The Former 'Fortnite' Game Dev Trying to Bring 'Dungeons & Dragons' Magic to Video Games

In this episode of ‘Visionaries,’ host Jacob Wolf is joined by Matt Schembari, co-founder and CEO of Lightforge Games Studio. Breaking down the intricate layers of his career, from his roots at Blizzard to his time at Epic Games and the departure to create his own studio, Schembari candidly discusses the challenges associated with venture capital funding for video game developers and others in the gaming industry.

Read more about this episode of ‘Visionaries’ here below.

This episode of ‘Visionaries’ kicks off with Matt sharing profound insights into the current development status at Lightforge Games and how they’re attempting to bend gaming’s programming rules to create a choose your own adventure style RPG, inspired by tabletop games like Dungeons & Dragons. The duo then dived into issues that encompass the whole gaming industry, offering reflections on the transformative changes at Epic Games and Blizzard post-Microsoft acquisition—and the mission at Lightforge Games.

"I want to make a studio that lasts," Matt said, highlighting his dedication to crafting not just profitable games, but experiences that resonate with players.

Exploring the dynamics of blockbuster games—and their curse—Matt reflected on the challenges and pitfalls of sustaining success in the industry, drawing attention to the challenges of maintaining the momentum after achieving a massive game hit. As the episode unfolded Matt shed light on industry giants like Blizzard and Epic Games and their past yet always present scandals, offering a unique insider perspective as one of their former employees.

Amid discussions on the ever-evolving landscape of the gaming industry, this episode of ‘Visionaries’ provides listeners with a captivating glimpse into the future of the game development industry, from its giants to the new founded studios.

"I do truly believe that if you make a good game and then all the other things happen right."

(A full transcript of the episode will be available soon on this page.)

You can listen to this episode of ‘Visionaries’ and many more on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you find your podcasts.