Building Better Games

Benjamin Carcich

Leadership in game dev is hard. I can't make it easy, but I can make it a heck of a lot better. My name is Benjamin Carcich, and this podcast helps leaders in game dev who feel stuck, ignored, and out of options find their path to success. I've spent the last several decades studying and leading in environments ranging from the U.S. Army through to game development. I want to share what I've learned. Better leadership is a huge opportunity in the games industry. Let's make it better together. Better leaders build better games.

  1. 4d ago

    E139: Why an Ad-Tech Insider Says Ads Will Help Game Devs

    Level up your leadership: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 Is the video game industry being kept afloat by tech giants willingly lighting billions of dollars on fire—and what happens to your studio when the subsidy stops? In this episode, Ben sits down with Colan Neese, SVP of Gaming at Screen Engine/ASI and author of the Patch Notes newsletter, to deconstruct the shifting macroeconomic tectonic plates of gaming. They dive into the reality of platform economics, why Microsoft is losing an estimated 64 cents on every dollar invested in gaming, the likely rise of ad-supported models in the PC/console ecosystem, and the terrifying market realities of the Grand Theft Auto VI release timeline. What You'll Learn in This Episode: What the true data reveals about the current collapse of platform economics, Microsoft's aggressive studio layoffs, and why the "rounding error" era of gaming budgets is officially over Why the industry's current reliance on wishlist momentum and renting creator attention is fundamentally broken, and why ad-tech algorithms might be a viable solution to solve game discovery How GTA 6 is creating an unprecedented industry black hole that is actively deflating competitor mindshare, shrinking long-tail revenues, and forcing studios to aggressively alter their release calendars If you're a leader in game dev who is trying to forecast your studio's launch window, build a sustainable monetization strategy, and survive the impending GTA 6 market consolidation, this episode is for you. Learn more about Colan Neese: Connect with Colan on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/colanneese/ and subscribe to his newsletters: Mind Game Patch Notes: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/mindgame-patch-notes-7336099537939255300/ LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7336099537939255300/ Connect with us: 🔗Ben's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-carcich/ 🔗BBG's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/building-better-games/ 🔗Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buildingbettergames/# 🔗Website: https://www.buildingbettergames.gg 🔗YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@buildingbettergames If you want me to help producers or studios build better games through effective systems and leadership, you can reach me at: info@valarinconsulting.com #GameDev #GamingIndustry #PlatformEconomics #Xbox #GTA6

    E139: Why an Ad-Tech Insider Says Ads Will Help Game Devs
  2. Jul 14

    E138: He Gambled His Last $500K on a Roblox Game!

    Level up your leadership: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 Does hyper-scaling your game studio actually destroy the soul of your product? When outside capital flooded into WonderWorks Studio following Roblox's IPO, founder Zach Letter did what every investor screamed for: he scaled his three-person team to nearly 100 employees, built a massive physical studio, and hired a traditional AAA C-suite. The result was a toxic corporate culture, a mountain of high-maintenance work-for-hire contracts, and the near-death of their original IP. In this episode, Ben sits down with Zach Letter to deconstruct the grueling reality behind those decisions. Zach shares the timeline of cutting his studio back down to a core group of 12 people, bootstrapping a high-stakes licensing deal with Paramount on raw grit, and shipping a chart-topping SpongeBob Tower Defense game on their final weeks of runway. What You'll Learn in This Episode: What structural traps await small, agile teams when transitioning to high-overhead venture capital models. Why relying on traditional AAA corporate leadership frameworks can severely decouple your studio from fast-moving UGC algorithms and audiences. How to leverage hyper-focused community feedback and competitive gap analysis to disrupt saturated game genres. How to design high-stimulus, free-to-play reward loops that prioritize long-term player commitment over short-term FOMO mechanics. If you're a leader in game dev who is struggling to balance studio growth with creative control, or considering a high-risk pivot into licensed IP and UGC platforms, this episode is for you. Learn more about our guest: 🔗LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachary-letter-0769b893/ 🔗Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aviatorgaming/?hl=en 🔗YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AviatorGaming 🔗Wikitubia: https://youtube.fandom.com/wiki/AviatorGaming 🔗 Wonder Works Studio: https://wonderworks.gg/ Connect with us: 🔗Ben's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-carcich/ 🔗BBG's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/building-better-games/ 🔗Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buildingbettergames/# 🔗Website: https://www.buildingbettergames.gg 🔗YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@buildingbettergames If you want me to help producers or studios build better games through effective systems and leadership, you can reach me at: info@valarinconsulting.com #GameDev #RobloxStudio #StudioScaling #LiveOps #IndieGameDev

