Nick Heindl

Don't want to bum you out but I know I'm not the only one who has noticed the same layoff cycle on LinkedIn over and over. I can tell your future... 1. Studio is shut down, all the devs become active on LinkedIn maybe for the first time in years and do their looking for work posts. People reach out with connections and support emojis. 2. The outpouring of thanks to the wonderful gamedev community. Amir Satvat and other full time LinkedIn influencers are tagged. 3. Nothing comes of all the LinkedIn support. Devs post frustration posts about how hard it is to be laid off and the injustice of the game industry. Many people will later delete these posts when they start to realize studios still aren't hiring them. 4. The reality step. Months pass and prominent veterans are still unemployed, let alone those "juniors" with a mere 5 years experience. At this point, people either give up and disappear, get a job and disappear (rare), or become a chronic disillusioned LinkedIn user. This last one either requires wearing a mask or ranting about capitalism more and more. 5. The laid off devs watch this cycle repeat for a whole swath of suffering people every couple weeks/days. And that's the step I've been on for a few months. But hey I've been working hard on my family and my solo projects. Magehunter coming soon, and AAA Simulator devlogs will be in production even sooner! Make art for yourself and those you love. Don't make my mistake - look for happiness outside this Microsoft product called LinkedIn.

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Know anyone that might know someone? Asking for a friend 👀 https://lnkd.in/g44DSCP8 #'s for the #'s #TheMattBarney #VideoGames #GameJobs #GameDevJobs #Unreal #UnrealEngine #GameEngineer #PrincipalEngineer #RemoteJobs #RemoteEngineeringJobs #RemoteEngineer

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What kind of leader will you be? As I reflect on my 1st year anniversary of joining Midwest Games and agreeing to partner with Ben Kvalo to help lead this fledgling startup, I must first consider the context of the tumultuous year+ that the games industry continues to go through. As I have seen throughout my career, so much of the cause of this upheaval has been due to poor leadership or poor judgement, planning, and decision-making by company leadership. I'd like to offer this call to action, especially to those newer to this industry experiencing such upheaval for the first time: Don't wait for someone else - you *can* change this pattern. If you're feeling angry, despondent, or helpless, turn that energy into your own motivation to be the leader that you'd like to see. After experiencing multiple layoffs that I felt were due to poor decisions made by company leadership, I realized I couldn't wait around for the "powers that be" to wise up - they are normal people susceptible to the same greed, pettiness, politics, biases, and egos that anyone else is, it's just amplified as many have gotten into positions of power in spite of themselves. I've seen this situation fall apart so many times firsthand I can't even count them. I wanted to do better - I spent years reading, learning, and analyzing both myself and other leaders, trying to better understand the values and skills that would lead to sustainable success. How would I do things differently? What kind of leader do I want to be? The lessons are out there, and they do make a difference. So I encourage you to learn. Read. Get mentorship. Write out your values. Lead from where you are. Even small shifts and advocating for change from within can cause ripple effects beyond what you may even consider. Your chance to make a difference will likely come sooner than you think and it's never too early (or too late) to improve your leadership skills.

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TONIGHT AT 6:30 PM join us for an improvised version of PVP Circuit and help us rebuild our local community brick by brick. I still can't believe I get to work in the video game industry. My 6-year-old would laugh, and then cry once she realized what it means to work in the creative technology sector. That's why IMO everyone could use some levity during these unprecedented times. Join us for a fun evening to raise funds for the Trevor Project. Event link >>> https://lnkd.in/g7tBuP6d Frequently Asked Questions: What if I can't attend the event? - If you can't make it, please consider purchasing a ticket to help us raise money for charity or get one on behalf of someone impacted by layoffs. What if I want to join but can't justify the cost? - If you want to join but find the cost prohibitive, DM me and we'll make it happen (see point above). Do I have to pitch at the event? - No, you don't have to pitch if you prefer to observe. It’s a great way to see how it's done. Will there be another event like this? - We plan to host our community again, but I can't specify if this event will be the focus. #gamesindustry #event #comedy <3

