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Designer Notes

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Game Design
Heavy Rain
Spacechem
Assassin's Creed
Video Game Design
Beyond Two Souls
Unity Of Command
Spellbreak
Infiniminer
Minecraft
Shenzhen I/O
Opus Magnum
Civilization V
Beyond Earth
Civ 6
Quantic Dream
Indigo Prophecy
Prince Of Persia: the Sands Of Time
Commodore 64
80s LCD Games

Why do we make games? Every designer has a different and very personal answer to that question. Soren Johnson, founder of Mohawk Games, sits down with noted designers to find out by examining their careers as a whole.

PublishesMonthlyEpisodes96Founded12 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Video GamesLeisure

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Latest Episodes

In this episode, Soren interviews Owen Mahoney, who served first as the CFO and then as the CEO of Nexon. They discuss what the transition to free-to-play meant for game design, how to make sure your company has the right type of shareholders, and ho... more

In this episode, Soren interviews Seth Sivak, best known as the co-founder and CEO of Proletariat, makers of World Zombination and Spellbreak. They discuss how he invited hover doobers, the many times Proletariat almost went out of business, and whet... more

In this episode, Soren interviews veteran game developer Charles Cecil, co-founder of Revolution Software and best known for his work on Beneath a Steel Sky and the Broken Sword series. They discuss why he made a game about the Knights Templar, how d... more

In this episode, Soren interviews veteran game developer Charles Cecil, co-founder of Revolution Software and best known for his work on Beneath a Steel Sky and the Broken Sword series. They discuss various dodgy tax avoidance schemes, what the Bitma... more

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Recent Guests

Owen Mahoney
Veteran game executive, former CEO of Nexon
Nexon
Episode: Designer Notes 96: Owen Mahoney
Seth Sivak
Co-founder and CEO of Proletariat (World Zombination, Spellbreak)
Proletariat
Episode: Designer Notes 95: Seth Sivak
Charles Cecil
Veteran game developer, co-founder of Revolution Software
Revolution Software
Episode: Designer Notes 93: Charles Cecil - Part 1
Tomislav Uzelac
Veteran game developer best known for his work on the Unity of Command series
Mohawk Games
Episode: Designer Notes 91: Tomislav Uzelac
Caroline Marchal
Noted game designer best known for her work on Heavy Rain and Beyond Two Souls
Quantic Dream
Episode: Designer Notes 87: Caroline Marchal - Part 1
Anton Strenger
Game designer known for his work on Civilization V and VI, as well as Beyond Earth.
Firaxis Games
Episode: Designer Notes 86: Anton Strenger
Jake Solomon
Veteran game developer, best known for XCOM and Midnight Suns.
Firaxis Games
Episode: Designer Notes 80: Jake Solomon - Part 1

Host

Soren Johnson
Host of the podcast

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 342 ratings
  • Must Listen for Game Developers

    Deep and thorough interviews with designers. I’ve re-listened to episodes multiple times now.

    But the new intro music is so bad it takes a legendary 5 star show to just 4. Is it an inside joke? Glad someone’s having fun.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    parttimewarrior
    Philippinesa month ago
  • Interesting insights into the minds of different game developers!

    Podcast Addict
    4
    TheNunnceler
    9 months ago
  • G

    Great stuff but please dampen the reverb

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    nauseatingpain
    United Statesa year ago
  • Love this pod

    I was wondering when you’d interview Jake Solomon! I’ve listened to other interviews with him and he mentioned you, so I was wondering why he hadn’t been on.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Bellinater
    United States3 years ago
  • Quality conversations

    Soren manages to balance more technical questions with broader and personal ones such that the podcast is entertaining and relevant for a broad audience. A pleasure to listen to.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Nickname_For_Your_Reviews
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

In-depth interviews with designers who share practical, behind-the-scenes perspectives.
Long-form interviews with legendary designers that feel both rigorous and human.
Listeners praise the host's depth and the show's ability to cover design, business, and industry history with nuance.
High-quality, in-depth conversations with a balance of technical and personal insights.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Designer Notes 95: Seth Sivak
Q: Why did you decide to pivot away from the zombie game, and how did influencer-driven strategies shape Spellbreak?
The zombie concept wasn't scaling as hoped, so we leaned into influencer-driven distribution, prototyping games around streamers to drive early adoption and engagement, which informed later Spellbreak mechanics and content decisions.
Designer Notes 95: Seth Sivak
Q: How did you approach leading the Adventure World project, and what did you learn about team structure?
I led the design with a six-person content design team and a writer, and learned that constant feedback, rapid iteration, and visible progress are critical in keeping a large team aligned; the process highlighted the importance of integrated storytelling with game systems.
Designer Notes 95: Seth Sivak
Q: What was your thesis for Adventure World, and what did you want to accomplish differently?
I wanted to create a content-driven, story-rich experience with a sense of adventure that leveraged puzzle-like progression and accessible engagement, translating point-and-click sensibilities into a live-game format, while expanding the team to sustain a rapid content cadence.
Designer Notes 94: Charles Cecil - Part 2
Q: Why did you decide to give Nico a playable role in the sequel?
It was about leveraging Nico as a strong, charismatic lead to deepen the relationship dynamics with George and to broaden the game's appeal, especially among women fans who formed a strong part of the Broken Sword audience.
Designer Notes 91: Tomislav Uzelac
Q: Why have you been driven to make games?
It's the best thing there is, especially for those who are driven to work with systems design and coding, and to engage with people on an emotional level, which is special.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Designer Notes

What is Designer Notes about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Design-focused conversations with veteran and rising game designers, exploring how careers unfold from early roots to major studio leadership, live-service strategies, and design philosophy. Episodes frequently cover development processes, publishing dynamics, platform shifts, and leadership lessons, with behind-the-scenes stories from big and small studios alike. The show has a knack for balancing technical depth with personal storytelling, making it valuable for listeners who want actionable design insights and a candid view of the game industry's evolution.

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Which podcasts are similar to Designer Notes?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Designer Notes:

1. Noclip Crewcast
2. Triple Click
3. Post Games
4. Game Maker's Notebook
5. Rebel FM

How many episodes of Designer Notes are there?

Designer Notes launched 12 years ago and published 96 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Designer Notes?

Recent guests on Designer Notes include:

1. Owen Mahoney
2. Seth Sivak
3. Charles Cecil
4. Tomislav Uzelac
5. Caroline Marchal
6. Anton Strenger
7. Jake Solomon

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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