📖 Episode Summary:

In this episode, we delve into the evolving landscape of mobile game monetization with Chip Thurston, Head of Gaming at FastSpring. We explore the implications of the Apple vs. Epic ruling, the shift towards direct-to-consumer (DTC) strategies, and how webshops are becoming essential for game studios aiming to retain more revenue and foster stronger player relationships.

🔑 Key Topics Covered:

 * Impact of the Apple vs. Epic ruling on mobile payments
 * Transition from app store reliance to DTC models
 * Advantages of integrating webshops for game studios
 * Understanding the Merchant of Record model
 * Strategies for scaling monetization efforts

👤 About Our Guest:

Chip Thurston is the Head of Global Partnerships at FastSpring, a leading e-commerce platform for software and digital products. With extensive experience in digital monetization, Chip provides valuable insights into optimizing revenue streams for game developers.

📌 Resources & Links:

 * FastSpring Official Website [https://fastspring.com/]
 * Meet Chip on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/thurstonchip/]

📣 Call to Action:

Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe to our podcast for more insights into the gaming industry's evolving monetization strategies. Don't forget to leave a review and share this episode with fellow developers and industry professionals.

30% No More? Why Every Studio Should Be Rethinking Mobile Monetization

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.

🔗 Resources & Mentions:

 * The Devhouse Agency [https://www.thedevhouseagency.com/]
 * Trash Heist on Steam COMING SOON!
 * Jim Welch on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/welchjim/]

🙌 Thanks for Listening!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to Player Driven on your favorite podcast app and share it with someone building their own path in the game industry. For more conversations with creators, founders, and innovators in gaming, visit playerdriven.io [https://www.playerdriven.io/].

From Sound to Studio – Building Devhouse with Jim Welch

📖 Episode Summary:

In this episode of Player Driven, Greg chats with two standout voices in gaming operations—Heidi Christine, CMO and Head of Community at Pixels, and Conor McGinley, Customer Support Lead at Twin Harbor Interactive. Together, they unpack what it really takes to grow and sustain vibrant communities while also delivering high-quality support at scale. From automation and self-service to the role of Discord and the realities of Web3 toxicity, this conversation delivers actionable insights for studios of any size.

Whether you’re trying to balance support load with growth, make Discord less chaotic, or simply empower your community to help itself, this is the episode you’ve been waiting for.

🔑 Key Topics Covered:

 * Why support and community must be separated—until they’re not
 * How Pixels scaled from chaos to structure using Discord, Intercom, and "Farmhands"
 * Conor’s take on automation, AI, and when bots actually make sense
 * Handling burnout in small teams and building flexible support flows
 * How Web3 changes the intensity of player behavior and expectations
 * Empowering internal teams and community leaders to move fast without asking for permission
 * Why retention starts with understanding why players spend their time with you

💬 Notable Quotes:

“When you’re growing, Discord becomes chaos fast. It’s not built to handle 100 tickets a day.” – Heidi Christine
“Automation works best when you still own the voice. My bots sound like me.” – Conor McGinley
“Why are players spending their precious hours with us? That’s the question we need to ask every day.” – Heidi Christine

👥 About the Guests:

Heidi Christine is the CMO and Head of Community at Pixels, a Web3 studio known for its vibrant MMO-style farming sim. She’s built a thriving, global player base with decentralized strategies, high player trust, and real-world crypto integration.

Conor McGinley leads customer support at Twin Harbor Interactive, creators of longform strategy games like Supremacy 1914 and Call of War. He’s known for his analytical approach to ticket flows, bot frameworks, and scalable support systems.

📌 Resources & Mentions:

 * Pixels Game [https://www.pixels.xyz/]
 * Twin Harbor Interactive [https://www.bytro.com/]
 * Community Clubhouse [https://www.communityclubhouse.gg/]
 * Imagine Island - Magic Potion Games [https://www.magicpotiongames.com/]
 * HelpShift [https://www.helpshift.com/]

🎯 Who Should Listen:

 * Support and CX leads looking to improve efficiency
 * Community managers overwhelmed by Discord
 * Indie and Web3 studios scaling fast with limited headcount
 * Devs interested in retention, LiveOps, and community-led growth
 * Anyone balancing automation with authentic player connection

📣 Call to Action:

Enjoyed the episode? Be sure to follow Player Driven for more practical takes from the people who power the games you love. Share this with a community lead, support agent, or founder who could use a smarter way to scale.TBD

From Discord to Durable: Scaling Player Support and Community Without Burning Out

Episode Summary

In this episode of Player Driven, host Greg engages in an insightful conversation with Josh Plotnek, Head of Content at Keewano, diving deep into the significance of actionable insights derived from game data analytics. The discussion highlights how understanding player behavior through data can drastically improve player experience and game performance. Josh shares practical tips for studios of all sizes, emphasizing how AI-driven analytics can help uncover hidden issues, transforming raw data into meaningful actions.

