Best Thehereswaldopodcast Podcasts (2025)

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Navigating Compliance and Building Safer, Kid-Friendly Gaming with Kieran Donovan of k-ID 38:42

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2M ago38:42

38:42

Kieran Donovan is the CEO and co-founder of k-ID, the first-of-its-kind global compliance engine designed to make online safety and privacy seamless for kids, teens, game developers, and parents alike. With a decade of experience at the forefront of data protection and online safety, Kieran has advised major online platforms and been named Privacy …

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Revolutionizing Gaming Highlights into Playable Content with Zero Friction | Asaf Gazit of Ludeo 33:46

3M ago33:46

33:46

Asaf Gazit is the co-founder and CEO of Ludeo, a groundbreaking platform that’s reshaping the way players engage with video games. Founded alongside his brother, Ludeo was built with a bold vision: to remove the friction in gaming and make discovering and jumping into new games as seamless as scrolling through TikTok. Drawing on their lifelong pass…

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Burnout, Feedback, and Leadership Growth in Gaming with Zoe Curnoe of Lumina Leadership 35:45

4M ago35:45

35:45

Zoe Curnoe is the founder and executive coach at Lumina Leadership, a boutique executive coaching and training firm. With over 20 years of leadership experience at companies like Electronic Arts, Riot Games, The Coalition (an Xbox studio), and co-founding Timbre Games, Zoe specializes in helping leaders navigate complex challenges and drive meaning…

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Reinventing Remote Work with the Ultimate "Smart" Virtual Workspace with Vishal Punwani of SoWork 36:32

4M ago36:32

36:32

Vishal Punwani is the CEO and co-founder of SoWork, the world’s first generative AI-enhanced virtual workplace platform. Founded at Harvard's Innovation Labs, SoWork transforms team productivity and collaboration by seamlessly integrating work tools, social spaces, and gamification. As businesses adapt to hybrid and remote-first environments, Visha…

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Authentic D2C Strategies for Sustainable Growth in Gaming with David Vogelpohl of FastSpring 33:22

4M ago33:22

33:22

David Vogelpohl is the Chief Marketing Officer at FastSpring, a platform enabling direct-to-consumer (D2C) monetization for video games and digital products. With over two decades of experience in digital strategy and e-commerce, David offers valuable insights into creating meaningful player relationships, navigating platform regulations, and build…

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Pushing Fashion's Potential in Gaming with Nicola Mizon of VIZTA DGTL 36:35

4M ago36:35

36:35

Nicola Mizon is the co-founder of VIZTA DGTL, a Berlin-based game studio on a mission to reshape the intersection of gaming, fashion, and commerce. She is passionate about creating engaging, inclusive experiences that redefine industry norms. In this episode, she discusses the evolution of fashion gaming, opportunities for brand collaborations, and…

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The Secrets Behind Iconic MMOs, Strong Remote Culture, & AI's Impact with Rich Vogel of T-Minus Zero Entertainment 47:05

5M ago47:05

47:05

Rich Vogel is an award-winning executive producer with over 25 years of experience in the gaming industry. Today, he is the founder and studio head of T-Minus Zero. Before this, Rich built and led three major studios—Sony Online Entertainment Austin, Bioware Austin, and Bethesda Game Studio Battle Cry—together generating an impressive $3 billion in…

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Building Cultures That Power Great Games Post-Pandemic with Daryl Ogden of Valued Cultures 42:37

5M ago42:37

42:37

Daryl Ogden is the co-founder of Valued Cultures, a startup dedicated to building healthy, sustainable, and innovative cultures in the gaming industry. With over a decade of experience advising leaders from top Fortune 500 companies and iconic game studios, Daryl is an expert in aligning leadership, investing in talent, and navigating critical tran…

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The Rise of Slovakia’s Game Development Scene with Peter Nagy of Grindstone 39:40

6M ago39:40

39:40

Peter Nagy is a prominent figure in the video game industry and a pioneer in Central Europe and Slovakia’s game development ecosystem. As the co-founder of Slovakia's oldest game development studio, Games Farm, Nagy brings over 20 years of experience in creating engaging, story-driven RPG games. He is also the founder of Grindstone, the country’s f…

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Game Accessibility and Leading Creative Teams with Kevin Johnson of Double Fine Productions 44:16

6M ago44:16

44:16

In this episode, Lizzie Mintus interviews Kevin Johnson, Director of Development at Double Fine Productions (now part of Xbox Games Studios), about his journey through the game industry and his role in fostering the studio’s collaborative and innovative culture. Kevin takes us behind the scenes of the making of Psychonauts 2, sharing how the team b…

