The Game Business
Expert analysis and in-depth interviews on the global video game industry, hosted by a veteran business journalist.
This is an insider's briefing on the video game industry, focused squarely on business, strategy, and market trends. Host Christopher Dring leverages his extensive network to get C-suite executives on the record about company strategy, major releases, and industry controversies. It's less about game reviews and more about M&A, financial results, publishing models, and the economic realities of making and selling games.
“The show's primary distinction is the host's access to top-tier industry leaders, like the President of EA Entertainment and Xbox's Chief Strategy Officer. Unlike many gaming podcasts, it is rigorously focused on the business and financial side, often using exclusive data to frame conversations.”
Who hosts this show
The Game Business is a podcast and newsletter offering expert analysis and interviews on the global video game industry. It is hosted by Christopher Dring, a 17-year games media veteran and the head of GamesIndustry.biz, who interviews C-suite executives, studio heads, and analysts about the forces shaping the market. The show often features live recordings from its own industry events.
Credentials & credits
- Head of GamesIndustry.biz
- Founder, host and editor of The Game Business
- Former Editor of MCV
- Games market expert for BBC, CNN, and Sky News
- Published on The Guardian and Video Games Chronicle
Other ventures
- GamesIndustry.biz
- The Game Business Live (event series)
- Best Places To Work Awards (via GamesIndustry.biz)
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United States
- Region
- usa
When new episodes drop
- 01Why is there a Russian war propaganda game on Steam?Jun 26, 2026 · 1 min
- 02
- 03
- 04Why does Xbox need to make a brutal reset?Jun 18, 2026 · 50 min
- 05Can PlayStation’s Housemarque repeat the FromSoftware story?Jun 16, 2026 · 32 min
- 06The Big Xbox Matthew Ball Interview: “The console market is not dying”Jun 11, 2026 · 41 min
- 07The new Paramount Games: 'We are not looking to chase GTA'Jun 9, 2026 · 40 min
- 08The Console War returns - The Game Business MicroJun 8, 2026 · 11 min
Notable episodes
- 01EA's Laura Miele on Command & Conquer mistakes, resurrecting Skate and Dead Space, and Battlefield 6
Features a candid interview with EA's President of Entertainment, who discusses learning from past mistakes and shares the 'Be a goldfish' philosophy from Ted Lasso.
- 02The Big Xbox Matthew Ball Interview: “The console market is not dying”
A live interview with Xbox's Chief Strategy Officer discussing console exclusives, the future of the market, and the company's high-level vision.
- 03Retailer warns of GTA console stock shock. Plus, why is Russian propaganda still on Steam?
An interview with author George Osborn that delves into the complex intersection of video games and global politics, including state-sponsored propaganda.
What you'll be asked on this show
Christopher Dring begins interviews by connecting with the guest's most recent public activity, whether a book launch, a new venture, or a major company announcement. He uses his position as a data-focused journalist to frame questions with market statistics, asking executives how they see their strategy fitting into broader industry trends. Dring probes on difficult subjects, such as layoffs or controversial releases, but does so with a diplomatic fairness, often acknowledging when a guest may be constrained in their answer. He frequently asks guests to reflect on past projects to understand what was learned and will often close by asking about future trends and their company's place within them.
Episodes are a mix of one-on-one interviews and news analysis, sometimes recorded in front of a live audience at 'The Game Business Live' events. Dring is a well-prepared host who uses data to inform his questions and maintains a professional, journalistic tone while still allowing for friendly banter. A shorter, often subscriber-only, segment called 'The Game Business Micro' covers weekly news.
Questions the host keeps coming back to
9 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when the host reaches for it.
business
1- Q.01
“How is [major recent news event] currently impacting your company?”
He often opens with this to address the biggest story surrounding a guest's company.
future
2- Q.01
“Given the current challenges in the industry, what makes you optimistic about the future?”
This question is used to gauge a leader's high-level perspective beyond immediate headwinds.
- Q.02
“How does the world of [Hollywood/linear entertainment] fit into the future of video games?”
He brings this up to explore the growing trend of transmedia IP expansion.
craft
1- Q.01
“How do you evolve a major franchise for new generations without alienating the original fans?”
A frequent question for guests managing long-running, beloved intellectual property.
strategy
1- Q.01
“How does [specific product type] fit into your broader company strategy?”
He asks this to understand how different business units, like single-player games, coexist with larger platform goals.
process
2- Q.01
“Looking back, what did you learn from the launch or reception of [major past project]?”
This is a go-to for eliciting post-mortem insights on significant or troubled releases.
- Q.02
“Can you walk us through the format of your new [project]?”
A follow-up question to understand the specifics of a guest's new venture, like a newsletter or studio.
controversy
1- Q.01
“How do you manage the challenge of online toxicity within your communities?”
Asked of leaders at companies with large online and live-service games.
origin
1- Q.01
“For our listeners, can you summarize what your new [book/game/project] is about?”
A standard opening move to allow a guest to introduce their latest work.
Signature segments
- · The Game Business Live
- · The Game Business Micro
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are typically C-suite executives, studio founders, lead analysts, and authors from major players in the video game industry, including EA, Xbox, and Paramount Game Studios. The show books decision-makers who can speak to strategy, market trends, and company performance.
- George Osbornon Retailer warns of GTA console stock shock. Plus, why is Russian propaganda still on Steam?
- Laura Mieleon EA's Laura Miele on Command & Conquer mistakes, resurrecting Skate and Dead Space, and Battlefield 6
- Lucy Jameson Why does Xbox need to make a brutal reset?
- Ilari Kuittinen & Mikael Haverion Can PlayStation’s Housemarque repeat the FromSoftware story?
- Matthew Ballon The Big Xbox Matthew Ball Interview: “The console market is not dying”
- Shawn Kittelsenon The new Paramount Games: 'We are not looking to chase GTA'
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The podcast is primarily supported by a paid subscription model, which gives listeners access to exclusive episodes and benefits, such as free tickets to 'The Game Business Live' events.
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.
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People also ask
- Who is the host of The Game Business?
- The host is Christopher Dring, a veteran games business journalist and the head of GamesIndustry.biz.
- What is the format of the show?
- The show primarily features in-depth, one-on-one interviews with video game industry leaders, mixed with data-driven analysis of current events. Some episodes are recorded live on stage.
- Is The Game Business podcast still running?
- Yes, the podcast is active and releases episodes multiple times a week.
- Where can I listen to The Game Business?
- The podcast is available on major platforms like Apple Podcasts and Substack, with video versions on its YouTube channel.
- What is 'The Game Business Live'?
- It is a live, in-person event series where the podcast records interviews with industry leaders in front of an audience, often as part of larger events like Summer Game Fest.
- How does the podcast make money?
- The show is primarily supported through a paid subscription model on Substack, which offers access to exclusive content and other benefits.
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]Christopher Dring | GamesIndustry.bizgamesindustry.biz
- [02]The Game Business Show - Apple Podcastspodcasts.apple.com
- [03]The Game Business Live 2026 - PocketGamer.bizpocketgamer.biz
- [04]The Game Business Show | Christopher Dring | Substackthegamebusiness.substack.com
- [05]Speakers announced for Summer Game Fest's The Game Business Live event | VGCvideogameschronicle.com
- [06]Listen - The Game Businessthegamebusiness.com
- [07]Monday, June 8 in Los Angeles - The Game Business Livethegamebusiness.com
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