From “Link” to director: Alex Reed on 25 years in games and the winding road that got him there

Welcome to Coffee.Press.Play., brought to you by The Business of Games Podcast, powered by Xsolla. Recorded live at GDC 2026 inside the Xsolla Clubhouse, this series puts a twist on the traditional interview format: guests play a round of a classic video game against our Xsolla host and the outcome determines whether they face an easy question or a hard one.In this episode, host Ed Lin sits down with Alex Reed, Director of Production at House of How for a candid, personal reflection on a career that defies the standard trajectory. Alex’s mother was a Disney animator. He grew up wanting to be like Bruce Lee and spent his childhood going on solo adventures — the kind that made him feel like he'd been born to play Zelda. He started in television and film before arriving at Electronic Arts in 2000. Since then, he's spent 25 years in games, and 36 years total in the entertainment industry.The throughline? Never following the linear path. Just asking what's around the next corner.What you'll hear:Why Alex describes his entire career through the lens of The Legend of ZeldaHow growing up as a loner shaped his relationship with games and storytellingWhat makes video games different from TV and film — and why that difference matters to himHow 36 years in entertainment led him to where he is today at House of HowLet's get into it.Coffee.Press.Play. is an ongoing mini-series, and more conversations with our GDC guests are on the way. Listen on your favorite podcast platform or watch full episodes on our YouTube channel.Missed us at GDC 2026? Stay tuned to our LinkedIn page for announcements on where we'll be next. And catch up on recent episodes at xsolla.com/podcast.For more insights and resources, visit xsolla.com/podcast. Want to join the conversation? Follow and comment on our LinkedIn page at The Business of Games Podcast. That’s where we’ll be sharing updates, highlights, and continuing the discussion. And don’t forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share the podcast with friends who want to learn more about the business of games.