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Meeting the Needs of Gen Z & Gen Alpha’s Gaming Preferences with Jen MacLean of Dragon Snacks Games 43:26

6M ago43:26

43:26

Jen MacLean, co-founder and CEO of a new studio, Dragon Snacks Games, is building social role-playing experiences that resonate with younger audiences. Formerly Xbox's General Manager of Creator Partnerships, she managed top partner relationships and co-led content strategies. With a passion for gaming, she also held senior roles in game developmen…

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The Mastermind Behind Skill Gaming's Growth with Nancy MacIntyre of WorldWinner 43:19

6M ago43:19

43:19

Nancy MacIntyre is a seasoned executive with over 25 years of leadership in the gaming and digital entertainment industry. She has an outstanding track record, having launched over 100 games, including 11 No. 1 titles, collectively generating more than $2 billion in revenue. Nancy has held pivotal roles at top companies such as LeapFrog, LucasArts,…

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Bringing Nostalgic Games to the Latest Consoles with Robin Lavallée of Implicit Conversions 40:14

7M ago40:14

40:14

Robin Lavallée is the CEO and Co-Founder of Implicit Conversions, a company dedicated to bringing nostalgic games back to life by porting beloved classics to modern consoles using cutting-edge emulation technology. Their innovative software ensures that timeless games run seamlessly on today’s platforms like the PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Swit…

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45M Users & 10K Creators- The Future of Social Gaming with Anton Bernstein of Pocket Worlds 41:18

7M ago41:18

41:18

In this episode of the Here's Waldo Podcast, Lizzie Mintus sits down with Anton Bernstein, the CEO and founder of Pocket Worlds, the fast-growing Y Combinator-backed company that has connected over 45 million users and 10,000 creators through shared virtual experiences. Pocket Worlds is the parent company behind two major platforms: High Rise and E…

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60 Titles in 30+ Years: Secrets to Creating Fun Games with William Schmitt of Proof of Play 42:12

7M ago42:12

42:12

In this episode of the Here's Waldo Podcast, Lizzie Mintus chats with William Schmitt, the Head of Studio at Proof of Play, a company on a mission to shepherd games into Web3's on-chain universe through uncompromisingly fun games. With over 32 years in the gaming industry, William has held key leadership roles at Disney Interactive, Scopely, THQ, A…

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Implementing Psychology as the Cornerstone of Game Development Success with Joe Schaeppi of Solsten 46:13

7M ago46:13

46:13

Joe Schaeppi is the CEO and co-founder of Solsten and is on a mission to fundamentally change the way that humans connect. With a strong background in psychology, he leverages his expertise in human behavior and motivation—gained from leading UX strategy at McCann and his impactful work as an adventure-based psychotherapist—Joe is pioneering the us…

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From DOOM and Forza Legacy to the Next Big Hit: DEFECT with Garrett Young of Empty Vessel 56:52

8M ago56:52

56:52

Garrett Young is a 25+ year game industry veteran who led development teams at major companies, including Microsoft, Activision, Disney, and Id Software, contributing to the creation of iconic franchises such as DOOM, Quake, and Rage. He also played a pivotal role in launching the Forza Motorsport and Project Gotham Racing franchises, along with de…

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Empowering Parents Foster a Positive Gaming Space for Kids with Heidi Vogel of GuardianGamer AI 34:43

8M ago34:43

34:43

Heidi Vogel is a seasoned entrepreneur with over five companies under her belt, and today she shares her incredible journey from tech pioneer to gaming innovator. As a mother of four, she faced challenges managing her children's digital playground, which inspired her to develop GuardianGamer's monitoring solution. Her latest venture, GuardianGamer …

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The Rise of Unity Asia and the Evolution of Cloud Gaming with John Goodale of Jam.gg 49:35

8M ago49:35

49:35

John Goodale was employee #60 at Unity in 2010, where he launched and rapidly expanded Unity Asia. Under his leadership, he transformed Unity into the preferred platform for game developers across the region, driving exceptional growth and establishing the company as a dominant force in the gaming industry. Having also held key positions at Sega an…

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Innovating the African Gaming Market and VC Insights with Chris Quaidoo of Carry1st 39:04

8M ago39:04

39:04

Chris Quaidoo is the Content Acquisition Lead at Carry1st, a leading African mobile games publisher backed by investors like Bitcraft and A16Z. He's also a Venture Partner at Griffin Gaming Partners and hosts Venture Games, a podcast where he interviews key players in gaming and venture capital. Tune in to this episode of the Here's Waldo Podcast t…