Guest Information

 * Name: Josh Plotnek [https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-plotnek/]
 * Role: Head of Content at Keewano
 * Expertise: Data Analytics, Content Strategy, Game Development Insights
 * Company: Keewano [https://keewano.com/]

About Keewano

Keewano is a groundbreaking analytics platform that leverages advanced AI to provide actionable insights into player behavior, enabling gaming studios of any size to enhance player experience, retention, and engagement.

Key Takeaways

 1. Data Alone Isn't Enough (07:35)
    Collecting data is the starting point; real value comes from understanding the "why" behind player behavior to make impactful decisions.
 2. Recognizing Frustration vs. Engagement (20:08)
    Player frustration can be either positive (engaging) or negative (leading to churn). Analyzing "recovery behaviors" helps studios differentiate and respond effectively.
 3. Start Small, Then Scale Your Analytics (14:39)
    Smaller studios can utilize accessible tools like Unity Analytics and Firebase, gradually scaling to more sophisticated AI-driven analytics solutions as they grow.
 4. Leveraging AI to Uncover Hidden Issues (11:27)
    Advanced analytics powered by AI can identify complex problems within games, such as pinpointing an item missed in earlier levels that causes significant churn later on.
 5. Future of Analytics: Conversational and Accessible (49:34)
    The future of data analytics is making complex insights conversational, allowing anyone on the team to ask direct questions and receive clear, actionable answers.

Resources Mentioned

 * Keewano Blog
 * Unity Analytics
 * Firebase

Listen and Learn

Tune into the full episode to discover more about turning your game data into powerful insights and actionable strategies to enhance player satisfaction and loyalty.

How AI Analytics Can Boost Your Player Retention with Josh Plotnek

 Guest: Ayla Derrick, Founder & Creative Director at Cave Bear Games
️ Host: Greg Posner


🔹 Episode Summary:
What happens when a former teacher with no game dev background builds a studio of junior developers and releases a cozy solarpunk game on Steam? You get Plantasia — a passion-driven project built on heart, hustle, and clear values.

Greg sits down with Ayla Derrick to talk about the origin of Cave Bear Games, the lessons learned from launching on Steam, and the importance of leading with empathy in the indie space.

🔑 Key Topics & Timestamps:

[00:02:00] From Teacher to Game Developer: Ayla’s Unlikely Start
Discover how Ayla Derrick pivoted from teaching to game dev and built a successful studio with no prior experience.

[00:07:00] Building a Studio of Juniors — and Making It Work
Learn how a team of junior developers created a game on Steam under Ayla’s leadership, proving that passion beats pedigree.

[00:13:00] Designing Plantasia for the Bottom Third of Your Screen
Explore the design of Plantasia, a solarpunk idle game intentionally built to sit on the bottom of your screen.

[00:20:00] Going Viral, Going Live: The Early Access Launch Story
Hear the inside story of how Cave Bear’s Plantasia launched on Steam after a viral moment turned their studio real.

[00:27:00] Leadership by Teaching: Why Studio Culture Matters
Discover how Ayla applies classroom leadership to studio culture and why it keeps her team motivated and growing.

🗣️ Quotes:

“We didn’t mean to become a studio. We just went viral, and suddenly we had to be one.”

“The pillars were communication, education, and passion. That’s what kept us together.”

🔗 Links:

 * Cave Bear Games [https://cavebeargames.com/]
 * Wishlist Plantasia on Steam
 * Ayla on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayla-derrick/]

How Ayla Derrick Built a Junior-Led Game Studio and Launched Plantasia

🧠 Episode Description:

In this episode of Player Driven, we sit down with Jason Wasserman and Vincent Nguyen, the co-founders of Nice Gang, to dive into their journey from major animation studios like Blue Sky (Ice Age, Rio, Ferdinand) to launching their own game studio and original IP, Eighth Era.

With Season 2 of Eighth Era launching today, Jason and Vincent share how lessons from animation shaped their game design approach, the importance of creative partnerships, and why building a long-term community matters more than ever.

If you care about worldbuilding, player loyalty, and creating original stories in a crowded market, this episode is a must-listen.

🗝️ Key Takeaways:

 * How experience at Blue Sky and Disney influenced the way Nice Gang operates today.
 * The real skills Jason (business, scaling) and Vincent (visual worldbuilding) bring to the team.
 * Why original IP is the foundation of everything they are building with Eighth Era.
 * How they see opportunities for Eighth Era to expand beyond gaming (animation, collectibles, more).
 * Their approach to growing a loyal community for the long-term, not just at launch.

