The Business of Video Games Podcast

Shams and Fernando bring on their buddy Jon Shafer (former Lead Designer on Civ V) from Conifer Games to cut through the noise and break down the actual state of PC gaming post-Steam Next Fest!

Spoiler alert: that 2010s indie golden age everyone misses? It’s dead and buried.

Jon’s been obsessively tracking Steam data (while juggling his double PC setup optimized for Steam demos), and the new reality is, well to be honest, brutal.

To survive today, developers either need to pump out a game in two months or bleed over it for up to 14 years - there is zero in-between. Welcome to the "go short or go long" meta.

The trio also look into the wildest trends currently hijacking the platform such as the unapologetic explosions of co-op "friend slop," the massive wave of players jumping between Roblox and Steam, and why traditional buying habits are out while cult-level fandom is in.

In short - the dev scene might be an absolute bloodbath right now, but for players? We might just be sitting in a brand-new golden age.

Thanks for listening!

The BBC article
Designer Notes Podcast

It's Friday!

And what do you expect? After our last conversation unexpectedly blew up and wormed its way into the gaming news cycle for a day or two (or three?), we are now back to talk about ... you guessed it! Xbox!

In this episode, we dive right back into the Xbox ecosystem, looking closely at Game Pass, the massive acquisitions, the enormous amout of layoffs, and what scaling up really looks like in today's gaming landscape. We also touch on the delicate PR strategies companies use to avoid becoming the "bad guys" of the industry. Is it even possible?

Plus, stick around until the end for a little palette cleanser where we chat about some highly recommended tabletop chaos, current gaming obsessions, and a surprising confession about a specific James Bond-actor...

Thanks for listening and have a great weekend!

It's Friday and what a show we got for you today!

Shams and Fernando are tearing into the harsh new realities of the games industry where Microsoft’s new leadership has brought out the big black hammer, as well as slowing down on Game Pass deals according to our latest findings. But that's just for todays starters.

The main focus of this episode is the absolute juggernaut that is the Chinese gaming market. Yes, you spoke and we listened!

Shams and Fernando break down how Chinese devs are taking over the premium PC and console space. Think you can just drop your game in China and print money? Good luck. We cover why bad localization will get you review-bombed to oblivion on Steam, the insane reality of the brutal 9-9-6 work culture, and why Chinese gamers couldn't care less if your game uses generative AI.

Plus, we discuss why they love Helldivers 2 and go over our top picks from Steam Next Fest. And Robert Redford. Of course.

Strap in and thanks for listening!

While Fernando is off enjoying Italy, Shams is flying solo and holding down the fort for today's episode. 

Today, our dear friend Tim Bender returns to talk about the incredible early access launch of Olden Era, which has by the time of today already sold over a million copies in just its first month!

The big topic, though, is Hooded Horse's leveled-up partnership with Griffin Gaming Partners.

Tim breaks down a massive new $100 million project financing fund built specifically for indie developers. The best part? They’re ditching those brutal 100% recoup deals in favor of flat revenue splits. It’s a total game-changer for studios looking for a fairer, more sustainable way to get funded without giving up their equity.

But before we jump into that, Shams kicks things off with a quick rundown of his recent trip to China , touching on how their gaming market is shifting fast towards PC and premium titles , and how local developers are really stepping up to the global stage.

Thanks for listening and be sure to learn more about the Special Opportunities Fund here!

Did you ever wonder what happens when a bunch of cocky college students decide they're going to take over the games industry?
Spoiler alert: it involves immediate debt, panic attacks, and practically begging a publisher for survival.

Yes. We are back with our second part together with Johan Pilestedt.

In this episode, Johan walks us through the absolute gauntlet (we honestly couldn't find a more fitting description) of Arrowhead’s first six months as a full-time game developer. Sure, after taking home the top prize at the Swedish Game Awards and puffing on premature victory cigars, reality eventually hits the team when a massive bank loan with personal liability seemed to be the only way out.

But first a little bit of touchdown on the current state of the live service landscape from our dear hosts.

For more on Johan and Arrowhead Game Studios - please visit their website here!