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Innovating Chess and Strategy Games with Sami Ramly of Echo Chunk AI 41:33

9M ago41:33

41:33

Sami Ramly, founder of Echo Chunk AI and creator of the viral game Echo Chess, takes us on a journey from his early days learning chess at just 3 years old to the development of Echo Chess—a viral puzzle game that combines chess mechanics with real-time AI-driven obstacles. Recently, he raised $1.4M pre-seed to take Echo Chess and his vision for th…

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Pioneering Story-Driven Marketing Strategies in Gaming with Neel Upadhye 54:02

9M ago54:02

54:02

Neel Upadhye is an award-winning writer, director, and transmedia storyteller with over 15 years of experience in the video game industry. After starting as an assistant editor, he rose to become the marketing creative director at Electronic Arts (EA), where he played pivotal roles in marketing and narrative development. His contributions included …

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Revolutionizing Healthcare through Game Technology with Noah Falstein of The Inspiracy 49:47

9M ago49:47

49:47

We’re entering a new era where games can be prescribed as part of medical treatment or used to train doctors more effectively than traditional lectures. In this episode, join host Lizzie Mintus and guest Noah Falstein, who was among the first 10 employees at Lucasfilm Games (later known as LucasArts), and has also worked with 3DO and DreamWorks Int…

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Exclusive BTS of Creating of Diablo, Diablo II, and Battle.net with David Brevik of Skystone Games 44:12

9M ago44:12

44:12

If you're a fan of Diablo I, Diablo II, and Battle.net, don't miss our latest episode featuring David Brevik, a 33-year gaming industry veteran behind these legendary titles and services. David takes us on a journey through his career, from co-founding Condor Inc., which later became Blizzard North, to the original Diablo pitch and its iconic seque…

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From QA Tester to Gaming Exec: Intentional Career Insights with Mark Subotnick of ProbablyMonsters 55:22

10M ago55:22

55:22

Fun fact: Mark Subotnick, aka "Bot," began as an SF club promoter in the '80s-'90s before starting his game industry career in 1993 as a QA tester at SEGA of America, earning $9/hr. A longtime gaming and technology executive, Mark is renowned for his key roles at Intel, Microsoft, and SEGA, spanning multiple generations of technological innovation.…

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The Art of Comedy in Gaming with Mike Fridley of Squanch Games 39:36

10M ago39:36

39:36

Michael Fridley is the CEO and studio director of Squanch Games. He has contributed to many titles since he started in the industry 26 years ago, including The Elder Scrolls, Morrowind and Oblivion, Fallout 3, Reckoning, Call of Cthulhu, PGA Tour, NBA Live, Dragonvale, and most recently Squanch Games' hit game, High on Life- the largest third-party…

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Unlocking Multiplayer Success: Backend & Infrastructure Insights with Sid Dhulipalla of Hathora 46:08

10M ago46:08

46:08

Sid Dhulipalla is the CEO and co-founder of Hathora, the server orchestration platform powering Frost Giant Studios' new game, Stormgate. In this episode, listeners get a glimpse of Sid's journey transitioning from engineering management roles at Databricks and Palantir Technologies to founding Hathora. He also shares insights into the interplay be…

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The Next Big RTS Game, Stormgate with Tim Morten of Frost Giant Studios 39:44

10M ago39:44

39:44

Tim Morten is the CEO and Production Director of Frost Giant Studios. From his early days at Activision in 1994 to leading major teams at EA and Blizzard, Tim has seen it all. Now, he’s steering Frost Giant Studios as they launch their highly anticipated RTS game, Stormgate, which is now available for Early Access! Stormgate builds on the legacy of…

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Transforming Video Games into Theme Park Adventures with David Elton, Fractional COO 46:58

11M ago46:58

46:58

David Elton brings nearly three decades of expertise in the game industry, having worked with top studios like Electronic Arts, Microsoft, Zynga, and Capcom. He has held diverse roles from Vice President - Product to Creative Director, contributing to a wide array of titles from Microsoft's Solitaire to iconic franchises like Need For Speed and SSX…

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The Vision for Authentic Virtual Worlds with Yon Raz-Fridman of Supersocial, Inc. 46:02

11M ago46:02

46:02

Yonatan Raz-Fridman is the CEO and founder of Supersocial, Inc., a pioneering studio that builds boundary-pushing virtual worlds on immersive social platforms like Roblox. Roblox is the most engaging platform on the Internet, with its 72 million daily active users spending an average of 2.4 hours per day—three times more than TikTok and five times …

