Think Like A Game Designer

Justin Gary

In Think Like a Game Designer, award-winning designer and Stone Blade Entertainment CEO Justin Gary speaks with world-class game designers and creative experts from various industries. Each episode deconstructs the creative process, offering insights into the art of game design and the broader cultural, technological, and business influences shaping a myriad of creative mediums. Join us for actionable advice and unique perspectives that will enrich your understanding of what it means to be creative in and out of the gaming world.

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118 episodes
Updated Thursday

Episodes118

Newest first

Oct 24, 2023 · 1 hr 32 min
Mark Otero — The Artistry of Game Development, Navigating the Crossroads of Engagement and Economics, Reimagining In-Game Asset Strategies, and Cultivating Community Through Gaming (#53)
About Mark Otero In this episode, join us for an insightful discussion with Mark Otero, a true innovator in the gaming sphere. Starting with his humble beginnings founding KlickNation, an entity that caught Electronic Arts' attention, Mark's journey is one of risk, innovation, and striking success in game design. His unique perspective on community engagement, in-game economics, and narrative-driven experiences has reshaped how we think about interactive environments. Dive into a conversation exploring the challenges and triumphs that have defined his career, and glean invaluable wisdom from one of the industry's pioneering minds. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe
Sep 26, 2023 · 57 min
Reiner Knizia — Systems for Publishing 700+ Games, Crafting Profound Gameplay from Simple Rules, Innovations in Scoring and Auction Systems, and The Joy of Tabletop Gaming (#52)
Join us in this episode as we chat with the legendary Reiner Knizia, the mastermind behind over 700 games. With a Ph.D. in mathematics, Reiner transitioned from banking to establish one of the most recognized and enjoyed brands in the gaming world. From his early titles like Gold Digger and Desperados, his influence spans collaborations with global licenses such as The Lord of the Rings, LEGO, and Star Wars. With over 13 million sales worldwide, standout titles include his acclaimed auction and tile-laying trilogies. It was an absolute pleasure to explore his game design philosophy! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe
Sep 4, 2023 · 1 hr 50 min
Stefan Engblom — Designing games for millions of people and billions of dollars, Secrets of building game communities, The 2AM Party Principle, Reacting to player feedback (#51)
Stefan’s journey in game design has been nothing short of exceptional. Hailing from Supercell, the creative force behind hits like Hay Day and Clash of Clans, Stefan’s career has defied genre boundaries. As a Game Designer on the Clash Royale team at Supercell, Stefan immerses himself in every facet of game design. His primary focus revolves around gameplay balancing, crafting the intricate game economy, and shaping the game’s systems to perfection. With a passion for creating unforgettable gaming experiences, Stefan Engblom brings his unique insights and expertise to the table. Join us for an awesome discussion with Stefan Engblom on this episode of Think Like A Game Designer. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe
Jul 24, 2023 · 1 hr 42 min
Soren Johnson (Part II) — Innovating 4X Strategy Games, Insights from Civilization IV, and Designing the Future of Gaming. (#50)
Soren Johnson is a legend in the gaming industry. He was one of the designers on Civilization III and the lead designer for Civilization IV at Firaxis Games. He co-founded his own company called Mohawk Games. As the studio’s founder and lead designer, he aimed to create strategy games emphasizing player agency, complexity, and meaningful decision-making. We discuss 4x game design, player interaction, and how modding affects the digital gaming world. The two of us had so much fun discussing games that the episode needed to be broken into two parts. So, enjoy part one of Think Like A Game Designer with Soren Johnson. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe
Jul 11, 2023 · 10 min
Think Like a Game Designer: Shards of Infinity Kickstarter Special
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe
Jun 12, 2023 · 1 hr 36 min
Soren Johnson (Part I) — Building Civilization Through 4X Design, Bridging Digital and Physical Gaming, Navigating the Evolving TCG Landscape, and Crafting Games for Varied Playtimes (#49)
Soren Johnson is a legend in the gaming industry. He was one of the designers on Civilization III and the lead designer for Civilization IV at Firaxis Games. He co-founded his own company called Mohawk Games. As the studio’s founder and lead designer, he aimed to create strategy games emphasizing player agency, complexity, and meaningful decision-making. We discuss 4x game design, player interaction, and how modding affects the digital gaming world. The two of us had so much fun discussing games that the episode needed to be broken into two parts. So, enjoy part one of Think Like A Game Designer with Soren Johnson. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe
May 24, 2023 · 1 hr 1 min
Jon Barry — Mastering Game Accessories with Forged Gaming: From Community Insights to Crowdfunding Masterpieces, and the Role of AI in Future Gaming (#48)
Jon Barry is the founder of Forged Gaming, a renowned game accessories company. Jon has dedicated himself to creating a plethora of products that enhance the gaming experience, such as dice and game master screens. His pursuit of excellence and deep passion for gaming have driven him to push the boundaries of the industry, establishing Forged Games as a leader in the gaming accessory market. For those eager to learn about game accessory creation, this episode offers a wealth of invaluable lessons and insights. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe
May 8, 2023 · 1 hr 10 min
Gary Arant — Ascending the Ranks at Stone Blade: From Intern to COO, Designing Iconic Card Games, and Challenging Assumptions in Game Development (#47)
As a member of the Stone Blade team, I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside Gary Arant since the company’s earliest days. Gary has played a crucial role in every game we’ve ever made, including Ascension, Ascension Tactics, Shards of Infinity, and SolForge Fusion. I was honored to speak with Gary on an episode of Think Like A Game Designer. I couldn’t be more grateful to have such a talented and dedicated colleague in the field. Gary’s contributions have been instrumental in shaping the games we create at Stone Blade, and I can’t wait to see what we’ll accomplish together in the future. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe
Mar 28, 2023 · 1 hr 26 min
Jamey Stegmaier — Kickstarter Beginnings, Revolutionizing Rulebooks, Mastering Solo Gameplay, and Balancing Game Design with Time Management (#46)
