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A new episode of The Hot Seat has aired after the winter break, bringing together developers, creators, and strategy fans for another deep dive into the genre. Episode 6 combined design talk, production insights, and community-driven segments, confirming the show’s role as a meeting point for strategy enthusiasts.
With two industry guests, the return of The Tabletop Corner, and the presentation of The Hot Seat Awards, the episode offered both inspiration and practical insights for players and developers alike.
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Ian Fischer, co-founder of C-Prompt Games and long-time strategy designer, opened the episode. The discussion focused on modern game development and the creative freedom smaller teams can achieve.
He spoke about the importance of meaningful decisions, replayability, and clear systems in strategy games. For Ian, good design is about giving players interesting choices, not just complexity.
Community feedback was another key topic. Strategy players are deeply involved and often help refine games over time through testing, discussion, and suggestions.
Patrick Streppel, CPO at Jumpgate AB, shifted the focus to the business and production side of development. He discussed how a strong product vision must be balanced with realistic production planning.
A major highlight was Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown. Patrick explained the challenge of working with a beloved IP: respecting the lore for fans while making the game accessible to newcomers.
The conversation showed how creativity and structure must work together to bring ambitious projects to release.
Paolo’s Tabletop Corner once again celebrated the analog side of strategy.
This episode included the following highlights:
Warlord Games’ launched pre-orders for the new Bolt Action Japanese Army sets, featuring large troop boxes and starter sets for Pacific-themed WWII battles
Battlefront’s Early War books. The first one is Blitzkrieg, focused on the early stages of WWII with infantry-heavy armies and lighter tanks
The board game spotlight centered on the sci-fi title SETI - Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
Pwork Wargames dungeon tools: modular dungeon tiles and affordable wooden tokens for heroes and monsters, designed to help RPG players build maps quickly
The Hot Seat Awards were introduced during the episode. These awards are a community-driven way to spotlight great strategy games.
You can recommend titles you think deserve attention by completing this form. In the coming weeks, we will collect game nominations and select a winner for each category.
A lesser-known indie strategy game recommended by viewers could be featured on the show and gain visibility. A title praised for innovation or depth might be recognized in future episodes.
The goal isn’t a formal ceremony, but a way to celebrate quality and help good strategy games reach more players.
Episode 6 delivered a mix of design insight, business perspective, and community passion. From digital strategy to tabletop creativity, The Hot Seat continues to grow as a hub for the genre.
If you missed it, you can watch the full episode on Slitherine’s channels and join the discussion with fellow strategy fans.
