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Jonathan Grant — Critics, Experiments, Secrets, and the Business of Play (#92)

Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 20d

🎮 Jonathan Grant (Zynga, Orbital Games, We Thought It Would Be Easy) joins us to talk making bold bets, growing through feedback, and why the best games are full of mystery. Don’t miss this deep dive into creative risk & game design!

🎧 Listen now: justingarydesign.substack.com/p/jonathan-g...

How a Magic Champion Wins at Life

Reposted by Justin Gary

Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 26d

I spent 8 years avoiding writing my book—then finished it in 2 by changing one thing: I made winning easy.

Learn the system that helped me write a book, design games, and stay sane.

Read the full post & subscribe: justingarydesign.substack.com/p/make-winni...

The Power of Focus Blocks

About - Think Like A Game Designer

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 23d

🎮 Want to level up your game design skills?

Think Like a Game Designer delivers 20+ years of industry insights.

Subscribe to get free articles, lessons, podcast interviews, and access to exclusive content and community.

justingarydesign.substack.com/about

Delivering 20 Years Of Game Design Experience Straight To Your Inbox! Unpacking Game Design Lessons And Their Applications In Everyday Life With Brilliant Game Designers From Across The Globe! Click t...

How a Magic Champion Wins at Life

Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 26d

I spent 8 years avoiding writing my book—then finished it in 2 by changing one thing: I made winning easy.

Learn the system that helped me write a book, design games, and stay sane.

Read the full post & subscribe: justingarydesign.substack.com/p/make-winni...

The Power of Focus Blocks

Elan Lee — Building Exploding Kittens, Marketing as Design, Retail Pitches, and Playing to Sell (#90)

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · Sep 10

In this episode, Elan and I discuss into how his company built their rigorous playtesting culture, why marketing is inseparable from product design, and how pitching to Target and Walmart is just another kind of game.
justingarydesign.substack.com/p/elan-lee-b...

bsky.app/profile/elan...

justingarydesign.substack.com/p/how-to-cro...

Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · Sep 6

How to Crowdfund in 2025

Lessons learned from raising (and losing) millions on crowdfunding

Tim Ferriss — Designing Coyote, Playing to Learn, Publishing Truths, and Saying "No" (#89)

Reposted by Justin Gary

Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · Aug 7

Tim Ferriss is truly one of a kind. From 5 NYT bestsellers to a podcast with over 1B downloads, and early investments in Uber, Facebook, and more—his impact is massive. Now he’s bringing his talents to game design with the launch of Coyote.
justingarydesign.substack.com/p/tim-ferris...

Lessons learned from raising (and losing) millions on crowdfunding

Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · Aug 26

New Substack Post is live!

justingarydesign.substack.com/p/how-to-cro...

How to Crowdfund in 2025

[Special] Episode 7 of The Peoples Behind The Meeples

Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · Aug 26

In this episode of The Peoples Behind the Meeples, I share insights from decades of experience in the tabletop industry, the evolution of Ascension over the years, and my perspective on what makes lasting, impactful game design.
gamefound.com/en/blog/post...

Justin Gary is the guest in the latest episode of our show

gamefound.com

Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · Aug 22

Here are the five most important lessons I've learned, each has transformed Ascension from a prototype to a global phenomenon.

justingarydesign.substack.com/p/justin-gar...

Justin Gary — 5 Lessons From 15 Years (#90)

Tim Ferriss — Designing Coyote, Playing to Learn, Publishing Truths, and Saying "No" (#89)

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · Aug 7

Tim Ferriss is truly one of a kind. From 5 NYT bestsellers to a podcast with over 1B downloads, and early investments in Uber, Facebook, and more—his impact is massive. Now he’s bringing his talents to game design with the launch of Coyote.
justingarydesign.substack.com/p/tim-ferris...

