Behind the Scenes

Special Episode: Live from the German Developer Award 2025 in ColognePlease note: This special episode is recorded in German.Gordon and Andreas attended the German Developer Award 2025 in Cologne and take you straight to the heart of one of the most important events in the German games industry.In this special episode, you’re there from the very beginning:when the show kicks off, when the atmosphere of the venue unfolds, when the catering is explored (very important!) — and most importantly, when the two hosts dive into the crowd after the ceremony to talk directly with the award winners.Featured interviews include:Anna, whose team FemDevsMeetup received the Jury Special AwardZwi from Toukana Interactive, winners of Best StudioPaintbucket Games with The Darkest Files, awarded Best Game Beyond Entertainment and Best Game DesignDavid from Neoludic Games, whose debut title Tiny Bookshop was a major success, winning Best German Game, Best Indie Game, and Best GraphicsMarie from Happy Broccoli Games, awarded Best Audio DesignIn addition, Gordon and Andreas managed to grab host Lynne Glaner for a short Behind the Scenes conversation, while Benedikt from Ubisoft shared insights into the upcoming German Developer Award Foundation.All in all, it was an entertaining evening filled with familiar faces and a lively award show that left nothing to be desired. In the final segment, Gordon and Andreas reflect on the night once more — the day after the event.----------------------------------------Special Episode: Live vom Deutschen Entwicklerpreis 2025 in KölnGordon und Andreas waren für euch live bei der Verleihung des Deutschen Entwicklerpreises 2025 in Köln dabei und berichten direkt von der Show und ihren Gewinnerinnen und Gewinnern.Im Podcast seid ihr von Anfang an mit dabei:wenn die Show startet, wenn über Atmosphäre, Publikum und natürlich das Catering gesprochen wird (sehr wichtig!) – und vor allem dann, wenn sich die beiden Hosts nach der Preisverleihung ins Getümmel stürzen und die Ausgezeichneten direkt vor Ort interviewen.Mit dabei sind unter anderem:Anna, die mit ihrem Team FemDevsMeetup den Sonderpreis der Jury gewonnen hatZwi von Toukana Interactive, ausgezeichnet als Bestes StudioPaintbucket Games mit The Darkest Files, Gewinner in den Kategorien Bestes Game Beyond Entertainment und Bestes GamedesignDavid von Neoludic Games, die mit ihrem Erstling Tiny Bookshop gleich mehrfach überzeugen konnten und die Preise für Bestes Deutsches Spiel, Bestes Indie Game und Beste Grafik gewonnen habenMarie von Happy Broccoli Games, ausgezeichnet für das Beste AudiodesignAußerdem konnten Gordon und Andreas noch Moderatorin Lynne Glaner für ein kurzes Behind the Scenes-Gespräch gewinnen, und Benedikt von Ubisoft verriet spannende Neuigkeiten zur kommenden Stiftung des Deutschen Entwicklerpreises.Alles in allem war es ein kurzweiliger Abend mit vielen bekannten Gesichtern und einer launigen Award-Show, die keine Wünsche offenließ. Im Fazit lassen Gordon und Andreas am Tag danach den Abend noch einmal Revue passieren.

What happens when a mid‑career crisis, the frustration of “another game about orcs and zombies,” and worries about the world collide? For Jörg Friedrich, it meant walking away from business as usual, starting something small and personal—and ultimately helping change Germany’s rules on Nazi symbols in games.In this episode of “behindthescenes,” we sit down with Jörg Friedrich—co‑founder of Paintbucket Games, former AAA designer (Spec Ops: The Line), and creative lead behind “Through the Darkest of Times,” a game about civilian resistance in Nazi Germany.What began as a two‑person side project became an indie success and a political flashpoint. We trace the journey: late‑night development; a lean, mostly text‑driven design that mirrors the grim reality that most resistance cells failed; and a simple but sharp Twitter strategy—daily 1933 events—that drew historians, journalists, and players. A stark, hand‑drawn art style made the project instantly recognizable.Then the fight that made headlines: Could games depict swastikas under the same “social adequacy” rules as film and literature? Jörg explains how the German games association used the project as a case study, how the USK weighed the build, and why the game became one of the first in Germany to get an age rating while still showing Nazi symbols.We also cover the fallout: wall‑to‑wall media attention at Gamescom, long lines to try “the game with the swastikas,” and a backlash that ranged from union press releases to the ministerial sound bite “You don’t play with swastikas.” Jörg shares the personal stakes—teaching gigs put at risk—and how behind‑the‑scenes advocacy ultimately shifted the narrative toward games as serious historical storytelling and civic education.This is a candid look at making “games with impact”: refusing fake symbols, embracing uncomfortable truths, and designing for tension, loss, and survival over power fantasies.In this episode, you will learn:How a meaning crisis led two AAA veterans to found Paintbucket Games and pursue “games with impact.”Why Through the Darkest of Times centers the rise of fascism, everyday persecution, and the slow erosion of freedom.How a daily 1933 Twitter feed and distinctive art style built the audience before launch.How a tiny project secured a publishing deal (THQ Nordic / HandyGames) without a traditional pitch.What changed inside the USK to apply the social‑adequacy clause to games—and why this case mattered.How the media storm and political backlash unfolded, and how allies helped reframe the debate.Why the team refused to invent “fake” symbols—and what that says about historical honesty in games.Why the game is designed so you often “don’t win,” echoing the fate of real resistance groups.If you want to understand how far games can go as a cultural medium—and what it costs to push those boundaries—this episode is for you.

