Collin Foss

Game Industry Ecosystem ♻️ Yesterday, during dinner with three remarkable individuals from the Swedish game industry in Stockholm, we sparked a discussion about the current challenges in game industry education. We talked about how there are currently too many educational programs, and that many game industry teachers end up getting jobs themselves instead of helping students secure employment, leaving their teaching roles. Additionally, we highlighted the significant gap in the ecosystem—soon, we'll have an influx of newly graduated students who lack the necessary experience to be fully prepared and responsible candidates for companies. This is where organizations like Spelkollektivet and initiatives similar to game jams, summer game camps play a crucial role. They function like boot camps, where students can acquire practical skills necessary to become game developers, regardless of the category. I believe we will soon need more places like Spelkollektivet, where students can learn teamwork, hone their skills, and work on several actual projects. These experiences will help them build real portfolios and sharpen their raw talents. Moreover, such environments enable students to form valuable relationships, potentially leading to the creation of their own companies/startups/consult and freelance. Here are some suggested solutions to help solve this issue: 1. Enhanced internships and apprenticeships 2. Project-based learning 3. Industry-driven curriculum 4. Boot camps and workshops 5. Portfolio development 6. Networking opportunities 7. Career services 8. Soft skills training 9. Continuous learning 10. Entrepreneurial support #gameindustrysweden #gameindustry #gamedev #gameindustryeducation #gameindustrycommunity #futuregames

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If you're considering retrofitting multiplayer to your game, this is a must read. It's packed with useful tips and insights. And if you're looking for help with adding multiplayer to your game, reach out to me or check out coherence.io

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So here at LKHE we make games for gamers, and we support our devs fully. We are also about teaching and innovation, and will be opensourcing our games eventually, as well as the behind the scenes. This also means we don’t hide our code in a vault. It insures you guys get to bring your cool ideas to life, and it makes sure we’re always ready to take that extra step further into innovation. I noticed a lot of people are looking for this, and there isnt really a source out there that shows you how to do it. SOOOOoooo here it is (a Sin City Filter) for UE5. You can also use this for any post process, and bring an object, or character out and separate it from the post processing! Give us that Like and subscribe on the channel, and stay tuned. Out Pitch Demo is almost done for Project Kianna, and we'll be pumping out content via Discord, Facebook, LinkdIn, Twitter, Instagram, Tiktok and have our own fully operational Website! Once were up on social media, we will be releasing the official "Prototype: Kianna" which is the free (player built demo) where your input matters on how we proceed with our game! it will have 6 upgrades, based on player input, and will slowly uncover the origin story of Kianna. but for now, check it out my dudes https://lnkd.in/gPSUfjkh

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Pretty neat demo to share - tutorial inside too.

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Hello there! Here are some useful tips for networking events. This article summarizes key points from a conversation I had with Ljubica Garic ➡️ Digital Dragons from 8Bit - Games Industry Recruitment some time ago. Hope it helps you out! (So don't forget to go to parties)

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Last time I talked about all the issues in the way of developing game narrative talent. Today, I want to talk about what we can do about it. The first hurdle is maybe the biggest one: getting studios to recognize the need. Over my career I have seen it again and again - narrative folks are expected to be finished products when they walk in the door, something that is rarely expected of devotees of other disciplines. This is an unfortunate outgrowth of the misconception that narrative is easy, and as such it is hard to root out. But every narrative professional in gaming owes it to themselves, their professional peers and the ones who will follow in our tracks to preach the gospel of professional development to our employers. It needs to be made clear that there are aspects to the job you simply don't pick up in school or writing novels or screenplays or student projects or whatever, and that each studio has its own narrative needs, tools and approaches. When I came into the industry from tabletop RPGs, I was kindly given a learning cushion by my boss, Brian Upton, that let me get up to speed, but that's rare. Hires tend to happen to put out fires these days, but that's short term thinking. So yes, let us go forth to tell our producers, our studio heads, and more that narrative workers need to have professional training, preferably from senior folks in the discipline who understand how the sausage gets made. There need to be clear milestones, timetables, goals, and avenues of support to help people improve at their tasks, and thus become (surprise!) better, more productive employees. Hand in hand with that is setting clear career paths for people following the narrative track. Giving people something to aspire to and a clearly marked path to reach that goal is HR 101 for motivating people. Offering multiple paths to suit their desires and expertise - some folks are better at technical aspects, some at managing, some at hammering out words - is even better. But too often there's no understanding of what the various levels of expertise in the field are, and so there are no clear signposts and no formal role assignments. People who can't see where they're going inevitably bail, looking for greener and clearer pastures. Now, senior narrative devs, don't think I have forgotten about you. We all bear a responsibility to the craft we work in. While many of us are largely self-taught, there has always been a spirit in the narrative community of reaching out and mentoring. People I considered my idols reached down and did it for me when I got started, and I've worked my entire career to turn around and do it for other folks as well. Don't hoard your knowledge. Reach out to juniors and students. Have those conversations at GDC that turn on lightbulbs for people finding their way. And if you can formally share your work - in a blog, in a book, in a conference lecture, whatever - do so. It'll make it better for all of us in the end.

