Adam Dougherty

interesting conversations at #Gamescom 2025 so far seem to point towards an industry recovery that is rolling out unevenly - and yet to hit the parts of the industry that arguably need it most. The first and possibly fastest seems to be the recovery of investment interest. As noted in previous posts, there are some very well funded players starting to take renewed interest in games. The interest feels different though - it seems like people have learned the lessons from the "insane 10x VC era" and are looking for more sustainable, longer-term returns. This is due in part to there being more "games native" investors on the scene - people who are bringing more clear-eyed industry experience to the mix. Coming in behind this, some exciting moves in the support ecosystem, where the layoffs seem to have unlocked a lot of knowledge capital that is starting to organise into a really rich and experienced support layer for games companies. As we heard at Opening Night Live, there is a healthy crop of large and not-so-large titles coming through, with people finding new angles on existing IP. Behind that, we know that the industry needs to start green-lighting games to keep the pipeline running smoothly. I still hear "too many games/too many games companies" - it feels like there is still an oversupply issue relative to the existing market for consumer attention, but the ongoing process of democratising games into new demographics seems to be opening up more opportunity (albeit someone still desperately needs to solve the curation + discovery layer for new audiences). But it is still tough for developers and publishers - the good news I think is that recovery is waiting in the wings, but we need to work harder to ensure that it hits the ground where it is needed most.

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Not every gaming job is on LinkedIn. My 7 favorite subreddits for job junting/networking: 𝐫/𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐯: With 1.9M+ members, this is one of the best communities for devs. Feedback threads, project showcases, AMA sessions, technical help, you’ll always find something useful here. https://lnkd.in/dnmZJAdr 𝐫/𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝𝐬: One of the best places to find opportunities in games, often full remote. Quite big, it has 126K+ members and daily new gigs. This is only for paid collaborations, quite good for freelancers of short term contracts. https://lnkd.in/dmHUqHqw 𝐫/𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧: A must for designers (265K+ members). Discussions on systems, mechanics, balance and design theory. Great if you want to get feedback on concepts, learn from others or simply network with other designers. https://lnkd.in/daAMw3c6 𝐫/𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐌𝐲𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞: 126K+ devs and gamers testing each other’s games. Perfect to collect feedback, spot bugs early and improve your visibility before launch. Super recommended for indies/solo devs. https://lnkd.in/dtPGqfTE 𝐫/𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞: A smaller but very engaged subreddit where you can post your work in progress and receive constructive feedback. Valuable for improving your craft and learning how others approach production/mrketing problems https://lnkd.in/d96u2k_A 𝐫/𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐣𝐨𝐛𝐬: About 17K members, only open positions and contract work. Smaller than big job boards, but quite good as it’s very active. https://lnkd.in/d93U4qFf 𝐫/𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐃𝐞𝐯: With 298K+ members, this community is the best for indies. You’ll find discussions on production, marketing, funding and collaboration. Great if you’re working solo or in a small team and want advice directly from peers. https://lnkd.in/dyVj_DbH Being active in communities is a career hack. Reddit offers some of the best in games. Any other subreddit worth joining?

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