Game Maker"s Notebook

02:32:20

Re-release: The History of Dwarf Fortress with Zach...

Game Maker"s Notebook ·

2026/04/20

We're on a quick release break for new episodes, so here's one our past conversations from Mar 27, 2023 with Tarn Adams and Zach Adams, brothers who together created Dwarf Fortress! Trent chats with the brothers about their 20 year journey in creating the aforementioned title including the early inspirations that led them to learn programming; the games they developed before Dwarf Fortress; crucial creative and community milestones; working together with Kitfox Games on the updated version for

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01:18:11

The Sounds of ARC Raiders with Audio Director Bence...

Game Maker"s Notebook ·

2026/04/13

Austin Wintory chats with Bence Pajor, the Audio Director behind Embark Studios' smash hit extraction shooter, Arc Raiders. Together they discuss his early career in music and how he transitioned to audio design; his work at DICE on the Battlefield series; the moral implications when designing realistic audio experiences for combat simulations; balancing music to not break player immersion; and creating modern synth music with retro aesthetics. This episode is supported by Xsolla iam8bit

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01:19:09

Jenny Jiao Hsia Shares The Story Of Her Life In...

Game Maker"s Notebook ·

2026/04/06

Alexa Ray Corriea chats with Jenny Jiao Hsia, co-director of Consume Me. Together they discuss where Jenny first got the idea to tell a semi-autobiographical story through video games; learning to not micromanage and lean on your team; how personal finances restrict or enable creativity; the dangers of social media and need for external validation; and the importance of having interests outside of games to help with creative and personal fulfillment. This episode is supported by Xsolla iam8bit

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01:17:40

Arc Raiders Design Director Virgil Watkins

Game Maker"s Notebook ·

2026/03/30

Adam Orth chats with Virgil Watkins, the design director behind Embark Studios' smash hit extraction shooter, Arc Raiders. Together they discuss his early passion in modding and how it led to him joining Embark Studios as a Technical Designer on the initial PVE version of Arc Raiders; how internal testing shaped the system design and core experience of the PvPvE version; the ways they're seeking to improve the game post-launch; and how they balance handcrafted experiences with randomness in the

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01:52:21

Ben Starr on Acting and the State of the Games Industry

Game Maker"s Notebook ·

2026/03/23

Alexa Ray Corriea chats with Actor Ben Starr. Together they discuss his role in the multi-D.I.C.E. Award winning game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33; balancing authenticity and restraint in the public sphere; voice acting in a game filled with intimacy in Date Everything!; and his observations on the difficulties many developers face today. This episode is supported by Xsolla iam8bit Episode Host: Alexa Ray Corriea Producers: Claudio Tapia and Josh Chu, The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences If

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01:22:39

Battlefield 6 Creative Director Thomas Andersson

Game Maker"s Notebook ·

2026/03/09

Adam Orth chats with Battlefield 6 Creative Director, Thomas Andersson. Together they discuss his path in games from level design to direction; what it takes to lead a team the size it takes to create a Battlefield title; the pillars and core features that drove the mission in the newest entry; how the kinetic movement and destruction work together to create unique and epic moments; and the technical and design challenges present when emphasizing player freedom. This episode is sponsored by: Xsolla

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01:28:21

The State of Games Writing with Writer & Narrative...

Game Maker"s Notebook ·

2026/03/02

Karrie Shao chats with writer and narrative designer Cara Ellison. Together they discuss her path from television to games; the global development scene and the difficulties facing developers today; her desire to bring local culture to the global stage; and her work with Fireproof Games on the D.I.C.E. Award winning VR title, Ghost Town. Episode Host: Karrie Shao Producers: Claudio Tapia and Josh Chu, The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences If you enjoyed this episode, please consider

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01:06:08

Cory Davis (Spec Ops: The Line) & Robin Finck (Nine...

Game Maker"s Notebook ·

2026/02/23

Adam Orth chats with Eyes Out co-founders Cory Davis (Spec Ops: the Line) and Robin Finck (Nine Inch Nails) about their studio's debut game, SLEEP AWAKE. Together they discuss their distinct paths from traditional games and music and how they found themselves collaborating together; the unique audio-first approach they took with SLEEP AWAKE; the psychedelic dreamlike horror themes present throughout the experience; and the contrasts and parallels they discovered with creating music and games. This

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01:49:37

The Audio Experience of Ghost of Yotei with Rev. Dr....

Game Maker"s Notebook ·

2026/02/09

Grammy Award winning composer Austin Wintory chats with Rev. Dr. Bradley D. Meyer, Audio Director at Sucker Punch Productions. Together they discuss his path to gaming and joining Sucker Punch; his thoughts on audio design including on his latest work in Ghost of Yōtei; the complex marriage of audio and music in large projects; and how they balanced the score of Ghost of Yōtei between Japanese Folk and Spaghetti Westerns influences. **Editor's Note: (01:01:48) Amon Tobin is the composer of the first

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29:48

Talking Game Maker's Sketchbook with Double Fine's...

