XDS Podcast

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 ...

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 ...

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 l...

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 t...

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, Ma...

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 fema...

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 cul...

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 Yeu discusses significant cultural differences: Western teams prioritize open discussions and individual contributions, whereas non-Western teams emphasize group harmony and hierarchical structure. Shiew Yeu of...

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. ...

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...

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,...

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 ...

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 ultimatel...

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...

Join Chris Wren as he reflects on the successful XDS 2023 event and offers a glimpse into what's new for XDS in 2024, including XDS Spark. Exciting developments are on the way!

Then listen on for the XDS 2023 Fireside Chat with Molly Mason-Boule, Games COO of Riot Games that follows. Joe Nickolls, VP of Sumo Digital North America and Managing Director - Timbre Games, joins Molly to discuss her career journey, insights into the ...

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 innova...

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...

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 w...

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 valu...