Business of Video Games Podcast Episode 45 - The Emotional Battle - Chris Bourassa and Tyler Sigman
It's time to continue our conversation with Chris and Tyler som Red Hook Studios!
In this second half of our interview with Red Hook Studios founders Chris and Tyler, we focus on what happened after Darkest Dungeon 1. Wrapping up Kickstarter commitments, the surprising intensity of Early Access, and how the game’s success never really gave the team a chance to slow down.
Among other things, we also touch on their DLC approach, some of the business decisions behind Darkest Dungeon 2 and why they ultimately accepted an Epic Games Store deal that fully funded the sequel despite community pushback.
Beyond the interview, Shams and Fernando also get into the state of industry events like GDC, plus what they’ve been playing and thinking about lately - because even in a packed episode, there’s always room for a little extra.
Find Red Hook Studios on Steam here
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Business of Video Games Podcast Episode 44 - Releasing Darkest Dungeon - Chris Bourassa and Tyler Sigman
We are back!
And what a time to be alive when we start of Season 4 with two real bangers.
Chris Bourassa and Tyler Sigman are the creative minds behind Darkest Dungeon and co-founders of Red Hook Studios. Chris - who still believes he’s not really an artist, despite shaping one of the most iconic visual styles in gaming - joins forces with Tyler, the design wizard and production mastermind.
In this episode (the first of two), we dive into their backstory, unpack their Kickstarter ride, and explore how they turned stress, madness, and misery into one of the most unforgettable indie darlings out there.
Find Red Hook Studios on Steam
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Business Of Video Games Episode 43 - Games industry myths - Season 3 finale
In our final episode of the season, Shams and Fernando drop the guest format to tackle a few persistent myths and misconceptions that have been quietly annoying us all year.
We dig into things like:
How a game can be a bestseller and still be considered a disappointment
What minority investments really mean — and what they don’t
No shouting, no hot takes (okay, maybe one), just two people who’ve seen a few things, trying to make sense of a business that often doesn't.
Thanks for listening this season — see you soon.
support us on patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BusinessOfVideoGames
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Business Of Video Games Episode 42 - Should You Be Shadow Dropping Your Games? Feat. Landfall
Nobody does shadow drops (the act of releasing a game with no advance marketing) quite like Landfall Games, who've done it many times; most recently moving 2 million units of PEAK in less than 2 weeks after shadow dropping it in June.
Fernando talks to Landfall's Chief Business Officer Rebecca Lautner and Head of Publishing Kirsten-Lee Naidoo to get the inside story of how they've become the masters of this unusual tactic.
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Business Of Video Games Episode 41 - Business War Stories with XCOM Creator Jake Solomon
XCOM designer and Sid Meier protege Jake Solomon is embarking on a new mission: CEO of his own studio. Jake gives Shams and Fernando a window into his extraordinary career, telling stories from his days at Firaxis and talking about his journey to found Midsummer Studios.
Follow Jake's progress at https://www.midsummerstudios.com/
Welcome to The Business of Video Games Podcast.A show where we shed some light on the inner workings of the games industry—the why, how, who, and what the hell?! behind business decisions, publishing calls, and the steps (and missteps) that happen behind the scenes.
Basically: the inside view on how and why things are actually done the way they are. Not just guesswork on 4Chan.
The podcast is hosted by Shams Jorjani (CEO of Arrowhead Game Studios, Chairman of the Board at Hooded Horse, and founder of the Almost Ready Games Fund) and Fernando Rizo (former Chief Sales & Business Development Officer at Raw Fury, now Partner at Kaboodle Games).
In every episode, we invite a guest from the industry to unpack an interesting decision or event, share lessons learned, or explain why all of us armchair experts got it wrong (or occasionally right).
This podcast previously ran for four years at Paradox Interactive and was available there until they decided to remove it. It might yet return someday—as a DLC in one of their games.
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