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The Content Creator Effect in Gaming with Justin Sacks of Nexus 48:47

11M ago48:47

48:47

Justin Sacks has worn many hats in his 15+ years in the game industry—from competitive gamer to content creator to leading business development for a global multimedia game company. Today, he serves as the CEO of Nexus, a platform specializing in building and managing creator programs for the world's top live service games. Nexus provides a compreh…

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From VP of Amazon Prime Gaming to Executive Coaching with Ethan Evans 52:59

11M ago52:59

52:59

Ethan Evans is a career development expert dedicated to helping professionals overcome career blockages and advance to the next level. After retiring as VP from Amazon, where he built Prime Gaming, managed Amazon's first game studio, and contributed to Twitch, he shifted his focus to paying forward his good fortune by assisting clients from top US …

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Empowering Talent, Embracing Challenges with Multi-Startup Founder, Shawn Foust of Fortis Games 51:57

11M ago51:57

51:57

Shawn Foust is the Co-founder and COO of Fortis Games, a global game studio with a mission to create worlds that matter – that challenge minds, build connections, and inspire communities. Before founding Fortis, Shawn was VP of Central Operations at WB Games after its acquisition of PlexChat, which he co-founded and led as CEO. Prior to that, he se…

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The Rise of Iron Galaxy Studios from 13 to 270+ Employees with Chelsea Blasko of Iron Galaxy Studios 44:20

11M ago44:20

44:20

Chelsea Blasko, co-CEO and Partner of Iron Galaxy Studios, started as the company's 13th employee and quickly became the catalyst behind the studio’s incredible expansion across multiple locations. She has been instrumental in guiding the studio’s leaders through product development and collaboration. She also established Iron Galaxy’s career coach…

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Exploring the Art and Immense Potential of Gaming with Chris Melissinos, Game Evangelist of AWS 58:01

12M ago58:01

58:01

🎮 Ever wondered how video games made it to the Smithsonian? What does it mean to be a Game Evangelist? How do you figure out what gamers really want? In this episode of the Here's Waldo Podcast, Chris Melissinos, the Principal Evangelist for Video Games at AWS, shares his profound passion, rooted in the belief that video games are among the most si…

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The 'Secret Sauce' of Sustainable Growth & Strategic Partnerships with Mike Wallen of Keywords Studios 43:58

12M ago43:58

43:58

Join us as we dive into the secrets of driving business growth with Mike Wallen, Chief Commercial Officer at Keywords Studios. With over 29 years of experience, Mike's career has been a fascinating journey from recruiter and agent to VP at Lakshya Digital, and now Global Business Development Director at Keywords. His key insight? Understanding the …

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The Secrets of Serial Success with Jordan Weisman of Endless Adventures Inc. 47:20

12M ago47:20

47:20

Jordan Weisman is a 40-year industry legend with four entrepreneurial company exits to Disney, Microsoft, Topps, and Paradox Interactive. His achievements include winning over 100 awards, becoming a New York Times bestselling author, and co-creating iconic tabletop games such as BattleTech, Shadowrun, MechWarrior, and Earthdawn. Today, he is the CE…

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Navigating Big Partnerships and Indie Success with Alyssa Walles of Midwest Games 45:12

12M ago45:12

45:12

Alyssa Walles is a seasoned executive with over 20 years of experience in entertainment, gaming, tech, and publishing. Known for catalyzing innovation and driving revenue growth, she has played a key role in launching the Walt Disney gift catalog, Sony PlayStation, and negotiating National Sports League agreements for the video game franchise Backy…

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Formula to Game Franchises and Startup Success with Bill Roper of Lunacy Games 1:21:03

1y ago1:21:03

1:21:03

Wondering what it takes to build successful game franchises or start your own game studio? 🎮 🎮 Join host Lizzie Mintus on the latest episode as she chats with Bill Roper, a gaming industry veteran behind iconic franchises like Warcraft, Starcraft, and Diablo. Starting as employee #17 at Blizzard Entertainment, Bill's journey took him from voice act…

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Creating Marketing Magic in Gaming with Sarah Anderson of Amazon Games 55:37

1y ago55:37

55:37

In this episode of the Here's Waldo Podcast, host Lizzie Mintus sits down with Sarah Anderson, Head of Global Marketing and Partnerships at Amazon Games. With over 30 years of experience in the gaming industry, Sarah has held strategic roles at Sega, Canopy, 2K Games, and now Amazon Games, where she leads growth initiatives and fosters community fo…

