by MultiPlay Network
<p>Welcome to Game Academy: the podcast where game design, academia, and industry chaos collides! Hosted by Dr Adam Jerrett, a game designer, educator, and PhD survivor with big golden retriever energy, this show dives into the art, craft, and culture of making and studying games. Each episode features conversations with developers, journalists, content creators, and academics from across the games industry. We break down the creative process, unpack what makes games tick, and get real about the industry’s highs, lows, and the “what just happened?!”.</p><br><p>From indie projects to AAA blockbusters, we discuss it all — especially if it involves making players cry (in a good way). Expect lols, frank chats (or Frank Lanz), and the occasional tangent about weird horror games or why game UIs are terrible. Whether you're a developer, a student, or just someone who loves games, pull up a chair — you’re officially enrolled in Game Academy.</p><br><p>Don’t worry, there’s no homework. Probably.</p><br><p>📧 Got questions or guest suggestions? Hit us up at <strong>gameacademypod AT gmail DOT com</strong>!</p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
3/6/2022
Email Addresses
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March 31, 2025
<p>This month on Game Academy, we’re cracking open a booster pack of nostalgia, tabletop secrets, and indie dev wisdom with the one and only <strong>Matthew Bell</strong>!</p><br><p>Matt’s had the kind of career that makes you go, “Wait, you did what?” He started out wrangling tournaments and managing organised play for Yu-Gi-Oh! across Europe (yes, the one with Blue-Eyes White Dragon), before jumping into video game production at Sumo Digital, and now going full indie with his new card-based tabletop strategy game, Robot Raiders.</p><br><p>We get into the wild world of organised play (turns out, it’s more spreadsheets and fewer holographic dragons than you might expect), how Matt transitioned from TCGs to AAA production, and what it’s really like launching your own tabletop game in 2025. Spoiler: it’s hard, it’s exciting, and yes, there’s a Kickstarter!</p><br><p>We also chat about the craft of designing games for the people who play them, what makes a great gameplay loop in card games, and how Matt approaches “getting people to play the game” - the hardest design challenge of all.</p><br><p>Whether you're a lifelong duelist, a budding designer, or just someone believes in the heart of the cards, this one's got something for you. Your move!</p><br><p><strong>Links & Shoutouts:</strong></p><p>🎲 Back Robot Raiders on Kickstarter: <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mattorigusstudios/robot-raiders-a-1-4-player-epic-card-game-battle-experience" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mattorigusstudios/robot-raiders-a-1-4-player-epic-card-game-battle-experience</a></p><p>📢 Keep up with Mattorigus Studios on YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@MattorigusStudios" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/@MattorigusStudios</a></p><p>📧 Got a question or guest suggestion? Email us at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a></p><p>🐶 Follow Adam’s extremely nerdy ramblings at <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/twoleft.bsky.social" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://bsky.app/profile/twoleft.bsky.social</a></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
February 18, 2025
<p>Game Academy is back (again, like we are every episode, but we really are this time!) with a fresh coat of paint! This season, it's just Adam, so we’re shaking things up—no more long rants about his PhD (he finished it!), no more co-host (RIP to Steph’s podcasting era), just Adam nerding out in conversations with game designers, journalists, academics, and whoever else he can convince to talk to him. Expect passionate chats about game development, the industry, and the creative process, but let's not forget the occasional existential crisis about academia, because let’s be real, that never really goes away.</p><br><p>To kick things off, Adam is joined by the incredible <strong>Nina Freeman</strong>—an award-winning indie designer known for her deeply personal, sometimes gut-wrenching, always beautifully crafted games like Cibele, How Do You Do It?, and Last Call. If you love games that make you feel things (too many things), Nina’s work is required reading. We get into everything — how she went from theatre and poetry to making games, why she loves telling small, intimate stories, and how she goes about turning real life into interactive experiences. We also talk about the state of the industry, freelancing, and how AA and AAA studios are changing. Finally, because Adam couldn’t help myself, they also get into indie horror (Nina’s working on a new horror game, Size Zero), we shout out Pete's Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs, and discuss whether going to GDC is actually worth it.</p><br><p>Links that you should definitely go to:</p><br><p>Check out all of Nina's amazing work: <a href="https://ninasays.so/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://ninasays.so/</a></p><p>Nina's My Perfect Console podcast episode: <a href="https://shows.acast.com/my-perfect-console/episodes/nina-freeman-gamemaker-cibele-tacoma-last-call" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://shows.acast.com/my-perfect-console/episodes/nina-freeman-gamemaker-cibele-tacoma-last-call</a></p><p>Go and buy Lost Records - Side 1 is out today: <a href="https://dont-nod.com/en/games/lost-records-bloom-and-rage/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://dont-nod.com/en/games/lost-records-bloom-and-rage/</a></p><p>The More Perfect Union video we were discussing: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WORsxfgoVjc&ab_channel=MorePerfectUnion" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WORsxfgoVjc&ab_channel=MorePerfectUnion</a></p><p>Nina's GuadalIndie 2024 Talks: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqurS9ZHe8Q&pp=ygUdR3VhZGFsaW5kaWUgMjAyNCBuaW5hIGZyZWVtYW4%3D" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqurS9ZHe8Q&pp=ygUdR3VhZGFsaW5kaWUgMjAyNCBuaW5hIGZyZWVtYW4%3D</a></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFa6GVL1apQ&pp=ygUdR3VhZGFsaW5kaWUgMjAyNCBuaW5hIGZyZWVtYW4%3D" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFa6GVL1apQ&pp=ygUdR3VhZGFsaW5kaWUgMjAyNCBuaW5hIGZyZWVtYW4%3D</a></p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
March 30, 2024
<p>Adam and Steph are back after a long break for Season 3 of Game Academy! They chat about the struggles with layoffs in academia and the games industry that has been all over the news lately. Then, they bring on special guest William Mellamphy, a PhD candidate an expert in all things nostalgia, video games, and, much to Steph's delight, Pokemon! A long chat ensues around the commodification of nostalgia, the newfound ability for parents to share gaming passions with their children, and what it all means for capitalism. We then zero in on some Pokemon myths, the mechanics of gender in the series, and the power of the hero's journey in children's media.</p><br><p>The podcast finishes off with talk of the many CFPs MultiPlay has out right now, including one for a special edition Game Boy issue of MultiPlay's new journal, as well as a call for abstracts around the communities of play in video games and "Gitting Gud".</p><br><p>Check out MultiPlay's active CFPs: https://multiplaynetwork.org/call-for-papers/</p><br><p>Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/multiplayn</p><br><p>Send questions and abstracts to networkmultiplay AT gmail DOT com</p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
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