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Some news about Crevoid and its why. Read the Article here https://lnkd.in/dVnDT2dY

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Interesting report from VG Insights giving some hard numbers on the extra opportunity for building and growing game IPs through other types of media, be they TV, movies, books and more. Too often, game companies are only looking at the direct business opportunities of transmedia projects to determine whether they want to engage into it or not, but the real opportunity is indirect, it is through the engagement of new and existing players, and extra sales of existing games, even with very little is done on older titles. We've seen this on The Witcher, on The Last of Us, now on Fallout, and many more.

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It’s here! Our report on the games industry in Sweden is now out and available in both Swedish and English. It’s 76 pages long, goes through key data (we’re growing!) and shows how the industry in Sweden is thriving despite all the dark headlines regarding games the last year. +8% in employees (and we’re even more now in November) 34.6 BILLION SEK (EUR B3 / USD B3.3) in revenue Over 1000 companies in total and 196 studios with more than five employees Thanks to the team with Alexander Milton, Elin Carlsson and Emilie Ihre who done the heavy lifting to getting this report together, to Marléne Tamlin who made sure we have a number on climate impact, and Anna Larsson Corcoran with the Climate Calculator. Cover art by Stina Rahm. Foreword on AI by Per Strömbäck (read it). Also don’t miss out on the interviews with key people from the industry such as Konrad Tollmar, Jenny Österlund, Martin Sirc (and Martin Lindell), Paula Ingvar, and Kristian Lundquist. And big thanks to all the companies in Sweden producing great games ensuring this industry is still the best industry to be in, and to the players who continue to make their investment in this industry, we wouldn’t be here without it. In English: https://lnkd.in/dVu8RWZK In Swedish: https://lnkd.in/d_uZJhfE

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96 days ago I started taking LinkedIn seriously, did my first post and I just hit 8000 followers! I did not have any specific goal in regards of followers but wanted to share this success and also reintroduce myself! I am Kristian and I am working as a bizdev person in Games Industry. I am from Eastern Slovakia but live in Prague and work full remote. My career so far looks like this: manual labor → streamer (failed) → recruitment → bizdev (outside of gaming) → partnership/bizdev in games (now) Since the beginning, I posted 57 times and: ➣ I gained 3702 followers ➣ 339k impressions ➣ 3200 reactions ➣ 658 comments ➣ 404 shares I never actively used any other social network like facebook, twitter, instagram, tiktok or others. Which is weird as I really enjoy being on LinkedIn. I made tons of friends, helped few ppl, engaged with other cool creators and loved every second. If you continue to follow me, you'll see more of: ⇢ bizdev/networking tips and jobs in our industry ⇢ bizdev resources (helpful from juniors to CEO's) ⇢ sharing must-follow ppl who add value ⇢ my journey, challenges, wins and fails ⇢ other helpful or entertainment content I would love you to introduce yourself and connect with similar minded people here.

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Tech stuff alert! To all game developers in my network - my colleague Kaloyan Geshev has created a tutorial for you, where he is using Unreal Engine v5.3 and blueprints to design a level where players can pick different characters.  For the UI he is using the Gameface’s native and UE data-binding features to bind game data to the UI. Check it out, interesting techy stuff! https://lnkd.in/dsVviKFC

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#Gamescom24 Why should we meet at Gamescom? - Come see me on stage on Gamescom Congress talking about AI, Games and Propaganda in the new age - You are an investor, Angel, VC, or a Publisher that can help us with our games and Transmedia ongoing projects (Games, TV, Toys) - You are an event organizer / speakers scout, that want an experienced speaker on stage talking about AI, Mental Health, Social impact and how we can fix our potentially great world (currently kinda sick world) - You are an indie in need of an advice, BizDev help, Game design insights - You are one of my close Gaming family, which i always love to meet everywhere in this world, sharing battle stories and development scars over a cup of coffee, beer or fresh juice! Peace and Love, Live long and prosper! here is a link to Meet2Match, send me an invite there (or just DM) https://lnkd.in/d9w26Xxz #AI #mentalhealth #gamedesign #gamedev #socialimpact #propaganda

