State of Play: Edmund McMillen - Full Interview

Welcome!
Here's our interview with the fantastic independent game developer Edmund McMillen!
Edmund is, of course, responsible for a bevy of great releases over the years, including his recent hits SUPER MEAT BOY and THE BINDING OF ISAAC.
Please join us as we discuss Edmund's recent involvement in the (amazing) INDIE GAME: THE MOVIE, his thoughts on art v. business, his beginnings, his inspirations, THE BINDING OF ISAAC, and much more.

[@iamthebubb]

After a saw Indie game the movie, Edmund became a massive inspiration to me.

[@DodderingOldMan]

This guy truly seems like a decent, intelligent, eloquent, creative, and all-round good person. It's good to see.

[@DeeWeext]

+Buffoon1980 No.

[@DeeWeext]

+Buffoon1980 No.

[@DodderingOldMan]

+DeeWeext 'No'? Just 'no'? No context? Explanation? Elaboration? Just 'no', huh? Okay then.

[@DavidJayIndie]

Well I don't know about mankind as a whole, but DeeWeext sure is an asshole with a probably very tiny penis.

[@abdeel_]

+Buffoon1980 He seems like a gentle giant.

[@Furrnox]

If I would make a list of things I would like to do before I die, then hugging Edmund McMillen would be on top of my list.

[@bigstupidgrin]

Damnit KZbin I wanna give this 100 thumbs up!

[@drxela123]

The top of your list? Really? Why not actually make something of yourself or create something worthwhile yourself?

[@zarkaun96]

Docter Xela Because hugging Edmund will give us a drive to do those thing.

[@drxela123]

Don't get me wrong. Edmund is awesome. I'd love to meet him one time. But top of the list? Eh...

[@Prabodh_Samatkar]

Furrnox can anyone tell me whats the name of the music at the beginning???

[@aria9795]

A true artist is capable of creating something that insipires everyone on some level, not just those who create similar form of art. Edmund clearly is a true artist. Also a genital giant.

[@tibbevandun1017]

genital giant? XD

[@RileyTailsIsGay]

Tibbe Van Dun You probably should have watched the damn video, mate.

[@lilitheve638]

+Ari A wat?

[@sebastiensalmon4674]

Listen to this man is reassuring. This guy knows what difficulty is. Nothing was given to him. We see how harsh he sounds when he speaks about Microsoft, because most of these people probably haven't a clue of what Edmund has been through. He is an exemple of why games were not better yesterday, he and more generally indie devellopers represent the future of our world, and these person see gaming with nostalgia and tenderness, not as something that can make millions with just a few clicks. He's a role model to the Internet ( or at least to me ).

[@ramp622]

True that man, you left that comment two years ago and look at fortnite, its taken over the world, not only has it taken over the world, it may also change games entirely, a free game destroying $60 titles, call of duty and halo and brands like that are very scared. Edmund was a big contributor in making games that aren't produced by huge conglomerates but still generate huge profits. It's so needed.

[@randomtask3539]

His entire "business" model relies on people giving him donations and these digital distribution developers, publishers, and platforms refuse to admit that it is a donation.. At least those big devs give their games physical releases (on console at least, won't be doing so much longer) so you can actually get something in return for your money. I happily pirated his games.

[@Itzsfo0]

@@randomtask3539 actually his last 2 releases he hasn't had to get donations And I've got physical copies of his games as well And I'd STILL rather donate a small % to a Now KNOWN developer who is tried and true. Early on he had to rely on Kickstarter but end is Nigh and legend of bum bo he doesn't need to. Besides those games are much cheaper and I got what well over 1000 hours of binding of isaac I'll spend far more on those AAA games and most of them aren't EVEN finished upon released broken day 1 full of microtransactions ....but go ahead pirate his games hes still quite comfortable

[@Itzsfo0]

@@randomtask3539 most indie devs their games have become physical Atleast those big devs release physical so you get something for your $. Really? Lol sure you get an overpriced special edition with a horse skin dlc for $10 and broken day 1 content lol Besides I never donated squat to them...I bought the game like any other I spent $30 for isaac....years ago....u dont gotta donate let someone else do that and wait to see if it finishes (duh) and then go play it....I paid $15 for hollow knight lol....meanwhile people are paying $80 for gold edition NBA 2k20....indie game donation on it's worse day is still better then most AAA practices i mean come on you can't deny that

[@davidetgaming1902]

This interview never gets old. I use this for inspiration:)

[@THEREALDATALORD]

I appreciate Edmund's honesty and integrity.

