How to Protect Your Equity, Board Seats, and IP in Investor Deals | Devoted SpeakEasy Ep37

In the second part of the interview with Brandon Huffman, managing attorney at Odin Law, Ninel and her guest unpack the investor side: what to accept, what to push back on, and how to protect your team, your equity, and your roadmap.We dig into:✅ When to go to a publisher vs an investor✅ How valuation and dilution can shrink your stake✅ SAFEs vs convertible notes (and the surprise dilution hiding in them)✅ Control terms like board seats, veto rights, and compensation✅ Strategic investors and the rights that can block future deals✅ Protecting founder equity with vesting, cliffs, and buybacks✅ What drag-along and tag-along mean in practice✅ How to handle a bad investor relationship✅ Why it’s worth looping in a lawyer early (many defer fees until funding closes)TIMECODES:0:00 Intro0:27 Our guest1:46 When to choose a publisher vs investor7:00 Key things to check in investor deals18:04 Anti-dilution clauses and why they matter20:04 Protecting your role as founder26:29 Common investor terms31:26 Managing a mismatch with an investor32:59 Ending👉 📌 Get smarter about game development. Hit subscribe!🔗 Follow Devoted Studios on Social Media: 🎨 Artstation: https://www.artstation.com/devoted-studios  🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/devotedstudios  📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/devotedstudios   🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/devotedstudios_  💬Discord:  https://discord.gg/6x46SWhC  💻 Visit the website: https://www.devotedstudios.com     #GameDevelopment #IndieDev #GameBusiness #VentureCapital #SAFEs #ConvertibleNotes #GameStudio #Fundraising #DevotedStudios #BrandonHuffman #OdinLaw #GamePublishing

HOLD UP! ✋ In this episode of Devoted Speakeasy, Ninel, our CEO, talks with Brandon Huffman, managing attorney at Odin Law, to break down the traps, hidden clauses, and money math every indie (and even AAA) dev should understand before putting pen to paper.From milestone traps to brutal recoup terms, Brandon shares the real-world contract details that can make or break your studio. Pitching your first game or your fifth, this is the episode that could save you years of headaches (and a lot of cash).We cover:🎯 Why publishers are tightening their terms in 2025📊 The recoup clause that can wipe out your revenue📅 How to structure milestones so you actually get paid🚫 Termination clauses that can bankrupt a studio💬 How to keep your creative vision when working with a publisherIf you’re an indie dev, a small studio, or anyone thinking about partnering with a publisher… watch this before you sign anything.👉 📌 Subscribe for more unfiltered game dev talks!🔗 Follow Devoted Studios on Social Media: 🎨 Artstation: https://www.artstation.com/devoted-studios  🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/devotedstudios  📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/devotedstudios   🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/devotedstudios_  💬Discord:  https://discord.gg/6x46SWhC  💻 Visit the website: https://www.devotedstudios.com     

In this episode of Devoted Speakeasy, Ninel hangs out with Dimitri Berman, Lead Character Artist at Obsidian Entertainment, to talk about the chaos, creativity, and caffeine that went into building the cast of Avowed.TIMECODES:0:00 Intro1:34 What Avowed Is Really About4:03 Why RPG Character Pipelines Are So Complicated15:29 Step-by-Step: Creating a Character21:59 What It’s Like to Design 900 Characters with 3 Artists30:17 Creature Design vs Outfit Design in Game Dev38:03 What It Really Takes to Be a Character Artist41:45 What’s Next for Character Development43:24 Fail Stories46:35 Blitz Questions49:14 EndingWe get into:What it actually takes to build characters for a huge RPGWhy they switched engines mid-production (spoiler: lighting was a nightmare)What it’s like designing mushroom-infected people and ogres with six-packsHow much players really care about fashion… even in first-personAnd why creature artists are a little weird (in the best way)If you’ve ever tried making a character, shipped an RPG, or just love hearing the behind-the-scenes of game dev, this one’s worth sticking around for.👉 Like what you hear? Hit like, drop a comment, and don’t forget to subscribe. We’ve got more dev stories coming your way.🔗 Follow us on Social Media: 🎨 Artstation: https://www.artstation.com/devoted-studios  🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/devotedstudios  📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/devotedstudios   🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/devotedstudios_  💬Discord:  https://discord.gg/6x46SWhC  💻 Visit the website: https://www.devotedstudios.com     #ObsidianEntertainment #Avowed #GameDev #CharacterArt #DevotedSpeakeasy #RPGDesign #DevotedStudios #Metahuman

