Free Daily Podcast Summary
Designer Notes: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Idle Thumbs
Why do we make games? Every designer has a different and very personal answer to that question. Soren Johnson, founder of Mohawk Games, sits down with noted designers to find out by examining their careers as a whole.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- 2 weeks ago1h 37m
Designer Notes 97: My Perfect Console - Soren Johnson
Designer Notes is hosting a special guest episode from Simon Parkin’s excellent podcast My Perfect Console, in which he interviews Soren Johnson about his career and his favorite games. In each episode, Simon asks the guest to choose five games to compose their version of a perfect console or, in Soren’s case, a perfect personal computer. Check out the show at myperfectconsole.com.
- Jul 6, 20261h 29m
Designer Notes 96: Owen Mahoney
In this episode, Soren interviews Owen Mahoney, who served first as the CFO and then as the CEO of Nexon. They discuss what the transition to free-to-play meant for game design, how to make sure your company has the right type of shareholders, and how close Nexon came to buying Riot. This episode was recorded on March 11, 2026, and was engineered by Michael Hermes.
- Jun 6, 20262h 59m
Designer Notes 95: Seth Sivak
In this episode, Soren interviews Seth Sivak, best known as the co-founder and CEO of Proletariat, makers of World Zombination and Spellbreak. They discuss how he invited hover doobers, the many times Proletariat almost went out of business, and whether free-to-play still makes sense. This episode was recorded on September 13, 2025, and was engineered by Michael Hermes.
- May 4, 20263h 33m
Designer Notes 94: Charles Cecil - Part 2
In this episode, Soren interviews veteran game developer Charles Cecil, co-founder of Revolution Software and best known for his work on Beneath a Steel Sky and the Broken Sword series. They discuss why he made a game about the Knights Templar, how digital distribution changed the publisher-developer relationship forever, and what made the goat puzzle unfair. This interview was started on April 14, 2025.
- Apr 20, 20261h 56m
Designer Notes 93: Charles Cecil - Part 1
In this episode, Soren interviews veteran game developer Charles Cecil, co-founder of Revolution Software and best known for his work on Beneath a Steel Sky and the Broken Sword series. They discuss various dodgy tax avoidance schemes, what the Bitmap Brothers faxed to Acclaim, and how to teach players the grammar of adventure games. This interview was started on April 14, 2025.
- Dec 26, 20253h 8m
Designer Notes 92: Paul Kilduff-Taylor
In this episode, Soren interviews Paul Kilduff-Taylor, best known for his work on Frozen Cortex and the Frozen Synapse series. They discuss whether a sword-fighting game should be controlled with a mouse, why Frozen Synapse uses simultaneous turns, and how it ended up as one of the first indie games on Steam. This episode was recorded on July 15, 2025.
- Nov 18, 20252h 27m
Designer Notes 91: Tomislav Uzelac
In this episode, Soren interviews Tomislav Uzelac, best known for his work on the Unity of Command series. They discuss how he taped his first games from a radio station, building the MP3 encoder for Winamp, and whether there is a solution to snowballing in campaign modes. This episode was recorded on April 15, 2025.
- Jul 25, 20251h 42m
Designer Notes 90: Patrice Desilets - Part 2
In this episode, Soren interviews veteran game designer Patrice Desilets, best known for his work on Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, the Assassin’s Creed series, and Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey. They discuss why they couldn’t put rewind into Assassin’s Creed, the problem with designing for a meeting, and why he needed to have players beat up the pope. This episode was recorded on April 15, 2025.
Get Designer Notes summaries in your inbox
Free AI-powered daily recaps. Key takeaways, quotes, and mentions — in a 5-minute read.
Get Free Summaries →Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
You Might Also Like
Listeners also like.
The Honest Designers Show
A candid look at building a successful creative career, covering client work, personal style, branding, and fulfillment in design.
Post Games
A weekly audio magazine exploring the culture, psychology, and industry behind video games through narrative reporting and interviews.
User Defenders – UX Design & Personal Growth
A podcast for UX designers focused on personal growth, purpose, and the human side of design to create deeper impact.
UI Breakfast: UI/UX Design and Product Strategy
Discussions with UI/UX and product strategy experts on applying practical insights to design and SaaS businesses.
Game Theory
Tom analyzes the real-world science, math, and lore behind popular video games.
Video Gamers Podcast
A group of friends discuss video games with humor and strong opinions, sharing personal experiences, rankings, and recommendations.
All in the Game | BNR
A weekly discussion on new video game releases, developer interviews, and analysis across PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and Nintendo Switch.
Get Played
Comedians and video game fans discuss and humorously critique games they play, from classics to new releases.
WhatCulture Gaming
Weekly gaming podcasts featuring news, interviews, discussions, and quizzes from industry insiders.
Video Game Outsiders
Two hosts cover gaming and tech news with humor and community interaction for adult video game fans.
Digital Foundry Direct Weekly
Breaks down the latest advancements in video game graphics, sound, and performance across consoles and high-end PC hardware.
Friends Per Second
Three friends discuss video games with humor and no pretense.
About Designer Notes
Why do we make games? Every designer has a different and very personal answer to that question. Soren Johnson, founder of Mohawk Games, sits down with noted designers to find out by examining their careers as a whole.
Customized Recaps
AI-powered recaps with compact key takeaways, quotes, and insights.
Straight to Your Inbox
Get key takeaways from Designer Notes in a 5-minute read.
Save Hours Every Week
Stay current on your favorite podcasts without falling behind.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Podzilla's Designer Notes daily summary?
It's a free AI-powered email that summarizes new episodes of Designer Notes as soon as they're published. You get the key takeaways, notable quotes, and links & mentions — all in a quick read.
How does the Designer Notes podcast summary work?
When a new episode drops, our AI transcribes and analyzes it, then generates a personalized summary tailored to your interests and profession. It's delivered to your inbox every morning.
Is this an official Designer Notes product?
No. Podzilla is an independent service that summarizes publicly available podcast content. We're not affiliated with or endorsed by Idle Thumbs.
Can I get summaries of other podcasts too?
Absolutely! The free plan covers up to 3 podcasts. Upgrade to Pro for 15, or Premium for 50. Browse our full catalog at /podcasts.
How often does Designer Notes release new episodes?
Designer Notes publishes monthly. Our AI generates a summary within hours of each new episode.
What topics does Designer Notes cover?
Designer Notes covers topics including Games, Hobbies, Video Games. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
Start getting Designer Notes summaries tomorrow morning.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.