Chris Halaska’s Post

Layoffs and studio closures are a business failure. Full stop. Whether you're a publisher, investor, or C-suite. If you haven't built a plan resilient enough for the 100s of landmines this industry has to offer then that is a business failure. A team that ships a bad game is a better team. A studio that's dealt with bad culture is a better studio. When you throw that investment out, it's only going to benefit somebody else (and significantly damage the industry in the process)

Hey Indie Developers! 🎮 What’s One Thing You Can Do Now to Dominate 2025? 🚀 As 2024 wraps up, indie studios like yours are juggling deadlines, teams, and big-picture planning. But here’s the big question: 👉  Are you set up to finish strong—and start next year even stronger? 🔎  What could you streamline now to reduce production delays? 🔎  How can you boost your team's efficiency without adding extra stress? 🔎  What’s the hidden opportunity to hit 2025 running? If these questions resonate, it’s time to act. Small tweaks today could mean fewer headaches tomorrow—and huge wins next year. 💡 Want to discover what’s holding your studio back and how to overcome it? Let’s connect and explore strategies tailored to your team. Together, we’ll clear the path for your 2025 success. 👉  Click the link to unlock next-level efficiency and results! 🌟 https://lnkd.in/gJU4AVmx #IndieDev #GameDevelopment #GameDev #GameProduction #StudioSuccess #ProductionOptimization #GameIndustry #2025Planning #GameStudioGrowth

I'm 44, and I joined IT in my 3rd year at university. After 25 years in tech and 12 in GameDev, I've seen the industry change - rapidly. But one thing has stayed constant: THE RACE FOR SKILLED PROS. What surprises me sometimes is that age bias still creeps in, especially after 50. • Years of expertise • Strong networks • Niche skills These give older developers an edge that many studios value. Studios need their knowledge. 🔴 But here’s the real question: Is the gaming industry doing enough to preserve the craftsmanship of older developers? • Crunches, cancellations • Ever-accelerating timelines • Constant shifts in technology These are the realities of the gaming world. And with all this pressure, investing in talents with decades of experience doesn’t always get top priority. Yet, studios still want these pros out there, producing. Because that’s where the money is made, and where they shine. 🔴 But here’s the punchline: If we want studios to last 200+ years, They must invest in mentorship, coaching, and training roles. Otherwise, the generational shift will stall, and the industry won’t mature.

In our last discussion, we talked about the struggles of AAA studios like Rocksteady Studios Ltd and Firewalk Studios , whose big-budget games didn’t hit the mark. Now, let’s take a deeper look at indie studios—many of which operate on shoestring budgets and rely on volunteer work—and explore why their approach might hold key lessons for larger companies. Indie teams are known for their boundless creativity, often driven by passion, not profit. The unpaid labor many rely on, from junior devs to fresh grads, isn’t just about cutting costs—it’s about fostering a collective mission. These developers often feel a strong sense of purpose and creative control, knowing that what they’re building matters. They’re not just another cog in a massive corporate machine—they’re contributors to something they truly believe in. This gives indies the freedom to take risks, challenge norms, and experiment in ways big studios rarely do. But when larger, well-funded companies adopt similar volunteer or internship-heavy models, the outcome is different. There’s a clear disconnect when people working on projects with massive commercial stakes aren’t being compensated fairly. It creates a lack of commitment and ownership, making it hard to keep teams motivated. And let’s face it—asking people to work for free in an industry generating billions raises serious ethical questions. The key is balance. Larger studios can learn from indies by offering employees more creative freedom while ensuring fair pay. If workers feel like they own a piece of the creative process, they'll be more invested in producing something meaningful—and that could be the missing ingredient in many AAA games today. It’s about crafting an environment where risk and innovation can thrive without exploiting labor. So, here’s the big question: How can larger studios adopt this indie spirit of innovation while maintaining ethical labor practices? And how do we ensure that passion, creativity, and fair compensation go hand-in-hand to build something truly great? #GameIndustry #IndieGames #CreativeFreedom #EthicalWork #InnovationInGaming #AAAStudios #LaborEthics #DevVoice

Work with a studio that thrives in chaos, not one that hides behind rigid systems. Too many big vendors rely on cookie-cutter pipelines. They stick to the same processes and talent pools, leaving little room for creativity or flexibility. But when you partner with a small, independent studio, you get a team that adapts on the fly, prioritises your project, and communicates directly with you—no middle managers, no red tape. Want faster turnarounds and standout performances? Choose a studio that makes your project their top priority. Then hear the difference.