    E138: He Gambled His Last $500K on a Roblox Game!
  3. Jul 7

    E137: Why AAA's $200M Games Keep Failing

    Which of the 7 AAA mistakes are you struggling with? Find out here: https://www.buildingbettergames.gg/aaa-diagnostic Game budgets are skyrocketing to $200M+ while hit rates are actively going down. The games industry is spending more money than ever, on the biggest teams it has ever had, over the longest timelines in history, using a playbook that was out of date a decade ago. In this episode of Building Better Games, Benjamin Carcich breaks down the systemic flaws currently sinking AAA studios. You'll discover how shifting portfolio math has fundamentally changed the business and why relying on rigid project management over true human leadership is driving massive projects straight off a cliff. What You'll Learn in This Episode: What the exponential shift in game development economics looks like, and why a single mega-hit can no longer easily subsidize a publisher's failures Why prioritizing "stuff" (features, systems, and assets) over a cohesive, engaging player experience is wasting time and money How to transition your studio from a plan-driven milestone trap to a value-driven culture that handles failure early, accepts uncertainty, and scales safely If you're a leader in game dev who is tired of hitting every single milestone on paper while feeling like the core game still isn't coming together, this episode is for you. Level up your leadership: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 Connect with us: 🔗Ben's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-carcich/ 🔗BBG's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/building-better-games/ 🔗Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buildingbettergames/# 🔗Website: https://www.buildingbettergames.gg 🔗YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@buildingbettergames If you want me to help producers or studios build better games through effective systems and leadership, you can reach me at: info@valarinconsulting.com #GameDev #AAAStudios #GameLeadership #GamingIndustry #BuildingBetterGames

    E137: Why AAA's $200M Games Keep Failing
  4. Jun 30

    E136: AI Won't Save Your Game, Here's What It Actually Does.

    Level up your leadership: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 What if the secret to leveraging AI in game development isn't about just writing code faster, but getting your team to be more rigorous before a single line is even written? In this episode of Building Better Games, Ben talks with Landon (CTO) and Jean-Eric (Product Lead/Producer/Tech Artist) from Believer. Together, they pull back the curtain on how agentic coding tools and custom internal bridges like Claireon didn't just accelerate their systems development from months to a single week—they completely flipped their production pipeline on its head. They dive deep into why AI forces game dev teams back into a structured setup at the start, how it alters the role of engineering leaders, and why the ultimate bottleneck has officially shifted back to human creativity and polish. What You'll Learn in This Episode: What shifted when a veteran studio integrated agentic coding directly into the Unreal Engine editor, reducing a three-to-six-month development cycle to one week Why relying on AI to "one-shot" solutions fails, and why true velocity requires human experts to break down tasks into strict decision-making frameworks How to build customized, dynamic production dashboards that match your personal mental model rather than getting bottlenecked by the default constraints of Jira and tools like it Why the traditional middle-of-the-pipe engineering grind is disappearing, forcing studio leaders to double down on upfront alignment and end-of-pipe playtest validation If you're a leader in game dev who is skeptical of the generative AI hype but drowning in backlog management and long engineering cycles, this episode is for you. Learn more about our guests: 🔗Jean-Eirc Khalife's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeaneric/ 🔗Landon McDowell's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/landonmcdowell/ Learn about Believer: 🔗LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-believer-company/ 🔗 Website: https://believer.gg/ 🔗 About Claireon: https://believer.gg/introducing-claireon-our-open-source-unreal-plugin-for-agentic-workflows/ Connect with us: 🔗Ben's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-carcich/ 🔗BBG's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/building-better-games/ 🔗Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buildingbettergames/# 🔗Website: https://www.buildingbettergames.gg 🔗YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@buildingbettergames If you want me to help producers or studios build better games through effective systems and leadership, you can reach me at: info@valarinconsulting.com #GameDev #GameProduction #UnrealEngine #AIEngineering #StudioLeadership

