XDS Podcast

In this live recording from their XDS24 presentation, Jay Arrera, Production Director at Pipeworks (Developer), and Jay Minn, Senior Technical Producer at Wizards of the Coast (Publisher), share what worked—and what didn’t—in their recent collaboration on Magic: Spellslingers and throughout their careers. Stay tuned after the presentation as Philip Dennison, Senior Outsourcing Producer Psyonix and XDS Advisory Committee Member, joins the Jays for a deeper dive in the Q&A session. In this episode, Jay & Jay cover: A framework for setting up co-dev projects for success (without starting a war) How Producers from Developers and Publishers can work together, not against each other Practical tips for encouraging collaboration across Engineering, Art, Design, and QA teams Hilarious, anonymized examples of what happens when people don’t play nice Podcast episode presented by Mineloader Studios Connect with us! Email us at info@xdsummit.com Join us LinkedIn Subscribe to our YouTube channel Follow us instagram @xdsummit Visit our XDS website to learn more. XDS Spark Learn about our new B2B platform for creative industries. Thanks for listening!

In this session recorded live at XDS 2024, Nicole West, Co-Founder and Head of Operations at West Studio, shares her insights on the transformative impact of recognizing and nurturing individual talent within creative teams. Drawing from her rich experience across video games, animation, and feature films, Nicole explores how prioritizing personal strengths can lead to more innovative, sustainable, and cohesive collaborations. Stay tuned after the presentation as David Lam, Executive Producer at Netease and XDS Advisory Committee member, joins Nicole for an insightful conversation about the inspiration behind her approach to leadership and collaboration. Podcast episode presented by Mineloader Studios Connect with us! Email us at info@xdsummit.com Join us LinkedIn Subscribe to our YouTube channel Follow us instagram @xdsummit Visit our XDS website to learn more. XDS Spark Learn about our new B2B platform for creative industries. Thanks for listening!

Recorded live at XDS 2024, this episode brings together a powerhouse panel to explore the future of external development in gaming. The panel shares powerful insights into fostering stability and highlights the transformative potential of external development. Their conversation leaves us not only with a clear view of today’s challenges but also with optimism about the opportunities ahead. Thank you our panelists: Sam Carlisle – Co-Founder, XDS Spark; XDS Advisory Committee Dave Sanderson – Director of Production (ExDev), Scopely; XDS Advisory Committee Carl Schmidt – Senior Director, ExDev, Zynga; XDS Advisory Committee Anna Kozlova – CEO, Room 8 Group Podcast episode presented by Mineloader Studios Connect with us! Email us at info@xdsummit.com Join us LinkedIn Subscribe to our YouTube channel Follow us instagram @xdsummit Visit our XDS website to learn more. XDS Spark Learn about our new B2B platform for creative industries. Thanks for listening!

In this episode, Juney Dijkstra, Operations Director at XDI, Electronic Arts, moderates a thought-provoking panel discussion recorded at XDS 2024. The panel dives into the nuances of cross-cultural partnerships, exploring key topics such as introductory meetings, negotiation, relationship management, and conflict resolution. Our expert panelists share diverse perspectives drawn from their unique cultural backgrounds and lived experiences. Through a mix of humorous and heartfelt stories, they shed light on the many approaches to global business. This episode offers practical tips and valuable insights to help you navigate and succeed in the multifaceted world of international game development collaborations. Thank you to our panelists: Juney Dijkstra, Operations Director, XDI, Electronic Arts Andreza de Souza Rocha, Business Development Lead, Airship Interactive Marla Rausch, CEO/Founder, Animation Vertigo Karin Bruér, Senior External Development Manager, Remedy Entertainment Yoyo Wu, Development Director, Electronic Arts Thank you to Walter de Torres, Founding Partner of Pixel Mafia, and XDS Advisory Committee member for introducing this episode. Watch the presentation  Podcast episode presented by Mineloader Studios Connect with us! Email us at info@xdsummit.com Join us LinkedIn Subscribe to our YouTube channel Follow us instagram @xdsummit Visit our XDS website to learn more. XDS Spark Learn about our new B2B platform for creative industries. Thanks for listening!

