The Fourth Curtain

Patrick Söderlund and the Raiders of the Arc

We kick off Season 4 with Patrick Söderlund, CEO/founder of Embark Studios and maker of the hit Arc Raiders. Former head of DICE and Battlefield at EA, he found faster ways to build. We discuss owing the community, AI, and incredible value - this week!  Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/FourthCurtain] Thank you for listening to our podcast all about videogames and the amazing people who bring them to life! Hosted by Alexander Seropian and Aaron Marroquin Find us at www.thefourthcurtain.com [http://www.thefourthcurtain.com/] Join our Patreon for early, ad-free episodes plus bonus content at https://patreon.com/FourthCurtain [https://patreon.com/FourthCurtain] Come join the conversation at https://discord.gg/KWeGE4xHfe [https://discord.gg/KWeGE4xHfe] Videos available at https://www.youtube.com/@thefourthcurtain [https://www.youtube.com/@thefourthcurtain] Follow us on Twitter: @fourthcurtain [https://twitter.com/fourthcurtain] Edited and mastered at https://noise-floor.com [https://noise-floor.com/] Audio Editor: Bryen Hensley Video Editor: Sarkis Grigorian Producer: Kimya Taheri Art: Paul Russel Community Manager: Doug Zartman Featuring Liberation by 505

We Open the Curtain on Season Fourth

Our intrepid hosts provide a prologue to the fourth season of the podcast with a wide-ranging conversation on the state of the videogame industry. With appreciation for GDC, Resident Evil 9 and Phil Spencer, they also talk (of course) AI and signs we may finally be exiting the trough - this week! Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/FourthCurtain] Thank you for listening to our podcast all about videogames and the amazing people who bring them to life! Hosted by Alexander Seropian and Aaron Marroquin Find us at www.thefourthcurtain.com [http://www.thefourthcurtain.com/] Join our Patreon for early, ad-free episodes plus bonus content at https://patreon.com/FourthCurtain [https://patreon.com/FourthCurtain] Come join the conversation at https://discord.gg/KWeGE4xHfe [https://discord.gg/KWeGE4xHfe] Videos available at https://www.youtube.com/@thefourthcurtain [https://www.youtube.com/@thefourthcurtain] Follow us on Twitter: @fourthcurtain [https://twitter.com/fourthcurtain] Edited and mastered at https://noise-floor.com [https://noise-floor.com/] Audio Editor: Bryen Hensley Video Editor: Sarkis Grigorian Producer: Kimya Taheri Art: Paul Russel Community Manager: Doug Zartman Featuring Liberation by 505

Grade Expectations 2025

For our end of year episode Aaron and Alex reflect on the year and a raft of topics in videogame dev: Steam Deck vs Switch, understanding how AI will work for dev, Netflix's place and "successful to nice" ratios! Devils and Dungeonauts within - this week! Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/FourthCurtain] Thank you for listening to our podcast all about videogames and the amazing people who bring them to life! Hosted by Alexander Seropian and Aaron Marroquin Find us at www.thefourthcurtain.com [http://www.thefourthcurtain.com/] Join our Patreon for early, ad-free episodes plus bonus content at https://patreon.com/FourthCurtain [https://patreon.com/FourthCurtain] Come join the conversation at https://discord.gg/KWeGE4xHfe [https://discord.gg/KWeGE4xHfe] Videos available at https://www.youtube.com/@thefourthcurtain [https://www.youtube.com/@thefourthcurtain] Follow us on Twitter: @fourthcurtain [https://twitter.com/fourthcurtain] Edited and mastered at https://noise-floor.com [https://noise-floor.com/] Audio Editor: Bryen Hensley Video Editor: Sarkis Grigorian Producer: Kimya Taheri Art: Paul Russel Community Manager: Doug Zartman Featuring Liberation by 505

