I have an MBA and report to the CFO at a $100M+ company, so I voted yes. I see some... interesting takes here on what these giant entertainment companies should do, or assumptions of why they do the things they do.
You're a Video Games Business expert - but do you walk the talk?
- Thread starter Wet Jimmy
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OP
OP
Wow, thanks for taking the time to comment. This was an interesting (but sad at times) read. I know it's too common, but regardless, sorry that some of your experiences have been so unnecessarily rough for no good reason.
I'd also say that I personally know some incredibly intelligent and dedicated people who just don't want to be in a managerial or group decision making capacity, and unfortunately as you noted, this often harms their career prospects. Some organisations seem to have a "rise or die" mentality, and no doubt that results in the loss of excellent employees.
In the meantime, it sounds like you've made the right choice for you, and hopefully the passage of time leaves you with useful perspective but fewer open wounds.
It must also be heartening for you to see more games embracing accessibility options, though I'd guess we have a long way to go yet. Do you think it's only budgets getting in the way of more accessibility options, or do you still see this as a bit of a blindspot in the industry?
Well if you truly believe 1 in 3 people on Era is a manager of over 100 people that's on you lol
Making yourself sound fancy is part of the job š¬
Obviously, I can't go into any details but I do work on the regulatory side and have nothing to do with legal structuring. The previous processes in place were not well thought out.
The poll is probably quite skewed. Not like a topic like this will attract people to admit that they are armchair analysts.
I wouldn't say there should be a line in the sand on this kind of thing (i.e. 50+ employees) - I've worked at studios both small (indie <30 staff) and large (one of the big three console manufacturers). Learning and expertise are both extremely transferable. But i'll bite;
I'm a producer at a studio that's part of a larger developer/publisher of 2000+ employees worldwide. In the studio i work, its ~150 employees. We are working on a single not-yet-announced project, considered AAA.
I'm a producer at a studio that's part of a larger developer/publisher of 2000+ employees worldwide. In the studio i work, its ~150 employees. We are working on a single not-yet-announced project, considered AAA.
- Are you responsible for managing a budget?
- Me and a project manager plan and budget each phase of development for our particular 'track' or 'section' of the game - managing scope, content, delivery, roadmap, milestones, external vendor requirements, and key review gates.
- As well as my wider production responsibilities for the project, i directly manage a team of designers and engineers responsible for delivering a key part of the project.
- How easy do you find it to "get stuff done"?
- People "get stuff done" in different ways. But getting stuff done, to me, is about trust and confidence. My job is to empower the team to make good shit. However, that might not get you the velocity you need - you do this through practice, analysis, proper process & development pipelines.
- How easy is it to influence your team, change direction or float new ideas that actually make themselves manifest in a real way?
- As a producer, i build out the milestone goals with input from key stakeholders. I feel i have input into those goals, and feel i can discuss ways in which they can be accomplished. I then work with the team on how these can be delivered.
- It's my role to ensure the quality of what's delivered and interpret what "quality" is through an understanding of why the goals were set, but also through the lens of a player. If anything delivered doesn't meet the quality our players could and stakeholders do expect, that's on me.
- Why do you think you've got the perspective to comment on how Mega-Corp conducts its business?
- Worked at one of the big 3 console manufacturers, directly within their games division across multiple projects.
- Currently at one of the world's largest games companies.
I'm a college professor that actually studies these things (for both research and teaching). Meh I don't always post serious posts about analyzing business performances because it's a waste of time. People are way too entrenched about their viewpoints. But yeah I don't fall under your specific definition in the poll op but this is my bread and butter. I have also acted as a consultant from time to time for firms :)
There's nothing unknowing about it. We know what we're doing. We all know we exist within a system that cannot be moved easily. But I keep my team/workers in line for a simple reason. I do it so that I keep my job and most importantly, hit my business goals.
But why am I so selfish? Such a monster?
So that I prove to my boss that my team is excellent, deserves the high appraisal I give them, the stability of their jobs and the promotion/movement opportunities I would like to give them.
Obviously I can only speak for myself. And there are times where I have to hold harsh conversations with employees who aren't delivering. But I was someone who benefited and managed to become a leader because I used to be under someone who fought tooth and nail to defend me.
Very often, it's hard for many people to see what their job contributes to the 'bigger picture' - and this is true of managers and senior people too. And then you have to balance out letting people do new things as personal or career development goals. And then you have to give them room to flex strategically, etc...
There are a hundreds of things any single employee can be doing beyond just their 'core responsibility' - and guiding them so that they either find the right thing, or giving them things to do that will benefit them is soooo hard.
Especially since 90% of the time, it's just MOAR WORK.