Tune in to an insightful fireside chat featuring Paige Bailey, Engineering Lead for GenAI Developer Experience at Google, and host Joe Nickolls, CEO of Timbre Games Studio. Paige has a deep understanding of the generative AI landscape, having previously served as an applied machine learning engineer at Microsoft and GitHub, and a product lead for Google’s PaLM v2 and Gemini models. Paige is passionate about making cutting-edge AI technology accessible, and empowering developers to build the next generation of innovative applications. Don’t miss this one-on-one discussion with Paige covering all things technology, AI, equity, diversity and inclusion, and Paige’s forward looking thoughts on the games industry. Watch the video presentation  Thank you to our wonderful show host for introducing this presentation: Nikki Roth, Senior Technical Artist at Google and XDS Advisory Committee member.  Podcast episode presented by Mineloader Studios Connect with us! Email us at info@xdsummit.com Join us LinkedIn Subscribe to our YouTube channel Follow us instagram @xdsummit Visit our XDS website to learn more. XDS Spark Learn about our new B2B platform for creative industries. Thanks for listening!

Tune in to this engaging executive fireside chat featuring Marc-Alexis Côté, VP & Executive Producer at Ubisoft, as he shares valuable insights on the games industry with Joe Nickolls, CEO of Timbre Games Studio. Marc-Alexis discusses his career journey, the evolution of today’s gaming landscape, and the crucial role of external development in driving innovation and success. With a diverse 19-year tenure at Ubisoft, Marc-Alexis has held a multitude of roles within Ubisoft ranging from Engineering, to Creative Direction, to Producing and now VP Executive Producer of the Assassin’s Creed franchise. His Masters degree in Software Engineering and experience in creative roles give him a fresh view on game production which is reflected in the variety of titles he’s worked on, notably on the Prince of Persia, Immortals Fenyx Rising and the Assassin’s Creed franchises. Thank you to our wonderful show host for introducing this presentation: Isabelle Bismuth, XDS Director of Partnerships, CoDev and Outsourcing Ubisoft and XDS Advisory Committee member. Podcast episode presented by Mineloader Studios Watch the YouTube presentation Connect with us! Email us at info@xdsummit.com Join us LinkedIn Subscribe to our YouTube channel Follow us instagram @xdsummit Visit our XDS website to learn more. XDS Spark Learn about our new B2B platform for creative industries. Thanks for listening!

Send us a Text Message. Welcome to this special inaugural episode of the Women@XDS, where we unite and amplify women's voices in the external development community. Join Carla Rylance, Caroline Calaway, Nikki Roth, and Tara Phillips as they share their inspiring journeys as women in external development post-pandemic, celebrate the trailblazing women who have shaped our industry, and offer empowering tips for making the most of XDS as a female-identifying attendee.  Our mission is to elevate and amplify women's voices, build strong support networks, and foster an inclusive community that sparks meaningful conversations and drives impactful change at XDS and beyond. Tune in and be part of this exciting movement to create a supportive, thriving environment for women in external development. Thank you to our panelists for sharing their valuable insights!  Caroline Calaway, XDS Advisory Committee Member Carla Rylance, Head of External Production, Behaviour Interactive and Chair, XDS Advisory Committee Nikki Roth, Staff UX Designer, Google Labs, Chair of Women@Labs, XDS Advisory Committee Member Tara Phillips, Art Service Line Director, Keywords Studios Connect with us! Email us at info@xdsummit.com Join us LinkedIn Subscribe to our YouTube channel Follow us instagram @xdsummit Visit our website to learn more. Attend XDS September 3-6, 2024 in Vancouver, Canada. XDS Spark Learn about our new B2B platform for creative industries. Thanks for listening!

Send us a Text Message. During XDS Ignite 2024, Harish Rao, Manager of Outsource Art & Concept at Sony PlayStation, led a panel discussion on the effective transition from initial communication to production in external development. During the session, industry leaders provided insights on overcoming challenges such as timezone mix-ups and policy misunderstandings. The discussion emphasized the importance of transparency, seamless integration, and cultural alignment for successful collaborations. Additionally, it highlighted the qualities that clients seek in vendors, such as diverse portfolios, scalability, and strong security measures. This discussion is a valuable resource for anyone interested in improving their partnerships in external development. Thank you to our wonderful show host! Anna Berdnyk, Head of Business Development, Room 8 Group The presentation was delivered at XDS Ignite 2024, an annual event that unites a peer group of Developers/Publishers to build a network, address common challenges, and incubate ideas for the main XDS event in September. Watch the YouTube presentation Connect with us! Email us at info@xdsummit.com Join us LinkedIn Subscribe to our YouTube channel Follow us instagram @xdsummit Visit our website to learn more. Attend XDS September 3-6, 2024 in Vancouver, Canada. XDS Spark Learn about our new B2B platform for creative industries. Thanks for listening!

