Game Academy
Welcome to Game Academy: the podcast where game design, academia, and industry chaos collides! Hosted by Dr Adam Jerrett, a game designer, educator, and PhD survivor with big golden retriever energy, this show dives into the art, craft, and culture of making and studying games. Each episode features conversations with developers, journalists, content creators, and academics from across the games industry. We break down the creative process, unpack what makes games tick, and get real about the industry’s highs, lows, and the “what just happened?!”.
From indie projects to AAA blockbusters, we discuss it all — especially if it involves making players cry (in a good way). Expect lols, frank chats (or Frank Lanz), and the occasional tangent about weird horror games or why game UIs are terrible. Whether you're a developer, a student, or just someone who loves games, pull up a chair — you’re officially enrolled in Game Academy.
Don’t worry, there’s no homework. Probably.
📧 Got questions or guest suggestions? Hit us up at gameacademypod AT gmail DOT com!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Update frequency
- every 37 days
- Average duration
- 50 minutes
- Episodes
- 24
- Years Active
- 2022 - 2025
Between Sunblink and What We Do In The Shadows with Phoebe Current
In collaboration with the IGDA LGBTQ+ Special Interest Group, we kicked off a micro-conference last month exploring queer monstrosity in games with some pretty unhinged academic takes on queerness in…
The Call Is No Longer Coming From Inside the Closet! with Karolina, Eoin, and Ana
In collaboration with the IGDA LGBTQ+ Special Interest Group, we planned a micro-conference themed around queer monstrosity in games. But we never do anything obvious: we made it a podcast instead! T…
"Okay... I'm Going to Need You To Roll for Reflection" with Dr Matthew Whitby
Yes, I know we skipped April (sorry), but Game Academy is back (again) with a guest who wears many hats (literally, he just made that joke again when I saw him a few weeks ago). Designer, Doctor, Dun…
Activating Trap Cards, Raiding Robots, and Cardboard Comebacks with Matthew Bell
This month on Game Academy, we’re cracking open a booster pack of nostalgia, tabletop secrets, and indie dev wisdom with the one and only Matthew Bell!
Matt’s had the kind of career that makes you go,…
Love, Horror, and Getting Over It (No, Not That One) with Nina Freeman
Game Academy is back (again, like we are every episode, but we really are this time!) with a fresh coat of paint! This season, it's just Adam, so we’re shaking things up—no more long rants about his …
Episode 19: Games and the Academy May Be Crumbling, but Game Academy Lives On! (with William Mellamphy)
Adam and Steph are back after a long break! They chat about the struggles with layoffs in academia and the games industry that has been all over the news lately. Then, they bring on special guest Wil…
Episode 18: An Update from Life in the (Game) Academy
Adam and Steph are back! This academic year started but never quite stopped. Life, PhD, and students, oh my! Exciting things are happening in the world of Game Academy. Steph submitted her thesis! An…
Episode 17: We Overslept, But At Least Pokemon Sleep Tracked It!
Adam and Steph may have been hibernating throughout August, but at least the summer is over and their PhDs are almost done! And Steph got a new job! Yay!
This month, they actually talk about video ga…
Episode 16: The Child(ish) in Games and Conferences (with Dr. Emma Reay)
This month, Adam and Steph are joined by a special guest, Dr. Emma Reay. Contrary to what we say in the podcast, we're not early though! Sorry to our three listeners!
This month, we dive deep into the…
Episode 15: Unpacking What We Take With Us, PhDs, Jedi Survivor, Massively Multiplay Month, Conferences, Open World Games. Just ALL The Things
Adam and Steph are back together again! It has been a long time, but they promise they're back and better than ever, with so much to catch up on! They unpack Adam's PhD game, What We Take With Us (ye…
Episode 14: Just PING Things (with Dr Matt Higgins and Dr Peter Howell)
Because it's just Adam this time, he gets to write all the show notes! Adam is joined by Dr Matt Higgins and Dr Peter Howell to talk all about making some games. Yes, he's taken over the podcast, and…
Episode 13: What We Take With Us from Anniversaries, eSports and Wellbeing Games (with Amy Ahn and Ana Kirlitz)
On the actual anniversary episode of Game Academy, Steph and Adam talk about their busy, busy lives. PhDs are a drag. They never stop. But they should! Don't forget about your personal lives, everyon…
Episode 12: I Bet People Get Paid Fairly to Play Disney's Newest eSport, Dreamlight Valley (with Lisa Meek)
In this near-anniversary episode of Game Academy (we launched on 6 March 2022!), Steph and Adam are joined by Lisa Meek to discuss ConfettiX's recent eSports summit in Nottingham. What does an eSport…
Episode 11: Steph Will Watch The Last of Us Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow
New Year. Not Happy New Year. Just New Year. - Adam
Just kidding! Happy New Year everyone! In our first pod of 2023, Adam and Steph catch-up on everything they've been up to over Christmas and look ah…
Episode 10: Do They Know Christmas Is For Playing Games?
Coming in smoking hot and screeching into your podcast feed just before 2023 (Happy New Year everyone!), Adam and Steph are High on Christmas and full of Christmas cheer! Awww, geez! Justin Roiland w…
Episode 9: A whole hour of "Shepard. Rex." because it's Mass Effect
Game Academy returns! Adam and Steph are back podding (and arguing) together after Steph's break for a very special episode reflecting on the Mass Effect trilogy after MultiPlay's 10 year anniversary…
Episode 8: Words Aren't Scary, Unless You Have Amnesia (with Dr Peter Howell)
Spoooooky! An eighth Game Academy episode appears just in time for Halloween! With Steph out of commission (she's not dead, we promise) Adam bravely faces the ghouls and curses (the ones that keep pr…
Episode 7: Eight Years On And We're Still Talking About GamerGate
On the seventh episode of Game Academy, Steph and Adam present an incredibly delayed podcast. We battled freshers' flu to be here and we'll never leave! Long live Game Academy! Steph is more thrilled…
Episode 6: What Space and Place Were You When England Won the Euros? (with Lisa Meek)
On the sixth episode of Game Academy, good times never seemed so good! Joined by Lisa Meek, Adam and Steph fondly (or, in Steph's case, not so much) remember when the Lionesses won the Euros. Lisa, a…
Episode 5: Gameboys, DiGRA and New Books, Oh My! (with Adam Crowley)
On the fifth episode of Game Academy, Adam and Steph take a breath after a hectic month! Adam fills us in on how this year's DiGRA conference went - and to Steph's despair - starts another ludology v…