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The Indie Diarist

Anthony L. Wolf

Video games are made by people – and those people deserve credit. 🎒💛

The Indie Diarist is a podcast on the human stories behind indie game development! Each week, host Anthony L. Wolf welcomes some of the most passionate unsung heroes from the industry to cover game development, creativity, diversity, storytelling and more, in a positive and laid back show.

Support the show on Patreon: https://patreon.com/theindiediarist
Find me everywhere: https://theindiediarist.com

Main theme: Yuri Gore (yurigore.com)

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  • 21 episodes
  • fortnightly
  • Avg 39 min
  • English

Episodes 21

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  • Monday · 20 min

    The Future of The Indie Diarist

    We've had more than 100 episodes together. Here's to 1,000 more! 🎒💛 What's next for the show? Many great things, I hope, but most importantly... meaning! See you in the next Indie Diary, my friends. 🎒💛

  • S4 · E18
    August 24 · 22 min

    The Diarist: Why Do People Make Games? - Indie Diary #100

    It's here! 100 episodes, over 100 developer interviews, and 4 years of The Indie Diarist join forces for a major milestone of the show. How do I even begin to describe the amount of knowledge, stories, passion, and achievements I've heard about in 4 years, and how do I condense them into one single episode? Believe it or not, I tried. In this Indie Diary #100, you finally get to hear from Ant, The Diarist himself, on what almost half a decade of the show means to him (me!), the beauty of game development, and why people keep wanting to create things against all odds. Enjoy! 🎒💛 -------------------- Support the show 🎒💛 Meaningful Games Jam 2026: https://itch.io/jam/meaningful-games-jam-2026 Join the community: https://discord.com/invite/J84aPfSSvj Become a Patron: https://patreon.com/theindiediarist YouTube: https://youtube.com/@TheIndieDiarist Twitch: https://twitch.tv/theindiediarist⁠ TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@theindiediarist Threads: https://threads.net/@theindiediarist Twitter: https://twitter.com/theindiediarist⁠

  • S4 · E17
    August 10 · 44 min

    Flint Burchett: "Your First Game Is Just The Beginning" - Indie Diary #99

    Episode 100 is just around the corner! In this one, I spent some time with Flint Burchett, a lovely developer working on the ambitious and intriguing top-down shooter Suqare: Hired Gun. Flint's persistence and sense of wonder are constant drivers for his work, and it was amazing to connect with such a passionate dev. Truly couldn't wish for a better guest for episode 99. 🎒💛 Enjoy! ------------------ Support Flint 🎒💛 Steam Link: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3314260/Suqare_Hired_Gun/ Linktree: https://linktr.ee/FlintBurchett Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/invites/contact/ ------------------ Support the show 🎒💛 Enter the Meaningful Games Jam 2026: https://itch.io/jam/meaningful-games-jam-2026 Join the community: https://discord.com/invite/J84aPfSSvj Become a Patron: https://patreon.com/theindiediarist YouTube: https://youtube.com/@TheIndieDiarist Twitch: https://twitch.tv/theindiediarist⁠ TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@theindiediarist Threads: https://threads.net/@theindiediarist Twitter: https://twitter.com/theindiediarist⁠

  • S4 · E16
    July 27 · 38 min

    Eegar: How Overscoping Can Kill Your Game - Indie Diary #98

    Get ready for a bit of an unconventional episode, friends! In this one, I spent some time with Eegar, a talented game development student who's working on his commercial game while sharing his game dev journey online. Eegar is seeing some success on socials with his content, and I just had to snatch him for a quick hour together to learn more about what he does, and discuss some marketing best practices for you all. Interestingly, this episode brought back my much feared audio issues... but in an entirely unique way that I think led me to create quite an interesting episode after all. Hope you enjoy! 🎒💛 -------------- Support Eegar 🎒💛 - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/its.eegar/ - All links and games: https://eegar.carrd.co/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio --------------- Support the show 🎒💛 Join the Meaningful Games Jam 2026: https://itch.io/jam/meaningful-games-jam-2026 Join the community: https://discord.com/invite/J84aPfSSvj Become a Patron: https://patreon.com/theindiediarist YouTube: https://youtube.com/@TheIndieDiarist Twitch: https://twitch.tv/theindiediarist⁠ TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@theindiediarist Threads: https://threads.net/@theindiediarist Twitter: https://twitter.com/theindiediarist⁠

