Building Better Games

Benjamin Carcich
  • 5.0 (11)
  • VIDEO GAMES
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

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. E122: Why Blizzard Killed Project Titan

    1D AGO

    E122: Why Blizzard Killed Project Titan

    If you're a leader in game dev who feels stuck, able to spot problems but struggling to make a real difference, there is a path forward that levels up your leadership and accelerates your team, game, and career. Sign up here to learn more: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 Is your team busy working, or are they just walking slowly toward the abyss? It's a nightmare scenario: you're surrounded by world-class talent and burning through a budget in the 10s of millions, yet the game feels further away from shipping than ever . In this episode, Ben reacts to Lex Fridman's interview with Jeff Kaplan (former Overwatch Director) as they break down the "multifaceted failure" of Blizzard's Project Titan . We dive deep into the "hubris" that kills AAA projects, why "anticipatory hiring" is a trap, and the brutal courage it takes to tell your CEO to shut a project down.  What you'll learn in this episode: Why having a "cool idea" is actually waste How the "we can do no wrong" mentality after a hit like World of Warcraft leads to multifaceted failure Why overhiring creates "busy work" rather than progress. How to recognize when to inspire your team to think bigger and when to pull them back to focus on shipping Why every technical or art failure is, at its root, a failure of leadership If you're a game developer who has ever felt the soul-crushing weight of "anticipatory hiring" and busy work, or a leader of a game development company who needs the courage to admit when a project has become a "money hole" before it's too late, this episode is for you. You may listen to the full audio podcast: Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/493-jeff-kaplan-world-of-warcraft-overwatch-blizzard/id1434243584?i=1000754728791 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/44oTEHDZdB7ITCB5dx88mB?si=6d45a2506a794ee8 Lex Fridman's YouTube Channels: 🔗  @lexfridman   🔗 @LexClips  Original Video Clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVaxD8veRIg Full episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9rF1CSSh-w 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/channel/UCZpMT-dUwQR-R4Mb4uub6Sw 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 #ProjectTitan #Overwatch #GameLeadership #BuildingBetterGames

    53 min
  2. E121: The $200M Gamble That Killed AAA Development

    MAR 17

    E121: The $200M Gamble That Killed AAA Development

    If you're a leader in game dev who feels stuck, able to spot problems but struggling to make a real difference, there is a path forward that levels up your leadership and accelerates your team, game, and career. Sign up here to learn more: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 Are we chasing unicorns into a graveyard, or is the "Black Hole" game the only way to survive 2026? The math of game development is no longer adding up. As budgets soar into the hundreds of millions, the traditional "hit-driven" model is reaching a breaking point, forcing studios to choose between low-risk IP or the near-impossible gamble of creating the next "forever game." In this episode, Ben sits down with Andrew Brownell, a veteran Game Director at Netflix with a pedigree spanning Blizzard's Warcraft III, Riot's League of Legends, and massive mobile strategy titles. Andrew pulls back the curtain on the "bleak" reality of modern development costs, the rise of hyper-efficient global competition, and how his own children's gaming habits have completely upended his philosophy on game design. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why a 4x return on a $200M blockbuster is now considered a dangerous gamble. How titles like Fortnite and Roblox act as "attention monopolies" that leave only 15% of the market for everyone else. Why it's becoming increasingly difficult to justify US-based development costs against global talent pools. How the next generation of gamers—who have never known boredom—is forcing a total rethink of game mastery and strategy. The reason we are seeing a flood of Marvel and Star Wars games, and why even "hits" like Hogwarts Legacy are changing the investment landscape . Learn More About Our Guest: 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahbrownell/ 🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ahbrownell/ 🔗 Twitter: https://x.com/ahbrownell 🔗 ContactOut: https://contactout.com/Andrew-Brownell-3180561 🔗 Netflix LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/netflix/ 🔗 Netflix Games YouTube: @NetflixGames Notable game studios our guest has worked with: 🔗 @riotgames 🔗 @Blizzard 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/channel/UCZpMT-dUwQR-R4Mb4uub6Sw 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 #LiveService #IndieDev #VideoGameBusiness

