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Nice Games Club - a gamedev podcast!

Lydia, Stephen, and Mark
Game Development
Game Design
Unity
Video Games
Playtesting
Game Mechanics
Roboston
Scoring Systems
Creativity
Tabletop Games
Optimization
Dragon's Dogma 2
Indie Game Development
Digital Escape Rooms
Video Game Development
Ladder Game
Theming
Aesthetics
Future Club
Game Developers Conference

The podcast where nice gamedevs talk gaming and game development. Nice!

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes508Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
LeisureGamesVideo Games

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Artwork for Nice Games Club

Latest Episodes

After the supersized meta of this episode, your nice hosts discover (or rediscover in some cases) the joy of part-time work, and contemplate the intricacies of hints for games.

Lydia gave this card to Stephen for his graduation party!

Gabe Korth wa... more

Your nice hosts have talked a lot over the years about exploitative game design, and this week we brought in an expert on gamification to lay out some of the dark patterns in games that take players' money and time via deceptive framing and UX.

http... more

In this episode, Yuri Lowenthal, prolific actor and Insomniac's Spider-Man, web-crawls into the clubhouse and does whatever a spider can, assuming a spider can talk into a microphone about the art of acting in video games. Mark explores the differenc... more

Warm weather is on the way and you need to stay hydrated. As a start, take a sip of water every time you hear the phrase "in the 90's." This week we're learning about Interactive Fiction - its history, communities, and transformations over the years ... more

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Recent Guests

Sam Liberty
Applied Game Design Consultant and Gamification Expert
Engagement Lab, Emerson College; Sidekick Health
Episode: Dark Patterns (with Sam Liberty)
Yuri Lowenthal
Prolific actor of film, television, and games
Episode: Working with Voice Actors (with Yuri Lowenthal)
Andrew Plotkin
Writer and designer of interactive fiction
Independent / Interactive Fiction Community
Episode: "Look who's old now!" Exhibiting Your Game; Design Investigations
August Brown
Platform producer at iRacing
iRacing
Episode: Healthy Criticism (with August Brown)
Sam Baseman
jammer and board member IGDA Twin Cities / Nice Games Alliance
Jam a Jam, IGDA Twin Cities, Nice Games Alliance
Episode: Nice Games Jam: "Evil Games Jam 2: Cat Comms"
Mark DeLoura
Industry veteran with roles at Nintendo, Sony, Ubisoft, and government work influencing game-related policy and education
Independent consultant / former White House program lead
Episode: Reinventing GDC (with Mark DeLoura) [Nice Replay]
Sam Baeseman
Freelance 3D artist and Nice Games Alliance board member
Nice Games Alliance
Episode: Creative Peer Communities (with Sam Baeseman)
Mike Lasch
Game developer known for Hypnospace Outlaw
Episode: Nice Thinking: "Ladder Game"
Joanna May
Game developer and previous Nice Games Club guest
Episode: "Ain’t nothin’ left." Role-playing; To Rebuild or Not to Rebuild

Hosts

Lydia Simcich
Co-host focused on learning games and game development with a strong community focus.
Steve McGregor
Host with a broad perspective on game development and industry dynamics.
Mark LeCroy
Co-host with industry experience and leadership in community-based projects.
Stephen McGregor
Host/Co-host with emphasis on accessible, friendly discourse and design topics.
Arthur Croy
Guest/Co-host with background in game development and community-focused topics.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 89 ratings
  • positive, inclusive, helpful

    and a joy to have on the car speakers

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    multivoxmuse
    United States3 years ago
  • A podcast for everyone

    Great insight into game development on a deeper level than most developers podcasts. Lots of real and action advice for all skill levels

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LeftistTechBro
    United States4 years ago
  • 10/10 recommend!

    I made it through the first half of one episode before I realized I was hooked. Halfway through the catalogue and I gotta say, this is one of the best. If you like game development, you should most definitely check this out!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    KnightRune8388
    United States4 years ago
  • Thoughtful Game Design

    Taking on well designed games from a games dev perspective, Nice Game Clubs digs deeper than most.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MatWBT
    United States4 years ago
  • Ellen is the best.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Ludonaut
    4 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Engaging hosts with practical game-dev insights.
Great hosts who balance critique with kindness and humor.
Guests bring strong expertise and real-world experience.
Deep dives into topics beyond surface-level game dev talk.
The show feels welcoming to newcomers while still being valuable for seasoned developers.
Strong emphasis on culture and collaboration in the industry.
Solid production quality and thoughtful pacing.
High-quality conversations and actionable tips for makers.
Inclusive, friendly vibe with deep craft discussions.
Consistently positive and community-oriented feedback.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Reinventing GDC (with Mark DeLoura) [Nice Replay]
Q: What motivated the change to a Festival of Gaming concept and the renaming of GDC?
The goal was to signal a real shift toward a more integrated, festival-like experience that better serves a diverse community of developers by combining talks, shows, and networking in a cohesive, accessible way.
"I saw a Beatle." Being Honest With Your Work; The Critical Eye
Q: How do you trust that there will be a next time?
It's natural to worry about that in a specific situation, but you probably don't have to worry about it too much. Sometimes when a project doesn't go well, it feels like you've lost your chance to create again, but that's not always true.
Serious Play Conference 2025
Q: What is a game that has made a difference in your life and why?
Probably Spyro the Dragon when I was four or five. It was the first video game I had beat, and that inspired me to become a game developer.
Serious Play Conference 2025
Q: What is something that you've learned this week at the conference?
I have learned the breadth of the different ways that people are using narrative and role playing based games to communicate health topics.
Video Game IP Law (with Haley MacLeon)
Q: What are the sorts of areas that you cover and what confuses people?
MacLean highlights the confusion between different forms of IP, specifically copyright, trademark, and patents, and how developers often misunderstand their rights.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Nice Games Club

What is Nice Games Club about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thoughtful, practitioner-focused show where three kind, knowledgeable hosts explore game development from hands-on perspectives. Episodes span voice acting, interactive fiction communities, design investigations, healthy critique, character through mechanics, lighting, and conference culture, often featuring guests with deep industry or craft expertise. The tone is collaborative, optimistic, and community-minded, with lots of practical tips for makers and a strong emphasis on inclusivity and mentorship. Notable strengths include in-depth discussions that balance technical craft with process and culture, plus a recurring focus on building supportive dev communities and accessible entry points for newcomers. Potential listeners who want act... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Nice Games Club?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Nice Games Club:

1. Triple Click
2. Axe of the Blood God: An RPG Podcast
3. Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
4. The Game Informer Show
5. The Nextlander Podcast

How many episodes of Nice Games Club are there?

Nice Games Club launched 10 years ago and published 508 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 Nice Games Club?

Recent guests on Nice Games Club include:

1. Sam Liberty
2. Yuri Lowenthal
3. Andrew Plotkin
4. August Brown
5. Sam Baseman
6. Mark DeLoura
7. Sam Baeseman
8. Mike Lasch

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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