After 30 years at the top of entertainment, Marko Djurdjevic reached a point where nothing in client work excited him anymore. So he shifted his focus to building an entire transmedia universe, funding it out of pocket while his wife runs the outsourcing side of SIXMOREVODKA. The Kickstarter launches February 26th alongside a free playable Steam demo.

Marko is one of the most prolific cover artists Marvel has ever had. He produced 82 covers in his first year, was deliberately placed on titles close to cancellation because his art spiked sales, and ran 23 consecutive issues on Daredevil. His concept art fed the early MCU, and his studio held a seven-year exclusive partnership with Riot Games on League of Legends.

The conversation covers why client work stopped exciting him after 30 years, what The Last Unicorn at age six taught him about storytelling, how a viral X-Men redesign brought Marvel's talent scouts to his door at the exact moment he'd met his wife, and why he believes 2008 was the last great year of cinema.

Marko shares the painful lessons from Degenesis, a cult tabletop RPG that collapsed when free PDF downloads hit 3,000 per release while sales dropped to 80. That failure shaped everything about his new franchise, Orken, which spans novels, illustrated editions, graphic novels, and a video game built with Demagog Studio.

In 16 months he's produced 1,400 edited pages, over 350 original illustrations, and six books for print. He survived two heart surgeries during production. His wife thinks he's lost his mind. His son read the first novel and pitched it back as a 10-episode animated series.

This is a conversation about creative ownership, the cost of building something that's fully yours, and why the future of independent storytelling depends on small authentic communities rather than viral moments.

Timestamps:

00:00 Building a multimedia IP from scratch

01:14 Meet Marko Djurdjevic

02:35 No books at home: drawing as survival and 80s influences

04:30 Why The Last Unicorn still hits after 40 years

05:21 What's wrong with modern storytelling?

07:15 The anatomy book that changed everything at age 11

08:41 The viral X-Men redesign that brought Marvel calling

10:15 82 covers, cancelled titles, and the art of keeping deadlines

13:10 Beyond Marvel: the MCU pipeline and building a studio

15:32 Riot and League of Legends: seven years of exclusivity

19:17 2008 was peak cinema and he never went back

20:13 Orken's visual DNA: cultures the games industry ignores

23:01 Why creator-owned work dies in large teams

25:00 Degenesis: 3,000 downloads, 80 sales, and pulling the plug

27:35 How failure shaped Orken's transmedia architecture

29:11 Novels, graphic novels, illustrated editions, and a video game

30:49 The real motivation: autonomy, mastery, and running out of time

32:54 1,400 pages, two heart surgeries, and a Kickstarter

36:39 Working with his wife while betting against her instincts

42:19 The future of indie storytelling

43:55 Closing thoughts

• Orken Kickstarter (live February 26th)
• Wishlist Orken on Steam (free demo February 26th)
• SIXMOREVODKA
• Discord: https://discord.com/invite/sixmorevodka

Host: Pete Bell

Guest: Marko Djurdjevic

This podcast is produced by Purpose Made.

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BioShock creator KEN LEVINE reveals why he spent 10 years building his most personal game yet - where relationships are living systems that track hundreds of your choices and genuinely change how characters feel about you.

Ken Levine is the creative director of Ghost Story Games and legendary founder of Irrational Games. He created the BioShock series and System Shock 2 - games that earned multiple Game of the Year awards and redefined narrative storytelling in gaming. After BioShock Infinite, he made the controversial decision to close a 200-person studio and start over with a small team, spending the last decade developing revolutionary "Narrative LEGO" technology for his new game, Judas.

In this conversation, Ken reveals:

◼️ Why his Atari 2600 was his best friend growing up - and how childhood loneliness shaped his career

◼️ The brutal truth: "We were lost for 5 years" in Judas development

◼️ How Judas characters track hundreds of player actions and genuinely change their feelings about you

◼️ The quality standard that transformed his creative process.

