In a recent interview with members of indie collective/developer New Blood, I asked them how they attribute their current success in the face of so much misery, layoffs, and studio closures in the industry. I did. “We're not beholden to shareholders or investors or anything like that,” studio boss Dave Oshry said. “We can create what we want. That's our motto: 'We hate money.'”
“We don't actually hate money. Money is great. But if we wanted money, we'd make a Dusk survival horror crafting game. Dusk, an open-world survival horror crafting deck builder roguelike.”
Don't expect that version of Dusk to come out any time soon—Oshry says what's keeping the studio healthy in the face of the gaming industry's current contraction is that developers can create what they want to make. I believe this is because of my faithfulness. Please make it yourself. It just so happens that other people want this kind of game too. ”
Oshry contrasted this with the growth-at-all-costs mentality seen on the corporate side of the industry, which he argued is detrimental to making good games and having fun while doing so. At about 30 people, Oshry's content is the same size as fully remote developers. “I personally care about the developer and everyone who works on his New Blood, making sure everyone is happy and having a good time, and making sure everyone's voice is heard.”
Oshry's hallmark: More people, more games, more items, more features, more loot boxes, more deals, more money, more queues. In contrast to this attitude, growth is something that should be considered and restrained in New Blood. He argues that those who love the game should avoid falling into that trap.
“People often ask me, 'Dave, I want to start playing games now, how do I start?' And I'm like, 'Don't do it. Quit. You should have started five to 10 years ago. So go to trade school, get a real job, become a plumber. People need them.”
“You don't want to be someone like employee number 356772 who reports to someone, reports to them, and makes decisions for them. That's terrible. The magic is over. Working at a major game studio… If you do, you won't be able to enjoy video games anymore.”
While the indie scene doesn't share those particular structural problems, Oshley points out that it's “in a tough spot” and that New Blood's success doesn't exactly provide an easy standard to follow. was the first to admit. “At GDC, we talked about how we can make a good video game company because we are still just a company. But one thing I can say is that we should work together with our friends and work with them as if they were friends. It’s about handling.”
Further clarifying in an email, Oshry added: “Everyone seems to be wondering how they continue to do so well when the whole industry is clearly collapsing, but the truth is there are a lot of companies that are doing well. The world just doesn't hear about it.'' It's news amidst all the doom and gloom. ”
Recently hired New Blood developer Dave “Garumin” Bonin will be spearheading Dusk HD, adding that he has effectively been away from professional game development for more than a decade, waiting for an opportunity like New Blood. . Garumin observed the industry's “revolving doors, conveyor belts, and profit politics killing employees.” “I was like, ‘Oh, never mind,’ and got into pharmacy and wasted my life there.”
But the future looks bright for Garumin and New Blood. Ultrakill and Gloomwood remain in early access, and projects like Fallen Aces and a Fallout-style throwback CRPG are also in the works. On the other hand, I'm still keeping an eye on his Effigy and Thief-like Serpens in Metroid Prime His homage by member developers Nate Berens and Thomas Porta.
