In this episode, Greg sits down with Jim Welch, a composer turned developer turned studio founder whose creative journey spans Dragon Ball Z trailers to launching a party game in the spirit of Jackbox. We explore Jim’s path from audio to entrepreneurship, the founding of The Devhouse Agency, and why his team is now investing in original IP. From creative leadership to WebGL distribution strategy, this episode is packed with insights for anyone building in games, immersive tech, or creative services.

🧠 Key Takeaways:

 * 01:22 – Starting with Sound: Jim shares his journey from composing for anime at Funimation to learning code through game jams.
 * 07:27 – Founding Devhouse: Why starting a co-dev studio wasn’t a single moment, but a gradual realization built from side projects and passion.
 * 09:32 – Hiring to Solve Pain: Early hires were engineers just like Jim, generalists who could help him scale his overloaded client work.
 * 14:18 – Specialist vs. Generalist: How Devhouse learned to brand and position its skills clearly as the business matured.
 * 20:30 – First Clients Came from Network: Jim leveraged relationships with former collaborators and positioned himself affordably as a solo founder.
 * 26:29 – Why Build Original IP Now: Diversification and creative satisfaction. Jim didn’t want Devhouse to only live or die by service contracts.
 * 29:02 – Trash Heist — Devhouse’s New Game: A phone-based party game with competitive chaos and second-screen play. Inspired by Jackbox, built to bring people together.
 * 32:54 – Distribution Strategy: WebGL makes cross-platform play possible. Steam is the starting point, but smart TVs and casting are in the conversation.
 * 35:33 – Balancing Client Work and Passion Projects: Dedicated internal teams and careful scoping allow for parallel development of games and service work.
 * 37:16 – Founder Lessons: Sales and people management were the biggest curveballs. Learning to lead and let go is a continuous process.
 * 40:10 – Where Gaming is Headed: Shrinking AAA budgets, a rise in small studio bets, and the growing importance of authentic community building.
 * 45:19 – Call to Action: Trash Heist is dropping soon — Jim encourages listeners to check it out and support indie innovation.

🙌 Thanks for Listening!

Check out our Discord by Clicking Here [https://discord.gg/BrEVCRDE]

ENCORE From Sound to Studio – Building Devhouse with Jim Welch

This episode features host Greg and Lewis Ward discussing the true nature of virtual worlds with Wagner James Au, author of Making a Metaverse That Matters, exploring the core design, economic, and community philosophies of successful platforms.

Summary

The discussion defines the metaverse as a vast, immersive virtual world with five core features, including highly customizable avatars and a link to the real-world economy . Au argues that to succeed, a platform must be fun immediately in a multiplayer context, operating as a "third space" where socialization is easy . He contends that Mark Zuckerberg's approach damaged the ideal of the metaverse by focusing too much on hardware and ignoring crucial lessons on community and regulation . The history of Second Life (SL) serves as a critical case study, showing that while strong community allows a platform to survive economic crises and bad onboarding, financial stability requires tightly regulated markets, learned through scandals like the implosion of virtual banks and the ban on unregulated gambling . Ultimately, the key to a thriving metaverse is prioritizing community, fostering diversity, and making creation easy .

Key Points

Core Metaverse Definition

 * A true metaverse is defined by Immersiveness, Customization (avatars/tools), Scale (millions of people), a Real-World Economy Link, and Off-World Tech Integration (for accessibility) .

Identity and Design

 * Avatars and Identity (05:51): Highly customizable avatars are critical for users to experiment with identity and personality . The Proteus Effect shows that an appealing avatar can boost real-world confidence.
 * The "Fun First" Rule (15:40): Metaverse experiences must be fun immediately in a multiplayer setting (the Third Space concept) . This is why Roblox and Fortnite succeed.
 * Meta's Misstep (10:26): Mark Zuckerberg caused "tremendous damage" to the concept by defining it around the Quest headset and ignoring lessons on managing toxic behavior, like the initial sexual harassment incidents on Horizon Worlds .

Economics and Stability

 * Community Precedes Commerce (29:44): Platforms must succeed as communities first. Focusing only on profit (the "Cryptoverse" issue) causes virtual worlds to fail .
 * Second Life's Stability (22:31): SL's active user base is stable at 600,000. The paradox is that if a user survives the long onboarding, they "never leave" due to the community.
 * Regulation is Necessary (40:53): SL's banking and gambling scandals forced Linden Lab to impose tight regulation . This proves that a tightly regulated economy is essential for user trust and stability.

