IndieGameBusiness®

In this episode of IndieGameBusiness, we’re joined by Joe Dietsch, CEO, Creative Director, and Co-Founder of Wolf Haus Games. Joe shares his unconventional path into game development, starting as an outsider with no formal game development background and learning Unreal Engine through YouTube before eventually founding his own studio.

We discuss the journey of building Wolf Haus Games around an original, untested IP and the creation of JOIN US, a narrative-driven survival game inspired by real-life events, films, and classic games. Joe explains the unique challenges of blending cinematic storytelling with survival gameplay, tackling difficult subject matter around cults, and creating a game that encourages players to think while they play.

The conversation also explores the realities of launching a game across multiple platforms with a small team, balancing creative ambition with production constraints, and the lessons learned while building a studio from the ground up.

If you're an indie developer wondering how to turn passion into a studio, or how to bring a bold original vision to life without a AAA budget, this episode is full of practical advice and firsthand experience.

Follow Joe Dietsch and Wolf Haus Games:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joedietsch/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wolfhausgames/

#IndieGameBusiness #WolfHausGames #JOINUS #IndieDev #GameDevelopment

Join Jay Powell for a special IndieGameBusiness Fireside Chat with Julia da Silva Brito from Indie Hero. In this conversation, they’ll discuss the indie game industry, supporting developers, building communities, and the challenges and opportunities facing indie studios today.

Julia will share insights from her experience with Indie Hero, thoughts on the evolving indie landscape, and perspectives on helping developers grow both creatively and professionally. Expect an honest, relaxed conversation filled with industry insight, personal experiences, and practical discussion around the realities of indie game development.

As always with Fireside Chats, the discussion will be conversational and audience focused, with opportunities for questions and live interaction throughout the stream.

Follow Julia da Silva Brito:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianasilvabrito/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jsibrito/

#IndieGameBusiness #FiresideChat #IndieHero #IndieDev #GameIndustry

In this IndieGameBusiness Fireside Chat, Jay Powell sits down with Fedor van Herpen, Co-founder and Partnership Director at MeetToMatch, for a conversation about networking, events, and building a company in the games industry.

Fedor shares the story behind MeetToMatch, how it has grown into a key platform for connecting developers, publishers, and industry professionals, and what it takes to run successful networking events at scale. The discussion also dives into the realities of building and operating a company, lessons learned along the way, and how meaningful connections can shape careers and studios.

Jay and Fedor also talk about their experience working together through The Powell Group and IndieGameBusiness, offering a behind-the-scenes look at collaboration in the industry.

If you want to understand how networking actually works in the game industry and how to make the most of it, this Fireside Chat delivers valuable insight.

Follow Fedor van Herpen:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fjvanherpen/

#IndieGameBusiness #FiresideChat #MeetToMatch #GameIndustry #Networking

In this episode of IndieGameBusiness, we’re joined by Charlie Brandick, Founder of Quetzal-Core Games, for an honest conversation about the realities of building a career in game development.

Charlie’s journey is anything but traditional. Before games, he was an elementary school teacher and aspiring professional musician. He eventually broke into the industry through a chance conversation that led to his first role as a junior game designer. Since then, he has worked across mobile, VR, AR, Disney Imagineering, and Riot Games, where he served as a Game Director on Valorant's mobile and console efforts. Today, he leads Quetzal-Core Games and is developing Soulway, a narrative-driven management sim about helping souls find their way to the afterlife.

We discuss how to know whether game development is a career or a passion project, how indie developers can build meaningful professional relationships, and what Charlie had to unlearn while moving between startups, AAA studios, and indie development. We also explore how aspiring developers can gain industry knowledge, how to decide what skills to focus on, and the personal costs of building games over the long term.

If you've ever wondered what it really takes to build a life in game development, this conversation offers practical advice, hard-earned lessons, and a refreshing dose of honesty.

Follow Charlie Brandick and Soulway:
X: https://x.com/playsoulway
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-brandick/
Discord: https://discord.gg/Q2QSQ7hFMa
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulwaygame

#IndieGameBusiness #GameDevelopment #IndieDev #Soulway #QuetzalCoreGames

In this episode of IndieGameBusiness, we’re joined by Darren Williams, Founder & CEO of MinMax Game Consulting, to explore a question every developer should ask: why do some great games fail to find an audience?Using Bayonetta as a case study, Darren breaks down the lessons indie developers can learn from games that were critically acclaimed but struggled to achieve commercial success. We discuss the dangers of being unique for the sake of being unique, the importance of release timing, and why awareness alone is rarely enough to guarantee success.Darren also shares insights into modern game marketing, including why developers should rethink traditional marketing funnels, why metrics and measurement matter more than ever, and how to build a pre-release plan that can adapt as circumstances change. We’ll also examine how AAA publishing approaches differ from indie development and why smaller studios have opportunities that larger publishers often miss.If you want to better understand the relationship between great games, great marketing, and commercial success, this episode is packed with practical lessons you can apply to your own projects.Follow Darren Williams: LinkedIn:   / darrencwilliams  

#IndieGameBusiness #GameMarketing #IndieDev #GamePublishing #GameBusinessAsk