Patrick Moran

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I just left a video call with yet another game studio executive trying to navigate having secured initial funding and now running out of cash with a potential closure of their studio looming. In addition to sadness, I can’t help feeling as though both the investors and the studio headed down an unnecessarily dangerous path from the start. Investors can play a critical role in the success of a game studio by providing capital and expertise. However, applying traditional investment models may cause developers to pivot from best practices in order to secure the investment. The unintended consequence is that risks can be added instead of mitigated, and it is important for both parties to navigate together carefully to avoid common pitfalls. Examples of these risks include making a game larger to increase potential returns, hiring a big internal team to maximize enterprise value, setting unmovable deadlines to keep the dates of future returns in place and, as faced by the studio I just spoke with, providing only initial funding. These decisions may lead to a riskier project to manage and one that is not attuned to the challenging reality that finding fun cannot be promised by a given date. Starting full production too soon is a recipe for the studio to risk cost overruns while piloting a battleship when the agility of a speedboat is still required. Without a clear funding path, a studio can end up burning investment capital intended for development on pitching and demos. Games are not well suited to ‘build ten things fast, expect nine to fail and one to skyrocket’. They need to be nurtured by oversight which advances step by step towards success. This doesn’t mean a game should be finished at all costs, it just allows the investor and developer to pull the plug on a project that is not coming together before full production, so that the team can focus on the next opportunity while there is money left in the bank. The good news is that digital games sell forever, and game franchises are strong platforms to build upon with sequels and additional content. For investors open to long term cash generation, games are a great match. If a fund has a maturation date, successful IP can be sold based on future revenues. Fundamentally, rather than pressing for a quick home run, the most consistent returns come from supporting quality studios making games iterated through feedback from the team, testing with consumers and learnings from the industry. This approach lays the groundwork for developing “singles and doubles” into powerhouse franchises. The greatest investor impact comes from adapting fund structures and return models to account for development best practices. Success hinges on a strong partnership of developers and investors together forging new ground that is aligned to the unique dynamics of the game industry.

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Are you a PR rep, media, or content creator in games? I wanna get some feedback from you as we dig into Terminals.io improvements. When it comes to platforms for key requests and distribution, newsletter/press release distribution (and reception), online press kits, etc. what are your major pain points? TLDR: In the coming months we're going to put some more polish on our Terminals.io platform (if you haven't checked it out yet, do!), and we're looking for some input. What can we do better? What are we missing? What do none of the tools you use/encounter do that you wish they did? Any insight is helpful!

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🎮 Balancing Education and Entertainment in Game Development: The Challenges Behind the Fun 🎮 At GameCloud, we dive into the unique challenges of blending entertainment with learning—from aligning educational goals with gameplay mechanics. Read the full blog here: https://lnkd.in/dBef7quV #GameDevelopment #EducationalGames #Entertainment #Edutainment #GameDesign #PlayerEngagement #LearningThroughPlay #Innovation #GamingIndustry #GameCloud

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Sumo Digital announced a 15% cut in its workforce, roughly impacting 250 individuals. Among these 250 individuals was the team of Timbre Games, which also confirmed that the studio was being shut down. Timbre Games was founded in 2021 and made a part of Pipework Studios. Although Timbre had yet to launch any games, its website indicates that it was in the middle of two game projects. Unfortunately, game developers face more loss than the parent company when something like this happens. Who knows how Timbre's team might be coping after putting in millions of efforts to build the games and losing everything in a single blink? In their support, this is list 2 of some of the Timbreeos who were impacted by the closure. Every bit from the community counts, so requesting you all to help this reach recruiters and game studios currently hiring. Sophie Mallinson — In 2017, she was Arkane Studios' (Lyon) Narrative Designer who worked on Dishonored: Death of the Outsider and Wolfenstein: Youngblood. By 2019, she had become a Principal Narrative Designer for Arkane's Deathloop. It is quite interesting to note that after Arkane, she went on to work for EA on Star Wars and later for EA's own studio - Maxis Studios on The Sims Series. Nadia Lohan — With over a decade's worth of experience in Production, before Timbre, Nadia was a Producer at Blackbird Interactive and worked on Minecraft Legends. Notably, she has experience in the VFX industry and coordinated for blockbusters like Mulan, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Maleficent. Vivek Ramkumar — Here's a talented Game Designer who has worked on titles like Sleeping Dogs and Tryst, built his own first-person indie game, and has experience in LiveOps Design. Prior to Timbre, he was a senior Technical Designer for Relic Entertainment. Gerritt Turner — Before Timbre, Gerritt worked at Wizards of the Coast on a lot of Magic: The Gathering's writing, designing and overall creative. They even have an experience in Brand Writing for Hasbro. Yuliia Bocharova — Prior to Timbre, she was a Lead 3D Artist for Blackbird Interactive and worked there for 3+ years. You should check out her ArtStation portfolio: https://lnkd.in/gKEwykG5 Vincent-Gabriel Canadian — A talented VFX Artist who has worked for Studios like Frima, Behaviour Interactive, and Nesting Games. Vincent specializes in real-time VFX for video games! #layoffsupport

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Field Day Lab is compiling an exhaustive list of classroom-ready learning games and could use your help in finding them. Specifically we need to find every game that meets the following requirements: - Grade 3 through 20 - Free or at least a demo - Playable on a chromebook - Designed to teach a specific subject, or has materials that translate the game into classroom subjects We’ve found all the games that used to be on gameUP, and some of the bigger collections like icivics. Do you have any other lists or game titles we should include?

