This article was so depressing. And not because of your voice, or the rise in indie awesomeness (both are great btw). Just the general state of the industry/world is such a downer conversation.
Specifically the part about people who've built their careers, yes we can always learn and grow individually. But I like working with teams, being a project/program manager. Finding efficiencies in process, ensuring visibility and celebration.
At my age, I'm less inclined to want to specifically "design" games. I just want to be a part of the team and deliver them to players. I feel this is not good enough in the AI world and I will need to do some soul searching for how to be employed 3-4-5 years from now.
Thank you for sharing this. I felt your comment deeply, and you’re not alone.
I completely get how the tone of the article (and the current state of things) can feel heavy, even if parts of it are hopeful. The industry is shifting in weird, uncomfortable ways. And when you’ve spent years building a craft around collaboration, structure, and helping teams thrive, it can feel like the ground is moving beneath you.
But your role is valuable. Deeply so. People underestimate how much smoother, stronger, and more human projects run when there’s someone in the room who knows how to support others, connect the dots, clear the roadblocks, and make sure things actually ship. That’s not fluff. That’s the difference between chaos and progress. Between surviving a sprint and sustaining a team.
AI isn’t replacing that. It can optimise tasks, sure. But empathy? Trust-building? Bringing people together around a shared goal? That’s still yours.
You don’t need to become a solo dev or start designing game mechanics to stay relevant. You already bring things to the table that will matter just as much in five years as they do now, possibly more, as teams become leaner and more remote.
If anything, your calm, experienced presence is exactly what more teams will need in the storm to come.
So yes, some soul searching might be ahead. But not because you’re not good enough. It’s because you care. That alone sets you apart.
You and I are close in age, and I have been doing the same soul searching, trying to figure out how I will wind down my career. I am not a CEO or have ever been a board member or executive adviser. I also don't see myself as an indie dev. I do feel strongly that with endless curiosity, a commitment to learning and keeping our eye on the member, we will be able to pivot when needed to carve out a place for old-timers like us.
Keep showing up. The industry needs people like you more than it realises.
This article was so depressing. And not because of your voice, or the rise in indie awesomeness (both are great btw). Just the general state of the industry/world is such a downer conversation.
Specifically the part about people who've built their careers, yes we can always learn and grow individually. But I like working with teams, being a project/program manager. Finding efficiencies in process, ensuring visibility and celebration.
At my age, I'm less inclined to want to specifically "design" games. I just want to be a part of the team and deliver them to players. I feel this is not good enough in the AI world and I will need to do some soul searching for how to be employed 3-4-5 years from now.
Thank you for sharing this. I felt your comment deeply, and you’re not alone.
I completely get how the tone of the article (and the current state of things) can feel heavy, even if parts of it are hopeful. The industry is shifting in weird, uncomfortable ways. And when you’ve spent years building a craft around collaboration, structure, and helping teams thrive, it can feel like the ground is moving beneath you.
But your role is valuable. Deeply so. People underestimate how much smoother, stronger, and more human projects run when there’s someone in the room who knows how to support others, connect the dots, clear the roadblocks, and make sure things actually ship. That’s not fluff. That’s the difference between chaos and progress. Between surviving a sprint and sustaining a team.
AI isn’t replacing that. It can optimise tasks, sure. But empathy? Trust-building? Bringing people together around a shared goal? That’s still yours.
You don’t need to become a solo dev or start designing game mechanics to stay relevant. You already bring things to the table that will matter just as much in five years as they do now, possibly more, as teams become leaner and more remote.
If anything, your calm, experienced presence is exactly what more teams will need in the storm to come.
So yes, some soul searching might be ahead. But not because you’re not good enough. It’s because you care. That alone sets you apart.
You and I are close in age, and I have been doing the same soul searching, trying to figure out how I will wind down my career. I am not a CEO or have ever been a board member or executive adviser. I also don't see myself as an indie dev. I do feel strongly that with endless curiosity, a commitment to learning and keeping our eye on the member, we will be able to pivot when needed to carve out a place for old-timers like us.
Keep showing up. The industry needs people like you more than it realises.
Great words. And thanks for the visibility! A lot of similarities between us, it's nice to be seen.