🕒 Timestamps:

 * 00:00 – Intro + Season 2 Launch
 * 02:00 – Meet Jason and Vincent: Backgrounds + Skills
 * 07:00 – Lessons from Animation: What Carried into Game Development
 * 15:00 – Founding Nice Gang: The Why and How
 * 22:00 – Building a Creative Partnership That Lasts
 * 28:00 – Worldbuilding Eighth Era: Staying Original
 * 36:00 – Thinking Beyond the Game: The Future of the IP
 * 43:00 – Building a Long-Term Player Community
 * 48:00 – Final Advice and Where to Follow Nice Gang

From Ice Age to Eighth Era How to Build Games That Outlast Trends

Summary:
In this episode, Greg chats with AJ Leece, the founder of Brekade, a studio transforming security training into engaging, story-driven video games. From his roots in ethical hacking to building games like “Fishing Expedition” and “SecOps Chaos,” AJ shares how he's gamifying the most dreaded parts of corporate training—and why that's the future of workplace education.

Key Takeaways:

 * Gamifying corporate training turns passive learners into active participants.
 * Boring topics (like InfoSec) come to life when wrapped in story and play.
 * You don’t need to be a full-stack developer to build great games—just curiosity and courage.
 * Player feedback = gold. AJ evolved his product based on student reactions.
 * “Productive laziness” is a feature, not a bug—automate the boring to unleash creativity.

Top Moments:

 * 04:52 — The D20 That Started It All: How AJ turned a dull compliance class into a D&D-inspired tabletop game.
 * 13:44 — Goombas and Burnout: A sneak peek at “SecOps Chaos,” AJ’s synthwave burnout simulator for security pros.
 * 19:40 — Cheap Wings, Big Ideas: AJ’s midweek pub sessions and the notebook that fuels his creativity.
 * 25:34 — Changing Perception, One Game at a Time: Why mid-sized companies are the sweet spot for gamified training.
 * 42:26 — Turning Weakness into a System: AJ shares how he built an app to capture ideas on the fly—his secret weapon against creative blockers.

Guest Links:

 * Brekade Website [https://www.brekade.com/]
 * AJ Leece on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajleece]

Gamifying Corporate Culture: Turning Boring Training into Playable Stories w AJ Leece

User-generated content (UGC) has become a transformative force in the gaming industry, giving players the tools to shape their favorite games and developers new ways to engage their communities. In this episode of the Player Driven Podcast, Scott Reismanis, founder of Mod.io, dives into how his platform is breaking barriers and expanding opportunities for players, creators, and studios alike.

Key Takeaways

1. UGC’s Role in Expanding Gaming Lifecycles

Baldur’s Gate 3 has seen over 50 million mod downloads in its first year, with 40% of its player base engaging with mods—double the industry average. Scott explains that mods keep games fresh, encouraging players to return for new experiences, whether it’s simple cosmetic tweaks or major gameplay changes. Console players, in particular, have embraced mods, often consuming more content than their PC counterparts.

2. Breaking Down Barriers for Console Modding

Traditionally, console ecosystems were closed off to modding due to strict certification processes and security concerns. Mod.io changed the game by partnering with PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo, bringing mods to consoles for the first time. This shift has allowed console players to experience UGC at a scale previously reserved for PC gaming, with games like Baldur’s Gate 3, SnowRunner, and Skater XL leading the charge.

3. The Business Case for UGC

Mod.io collaborated with Simon Carlos of GameDiscoverCo to analyze UGC’s financial impact. The results are clear: games with UGC see a 23% revenue increase over five years, retain 90% more players, and even boost paid DLC sales by up to 26%. UGC not only enhances player engagement but also creates opportunities for studios to better understand what their audience wants through player-created content trends.

4. How Mod.io Supports Developers and Players

Implementing modding isn’t just about enabling creativity; it’s also about maintaining quality and safety. Mod.io offers automated content scanning for malware and inappropriate material, customizable curation settings for studios, and community reporting tools to flag problematic mods. For developers, this means greater control over their games’ ecosystems while giving players the freedom to create and share.

5. The Future of UGC in Gaming

Scott envisions a future where games become platforms for creators, allowing indie developers to launch full-fledged titles as mods within larger games. This approach could solve one of the biggest challenges for indie creators—finding an audience—while providing established games with fresh, high-quality content. As Scott says, “You don’t have to democratize creation—you just have to enable imagination.”

