PODCAST · leisure
Think Like A Game Designer
by Justin Gary
In Think Like a Game Designer, award-winning designer and Stone Blade Entertainment CEO Justin Gary speaks with world-class game designers and creative experts from various industries. Each episode deconstructs the creative process, offering insights into the art of game design and the broader cultural, technological, and business influences shaping a myriad of creative mediums. Join us for actionable advice and unique perspectives that will enrich your understanding of what it means to be creative in and out of the gaming world. justingarydesign.substack.com
Episodes
-
Elizabeth Hargrave — Distilling Wingspan Pocket, AI Ethics in Tabletop, and Building Equity for Designers (#112)
About Elizabeth Hargrave Elizabeth Hargrave is an award-winning board game designer best known for her runaway smash hit Wingspan, which won the Kennerspiel des Jahres in 2019 and has sold over two million copies worldwide. Her diverse body of work, including Tussie-Mussie, Mariposas, The Fox...
-
Scott Morris — Making Memories Over Games, Navigating Personal Tragedy, and the Law of First Principles (#111)
About Scott Morris Scott Morris is the founder and CEO of Steel Wing Games, a boutique tabletop publisher focused on approachable, high-quality games, as well as the Global Brand Director for Lucky Duck Games under Goliath. A two-decade industry veteran, Scott previously served as Chief Sales and...
-
Ben Robbins — Revisiting Microscope, Designing Uncomfortable Games, and the Mechanics of Shared Stories (#110)
About Ben Ben Robbins is an acclaimed indie game designer best known for creating Microscope, In This World, Kingdom, and This Means War. Ben’s flagship design, Microscope, revolutionized GM-less storytelling games by allowing players to collaboratively build vast, non-linear histories from the…
more -
Ryan Scott Dancey — From Fake Mail Order to Legend of the Five Rings, the Power of Self-Belief, and the Future of AI (#109)
About Ryan S. Dancey Ryan S. Dancey is an absolute titan of the gaming industry whose strategic vision has fundamentally shaped the modern tabletop and digital landscapes. Ryan co-created Legend of the Five Rings, published the 3rd Edition of Dungeons & Dragons, and spearheaded the creation of…
more -
Game Design Inspiration from Gen Con
I just got back from a whirlwind convention tour, speaking on multiple panels and showing off the early prototype of The Lord of the Rings™: Ascension™ at San Diego Comic-Con and Gen Con. You can see a full playthrough of the game here. If you want to be one of the first to get the game, there’s...
-
Chad Ellis—Reality Gaming at Boda Borg, the Psychology of Negotiation, and Building Ego-Free Teams (#108)
About Chad Ellis Chad Ellis is a game enthusiast, strategist, and designer with an incredible range of experience across competitive tabletop, corporate leadership, and live reality gaming. Chad started his game publishing career partnering with Rob Dougherty under the Your Move Games brand,...
-
Luke Peterschmidt — Designing for Massive Fandoms, Eliminating Obstacles, and Exploiting Your Superpowers (#107)
About Luke Peterschmidt Luke Peterschmidt is a brilliant leader in the tabletop gaming industry who currently serves as the Head of Active Category Management at Asmodee. In this uniquely structured role, Luke has been managing the legendary The Lord of the Rings™ portfolio. Right now, I am...
-
Ben Seck—Treating Your Career Like a Game, Shifting from Cards to Mobile, and Being a Boss Who Actually Backs Their Team (#107)
About Ben Seck Ben Seck is an absolute titan of global game development and competitive play whose career path is an masterclass in strategic execution. Ben and I go back nearly 30 years to our early days on the Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour circuit, where he won a Grand Prix in Cape Town and...
