Good Game Club Podcast

The Good Game Club Podcast 🎙️- where conversations about good gaming happen.Hosted by Jude Ower MBE and Mathias Norvig, we shine a light on gaming’s hidden and unexpected benefits, and the positive impact digital play can have on people and the planet.In partnership with Tencent.Please give your valuable feedback - https://form.typeform.com/to/XMt11pO5

Good Game Club Podcast is a society podcast hosted by Jude Ower MBE and, with 17 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Jude Ower MBE and hosts Good Game Club Podcast, a society show with 17 episodes published.

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  Good Game Club Podcast

  Bukola Akingbade | Building Africa's Gaming Future

  Aug 7, 202626 min

  In this special episode of the Good Game Club Podcast , recorded live at the Games for Change Africa & SDG Summit in Nairobi , we sit down with Bukola Akingbade , CEO and Founder of Kucheza Gaming. Bukola shares her journey from digital marketing into game development, explains why audience-first thinking has shaped every decision at Kucheza, and discusses the enormous opportunity for African game studios to build sustainable businesses while creating meaningful cultural impact. From Yoruba mythology and educational games to ecosystem building and the future of African games, this conversation explores what it will take for the continent's industry to thrive. 00:46 – Welcome from Nairobi Introducing this special episode from the Games for Change Africa & SDG Summit. 01:03 – Meet Bukola Akingbade & Kucheza Gaming Building games inspired by Yoruba mythology, educational games for schools, and Lagos Games Week. 02:27 – From Marketing to Game Development How Bukola's children changed her perspective on gaming and why she saw an opportunity for Nigeria. 06:06 – Why Audience Comes Before Design Using player data, rapid prototyping and player feedback to build better games. 09:34 – The Story Behind The Wild Kingdoms Creating a mobile adventure inspired by Yoruba mythology and finding an unexpected audience in Brazil. 12:26 – How Nigeria's Games Industry Has Changed The shift from competition to collaboration and the growing maturity of the ecosystem. 16:35 – Building a Sustainable African Games Industry Why sustainability matters more than unicorn success stories. 18:41 – A Bold Vision: $100 Million Studios The ecosystem ambition to create globally successful African game companies. 19:12 – Advice for Parents About Games Why children will play games regardless—and why parents should embrace them instead of fearing them. 21:48 – What 'Gaming for Good' Really Means Making games that are genuinely fun first, then creating impact at scale. 23:39 – Favourite Game: Monument Valley Why elegant design, architecture and beautifully crafted puzzles make it Bukola's favourite. 24:54 – The One Thing African Studios Must Do "Ship games." 25:17 – The Golden Thread Question "What is your why?"

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  Good Game Club Podcast

  Gautam Shah | Connecting Millions with Nature Through Games

  Aug 6, 202628 min

  Recorded live at the Games for Change Africa & SDG Summit in Nairobi , this special episode of the Good Game Club Podcast features Gautam Shah , Founder of Internet of Elephants . After a 20-year career at Accenture, Gautam left the corporate world to combine technology, conservation and game design, creating experiences that reconnect people with wildlife. The conversation explores why lasting behaviour change is built over years rather than moments, how games can inspire curiosity instead of guilt, and why the games industry has an opportunity to make nature a permanent part of everyday play. 00:45 – Welcome to Nairobi Introducing Gautam Shah and the mission behind Internet of Elephants. 01:05 – Building Games for Wildlife Why the studio exists to help billions of people spend time with nature. 01:40 – From Accenture to Conservation Leaving a successful technology career to pursue a lifelong passion for wildlife. 03:08 – Discovering Games Through Wildlife Data How tracking animal movements led to the idea of playable conservation experiences. 05:07 – Why Behaviour Change Is a Long Game Creating lasting shifts in values rather than chasing immediate impact metrics. 06:55 – Respecting Players Instead of Guilt-Tripping Them Why assuming people already care creates better experiences than shame-based messaging. 08:26 – Wonder Is More Powerful Than Facts Alone The role of storytelling, discovery and curiosity in conservation games. 10:41 – A Challenge to the Games Industry Why environmental content should become an always-on feature instead of occasional campaigns. 13:10 – The Adidas Partnership How millions of runners compared themselves against real wildlife using GPS tracking data. 15:23 – The Biggest Barrier to Change Why proving business value remains the missing piece for purpose-driven game content. 17:45 – Making Sustainable Actions Feel Effortless Removing guilt and integrating positive habits into everyday life. 19:35 – Five Minutes with Wildlife Every Day Simple ways anyone can reconnect with nature, even in cities. 23:12 – Favourite Game: Sneaky Sasquatch How shared play with his daughter defines what makes a game truly meaningful. 24:14 – When Games Become More Than Entertainment Recognising the wider role games play in everyday life. 26:34 – The Golden Thread Question "What do your parents, friends and family think about the career you've chosen?"

