Why art tests fail artists and the game dev industry
Game Developer
OCTOBER 3, 2024
Art tests in game dev often harm diversity and fail to reflect real skills. It's time to rethink their use and adopt more inclusive hiring practices.
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PlayStation lays off staff at Visual Arts support dev
Game Developer
OCTOBER 23, 2023
Layoffs have hit the support developer that's been aiding with some of PlayStation's biggest franchises since 2007.
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Disco Elysium writer launches third splinter dev, Summer Eternal
Game Developer
OCTOBER 11, 2024
Other former ZA/UM staff and Disco Elysium writers have banded together to form Summer Eternal, an 'art collective/RPG studio' hoping to continue Elysium's legacy.
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Solo dev Esteban Hernandez spent 7 years on Creo God Simulator: “I’ve learned perseverance”
PreMortem.Games
FEBRUARY 5, 2025
Because it’s just me, and it’s not yet my full time job, I can only work as fast as my evenings and weekends allow, which can delay updates beyond what it would take if I had engineering and art help. The toll on your mental health can be quite high for solo devs. How do you deal with that? Thank you for bringing this up.
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The Chinese Room releases roundtables with Josh Sawyer, other devs
Game Developer
DECEMBER 13, 2022
Obsidian's Josh Sawyer, streamer Xmiramira and more talk to The Chinese Room about what makes video games a different kind of art form.
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EA rejection of Alice sequel marks end of American McGee’s game dev career
Game Developer
APRIL 10, 2023
With his Alice: Asylum pitch rejected by Electronic Arts, game designer American McGee is leaving the game industry entirely behind.
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Solo dev Vladyslav Pidiashenko “I hope IHAS will inspire players to better their lives”
PreMortem.Games
OCTOBER 30, 2024
After finishing IHAS, I will start to build a strong team to work on games that are beyond my scope a solo dev.” IHAS will launch on Steam on 21 November The post Solo dev Vladyslav Pidiashenko “I hope IHAS will inspire players to better their lives” appeared first on PreMortem Games. How did you get the idea for IHAS?
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Mirthwood by Bad Ridge Games is mixing genres with something darker and more adventurous
PreMortem.Games
DECEMBER 4, 2024
Mirthwood’s distinct art style can best be described as a dark, storybook aesthetic, which emerged from Otis’ experimentation. All I knew was that I wanted something painterly and unique, and not necessarily more pixel art, which we love by the way,” he says.
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Column Tomas Sala • Art schools should educate designers, not production drones
PreMortem.Games
DECEMBER 15, 2023
Democratizing art But what are all your youtube learned pencil skills or sculpting skills worth when the AI platform’s promise of “democratizing art” comes around. Reproducing trends Let’s be blunt, the vast majority of game-art you see is reproducing the same trends. You want to actually design something new.
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Art for Art’s Sake…Sometimes It’s Not Just Business
Brand Game Development
JULY 14, 2017
Dev Diary posts are made to teach game development through specific examples from my latest project: Highways & Byways. But what about art? I don’t necessarily mean art as in pretty pictures, beautiful graphics, and appealing boxes. I’m talking about art for art’s sake. No, no, no.
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Translation studio Transperfect acquires support dev Technicolor Games
Game Developer
MARCH 5, 2025
As part of Transperfect's game division, Technicolor will 'reinforce its reputation as a premier provider of art, animation, and VFX services to the global video game industry.'
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Solo developer Voidmaw on creating Katanaut: “Done is better than perfect”
PreMortem.Games
JANUARY 30, 2025
Ive always loved creating things, and game development felt like the perfect mix of art, storytelling, and problem-solving, he explains. Ive always loved creating things, and game development felt like the perfect mix of art, storytelling, and problem-solving. The toll on mental health can be quite high for solo devs.
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Best of POLYGON Game Dev Assets By Synty Humble Bundle
Game From Scratch
FEBRUARY 22, 2023
GameFromScratch.com Best of POLYGON Game Dev Assets By Synty Humble Bundle There is a new Humble Bundle for game developers, the Best of POLYGON Game Dev Assets by Synty bundle.
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Ascent of Ashes dev switches to Godot halfway development “Not as chaotic as Unity”
PreMortem.Games
DECEMBER 16, 2024
This also meant we had less dev time to fix bugs or optimize performance. “Ricky has his own unique art style that he brought into the process.” The post Ascent of Ashes dev switches to Godot halfway development Not as chaotic as Unity appeared first on PreMortem Games. And so far, the team is happy they did.
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Solo dev Almar works on debut game Repunk “I’ve had some darker moments”
PreMortem.Games
NOVEMBER 17, 2023
Yet, for indie dev Almar, it offered an escape from the corporate rat race he felt trapped in. Since I was a child, I always found myself surrounded by art, because most of my family were artists (ballet dancers, painters, musicians). Which art and music will be needed? For some, the idea of developing a game alone is daunting.
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How to Fight “Tired Mode” as a Game Dev
Brand Game Development
JULY 28, 2017
Dev Diary posts are made to teach game development through specific examples from my latest project: Highways & Byways. This week, when trying to provide art directions to James, I remembered an additional pitfall that is an especially prescient and intense problem for self-publishers. The board art is nearly done.