-
Ivan Van Norman — From Broke Graduate to Geek & Sundry, the Reality of Scaling an Indie Studio, and Embracing Content Innovation (#106)
About Ivan Van Norman Ivan Van Norman is a true powerhouse of indie tabletop publishing and media innovation, bringing over 15 years of deep industry expertise to the table. Our paths cross all the way back to the very first year Gen Con introduced Entrepreneur’s Alley, where our tiny 10x10…
more -
Zvi Mowshowitz—From the Magic Pro Tour to Wall Street, the Logic of Bookmaking, and the Future of AI Ethics (#105)
About Zvi My history with Zvi Mowshowitz goes back over 20 years to our days as teammates on the Magic Pro Tour, where we won a Grand Prix and top-8ed a Pro Tour together. After his competitive gaming career and a stint designing games at Wizards of the Coast and heading up a Cyberpunk TCG design...
-
Nate Heiss — Removing Ego from Design, The Magic of Roguelikes, and Building Across Digital and Tabletop (#104)
About Nate Heiss Nate Heiss is a true game design chameleon. His 25-plus year career spans from competitive Magic: The Gathering play to designing iconic cards like Goblin Guide at Wizards of the Coast. He then took those skills into the AAA video game world, working as a designer and creative...
-
Mark Rosewater — Designing for Emotion, Embracing Complexity, and 28 Years of Iteration (#103)
About Mark Mark Rosewater is the Head Designer for Magic: The Gathering and one of the most influential voices in modern game design. With decades of experience shaping one of the most successful and enduring games in the world, Mark has led the design of countless sets and pioneered many of the...
-
Ross Thompson—Real-World Marketing, Influencer Strategy, and Building Community That Lasts (#102)
Ross Thompson is a marketing strategist focused on helping tabletop games and consumer brands grow through real-world connection. A veteran of the industry with over 15 years of experience in community building, events, and marketing, he most recently served as Director of Marketing at Atomic…
more -
Drew Corkill — Design Solo Game Systems, Speed, and Shipping at Scale (#101)
About Drew Drew Corkill is a UI/UX designer with nearly 15 years of experience and a deep background in graphic design, who has quietly become one of the most prolific creators in tabletop gaming. Alongside Gabe Barrett, Drew is the driving force behind the “Solo Game of the Month” initiative…
more -
50 Episodes of Game Design Wisdom
Guests featured: * Keith Baker * Monty Cook * Raph Koster * Richard Garfield * John Zinser * Elizabeth Hargrave * Eric Lang 00:03:06 — Keith Baker Lesson: Creating a world that becomes a playable game. Baker explains how he designed the Eberron setting and why fantasy worlds need recognizable…
more -
Eric Lang — Designing for Payoff, Ritual Play, and Returning to Your Roots (#100)
About Eric Lang Eric Lang is one of the most influential designers in modern tabletop gaming, known for bold thematic systems and highly interactive play. Over his career, he has designed or co-designed titles including Blood Rage, Rising Sun, Ankh: Gods of Egypt, Chaos in the Old World, and...
-
Theresa Duringer — UI as Game Design, Onboarding Without Friction, and the Ethics of AI (#99)
Theresa Duringer is the owner and CEO of Temple Gates Games, a San Francisco–based digital board game studio known for best-in-class adaptations of modern tabletop games. Her team has brought Ascension to VR and developed acclaimed digital versions of Dominion, Race for the Galaxy, Shards of...
-
Jaimie Wolanski — Tough Truths, Retail Realities, and How Games Create Connection (#98)
About Jaimie Jaimie Wolanski has over 20 years of experience in the games industry, with a career spanning major brands and mass-market hits. She’s worked as a sales rep bringing games into stores like Target and Barnes & Noble, and has helped launch titles like Shopkins, Catan, Ticket to Ride,...
-
Vlaada Chvátil — Designing for Joy, Building Great Games, and Letting Quality Do the Marketing (#97)
About Vlaada Vlaada Chvátil is one of the most influential game designers of the modern era. As the creative force behind classics like Through the Ages, Codenames, and Galaxy Trucker, and a co-founder of Czech Games Edition (CGE), he’s built a career defined by curiosity, craft, and an...
-
Carly McGinnis — Startup Scrappiness, Trusting Your Team, and the Rhythm of Leadership (#96)
About Carly Carly McGinnis is the driving force behind one of the fastest-growing tabletop companies in history. As CEO of Exploding Kittens, she’s helped lead the company to over 25 million games sold and dozens of successful launches, all while keeping the promises of the most-backed crowdfund...