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Adding a few more points: 1. The core goal of cross-platform from game apps to H5 mini-games is to reduce UA (User Acquisition) costs. In the past two years, Tencent’s H5 mini-games have brought significant benefits by lowering UA costs, while user payment and retention rates are not worse than those of client-based games. (For Mini Games on iOS, Tencent won’t charge developers; for Android, they charge 40% of revenue, rebate 10% for UA, so it’s a 30% cut of the revenue goes to Tencent, which is lower than Huawei, Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo’s 50% cut - pathetic right? lol) 2. From a cross-PC and mobile perspective, directing users to make purchases on PC is also aimed at increasing profits by secretly pocketing the 30% share that would otherwise go to Apple and Google. (PayPal only charges up to around 5%, which is significantly less than 30%) 3. The strategy of cross-platform development for consoles, PC, and mobile, combined with global multi-language and cross-platform simultaneous releases, aims to outcompete and bankrupt rivals who try to follow suit. (It’s a trap, but some CEOs love to be “brain washed”. They are fascinated by this global multiplatforms multi-languange regions launch thing, aiming 1 month ROI positive goal. (Copying Genshin Impact) Good luck!!

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My review of 2024-1 in mobile games Some trends were confirmed, such as the casualization of cores (e.g. "Squad Busters") and the race for hybridcasual expanding (e.g. "Match Factory"). In terms of mechanics, a puzzle of nuts and screws. Mixing mechanics such as stacking with sorting ("Hexa Sort"), logic puzzles with fashion ("Left or right"). Mini-games are still going strong (Jindoblu). Humor (”Help me: tricky story”). Trends from roblox and steam ("Supermkaret simulator). I was impressed with Supercent's performance. Many iterations with metagames. In addition to regional niches and indies. What would you add or change? Good Sunday, and thoughts!

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I am lucky to be surrounded by great and talented professionals, that’s a blessing and a curse at the same time! 😇😈 Managing high performers comes with its own set of challenge. In today’s blog entry I am sharing some thoughts about the topic. #talent #retention #peoplemanagement https://lnkd.in/ebZ4R6FB

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Yesterday, I wrote about the access to talent. Now, it is time to focus on access to funding and support for IP creation. Let's start on building a digital-ready copyright framework. The regulatory fragmentation of the European digital single market area is one of the key market access barriers for European game developers. Consequently, we need a fully harmonised copyright framework. AI-ready copyright framework will be one of the critical debates of the next Commission term. The EU needs a legal framework that keeps human-created copyright-protected content competitive. On the one hand, we need a copyright framework that protects artistic authors. However, the EU must widen its focus to protecting trademark and design rights holders in a digital environment, as these rights are likely to become much more important in the AI-driven world. On the other hand, we need a copyright framework that ensures contractual freedom and freedom to conduct business. These two perspective must be carefully balanced against each other. Lastly, the commission needs to create a specific legal framework for unfair, non-negotiable standard contracts used by AI tool developers. When it comes to funding, the EU needs to increase Creative Europe Media funding for video game development. Furthermore, digital games are an under-exploited driver of innovation. Therefore, the Union should give them a clear cross-cutting role in the new framework programme for research and innovation and introduce a specific R&D funding instrument targeting the games industry. The Union must require member states to introduce specific measures to support new emerging industrial sectors, like the game industry, in their regional smart specialisation strategies. Unlike any other cultural industry, public support for the game industry must currently be notified in Brussels. The Union must make it easier for member states to introduce public support for their local game industry ecosystem. Thus, the Union should broaden the audiovisual state aid exemption under the General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER) to include video games. If you have not done so already, vote! Vote for someone who continues the European support for Ukraine. For more information on the EGDF EP election manifesto, please visit: https://lnkd.in/eXYzVDHv

