EP 172 · The game backend is 5% of the budget and 100% of the launch· 2D AGO
Player Driven
Player Driven Podcast
──LONG-FORM CONVERSATIONS

One hour,
two operators.

173 EPISODES
NEW EVERY TUESDAY
You’re Not Designing Games… You’re Designing Behavior
30:45
EP_147· VIDEO MISSING

You’re Not Designing Games… You’re Designing Behavior

This week’s episode takes a different angle. What started as a conversation about Epic, Disney, and the state of the market quickly turned into something bigger… a discussion about systems.

0
PLAYER DRIVENAPR 7, 2026
ENCORE: How One MMO Taught a Future Investor to Break Markets
1:05:10
EP_146· VIDEO MISSING

ENCORE: How One MMO Taught a Future Investor to Break Markets

This week, we’re bringing back one of the most interesting conversations we’ve had on Player Driven. Andrew Wagner didn’t learn economics in a classroom first. He learned it inside a game.

0
PLAYER DRIVENMAR 31, 2026
Day Zero Design: Why Your Community Strategy is Your New Game Engine
48:45
EP_145· COMMUNITY

Day Zero Design: Why Your Community Strategy is Your New Game Engine

Guests: Karin Johnson: Co-founder of Magic Potion Games (Veteran of Club Penguin and Fortnite)Hege Tokerud: CEO/Founder of Aiba (Cybersecurity and AI moderation specialist) Episode Summary In this strategic primer for GDC 2026, we sit down…

L02 OperatorCOMMUNITY +2
↳ 5 TAKEAWAYS
PLAYER DRIVENMAR 24, 2026
Half a Million Karma and a Shipped Game: The Renee Gittins Story
38:57
EP_144· LIVE OPS

Half a Million Karma and a Shipped Game: The Renee Gittins Story

Episode Overview In this episode, Greg sits down with Renee Gittins — studio founder of Stumbling Cat, former IGDA Executive Director, ex-General Manager of Phoenix Labs Vancouver, Forbes 30 Under 30 for Games, Reddit legend, and now a debu…

L02 OperatorPRODUCT +2
↳ 4 TAKEAWAYS
WITH RENEE GITTINS MAR 17, 2026
Is Privacy a Myth? Why the US Government Wants to Dismantle Tencent
1:00:30
EP_143· INDUSTRY & BUSINESS· VIDEO MISSING

Is Privacy a Myth? Why the US Government Wants to Dismantle Tencent

Episode Summary: While the team is away at GDC in San Francisco, we’re bringing you a deep-dive encore of one of our most provocative conversations. Greg and Colan sit down to dissect the mounting pressure from the U.S.

L01 FoundationsPRODUCT +1
↳ 4 TAKEAWAYS
PLAYER DRIVENMAR 10, 2026
The Evolution of Moderation: Why AI Won’t Replace Humans… It Will Redefine Them
30:54
EP_142· TRUST & SAFETY· VIDEO MISSING

The Evolution of Moderation: Why AI Won’t Replace Humans… It Will Redefine Them

In this episode of Player Driven, host Greg welcomes back industry veteran Sharon Fisher to discuss the rapidly evolving landscape of content moderation.

L02 OperatorTRUST & SAFETY +1
↳ 5 TAKEAWAYS
PLAYER DRIVENMAR 3, 2026
Exploring the Psychological Traits That Motivate Video Game Players: From GTA to Fortnite and Beyond
48:30
EP_141· PLAYER PSYCHOLOGY· VIDEO MISSING

Exploring the Psychological Traits That Motivate Video Game Players: From GTA to Fortnite and Beyond

Episode Summary Why do we play the video games that we play? Is interest in the strategy game genre truly waning globally over time? Greg and Lewis sit down with gaming psychology pioneer and Quantic Foundry co-founder Nick Yee to answer th…

L02 OperatorDESIGN +2
↳ 4 TAKEAWAYS
PLAYER DRIVENFEB 24, 2026
ENCORE: Balancing Family, Career, and Community in the Games Industry
1:02:54
EP_140· VIDEO MISSING

ENCORE: Balancing Family, Career, and Community in the Games Industry

Episode Summary How do you break into the games industry later in your career? And once you’re in, how do you build a meaningful life and community without burning out? In this episode, Greg is joined by Amir Satvat, a Business Development…

0
PLAYER DRIVENFEB 17, 2026
The Dark Souls of Politics: Gaming for Change
51:04
EP_139· GAME DESIGN· VIDEO MISSING

The Dark Souls of Politics: Gaming for Change

On this episode of Player Driven, Lewis and Greg are joined by Joost Vervoort, Associate Professor at Utrecht University (in the Netherlands) and Science/Impact Director at Speculative Agency.