Send us a Text Message. At XDS Ignite 2024, Shiew Yeu Loh, Senior Outsourcing Manager at Riot Games, delivered an insightful presentation on cultivating effective communication environments, particularly between Western and non-Western teams. Shiew discusses significant cultural differences: Western teams prioritize open discussions and individual contributions, whereas non-Western teams emphasize group harmony and hierarchical structure. Shiew offers  practical advice such as empowering team members, maintaining alignment, fostering proactive engagement, and nurturing trust. Her discussion underscores the importance of cultural understanding in optimizing global team management within the gaming industry. The presentation was delivered at XDS Ignite 2024, an annual event that unites a peer group of Developers/Publishers to build a network, address common challenges, and incubate ideas for the main XDS event in September. Watch the YouTube presentation Thank you to our wonderful show host! Dave Sanderson, Director of External Development, Phoenix Labs Are you a Developer/Publisher interested in attending or supporting this unique event dedicated to fostering leaders in external development?  Contact our team! Connect with us! Email us at info@xdsummit.com Join us LinkedIn Subscribe to our YouTube channel Follow us instagram @xdsummit Visit our website to learn more. Attend XDS September 3-6, 2024 in Vancouver, Canada. XDS Spark Learn about our new B2B platform for creative industries. Thanks for listening!

Send us a Text Message. What makes a great external development manager and why is it so important? Tune in to this podcast episode featuring Tara Phillips, Art Service Line Director at Keywords Studios, as she moderates the September XDS 2023 panel presentation. "Lost In Transition: How Outsource Manager Turnover Impacts Developers and Vendors Alike.” Developers and vendors face many challenges when an Outsource Manager departs. In today’s climate, we are seeing even higher rates of mobility and attrition in these roles, which has become more prevalent due to industry layoffs and game cancellations. The discussion digs into the reasons behind this mobility, the risks and impacts that arise when this role turns over, and ideas on how to help mitigate these risks on both sides of the equation. The panel explores possibilities for mitigating project disruption, emphasizing the need for collaboration between developers and vendors in addressing this issue. Watch the YouTube presentation Thank you to our wonderful show host! Caroline Calaway, Senior Game Producer, XDev Workforce, Riot Games Connect with us! Email us at info@xdsummit.com Join us LinkedIn Subscribe to our YouTube channel Follow us instagram @xdsummit Visit our website to learn more. Attend XDS September 3-6, 2024 in Vancouver, Canada. XDS Spark Learn about our new B2B platform for creative industries. Thanks for listening!

Many call it the game industry's latest big disruptor, but where does Artificial Intelligence fit within the landscape of external development? Get ready to dive deeper into this year’s XDS Insights Report with guest author Abigail Canavese, Assistant Director of Co-Development Success, Virtuos.  In this episode, Abigail unpacks the current and future impact of AI on external development, alongside other compelling discoveries from the report. The annual XDS  Insights on External Development for the Video Game Industry provides understanding into the changing trends in external development as it becomes an increasingly integral part of game development. Download the Report The audio presentation that follows was delivered at XDS Ignite 2024, an annual event that unites a peer group of Developers/Publishers to build a network, address common challenges, and incubate ideas for the main XDS event in September. Watch the XDS Ignite presentation  GUEST AUTHOR & PRESENTER:  Abigail Canavese,  Assistant Director of Co-Development Success, Virtuos CO-AUTHOR:  Chris Wren, Founder, Executive Director, XDS Conference, Co-Founder, XDS Spark CONTRIBUTING ANALYST:  Nathaniel Tze Kai Tan, Data Analyst, Virtuos Thank you to our wonderful show host! Sam Carlisle, Co-Founder, XDS Spark Connect with us! Email us at info@xdsummit.com Join us LinkedIn Subscribe to our YouTube channel Follow us instagram @xdsummit Visit our website to learn more. Attend XDS September 3-6, 2024 in Vancouver, Canada. XDS Spark – COMING SOON! Learn about our new B2B platform! Subscribe to the newsletter for release and information updates. Thanks for listening!