Game Maker"s Notebook ·

2026/02/06

Guest host Tim Schafer (Double Fine Productions) chats with Jon Gibson (iam8bit) Meggan Scavio (AIAS), and Sibel Sunar (fortyseven communications) about their joint effort to celebrate the world of game art, the Game Maker's Sketchbook. Together they discuss the history and goals of the showcase; the charities it supports in the AIAS Foundation and Day of the Devs; and how to participate and help celebrate the art that goes into creating the games we love. Episode Host: Tim Schafer Producers:

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01:21:51

Abiotic Factor with Geoff "Zag" Keene and Henry Feltham

Game Maker"s Notebook ·

2026/02/03

Corey May chats with Abiotic Factor developers Geoff "Zag" Keene and Henry Feltham from Deep Field Games. Together they discuss the challenges and benefits of working in small teams; the importance of relationships and communication; narrative design as a production tool; balancing seriousness and comedy; and what they didn't like about the survival genre that they hoped to remedy with Abiotic Factor. This episode is supported by Xsolla Episode Host: Corey May Producers: Claudio Tapia and Josh Chu,

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01:22:24

History of the Anno series with Creative Director...

Game Maker"s Notebook ·

2026/01/26

Trent Kusters chats with Ubisoft Mainz Creative Director, Manuel Reinher. Together they discuss his extensive work in the Anno series and his path from the art team to direction; the creative and technical challenges of working in the historical strategy game genre; their approach to depicting the Roman Empire in the latest series release, Anno 117: Pax Romana; how a seemingly simple transition from square to hexagon tiles comes with massive ramifications in all parts of game design; and how they

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01:03:59

Narrative Design in DISPATCH with Director Nick Herman

Game Maker"s Notebook ·

2026/01/19

Alexa Ray Corriea chats with Adhoc Studio's Nick Herman about their debut title, Dispatch. Together they discuss the difficulties of funding narrative based titles and how that led to their collaboration with Critical Role; how they approached the superhero genre from outside the fandom; balancing player choice with narrative intentions; what they learned from player testing; and why they chose the episodic format. This episode is supported by Xsolla iam8bit Episode Host: Alexa Ray Corriea

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02:54:37

Double Fine's Lee Petty talks Keeper and Creative...

Game Maker"s Notebook ·

2026/01/12

Trent Kusters chats with Lee Petty, Creative Director on Double Fine's newest adventure, Keeper. Together they discuss where the idea to anthropomorphize a light house; why they avoided dialogue and how it pushed them creatively; how silence and emptiness shape emotional tone; the importance of restraint; and what he's learned about leadership throughout his journey at Double Fine. This episode is supported by Xsolla iam8bit Episode Host: Trent Kusters Producers: Claudio Tapia and Josh Chu, The

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01:48:42

SILENT HILL f Director Al Yang on Creating an All-New...

Game Maker"s Notebook ·

2025/12/29

Jun Shen Chia chats with SILENT HILL f game director Al Yang of Neobards Entertainment. Together they discuss how Neobards collaborated with Konami and famed Japanese writer Ryukishi07 on creating the newest chapter in the Silent Hill series; designing the combat to create tension and feel like a puzzle; creating a game for existing fans that brings in new players; and balancing fun while trying to tell a deep emotional story. This episode is supported by Xsolla Episode Host: Jun Shen Chia

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01:27:36

Making THE OUTER WORLDS 2 with Obsidian's Brandon...

Game Maker"s Notebook ·

2025/12/22

Adam Orth chats with Brandon Adler and Kyle Koenig about their latest work at Obsidian Entertainment, The Outer Worlds 2. Together they discuss the lessons they learned from the first game and what they sought to improve; how they implemented comedic and narrative elements into every aspect of gameplay; what ideas ended up on the cutting room floor; and what's next for themselves and the franchise. This episode is sponsored by: Xsolla Episode Host: Adam Orth Producers: Claudio Tapia and Josh Chu,

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01:05:04

Becoming the Ghost of Yōtei with Erika Ishii

Game Maker"s Notebook ·

2025/12/15

This episode contains spoilers for the game 'Ghost of Yōtei' Alexa Ray Corriea chats with actor and producer, Erika Ishii who stars as Atsu in Ghost of Yōtei. Together they discuss Erika's journey in acting and how they found themselves working in video games; working with Sucker Punch and their process working with performers; the advantages of bringing in the cast early in development; and the importance of acknowledging the team effort required to bring a game character to life. This episode is

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01:20:31

The Challenges of Game Localization, Writing and...

Game Maker"s Notebook ·

2025/12/08

Alexa Ray Corriea chats with Oli Chance and Morgan Rushton from localization studio Shloc Ltd. Together they discuss how they got into the business of game localization; their long history working on massive IP like the Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and Death Stranding series; how they tackle challenges like translating cultural differences; and working with actors and directors to localize performances. Watch this episode on our YouTube channel. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving

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01:32:03

Absolum - Dotemu's Path From Licensed Games to...

Game Maker"s Notebook ·

2025/12/01

Trent Kusters chats with Dotemu CEO, Cyrille Imbert. Together they discuss Dotemu's work in licensed IP including how they pitch to license holders; the short-term financial and long-term relationship damage caused by releasing subpar products; how they inadvertently revived the beat 'em up genre with titles like Streets of Rage 4 and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge; and why and how they created their first original IP in Absolum. This episode is supported by Xsolla Episode Host:

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01:44:57

From "Katamari Damacy" Through "to a T" with Keita...

Game Maker"s Notebook ·

2025/11/28

Trent Kusters chats with creator of the cult classic Katamari Damacy and the recently released to a T, Keita Takahashi. Together they discuss how he went from sculpting to his first job at Bandai Namco; the origins and development of Katamari Damacy and his subsequent works; his philosophy on creating games with experiences not available in the real world; and how he hopes his newest game will help people open their minds to new perspectives. This episode is supported by Xsolla iam8bit Episode

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