155: GDC 2026 LIVE Special!

155: GDC 2026 LIVE Special!

Author: The Secret Lives of Games March 23, 2026 Duration: 1:29:33

Recorded live from the Game Developers Conference 2026! They gave us time in the Official Podcast Box, so we made the most of it discussing the process of writing for the IGF Awards, reflecting on the culture of GDC, and even having a couple surprise guests drop in. Let's get loose!

Audio edited by Dylan Shumway


Discussed in this episode:

Scripto

https://scripto.live/

Starfriends

https://shop.brainfruit.studio/products/starfriends-card-game 

2026 Independent Games Festival Awards

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoH4EmfB4Z4

Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet

https://store.steampowered.com/app/205730/Insanely_Twisted_Shadow_Planet/ 

Dustbiters

https://dustbiters.com/

Tooth and Tail

https://store.steampowered.com/app/286000/Tooth_and_Tail/

Brogue

https://sites.google.com/site/broguegame/ 

Caves of Qud

https://www.cavesofqud.com/

Monaco 2

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1063030/Monaco_2/


https://secretlives.games 

https://discord.gg/tslog

https://www.patreon.com/tslog


Ever wonder what really happens between the initial spark of an idea and the final product you play? The Secret Lives of Games pulls back the curtain, offering a rare, unvarnished look at the creative journey. Each episode is built around a candid conversation with a game creator, moving far beyond simple promotion to explore the messy, beautiful, and often surprising realities of their work. You’ll hear about the late-night breakthroughs, the frustrating dead ends, and the personal philosophies that shape the games we love. This podcast is less about reviews or news and more about understanding the human effort behind the pixels and code. It’s for anyone who’s curious about the art and craft of game development, whether you’re a seasoned player, an aspiring designer, or simply fascinated by creative processes. Listen in for genuine stories about problem-solving, narrative design, artistic choices, and the intricate process of building interactive worlds. These are the detailed, behind-the-scenes discussions that reveal how games truly come to life.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Secret Lives of Games
Podcast Episodes
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Elfazar's Hat [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:48:27
We're joined by Alfredo Barraza (Riot Games), Adam Dolin (God of War: Ragnarok), and Colin and Sarah Northway (Northway Games) to discuss Elfazar's Hat, the 43rd game in the UFO 50 collection. "Elfazar is hailed as a gre…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Night Manor [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:35:26
We're joined by Star St. Germain (Aconite), Madison Karrh (Birth), and Zach Aikman (Chuhai Labs) to discuss Night Manor, the 42nd game in the UFO 50 collection. "Trapped in a nightmare where you must use your wits to sur…
Into the Depths: Caves of Qud (Sidequests Special) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:30:03
In this bonus installment of our current Into the Depths series, we continue diving into Caves of Qud. This sprawling open-world roguelike has been in development since 2007 and Early Access since 2015. Doug and Rob - jo…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Lords of Diskonia [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:05:41
We're joined by Trent Kusters (League of Geeks), John Axon (Capybara Games), and Adam Dolin (God of War: Ragnarok) to discuss Lords of Diskonia, the 41st game in the UFO 50 collection. "War has come to Land of Disks, and…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Grimstone [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:18:06
We're joined by Stephanie Boluk (UC Davis), Patrick LeMieux (UC Davis), and Trent Kusters (League of Geeks) to discuss Grimstone, the 40th game in the UFO 50 collection. "Praise Biggan, the four of you survived the saloo…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Star Waspir [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:44:01
We're joined by Jay Ma (Into the Breach), Steve Gillham (OzymandiasAV), Adam Dolin (God of War: Ragnarok), and Zatoichi (Juggler/UFO 50 Enthusiast) to discuss Star Waspir, the 39th game in the UFO 50 collection. "You are…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Rakshasa [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:49:00
We're joined by Tonda Ros (Blue Prince) and doseone (Enter the Gungeon) to discuss Rakshasa, the 38th game in the UFO 50 collection. "Even death won't stop Jangi from avenging the destruction of his village by demons!" N…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Valbrace [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:26:26
We're joined by Scott Anderson (Unity), Carolyn Petit (Kotaku), Xanagear (youtube.com/xanagear), and Glove (UFO 50 Historian/ska podcaster) to discuss Valbrace, the 37th game in the UFO 50 collection. "No knight has ever…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Hyper Contender [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:40:11
We're joined by Scott Anderson (Unity), Alfredo Barraza (Riot Games), and Alex Jaffe (Riot Games) to discuss Hyper Contender, the 36th game in the UFO 50 collection. "The daring, desperate, and indebted fight for money i…
146: Ascending the Ranks with Jeff Dubbin (Competitive Lost Cities) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:07:17
Rob, Nick, Doug, and Andy chat with Jeff Dubbin, a lawyer and (at the time of recording and publication) Board Game Arena's top-ranked international player of Reiner Knizia's Lost Cities. Lost Cities is a two-player card…