Marty Burgess
CEO and Co-Founder at Lightning Forge Games
Marty Burgess is chief executive and co-founder of Lightning Forge Games, a Newcastle-based studio built with NSW Government support. The studio makes AI-agent-powered multiplayer titles including Gladiator Mayhem, the dungeon crawler YOLO and the auto-battler Grand Tactics: Final Order, all powered by LFG Agents — AI players trained on real human gameplay data so they can stand in for a person mid-match. Burgess has spent more than a decade in game design and development, with a focus on free-to-play mobile and multiplayer titles. On In The Blink Of AI, he discussed how AI agents are making games more personal, including replacing players during outages and replicating professional play.
In their own words
From How AI is Making Games Uniquely Yours (Ft. Marty Burgess, Lightning Forge Games) · In The Blink Of AIIf you're the smartest person in the room, find a new room. When hiring, I want passion.
Career
- Now CEO and Co-Founder · Lightning Forge Games
- Earlier · Startup Studio Lead · Raini Studios
Sources: youtube.com
Key moments
Jump straight to the part of How AI is Making Games Uniquely Yours (Ft. Marty Burgess, Lightning Forge Games) you want.
- 0:00 Replacing disconnected gamers seamlessly with AI agents
- 2:33 Marty shares the inspiration behind his passion: Sid Meier's Pirates
- 4:58 How LFG uses AI at the core of gaming experiences
- 7:24 AI agents playing on your behalf: revolutionary or controversial?
- 9:04 Filling multiplayer matches instantly using AI-driven agents
- 12:10 What exactly is "perfect game balance"?
- 14:39 Using AI to process massive amounts of game data effectively
- 19:22 Can AI help non-gamers discover a love for gaming?
- 25:00 How AI could make interactive fiction hyper-personalised
- 29:02 Understanding the concept of a "dynamic world" in gaming
Heard on
Lightning Forge Games on Day One
Lightning Forge Games is a Newcastle-based studio building AI-powered games, led by CEO and co-founder Marty Burgess. 1 person · 1 episode → Connections
Spot something wrong? Suggest a correction Updated 25 September 2026
Want a show of your own?
W2D1 Media — the team behind the Day One Network, which helped build Blackbird Ventures' Wild Hearts — builds and produces podcasts for funds, founders and operators. If you want a show built around your brand, let's talk.
