Derek Yu, gamemaker (Spelunky, UFO 50).

Derek Yu, gamemaker (Spelunky, UFO 50).

My guest today is the American video game artist and designer, Derek Yu. Born in Pasadena, California in the early eighties, he started mapping out games on graph paper when he was still a child. After graduating college with a degree in computer science, he moved to San Francisco to work as a freelance illustrator. In 2007 he developed a satirical run-and-gun freeware game titled “I’m O.K – A Murder Simulator”, a response to a challenge set down by the notorious critic of video games, (and previous guest of the show) Jack Thompson.


He then formed a studio with one of his ‘I'm OK’ collaborators and together they released Aquaria, a critically lauded side-scroller. That game’s success enabled my guest to make Spelunky, one of the most popular and influential roguelike platformers yet made. Spelunky sold more than a million copies, won numerous awards, and begat an equally well-regarded sequel. Now, four years on, my guest is about to release UFO 50, a collection of games that combine an 8-bit aesthetic with pioneering design.

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Celia Hodent, UX specialist (Ubisoft Montreal, LucasArts, Epic Games).

Celia Hodent, UX specialist (Ubisoft Montreal, LucasArts, Epic Games).

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Joel Morris, comedy writer (Philomena Cunk, Black Mirror, Paddington).

Joel Morris, comedy writer (Philomena Cunk, Black Mirror, Paddington).

Joel Morris is a multi-award winning comedy writer, and a contributor to the widely beloved Paddington films. One of the best regarded comedic talents in Britain, during the past two decades he has wr...

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Saraya Bevis, professional wrestler.

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Seamus Blackley, originator of the Xbox.

Seamus Blackley, originator of the Xbox.

Seamus Blackle is a physicist, game designer, and technology visionary best known as the originator of the Xbox. After studying physics at Tufts University, he began his career in high-energy physics ...

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Keith Burns, artist.

Keith Burns, artist.

Keith Burns is an award-winning aviation artist and illustrator. As a student he dreamed of becoming a comic book artist but after his teachers at art college discouraged him from the career path, he ...

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Marjolein Robertson, comedian.

Marjolein Robertson, comedian.

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