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Hi all. I want to share another magic item I've created for an upcoming D&D 5th edition supplemental item module that I'm working on. This item is called Viridis, which loosely means Green, and is inspired by Emerald Dragons. Since I'm not affiliated with Wizards of the Coast, I'll be removing any Forgotten Realms lore I desribed when it's included in my upcoming module—it's just for my current campaign haha. About the weapon, I wanted to make it a Halberd because 5th Edition D&D doesn't currently have any unique magic halberds ha. I've always been interested in some of the less used weapon types in D&D. D&D Beyond Link to the item: https://lnkd.in/eex9H2mP

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It’s heartbreaking to hear that W.A.S.D has been cancelled indefinitely. For those of us in the indie game space, these events are more than just exhibitions—they’re lifelines. W.A.S.D holds a special place in my heart. My first solo-developed game, Spellbound: The Magic Within, was showcased at the very first W.A.S.D. back in 2020. Seeing real players interact with my game—watching their reactions and hearing their thoughts—was one of the most special moments of my career. I’ll admit, there were tears. For indie developers, these events are so important. We don’t have huge budgets or the kind of marketing reach that big studios do. Events like W.A.S.D give us the opportunity to put our games in front of players, meet others in the industry, and share what we’ve created with a wider audience. It’s not just about exposure; it’s about real connection. Whether it’s a casual chat with the developers next to you or a heartfelt moment with someone playing your game, these events create the spaces that our community thrives on. While it’s sad to lose W.A.S.D, I’m excited to see initiatives like the newly announced London Games Festival event, Game Plus. These are great opportunities for indie creators, but we also need to recognize the importance of local events, which often do the most impactful work. For me, Guildford.Games Festival stands out. It’s my local event, and the quality and opportunities there rival, if not exceed, some of the larger nationwide events. Local events like GG's don’t just spotlight developers—they foster community, collaboration, and growth at a grassroots level. If we want to keep indie games thriving, we need to support these events and the developers they champion. Support your local devs! To everyone who made WASD so special—thank you. Your work gave developers like me a platform to share our stories and connect with players in a way we’ll never forget. Let’s keep finding ways to uplift each other, to celebrate indie games, and to support the amazing local events that keep our community alive!

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So with the amount of layoffs in games, its created a large bed of variables to look at.. yeah I'm not a scientist but trying my best to sound smart. Recent lunch with some friends out of work in games, had an interesting convo. All 3 of them are artist and they all applied to the same position at a company. They had found out after they applied they all were in competition and luckily they were in friendly spirits about it. Anyways, two of them got interviews. In the initial talks with the recruiter/hiring manager they were given a salary range. Only two of them got that far in conversation. Of those two, the range was different even though they had similar experience. They compared the responses they got and it was really odd how they were different, same person but different attitude in the way they were replying to them. Also in the interviews, the duties and role was slightly different, like the one with the lower pay range was basically being given a heavier responsibility description. Same interviewer too so a bit odd perhaps how the convo changed per person. The 3rd person, they were being notified once a week or so about progress and to don't worry, we'll get in touch soon with more info. Well.. at the end, none of them got the job, or feedback of why. The 3rd person just got ghosted without an update or reply asking for an update. I feel for them, hence giving them a lunch to vent, its stressful as all heck to interview, not wanting to put all your hope into a job that could or could not happen. And then to see that there are differences and inconsistency on the whole process. Some might actually say the 3rd person had it the best since they never got their hopes set too high but at the same time the ego can take a hit on not being asked to talk. Thoughts, anyone currently interviewing/looking for a job have some experiences to share?

