Podcast
Dev to Dev
Hosted by Alex Sulman · EN
Dev to Dev is the podcast about everyday Videogame Developers and why they do what they do every day - the many folks whose work shapes the games we play.
Hosted by Alex Sulman, a veteran of nearly three decades in the industry, the show highlights the passion, challenges, and personal journeys of those often overlooked in gaming’s spotlight.
Inspired by Greg Miller’s 2015 Game Awards speech recognizing a developer in the credits of a game he'd just finished, Dev to Dev continues that spirit of appreciation, giving voice to the people behind the craft.
Each week, the podcast aims to offer thoughtful, positive conversations about connection, creativity, and the human side of game development, providing insight into both the rewards and personal challenges of making video games a livelihood.
Find the Podcast at:
- Patreon: DevToDevPodcast
- Instagram: @devto.devpodcast
- Bluesky: @devtodevpodcast.bsky.social
- YouTube: @DevToDevPodcast
…and please drop me an email if you have any questions, thoughts, comments, guest suggestions, or ideas to:
- DevToDevPodcast@Gmail.com
19episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Dev to Dev S02 - Intermission
1w ago00:03:56Tap to summarizeHowdy folks, apologies but due to some work and travel commitments there's no new episode of Dev to Dev this week. We will be back on June 15th with Season 02 Episode 16 but in the meantime thank you for your patience!Find the Podcast at:SpotifyPatreonRSSInstagramBlueskyThreadsYouTubeBlogEmail: DevToDevPodcast@Gmail.com
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Dev to Dev S02 E15 - Brian Marinari
2w ago01:05:22Tap to summarizeHey everyone — this week's episode is one I really enjoyed. Brian Marinari is a real-time rendering engineer at ILM, and his path into games — and then into film — is a genuinely winding one. He's the kind of person who had to be dragged toward what he was great at, mostly by his own curiosity refusing to stay quiet.We talked about the Atari 2600 game Adventure and how it sparked something in him that never went out. We got into electrical engineering, a near-PhD, a horrible commute, two studio closures, and what it actually means to process hard times in a passion industry — including therapy and medication, which Brian talks about with real openness. I appreciated that.Highlights:Why graphics programming felt like the "two halves finally meshing together" — making the computer do something meaningful, not just making the computer do somethingThe sprint review at Big Huge Games where he brought his wife in during crunch — one of the warmest moments in the episodeWhat it looked like to step away from games entirely, grieve it, and eventually find the door back inHow ILM's real-time rendering work for the LED volume is a lateral move from games tech — and why that surprised himHis honest take on imposter syndrome, mental health, and what it feels like to finally own your curiosity without apologising for itGo give it a listen. Brian's a thoughtful, honest guest and I think you'll find a lot in it.Find the Podcast at:SpotifyPatreonRSSInstagramBlueskyThreadsYouTubeBlogEmail: DevToDevPodcast@Gmail.comFind Brian At: https://graphics.social/@bmarinarihttps://bsky.app/profile/bmarinari.bsky.socialhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-marinari-b228a21
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Dev to Dev S02 E14 - Rob Gardner
3w ago01:01:11Tap to summarizeThis one's been sitting in the queue for a while, and I'm really glad I finally got to record it because Rob's story is genuinely unlike most of the ones I've told on this show.Rob Gardner is a V/O Audio Director at DICE LA, and he got there by being in a band, doing QA for over a decade, almost not pursuing games as a career at all, and, his words, being way too protective of his evenings for way too long.It's an honest, funny, and surprisingly moving conversation about what happens when your passion and your livelihood don't line up the way you expected them to, and how sometimes the skill set you built doing something else entirely turns out to be exactly what you needed.Highlights:Rob's band got approached by EA to license a track before he'd ever worked in games — and they took almost nothing for it because they had no idea what they were doingHe describes the transition from Vivendi's sink-or-swim QA floor to DICE LA as the moment he finally felt safe enough to actually growThe parallel between directing voice actors and playing in a band is genuinely insightful, and something I hadn't thought about before he said itHis take on social anxiety as a drummer ("you can hide behind the kit") is one of my favourite moments of the whole seriesGo give it a listen. I think you'll enjoy this one.Find the Podcast at:SpotifyPatreonRSSInstagramBlueskyYouTubeBlogEmail: DevToDevPodcast@Gmail.comFind Rob At: Linkedin: Rob Gardner | LinkedIn
