5 Delusions That Kill Game Studios

Stop leaving reality behind and ship better games!
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Is your studio living in a delusion that will only end in pain?

Seemingly great teams burn millions of dollars only to shut down because they left reality behind. This episode breaks down the five game dev delusions that kill studios, which I've seen in well-funded, 100+ person teams, unfunded indies, and VC-backed startups.

If you lead a team or want to avoid losing touch with reality, this is for you. We cover five "Ps" of delusional failure: Play, Planning, People, Players, and Purpose AND provide the concrete actions you must take to stay grounded, align your team, and ship a game that makes a difference.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:
Why chasing “the first fun” is a mistake
How to spot vapor estimates before they sink you
Why “best people” hiring puts the cart before the horse
The “audience size” trap (and what to do instead)
Why more work isn’t getting you over the line
What gives leaders an edge in staying grounded

Connect with us:
🔗Ben’s LinkedIn:   / benjamin-carcich  
🔗BBG’s LinkedIn:   / building-better-games  
🔗Instagram:   / buildingbettergames  
🔗Website: https://www.buildingbettergames.gg
🔗YouTube:    / @buildingbettergames  

#gamedevleadership #gamedevelopment #gamedevlife #startups #gameproducer

00:00 Introduction: The Five Game Dev Delusions
00:47 Case Study: A Well-Funded Game Gone Wrong
02:14 Delusion 1: The Play Fallacy
07:13 Delusion 2: The Planning Pitfall
10:58 Delusion 3: The People Problem
15:17 Delusion 4: Misunderstanding Players
21:13 Delusion 5: The Purpose Paradox
27:08 Conclusion: Staying Grounded in Reality