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  Good Game Club Podcast

  Hugo Obi | Building Games for a Continent

  Aug 5, 202635 min

  Recorded live at the Games for Change Africa & SDG Summit in Nairobi , this episode of the Good Game Club Podcast features Hugo Obi , Founder and CEO of Maliyo Games . As one of the pioneers of Africa's games industry, Hugo shares his vision for building a sustainable, pan-African ecosystem that creates culturally authentic games for both local and global audiences. The conversation explores why mobile is Africa's natural platform, how AI could accelerate the continent's rise, and why culture—not capital—may become Africa's greatest competitive advantage in the global games market. 00:45 – Welcome to Nairobi Introducing Hugo Obi and Maliyo Games. 01:20 – Building Games for Africa Why Maliyo is creating culturally authentic mobile games with pan-African talent. 02:22 – One Continent, Many Cultures The similarities that unite gaming communities across Africa despite vast cultural diversity. 04:28 – Africa's Gaming Hotspots Why Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa are leading the continent's games industry. 05:47 – The Next Five Years of African Games Talent, distribution, investment and AI as the four defining pillars for growth. 10:19 – Can Africa Leapfrog with AI? Why AI gives every studio a fresh opportunity to compete on a global stage. 14:20 – Culture as a Competitive Advantage Why Africa's biggest opportunity is telling stories no one else can tell. 17:43 – Creating a Distinct African Art Style Building vibrant, optimistic worlds inspired by West African culture and identity. 19:28 – Designing Games Close to Players Why local playtesting and community feedback shape every product decision. 23:10 – Games That Inspire Better Cities How Safari City could encourage future generations to think differently about urban planning. 26:21 – What Does Gaming for Good Really Mean? Why games don't need to preach to create meaningful social impact. 30:12 – Afrobeats, Amapiano and Gaming Culture Imagining African music and games sharing the global stage. 32:18 – Favourite Game: EA Sports FC Competition, mastery and the joy of improving through play. 33:58 – The Golden Thread Question "What unique advantage can Africa bring to the global games industry?"

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  Good Game Club Podcast

  Dr. Rachel Kowert | Raising Good Gamers: What Families Need to Know About Video Games and Well-Being

