XDS Podcast

External Development Summit (XDS)

Interested in gaining knowledge and expertise in the games industry? This podcast explores the latest insights into external development in the areas of Art, Co-development, Audio, QA, and Localization across all platforms. Each episode features conversations with industry leaders who are shaping the future of video game development. Published monthly. External Development Summit (XDS) is the only annual, international games industry event with a primary focus on external development for art, animation, audio, software engineering, QA, and localization.

  1. XDS24 | Best Practices in Co-Development: Lessons Learned the Hard Way

    2025-04-14

    XDS24 | Best Practices in Co-Development: Lessons Learned the Hard Way

    In this live recording from their XDS24 presentation, Jay Arrera, Production Director at Pipeworks (Developer), and Jay Minn, Senior Technical Producer at Wizards of the Coast (Publisher), share what worked—and what didn’t—in their recent collaboration on Magic: Spellslingers and throughout their careers. Stay tuned after the presentation as Philip Dennison, Senior Outsourcing Producer Psyonix and XDS Advisory Committee Member, joins the Jays for a deeper dive in the Q&A session. In this episode, Jay & Jay cover: A framework for setting up co-dev projects for success (without starting a war)How Producers from Developers and Publishers can work together, not against each otherPractical tips for encouraging collaboration across Engineering, Art, Design, and QA teamsHilarious, anonymized examples of what happens when people don’t play nice Podcast episode presented by Mineloader Studios Connect with us! Email us at info@xdsummit.com Join us LinkedIn Subscribe to our YouTube channel Follow us instagram @xdsummit Visit our XDS website to learn more. XDS Spark Learn about our new B2B platform for creative industries. Thanks for listening!

    1h 12m
  2. XDS24 | People Power: How an Emphasis on Individuals Builds Stronger Collaborations

    2025-02-25

    XDS24 | People Power: How an Emphasis on Individuals Builds Stronger Collaborations

    In this session recorded live at XDS 2024, Nicole West, Co-Founder and Head of Operations at West Studio, shares her insights on the transformative impact of recognizing and nurturing individual talent within creative teams. Drawing from her rich experience across video games, animation, and feature films, Nicole explores how prioritizing personal strengths can lead to more innovative, sustainable, and cohesive collaborations. Stay tuned after the presentation as David Lam, Executive Producer at Netease and XDS Advisory Committee member, joins Nicole for an insightful conversation about the inspiration behind her approach to leadership and collaboration. Podcast episode presented by Mineloader Studios Connect with us! Email us at info@xdsummit.com Join us LinkedIn Subscribe to our YouTube channel Follow us instagram @xdsummit Visit our XDS website to learn more. XDS Spark Learn about our new B2B platform for creative industries. Thanks for listening!

    49 min
  3. XDS 24 | Seizing Opportunities for Growth and Change in External Development

    2025-01-22

    XDS 24 | Seizing Opportunities for Growth and Change in External Development

    Recorded live at XDS 2024, this episode brings together a powerhouse panel to explore the future of external development in gaming. The panel shares powerful insights into fostering stability and highlights the transformative potential of external development. Their conversation leaves us not only with a clear view of today’s challenges but also with optimism about the opportunities ahead. Thank you our panelists: Sam Carlisle – Co-Founder, XDS Spark; XDS Advisory Committee Dave Sanderson – Director of Production (ExDev), Scopely; XDS Advisory Committee Carl Schmidt – Senior Director, ExDev, Zynga; XDS Advisory Committee Anna Kozlova – CEO, Room 8 Group Podcast episode presented by Mineloader Studios Connect with us! Email us at info@xdsummit.com Join us LinkedIn Subscribe to our YouTube channel Follow us instagram @xdsummit Visit our XDS website to learn more. XDS Spark Learn about our new B2B platform for creative industries. Thanks for listening!

    37 min
  4. XDS24 | Bridging Cultures: Learning from Cross-Cultural Partnerships in External Development

    2024-12-18

    XDS24 | Bridging Cultures: Learning from Cross-Cultural Partnerships in External Development

    In this episode, Juney Dijkstra, Operations Director at XDI, Electronic Arts, moderates a thought-provoking panel discussion recorded at XDS 2024. The panel dives into the nuances of cross-cultural partnerships, exploring key topics such as introductory meetings, negotiation, relationship management, and conflict resolution. Our expert panelists share diverse perspectives drawn from their unique cultural backgrounds and lived experiences. Through a mix of humorous and heartfelt stories, they shed light on the many approaches to global business. This episode offers practical tips and valuable insights to help you navigate and succeed in the multifaceted world of international game development collaborations. Thank you to our panelists: Juney Dijkstra, Operations Director, XDI, Electronic Arts Andreza de Souza Rocha, Business Development Lead, Airship Interactive Marla Rausch, CEO/Founder, Animation Vertigo Karin Bruér, Senior External Development Manager, Remedy Entertainment Yoyo Wu, Development Director, Electronic Arts Thank you to Walter de Torres, Founding Partner of Pixel Mafia, and XDS Advisory Committee member for introducing this episode. Watch the presentation  Podcast episode presented by Mineloader Studios Connect with us! Email us at info@xdsummit.com Join us LinkedIn Subscribe to our YouTube channel Follow us instagram @xdsummit Visit our XDS website to learn more. XDS Spark Learn about our new B2B platform for creative industries. Thanks for listening!