    E136: AI Won't Save Your Game, Here's What It Actually Does.
  5. Jun 23

    E135: Why Big Game Dev Plans Never Succeed

    Access the Calibration Test: https://www.buildingbettergames.gg/calibration-test When every team in your studio tells you they're 80% confident in their timeline, why does the final project almost always miss its deadline? In this episode of Building Better Games, Benjamin Carcich exposes the mathematical trap that undermines and then wrecks well-planned game development projects. When multiple teams average their confidence instead of multiplying it, a studio's actual probability of shipping on time can plummet from a perceived 80% down to a brutal 1%. Ben breaks down why humans are naturally overconfident estimators, how dependencies cascade into developmental bottlenecks, and the two critical production pivots leaders must make to protect their ship dates. What You'll Learn in This Episode: What the "Confidence Trap" is and how standard multi-team tracking accidentally almost guarantees project delays due to compounding probability Why even highly experienced leads give optimistically incorrect estimates, and why uncalibrated data forces reactive management loops How to train your team in calibrated estimation and shift your development strategy toward strict value-prioritization so you always ship the most critical player experiences If you're a leader in game dev who is tired of watching meticulously planned schedules fall apart the moment reality hits, this episode is for you. Level up your leadership: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 Connect with us: 🔗Ben's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-carcich/ 🔗BBG's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/building-better-games/ 🔗Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buildingbettergames/# 🔗Website: https://www.buildingbettergames.gg 🔗YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@buildingbettergames If you want me to help producers or studios build better games through effective systems and leadership, you can reach me at: info@valarinconsulting.com #GameDevLeadership #ProjectManagement #GameProduction #StudioPredictability #AgileGameDev

    E135: Why Big Game Dev Plans Never Succeed
  6. Jun 16

    E134: Why "Don't Rock the Boat" Fails Game Dev Teams

    Level up your leadership: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 Is keeping your head down killing your game? Many game dev leads survive by following a simple, unwritten rule: don't rock the boat. But staying silent when you see a broken system isn't "playing it smart," it's dodging your responsibility. True leadership isn't about having a perfect record or a flawless game plan; it's about having the courage to stand in the public square, plant a flag, and risk being wrong for the sake of your team. In this episode, Benjamin Carcich breaks down the uncomfortable reality of what it actually means to lead in an agency-based industry like game dev. He exposes the two primary traps leaders fall into when trying to avoid vulnerability - hiding in plain sight or forcing absolute compliance - and shares a personal story of failure that forced him to choose between self-preservation and the work. What You'll Learn in This Episode: What genuine leadership looks like when the deck is stacked in your favor, and why it demands courage rather than structural power Why game development inherently requires an "agency-based" framework instead of a "compliance-based" model to thrive A simple question to check if you're acting out of fear and failing to lead What the two extreme survival traps look like and how both destroy team trust How to build comfort with the unknown so you can confidently tell your team, "I don't know, let's figure it out." If you're a leader in game dev who is tired of fighting change resistance, feels caught between the demands of senior stakeholders and the needs of your developers, or is endlessly worried that your next big decision might miss the mark and make you look dumb, this episode is for you. Connect with us: 🔗Ben's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-carcich/ 🔗BBG's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/building-better-games/ 🔗Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buildingbettergames/# 🔗Website: https://www.buildingbettergames.gg 🔗YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@buildingbettergames If you want me to help producers or studios build better games through effective systems and leadership, you can reach me at: info@valarinconsulting.com #GameDevLeadership #GameIndustry #ProducerLife #GamingStudio #BuildingBetterGames

    E134: Why "Don't Rock the Boat" Fails Game Dev Teams
  7. Jun 9

    E133: Everyone Said Dispatch Would Fail. 4 Million Players Disagree.

