Game Changers: The Future of Play

Podcast with Dr. Chris “Doc” Haskell What does it really take to build a championship esports program? In this episode of Game Changers: The Future of Play, hosts Toni Callahan, Sarah Ramoz, and Stephany Ventura sit down with Dr. Chris “Doc” Haskell, Head Coach and Director of Boise State Varsity Esports, to unpack the mindset,…

Continue reading Inside Championship Esports: Leadership, AI, and the Future of Competitive Play

In this episode of Game Changers: The Future of Play, host Toni Callahan is joined by Sarah Ramoz and Stephany Ventura for a deep conversation with Trent Oster, CEO of Beamdog and co-founder of BioWare. Trent shares his journey from early programming on the Apple II Plus to building one of the most influential RPG…

Continue reading From BioWare to Beamdog: AI, Game Development & Building Iconic RPGs with Trent Oster

The gaming industry has always been driven by creativity, innovation, and—above all—people. In the latest episode of Game Changers: The Future of Play, we explore how human-centered leadership is becoming a defining factor for success in modern game studios. Joining us is Marina Jonsdottir, Head of People Experiences at Starbreeze Entertainment and former talent leader…

Continue reading Inside the Studio: Marina on Leading People Experiences, Studio Culture, and Women Shaping Gaming

As the gaming industry gathers this week at the legendary Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco, it’s the perfect moment to revisit insights from some of the incredible leaders who have joined the Game Changers podcast. Several of our recent guests — Dave Ranyard, Mike Wilson, Yuan Zeng, and Larry Kuperman — are attending…

Continue reading Game Changers at GDC: Revisit Our Podcast Conversations with Industry Leaders Attending GDC 2026

In this episode of Game Changers: The Future of Play, Toni Callahan, Sarah Ramoz, and Stephany Ventura sit down with Dave Ranyard, CEO of Dream Reality Interactive, to explore how AI, web gaming, and smaller creative teams are reshaping the gaming industry. With a career spanning 17 years at Sony and a background in AI…

Continue reading The Future of Web Gaming, AI, and Indie Studios: Inside the Mind of Dream Reality Interactive CEO Dave Ranyard

In this episode of Game Changers: The Future of Play, Yuan Zeng, a global business development and partnerships leader in the gaming industry, shares strategic insights on how studios scale internationally through smart go-to-market strategies and sustainable partnerships. Drawing from years of experience in international market expansion, IP licensing, and ecosystem development, Yuan explains how…

Continue reading How Gaming Companies Scale Globally: Partnerships, AI Trends & Go-to-Market Strategy with Yuan Zeng

In this episode of Game Changers: The Future of Play, host Toni Callahan sits down with Larry Kuperman, Vice President of Business Development at Nightdive Studios, to explore the business strategy behind video game remasters and game preservation. With decades of experience across publishing, licensing, and commercial leadership, Larry shares how classic games are revived…

Continue reading The Business of Video Game Remasters & Retro Gaming | Larry Kuperman, Nightdive Studios

The gaming industry has always been shaped by people willing to take creative risks — and few have done that more consistently than Mike Wilson, founder of Devolver Digital, Realize Music, and Medicinal Media. In the latest episode of Game Changers: The Future of Play, host Toni Callahan sits down with Mike for a wide-ranging…

Continue reading Building Bold Ideas: Mike Wilson on Indie Games, Media, and the Future of Play

Running a live game at scale is part art, part science—and today’s players expect both. In this episode of Game Changers: The Future of Play, host Toni Callahan and the podcast team sit down with Tomer Zeevi, Director of Product Performance at Scopely working on Monopoly Go!, to go behind the scenes. With over a…

Continue reading Director of Product Performance at Scopely – Tomer Zeevi

In this episode of Game Changers: The Future of Play, host Toni Callahan sits down with Derrick Gennrich, Player Experience Manager at Eleventh Hour Games, to explore what it really takes to support live games and player communities at scale. With more than 15 years in the gaming industry—and leadership roles at studios like Valve,…

Continue reading Player Experience Manager at Eleventh Hour Games – Derrick Gennrich