L02 OperatorDESIGN +1
↳ 4 TAKEAWAYS
PLAYER DRIVENFEB 10, 2026
How AI Is Rewriting Trust and Safety in Games
43:42
EP_138· TRUST & SAFETY· VIDEO MISSING

How AI Is Rewriting Trust and Safety in Games

Recorded live at Pocket Gamer London, Greg sits down with Hill from Checkstep for a wide ranging conversation on trust and safety, AI powered content detection, parenting in a gaming household, and why moderation is no longer just about rem…

L02 OperatorTRUST & SAFETY +1
↳ 4 TAKEAWAYS
PLAYER DRIVENFEB 3, 2026
The Riot Publishing Paradox and The Resurrection of Hytale
56:13
EP_137· VIDEO MISSING

The Riot Publishing Paradox and The Resurrection of Hytale

In this episode, Greg and Colan break down the surprising success of Hytale after its departure from Riot Games, the strategic restructuring at Ubisoft, and the evolving multi-platform future of Xbox.

0
PLAYER DRIVENJAN 27, 2026
300M Losses & $650 Legos: Is the Gaming Industry in a Tailspin?
25:17
EP_136· VIDEO MISSING

300M Losses & $650 Legos: Is the Gaming Industry in a Tailspin?

Episode SummaryIs the gaming industry entering a "negative flywheel"? This week, we dive into the staggering reports of Black Ops 6 underperforming and what it means for the future of Microsoft Gaming and potential layoffs.

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PLAYER DRIVENJAN 20, 2026
Player Support, Trust & Safety, and the Future of Community-Led Games | Schell Games
47:27
EP_135· COMMUNITY· VIDEO MISSING

Player Support, Trust & Safety, and the Future of Community-Led Games | Schell Games

In this episode of Player Driven, Greg Posner sits down with Laura Norwicke Hall, Senior Player Support Specialist at Schell Games, to unpack what modern player experience really looks like when games scale.

L01 FoundationsCOMMUNITY +1
↳ 4 TAKEAWAYS
PLAYER DRIVENJAN 13, 2026
Building Media That Lasts 20 Years with Chris James, CEO of Steel Media
1:00:16
EP_134· INDUSTRY & BUSINESS· VIDEO MISSING

Building Media That Lasts 20 Years with Chris James, CEO of Steel Media

What does it actually take to build a media and events business that survives multiple platform shifts, economic cycles, and industry hype waves? In this episode of Player Driven, Greg sits down with Chris James, CEO of Steel Media and the…

L03 LeadFOUNDER +1
↳ 5 TAKEAWAYS
PLAYER DRIVENJAN 6, 2026
ENCORE: Revolutionizing Reality: The Digital Overlay Transforming Retail and Gaming with Beau Button
54:52
EP_133· VIDEO MISSING

ENCORE: Revolutionizing Reality: The Digital Overlay Transforming Retail and Gaming with Beau Button

Episode Summary:In this special encore presentation, we revisit one of our earliest and most popular conversations. Originally recorded two years ago, Greg Posner sits down with Beau Button, the visionary CTO and Co-Founder of Atlas Reality…

0
PLAYER DRIVENDEC 30, 2025
ENCORE: Flow, Feedback, and Fun: The Pillars of Great Level Design | Marvel Rivals Level Designer
1:06:35
EP_132· MONETIZATION· VIDEO MISSING

ENCORE: Flow, Feedback, and Fun: The Pillars of Great Level Design | Marvel Rivals Level Designer

What does ambition really look like inside modern game development? In this episode, Greg sits down with Jack Burrows to unpack how level designers think, work, and stay motivated across massive franchises and creative constraints.