Join us for the insightful XDS 2023 panel presentation, "Resilience in Action: How External Development Companies Navigate Crisis," moderated by Claas Grimm, CFO of Sharkmob. The panel features external development companies with Ukrainian roots sharing their experiences of navigating the adversities of the Russian war of aggression and economic turbulence.  The discussion covers various aspects, including team management, operational challenges, financial planning, and creative problem-solving. They highlight the significance of remaining innovative and agile during such crises. By sharing these experiences, the panelists aim to inspire the audience to reflect and make informed decisions to extend support when most needed.   Thank you to our panelists for sharing their valuable experiences and insights. Daniel Poludyonny, Head of Game & VR Studio, VP Delivery, N-iX Yuri Kompaneyets, COO and Co-owner, Ulysses Graphics Alina Obukhovska, Account Director, VOLMI - A Virtuos Studio Sviatoslav Pogrebnoy, Chairman, Room 8 Group Thank you to our wonderful show host! Carla Rylance, XDS Advisory Committee Chair and Head of External Production, Behaviour Interactive Connect with us! Email us at info@xdsummit.com Join us LinkedIn Subscribe to our YouTube channel Follow us instagram @xdsummit Visit our website to learn more. Attend XDS September 3-6, 2024 in Vancouver, Canada. XDS Spark – COMING SOON! Learn about our new B2B platform! Subscribe to the newsletter for release and information updates. Thanks for listening!

How do you strike a balance between keeping the artist happy and motivated while keeping the studio happy and cost efficient? This episode introduces the September XDS 2023 presentation “Unlocking the Power of External Partnerships Collaboration,” delivered by industry pros Erik Pettersson, Lead Outsource Artist, EA DICE, and Kim Aava, now Art Director with Toca Boca. Kim and Erik dive into the various stages and processes of external partnerships from initial trials to advanced operations. They discuss their hybrid approach at EA DICE, which combines co-dev with traditional outsourcing. They share valuable insights into strategies and best practices for setting and maintaining art quality expectations, effective communication techniques, and how to balance ownership between internal and external teams.  Connect with us! Email us at info@xdsummit.com Join us LinkedIn Subscribe to our YouTube channel Follow us instagram @xdsummit Visit our website to learn more. Attend XDS September 3-6, 2024 in Vancouver, Canada. XDS Spark – COMING SOON! Learn about our new B2B platform! Subscribe to the newsletter for release and information updates. Thanks for listening!

Efficiency Is Everything: What The Airline Industry Can Teach Us About External Development Strategy This episode includes the XDS 2023 presentation delivered by Dave Sanderson, Director of External Development, Phoenix Labs. Dave examines several strategies airlines use to optimize their operations, and in doing so reveals valuable insights into how devs and service providers can better organize themselves – and ultimately create better games. After listening, not only will you find out what movie terrified Dave growing up, but both game developers and service providers will be better able to answer the question, “What does good ExDev look like for us?” Watch Dave’s XDS 2023 video presentation REFERENCE:  Sam Carlisle, Co-Founder,  XDS Spark Game Development and the Movie Method XDS 2022  video presentation  Connect with us! Email us at info@xdsummit.com Join us LinkedIn Subscribe to our YouTube channel Follow us instagram @xdsummit Visit our website to learn more. Attend XDS September 2024 in Vancouver, Canada. XDS Spark – COMING SOON! Learn at about our new B2B platform! Subscribe to the newsletter for release and information updates. Thanks for listening!

In this episode of our podcast, we provide a positive outlook and insightful commentary on the present state of the gaming industry. We then introduce our XDS 2023 Fireside chat, which took place in Vancouver, featuring special guest - Marija Radulovic-Nastic, who serves as the Chief Technology Officer for Electronic Arts. The chat is hosted by Joe Nickolls, VP of Sumo Digital North America and Managing Director of Timbre Games. It's an engaging conversation that you definitely shouldn't miss! Connect with us! Email us at info@xdsummit.com Join us LinkedIn Subscribe to our YouTube channel Follow us instagram @xdsummit Visit our website to learn more. Attend XDS September 2024 in Vancouver, Canada. XDS Spark – COMING SOON! Learn at about our new B2B platform! Subscribe to the newsletter for release and information updates. Thanks for listening!

