Philippe Baude

This week in Montréal the industry marked two serious milestones: the launch of Montreal Games Week and the return of MIGS 25. This is not just about one conference anymore. It is about a full week of games, business, culture and collaboration. For anyone in devs, publishing or services: - Week-long events equal more chances to engage, learn and network beyond the standard format. - Multiple formats (indie showcases plus B2B plus services) signal that external development and partnerships are front of mind. - Montréal continues to hold global relevance as a place for serious industry conversation and deals. Think about how you show up in this broader industry week, not just the big call event. #GameDev #Publishing #MIGS #MontrealGames #GamingIndustry

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The closure of Ubisoft Halifax and the layoffs at Rockstar are stark reminders of how quickly talent availability shifts. For Studio Heads, this is a signal to update your headcount planning immediately. When a studio closes, you have a window of about 2-3 weeks to engage pre-formed teams. These are groups of developers who already have shorthand, established workflows, and trust. If you have the budget, "acqui-hiring" a functional pod from a closing studio is one of the most efficient ways to scale. Don't wait for them to apply to your portal. You need to be proactive. #TalentStrategy #Hiring #GameJobs

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In the past 3 years, several teams in our games industry have unionized First, and I am sharing my personal opinion only, I offer all my support and credit to these teams. Unionizing takes courage and a willingness to build trust, coordinate, and challenge the status quo. These teams clearly felt unionizing was essential to protect their rights and working conditions and whatever your view, that conviction deserves respect. I’m always pro-labor because being pro-labor is being pro-human. People often ask why I’m so measured on this topic, though. It’s because unions are widely misunderstood. They’re not a cure-all, and I think it’s important to be clear about what they do and don’t protect. So, what does a union actually do and what doesn’t it? Here’s my understanding (and feel free to correct me): ✅ What a union can do: 🟢 Negotiate better wages, benefits, and working hours Collective bargaining is at the heart of unionization. It allows workers to secure legally binding agreements around pay, healthcare, PTO, and more. 🟢 Provide a structured grievance process Unions ensure that employee concerns are heard without fear of retaliation and offer a path for disputes to be addressed formally. 🟢 Offer legal support and protection in layoffs or disputes While unions can’t prevent all layoffs, they can negotiate the terms, such as severance, notice periods, recall rights, and provide legal assistance. 🟢 Push for more transparency and accountability from leadership Unions can advocate for visibility into business decisions that impact workers, giving teams more voice in the process. ⚠️ What a union can’t do: 🔴 Stop layoffs, project cancellations, or studio closures outright A union can influence how these happen, but not whether they happen. Market realities still rule. 🔴 Guarantee job security in a volatile, hit-driven industry If a game underperforms or a strategic pivot occurs, jobs can still be lost, even in unionized environments. 🔴 Prevent performance-related terminations Unions ensure due process, but “just cause” policies mean consistent underperformance or misconduct can still lead to dismissal. 🔴 Override management’s business or creative decisions A union can advocate, but it can’t dictate what games get made or how a franchise evolves. 🔴 Block global labor shifts or outsourcing trends I think about this the most. In an industry where wages in North America can be more than 3x higher than in other regions, companies may move roles abroad to manage costs. A union cannot stop these structural shifts. It can only negotiate for its local bargaining unit. Unions aren’t magic, but they’re a powerful tool, especially when you feel unheard. In my personal capacity, as Amir the human, I encourage you to learn more and to decide for yourself if unionizing makes sense. I care deeply about people in this industry, but I stay clear-eyed about what we can protect ourselves from and what we can’t.