Timestamps

 * 03:30 The Five Core Features of the Metaverse
 * 05:51 Avatars and the "Proteus Effect"
 * 10:26 Why Meta Damaged the Metaverse Concept
 * 15:40 The Critical Rule: Why Metaverse Must Be Fun First
 * 22:31 Second Life's Paradox: Why users never leave

References

Making a Metaverse That Matters [https://www.amazon.com/Making-Metaverse-That-Matters-Fighting/dp/1394155816]
Wagner James Au [https://www.linkedin.com/in/wjamesau/]
Lewis Ward [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lewis-ward-77b7696/]
Greg Posner [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregposner/]

Check out Player Driven [https://www.playerdriven.io]

Making a Metaverse That Matters with James Au

Dive deep into the strategic mindset of level design, the shift from AAA development to indie studio entrepreneurship, and a radical new business model for creating innovative "Cocktail Games."

Key Takeaways & Discussion Points

The Reality of Level Design
 * Beyond Architecture: Willem, a former level designer at Velan (Knockout City) and Zynga (Star Wars Hunters) , defines level design not as architecture, but as the execution of the game's intent and vision. You are the "great implementers" who build the playground for the core mechanics.
 * Finding the Fun: Execution requires risk-taking. Good levels break the traditional norms—like the restrictive three-lane structure in some shooters —to find unexpected fun and keep the experience fresh.
 * Inspiration Outside the Engine: To avoid creative blocks, step outside your comfort zone. Willem found inspiration for a level in Knockout City (Rooftop Rumble) by listening to Pink Floyd and used JFK assassination podcasts to conceptualize Darth Vader's Castle.

🛠️ Essential Level Design Career Skills (Get Hired Now)
 * Be Proactive & Self-Taught: The number one required mentality is knowing that no one will hold your hand. You must be passionate and proactive in your job search and skill development.
 * Master the Editors: Don't just be proficient in Unity or Unreal Engine 5. Learn multiple, even difficult, editors like Hammer (Source SDK). Experience with proprietary tools (like those used for Knockout City) is invaluable.
 * Go Primal: Start creating content immediately. Use basic primitives and geometry (like brushes and gizmos) to block out your ideas. Don't get stuck in tutorials.

🚀 Odyssey Cocktail Interactive (OCI) & The Future of Gaming
 * Why Start a Studio Now? Willem felt the Western game industry was approaching development wrong, relying too much on "new coats of paint" over true R&D. He seeks to optimize costs and focus on brand new, innovative products.
 * The "Cocktail Game" Strategy: This is OCI's business model. Instead of reinventing a genre (e.g., Gin + Tonic), they take the components that made a genre successful and combine them with an entirely different, unexpected element. This approach is versatile and cost-effective.
 * The Ideal Team: OCI looks for people who are agile, passionate about making games more than playing them, and aren't scared of any new editor or software.
 * The AAA Reset: Willem is optimistic, predicting the era of the $700 million-dollar budgeted game is over. The power is shifting back to smaller, agile creative teams, like Respawn and Media Tonic, where passion and risk-taking lead to great games.
 * AI as a Tool: AI is exciting and should be embraced, but it will not replace the unique vision and creativity of a human mind (e.g., Kojima, Ken Levine, Todd Howard).
   
   Connect
 * Willem Kranendonk [https://www.linkedin.com/in/willem-kranendonk-ba6247104/] on Linkedin
 * Odyssey Cocktail Interactive (OCI): Check out their website at OdysseyCocktailInteractive.com [https://www.google.com/search?q=https://odysseycocktailinteractive.com/&authuser=1]. They will be present at GDC!

ENCORE: From AAA to Indie: How Proactive Game Devs Change the Industry with Willem Kranendonk

Episode Summary

Forget the old ways of game development. The Roblox platform isn't a sandbox—it's a brutal, high-frequency, algorithmic battleground.

In this deep dive, we break down why traditional "AAA" development strategies are being crushed by low-fidelity, quick-to-market viral hits. We analyze the metrics that Roblox’s discovery algorithm actually cares about (it’s not just downloads), the new pressure on developers, and the commercial gold rush driving this new age of digital product. If you're building software, an app, or a game, this is a masterclass in platform leverage and virality.

Key Takeaways for the Tech Professional

 * The Algorithm as a Gatekeeper: Understand the core metrics that determine success on Roblox (Retention, Monetization, and Engagement) and how they reflect the priorities of any major platform (Apple App Store, Google Play, YouTube).
 * The Two-Tiered Development Strategy: Contrasting the high-budget, polished approach with the fast, data-driven methodology of viral developers—and why the latter often wins.
 * Minimal Viable Fun (MVF) > Minimum Viable Product (MVP): How the "low-poly, high-concept" trend proves that speed and novelty often beat engineering polish when facing a discovery-focused algorithm.
 * Monetization as a Discovery Signal: Why high-ARPU (Average Revenue Per User) games are disproportionately rewarded by the algorithm and what that means for your product's design.

