This is likely to be a rather grating and unpopular take, but I’m just going to say it.
I believe that the primary reason why our games industry is in a never-before-seen rut is because most of the legacy people who actually cared, did the right thing, and nurtured the craft, are gone. Either retired, died, moved to less volatile vocations, cashed out – or just took a back seat (they’re called advisors now) far away from the front lines of the fray.
Also greed. Once profits over all else became the norm, the die was cast.
It’s unsustainable.
And once those looking for jobs exit the sector, they’re not likely to return because they would be foolish to do so. Which means that, brain drain aside, recovery is going to be fraught with missteps and consequential machinations which aren’t likely to solve anything.
Get out while you still can because, if like some of us, it’s too late and you intend to stick around until the final days, it’s inevitable that you will live to regret it in much the same way that the last two years were unprecedented and unforeseen. Save yourself because, in truth, nobody is coming to save you. It’s mostly lies and feel good bs – to your detriment.
I helped build this. All of it. And I’m not going anywhere anytime soon.
Indie dev gamer for life.