Building the Game

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Join Rob Couch and Jason Slingerland as they take the journey to become first time game designers. On each episode we talk about games we play, game mechanics that we love and pitch our own game ideas to one another. Sometimes we even bring in other game designers to talk about their endeavors an…

Rob Couch and Jason Slingerland

Kalamazoo, Michigan


    • Jun 22, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 54m AVG DURATION
    • 565 EPISODES

    4.9 from 46 ratings Listeners of Building the Game that love the show mention: game designers, jason and rob, 350, pitches, good ideas, mechanic, budding, designing, creative process, board games, tabletop, creation, documentary, section, always a good, i'm looking forward, josh, they've, thanks guys, playing.


    Ivy Insights

    The Building the Game podcast is a must-listen for anyone interested in board game design. Hosted by Rob and Jason, this podcast offers a unique and insightful look into the world of game design. The hosts provide valuable advice and interviews with industry professionals, making it a great resource for beginners starting their own board game design journey. Not only do they discuss the technical aspects of game design, but they also inject humor and personality into each episode, making it an entertaining listen.

    One of the best aspects of this podcast is the diversity of topics covered. From discussing specific game mechanics to sharing their own experiences in the design world, Rob and Jason offer a well-rounded perspective on game design. Their willingness to share their challenges, successes, and progress adds authenticity to the show and creates a sense of community among listeners. The "Practicing The Pitch" segment, where someone pitches a new game idea that is then refined through discussion, is particularly inspiring and provides useful insight into the creative process.

    While this podcast offers valuable content for aspiring designers, one criticism is that they could delve deeper into certain topics. For example, the review mentions a desire for more discussion about shapes in board games but felt that it was lacking in some episodes. Adding more depth to certain subjects would enhance the overall educational value of the podcast.

    In conclusion, The Building the Game podcast is an excellent resource for individuals interested in board game design. With its mix of informative discussions, entertaining banter, and supportive community atmosphere, this podcast stands out as one of the best in its genre. Whether you're just starting out or looking for inspiration as an experienced designer, The Building the Game podcast will leave you feeling motivated and excited about your own creative endeavors in game design.



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    Latest episodes from Building the Game

    Episode 682: You Can Just Be Friends with a Magician

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    Jason chats with Heather Newton and Jack Rosetree.

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    Jason chats with Emily Vincent.

    Episode 680: Lines in the Sand

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    Episode 679: Building the Product: Part 4 of…

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    Emily Vincent chats with Sabrina Culyba and Kirsten Lunde.

    Episode 678: Pitching in Reverse

    Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2025 58:12


    Jason chats with Emily Vincent.

    Episode 677: Youtube Thinks You Want to be a Plumber

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2025 74:29


    Jason chats with Connor Wake.

    Episode 676: Nicolas Cage Shenanigans

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2025 71:08


    Jason chats with Jamie Sabriel, Zach Morris, and Xoe Allred.

    Episode 675: Animals On Trial

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    Jason chats with Brooks Barber and Xoe Allred.

    Episode 674: This Episode Might Be Intelligence

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2025 66:03


    Jason chats with Emily Vincent and Laura Mariano.

    Episode 673: This Episode Might Be Artificial

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2025 47:47


    Jason chats with Emily Vincent and Laura Mariano.

    Episode 672: Necesisititatary

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 13, 2025 50:55


    Jason chats with Emily Vincent.

    Episode 671: What if Your Junk is Good for the Environment

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    Jason chats with Carol Mertz.

    Episode 670: Simple is Not Simple

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2025 79:02


    Jason chats with Rosco Schock

    Episode 669: If it Would Confuse Your Grandma, it’s Probably for the Hardcore Audience

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2025 72:09


    Jason chats with Jonathan Chaffer and JC Wollslager.

    Episode 668: It Neither Rolls Nor Writes

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2025 66:58


    Jason chats with Emily Vincent and Jonathan Chaffer.