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Dev to Dev S02 E13 - Sarah Lynn
May 1000:56:28Tap to summarizeHey everyone — this week's episode is one I really enjoyed. I'd worked briefly with Sarah in the past but didn't know much of her story, and this conversation filled in a lot of gaps.Sarah's been in the industry for over fifteen years — QA, production, a stint in marketing she describes as a "sabbatical", and a deliberate step away to become a Mum. She's candid and funny and very clear-eyed about how she works and what she needs from a role.Highlights:How her mom — who played Duck Hunt through pregnancy — essentially handed her a career before she even knew she wanted oneThe chance encounter in a Japanese class that got her first industry jobWhy she thinks every Producer should spend time in marketing (even if, like Sarah, they end up hating it)Her philosophy for joining new teams: become a cog in the machine first, ask questions second, change things thirdThe moment she decided to leave ZOS to stay home with her daughter — and how a tarot reading in Gettysburg was involvedWhere she is now: ready to get back in the saddle, but working through what that actually means as a parentIt's an honest conversation about a career that's taken some real turns, and a person who's always found her way back to the thing she loves.Go give it a listen.Find the Podcast at:SpotifyPatreonRSSInstagramBlueskyYouTubeBlogEmail: DevToDevPodcast@Gmail.comFind Sarah At: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-lynn-578b6b35/Bluesky:@sbar713.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarbear_713/
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Dev to Dev S02 E12 - Tom Miles
May 301:04:23Tap to summarizeHey everyone, really happy to share this one! Tom Miles is someone I've worked with closely, and honestly, doing this conversation made me realise how much of his story I'd never properly heard.Tom grew up in the middle of nowhere in Norfolk, fell in love with games through a brother's Spectrum, spent years trying to get into an industry that kept not quite opening the door, and then spent 18 years at Creative Assembly building everything from weather systems to multiplayer backends once it finally did. He's the engineer who'd always say "anything is possible" in a meeting, which, trust me, you want to hear from your engineer.Highlights:How typing game listings into a ZX Spectrum as a nine-year-old set everything in motionWhy he nearly became a musician instead (and still might have wanted to)Building the entire UI for Rome: Total War as a junior — soloWhat eventually pushed him out of Creative Assembly after 18 yearsWhy being a generalist felt like a weakness for years, and how it turned out to be the thingHis competitive Pokemon TCG habit (yes, seriously — tournaments in France and everything)Why his current role at Antstream feels like the job he's always been suited forThis one's warm, funny, and a bit honest about the messy middle of a long career. Go give it a listen.Find the Podcast at:SpotifyPatreonRSSInstagramBlueskyYouTubeBlogEmail: DevToDevPodcast@Gmail.comFind Tom At: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-miles-99031b31/@pokedaduk.bsky.social — Bluesky
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Dev to Dev S02 E11 - Gonza do Campo
May 201:01:08Tap to summarizeSORRY FOR THE DELAY!!! There was an issue with the RSS distributor that I have not been able to resolve. Normal service will resume on Monday (hopefully!)This next episode of Dev to Dev was such a good one! Gonza do Campo grew up in Patagonia playing Atari clones, then spent a decade managing factory logistics, and is now a Principal Producer at 2K in Valencia. The journey between those two points is genuinely worth hearing.What strikes me most about Gonza's story is how every part of his background that looked like a disadvantage turned out to be exactly what he needed. The Agile and Kanban frameworks that run game production? They came out of Japanese manufacturing, the exact world Gonza spent his first career embedded in. The younger producers who came to him for advice weren't looking for someone with more game credits. They were looking for someone who'd been through harder things. He'd spent years feeling behind. He was actually ahead.There's also a really honest thread in here about imposter syndrome, ego, and what it actually takes to lead well. Gonza talks about it with wonderful maturity, and it connects directly to how he thinks about production. Worth the listen for that