Pixel Retentive Podcast

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, Carl sits down with Pete Vigeant, Director of Game Design at Lil Snack and a 20-year veteran experience designer, to explore why the future of games may be shorter, more social, and more spectacular. Pete has spent his career designing experiences that bring people together, from daily games and micro games to 100,000-player live events, immersive installation...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, Carl sits down with Max Zaleski, games industry professional at Crystal Dynamics and founder of Unconfirmed Flight Offerings (UFO), to explore how story...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, Carl sits down with Carol Madrigal, veteran 3D animator, motion capture specialist, Unreal Engine generalist, and freelance creative whose career spans more than two decades working on some of the biggest productions in entertainmen...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, Carl sits down with Dru Erridge, Founder of Gamebreaking Studios and former Tech Lead at Riot Games, to explore what it really takes to build a sustainable game studio in one of the most volat...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, Carl sits down with Jonathan "Jags" Nee, a self-taught 3D generalist, cinematic trailer creator, and founder of Jags Studio, to explore one of the biggest challenges every creative faces...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, Carl sits down with Chris Do, founder and CEO of The Futur, to explore one of the biggest challenges facing creative professionals: how to confidently s...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, Carl sits down with Jay Prochaska, veteran game artist and art director with nearly 29 years of experience creating games across AAA studios, startups, and everything in between. From traditio...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, Carl sits down with Krystal Rose, Marketing and Partnership Leader at Asmodee and Office Dog Games, to explore what makes partnerships in the tabletop industry truly successful. With more than a decade of experience spanning marketing, events, strategic communications, and gaming, Krystal shares how authentic relationships, community building, and a passion fo...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, Carl sits down with Phil O'Connor, veteran game designer, co-founder of Big Dumb Games, and designer behind titles including Far Cry 3, Rainbow Six Siege, and Dying Light. After nearly three decades in AAA game development, Phil shares why he's betting on indie development, what today's gaming industry gets wrong, and why creativity, authenticity, and smaller ...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, Carl sits down with Delegate Jackie Hope Glass, Navy veteran, audio producer, community storyteller, and Virginia's 93rd District Delegate, to explore how creativity, storytelling, and authentic leadership can strengthen communities and reshape public service. From championing the creative economy to challenging outdated expectations of what leadership looks l...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, Carl sits down with Carolin Vedder, multisensory designer, futures thinker, and motion designer, to explore why designing only for the eyes is no longer enough. Carolin explains how brands, museums, hospitality, retail, and cultural institutions can create unforgettable experiences by intentionally designing for sight, sound, scent, touch, texture, temperature...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, Carl sits down with Melinda Powelson, Founder and CEO of MatchEngine.com, to explore how AI, search engines, and customer behavior are reshaping modern marketing. With more than three decades of experience navigating digital transformation, Melinda shares practical insights on adapting to Google's evolving algorithms, leveraging AI without losing the human tou...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, Carl sits down with Trammell Isaac, veteran game developer, art director, and the creator of the iconic Vault Boy from the Fallout franchise. With more than 30 years in the games industry, Trammell shares the untold story behind one of gaming's most recognizable mascots, how Fallout evolved from a cult classic into a global phenomenon, and what it takes to bui...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, Carl sits down with Larry Kuperman, longtime games industry executive, founding member of Nightdive Studios, and one of the industry's strongest advocates for game preservation. After more than 25 years helping publishers, developers, and studios bring both new and classic games to audiences around the world, Larry shares the lessons, stories, and philosophy t...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, Carl sits down with James L. Sanders III, veteran AAA VFX artist, whose career spans more than two decades creating unforgettable visuals for franchises like Borderlands, Days Gone, Ashes of Creation, and many more. Together they explore how iconic games are built, why great visual effects are about gameplay—not spectacle—and what it really takes t...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, Carl sits down with A. Khedron DeLeon, engineer-turned-writer and narrative designer, and one of the creative leaders behind Vampire: The Masquerade – Reawakened—an ambitious fan-made recreation of the cult classic RPG built entirely within Skyrim's Creation Kit. Together they explore what it takes to revive a beloved game, build a global volunteer development team, and ba...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, Carl sits down with legendary graphic designer Stefan Sagmeister to explore why now is better than most people believe. From award-winning album covers for The Rolling Stones and Talking Heads to groundbreaking exhibitions, TED Talks, and his latest book Now is Better, Stefan shares how design can shape not just what we see—but how we think about the wor...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, Carl sits down with Eduardo Gonzalez, Head of Art at Super Evil Mega Corp, to explore what separates memorable game worlds from truly legendary ones. Having helped shape iconic franchises including League of Legends, Arcane, God of War, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate, Eduardo shares how world...

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, Carl sits down with Ryan Canuel, CEO and co-founder of Petricore, an award-winning game studio building innovative experiences across augmented reality, virtual reality, and emerging gaming pl...