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Artwork for Think Like A Game Designer

Think Like A Game Designer

Justin Gary
Game Design
Community Building
Artificial Intelligence
Creativity
C.O.R.E. Attributes
Playtesting
Marketing
Slay the Spire
Game Development
Curiosity
Resilience
Crowdfunding
Obsession
Empathy
Coyote
Tabletop Games
Creative Process
Gaming Industry
Game Mechanics
Decentralization

In Think Like a Game Designer, award-winning designer and Stone Blade Entertainment CEO Justin Gary speaks with world-class game designers and creative experts from various industries. Each episode deconstructs the creative process, offering insights into the art of game design and the broader cultural, technological, and business influences shaping a myriad of creative mediums. Join us for action... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes123Founded8 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
LeisureArtsDesign

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Artwork for Think Like A Game Designer

Latest Episodes

About Elizabeth Hargrave

Elizabeth Hargrave is an award-winning board game designer best known for her runaway smash hit Wingspan, which won the Kennerspiel des Jahres in 2019 and has sold over two million copies worldwide. Her diverse body of work,... more

About Scott Morris

Scott Morris is the founder and CEO of Steel Wing Games, a boutique tabletop publisher focused on approachable, high-quality games, as well as the Global Brand Director for Lucky Duck Games under Goliath. A two-decade industry vet... more

About Ben

Ben Robbins is an acclaimed indie game designer best known for creating Microscope, In This World, Kingdom, and This Means War. Ben’s flagship design, Microscope, revolutionized GM-less storytelling games by allowing players to collaborati... more

About Ryan S. Dancey

Ryan S. Dancey is an absolute titan of the gaming industry whose strategic vision has fundamentally shaped the modern tabletop and digital landscapes. Ryan co-created Legend of the Five Rings, published the 3rd Edition of Dungeo... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Elizabeth Hargrave
Creator of Wingspan; designer and entrepreneur
Hawthorn House / Wingspan ecosystem
Episode: Elizabeth Hargrave — Distilling Wingspan Pocket, AI Ethics in Tabletop, and Building Equity for Designers (#112)
Scott Morris
Founder and CEO of Steel Wing Games; former CSMO at Lucky Duck Games; global brand director for Lucky Duck Games at Goliath
Steel Wing Games / Lucky Duck Games / Goliath
Episode: Scott Morris — Making Memories Over Games, Navigating Personal Tragedy, and the Law of First Principles (#111)
Ryan Dancey
Serial entrepreneur in high-tech, tabletop and digital gaming; co-creator of Legend of the Five Rings; former COO of AEG
Legend of the Five Rings/The Five Rings Publishing Group, AEG, TSR-related ventures
Episode: Ryan Scott Dancey — From Fake Mail Order to Legend of the Five Rings, the Power of Self-Belief, and the Future of AI (#109)
Chad Ellis
Game enthusiast, strategist, and designer; Your Move Games founder/associated with Battlegrounds and related titles
Your Move Games (brand)
Episode: Chad Ellis—Reality Gaming at Boda Borg, the Psychology of Negotiation, and Building Ego-Free Teams (#108)
Luke Peterschmidt
Head of Active Category Management for Tabletop Games at Asmodee
Asmodee
Episode: Luke Peterschmidt — Designing for Massive Fandoms, Eliminating Obstacles, and Exploiting Your Superpowers (#107)
Ben Seck
Accomplished game designer and former Klar? head of new games at Gram Games, London
Gram Games (London)
Episode: Ben Seck—Treating Your Career Like a Game, Shifting from Cards to Mobile, and Being a Boss Who Actually Backs Their Team (#107)
Ivan Van Norman
Co-owner of Hunters Entertainment; former executive producer and show host at Geek & Sundry
Hunters Entertainment; Geek & Sundry
Episode: Ivan Van Norman — From Broke Graduate to Geek & Sundry, the Reality of Scaling an Indie Studio, and Embracing Content Innovation (#106)
Zvi Mowshowitz
Game designer, writer, investor; former Wizards of the Coast designer; AI writer for substack
Wizards of the Coast; Jane Street; Substack
Episode: Zvi Mowshowitz—From the Magic Pro Tour to Wall Street, the Logic of Bookmaking, and the Future of AI Ethics (#105)
Nate Heiss
Veteran game designer with experience across trading card games, video games, and tabletop; collaborations with Stone Blade Entertainment
Stone Blade Entertainment
Episode: Nate Heiss — Removing Ego from Design, The Magic of Roguelikes, and Building Across Digital and Tabletop (#104)

Host

Justin Gary
Host of Think Like A Game Designer; design veteran and entrepreneur

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 255 ratings
  • Such a great resource

    I make games for fun with my brothers. I quote this podcast so often. Incredibly useful advice.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    PapaPatzer
    United States5 months ago
  • Best Game Design Podcast

