Bill Young

Horrible news today about layoffs at Traega Entertainment, with 19 employees being laid off. Game Director Tony Mann shared their details here, if you are in the market for some amazing talent: https://lnkd.in/eJDgas_5 To those affected, please find a comprehensive list of resources, below: 🥇First, Discipline Games Jobs Resources: Over the past weeks I have created 8 (at time of writing) Games Jobs Resources to find jobs in a wide range of disciplines: 🎨 Art, Animation, VFX and UI: This resource contains around 1,200 jobs worldwide across all links. Link: https://lnkd.in/eu2bjadW ⚙ Engineering and Programming This resource lists just over 1,800 jobs worldwide across all links. It also talks about interview tips and questions to practice. Link: https://lnkd.in/eYdxANFM 🕹 Quality Assurance: This resource lists over 450 QA jobs worldwide. This post also talks about the craft of QA and contains tips and interview practice. Link: https://lnkd.in/dwwVjZuc 📑 Game Production: This resource lists around 400 jobs worldwide. It also contains info about game production as a whole and GDC talks. Link: https://lnkd.in/gxDvFM-Z 📢 Marketing & Community: This resource lists around 400 jobs worldwide. It also gives an intro into game marketing and community management. Link: https://lnkd.in/e5MuViug 🎶 Audio and Sound Design: This resource lists around 190 jobs worldwide. Link: https://lnkd.in/eSkPSsWf 📠 Studio Support, HR, Recruitment and BizDev: This resource lists around 290 jobs worldwide. Link: https://lnkd.in/ePG57_7v ⚙ IT, Helpdesk and DevOps: This resource lists around 140 jobs worldwide. Link: https://lnkd.in/e8ZsuiZh 🥈 Second, 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/ 🥉 Third, If you have worked in publishing, please message me. I am looking for quite a few roles right now! ⬅ 🎖 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 ❤️ #layoffs #gamesindustry #jobsingames #traega

29

1 Comment

I'm a bit late to the discussion on IGN Entertainment's acquisition of the Gamer Network. Seeing IGN Entertainment acquire the Gamer Network hits close to home for me. I grew up getting my gaming news and guides from mid-level publishers like Eurogamer and VG247. This consolidation trend is troubling, especially considering the layoffs and reduced editorial diversity that often follow. With my experience at ReedPOP, a subsidiary of Reed Exhibitions, I have insider knowledge of the dynamics at play. Reed should have invested more in these publishers because they didn't fit into the broader B2B portfolio strategy. This oversight has contributed to the consolidation we're witnessing now, where a few major entities control most of the gaming news landscape, pushing out smaller, independent voices. #GamingNews #IndustryTrends #Consolidation https://lnkd.in/eEDx-bfJ

15

PGA Tour Tasked Freshcut with enhancing its presence in Roblox. So, we implemented three fundamental changes: — Forge a strategic partnership to understand key goals — Leverage Freshcut's innovative UGC Community and Tools — Capitalize on PGA Tour major events for campaign timing This partnership lead to groundbreaking results: — A 108% increase in game plays, exceeding goals — 17,000+ new members in the PGA TOUR Roblox group — Game favorability jumps from 68% to 93% These strategic moves reshape engagement: — PGA TOUR Scramble becomes a community favorite on Roblox — Your brand establishes new digital engagement benchmarks How I guide you to similar success: — Cultivate powerful partnerships like with FreshCut — Utilize peak events for maximum impact — Continuously innovate to stay ahead in digital spaces Are you looking for a game-changing strategy? DM me to enhance your Roblox engagement dramatically. #Roblox #Brandpartnerships #Innovation #Metaverse