-
Kyle Thiermann — Deadlines, Mentors, Curiosity, and the Craft of Connection (#95)
About Kyle Kyle Thiermann is a professional big-wave surfer, journalist, and creative director whose career bridges storytelling, advertising, and adventure. He’s written for Men’s Health, Surfer, and Outside Magazine, and helped shape campaigns for brands like Patagonia, Yeti, and Mudwater, with...
-
Touko Tahkokallio — Curiosity, Physics, and the Power of Mental Playtesting (#94)
Touko Tahkokallio is one of the rare designers who has mastered both tabletop and digital worlds. Starting out as a theoretical physicist, Touko shifted careers to follow his passion for play. First by designing acclaimed board games like Eclipse, then shaping some of the biggest mobile hits of…
more -
Jordan Weisman — From Battletech to Shadowrun: The Power of Curiosity and Collaboration (#93)
About this Episode This episode is a little different from the usual Think Like a Game Designer conversation. Instead of a freeform discussion, I came prepared with a curated list of questions to guide the conversation, giving us a structured look into Jordan’s creative process, his philosophies…
more -
Jonathan Grant — Critics, Experiments, Secrets, and the Business of Play (#92)
About Jonathan Jonathan Grant is a creative director at Zynga, founder of Orbital Games, and co-host of We Thought It Would Be Easy with Jordan Weisman. His career spans startups, acquisitions, and AAA environments, where he’s pitched ideas in Zynga boardrooms, built risky new projects, and...
-
Elan Lee — Building Exploding Kittens, Marketing as Design, Retail Pitches, and Playing to Sell (#91)
About Elan Elan Lee (@elanlee) is the co-creator and chief executive officer of Exploding Kittens, a leading gaming and entertainment company. Under his leadership, Exploding Kittens has expanded its portfolio to nearly 30 different games with more than 60 million games sold in more than 50...
-
Justin Gary — 5 Lessons From 15 Years (#90)
At Gen Con this year, we kicked off Ascension’s 15-year anniversary celebration. I had the chance to meet so many fans who have been part of this community for over a decade; the experience was both humbling and rewarding. We just launched the Gamefound Campaign for the Ascension 15th Anniversary...
-
Tim Ferriss — Designing Coyote, Playing to Learn, Publishing Truths, and Saying "No" (#89)
About Tim Ferriss Tim Ferriss is a category of one. His innovative approach to life and business has helped him to launch 5 New York Times Bestellers, build one of the most influential podcasts in the world with over one billion downloads, become an early stage investor in companies like Uber,...
-
Cole Wehrle — Cute Creatures, Brutal Games, Asymmetric Design, and Subverting Expectations (#88)
About Cole Cole Wehrle is one of the most innovative minds in board game design today. Cole is a partner at Leder Games, but best-known as the creator of Root, the woodland war game that redefined asymmetric play. Cole’s work reaches far beyond cute meeples and clever mechanics, with a background...
-
Amy Lowe — Finding Your X Factor, Marketing with Heart, and Serving the Right Players (#87)
About Amy Amy Lowe is a marketer, strategist, and lifelong nerd whose career spans over two decades helping brands connect with audiences in meaningful ways. Though she’s worked across industries, Amy found her passion in the tabletop gaming space as the marketing and communications manager for…
more -
Derek Sivers — Embracing Simplicity, Owning Your Weirdness, and Designing a Life with Intent (#86)
About Derek Sivers Derek Sivers has worn many hats, musician, entrepreneur, author, and philosopher, but his work maintains a single throughline: a relentless pursuit of living deliberately. He first found success by founding CD Baby, an indie music platform that revolutionized digital…
more -
Dominic Crapuchettes — Designing for Constraints, Rebuilding After Failure, and Finding the Magic in Games (#85)
Dominic Crapuchettes is the founder of North Star Games and the designer of massive hits like Wits & Wagers, Say Anything, and the Evolution series—games that have sold over 4.5 million copies. In this episode, Dominic opens up about the rise and fall of North Star, from building a 30-person team...
