Find anything.
- DESKMAY 26, 2026
Mediating Irreconcilable Differences with Behavioral Game Economist Catalin Alexandru, Part 2
The consulting vet offers hot takes on what’s derailed Web3 gaming, SDT’s upsides, and the importance of bridging the gap between game design and production processes
WITH CATALIN ALEXANDRU - PODCASTMAY 19, 2026
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.
WITH TESS LYNCH - LIVEMAY 14, 2026
IP Name Is Not a Marketing Strategy: What Forza Got Right That Bond Got Wrong
Forza Horizon 6 landed a 91 on Metacritic, pulled data showing unprecedented traction in Asian markets, and flew its influencer event to Japan to sell car culture instead of game features. Bond, releasing in the same window, bought an NBA halftime placement, put dev talent in turtlenecks for YouTube interviews, and assumed that 007 still carries weight with anyone under 35. One of these games will be a cultural moment. The other will be fine. That contrast, laid out across a full episode of Player Driven Live by Greg and analyst Colan, is the editorial spine of something practitioners running live games and planning launches need to hear: audience assumption is a budget leak.
- PODCASTAPR 21, 2026
The Rise of Web Shops: How Games Are Reclaiming Players and Profit
For years, mobile gaming operated under one unspoken rule: give up ~30% of your revenue to platform holders like Apple and Google. That model is starting to break.
WITH GIL TOV-LY - DESKAPR 17, 2026
Quantic Foundry’s Nick Yee on Gamer Motivations, Part 1
The company’s model of twelve motivations is a window into the hearts and minds of “the gamer” and helps explain and predict their behaviors
BY LEWIS WARD - PODCASTMAR 24, 2026
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…
- DESKMAR 17, 2026
Player Support at Schell Games with Laura Hall
Among other insights, Hall highlights why AI-based tools such as ToxMod add significant valuable in a Live Ops gaming context
BY LEWIS WARD - DESKMAR 12, 2026
Meet Christina Camilleri, Netflix Games' "Chaos Gremlin" and "Safety By Design" Champion
From a dedicated MapleStory player to an "ethical hacker" to the Head of Trust and Safety at Netflix Games, Camilleri has blazed a unique trail across the digital community support landscape
BY LEWIS WARD - PODCASTMAR 3, 2026
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.
- PODCASTFEB 24, 2026
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…
- LIVEFEB 5, 2026
Who’s Really Driving the Game Industry Right Now? Microsoft, Nintendo, and the AI Crossroad
The gaming landscape is shifting beneath our feet. This week on Player Driven Live, we break down a whirlwind of high-stakes earnings calls, massive leadership changes, and the generative AI technologies that are forcing every major player to pick a side. From Microsoft's supply chain struggles to Nintendo’s absolute dominance with legacy IPs, here are the key takeaways from our February 5, 2026, episode.
- DESKFEB 4, 2026
Gamefam's Joe Ferencz On Roblox's Metaverse Potential
The CEO of Gamefam, Ferencz has had a front row seat to Roblox Corp's wild rise and ride across the metaverse's ever-shifting terrain for 7+ years
BY LEWIS WARD - PODCASTFEB 3, 2026
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…
- PODCASTJAN 20, 2026
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.
- PODCASTDEC 30, 2025
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…
- PODCASTDEC 23, 2025
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.
- PODCASTDEC 16, 2025
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.
- PODCASTDEC 2, 2025
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…
- PODCASTNOV 11, 2025
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…
- PODCASTSEP 30, 2025
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.
- PODCASTAUG 19, 2025
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.
- PODCASTJUL 22, 2025
One Account, One Life: Can This Fix Online Gaming
What if you only had one digital life across all games... would you still cheat? In this episode, we dig into the world of online cheating, digital accountability, and the business of fair play with Andrew Wailes from PlaySafe ID.
- PODCASTJUN 24, 2025
Managing LiveOps at Scale: Inside Respawn's Build & Release Team with Julie Banta
Guest: Julie Banta, Director of Engineering, Build & Release at Respawn Entertainment Summary: In this episode of Player Driven, Greg sits down with Julie Banta, Director of Engineering at Respawn, to explore the underappreciated world of b…
- PODCASTJUN 17, 2025
The Sound of Safety: How Modulate is Cleaning Up Voice Chat & Beyond with Mike Pappas
Mike Pappas discusses Modulate's Toxmod, a sophisticated voice AI that analyzes emotional nuance and behavioral dynamics in online interactions.
- PODCASTMAY 20, 2025
How AI Analytics Can Boost Your Player Retention with Josh Plotnek
Episode SummaryIn this episode of Player Driven, host Greg engages in an insightful conversation with Josh Plotnek, Head of Content at Keewano, diving deep into the significance of actionable insights derived from game data analytics.
- PODCASTAPR 29, 2025
Gamifying Corporate Culture: Turning Boring Training into Playable Stories w AJ Leece
Summary: In this episode, Greg chats with AJ Leece, the founder of Brekade, a studio transforming security training into engaging, story-driven video games.
- PODCASTAPR 15, 2025
The Next Frontier in Game Development: AI-Powered Testing with Shaun Laker
Episode SummaryShaun Laker joins Greg to discuss his journey in the gaming industry, from breaking into QA at EA to leading major AAA projects.
- PODCASTAPR 8, 2025
Constraints, Creativity, and the Collapse of AA with Shawn Layden
🎧 Episode Summary:In this episode, Shawn Layden unpacks the creative crisis in AAA development, why $100M+ game budgets are unsustainable, and how developers can reclaim innovation through constraint.
- PODCASTMAR 18, 2025
ENCORE - How AI Technology is Helping Detect Toxic Behaviors in Gaming Communities with Tim Cook
🎙️ Guest: Tim Cook, Head of Solutions at Spectrum Labs 📌 Topic: The Future of Trust & Safety in GamingEpisode OverviewIn this episode of the Player Driven Podcast, we dive deep into the world of trust & safety, audience building, and AI-d…
- PODCASTMAR 11, 2025
From AAA to Indie: How Proactive Game Devs Change the Industry with Willem Kranendonk
Episode SummaryWhat makes a great level designer? How do you take the leap from AAA studios to launching your own indie game studio? In this episode, Greg sits down with Willem Kranendonk, founder of Odyssey Cocktail Interactive and former…