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Sulfur is a unique FPS/Roguelike “we’re proud of our creative weaponry and stupid jokes”
PreMortem.Games
NOVEMBER 6, 2024
I’m most proud of our art style and the creativity that went into the weaponry, and uniqueness of the guns, the variety of enhancements and modifications, as well as our stupid jokes,” he shares. To navigate these challenges, they compromised and honed in on core strengths—art, creativity, and game feel. Albiin adds with a smile.
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Solo dev Evan Polekoff of Critter Crossfire “Motivation is a limited resource”
PreMortem.Games
JANUARY 8, 2024
With the game now announced for a 2024-release, the part time solo dev is motivated to finish the game. I get to wear every hat, from 3D art to level design to marketing and everything in-between “Working on personal projects is also a great way to develop new skills that I don’t have the opportunity to develop in my day-to-day work.
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As a AAA dev, what is a task *outside* of the actual game development that is underrated but super critical to your job? Beyond coding, arting, programming, modeling, and QA…ing. (Obviously aside from hiring people.)
Ask a Game Dev
JANUARY 3, 2025
Short questions: Ask a Game Dev on Twitter Long questions: Ask a Game Dev on Tumblr Frequent Questions: The FAQ The more one's responsibilities increase in scope, the more valuable communication skills become. Join us on Discord ] and/or [ Support us on Patreon ] Got a burning question you want answered?
Dev Diary: 03/17/17
Brand Game Development
MARCH 17, 2017
That’s the purpose of the Dev Diary. I want you to see the specific challenges game devs encounter and conquer. is all about sci-fi art and dry corporate dystopian humor, Highways & Byways will focus on gorgeous travel photos and wanderlust. The post Dev Diary: 03/17/17 appeared first on Brandon the Game Dev.
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A follow up to your answer about veilguard (was really hoping you would touch on that one). Why do game companies that have a “bad” release always seem to start from the bottom of the pyramid when it comes to restructuring and recouping losses? Why fire low level devs who did their best with what they had, when the companies have people in senior positions making hundreds of thousands of dollars (if not more) that they could just cut from? Why do the trenches always get the punishment first?
Ask a Game Dev
FEBRUARY 3, 2025
The next factor is that each major experience level up a dev attains tends to be a geometric difference in productivity. [ A large task that would take a junior dev two months to complete might take a mid-level dev one month and a senior dev only a week or two ].
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Top 7 Game Dev Myths Explored
DameDev.tv
DECEMBER 16, 2022
as we explore the top 7 game dev myths Laurie (Avocado Fire) joins Rick Davidson & Tim Ruswick* to discuss these 7 game dev myths and address any concerns that you have. Rick has more than 14 years experience in the game dev industry, working on IP's that include Mario, Transformers, Captain America and Mortal Kombat.
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Solo dev Matthieu Houllier lets you take a paper plane on an adventure in Paper Sky
PreMortem.Games
MAY 6, 2024
French solo dev Matthieu Houllier , operating under the name Brute Force , has been making games by himself for five years. I was lucky enough to release my first game Crumble as a solo-dev, it did way above what I anticipated and allowed me to live off of gamedev.” In that time he has released the 3D platform game Crumble. “It
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Make a Board Game in 28 Days: A Challenge by Brandon the Game Dev
Brand Game Development
FEBRUARY 1, 2021
Find or make simple art for your game. Swap out any art that doesn’t reinforce the feeling you’re trying to evoke. Play the game with your first draft art and components. Attempt to fix issues you identified with art or components yesterday. Write down anything you find that doesn’t reinforce the story you want to tell.
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The Art of the Play Test: Designing Tests and Keeping Records
Brand Game Development
AUGUST 7, 2017
That, my friends, is the Art of the Play Test. The post The Art of the Play Test: Designing Tests and Keeping Records appeared first on Brandon the Game Dev. You need to have a way of grappling with your game’s design in a flexible and systematic way that leaves you with a ton of data for decision making.
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20 New Year’s Resolutions for Board Game Devs in 2020
Brand Game Development
DECEMBER 30, 2019
Buy some board game art, even if it’s just one piece. truly became alive when I got the first art from James Masino. You can read more about that in my article here: Setting Up Social Media as a Board Game Dev: A Primer Course. Experimenting helps you grow your skills and it shows you new things that you might like!
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Solo dev Mario Malagrino “The psychological pressure is the worst part of game development”
PreMortem.Games
NOVEMBER 3, 2023
As an artist, I see games as works of art, not just as interactive entertainment. I sketch many times, not only my concept art but even game mechanics. It’s a new way to make art. “One of the biggest advantages is surely the freedom. It’s important to try many things that have never been done before.
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Fruit Ninja-creator Luke Muscat on the highs and lows of solo development “I’m just super motivated”
PreMortem.Games
MARCH 10, 2025
While I can learn a LOT in two years, I cannot suddenly become a music composer, or draw proper key art. Now you went through a complete cycle of developing and publishing a game by yourself, what are your thoughts on solo dev-ing? Solo dev was everything I had imagined and more. How do you deal with that?