-
SolForge Fusion Shadows Over Solis
CHECK OUT SHADOWS OVER SOLIS TODAY ON GAMEFOUND 5 Quick Lessons About Crowdfinding * Crowdfunding has changed: You need to bring your own audience and community. Success now requires months of preparation, including playtesting, reviews, and pre-launch marketing. * De-risk your campaign: Validate...
-
Kohji Nagata — Building Parallel, Designing with Obsession, and Falling in Love with Your Creations (#84)
Kohji Nagata has worn many hats—software developer, musician, podcast creator—but today he’s best known as Head of Design and co-founder of Parallel Studios, where he helped launch the massively successful Web3 trading card game Parallel. What started as a passion project has become a...
-
Dafna Pleban — Editing Underwater, Building Creative Teams, and the Economics of Storytelling (#83)
About Dafna Pleban Dafna Pleban is a veteran comic book editor and narrative developer whose career spans over 15 years across original and licensed publishing. Best known for her work at BOOM! Studios, Dafna has overseen hundreds of issues, helping launch award-winning titles like Lumberjanes,...
-
Justin Ziran — Digital Magic: Fear and Success, Leading with Bold Decisions, and Redefining Innovation (#82)
About Justin Ziran Justin Ziran is a veteran of the collectible and strategy games industry. He has decades of experience shaping some of the most successful brands in tabletop gaming. He began his career at Wizards of the Coast, where he played key roles in product teams for Dungeons & Dragons,...
-
James Introcaso — Game Masters, the Rise of Indie RPGs and Showing Up for Luck (#81)
James Introcaso is an award-winning tabletop game designer and storyteller whose work has helped shape the modern landscape of roleplaying games. As the lead game designer at MCDM Productions, James was integral to developing roleplaying systems that captivate players worldwide. His design…
more -
Jesse Alexander — Mastering the Creative Hustle, Fighting for Bold Ideas, and Thriving in a Changing Industry (#80)
About Jesse Alexander Jesse Alexander is an Emmy award-winning screenwriter and producer with over two decades of experience crafting iconic television series and groundbreaking game content. If you've watched TV over the last 20 years, you've likely seen some of Jesse’s work. His television...
-
Ryan Soave — Embracing Discomfort, Overcoming Mental Blocks, and Unlocking Creative Growth (#79)
About Ryan Soave Ryan Soave is a healthcare executive, therapist, coach, and speaker with over 14 years of experience in mental health consulting and counseling. Ryan has dedicated his career to guiding individuals navigating personal and professional challenges. His work spans one-on-one…
more -
Matt Forbeck — From Warhammer to Marvel: Bold Risks, Creative Freedom, and Collaboration (#78)
About Matt Forbeck Matt Forbeck is an award-winning and New York Times-bestselling author and game designer with a career spanning over three decades. With more than 35 novels and countless games to his name, Matt’s projects have garnered critical acclaim, winning a Peabody Award, a Scribe Award,...
-
Alliestrasza — From Hearthstone Streaming to Web3 Gaming: Building Communities and Crafting New Worlds (#77)
Alliestrasza joins us on today’s episode, bringing her extensive experience as a prominent streamer and influencer in the trading card game space. Best known for her long-running success as a Hearthstone content creator, Allie carved out a career in streaming that spanned nearly a decade.…
more -
Eric Dieulangard — Altered: Marketing the most successful TCG Kickstarter of all time (#75)
Eric Dieulangard joins us on today’s episode, bringing a ton of experience from the gaming and business worlds. He is currently the Chief Marketing Officer at Equinox, where he was pivotal during the launch of Altered. This trading card game became the most successful TCG Kickstarter ever…
more -
Travis George — From League of Legends to Vela Games: Prioritization, Leadership, and the Power of Constraints (#75)
About Travis George Travis George joins us on today’s episode, bringing over two decades of experience in the video game industry. Travis has held leadership roles at renowned companies like Activision and Riot Games, where he served as the product lead for League of Legends, helping to grow the...