    I started listening to this podcast a couple years ago and I have learned so much. It is so entertaining and educational and I love it!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Tanner532
    United States7 months ago
  • Tim Ferris for the boardgame industry

    Justin thoughts and comments alone are worth listening but when you pair him with game industry titans, you get a fascinating conversation, always. Inspiring, thoughts provoking, I always walk away with something to think about.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LafayetteSB
    United Statesa year ago
  • Awesome

    I’m now sure if this review gets attached to the episode or the show but either way. There are few podcast series that I have joined 40 episodes in and felt compelled to listen to every episode of the back catalogue. I love how Justin thinks, presents topics and engages with his guests. This episode was stand out though. As a game design nerd it’s great to listen to some next level ideas on the ways games and play can be viewed in the context of society and the individual. Great stuff.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Henna.bob
    Australia3 years ago
  • Justin does a great job, amazing guests, really great insight, and a joy to listen to. If you are a game designer this is a must listen.

    Podchaser
    5
    George
    3 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Practical, designer-focused insights and high-quality guests make this a must-listen for aspiring and veteran designers alike.
A well-curated roster of industry leaders provides diverse perspectives on play, business, and community-building.
The host draws out actionable lessons and origin stories that illuminate the design process and publishing challenges.
Listeners praise the depth and breadth of conversations, from mechanics to marketing and crowdfunding strategies.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#243
Canada/Leisure
Apple Podcasts
#41
Israel/Leisure
Apple Podcasts
#56
Belgium/Leisure
Apple Podcasts
#224
Poland/Leisure

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Ben Robbins — Revisiting Microscope, Designing Uncomfortable Games, and the Mechanics of Shared Stories (#110)
Q: How do you balance player freedom with a clear play path in microscope's scenes?
By narrowing the scope of scenes to focus on specific people and their choices, providing guiding questions, and ensuring each scene has a defined objective to keep play focused and meaningful.
Mark Rosewater — Designing for Emotion, Embracing Complexity, and 28 Years of Iteration (#103)
Q: What drove you to continue pursuing Mood Swings for 28 years, and what finally got it made?
Mark explains that persistence, a willingness to pitch to many different people, and finding the right champion at the right time—like the Secret Lair collaboration—were key. He emphasizes iterating through many versions, aligning concept with the Magic wheelhouse, and trusting that a good idea will eventually find a home.
Drew Corkill — Design Solo Game Systems, Speed, and Shipping at Scale (#101)
Q: What makes a game stand out to be looked at, played, and potentially published when submitted to Gabe at Best With One?
Key criteria include packing a punch beyond the box size, a strong theme, concise and impactful design, and a clear core loop that fits within tight physical constraints, along with strong artwork and branding to help it stand out.
Drew Corkill — Design Solo Game Systems, Speed, and Shipping at Scale (#101)
Q: What does the process look like for taking a project from an initial concept to crowdsourcing it at a rapid pace, especially in the Solo Game of the Month model?
The guest explains starting with small, affordable games in VHS-sized boxes, building an audience through monthly releases, and then leveraging partnerships and a publisher when scale and logistics became challenging, all while maintaining a cadence of frequent, focused iterations.
Drew Corkill — Design Solo Game Systems, Speed, and Shipping at Scale (#101)
Q: So let's start at the beginning though. What brought you into games and what got you into the industry in the first place, and then we could talk about the course and everything else that came after that.
Drew describes his origin from being a graphic designer and Hearthstone enthusiast who moved into board games after seeking a non-digital way to recreate that experience; he joined Justin Gary's course, which helped him sharpen his design process and eventually lead to founding or joining successful solo and crowdfunding initiatives.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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Age Range
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Frequently Asked Questions About Think Like A Game Designer

What is Think Like A Game Designer about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show features in-depth conversations with renowned game designers and creative professionals, focusing on the design process, storytelling, business tactics, and the evolving landscape of tabletop and digital gaming. Hosts unpack practical methodologies, from prototyping and playtesting to licensing, crowdfunding, and community-building, often weaving in personal career journeys and lessons learned. Notably, the guest roster tends to include high-profile designers and industry leaders, which helps listeners gain actionable takeaways for creating engaging games and thriving in creative industries. The format is interview-forward, with a strong emphasis on pragmatic know-how, career navigation, and real-world examples from across gaming ... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Think Like A Game Designer?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Think Like A Game Designer:

1. The Game Design Round Table
2. Shut Up & Sit Down
3. So Very Wrong About Games
4. Fun Problems
5. Board Game Barrage

How many episodes of Think Like A Game Designer are there?

Think Like A Game Designer launched 8 years ago and published 123 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 Think Like A Game Designer?

Recent guests on Think Like A Game Designer include:

1. Elizabeth Hargrave
2. Scott Morris
3. Ryan Dancey
4. Chad Ellis
5. Luke Peterschmidt
6. Ben Seck
7. Ivan Van Norman
8. Zvi Mowshowitz

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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