alone.Highlights:Grew up in Patagonia where games were rare, expensive, and mostly clones — his first original game was Metal Gear Solid 4Pivoted to games at 30, studied at night while working full-time with a familyWorked his way in through a non-games role, then knocked on the studio door until they let him throughSpent years across outsourcing, indie studios, and Netflix game projects before landing at 2KCandid about imposter syndrome, therapy, and the ongoing work of leaving ego out of leadershipRecently relocated from Argentina to Valencia with his familyGo give it a listen — Gonza tells it better than I can summarise it.Find the Podcast at:SpotifyPatreonRSSInstagramBlueskyYouTubeBlogEmail: DevToDevPodcast@Gmail.comFind Gonza At: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gonzalodoc/
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Dev to Dev S02 E10 - Andy Roberts
Apr 1901:22:30Tap to summarizeIn the next episode of Dev to Dev - the podcast about everyday videogame developers and why they do what they do every day - Andy Roberts explores his journey into game development. In some ways this one feels a little like a time capsule from a very different era of the industry - one where curiosity and persistence had to do a lot more of the heavy lifting - but the lessons learned and the insight given is just as valuable today as it was then.We talk about how Andy’s early interest in creativity led him into early digital art and programming, not because he set out to make games, but because it was the only way he could actually play them. That thread - making things happen when they don’t exist - is something that runs through his entire career.What really stood out to me was how much of Andy’s growth came from proximity to talented people. Sitting in rooms, listening, absorbing, and gradually finding his voice. It’s a great reminder that you don’t have to have all the answers, you just need to stay open and engaged long enough to learn them.There’s also a lot here about ego, collaboration, and the reality of working in teams. The idea that design isn’t about owning ideas, but about shaping them, is something I think a lot of people struggle with early on.And finally, there’s that sense that being a game developer isn’t really a job you switch on and off - it’s just part of how you think. That constant analysis, curiosity, and drive to create doesn’t really go away.HighlightsCreativity as a necessity, not a luxury, in early game developmentBreaking into the industry before clear career paths existedLearning design through observation and collaborationThe importance of managing ego in creative teamsAdapting to different projects, constraints, and technologiesBalancing being an introvert in a role that requires you to be outgoingFind the Podcast at:SpotifyPatreonRSSInstagramBlueskyYouTubeBlogEmail: DevToDevPodcast@Gmail.comFind Andy At: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-roberts-7a60222/And his Company: https://www.thalamusdigital.co.uk/
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Dev to Dev S02 E09 - Brandon Van Haren
Apr 1200:56:03Tap to summarizeThis next episode of Dev to Dev - the Podcast about everyday videogame developers and why they do what they do every day - was a really fun one for me. Talking to Brandon Van Haren about his journey hit on so many of the realities of game development that don’t always get talked about.He started out like a lot of us by playing games with family and getting hooked early. But what stood out was how he kept “playing” even when he wasn’t allowed to. Drawing levels, walking people through them, essentially prototyping before he even knew what design was… it’s such a pure version of this craft executed by someone who at the time had no idea what the craft even was!Hearing about Brandon’s transition into the industry - going from leading student teams at College to being an intern and having to absorb feedback from experienced directors - reminded me of how humbling that shift can be, and one we’ve all gone through in some form. Brandon talks very openly about that adjustment, and how important it is to learn when to push and when to align.We also get into encounter design, which I think is also rarely discussed. His focus on visual storytelling by showing players what’s happening rather than telling them really resonated with me. It’s one of those areas where design, narrative, and player experience all intersect in subtle but powerful ways.And then there’s the live service side of things. Shipping multiple updates a year, learning to push tools beyond their limits, and working with the same team for over a decade - it’s a great look at how consistency and collaboration can lead to mastery over