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Dev Dream Pod with Blake Gocey

Blake Gocey

The Dev Dream Pod is a podcast about the real journey of making video games. Each episode features interviews with indie game developers, creators, and builders chasing the dream of game development. We talk about starting from nothing, launching games, surviving the industry, and what it really takes to become a game developer. If you love indie games, game dev stories, and the grind of building games, this podcast is for you.

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  • 23 episodes
  • Avg 1 hr 7 min
  • English

Episodes 23

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  • October 8 · 1 hr 10 min

    From Laid Off to 162% Funded — Her Indie Game Story

    Become a member: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo_lYApfWmd5gHDum7WaIiQ/joinVelanit: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4411690/Velanit_The_Forgotten_Cottage/Ana's channel: https://www.youtube.com/@IvasanGamesWhat happens when you lose your job—and decide to bet on your dream of making an indie game?Anna and her husband were both laid off from the same company on the same day. After spending the next year trying to figure out what to do with her life, Anna decided to pursue something she had dreamed about for years: becoming an indie game developer.Now she’s developing Velanit: The Forgotten Cottage, a cozy renovation and mystery game inspired by Stardew Valley and Nancy Drew—and her Kickstarter campaign reached 162% funding, helping her continue working on the game full-time.In this episode of the Dev Dream Podcast, Anna breaks down the reality of going full-time as an indie developer without knowing when your game will make money, how her software engineering background prepared her for solo game development, and what it actually took to run a successful Kickstarter campaign.We also dig into the marketing behind her Kickstarter, including why small streamers with only a handful of live viewers sometimes brought her more backers than creators with thousands, why Threads outperformed YouTube for converting players, and why she believes indie developers should focus on the kind of content they’re actually good at making.If you're making an indie game, considering Kickstarter, trying to market your game, or dreaming about becoming a full-time game developer, this conversation offers a look at both the risks and opportunities of betting on your own game.🎮 Velanit: The Forgotten Cottage is a cozy renovation life sim with mystery and detective puzzle elements set in a 1540s Mediterranean town.

  • September 14 · 1 hr 16 min

    He Trained For 10 Years To Make His Dream Game

    What if the smartest way to make your dream game is to wait 10 years before making it? Yahya Danboos spent more than a decade learning game development before taking on Luminous Knights, his Kingdom Hearts-inspired indie action RPG. Now, after four years of development, he’s also built an audience around the game and grown it to more than 20,000 Steam wishlists, with over 10,000 coming largely through Twitter/X. In this episode of Dev Dream Pod, Yahya breaks down what he learned from taking the long road to his dream game and how indie developers can actually get people to notice what they're building. We talk about why your first game probably shouldn’t be your dream game, how to control scope when making an ambitious RPG, designing satisfying action combat and boss fights, building reusable systems for future games, and deciding which player feedback is actually worth listening to. Then we get deep into indie game marketing. Yahya explains why developers should start marketing from day one, why he believes you should launch your Steam page as early as possible, what happened when his game went viral, how Twitter/X helped generate thousands of Steam wishlists, and why TikTok, YouTube Shorts, devlogs, Reddit, and other platforms each present different opportunities for indie developers. We also talk about Kickstarter and crowdfunding for indie games, why Kickstarter is harder than it was a decade ago, building an audience before launching a campaign, working without a publisher, and Yahya’s ultimate goal of becoming a full-time independent game developer. If you're making an indie game, trying to grow your Steam wishlists, learning how to market your game, building an action RPG, or wondering when you're finally ready to make your dream game, this conversation is packed with lessons from a developer who has spent more than a decade figuring it out. Topics include: indie game development, solo game development, Luminous Knights, Yahya Danboos, Kingdom Hearts, Heartslike games, action RPG development, Unreal Engine, game design, combat design, boss design, Steam wishlists, Steam marketing, indie game marketing, Twitter/X marketing, TikTok, YouTube devlogs, Kickstarter, crowdfunding, community building, player feedback, game scope, and becoming a full-time indie developer. Dev Dream Pod is hosted by Blake Gocey and features conversations with indie game developers about making games, marketing games, Steam, game design, building an audience, and pursuing the dream of becoming a game developer.

