The Game Production Academy

Liam Wickham

Welcome to the Game Production Academy podcast. I am Liam Wickham. This podcast is for game producers and production leaders who want more predictable delivery without burning teams out. I cover planning, leadership and risk management with practical tools you can use immediately - templates, examples and case breakdowns. I am also the author of Risk Management for Video Game Professionals (CRC Press, 2026) - the link is below. If you teach or study game production, you can use the same material to build industry-ready practice. Links Risk Management Bookgame-production.com/riskmanagementbook Free Resource Librarygame-production.com/freeresources Newslettergame-production.com/newsletter Game Production Academygame-production.com

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  1. EPISODE 1 BONUS

    Widen Your Job Search: Games Skills to Tech Roles

    Hello! I’ve put a free download on Game Production Academy. I made it for anyone who has been job-hunting in games for months and needs more options quickly. I have worked inside and outside the games industry, and I have had to translate my own CV between games roles and non-games roles regularly. I have also worked across nearly all of the role types covered in this toolkit, so the guidance here is grounded in how these jobs operate day to day. This episode is actually an audio only version of my YouTube video but I reckon it's ok to listen to! I talk you through what's in the guide. https://youtu.be/822DXdbyGrs?si=tgHJVXGxzTyNuDZS This 30 page toolkit, written by me, helps you:  Identify role targets that match what you already do Translate your CV and LinkedIn profile into language employers outside games recognise Understand which gaps matter and which do not Apply more widely without pretending to be someone you are not  Download here: https://game-production.thinkific.com/products/digital_downloads/unlock-potential-outside-gaming  If you know someone who’s out of work, please share it with them. (You can still apply for games roles. This is about widening the net, not “leaving games”.)  Welcome to Game Production Academy. I am Liam Wickham. This channel is for game producers and production leaders who want more predictable delivery without burning teams out. I cover planning, leadership and risk management with practical tools you can use immediately - templates, examples and case breakdowns.  I am also the author of Risk Management for Video Game Professionals (CRC Press, 2026). If you teach or study game production, you can use the same material to build industry-ready practice. Links Risk Management Book game-production.com/riskmanagementbook Free Resource Library game-production.com/freeresources Newsletter ...

    12 min
  2. 9 Critical Game Development Risks (Market Fit, Scope, QA, Launch, Trust)

    EPISODE 2

    9 Critical Game Development Risks (Market Fit, Scope, QA, Launch, Trust)

    In this webinar-to-podcast episode, Liam Wickham breaks down nine critical risks that repeatedly derail game projects, with early warning signals and practical mitigations you can apply immediately. You will hear: Why risk management gives teams a shared language to spot problems early and act before delivery becomes unstableThe nine critical risk patterns, including:Market misalignment (building a game nobody wants) and vision driftPre-production shortcuts that create expensive late surprisesScope churn (scope creep and feature creep) as a predictable crunch and delay engineCommunication gaps (silos, undocumented decisions, delayed propagation)QA underinvestment, where defects compound until stability and delivery collapsesLaunch failures, negative reception and the public trust spiral after release - plus what credible recovery looks likeThis is designed for producers, studio leads and discipline leads who want fewer late surprises, less rework and more predictable delivery. Free companion PDF (board export): https://game-production.thinkific.com/products/digital_downloads/criticalrisks Original webinar recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp-Sfj9rVqc Welcome to Game Production Academy. I am Liam Wickham. This channel is for game producers and production leaders who want more predictable delivery without burning teams out. I cover planning, leadership and risk management with practical tools you can use immediately - templates, examples and case breakdowns.  I am also the author of Risk Management for Video Game Professionals (CRC Press, 2026). If you teach or study game production, you can use the same material to build industry-ready practice. Links Risk Management Book game-production.com/riskmanagementbook Free Resource Library game-production.com/freeresources Newsletter ...

    46 min

  3. EPISODE 3

    Art Production in Mobile Games vs. Console Games: Key Differences and Challenges

    In this episode, Purva Garg, experienced senior game producer, dives deep into the intricacies of art production in mobile games compared to console games. We discuss the differences in volume, pace, and complexity of assets, and how these factors impact production timelines.  The conversation reveals the unique pressures and mindsets in mobile game development, highlighting the constant need for content due to the live and free-to-play nature of mobile games.  We also explore the impact of user acquisition costs, the role of LiveOps, and the crucial balance producers need to maintain between planned and reactive work.  Tune in to understand the complexities and strategies involved in managing art production in the fast-paced world of mobile gaming. 00:00 Introduction to Art Production in Games 00:08 Differences in Output Volume and Speed 00:43 Challenges in Mobile Game Art Production 02:59 Live Games and Continuous Content Generation 03:56 Prototyping and Agile Development in Mobile Games 05:18 Importance of Visuals in Mobile Games 06:49 Marketing's Impact on Game Development 09:18 User Acquisition and Retention Strategies 13:10 Prioritization and Team Management 25:46 Balancing Tech Debt and Content Creation Original YouTube recording: https://youtu.be/sl1Vy6s96UU Welcome to Game Production Academy. I am Liam Wickham. This channel is for game producers and production leaders who want more predictable delivery without burning teams out. I cover planning, leadership and risk management with practical tools you can use immediately - templates, examples and case breakdowns.  I am also the author of Risk Management for Video Game Professionals (CRC Press, 2026). If you teach or study game production, you can use the same material to build industry-ready practice. Links Risk Management Book game-production.com/riskmanagementbook Free Resource Library game-production.com/freeresources Newsletter ...

    30 min
See All Season 3 (3)

About

Welcome to the Game Production Academy podcast. I am Liam Wickham. This podcast is for game producers and production leaders who want more predictable delivery without burning teams out. I cover planning, leadership and risk management with practical tools you can use immediately - templates, examples and case breakdowns. I am also the author of Risk Management for Video Game Professionals (CRC Press, 2026) - the link is below. If you teach or study game production, you can use the same material to build industry-ready practice. Links Risk Management Bookgame-production.com/riskmanagementbook Free Resource Librarygame-production.com/freeresources Newslettergame-production.com/newsletter Game Production Academygame-production.com

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