-
Alexander Seropian — From Halo to Fortnite: Mastering Team Dynamics, Entrepreneurial Resilience, and User Generated Content (#74)
Alexander Seropian joins us on today’s episode, bringing his vast expertise from decades in the video game industry. Alex is the founder of several influential game companies, including Bungie, Wideload Games, Industrial Toys, and Glenslinger Studios. He has also held leadership roles at Disney…
more -
Richard Bartle & Nigel Roberts — The Power of ‘What If,’ Building Communities, and Navigating Decentralization in Game Design (#73)
Richard Bartle and Nigel Roberts join us on today’s episode, bringing decades of experience in gaming, technology, and community building. Richard is one of the co-creators of MUD (Multi-User Dungeon), the precursor to today’s MMORPGs, and developed the famous Bartle Taxonomy, which categorizes...
-
Alex Yeager — Mastering Game Pitches, Reviving Evergreen Titles, and Creating Social Experiences in Game Design (#72)
About Alex Yeager Alex Yeager joins us on today’s episode to bring his wealth of knowledge and experience from over 20 years in the board game industry. Alex is the Chief Operating Officer at Amigo Games, overseeing the company’s North American operations. Before his time at Amigo, Alex held...
-
Scott Morris — Building a Brand, Navigating Contracts, and the Power of Relationships in Game Design (#71)
About Scott Morris Scott Morris joins us on today’s episode to share insights into the world of game design and business development. Scott is the Chief Sales and Marketing Officer at Lucky Duck Games, where he has played a key role in the company's growth, including the recent acquisition by...
-
LIVE at Gen Con 2024 (Special Episode)
In this special live episode recorded at Gen Con 2024, I share key lessons from my 20 years in the game industry, including insights from working with industry legends like Richard Garfield and designing major games like Ascension, Shards of Infinity, Bakugan, and SolForge Fusion. Here are some…
more -
Ethan Mollick — Navigating AI in Game Design, Ethical Integration, and Supporting Artists (#70)
Ethan Mollick joins us today to share his insights into the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence. Ethan is an associate professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, specializing in innovation and entrepreneurship. He also co-directs the Generative AI Lab at...
-
Justin Gary — C.O.R.E. Attributes (Special)
In this episode of "Think Like a Game Designer," I take a different approach by presenting a solo discussion without any guests. Here, I focus on a concept I introduced in a previous episode with Stephan Brissaud: the CORE Attributes. These attributes became very popular among listeners, so much...
-
Jonathan Tweet — Pioneering RPG Design, Innovating Dungeons & Dragons, and Crafting Educational Stories (#69)
About Jonathan Tweet Jonathan Tweet joins us today to share his 25-year journey through the gaming industry. His impressive portfolio includes titles such as Ars Magica, Over the Edge, Everway, and Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition. In addition to his work in game design, Jonathan is also a…
more
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
In Think Like a Game Designer, award-winning designer and Stone Blade Entertainment CEO Justin Gary speaks with world-class game designers and creative experts from various industries. Each episode deconstructs the creative process, offering insights into the art of game design and the broader cultural, technological, and business influences shaping a myriad of creative mediums. Join us for actionable advice and unique perspectives that will enrich your understanding of what it means to be creative in and out of the gaming world.
justingarydesign.substack.com
HOSTED BY
Justin Gary
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Think Like A Game Designer have?
Think Like A Game Designer currently has 123 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Think Like A Game Designer about?
In Think Like a Game Designer, award-winning designer and Stone Blade Entertainment CEO Justin Gary speaks with world-class game designers and creative experts from various industries. Each episode deconstructs the creative process, offering insights into the art of game design and the broader...
How often does Think Like A Game Designer release new episodes?
Think Like A Game Designer publishes regularly with 123 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Think Like A Game Designer?
You can listen to Think Like A Game Designer on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Think Like A Game Designer?
Think Like A Game Designer is created and hosted by Justin Gary.
URL copied to clipboard!