“We aren’t a dev shop” isn’t a flex. “Dev shop horror stories” have given many a bad rap. So, the solution is simple: just do good work, right? Well, that would make sense, but people LOVE creating new labels. Why up your game if you can just call yourself something else? - Fractional CTOs forming their own dev teams - Product development studios taking equity to “align” interests - Co-ops of developers pooling resources and ownership These aren’t fundamentally different. They’re all: - Low barrier to entry - Profit-driven (because that’s why businesses exist) - Made up of good and bad players Stop dancing around labels. Do good work and let others call you what they will.

I’ve got something heavy on my heart this morning that I need to share. The studio closures and layoffs are so brutal to watch week in and week out. As a spectator, I obviously can’t even begin to imagine how those affected feel. But I have to be honest. Even as someone deeply ingrained in this industry, I’ve never heard about some of these studios or their projects. What does that mean for their marketing and PR? A total lack thereof, a failed strategy, one person expected to do it all? Of course, many if these closures and downsizings can’t be boiled down to marketing and PR issues. And this doesn’t mean the PRs and agencies that DID do their best for these teams failed. My background is agency, and I want to make a call to action to my fellow PRs in an agency setting and beyond: Do right by your clients. Too often I’ve seen campaigns phoned in, or just a total lack of meaningful strategy and consult provided to these companies who are looking for help and expertise. More than their money, they’ve invested their trust. Do right by these companies. They simply will not achieve success without exposure. Small grassroots community building just isn’t enough to sustain a company, let alone attract publishers. As marketers and communicators, we have a large part to play in this industry and the success of the companies trying to make it. Your campaign could make or break a studio. It could be someone’s livelihood. If that feels like immense pressure, that’s because it is. Things look very different than they did even five years ago. If you aren’t continuously learning new tactics, studying the market, and understanding how consumers are looking for and buying games, understand you may be doing a lot of harm, even if unintentional. We have an important duty. Keep learning, keep trying new things, taking (calculated) risks, and keep informing your clients. Something’s not working. Let’s do our part in fixing it.

How We avoid wasting resources after kickoff: The bigger the studio The bigger the need for efficiency. We co-develop for some huge studios over the last 8 years and have seen prolonged pre-production cycles. They can lead to: - Delayed milestones - High opportunity costs - Lack of a feedback loop Our team's parallel work approach allows us to: - Deliver initial concepts in about 2-4 weeks - Streamline the pre-production phase (duration varies by project) - Move into full production faster than anticipated At UGI, we kickstart projects in the following way: 1/ Set a kickoff meeting to lay the foundation 2/ Sync goals & expectations with each client 3/ Efficiently allocate specialized resources for art, game, Q&A as needed 4/ Analyze similar games, provide 3x art style options 5/ Test early gameplay to ensure perfect fits For casual and mid-core games, we iterate fast. Though we're not as rapid as some hypercasual studios. We get client feedback that we are a fast partner. The reason in my opinion? 1) Moving step by step. 2) Syncing expectations often. Feel like resources are being wasted? A sync may be all you need 🤝

Has anyone made a talk or posted any insightful analysis online related to the abnormal amount of studio closures and layoffs the game industry is experiencing? When is it expected to end? Is it a symptom of many bad business decisions? Business as usual? Pandemic correction? Economic downturn? High interest rates? Industry consolidation? All of the above? Hopefully there are lessons being learned here for a more sustainable future.

Horror stories of dev agencies past 🫣 Act 1: The rookie & the low-cost dev... A low-cost dev agency came highly recommended by a friend who used them. Their initial quote looked great, but in the end... 👻 Schedule: Tripled 🧟♂️ Budget: Doubled 🕷️ Outcome: Out of desperation, I accepted 💩 and called it an "alpha" But here’s the kicker—It was my first time, and I made some big mistakes: 🎃 I waaaaaay over-specified the scope 😱 I didn't hire a design agency first 💀 I didn't get the same engineer that came recommended 👉 The main lesson: My thinking on cost was wrong. When all is said and done, "Cheap" = "Expensive" + "Painful" Do you have a dev agency horror story? (Or the opposite?) Drop a comment or a DM—I’d love to hear it. Are you looking to build something? Now I know the best dev agencies around. I'm happy to help.