Game Wise: IGEA Educates is the podcast that brings together the best minds in and around the Australian games industry. Hosted by IGEA, this series is about unlocking industry knowledge to help you navigate the business of making games and building sustainable businesses.
Covering all aspects of game development, emerging challenges and industry trends, we tap into IGEA’s extensive network while also bringing in experts from outside the gaming space to give you fresh perspectives and practical advice.
Whether you’re an indie startup, a growing studio, or an industry veteran, Game Wise is your resource for navigating the business of games in Australia and beyond. Let’s get wise about games!
Community First: Building Macabre from the Ground Up
This is yet another episode in our series highlighting Australian success stories, aimed at inspiring the next generation of game makers. In this episode, Jens speaks with Jay Topping, Co-Founder and Creative Director of WeForge Studios, about the journey behind the co-op horror game Macabre. Starting as a lockdown project between friends with no prior games industry experience, WeForge gradually built a community around the game through continuous iteration, transparent communication a...
25 May 2026
Game Wise Special: What the Federal Budget Means for Game Studios (with RSM Australia)
In this special episode of Game Wise, Jens sits down with Peter Xi, Partner at RSM specialising in R&D Tax and Government Incentives, and Roisin Arkwright, National Tax Technical Director at RSM, to unpack what the latest Federal Budget means for Australian game studios. Together, they explore the proposed changes to the R&D Tax Incentive, including the shift toward “high-intensity” R&D, the removal of supporting activities, and what studios should start doing now to prepare for t...
5 May 2026
Niches Win: How Foxie Games Turned Horse Games into 100M+ Downloads
We’ve released another episode in our series highlighting Australian success stories, aimed at inspiring the next generation of game makers. There’s no such thing as overnight success, so how did they do it, and what are their superpowers? In this episode, Jens sits down with Dineth Abeynayake, Founder and Product Lead at Foxie Games, to unpack the journey behind building one of Australia’s most successful niche game studios. From an unconventional start as an aerospace engineer, Dineth share...
9 Apr 2026
Unpacking Success: How Quiet Craft Built a Global Hit
This is another episode in our series highlighting Australian success stories, aimed at inspiring the next generation of game makers. There’s no such thing as overnight success, so how did they do it, and what are their superpowers? In this episode, Jens talks to the team behind Unpacking, one of Australia’s most celebrated indie successes. Wren Brier and Tim Dawson share how a simple real-life moment – moving in together and unpacking boxes – sparked the idea for a game that tells a de...
12 Mar 2026
Cult of the Lamb: The Long Road to an Overnight Success
This episode is the first in a series on Australian success stories. There’s no such thing as overnight success, so how did they do it, and what are their superpowers? We start this series with the makers of one of Australia’s best-known games: Massive Monster’s Cult of the Lamb. In the episode, Jens sits down with Creative Director Julian Wilton to explore the long road behind the game, from early indie experiments to building one of Australia’s most recognisable global game hits. Juli...
12 Feb 2026
IGN Gaming Trends
In this episode of Game Wise, Jens is joined by Peer Schneider, Executive Vice President at IGN Entertainment, to unpack insights from IGN’s Gaming Trends Report. The conversation explores how games are increasingly functioning as long-term platforms and cultural spaces, rather than one-off releases, and what that shift means for development, marketing, and audience expectations. Jens and Peer discuss the continued rise of “forever games,” the influence of platforms like Fortnite ...
29 Jan 2026
Making Sense of 2025 with VGI: Games Data, Trends, and Turning Points
In this episode of Gamewise, Jens is joined by Video Game Insights' Vic Bessey for a data-driven look back at 2025 and what it tells us about where the games industry is heading. Drawing on VG Insights’ latest datasets and reports, the conversation explores global game sales and spending trends, the growing dominance of Steam, and the mounting challenge of visibility and discoverability in an increasingly crowded market. Vic breaks down why success is no longer guaranteed, even for well-funde...
27 Nov 2025
Australia Plays 2025
In this episode, Jens is joined by Dr Jeff Brand and IGEA CEO, Ron Curry, to unpack the latest Australia Plays report, now marking 20 years of tracking how the nation plays. Together, they explore what the data reveals about modern Australia: games as an intergenerational pastime, the rise of female players to 51%, and the powerful role games play in connection, wellbeing, and digital literacy. From cosy games to family bonding to the uniquely Australian flavour of our homegrown titles,...
30 Oct 2025
From Mods to Mainstream: How UGC Is Reshaping Games
In this episode, Jens and Andy speak with Scott Reismanis (Mod.io) and Monty Martin (Space Cadet Studios) about the explosive growth of user-generated content (UGC) in games. They unpack how platforms like Roblox, Fortnite, and mod.io's tools have turned players into creators, why UGC is now driving engagement, revenue and game longevity, and what this shift means for studios, publishers and developers. From modding communities to full creator economies, this episode explores how UGC has mov...
1 Oct 2025
What are Publishers and VCs Looking for in Game Studios?
In this episode of Game Wise, Jens and Andy sit down with Chris Wright (Fellow Traveller) and Tomas Rossel (Spawn Ventures) to explore what publishers and venture capitalists look for in game developers. Chris shares insights on the publishing side — from why niche focus matters to how early signals like wishlists and social buzz shape decisions. Tomas explains the VC perspective, highlighting the importance of the team, long-term vision, and how investors spread risk across multiple studios....
3 Sept 2025
Australia vs the World
In this episode, hosts Jens and his co-host Andy chat with Manea Castet, Head of Studio at Gameloft Brisbane, and Joe Donoghue, CEO & Co-founder of The Three Thousands, about what makes Australian game development unique. Together they reflect on the country’s vibrant indie scene, world-class creativity, and the “can-do” culture that drives fun, engaging games. They also dive into the challenges of distance from global hubs, attracting and retaining senior talent, and the path from indie ...
7 Aug 2025
Key Industry Trends with Newzoo
In this episode, Jens and his co-host Andy chat to Emmanuel “Manu” Rosier, Director of Market Intelligence at Newzoo, to unpack the latest trends from Newzoo’s PC and Console Gaming Report. From the stickiness of legacy titles to the discoverability challenges facing new games, Manu offers a data-rich yet accessible look at what’s shaping player behaviour, market saturation, and platform dynamics in 2025. Hear why older games are dominating playtime, what the rise of co-op and cosy genres say...
9 Jul 2025
The Importance of Marketing
In this podcast, Jens from IGEA and his co-host, Andy from GameGlass, dive into the world of game marketing. They explore the critical role of marketing in the games industry, featuring insights from industry experts Kate Hall (PlayIndies), Michal Napora (32-33), and Jonny Roses (PlaySide Studios). Discover how to navigate the challenges of marketing for both large studios and indie developers. Learn about the importance of hooks, building a community, and leveraging social media platforms li...
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