The Business of Video Games Podcast

Episode 55 - Recoup is self-destructive - Tim Bender Pt. 2

We are back with the second part of our conversation together with our good friend Tim Bender as the we dive deeper into the weeds of some of the most surprising moves in the industry lately.
Why not start with the backstory of the Ubisoft partnership on Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era for example?
Far from a simple hand-off, Tim explains how a long-term dialogue led to a specialist publisher stepping in to steward a legendary IP, and why a massive corporate player sought out a niche team to help find the right "indie" formula for a classic series.
And that’s not all.
Following some recent “LinkedIn shenanigans”, Tim doubles down on his advice that most indie developers are actually better off self-publishing than signing with a publisher that fails to add true value.
Expect a candid look at the power dynamics between creators and financiers, concluding with an exploration of why remaining private, and avoiding “public company logic”, is the only way to keep Hooded Horse’s 100-year mission on track.
Thanks again for joining us Tim!
Find out more about Tim and Hooded Horse here.

Episode 54 - 100 plus years - Tim Bender Pt. 1

In the first part of our two-parter, Shams sits down with Tim Bender from Hooded Horse to pull back the curtain on one of the currently most talked-about trajectories in modern indie game publishing.
From the logistical realities of scaling a team to the philosophical "final form" of a sustainable games business, Tim breaks down the internal logic of the Hooded Horse portfolio at the same time as he explains "why a survival horror cult classic might actually have more in common with a hardcore strategy title than a genre label suggests". Yes, you read that right the first time.
As the conversation dives deeper into the financials of the industry, Tim outlines his provocative stance on "recoupment" and why he believes the traditional safety nets used by publishers might actually be a "disease" that strangles developer creativity and cash flow.
And then of course, comes the question, will Hooded Horse continue on this successful path 100 years from now..?
Listen and find out for yourself!
Follow Tim Bender and Hooded Horse here.

Episode 53 - "Blizzard of Oz" - Trent Kusters Pt. 2

Sorry for being late! After a not so welcomed water leakage at our producers studios, we are back with the second part of our conversation with Trent Kusters, the visionary co-founder of League of Geeks!
Shams rides this one solo since Fernando is on a trip across the pond and it's time to get into the "messy middle" of building a studio that lasts over a decade in an industry that sometimes feels like it's trying to shake you off.
Trent opens up about the early days of Australian Kickstarter hurdles and the pivots required to keep a premium title sustainable when everyone else was chasing free-to-play trends.
We also get a rare, candid look at the internal culture of League of Geeks, where Trent shares some reflections on the loss of co-founder Adam Duncan and how that reshaped his view on honoring talent and charting a company's future.
Thanks to Trent for joining us! Please follow Trent and League of Geeks here.

Episode 52 - Just get published - Trent Kusters Pt. 1

Imagine what happens when a new episode of The Business of Video Games Podcast all of a sudden release on a Monday! Almost as mindwrecking as if one accidentally started a career in game development, right? Well, say no more dear listener! In this episode, Shams sits down with Trent Kusters, co-founder of League of Geeks (Armello), who did just that.
In this first part of our two part interview with Trent, he unpacks the unlikely chain of events that led him into the industry. From bluffing(!) his way into covering the Halo 3 midnight launch as a journalist (...student?) to shipping 10 games in three years at Australia’s Torus Games, Trent shares how daring decisions, a good portion of curiosity and a bit of naivety shaped his early career.
We dive into what it was like learning game development in a fast-moving “factory” studio, why constraints can make some designers better, and how those early lessons later affected Trent’s approach to building studios and most of all - games.
BUT NOT before Shams and Fernando have talked about Steams 2025 Year Summary Blog Post.
For more from Trent Kusters, please follow him on LinkedIn here and Twitter here.

Episode 51 - Vibes based publisher - Sam de Boeck and Daniel Lyozov

Time for a one off with the great folks at Oro Interactive who currently is on a real victory lap with 300k units sold of Roadside Research within two weeks(!) and 400k units sold for Super Battle Golf within it's first week! Absolutely bonkers.
But not as bonkers as Shams who is once again away on a mission celebrating Swedish games at the Swedish Game Awards 2026, while Fernando sits down with our guests Sam and Daniel to chat about what it’s actually like running a tiny (but fast!) publishing label. They dive into how it all started, how they decide what feels right, and also, why Oro don’t really care for big pitch decks or drawn-out processes.
Specifically, we look deeper into the topic of moving quickly when something clicks, spotting that one small detail that makes a game stand out, and most importantly - why staying small might be the whole point.
Please follow Sam and Daniel at Oro Interactive here!

