Cem Ocalan

We’re right in the middle of interviews for our next cohort—and it’s been incredibly busy in the best possible way. Applications have been hugely positive this year, with real growth in interest. What’s especially encouraging is that, while much of our outreach has focused on the North and North West, we’re also seeing strong engagement from the South of England. Over the past few weeks, I’ve seen exceptional work, genuine drive, and exciting talent. Even more valuable have been the conversations about games—and making games—that continue to fuel my own commitment to delivering what we set out to achieve at TGA. From the beginning, I made a simple decision: everyone who applies deserves the opportunity for an interview. Where possible, this is in person; when travel is a barrier, we meet remotely. For many applicants, this is their first formal step toward a career in the games industry, and they deserve time to ask questions, share ambitions, and explore whether this path is right for them. When people are being asked to invest significant money—and take on years of student debt—decisions should be informed, personal, and rooted in real conversation, not just paperwork. Portfolios are central to this process. They allow applicants to demonstrate skill, passion, and potential, and the discussions around them often reveal far more than what’s initially submitted. Just as importantly, the interview ensures that the decision is mutual. Even when TGA isn’t the right pathway, no one should leave without feedback, guidance, and a clearer sense of direction. There are many routes into the games industry, and different journeys can still lead to the same goal. What matters most to us is simple: every applicant deserves time, respect, and a genuine conversation before making such an important decision about their future. That belief sits at the heart of how we interview, how we review portfolios, and how we support people—whether they join TGA or take a different path into the industry. Because meaningful education—and lasting careers in games—begin with being seen, heard, and understood. #GamesEducation #HigherEducation #StudentSuccess #FutureTalent #EarlyCareers

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Games Industry Predictions for 2026 I want to share a set of personal predictions that reflect only my views and do not represent my employer, our community, or anyone else. These come from three years of our community’s data, insight from the 5,000 plus studios and partners connected to our network, and many polls and conversations with you. I am not putting hard numbers on most of these yet, but I am confident enough in the direction of these trends to offer these conclusions. In 2026 1. The velocity and magnitude of games hiring will continue to increase The recovery trend is real and accelerating. 2. Layoffs will remain in a similar magnitude ballpark to 2025 Stability will improve but not dramatically. 3. New entrants and attempted entrants will continue to accelerate Including graduates, lateral movers, and those laid off. 4. Early career pressure will remain extremely high I do not see entry challenges easing yet. 5. A rising share of laid off games professionals will find work outside games Despite point 1, the pressure of point 3 will still challenge point 1. 6. The share of open roles in North America and Western Europe will continue to decrease Opportunities will grow in Latin America, Eastern Europe, and Asia. 7. A greater share of total production load will continue shifting to external development and contractors Studios will rely on distributed talent more than ever. 8. The average individual’s purchase of full price AAA games will remain flat or decline Prices are challenging in a tough macroeconomic environment, and, particularly, long running series compete with their own cheaper older entries. 9. Indie games will remain the majority of top critical titles Independent creators will continue to shape many celebrated releases. 10. The share of roles in North America will diversify slightly away from the top five states and regions Cost pressures will keep reshaping hiring footprints. 11. Gaps in supply and demand for the most competitive fields like game design, writing, and narrative will get worse Openings remain tight while demand rises. 12. Placement rates will, relatively, improve for mid career professionals with 5-15 years of experience A few fields will remain heavily oversubscribed. I know this reads as a tough picture. It is tough. But I do not believe in most apocalyptic scenarios. I believe it will keep becoming a more globally employed sector with downward pressure on compensation as similar quality talent emerges at lower cost locations. Discoverability will get harder and creators will need to adapt to new influencer driven and socially driven paths for players to find their work. Opportunity will still come from democratized access and the ability for anyone to create something great. The biggest challenges will be at the AAA level where costs remain high. Many teams risk staying locked in a hit or miss survival cycle. I hope more teams break out of that cycle and experiment with new approaches.

