Rob Sandberg
@gameproductionalchemist.substack.com
Welcome to the laboratory of the Game Production Alchemist! Prepare to encounter unconventional perspectives on game production and leadership.
https://gameproductionalchemist.substack.com/
https://gameproductionalchemist.substack.com/
Spreading buffer across every iteration means it's gone before you need it. One protected block, late in the schedule, is harder to erode.
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
September 11, 2026 at 8:00 AM
Spreading buffer across every iteration means it's gone before you need it. One protected block, late in the schedule, is harder to erode.
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
Most studios say they do Scrum. Most are running waterfall with more meetings. The GDD is the tell.
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
September 4, 2026 at 8:01 AM
Most studios say they do Scrum. Most are running waterfall with more meetings. The GDD is the tell.
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
A live service roadmap is never finished. Near term: specific. Far term: fiction. The hard part is knowing which is which.
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #LiveOps
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #LiveOps
August 28, 2026 at 8:01 AM
A live service roadmap is never finished. Near term: specific. Far term: fiction. The hard part is knowing which is which.
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #LiveOps
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #LiveOps
The producer doesn't draw the roadmap. They audit it. New post on what that actually means in practice.
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameProduction #GameDev
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameProduction #GameDev
August 21, 2026 at 8:00 AM
The producer doesn't draw the roadmap. They audit it. New post on what that actually means in practice.
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameProduction #GameDev
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameProduction #GameDev
The report nobody wanted to write is the one that saves the project. Three failure modes, one template I've used since 2003, and why keeping it open all week changes everything.
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
August 14, 2026 at 8:00 AM
The report nobody wanted to write is the one that saves the project. Three failure modes, one template I've used since 2003, and why keeping it open all week changes everything.
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
The contracts you didn't sign are still your problem. A producer's map of the agreements that shape your project every day.
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
August 7, 2026 at 8:01 AM
The contracts you didn't sign are still your problem. A producer's map of the agreements that shape your project every day.
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
Most people entering games know about design, dev, and production. Almost nobody talks about the PM track. What a product manager actually owns, and why the clean version is rarer than you'd think.
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
July 31, 2026 at 8:00 AM
Most people entering games know about design, dev, and production. Almost nobody talks about the PM track. What a product manager actually owns, and why the clean version is rarer than you'd think.
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
A year ago this free flow-metrics tool was too technical for me to install. This week an agent did it in an afternoon. The surprise was what it flagged as broken on my board.
productionalchemist.com/p/jirametric...
#GameProduction #FlowMetrics #Agile
productionalchemist.com/p/jirametric...
#GameProduction #FlowMetrics #Agile
This Free Flow-Metrics Tool Was Too Technical For Me a Year Ago. Not Anymore.
An agent set up what I could not
productionalchemist.com
July 27, 2026 at 7:28 AM
A year ago this free flow-metrics tool was too technical for me to install. This week an agent did it in an afternoon. The surprise was what it flagged as broken on my board.
productionalchemist.com/p/jirametric...
#GameProduction #FlowMetrics #Agile
productionalchemist.com/p/jirametric...
#GameProduction #FlowMetrics #Agile
You can learn Jira in a week. The traits that separate good producers from the rest take years. They're specific and learnable.
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
July 24, 2026 at 8:00 AM
You can learn Jira in a week. The traits that separate good producers from the rest take years. They're specific and learnable.
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
Godot admitted they'd "successfully ignored" a reviewer shortage for months before finally writing an AI policy.
The real story is the gap between knowing and deciding.
open.substack.com/pub/gameprod...
#gamedev #indiedev
The real story is the gap between knowing and deciding.
open.substack.com/pub/gameprod...
#gamedev #indiedev
July 8, 2026 at 7:00 AM
Godot admitted they'd "successfully ignored" a reviewer shortage for months before finally writing an AI policy.
The real story is the gap between knowing and deciding.
open.substack.com/pub/gameprod...
#gamedev #indiedev
The real story is the gap between knowing and deciding.
open.substack.com/pub/gameprod...
#gamedev #indiedev
Josh English's AI disclosure framework is good. It still misses one cost.
Job loss happens in the tier he says players don't need to know about, well before anything ships.
www.productionalchemist.com/p/ai-wrong-q...
#gamedev #indiedev
Job loss happens in the tier he says players don't need to know about, well before anything ships.
www.productionalchemist.com/p/ai-wrong-q...
#gamedev #indiedev
July 7, 2026 at 1:00 PM
Josh English's AI disclosure framework is good. It still misses one cost.
Job loss happens in the tier he says players don't need to know about, well before anything ships.
www.productionalchemist.com/p/ai-wrong-q...