  • August 31 · 1 hr 5 min

    Why Wishlists Are Overrated

    Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/a2hceZhcfJ Click and Conquer: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3267900/Click_and_Conquer/ Mining and Dwarves: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3987230/Mining_and_Dwarves/ Can an indie game succeed on Steam without 7,000 wishlists? Stefan, the developer of Click and Conquer and co-developer of Mining and Dwarves, did exactly that. Click and Conquer launched with only around 2,600 Steam wishlists and went on to sell more than 60,000 copies in a little over a year. In this episode of the Dev Dream Podcast, Blake Gocey talks with Stefan about how Click and Conquer succeeded despite its low wishlist count, the 300-hour game development experiment behind the project, and what he learned from making a commercially successful indie game in roughly 300 hours of development time. Stefan explains why he now thinks of Steam wishlists more as validation than a guaranteed predictor of success, how Click and Conquer was priced and marketed, why a 40% launch discount made sense for their situation, and what role YouTube creators and Reddit played in the game's launch. We also discuss the philosophy behind making small indie games quickly. After spending roughly three years developing his first game, Barricade, Stefan changed his approach dramatically for Click and Conquer. His goal became reducing scope, reducing financial risk, making faster decisions, using existing asset packs, and avoiding unnecessary perfectionism. The conversation then turns to Mining and Dwarves, Stefan and Thornity's newest incremental game. Unlike Click and Conquer, Mining and Dwarves has taken much longer to develop. Stefan explains why trying to create something more original without a clear "North Star" dramatically increased development time, why they removed or redesigned numerous mechanics, how NPCs complicated development, and why the game avoids a traditional prestige system. We also discuss the current state of incremental games on Steam. Are incremental games becoming oversaturated? Are YouTubers and content creators getting tired of covering them? What even qualifies as an incremental game anymore? Stefan shares why he believes the genre is becoming more competitive, how incremental mechanics are spreading into genres like tower defense and roguelites, and why strong games can still stand out. Finally, Stefan explains why he plans to return to the 300-hour development model for his next game — and why he may keep that game's idea secret until much closer to release because of concerns about oversaturation, AI-assisted development, and other developers beating promising concepts to market. Topics include: • Click and Conquer sales and Steam launch • Launching with 2,600 Steam wishlists • The 7,000 wishlist rule • The 300-hour game development challenge • Making small indie games • Steam wishlist conversion • Indie game pricing and launch discounts • Marketing indie games on YouTube and Reddit • Reducing scope and development risk • Using asset packs for indie games • Mining and Dwarves development • Designing incremental and idle games • NPC systems and game design • Prestige mechanics in incremental games • Incremental game saturation on Steam • Marketing games to content creators • AI and indie game development • Protecting game ideas • Becoming a full-time indie developer Dev Dream Podcast is a game development podcast hosted by Blake Gocey featuring conversations with indie game developers about making games, launching on Steam, game marketing, commercial indie development, and the journey toward becoming a full-time game developer.

  • August 18 · 1 hr 13 min

    First Time Dev Drops Marketing Secrets

    Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/a2hceZhcfJ Sensory Overload: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4403510/Sensory_Overload/ Tim's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@UCuSU9XS2Shqt-nakLMxaNyw

  • August 3 · 1 hr 6 min

    How A First Time Game Dev Went Viral

    Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/a2hceZhcfJ Eye of the Match: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3799530/Eye_of_the_Match_The_VAR_Game/ Andre Cardoso shares his journey from a weekend prototype to a full-time game developer, revealing strategies for marketing, game design, and balancing polish with release. Discover how early Steam pages, community feedback, and understanding game feel can accelerate your development process.

  • July 27 · 1 hr 7 min

    How To Make It As A Full Time Indie Dev

    Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/a2hceZhcfJ Eggcelerate: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1535490/Eggcelerate/In this episode, Tim Beaudet shares his journey as an indie game developer, focusing on his game Accelerate, the challenges of designing racing games, and his insights on market trends, risk management, and pursuing passion in game development.

  • July 21 · 1 hr 13 min

    You Will Never Think About Game Dev The Same Way Again

    Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/a2hceZhcfJIn this episode, Lasse shares his journey from professional gaming to indie game development, discussing lessons learned, game design insights, and future ambitions. Discover how perseverance, self-reliance, and strategic planning can lead to success in the indie game industry.Mage and Monsters: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1950440/Mage_and_Monsters/Mage and Monsters 2: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2481640/Mage_and_Monsters_II/

  • July 21 · 1 hr 5 min

    A Random Discord DM Changed His Life

    Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/a2hceZhcfJGoblins for Good: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4500800/Goblins_for_Good/

  • July 5 · 1 hr 5 min

    The Truth About A.I. in Game Development

    Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/a2hceZhcfJSubscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@dev.dream.podcast/subscribeTodays Guest: Cai WangwiltOvertrick: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4101290/Overtrick/

  • June 1 · 1 hr 14 min

    Thomas Stewart

    Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/aD5tJ38XU Chapters: 00:00 Intro & Guest Welcome 00:36 Childhood & Creativity 03:17 Childhood Video Games 05:13 Discovering Game Development 07:56 Quarter Life Crisis 09:32 Current Game Dev Dream 12:36 Living the Dream? 14:58 Breaking Into Industry 17:14 Console Porting Strategy 20:24 Why Consoles? 24:50 Bridges and Docks 27:03 Console vs Steam Sales 28:50 Console Advice 31:32 Just Keep Fishing Team 33:51 Working With Friends 36:08 Building Dev Network 40:14 What Makes JKF Special 44:00 Jank as a Feature 47:21 Game Ideation Process 50:52 When to Pivot Projects 55:13 Expectations for JKF 57:39 Is YouTube Worth It? 1:02:24 YouTube's Real Value 1:03:34 Being a Game Dev Dad 1:05:38 How Fatherhood Changed Him 1:07:49 Kids & Video Games 1:10:15 Bad Game Dev Advice 1:13:04 Key Lesson: Playtesting

  • June 1 · 1 hr 19 min

    Don't Let Your Game Go Viral

    Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/qG3EA8fuE Rollin Ravioli: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4287100/Rollin_Ravioli/ Chapters: 00:00 Intro & Welcome 03:52 From Streamer to Gamedev 07:46 Remote Partnership Story 11:58 Squawky Origin Story 15:36 Squawky Development Drama 20:20 DMCA Launch Disaster 26:48 Lessons From Failure 32:08 Roland Ravioli Reveal 36:55 Game Design Philosophy 43:55 Unreal Engine Workflow 49:09 Viral Trailer Story 56:05 Virality & Marketing 1:03:58 Wishlist Results 1:06:35 Demo Feedback & Updates 1:10:47 Indie Dev Reality 1:16:58 Gamedev Advice Takeaways 1:18:45 Odai's Big Dream

  • May 18 · 1 hr 6 min

    Why You Shouldn’t Mix 3 Genres (He Tried)