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Business of games: 5 biggest funding rounds, partnerships, and trends from the last week 🕹️ Investment round-up details from Sept 3rd week 1. Nazara secures $108m to fuel further M&A 2. Gamebeast raises $3.7 million in pre-seed funding 3. Nazara Technologies to raise Rs 900 Cr, increase stake in Sportskeeda 4. Playtika to acquire Dice Dreams developer SuperPlay for up to $1.95 billion 5. Dirt raises $2M from Mark Cuban and others for sensor-based measurement of player attention Top trending news from last week: TouchArcade is Shutting Down :(    #gamingindustry #gamedesign #mobilegames #gamedevelopment #gamedev #videogames #gaming #useracquisition #growth #UA #revenue #data #icartic #gamedeveloper #indiedev #unity3d #madewithunity #businessofgames

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Now that Timbre is officially closed -- and my heart goes out to all those affected -- I think someone should ask WTF Sumo Digital Ltd was thinking in making this drastic cull. You have a team of about 100 folks who -- just based on the outpouring of support and collective love between them; I know nothing about the studio itself -- seem to have been a high-functioning group of developers who had worked together for up to 2 years (obviously some of them were newish, as the median time employed was about a year; I saw some layoff notices from people who'd been hired within the past 2-3 months, so this suggests the leadership team had no idea the closure was coming, unless they are just evil...). Anyone who has built a team understands the value of having folks across many different disciplines who work well together. There is significant value in this, and you don't just throw it away. I understand Sumo decided they needed to make 15% cuts to save costs, but then why not cut 15% uniformly (more or less) across all your studios and the parent org? If you are cutting 250 people worldwide across multiple studios (I count 14 studios: https://lnkd.in/gxmRTJcz), why then cut 100 of them in one place? 250 people across 14 studios is less than 20 people per studio (some of the Sumo studios have 100s of people). You could have cut 15 from Timbre and kept 85 employed. Could they not have sold the studio to another publisher? Or found a buyer from outside games? Both Relic and Phoenix were bought by non-game buyers (private equity in Relic's case, a blockchain company in Phoenix's case), so there's clearly money from outside the industry looking to invest and own a piece of the games business, even in super expensive Vancouver. This doesn't seem like just another "oh whoops we overhired during COVID" story. What, did you set up an entire new studio from scratch and hire 100 people between 2022 and 2024 by mistake? Tencent bought Sumo a while ago. Tencent has more money than anyone. Did Tencent not want this studio? They could have spun it out from Sumo. Microsoft? Ubisoft (they used to have a Vancouver studio...)? Anyone? Nobody out there wanted a team of 100 folks who knew how to work together and had built some amount (maybe a lot?) of a game together before they were unceremoniously shut down? No publisher wanted to pick up the game and continue to float the studio until it shipped? There's been a lot of love being generated from the demise and aftermath of this studio. But where's the rage?

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Dear Stretch Network Partners, Please allow me to inform you about additional changes that will take place in the global network on July 8. 🍀 All Heads-up tables will be removed 🍀 Badugi cash tables will be removed 🍀 Sonic cash tables will become 6-max 🍀 The minimum buy-in for Sonic Omaha cash tables will be 20 BB 🍀 Sonic Omaha 7 card cash tables will be added These changes apply only to cash tables and only to our Global Network. In your local networks, you decide your product strategy, but we would be happy to assist you in managing your local networks as well. If you need our help, please contact us. The above-mentioned changes are part of the new strategy for the Stretch Network Global Network, which prioritizes the comfort of novice players and casual traffic to maintain the proper balance of our ecosystem between amateurs and professionals. Caring for the ecosystem of the Global Network is our priority. The changes we are implementing now and will continue to implement will significantly improve the user experience for your players, extend their LTV, ARPU, and, of course, Revenue.