Join Chris Wren as he reflects on the successful XDS 2023 event and offers a glimpse into what's new for XDS in 2024. Exciting developments are on the way! Then listen on for the XDS 2023 Fireside Chat with Molly Mason-Boule, COO of Riot Games that follows. Joe Nickolls, Co-Founder of Timbre Games Studio, joins Molly to discuss her career journey, insights into the games industry, and the importance of external development. Don't miss this opportunity to gain valuable knowledge and perspective from an industry leader! Connect with us! Email us at info@xdsummit.com Join us LinkedIn Subscribe to our YouTube channel Follow us instagram @xdsummit Visit our website to learn more. Attend XDS in Vancouver, Canada. Thanks for listening!

Innovation is a lot harder than one may think. Nigel Franks, Studio Director of Production at Snowed In Studios, shares his reflections on this topic and how the struggles of expanding a business are not unique. Nigel’s award-winning presentation delivered at XDS 2022 follows. You might need a notepad for this one – as Nigel discusses how textbook MBA lessons don’t always work, real-world scaling, strategic planning, and why innovation fails or succeeds in a high-growth environment. Watch the video presentation XDS gathers hundreds of international attendees from over 45 countries to advance the practice of external development for the games industry with three days of structured networking in Vancouver, Canada, one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Connect with us! Email us at info@xdsummit.com Join us LinkedIn Subscribe to our YouTube channel Follow us instagram @xdsummit Visit our website to learn more. Attend XDS 2023 in Vancouver, Canada, September 6-8 Thanks for listening!

Game Development and the Movie Method: What we'd like it to be, versus what it is and it'd take to be successful.  Guest Sam Carlisle, Sr. Director, External Partner Relations, Xbox Games Studios, contemplates the benefits and challenges in shifting to The Movie Method in game development. The audio presentation that follows was delivered at XDS 2022, where Sam explored what the movie method truly is. Our industry has long been fascinated by the movie model. By which small teams temporarily form to build productions at scale. The differences between game and film production and the traps we set ourselves prevent successful implementation. "There are challenges to overcome and fundamental shifts in approach required. However, I believe there’s also the potential of game changing opportunities to be unlocked, with external development holding the key…" Watch the video presentation XDS gathers hundreds of international attendees from over 45 countries to advance the practice of external development for the games industry with three days of structured networking in Vancouver, Canada, one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Connect with us! Email us at info@xdsummit.com Join us LinkedIn Subscribe to our YouTube channel Follow us instagram @xdsummit Visit our website to learn more. Attend XDS 2023 in Vancouver, Canada, September 6-8 Thanks for listening!

Dave Sanderson, Director of External Development at Phoenix Labs, talks with Chris Wren about why he loves his role and expands on the concept of whether External Development and outsourcing are viable options to grow a company. Dave’s audio presentation that follows was delivered at XDS 2022. In January 2020, Phoenix Labs was acquired by Garena, transforming it from a venture capital-backed independent company to a unit within a publicly traded global gaming giant. Dave discusses how their corporate planning changed dramatically – and ExDev strategy had to change with it. This talk is a practical review of how and why ExDev strategies change; how External Development contributes to and is driven by wider corporate strategies; and how Service Providers actually experience these strategies in practice. Watch the video presentation Connect with Dave Sanderson on LinkedIn Connect with us! Email us at info@xdsummit.com Join us LinkedIn Subscribe to our YouTube channel Follow us instagram @xdsummit Visit our website to learn more. Attend XDS 2023 in Vancouver, Canada, September 6-8 Thanks for listening!

Chris Wren chats with Carla Rylance, Head of External Production, Behaviour Interactive, on why her presentation, Diversifying with Confidence, should be a go-to reference for Service Providers courting new clients. Carla’s audio presentation that follows was delivered at XDS 2022. It helps Developers and Publishers diversify with confidence by presenting tips and tricks to elevate due diligence processes. It provides value to established and n00b Service Providers by giving an insight into what questions are important for Developers/ Publishers when hunting for the perfect Partner. The need for external development is showing no signs of slowing down. The importance of diversifying our Partners to stabilize capacity is apparent, but concerns with analyzing new partners or engaging with small vendors with no track record can be challenging. Watch the video presentation XDS gathers hundreds of international attendees from over 45 countries to advance the practice of external development for the games industry with three days of structured networking in Vancouver, Canada, one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Connect with us! Email us at info@xdsummit.com Join us LinkedIn Subscribe to our YouTube channel Follow us instagram @xdsummit Visit our website to learn more. Attend XDS 2023 in Vancouver, Canada, September 6-8 Thanks for listening!