In the final Episode of Season 01 of Dev to Dev - the podcast about everyday videogame developers and why they do what they do every day - I take a moment to reflect on the first season, dive a little deeper into my takeaways from this first season, and talk a little about the future of the podcast.

Just me and my thoughts that I hope y'all enjoy!

• Patreon: DevToDevPodcast
• RSS: https://feeds.castos.com/r37p9
• Instagram: @devto.devpodcast
• Bluesky: @devtodevpodcast.bsky.social‬
• TikTok: @devtodevpodcast
• YouTube: @DevToDevPodcast
• Email: DevToDevPodcast@Gmail.com

• Instagram: @pelicanpeculiar
• Bluesky: @peculiarpelican.bsky.social
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexsulman/
• My Portfolio: https://www.alexsulmanportfolio.net/
• Email: Alex.J.Sulman@Gmail.com

• (00:00:00) - Dev to Dev: Reviewing SEASON 1
• (00:05:49) - Lucky in Game Development: Season 1
• (00:09:45) - How To Get Out Of A Development Trap
• (00:13:24) - How Having a Game Development Career Changed My Mind
• (00:16:21) - Appreciating The Game Development Podcast
• (00:20:40) - Lehman vs Orlando: The Battle
• (00:25:48) - Episode 11 Landon's Story
• (00:26:47) - Interviewing Zachary on Engineering
• (00:28:18) - John and Bill's Stories
• (00:31:10) - PODCAST: The Design Process
• (00:38:08) - Season 2
• (00:42:53) - A Toast to "" Season 1

This episode of Dev to Dev - the podcast about everyday Videogame Developers and why they do what they do every day - offers a thoughtful look at what it really means to build a long, sustainable career in game development.

Chris Linn’s perspective provides fascinating insight into how curiosity, adaptability, and empathy can shape not just the work, but the way teams function together. The conversation centres on mindset and how approaching development with openness and respect creates stronger outcomes over time.

A key theme that emerges is the value of understanding the full development pipeline. Chris’ background highlights how experience across disciplines builds better judgement, clearer communication, and stronger leadership. For those navigating their own careers, the episode reinforces an idea that growth can come from breadth of knowledge as much as does depth. It’s a reminder that learning how teams operate can be just as important as mastering tools or systems.

The discussion also provides valuable perspective on working within complex, live environments. Chris’ experiences offer insight into how adaptability, iteration, and collaboration became essential skills when navigating games that continue after launch. Rather than presenting live service as a formula, the episode frames it as an ongoing conversation between developers and players—one that requires humility, responsiveness, and long-term thinking.

Throughout the episode, Chris shares a grounded view of production that focuses on people over process. He encourages us to think critically about how structure, tools, and methodologies should serve teams, not constrain them. It’s a perspective that feels especially relevant for those in leadership roles, offering reassurance that flexibility and empathy are strengths, not weaknesses, in creative development.

• Insight into what drives long-term passion for production and game development

• Why broad experience can be a powerful foundation for leadership

• Reflections on adaptability and learning in live service environments

• A people-first approach to production and team support

• Thoughtful perspectives on sustaining a career in games

• Patreon: DevToDevPodcast

• RSS: https://feeds.castos.com/r37p9

• Instagram: @devto.devpodcast

• Bluesky: @devtodevpodcast.bsky.social‬

• TikTok: @devtodevpodcast

• YouTube: @DevToDevPodcast

• Email: DevToDevPodcast@Gmail.com

• Twitch: ⁠https://www.twitch.tv/linnception⁠

• TikTok: @linnceptionpaints

• (00:00:00) - Dev to Dev: Chris Lin (
• (00:00:38) - What First Inspired You To Make Video Games?
• (00:03:03) - As a gamer's brother,
• (00:05:29) - When Were You Playing Video Games?
• (00:07:03) - In the Elevator With Funky People
• (00:08:57) - Got my degree in Game Design
• (00:12:53) - How to Make a 2D Movie in College
• (00:13:48) - How to get hired at Activision QA
• (00:18:57) - How I transitioned from temp to full-time
• (00:22:56) - Inside the Studio: Moving from Temp to Production
• (00:26:57) - QA on the Shift to Production
• (00:31:52) - An Associate Producer on Call of Duty: Online
• (00:34:59) - Having worked on Call of Duty Online in China
• (00:41:13) - PUBG Veteran on His Transition
• (00:46:05) - PUBG Producers on Becoming Full-Time Producers
• (00:50:56) - There's No 'Right Way' to Be a Producer
• (00:54:52) - What Does It Mean to Be a Producers?
• (00:58:10) - How Being a Game Developer Has Changed Your Life

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

Find the Podcast At

• Patreon: DevToDevPodcast
• RSS: https://feeds.castos.com/r37p9
• Instagram: @devto.devpodcast
• Bluesky: @devtodevpodcast.bsky.social‬
• TikTok: @devtodevpodcast
• YouTube: @DevToDevPodcast
• Email: DevToDevPodcast@Gmail.com

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