Chapter Markers (Jump to the insights you need)

 * 01:30 The 'Gold Rush' Archetype: Why Roblox is the Wild West of modern game dev.
 * 05:45 The Core Algorithm: What Roblox's discovery engine actually measures. (Hint: It’s all about the money flow).
 * 12:10 Case Study: Viral Low-Fi vs. AAA Polish—The data behind the death of the polished demo.
 * 18:05 Designing for the Metrics: The blueprint for building a game that the algorithm will push.
 * 24:45 Takeaways for SaaS/App Developers: Applying the Roblox virality playbook to enterprise and consumer products.

🙏 Call to Action

Did the Algorithm reward this episode? Hit Subscribe and leave us a 5-star review on your favorite podcast app!

ROBLOX: ALGORITHM IS KING - The End of "AAA" and the Rise of the Viral Dev

📄 Episode Summary

In this episode, Greg sits down with Julie Banta, Director of Engineering for Build & Release at Respawn, to break down what it actually takes to keep a massive live game like Apex Legends running day after day.

Julie pulls back the curtain on the real machinery behind live service games: shipping updates across six platforms, reacting to hotfixes in real time, balancing player satisfaction with business realities, and what happens when millions of players discover a bug before telemetry even catches it.

Whether you’re building an indie title, supporting a AAA LiveOps team, or just curious how Apex stays online season after season—this is a masterclass.

🔑 Key Topics Covered

1. What Build & Release Really Does at Respawn

 * How content actually gets from dev environment to players
 * What happens during season launch week
 * Why shipping across PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and PC is pure chaos

2. Fast Feedback Loops & Storm Response

 * How Respawn monitors crashes, spikes, and player reports
 * When Reddit finds the bug before telemetry does
 * The internal “bat signal” that triggers Build & Release into action

3. Balancing Technical Debt With Season Cadence

 * Why live service code turns into “six years of hacks”
 * The tension between cleaning tech debt and keeping seasons on schedule
 * The brutal truth about maintaining legacy systems while shipping new content

4. Leadership, Culture & Mental Health Inside LiveOps

 * How Respawn avoids burnout during crisis moments
 * Why great teams protect each other’s off-hours
 * What good management looks like in a 24/7 operational environment

5. What Great LiveOps Looks Like

 * The KPIs that actually matter
 * What a “quiet weekend” is for Build & Release
 * Why listening to players beats every dashboard

6. Julie’s Career Path & Advice for Getting Into Games

 * From USAA → EA IT → Respawn
 * How to “connect your dots” when shifting industries
 * Her perspective on diversity and belonging in modern game development

📣 Call to Action

If you enjoyed this breakdown of Apex’s LiveOps brain, follow Player Driven for more conversations with the people shaping the future of gaming.

ENCORE:  Managing LiveOps at Scale: Inside Respawn’s Build & Release Team with Julie Banta

Episode Overview

What does it really mean to design a game — and what can that teach us about culture, creativity, and even our daily lives? In this episode, Greg is joined by Lewis Ward and Eric Zimmerman, legendary game designer, professor at NYU’s Game Center, and author of The Rules We Break. Eric’s career spans from pioneering web-based multiplayer with Sissy Fight 2000 to co-founding GameLab and shaping Diner Dash, one of the most influential time-management games ever made.

We dig into the fundamentals of game design, the ethics of addictive mechanics, the surprising history of Monopoly, and why prototyping isn’t just for developers — it’s a mindset for anyone building systems or communities.

Joining us for this conversation is Lewis Ward, long-time industry analyst, who helps unpack Eric’s insights with both sharp questions and nostalgia for 90s game culture.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

 * Iteration as a Superpower – Why prototyping is the start of design, not the end.
 * Feedback Everywhere – How observing body language and engagement rhythms tells you more than analytics.
 * Sissy Fight 2000 & Early Multiplayer – The “flame wars” era and lessons for today’s online communities.
 * Diner Dash’s Secret – How a “casual” game ended up brutally difficult — and why that mattered.
 * Loops Within Loops – What makes Balatro so compelling, and how game design patterns keep players hooked.
 * Ethics & Addiction – Dark design patterns, dopamine hits, and the responsibility of game creators.
 * The Rules We Break – How Eric uses hands-on exercises to teach design as a 21st-century literacy.
 * The Real Monopoly Story – Why one of the world’s most iconic games is often misunderstood.