#gamedev #indiedev
Job loss happens in the tier he says players don't need to know about, well before anything ships.
www.productionalchemist.com/p/ai-wrong-q...
#gamedev #indiedev
You are accountable for a game you do not control. That is the whole job. What the external producer role actually demands -- and why most people are surprised by it.
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
July 3, 2026 at 8:00 AM
You are accountable for a game you do not control. That is the whole job. What the external producer role actually demands -- and why most people are surprised by it.
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
An internal producer carries two accountabilities: to the delivery and to the team. Most people only see the first one. This post unpacks both, plus what the job actually looks like day to day.
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
June 26, 2026 at 8:00 AM
An internal producer carries two accountabilities: to the delivery and to the team. Most people only see the first one. This post unpacks both, plus what the job actually looks like day to day.
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
Rockstar tried the standard union-suppression playbook. It produced the opposite of every intended effect.
34 fired. Tribunal confirmed. CEO says no crunch.
GTA 6 ships in November. Production risk nobody is modelling.
productionalchemist.com/p/rockstar-union-gta6-crunch-tribunal
#gamedev
34 fired. Tribunal confirmed. CEO says no crunch.
GTA 6 ships in November. Production risk nobody is modelling.
productionalchemist.com/p/rockstar-union-gta6-crunch-tribunal
#gamedev
Rockstar Fired Thirty-Four People and Made the Union Stronger: What That Means for GTA 6
A labour dispute mid-final-crunch is a production risk nobody is modelling
productionalchemist.com
June 24, 2026 at 7:00 AM
Rockstar tried the standard union-suppression playbook. It produced the opposite of every intended effect.
34 fired. Tribunal confirmed. CEO says no crunch.
GTA 6 ships in November. Production risk nobody is modelling.
productionalchemist.com/p/rockstar-union-gta6-crunch-tribunal
#gamedev
34 fired. Tribunal confirmed. CEO says no crunch.
GTA 6 ships in November. Production risk nobody is modelling.
productionalchemist.com/p/rockstar-union-gta6-crunch-tribunal
#gamedev
Fixing one bottleneck rarely fixes the problem. Three laws explain why, and most studios ignore all of them.
productionalchemist.com/p/littles-la...
#GameDev #GameProduction #FlowMetrics
productionalchemist.com/p/littles-la...
#GameDev #GameProduction #FlowMetrics
Three Laws Your Studio Is Already Breaking
Why predictable delivery keeps slipping, and where to look first
productionalchemist.com
June 22, 2026 at 7:00 AM
Fixing one bottleneck rarely fixes the problem. Three laws explain why, and most studios ignore all of them.
productionalchemist.com/p/littles-la...
#GameDev #GameProduction #FlowMetrics
productionalchemist.com/p/littles-la...
#GameDev #GameProduction #FlowMetrics
Five producer roles. AP to EP. What each one does, what you need to qualify, and the one rule that separates a producer from a project manager.
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
June 19, 2026 at 8:00 AM
Five producer roles. AP to EP. What each one does, what you need to qualify, and the one rule that separates a producer from a project manager.
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
The AI doesn't remember. Your workflow should be designed for that, not hoping it works out.
productionalchemist.com/p/ai-agentic...
#GameProduction #AgenticAI #AI
productionalchemist.com/p/ai-agentic...
#GameProduction #AgenticAI #AI
Stop briefing the AI every Monday morning
If your agentic workflow needs a re-brief at session start, you’ve built a chat tool with extra steps
www.productionalchemist.com
June 17, 2026 at 7:01 AM
The AI doesn't remember. Your workflow should be designed for that, not hoping it works out.
productionalchemist.com/p/ai-agentic...
#GameProduction #AgenticAI #AI
productionalchemist.com/p/ai-agentic...
#GameProduction #AgenticAI #AI
Planning and tracking are different jobs. The tool that does both well doesn't exist. Decades of project management software has proved it.
productionalchemist.com/p/planning-v...
#GameProduction #ProjectManagement #AgenticAI
productionalchemist.com/p/planning-v...
#GameProduction #ProjectManagement #AgenticAI
The Tool That Doesn’t Exist
Planning and tracking are different jobs. The seam between them is where agents earn their keep.
www.productionalchemist.com
June 15, 2026 at 7:00 AM
Planning and tracking are different jobs. The tool that does both well doesn't exist. Decades of project management software has proved it.
productionalchemist.com/p/planning-v...
#GameProduction #ProjectManagement #AgenticAI
productionalchemist.com/p/planning-v...