Ever wondered who animated your Sim yawning, or who decided they should clean toilets with that much personality? In this episode, we go behind the scenes with two of the creative minds who have shaped The Sims for over a decade.🚀 ✨ Jessica Stites (Art Director) and Lacey Banister (Senior Animation & VFX Director) from Maxis join Ninel Anderson to talk about everything from:Animating weird but lovable Sim momentsStaying creative while working on the same game for yearsThe necessity of cheat codes, The evolution of inclusivity and expansion packsThe real work behind making The Sims feel fun and familiarBeing female team leaders in a male-driven industryAnd yes… someone had to model every toilet. 🧼Watch the video version:https://youtu.be/7ZBwRHHLUtY 🚀 Check out our brand new Devoted Fusion platform – connecting game creators with curated freelance artists in minutes: https://shorturl.at/p1JgH 🔗 Follow us on Social Media: 🎨 Artstation: https://www.artstation.com/devoted-studios  🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/devotedstudios  📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/devotedstudios   🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/devotedstudios_  💬Discord:  https://discord.gg/6x46SWhC  💻 Visit the website: https://www.devotedstudios.com     #TheSims #GameDev #DevotedSpeakEasy #Maxis #Animation #GameArt #WomenInGames  #SpeakEasyPodcast  #GameDevelopment #DevotedStudios

We’re recording in a brand-new studio for SpeakEasy Ep. 33! This time, Ninel chats with Chris Hunt, Art Director at Meta Reality Labs, who’s been deeply involved with designing avatars for the metaverse. 🎮Tune in for:🎨 What it’s really like to design avatars at Meta🕹️ The cool technology behind Avatar 2.0😎 How avatars are changing the way we express ourselves online🎯 The future trends in avatar developmentTIMECODES:0:00 Intro0:32 Chris Hunt’s Career in the Spotlight5:00 The Importance of Avatars in Games8:13 What’s Involved in Updating to Avatar 2.012:44 The Concept Behind Fantastical Avatars20:17 Creating an Inclusive Avatar Style25:55 Scaling Clothing for Avatars & Key Design Principles33:31 How to Keep Avatars Consistent Across Devices36:20 The Next Big Trend in Avatar Development40:45 Ending🔗 Follow us on Social Media: 🎨 Artstation: https://www.artstation.com/devoted-studios  🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/devotedstudios  📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/devotedstudios   🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/devotedstudios_  💬Discord:  https://discord.gg/6x46SWhC  💻 Visit the website: https://www.devotedstudios.com     #Metaverse #MetaverseAvatar #Meta #SpeakEasyPodcast #DevotedStudios  #DevotedFusion

We’re shaking things up with our second in-person SpeakEasy episode - SpeakIndie. Ninel Anderson came to visit the Heart Machine studio and talked with Alx Preston, the studio's CEO. We filmed this interview in October 2024 but couldn’t release it earlier for some reason. A lot of things have happened since then. Heart Light Breaker was released in early access, Heart Machine suffered layoffs, Alx started a new campaign on Patreon, and much more. So all this stuff is not discussed here. However, the interview covers tons of resonating topics about our industry that shouldn’t remain silent:▶️ How to start and maintain the Kickstarter campaign▶️ How to communicate with publishers▶️ What is the current situation in the industry▶️ How to plan the budget for the project▶️ How to produce a game in the brand new genreIt’s personal, it’s insightful, and yes, it’s a lot of insights.Watch the video version of the interview:https://youtu.be/xP71U7EZPhM 🔗 Follow us on Social Media: 🎨 Artstation: https://www.artstation.com/devoted-studios 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/devotedstudios 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/devotedstudios 🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/devotedstudios_ 💬Discord: https://discord.gg/6x46SWhC 💻 Visit the website: https://www.devotedstudios.com The Heart Machine official site: https://www.heartmachine.com/ Hyper Light Breaker on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1534840/Hyper_Light_Breaker/ Alx Preston on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alx-preston-a6729262/#GamingIndustry #GameDevelopment #HeartMachine #AlxPreston #IndieGameDeveloper #SpeakEasyPodcast #SpeakIndie #GameDevelopment #DevotedStudios

