Christopher Stewart

I want to demystify how ASGC tracks games industry job cuts so you understand what goes into the numbers The way we track industry reductions is far more rigorous than most people realize. I occasionally see comments wondering if we only use public announcements, WARN notices, or that we miss contractors, co dev teams, and non traditional roles. I understand why people might assume that, but that is not how our system works. Collecting jobs data is the most resource intensive process in our community because it shapes our support too. Step one is public information. We monitor news reports, company statements, WARN filings, and government notices. That is just the starting point. Step two is direct community reporting at scale. Every year I receive 5-10K+ messages, just related to job cuts, across LinkedIn, Discord, and email from people sharing what happened to them, their teammates, or their organizations. Much of this never appears in the press. It includes contractors, co dev partners, support studios, and indirect roles, not just FTEs at major publishers. Step three is individual signal tracking. I regularly review posts from professionals who are suddenly open to work or referencing team changes. These signals confirm patterns or reveal cuts that were not announced. All of this flows into a large internal tracking system that helps me understand not just how many roles were affected, but who was impacted, where, and when. That context allows our community to reach out and design support that matches reality rather than headlines. Is it perfect? No. I am still working to improve visibility in regions where transparency is lower. But I can say sincerely this process goes far beyond public records and is more comprehensive than any single external source. You may notice that, for a few years, I no longer publicly name organizations when cuts happen unless they request a Games Org support post. That is intentional. My goal is to avoid errors and avoid shaming, because I recognize that not every reduction comes from bad intent. Sometimes funding ends, contracts fall through, or projects conclude despite leaders trying to do right by their teams. Also, my approach is to build bridges and encourage quiet, meaningful accountability. I regularly hear that organizations know ASGC tracks layoff decisions and understand their actions will reach me, even with smaller or less visible cuts. That awareness, even without public callouts, can influence how situations are handled. Most importantly, workers know their experience is not invisible. Individual data is never shared publicly. People trust me with personal information, and I take that seriously. What I share are patterns, totals, and insights that help us mobilize support. So when we talk about industry cuts, please know this is not casual scorekeeping. It is the result of thousands of conversations and careful tracking to make sure every affected games person counts.

29

3 Comments

Games aren’t just about mechanics. They’re about emotions. Here’s how to design games that evoke emotions: 🎮 𝗚𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗬   • Systems: Mechanics, core loop, difficulty • Emotions: Fun, curiosity, and mastery 📈 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗚𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡 • Systems: Unlocks, skill trees, rewards • Emotions: Anticipation, joy, and the drive to push forward 🎨 𝗔𝗥𝗧 & 𝗗𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗚𝗡 • Systems: Cohesive style, animations, characters • Emotions: Immersion, exploration, and game feel 🖥 𝗨𝗜 & 𝗨𝗫 • Systems: Screens, user flow, icons • Emotions: Intuitive understanding and smooth navigation 📚 𝗧𝗨𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗜𝗔𝗟𝗦 • Systems: Soft & hard tutorials, visual hints • Emotions: Competence and those satisfying “aha” moments 💰 𝗠𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗧𝗜𝗭𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 • Systems: Offers, ads, in-game currency • Emotions: Balancing "pain" with fairness and value  𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗢𝗣𝗦 • Systems: Events, leaderboards, challenges • Emotions: FOMO, excitement, and social engagement Don’t just build game systems.   Build experiences players will feel.  

554

16 Comments

There was a recent(ish) article in Canada highlighting how indie studios in Canada are faced with critical coverage gaps with their insurance. To be honest, you can probably replace Canada with any country. Indie studios are usually created by people who have a passion for making games, but are not always aware of the potential risks it involves. The article says: " Smaller developers – especially those operating with lean teams and limited budgets – often struggle to find comprehensive packages that address the full spectrum of exposures they face. Cyberattacks, intellectual property disputes, and business interruption events can all hit indie studios hard, particularly when they don’t have the scale or reserves to absorb a significant loss". It also goes onto say "The industry has yet to deliver flexible, right-sized solutions for this segment – a missed opportunity given how central indie development is to Canada’s gaming ecosystem." Well. . . . I disagree. What's missing is a fundamental understanding on how games studios operate, the complex challenges they face and how to translate that into the potential risks. Which is why we see time and again, companies being categorised under "generic tech policies" which ultimately wont pay out if they need to be activated. The cost for this kind of cover for small teams isn't high, finding someone who can arrange the right cover for them can be. That's the precise reason we exist, year on year, more companies trust us to protect them and they stay with us. If you want a quick chat to go through your studios cover and what you should think about when taking out insurance. I'm here all day, every day :) https://lnkd.in/eYEAPyyk  

9

Curious: Nintendo's initial reveal of the Switch 2 touted 4K, 120FPS, and VRR support. However, a notable change has been spotted on several of Nintendo's official regional websites: the removal of VRR mentions. Digital Foundry's Oliver Mackenzie highlighted this on the Canadian, US, and Japanese sites. As of posting this, the European site still includes this feature at present, suggesting a potential ongoing update across all Nintendo platforms...

65

6 Comments

Looking into getting into iGaming in Canada? The rules are changing and I'm in the trenches of so many new movements across the country. Want to know more? DM me! Canada’s New Interactive Digital Media Rules, Why iGaming Should Pay Attention On March 1, 2024, Canada quietly introduced major policy changes under the Investment Canada Act (ICA) that could reshape the future of iGaming. These new rules expand the definition of Interactive Digital Media (IDM) to include online casino games, poker, esports betting, social casino, and other interactive platforms. That means iGaming is now firmly within Canada’s “cultural business” category, triggering much lower thresholds for foreign investment review and much higher scrutiny when foreign-controlled capital is involved. Why this matters now: Ontario’s iGaming market has exploded, $200B in wagers and an $8B industry in just three years. As the sector grows, the Government of Canada is signalling it wants more Canadian control, Canadian IP, and safeguards against “hostile” foreign influence. Key takeaways for iGaming: ⚡ Lower review thresholds mean even smaller deals can trigger ICA reviews. ⚡ National security risk factors now include online chat, streaming, and in-game purchases, all common in iGaming platforms. ⚡ Canadian-first IP and governance will be critical to passing “net benefit” reviews. ⚡ Smaller studios and startups that rely on foreign funding may face new barriers unless they structure deals carefully. In an $8B market that is still expanding, these policies aren’t just a regulatory footnote, they’re a playbook shift. If you’re an operator, supplier, or investor in Canada’s iGaming ecosystem, it’s time to assess your structure, partnerships, and compliance approach before the next big move. Things are about to change! #iGaming #Canada #InvestmentCanadaAct #InteractiveDigitalMedia #OntarioGaming #CanadianTech #DigitalEconomy #casino #onlinecasino https://lnkd.in/gf8ByT8v

22

2 Comments

We've been implementing Neural Texture compression in #Assassinscreedmirage. The overall benefit results in better quality textures for less GPU memory usage (links in the first comment). If you followed the topic since our GDC2024 presentation ,this a very practical application of La Forge's mission to bridge the academic world with Ubisoft. #ubisoft #ubisoftlaforge #innovation 👇 "If you've been thinking, like I have, that we're still some way off seeing AI being used in games for more than just upscaling or frame generation, then it's time to think again" (...) "Enter stage left, neural texture compression to cut down on that memory demand. Given the state of the DRAM and SSD market right now, you can bet your last dollar that a whole heap of game developers will be looking closely at what Ubisoft has done to see if it can help out in their games, too"

180

8 Comments