39

3 Comments

TRACKING RELEASES & TRANSFERS # 2 HALF OF MAY, 2024 Hi, Hyper Fanatics! 🤟 Today I bring you another edition of our… 💫 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐬 & 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐬 💫 I bring you the main launches and transfers from the Hybrid & Hypercasual market in the last fortnight of May. And Idle Arcade is back with a bang! With exciting innovations. 💎 I highlight 4️⃣ titles of them. ✅ “Wasteland Life: Survival Idle” by SayGames "Wasteland Life" is another Idle Arcade from the pioneering publisher Hybricasual. It brings a Mad Max-style desert survival narrative. 🏜️💦 But smoother… 😅 "Wasteland” was developed by Tinkles Games, a studio with several hits in its portfolio, such as “Hit Master 3D” (170MM). 👏 It was transferred to SayGames's account on May 18th. 🗓️ ✅ “Awesome Park: Idle Game” by Supercent The avant-garde publisher of the new crop of Idle Arcades has released another one. "Awesome Park" is similar to the South Korean publisher's previous hits, but with an amusement park theme. 🎢 At first glance, the game doesn't seem to be anything different. However, it doesn't have the repetitive tasks typical of an entrepreneurship game. Because the amusement park theme opens up the creation of different and unexpected products/services. From Ferris wheels 🎡 to car simulators. 🚗 This simple but meaningful change brings freshness to the subgenre. Developed by AlbusVR, "Awesome Park" was transferred to Supercent's account on May 23th. 🗓️ ✅ “Sky Miner!” by YSO Corp The new Idle Arcade from a big French publisher brings an innovation to game art. 🎨 The game's scenery has a camera closer to the screen. 🎦 Reducing the viewing space, but making the quality of the game's art stand out. This change impacts the entire gaming experience. I liked it. 🤩 Developed by Letsplay games, “Sky Miner!” was transferred to YsoCorp's account on May 30th. 🗓️ ✅ “Dark Arts Master” by Homa In my opinion, it’s the most innovative of the newly released games. ✨ "Dark" is an Idle Arcade with an exceptionally well-built RPG metagame. It balanced the simplicity of Hypercasual with the depth of the story of a role-player. Blending a magical and mystical atmosphere 🪄 with the typical tasks of a craftsman. 🪵🪓 If the game is successful, it will certainly generate a trend. 👀 Developed by Twoe Games, “Dark” was transferred to Homa's account on May 28th. 🗓️ All data from AppMagic 💯 - X - This research was supported by Cost Center. Cost Center is a tech company that offers a powerful suite of tools for Mobile Publishers to optimize UA campaigns. 💪 Its portfolio includes amazing clients such as Amanotes and Lihuhu. 🏆 Do you like it? 🤩 Call my friend Yi Ting Ho. She'll show you a demo. 😉 #gaming #gamedevelopment #HypercasualByCarlosPereira

46

My view is that the Xbox Mobile App Store could emerge as a strong competitor to both Play Store and App Store, leveraging Xbox's gaming ecosystem, exclusive content, and cloud gaming capabilities. Its success hinges on developer adoption, user base expansion, and seamless cross-platform integration. By offering competitive policies and unique offerings, it might drive innovation and consumer choice in the app market. However, it faces challenges like regulatory scrutiny and the need to avoid issues that have plagued other major app stores.

8

Hybrid Monetization: A Win-Win for Gamers and Devs? GameCloud explores the growing trend of hybrid monetization in gaming: 1. Diversified revenue streams for devs 2. Freemium access for gamers 3. Balancing player experience with effective monetization Read the full blog post here: https://lnkd.in/dzJ5d5nX #GameMonetization #HybridModel #GameCloud

2

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.")

8

5 Comments

Generative AI Webinar next week with me and Peter Fodor, CEO of AppAgent, June 12, 2024 8am PST. We'll cover: 1) AI Pitfalls 2) What's Working Today 3) Keep Winning Ads Alive! 4) Expand Your Creative Matrix 5) Helpful AI Tools 6) Future of AI >>>> Register here: https://lnkd.in/gQvTDVmZ <<<< #generativeAI, #midjourney, #AIlimitations, #artificialintelligence, #webinar

3

Generative AI Webinar next week with me and Peter Fodor, CEO of AppAgent, June 12, 2024 8am PST. We'll cover: 1) AI Pitfalls 2) What's Working Today 3) Keep Winning Ads Alive! 4) Expand Your Creative Matrix 5) Helpful AI Tools 6) Future of AI >>>> Register here: https://lnkd.in/gQvTDVmZ <<<< #generativeAI, #midjourney, #AIlimitations, #artificialintelligence, #webinar