Resources & Links

 * Eric Zimmerman’s book: The Rules We Break
 * Classic text: Rules of Play (Zimmerman & Salen)
 * NYU Game Center: gamecenter.nyu.edu
 * Follow Player Driven for more conversations: playerdriven.io

Episode Chapters

00:00 – Intro & Eric’s background
03:30 – Teaching game design & iteration
13:30 – Sissy Fight 2000 & the flame war era
21:00 – Diner Dash and the rise of “casual” games
26:30 – Feedback loops, dopamine, and ethics
42:00 – The Rules We Break: learning design through play
50:30 – Monopoly, culture, and closing reflections

Call to Action

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to Player Driven on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube for more conversations at the intersection of games, business, and community. And visit playerdriven.io to explore more resources, clips, and insights from the show.

The Rules We Break: Eric Zimmerman on Game Design, Loops, and Culture

🎧 Episode Description (Hook + Intro)

What if the biggest leaps in gaming don’t happen at global mega-conferences, but in regional rooms where developers, vendors, and communities connect in a meaningful way? In this episode of Player Driven, host Greg speaks with Jason Lepine, Founder & CEO of XP Gaming, about the real impact of local events and why they’re foundational to the future of the industry.

✅ What You’ll Get From This Episode

 * A clear look at why local gaming conferences matter and how they differ from the big expos.
 * A behind-the-scenes story of how XP Gaming and the Montreal International Game Summit (MIGS) were built and evolved.
 * Insight into how vendors, sponsors, and local hubs create real value for studios and creators.
 * Career lessons from Jason’s journey and how showing up to local events changed lives.
 * A forward-looking discussion on how these grassroots gatherings shape the next era of gaming.

🧭 Episode Outline & Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction: Why local events matter
03:15 – The origin story of XP Gaming
07:40 – What MIGS is and how it’s evolved
13:05 – The vendor and sponsor role in local conferences
18:30 – Stories of impact: community, careers and connection
23:55 – Looking ahead: how local events will build the industry’s future
27:10 – Wrap-up and key takeaway

(Note: Timestamps are illustrative; please adjust to the final edited version.)

🎤 Guest Bio

Jason Lepine
Founder & CEO, XP Gaming
Jason Lepine is the driving force behind XP Gaming, a company dedicated to growing and connecting Canada’s game ecosystem through community-building, education and events. Under his leadership, XP Gaming has re-energized the Montreal International Game Summit (MIGS) and helped transform local industry gatherings into powerful growth platforms.

🔗 Resources & Links

 * XP Gaming: xpgaming.biz [https://xpgaming.biz/]
 * Montreal International Game Summit (MIGS): migs.biz [https://migs.biz/en/]
 * Follow Jason Lepine: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/xpjason/?originalSubdomain=ca]
 * Previous Episode on Game Community & LiveOps: [Link to Episode #XX]

🎯 Call to Action

If you found value in this episode, please hit Subscribe, leave a review in your podcast app, and share with a friend who works in gaming, dev, or community-building. Also, check our blog at Player Driven for related show notes and links.

The Power of Local Events in Building the Future of Gaming

Episode Overview

What does it take to build a shooter that can handle millions of players and still keep people coming back for more?

In this episode, Greg is joined by Thad Sasser, a veteran designer whose career has touched some of the most iconic shooters ever made, including Battlefield, Call of Duty, PUBG, and Rivals. Together, they dive into the realities of scaling franchises, balancing innovation with player expectations, and the leadership lessons learned from building at AAA scale.

Topics Covered

 * Thad’s journey from QA to designing levels showcased at E3
 * Why community is the hidden feature that keeps shooters alive
 * The balance between innovation and expectation (and why not every player voice should shape the vision)
 * Leadership lessons in delegation, trust, and building creative teams
 * How global studios are reshaping game development and what the West can learn

About the Guest

Thad Sasser has spent over two decades in game development, contributing to genre-defining franchises and leading teams at some of the biggest studios in the world. His career highlights include Battlefield Hardline, Call of Duty: United Offensive, and PUBG. Today, he continues to focus on building great teams, innovating within FPS, and shaping the future of multiplayer experiences.

Listen & Connect

 * Subscribe to Player Driven on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen
 * Visit playerdriven.io for more episodes and insights
 * Follow Greg and Player Driven on LinkedIn and YouTube for clips and updates

Building Shooters at Scale: Thad Sasser on Battlefield, COD, and the Future of FPS

Episode Summary

In this episode of Player Driven, Greg talks with Keith Pape, founder of YellowPike Media, about how to build authentic, lasting connections between studios, players, and communities. Keith shares how YellowPike became known as a gaming marketing agency that thrives on creativity, bold experiential campaigns, and a passion for games.