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Okay, about to share some 🌶️ hot takes🔥, but the 2024 GOTY nominations are annoyingly disappointing to me. If I can’t vote for the games I think should win, I just won’t vote or watch. 1. Where is Warhammer on this list? Because that’s my #1 pick. Not even in the top 6?! Seriously!? Okay, then I’ll vote for my runner up, Helldivers 2… it’s not here either!?!? 🤬 2. I cannot get into Balatro🃏. I forced myself to play for ~6 hours to participate with a workgroup gaming club, and it seriously felt like I wasted the precious little game time I can scrounge as the parent of a 2 year old. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an interesting game. But I do not understand how it can capture as devoted of fans as it has. It feels about as captivating as pinball. And while I might have wasted time in my youth on such things, it’s not something I find value in now. Very subjective, but I hate the theme, it just makes me want to play actual poker. And I do like rogue-likes, but generally ones with a character, some rpg elements, etc. Nothing against the devs, it’s just not for me; and I’m surprised by how small this camp is. 3. Astro bot, FF7 Rebirth, Metaphor: Refantazio …huh? You found spots for these but not Warhammer Space Marine 2 OR Helldiver’s 2? I get that The Game Awards is global 🌎, and there are plenty of Asian gamers, but did these titles really make that big a splash in those jurisdictions and this small a splash in the west that they weren’t even on the radar? And reverse that regarding HD2 and WH? I just don’t get it. 4. The way the Game Awards only gives the audience 10% of the final tally, is frankly BS. And there’s no 📝 write-in votes, so just their hand-selected nominees. Feels very behind-closed-doors kinds of scummy. As an industry, I think we should hold this event to a higher standard. Verdict: ⚖️ I’m not participating. I’ve boycotted things harder to avoid than this for less.

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Bit late talking about this one but huge news coming from 343 Industries, both a re-brand to Halo Studios and confirmation that they are switching development to Unreal. 🗞️ This comes off the back of 343's struggles with development of Halo: Infinite. We've seen many other studios move away from their own engines to Unreal, notably CD Projekt Red! Are proprietary engines going out fashion? 🤔 For those who have worked on both proprietary engines and Unreal, what have you found to be the key advantages of working with Unreal? #gamedev #unreal #halo

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I was asked, "How will Simply Sweet Games raise the bar for the industry?" The challenges are clear: frequent layoffs, inaccessibility, and a significant lack of diversity. Too often, games are just a side note in business strategies focused on short-term gains at the expense of passionate, underpaid newcomers. That’s why at Simply Sweet Games, we are committed to creating change. Our motivation stems not from greed, but from a vision to transform the gaming industry to include more diverse perspectives. We are actively addressing the diversity gap by creating games that cater to and celebrate women, who represented nearly half of all gamers in the U.S. in 2023. This market isn’t a niche—it’s a major segment that deserves better representation. I wake up and feel amazed at how this has become my full-time focus. We uphold sustainable hiring practices and foster an inclusive environment where everyone can contribute and succeed. We aim to redefine industry standards with principles of honesty, respect, and support—not just for our products, but for our people too. #DiversityinGames #Equity #InclusiveHiring #GameIndustry #WomenInGaming #womenwhowork #SimplySweetGames

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Awful news today with Skydance Interactive having gone through a round of layoffs last week. My dear friend Scott Fine announced the news today, sharing the news and the profiles of those affected in a heartfelt post: https://lnkd.in/ex4BnyrX To those impacted please check out the following resources: 🥇First, reach out to us at People Can Fly Studio, we have many roles open right now in Canada, the UK, Ireland and Europe, please check them out here: https://lnkd.in/eWpV5PbA 🥈Next, Discipline Games Jobs Resources: Over the past months I have created 9 (at time of writing) Games Jobs Resources to find jobs in a wide range of disciplines, and I would urge you to check them out, if anything just to see what would be available to you: https://lnkd.in/epvmzDW6 You can find over 6,300 jobs there. 🥉 Third, the Ultimate list of Video Games Career Resources: This should be your one-stop shop for all information. My dear friend Amir Satvat maintains these documents, he is a legend for doing this - please check them out: https://amirsatvat.com/ I urge you to check out the areas in particular about CV support and mentoring, as these will help you no matter what industry you are hailing from or are looking into going next. 🎖 Finally, do not give up. Ever. No matter how dark things may look right now, I KNOW you will get through this, you have got this! 👊 Remember you are not alone. If you need help, advice, or even an ear to listen, we're here for you. Always! ➡ A request to my community, please can I ask you to repost this post to your colleagues and friends, so that we can get as many into jobs as possible! And please comment if you or your studio are currently hiring - let's help each other! Much love ❤️ #skydanceinteractive #layoffs

