About this episode
Soren interviews independent game developer Zach Barth about his career and views on puzzle games.
In this episode, Soren interviews independent game developer Zach Barth, best known for his puzzle games, including SpaceChem, Infinifactory, Shenzhen I/O, and Opus Magnum. They discuss why he never originally wanted to make money on his games, why puzzle games are terrible, and whether he has ever played Minecraft. This episode was recorded on September 11, 2023.
People in this episode
Host: Soren
Guest: Zach Barth
Topics covered
- independent game development
- puzzle games
- game monetization
- interview
- game design
Keywords
- Zach Barth
- puzzle games
- SpaceChem
- Infinifactory
- Shenzhen I/O
- Opus Magnum
- Minecraft
- game development
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: SpaceChem, Infinifactory, Shenzhen I/O, Opus Magnum, Minecraft
More episodes of Designer Notes
- Designer Notes 95: Seth Sivak · June 6, 2026 · 2h 59m
- Designer Notes 94: Charles Cecil - Part 2 · May 4, 2026 · 3h 34m
- Designer Notes 93: Charles Cecil - Part 1 · April 20, 2026 · 1h 57m
- Designer Notes 92: Paul Kilduff-Taylor · December 26, 2025 · 3h 9m
- Designer Notes 91: Tomislav Uzelac · November 18, 2025 · 2h 28m
- Designer Notes 90: Patrice Desilets - Part 2 · July 25, 2025 · 1h 42m
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Designer Notes podcast page.