The next episode of Dev to Dev with Jon Walker is probably the deepest and most personal episode yet. Jon opens up about growing up in foster care, finding connection through games, and how that early relationship with social and competitive play shaped everything that followed.

We talk about his unconventional path into the industry—through the Navy, competitive gaming, QA at Raven Software, and eventually building Prop Hunt as a side project that became a Call of Duty staple. It’s a reminder that initiative and curiosity still matter, even in AAA development.

Jon also shares what it was like moving to Riot Games to work on Valorant, adjusting to a slower but more rigorous design culture, and engaging directly with competitive players. His perspective on player trust, matchmaking, and goal-driven design is especially insightful.

Finally, we dig into leadership, burnout, relocation, and what really matters after years in the industry. Jon is thoughtful, honest, and deeply human in how he talks about making games—and the people who make them.

Highlights

• Using games as a social lifeline during childhood
• From Navy service to QA to Prop Hunt
• Designing competitive systems at Riot Games
• Leading combat design on a new IP
• How game development shapes who we are

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Find Jon At:

• ⁠Jonathan Walker | LinkedIn

• (00:00:00) - Former 'Warzone' Designer on ZeniMax's '
• (00:01:40) - What First Inspired You To Make Videogames?
• (00:06:24) - What Motivates People to Make Video Games?
• (00:09:29) - Foster Care Made Me Want to Be an Engineer
• (00:13:19) - How I Got My Start in the Game Industry
• (00:17:45) - Blending QA and Design
• (00:18:06) - Call of Duty: Scripts Explained
• (00:20:43) - In the Elevator With Scripting
• (00:23:03) - Pushing the boundaries of systems design
• (00:28:18) - How I Went From Raven to Riot
• (00:33:08) - Riot Design's transition to COD
• (00:37:53) - Riot's focus on competitive gameplay
• (00:42:59) - Riot's Director on Leading People
• (00:47:44) - Leading the Mechteam at ZeniMax
• (00:51:18) - Mixed emotions about moving back to Madison
• (00:54:39) - The Real Cost of Making Video Games
• (00:58:22) - How Having Been in Game Development Has Changed My Life
• (01:01:30) - Has Being in Game Dev Changed You?
• (01:03:47) - Pushing the creative process in Game Development
• (01:05:46) - John Waffle on The Podcast