Think Like A Game Designer

Latest Episodes:

Tim Ferriss — Designing Coyote, Playing to Learn, Publishing Truths, and Saying "No" (#89) Aug 07, 2025

Show notes

About Tim Ferriss

Tim Ferriss is a category of one. His innovative approach to life and business has helped him to launch 5 New York Times Bestellers, build one of the most influential podcasts in the world with over one billion downloads, become an early stage investor in companies like Uber, Facebook, Shopify, Duolingo and more. His #1 New York Times Bestselling Book, The 4-Hour Work Week, was part of the inspiration for me to quit my job and start my own company (you can here more of that story in my appearance on Tim’s podcast here). And now he has taken all of those skills and brought them to game design with the release of Coyote. We dive deep on all of these topics and learn how Tim selects and approaches each new arena he seeks to conquer. Tim deliver’s on many insights that will apply to you regardless of your creative field.

Think Like A Game Designer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe

Cole Wehrle — Cute Creatures, Brutal Games, Asymmetric Design, and Subverting Expectations (#88) Jul 24, 2025

Show notes

About Cole

Cole Wehrle is one of the most innovative minds in board game design today. Cole is a partner at Leder Games, but best-known as the creator of Root, the woodland war game that redefined asymmetric play. Cole’s work reaches far beyond cute meeples and clever mechanics, with a background in history and a career in academia, Cole approaches game design as a way to explore systems of power, narrative ambiguity, and the complexity of human behavior. In this episode, Cole and I dive deep into the tension between control and chaos, discussing how historical research fuels good design, and why the best games ask players to grapple with uncomfortable truths. Whether you’re designing your first prototype or searching for deeper meaning in your work, this conversation will challenge you to think differently about what games can do.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe

Amy Lowe — Finding Your X Factor, Marketing with Heart, and Serving the Right Players (#87) Jul 10, 2025

Show notes

About Amy

Amy Lowe is a marketer, strategist, and lifelong nerd whose career spans over two decades helping brands connect with audiences in meaningful ways. Though she’s worked across industries, Amy found her passion in the tabletop gaming space as the marketing and communications manager for the Game Manufacturers Association (GAMA). Now she’s bringing hard-won insights about brand strategy, customer research, and authentic positioning to help game publishers and designers not just sell more games—but build sustainable, trusted brands. In this episode, we explore why marketing isn’t just promotion but the vital bridge between your company and your community, how to identify your X factor, and why the courage to lean into your authentic voice is the key to long-term success. Whether you’re launching your first game or trying to grow a studio, Amy’s wisdom will give you a roadmap for connecting with players in real, human ways.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe

Derek Sivers — Embracing Simplicity, Owning Your Weirdness, and Designing a Life with Intent (#86) Jun 24, 2025

Show notes

About Derek Sivers

Derek Sivers has worn many hats, musician, entrepreneur, author, and philosopher, but his work maintains a single throughline: a relentless pursuit of living deliberately. He first found success by founding CD Baby, an indie music platform that revolutionized digital distribution before he sold it for over $20 million and donated most of the proceeds. Since then, he’s become a bestselling author of books like Anything You Want, Hell Yeah or No, and Useful Not True, each filled with punchy, poetic wisdom earned from experience. In this episode, we explore how to treat your life like a design problem, why marketing is part of the art, and how vulnerability and weirdness aren’t liabilities—they’re the keys to resonance. Whether you’re building a company, making games, or just trying to figure out how to live a more meaningful life, this conversation will challenge your assumptions and invite you to take that first small but deliberate step.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe

Dominic Crapuchettes — Designing for Constraints, Rebuilding After Failure, and Finding the Magic in Games (#85) Jun 12, 2025

Show notes

Dominic Crapuchettes is the founder of North Star Games and the designer of massive hits like Wits & Wagers, Say Anything, and the Evolution series—games that have sold over 4.5 million copies. In this episode, Dominic opens up about the rise and fall of North Star, from building a 30-person team and landing six SKUs at Target, to watching the company go bankrupt and eventually buying it back. He shares what he’s learned from those hard-won lessons, including how to build frothing fan communities, how to design with audience constraints in mind, and why brand and hook matter as much as gameplay. We also dive into his most ambitious project yet: Nature, a new modular game system launching at Gen Con that aims to bring the magic of collectible games to families and casual players alike. Whether you're a founder, designer, or someone trying to follow your passion while staying afloat, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

Think Like A Game Designer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe

SolForge Fusion Shadows Over Solis May 27, 2025

Show notes

CHECK OUT SHADOWS OVER SOLIS TODAY ON GAMEFOUND

5 Quick Lessons About Crowdfinding

* Crowdfunding has changed: You need to bring your own audience and community. Success now requires months of preparation, including playtesting, reviews, and pre-launch marketing.

* De-risk your campaign: Validate your product ahead of time (e.g., with digital play), use scalable local manufacturing, and print to order to reduce financial risk.

* Offer meaningful, manageable exclusives: Make backers feel special with unique experiences or digital rewards that don’t overcomplicate fulfillment or inflate costs.