  • S4 · E11
    July 13 · 45 min

    SUPERita: The Dev Who Quit Sushi and Found Success - Indie Diary #97

    You don't hear many of these stories, but when you do, they're always worth the time! In this episode, meet SUPERita, the energetic solo developer who was able to turn his dream into reality in just six months. From a failed mobile game to a global hit, his story is a testament to perseverance, smart scoping, and heart-driven creation. In this episode: How SUPERita's love for The Witcher fuelled his journey into game development The importance of small projects and rapid iteration to build confidence and skill The behind-the-scenes of creating IncreKnight, a successful incremental game with a unique villain The power of community feedback, game jams, and choosing the right niche Practical tips for handling development challenges like UI polish and art sourcing The emotional moment of hitting the sales goal that finally allowed full-time indie life Dreaming big: future projects, game ideas inspired by personal stories, and going beyond just making games Enjoy! 🎒💛 -------------------- Support SUPERita 🎒💛 Get IncreKnight: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4305480/IncreKnight/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0vkmE9at3BRQZW6RVouXRw Other games: https://store.steampowered.com/developer/superita ----------------- Support the show 🎒💛 Meaningful Games Jam 2026: https://itch.io/jam/meaningful-games-jam-2026 Join the community: https://discord.com/invite/J84aPfSSvj Become a Patron: https://patreon.com/theindiediarist YouTube: https://youtube.com/@TheIndieDiarist Twitch: https://twitch.tv/theindiediarist⁠ TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@theindiediarist Threads: https://threads.net/@theindiediarist Twitter: https://twitter.com/theindiediarist⁠

  • S14 · E4
    June 29 · 37 min

    Julien: From Burger Time to Bullet Hells - Indie Diary #96

    Sometimes leaps of faith can pay off! In this episode I spent some time with Julian, a Belgian game developer living in Normandy, who shared his raw journey from childhood gaming memories to launching his first bullet hell game, Particulitix. After being laid off from his tech job, Julien took a leap of faith and he hasn't looked back since. I wish I were as brave sometimes! In this episode: Julian’s nostalgic first game: Burger Time on Commodore 64 The leap from hobbyist to full-time developer after losing his job Conquering the unique challenges of bullet hell and roguelite hybrid design Secrets to making a bullet hell feel intuitive and fun How feedback and noise shape a game’s evolution The importance of core mechanics that players don’t see but feel A peek into indie development’s messy, beautiful code and endless iteration Building meaningful connections with games designed for loved ones Enjoy! 🎒💛 -------------------- Support Julien 🎒💛 X: https://x.com/TheWorkshopGeek Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/workshopgeek.bsky.social Particulitix on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4139330/Particulitix -------------------- Support the show 🎒💛 Join the community: https://discord.com/invite/J84aPfSSvj Become a Patron: https://patreon.com/theindiediarist YouTube: https://youtube.com/@TheIndieDiarist Twitch: https://twitch.tv/theindiediarist⁠ TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@theindiediarist Threads: https://threads.net/@theindiediarist Twitter: https://twitter.com/theindiediarist⁠

  • S4 · E13
    June 15 · 1 hr 37 min

    Tali: Of Penguins, Lovecraft, and Political Philosophy - Indie Diary #95

    Get ready for a whopper of an episode! In this one, I spent some time with Tali from ORIGAME DIGITAL, developer of Penguin Colony – a short narrative adventure game which re-imagines H.P. Lovecraft's At the Mountains of Madness in... unexpected ways. Our conversation soon went completely off the rails, embracing topics such as games as a form of art, the power of political philosophy, and how creativity allows us to reclaim meaningful narratives while condemning others. It was a privilege to both record and take part in this episode. Enjoy! 🎒💛 ----------------- Support Tali 🎒💛 Wishlist Penguin Colony: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3695930/Penguin_Colony/ Follow on Bluesky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/veselekov.bsky.social⁠ ----------------- Support the show 🎒💛 Join the community: https://discord.com/invite/J84aPfSSvj Become a Patron: https://patreon.com/theindiediarist YouTube: https://youtube.com/@TheIndieDiarist Twitch: https://twitch.tv/theindiediarist⁠ TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@theindiediarist Threads: https://threads.net/@theindiediarist Twitter: https://twitter.com/theindiediarist⁠

  • S4 · E1
    June 8 · 17 min

    I'm Hosting a Meaningful Games Jam!

