The Game Design Round Table

About The Game Design Round Table

Covering the full breadth of digital, tabletop, and role playing games, The Game Design Round Table inspires and educates aspiring and experienced game designers.

Publisher

Dirk Knemeyer & David V. Heron

Category

arts · arts

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

11 Nov 2012

Latest episode

23 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

92 of 397 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   23 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   The Economics and Design of Sustainable Live Services

   Hosts Dirk Knemeyer and David Heron explore the economic realities and design mechanics that drive sustainable live service games, offering insights into player lifetime value and systemic complexity.

2. 

   9 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Hands-On with AI: From Tabletop Redesigns to the Compiler Paradigm

   Host Dirk Knemeyer and co-host David Heron interview each other about their practical AI applications in game design and software development, revealing how to manage AI as a tool for creative efficiency.

3. 

   25 Aug 2026TRANSCRIPT

   The Economics and Ethics of Live Service Game Design

   In this episode, hosts Dirk Knemeyer and David Heron dive into a complex listener question regarding the incentives and ethics of Games as a Service (GaaS). They explore the fundamental difference between designing a "boxed" product intended to be finished and a service designed to retain players indefinitely. The discussion challenges the common narrative around "dark patterns," suggesting that what looks like malice is often economic necessity or design incompetence driven by the staggering costs of modern game development—such as a single raid boss costing $9 million to produce. David provides a unique perspective on value perception, comparing high-tier game spending to the difference between a home-cooked steak and a $1,000 professional tasting menu.

Inside a recent episode

The Economics and Design of Sustainable Live Services

Published 23 Sept 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] And so for Warframe, it becomes... really understanding and appealing to the play motivation patterns of their existing user base, which does mean it is kind of exclusionary. You can start Warframe and it's great. And a lot of, and in general, each of these new modes or whatever are self-contained enough they unlock relatively early you know you have to move through these sorts of things but it's not like you have to go back and do the old stuff and they sort of cycle them in but it's overwhelming yeah and so that's it that's a game that has to understand that they have a largely established group of people that they have to continue making happy. […]

Who has been a guest on The Game Design Round Table

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Jake Birkett
• Mikey Gilder
• Rob Daviau
• Mike Mearls
• Brett Gilbert

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.7 / 5

150 ratings

Spotify

4.8 / 5

62 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 66 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

93

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

97

Contact The Game Design Round Table

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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  Ludology

Questions about The Game Design Round Table