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“What goes into game writer portfolio?” I’m a sucker for clarity. I love samples that: Show me you can write different character voices. Demonstrate how to dramatize a character arc. Give me crackling dialogue. Swing for the fences to create an emotional experience. And then give clear context about what you are showcasing with each piece: Present a single character bio that goes so deep, but is clear enough that I could write for that character straight away and succeed/ Write up a quest line, in beats, with branching nodes that have interesting choices with endings that satisfy and honor the player choices. Tell me your craft goals. What do you like to write, what are you good at writing, what are your muscles that need work? Be honest. Self-awareness is a secret weapon to success. Tell me a story, a complete one, that shows off your best work. Personally, bark sheets are easy to write but boring to read unless there’s a character, a story, an arc, conditionals, and a voice that grabs my eyeballs and channels pure narrative through my corneas and into my brain. Nobody can guarantee your work will do that. Readers are subjective. They have tastes and biases they won’t tell you. So give me craft, technique, tools. Show me you can take notes. Engage my curiosity by writing about subjects that aren’t common or overdone. Provide context. What are/were your goals with each part of your submission. Don’t limit yourself to traditional game design deliverables (bark sheets, worldbuilding, full questline with nodes, a cinematic) Throw in a prose short story. Add a one-act play. Compose a sonnet as bonus material. Share a short screenplay. Understand character Understand different mediums Understand dialogue Understand theme, tone, personality Illustrate you can tell a story, from beginning to middle to end, with a clear conflict that resolves that follows a character who has desires and needs and wounds and who tries and tries and tries. Most of all: Be. Clear.

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Not that I thought I was immune, but the great tech industry culling has finally reached me. After nearly 11 years of filling roles at WB Games, I'm on the other side of the fence and looking for a new role for myself - and I've kind of forgotten how to do that. 😅 I've also been really bad at keeping up on this platform, so I'll just update everyone with a quick insight or two to catch everyone up, and then end with a request, because job hunting requires it. Layoffs are gutting, no matter how you look at them. People have feelings - A LOT of feelings. Sometimes there is relief, exhilaration, and optimism; often there is frustration, bitterness, despair, and sadness; and usually there is a combination of all of the above. A lot of times, even when trying to manage those feelings, they come out when people talk about their experiences. I've always tried to view any candidates I've spoken with who have been through a recent layoff through a lens that is sympathetic to those experiences, and I sincerely hope that if anyone is talking with me, they can do the same. WB Games has been good to me, for over 20% of my life. It continues to be supportive of me now that I'm no longer there, and I am grateful for that. It's been a good place to call "home" for my career and I still fervently believe in the people and what the teams are doing. The community of the games division, from leaders at the top, all the way to the worker bees at the bottom of the ladder that make everything function, are some of the most talented and thoughtful people I've ever had the privilege to call co-workers. I may have some bitterness about being let go, but none of that is directed to the people who make up Games. I would REALLY like to take a few weeks to not think about what happens next. I'd like to enjoy some time to hang with my family, play some games, work on some crafts, finish building Barad Dur. I'd like the time to process my feelings so that I don't have to tactfully dance around any negative ones in interviews. With that in mind, I'm not actively looking for new roles for the rest of the month. But if some happen to show up in my inbox, I do have an updated resume ready to submit. Finally - a request. I REALLY dislike asking people for LinkedIn recommendations through 'the system'. Instead, I'm putting out a note here, to anyone still reading. If I've worked with you (hiring manager, candidate, partner, anything), and you feel inclined to write up something helpful, please do so. I don't want to guilt anyone into it, or make people feel awkward for not doing it. Simply write up something if it's the sort of thing you want to do. And if you read this far and don't want to write anything, that's okay too. Thank you for reading all of this, and for being part of my journey so far. I appreciate you all more than you probably realize. :)