    Itching to make a cool game late this year? Seasoned developer or complete newbie, this might be a good chance to do something special for it! To celebrate episode 100, I'm hosting the Meaningful Games Jam 2026. It's a jam to make a game that means something to you! Listen to this episode to learn about all the rules and details, or skip to the good stuff with the links below. 🎒💛 Check out the Meaningful Games Jam 2026: https://itch.io/jam/meaningful-games-jam-2026 Join the Discord server to vote the theme with us: https://discord.com/invite/J84aPfSSvj --------------- Support the show 🎒💛 Become a Patron: https://patreon.com/theindiediarist YouTube: https://youtube.com/@TheIndieDiarist Twitch: https://twitch.tv/theindiediarist⁠ TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@theindiediarist Threads: https://threads.net/@theindiediarist Twitter: https://twitter.com/theindiediarist⁠

  • S4 · E12
    June 1 · 53 min

    Cobalt Lane: How Personal Dreams Sparked Imprinted - Indie Diary #94

    Game development is a journey of passion, persistence, and often a little bit of sweat and tears. In this episode, I spent some time with Pippo and Alex from Cobalt Lane, a small development studio currently working on narrative gem Imprinted. If you're into David Lynch and obscure vintage references, this episode is for you! We're going to have a dev commentary livestream with these two lovely peeps on Discord soon, so make sure to join the community from the links below! Enjoy! 🎒💛 -------------- Support Alex & Pippo 🎒💛 - Wishlist Imprinted: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3980340/Imprinted/ - Social links: https://linktr.ee/cobaltlanegames -------------- Support the show 🎒💛 Join the community: https://discord.com/invite/J84aPfSSvjBecome a Patron: https://patreon.com/theindiediaristYouTube: https://youtube.com/@TheIndieDiaristTwitch: https://twitch.tv/theindiediarist⁠TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@theindiediaristThreads: https://threads.net/@theindiediaristTwitter: https://twitter.com/theindiediarist⁠

  • S4 · E11
    May 18 · 36 min

    AP Thomson: How To Keep Going When Scope Gets Too Big - Indie Diary #93

    Can a childhood visit to a dentist’s office game plant the seed for a lifelong journey into game design? Well, you're about to find out! Most game developers have a secret weapon for turning mundane ideas into deeply compelling experiences. AP Thompson (the Brooklyn-based solo dev behind Titanium Court) discusses that hidden magic in this episode, revealing how a tiny spark of curiosity transformed into a narrative-driven masterpiece. Enjoy! 🎒💛 ------------------ Join the Meaningful Games Jam to celebrate Episode 100! 🎒💛 -> https://itch.io/jam/meaningful-games-jam-2026 ------------------ Support AP 🎒💛 Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/apthomson.bsky.social https://store.steampowered.com/app/2364580/Titanium_Court/ https://store.steampowered.com/app/2359120/Consume_Me/ ----------------- Support the show 🎒💛 Join the community: https://discord.com/invite/J84aPfSSvjBecome a Patron: https://patreon.com/theindiediaristYouTube: https://youtube.com/@TheIndieDiaristTwitch: https://twitch.tv/theindiediarist⁠TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@theindiediaristThreads: https://threads.net/@theindiediaristTwitter: https://twitter.com/theindiediarist⁠

  • S4 · E10
    May 4 · 46 min

    Fred Hoffman: Behind the Art of Paper Trail - Indie Diary #92

    In this episode I spent some time with Fred Hoffman, art director and co-founder of Newfangled Games – the studio behind an award-winning little puzzle game gem called Paper Trail! This was my first time exclusively hosting an art director on an episode and all it told me is that I should definitely do it more! You will notice the questions are a little different which should help keep things fresh. Enjoy! 🎒💛 Support Fred and his team 🎒💛 Buy Paper Trail: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1889740/Paper_Trail/ Fred's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fredthegremlin/ Newfangled Twitter: https://x.com/NewfangledGames Newfangled Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/newfangledgames/?hl=en Newfangled website: https://www.papertrailgame.com/ Support the show 🎒💛 Join the community: https://discord.com/invite/J84aPfSSvj Become a Patron: https://patreon.com/theindiediarist YouTube: https://youtube.com/@TheIndieDiarist Twitch: https://twitch.tv/theindiediarist⁠ TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@theindiediarist Threads: https://threads.net/@theindiediarist Twitter: https://twitter.com/theindiediarist⁠

  • S4 · E9
    April 20 · 34 min

    Liza & Igor: Through Passion, Challenges, and Indie Game Success - Indie Diary #91

