Peter Nagy is a prominent figure in the video game industry and a pioneer in Central Europe and Slovakia’s game development ecosystem. As the co-founder of Slovakia's oldest game development studio, Games Farm, Nagy brings over 20 years of experience in creating engaging, story-driven RPG games. He is also the founder of Grindstone, the country’s first publishing company focused on business development and support for indie game developers. In addition to these roles, he founded Game Dev Košice, an international conference for game developers, and co-founded the Slovak Game Developers Association, initiatives aimed at fostering collaboration and growth within the industry.

Tune in to learn about Peter's remarkable journey from starting a game studio at 18 to expanding into publishing, the challenges of developing games in an underdeveloped Slovakian market, and advice for aspiring entrepreneurs in the gaming sector.

In this episode, Lizzie Mintus interviews Kevin Johnson, Director of Development at Double Fine Productions (now part of Xbox Games Studios), about his journey through the game industry and his role in fostering the studio’s collaborative and innovative culture.

Kevin takes us behind the scenes of the making of Psychonauts 2, sharing how the team brought their vision to life while prioritizing mental health representation, accessibility, and deeply immersive storytelling. He also offers insights into the art of thriving within constraints, the power of proactive problem-solving, and what it takes to balance creative ambition with production demands—while emphasizing the importance of avoiding the crunch culture that often plagues the gaming industry.

Jen MacLean, co-founder and CEO of a new studio, Dragon Snacks Games, is building social role-playing experiences that resonate with younger audiences. Formerly Xbox's General Manager of Creator Partnerships, she managed top partner relationships and co-led content strategies. With a passion for gaming, she also held senior roles in game development, driving worldwide business development at AWS and serving as Executive Director for the IGDA and IGDA Foundation.

In this episode, Jen shares her journey in the gaming industry and the vision behind Dragon Snacks Games. She offers insights into designing safe, engaging games for Gen Z and Gen Alpha, exploring their unique preferences and how to capture their attention. Jen also highlights the importance of fostering clear values and principles in startups and explains how Dragon Snacks Games aims to fill critical gaps in the gaming industry.