The voting window has almost closed for the GameHERs, and if you enjoy all the free content I provide like my LinkedIn newsletter and posts and the #EnduringPlay podcast, your support would mean a great deal in helping me continue to get the message out about how to build more sustainable #gamedev!
Enduring Play, a game dev podcast hosted by Cheryl Platz, Season 2 Episode 3 featuring Steve Bromley: "It speaks to one of the fears that teams might have when they're doing play testing or considering playtesting or research where it's going to make the game too easy. Which is why I think it's really important when teams are considering “what does success look like for our test?” to start by understanding their creative vision doing work internally. To talk about: “what do we want this game to be? How do we want players to feel when they're playing it? How will we then recognize if it's achieving that or not?” For some games, we want this to be someone's first platformer, and so help them be able to go through core platform mechanics like teach them how to jump or teach them how to move left or right."
As we wrap up Week 3 of Season 2 of #EnduringPlay with @stevebromley.bsky.social : does your #gamedev team equate UX with making the game "too easy"? Start by aligning on what your intentional friction is so that you can easily identify what's NOT and how to fix it. sites.libsyn.com/586820/s2-e3...
This. Most of the things you think were "solo" overnight successes were actually developed iteratively with feedback from the community. Do you have a community to start with?
Don't have that community yet? A big theme for Season 2 of my #gamedev podcast #EnduringPlay is communities. Join us.
It's Tuesday: #EnduringPlay day! We move from last week's research of games on the market to very practical playtesting of individual #videogames while they're in production with @stevebromley.bsky.social, author of How to Be A Games User Researcher, with something for all. #gamedev #uxresearch
S2 E3 of #EnduringPlay: A #GameDev podcast is live with games #userresearch expert @stevebromley.bsky.social. Whether you're a practicing researcher or an indie developer questioning "is this the right experience for my players?", there's something here for you. sites.libsyn.com/586820/s2-e3...
Enduring Play a game dev podcast Season 2 Episode 2 hosted by Cheryl Platz, featuring Adanna Nedd: "I feel like we’re only just beginning to show the ways stories can be told in games. And Roger was a really good one I’ve played. I’m not going to spoil what happens in it, but seeing the UI change in everything as it’s telling it’s very short, but very original story – I think it’s really cool, especially with the simplicity of it. Because I think one of the interesting things is that Pokemon just turned 30, and we’re hitting a point where a lot of the gamers that were kids are adults. They’re gaming, and they’re having their own kids, and now you’re seeing a lot of older people getting into games. Are we going to see a genre where you have, “senior-likes”, where it’s like, games for seniors?" Available at enduringplay.com or all major platforms
Have you played And Roger yet? With aging gamer audiences, the range of stories we're telling - and the control schemes we're using to tell them - are expanding. S2E2 of the #EnduringPlay podcast with @afnarratives.blacksky.app explores generational #gamedev: from 5 year olds to 50 year olds.
Thank you all for the huge support at #GDC2026! If you missed out on getting my sold-out Game Development Strategy Guide at the bookstore, you can grab it at @rosenfeldmedia.com (and there’s a discount code in #EnduringPlay Season 2). I’ll be on the upper level of Yerba Buena for a bit
Cheryl Platz is speaking at GDC 2026 at 430 in the West Hall 2005 and doing a book signing at 5:45 both on Tuesday March 10
IT IS TIME, GDC. Get to west 2005 for SPREADSHEETS MICROTALKS and then come with me across the street to the GDC Bookstore for my signing - I have bookplate stickers to sign in case we sell through the books in stock. Let’s GOOO #uxdesign #gamedesign #localization #enduringplay #gamedev #gdc2026
If you were like me and couldn’t get into @afnarratives.blacksky.app ‘s #GDC2026 talk yesterday, the next best thing is joining us for this week’s episode of #EnduringPlay, an expansive conversation that will help indies and traditional studios alike better understand the changing #gamedev market.