Live Long and Prosper with Amazon's Christoph Hartmann

VP of Amazon Games Christoph Hartmann is our guest. At BMG he helped launch GTA and went on to co-found 2K Games and publish NBA 2K, Civilization, Bioshock and Borderlands. We discuss the upcoming King of Meat, a very fresh take on how AI can help gamedev and more - this week! Episode Highlights [00:00:00] Intro: Christoph Hartmann [00:20:32] From Music to Games: Christoph’s First Break at BMG Christoph shares how his early exposure to computers led to an internship at BMG Interactive — a move that launched his career from music into video games [00:28:03] Learning from Sam: Building for the Future Christoph reflects on learning from his leaders and how to run a company with one eye on the horizon — always anticipating industry shifts to stay ahead. [00:31:32] Founding 2K Games: Building a Creative Powerhouse He talks about the creation of 2K Games and how the studio became home to major franchises like BioShock and Borderlands. [00:40:10] Captain Kirk, Not Spock: Leading Overnight Christoph shares how he was suddenly handed leadership responsibilities, earning the nickname “Captain Kirk” while his second-in-command was called “Spock.” He jokes, “I’m not Spock,” but explains what it taught him about command and trust. [00:42:12] Spotting Winners: How Christoph Evaluates Studios He breaks down what he looks for when assessing game studios — from creative spark to execution — and when it’s the right time to buy in or step back. [00:49:12] Embracing AI: Innovation, Adaptation, and Opportunity Christoph discusses how new technology, including AI, could actually improve development — making gameplay more adaptive and lowering production costs. [00:59:34] Joining Amazon Games: Betting on Live Service Futures After a moment of career reflection, Christoph joined Amazon to explore live service games — a model he believes represents the future of the industry. He shares why he finds Amazon’s culture both exciting and rewarding. [01:04:15] Leading Smart Teams: Managing a Crew of “Spocks” At Amazon, Christoph leads teams full of brilliant problem-solvers — his “Spocks.” He explains how he adapts his leadership to align incentives, empower experts, and keep learning as a leader. [01:11:57] Bridging Creativity and Business: The In-Between Role Christoph describes himself as the bridge between creative vision and business strategy, uniting both worlds to make better games. He also teases Amazon’s upcoming project, King of Meat. [01:16:56] Outro: Wrapping Up and Reflecting on AI’s Power Demand Alex and Aaron close out the episode, reflecting on Christoph’s insights and joking about the future of AI — and the nuclear power plants we might need to keep it all running. Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/FourthCurtain] Thank you for listening to our podcast all about videogames and the amazing people who bring them to life! Hosted by Alexander Seropian and Aaron Marroquin Find us at www.thefourthcurtain.com [http://www.thefourthcurtain.com/] Join our Patreon for early, ad-free episodes plus bonus content at https://patreon.com/FourthCurtain [https://patreon.com/FourthCurtain] Come join the conversation at https://discord.gg/KWeGE4xHfe [https://discord.gg/KWeGE4xHfe] Videos available at https://www.youtube.com/@thefourthcurtain [https://www.youtube.com/@thefourthcurtain] Follow us on Twitter: @fourthcurtain [https://twitter.com/fourthcurtain] Edited and mastered at https://noise-floor.com [https://noise-floor.com/] Audio Editor: Bryen Hensley Video Editor: Sarkis Grigorian Producer: Kimya Taheri Art: Paul Russel Community Manager: Doug Zartman Featuring Liberation by 505

Trip Hawkins, the Electronic Artist

We're thrilled to speak with Trip Hawkins, founder and CEO EA, 3DO, Digital Chocolate and more. From childhood football strategy, to WWIII Sims, he grew to make a company of electronic artists who made legendary games. Calming Steve Jobs, hacking consoles and many firsts - this week! Episode Highlights [00:00:00] Celebrating 100 Episodes and a Wild Week for EA Alex and Aaron mark The Fourth Curtain’s 100th episode and react to the breaking news that Electronic Arts is being taken private. [00:02:31] What Happens When a Giant Like EA Gets Bought? The hosts break down what a private-equity acquisition really means for EA, from stock prices to internal culture shifts. [00:05:10] Founding Electronic Arts: Trip’s Vision for Creative Freedom Trip shares how he built EA around empowering developers and treating them like rock stars — a radical idea in the early ’80s. [00:17:44] The Apple Years: Working Under Steve Jobs Trip reflects on his early days at Apple, what he learned from Steve Jobs, and how that experience shaped his entrepreneurial mindset. [00:33:28] Madden, Licensing, and Building a Sports Empire Trip talks about the birth of Madden NFL, navigating licensing deals, and why the franchise became a cornerstone of EA’s success. [00:48:56] The 3DO Era: Ambition, Innovation, and Hard Lessons He opens up about the 3DO console — what went wrong, what it taught him, and how to recover when innovation gets ahead of its time. [01:04:37] The Future of Games and Trip’s Next Chapter Trip closes by sharing his outlook on AI, creativity, and what he’s building next after a lifetime of shaping the games industry. [01:20:14] Trip Hawkins on Failure, Resilience, and Reinvention Trip opens up about the three “acts” of his life — the rise, the fall, and learning to rebuild after hitting rock bottom. Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/FourthCurtain] Thank you for listening to our podcast all about videogames and the amazing people who bring them to life! Hosted by Alexander Seropian and Aaron Marroquin Find us at www.thefourthcurtain.com [http://www.thefourthcurtain.com/] Join our Patreon for early, ad-free episodes plus bonus content at https://patreon.com/FourthCurtain [https://patreon.com/FourthCurtain] Come join the conversation at https://discord.gg/KWeGE4xHfe [https://discord.gg/KWeGE4xHfe] Videos available at https://www.youtube.com/@thefourthcurtain [https://www.youtube.com/@thefourthcurtain] Follow us on Twitter: @fourthcurtain [https://twitter.com/fourthcurtain] Edited and mastered at https://noise-floor.com [https://noise-floor.com/] Audio Editor: Bryen Hensley Video Editor: Sarkis Grigorian Producer: Kimya Taheri Art: Paul Russel Community Manager: Doug Zartman Featuring Liberation by 505