  Jul 23, 202641 min

  In this episode of the Good Game Club Podcast , we're joined by Dr. Rachel Kowert , Research Director at Games for Change , to discuss her groundbreaking new white paper, Raising Good Gamers: What Families Need to Know About Video Games and Well-Being . Released at the annual Games for Change Festival in New York, the white paper marks the next phase of Raising Good Gamers , a Games for Change programme supported by Tencent Games . Together, we unpack one of the biggest challenges facing gaming today: the gap between public perception and the evidence. We explore why parents remain fearful of games despite decades of research, how policymakers, industry leaders and families can work from a shared understanding, and why the conversation needs to move from panic to partnership. Along the way, Rachel shares practical advice for families, explains why context matters more than screen time, and reminds us that games are, fundamentally, play—and that play is essential to human wellbeing. Learn more about Raising Good Gamers at: https://www.raisinggoodgamers.com/ 00:00 – Games Are Play Why play is fundamental to wellbeing and why gaming deserves to be part of that conversation. 00:01:15 – Rachel's Journey into Gaming Research How a future therapist became one of the leading researchers exploring games and wellbeing after questions from worried parents during the World of Warcraft era. 00:02:20 – The Biggest Misunderstanding About Games Why games are often dismissed as frivolous despite research showing play remains essential throughout our lives. 00:03:40 – Why the Moral Panic Around Games Has Lasted 50 Years Exploring why gaming has remained trapped in a cycle of fear long after other media panics faded. 00:05:34 – Why Parents Mostly See Negative Gaming Stories New research reveals parents are five times more likely to encounter negative messages about games than positive ones. 00:07:26 – The Stories We Need to Tell How documentaries like The Remarkable Life of Ibelin demonstrate the life-changing social impact of games. 00:10:08 – From Panic to Partnership Why parents don't need to fear games—they need the tools to understand and navigate them alongside their children. 00:11:01 – Inside the Raising Good Gamers White Paper Rachel explains the paper's goals, the biggest parental concerns, and how it translates research into practical guidance. 00:13:02 – Parents, Industry and Policymakers Need a Shared Language Why this research matters not only for families, but also for studios designing games and governments creating regulation. 00:16:42 – Content vs Context Why researchers argue parents should worry less about hours played and more about who children are playing with and why they're playing. 00:19:39 – Healthy Gaming Doesn't Have a Magic Number Why communication matters more than screen time limits, and why gaming should be viewed as part of a child's wider life ecosystem. 00:22:13 – How Rachel Parents Gamers at Home Practical approaches to age ratings, online safety, family conversations and setting healthy gaming boundaries. 00:31:10 – The Research Questions We Should Be Asking Moving beyond outdated debates about violence towards conversations around digital wellbeing, online safety and children's right to play. 00:35:00 – A Message to Every Parent Rachel's simple advice: learn about the games your children play, because understanding removes fear. 00:36:20 – The Golden Thread Rachel shares why Final Fantasy VI remains her favourite game, the gaming moments that made her cry, and leaves a thought-provoking question for the next guest.

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  Good Game Club Podcast

  David Barrie | What If Gaming Is the Best Education We Have?

  Jul 9, 202653 min

  Can gaming become one of the most powerful tools for preparing people for the future of work? In this episode of the Good Game Club Podcast , we speak with David Barrie , Co-Founder of Game Academy , about how games develop real-world skills, why gamers are uniquely positioned for the future economy, and how gaming communities can unlock opportunities for education, employment and social mobility. From AI and neurodiversity to urban regeneration and community building, David shares why games are far more than entertainment—they're engines for human potential. 00:00 – Welcome to the Good Game Club Introducing David Barrie and why Game Academy perfectly aligns with the mission of healthy gaming. 01:30 – What is Game Academy? How Game Academy helps gamers turn their passion into careers through government-backed education and employability programmes. 02:45 – Why Gamers Are Ready for the Future of Work The origins of Game Academy and why gaming naturally develops many of tomorrow's most valuable skills. 05:45 – From Documentary Filmmaker to Community Builder David's unconventional career journey and how experiences in journalism, filmmaking and urban regeneration shaped his thinking. 08:00 – Lessons from Liberia: The Power of Community How witnessing self-organisation inside a Liberian prison fundamentally changed David's understanding of community. 11:00 – Gaming Communities as Learning Communities Why gamers naturally collaborate, teach one another and solve problems together. 18:30 – What 50,000 Players Revealed The research connecting game preferences with career paths, from Football Manager to cybersecurity and management. 22:00 – Should Games Become Part of Education? Why David believes commercial games belong inside future curricula alongside traditional teaching. 26:30 – Healthy Gaming vs. Isolation Balancing gaming's incredible benefits with the importance of maintaining healthy relationships outside the game. 31:00 – Neurodiversity and Unlocking Talent How Game Academy supports neurodivergent learners and why gaming offers alternative pathways into employment. 35:00 – Why Gamers Are on the Right Side of History The rise of digital work, AI and why gamers already possess many of tomorrow's most valuable capabilities. 44:00 – AI, Creativity and the Future of Games The opportunities and concerns surrounding generative AI, storytelling and game development. 47:00 – A Call to Parents, Studios and Employers Why we should "cut gamers some slack" and build deeper relationships with gaming communities. 50:00 – Mapping Games to Careers How Game Academy is working with major employers to connect game genres with professional skills. 52:20 – Architects of Culture David's advice for the games industry and why developers should see themselves as builders of the future. 54:30 – The Golden Thread Question "What skills in your personal and professional life were born in games?"

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