time.Finally, I really appreciated his perspective on growth. Even after years in one engine, he made the effort to learn Unreal in his own time, just to stay sharp and open up new opportunities. That kind of mindset is what keeps a long career moving forward.HighlightsEarly creativity through drawing and “playing” self-made levelsTransitioning from student leadership to industry humilityThe importance of feedback and team alignmentVisual storytelling as a core pillar of encounter designPushing tools to their limits in a live service environmentSelf-driven learning to stay relevant in a changing industryFind the Podcast at:SpotifyPatreonRSSInstagramBlueskyYouTubeBlogEmail: DevToDevPodcast@Gmail.comFind Brandon At: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-van-haren-5ba62544/
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Dev to Dev S02 E08 - Aram Granger
Apr 501:09:39Tap to summarizeThe next episode of Dev to Dev - the podcast about everyday videogame developers and why they do what they do every day - is with former colleague and all round top fella, Aram Granger.Aram’s journey into games is about as far from “planned” as you can get. He spent years in film and TV VFX before even considering games as a career. And yet, when he made the jump, it all clicked. Not because he’d trained for it, but because he’d built the right instincts along the way.One of my favourite moments was how he described VFX as “putting the sauce on the substance.” That idea really landed for me, especially because designers like me spend so much time thinking about systems and mechanics but the way those systems feel is crucial and the visual layer is so important to it.There’s also something really refreshing about how he talks about learning. Even after decades in the industry, he still approaches things with curiosity and humility. He’s not trying to be the smartest person in the room but rather he’s trying to make things the best he can, learn from others, and keep improving.And then there’s the feedback loop that’s true for Aram both in games and in life. The idea that we’re all chasing that little “attaboy” moment, whether we’re players or developers. It’s simple, but it explains so much about why games work.Highlights:Transitioning from Hollywood VFX into gamesWhy visual effects are critical to game feelThe importance of feedback and player rewardLearning through experimentation, not formal paths“Strong ideas, held loosely” as a development mindset Find the Podcast at:SpotifyPatreonRSSInstagramBlueskyYouTubeBlogEmail: DevToDevPodcast@Gmail.comFind Aram At: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aramgranger/
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Dev to Dev S02 E07 - Nathan Kellman
Mar 2901:00:24Tap to summarizeThis week’s episode is a really grounded, honest look at what it actually takes to build a career in game development, especially early on.Nathan Kellman joins me to talk about his journey into level design, starting from a love of JRPGs and evolving into working on Diablo IV. What really stood out to me here wasn’t just the career milestones, but the mindset he brings to the work.There’s a great moment where he talks about losing hours of work on an art piece and realising he didn’t want to redo it. That’s the moment he knew it wasn’t the right discipline for him. Compare that to level design, where rebuilding and iterating felt natural, and you start to see how important that internal signal is.We also get into the reality of the industry - projects getting cancelled, layoffs, and how you process that without losing momentum. Nathan’s perspective is refreshingly pragmatic. He understands the business side of games, but still holds onto the passion that got him started.On top of that, he’s now teaching level design, and I loved hearing how he approaches it, especially his insistence on removing art entirely so students can focus on what actually makes a level work.It’s a really thoughtful episode, particularly if you’re early in your career or trying to figure out where you fit.HighlightsHow Dragon Quest VIII inspired Nathan to pursue game developmentThe moment he realised art wasn’t the right path for himWhy losing work can reveal what you actually care aboutBreaking into AAA and working on Diablo IVThe reality of layoffs and project cancellationsWhy level design is central to the player experienceTeaching fundamentals and stripping away visual noiseThe importance of adaptability across genresFind the Podcast at:SpotifyPatreonRSSInstagramBlueskyYouTubeBlogEmail: DevToDevPodcast@Gmail.comFind Nathan At:https://nathankellman.wixsite.com/portfoliohttps://www.linkedin.com/in/nathankellman/
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