LIVE · Xbox: end of an error, not just a bad week· 1D AGO
Player Driven
Player Driven Podcast
──LONG-FORM CONVERSATIONS

One hour,
two operators.

160 EPISODES
NEW EVERY TUESDAY
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…

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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.

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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…

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↳ 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…

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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.

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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
From Times Square to Discord: How Yellow Pike Powers Player Connections
44:31
EP_123· COMMUNITY· VIDEO MISSING

From Times Square to Discord: How Yellow Pike Powers Player Connections

Episode SummaryIn this episode of Player Driven, Greg talks with Keith Pape, founder of YellowPike Media, about how to build authentic, lasting connections between studios, players, and communities.

L01 FoundationsLIVE OPS +2
↳ 4 TAKEAWAYS
PLAYER DRIVENOCT 21, 2025
Regulation, Retention, and the Future of LiveOps with Oscar Clark
58:34
EP_122· LIVE OPS· VIDEO MISSING

Regulation, Retention, and the Future of LiveOps with Oscar Clark

Overview What happens when regulation collides with game design? In this episode, I sit down with industry veteran Oscar Clark to unpack the EU’s proposed changes around virtual currency, the ethics of monetization, and why “finding the fun…

L02 OperatorLIVE OPS +2
↳ 5 TAKEAWAYS
PLAYER DRIVENOCT 14, 2025
Marketing That Moves the Needle with Christine Dart
48:27
EP_121· LIVE OPS· VIDEO MISSING

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.

L02 OperatorLIVE OPS +2
↳ 5 TAKEAWAYS
PLAYER DRIVENOCT 7, 2025
ENCORE - The Next Frontier in Game Development: AI-Powered Testing with Shaun Laker
55:36
EP_120· VIDEO MISSING

ENCORE - The Next Frontier in Game Development: AI-Powered Testing with Shaun Laker

Description The games industry is moving faster than ever — live service updates, cross-platform launches, and endless content drops. But QA hasn’t kept pace. Bugs slip through, launches stumble, and player trust takes a hit.

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PLAYER DRIVENSEP 30, 2025
Pixel Therapy: Why Games and Mental Health Go Hand in Hand with Eric Chou
45:59
EP_119· VIDEO MISSING

Pixel Therapy: Why Games and Mental Health Go Hand in Hand with Eric Chou

Description Eric Chou started with a mod for Command and Conquer. Today, he runs Honor Games and works on the front lines of mental health.

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PLAYER DRIVENSEP 23, 2025
From Stay-at-Home Dad to Six-Figure Modder: Why Your Next Big Hire is Already Playing Your Game
53:58
EP_118· UGC & CREATORS· VIDEO MISSING

From Stay-at-Home Dad to Six-Figure Modder: Why Your Next Big Hire is Already Playing Your Game

What does it take to turn a gaming hobby into a six-figure salary? In this episode, Greg sits down with Sandi, a stay-at-home dad who taught himself to create mods for ARK: Survival Ascended and ended up building a UGC empire with over 80 m…

L02 OperatorLIVE OPS +1
↳ 5 TAKEAWAYS
PLAYER DRIVENSEP 16, 2025
Balancing Family, Career, and Community in the Games Industry with Amir Satvat
1:01:33
EP_117· INDUSTRY & BUSINESS· VIDEO MISSING

Balancing Family, Career, and Community in the Games Industry with Amir Satvat

Episode SummaryHow 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 l…

L01 FoundationsFOUNDER +1
↳ 4 TAKEAWAYS
PLAYER DRIVENSEP 9, 2025
Navigating the Indie Apocalypse: A Publisher's Playbook for Survival and Success
1:33:10
EP_116· VIDEO MISSING

Navigating the Indie Apocalypse: A Publisher's Playbook for Survival and Success

A deep dive into the evolving landscape of video game publishing, offering invaluable insights for indie developers on how to thrive in a crowded market.

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PLAYER DRIVENSEP 2, 2025
From Sneakers to Startups: ASICS Ventures' Joe Pace on Building a VR Sport from Scratch
34:11
EP_115· COMMUNITY· VIDEO MISSING

From Sneakers to Startups: ASICS Ventures' Joe Pace on Building a VR Sport from Scratch

In this episode of Player Driven, Greg talks with Joe Pace, VP at ASICS Ventures, about the company’s surprising leap into virtual reality with DISC, a brand-new competitive sport built for Meta Quest.

L02 OperatorLIVE OPS +2
↳ 5 TAKEAWAYS
PLAYER DRIVENAUG 26, 2025
Love, Power, Wealth: The True Drivers of Player Behavior
1:11:14
EP_114· PLAYER PSYCHOLOGY· VIDEO MISSING

Love, Power, Wealth: The True Drivers of Player Behavior

Episode Summary: Mark Otero (CEO of Azra Games, creator of Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes) joins Player Driven to break down the real reason most games fail — they ignore what players actually want.

L02 OperatorDESIGN +2
↳ 5 TAKEAWAYS
PLAYER DRIVENAUG 19, 2025
From Chaos to Control: Christina Camilleri on Building Safer Games by Design
58:25
EP_113· TRUST & SAFETY· VIDEO MISSING

From Chaos to Control: Christina Camilleri on Building Safer Games by Design

Episode Summary: Christina Camilleri leads trust and safety product strategy at Netflix Games — but her journey started as a shy kid finding refuge in online worlds.

L02 OperatorTRUST & SAFETY +2
↳ 5 TAKEAWAYS
PLAYER DRIVENAUG 12, 2025
The Devs Who Came Before Us: And Why We Need Their Stories Now
55:39
EP_112· INDUSTRY & BUSINESS· VIDEO MISSING

The Devs Who Came Before Us: And Why We Need Their Stories Now

🎮 Episode SummaryWhat can a former QA tester at EA, a punk-rock producer at Midway, and the exec who helped launch No Man’s Sky teach us about today’s game industry? In this episode, Adam Boyes (founder of Vivrato and longtime industry vet…

L02 OperatorLIVE OPS +2
↳ 5 TAKEAWAYS
PLAYER DRIVENAUG 5, 2025
The Economics of Gaming: How One Player Broke an MMO and Launched a Career
1:01:21
EP_111· GAME DESIGN· VIDEO MISSING

The Economics of Gaming: How One Player Broke an MMO and Launched a Career

Guest: Andrew Wagner, Author of Economics of Online Gaming and Founder of Wagner Road Capital CoHost: Lewis Ward, Research Director @ IDC 🎙 Episode Summary What happens when a high schooler treats an MMORPG like a business case study? Andr…

L02 OperatorDESIGN +1
↳ 5 TAKEAWAYS
PLAYER DRIVENJUL 29, 2025