Ninel Anderson meets with VFX expert Jason Keyser to discuss building and growing a VFX team for video games. Jason brings 18 years of experience to the table and offers INSIGHTFUL advice on finding top VFX talent, what to look for in portfolios, and how to create a team that really clicks. If you’re looking to learn more about the VFX process in game development or how to build a solid team, this SpeakEasy episode has you covered!Links on the platforms and sources mentioned in the episode:Fusion by Devoted platform: https://devotedfusion.com/ VFX Apprentice: https://www.vfxapprentice.com/ Realtime VFX forum: https://realtimevfx.com/ Jason Keyser on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-keyser-42070b3/ YouTube VFX Apprentice:  https://www.youtube.com/@VFX_Apprentice -------------------------------------------------------------------Watch the video version on YouTube:https://youtu.be/Y0J2YjBEM5w🔗 Follow us on Social Media: 🎨 Artstation: https://www.artstation.com/devoted-studios 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/devotedstudios 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/devotedstudios 🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/devotedstudios_ 💬Discord: https://discord.gg/6x46SWhC 💻 Visit the website: https://www.devotedstudios.com #VFX #GameDevelopment #VFXTeam #GameDesign #SpeakEasyPodcast #GameDevelopment #DevotedStudios

In this episode of Speakeasy, Ninel, CEO of Devoted Studios, sits down with Steve Abeyta, the creative genius behind Battlefield Mobile and Call of Duty Warzone Mobile.Watch the video version on YT:https://youtu.be/99Nn9sWQhbI⁠ Steve Abeyta's LinkedIn page:https://www.linkedin.com/in/steveabeyta/ Ever wondered what it takes to bring massive console games to your phone? Steve spills the secrets on the creative process (spoiler: it’s way more than just shrinking down graphics!).What you’ll learn in this episode:🎮 The creative process behind mobile game development⚔️ The evolution of Battlefield Mobile and Call of Duty Warzone Mobile📱 The latest trends shaping the future of mobile gaming🎧 Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe to get the latest on more exciting interviews with gaming industry experts! 🔗 Follow us on Social Media: 🎨 Artstation: https://www.artstation.com/devoted-studios 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/devotedstudios 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/devotedstudios 🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/devotedstudios_ 💬Discord: https://discord.gg/6x46SWhC 💻 Visit the website: https://www.devotedstudios.com #BattlefieldMobile #CallOfDutyWarzoneMobile #MobileGaming #GameDevelopment #UserGeneratedContent #VRGaming #MobileGameDesign #SpeakEasyPodcast #GameDevelopment #DevotedStudios

In this special episode, Ninel Anderson sits down with Billy Ahlswede, a game industry veteran who’s worked on League of Legends, Valorant, and now the exciting new title Seekers of Skyveil! We dive into: 🔥 Billy’s journey from Riot Games to a startup 🎭 The creative process behind Seekers of Skyveil 🎨 Character design, skins, and game balance 💡 How community feedback shapes game development 🕹️ The evolution of extraction-style gameplay in a MOBA setting 🚨 A wild Bungie story that almost caused a disaster 🔗 Follow us on Social Media: 🎨 Artstation: https://www.artstation.com/devoted-studios 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/devotedstudios 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/devotedstudios 🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/devotedstudios_ 💬Discord: https://discord.gg/6x46SWhC 💻 Visit the website: https://www.devotedstudios.com

In SpeakEasy Episode 29, we chat with Jesse Lee, the Concept Art Director at Striking Distance Studios, about how to create horror games and bring terrifying creature design to life. Jesse shares fun stories, and cool tips, and shows us how his concept art for games like Dead Space and Callisto Protocol is so creepy it’ll give you nightmares! We also spotlight some awesome work by Boris Turano. You'll love this episode if you love concept art, horror game design, or visual storytelling in games! Featured guest: Jesse Lee https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesseleeconceptart/ https://www.artstation.com/jesse_lee Artist Spotlight: Boris Turano https://www.artstation.com/birez   Topics Covered: Jesse’s start with Dead Space and what makes it so special What goes into creating a terrifying game The process of designing horror creatures and environments Overcoming limitations and finding inspiration A special shoutout to Boris Turano’s art How long does it take to bring horror to life in games? Tips & Tricks in Creating Horror Games