Dev Dream Pod with Blake Gocey

Episoder

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  First Time Dev Drops Marketing Secrets 18.08.2026 1t 13min

  Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/a2hceZhcfJSensory Overload: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4403510/Sensory_Overload/Tim's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@UCuSU9XS2Shqt-nakLMxaNyw
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  How A First Time Game Dev Went Viral 03.08.2026 1t 6min

  Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/a2hceZhcfJEye of the Match: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3799530/Eye_of_the_Match_The_VAR_Game/Andre Cardoso shares his journey from a weekend prototype to a full-time game developer, revealing strategies for marketing, game design, and balancing polish with release. Discover how early Steam pages, community feedback, and understanding game feel can accelerate your development process.
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  How To Make It As A Full Time Indie Dev 27.07.2026 1t 7min

  Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/a2hceZhcfJEggcelerate: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1535490/Eggcelerate/In this episode, Tim Beaudet shares his journey as an indie game developer, focusing on his game Accelerate, the challenges of designing racing games, and his insights on market trends, risk management, and pursuing passion in game development.
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  You Will Never Think About Game Dev The Same Way Again 21.07.2026 1t 13min

  Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/a2hceZhcfJIn this episode, Lasse shares his journey from professional gaming to indie game development, discussing lessons learned, game design insights, and future ambitions. Discover how perseverance, self-reliance, and strategic planning can lead to success in the indie game industry.Mage and Monsters: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1950440/Mage_and_Monsters/Mage and Monsters 2: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2481640/Mage_and_Monsters_II/
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  A Random Discord DM Changed His Life 21.07.2026 1t 5min

  Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/a2hceZhcfJGoblins for Good: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4500800/Goblins_for_Good/
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  Broke, Discouraged, and Terrified - He Hit Publish 06.07.2026 56min

  Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/a2hceZhcfJAll Hail The Orb: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4262310/_All_Hail_the_Orb/
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  The Truth About A.I. in Game Development 05.07.2026 1t 5min

  Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/a2hceZhcfJSubscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@dev.dream.podcast/subscribeTodays Guest: Cai WangwiltOvertrick: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4101290/Overtrick/
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  Next Fest Is Not For Indies Anymore: What To Do Instead 22.06.2026 1t 1min

  Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/a2hceZhcfJ
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  I Followed An Indie Dev For His Entire Marketing Campaign 15.06.2026 47min

  Play The Demo Today: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2600970/Flawed_Tactics/
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  This Game Determines His Future 12.06.2026 59min

  Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/a2hceZhcfJ
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  Thomas Stewart 01.06.2026 1t 14min

  Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/aD5tJ38XUChapters:00:00 Intro & Guest Welcome00:36 Childhood & Creativity03:17 Childhood Video Games05:13 Discovering Game Development07:56 Quarter Life Crisis09:32 Current Game Dev Dream12:36 Living the Dream?14:58 Breaking Into Industry17:14 Console Porting Strategy20:24 Why Consoles?24:50 Bridges and Docks27:03 Console vs Steam Sales28:50 Console Advice31:32 Just Keep Fishing Team33:51 Working With Friends36:08 Building Dev Network40:14 What Makes JKF Special44:00 Jank as a Feature47:21 Game Ideation Process50:52 When to Pivot Projects55:13 Expectations for JKF57:39 Is YouTube Worth It?1:02:24 YouTube's Real Value1:03:34 Being a Game Dev Dad1:05:38 How Fatherhood Changed Him1:07:49 Kids & Video Games1:10:15 Bad Game Dev Advice1:13:04 Key Lesson: Playtesting
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  Don't Let Your Game Go Viral 01.06.2026 1t 19min

  Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/qG3EA8fuERollin Ravioli: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4287100/Rollin_Ravioli/Chapters:00:00 Intro & Welcome03:52 From Streamer to Gamedev07:46 Remote Partnership Story11:58 Squawky Origin Story15:36 Squawky Development Drama20:20 DMCA Launch Disaster26:48 Lessons From Failure32:08 Roland Ravioli Reveal36:55 Game Design Philosophy43:55 Unreal Engine Workflow49:09 Viral Trailer Story56:05 Virality & Marketing1:03:58 Wishlist Results1:06:35 Demo Feedback & Updates1:10:47 Indie Dev Reality1:16:58 Gamedev Advice Takeaways1:18:45 Odai's Big Dream
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  Why You Shouldn’t Mix 3 Genres (He Tried) 18.05.2026 1t 6min

