In this episode, we dive into the stories of three legendary game designers: Sam Lake, Neil Druckmann, and Hideo Kojima. What drives these creators to push the boundaries of interactive storytelling? We explore their sources of inspiration, the challenges they face, the techniques and tools they use, and what it truly means to be a game designer at the top of their craft.

00:00 Hi there!

01:38 Sam Lake: cottage by the lake and Dungeons & Dragons

06:27 Neil Druckmann: criminology and Computer Science

09:39 Hideo Kojima: films and Super Mario Bros.

13:21 Sam Lake: Max Payne

19:20 Neil Druckmann: Uncharted and The Last of Us

24:33 Hideo Kojima: Metal Gear

29:39 Sam Lake: Alan Wake, Quantum Break and Control

35:11 Neil Druckmann: Uncharted 4 and The Last of Us Part II

40:59 Hideo Kojima: Death Stranding

44:51 Conclusion

The episode used quotes from the videos from YouTube channels: Old Gods of Asgard.

Author: Rival Abdrakhmanov

Cover: Katya Pavlova

Jingle: Ildar Fattakhov