Press Start Leadership Podcast
Welcome to the Press Start Leadership Podcast, your ultimate guide to unlocking your leadership potential in the dynamic world of the video game industry. Join me, Christopher Mifsud, a seasoned industry professional with two decades of experience leading and nurturing teams for renowned digital creative companies worldwide.
This podcast is your secret weapon in an industry that often promotes talented individuals without providing the necessary leadership training. Drawing from my personal experiences and dedicated investment in top-tier coaches and programs, I've successfully bridged the gap in leadership development. I'm excited to share these invaluable insights with a broader audience, empowering you in the video game industry.
Whether you're a video game industry pro or aspiring to lead a creative product and development team, this show is designed to help you maximize your team's potential and embrace your role as a visionary leader. Together, we'll explore proven strategies, industry trends, and personal anecdotes that will give you the competitive edge you need.
Are you ready to level up your leadership skills and excel in the vibrant world of video game development? Join us on the Press Start Leadership Podcast and let's begin this transformative journey. Just Press Start!
Episodes
235 episodes
Strategic Vision In Game Development
Your game can have a great concept and still end up directionless. The quiet killer is vision drift: the slow slide from a distinct player experience into a backlog of “good ideas” that don’t add up to a coherent whole. We dig into strategic vi...
Game Development Leadership When Nothing Is Certain
Uncertainty shows up in every game project, no matter how senior you are or how “solid” the plan looks on paper. Tech shifts mid-production, the market moves, scope changes, and assumptions break. Instead of treating that uncertainty like a thr...
Gratitude Is Leadership
Deadlines don’t stop just because the calendar flips, but something does shift at the end of the year: we finally get a clear view of the people behind the work. I’m talking about gratitude, not as a polite gesture, but as a leadership responsi...
The Hardest Question In Game Development
The hardest call a game leader makes isn’t about features or art style; it’s deciding whether to build the game at all. We break down a practical framework that helps you pressure-test new ideas and late-stage projects alike, so you can protect...
How Clear, Concise, Constant, And Consistent Communication Transforms A Studio
Tired of “soon,” “later,” and meeting marathons that leave everyone guessing? We go straight at the root cause of studio drag—fuzzy, heavy, or sporadic communication—and replace it with a simple system any game lead can use today. Our focus: th...
How To Take Over An Existing Team Without Breaking It
Stepping into a team mid‑story can feel like landing on a moving platform—fast, noisy, and full of invisible rules. We unpack a clear, humane playbook for inheriting an existing video game team without breaking momentum: listen first, learn the...
Balancing Optimism And Realism In Game Development Leadership
Big ideas can light a studio on fire—in the best and worst ways. We dive into the leadership sweet spot where optimism powers creativity and realism protects teams, translating bold vision into shipped features without burning people out or bre...
Balancing Freedom And Accountability In Game Development Leadership
Creative teams need room to breathe, but games do not ship on good intentions alone. We dig into “trust but verify” as a practical leadership philosophy for game development, showing how to grant real autonomy while building clear, respectful s...
How To Start Strong As A New Video Game Leader
New role, new studio, real stakes. We explore how to make your first 90 days as a game leader count, drawing on Michael Watkins’ proven framework and years of hard-won lessons from creative, technical, and production floors. From the first one-...
From Chaos To Clarity: Monthly, Weekly, Daily For Game Leaders
Creative work thrives when leaders build space for it. We dive into a practical planning system for studio leads and producers that transforms constant reacting into calm, focused progress—without smothering spontaneity. Across a fast-moving pr...
Back To Basics Leadership
If leadership is a game, the winning mechanic is clarity. We take you back to the basics that never age in a fast, volatile industry: communicate with purpose, lead with empathy, model accountability, state expectations clearly, and adapt witho...
Why Great Leaders Never Stop Learning In A Fast-Changing Games Industry
Curiosity is the only edge that doesn’t age. We open the hood on how learning shapes leadership in the games industry, tracing the journey from junior enthusiasm to mid-level complacency to senior humility—and how each stage can either stall or...
From Game Worlds To Global Franchises: How Leaders Grow IP Into Film, TV, And More
Ready to grow your game world into something bigger without losing what makes it special? We explore how studio leaders expand an IP into film, TV, comics, books, and live experiences while keeping creative integrity, fan trust, and team health...
Remote Leadership That Actually Works
Creativity does not vanish when teams spread across time zones; it needs a smarter operating system. We dive deep into how modern game leaders turn remote and distributed work into a durable advantage, from crisp communication frameworks to hum...
From Pitch Rooms To Panels: Mastering Debate And Public Speaking For Game Leadership
Imagine walking into a pitch room knowing exactly how to connect hearts, satisfy minds, and earn trust—all in a few decisive minutes. That’s the edge we explore as we break down how debate and public speaking transform game leaders from compete...
How Game Studios Find, Prove, And Protect Competitive Advantage
The game industry doesn’t reward the loudest pitch; it rewards the clearest edge. We dig into what truly sets a studio apart and how to turn that into momentum players feel, investors back, and teams rally behind. If you’ve ever said “our game ...
Why Reactive Leaders Burn Out Studios And How Proactive Leaders Build Resilience
Volatility is the rule in game development, not the exception—so why do so many studios still lead by firefighting? We dig into the mindset and mechanics of proactive leadership and show how foresight, transparency, and disciplined planning pro...
Balancing Scarcity And Growth In The Games Industry
Growth without restraint breaks studios. Scarcity without vision shrinks them. We dig into a practical way forward: carry the hard-won lessons of lean times into the rush of good times, and treat balance as a leadership operating system rather ...
Why The Games Industry Must Choose Empathy And Ditch Late-Game Capitalism
The games industry is booming on paper, yet the people who build and play the games feel the strain. We unpack why record revenues can coexist with layoffs, crunch, and predatory monetization—and make the case that empathy is not just moral, it...
Building Creative IP Ecosystems for Sustainable Franchise Growth
Fans don’t move in straight lines—they discover worlds through shows, comics, streams, and, yes, games. We dive into how creative IP ecosystems transform a single release into a living franchise by aligning story, timing, and partnerships acros...
Network or Burnout: The Entrepreneur's Choice
The difference between thriving and burning out as a game industry entrepreneur often comes down to one critical factor that's rarely discussed: your support system. While creative talent and technical skills are essential, navigating the unpre...
Finding Your Zen in Game Dev Chaos
Ever feel like you're constantly fighting fires instead of leading with purpose? The relentless pace of game development creates a unique pressure cooker for leaders. Deadlines loom, market conditions shift overnight, creative visions clash, an...
The Art of Game Pitching: One Sheet to Deal
Transforming brilliant game ideas into pitches that secure deals requires mastering a specific art form. For developers navigating the business side of game production, creating compelling pitch materials isn't just helpful—it's essential for s...
Beyond Hope: Strategic Planning as Your Studio's Competitive Edge
The chaotic world of video game development demands more than hope and talent—it requires strategic planning and robust backup strategies. Leadership coach Christopher Mifsud dives deep into why the adage "no plan survives contact with the enem...
From Lost to Aligned: Transforming Game Developer Onboarding
Ever wonder why some new hires hit the ground running while others struggle for months? The difference often comes down to onboarding - that critical period where developers are transformed from outsiders to integrated team members.The ...