#GameProduction #ProjectManagement #AgenticAI
Ask ten producers what they do. You'll get ten different answers. The variation is the point.
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
June 12, 2026 at 8:00 AM
Ask ten producers what they do. You'll get ten different answers. The variation is the point.
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
productionalchemist.com/p/production...
#GameDev #GameProduction
Single-date estimates have been known to fail since the 1950s. Most studios are still picking one date and defending it. New post on what actually works instead.
productionalchemist.com/p/game-produ...
#GameProduction #Forecasting #ProjectManagement
productionalchemist.com/p/game-produ...
#GameProduction #Forecasting #ProjectManagement
How I Stopped Hating Commitment Dates
The slow walk from PERT to flow metrics, told without the marketing
www.productionalchemist.com
June 10, 2026 at 7:00 AM
Single-date estimates have been known to fail since the 1950s. Most studios are still picking one date and defending it. New post on what actually works instead.
productionalchemist.com/p/game-produ...
#GameProduction #Forecasting #ProjectManagement
productionalchemist.com/p/game-produ...
#GameProduction #Forecasting #ProjectManagement
The framework is the easy part. Anyone can download it. The production system around it is what separates teams that ship from teams that spiral.
productionalchemist.com/p/the-real-f...
#GameDev #GameProduction #AI
productionalchemist.com/p/the-real-f...
#GameDev #GameProduction #AI
The Real Framework Is the One You Build on Top
On the restart as production technique, and what the CCGS community built that no repository could ship.
www.productionalchemist.com
June 8, 2026 at 7:00 AM
The framework is the easy part. Anyone can download it. The production system around it is what separates teams that ship from teams that spiral.
productionalchemist.com/p/the-real-f...
#GameDev #GameProduction #AI
productionalchemist.com/p/the-real-f...
#GameDev #GameProduction #AI
What if crunch isn’t toxic… just misunderstood? Why Crunch is a Game Producer’s Best Friend.
- Urgency over velocity
- Bonding through burnout
- Tooling for “structured chaos”
- Fake deadlines, real results
#GameDev #LiveOps
- Urgency over velocity
- Bonding through burnout
- Tooling for “structured chaos”
- Fake deadlines, real results
#GameDev #LiveOps
Why Crunch is a Game Producer’s Best Friend
Be brave enough to say what we’re all thinking.
open.substack.com
April 1, 2025 at 7:05 AM
RACI: Outdated or Underrated? It’s not about the doc—it’s about conversations. I’ve seen teams spend 90 minutes debating a few lines. That friction matters. If RACI sparks tension, the problem isn’t the table—it’s the team. #GameDev buff.ly/3kE2Kb7
How Clear are the Roles and Responsibilities on Your Team?
RACI framework enhances studio efficiency and innovation.
buff.ly
March 11, 2025 at 8:00 AM
RACI: Outdated or Underrated? It’s not about the doc—it’s about conversations. I’ve seen teams spend 90 minutes debating a few lines. That friction matters. If RACI sparks tension, the problem isn’t the table—it’s the team. #GameDev buff.ly/3kE2Kb7
Adopting Agile? First, fix systemic flaws in game studios. Tackle rigid hierarchies, silos, and resistance to change. Structural and cultural reforms are key to unlocking Agile's full potential. #GameDev
buff.ly/yHcHNG9
buff.ly/yHcHNG9
Rethinking Failure: It's Not Your People, It's Your Systems
Assess and rectify the broader system in which your teams operate to harness the benefits of an Agile transformation fully.
buff.ly
March 10, 2025 at 8:30 AM
Adopting Agile? First, fix systemic flaws in game studios. Tackle rigid hierarchies, silos, and resistance to change. Structural and cultural reforms are key to unlocking Agile's full potential. #GameDev
buff.ly/yHcHNG9
buff.ly/yHcHNG9
Most game teams waste time debating estimates when they could be forecasting. Flow metrics—Work in Progress, Throughput, and Cycle Time—replace gut feelings with data-driven decisions. Make every Scrum ceremony more effective with real insights, not guesswork. https://buff.ly/4hSUdaR #gamedev
Flow Metrics in Scrum Ceremonies: A Data-Driven Approach for Game Development
Using flow metrics empowers Scrum teams to move beyond estimations, embrace data-driven decision-making, and improve continuously by focusing on the flow of value.
buff.ly
February 17, 2025 at 9:37 AM
Most game teams waste time debating estimates when they could be forecasting. Flow metrics—Work in Progress, Throughput, and Cycle Time—replace gut feelings with data-driven decisions. Make every Scrum ceremony more effective with real insights, not guesswork. https://buff.ly/4hSUdaR #gamedev