Episode 50 - Keeping a business alive - Agostino Simonetta Pt. 2

50 episodes! Imagine that!
We are back again with our dear friend Agostino Simonetta in the second part of our two part interview. This time with Fernando taking the lead for a deeper one-on-one since Shams had to go and spread some democracy across the galaxy (as he should).
Fernando and Ago is immediately getting in to familiar territory with conference season, industry rituals, and the strange push and pull of showing up (or not). From there, it drifts into bigger questions about the usual suspects as growth and consolidation, but more importantly - what really happened during the acquisition rush of the past few years?
Expect perspective shaped by experience, a few (unexpected?) analogies, and the kind of side paths that make us rethink how stable the industry really is.
Oh yeah, also expect banter. Of course.
Follow Agostino on LinkedIn here as well as GSC Game World here

Episode 49 - Ask for forgiveness, not permission - Agostino Simonetta Pt. 1

Friends! It's 2026 and we're back!
In this first part of a two-episode conversation, Shams and Fernando sit down with none other than industry veteran Agostino Simonetta. They talk through a career in games that was shaped less by master plans and more by circumstance, timing, and a fair number of hard calls.
From early production work to platform-side roles at PlayStation and Xbox, to what it actually feels like to try to push new ideas inside very large organizations. Along the way, they touch on the Italian game development scene, the realities of platform strategy, and why innovation inside big companies often comes with friction, compromises, and missed chances.
Follow Agostino and CSC Game World here 
Support our Patreon here

Episode 48 - Shams and Fernandos Holiday Wrap Up 2025

It's Fri... Monday!
In this end-of-year episode, Shams and Fernando look back on 2025. From personal wins to the industry-wide turbulence that affects everyone. They both reflect on a surprisingly strong year for their work while acknowledging how tough it’s been for many studios, with layoffs, consolidation and cautious decision-making shaping the landscape.
Topics iniclude the major deals almost known more for what they signal about power and money, than for the games themselves, as well as the ongoing conversation around the tension between creative risk and AAA budgets. How does franchises who get stuck trying to “stay fresh” without alienating fans, and why could “franchise fatigue” actually be more of a quality problem?
And what would a wrap up in 2025 be without the AI conversation, the VR conversation, the new hardware (Switch 2) conversation and of course some hot 2026 industry predictions..? ;)
Til next time, Happy Holidays!

Episode 47 - Let them Cook - Adam Boyes Part 2

It's Friday!
In the second half of their conversation with Adam Boyes, Shams and Fernando go far beyond career anecdotes and dig into what truly drives fulfillment in the games industry. Adam reflects on the pivotal moment he chose happiness and creative energy over traditional career momentum - an insight that later shaped Iron Galaxy’s unusually transparent, collaborative leadership structure. The discussion also widens into a sharp look at how co-development evolved from a misunderstood niche into a central force in modern game production, and how Iron Galaxy found itself years ahead of that curve.
From there, the trio explores deeper industry currents: where new capital is coming from, how money from inside and outside gaming reshapes studios, and whether AAA development is drifting toward a Hollywood-like system of compact creative cores supported by waves of specialist partners. Adam’s perspective blends optimism with realism, emphasizing stamina, courage, and the willingness to keep taking risks even when big bets fail.
But the episode never loses its warmth or humor - culminating in Adam revisiting the now-iconic photo of him wearing a VR headset next to a charging Tesla(!), a snapshot of tech culture at its most unselfconscious. It’s an episode that mixes heart, industry insight, and genuine silliness in equal measure.
Find Vivrato here
VR in the parking lot

Episode 46 - The man from the memes - Adam Boyes Part 1

Do we got another great conversation for you here friends? Yes we do!
In this episode, Shams and Fernando sit down with industry veteran Adam Boyes to explore his remarkable journey through the industry over the last decades. Adam shares stories from his early years, continuing to look at his time at Midway and Capcom, and his transition into business development and executive leadership.
The conversation leads over to Adams experience with navigating Japanese corporate culture, digital distribution with titles like Bionic Commando Rearmed and an unexpected stint consulting for major non-gaming IPs like Kraft Foods(!).
But what is a conversation with Adam Boyes without diving into his years at PlayStation during the PS4 generation, including the backstory behind one of the most iconic industry memes: the legendary “How to Share a Game on PlayStation” video..
But before we jump into the interview, Shams and Fernando also sheds some light on Sweden’s outsized footprint in the global games industry, from its unusually strong export numbers to the cultural and economic aspects that have helped Swedish studios punch far above their weight for decades (and continue to do so).
The "How to share your game on PlayStation"-meme
VR in the parking lot
Vivrato.com