    57 min
  5. Paige Bailey | XDS24 Fireside Keynote

    2024-11-25

    Paige Bailey | XDS24 Fireside Keynote

    Tune in to an insightful fireside chat featuring Paige Bailey, Engineering Lead for GenAI Developer Experience at Google, and host Joe Nickolls, CEO of Timbre Games Studio. Paige has a deep understanding of the generative AI landscape, having previously served as an applied machine learning engineer at Microsoft and GitHub, and a product lead for Google’s PaLM v2 and Gemini models. Paige is passionate about making cutting-edge AI technology accessible, and empowering developers to build the next generation of innovative applications. Don’t miss this one-on-one discussion with Paige covering all things technology, AI, equity, diversity and inclusion, and Paige’s forward looking thoughts on the games industry. Watch the video presentation  Thank you to our wonderful show host for introducing this presentation: Nikki Roth, Senior Technical Artist at Google and XDS Advisory Committee member.  Podcast episode presented by Mineloader Studios Connect with us! Email us at info@xdsummit.com Join us LinkedIn Subscribe to our YouTube channel Follow us instagram @xdsummit Visit our XDS website to learn more. XDS Spark Learn about our new B2B platform for creative industries. Thanks for listening!

    1h 4m
  6. Marc-Alexis Côté | XDS24 Fireside Keynote

    2024-10-29

    Marc-Alexis Côté | XDS24 Fireside Keynote

    Tune in to this engaging executive fireside chat featuring Marc-Alexis Côté, VP & Executive Producer at Ubisoft, as he shares valuable insights on the games industry with Joe Nickolls, CEO of Timbre Games Studio. Marc-Alexis discusses his career journey, the evolution of today’s gaming landscape, and the crucial role of external development in driving innovation and success. With a diverse 19-year tenure at Ubisoft, Marc-Alexis has held a multitude of roles within Ubisoft ranging from Engineering, to Creative Direction, to Producing and now VP Executive Producer of the Assassin’s Creed franchise. His Masters degree in Software Engineering and experience in creative roles give him a fresh view on game production which is reflected in the variety of titles he’s worked on, notably on the Prince of Persia, Immortals Fenyx Rising and the Assassin’s Creed franchises. Thank you to our wonderful show host for introducing this presentation: Isabelle Bismuth, XDS Director of Partnerships, CoDev and Outsourcing Ubisoft and XDS Advisory Committee member. Podcast episode presented by Mineloader Studios Watch the YouTube presentation Connect with us! Email us at info@xdsummit.com Join us LinkedIn Subscribe to our YouTube channel Follow us instagram @xdsummit Visit our XDS website to learn more. XDS Spark Learn about our new B2B platform for creative industries. Thanks for listening!

    1 hr
  7. SPECIAL | Women@XDS - Amplifying women’s voices in the External Development Community

    2024-08-06

    SPECIAL | Women@XDS - Amplifying women’s voices in the External Development Community

    Welcome to this special inaugural episode of the Women@XDS, where we unite and amplify women's voices in the external development community. Join Carla Rylance, Caroline Calaway, Nikki Roth, and Tara Phillips as they share their inspiring journeys as women in external development post-pandemic, celebrate the trailblazing women who have shaped our industry, and offer empowering tips for making the most of XDS as a female-identifying attendee.  Our mission is to elevate and amplify women's voices, build strong support networks, and foster an inclusive community that sparks meaningful conversations and drives impactful change at XDS and beyond. Tune in and be part of this exciting movement to create a supportive, thriving environment for women in external development. Thank you to our panelists for sharing their valuable insights!  Caroline Calaway, XDS Advisory Committee Member Carla Rylance, Head of External Production, Behaviour Interactive and Chair, XDS Advisory Committee Nikki Roth, Staff UX Designer, Google Labs, Chair of Women@Labs, XDS Advisory Committee Member Tara Phillips, Art Service Line Director, Keywords Studios Connect with us! Email us at info@xdsummit.com Join us LinkedIn Subscribe to our YouTube channel Follow us instagram @xdsummit Visit our XDS website to learn more. XDS Spark Learn about our new B2B platform for creative industries. Thanks for listening!

    46 min
  8. XDS Ignite 2024 | Strategic Outreach: Navigating from Communication to Production in External Dev

    2024-07-15

    XDS Ignite 2024 | Strategic Outreach: Navigating from Communication to Production in External Dev

    During XDS Ignite 2024, Harish Rao, Manager of Outsource Art & Concept at Sony PlayStation, led a panel discussion on the effective transition from initial communication to production in external development. During the session, industry leaders provided insights on overcoming challenges such as timezone mix-ups and policy misunderstandings. The discussion emphasized the importance of transparency, seamless integration, and cultural alignment for successful collaborations. Additionally, it highlighted the qualities that clients seek in vendors, such as diverse portfolios, scalability, and strong security measures. This discussion is a valuable resource for anyone interested in improving their partnerships in external development. Thank you to our wonderful show host! Anna Berdnyk, Head of Business Development, Room 8 Group The presentation was delivered at XDS Ignite 2024, an annual event that unites a peer group of Developers/Publishers to build a network, address common challenges, and incubate ideas for the main XDS event in September. Watch the YouTube presentation Connect with us! Email us at info@xdsummit.com Join us LinkedIn Subscribe to our YouTube channel Follow us instagram @xdsummit Visit our XDS website to learn more. XDS Spark Learn about our new B2B platform for creative industries. Thanks for listening!

    45 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Interested in gaining knowledge and expertise in the games industry? This podcast explores the latest insights into external development in the areas of Art, Co-development, Audio, QA, and Localization across all platforms. Each episode features conversations with industry leaders who are shaping the future of video game development. Published monthly. External Development Summit (XDS) is the only annual, international games industry event with a primary focus on external development for art, animation, audio, software engineering, QA, and localization.

Information

  • Creator
    External Development Summit (XDS)
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2025
  • Episodes
    21
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 XDS Podcast
  • Show Website
    XDS Podcast