Please note: This interview is conducted in German.Andreas talks with Lucina Hum, founder of Bisalina Speedruns.What happens when a niche you love refuses to grow—so you decide to grow it yourself?For Lucina Hum, speedrunner of more than a decade and organizer of Bisalina Speedruns, the answer lies somewhere between passion, frustration, and unwavering vision.In this episode of Behind the Scenes, Andreas talks to Lucina about her unconventional path: how you shake up a scene that instinctively distrusts change. The hookline:“Against resistance, for the vision – why Lucina forged her own path despite criticism and reshaped speedrunning along the way.”This isn’t a takedown of the community. It’s an honest look at a subculture that often limits itself, and at a founder who decided she wasn’t willing to stay small. Lucina reflects on her early fascination with JustinTV, Mario 64 runs, and Metroid Prime—and why she eventually stopped wanting to recreate “retro for retro’s sake.”Her answer: events that open speedrunning up—to creators, press, politics, and people who’ve never touched a GameCube controller. Events that fuse entertainment and esports, integrate charity, and offer a format that simply didn’t exist before.We dive into:Community resistance:• Purists who dismiss her approach as “not real speedrunning.”• Gatekeeping that suffocates innovation.• The bigger question: Who does a community actually belong to?Building Bisalina Speedruns:• From a €2,000 shoestring budget in 2023 to a hybrid TV-ready event.• 40+ creators collaborating on a 10-hour live production.• A prize competition with nearly 2,000 submissions and a €5,000 finale.• 150 invited guests from media, esports, politics, and the creator space.Her creative philosophy:• Explain instead of mystify.• Make rules accessible rather than sacred.• Build something newcomers understand without betraying veterans.Lucina’s dream formats:• Interactive segments instead of silent showcases.• Entertainment mixed with education (quizzes, zoom-in challenges).• Speedrunning as a gateway for creators rather than a closed shop.• Events where coaching, networking, and competition coexist.The episode sheds light on how speedrunning evolved, why “it’s always been like this” is never a valid argument for the future, and why innovation often requires ignoring the loudest critics.Not because it’s easy, but because no one else is pursuing her vision.Surprisingly, the ending is hopeful: More reach, more understanding, more formats, more courage—plus a major announcement at the upcoming event.You will learn:• Why speedrunning is 33 years old yet only now breaking into the mainstream• How niche cultures grow when they stop creating only for themselves• The pitfalls of a scene wary of change• Why hybrid events open doors pure community shows never could• How to turn a hobby into a TV-ready event—solo, but with vision

What happens when your perfect plan collides with millions of passionate players? For Stephen Flowers, Senior Writer on the smash-hit Helldivers 2, the answer was to throw the plan out the window and embrace the chaos.In this episode of "Behind the Scenes," recorded live at devcom 2025, we sit down with Stephen Flowers for an unflinchingly honest look at one of the most explosive and successful game launches in recent memory. This isn't just a story about managing success; it’s the story of a meticulously crafted 90-day narrative that was dismantled by players in less than a week, forcing the development team into a frantic, live-wire act of reactive storytelling.We dive deep into the pivotal moments of that journey, from the emergency scramble that turned 8 planned major orders into 27, to the single most genius solution of their crisis—a story that involves turning a game-breaking server issue into an in-universe "firmware glitch" for the enemy faction.This episode is a powerful look at the reality of modern live-service games, the immense pressure of a player-driven world, and the invaluable lessons learned when your community's passion becomes the most powerful and unpredictable force in your game.In this episode, you will learn:Why the initial 3-month content plan for Helldivers 2 was completely overwhelmed by players within the first few days.The incredible story of the "firmware glitch" and how the team learned to weaponize bugs and technical issues as part of the narrative.How the writers and Game Masters collaborate in real-time to react to player behavior and keep the Galactic War engaging.The creative process behind balancing a persistent story with the need for player agency in a world that can never truly be "won."Why, even after monumental success, the development team never feels truly "safe" from the chaos of a live game.9. Nov. 2025 18:47