From Times Square takeovers for Metal Gear to guiding indie studios on their first hires, YellowPike Media focuses on doing the right thing—for clients, communities, and players. If you’re interested in game marketing strategies, community management, or how agencies partner with developers and publishers, this episode is packed with insights.

Key Takeaways

 * All-In Culture – Why YellowPike Media avoids rigid roles and builds campaigns through collaboration across trailers, influencers, events, and content.
 * Community Managers as Essential Hires – How strong community leads shape player trust and often grow into producers, biz dev, or operations.
 * Experiential Marketing Done Right – Lessons from live activations like the Metal Gear Solid Times Square campaign, and how to turn moments into long-tail content.

About YellowPike Media

Founded by Keith Pape, YellowPike Media is a creative gaming marketing agency built by lifelong gamers. With over a decade of experience, the agency has worked with top publishers and indie studios to deliver standout campaigns across influencers, community, live events, and storytelling. Their philosophy is simple: do the right thing, and long-term success follows.

Connect with Keith and YellowPike Media:

 * Twitter/X: @YPM_agency
 * Instagram: @YPM_agency
 * Threads / Bluesky: @YPM_agency

Links & Resources

 * Explore more episodes of Player Driven, the podcast about the business of games: playerdriven.io
 * Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts

From Times Square to Discord: How Yellow Pike Powers Player Connections

Overview

What happens when regulation collides with game design? In this episode, I sit down with industry veteran Oscar Clark to unpack the EU’s proposed changes around virtual currency, the ethics of monetization, and why “finding the fun” is still the core of building sustainable games. From self-regulation to skill-mapping the next generation of developers, this conversation goes deep into the business of games and the future of LiveOps.

Episode Highlights

 * Why current EU regulations on virtual currency could unintentionally harm indie developers while missing the real issues
 * The nuance of FOMO, scarcity, and seasonal content—when it drives engagement vs. when it becomes exploitative
 * Lessons from history: how Battlefront II’s monetization backlash should have been a wake-up call for the industr
 * The need for skills mapping and career development frameworks to help juniors grow into seniors—and why games lag behind other industries
 * How LiveOps and retention loops (like soap opera-style storytelling) keep players coming back for years
 * Oscar’s journey from GDC talks to his new LiveOps strategy platform, Arcanics, and how it aims to make sustainable operations accessible to all studios

Why It Matters

For industry professionals, this episode offers a clear-eyed look at the tension between regulation, monetization, and player trust. You’ll walk away with practical insights into LiveOps best practices, the importance of designing around player value rather than revenue, and a framework for thinking about career development in gaming. Whether you’re running a AAA franchise or bootstrapping an indie project, the lessons here point to one truth: sustainable growth comes from finding the fun and retaining players long-term.

About the Guest

Oscar Clark is the co-founder of Arcanics, a newly funded LiveOps strategy platform. A 30-year industry veteran, Oscar has written multiple books including Games as a Service and Playing with Balance. He is a frequent speaker at GDC and global gaming conferences, known for blending practical LiveOps experience with big-picture industry insight.

Next Steps

👉 Explore more insights at PlayerDriven.io

👉 Join the conversation in our Discord community

👉 For consulting, learning modules, and frameworks on retention, monetization, and LiveOps strategy—reach out directly.

Regulation, Retention, and the Future of LiveOps with Oscar Clark

Welcome to Player Driven, the hub where gaming insights and community collide.

We believe that behind every great game is a thriving community and an unforgettable player experience. Whether it’s building inclusive environments, exploring the latest tech, or diving into the art of storytelling, our mission is simple: to empower the creators, communities, and players that make the gaming world extraordinary.

What We’re About:
🎮 Insightful Conversations – Through our podcast and community clubhouse, we bring industry leaders, creators, and innovators together to explore the cutting-edge of gaming.
🌍 Player-Centric Focus – From accessibility to trust and safety, we champion the initiatives that keep players at the heart of the industry.
📈 Data Meets Creativity – With a knack for combining KPIs with compelling narratives, we highlight strategies that don’t just work but resonate.
🤝 Community Building – We celebrate what makes the gaming community special: its people. From indie developers to AAA veterans, every voice matters here.

Join us as we explore what drives games, empowers communities, and defines success in the ever-evolving gaming landscape.

Your Game. Your Story. Your Community.

Greg

Shows