◼️ Why he walked away from guaranteed BioShock to risk everything on an experiment

◼️ What George Orwell's 1984 taught him about game design

◼️ The vending machine confession: why he created his most autobiographical character yet

◼️ Why games matter to people and how they provide refuge

TIMESTAMPED CHAPTERS:

(00:00) Introduction to Ken Levine and His Work

(00:59) Ken Levine's Journey and Inspirations

(03:23) The Concept of Narrative Lego

(08:13) Building Complex Relationships in Games

(09:52) Challenges and Evolution in Game Development

(14:15) Influences and Reflections on the Gaming Industry

(29:51) Philosophical and Literary Influences

(34:38) Exploring Horror as Metaphor

(35:07) Family Dynamics in Storytelling

(35:51) Political Themes and Personal Reflections

(37:29) The Role of Ideology in Games

(42:56) Character Development and Narrative Depth

(44:29) Challenges and Rewards of Game Development

(1:00:07) Adapting Games to Other Media

(1:03:59) Final Thoughts and Reflections

Follow Ken Levine:

Ghost Story Games - https://www.ghoststorygames.com/

Watch the Judas Official Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5_r-un--bA

Ken's GDC Talk on Narrative LEGO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58FWUkA8y2Q

Play the BioShock Series: https://store.steampowered.com/agecheck/sub/127633

Subscribe for more deep dives with legendary game creators

📺 Watch Next: The REAL Reason Hollywood Only Makes Sequels Now - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJJ29cn0XZw&t=24s

💬 Drop a comment: What game world gave you a place to escape to when you needed it most?

Ken Levine's approach to game development has always prioritized deep narrative design and player agency. From his early work on System Shock 2 to the critically acclaimed BioShock series, Levine has consistently pushed boundaries in video game storytelling. His new project, Judas, represents a decade of game development focused on creating dynamic character relationships through innovative Narrative LEGO systems. The BioShock creator's journey from Irrational Games to Ghost Story Games showcases how AAA game development can embrace experimental design while maintaining immersive sim traditions. This interview explores game design philosophy, the creative process behind building revolutionary AI-driven character systems, and why emotional storytelling in games matters more than ever.

#KenLevine #BioShock #GameDevelopment #Judas #GhostStoryGames

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Stefan Lampinen has been gaming's secret weapon for 40 years. He launched Xbox 360 in Russia when everyone said it was impossible. He watched the rise and fall of Nokia. He was in the room when Minecraft turned down buyers flying in with blank checks. Now he's breaking his silence on what's really coming in 2025 and why the industry's about to change forever.

This conversation reveals the shifts happening RIGHT NOW that will determine gaming's next decade.

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 – The Gift from Bill Gates.

2:45 – 18 years old. Opens game store, becomes Nordic's gaming gateway.

8:30 – Xbox 360: How they beat PlayStation to digital.

15:20 – "Russia was impossible" - How he conquered it anyway.

22:15 – Nokia beat iPhone by 4 years (and still failed spectacularly. Why)

28:40 – Why Sweden is gaming's best sandbox.

35:10 – Inside Minecraft's war room (shielding them from the world's buyers).

42:30 – "The industry just hit maturity" - What that actually means.

48:15 – GTA 6 will eat EVERYTHING (The industry doesn't understand what's coming).

52:40 – Europe's studios are dying - The exodus nobody's discussing.

58:20 – The Last of Us changed the game (Hollywood finally gets it).

1:04:00 – Saudi Arabia's power play (it's not what you think).

1:08:30 – His #1 career lesson after 40 years.

KEY REVELATIONS

"People were flying in from all over the world wanting to buy Minecraft. My job was to shield them."

"GTA 6 is going to take enormous amounts of players and money from EVERYTHING. The industry doesn't understand what's coming."

"Sweden had 70% gaming penetration because we don't dub. We had to learn English. We had to think global from day one."

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🌍 Our website: https://www.purposemade.uk/

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“There was never a video game curse. Just bad producers who didn't play or respect or appreciate games.” – Dmitri M. Johnson, Story Kitchen

Hollywood’s video game curse? Total myth! Sonic and The Last of Us show adaptations thrive when creators respect games. With 3 billion gamers worldwide, game-to-screen hits are soaring. As an ex-EA gamer, I’m pumped to share this episode with Story Kitchen’s Dmitri M. Johnson and Mike Goldberg (Sonic, Tomb Raider, Streets of Rage).

We unpack why game movies fail, Sonic’s 10-year saga, and 2025’s hottest adaptations. Subscribe for more gaming insights!