L02 OperatorLIVE OPS +2
↳ 5 TAKEAWAYS
PLAYER DRIVENDEC 23, 2025
ENCORE From Sound to Studio – Building Devhouse with Jim Welch
48:09
EP_131· VIDEO MISSING

ENCORE From Sound to Studio – Building Devhouse with Jim Welch

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.

0
PLAYER DRIVENDEC 16, 2025
Making a Metaverse That Matters with James Au
48:09
EP_130· PLAYER PSYCHOLOGY· VIDEO MISSING

Making a Metaverse That Matters with James Au

This episode features host Greg and Lewis Ward discussing the true nature of virtual worlds with Wagner James Au, author of Making a Metaverse That Matters, exploring the core design, economic, and community philosophies of successful platf…

L03 LeadPRODUCT +2
↳ 5 TAKEAWAYS
PLAYER DRIVENDEC 9, 2025
ENCORE: From AAA to Indie: How Proactive Game Devs Change the Industry with Willem Kranendonk
52:20
EP_129· VIDEO MISSING

ENCORE: From AAA to Indie: How Proactive Game Devs Change the Industry with Willem Kranendonk

Dive deep into the strategic mindset of level design, the shift from AAA development to indie studio entrepreneurship, and a radical new business model for creating innovative "Cocktail Games." Key Takeaways & Discussion PointsThe Reality o…

0
PLAYER DRIVENDEC 2, 2025
ROBLOX: ALGORITHM IS KING - The End of "AAA" and the Rise of the Viral Dev
44:11
EP_128· INDUSTRY & BUSINESS· VIDEO MISSING

ROBLOX: ALGORITHM IS KING - The End of "AAA" and the Rise of the Viral Dev

Episode SummaryForget the old ways of game development. The Roblox platform isn't a sandbox—it's a brutal, high-frequency, algorithmic battleground.

L02 OperatorLIVE OPS +1
↳ 5 TAKEAWAYS
PLAYER DRIVENNOV 25, 2025
ENCORE: Managing LiveOps at Scale: Inside Respawn's Build & Release Team with Julie Banta
51:32
EP_127· VIDEO MISSING

ENCORE: Managing LiveOps at Scale: Inside Respawn's Build & Release Team with Julie Banta

📄 Episode SummaryIn this episode, Greg sits down with Julie Banta, Director of Engineering for Build & Release at Respawn, to break down what it actually takes to keep a massive live game like Apex Legends running day after day.

0
PLAYER DRIVENNOV 18, 2025
The Rules We Break: Eric Zimmerman on Game Design, Loops, and Culture
1:13:49
EP_126· GAME DESIGN· VIDEO MISSING

The Rules We Break: Eric Zimmerman on Game Design, Loops, and Culture

Episode OverviewWhat does it really mean to design a game — and what can that teach us about culture, creativity, and even our daily lives? In this episode, Greg is joined by Lewis Ward and Eric Zimmerman, legendary game designer, professor…

L01 FoundationsDESIGN +1
↳ 5 TAKEAWAYS
WITH ERIC ZIMMERMANNOV 11, 2025
The Power of Local Events in Building the Future of Gaming
46:44
EP_125· COMMUNITY· VIDEO MISSING

The Power of Local Events in Building the Future of Gaming

🎧 Episode Description (Hook + Intro)What if the biggest leaps in gaming don’t happen at global mega-conferences, but in regional rooms where developers, vendors, and communities connect in a meaningful way? In this episode of Player Driven…

L02 OperatorCOMMUNITY +1
↳ 4 TAKEAWAYS
PLAYER DRIVENNOV 4, 2025
Building Shooters at Scale: Thad Sasser on Battlefield, COD, and the Future of FPS
46:33
EP_124· COMMUNITY· VIDEO MISSING

Building Shooters at Scale: Thad Sasser on Battlefield, COD, and the Future of FPS

Episode OverviewWhat does it take to build a shooter that can handle millions of players and still keep people coming back for more? In this episode, Greg is joined by Thad Sasser, a veteran designer whose career has touched some of the mos…

L02 OperatorDESIGN +2
↳ 5 TAKEAWAYS
PLAYER DRIVENOCT 28, 2025