    DISCLAIMER + APOLOGY: Audio issues on my track :( but Liza and Igor sound great! In this episode, I spent some time with the SHARQ IT Labs team, the developers behind action-roguelike Ritualist, to talk about their unconventional paths into game development and how their backgrounds merged to found their incredibly passion-led studio. Enjoy! 🎒💛 -------------- Support Liza & Igor 🎒💛 - Ritualist on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3179460/Ritualist/#app_reviews_hash -------------- Support the show 🎒💛 Join the community: https://discord.com/invite/J84aPfSSvjBecome a Patron: https://patreon.com/theindiediaristYouTube: https://youtube.com/@TheIndieDiaristTwitch: https://twitch.tv/theindiediarist⁠TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@theindiediaristThreads: https://threads.net/@theindiediaristTwitter: https://twitter.com/theindiediarist⁠

  • S4 · E8
    April 6 · 39 min

    Kate Killick: The Making of Pieced Together, From F2P to Indie - Indie Diary #90

    In this episode, I spent a lovely hour with Kate Killick, co-founder of Glowfrog Games and developer of the delightful cosy puzzle game Pieced Together! Which is apparently a game that makes many people cry. Can't say I don't love that as a writer. Enjoy! 🎒💛 ------------- Support Kate 🎒💛 - Buy Pieced Together: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2891370/Pieced_Together/ - Insta: https://www.instagram.com/glowfroggames - Twitter: https://x.com/glowfroggames - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@glowfroggames - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@glowfroggames ---------------- Support the show 🎒💛 Join the community: https://discord.com/invite/J84aPfSSvjBecome a Patron: https://patreon.com/theindiediaristYouTube: https://youtube.com/@TheIndieDiaristTwitch: https://twitch.tv/theindiediarist⁠TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@theindiediaristThreads: https://threads.net/@theindiediaristTwitter: https://twitter.com/theindiediarist⁠

  • S4 · E7
    March 23 · 39 min

    Huw Millward: From ASCII Games to The Biggest Indie Game Ever - Indie Diary #89

    In this episode, I spent some time with Huw Millward, a super talented developer of a Steam bestseller (Warsim: The Realm of Aslona) who's now working on his next project: One of the most ambitious indie projects ever made. He's also a friend of Chaz, an old guest of the show! Enjoy! 🎒💛 -------------- Support Huw 🎒💛 - Get Warsim: https://store.steampowered.com/app/659540/Warsim_The_Realm_of_Aslona/ - Learn about Slumbox: https://www.worldviper.com/ - Follow Huw: https://x.com/HuwMillward ------------- Support the show 🎒💛 Join the community: https://discord.com/invite/J84aPfSSvjBecome a Patron: https://patreon.com/theindiediaristYouTube: https://youtube.com/@TheIndieDiaristTwitch: https://twitch.tv/theindiediarist⁠TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@theindiediaristThreads: https://threads.net/@theindiediaristTwitter: https://twitter.com/theindiediarist⁠

  • S4 · E5
    March 9 · 34 min

    Madeleine Clute: From Google to Game Dev, A Love Letter to Australia - Indie Diary #88

    In this episode, I spent some time with the founder of O'Saurus Studios, a lovely (and beautifully-named) women-led studio based in Australia that's only just released its first game, Call of the Golden Valley. Maddy is a former Google software engineer turned game developer, and a breath of fresh air in an industry more globalised than ever! Enjoy! 🎒💛 ----------------- Support Maddy 🎒💛 - Call of the Golden Valley: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2131660/Call_of_the_Golden_Valley/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/osaurus.studios/?hl=en - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@osaurusstudios --------------- Support the show 🎒💛 Join the community: https://discord.com/invite/J84aPfSSvjBecome a Patron: https://patreon.com/theindiediaristYouTube: https://youtube.com/@TheIndieDiaristTwitch: https://twitch.tv/theindiediarist⁠TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@theindiediaristThreads: https://threads.net/@theindiediaristTwitter: https://twitter.com/theindiediarist⁠

  • S4 · E4
    February 23 · 46 min

    Chris Gardiner: How Failbetter Games Masters Meaningful Player Choices - Indie Diary #87

