MN Indie Gamedev Microtalks, 2025

Martin Grider

Martin Grider is a game designer and contract software developer (mostly native iOS). He releases games periodically at Abstract Puzzle, and writes about games and game development on his blog at chesstris.com.

Links:

• Mastodon: @grid@mastodon.gamedev.place
• GitHub: github.com/mgrider
• Resume/bibliography: martingrider.name

Josh Anthony

I'm co-owner at Loonicy Entertainment, a video game developer in the Twin Cities, where I do many things, from programming to game design to project management. Our studio is currently working on a roguelite strategy platformer called Dice Tower. You can found out more at our website, loonicy.com.

Previously, I worked at Best Buy as a senior frontend engineer and engineering manager, and before then have held various web development roles in Minnesota.

I live in the south Metro with my family. When I'm not working on games or side projects, I enjoy playing video games, writing music, and authoring blog posts.

Cliff Coffee

Cliff Coffee is a Game Designer and Developer who's been tinkering with creating games, game mods, music and animations since his childhood in the 1980's. After working in corporate consulting and developing business management software solutions over the last decade he decided to make the leap to a career in game development late in 2023. Navigating the stress of leaving a successful career and risking everything to launch Coffee Maker Games full time as a solo entrepreneur.

Links: Coffee Maker Games

Scott Lembcke

Open source Minnesotan. I made the Chipmunk2D physics engine and a bunch of other fun open source game libraries. By day, I do a lot of game adjacent work like therapeutic VR, real time drone mapping, and math for heavy machinery. By night I work on my indie game Veridian Expanse, and learn about all manner of things that fly!

Homepage | Mastodon

Chip Pedersen

With over 35 years in the tech industry, including 21 years in gaming, Chip Pedersen is a seasoned veteran and innovator in interactive entertainment. He has held senior leadership roles at Microsoft Game Studios, Activision/Blizzard, ZeroLight, and his own game studio. Chip played a pivotal role in the launch of the original Xbox and has contributed to the release of over 100 titles across nearly every gaming platform.

Chip’s philosophy is simple yet powerful: The game always comes first. Known for his hands on approach, he has gone to extraordinary lengths to ensure authenticity and immersion in his projects—from strapping on motion capture goalie gear for NHL Rivals to spending days in the desert mastering battle tactics for Soldier of Fortune: Payback and venturing into the wilderness to research fishing techniques for Bass Pro Shops: The Strike.

A true developer at heart, Chip doesn’t just create games—he lives and breathes them. His unique blend of expertise, creativity, and dedication makes him a compelling voice in the gaming industry and beyond.

Dev Jana

Formerly Director of Instruction at Prime Digital Academy & Professor of Game Design at Augsburg, Champlain College, Collins College, and Brown College, I've also released a few games and play a bunch of music. Currently building technology and video platforms for learning guitar.

Links:

• 6 Tuning Pegs
• Tinynormous

Erik Onarheim

This person hasn't yet added a bio.

Rob Stenzinger

Rob Stenzinger is a UX designer, interactive maker, and instructor. Formerly at Target leading design for their connected products IoT platform and app. Current projects teaching interactive design and making the game Word Turtle Island where you use the power of words to rescue books and readers.

• Portfolio
• Blog
• Linked In

Bjorn Orstad

I am a 17-year-old health and tech enthusiast with aspirations to be a psychiatrist. I go to school at Exploration High School and Minneapolis Community and Technical College. I enjoy learning about consumer tech and its history. The only real personal tech industry experience I have is that I enjoy creating indie video games in my spare time. I love coming up with weird questions and then finding the answers.