Featured Guest

Scott Reismanis is the founder of ModDB and Mod.io. With over 20 years of experience in the gaming industry, Scott has helped bring UGC to the forefront of modern gaming, enabling players to create and share content across platforms.

Memorable Quotes

“UGC isn’t competition; it’s an opportunity to deepen engagement and extend a game’s lifecycle.”

“You don’t have to democratize creation—you just have to enable imagination.”

Relevant Links

Explore Mod.io: www.mod.io [https://www.mod.io]

SPONSOR:
Check out Nexys Mobile and the Red Magic 10 Pro: https://www.nexysmobile.com/redmagic

ENCORE Revolutionizing Gaming with UGC: How Mod.io Leads the Way with Scott Reismanis

Episode Summary

Shaun Laker joins Greg to discuss his journey in the gaming industry, from breaking into QA at EA to leading major AAA projects. They dive into the evolution of producers in game development, the importance of community management, and how Game Guardians is using AI to revolutionize QA testing. Shaun also shares his entrepreneurial challenges and insights into the future of game development.

Key Takeaways & Timestamps

1. Breaking Into the Gaming Industry

03:27 – A high school gym teacher introduced Shaun to EA, setting him on his career path.
04:26 – Started in QA at EA, working on games like James Bond: Everything or Nothing and NBA Street.
05:41 – Early QA days felt like Grandma’s Boy—pizza, long hours, and tight-knit teams.

2. Lessons from AAA Studios

07:33 – Every studio operates differently, but profitability often dictates creative freedom.
08:17 – Studios like Respawn thrived due to strong leadership and a focus on quality.
17:48 – Key lessons: Avoid crunch, communicate clearly, and establish strong development pillars.

3. The Role of Community & Engagement

14:18 – Community management varies—Plants vs. Zombies had a supportive fanbase, while Gears of War was more intense.
16:36 – Community managers are the frontline of player feedback, taking in both praise and criticism.
17:03 – A strong community presence can make or break a game’s long-term success.

4. Game Guardians & AI in QA

21:26 – Game Guardians was founded to tackle inefficiencies in game QA.
22:51 – AI-driven automation solves major QA challenges: reducing repetitive testing, supporting live-service games, and catching hard-to-find bugs.
24:13 – AI isn’t replacing QA testers but augmenting their capabilities, allowing them to focus on higher-value tasks.

5. Entrepreneurship & Personal Growth

26:38 – The idea for Game Guardians took shape after Shaun’s layoff from Respawn.
30:51 – The biggest struggle as a founder: learning to unplug and avoid burnout.
50:20 – Advice to his younger self: Pick battles wisely and set better boundaries to maintain mental health.

The Next Frontier in Game Development: AI-Powered Testing with Shaun Laker

🎧 Episode Summary:

In this episode, Shawn Layden unpacks the creative crisis in AAA development, why $100M+ game budgets are unsustainable, and how developers can reclaim innovation through constraint. Joined by industry analyst Lewis Ward, we talk indie survival, pricing psychology, the rise of Switch 2, and the real reasons games no longer feel “complete.”

Whether you’re building a studio, publishing your first title, or just care about where gaming is headed, this one’s for you.

🧠 5 Key Takeaways:

 1. Constraint is the Mother of Creativity
    Shawn argues that early tech limits forced creative brilliance. Today’s boundless tech might actually dilute focus. “Discipline is more valuable than horsepower.”
 2. The AA Tier Has Collapsed
    The middle class of game development is disappearing. Studios either go ultra-lean indie or mega-budget AAA. Shawn says we must revive sustainable $20M–$80M games.
 3. Game Pricing is Outdated
    The $59.99 model hasn’t budged in decades — even as dev costs skyrocket.
 4. “No One’s Coming to Save You”
    Indie devs need to act like entrepreneurs. That means tighter budgets, faster shipping, and proving the team can actually deliver. Don’t wait for publishers, move first.
 5. Game Completion = The New Differentiator
    Shawn misses the joy of rolling credits. He believes more studios should return to crafted, finishable games. Not just endless live ops.

🔗 Relevant Links & Mentions:

 * 🎤 Shawn Layden on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnlayden/]
 * 📊 Lewis Ward, IDC [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lewis-ward-77b7696/]
 * 🎮 Girls Make Games Scholarship Fund [https://www.gmgsf.org/]
 * 🧵 More from Player Driven [https://playerdriven.io/]

Sponsor:

Nexys Mobile - Check out the RedMagic 10 Pro, the ultimate gaming phone exclusively on Nexys Mobile with plans starting as low as $25 a month! Check it out here: www.nexysmobile.com/redmagic [http://www.nexysmobile.com/redmagic]

Constraints, Creativity, and the Collapse of AA with Shawn Layden

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