This episode was recorded in March of 2024, so some of the information about Altered has changed—you can learn more about Altered by clicking here.
About Eric Dieulangard
Eric Dieulangard joins us on today’s episode, bringing a ton of experience from the gaming and business worlds. He is currently the Chief Marketing Officer at Equinox, where he was pivotal during the launch of Altered. This trading card game became the most successful TCG Kickstarter ever, raising over $6.6 million. His career path includes professional esports, high-level marketing, and game design; Eric understands what it takes to create impactful gaming experiences.
In this episode, Eric shares his journey from competing as a professional Warcraft 3 player—becoming the first French champion in a major esports tournament—to transitioning into business and marketing leadership. Before joining Equinox, he worked at massive companies like IBM and Dell, where he honed his skills in sales, team management, and brand growth. Eric and I also discuss lessons learned from his diverse career, offering insights on the importance of being persistent, the value of experimentation, and how to align your passions with professional purpose. Whether you’re looking to crowdfund your dream game, build a career in gaming, or find your path in a creative industry, Eric’s story is filled with awesome, actionable advice.
Want to support the podcast and get more design lessons?
Paying subscribers enjoy an abundance of extra game design content and an exclusive newsletter with new lessons, archive access, videos, and more! By opting for a free or paid subscription, you can get the latest articles delivered to your inbox and support this podcast!
Ah-ha! Justin’s Takeaways
The Value of Experimentation: Eric’s career exemplifies the importance of trying different paths to discover what resonates with you. His approach to narrowing down options by eliminating what didn’t fit—whether in gaming, coaching, or marketing—was an obvious theme. This philosophy, which puts self-discovery at the forefront, became a recurring focus in our conversation, inspiring me to rethink how I approach challenges in my own creative projects.
A New Approach to TCGs: Eric’s incredible work on Altered highlighted the concept of shifting value from physical to digital ownership, enabling players to digitally preserve their collections while still enjoying the tactile experience of physical gameplay. This idea resonates deeply with the work we’ve done at Stone Blade, particularly with SolForge Fusion. In this episode, we explore how technology can elevate traditional gaming formats and the transformative impact these innovations have had on the TCG industry. Both Eric and I see immense potential for redefining the future of gaming experiences and are actively working on it through Altered and SolForge Fusion.
Motivation Through Authenticity: Eric’s emphasis on recognizing when you’re lying to yourself stood out as a powerful lesson. By aligning his work with his core values and strengths, Eric found a path that was both fulfilling and successful—a goal many aspire to but few achieve. Our conversation repeatedly returned to this principle, highlighting the transformative power of authenticity in decision-making, whether in shaping a career or pursuing any creative endeavor.
Show Notes
“What do you want to do? We are asked these questions when we are 10, 12, 15, whatever. And the only thing I knew is that I knew that as long as I didn't know, I had to try different things.” (00:12:20)
Eric shares how his unconventional career path—from esports to business school to coaching—helped him eliminate options that didn’t fit and narrow his focus to what truly mattered. He highlights the value of experimentation and self-discovery as essential tools for finding your purpose, a lesson that resonates for anyone unsure of their path. Eric also talks about the importance of self-awareness and the courage to pivot when something isn’t aligning with your values or goals. He shares how recognizing these moments has allowed him to adapt across different industries.
"We transferred the value of cards from physical ownership to digital ownership." (00:39:46)
Eric describes the groundbreaking design choices behind Altered, emphasizing how the shift from physical to digital ownership enables players to preserve their collections while still enjoying the experience of physical gameplay. This innovation in the TCG space explores how reimagining traditional models can open up new opportunities for both players and companies. Similarly, digital ownership is a key feature of our game, SolForge Fusion, allowing players to retain the value of their decks even if the physical game was no longer available.
"This vision was not easy to sell. Because this vision was so creative, so innovative, that we barely knew where to start in terms of marketing message" (00:47:35)
Here, we explore how Eric led the creation of the most successful TCG Kickstarter of all time, raising over $6.6 million. He shares the years of effort that went into developing Altered and highlights the team’s dedication to crafting a game that delivers an exceptional experience for TCG players.
Learn more about Eric here:
Learn more about Altered here:
Share this post