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Great gameplay is designed, not a matter of luck. Together with Mykola, we prepared a guide with 12 steps to get there: 𝟭. 🎭 𝗣𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲 & 𝗳𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘀𝘆   • One sentence: what the player does and why it’s fun.   • List 2–3 genre expectations you’ll keep or subvert.   Example: “Side-scrolling platformer about a samurai.” 𝟮. 🎮 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹𝘀 & 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗯𝘀   • Map 3–4 primary inputs (move/jump/action/cancel).   • Instant, readable feedback for every input.   • List allowed/forbidden actions and how they combine.   • Define where verbs apply and where they don’t.   Example: Arrow keys = move, Space = jump, Shift = dash. 𝟯. 🏁 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻   • Single, testable success state shown in HUD/world.   • First level achievable in 30–60 seconds.   Example: “Reach the exit door to complete the level.” 𝟰. ⚠️ 𝗔𝗱𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗹𝗲   • One core threat that tests the main skill.   • Clear telegraphing and consistent behavior.   Example: A patrolling enemy guarding narrow platforms. 𝟱. 💀 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻   • Fair fail states (HP = 0, fall, timer).   • Fast retries; punishment scales with session length.   Example: Touching spikes or enemies reduces HP; 0 HP = respawn. 𝟲. 🔋 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀   • Specify constraints (HP, ammo, stamina, cooldowns).   • Define sources, sinks, and meaningful spend decisions.   Example: Stamina gates sprint and heavy attacks; scarce potions restore. 𝟳. 🎲 𝗔𝗱𝗱 𝗮 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸/𝗿𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗲   • Harder path with clearer payoff and higher risk.   • Make the trade-off explicit (time/safety/resources).   Example: Skip the guard via upper ledges with trap tiles. 𝟴. 🗝️ 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆   • Lightly telegraphed interactables (breakables, false walls).   • Rewards: currency, micro-upgrades, lore, shortcuts.   Example: A faintly cracked block hides a treasure chest. 𝟵. ✨ 𝗔𝗱𝗱 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗷𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗲   • Hit-pause, subtle screenshake, crisp SFX/VFX, camera nudges.   • Never reduce clarity or timing readability.   Example: Landing adds squash, dust puff, and a soft thunk. 𝟭𝟬. 🔀 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝘃𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆   • Add one new rule/hazard at a time, then combine.   • Cadence: Teach → Test → Master → Remix/Boss. 𝟭𝟭. 📈 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻   • Vertical (power) and/or horizontal (options) tied to core verbs.   • Upgrades add depth, not grindy stat bloat.   Example: Unlock double-jump, then dash; minor HP upgrades. 𝟭𝟮. 🎯 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹   • Meta objective that frames sessions and risk.   • Visualize progress on a map/hub/goal tracker.   Example: “Rescue the princess” — the castle grows closer each zone. DM Mykola, if your studio needs help testing or scaling the next game idea

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As a freelance rigger, I need to make sure my builds have a lot of flexibility. So I've recently reworked my lid modules to add variable joint counts. By utilizing a curve-based output I can changed the amount of joints used based on the needs of the project. Higher joint counts for fidelity and control, lower counts for simplicity and optimization. Or I can test and iterate to find a happy middle ground. So animators using my rigs on film or game projects can enjoy the same features, such as: - Automated lid follow with eye movement - Main controls to position the lids through translation and sculpt the curvature with rotation/scale  - Secondary controls for finer detail (If there are enough joints to support it) - Manual or automated blinking. Animate controls, or activate the automated meet point between your posed lids for a perfect seal I've been using iterations of this system over my last few projects, both commercials and games. The core elements of this system have been floating around in my head since 2018, so it's been great to finally put it to the test. 

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4 hidden biases that KILL most indie games (and 4 signs + actions to catch them early) Most indie teams don’t fail from bad luck. They fail from blind spots ↳ tiny habits that grow into production traps ❌ Passion alone won’t save your game. ❌ Vision alone won’t pay your bills. ❌ “Polish” won’t fix poor planning. We love talking about creativity. But the real killer is bias. So, let’s flip this  and see what to do instead 👇 𝟭. 𝗕𝗶𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗣𝗔𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡 ↳ Your passion turns into tunnel vision. • Create structured feedback loops early. • Passion needs structure to stay productive 𝟮. 𝗕𝗶𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 ↳ You trade progress for pride. • Use “definition of done” for every features • Imperfect fun beats perfect delay. 𝟯. 𝗕𝗶𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗕𝗜𝗚 𝗗𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗠𝗦 ↳ Your ambition burns faster than budget. • Run a 1-week kill-test before big feature. • Big dreams survive small iterations. 𝟰. 𝗕𝗶𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗛𝗢𝗕𝗕𝗬 𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗦𝗘𝗧 ↳ You treat a game like a side project. • Act like a studio even if it’s two people. • Discipline beats inspiration every time. ❌ You don’t need more passion ✅ You need discipline, cadence, systems. I break down how to do that in my book Running a Successful Live Service Game 📙 Link to my book’s in my bio ➕ Follow Sergei Vasiuk for more

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The delay of GTA VI to May 26, 2026 will have a number of impacts. Among them: - Revenue projections for the industry were based around the launch of this massive game. It’s exceedingly rare that a single title delay will have a tidal wave impact on the entire space. - Fall 2025 is suddenly a safe(r) moment to launch. The unknown of the specific release date was causing marketing challenges. - There is kindness in the delay coming with a specific release date. This is ultimately very helpful for the industry in planning for calendar 2026. - Take-Two investors have had to recalibrate since the Zynga acquisition. There was a level of expectation around this fiscal year’s performance (ending March 31, 2026). It will be interesting to see how investors react. Ultimately, this will yield a better GTA VI (which is the only thing Rockstar and Take-Two can and should be expected to prioritize). It will cause some additional industry-wide adjustments with regard to financial expectation. The firm release date is so helpful, however, that any downward effect can be mitigated in the long term as GTMs can now fully contemplate the biggest challenge in the release calendar.

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