Ed Fries joins hosts Jordan Weisman and Jonathan Grant to show how a teenage arcade hacker became the exec who helped turn Microsoft into a gaming powerhouse. Curiosity first, constraints as fuel, and a ruthless respect for shipping, that hacker ethos still drives how he works & builds things today.

Check out Ed's venture fund 1Up Ventures - where he's building a community of the most talented, experienced, and creative independent game developers in the world.
https://1upfund.com/

Don't forget to check out the IDGA, he world’s largest nonprofit membership organization supporting the people who make games.
https://igda.org/

Quick reference mentioned by Ed:

• Amir Satvat’s “Dear parent” letter: A frank, supportive overview for families weighing game careers, with realistic odds and next steps.
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/amirsatvat_dear-parent-of-a-college-high-school-or-activity-7316429901132165125-vFYb/

• Amir Satvat’s “Harsh truth about game degrees”: Data on employability by role, what to study, and practical alternatives.
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/amirsatvat_the-harsh-truth-about-game-degrees-too-many-activity-7324100230067453952-YaW2/

00:00 Jordan Weisman and Jonathan Grant welcome Ed Fries
07:13 Early Hacker Days
17:37 Excel's "Sindogs" Bug
25:07 Joining Microsoft's Games Group
29:00 Navigating Corporate Politics
36:28 Xbox Origins & Brand Battles
46:39 Building Game Portfolios
59:52 Post-Microsoft & Family Focus
01:05:48 Passion vs. Profit in Gaming
01:15:22 1Up Ventures & New Bets
01:21:23 Advice for Young Creators
01:27:52 Regrets & The Fickle Nature of Pitches
01:34:57 Closing & What's Next

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Art Director & visual powerhouse Daniel Dociu joins Jordan Weisman and Jonathan Grant to torch “style bibles,” praise imperfections, and argue that art should grow like aged cheese - slow, organic, story-first. He recalls sketching Crimson Skies, turning Guild Wars into a “playable painting,” and painting The Expanse covers with zero notes. The trio spar over rapid prototyping, AI’s coming shake-up, and how small, gutsy teams can still out-create lumbering megaprojects.

Check out Daniel's INCREDIBLE ArtStation, where you can find many examples of his amazing work:
https://www.artstation.com/daniel_dociu

00:00 Jordan Weisman and Jonathan Grant welcome Daniel Dociu
05:12 Daniel's Unique & Definitional Style
07:27 Style Can't Be Frozen - It Must Be Grown
12:31 Style Guides vs Real Creativity
17:32 Conducting an Art “Orchestra” of Hundreds
23:44 Becoming Distinctive by Accepting Imperfection
32:22 Directing Art by Starting Conversations
35:09 On Sequels & Sameness
40:19 Navigating AI's Role in Creativity
40:27 AI, First Chairs, and the Future's Smaller Teams
45:56 Concentric Development: Prove Fun Before Polish
49:41 Personalization vs. Localization in Gaming
54:25 The Destructive Nature of the Approvals in Games
01:08:08 Painting The Expanse: A No-Notes Approval Story

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Mitch Gitelman: Building MechCommander, Shadowrun, Battletech - And Why Kindness Wins

Game-making maestro Mitch Gitelman sits down with Jordan and Jonathan to spill the wild origin story of how “a kid who didn’t know what a pixel was” bluffed his way into Sony - and then built classics like MechCommander, Shadowrun Returns, and BattleTech. From goat-pasture negotiations and Microsoft war stories to why “improvise, adapt, overcome” (and a lot of kindness) still beat crunch and corporate ego, this episode all about creative hustle and staying human in AAA chaos.

Check out SLICE - Seattle Loves Indie Creators Expo, is a one-day games industry conference that Mitch is helping out with:
https://seattleslice.org/

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