[@Carpetwurm]

Edmund is amazing. My hero. I swear to god.

[@TheUnusualNetwork]

"talent doesn't exist that is a lie people that are good at things are good because they enjoy doing it and they get better the more the do it" woooow love you Ed :)

[@tibbevandun1017]

that's called experience, buy a dictonairy!

[@DavidJayIndie]

+TheUnusualNetwork I agree that talent doesn't exist. There's a reason people will enjoy doing something more than others. If you don't enjoy something, you won't improve and never get any good at it. In a way, it's like life telling you to do what you enjoy over what you think you need to do.

[@StateofPlayShow]

Hey, thanks! We love doing it! Ed is so great...

[@JayM108]

Edmund is a really likeable guy, down to earth and just so open with his thoughts, which of course makes for a great interview. Definitely going to have to come back and watch the whole thing.

[@DJRX78]

I can't thank you enough for having done this interview and the others on your channel. I'm a first time developer myself, putting everything I have on the line with my buddies, and being able to find Easter eggs like this laying around the internet reminds me of why I want to be a part of the indie game scene and how much it motivates me. Inspiring, enlightening, and fun! Can't wait for any and all new videos to come out from you guys!

[@Xenzorg]

Edmund really looks like a great guy

[@JoshForeman]

I love these super long format interviews so much. I wish ALL interviews were this long.

[@ryanfleury4321]

I'm a theist, but I absolutely respect Edmund's mentality of always being straight-forward and always telling what is on his mind. I don't think the game offends me- I might not necessarily agree with all of the messages behind it, but I respect the work as a piece of art and I respect where the messages are coming from. Hats off, Edmund.

[@TotallyNotFunny]

He's a fantastic interviewee, i wish i could have a conversation with him dudes :(

[@unleashthedog]

This montage is great, I hadn't time to watch the other pieces while you were uploading, this came in use tonight I had to draw a couple of hours :)

[@ndjarnag]

Excellent vid. Thanks for letting the guest talk and say what's on his mind!

[@LailaDyer]

That was an exceptionally well done interview. I love in-depth interviews and the conversational format, thanks for making it!

[@Lionheartx02]

Truly appreciate you for somehow doing this interview.

[@AlexanderLeister]

The more I hear Edmund talk, the more I like him. Really inspiring guy! I also like the style of your interviews, Brandon. You let your guests speak and they have room to express themselves and I appreciate that. Thanks and keep it coming! :)

[@renedescartes8951]

I love this guy. This feels more like a real conversation rather than a question-by-question interview. Hats off to these people.

[@menofmicetea]

Thank you so much for these interviews. I take great pride in being a developer, even if I am not a game developer, and whenever I get into a rut or I lack the drive to continue, it brings me great pride to see others like Edmund who have been able to pull through the tough times to be where they are now.

[@LukesShorts]

So, let me get this straight: You have this amazing, lengthy, comfortable and in-depth interview. I can see that you have many more hours of great interviews for me to surf through. Yet you have

[@PixelPerfect28]

I've watched this interview from start to finish over 20 times now

[@fooltothink89]

This is awesome!!! Hope to see more Edmund McMillen interviews for his later games. Subscribing.

[@Ouroboross22]

Yeah, I'm joining to this so I can see that you've got Only 30 000 views and I'm like... what ?? So I guess that you don't get really much more rewards than passion, love of what you do, meeting great guys like Edmund, and thanks of people, so here I am : thank you really really much 'cause you deserve our love and thanks for this awesome interview ;) From France, thanks for this !

[@LivingintheVan]

Really interesting interview and such a terrific guest... or host... interviewee. I remember his old games, Gish was amazing. Really glad he is doing well now and got some priceless experience and knowledge. Hope to see more of his games and more people like him in the game industry.