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As we work with many new studios at RallyHere, studio operators often need some general mental frameworks around which to judge comparable games so they can make realistic revenue forecasts. Operators know to study SteamDB or other similar Steam Data services to study CCU and other trends, but can often struggle to convert that to revenue estimates. The chart below is VERY ROUGH, but can help give you a flavor of how a Steam Top Seller position (as seen on SteamDB) can give you a rough range of their estimated gross revenue on Steam alone for that single day. On any given day, the ranges might be different, but if you just want to get a flavor this can help. Remember that this is Gross Revenue (before Steam takes its royalty share) and this only represents revenues from Steam. A great way to improve your revenue potential is to be multi-platform, which RallyHere technology greatly simplifies.

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💡 ERROR LOG #27: If your core gameplay loop isn’t compelling, your game might not be either. What I mean by that is the core gameplay loop is the heartbeat of your game. It’s the cycle of actions players will perform repeatedly, and if it’s not engaging, the entire player experience can be doubtful. The loop doesn’t just entertain, it defines the game, driving the player’s emotional and strategic investment. For example, think of a classic side-scroller. The loop might involve running, jumping, and shooting while collecting treasures and defeating enemies (YES! You got it! Metal Slug :D). Simple, but highly engaging. Compare that to a more complex RPG loop, blending exploration, combat, and dialogue. These loops provide different experiences, but they all share one thing: they’re finely tuned to keep players coming back but first and foremost they have to enjoy it! 💡As some of you know I’m not a designer by profession, I simply love all the aspects of game development. Here’s where I went wrong early in my design journey as I was mostly driven by visuals and appeal: I’d focus so much on flashy features and world-building that I’d lose sight of how those elements tied into the core loop. It’s easy to overcomplicate or dilute the loop with feature creep. But here’s the hard truth: if the loop isn’t tight, even the best visuals or narrative can’t save your game. 📘A-HA Moment: Start simple, then refine. Think of the gameplay loop as the game’s skeleton. It needs to be strong before you add the muscles (mechanics) and skin (aesthetics). For me, studying great games and their loops - like the seamless exploration and combat of The Legend of Zelda or the addictive power fantasy of Kratos in God of War was a game-changer. If you’re crafting a core gameplay loop, ask yourself: ✅ What will the player do 80% of the time? ✅ How does it feel? Is it satisfying, challenging, and fun? ✅ Does every element of the game enhance the loop or distract from it? What’s your favourite example of a perfectly executed gameplay loop? Let me know in the comments! Stay tuned for more ⚔️🐻

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12 things that destroy a game voice recording session: 1. Not allocating enough time to casting 2. Not working with a casting director 3. Not sending clear instructions (call sheets) well in advance 4. Not sending scripts & character bios well in advance 5. Not having an experienced voice director 6. Trying to record too many lines in a session 7. Not taking notes / having a note taker during the session 8. Not testing a remote talent's home studio in advance 9. Having too many people on the call / in the session 10. Giving the actor a "read" 11. Having a negative attitude (cast or crew) 12. Not working collaboratively / as a team Avoid these at all costs. Genuinely would love to hear what you would add to this list.

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Tip for publishing consideration submission to Midwest Games... tldr - Send info through our portal (https://lnkd.in/gWtKgpuU), not through email (or LI). I get that it's a little counter-intuitive...you might think you want to put your info right in front of the sourcing decision influencers' faces. But it's actually a disadvantage - especially those of you who are agents throwing multiple titles at us at once. The submission portal goes right to our database, and that database is there for a reason: to keep an organized and consistent record of all submissions in one place. I look through there all the time. I'm reminded of titles I may have overlooked or need to go back to consider as circumstances change all the time. We rarely, if ever, make immediate decisions or even quick deep review/consideration. Our factors for consideration shift regularly. I do not review your particular email regularly, or at some point even remember you sent one. I go to the database. Connection via other channels is good. Discussion about your game over other channels is good. But having your core game info in those channels is not good. Please use the submission portal!

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I am very sorry to learn of two additional cuts that happened in games this week: Lively Studio had a "small number of layoffs" while Armor Games Studios laid off its publishing team. Both claims were widely reported across major games press. If your job has been impacted by these closures, please utilize the support available through our three platforms. Specifically, I suggest exploring the Games Org Support Posts in Home 1. These resources have a proven track record of effectiveness, backed by extensive data. There are no simple answers, but our community's primary aim is to ease the burden for as many individuals as possible. Our data shows that for all candidates, your chances of securing a role in the gaming industry double (from 6% to 12%) over 12 months if you consistently use all our resources compared to not using them. I'm truly sorry about this news, and as always, I will do my best to take action rather than just expressing concern. Home 1 - 🔗 AMIRSATVAT.COM: This is our main hub offering 18 resources to help you find employment, with a fully updated design. - 🔗 Games Org Support Posts: You can find a template at AMIRSATVAT.COM (Category 4, Resource 10). If you can provide information from your team (with their consent), I'll assist in editing and disseminating the final post to reach over 400,000 unique viewers per month. These posts significantly boost visibility, and we've completed 102 of them. Home 2 - 🔗 Discord: Join us at discord.gg/amirsatvat, our live extension of community resources. With over 4,900 members, we are currently in an open-join phase. Home 3 - 🔗 LinkedIn: Our community here comprises over 93,000 members, with 1-3 daily posts offering support and career assistance in the gaming industry. How the Broader Community Can Help: - Spread the Word: Reshares and comments on this post help increase the visibility of these resources. - Offer Support: Utilize the 16 methods listed on AMIRSATVAT.COM under "How You Can Help" to assist, or simply lend an ear or advice on our Discord server. - Join Our Movement: Volunteer with us at AMIRSATVAT.COM to support our colleagues in the gaming industry. Our network has facilitated over 2,400 jobs and 45,000 coaching conversations to date, making the largest impact of any games organization globally, and has been visited by millions of gamers lifetime. - Over 20% of all gaming jobs found pass through our community at some point, more than anywhere else globally, so please maximize your chances - that's what we are here for.

