Greg Posner

Xbox: end of an error, not just a bad week

Microsoft's gaming layoffs and studio spin-offs weren't a bad week. Player Driven Live on Xbox's 64-cent problem and why ad-funded discovery is the way out.

Are private servers piracy? Inside the ESA fight with Nodecraft's Jonathan Yarbor

The ESA told California lawmakers private servers are piracy. NodeCraft's Jonathan Yarbor on the terminology it botched and why licensing beats litigating.

GTA 6's zero-ad launch and the death of physical media

Player Driven Live breaks down GTA 6's earned-media launch, Sony killing physical discs by 2028, and why Xbox can't buy its way back into the platform race.

Who Pays for the Player Now? Justin Ruiss on Ads, the Xbox Free Tier, and the Second Search War

Ad-tech operator Justin Ruiss on why a free, ad-supported Xbox is the most logical move on the board, how GTA 6 reshapes the Roblox creator economy, and why Reddit became the arms dealer of the AI search war.

GTA 6 Won Summer Game Fest by Posting a Box Art

Greg Posner and Colan Neese on the week attention stopped meaning what people think it means: GTA 6's post-marketing, the Steam wishlist lie, Poki's quiet rise, and Bungie's collapse.

Skill-based matchmaking, explained by the engineer who built Call of Duty's rating system

Charlie Olsen wrote the matchmaking rating system inside Call of Duty. Now he sells matchmaking to studios — and explains what SBMM really does to your game.

Xbox's Restructuring Isn't an Asha Problem. It's a Game Pass Math Problem.

Microsoft can't seem to stay out of the news, and this week it earned the headlines the hard way.

Betting the Studio: Zach Letter on Surviving the Cut and Building Roblox's #1 Licensed Game

Zach Letter spent over a decade as a full-time YouTube creator with billions of views before he saw Roblox and recognized the exact platform mechanics he had already mastered: a title, a thumbnail, and an algorithm to beat.

Why Most Games Fail in the Gap Between the Idea and the Build

Lewis Ward spent sixteen years covering games as an analyst at IDC. Now he runs Design Desk at Player Driven, and his obsession has moved upstream, into the design layer where games are still just ideas.

Let Bungie Die

Bungie's mindshare has collapsed 86% since 2019 and Destiny is winding down. Colan and Greg unpack what went wrong at Bungie, why Bond's launch curve still has room to run, and what Activision's Modern Warfare 4 surprise drop signals about Call of Duty's next era.

Who Pays for Attention in Gaming Now? Inside the Xbox Ad-Tier Debate and the Death of the Open Web

No AI Doesn't Mean What You Think It Does

Guest: Tess Lynch, Founding Attorney, Clause and Affect When Crimson Desert announced "no AI in our game," the internet applauded.

5 Lessons for Community Managers in Gaming

The role has shifted from forum moderation to product strategy. Here's what the strongest community teams in the industry have figured out — and what the rest are still getting wrong.

Building NYC's Gaming Ecosystem from the Classroom Up with Alia Jones-Harvey

Episode Description (the version that goes in podcast players) New York City has tripled gaming industry jobs since 2008. The average wage is now 14% above the citywide average.

Marketing That Moves the Needle with Christine Dart

The gaming industry is full of brilliant products that never reach their potential. Not because the game isn’t good, but because the marketing strategy behind it doesn’t scale. In this episode of Player Driven, we explore how studios can turn marketing into a repeatable growth engine — not just a launch-day megaphone.

From Sound to Studio – Building Devhouse with Jim Welch

Are you an aspiring indie game developer looking to turn your passion into a thriving studio? The path from creative vision to launched game can be challenging, but with the right mindset and strategic approach, success is within reach. We sat down with Jim Welch, founder and creative director of The Dev House Agency, to uncover his best practices for navigating the exciting, turbulent world of indie game development. Jim's unique journey from composing soundtracks for anime like Dragon Ball Z and Full Metal Alchemist to founding a forward-thinking game studio offers invaluable lessons for every aspiring developer.

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

In a world where players expect instant answers and unforgettable moments, how do you scale support without sacrificing community?We sat down with Heidi Christine (CMO and Head of Community at Pixels) and Conor McGinley (CS Lead at Twin Harbor Interactive) to find out. Whether you're a live service veteran or just starting your first Discord server, this episode from the Player Driven podcast drops a ton of actionable insights. Let's break them down.

Emily Scahill on Breaking into Gaming: Career & Hiring Insights from SkillSearch

Podcast Summary:In this episode of Player Driven, host Greg speaks with Emily Scahill, Head of Client Success for Games at SkillSearch, about talent acquisition in gaming, the impact of layoffs, and how studios can hire smarter.

How Player Support Shapes Gaming Communities with Danielle Shneor

Ilyon's Danielle Shneor on running player support like hospitality, and how empathy and always offering a choice turned 40,000 tickets into 90% satisfaction.

Building Safer Multiplayer Spaces with Nodecraft's Jon Yarbor

The Unsung Backbone of Gaming: Server Hosting In the world of online gaming, server hosting is the foundation that makes multiplayer experiences possible. While often overlooked, the complexity and importance of this infrastructure cannot be overstated. Yet, server hosting has long been a daunting challenge for players and developers alike, requiring a level of technical expertise that many simply don’t have. As gaming becomes more inclusive and diverse, the conversation around server hosting is shifting. It’s no longer just about technical efficiency—it’s about accessibility, privacy, and creating safe spaces for players to connect.

How Publishers Shape Gaming: Ben Kvalo on Publishing and Indie Success

Game publishing isn’t just about launching a game; it’s about strategically turning a creative idea into a commercial success. For indie developers, the stakes are especially high—one misstep can mean the difference between breaking into the industry or fading into obscurity. Enter Ben Kvalo, a gaming industry veteran with experience at 2K, Blizzard, Netflix, and now as the founder of Midwest Games. His work bridges the gap between underserved indie talent in the Midwest and the resources they need to thrive. With his insider perspective, we’ll dive into the evolving role of game publishers and what developers need to know to succeed.

Mastering Level Design: How Ambition, Storytelling, and Small Wins Shape Iconic Games

Jack Burrows is more than just a level designer – he's a storyteller who crafts immersive worlds through meticulously designed spaces. With an impressive career spanning studios like Treyarch and NetEase, Jack has left his mark on iconic games such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, Warzone, and Marvel Rivals.

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

User-Generated Content (UGC) has become a transformative force in the gaming industry, revolutionizing how players interact with games and how developers approach content creation. In this exploration, we'll dive deep into the world of UGC, uncovering its remarkable potential to reshape gaming experiences, drive community engagement, and create new opportunities for developers and players alike. The journey of UGC is a testament to the incredible creativity and passion of gaming communities. From humble beginnings in early modding scenes to today's sophisticated content creation platforms, UGC has evolved from a niche hobby to a critical component of modern game development and player experience.