In the next episode of Dev to Dev - the podcast about everyday videogame developers and why they do what they do every day - Andy Roberts explores his journey into game development. In some ways this one feels a little like a time capsule from a very different era of the industry - one where curiosity and persistence had to do a lot more of the heavy lifting - but the lessons learned and the insight given is just as valuable today as it was then.

We talk about how Andy’s early interest in creativity led him into early digital art and programming, not because he set out to make games, but because it was the only way he could actually play them. That thread - making things happen when they don’t exist - is something that runs through his entire career.

What really stood out to me was how much of Andy’s growth came from proximity to talented people. Sitting in rooms, listening, absorbing, and gradually finding his voice. It’s a great reminder that you don’t have to have all the answers, you just need to stay open and engaged long enough to learn them.

There’s also a lot here about ego, collaboration, and the reality of working in teams. The idea that design isn’t about owning ideas, but about shaping them, is something I think a lot of people struggle with early on.

And finally, there’s that sense that being a game developer isn’t really a job you switch on and off - it’s just part of how you think. That constant analysis, curiosity, and drive to create doesn’t really go away.

• Creativity as a necessity, not a luxury, in early game development
• Breaking into the industry before clear career paths existed
• Learning design through observation and collaboration
• The importance of managing ego in creative teams
• Adapting to different projects, constraints, and technologies
• Balancing being an introvert in a role that requires you to be outgoing

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• https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-roberts-7a60222/
• And his Company: https://www.thalamusdigital.co.uk/

This next episode of Dev to Dev - the Podcast about everyday videogame developers and why they do what they do every day - was a really fun one for me. Talking to Brandon Van Haren about his journey hit on so many of the realities of game development that don’t always get talked about.

He started out like a lot of us by playing games with family and getting hooked early. But what stood out was how he kept “playing” even when he wasn’t allowed to. Drawing levels, walking people through them, essentially prototyping before he even knew what design was… it’s such a pure version of this craft executed by someone who at the time had no idea what the craft even was!

Hearing about Brandon’s transition into the industry - going from leading student teams at College to being an intern and having to absorb feedback from experienced directors - reminded me of how humbling that shift can be, and one we’ve all gone through in some form. Brandon talks very openly about that adjustment, and how important it is to learn when to push and when to align.

We also get into encounter design, which I think is also rarely discussed. His focus on visual storytelling by showing players what’s happening rather than telling them really resonated with me. It’s one of those areas where design, narrative, and player experience all intersect in subtle but powerful ways.

And then there’s the live service side of things. Shipping multiple updates a year, learning to push tools beyond their limits, and working with the same team for over a decade - it’s a great look at how consistency and collaboration can lead to mastery over time.

Finally, I really appreciated his perspective on growth. Even after years in one engine, he made the effort to learn Unreal in his own time, just to stay sharp and open up new opportunities. That kind of mindset is what keeps a long career moving forward.

• Early creativity through drawing and “playing” self-made levels
• Transitioning from student leadership to industry humility
• The importance of feedback and team alignment
• Visual storytelling as a core pillar of encounter design
• Pushing tools to their limits in a live service environment
• Self-driven learning to stay relevant in a changing industry

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• https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-van-haren-5ba62544/

The next episode of Dev to Dev - the podcast about everyday videogame developers and why they do what they do every day - is with former colleague and all round top fella, Aram Granger.

Aram’s journey into games is about as far from “planned” as you can get. He spent years in film and TV VFX before even considering games as a career. And yet, when he made the jump, it all clicked. Not because he’d trained for it, but because he’d built the right instincts along the way.

One of my favourite moments was how he described VFX as “putting the sauce on the substance.” That idea really landed for me, especially because designers like me spend so much time thinking about systems and mechanics but the way those systems feel is crucial and the visual layer is so important to it.

There’s also something really refreshing about how he talks about learning. Even after decades in the industry, he still approaches things with curiosity and humility. He’s not trying to be the smartest person in the room but rather he’s trying to make things the best he can, learn from others, and keep improving.

And then there’s the feedback loop that’s true for Aram both in games and in life. The idea that we’re all chasing that little “attaboy” moment, whether we’re players or developers. It’s simple, but it explains so much about why games work.

• Transitioning from Hollywood VFX into games
• Why visual effects are critical to game feel
• The importance of feedback and player reward
• Learning through experimentation, not formal paths
• “Strong ideas, held loosely” as a development mindset

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• https://www.linkedin.com/in/aramgranger/

This week’s episode is a really grounded, honest look at what it actually takes to build a career in game development, especially early on.

Nathan Kellman joins me to talk about his journey into level design, starting from a love of JRPGs and evolving into working on Diablo IV. What really stood out to me here wasn’t just the career milestones, but the mindset he brings to the work.

There’s a great moment where he talks about losing hours of work on an art piece and realising he didn’t want to redo it. That’s the moment he knew it wasn’t the right discipline for him. Compare that to level design, where rebuilding and iterating felt natural, and you start to see how important that internal signal is.

We also get into the reality of the industry - projects getting cancelled, layoffs, and how you process that without losing momentum. Nathan’s perspective is refreshingly pragmatic. He understands the business side of games, but still holds onto the passion that got him started.

On top of that, he’s now teaching level design, and I loved hearing how he approaches it, especially his insistence on removing art entirely so students can focus on what actually makes a level work.

It’s a really thoughtful episode, particularly if you’re early in your career or trying to figure out where you fit.