    23 min
  3. E120: The Hidden Pattern Behind 3 AAA Studio Collapses

    MAR 10

    E120: The Hidden Pattern Behind 3 AAA Studio Collapses

    If you're a leader in game dev who feels stuck, able to spot problems but struggling to make a real difference, there is a path forward that levels up your leadership and accelerates your team, game, and career. Sign up here to learn more: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 What is the hidden pattern behind why world-class AAA studios, with hundreds of millions in budget, suddenly collapse? In the last 12 months, the industry has watched high-profile projects from Mind's Eye, Ashes of Creation, and High Garden lead to layoffs, shutdowns, and lawsuits. While many blame "the market" or "toxic leadership," the reality is often found in five specific failure patterns that haunt studios of every size. In this episode, we strip away the headlines to look at the structural fragility that kills games and provide five essential questions every leader must ask to keep their project grounded in reality. What You Will Learn in This Episode: Why projecting confidence can actually blind you to a project's impending failure How to move past "theater" playtesting and get real signals from players What game visions should do for your organization Why treating launch as the finish line instead of a milestone is a $200 million mistake How to empower your team to prove you wrong before the market does If you're a leader in game dev who's ever protected the plan instead of facing reality, or felt pressure to project certainty when the game wasn't coming together, 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/channel/UCZpMT-dUwQR-R4Mb4uub6Sw 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 #AAAGaming #GameIndustry #StudioManagement #BuildingBetterGames

    42 min
  4. E119: 7 Questions That Expose What You've Missed

    MAR 3

    E119: 7 Questions That Expose What You've Missed

    If you're a leader in game dev who feels stuck, able to spot problems but struggling to make a real difference, there is a path forward that levels up your leadership and accelerates your team, game, and career. Sign up here to learn more: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 If your day is nothing but back-to-back meetings, you might be busy, but are you really helping your team and game succeed. Senior leaders often grind 10–12 hour days yet still miss the most critical questions, such as: Are we building the right thing? What is the biggest risk we face? In this episode, Ben breaks down why we treat thinking as a luxury we can't afford, and why that's exactly what's causing misalignment and waste in your studio. What you'll learn from this episode: Why "fast thinking" habits are dangerous in a constantly evolving environment like game dev. The difference between "scraps of thinking" and structured, effortful "slow thinking". Three practical ways to build thinking back into your week. A 60-minute challenge to help you think about what matters instead of rushing into another one on one If you're a senior leader buried in meetings, stuck in reaction mode, and worried your team is moving fast in the wrong direction, 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/channel/UCZpMT-dUwQR-R4Mb4uub6Sw 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 #GameProduction #StudioManagement #ThinkingFastAndSlow #BuildingBetterGames

    21 min
  5. E118: The Truth About "Culture Fit" in Game Dev

    FEB 24

    E118: The Truth About "Culture Fit" in Game Dev

    If you're a leader in game dev who feels stuck, able to spot problems but struggling to make a real difference, there is a path forward that levels up your leadership and accelerates your team, game, and career. Sign up here to learn more: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 Is your "culture fit" interview actually just a trap for hiring clones? We tackle the paradox of culture in game development. While many studios are abandoning "culture fit" to avoid echo chambers and bias, ignoring it entirely can lead to toxic hires that destroy trust and decision-making. Ben breaks down the two distinct types of culture—Taste vs. Operating System—so you can hire for high-stakes collaboration without sacrificing diversity of thought. In this episode, you'll learn: Why hiring "clones" feels good short-term, but creates blind spots that stall real problem-solving How to separate Taste Culture (optional vibes) from Operating System Culture (non-negotiables that ship work) How different decision-making and feedback models work, and how to choose the right one for your studio If you're a lead or founder torn between team diversity and everyone "just getting it," this episode gives you a clear framework to balance both—protecting your team's operating system without creating an echo chamber. 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/channel/UCZpMT-dUwQR-R4Mb4uub6Sw 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 #GameIndustryHiring #TeamBuilding #BuildingBetterGames