Season 2 Episode 2 of #EnduringPlay, a #gamedev podcast is live with @afnarratives.blacksky.app , indie games narrative designer & researcher. From topics like generational trends in gaming to motivators of play (self-expression & companionship), don’t miss this!
sites.libsyn.com/586820/s2-e2...
It’s so true, and that’s why I spent the last year writing The Game Development Strategy Guide and creating the #EnduringPlay podcast. Games aren’t movies. They aren’t cloud services. They are more, they are different - but you can build thriving experiences if you treat #gamedev with curiosity.
This is a good read. Then if you want to hear about what good leadership feels like, start with my podcast #EnduringPlay - lots of discussions about thriving teams and pragmatic creative leadership for #gamedev. All 10 episodes of Season 1 are available wherever you get your podcasts.
Caerie Houchins on Episode 7 of Enduring Play, a Game Dev podcast hosted by Cheryl Platz: “The artists are generally the ones making these AI images using their own prompts to make comps. We asked them to make something, but we’re like, “It doesn’t really matter, we’re going to throw this away.” So we’re not taking the jobs away from anybody here. And that’s super important to me. I really don’t want a lot of these new techniques to have a negative impact on the creatives that actually are the geniuses behind these games in the gaming industry.” Available on Apple, Spotify or Enduringplay.com
In S1 Episode 7 of #EnduringPlay, a #GameDev podcast, we get to discuss the thorny topic of AI in video games with @caeriehouchins.bsky.social, Chief Technology Officer for @wickedfoxgames.com. Caerie’s take on the role AI is playing and firm stance on where it stops is an important conversation.
The FINAL episode of Season 1 of #EnduringPlay, my #GameDev podcast is out now: “People, Process, & Players: Human-Centered Production with Yesenia Cisneros.” Support this week will help me decide whether to move forward with Season 2! All episodes avail on all major platforms or on the web below.
Have you read The Game Development Strategy Guide yet? If so, we’d love a review - and if you post a selfie with your book and tag @ideaplatz with the hashtag #enduringplay author Cheryl Platz will mail you a signed bookplate sticker! Available at most online booksellers: amzn.to/3JgyrCh
Episode 8 of #EnduringPlay, a #GameDev podcast is now live featuring a systems design chat with @joemag.games!
Listen on your favorite platform today to hear us talk about the realities of designing for live-service/live-ops games, the beauty of a well-designed spreadsheet, and so much more. 🃏🎲🎮💜
Podcast cover for Enduring Play Season 1 Episode 7: Engineering for Scalable, Sustainable Games with Carrie Houchins, hosted by Cheryl Platz, enduringplay.com
S1 Episode 7 of #EnduringPlay: A #GameDev podcast “Engineering for Scalable, Sustainable Games” is up featuring @wickedfoxgames.com co-founder @caeriehouchins.bsky.social on major podcast platforms or at www.gamedevelopmentstrategyguide.com/enduring-pla... - explore AAA vs indie dev with us!
Whitney Beltrán on Season 1 Episode 5 of the Enduring Play Game Dev podcast hosted by Cheryl Platz: "Game narrative is not game writing, right? To be super clear, narrative is delivered through every element of a game. For instance, when I was narrative director on a big AAA Dungeons & Dragons game a few years ago, I had not just meetings with the narrative team, but the audio team, the combat team, the cinematics team, the engineers. Really anything where anything got communicated to the players." Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or more at enduringplay.com
In Episode 5 of #EnduringPlay, a #GameDev podcast, @brightwhitney.bsky.social levels up our understanding and appreciation of #narrative design and narrative direction - and how they differ from writing - drawing from award-winning experience on #videoGames like Holovista & TTRPG Bluebeard's Bride.
I LOVE this insight from Episode 4 of my #GameDev podcast #EnduringPlay. I left EA in 2004 with the goal of proving that games could be made sustainably without tons of crunch. Leaders like David are doing that work today, creating space for games AND the people who make them to thrive.
David Ventura on Enduring Play: A Game Development Podcast hosted by Cheryl Platz, Season 1 Episode 4: "And yeah, we're not the biggest, most money returning studio in the world, but everybody can go home. There is no overtime really worked here. And then people leave at like 4:00, 4:30, 5:00 and they can be with their families or they can go do the things that they want to do outside of work hours. And I think we still produce pretty good content without having those situations. So it's entirely possible." Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, enduringplay.com, and other platforms
In Episode 4 of #EnduringPlay, a #GameDev podcast, @gamedeventura.bsky.social from @ichigoichiegames.bsky.social gets candid about the ups & downs of running indie studios; from the dark moments to the satisfaction of sustainable hours for quality games. Listen at enduringplay.com + other platforms!
David Ventura in Episode 5 of Enduring Play, A Game Dev Podcast: "You can't just shut your eyes and put your head in the sand and say ‘No, I'm not going to make the narrative system skippable,’ or ‘I'm not going to make the game have save points because that's not the way it was in 95.’ Even if you're making a retro inspired title, you need to stay in tune with what the consumer wants today and be able to follow those best practices to make an even better title that's more accessible for everyone." Hosted by Cheryl Platz. On Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Enduringplay.com
In Episode 4 of #EnduringPlay: A #GameDev Podcast, @gamedeventura.bsky.social of @ichigoichiegames.bsky.social shares his insights on being an open-minded creative director in games adapting based on player feedback Listen now at enduringplay.com: www.gamedevelopmentstrategyguide.com/enduring-pla...
Amy Kalson on Season 1 Episode 3 of Enduring Play: “Try to not come in with solutions without context. Instead of saying, I've played your latest build and it sucks and here's what you need to do to fix it,' it's much more effective if you come in and say, 'Okay, so I'm playing the build and I'm seeing the following things. What are your thoughts around this? What is your plan for fixing this issue? I'm happy to give you some of the solutions that I thought of, but I'd love to hear more about what it is that you are planning to do.”
In Episode 3 of #EnduringPlay: A #GameDev Podcast, Executive Design Producer Amy Kalson talks about the curiosity-driven philosophy she uses with development partners to get to better outcomes in #videogame development. Listen now on your favorite platform or enduringplay.com.
S1 E4 of #gameDev podcast #EnduringPlay, “The Global Heartbeat of Music Games,” is up now with @davidventura.bsky.social. This episode weaves music from @ichigoichiegames.bsky.social as we talk cultural translation, rhythm, & thriving studios. www.gamedevelopmentstrategyguide.com/enduring-pla...
Episode 3 of my #gameDev podcast #EnduringPlay dropped today: Creative Strategy for Thriving Teams with Amy Kalson. Hear about one of the world's funniest pitch meetings, then hear about #AI, licensed IP game design, globalization, and how living through EA_Spouse changed our approach to #gameDev.
It's my first post-podcast launch Twitch stream! Want to ask me questions about #EnduringPlay? Did you know I stream most Sundays at 10AM PT for free and you can bring your #uxDesign and #gameDev questions (not about my current job please)? Join me and the #MagicMafia! twitch.tv/funnygodmother
Album cover for Season 1 Episode 1 of Enduring Play, a game development podcast hosted by Cheryl Platz. The gold and yellow podcast branding is featured with Celia Hodent as the guest prominently pictured. The episode is titled "Using UX Strategy to Put Players First". Celia is shown as a professional smiling brunette in a purple suit.
IT IS TIME. #EnduringPlay, a #GameDev podcast about making #videogames that don't just survive but thrive, is LIVE with @celiahodent.com!
Stream for free on the web at enduringplay.com or your platform of choice - reviews welcome to help us get the word out! New episodes every Tues. through Oct.
My podcast #EnduringPlay launches this week and for the first time we have a merch store for the #MagicMafia and Sprinkles! Time for chillstreaming as a community. Bring your #gameDev and #uxDesign questions or just come lurk with us 10AMPT - ??? twitch.tv/funnygodmother
