and lessons faced by Film and Game Studios when it comes to leaving a reduced impact on the world. What practical ways can we be more sustainable?

Greg Hennessey, Design Director at CCP Games (Eve Online), has had an interesting and winding journey through games which has brought him from his home country of Canada all the way to Iceland. In this episode, we take a peek at his life as a Design Director, cover how leaders can make themselves open to critique and leave the door open for conversation and talk about the his idea of a great party...

In this episode of Growing Pains, GDL host and Games Strategy Consultant Jay Uppal sits down with Anime Producer Will Feng to discuss everything about life in Japan. Will has been in the Animation space for 20+ years and has been right on the frontlines of the recent Anime boom that has inspired some of the recent transmedia strategies in games. Jay and Will dive deep into everything from life in...

Fellow host Laura joins Oscar on his Podquest to explore the nature of professional learning in various forms from the humble webinar to interactive workshops, accelerator programs, mentoring and even peer information sharing. Why does it matter that we keep on learning? And what does someone doing that training need to consider in the ways they deliver that?

In this episode, host Nina Kim sits down with David Evans, the indie developer of Sail Forth. David delves into the creative inspirations behind his project, reflecting on the journey of building a game as a solo dev. With candid stories from his personal experience, David opens up about the challenges and triumphs he faced during development, and offers insights for anyone who is starting on a si...

In this episode of Growing Pains, GDL host and Games Strategy Consultant, Jay Uppal sits down with Bastian Bergmann, the Co-founder of Solsten.io. Solsten is a Consumer Insights research firm that aims to put individual players back at the core of the game development cycle. They use psychologically backed techniques meshed with traditional behavioural research to identify the way and how behind a...

Nina Kim from Rare joins Oscar on his Podquest to discuss the challenges of defining the multifaceted role of game designer, as well as the joys of the ever-evolving nature of design.