Jamey Stegmaier is the CEO of Stonemaier Games and the creator of games such as Scythe and Viticulture. He is a prolific content creator and thought leader in the Kickstarter and game design space, who’s spent years making videos and writing articles on nearly every aspect of running a game company. To be fair, Jamey probably interviews me just as much as I interview him, and we end up discussing everything from creating games to content generation to crowdfunding—so much knowledge is packed into this episode that it would be hard to list it all here! Enjoy! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe
Mar 1, 2023 · 1 hr 38 min
Matt Fantastic — The Indy Game Ethos, Punk Rock Designs, Navigating Success Beyond Sales, Collaborative Dynamics, and the Power of Empathy in Game Design (#45)
Matt is easily the most punk rock game designer I’ve ever interviewed, and it’s no wonder because their professional life is rooted in collectivism, art, nerdery, social justice, and DIY punk rock. He is the Creative Director of Forever Stoked Creative, a studio they founded over a decade ago. Matt also owns Elm City Games, a game shop/library in New Haven, Connecticut. They founded the New Haven Game Makers Guild, organized Fantasticon, and do consulting across the game industry as well as for corporate, NGO, and institutional clients like Netflix and Yale. In this episode, we discuss the world of indy games and have a fantastic time! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe
Feb 15, 2023 · 17 min
Think Like a Game Designer: Ascension Tactics Inferno Special
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe
Jan 30, 2023 · 1 hr 16 min
Isaac Vega — From Humble Prototypes to Bioshock Tables, Navigating Unexpected Successes, and the Freedom of Forging One’s Path in Game Design (#44)
Isaac Vega has been designing board games for over a decade. Isaac has sold over 500,000 copies of his games worldwide and is an award-winning designer. He co-founded Rose Gauntlet Entertainment and is the designer of the hit game Dead of Winter. There are so many awesome lessons in this episode. Let’s get started! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe
Jan 9, 2023 · 1 hr 25 min
Sean K. Reynolds — Crafting Legendary RPGs, Building Worlds & Teams, Valuing Writer Voices, and the Anatomy of Game Design (#43)
Sean K. Reynolds is a prolific writer and game designer who’s worked on hundreds of supplements for various RPGs, including Dungeons & Dragons. Sean and I met years ago when we were both working for Upper Deck, where Sean was an IP developer. From there, he left to develop the Pathfinder RPG at Paizo. He currently works for Monte Cook Games, where he just finished the Kickstarter for the Planebreaker RPG alongside legendary RPG designers Bruce R. Cordell and Monte Cook. Sean is an awesome guest with lots to share! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe
Dec 6, 2022 · 1 hr 29 min
Ben Brode — From Pizza Delivery to Hearthstone's Helm: Crafting Digital Card Games, the Essence of Decision-Making, Building Trust in the Gaming Industry, Innovating with Marvel Snap (#42)
Ben Brode worked for Blizzard for 15 years, working his way up from a low-level position to become one of the lead designers of the monstrously successful game Hearthstone. He is now the Chief Creative Officer at his own game studio called Second Dinner, which created the digital collectible card game for Marvel called Marvel Snap. This episode was super-fun to record, with some great stories and many great lessons about creating some of the biggest digital card games on the planet! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe
Oct 31, 2022 · 1 hr 5 min
Alex Watkins — From Evolutions in Mechanics to Shaping the Future of Organized Play, The Journey of Crafting a New Gaming Experience in Soulforge Fusion (#41)
Alex Watkins is the head of organized play for SolForge Fusion, but before joining our team, he had years of experience running organized play for games like Keyforge and X-Wing. We're super excited to have him on the show today, discussing how organized play systems are developed, the relationship between organized play and game design, and what organized play will look like for SolForge Fusion. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe
Sep 26, 2022 · 1 hr 14 min
John D. Clair — Crafting Award-Winning Games, Navigating Legal Pitfalls, Lessons from Downfall, and Innovating with Kinetic Design (#40)
John D. Clair is the designer of Mystic Vale, which was awarded the ORIGINS Award and Gamer’s Choice award in 2017. His other titles include Downfall, Rumble Pie, Custom Heroes, Space Base, and Edge of Darkness. He is a fantastic designer with a lot of wisdom to share. In this episode, we discuss learning from mistakes made in previous designs, handling legal protections for new designs, and making the most of game components to make your games more fun and exciting. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe
Jul 26, 2022 · 1 hr 30 min
Luke Peterschmidt — From Dungeons & Dragons to Bakugan: Leveraging Game Design in Marketing, Teaching, and Global Phenomenons (#39)
Luke has done a lot of incredible work as a game designer, working on indie games like Miskatonic School for Girls all the way up to massive games like Bakugan. He’s worked for a lot of awesome companies (Games Workshop, AEG, SpinMaster, Wizards of the Coast) in a variety of different positions and knows the industry from top to bottom. In today’s episode, we talk a lot about how the game design mindset applies to not just the game industry but also to business and life—Enjoy! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe
Jun 30, 2022 · 1 hr 14 min
Phil Walker-Harding — Crafting Accessible Games, The Journey from Self-Publishing to Global Success with Sushi Go!, and Mastering the Art of Core Game Mechanics. (#31)
Phil has a great origin story because it is one that represents what it’s like for most designers to make it in the industry. His most popular game, Sushi Go!, has sold over a million copies and has been translated into 20 languages. Phil specializes in games that are easy to learn, and that can be played by people of all ages. In the Think Like A Game Designer course, I often use Phil’s games like Gizmos and Sushi Go!, as examples of elegant distillations of core principles. There are some amazing lessons in this episode—Enjoy! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe
May 9, 2022 · 12 min
Think Like a Game Designer: Level Up!
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe
Mar 28, 2022 · 58 min
Alan Phan — Charting New Territory: From First-time Game Ideas to Million-Dollar Kickstarters and The Power of Nostalgia in The Grand Archive (#37)
Alan Phan and his team recently launched a million-dollar Kickstarter for a trading card game called The Grand Archive. What’s amazing is that he and his friends had never made a trading card game before, so today we’re going to learn a little bit more about Alan and his story. Enjoy! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe

Think Like A Game Designer

Mark Otero — The Artistry of Game Development, Navigating the Crossroads of Engagement and Economics, Reimagining In-Game Asset Strategies, and Cultivating Community Through Gaming (#53)

Reiner Knizia — Systems for Publishing 700+ Games, Crafting Profound Gameplay from Simple Rules, Innovations in Scoring and Auction Systems, and The Joy of Tabletop Gaming (#52)

Stefan Engblom — Designing games for millions of people and billions of dollars, Secrets of building game communities, The 2AM Party Principle, Reacting to player feedback (#51)

Soren Johnson (Part II) — Innovating 4X Strategy Games, Insights from Civilization IV, and Designing the Future of Gaming. (#50)

Think Like a Game Designer: Shards of Infinity Kickstarter Special

Soren Johnson (Part I) — Building Civilization Through 4X Design, Bridging Digital and Physical Gaming, Navigating the Evolving TCG Landscape, and Crafting Games for Varied Playtimes (#49)

Jon Barry — Mastering Game Accessories with Forged Gaming: From Community Insights to Crowdfunding Masterpieces, and the Role of AI in Future Gaming (#48)

Gary Arant — Ascending the Ranks at Stone Blade: From Intern to COO, Designing Iconic Card Games, and Challenging Assumptions in Game Development (#47)

Jamey Stegmaier — Kickstarter Beginnings, Revolutionizing Rulebooks, Mastering Solo Gameplay, and Balancing Game Design with Time Management (#46)

Matt Fantastic — The Indy Game Ethos, Punk Rock Designs, Navigating Success Beyond Sales, Collaborative Dynamics, and the Power of Empathy in Game Design (#45)

Think Like a Game Designer: Ascension Tactics Inferno Special

Isaac Vega — From Humble Prototypes to Bioshock Tables, Navigating Unexpected Successes, and the Freedom of Forging One’s Path in Game Design (#44)

Sean K. Reynolds — Crafting Legendary RPGs, Building Worlds & Teams, Valuing Writer Voices, and the Anatomy of Game Design (#43)

Ben Brode — From Pizza Delivery to Hearthstone's Helm: Crafting Digital Card Games, the Essence of Decision-Making, Building Trust in the Gaming Industry, Innovating with Marvel Snap (#42)

Alex Watkins — From Evolutions in Mechanics to Shaping the Future of Organized Play, The Journey of Crafting a New Gaming Experience in Soulforge Fusion (#41)

John D. Clair — Crafting Award-Winning Games, Navigating Legal Pitfalls, Lessons from Downfall, and Innovating with Kinetic Design (#40)

Luke Peterschmidt — From Dungeons & Dragons to Bakugan: Leveraging Game Design in Marketing, Teaching, and Global Phenomenons (#39)

Phil Walker-Harding — Crafting Accessible Games, The Journey from Self-Publishing to Global Success with Sushi Go!, and Mastering the Art of Core Game Mechanics. (#31)

Think Like a Game Designer: Level Up!

Alan Phan — Charting New Territory: From First-time Game Ideas to Million-Dollar Kickstarters and The Power of Nostalgia in The Grand Archive (#37)