Working in the games industry, post-Corona

I’ve written previously about how gamers are the vanguard among consumers and generally the earliest adopters of new products, services, and technologies, So, too, I believe, are game companies often at the forefront of novel ways of doing business. Wiser people than myself seem to agree. Ben Thompson from Stratechery argues that that media businesses are often the first to adapt to new paradigms because of their relative simplicity. I’d go even further and say that game companies are the first among their entertainment peers.

As vaccines are slowly restoring some of the remnants of pre-Covid life, we are confronting the obvious question of what the games industry will look like post-corona. There is a distinct connection between how creative organizations operate and what they produce.

Two examples come to mind. First, there is Valve’s Handbook for New Employees, which details the different components and general attitude toward work. It’s worth a read, if not for the cheeky humor alone. What stands out to me is the level of respect such a company has for its employees. It offers a different mindset with regards to an average person’s ability to make decisions and identify priorities.

Second, Supercell has been a poster child of how internal organization impacts creative output. Its catch phrase of being run by the “least influential CEO” refers to a myriad of principles and organizational behaviors. Among them are the ample downtime, the emphasis on feedback, celebrating the lessons…