Overview

For nearly four decades, video games have captured the imaginations and drawn the ire of people around the world. Actors play them. Rappers promote them. Politicians want to control them. Even baseball legends make them. Video games are a cultural crossroads where business, entertainment, and technology converge. Sales of video games, hardware, and accessories reach upwards of $20 billion every year in the United States alone, and more than two-thirds of American households include video games in their daily lives. In a world that seems to be overflowing with fortune and success, the vicious truth of this booming industry is easily forgotten: failure is tradition. There are a few businesses that have withstood the test of time, but most startups exit as quickly as they enter the scene. Many firms are outpaced by the explosive worldwide growth and economic realities of the sector. In this groundbreaking anthology, successful founders of entertainment software companies reflect on the challenges and how they survived. Gamers at Work: * Explores the formation of entertainment software companies from the perspectives of successful founders who played the odds * Provides insight into why experienced professionals sacrifice the comfort of gainful employment for the uncertainty and risk of the startup * Shares the experiences and lessons that shape the lives, decisions, and struggles of entrepreneurs in this volatile business What you'll learn * Lead and execute strategy as an entrepreneur * Develop meaningful, long-term business relationships * Recognize strategic opportunities and threats * Take the next step without compromising principles * Balance dreams with practical considerations * Avoid the pitfalls that can trigger disaster * Learn from mistakes and make informed course corrections * Enter with style and exit with grace Who this book is for * Software professionals or managers, usually working in the video games industry * Game developers interested in starting an independent studio * Gamers who are interested in the history of games and game studios Table of Contents1. Trip Hawkins — Electronic Arts, 3DO, Digital Chocolate 2. Nolan Bushnell — Atari 3. Wild Bill Stealey — MicroProse Software 4. Tony Goodman — Ensemble Studios 5. Feargus Urquhart — Obsidian Entertainment 6. Tim Cain — Troika Games 7. Warren Spector — Junction Point Studios 8. Doug & Gary Carlston — Broderbund Software 9. Don Daglow — Stormfront Studios 10. John Smedley — Verant Interactive 11. Ken Williams — Sierra On-Line 12. Lorne Lanning — Oddworld Inhabitants 13. Chris Ulm — Malibu Comics, High Moon Studios, Appy Entertainment 14. Tobi Saulnier — 1st Playable Productions 15. Christopher Weaver — Bethesda Softworks 16. Jason Rubin — Naughty Dog 17. Ted Price — Insomniac Games

Full Product Details

9781430233510

Table of Contents

Reviews

Author Information

Morgan Ramsay, bestselling author of Gamers at Work: Stories Behind the Games People Play and Online Game Pioneers at Work, has interviewed nearly 50 leaders in entertainment, technology, and sports, including EA founder Trip Hawkins, Gaikai CEO David Perry, and former NFL punter Chris Kluwe. As the Founder, President & CEO at Entertainment Media Council, the association for business leaders in the video game industry, Mr. Ramsay works with entrepreneurs, C-level executives, and senior managers to advance interactive entertainment by addressing the toughest challenges facing the global business community. Previously, Mr. Ramsay was the Managing Director at Heretic where, for seven years, he provided strategic communication expertise to various clients, from small businesses to the Fortune Global 500, including working with the White House to recognize United States Navy veterans on behalf of the President of the United States of America.Visit theramsayinterviews.com for a complete list of his interviews, and direct all business inquiries to morgan@theramsayinterviews.com.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available