Not an expert in video games, business, or video game business, but I work for a big polling firm (not in a leadership role). I mean, I wouldn't really call myself an expert in polling either. I partially signed up here because the company wants to do more video game stuff and I want to get inspiration for survey ideas (this may just be a justification for time wasting).
The only real professional insight I can offer (and it's a pretty obvious one at that) is that shit gamers care deeply about often really doesn't matter that much to the large majority of people who buy video games - i.e. the "Halo graphics controversy" really isn't a thing among the vast majority of normals who might be inclined to buy an XSX, and anyone who tells you that it's likely to hurt Microsoft's chances in and of itself is talking nonsense.
Also, a lot of people on this forum who include surveys in threads do not understand how to write a question at all.
The only real professional insight I can offer (and it's a pretty obvious one at that) is that shit gamers care deeply about often really doesn't matter that much to the large majority of people who buy video games - i.e. the "Halo graphics controversy" really isn't a thing among the vast majority of normals who might be inclined to buy an XSX, and anyone who tells you that it's likely to hurt Microsoft's chances in and of itself is talking nonsense.
Also, a lot of people on this forum who include surveys in threads do not understand how to write a question at all.
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Do I have to lead 100 people or just the company needs to have that number of employees? I lead small teams as a project manager. My teams usually have no more than 10 people. I don't have stakes in big business decisions though, so the purpose of this thread and the poll aren't helping each other in my opinion.
Not 100+ but around 20 or so
Are you responsible for managing a budget?
A: Yes
How easy do you find it to "get stuff done"?
A: It depends why kind of "stuff" you are talking about (This tells me inmediatly that maybe you are not the leader you think you are). But, it all depends on the trust you have build with your direct and indirect teams, how well motivided they are and how clear you are in sharing the goals (The "stuff" done)
How easy is it to influence your team, change direction or float new ideas that actually make themselves manifest in a real way?
A: At first is hard because you need to build trust and work alongisde your team "in the trenches". After you build trust and your reputation is really easy.
Why do you think you've got the perspective to comment on how Mega-Corp conducts its business?
A: ???? - you mean like those vidya abusing companies or what do you mean?
Don't talk about any businesses ever unless you are a manager...basically.
This thread reminds me of that "Shit was so cash" meme for some reason.
I can (by choice)cause of years of service. Will still have to work somewhat, but I would like to do something more 'normal' I guess.
I'm a cook but I don't need to be the head chef or the owner to recognize bad management, terrible crunch practices, or understaffed operations.
years ago. not lately.
IT and in-house software development at a manufacturing company
IT and in-house software development at a manufacturing company
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Why yes, I am indeed a video games business expert.
Now, please direct me to the best place to purchase alcohol and pornography.
Now, please direct me to the best place to purchase alcohol and pornography.
I managed a team of a little over 10 at my old job. The biggest thing that stuck with me was the old adage "shit rolls down hill". My managers would take heat from their managers who would then put the onus on me to organize my team to correct the problem. In a way, though i was organizing them, i moved the shit further down on to them
Exactly. Gatekeeping critique because someone is outside the field of expertise is very toxic.
OP
OP
Hmm. Thanks for asking. Well what I was thinking last night when I posted the question was along the lines of how to get a handle on peoples perspective for how big business actually works. Hopefully you'll note there was no endorsement of a practice or a position.
I was curious as to how much the forum population performing armchair analysis around any given companies slightest public action - their roadmaps, marketing, decisions to sell or not sell, how to deal with competition, etc - actually have some experience in the things they talk about so often and with such certainty.
Do the people who comment with such conviction actually have a good handle on how Big Business actually works and why it's not often carried out with cold and clinical precision guaranteeing an outcome? I'm thinking of the people, the errors, the well intentioned but ineffective choices, the budgetary pressure, the impact of toxic management, the role that luck or being in the right place a the right time makes...etc, etc. I'm ASSUMING that having responsibilities within a large organisation might change someone's perspective.
To a previous comment, a dumb way to think about the people who comment in a particular vein is to resort to the (again, dumb) stereotype of "well, if you're under the age of (whatever) 15, you probably have no idea about how any of this actually works and so just ask people their age". But then I've met plenty of stupid adults...
So instead I thought I'd ask if people who have to make decisions in a large corporate machine (hence arbitrarily picking people managers in companies with 100 or more employees as a starting point) feel like they have a more informed view.
Despite some people in this thread getting a little triggered and somehow twisting or equating the question to a either a defence of terrible corporate practices, or somehow thinking I can stop them from opining from the rooftops, I really just wanted to ask the question.
My question was posed in good-faith, and not (I think) framed as a defence of any practice.