There have been so many phenomenal games from the classic platforming fun of Super Mario Bros to the groundbreaking Baldur’s Gate 3. Behind every game are the people who made it happen: the game developers. They are the artists, programmers, designers, writers, and testers who bring digital worlds to life. Designers create the rules and systems that make a game fun, balanced, and engaging. Artists and animators bring the world and its characters to life through color, movement, and style. Programmers are the ones who write the code that make everything function. Writers craft the story, dialogue, and lore of the world. The testers make sure the game works as it should. These amazing virtual worlds would not exist without the creativity, passion, and hard work of video game developers.
One video game developer I want to highlight is ConcernedApe, the creator of the critically acclaimed farming and life-simulation game Stardew Valley. ConcernedApe, whose real name is Eric Barone, developed the entire game almost entirely by himself. He designed the characters, wrote the dialogue, composed the music, created the art, and did all the coding. Stardew Valley is a massive game and it’s crazy to think that just one developer was responsible for all of it. Stardew Valley went on to become very successful. It has now sold over 41 million copies, which is unprecedented for a solo developer.
Unfortunately, over the past few years, the gaming industry has seen massive waves of layoffs. These include individual game developers, small indie studios, and major publishers. Thousands of talented video game developers from across the world have found themselves without jobs. There have been whole game studios that have been shut down for good. It is all pretty heartbreaking to hear. It is a huge loss of talent for the video game industry.
So if you’re someone who loves games like I do, maybe take a moment to think about the people behind them. Support indie studios, share your appreciation online, or just spread awareness about what’s happening.
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