What You’ll Learn:

> 0:28 – Sonic’s 10-year fight to the screen

> 5:14 – Passion-driven IP picks

> 12:39 – Netflix’s adaptation boom

> 21:49 – Future game franchises to watch

> 28:31 – Tomb Raider’s evolution

> 33:31 – Keys to killer creative teams

> 46:32 – Next big game-to-screen hits

Love games or films? Comment your dream adaptation - Mass Effect, Payday, or A Plague Tale?

Watch on YouTube for the best experience

Share and subscribe!

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Deadpool’s co-creator Fabian Nicieza on storytelling's future, AI’s threat to creativity, and why characters still save lives.

In this powerful and wide-ranging episode, Deadpool co-creator Fabian Nicieza joins Peter Bell on the Purpose Made podcast to talk about what it really means to build enduring characters and what’s being lost in today’s race toward AI-driven content.

Fabian reflects on four decades in storytelling, from Marvel's golden era to transmedia’s unrealised promise, and shares the emotional weight of creating characters that help people navigate trauma, cancer, and loss.

He also dives deep into the creative and moral challenge AI poses to future generations of artists. This isn’t just an industry conversation, it’s a human one.

Whether you’re a writer, founder, or fan of good stories, this is the episode that challenges you to ask: What kind of world are we building?

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction: From Marvel to Deadpool

04:32 – Deadpool’s origin and emotional impact

12:15 – The evolution of storytelling (simplicity to complex simplicity)

18:40 – The Deadpool effect: humour + trauma = healing

28:55 – AI and the end of creativity

43:00 – Transmedia: Dream vs. Reality

55:15 – How creatives should handle fandom backlash

01:02:30 – Can stories still survive without storytellers?

Guest Bio:

Fabian Nicieza is a legendary writer and editor known for his iconic work at Marvel Comics, including X-Men, X-Force, and co-creating Deadpool. With a career spanning 40+ years, he’s also worked with DC Comics, Mattel, Acclaim, and Starlight Runner. His novels Suburban Dick's and The Self-Made Widow received critical acclaim, including an Edgar Award nomination.

Resource Links:

Fabian’s book: Suburban Dick's (https://amzn.to/4kF17BD)

Purpose Made website: www.purposemade.uk

Listen on Spotify: Purpose Made Podcast (https://open.spotify.com/show/66hrGrtDSwBJUzIGF6f5eg?si=4d7031600d3c433e)

🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on purpose, creativity & the future: https://www.youtube.com/@UCftFt-Pd7xe1f0XY0K-dX4w

Connect with Fabian Nicieza:

• Twitter/X: @FabianNicieza

• Website: fabiannicieza.com

#Deadpool #FabianNicieza #Storytelling #AIandCreativity #PurposeMadePodcast #Transmedia #Marvel #CreativeProcess #FutureOfArt

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Jeff Gomez, CEO of Starlight Runner & architect behind Marvel, Spider-Man, & Pirates of the Caribbean transmedia universes and more, reveals how storytelling is evolving in the digital age & why narrative shapes reality. In this profound conversation, Jeff shares his journey from a traumatic childhood in 1960s NYC to becoming the pioneer behind transmedia storytelling for the world's biggest franchises. Discover how Jeff's early escape into Japanese media like Godzilla laid the foundation for his revolutionary approach to creating interconnected story worlds across multiple platforms. Jeff reveals the shift from the traditional hero's journey to what he calls "collective journey narratives" - a storytelling model designed for our interconnected world. He explains how this approach has not only transformed entertainment but has been applied to address real-world crises in Colombia, Mexico, and Afghanistan. Learn why Jeff believes AI will dramatically change how stories are created while potentially threatening authentic human connection. The conversation explores why world-building comes before character development in transmedia, why Hollywood often treats IP as a funnel rather than a framework, and how ethical considerations must guide immersive environments.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 The Power and Wisdom of Storytelling