• How Dragon Quest VIII inspired Nathan to pursue game development
• The moment he realised art wasn’t the right path for him
• Why losing work can reveal what you actually care about
• Breaking into AAA and working on Diablo IV
• The reality of layoffs and project cancellations
• Why level design is central to the player experience
• Teaching fundamentals and stripping away visual noise
• The importance of adaptability across genres

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Find Nathan At:

• https://nathankellman.wixsite.com/portfolio
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathankellman/

There’s something incredibly honest about the journey that Johnny White outlines in this episode of Dev to Dev - the podcast about everyday videogame developers and why they do what they do every day! From being the “weird kid” into games in Alabama to finding himself surrounded by hundreds of people who felt exactly the same way at Digipen thousands of miles from home. That shift, from isolation to belonging, is something I think a lot of us in game dev have experienced in one form or another.

What really stood out to me was how late his “decision” came. It wasn’t like he knew at six years old that this was his path. It clicked later, through exposure, curiosity, and one of those moments where you suddenly see behind the curtain and realise “oh… this is how it works…!”

And then he just went for it.

Moved across the country. No safety net. No backup plan. Just belief that this was the thing he had to do.

That takes guts.

We also got into something that doesn’t get talked about enough- the emotional side of losing a project. What hit Johnny hardest wasn’t the game itself, but the people. That feeling of being part of something bigger, working alongside a team that genuinely cares, it’s hard to replace.

That’s the real magic of game dev.

Not just what you make, but who you make it with.

• Growing up as a “misfit gamer” and finding identity through games
• The moment Breath of the Wild revealed how games actually work
• Why design is often the best entry point into game development
• Taking huge risks to pursue a career in games
• Breaking into AAA through a 5-minute conversation
• The emotional impact of cancelled projects
• Why collaboration is the most important part of game development
• Creativity as something you have to express

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• Johnny White ⬩➤ GDC | LinkedIn
• Instagram @Naladog.World

In this episode of Dev to Dev, I sit down with Brian T. Kindregan, a veteran narrative designer whose career spans BioWare, Blizzard, Epic, Ubisoft, and beyond.

Brian shares the winding path that took him from working in Hollywood animation to writing some of the most memorable narrative moments in modern games. Along the way, he talks about learning the craft of interactive storytelling, the surprising differences between film animation production and game development, and the creative challenges that come with building stories inside massive AAA worlds.

What makes this conversation especially interesting is how honest Brian is about the realities of a creative career. From moving between industries to balancing leadership roles with creative work, he reflects on the moments that shaped his journey and the lessons he wishes more developers understood.

• How early text adventure games sparked Brian’s love for interactive storytelling
• The unexpected path from Hollywood storyboarding to writing for BioWare
• Why the Neverwinter Nights mod tools changed how Brian saw game development
• The creative differences between film production and game development
• What it takes to lead narrative teams on massive AAA projects
• How creative fulfillment and career decisions intersect in game development

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• https://www.linkedin.com/in/briankindregan/

Find Brian’s Book at:

• The Definitive Game Narrative Guide

Behind every career in game development is a series of unexpected turns, and Leyla Lacombe’s journey is a perfect example of how curiosity and persistence can shape a path through the industry.

In Dev to Dev Season 02 Episode 4 I sit down with Leyla to talk about how she discovered game development almost by accident while studying theatre and media at UC Berkeley. Gaming had always been part of her life, from playing SSX Tricky with her dad to late-night Zelda sessions, but she never thought about the people behind the games until she joined a women-in-games club at university.

That moment sparked a chain reaction of curiosity that eventually led her into the industry through Esports, working with the Overwatch League ecosystem. But the real story of the episode is how Leyla learned that finding your place in games often involves exploring roles that aren’t quite right before discovering the one that truly fits.

Through mentorship, persistence, and a lot of thoughtful reflection, she found that production was the role that aligned best with her strengths - organization, communication, and helping teams navigate the chaos of development.

The conversation also touches on layoffs, career uncertainty, and the importance of staying curious even when the industry feels unpredictable. Leyla’s perspective on navigating those challenges, while still maintaining a strong sense of work-life balance, is one I suspect many developers will find reassuring.

• How growing up across multiple countries shaped Leyla’s perspective on games and creativity
• Discovering the games industry through a university women-in-games club
• Why esports was an important—but temporary—step in her career
• The mentorship that helped her transition into game production
• Lessons from navigating layoffs and finding a new role at Sony Santa Monica
• Why production is about enabling teams rather than controlling them

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• https://www.linkedin.com/in/leyla-lacombe/
• YouTube: @leylabelle
• Twitch: @leylabelle
• IG: @leylalalacombe

This one felt special.

Mark Acero is one of those developers who has lived the industry. Street Fighter tournaments. 120-hour weeks in the early days. Combat design on major franchises. VR experimentation. Mentorship.

But what really stood out wasn’t the credits or the huge franchises, it was the mindset.

Mark talks openly about:

• Why collaboration beats ego
• How psychology shapes better playtesting
• Why iteration needs structure
• What toxic environments actually cost you
• And how passion can both fuel and burn you

There’s something refreshing about someone who can say:

“I just want to make the best game I can.”

No fluff. No ego. Just clarity.

This episode is packed with practical lessons on leadership, bias, efficiency, and sustaining a long career in games.

• Early fighting game tournament culture in California
• Turning ideas into “team ideas” before pitching upward
• How bias distorts playtest interpretation
• The difference between real iteration and dart throwing
• Why VR changes the Three C’s—but not the fundamentals
• Recognizing toxic leadership and protecting your health

If you’re navigating your own design journey, especially as a senior or aspiring lead, this is crucial insight and great listening!

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Find Mark At:

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/markacero/