5

1 Comment

So people wonder how Activision could do mass layoffs while also funding or buying studios. Well it's really easy. Large public companies rarely think about an overall staffing pool except when doing layoffs. Activision already has a Call of Duty support studio in Poland. Now they had the opportunity fund and own a studios based around ex-CDPR Cyberpunk developers and similar. They didn't think twice, nor did they try to equate this to layoffs at Blizzard. These M&A and funding discussions are made regardless of cuts elsewhere. Further this isn't about shifting development costs to Eastern Europe. There has been continuous development on Cyberpunk 2077 for 10 years. That has ended. People will leave. New studios will start. This is a healthy process. This is publishing spend to acquire not some cost cutting measure. Activision is doing just fine. They're not reducing costs, they're reducing staff in areas where things hadn't been working out, like Blizzard. This isn't nice, it's business. And Activision has always been ruthless. ----- DigitalTrends: Activision forms studio to develop new narrative-driven franchise" (Carli Velocci) (May 16, 2024) Activision is known as the Call of Duty publisher, but now it’s trying something different. The company announced Thursday that it’s formed a new internal studio called Elsewhere Entertainment that is dedicated to developing a “new narrative-based and genre-defining AAA franchise.” An official blog post notes that Elsewhere is a “standalone studio” inside the company and headquartered in Warsaw, Poland. It’s employing a number of games industry veterans who’ve worked on franchises like Uncharted, Cyberpunk, Destiny, and others. According to LinkedIn, this includes Michal Madej, who worked on the original Witcher at CD Projekt Red and has been with Activision for the past few years. He’s currently listed as a game director. The post also states that the goal is to “craft a franchise with an enduring legacy that resonates far beyond games.” While the post doesn’t go into detail, this seems to imply that the IP could potentially be used for a TV show or film. This would go along with the success of many recent video game adaptations, such as the Fallout show, also owned by Activision Blizzard’s parent company Microsoft. Elsewhere’s announcement comes at a rocky time in the video game industry, with numerous layoffs and studio closures. Even Microsoft hasn’t been exempt. Just last week, the company shut down Tango Gameworks, Arkane Austin, and Alpha Dog Studios — all ZeniMax Media properties that were acquired in 2021. Earlier this year, Microsoft laid off 1,900 workers from Activision Blizzard and Xbox while also canceling a known but mostly unannounced survival game from Blizzard." DigitalTrends: https://lnkd.in/gYnVPVHy #gameindustry #activision #gamelayoffs #gameexpansion #mna

4

4 Comments

Xbox has more best sellers than Playstation. Reported by Derek S., at one point on April 18th, Microsoft had 7 out of the top 25 best-selling games on the PlayStation Store. But there are caveats to this list, like it being region dependent, it changes on a daily basis, and includes free to play titles. Regardless, Xbox games are selling very well on PlayStation and I do not see this stopping. This is going to make Xbox players really think about what console they should get. #Xbox #PlayStation #GamingNews #gamingindustry

3

2 Comments

Our latest jobs update 👇

9

1 Comment

🎮 Unity's Q1 Report: Restructuring completed, revenue dips 📉Unity's first-quarter report for 2024 paints a mixed picture. The company wrapped up its business restructuring, but overall revenue dipped 8% year-over-year to $460 million. 📈 There were some bright spots. Unity's Create Solutions, focused on subscriptions and partnerships with game developers, saw a 17% revenue increase to $133 million. This suggests continued growth in the core engine business. 📉 However, Unity's Grow Solutions, handling advertising, experienced a 4% revenue decline to $294 million. 📉Unity reported a net loss of $291 million, though a significant portion reflects restructuring costs. Excluding these, the net loss sits at $141 million, which is an improvement compared to the previous year. 👀 Looking ahead: Unity acknowledges recent controversies and restructuring as impacting revenue. As the company moves forward, it will be interesting to see how they navigate these challenges and capitalize on the growth potential in their core Create Solutions segment. (source: https://lnkd.in/eGnJt-S5)

