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Think Like A Game Designer

Podcast Think Like A Game Designer
Justin Gary
In Think Like a Game Designer, award-winning designer and Stone Blade Entertainment CEO Justin Gary speaks with world-class game designers and creative experts ...

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  • Ryan Soave — Embracing Discomfort, Overcoming Mental Blocks, and Unlocking Creative Growth (#79)
    About Ryan SoaveRyan Soave is a healthcare executive, therapist, coach, and speaker with over 14 years of experience in mental health consulting and counseling. Ryan has dedicated his career to guiding individuals navigating personal and professional challenges. His work spans one-on-one coaching, leadership consulting, and trauma-informed therapy, helping people unlock deeper self-awareness and achieve their best work.In this episode, Ryan discusses his experiences with therapy and coaching, offering a practical framework for overcoming creative blocks, facing discomfort, and making progress in both work and life. He shares insights on how unconscious patterns shape decision-making, why emotional resilience is key to success, and how becoming more self-aware can transform personal and professional growth. Whether you’re a designer, entrepreneur, or simply someone striving for a more fulfilling life, Ryan’s wisdom provides invaluable tools to help you move forward.Ah-ha! Justin’s Takeaways* Embracing Discomfort as a Path to Growth: Ryan shared a game-changing perspective: the ability to sit with discomfort is what separates those who grow from those who stay stuck. We often try to avoid tough emotions, seeking distractions instead of facing what really needs to be addressed. Whether in creativity, business, or personal development, pushing through discomfort is what leads to breakthroughs. This hit home for me—some of my biggest successes, both in game design and entrepreneurship, only happened because I was willing to step into uncertainty rather than run from it.* The Power of Clear Goals and Intentions: One of the most eye-opening moments in our conversation was Ryan’s emphasis on setting specific, actionable goals. He pointed out that broad ambitions like “I want to be happy” or “I want to be successful” are too vague to be useful. Just like in game design, where clear objectives improve player experience, defining concrete aims in life helps eliminate frustration and keeps you on track. The clearer the target, the more likely you are to hit it.* Your Past Does Not Define Your Future: Ryan reframed trauma in a way that stuck with me—not just as major life events but as unconscious habits and strategies we develop that may no longer serve us. How often do we cling to outdated mindsets simply because they once worked? Whether in creativity, leadership, or personal relationships, we all have automatic responses shaped by our past. The key is recognizing when those responses are holding us back and having the courage to rewrite the script.Show Notes“We're helping people be able to lean into discomfort.” (00:07:01)Ryan explains that therapy isn’t about making people feel good all the time—it’s about teaching them how to handle discomfort in a productive way. Too often, people avoid difficult emotions, which only reinforces their fears and anxieties. By embracing discomfort instead of running from it, we create the opportunity for growth. This lesson applies directly to game design, where pushing through creative blocks, iterating on ideas, and facing criticism during playtests (and after the game’s release) are all inevitable parts of the process.“You’re not lazy. You just think you’re the ultimate authority of how your time should be spent.” (00:28:15)Ryan shares a bit of wisdom from a mentor who changed his view on productivity: procrastination isn’t laziness—it’s allowing emotions to dictate actions instead of committing to long-term goals. In game design, discipline and clear objectives are essential for overcoming creative blocks and finishing projects. The magic trick? Set deadlines. Small, achievable deadlines keep you focused, help to build momentum, and push you forward.“In the moments of the biggest discomfort, I'm not going to remember why I'm doing it. I'm just going to want to walk away.” (00:46:32)Ryan describes the importance of keeping your core purpose front and center. People often lose momentum in business, relationships, or creative pursuits by focusing on immediate struggles instead of the bigger picture. Having clear, daily reminders of your “why” helps push through challenges and stay on track. A microcosm of this in game design is the core mechanic—staying focused on it ensures a cohesive experience and guides every design decision. In my episode with Steven Pressfield, we explore similar strategies for managing this discomfort, which he calls Resistance. Check it out here:“You’re not seeing the world as it is—you’re seeing it through the lens of your history.” (01:02:48)Ryan explains how past experiences can unconsciously shape how we interpret new situations. To Ryan, the key to growth is recognizing when old patterns influence our current decisions and then learning to step outside of them. Self-awareness is the first step to real change in leadership, relationships, or personal development. Get full access to Think Like A Game Designer at justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe
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  • Matt Forbeck — From Warhammer to Marvel: Bold Risks, Creative Freedom, and Collaboration (#78)
    About Matt ForbeckMatt Forbeck is an award-winning and New York Times-bestselling author and game designer with a career spanning over three decades. With more than 35 novels and countless games to his name, Matt’s projects have garnered critical acclaim, winning a Peabody Award, a Scribe Award, and numerous ENNIE and Origins Awards. He is also the president of the Diana Jones Award Foundation, which celebrates excellence in gaming. His work spans iconic brands like Marvel, Warhammer 40,000, Dungeons & Dragons, Minecraft, and Halo, as well as original creations such as Shotguns & Sorcery.In this episode, Matt dives into his extraordinary journey, from freelancing fresh out of college to creating acclaimed projects like the Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game and Hard West 2. He shares lessons learned as a game designer, writer, and mentor, offering invaluable advice on building a sustainable creative career. Whether you're an aspiring creator or an industry veteran, Matt’s inspiring blend of passion, humility, and expertise is sure to resonate. Fun fact: he’s also the proud father of five, including a set of quadruplets—a feat that may rival even his most ambitious creative endeavors! Get full access to Think Like A Game Designer at justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe
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  • Alliestrasza — From Hearthstone Streaming to Web3 Gaming: Building Communities and Crafting New Worlds (#77)
    Alliestrasza joins us on today’s episode, bringing her extensive experience as a prominent streamer and influencer in the trading card game space. Best known for her long-running success as a Hearthstone content creator, Allie carved out a career in streaming that spanned nearly a decade. Recently, she has expanded her focus to game development, launching the Discord-based RPG Play Alchemy, and is also actively involved in promoting Web3 games like Parallel.In this episode, Allie shares her journey from discovering card games during her final semester of college to becoming one of the most recognizable faces in the TCG streaming world. We discuss what it takes for an influencer grow a community, the discipline required to succeed as a full-time content creator, and the lessons she’s learned in handling criticism as a public figure. Allie’s take on both traditional and Web3 gaming shows how passion, hard work, and adaptability can really pay off. Whether you're interested in streaming, game design, or building communities around shared interests, Allie’s experiences lessons that can be applied to anyone navigating a creative industry.Ah-ha! Justin’s Takeaways* Keys to Community Growth: One of the biggest insights from Allie’s experience is how personal involvement fuels community growth. Whether it was through creating fun community events or simply building relationships with fans, she demonstrated the power of caring about your community. This reinforced something I’ve seen time and time again—when developers or creators become part of the experience as personalities, it transforms the relationship with the audience.* How to Deal with Criticism: Allie’s journey to becoming a streamer wasn’t without obstacles, but what stood out was how she handled feedback—both the good and the bad. When you have a defensive response to criticism, it’s often a sign of insecurity. Allie’s ability to reflect and grow through early struggles mirrors a lesson I’ve written about before. (Check out my article on this here). Criticism, when approached with the right mindset, is one of the most powerful tools for personal and professional growth.* Work Hard Every Day to Achieve Your Goals: Allie earned success by treating her passion like a full-time job. I loved the story of her PowerPoint presentation to her parents, laying out her streaming career as a structured experiment. From day one, she approached streaming with a full-time mentality, putting in the hours to make her dream a reality. This is a huge takeaway for anyone pursuing creative goals. Treating passion projects with the same discipline as a “traditional” job dramatically improves the odds of success, especially when combined with the previous to Ah-Ha bullets. Get full access to Think Like A Game Designer at justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe
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  • Eric Dieulangard — Altered: Marketing the most successful TCG Kickstarter of all time (#75)
    Eric Dieulangard joins us on today’s episode, bringing a ton of experience from the gaming and business worlds. He is currently the Chief Marketing Officer at Equinox, where he was pivotal during the launch of Altered. This trading card game became the most successful TCG Kickstarter ever, raising over $6.6 million. His career path includes professional esports, high-level marketing, and game design; Eric understands what it takes to create impactful gaming experiences.In this episode, Eric shares his journey from competing as a professional Warcraft 3 player—becoming the first French champion in a major esports tournament—to transitioning into business and marketing leadership. Before joining Equinox, he worked at massive companies like IBM and Webedia, where he honed his skills in sales, team management, and brand growth. Eric and I also discuss lessons learned from his diverse career, offering insights on the importance of being persistent, the value of experimentation, and how to align your passions with professional purpose. Whether you’re looking to crowdfund your dream game, build a career in gaming, or find your path in a creative industry, Eric’s story is filled with awesome, actionable advice. Get full access to Think Like A Game Designer at justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe
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  • Travis George — From League of Legends to Vela Games: Prioritization, Leadership, and the Power of Constraints (#75)
    About Travis GeorgeTravis George joins us on today’s episode, bringing over two decades of experience in the video game industry. Travis has held leadership roles at renowned companies like Activision and Riot Games, where he served as the product lead for League of Legends, helping to grow the game into a global phenomenon with over 117 million monthly players. He later co-founded Vela Games, where he continues to innovate as CEO, focusing on designing new player experiences in the cooperative gaming space.In this episode, Travis shares his journey from launching his first IT services company as a teenager to pursuing a formal education in game design and eventually playing a pivotal role in building one of the most successful live-service games in history. He offers critical insights into team building, the challenges of scaling a studio, and how to align your company around vision and priorities. Travis also discusses the lessons he learned from his successes and failures, including evaluating personal and professional growth, managing creative burnout, and pivoting when necessary. Whether you’re a novice designer or a seasoned creator, Travis’s experiences and philosophies provide a treasure trove of wisdom for navigating game development. Enjoy! Get full access to Think Like A Game Designer at justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe
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Over Think Like A Game Designer

In Think Like a Game Designer, award-winning designer and Stone Blade Entertainment CEO Justin Gary speaks with world-class game designers and creative experts from various industries. Each episode deconstructs the creative process, offering insights into the art of game design and the broader cultural, technological, and business influences shaping a myriad of creative mediums. Join us for actionable advice and unique perspectives that will enrich your understanding of what it means to be creative in and out of the gaming world. justingarydesign.substack.com
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