jasonschreier

I've been using my powers to delay it as karma for GRRM never releasing Winds of Winter. Fun fact: when I started at Kotaku, I was very excited because I thought one day I might be able to get a review copy and cover Winds of Winter for the site. But of course, I was still waiting for Winds of Winter. When I left, eight years later, I was still waiting for Winds of Winter. Today, a year after that, I'm still waiting for Winds of Winter.

Actually I'm not sure if I even care anymore. The last season of GOT kinda ruined it all for me.

This is a good question. I report on crunch fairly often and I think a lot of people assume that overwork is the worst part of the games industry. It can be pretty bad, but I don't think it's the biggest problem.

The biggest problem in the video game industry today in my view (and I say this with the caveat that I'm just an observer and not actually part of the video game industry) is volatility.

When I was reporting for Press Reset, I found a lot of people who have burned out of the video game industry and left for more stable, lucrative fields. When I ask why, they give a number of reasons, but on the top of the list is always "sick of the layoffs."

The video game industry promises long-term careers but in practice, people have to shift jobs constantly. A 2017 IGDA survey revealed that the average game developer has had 2.2 jobs in five years, which might be fine if the entire industry was located in one place, but it's not. If you just got laid off at Irrational Games in Boston, where there aren't a lot of other game studios, you might have to move 3,000 miles for your next gig. If you're in your 20s that might be okay, but if you're in your 30s or older and you've got a family, can you really keep uprooting them every time your studio shuts down or lays people off so that Bobby Kotick can buy a new yacht?

Press Reset explores this volatility and presents some potential solutions for making the video game industry a happier, healthy place. I really hope that some industry decision-makers read it!

Yes and no. I'm never afraid to burn bridges with companies. I'd be failing at my job if I held back reporting because it'd piss off the corporations that I cover. I wrote a story a few weeks ago about PlayStation's strategy knowing full well that it'd probably lead to them cutting me off for a while. (Needless to say, I did not get a review copy of Returnal.)

Individual relationships are far more complicated, and they'll always be a factor when I'm reporting, but I'm never going to hold back on an important story because it might burn a bridge. That has led to some lost friendships over the years!

Because it's the only way to use Twitter sanely when you have more than 250,000 followers. Because nobody has the right to my time or attention. Because blocking people on Twitter is immensely satisfying. Because annoying people don't get to occupy any space in my life. Because there are plenty of people who manage to reply to my tweets and even disagree with me without being annoying gnats. That help?

In general I'd love to have more access to Japanese developers. I've always wanted to know more about the Konami vs. Kojima conflict (especially Konami's side) and figure out the real story behind Final Fantasy XV. I've heard bits and pieces from expats, but the cultural and language barriers have made it really difficult for me to get the kind of access to Japanese companies that I might have at Western ones. Hopefully one day!