The Business of Video Games Podcast

We are back with the second part of our conversation together with our good friend Tim Bender as the we dive deeper into the weeds of some of the most surprising moves in the industry lately. Why not start with the backstory of the Ubisoft partnership on Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era for example? Far from a simple hand-off, Tim explains how a long-term dialogue led to a specialist publisher stepping in to steward a legendary IP, and why a massive corporate player sought out a niche team to help find the right "indie" formula for a classic series. And that’s not all. Following some recent “LinkedIn shenanigans”, Tim doubles down on his advice that most indie developers are actually better off self-publishing than signing with a publisher that fails to add true value. Expect a candid look at the power dynamics between creators and financiers, concluding with an exploration of why remaining private, and avoiding “public company logic”, is the only way to keep Hooded Horse’s 100-year mission on track. Thanks again for joining us Tim! Find out more about Tim and Hooded Horse here.

Sorry for being late! After a not so welcomed water leakage at our producers studios, we are back with the second part of our conversation with Trent Kusters, the visionary co-founder of League of Geeks! Shams rides this one solo since Fernando is on a trip across the pond and it's time to get into the "messy middle" of building a studio that lasts over a decade in an industry that sometimes feels like it's trying to shake you off. Trent opens up about the early days of Australian Kickstarter hurdles and the pivots required to keep a premium title sustainable when everyone else was chasing free-to-play trends. We also get a rare, candid look at the internal culture of League of Geeks, where Trent shares some reflections on the loss of co-founder Adam Duncan and how that reshaped his view on honoring talent and charting a company's future. Thanks to Trent for joining us! Please follow Trent and League of Geeks here.

Time for a one off with the great folks at Oro Interactive who currently is on a real victory lap with 300k units sold of Roadside Research within two weeks(!) and 400k units sold for Super Battle Golf within it's first week! Absolutely bonkers. But not as bonkers as Shams who is once again away on a mission celebrating Swedish games at the Swedish Game Awards 2026, while Fernando sits down with our guests Sam and Daniel to chat about what it’s actually like running a tiny (but fast!) publishing label. They dive into how it all started, how they decide what feels right, and also, why Oro don’t really care for big pitch decks or drawn-out processes. Specifically, we look deeper into the topic of moving quickly when something clicks, spotting that one small detail that makes a game stand out, and most importantly - why staying small might be the whole point. Please follow Sam and Daniel at Oro Interactive here!

Friends! It's 2026 and we're back! In this first part of a two-episode conversation, Shams and Fernando sit down with none other than industry veteran Agostino Simonetta. They talk through a career in games that was shaped less by master plans and more by circumstance, timing, and a fair number of hard calls. From early production work to platform-side roles at PlayStation and Xbox, to what it actually feels like to try to push new ideas inside very large organizations. Along the way, they touch on the Italian game development scene, the realities of platform strategy, and why innovation inside big companies often comes with friction, compromises, and missed chances. Follow Agostino and CSC Game World here Support our Patreon here

It's Friday! In the second half of their conversation with Adam Boyes, Shams and Fernando go far beyond career anecdotes and dig into what truly drives fulfillment in the games industry. Adam reflects on the pivotal moment he chose happiness and creative energy over traditional career momentum - an insight that later shaped Iron Galaxy’s unusually transparent, collaborative leadership structure. The discussion also widens into a sharp look at how co-development evolved from a misunderstood niche into a central force in modern game production, and how Iron Galaxy found itself years ahead of that curve. From there, the trio explores deeper industry currents: where new capital is coming from, how money from inside and outside gaming reshapes studios, and whether AAA development is drifting toward a Hollywood-like system of compact creative cores supported by waves of specialist partners. Adam’s perspective blends optimism with realism, emphasizing stamina, courage, and the willingness to keep taking risks even when big bets fail. But the episode never loses its warmth or humor - culminating in Adam revisiting the now-iconic photo of him wearing a VR headset next to a charging Tesla(!), a snapshot of tech culture at its most unselfconscious. It’s an episode that mixes heart, industry insight, and genuine silliness in equal measure. Find Vivrato here VR in the parking lot

It's time to continue our conversation with Chris and Tyler som Red Hook Studios! In this second half of our interview with Red Hook Studios founders Chris and Tyler, we focus on what happened after Darkest Dungeon 1. Wrapping up Kickstarter commitments, the surprising intensity of Early Access, and how the game’s success never really gave the team a chance to slow down. Among other things, we also touch on their DLC approach, some of the business decisions behind Darkest Dungeon 2 and why they ultimately accepted an Epic Games Store deal that fully funded the sequel despite community pushback. Beyond the interview, Shams and Fernando also get into the state of industry events like GDC, plus what they’ve been playing and thinking about lately - because even in a packed episode, there’s always room for a little extra. Find Red Hook Studios on Steam here

In our final episode of the season, Shams and Fernando drop the guest format to tackle a few persistent myths and misconceptions that have been quietly annoying us all year. We dig into things like: How a game can be a bestseller and still be considered a disappointment What minority investments really mean — and what they don’t No shouting, no hot takes (okay, maybe one), just two people who’ve seen a few things, trying to make sense of a business that often doesn't. Thanks for listening this season — see you soon. support us on patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BusinessOfVideoGames

XCOM designer and Sid Meier protege Jake Solomon is embarking on a new mission: CEO of his own studio. Jake gives Shams and Fernando a window into his extraordinary career, telling stories from his days at Firaxis and talking about his journey to found Midsummer Studios.

Season 3 finally continues with a truly unique indie business auteur! Xalavier Nelson Jr. runs Strange Scaffold, a game studio that defies convention—achieving repeated success while staying boldly artistic. Listen in to hear Xalavier and Strange Scaffold manage what so few others do. 👉 Visit Strange Scaffold and explore their games here. https://www.strangescaffold.com/

This episode, we’re diving into the wild world of user-generated content (UGC) with Scott Reismanis, CEO of Mod.io. Ever wondered WHY mods go from hobby projects to gaming game-changers such as DOTA or CS? Scott’s here to spill the beans on Mod.io’s mission, the challenges of getting studios on board, and why UGC is still the future (spoiler: it’s awesome). We’ll chat about big decisions, big trends, and big dreams for modding. Mods, memes, and major insights—don’t miss it!

Welcome to a new season of the Business of Video Games Podcast! Your host finally cut his hair, grew up and got himself a job (more on in a future episode)! Meaning that this season we'll be bringing on a new co-host - Fernando Rizo - business developer extraordinaire - familiar to regular listeners. Expect monthly episodes this season and more behind the scenes materials for patreons - otherwise our format stays the same - the hardest hitting business interviews in the games industry. In this episode we interview Soren Lundgard - CEO of Ghostship Games - developers of smash hit Deep Rock Galactic. We uncover the secrets of their success and how they are re-invest in the Danish games industry.

We arrive finally in the fifth and final episode in the series where we talk to Kim Nordström - games industry meganerd, veteran and author of "Up, Down, Up - why some game companies succeed while others fail. This episode delves into the final phase that companies go through before throwing in the towel - namely the "Decline Phase". We unpack why companies end up here and how you navigate out of these dreaded waters. You can find more info about the book here: https://updownupbook.com/

We return yet again to our home base this season - Indie publisher Hooded Horse. They recently release Manor Lords and it was a roaring success selling over 2M copies in less than 3 weeks. We talk to their CEO Tim Bender and Chief Marketing Officer Abhishek Chaudhry to understand what went right, wrong and what the team would do differently. Find Manor Lords here https://store.steampowered.com/app/1363080/Manor_Lords/ And follow Hooded Horse here: https://x.com/HoodedHorseInc