    Level up your leadership: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 Can you defy the industry experts by refusing to compromise on your creative vision? When the entire gaming industry declares a genre dead and claims nobody is buying narrative-driven games anymore, most studios pack up and pivot. But the team at Adhoc Studio did the exact opposite; they stuck to their guns, bet on their passion, and shattered every single expectation. Their debut game, Dispatch, blew past the skeptics to achieve a 97% overwhelmingly positive rating on Steam and over four million copies sold worldwide. Bridging the gap between two fiercely distinct creative worlds, Nick Herman (Co-founder and COO) and Natalie Herman (Head of Production) joined Ben to break down how they pulled off this "magic trick" of a launch. Bringing a masterful blend of creative grit and operational expertise, Nick and Natalie pull back the curtain on what happens when you dare to build a studio on an original IP. In this conversation, they share the raw reality of navigating intense launch crises, managing the brutal push-and-pull of high-fidelity pre-rendered animation, and evolving from hands-on individual contributors into leaders who empower their team to shine. What You'll Learn in This Episode: How to combine a game development pipeline with a TV animation pipeline—even when the two systems were never designed to work together. Why putting story ahead of gameplay can create stronger emotional connections and make players care more about your characters. The secret to building a thriving remote studio culture without micromanaging your team. What happens behind the scenes when a major release gets hit by massive leaks—and how to keep your team focused through the chaos. How to identify hidden talent, give people real ownership, and build a team that stays with you for years. The biggest lessons learned from creating story-driven games that challenge conventional design rules. Why trust, autonomy, and creative freedom often outperform rigid management processes. The leadership principles that helped scale a studio while maintaining a strong creative culture. If you're a leader in game dev who is tired of copy-pasting the same safe mechanics and is ready to fight for an unconventional vision despite what the publishers say, this episode is for you. Learn more about Dispatch: 🔗 Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2592160/Dispatch/ 🔗 Imdb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt34996965/ 🔗 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl0lwcDCTPL2LALusiS_xmw AdHoc Studio: 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-adhoc-studio/ 🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theadhocstudio/ Learn more about our guests: Nick Herman: 🔗LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-herman-2b370b28/ 🔗Imdb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2550705/ 🔗Mobygames Profile: https://www.mobygames.com/person/255829/nick-herman/ 🔗Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_nickherman_/ 🔗X: https://x.com/nickherman?lang=en Natalie Herman: 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-a-herman/ 🔗 Imdb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6048997/ 🔗Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/funkthefake/ 🔗X: https://x.com/funkthefake Connect with us:  🔗Ben's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-carcich/ 🔗BBG's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/building-better-games/ 🔗Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buildingbettergames/# 🔗Website: https://www.buildingbettergames.gg 🔗YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@buildingbettergames If you want me to help producers or studios build better games through effective systems and leadership, you can reach me at: info@valarinconsulting.com #GameDevLeadership #StudioCulture #NarrativeDesign #IndieGameDev #BuildingBetterGames

    E133: Everyone Said Dispatch Would Fail. 4 Million Players Disagree.
  8. Jun 5

    E132: Why Helping Every Team Is Making Your Game Studio Worse

    Level up your leadership: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 Is your calendar a graveyard of back-to-back "team rituals" for 4 different orgs while your actual strategic work gathers dust When you are a game dev leader straddling multiple layers of a studio, it is incredibly easy to fall into the "comfort trap" of doing what you already know how to do: running local team meetings, fixing immediate processes, and trying to play hero for every unstaffed team underneath you. But when you try to be everything to everyone, you aren't actually helping—you are stretching yourself to a breaking point and starving your organization of the high-level leadership it desperately needs to survive. In this episode, Benjamin Carcich breaks down why doing less direct work for your teams is actually the ultimate force-multiplying move. You'll learn how to shift your mindset from a localized team manager to a scaled "team of teams" leader, how to ruthlessly audit your calendar, and why learning to hold a firm "no" will build more trust with your studio than any standup ever could. What You'll Learn in This Episode: The "serve everyone all the time" trap that keeps leaders from scaling their impact Why great team leads often fail when promoted to higher leadership roles A simple 4-step audit to align your time with what matters most When to empower devs - no matter their discipline - to run processes without you How to grow your leadership influence through solving broader problems than your team If you're a leader in game dev who is drowning in cross-team meetings, covering unstaffed producer slots, and feeling too exhausted to actually steer the ship, this episode is for you. Connect with us: 🔗Ben's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-carcich/ 🔗BBG's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/building-better-games/ 🔗Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buildingbettergames/# 🔗Website: https://www.buildingbettergames.gg 🔗YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@buildingbettergames If you want me to help producers or studios build better games through effective systems and leadership, you can reach me at: info@valarinconsulting.com #GameDevLeadership #ProducerLife #GameIndustry #StudioManagement #ForceMultiplier

    E132: Why Helping Every Team Is Making Your Game Studio Worse
5
out of 5
11 Ratings

About

Leadership in game dev is hard. I can't make it easy, but I can make it a heck of a lot better. My name is Benjamin Carcich, and this podcast helps leaders in game dev who feel stuck, ignored, and out of options find their path to success. I've spent the last several decades studying and leading in environments ranging from the U.S. Army through to game development. I want to share what I've learned. Better leadership is a huge opportunity in the games industry. Let's make it better together. Better leaders build better games.

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