    This is a special one! I spent some time with Chris Gardiner, Head Writer and Narrative Director at London-based studio Failbetter Games, to talk about the studio's approach to narrative, game design, community, and player engagement. I've been a longtime fan of Failbetter Games and their work ever since the team released Sunless Sea in 2015, and it's always a pleasure to catch up with a member of their team. Hope you enjoy! ----------- Support Chris and Failbetter Games 🎒💛 All games: https://store.steampowered.com/search/?developer=Failbetter%20Games Wishlist Mandrake: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3710210/Mandrake/ FBG Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/failbettergames.com Newsletter: https://www.failbettergames.com/follow Chris' Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/chrisgardiner.bsky.social ------------------- Support the show 🎒💛 Join the community: https://discord.com/invite/J84aPfSSvjBecome a Patron: https://patreon.com/theindiediaristYouTube: https://youtube.com/@TheIndieDiaristTwitch: https://twitch.tv/theindiediarist⁠TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@theindiediaristThreads: https://threads.net/@theindiediaristTwitter: https://twitter.com/theindiediarist⁠

  • S4 · E2
    February 9 · 34 min

    Timbo Johnson: The Fun of Making Small Games - Indie Diary #86

    In this episode, I spent some time with Timbo Johnson, a lovely solo developer from Wales with a burning passion for making small, fun, and beautiful games with amazing art. Though Timbo secretly has a dream... Will he make the game he's been dreaming of since childhood? Enjoy! 🎒💛 ----------- Support Timbo 🎒💛 Itch: https://timbojay.itch.io/ Bubble Frog DX: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3262600/Bubble_Frog_DX/ Threads: https://www.threads.com/@timbojay ---------- Support the show 🎒💛 Join the community: https://discord.com/invite/J84aPfSSvjBecome a Patron: https://patreon.com/theindiediaristYouTube: https://youtube.com/@TheIndieDiaristTwitch: https://twitch.tv/theindiediarist⁠TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@theindiediaristThreads: https://threads.net/@theindiediaristTwitter: https://twitter.com/theindiediarist⁠

  • S4 · E2
    January 26 · 31 min

    Nimso: Creative Problem Solving, Making a Cosy Platformer - Indie Diary #85

    Happy end of January! In this episode, I spent some time with Oswin (also known as Nimso), the developer of cosy platformer Shallow Pond, to talk about creative problem solving and how to approach some of the toughest challenges in game design / game development. Enjoy! 🎒💛 ------------------------- Support Nimso 🎒💛 Find Shallow Pond on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2950750/Shallow_Pond/ Play the Demo for free: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4183670/Shallow_Pond_Demo/ Follow the development of the game: X: https://x.com/nimsodev Threads: https://www.threads.com/@nimsodev TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nimsodev YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Nimsodev ------------------------- Support the show 🎒💛 Join the community: https://discord.com/invite/J84aPfSSvjBecome a Patron: https://patreon.com/theindiediaristYouTube: https://youtube.com/@TheIndieDiaristTwitch: https://twitch.tv/theindiediarist⁠TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@theindiediaristThreads: https://threads.net/@theindiediaristTwitter: https://twitter.com/theindiediarist⁠

  • S4 · E1
    January 12 · 35 min

    Giorgos Apostolou: Should You Make Your Dream Game First? - Indie Diary #84

    In this FIRST episode of 2026, I spent some time with George, a solo developer working on a delightful party-based roguelite game called Luminas. From making your dream game to learning to prioritise work, this was a lovely one to open the new season of the show with! Enjoy! 🎒💛 -------------- Support George 🎒💛 - Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3724100/Luminas_Parasite_Reign/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luminas_parasite_reign/ - Discord: https://discord.gg/uprvfpJ4kd Support the show 🎒💛 Join the community: https://discord.com/invite/J84aPfSSvjBecome a Patron: https://patreon.com/theindiediaristYouTube: https://youtube.com/@TheIndieDiaristTwitch: https://twitch.tv/theindiediarist⁠TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@theindiediaristThreads: https://threads.net/@theindiediaristTwitter: https://twitter.com/theindiediarist⁠

  • S3 · E24
    Dec 29, 2025 · 26 min

    Silksong: The Game That Shouldn't Exist - Indie Chronicles #1

    Happy Holidays friends! This episode is a podcast version of The Silksong Paradox, a long-form video essay on the story of Team Cherry and Silksong's development journey. A little bonus to end the year! It's also a preview of the Indie Chronicles audio series, which will be available exclusively to Patreon members from episode 2 onwards. Enjoy! 🎒💛 --------- Gain access to future episodes in advance: https://patreon.com/theindiediarist ---------------- YouTube: https://youtube.com/@TheIndieDiaristTwitch: https://twitch.tv/theindiediarist⁠TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@theindiediaristThreads: https://threads.net/@theindiediaristTwitter: https://twitter.com/theindiediarist⁠ ---------------- Kotaku SplitScreen Interview featured in the original video: youtube.com/watch?v=6bQP2rmNBpI

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