Game Development Essentials - GDE Series

09/11/2026

DoubleDown's Faith Price on D2C outpacing the industry's measurement tools, acquisition for a 16-year-old app and fixing processes before layering on AI.

09/09/2026

In an interview with Reece Reilly on Kiwi Talkz, id Software producer Andrew Willis revealed that the development of DOOM: The Dark Ages – Revelations involved the worst crunch in franchise history – with developers regularly enduring 80-hour workweeks to finish the expansion in just a few months. Despite their brutal sacrifices to hit quality expectations, Willis and dozens of team members were laid off by Xbox the very day before the expansion launched.

– Insider Gaming's Mike Straw

DOOM: The Dark Ages Revelations faced brutal crunch, with developers working up to 80-hour weeks to finish the expansion before release.

09/07/2026

True labor is about the knowledge, mentorship, and foundational skills passed from one generation to the next. Honoring the educators, authors, and academic professionals working tirelessly to guide minds and elevate industries. Happy Labor Day!

09/02/2026

PAX West is upon us once again! Wishing everyone a safe, fun, and successful Labor Day weekend in Seattle 🎮

08/29/2026

Happy World Video Game Day to the educators sharing their game development expertise and the students working hard to master the craft!

08/20/2026

Ready to make the trek to gamescom? Tell us what you're most looking forward to – and have a safe trip!

08/04/2026

Sumo Digital, Code Wizards, Airship, and many more share their accumulated wisdom from years in the exdev trenches

08/04/2026

As global anxieties multiply, ​v​ideo games from Resident Evil to Mouthwashing are providing rich source material to help decode society’s problems

07/29/2026

Kotaku's Rebekah Valentine talks with game designer Bennett Foddy – who credits Super Mario Sunshine as a foundational inspiration for the walking simulator, Baby Steps. He praises its tactile world, expressive movement, and experimental design – arguing that the harsh critical backlash against Sunshine’s rough edges discouraged big-budget studios from taking creative risks.

How the summery heat of Isle Delfino inspired the grueling hike of Baby Steps

07/24/2026

In an interview on PlayStation Inside (PSI), former PlayStation chief Shawn Layden warns that ballooning development costs (often topping $100 million) have crushed risk tolerance in the game industry – driving studios toward safe, repetitive formulas like shooters and sequels. He argues that this lack of creative variety prevents developers from making quirky, innovative titles like PaRappa the Rapper or Katamari Damacy that could attract new audiences.

– GamesRadar+'s Catherine Lewis

Shawn Layden says "if every throw of the dice is triple digit millions, then risk tolerance goes to about zero"