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Navigating Video Game Marketing & Branding with Perrin Kaplan of Zebra Partners 55:39

1y ago55:39

55:39

Join host Lizzie Mintus in this episode of the Here's Waldo Podcast as she sits down with Perrin Kaplan, a global strategic marketing and communications C-level executive known for her award-winning work in tech, entertainment, consumer products, gaming, mixed reality, AI, and more. Noted in several books, documentaries, and publications, Perrin co…

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Bringing Games to Holographic Life with Jeri Ellsworth of Tilt Five 54:49

1y ago54:49

54:49

Join host Lizzie Mintus as she interviews inventor and entrepreneur Jeri Ellsworth, co-founder of Tilt Five, the world's first augmented reality tabletop gaming system. 🏁 From building race cars and owning a computer store chain to creating toys for millions, her early achievements set the stage for a groundbreaking career. She then moved on to cre…

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CTO's Guide to VR Game Development Success with Charles 'Chuck' Tolman 49:18

1y ago49:18

49:18

Join host Lizzie Mintus as she sits down with Charles 'Chuck' Tolman, a seasoned CTO/CIO with a rich history in the video game industry. Chuck's career began at Atari in 1993, and he has since made significant contributions to over 30 games, including major franchises such as titles like Spider-Man, Call of Duty, and The Walking Dead. In this episo…

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Leveling Up Game Marketing, Mentorship, and Impact with Jen Donahoe of Jade Inferno Consulting 52:49

1y ago52:49

52:49

Jen Donahoe is a publishing, marketing, and growth leader with over 20 years of experience in the game, toy, and entertainment industries. She started her career in the toy industry at Hasbro, Disney, and Mattel before moving to the game industry, where she led marketing and growth teams at EA, Zynga, Scopely, and Riot. Today, she is a strategic ma…

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Blueprint for Live Game Success with Scott Hartsman, Games Angel & Advisor 1:03:47

1y ago1:03:47

1:03:47

Join host Lizzie Mintus, and guest Scott Hartsman, as they dive deep into the secrets to creating successful live games, streamlining hiring processes, and making tough decisions as a leader. Scott's extensive track record speaks for itself, with a portfolio of successes dating back to the early days of online gaming. From EverQuest 1 and 2 to Rift…

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Redefining DEI Strategies through Empathy with Trinidad Hermida-Black of the BIG Foundation 53:10

1y ago53:10

53:10

🎮💡 Unpopular Opinion: #DEI isn't just one person's job! Hiring a DEI specialist or expecting marginalized employees to carry the burden of change isn't going to magically transform your culture. So how can we truly promote positive DEI change? Join us as we sit down with Trinidad Hermida-Black, the Executive Director of Black in Gaming Foundation a…

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Growth, Grit, and Gaming with Russell Ovans of East Side Games 51:34

1y ago51:34

51:34

Join us as we sit down with Russell Ovans, Board Member at East Side Games (ESG). Russell is a free-to-play games executive with a Ph.D. in Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence). His diverse career includes founding Backstage Technologies, teaching college, holding executive roles in a tech incubator, and owning a brewery. In 2018, he returned…

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From "Pizza Attack" Battle to Brand Strategies: Legal Insights in Gaming with Don McGowan 54:36

1y ago54:36

54:36

Join us as we sit down with Don McGowan, former General Counsel at Bungie. If you're in the game industry, you've likely heard about Bungie's groundbreaking lawsuit protecting employees from online threats, aka the "Pizza Attack." Don orchestrated the whole process and is here to share the behind-the-scenes details in full. Don's career in the ente…

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The Power of Leading with Empathy in the Game Industry with Mitch Gitelman 57:06

1y ago57:06

57:06

Join us as we sit down with Mitch Gitelman, a 30-year veteran of the game industry and former CEO of Harebrained Schemes, known for hits like the Shadowrun Returns and Battletech. He also played key roles as a founding member and studio head for Microsoft Games, leading the Xbox Live Arcade business during its heyday. In this episode, Mitch shares …

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Bridging Creativity and Generative AI for Next-Gen Gaming with Jon Radoff of Beamable 48:57

1y ago48:57

48:57

Jon Radoff is the co-founder and CEO of Beamable, an extensible server platform that enables developers to create online games and virtual worlds in minutes. His journey began at NovaLink, where he developed Legends of Future Past, one of the first MMORPGs. Jon went on to found Eprise Corporation, GamerDNA, and Disruptor Beam, reaching over 20 mill…