The Five Pillars of Player Experience

Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · Jul 30

After years of studying great games and interviewing brilliant designers, I've come to appreciate a framework that cuts through the complexity and gets to the heart of what makes games truly memorable. Check it out:
justingarydesign.substack.com/p/building-g...

Building Games That Last

Cole Wehrle — Cute Creatures, Brutal Games, Asymmetric Design, and Subverting Expectations (#88)

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · Jul 28

In this episode, @colewehrle.bsky.social and I dive deep into the tension between control and chaos, discussing how historical research fuels good design, and why the best games ask players to grapple with uncomfortable truths.

justingarydesign.substack.com/p/cole-wehrl...

Amy Lowe — Finding Your X Factor, Marketing with Heart, and Serving the Right Players (#87)

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · Jul 10

New podcast just dropped!
justingarydesign.substack.com/p/amy-lowe-f...

Justin Gary: Creator of Ascension & SolForge on Crafting Games and Taking Chances

Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · Jul 1

Jonathan Grant and Jordan Weisman sat down with me to discuss my journey from winning Magic: The Gathering championships to creating hit games like Ascension and SolForge!

🎥 Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhND...

YouTube video by We Thought It Would Be Easy

www.youtube.com

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · Jul 1

Creativity isn’t a divine gift for a chosen few—it’s a practice. You don’t create because you’re good at it. You get good at it because you create. justingarydesign.substack.com/p/the-sound-...

The Sound Only You Can Make

The Real Value of Creative Work

Derek Sivers — Embracing Simplicity, Owning Your Weirdness, and Designing a Life with Intent (#86)

Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · Jun 29

In this episode, we explore how to treat your life like a design problem, why marketing is part of the art, and how vulnerability and weirdness aren’t liabilities—they’re the keys to resonance.

justingarydesign.substack.com/p/derek-sive...

Celebrate the Work, Not the Win

Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · Jun 20

New post went live: justingarydesign.substack.com/p/celebrate-...

Why Focusing on Inputs Makes all the Difference

justingarydesign.substack.com/p/loops-and-...

Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · Jun 17

Loops and Tension

The Designer #5: Core Play Loops and Fundamental Tension

Dominic Crapuchettes — Designing for Constraints, Rebuilding After Failure, and Finding the Magic in Games (#85)

Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · Jun 13

Whether you're a founder, designer, or someone trying to follow your passion while staying afloat, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.
justingarydesign.substack.com/p/dominic-cr...

A Game Designer's Guide to Vibe Coding

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · Jun 3

New post just dropped!

justingarydesign.substack.com/p/a-game-des...

How I Built My Level-Up Journal App Without Writing Code

Dafna Pleban — Editing Underwater, Building Creative Teams, and the Economics of Storytelling (#83)

Reposted by Justin Gary

dafnap @dafnap.bsky.social · May 1

it's been a hot minute since I've podcasted, and I forgot how fun it could be. thank you for the great convo and questions, Justin!

Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · May 1

In this episode, Dafna reveals what it really means to be an editor in comics—from juggling creators and licensors to surviving the relentless pace of monthly publishing.

justingarydesign.substack.com/p/dafna-pleb...

Dafna Pleban — Editing Underwater, Building Creative Teams, and the Economics of Storytelling (#83)

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Reposted by Justin Gary

Rob Harper @harperrob.bsky.social · May 4

I always find Think Like a Game Designer worth listening to, but despite me knowing very little about the comics world, I really enjoyed @dafnap.bsky.social as a guest. One particular part I totally vibed with starts at about 46:40, discussing generative AI.

Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · May 1

In this episode, Dafna reveals what it really means to be an editor in comics—from juggling creators and licensors to surviving the relentless pace of monthly publishing.

justingarydesign.substack.com/p/dafna-pleb...

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · Jun 2

Think Like A Game Designer | Justin Gary | Substack

Delivering 20 Years Of Game Design Experience Straight To Your Inbox! Unpacking Game Design Lessons And Their Applications In Everyday Life With Brilliant Game Designers From Across The Globe! Click t...