40: Finding your game's hook FAST with Renato Simões
Send us a textBrazilian designer and publisher Renato Simões (FlipToons, Piratas, OZOB: A Cyberpunk Board Game) joins me to talk about the importance of finding the hook in game design. We discuss his journey from King of Tokyo fan to publishing Brazil’s best-selling card game, how FlipToons went from idea to contract in just a month, and why OZOB became a $1,000,000+ crowdfunding success. Renato also shares insights into collaboration, the Brazilian market, and why networking is just as vital as design. Support the show
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39: Co-Design, Pitching, and Elegant Mechanics with David Gordon
Send us a text I chat with designer David Gordon (Floristry, Finspan, Making Monsters) about co-designing, filtering feedback, pitching to publishers, and crafting tense, elegant mechanics like Floristry’s Dutch auction. We also dive into his process, inspiration, and lessons from working with top publishers like Stonemaier Games. Support the show
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38: Creating Simple-to-Play Games with Cole Smith
Send us a textIn this episode of the Player Lair Podcast, we sit down with Cole Smith, designer of Tanuki, 3 Magi, and Sauros, to talk about his journey from pandemic hobbyist to published game designer. We dive into his roots in childhood rule-bending, how being a graphic designer informs his prototypes, and why sometimes it's better to shelve a game, or fight for it.Cole shares insights on pitching, playtesting, balancing creativity with feedback, and why quick overview videos might be more important than your rulebook. We also explore his latest game Sauros, a clever blend of trick-taking and puzzly tile placement… with dinosaurs.Whether you're just getting into game design or looking to refine your pitch process, this episode is packed with honest advice, practical tools, and a good dose of creative encouragement.Support the show
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37: Publishing and Pitching with Zev Shlasinger
Send us a textZev Shlasinger has been in the hobby game industry for almost 30 years. He founded Z-Man Games in 1999, sold it in 2011, then worked for the new owners until mid-January 2016. At the end of January, he took the position of Director of Board Games with Wizkids. Some of the titles you might be familiar with are: Pandemic, Fantasy Realms, Agricola, Sidereal Confluence, Clash of Cultures, Merchants & Marauders, Tales of the Arabian Nights, Shadow Hunters, Arboretum, Tragedy Looper, Grave Robbers from Outer Space, Tournament at Camelot, Super Skill Pinball, and a host of others.Check out Zev's new publishing company Play to Z here!Support the show
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36: Finding Your Board Game's Superfans with Ori Kagan
Send us a textOri Kagan is the creative force behind Kagan Productions, a renowned agency specializing in high-quality animated trailers for board games. With a proven track record of helping campaigns raise over $19 million, Ori collaborates with both established publishers and first-time creators to bring their tabletop games to life with captivating storytelling and marketing expertise.Main Kagan Productions website: https://kaganproductions.com/ Kickstarter Health Scorecard: https://ori-y8ghfgfd.scoreapp.com/ Kagan Duckademy Waitlist sign up: https://kaganproductions.com/lp-kagan-duckademy/Support the show
In the Player Lair podcast, we delve into the process of making games and interview various game designers, publishers and people involved in the gaming community.
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