André Persson

Digiai.ACADEMY

Leisure EN ↓ 8 episodes

Digiai. ACADEMY is a podcast for people working or want to get into and better understand the video game industry. Host André Persson interviews big and small stars from the past and present, sharing insights of how we built the industry and how some of the best games of all time came to be and what lessons have been learned along the way.

Author

André Persson

Episodes

Julien Wera on the Rise & Fall of his studio PART 2 10.04.2026 36:47

What happens when your dream studio has to shut down? Here’s the honest truth from Julien Wera in a unique Part 2 follow-up of the Rise & Fall of Moon Rover. In our latest chat, Julien shares the raw realities of running Moon Rover and the challenges faced from market dynamics. After three years of passion and creativity, the studio halted operations due to funding struggles, leaving behind wh...

Julien Wera on DICE, Ubisoft and the Rise & Fall of his studio PART 1 02.04.2026 1:44:54

In this season premiere two-parter, Julien Wera shares his extensive journey through the gaming industry at companies like DICE, Paradox Interactive and Ubisoft. From marketing to studio leadership, emphasizing the importance of team size, creative pillars, research, and navigating industry challenges. Discover insights on building a studio culture, balancing innovation with risk, and leadership l...

Dreamhack - Shahin's story on running the biggest game festivals in the world 31.12.2025 29:12

Events are coming back and with games now part of everyday life, one person is a big part of that change. Today we’re tapping into Shahin Zarrabi ’s story how he got to work with the biggest gaming event brand in the world and will learn what the future holds for Dreamhack and how your game can connect with the players. Let’s dive in!

Lesson 4: How Hazelight's COO manages the studio to make award winning games 11.12.2025 1:19:43

In this lesson, Hazelight COO Oskar Wolontis reveals how he ended up joining and climbed the ranks in a startup that would become the award winning studio it is today. Developers of Split Fiction, It Takes Two and A Way Out, all directed by Josef Fares who's first game Brothers: A tale of two sons set the foundation for a studio that keeps delivering on its promise. How do they do it? Oskar gi...

Lesson 3: How PlayStation's marketing made gaming cool 27.11.2025 1:24:19

In this lesson, Geoff Glendenning shares his journey from struggling in school to becoming a pivotal figure in the marketing world, particularly with the launch of PlayStation in Europe. He discusses the importance of connecting with youth culture, the evolution of marketing strategies, and the impact of AI on the industry. Geoff reflects on his experiences, the challenges faced in the marketing l...

Lesson 2: Sundberg - The Maverick behind Just Cause, Mad Max, theHunter tells all secrets 13.11.2025 1:34:42

In this lesson, Christofer Sundberg discusses his extensive journey in the gaming industry, from his early days at a young Paradox to co-founding Avalanche Studios and creating the Just Cause franchise. He shares insights on the challenges of game development, the importance of maintaining company culture, and the lessons learned from various projects, including Mad Max and theHunter. Christofer e...

Lesson 1: Knowing is half the battle (of game development) 29.10.2025 28:49

In this first lesson, host André Persson is setting the foundation for the academy through valuable insights from various devs, marketing, research and tech. Guests: Zoran Roso - Ex PlayStation & Tencent, Mikael Svensson - AWS, Jos Hoebe - BlackMill Games, Tana Tanoi - Dead Teapot Games, Emmanuel Rosier - Newzoo, Mattias Bergqvist - Northify, Christian Szymanski - Second Stage 00:00 Intro &amp...

Lesson 0: What I've learned from 30 years working with games 24.10.2025 4:04

Discover how André Persson, host of the upcoming podcast Digiai. ACADEMY started in the industry producing TV and Streaming shows, his retail career at EB Games & GameStop and how he ended up in Publishing & Development, working on some of your favourite games! Digiai. ACADEMY is an upcoming podcast for people working in the video game industry. André interviews stars from the past and pre...