Devoted Speakeasy

Devoted Studios
  • 5.0 (3)
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Every day we see shiny headlines about games making gazillions, but nothing to help us do our jobs better or support each other's growth. Devoted Speakeasy is a podcast hosted by Ninel Anderson for inspiration and as a practical guide for leveling up within the game industry. Let’s get real!

  1. Lessons from a AAA Launch Gone Wrong | Bret Robbins | Devoted SpeakEasy Ep38

    HACE 3 DÍAS

    Lessons from a AAA Launch Gone Wrong | Bret Robbins | Devoted SpeakEasy Ep38

    Bret Robbins, Creative Director behind Dead Space and Call of Duty, joins Devoted SpeakEasy to share the unfiltered truth about creating a brand new AAA IP. 🔗 Check out Brett on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bret-robbins-a91a3350/ TIMECODES: 0:00 - Intro 0:42 - Get to Know Bret Robbins 2:41 - The Early Days of Dead Space 6:17 - Breaking Through a Crowded Market 20:08 - Creative Role vs Leading a Company 31:08 - What Worked When Scaling a Studio 43:27 - How to Build a Successful New IP 48:16 - AI in Game Development 50:02 - A Success Story 53:01 - Blitz Round: Rapid Fire Q&A! 55:33 - Ending 🎮 What you will learn in this episode • Why launching a new IP is tougher than ever • The two things that make or break any game: a clear vision and a battle-tested team • How timing and market noise buried Immortals of Aveum • Lessons on early marketing, community building, and showing work in progress • How tight budgets and real constraints can spark better design • Remote versus in-studio production and what actually works for creative teams 👉 Subscribe for more SpeakEasy episodes with game industry leaders and visit Devoted Studios to learn how our strike teams help studios ship ambitious games faster. → https://devotedstudios.com/  🔗 Follow Devoted Studios on Social Media:  🎨 Artstation: https://www.artstation.com/devoted-studios   🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/devotedstudios   📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/devotedstudios    🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/devotedstudios_   💬Discord:  https://discord.gg/6x46SWhC   💻 Visit the website: https://www.devotedstudios.com      #GameDevelopment #gamedev #AAA #newIP #DevotedSpeakEasy #BretRobbins #DeadSpace #gameindustry #AAAGames #DevotedStudios #CoDevelopmentStudios #GameCoDevelopment

    56 min
  2. How to Protect Your Equity, Board Seats, and IP in Investor Deals | Devoted SpeakEasy Ep37

    9 SEP

    How to Protect Your Equity, Board Seats, and IP in Investor Deals | Devoted SpeakEasy Ep37

    In the second part of the interview with Brandon Huffman, managing attorney at Odin Law, Ninel and her guest unpack the investor side: what to accept, what to push back on, and how to protect your team, your equity, and your roadmap. We dig into: ✅ When to go to a publisher vs an investor ✅ How valuation and dilution can shrink your stake ✅ SAFEs vs convertible notes (and the surprise dilution hiding in them) ✅ Control terms like board seats, veto rights, and compensation ✅ Strategic investors and the rights that can block future deals ✅ Protecting founder equity with vesting, cliffs, and buybacks ✅ What drag-along and tag-along mean in practice ✅ How to handle a bad investor relationship ✅ Why it’s worth looping in a lawyer early (many defer fees until funding closes)TIMECODES:0:00 Intro 0:27 Our guest 1:46 When to choose a publisher vs investor 7:00 Key things to check in investor deals 18:04 Anti-dilution clauses and why they matter 20:04 Protecting your role as founder 26:29 Common investor terms 31:26 Managing a mismatch with an investor 32:59 Ending 👉 📌 Get smarter about game development. Hit subscribe! 🔗 Follow Devoted Studios on Social Media:  🎨 Artstation: https://www.artstation.com/devoted-studios   🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/devotedstudios   📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/devotedstudios    🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/devotedstudios_   💬Discord:  https://discord.gg/6x46SWhC   💻 Visit the website: https://www.devotedstudios.com      #GameDevelopment #IndieDev #GameBusiness #VentureCapital #SAFEs #ConvertibleNotes #GameStudio #Fundraising #DevotedStudios #BrandonHuffman #OdinLaw #GamePublishing

    35 min
  3. Before You Sign That Publishing Contract… Watch This | Ft. Brandon Huffman | Devoted SpeakEasy Ep36

    21 AGO

    Before You Sign That Publishing Contract… Watch This | Ft. Brandon Huffman | Devoted SpeakEasy Ep36

