Dev To Dev Podcast
Hosted by Dev To Dev
A career-focused podcast exploring the personal journeys and craft of the individual developers who build video games.
This is a biographical interview show focused on the career paths of individual game developers. Each episode traces a single developer's journey chronologically, from their earliest inspirations and education to their current role, emphasizing the often winding and unexpected routes people take into the industry. It deliberately avoids a "greatest hits" approach, focusing instead on the process, the challenges, and the human stories behind the job titles.
“Unlike shows focused on game reviews or celebrity studio heads, Dev to Dev spotlights the individual contributors—engineers, writers, designers—and treats their career trajectory as the main story. Its strict chronological interview format provides a clear, consistent narrative arc for every guest's professional life.”
Who hosts this show
Hosted by Alex Sulman, a game industry veteran of nearly three decades, Dev to Dev explores the human side of game development. Inspired by a speech recognizing the individual creators behind games, the podcast features weekly, in-depth interviews with the animators, engineers, artists, and designers who shape the industry. The conversations focus on their unique career paths, personal inspirations, and the day-to-day realities of their craft.
Credentials & credits
- Game industry veteran of nearly three decades
- Lead Combat Designer at Zenimax Online Studios
- Former designer at Sony Santa Monica, Blizzard, and DICE
- Worked on franchises like God of War, Diablo, and Battlefield
- System and Gameplay Designer
Other ventures
- "Feeling This" Podcast (co-host)
What kind of podcast
When new episodes drop
- 01Dev to Dev S02 E18 - Scott NisenfeldJun 28, 2026 · 58 min
- 02Dev to Dev S02 E17 Clip - Embracing ChangeJun 25, 2026 · 1 min
- 03Dev to Dev S02 E17 - Sangita NuliJun 22, 2026 · 58 min
- 04Dev to Dev S02 E16 - Louis BayardJun 14, 2026 · 57 min
- 05Dev to Dev S02 - IntermissionMay 31, 2026 · 4 min
- 06Dev to Dev S02 E15 - Brian MarinariMay 24, 2026 · 1h 05m
- 07Dev to Dev S02 E14 - Rob GardnerMay 17, 2026 · 1h 01m
- 08Dev to Dev S02 E13 - Sarah LynnMay 10, 2026 · 56 min
Notable episodes
- 01S02 E18 - Scott Nisenfeld
The guest explains how the studio making the 'Rise of the Witch-king' expansion was left alone because the three stakeholders (EA, Tolkien estate, New Line) were too busy fighting each other.
- 02S02 E17 - Sangita Nuli
The guest describes how the COVID-19 pandemic was the catalyst for her to pivot from a film/TV career path to actively pursuing game development.
- 03S02 E16 - Louis Bayard
The guest recounts how his game design course at Rubika began with a full year dedicated to creating board games, not video games, and how he got his first job by accident.
What you'll be asked on this show
Alex Sulman's interviews are structured as a chronological biography. He always opens with his "favorite first question," asking what first inspired the guest about video games, to establish their origin story. From there, he methodically walks them through their childhood, education, and every significant career step, sometimes using their LinkedIn profile as a roadmap. He probes for the "why" behind decisions, such as career pivots or educational choices, and asks about the emotional reality of milestones, like landing a first job. He rarely challenges guests, preferring an encouraging, conversational tone that allows their story to unfold naturally.
Single-host, single-guest interview format. Host Alex Sulman follows a strict chronological path through the guest's life, from childhood inspiration to their present-day role. He often paraphrases a guest's previous point to create a smooth transition to his next question.
Questions Dev To Dev keeps coming back to
11 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when Dev To Dev reaches for it.
origin
2- Q.01
“What first inspired you about video games?”
This is the host's signature opening question, which he calls his 'favorite first question' to kick off the guest's origin story.
- Q.02
“Did you think you could make video games back then?”
This question gauges the guest's early career aspirations and when they realized game development was a viable path.
personal
4- Q.01
“Where did you grow up?”
Asked early in the conversation to establish the guest's personal background and context for their early life.
- Q.02
“Were there any other gamers in your family?”
A common follow-up to childhood questions, used to explore the influence of family on their gaming habits.
- Q.03
“How did it feel to land that first professional game dev job?”
Focuses on the emotional impact and personal significance of breaking into the industry.
- Q.04
“Has your personal passion for [X] always been there?”
Connects a guest's personal hobbies, like cars or writing, to their professional work in games.
process
3- Q.01
“How did you end up studying your particular field?”
Used to transition from early life into the guest's formal education and the choices that led them there.
- Q.02
“How was the transition from college to a professional space?”
This question explores the often-difficult shift from an academic environment to a professional studio.
- Q.03
“Did the collaborative process come naturally to you?”
Probes how the guest adapted to the team-based nature of game development.
mindset
1- Q.01
“Was that first job what you expected it to be?”
A frequent follow-up to the 'first job' question, exploring the gap between expectation and reality.
craft
1- Q.01
“What was it about making games that inspired you to make a career switch?”
Asked of guests who transitioned from other industries to pinpoint the specific appeal of game development.
Signature segments
- · The 'favorite first question' about a guest's first inspiration.
- · Chronological career path interviews.
- · Focus on individual contributors, not just leads.
- · Patreon 'virtual tip jar' mentions.
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
The show books individual contributors from all disciplines of game development—engineers, narrative designers, level designers, audio directors—rather than studio leads or celebrity directors. Guests often have non-linear or interesting career paths.
- Scott Nisenfeldon S02 E18
- Sangita Nulion S02 E17
- Louis Bayardon S02 E16
- Brian Marinarion S02 E15
- Rob Gardneron S02 E14
- Sarah Lynnon S02 E13
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The podcast is primarily supported by listeners via Patreon, which keeps the show ad-free. The host also promotes his other podcast, "Feeling This".
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
Pitch Dev To Dev
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People also ask
- Who is the host of Dev to Dev?
- The host is Alex Sulman, a game designer with nearly three decades of experience at studios like Blizzard, DICE, and Sony Santa Monica.
- What is the format of the show?
- It is a weekly, long-form interview podcast. Each episode features a conversation with a single game developer about their life and career path.
- Is the podcast still running?
- Yes, it is an active podcast that releases new episodes on a weekly basis, with occasional announced breaks for work or travel.
- What kind of guests are on the show?
- The show focuses on 'everyday developers'—the individual animators, engineers, artists, and designers, rather than well-known creative directors or studio heads.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- The podcast is available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other major podcast platforms.
- How can I support the podcast?
- The show is listener-supported via a Patreon, which keeps the episodes ad-free.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]Official Websitedevtodevpodcast.com
- [02]Dev to Dev on Apple Podcastspodcasts.apple.com
- [03]Alex Sulman: A Portfolioalexsulman.com
- [04]TechTalk: Alex Sulman - Psygnosis: A Love Storycomputinghistory.org.uk
- [05]Alex Sulman | Diablo Wikidiablo.fandom.com
- [06]Presentations - Alex Sulman: A Portfolioalexsulman.com
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