Pixel Retentive Podcast

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast , Carl sits down with Matt Sharpe , Creative Director of Advertising at Zynga , to explore what it really takes to build creative campaigns that don't just look great—but actually perform. With more than 20 years in advertising and technology, Matt has helped shape campaigns across Zynga's portfolio of over 150 mobile games while working with global b...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast , Carl sits down with Jennifer Javornik , Chief Partnership Officer at Filament Games , an award-winning video game studio focused on creating games for positive impact. Jennifer shares how Filament balances two goals at once: building a financially healthy business while creating games that genuinely educate, inspire, change behavior, or help players...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast , Carl sits down with Miranda Sajdak , Product Manager at PeopleFun , to explore what Hollywood storytelling and mobile game design have in common: understanding what makes people actually care. Miranda spent more than a decade in Hollywood, writing multiple award-winning screenplays and consulting on story development before moving into mobile games...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast , Carl Cleanthes and Ross Ciuppa welcome Ryan Summers back for the show's first-ever sequel episode, flipping the format so Ryan can ask them questions about creativity, business, motion design, artistic identity, and building a sustainable creative career. Together they explore why creative studios need to deliver more than beautiful work, how entert...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast... In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast , Carl sits down with Guillaume Pierre , longtime game developer, designer, and producer whose career spans The Sims, Spore, SimCity, Star Trek, AAA development, and indie games . Guillaume began in QA at Electronic Arts before moving into production and design, and today works across design and produc...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast , Carl sits down with Janie Hughes , CEO and co-founder of Bingo Bard , a web-based social gaming platform that turns events and shared experiences into interactive bingo games designed to drive engagement, connection, and community. Janie is also a Women in Games Ambassador and former chair of the IGDA North Carolina Triangle chapter , where she help...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast , Carl sits down with Ben Desroches , a management professional with nearly 20 years of experience across creative and technology industries, to explore the human side of making great creative work. Ben's career has taken him from music and graphic arts into management across web, mobile, video games, and other creative technology environments, giving...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast , Carl sits down with Barbara Caraballo , founder of Caraballo & Co. and strategist behind business book launches for Fortune 500 CEOs, New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors, Thinkers50-ranked thought leaders, and Harvard Business Review Press authors. Barbara breaks down one of the biggest misconceptions in publishing: writing the book is...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast , Carl sits down with Kevin Brunt and Bruno Gruber , co-founders of Dogfish Games , to talk about what it actually takes to start an independent game studio in one of the most challenging periods the industry has faced. Kevin has worked in games since 2008 across projects and franchises including Valorant, Star Wars, and Plants vs. Zombies , while Bru...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast , Carl and special guest host Zach Roth sit down with Bill Trost , game designer, artist, lead designer, and co-creator of the original EverQuest , to explore how one of gaming's most memorable fantasy worlds was built. Bill helped shape the history, geography, factions, characters, mythology, and overall identity of Norrath , transforming years of ex...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast , Carl sits down with Dalex Smith , Senior Concept Artist and Art Director working in the video game industry, to unpack the messy reality behind creating beautiful games. Dalex helps lead creative teams across character, environment, vehicle, and world design, with experience on projects including PUBG: New State and his current work shaping Golden T...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast , Carl sits down with Pete Vigeant , Director of Game Design at Lil Snack and a 20-year veteran experience designer, to explore why the future of games may be shorter, more social, and more spectacular . Pete has spent his career designing experiences that bring people together, from daily games and micro games to 100,000-player live events, immersive...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast , Carl sits down with Max Zaleski , games industry professional at Crystal Dynamics and founder of Unconfirmed Flight Offerings (UFO) , to explore how storytelling connects careers in video games, professional wrestling, tabletop RPGs, stand-up comedy, and live events. Max shares his unconventional path into the games industry, lessons learned produci...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast , Carl sits down with Carol Madrigal , veteran 3D animator, motion capture specialist, Unreal Engine generalist, and freelance creative whose career spans more than two decades working on some of the biggest productions in entertainment. From Avatar , Avengers: Infinity War , and Avengers: Endgame to The Polar Express , Carol shares what it really tak...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast , Carl sits down with Dru Erridge , Founder of Gamebreaking Studios and former Tech Lead at Riot Games, to explore what it really takes to build a sustainable game studio in one of the most volatile industries in entertainment. After helping redesign League of Legends' Honor System at Riot, Dru left one of the industry's most stable companies to boots...

In this episode of the  Pixel Retentive Podcast , Carl sits down with Jonathan "Jags" Nee , a self-taught 3D generalist, cinematic trailer creator, and founder of Jags Studio , to explore one of the biggest challenges every creative faces: staying positive while pursuing mastery in an industry full of uncertainty. From losing over 100 pounds and transforming his health to building a successful fre...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast , Carl sits down with Chris Do , founder and CEO of The Futur , to explore one of the biggest challenges facing creative professionals: how to confidently sell your work based on value instead of hours. Drawing from decades of experience building creative businesses, educating millions of designers, and transforming how agencies think about pricing, C...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast , Carl sits down with Jay Prochaska , veteran game artist and art director with nearly 29 years of experience creating games across AAA studios, startups, and everything in between. From traditional hand-drawn animation to leading art teams on franchises like Halo , Counter-Strike , Team Fortress 2 , and Shrapnel , Jay shares the lessons he's learned...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast , Carl sits down with Krystal Rose , Marketing and Partnership Leader at Asmodee and Office Dog Games , to explore what makes partnerships in the tabletop industry truly successful. With more than a decade of experience spanning marketing, events, strategic communications, and gaming, Krystal shares how authentic relationships, community building, and...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast , Carl sits down with Phil O'Connor , veteran game designer, co-founder of Big Dumb Games , and designer behind titles including Far Cry 3 , Rainbow Six Siege , and Dying Light . After nearly three decades in AAA game development, Phil shares why he's betting on indie development, what today's gaming industry gets wrong, and why creativity, authentici...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast , Carl sits down with Delegate Jackie Hope Glass , Navy veteran, audio producer, community storyteller, and Virginia's 93rd District Delegate, to explore how creativity, storytelling, and authentic leadership can strengthen communities and reshape public service. From championing the creative economy to challenging outdated expectations of what leader...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast , Carl sits down with Carolin Vedder , multisensory designer, futures thinker, and motion designer, to explore why designing only for the eyes is no longer enough. Carolin explains how brands, museums, hospitality, retail, and cultural institutions can create unforgettable experiences by intentionally designing for sight, sound, scent, touch, texture,...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast , Carl sits down with Melinda Powelson , Founder and CEO of MatchEngine.com , to explore how AI, search engines, and customer behavior are reshaping modern marketing. With more than three decades of experience navigating digital transformation, Melinda shares practical insights on adapting to Google's evolving algorithms, leveraging AI without losing...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, Carl sits down with Trammell Isaac, veteran game developer, art director, and the creator of the iconic Vault Boy from the Fallout franchise. With more than 30 years in the games industry, Trammell shares the untold story behind one of gaming's most recognizable mascots, how Fallout evolved from a cult classic into a global phenomenon, and what it ta...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast , Carl sits down with Larry Kuperman , longtime games industry executive, founding member of Nightdive Studios , and one of the industry's strongest advocates for game preservation . After more than 25 years helping publishers, developers, and studios bring both new and classic games to audiences around the world, Larry shares the lessons, stories, an...