    38 min
  6. E117: The Real Reason Estimates Fail In Game Dev

    FEB 17

    E117: The Real Reason Estimates Fail In Game Dev

    If you're a leader in game dev who feels stuck, able to spot problems but struggling to make a real difference, there is a path forward that levels up your leadership and accelerates your team, game, and career. Sign up here to learn more: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 Stop treating your game dev estimates like a prophecy; you aren't a prophet. If your estimates keep failing, it's not because your team is bad at math; it's because you're using estimation as a fortune-telling machine instead of a decision-making tool. In this episode, Ben breaks down why "perfect" plans are a trap in the high-uncertainty world of game dev. He introduces a four-level framework—from "Priorities First" to "Relative Sizing"—to help you gain predictability, set external expectations, and find shared understanding across disciplines without killing your team's soul in meetings. What you'll learn in this episode: Why estimation isn't really about being accurate — and why predictability and velocity are only part of the picture. Why estimating work without clear priorities can actually slow teams down and lead to worse decisions How simple throughput tracking can outperform detailed estimates for forecasting — with less friction from the team When fast "blink" estimates are more useful than detailed sizing, and how they help Design, QA, and Engineering spot risk early Why the Fibonacci sequence exists in estimation — and how to avoid wasting time debating tiny differences that don't matter How to recognize when estimation isn't worth the cost, and when time-boxing is the smarter move If you're a producer or lead tired of watching your team polish a "beautiful plan" while the actual game feels like it's missing the mark, 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/channel/UCZpMT-dUwQR-R4Mb4uub6Sw 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 #ProjectManagement #BuildingBetterGames #AgileDevelopment

    31 min
  7. E116: The Real Reason Your Game Isn't Fun (It's Not Effort)

    FEB 10

    E116: The Real Reason Your Game Isn't Fun (It's Not Effort)

    If you're a leader in game dev who feels stuck, able to spot problems but struggling to make a real difference, there is a path forward that levels up your leadership and accelerates your team, game, and career. Sign up here to learn more: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 If your team keeps promising that the game will be "fun later," you aren't suffering from a lack of effort—you're suffering from a lack of prioritization. Shipping a mountain of features means nothing if you haven't validated the experience with real players. In this episode, we break down why hiding behind a massive backlog or a 100-page GDD is a "red flag" that allows teams to avoid reality for months, or even years. We explore the transition from "plan-based task work" to true "knowledge work," where the goal isn't just to finish a list, but to discover what actually makes your game great. In this episode, you'll learn: Why waiting for a "magical moment" is the fastest way to ship nothing How the L-V-N Framework (Learning, Value, Neither) helps you cut dead tasks fast Which game loops matter right now—and how to prioritize proof over polish How to balance learning in pre-production with delivering value later on Why a clear game vision is the best defense against team failure If you're a leader in game dev struggling with prioritization and watching your team build features that don't "click," 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/channel/UCZpMT-dUwQR-R4Mb4uub6Sw 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 #GameDesign #BuildingBetterGames #IndieDev #ProjectManagement

    30 min
  8. E115: The Culture Mistake Killing Game Development Teams - 4 Leadership Lessons

    FEB 3

    E115: The Culture Mistake Killing Game Development Teams - 4 Leadership Lessons

    If you're a leader in game dev who feels stuck, able to spot problems but struggling to make a real difference, there is a path forward that levels up your leadership and accelerates your team, game, and career. Sign up here to learn more: https://forms.gle/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 The game industry is undergoing a massive shift. Between the rise of "black hole games" that consume all player attention and the skyrocketing costs of AAA development, the old playbooks for leadership are breaking. In this episode, Ben is joined by Andrew Brownell, a veteran Game Director at Netflix Games. Andrew brings over 20 years of experience from industry titans like Blizzard (Warcraft III) and Riot Games (League of Legends). Together, they unpack why the "unicorn" development model is failing and why the next generation of leaders must master a new set of "soft" skills to build resilient, high-performing teams in a bleak market. What you'll learn in this episode: What Aggressive Gratitude really is and how to use it to build trust How to lead confidently when the direction isn't clear Why conflict can create clarity when handled one-on-one Why character often matters more than skill when hiring If you're a game dev leader trying to level up performance without burning people out, this episode is for you. Learn More About Our Guest: 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahbrownell/ 🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ahbrownell/ 🔗 Twitter: https://x.com/ahbrownell 🔗 ContactOut: https://contactout.com/Andrew-Brownell-3180561 🔗 Netflix LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/netflix/ 🔗 Netflix Games YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NetflixGames 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/channel/UCZpMT-dUwQR-R4Mb4uub6Sw 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 #Leadership #GameProduction #GameIndustry2026 #BuildingBetterGames

    55 min
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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.

Information

  • Creator
    Benjamin Carcich
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    142
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    Building Better Games ©2024
  • Show Website
    Building Better Games

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