{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"E115: The Culture Mistake Killing Game Development Teams - 4 Leadership Lessons","description":"If you\u2019re a leader in game dev who feels stuck, able to spot problems but struggling to make a real difference, there is a path forward that levels up your leadership and accelerates your team, game, and career. Sign up here to learn more: https:\/\/forms.gle\/nqRTUvgFrtdYuCbr6 The game industry is undergoing a massive shift. Between the rise of &quot;black hole games&quot; that consume all player attention and the skyrocketing costs of AAA development, the old playbooks for leadership are breaking. In this episode, Ben is joined by Andrew Brownell, a veteran Game Director at Netflix Games. Andrew brings over 20 years of experience from industry titans like Blizzard (Warcraft III) and Riot Games (League of Legends). Together, they unpack why the &quot;unicorn&quot; development model is failing and why the next generation of leaders must master a new set of &quot;soft&quot; skills to build resilient, high-performing teams in a bleak market. What you\u2019ll learn in this episode:  What Aggressive Gratitude really is and how to use it to build trust How to lead confidently when the direction isn\u2019t clear Why conflict can create clarity when handled one-on-one Why character often matters more than skill when hiring  If you\u2019re a game dev leader trying to level up performance without burning people out, this episode is for you. Learn More About Our Guest: \ud83d\udd17 LinkedIn:&amp;nbsp;https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/ahbrownell\/ \ud83d\udd17 Facebook:&amp;nbsp;https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ahbrownell\/ \ud83d\udd17 Twitter:&amp;nbsp;https:\/\/x.com\/ahbrownell \ud83d\udd17 ContactOut: https:\/\/contactout.com\/Andrew-Brownell-3180561 \ud83d\udd17 Netflix LinkedIn: https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/netflix\/ \ud83d\udd17 Netflix Games YouTube:&amp;nbsp;https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@NetflixGames Connect with us: \ud83d\udd17Ben\u2019s LinkedIn: https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/benjamin-carcich\/ \ud83d\udd17BBG\u2019s LinkedIn: https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/building-better-games\/ \ud83d\udd17Instagram: https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/buildingbettergames\/# \ud83d\udd17Website: https:\/\/www.buildingbettergames.gg&amp;nbsp; \ud83d\udd17YouTube:&amp;nbsp;https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCZpMT-dUwQR-R4Mb4uub6Sw If you want me to help producers or studios build better games through effective systems and leadership, you can reach me at:&amp;nbsp;info@valarinconsulting.com #GameDev #Leadership #GameProduction #GameIndustry2026 #BuildingBetterGames &amp;nbsp; ","author_name":"Building Better Games","author_url":"https:\/\/buildingbettergames.gg\/podcast","html":"<iframe title=\"Libsyn Player\" style=\"border: none\" src=\"\/\/html5-player.libsyn.com\/embed\/episode\/id\/39980090\/height\/90\/theme\/custom\/thumbnail\/yes\/direction\/forward\/render-playlist\/no\/custom-color\/88AA3C\/\" height=\"90\" width=\"600\" scrolling=\"no\"  allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen><\/iframe>","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/assets.libsyn.com\/secure\/content\/198187760"}