* Lead with gratitude and humility: Crowdfunding is hard and full of uncertainty. Transparency, community connection, and willingness to own mistakes are vital for long-term support.

* Build and contribute to community: Share not just your products, but your journey, learnings, and stories. That’s how you create lasting relationships and grow a global community around your games.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe

Kohji Nagata — Building Parallel, Designing with Obsession, and Falling in Love with Your Creations (#84) May 15, 2025

Show notes

Kohji Nagata has worn many hats—software developer, musician, podcast creator—but today he’s best known as Head of Design and co-founder of Parallel Studios, where he helped launch the massively successful Web3 trading card game Parallel. What started as a passion project has become a genre-defining phenomenon, valued at one point at half a billion dollars. Kohji approaches design from a deep philosophical place, wrestling with fear of failure, perfectionism, and the drive to always improve. In this episode, he and Justin explore the creative tension between success and self-doubt, dissect the mechanics of resource systems in TCGs, and dig into the role of AI in the future of game design. Whether you're an aspiring creator or a veteran designer, this conversation offers a rare window into the mind of someone building at the frontier of games and technology.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe

Dafna Pleban — Editing Underwater, Building Creative Teams, and the Economics of Storytelling (#83) May 01, 2025

Show notes

About Dafna Pleban

Dafna Pleban is a veteran comic book editor and narrative developer whose career spans over 15 years across original and licensed publishing. Best known for her work at BOOM! Studios, Dafna has overseen hundreds of issues, helping launch award-winning titles like Lumberjanes, Fence, Seven Secrets, and Goldie Vance. She’s worked with major creators including Tom Taylor, Mark Waid, and Kieron Gillen, and has shepherded beloved franchises such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Dune, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek, and Power Rangers.

Dafna’s creative journey began at UCLA, where she majored in English after pivoting from microbiology and discovering her strengths lay in storytelling, not science labs. A lifelong comics fan, she broke into the industry through sheer hustle—running a podcast to score a press pass to Comic-Con, then turning that passion project into a marketing job at BOOM! and eventually into an editorial career.

In this episode, Dafna reveals what it really means to be an editor in comics—from juggling creators and licensors to surviving the relentless pace of monthly publishing. We talk about the role of stress in the creative process, the economics behind launching a successful comic, and how great editors build trust, teams, and stories that resonate. Whether you’re looking to pitch your first comic or just want a glimpse behind the curtain of franchise storytelling, Dafna’s journey offers a masterclass in making creativity sustainable.

Find Some of the Comic’s Dafna’s Worked on Here.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe

Justin Ziran — Digital Magic: Fear and Success, Leading with Bold Decisions, and Redefining Innovation (#82) Apr 08, 2025

Show notes

About Justin Ziran

Justin Ziran is a veteran of the collectible and strategy games industry. He has decades of experience shaping some of the most successful brands in tabletop gaming. He began his career at Wizards of the Coast, where he played key roles in product teams for Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, and the Pokémon Trading Card Game. In 2012, Justin became the President of WizKids, where he spearheaded the expansion of the company's product lines and reach. Under his leadership, HeroClix became a best-selling collectible miniatures game featuring Marvel, DC, and other licensed properties. He has overseen numerous board game releases and innovations across various product lines, blending business acumen with a deep passion for gaming.

With a business school background, Justin brings a unique approach to game publishing, combining data-driven insights, market analysis, and creative intuition to make impactful decisions. He firmly believes in "why not both?" thinking—seeking innovative solutions that challenge traditional trade-offs. His ability to merge strategic foresight with product passion has led to consistent success across multiple gaming categories. Throughout a highly successful career, Justin has focused his innovation and talent on the one metric I've always said matters most: player experience.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe

James Introcaso — Game Masters, the Rise of Indie RPGs and Showing Up for Luck (#81) Mar 27, 2025

Show notes

James Introcaso is an award-winning tabletop game designer and storyteller whose work has helped shape the modern landscape of roleplaying games. As the lead game designer at MCDM Productions, James was integral to developing roleplaying systems that captivate players worldwide. His design credits include co-creating Burn Bright, Roll20’s first original RPG, co-authoring seven official Dungeons & Dragons books, and leading design on Draw Steel, an upcoming RPG that raised over $4.6 million on Backerkit.

James’s journey into games began with a childhood love of D&D, a theater background, and a stint writing and producing for television, including Adult Swim and National Geographic. A former podcaster and blogger, he got his start in RPGs by self-publishing content on the Dungeon Masters Guild and building an audience through thoughtful commentary on 5e design. His freelance hustle and creative drive opened doors with Wizards of the Coast and later landed him a full-time role at MCDM.

In this episode, James shares lessons from his creative path—from making shark-themed heavy metal promos to designing some of the most beloved TTRPG content today. We talk about how to turn passion into a profession, the realities of freelancing in gaming, and what it really means to “get lucky” in the industry. Whether you’re a theater nerd, a math nerd, or someone dreaming of making your own RPG system, James’s story is packed with insights and encouragement for every kind of creator.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe

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