    HOLD UP! ✋ In this episode of Devoted Speakeasy, Ninel, our CEO, talks with Brandon Huffman, managing attorney at Odin Law, to break down the traps, hidden clauses, and money math every indie (and even AAA) dev should understand before putting pen to paper. From milestone traps to brutal recoup terms, Brandon shares the real-world contract details that can make or break your studio. Pitching your first game or your fifth, this is the episode that could save you years of headaches (and a lot of cash). We cover: 🎯 Why publishers are tightening their terms in 2025 📊 The recoup clause that can wipe out your revenue 📅 How to structure milestones so you actually get paid 🚫 Termination clauses that can bankrupt a studio 💬 How to keep your creative vision when working with a publisher If you’re an indie dev, a small studio, or anyone thinking about partnering with a publisher… watch this before you sign anything. 👉 📌 Subscribe for more unfiltered game dev talks! 🔗 Follow Devoted Studios on Social Media:  🎨 Artstation: https://www.artstation.com/devoted-studios   🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/devotedstudios   📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/devotedstudios    🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/devotedstudios_   💬Discord:  https://discord.gg/6x46SWhC   💻 Visit the website: https://www.devotedstudios.com

    48 min
  4. The Art, the Tech, and the Chaos of Designing Avowed | Devoted Speakeasy E35

    18 JUL

    The Art, the Tech, and the Chaos of Designing Avowed | Devoted Speakeasy E35

    In this episode of Devoted Speakeasy, Ninel hangs out with Dimitri Berman, Lead Character Artist at Obsidian Entertainment, to talk about the chaos, creativity, and caffeine that went into building the cast of Avowed.TIMECODES:0:00 Intro 1:34 What Avowed Is Really About 4:03 Why RPG Character Pipelines Are So Complicated 15:29 Step-by-Step: Creating a Character 21:59 What It’s Like to Design 900 Characters with 3 Artists 30:17 Creature Design vs Outfit Design in Game Dev 38:03 What It Really Takes to Be a Character Artist 41:45 What’s Next for Character Development 43:24 Fail Stories 46:35 Blitz Questions 49:14 Ending We get into: What it actually takes to build characters for a huge RPG Why they switched engines mid-production (spoiler: lighting was a nightmare) What it’s like designing mushroom-infected people and ogres with six-packs How much players really care about fashion… even in first-person And why creature artists are a little weird (in the best way) If you’ve ever tried making a character, shipped an RPG, or just love hearing the behind-the-scenes of game dev, this one’s worth sticking around for. 👉 Like what you hear? Hit like, drop a comment, and don’t forget to subscribe. We’ve got more dev stories coming your way. 🔗 Follow us on Social Media:  🎨 Artstation: https://www.artstation.com/devoted-studios   🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/devotedstudios   📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/devotedstudios    🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/devotedstudios_   💬Discord:  https://discord.gg/6x46SWhC   💻 Visit the website: https://www.devotedstudios.com      #ObsidianEntertainment #Avowed #GameDev #CharacterArt #DevotedSpeakeasy #RPGDesign #DevotedStudios #Metahuman

    50 min
  5. They Designed The Sims… and They Have Stories | SpeakEasy #34 w/ Jessica & Lacey)

    13 JUN

    They Designed The Sims… and They Have Stories | SpeakEasy #34 w/ Jessica & Lacey)

    Ever wondered who animated your Sim yawning, or who decided they should clean toilets with that much personality? In this episode, we go behind the scenes with two of the creative minds who have shaped The Sims for over a decade.🚀 ✨ Jessica Stites (Art Director) and Lacey Banister (Senior Animation & VFX Director) from Maxis join Ninel Anderson to talk about everything from: Animating weird but lovable Sim moments Staying creative while working on the same game for years The necessity of cheat codes,  The evolution of inclusivity and expansion packs The real work behind making The Sims feel fun and familiar Being female team leaders in a male-driven industry And yes… someone had to model every toilet. 🧼 Watch the video version: https://youtu.be/7ZBwRHHLUtY 🚀 Check out our brand new Devoted Fusion platform – connecting game creators with curated freelance artists in minutes: https://shorturl.at/p1JgH 🔗 Follow us on Social Media:  🎨 Artstation: https://www.artstation.com/devoted-studios   🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/devotedstudios   📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/devotedstudios    🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/devotedstudios_   💬Discord:  https://discord.gg/6x46SWhC   💻 Visit the website: https://www.devotedstudios.com      #TheSims #GameDev #DevotedSpeakEasy #Maxis #Animation #GameArt #WomenInGames  #SpeakEasyPodcast  #GameDevelopment #DevotedStudios

    53 min
  6. What’s Behind Meta’s Avatar 2.0 Evolution? | SpeakEasy with Chris Hunt