    Episode 667: In the End It’s Probably a Skill Issue

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2025 59:46


    Jason chats with Xoe Allred and Zach Morris

    Episode 666: The Advocate

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2025 65:22


    Jason chats with Chris Michaud.

    advocates chris michaud
    Episode 665: So You Wanna Be a Game Designer, Again

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2025 62:50


    Jason chats with Julio Nazario

    Episode 664: Uh Oh, Lessons Learned

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2025 58:38


    Jason chats with Sabrina Culyba

    Episode 663: It Ends With Starfish

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 10, 2025 57:13


    Jason chats with Emily Vincent

    Episode 662: Approximately a Yearish

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2025 61:26


    Jason chats with Vicki Langer and Brooks Barber

    Episode 661: Orange You Glad

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2025 71:33


    Jason chats with Joe Kell

    Episode 660: Decentivizing is Not a Word

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2025 59:28


    Jason chats with Johnathan Chaffer

    Episode 659: Looking Back and Looking Forward

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2025 73:32


    Emily Vincent chats with Rosco Schock.

    Episode 658: The Coping Saw

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2025 81:57


    Emily Vincent chats with Ashwin Kamath and Rob Newton.

    Episode 657: Tactically Retreating

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 30, 2024 58:08


    Jason chats with Emily Vincent

    Episode 656: A Fateful Night Market

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 23, 2024 96:12


    Jason chats with Connor Wake, Tony Tran, Amelie LaRoche, and Jamie Sabriel.

    Episode 655: It Might Be a Cult

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2024 65:19


    Jason Chats with Maia Thomas

    Episode 654: Everybody Cries at PAXU

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 9, 2024 70:55


    Jason Chats with a lot of people who all got credit for this episode, so calm down.

    Episode 653: Victorless

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2024 63:57


    Jason chats with Matthew Hocker

    Episode 652: A Pun, Scissors, and a Dream

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2024 73:52


    Emily Vincent Chats with JC Wolfslayer

    Episode 651: When Your Game is Fun but You Hate it

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2024 56:54


    Jason chats with Emily Vincent

    Episode 650: We’ve Coming a Long Way

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2024 64:52


    Jason chats with AJ Porfirio

    Episode 649: Building the Product: Part 3 of…

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2024 79:29


    Emily Vincent chat with Sabrina Culyba and Kirsten Lunde.

    Episode 648: It Devolves Into an Odd Conversation About Cooking and Dreams

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2024 70:09


    Jason chats with Emily Vincent.

    Episode 647: Somewhere in the Timeline

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2024 63:30


    Jason chats with Jamie Sabriel.

    Episode 646: Game Design is a Garbage Dump

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2024 62:53


    Jason chats with Connor Wake.

    Episode 645: Lessons Learned From Years of Escaping

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2024 64:37


    Jason chats with Jonathan Chaffer.

    Episode 644: Feedback on Flashlights

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    Jason chats with Emily Vincent and Matthew Hocker.

    Episode 643: The Wolfslayer Teaches

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 22, 2024 73:56


    Jason chats with JC Wollslager.

    Episode 642: Come Back Like a Dirty Sock

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2024 58:24


    Jason chats with Emily Vincent.

    Episode 641: Partying With Mass

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2024 58:18


    Jason chats with Danielle Reynolds.

    Episode 640: Grandcon 2024 Live

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 2, 2024 55:50


    Jason chats with Gray Detrick, Nate Daugherty, Kelly Hougland, Jonathan Chaffer, and Rosco Schock.    

    Episode 639: A Night Market

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2024 74:23


    Jason chats with Connor Wake, Tony Tran, and Amelie LaRoche.

    Episode 638: Keep Your Thinking Forward

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 18, 2024 60:35


    Jason chats with Julio Nazario

    Episode 637: Gencon Live: Scoot to the Hoot Part Twoot

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2024 71:23


    Jason chats with Emily, Nicole, and JC.

    Episode 636: Building the Product: Part 2 of…

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2024 71:35


    Emily chats with Sabrina Culyba, and Kirsten Lunde.

    Episode 635: Definition Extravaganza

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2024 72:52 Transcription Available


    Jason chats with Emily Vincent and Jonathan Chaffer.

    Episode 634: Jason Doesn’t Understand What Solo Playtesting is

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 21, 2024 52:47 Transcription Available


    Jason chats with Joe Kell and Robbie Bergstrom

    Episode 633: Half Year Recap

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 14, 2024 81:05 Transcription Available


    Emily chats with Rosco Schock.

    Episode 632: Taste the Rainbow

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 8, 2024 56:49 Transcription Available


    Jason Chats with Joe Kell.

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