[@Eldenbruh]

Awesome stuff man, u deserve alot more views, best indie interviewer on youtube PERIOD! Keep it up!

[@sirartist1]

GAH! Edmund truly is inspirational and awesome. He's so REAL and genuine.

[@LargeTurn1p]

Really awesome interview. I like interviews that get really personal with the developers, and this certainly does that well.

[@iheartLouis1]

Edmund isn't just a great designer, he's a role model.

[@sagielevy]

Very interesting interview. I wish there more such interviews of developers of games I really like. I've been playing Binding of Isaac while listening to this and I can see how much effort and thought has been put to it. Great work :)

[@MsBickle76]

Thank yo so much for this Jake!

[@middlethought]

I am a very huge fan of Edmund's Time Fuck. It has to be one of the greatest games I've ever played. I also really liked his quib on design: "If it's something I'm hesitant about, it means it has to be said." Kudos to you for doing this interview, I really enjoyed it!

[@AN4RCHID]

Edmund is awesome, I love how much personality he puts in to every game. Great video man, Keep it up. I always enjoy these long form, personal interviews.

[@lukie-world]

This was the first video of State Of Play I have watched. Subbed! A real good insight into Microsoft business practices.

[@KostjaMRH]

Great interview! Thanks!

[@grazida0276]

Loving this interview, thank you so much.

[@melconiann]

this is a legendary interview

[@TheDarkPhoenix13]

24:28 - my bookmark. Amazing interview so far, really great!

[@terovillanen7496]

Great interview, learned a lot and it really helped bolster my spirits as an aspiring game creator. A genital giant among men.

[@AllegroDigital]

Awesome interview, thanks!

[@minch333]

Great interview, I'm going to subscribe and go play binding of issac! I swear to God I subscribed before when I watched your Jon Blow interview...

[@StateofPlayShow]

Awesome! Thanks so much for that. We'll keep trucking along as long as we can. I keep saying it, but we'll have some official word about some new content VERYYYYYYYYYYYYYY soon. Thanks for watching.

[@Nofxthepirate]

If you've watched other Edmund interviews, you've probably noticed this happens in almost all of them, once you get him started, Ed just goes on and on. He is just a very interesting person with a whole lot to say.

[@StateofPlayShow]

Thanks so much! Edmund is a real pleasure, for sure.

I thought it's pretty recent interview, like 2015. And then woooooah! 2012? Srsly? Damn the time flies :)

[@Jake-Day]

This is perhaps the greatest interview ever.

[@DontForgetTheDroids]

What a stand up guy. Very inspiring. Great interview!

[@rastovicfilip]

Thanks for the interview. Edmund is an amazing guy

[@HoaniBryson]

Great interview, well done!

[@siskavard]

Man, I remember playing Pico on Newgrounds back in the day too. Mind was blown. Great interview.

[@TylerClarkTech]

This is awesome, I really like state of play, especially the interviewer. He was really cool, why no more videos?

[@StateofPlayShow]

I guess we gotta go make some more, then... So glad you've enjoyed 'em!

[@wyattsailors]

We didn't know we were in the golden age until it was over.

[@licka]

Terrific interview.

[@TheAtheistFreak]

Edmund confirmed for big cuddly softie

[@ProfessorElz]

I can't express how much I love The Binding of Isaac. I bought the original on PC. Bought Rebirth on PC. Bought Rebirth again on PS4. I've spent so much time playing that game it's unreal.

[@StateofPlayShow]

Thanks so much!

[@pseudoname7747]

Subscribed, thanks for this!

[@jimiseverus]

Right on, keep the passion burning!

[@StateofPlayShow]

Awesome. Thanks much, everybody!!

[@alexandermdc]

Great interview, listened to the whole thing while playing BoI. Keep it up :)))

[@Evilolex]

awesome interview :)

[@Kokorisu]

His talk about the dark pockets of diving into indulging his own ego could be a perfect source of inspiration for a game Edmund would make,

[@gtvdejv]

Awesome interview! Very inspiring ... btw. Edmund reminds me of Guillermo Del Toro and his style.

