EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Epilogue: Final developer interview

EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Epilogue: Final developer interview

Author: The Secret Lives of Games September 26, 2025 Duration: 2:11:35

We're joined by (most of) the developers of UFO 50 - Derek Yu, Jon Perry, Eirik Suhrke, Tyriq Plummer, and Paul Hubans - to close out our series with a project-spanning discussion of their development process, how they're feeling a year out from launch, and so much more.

Next week: Who knows??

Audio edited by Dylan Shumway

Discussed in this episode:

868-HACK

https://868-hack.neocities.org/ 

Eggplant: The Secret Lives of Games Presents: A Year of UFO 50 Finale Eggstravaganza - LIVE! Recording

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTHuGIU3wRI 

Eggplant Merch!

https://cottonbureau.com/people/eggplant-the-secret-lives-of-games-podcast 

 A Year of Block Koala

https://redcircle.com/shows/4e5322d3-2ea6-42dc-bfb3-18a427384a68

Roguelike Celebration 2025 (Including Fireside Chat with Jon Perry!)

https://www.roguelike.club/event2025.html 

 Time Barons

https://www.time-barons.com/about.html 

 Middleditch and Schwartz

https://www.middleditchandschwartz.com/ 

SPONTANEANATION with Paul F. Tompkins

https://www.earwolf.com/show_archive/spontaneanation-with-paul-f-tompkins-archive/ 

Scrubbin' Trubble (Tyriq's upcoming game)

https://scrubbintrubble.com/

Madhouse (Paul's upcoming game)

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3727130/MADHOUSE/ 

 UFO 50 Physical Edition

https://www.fangamer.com/products/ufo-50-game-nintendo-switch-deluxe-edition 



https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow 

http://discord.gg/eggplant 

https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow


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 - Golfaria [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:30:36
We're joined by John Axon (Capybara Games) and Ben Wilson (Die Gute Fabrik) to discuss Golfaria, the 18th game in the UFO 50 collection. "Deep beneath the fairway, a golf ball awakens. Where did it come from? What is its…
144: Keeping it Queer with Mo Cohen and Hagen Deloss (Queer Quest) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:22:55
We chat with Mo Cohen (Queermo Games) and Hagen Deloss about Queer Quest, a point-and-click adventure that's best described as "gay Monkey Island meets feminist Leisure Suit Larry". Audio edited by Dylan Shumway. Show no…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Campanella [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:22:06
We're joined by Carolyn Petit (Kotaku) and Russ Frushtick (Polygon) to discuss Campanella, the 17th game in the UFO 50 collection. "Fly the Campanella through five challenging worlds! And don't forget to stop for coffee!…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Camouflage [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:40:14
We're joined by Adam Saltsman (Finji) and Izzy Kestrel (Funomena, No Goblin) to discuss Camouflage, the 16th game in the UFO 50 collection. "Blend in with your surroundings to evade predators and fulfill your destiny." N…
143: Games of the Year 2024 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:15:18
The whole crew assembles to share our personal five favorite games of 2024, alongside picks from previous show guests and our listeners. Happy 2025! Audio edited by Dylan Shumway. Our GOTY picks (SPOILERS): Doug: Xenosph…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Block Koala [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:25:25
We're joined by Patrick Traynor (Patrick's Parabox) and Frank Lantz (Universal Paperclips, NYU Game Center) to discuss Block Koala, the 15th game in the UFO 50 collection. "Flamingus has stolen all the water! Solve puzzl…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Bushido Ball [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:38:57
We're joined by Casey Yano (Mega Crit), Trent Kusters (League of Geeks), and Alfredo Barraza (Riot) to discuss Bushido Ball, the 14th game in the UFO 50 collection. "It's the annual Bushido Ball tournament. Choose from 6…
Into the Depths: Caves of Qud (Part 2) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:02:07
In the 2nd installment of our current Into the Depths series, we dive into Caves of Qud. This sprawling open-world roguelike has been in development since 2007 and Early Access since 2015, and in this episode we celebrat…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Mooncat [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:41:07
We're joined by Bennett Foddy (Getting Over It), Kenny Sun (Mr. Sun's Hatbox), and Zach Aikman (Chuhai Labs) to discuss Mooncat, the 13th game in the UFO 50 collection. "Jump and dash through forests, caves and mountains…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - SPECIAL - Developer Interview [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:23:22
We're joined by UFO 50 developers Derek Yu, Jon Perry, and Eirik Suhrke to discuss the first 12 (?) games in the collection. http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow