Failing Fast: The Key to Sustainable Game Development

In the ever-evolving landscape of the gaming industry, where competition is fierce and resources are scarce, the ability to make tough decisions and pivot quickly can mean the difference between success and failure. This candid discussion with industry veterans Dominique Gawlowski, Tony Gowland, and Rami Ismail sheds light on the importance of prioritizing fun, feasibility, and financial viability when it comes to game development.

Embrace the Power of Failure: Unlocking the Path to Sustainable Game Development

Knowing When to Cut Your Losses

The panelists unanimously agree that the best time to abandon a game is as soon as possible. Ismail emphasizes the need to set a hard deadline, typically within a month of prototyping, to determine whether a project is worth pursuing. "If it isn't fun to play for five minutes, then we're done. We move on to the next one," he says. Gowland echoes this sentiment, stressing the importance of having a clear cut-off point to avoid wasting time and resources on projects that lack potential.

Prioritizing Fun and Feasibility

When it comes to assessing the viability of a game, the panelists emphasize the importance of two key factors: fun and feasibility. Ismail explains that he looks for two things – whether people have fun interacting with the game and whether the development process is enjoyable for the team. "Assuming a game takes two to three years, if you calculate the amount of time I have left before I'm 65… I don't have that many," he says, underscoring the need to ensure the project is both engaging for players and fulfilling for the creators.

Focusing on the Essentials

The panelists caution against getting bogged down in unnecessary details and features, urging developers to prioritize the core aspects of their game. Ismail warns against the tendency to "stretch out the part of getting there" and focus on "all the wrong things," such as making the game visually stunning or developing extensive lore, before addressing the fundamental gameplay. Instead, he suggests starting with a simple, fun mechanic and building upon it, rather than chasing a grand vision that may not be feasible.

Prototyping and Iterating

Prototyping is a crucial tool for identifying what works and what doesn't, both in terms of gameplay and team capabilities. Gowland emphasizes the importance of prototyping features individually, rather than attempting to create a full game at once. This allows developers to quickly test and iterate on ideas, discarding those that don't resonate and focusing on the ones that show promise. Ismail further stresses the need to be vigilant about "one-way doors," or features that become increasingly difficult to change or remove as development progresses.

Realistic Expectations and Niche Targeting

The panelists stress the importance of setting realistic expectations and understanding your target audience. Gawlowski notes that the top 10% of games on Steam are the ones generating the majority of the revenue, while the remaining 90% often struggle to break even. She advises developers to be "damn sure" their ideas are strong enough to compete in that top tier, rather than clinging to concepts that may not be viable.Gowland and Ismail advocate for a more targeted approach, focusing on smaller, niche-oriented games that can find success without the need for massive budgets or mainstream appeal. "If your version of survival is you're on a farm, and you're a weird frog… maybe you only need 20,000 people to be into that, and, well, that's way more achievable than however many copies of COD Microsoft needs to sell this winter," Gowland explains.

Embracing the Uncertainty of Entrepreneurship

Ultimately, the panelists acknowledge that even with the best processes and decision-making, success is never guaranteed in the game development industry. Ismail likens the experience to "buying coins" – each right decision is not a guarantee of success, but rather a chance to "flip the coins" and hope for the best."We're never buying certainty. We are entrepreneurs, which means we're taking risks," Ismail concludes. The key is to embrace the uncertainty, learn from failures, and continuously adapt to the ever-changing landscape of the gaming industry.