9

Roblox's Q1 earnings report indicates steady revenue growth, which reached $801.3 million, a 22% increase year-over-year, and Daily Active Users (DAUs), now at 77.7 million, up 17% from last year. These figures highlight Roblox's solid performance and strategic use of brand partnerships, enhancing platform engagement and appeal. The platform's success in engaging younger audiences, particularly Gen Z and the emerging Gen Alpha, is noteworthy. These generations are increasingly making Roblox a hub for social interaction, creativity, and entertainment, facilitated by robust brand collaborations that resonate with their preferences and digital habits. Roblox's continuous efforts to connect with key demographic groups across the globe through a diverse and dynamic content strategy drive its growth and position it as a significant force in shaping digital culture and engagement strategies in the tech space. By staying at the forefront of these trends, Roblox is not just a platform but a leader, setting the pace for others to follow. #Roblox #GenZ #GenAlpha #BrandPartnerships #DigitalEngagement https://lnkd.in/eDe5tf5b

11

🔎 Testing Arium on Apple's Safari delivered a high-quality stream in HD with 60fps. 👀 Our focus is on two primary streaming protocols: SRT and WebRTC. Haivision' SRT and W3C's WebRTC are both used for streaming media, but they are designed for different use cases and have distinct features. SRT is designed for low-latency (starting from 20 ms), high-quality video streaming over unreliable networks. It primarily uses UDP for transport, with mechanisms like ARQ (Automatic Repeat reQuest) and FEC (Forward Error Correction) to handle packet loss and ensure reliable delivery, which is a great advantage. WebRTC offers ultra-low latency suitable for real-time interactions. It uses SRTP (Secure Real-time Transport Protocol) for media encryption and DTLS (Datagram Transport Layer Security) for data security. 🎮 Keen to learn more about Arium? Find out at https://arium.gg/about #Testing #Streaming #SRT #WebRTC #CloudGaming #Apple

28

2 Comments

Calling Investors: Invest in the original Xbox “Duke” controller… I am working with a new gaming peripherals company set to take the world by storm and they are looking for investors to join the team. Founded by Duke Schnepf, son of gaming visionary, and Xbox founder, Brett Schnepf, backed by multiple founding fathers of the Xbox, this company is pushing the boundaries of the gaming peripherals sector. Their journey began with Brett Schnepf, a luminary whose contributions to gaming history are etched in stone. As a founding member of the Xbox console team, Brett's design prowess shaped modern gaming, with iconic creations like the Sidewinder PC controller and the legendary Duke controller. Today, Duke Schnepf carries forth his father's legacy. Upside and a half! In late 2024, a major streaming platform will release a series chronicling the founding of a pioneering gaming console (can you guess which one) and the launch of Duke's ground-breaking products, offering an intimate look at the visionary minds behind this revolution. Looking for investments of $10K, $20K, $50K, $100K, $250, $500K, and $1M. Higher investments with equity shares are available for discussion. We foresee full returns and profits delivered within 1 year. If you're interested in being part of this exciting journey, please get in touch to set up a call ASAP. #Gaming #InvestmentOpportunity #Innovation #GamingPeripherals #TechInvestments #gamedev #investors #angelinvestors #gameinvestor #PEinvestment #AngelInvestment

9

Local game development communities – Each of us are in the best place to help people impacted with layoffs and studio closures. We are not psuedo journalists, armchair analysts, or disconnected, dispassionate spectators. We are the boots-on-the-ground, fellow professionals who have worked side by side & built relationships with these people over years & across studios. Right now we have an opportunity to step up, reach out, and care for people. We can ask, "Are you OK?", and "For real, though?" We can buy them a drink, listen to them, be a meat proxy to be yelled at. We can make introductions, connections, investements. Please please please – Reach out to one person in your life who could be hurting, or knows someone who is. We can each make a difference in a single life. (And then we can do it again and again and again.)

46

2 Comments