    Join The Discord: https://discord.gg/qG3EA8fuEWilliam of Studio Kunic returns to the Dev Dream Pod to discuss his wild gamedev journey — building a custom raycasting engine in Godot for Lair Keeper, pivoting from Dungeon Keeper ideas to a Slay the Spire-style dungeon crawler, and his new addictive arcade-inspired game.From game jam chaos to protecting ideas in the AI era, this is packed with honest solo dev insights.⏱️ Chapters:00:00 - Welcome Back William01:27 - Lair Keeper Origins03:08 - Why He Pivoted07:35 - Lair Keeper Draw & Brawl10:16 - Custom Render Engine13:29 - Raycasting in Godot19:48 - Playdate Influence20:04 - Engine Time Investment23:03 - When to Build Engines26:04 - Lair Keeper Future34:20 - New Pop the Lock Game37:46 - Balatro Inspired Mechanics41:36 - Design Challenges44:42 - Board Game Inspiration50:24 - YouTube Strategy Struggles57:56 - Dev Dream & GoalsIf you're into Godot, roguelikes, game jams, custom engines, or solo game development, this episode is gold.---#Godot #IndieDev #GameJam #LairKeeper #SoloDev #CustomEngine #Roguelike #GameDev

  • May 11 · 1 hr 10 min

    The Design Conflict That Almost Broke His Game

    Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/qG3EA8fuE Jeremy from Jeremy Makes Games shares his honest indie dev journey — abandoning Merchants of the Stars, building his roguelike Get in the Hole, and key lessons on Steam marketing, design tension, and YouTube devlogs.Get In The Hole: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4174950/Get_in_the_Hole/Jeremy's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JSMakesGames🎮 Roguelike vs Incremental, solo dev life, Steam Next Fest strategy & more.⏱️ Chapters:00:00 - Cursed Game Design01:15 - Abandoning First Game03:22 - Google to Indie Dev08:48 - Making Toggle App14:04 - Mobile Monetization Lessons19:05 - Merchants on Steam20:56 - Get in the Hole21:10 - Roguelike vs Incremental24:06 - Design Tension Explained26:59 - Steam Demo Results28:36 - Retention Improvements31:48 - Scaling with Items34:06 - Roguelike Builds36:06 - Killing Darlings38:47 - Marketing Challenges40:24 - Name Problems43:34 - Next Fest Plans44:41 - Luck vs Skill49:47 - Content Creator Outreach54:54 - YouTube DevlogsIf you're into indie game development, roguelikes, or Steam marketing, this is full of real talk and practical lessons.#IndieDev #GameDev #Roguelike #SoloDev #SteamNextFest

  • May 4 · 1 hr 1 min

    He Made One Million Check Boxes

    Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/a2hceZhcfJ Nolen's website: https://eieio.games/ In this episode, we dive into the mind of Nolan, a developer known for creating wildly unconventional multiplayer experiences like 1 Million Checkboxes and 1 Million Chessboards. Instead of following traditional game dev paths, Nolan explores strange, experimental ideas that bring thousands of players together in unexpected ways.We talk about how he got started, why weird ideas often outperform polished ones, and what it takes to design multiplayer systems that encourage fun instead of chaos. From viral internet experiments to deep thoughts on creativity, constraints, and player behavior—this conversation is packed with insights for indie devs and curious creators alike.This podcast explores experimental game development, indie game design, and viral multiplayer experiences with developer Nolan. Learn how games like 1 Million Checkboxes and 1 Million Chessboards became internet sensations, and discover insights on creative coding, unconventional game mechanics, and building engaging online interactions. Perfect for indie developers, programmers, and anyone interested in unique game design, multiplayer systems, and creative experimentation in game development. Chapters 00:00 Intro & Overview 03:00 Early Experiments 06:15 Creative Signals 09:00 Solving Hard Problems 12:02 Recurse Center Insights 15:07 Solo Dev Reality 18:00 Checkbox Virality 00:21:01 Anti-Troll Design 24:10 Stranger Video Game 27:04 Learning Process 30:18 Chessboards Explained 33:03 Emergent Gameplay 36:01 Ending Experiences 39:06 Game Length Debate 42:10 Future Projects 45:03 Dev Identity Hashtags#gamedev #indiedev #gameprogramming #indiegames #multiplayergames #creativecoding #webdev #gamedevelopment #indiegame #programming #gamepodcast #gamedevlife #experimentalgames

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