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ICYMI Tales of Kenzera: ZAU received a patch that includes a couple accessibility improvements. Additional difficulty options are available and can be adjusted at any point, and players can skip chase sequences. Check out the Electronic Arts (EA) Accessibility Portal to learn more. Proud of game developers at Surgent Studios for considering accessibility often. It's a journey where there is always room for improvement. Let's keep making games more accessible together 🤟❤️ #GameAccessibility #InclusiveDesign #AccessibilityMatters https://lnkd.in/gpqGw8XB

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Hi, everyone! If you're free this afternoon (Oct 4), I'm going to celebrating with a virtual book launch for the publication of my new poetry book, Necessary Poisons, at 4-6 pm PDT (7 pm EDT). Come hang out, while I read some poems and share a bit about my writing process. Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/gBU9cjex #poetry #writing #author #poetrybook #booklaunch #poetryreading

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Complaining won't get you hired. Sending hundreds of applications without a reply sucks, I get it. And job hunting in game development is tough in 2024. But hear me out: No one hires out of pity. People hire because you show value. Instead of complaining about the market, focus on creating value for others: • Share common best practices • Contribute to professional topics • Create useful solutions or courses • Make a tutorial on a complex issue Or go a step further: prepare a list of recommendations for the company you want to join and send it with your CV (and also share it publicly). How so, you might ask? Do something for others for FREE? Yes, absolutely. It's called "content marketing." You create value upfront, become more recognizable, and gain a reputation. And then you get hired easily because you provided value upfront. If you're willing to spend hundreds of hours on interviews, spend some time creating value for others. It'll pay off in the long run.

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During this time the game industry's turbulence is shocking, and the launch of a new game studio like Simply Sweet Games might seem like a wild venture. However, I am deeply proud of my journey towards building inclusivity, equity, and diversity in gaming. After all, these values have been the driving force behind my decision to establish a new game studio with the amazing Tina Merry. Spaces like DIG are essential now more than ever. They remind us that our choices as leaders and creators can either lead to significant industry improvement or, unfortunately, to a collateral wasteland of effort and broken dreams. #realtalk For anyone recently affected by industry layoffs, I highly recommend taking a moment of rest. Watch the DIG group as it's more than a network; it's a community that supports and uplifts, ensuring that no one has to navigate these changes alone. #GamingIndustry #InclusivityInGaming #equity #diversity #Leadership

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I am sorry to report that Flaming Fowl Studios (Gloomhaven) laid off over 20 staff yesterday, as reported by GamesIndustry.Biz. I appreciate everybody's reposts to get the word out and so employees there can know of and use our resources. Hopefully we can also get Games Org Support Posts going for them, which have proven to be highly effective in getting affected gamers into new jobs. To those gamers affected at Flaming Fowl Studios, we have a wealth of always-free community homes and resources to help you: 🔗 Please visit AMIRSATVAT.COM, our community's games jobs resources hub with 15 resources that will help you find work. These resources are free and updated regularly. 🔗 Please consider joining our Discord Server, with nearly 1,000 members in just 48 hours of existence, a live extension of our community resources: https://lnkd.in/e2tyvpWv 🔗 Resource 10 is our games org support posts. There you will find a template. If someone on your team can own populating that with information from individuals on your team, with their consent, I will get the finished product edited and out to the community, hitting 100,000 eyeballs. I have done 95 of these, working directly with games teams, and they are highly effective in increasing visibility. To our community: please do your part in making a difference. Some options include: -Spreading the word. Every reshare of this post is appreciated to raise visibility as to these situations. - Offer Support: While you certainly can do it through our community's resources (at amirsatvat.com we present 13 ways you can help), any advice lent, listening ear provided, or other support given is appreciated for those navigating these changes. You can also offer help on our new Discord server. - Join Our Movement: Become part of our network of volunteers at AMIRSATVAT.COM, providing support to our colleagues in the games industry. Together, our collective of over 85,000 people has enabled 1,800+ jobs and 31,000 community coaching conversations, and we're just getting started. More importantly, this network and its content seeks to provide a daily source of encouragement in this tough time.

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