Launching "Risk Management for Video Game Professionals" in January 2026
- Liam Wickham
- Dec 1, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
I am thrilled to announce the launch of my book, Risk Management for Video Game Professionals, set for January 22nd 2026. That's this week! This project has been a labour of love, and I am proud of what I have accomplished. I worked on the website and completed the free toolkits and resources that accompany nearly all chapters of the book. I've also polished the Risk Management course that was produced before the book and referenced much of the free content. Thanks to the course-testers for their help!
New webinar - save the date - 29th January 2026
Well I must say I find the whole idea of marketing myself and my new book, rather embarrassing, as I am British. Apparently I should host a useful webinar so people come along and rush off to buy my book. Hopefully nobody will show up (gah some of you have registered!), but should you wish to come and make me feel awkward or perhaps cheer me on, here is the event:
Book Launch Preview: The 7 Risks That Kill Game Projects
Sign up here!
In which I promise “a fast, story-driven map of the risks that most reliably derail delivery in games, plus lightweight actions to reduce exposure.”
Sounds absolutely marvellous doesn’t it? I'll do my best to make it so!
A Comprehensive Guide to Risk Management
This book is more than just a textbook filled with theoretical frameworks and methodologies. It aims to help you navigate uncertainty in game development. I wanted it to be packed with real-life examples and practical tools. In many ways, it has become a game production bible. To effectively discuss how to mitigate risks and tackle issues, we must cover the entire spectrum of game development.
My goal has always been to expand on the risk management course I created, which has received a rating of 4.8 out of 5 on Udemy. I recently moved the course to my own Thinkific site. While I was earning only about $3 per signup on Udemy, I wanted to create more courses. Thinkific is an excellent platform for this. I am currently developing an Advanced Risk Management course that will include actual examples of templates and risk assessments using Miro. This will be a very practical course. Me and a Game Director are also putting together a Design Risks Masterclass.
The first course provided a brief overview of risk management frameworks and techniques. However, a book allows for a much deeper exploration. I exceeded the 100,000-word limit, but the publishers were supportive, believing the content is valuable. Here’s a detailed overview of what you can expect:
Table of Contents
Preface
Chapter 1 – Overview
Part I - Foundations of Risk in Game Development
Chapter 2 – What Risk Looks Like in Game Development
Chapter 3 – Foundations of Risk Management
Chapter 4 – Risk Landscape: Trends Reshaping the Games Industry
Part II - The Six Stages of Implementing Risk Management
Chapter 5 – Step One: Identify Risks
Chapter 6 – Step Two: Analyse and Assess Risks
Chapter 7 – Step Three: Mitigation Strategies
Chapter 8 – Step Four: Implement and Track Actions
Chapter 9 – Step Five: Monitor and Review Risks
Chapter 10 – Step Six: Communicate and Report Risks
Chapter 11 – Risk Registers in Practice
Chapter 12 – Fostering a Proactive Risk Culture
Chapter 13 – Implementing Crisis Management Strategies
Chapter 14 – Three Levels – Project, Program & Portfolio
Part III - Game Development Risks
Chapter 15 – Technical Risks
Chapter 16 – Design and Art Risks in Game Development
Chapter 17 – Operational Risks
Chapter 18 – Financial, Legal, Regulatory & Compliance Risks
Chapter 19 – Marketing & Audience Risks
Chapter 20 – Strategic Risks
Chapter 21 – Reputational and Public Trust Risks
Chapter 22 – Collaboration & Partnership Risks in Game Development
Chapter 23 – Communication Gaps Risks
Chapter 24 – Staffing Risks
Chapter 25 – Agile, Lean, and Kanban Risk Management
Chapter 26 – Governance Risks and Organisational Debt
Part IV - Major Risks in the Common Stages of Game Development
Chapter 27 – Concept Stage Risks in Game Development
Chapter 28 – Major Risks in the Pre-Production Stage of Game Development
Chapter 29 – Major Risks in the Production Stage of Game Development
Chapter 30 – Alpha Stage Risks in Game Development
Chapter 31 – Major Risks in the Beta Stage of Game Development
Chapter 32 – Major Risks in the Release Stage of Game Development
Chapter 33 – Major Risks in the Post-Release Stage of Game Development
Part V - Special Topics and Emerging Risk Frontiers
Chapter 34 – Live Ops & Content Pipeline Risks
Chapter 35 – Unique Risks in Mobile Game Development
Chapter 36 – The Missing Discipline: Product Management for Risk Reduction
Chapter 37 – Risk Reduction Through User Testing & Embedded QA
Chapter 38 – Player Community & Social Media Risks
Chapter 39 – Security and Data Privacy in Games
Chapter 40 – Risk Realities Across Studio Models
Part VI - Tools & Resources
Chapter 41 – Evidence-Based Tools for Risk Management in Games
Chapter 42 – Premortem Workshop Kit – Risk Management Template
Chapter 43 – Anti-Pattern Risk Deck
Chapter 44 – Prototype Kill-Gate Funnel – Risk Management Template
Chapter 45 – LiveOps Exit Tree – Risk Management Template
Chapter 46 – Technical Debt Tracker – Risk Management Template
Chapter 47 – Wrapping Up the Risk Management Journey
The chapters highlighted in blue contain online toolkits and downloadable resources for those who purchase the book.
Exclusive Resource Hub
This restricted resource hub offers exclusive access to practical frameworks, worksheets, and diagnostic tools that accompany Risk Management for Video Game Professionals. Each chapter includes its own dedicated toolkit, allowing you to apply the book’s methods directly to production challenges throughout the game lifecycle.
While I could limit access to those who have taken the course or purchased the book, I believe it is valuable for anyone subscribed here. Your support means a lot to me, and I want to share this with you for free.
To access the resource hub, simply subscribe to the Game Production Academy Discord channel and send a message in General Discussion asking for the link. I will send it to you via direct message. Your feedback on Discord would be incredibly helpful. I want to know if these resources are useful to you.
I haven’t had much time to support the Discord community, so I would greatly appreciate anyone willing to engage there. It has been surprisingly challenging to encourage discussions about risks and issues in game development. If you are willing to share your experiences, that would be wonderful. Perhaps the book or the resources will inspire others to contribute to the community. If you want to express your gratitude, please share a single risk or issue you faced so we can start building examples for future editions!
While you will miss the context within each chapter, I include an abstract at the top of each section. However, I hope you will consider pre-ordering the book. The choice is yours.
If you have not yet pre-ordered the book, you can do so here:
If you would like to join the Discord community, you can register here:
If you’ve made it this far and you’re not yet a member of the newsletter, please please subscribe. Don’t just grab the freebie and run!
Thank you very much for your support!
Liam
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