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Solo dev Diego Ras of Raccoo Venture “Everything starts with paper and pencil”
PreMortem.Games
FEBRUARY 2, 2024
In this greyboxing phase I usually put a few people to play and observe if the results were positive and if the flow of the level worked as planned, and only then finish with the art.” For this, the more cartoonish art style of the world and characters seemed like a good option to achieve this result.”
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Oscar Salandin, developer of BOTSU Ridicuous Robots: “Solo dev can be lonely”
PreMortem.Games
JULY 29, 2024
Working in Mixed Reality, I met many ex game devs and artists, who I learned from and was greatly inspired by. Although we weren’t making games, the tech for Mixed Reality was identical to making games, so I picked up a lot of technical ability with Unity, game dev, shaders and more.” What are the biggest advantages of working solo?
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So long 2023! Thank you for the great game dev stories
PreMortem.Games
DECEMBER 29, 2023
Thank you for the great game dev stories appeared first on PreMortem Games. About their hopes and dreams as well as the technology used. Please join us on our own little walk down 2023 memory lane. See you in 2024! The post So long 2023!
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Gerel: Against The Corvus Empire - a pixel art video game by CGS grads
CG Spectrum
NOVEMBER 24, 2022
Through this unique online network, Alan connected with Advanced Concept Art Course graduate Dogyeong (Do) Lee and Game Design Course graduate Alexios Vasilakis who both joined the Overwrite Interactive team. Currently in production, Gerel: Against the Corvus Empire is a 2D pixel art side-scrolling platformer with Metroidvania elements.
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Visual Concepts Austin reportedly hit with layoffs
GamesIndustry.biz
FEBRUARY 7, 2024
As reported by Game Developer , former art manager Brad Bowling posted the news on LinkedIn , sharing that himself and "a group of very talented developers" had been let go from the company. "I I have had a great time over the past couple of years working with some of the finest game devs in the industry," Bowling said.
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SenAm Games is developing Al-Sirah, a game that educates young muslims about the Islam
PreMortem.Games
FEBRUARY 28, 2025
Plus, a smaller indie dev team should be able to handle the scope. Thats why we choose a stylised abstract art style, similar to what could be found in an animated kids show. We want it to be fun and engaging for the primary target group of 10/12 year olds and show Arabic and islamic history and culture in an authentic and mindful way.
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Solo dev Rohan Nowell of Doggy Don’t Care “Just start building and ideas will come”
PreMortem.Games
FEBRUARY 15, 2024
I like variety in my work (art, coding, animation, marketing); it keeps things interesting and I also love seeing my own progress over the weeks, months and years.” The post Solo dev Rohan Nowell of Doggy Don’t Care “Just start building and ideas will come” appeared first on PreMortem Games. And the biggest pitfalls?
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Double Fine PsychOdyssey recaps / viewing guide, episodes 01-17
Radiator Blog
MARCH 16, 2023
Last month, game industry documentary makers 2 Player Productions debuted a massive 32-part YouTube game dev doc series Double Fine PsychOdyssey , chronicling the development of Psychonauts 2 from its earliest glimmers of pre-production in 2015 to its final release in 2021.
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In the world of Aikyam, special powers are fueled by kindness and collaboration
PreMortem.Games
MAY 27, 2024
Toronto, Canada based indie dev Thousand Stars Studio prides itself on being a culturally diverse studio. Art Director Sally Luc believes that every team member’s origin and unique perspective on the world help shape something that goes beyond solely what’s popular. Art Director Sally Luc then took the designs and added her own flavor.
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Column Tomas Sala • The power of creating hard-to-copy IP, art and games
PreMortem.Games
MAY 12, 2023
This strategy works at any scale, and it is critical for indie devs to develop their own IP that is hard to copy. The post Column Tomas Sala • The power of creating hard-to-copy IP, art and games appeared first on PreMortem Games. Why do fantasy authors write series consisting of many books? Because you stick with it!
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Best of Synty Game Dev Assets Humble Bundle
Game From Scratch
SEPTEMBER 25, 2023
GameFromScratch.com Best of Synty Game Dev Assets Humble Bundle There is a new Humble Bundle of interest to game developers, the Best of Synty GameDev Assets Bundle. This bundle if a huge collection of low polygon style game art packs from Synty.
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How To Draw Pixel Art
DameDev.tv
NOVEMBER 21, 2022
Rick Davidson & Tim Ruswick* are joined by Reece Geofroy to talk all things pixel art and how to get good at it. You can also check out Reece’s pixel art game Monster Tribe on Steam. The beauty of pixel art is the simplicity of it and how you can create professional looking assets with very little practice and time.
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One week of Stars Reach Kickstarter
Raph Koster
MARCH 3, 2025
We’re dropping bits of their lore into these behind the scenes posts, as well as sharing their visual evolution through art iterations and market testing. We also have done sneak peeks of upcoming features, sessions with other devs on the team, and more. There’s a blog post up about them as well.
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