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So you’ve been dreaming of breaking into gamedev, huh? 🎮 You’ve played around with Unreal or Unity, maybe even developed a mod or two, and now you’re ready to make the leap. But here’s the catch - your current job isn’t in gamedev. Maybe you’re coding in a big corpo, designing logos for clients in the agency, or managing projects in a completely different field. So, how do you tailor your resume to get noticed by a game studio?  It’s all about connecting the dots between what you’ve been doing and what game studios are looking for. Let’s break it down. 🎯 First off, let’s talk about transferable skills Your skills may be more valuable than you think. Coding in C++ at your IT company? That’s game programming gold. Running Agile sprints as a project manager? That’s exactly how game production rolls in most studios. Designing interfaces for apps? Hello, game UX design. It’s all about framing your existing skills to show how they can directly contribute to game development. 📝 Do your homework! Take time to research different roles in the gamedev, dig into the details, and identify the similarities with your current job. Avoid making quick assumptions - just because a job title sounds familiar doesn’t mean the roles are identical. Instead make sure you understand these differences and learn what you’re missing. 🚀 Next up: projects, projects, projects If you’ve been doing anything gamedev related in your free time, now’s the time to shine. Hobby projects, game jams, or even mods you’ve been working on? List them on your resume. Create a ‘Personal Projects’ section. Name the project, the dates, and what your role was (check Kamil Nowakowski post). 🎨 Speaking about passion… Let’s be real - game developers are passionate about what they do, and they want to hire people who feel the same way. Don’t hesitate to show your love for games. Write an ‘About me’ section to demonstrate that your decision is well-thought-out, not just a passing interest. Avoid generic language. The same goes for a 'Hobbies' section - mention your involvement in communities, your favorite games or genres that inspire you. 💼 Don’t forget the power of networking and continuous learning The gamedev community is tight-knit. Engage with it! Attend events, join online forums, connect with professionals on LinkedIn, and keep learning (you can find many online courses). Don’t forget to mention any certificates in your CV! 🧘 Be patient! Gamedev, as all industries, has its ups&downs. Sometimes it's easier to get in, sometimes not. I know it can be frustrating but there are times when all you can do is accept that this time it didn't work out and wait for the next opportunity. Don't give up! As you see, it’s all about how you present your skills and experience. So, take a deep breath, polish up your resume, and get ready to make your move into the gamedev. Ready to press start? 🚀 #LifeAt11bit #gamedev #11bitstudios #CVtips #careers

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There are actually quite a few really great reasons to hire me, and they include: - Passionate about video games as a form of interactive media, as well as art. - Passionate about language and linguistics. - I have experience in all types of games and games-related media (RPG/JRPGs, Action, Strategy/Tactics, Music/Rhythm, Turn-Based, Cards/Tiles, Puzzle, First person shooters, etc.) - I would rather go ahead and fix something myself than wait for someone else to fix it for me. - I have planned, testplanned, created testcases, and a bug database and done LQA testing on an entire title by myself (an honour)! - I like to make people smile and laugh, so alongside tons of goofy jokes, I will cheer my team/coworkers up with photos/videos of my cat and/or any of my 5 geckos :) There are quite a few things still missing from my Moby Games profile, but it gives a decent snapshot of the sort of work I've done thus far

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Last year, when the Swedish public TV, SVT, interviewed me for my predictions on who the 2023 Nobel Prize in Literature winner was going to be. I confidently said, ‘my wild pick is Han Kang.’ and I was just a year off the mark. So, with the world’s attention on Han Kang, where should a new reader begin? For me, the answer is clear: Human Acts. First, I don’t recommend starting with Greek Lessons because the book feels really dense and abstract at times. There’s a lot of exploration about language — how a language works and what it means. This is a book where you need to slow down and pay attention to each sentence very carefully. Second, I would also not start with The White Book because it is the most poetic of her works. Fun fact: Han Kang actually started out as a poet. So, for the average person, you might find this book a little sparse. This is a book that you need to read multiple times in order to truly appreciate it. Now, the big one — The Vegetarian, the Booker Prize winner. To be fair, this is a great starting point as well, and it is how many people have gotten introduced into Han Kang’s works. But I prefer Human Acts slightly more. Human Acts has what I would frame as a more conventional plot than The Vegetarian. The Vegetarian is essentially three different stories that are connected to each other, and compared to that, Human Acts has more of what I would call a narrative core that spans the entire book. Plus, I don’t know if this is the right word to describe it, but Human Acts feels a bit more down to earth than The Vegetarian. By that, I mean that The Vegetarian is a lot more Kafka-esque. There were so many times during The Vegetarian where I just thought to myself, “Is this a dream, or is this reality?” Not to mention, I feel like Human Acts is much more closer to the identity of Korea as a nation, as well as Han Kang the author. Based on the Gwangju Uprising of 1980, Human Acts revisits a defining moment in Korean history, when pro-democracy protests were violently suppressed. This period left indelible marks on Korean society. Han Kang is a Gwangju native, and went through great mental torment writing this book, not to mention how she was blacklisted by the government for publishing this book. It is no wonder the book is filled with an intimacy and immediacy that is both moving and harrowing. When the Nobel Prize cited her “for her intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life,” I thought about Human Acts. I believe it was a direct nod to this book. It’s not an easy read, but it’s one that will stay with you long after you finish — a story of resilience, courage, and our shared vulnerability. So in closing, if you’re looking to start reading Han Kang’s works, go with Human Acts first. It’s the perfect entryway to Han Kang’s literary world. Grab it before it gets sold out. #books #literature #nobelprize #hankang

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