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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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Webinar Announcement 👇   🎨 Are your artists and modelers storing and managing assets in generic cloud storage solutions not designed for modern game development? ⏳They likely spend countless hours searching for necessary assets—or worse, they might not even know that the assets they need exist. 🟢🟢🟢If this sounds familiar, we have great news for you! 🟢🟢🟢 💡Asset Manager is an engine-agnostic, API-first solution tailored for the demands of 3D asset creation. For Unity developers, it's already included with your license. 🎯If you're using a different engine, explore Unity Cloud plans to find the one that fits your needs. 🎫Join us for the Asset Manager webinar, featuring a live demo and Q&A session, on August 14th at 3:30 PM UTC. Share this link with your artists and modelers—they'll thank you for it!

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Burns people out, no watercooler moments, no cultural staying power "What's the best way to experience the major water-cooler shows commonly considered to be "appointment viewing"? Is the binge model popularized by Netflix the way to approach things, in which viewers are able to spend a whole weekend devouring every episode of an entire season all in one go? Or is it better to exercise a little patience and release episodes one at a time in weekly installments, allowing word-of-mouth momentum to build while keeping the entire production at the center of the cultural conversation for much, much longer? (Or, perhaps, we can have the best of both worlds through "Hacks.")

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Q3 2024 Video Game Confidence Survey Summary is Now Live! Curious about the latest trends shaping the video game industry? Dive into our Q3 2024 Game Confidence Index, where we unpack the highs, lows, and everything in between from July to September. Key Insights: Shifts in economic sentiment and profitability expectations Rising development costs and intensified market competition Evolving funding strategies amid a tightening financial landscape Read the full analysis to see how industry leaders are responding to these trends and positioning for Q4: Q3 2024... Stay ahead with the insights that matter for navigating this rapidly changing industry! #VideoGames #GamingIndustry #GameDevelopment #MarketInsights #Q32024

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The Very Thinly Hidden Heartbreak: The Emotional Toll of Game Industry Layoffs Remember the feeling when you were little, standing in the game store, holding that cartridge you'd dreamed about for months or even years? That thrill and excitement are the heartbeats of lives shaped by games. I believe there is an often overlooked angle to these game industry layoffs. There's a very real personal impact - lives disrupted, careers lost. There's a very real financial impact - income and expenses on both personal and corporate levels. But one of the biggest, perhaps most emotionally stirring aspects, is the deep emotional element. Games have been the heartbeat of my life. Even at a young age, I knew they were a business. As I grew older, I learned about the industry crashes and past waves of layoffs. This current situation is much worse, but smaller-scale events have occurred before. Throughout all these stories and my own experiences as a late entrant into the field, I held on to the belief - perhaps always a fantasy - that the love for games always came first for those who made them. Tough business decisions were made as a personally aggrieving last resort. Even as I type this, the intense, visceral feelings of picking up and playing hundreds of historically great titles flow through me. These feelings have been the drumbeat of my life. Haven't they been the drumbeat of your life? I believe that if you distill all the emotions and everything I've heard over the last three years, there's a sense that, relative to past industry downturns, something unprecedented is happening. Even if games have always been a business and have always been corporatized, they never felt as purely about dollars and cents as they do now. It has never been as much about wringing out every last dollar for a shrinking number of people at the top as it is now. There's a sense that new entrants into the field don't understand the business, and everyone just wants a piece of the pie because they heard "games = big market = we should do something." There's a sense that the business decisions at the highest levels are sometimes removed from passionate gamers, with top-down decisions coming from those whose real passion is the P&L and who deal with the games part because they have to, and who can't remember the last time they 100% completed a title. I'm not saying that's right. I'm not even saying it's fair. But beyond the very real personal and financial impacts of not having a job or income, I believe this emotional aspect is critical to understanding why this situation is uniquely upsetting. I'm just telling you what I'm hearing, reading, and seeing over and over again. If I'm wrong, tell me so.

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