From Disney’s “Where’s My Water?” to Solo Indie Dev Success: How Creativity and Persistence Built a Game Career, with Tim “Walaber” FitzRandolph

Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast

In this episode, we dive deep into Tim’s creative journey behind Disney’s hit mobile game Where’s My Water? and what it really takes to break into and succeed in the game industry. From starting out in QA testing to leading creative teams at Disney, and later becoming a successful solo indie developer, Tim’s conversation is packed with insights, stories, and advice for anyone passionate about making games.

We cover topics every developer, designer, and indie creator will relate to:

• The making of Where’s My Water? and how it became a global success

• Transitioning from QA tester to game designer and creative leadership

• Using unique skills (like Japanese language fluency) to break into the industry

• Why communication and flexibility are key to creative careers

• The challenge of finishing projects and navigating free-to-play models

• How to handle fears, impostor syndrome, and career advancement in gaming

• Current trends shaping the industry, from indie development to AI in games

• Streaming game development on Twitch and building community

• Indie game recommendations you should play now

Whether you’re a student, aspiring game developer, or industry veteran, you’ll find practical takeaways and entertaining stories from inside the world of game development.

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Bio:

Tim has been making games for more than 20 years now, at companies like Disney, Universal, and now as an independent creator under his own studio, Walaber Entertainment. At Disney, he was the lead designer of the hit mobile game "Where's My Water?", as well as the creator of the "JellyCar" series of games. As an indie, he has released multiple games such as "Pro Gymnast Simulator", "JellyCar Worlds", "Parking Garage Rally Circuit", and "Replicube". He also streams live game development several times a week on twitch.tv/walaber.

Connect With Links:

* website: https://walaber.com

* Twitch: https://twitch.tv/walaber

* Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/walaber.com

Games He’s Playing
* Öoo on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2721890/oo/

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