  Join The Discord: https://discord.gg/qG3EA8fuEWilliam of Studio Kunic returns to the Dev Dream Pod to discuss his wild gamedev journey — building a custom raycasting engine in Godot for Lair Keeper, pivoting from Dungeon Keeper ideas to a Slay the Spire-style dungeon crawler, and his new addictive arcade-inspired game.From game jam chaos to protecting ideas in the AI era, this is packed with honest solo dev insights.⏱️ Chapters:00:00 - Welcome Back William01:27 - Lair Keeper Origins03:08 - Why He Pivoted07:35 - Lair Keeper Draw & Brawl10:16 - Custom Render Engine13:29 - Raycasting in Godot19:48 - Playdate Influence20:04 - Engine Time Investment23:03 - When to Build Engines26:04 - Lair Keeper Future34:20 - New Pop the Lock Game37:46 - Balatro Inspired Mechanics41:36 - Design Challenges44:42 - Board Game Inspiration50:24 - YouTube Strategy Struggles57:56 - Dev Dream & GoalsIf you're into Godot, roguelikes, game jams, custom engines, or solo game development, this episode is gold.---#Godot #IndieDev #GameJam #LairKeeper #SoloDev #CustomEngine #Roguelike #GameDev
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  The Design Conflict That Almost Broke His Game 11.05.2026 1t 10min

  Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/qG3EA8fuEJeremy from Jeremy Makes Games shares his honest indie dev journey — abandoning Merchants of the Stars, building his roguelike Get in the Hole, and key lessons on Steam marketing, design tension, and YouTube devlogs.Get In The Hole: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4174950/Get_in_the_Hole/Jeremy's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JSMakesGames🎮 Roguelike vs Incremental, solo dev life, Steam Next Fest strategy & more.⏱️ Chapters:00:00 - Cursed Game Design01:15 - Abandoning First Game03:22 - Google to Indie Dev08:48 - Making Toggle App14:04 - Mobile Monetization Lessons19:05 - Merchants on Steam20:56 - Get in the Hole21:10 - Roguelike vs Incremental24:06 - Design Tension Explained26:59 - Steam Demo Results28:36 - Retention Improvements31:48 - Scaling with Items34:06 - Roguelike Builds36:06 - Killing Darlings38:47 - Marketing Challenges40:24 - Name Problems43:34 - Next Fest Plans44:41 - Luck vs Skill49:47 - Content Creator Outreach54:54 - YouTube DevlogsIf you're into indie game development, roguelikes, or Steam marketing, this is full of real talk and practical lessons.#IndieDev #GameDev #Roguelike #SoloDev #SteamNextFest
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  He Made One Million Check Boxes 04.05.2026 1t 1min

  Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/a2hceZhcfJNolen's website: https://eieio.games/In this episode, we dive into the mind of Nolan, a developer known for creating wildly unconventional multiplayer experiences like 1 Million Checkboxes and 1 Million Chessboards. Instead of following traditional game dev paths, Nolan explores strange, experimental ideas that bring thousands of players together in unexpected ways.We talk about how he got started, why weird ideas often outperform polished ones, and what it takes to design multiplayer systems that encourage fun instead of chaos. From viral internet experiments to deep thoughts on creativity, constraints, and player behavior—this conversation is packed with insights for indie devs and curious creators alike.This podcast explores experimental game development, indie game design, and viral multiplayer experiences with developer Nolan. Learn how games like 1 Million Checkboxes and 1 Million Chessboards became internet sensations, and discover insights on creative coding, unconventional game mechanics, and building engaging online interactions. Perfect for indie developers, programmers, and anyone interested in unique game design, multiplayer systems, and creative experimentation in game development.Chapters00:00 Intro & Overview03:00 Early Experiments06:15 Creative Signals09:00 Solving Hard Problems12:02 Recurse Center Insights15:07 Solo Dev Reality18:00 Checkbox Virality00:21:01 Anti-Troll Design24:10 Stranger Video Game27:04 Learning Process30:18 Chessboards Explained33:03 Emergent Gameplay36:01 Ending Experiences39:06 Game Length Debate42:10 Future Projects45:03 Dev IdentityHashtags#gamedev #indiedev #gameprogramming #indiegames #multiplayergames #creativecoding #webdev #gamedevelopment #indiegame #programming #gamepodcast #gamedevlife #experimentalgames
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  SamYam is A Game Dev YouTube Icon - Next Step, Solo Dev 27.04.2026 1t 14min

  Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/a2hceZhcfJSamYam opens up about her journey as a 120K+ sub Unity YouTuber turned indie game dev. She shares why her second Steam game Bus Buddies flopped after Desktop Cat Cafe succeeded, brutal multiplayer lessons with SDF sculpting, hackathon wins, YouTube burnout, and her big gamedev dream.In this honest conversation, she breaks down playtesting mistakes, marketing realities, team vs solo development, and how she makes game dev more fun and accessible for “TikTok brains.”SamYam on YT: https://www.youtube.com/@UCCkLMimnKzKbOQYxPDSYXFw Desktop Cat Cafe: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2978180/Desktop_Cat_Cafe/Bust Buddies: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3768810/Bust_Buddies/Chapters:0:00 Intro & Discord Announcement2:38 Why Make Gamedev Fun6:02 Growing Up a Gamer9:04 Hackathons & Web3 Days13:43 Bus Buddies Game Idea15:40 Multiplayer Development Hell20:03 Teamwork vs Solo Dev22:06 Why Bus Buddies Flopped25:32 Playtesting & Prototyping Tips33:50 Desktop Cat Cafe Story38:10 Branching Into New Genres39:00 Marketing & Wishlist Lessons42:50 YouTube Channel Origin44:33 YouTube Burnout & Evolution50:47 YouTube Advice for Game Devs55:03 Business & Brand Plans1:01:38 Steam Marketing Meta1:08:30 Viewer Questions1:09:11 Handling Hate as Female Dev1:13:22 Sam's Gamedev DreamIf you're building games in Unity, launching on Steam, or growing a game dev YouTube channel, this episode is full of real talk and actionable lessons from someone who's done both successfully. Subscribe for more indie dev interviews, Unity tips, and Steam launch stories!#Unity #GameDev #IndieGame #Steam #BusBuddies #DesktopCatCafe #samyam #MultiplayerGame #IndieDev #YouTubeTips #GameDevelopment #UnityTutorial #SoloDev
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  You're Missing The Best Time Ever To Make A Video Game 26.04.2026 1t 26min

  Inside Conference: https://howtomarketagame.com/insideChris's Free Blog: https://www.howtomarketagame.com/freeJoin The Dev Dream Discord: https://discord.gg/qG3EA8fuEThis episode with Chris Zukowski of How To Market A Game dives deep into the reality of indie game development, breaking down what it actually takes to succeed on Steam in today’s so-called “golden age” of small, fast-to-make games. We explore why genres like incremental games, roguelites, and management sims are dominating, how to validate your game idea using demos and itch.io, and why most indie games fail—even when developers follow all the “right” marketing strategies. From building wishlists and leveraging Steam Next Fest to working with content creators and understanding what makes a game “have it,” this podcast is packed with actionable insights for beginner and experienced indie devs alike. If you're trying to grow your game, launch successfully, or avoid wasting years on the wrong project, this is a must-listen conversation about indie game marketing, game design strategy, and how to actually make money as a solo developer.Chapters:00:00 Intro04:45 Conference Origins 09:30 Small Games Thesis 15:10 Industry Misconceptions 20:40 Why Small Wins 26:15 Speed Advantage 31:50 Scope Discipline 37:20 Dev Reality Check 42:55 Marketing Mindset 48:30 Finding Players 54:05 Platform Strategy 59:40 Algorithm Leverage 1:05:10 Viral Mechanics 1:10:45 Monetization Truth 1:16:20 Real Examples 1:21:30 Final Advice 1:26:00 Closing Thoughts #IndieGameDev #GameDevelopment #SteamGames #IndieDev #GameMarketing #SoloDev #GamedevTips #IndieGames #SteamNextFest #ItchIO #GameDesign #Roguelike #IncrementalGames #GameDevPodcast #MakeGames
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  The Real Reason Small Teams Crush At Game Dev 20.04.2026 48min

  Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/a2hceZhcfJTired of wearing every hat as a solo indie game dev? Backward Studio shares honest insights on the benefits of working in a small 3-person team versus going solo. They reveal how trust, focus, and playtesting help them learn faster, make better decisions, and avoid burnout while building toward their first commercial release. From in-person workflows and revenue share talks to client projects and procedural sound design, this episode is packed with practical advice for indie developers considering teamwork or struggling with solo development. Dev Dream PodcastChapters:00:00 - Small Team vs Solo03:30 - Trust the Process07:00 - Data Driven Prototyping11:00 - In Person Workflow15:00 - Revenue Share Reality19:00 - Client Project Lessons24:00 - Deadlines That Work28:00 - Programmer on a Team32:00 - Artist Workflow Tips37:00 - Procedural Sound Design42:00 - Studio Future Dreams#IndieGameDev #SmallTeam #SoloDev #GameDevelopment #IndieDev #Godot #Unity #GameDevTips #IndieStudio #ProceduralAudio #DevDreamPod
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  Code Monkey Loves LLMs for Learning How To Program 13.04.2026 1t 8min

  Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/a2hceZhcfJ In this in-depth Dev Dream Podcast interview, Code Monkey (Ugo) shares his 20+ years of game development experience and reveals how he shifted from short Unity tutorials to creating massive 10–12 hour free courses like Kitchen Chaos. We discuss whether AI tools like ChatGPT and Grok are killing the tutorial industry, how to use LLMs effectively without blindly copy-pasting code, and why “vibe coding” can actually hurt your skills.Hugo also opens up about building a sustainable indie career, the challenges of balancing game development with YouTube education, why game dev audiences rarely buy your games, and his advice for new developers on prototyping, choosing genres, and finding success on Steam without chasing viral hits.Perfect for Unity developers, indie game makers, and anyone wondering how AI is changing programming education.**Chapters:**- 00:00 Intro- 03:14 Shift from Short Tutorials to Long Courses- 05:58 AI Killing Tutorials? Real Talk- 08:39 How to Use AI Without Losing Skills- 13:21 Will LLMs Replace Programmers?- 16:50 YouTube as Business vs Marketing Tool- 22:51 Balancing Games & Education- 27:13 Can You Still Succeed on YouTube?- 31:02 Choosing Video Topics That Matter- 33:51 Solo Dev Workflow & Hiring Artists- 37:45 Prototyping Strategy- 40:06 Genre Success vs Personal Passion- 44:06 Dinky Guardians Design & Inspiration- 47:57 Core Loop of Automation Games- 50:40 Biggest Technical Challenges- 52:54 Is Dinky Guardians a Success?- 58:07 Making Money with Free Content- 1:00:31 Future Steam Games Plans- 1:03:01 AI Impact on Indie Devs- 1:05:39 Advice for Beginners#Unity #GameDev #IndieGameDev #CodeMonkey #AIinProgramming #UnityTutorial #KitchenChaos #DinkyGuardians #IndieDeveloper #Gamedev2026
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  What To Do When Every Steam Festival REJECTS You 06.04.2026 1t

  Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/a2hceZhcfJ Cian (developer of Puppy Park) got tired of being rejected from Steam festivals, so he did something most indies never consider — he ran his own. In this episode he reveals exactly how to create a Steam festival, why 750 games was a huge mistake, and the surprising visibility rules Valve uses.We also dive into his real-time cozy dog hotel game Puppy Park, the nostalgia behind it, commissioning art from Instagram, NextFest wishlist drama, and why even “successful” launches often just break even after a year.If you’re an indie dev struggling with marketing or festivals, this one is packed with practical lessons.🎮 Puppy Park on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2819600/Puppy_Park/Chapters:0:00 – Intro0:33 – Why He Made His Own Festival2:54 – How to Run a Steam Festival4:38 – Wholesome Underdogs Festival5:50 – 750 Games Applied8:52 – Festival Visibility Secrets15:57 – The Big Mistake17:38 – Takeaways If You Want to Run One28:54 – Puppy Park Elevator Pitch34:00 – Real-Time Game Problems38:07 – Wishlist & Sales Reality43:50 – Press Strategy (200 Emails)59:21 – His Game Dev DreamSubscribe for more raw indie dev stories → https://www.youtube.com/@DevDreamPodWhat do you think — would you ever run your own Steam festival? Drop your thoughts below!#IndieGameDev #SteamFestival #CozyGames #PuppyPark #SoloDev #SteamMarketing #NextFest #GameDev #IndieDev #CozyGame #RealTimeGame #WholesomeGames #SteamNextFest #GameDevelopment