Building Better Games
Leadership in game dev is hard. I can't make it easy, but I can make it a heck of a lot better.
My name is Benjamin Carcich, and this podcast helps leaders in game dev who feel stuck, ignored, and out of options find their path to success.
I've spent the last several decades studying and leading in environments ranging from the U.S. Army through to game development. I want to share what I've learned.
Better leadership is a huge opportunity in the games industry. Let's make it better together. Better leaders build better games.
- Update frequency
- every 13 days
- Average duration
- 55 minutes
- Episodes
- 118
- Years Active
- 2021 - 2025
E78: How to Lead Game Dev in Uncertain Times, with Omar Kendall
There’s a ton of knowledge about how we sustain games, but the art of creating something new remains mysterious, even to veteran developers. In this episode, Omar Kendall returns to talk about unknow…
E77: How You Know Which Game To Make, with Omar Kendall
Figuring out a novel game idea is HARD. You can’t just hope the mishmash of ideas in your head are going to come together - history shows they often don’t. So how do you pick your target? Omar Kendal…
E76: How to Market Your Game with Chris and Joe from Ignition Facility
Marketing games is tough. The world is twisting under our feet right now, as big and small studios struggle to reach players. The world is changing, but there are things you can do. We’ve got Chris a…
E75: Why It’s So Hard To Get Players To Play Your Game, with Joe and Chris from Ignition Facility
In this episode, Ben sits down with Chris Heintz and Joe Blancato, co-founders of Ignition Facility, to discuss the challenges and strategies in game marketing today. As game industry veterans with d…
E74: How To Write Compelling NPCs For Space Marine 2 with Matthew Garcia-Dunn
Narrative is often overlooked in game dev. We want to explore what you might be missing if you skip writers, storytellers, and worldbuilders, and what to look for when working with them.
We are joine…
E73: The Challenges Game Studios Face And Saying Goodbye with Aaron Smith
Welcome to the BBG podcast! In this special episode of Building Better Games, co-host Aaron Smith returns to share his insights on game development, leadership, and the state of the industry. Aaron o…
E72: How to Engage Players and Improve Retention through Flow with Kevin Scheepers
Welcome to Episode 72 of the Building Better Games Podcast! We’re getting back into flow, this time focusing on players and game design. Kevin Scheepers, the founder of FlowMate and GameWell, will be…
E71: How Baldur’s Gate 3’s Story And Cinematics Were Built with John O’brien and Greg Lidstone
Welcome to the BBG podcast! Today, we venture into the heart of Larian Studios, the creative minds behind the critically acclaimed Baldur's Gate 3. John O'Brien and Greg Lidstone unveil the culture a…
E70: How to Move Faster With Flow in Game Dev with Kevin Scheepers
Welcome to the BBG podcast, episode 70! In today’s episode, Ben dives deep into the concept of flow with Kevin Scheepers, founder of FlowMade and GameWell. If you’ve ever wondered how to enhance coll…
E69: How Product Thinking Can Help Your Game with John Cutler
Welcome to another episode of Building Better Games! Today, we are thrilled to have John Cutler, a capable and experienced product leader with a background in tech (with some game development and mus…
E68: How to Create an Effective Game Vision with Graham McAllister
Graham McAllister Returns! We dive deeper into the challenges of vision alignment in game development, helping you improve vision at your studio. Discover practical advice for game dev leaders, the i…
E67: The #1 Reason Game Dev Fails with Graham McAllister
In this episode, Ben Carcich and Dr. Graham McAllister explore the concept of vision in game development, highlighting the common challenges and misalignments that teams face. They discuss the import…
E66: How to Optimize Game Development with Patric Palm, Founder of Favro
Welcome to another episode of "Building Better Games." In this episode, Ben sits down with Patric Palm, CEO and founder of Favro, to delve into the intricacies of game development and how modern tool…
E65: How To Do Game Design During Ideation with Greg Street
In this episode of "Building Better Games," Benjamin Carcich and Greg Street, also known as Ghostcrawler, delve into the intricacies of game design during the ideation phase. Greg shares his extensi…
E64: Why Estimation In Game Dev Is So Hard
In this episode of "Building Better Games," hosts Benjamin Carcich and Aaron Smith dive into the complex and often frustrating topic of estimation and planning in game development. They address the c…
E63: People, Products, And Playtests: Staying Connected To Your Players (Republish of Episode 1)
Episode 63: People, Products, Playtests (Republish of E1 of BBG) Welcome to Building Better Games! Due to Ben's recent knee surgery, we're revisiting one of our most popular episodes from season tw…
E62: What Leadership Skills Matter Most in Game Development?
Are you leveraging the full potential of your leadership role in game development?
Or are you stuck in the traditional tech-driven mindset?
In this episode of the Building Better Games podcast, hosts…
EP61: How to Get Promoted in Game Dev
Titles and seniority impact your ability to drive positive change.
It’s worth knowing what promotion looks like so you can have the maximum impact possible.
In this episode of the Building Better Gam…
EP60: Breaking Down GDC 2024 - Upcoming Trends, Triumphs, and Tribulations
In this episode of the Building Better Games podcast, join hosts Ben and Aaron as they recap GDC 2024, diving deep into the heart of game development, user-generated content (UGC), and the role of AI…
EP59: Should You Be a Servant Leader in Game Development?
Is true leadership about wielding power, or is it the art of empowering others?
In this episode, Ben and Aaron tackle the often misunderstood concept of servant leadership within the game development…