[@ZooOfFailure]

I was trying to find a video about Mew Genics and found this, i'm glad I found this.

[@StateofPlayShow]

Thanks! We'll keep it going for the time being...

[@CoolStorytellersLounge]

Great interview

[@StateofPlayShow]

This is, by far, the best way to watch. Smiley emoticon!

[@StateofPlayShow]

Thanks! We'll go do some more!

[@0hMyGandhi]

Wow. What an interesting person to listen to. Someone who can articulate the pangs of development in a way that is unique, and showcasing his own though process as something not set in stone. I love that this dude is super passionate about games, you can tell. But most importantly, he just sounds like he loves the idea of creating something. There is something truly amazing to be said about someone who has succeeded time and time again in a very difficult industry, yet is relaxed enough, and honest enough to relay his innermost feelings of remorse, exhaustion and the feeling of exhilaration when something good finally happens. I love that such a positive trend is not by luck, or knowing the right people, it's just good old fashioned hard work, perseverance, and the desire to learn from mistakes, and do better as a result. Awesome video.

[@StateofPlayShow]

Wow; you're welcome. Thanks so much for taking the time to make this comment. We love doing this (even if it's sporadic), and we're so happy to touch people when we do. Thanks for watching, and good luck with your project(s)!

[@HotFries9377]

What a cool, down to Earth guy. He doesn't censor his work and he even considers it art, which is the most important thing. Awesome interview

[@myrddinwyllt9375]

I sure would like to see a few interviews with free indie game developers and a video or two on mods! Also, i would really love to see a video on fan made video games and their potential!

[@TheRealOebar]

Thanks for this great interview, very inspiring. Subbed!

[@RandomEnchiladas]

Thanks for this. Really good content

[@DirectorToby]

Awesome interview - such an inspiring guy! Great insight! Love what he said about talent, couldn't relate to him more!

[@McQueeb]

Found you via Reddit, nice vid man :) Subbed :)

[@StateofPlayShow]

Thank you so very much for your kind comments. We really love doing this, so we appreciate that people feel like we're bringing something good to the table. We're going to continue to grow the channel, and we're happy for any subscribers. Thanks!

[@buggy89]

great interview

[@Maldito011316]

Such a great guy! :D Good luck in the future Ed!

[@ManjiNemesis]

When I saw how long it was I thought fuck me, but found myself drawn deep in to it. Moving, revealing and an overall joy to watch. I loved that nothing was sugar coated. Consistently raw and blunt. I love his shit, keep doing what you do best!

[@ThatGunslinger]

Such an inspiring person. I love his games but it's his outlook on life that's so refreshing.

[@ninjoshot]

amazing, subscribed

[@StateofPlayShow]

Great insight!!

[@Kzar5678]

Edmund is a legend. I just love hearing him talk about his games and stuff. I think I might be addicted to his voice or something...

[@GakuseiChatto]

I like this video. Good tips and experiences!

[@PanTF]

I wanna hug the interviewer for a long period of time.

[@MrRossyTaylor]

I've watched this twice now, once out of pure interest and the second time for work for college :)

[@Ashberg2007]

That was really an interesting watch :)

[@StateofPlayShow]

Hey, thanks!

[@StateofPlayShow]

Thanks!

[@StateofPlayShow]

Thanks for watching! We like to see our interviews as conversations, so not all of it is going to seem pointed. Edmund had a lot to say, as well, and I wasn't about to start cutting him off. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@alaslipknot]

WHY I NEVER SAW THIS CHANNEL BEFORE :O !!!

[@justinyun626]

Whoa, that retail copy looks so sweet

[@presidentraygunn]

Great interview. Very inspirational. It looks like Steam and the Steam community could be the answer to "The Man" keeping the artist down.

[@SlavaGen]

Thanx for inviting Guillermo del Toro

[@Exxile4000]

It's funny, other than Miyamoto, Mcmillen is the only game designer that I've ever taken the time to read about and learn about where they started. This guy is a huge inspiration to me. Whenever I get fed up with learning to make games and I feel like it's too hard, I just look at Super Meat Boy and it inspires the hell out of me.