00:21 Jeff Gomez: From Chaos to Creativity

01:49 The Birth of a Storyteller

04:40 Early Influences: Godzilla and Japanese Media

08:06 Dungeons and Dragons: A Gateway to Story Worlds

09:07 From Fanzines to Professional Storytelling

11:22 World Building in Magic: The Gathering

13:09 Transmedia Storytelling in Hollywood

23:32 The Collective Journey: A New Narrative Model

28:27 Transmedia for Social Change

32:49 The Evolution of Social Media Personas

34:15 Impact of Social Media on Emotional Well-being

34:33 Narrative in the Digital Age

36:07 Story World Architecture and World Building

37:58 Audience Interaction and Fan Engagement

39:07 Geosynchronous Storytelling and Content Discoverability

40:24 Video Games and Narrative Adaptations

42:11 Current Trends in Storytelling

45:40 The Role of AI in Human Relationships

50:29 Hope for the Future of Storytelling

52:41 Transmedia Storytelling: Origins and Evolution

57:09 Emotional Resonance in Story Worlds

59:03 Ethical Considerations in Immersive Content

01:00:33 Final Thoughts and Takeaways

ABOUT JEFF GOMEZ:

Jeff Gomez is the CEO of Starlight Runner Entertainment and a leading expert in story world development and narrative design. His pioneering work in transmedia storytelling has shaped how major franchises expand across multiple platforms. Jeff has contributed to blockbuster properties including Spider-Man, Pirates of the Caribbean, Avatar, Halo, and Men in Black. His innovative approach to narrative has been applied not only in entertainment but also in addressing sociopolitical challenges worldwide.

EPISODE SUMMARY:

This conversation explores how storytelling is evolving in our digital age, the shift from hero's journey to collective narratives, and why Jeff believes that "if we have the power of Gods, we require the wisdom of Gods to use that power - and wisdom comes out of narrative." Learn how proper story architecture creates emotional resonance, why Hollywood often mismanages IP development, and how AI is transforming both storytelling and human relationships.

📱 CONNECT WITH JEFF:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffgomez/

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Entertainment attorney Simon Pulman (Prior Cashman, NYC) reveals how to build billion-dollar transmedia franchises without risking studio collapse. Learn the formula top 1% of adaptations use.

The entertainment industry faces its biggest paradigm shift in decades. While Hollywood struggles with declining theatre attendance and rising production costs, gaming properties are creating the most successful adaptations in history. Entertainment lawyer Simon Pulman breaks down exactly why this is happening and how it's transforming deal structures across the industry.

In this eye-opening conversation, Pulman reveals how individual incentives are driving risk-aversion across studios, why original scripts have been replaced by IP acquisitions, and the shocking truth about how "Hollywood created Netflix" through short-term financial decisions that destroyed their long-term business model.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Introduction to Simon Pulman's expertise

02:14 Why original scripts dominated in the 90s vs franchise dominance today

04:35 The audience shift: Why people won't leave home for cinema anymore

07:18 How international content (Squid Game, anime) is reshaping Hollywood

10:47 Snow White remake failure: Budget vs ROI analysis

13:30 Community: The undervalued asset Hollywood ignores but gaming understands

17:42 The Holy Trinity of successful adaptations: Last of Us, Fallout, Mario

21:36 Why honoring IP is non-negotiable for successful adaptations

26:55 How transmedia success drives game sales - the feedback loop

30:10 The weekly episode model vs. binge culture for deeper engagement

33:22 Netflix's gaming strategy: Can they leverage their IPs effectively?

39:08 BioWare's storytelling potential beyond games

43:15 The new deal paradigm: How game companies flipped Hollywood's ownership model

49:40 Roblox's untapped potential: Why it's creating tomorrow's entertainment moguls

56:28 AI's complex entertainment industry implications

57:45 Entertainment predictions for next 12 months

About Simon Pulman:

Simon Pulman is an entertainment attorney with Prior Cashman in New York City, specialising in deals across television, motion pictures, podcasts, video games, and publishing. He helps companies develop, produce, and finance media projects during a period of unprecedented technological and audience behaviour change.

The Transmedia Revolution:

This episode explores how successful properties like The Last of Us have created a virtuous cycle where shows drive game sales and games build audience anticipation for new seasons - all while maintaining the core emotional elements that connected with audiences originally.

Join the Conversation:

What gaming property do you think deserves the Last of Us treatment next? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Connect with Simon:

Find Simon Pulman on LinkedIn for more insights on entertainment law and industry trends.

Subscribe for more industry insights:

🎮 YouTube:‪@PurposeMadePodcast‬

🎧 Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/66hrGrt...

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