    25 ABR

    What’s Behind Meta’s Avatar 2.0 Evolution? | SpeakEasy with Chris Hunt

    We’re recording in a brand-new studio for SpeakEasy Ep. 33!  This time, Ninel chats with Chris Hunt, Art Director at Meta Reality Labs, who’s been deeply involved with designing avatars for the metaverse. 🎮 Tune in for: 🎨 What it’s really like to design avatars at Meta 🕹️ The cool technology behind Avatar 2.0 😎 How avatars are changing the way we express ourselves online 🎯 The future trends in avatar development TIMECODES: 0:00 Intro 0:32 Chris Hunt’s Career in the Spotlight 5:00 The Importance of Avatars in Games 8:13 What’s Involved in Updating to Avatar 2.0 12:44 The Concept Behind Fantastical Avatars 20:17 Creating an Inclusive Avatar Style 25:55 Scaling Clothing for Avatars & Key Design Principles 33:31 How to Keep Avatars Consistent Across Devices 36:20 The Next Big Trend in Avatar Development 40:45 Ending 🔗 Follow us on Social Media:  🎨 Artstation: https://www.artstation.com/devoted-studios   🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/devotedstudios   📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/devotedstudios    🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/devotedstudios_   💬Discord:  https://discord.gg/6x46SWhC   💻 Visit the website: https://www.devotedstudios.com      #Metaverse #MetaverseAvatar #Meta #SpeakEasyPodcast #DevotedStudios  #DevotedFusion

    42 min
  7. The 2025 Reality of the Indie: Interview with Alx Preston (Heartmachine228) | SpeakIndie #2

    27 MAR

    The 2025 Reality of the Indie: Interview with Alx Preston (Heartmachine228) | SpeakIndie #2

    We’re shaking things up with our second in-person SpeakEasy episode - SpeakIndie. Ninel Anderson came to visit the Heart Machine studio and talked with Alx Preston, the studio's CEO. We filmed this interview in October 2024 but couldn’t release it earlier for some reason. A lot of things have happened since then. Heart Light Breaker was released in early access, Heart Machine suffered layoffs, Alx started a new campaign on Patreon, and much more. So all this stuff is not discussed here. However, the interview covers tons of resonating topics about our industry that shouldn’t remain silent:▶️ How to start and maintain the Kickstarter campaign▶️ How to communicate with publishers▶️ What is the current situation in the industry▶️ How to plan the budget for the project▶️ How to produce a game in the brand new genreIt’s personal, it’s insightful, and yes, it’s a lot of insights. Watch the video version of the interview:https://youtu.be/xP71U7EZPhM 🔗 Follow us on Social Media: 🎨 Artstation: https://www.artstation.com/devoted-studios 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/devotedstudios 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/devotedstudios 🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/devotedstudios_ 💬Discord: https://discord.gg/6x46SWhC 💻 Visit the website: https://www.devotedstudios.com The Heart Machine official site: https://www.heartmachine.com/ Hyper Light Breaker on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1534840/Hyper_Light_Breaker/ Alx Preston on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alx-preston-a6729262/#GamingIndustry #GameDevelopment #HeartMachine #AlxPreston #IndieGameDeveloper #SpeakEasyPodcast #SpeakIndie #GameDevelopment #DevotedStudios

    1 h y 30 min
  8. What REAL Collaboration With VFX Artists Looks Like | SpeakEasy 32 with Jason Keyser

    13 MAR

    What REAL Collaboration With VFX Artists Looks Like | SpeakEasy 32 with Jason Keyser

    Ninel Anderson meets with VFX expert Jason Keyser to discuss building and growing a VFX team for video games. Jason brings 18 years of experience to the table and offers INSIGHTFUL advice on finding top VFX talent, what to look for in portfolios, and how to create a team that really clicks. If you’re looking to learn more about the VFX process in game development or how to build a solid team, this SpeakEasy episode has you covered!Links on the platforms and sources mentioned in the episode:Fusion by Devoted platform: https://devotedfusion.com/ VFX Apprentice: https://www.vfxapprentice.com/ Realtime VFX forum: https://realtimevfx.com/ Jason Keyser on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-keyser-42070b3/ YouTube VFX Apprentice:  https://www.youtube.com/@VFX_Apprentice -------------------------------------------------------------------Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Y0J2YjBEM5w🔗 Follow us on Social Media: 🎨 Artstation: https://www.artstation.com/devoted-studios 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/devotedstudios 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/devotedstudios 🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/devotedstudios_ 💬Discord: https://discord.gg/6x46SWhC 💻 Visit the website: https://www.devotedstudios.com #VFX #GameDevelopment #VFXTeam #GameDesign #SpeakEasyPodcast #GameDevelopment #DevotedStudios

    59 min
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Every day we see shiny headlines about games making gazillions, but nothing to help us do our jobs better or support each other's growth. Devoted Speakeasy is a podcast hosted by Ninel Anderson for inspiration and as a practical guide for leveling up within the game industry. Let’s get real!

Información

  • Creador
    Devoted Studios
  • Años de actividad
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodios
    34
  • Clasificación
    Apto
  • Copyright
    © Devoted Studios
  • Mostrar sitio web
    Devoted Speakeasy

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