What does it take to bet your entire company on a single idea? For Don Daglow, the pioneering designer and founder of Stormfront Studios, the answer was to risk everything on a concept the world had never seen: a graphical online role-playing game.In this episode of "Behind the Scenes," recorded live at devcom 2025, we sit down with Don Daglow for a masterful look back at the birth of a genre. This isn't just the story of Neverwinter Nights; it’s the story of a high-stakes gamble in the wild west of the games industry, where three competing titans—AOL, SSI, and TSR—were united by a single, audacious vision.We dive deep into the pivotal moments that made it all possible, from a legendary "green light" meeting in a Dungeons & Dragons-themed castle in Las Vegas to the single most important moment of Don's career—a story that involves a quiet hotel suite, a direct question, and a handshake that sealed the fate of his entire company.This episode is a powerful look at the reality of game development before it was a corporate machine, the immense personal risk required to innovate, and the invaluable lessons learned from betting it all on a "Holy Grail" project.In this episode, you will learn:Why Neverwinter Nights was considered a "Holy Grail" that other developers had tried and failed to achieve.The incredible story of the handshake deal that represented the ultimate "bet-the-company" moment.How Don Daglow navigated the complex, high-stakes partnerships between AOL, SSI, and the creators of Dungeons & Dragons.The clever technical and design compromises that were necessary to make the world's first graphical MMORPG a reality.Why the groundbreaking and successful game was ultimately shut down due to a business decision, not failure.

Please note: This interview is conducted in German. Andreas talks with Simon & Sebastian, the hosts of “Trek am Dienstag”.What happens when a defining piece of your youth keeps returning in a form that feels unfamiliar? For Simon and Sebastian—hosts of the long-running “Trek am Dienstag”—the answer lands somewhere between love, fatigue, and cautious optimism.In the debut episode of “Behind the Scenes,” host Andreas convenes a frank, funny, and sharp conversation about New Trek versus the Berman-era shows that shaped a generation. The hookline: Is New Trek the downfall of the franchise—or are we just old enough to think “it used to be better”?This isn’t a hit piece. It’s an honest look at how modern Star Trek chases new audiences—bigger music, faster pacing, constant emotional high tide—while losing the quiet character moments that once made the universe feel like home. Simon charts his arc from early excitement (JJ Abrams’s reset, Discovery’s promise, the return of Picard) to disillusionment (perpetual drama, fanservice without vision). Sebastian underscores a broader point: plenty of fans love Strange New Worlds and Lower Decks; his disconnect is personal, not prescriptive. The pressure they do reject: being told they must both watch and like the new canon because they host a Star Trek podcast.We dive into:The Kelvin Timeline: a smart way to unshackle canon, re-centering U.S. TOS nostalgia—clever industry logic that still disoriented parts of the fandom.Discovery, Picard, SNW: where they thrill and where they falter, from relentless sentiment to legacy-character dependency.They also sketch the shows they wish existed:A season that hides its Trek DNA until the finale.A “monster-of-the-week” told from the monster’s point of view.Stories anchored in non-bridge lives—technicians, journalists, ordinary crew—expanding the world without leaning on Spock yet again.The episode reframes the Berman era not as flawless, but as “character first” television (Michael Piller) guided by strong vision (Ira Steven Behr) and 26-episode seasons that let relationships breathe. Today’s 8–10 episode arcs push plot at the cost of texture. Add franchise mandates, blockbuster budgets, and production pipelines locked seasons ahead of audience feedback, and the creative dialogue with fans collapses.In the most revealing aside, Sebastian recalls an old Alex Kurtzman commentary track where the producer sounds embarrassed to be a Trek fan—a tell, he argues, for a modern tone that seems apologetic about its roots while trying to be everything to everyone.The ending is surprisingly hopeful. Simon will keep giving every new show a fair shake; he just wants vision instead of pandering. Sebastian is serene: either something great lands, or he spends the rest of his life joyfully mining the vast back catalog and unseen secondary materials. Andreas closes on the enduring magic of Trek: stand-alone episodes that still spark wonder on a random lunch break.This episode is a clear-eyed look at how franchises evolve, why not every evolution is for everyone, and how to keep loving a thing without insisting it never change.You will learn:Why the Kelvin reset was both industrially smart and emotionally destabilizing.The tradeoffs of tight 10-episode arcs—momentum versus lost intimacy.How Discovery, Picard, and SNW balance (or bungle) fanservice, pacing, and tone.The Berman-era principles—Piller’s “character first,” Behr’s vision—that built staying power.Fresh Trek concepts that don’t rely on legacy characters.A healthier fandom stance: critique without gatekeeping, hope without entitlement.Photo Credit: Guido Raith