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Moon Studios has announced its full independence, securing the publishing rights for No Rest for the Wicked from Take-Two Interactive. Initially published by Take-Two's Private Division, No Rest for the Wicked entered Steam Early Access in April 2024. Following Take-Two's sale of Private Division in November 2024, Moon Studios negotiated to regain control of their game's publishing. This move allows Moon Studios to pursue its vision for No Rest for the Wicked without external restrictions. What’s Next for No Rest for the Wicked? The studio has announced The Breach, a major update set to release on April 30, which it describes as the game’s “biggest update to date.” The Breach will: - Expand the campaign with new areas, armor, factions, enemies, and weapons. - Deepen the game’s lore and double the size of the game world. Wishing the team all the best for the future!! (source: https://lnkd.in/e4TMmjhU)

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Following up on my previous post about using Modular Rig for simple environment animation, but this time focusing on a mechanical prop. This prop uses slightly more complex module than the previous one, and the results were honestly a bit surprising (in a good way). ➤ What worked well ✅ Moving beyond single-joint motion is doable, as long as the prop parts are spitted with animation in mind. ✅ Building a skeleton and painting skin weights directly in Unreal works well for this prop, which has a moderate complexity. ✅ Mechanical modules like Hinge and Piston are already well supported out of the box and easy to reason about. ➤ Where friction shows up ⚠️ This still isn’t a full DCC replacement. The quality of the result depends heavily on how well the asset is designed and segmented upfront. ➤ Bigger takeaway For me, this reinforced that Modular Rig lowers the barrier to keeping work entirely in-engine and expands what environment art and level design can include, especially for smaller projects where DCC round-trips aren’t available or are too costly. On top of that, it could potentially enable iteration to happen directly in the level. Still exploring, but I’m curious how others are thinking about where this kind of workflow fits into their pipelines. 🤔 #UnrealEngine #UE5 #TechnicalAnimation #GameDev #TechnicalArt #LevelDesign #ControlRig #AnimationPipeline

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Reflections from GDC. I’ve been on the development side and the executive side (and maybe doing both at the moment) so I’ve got some perspective. This whole “We want AAA games for AA budgets” thing is dumb. You’re just going to get a AA game (nothing wrong with that but be honest about it) or possibly drive all of game dev to Eastern Europe and Asia (maybe there’s nothing wrong with that either, but our industry will be suits in NA or EU and no real game creation happening here). If all you’ve got are smaller budgets, then go invest in a dozen indie games with the hope for 1-2 breakouts. I think it’s still an untapped space and a big publisher could rescue many of them from Steam obscurity. If you want AAA then it’s going to cost real money. To reduce your risk then, you’ll need to playtest the hell out of it, including retention beyond 7 days, and be prepared to pivot until it’s testing well. Even these games will require heavy outsourcing but doesn’t need to mean moving 100% of game development east. Our game is AAA, being developed with a small (for an MMO) core team with extensive outsourcing. It feels sustainable. For now.

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I've been fundraising for T-Minus Studios most of this year, and one thing has become clear. Most VCs and publishers are not keen on funding a fully North American-based team, especially in the US. A pattern is developing where studios have a small core team of developers, mainly leads or those working in highly critical, iterative areas, while the rest are based in more affordable regions like Eastern Europe, South America, and Asia. This strategy helps studios lower their average monthly burn rate, which reduces risk. I want to address the elephant in the room about how North American developers are viewed. I've spoken privately with several publishers, VCs, and developers from Asia and Europe, and they all see North American developers as expensive and entitled. This perception is unfortunate but reflects the reality we face today.  How did we reach this point? Looking back, before the pandemic, the North American development industry was thriving. The sector was seeing year-over-year growth, and North American development was known for creating great games. Teams and development budgets were growing, and roles were becoming more specialized. However, during the pandemic, labor costs— which make up 80% of development—rose by 40% due to labor shortages during this unprecedented expansion. The remote workforce became standard, and for the first time, local companies in less expensive regions had to compete with those in higher-cost areas. This led smaller game companies to offer various perks to attract developers. The rising costs, including benefits, created significant ROI risks for projects. It was unsustainable, and after the pandemic, game companies realized they needed to cut costs as the market’s growth returned to pre-pandemic levels. Meanwhile, game development in Asia and Europe is narrowing the quality gap and putting more pressure on the industry. Why develop games in NA when you can create games of similar quality for much less money? That is a question that haunts me. I don’t believe NA development is going away. A dramatic shift in how games are created is approaching. We need to find a more sustainable way to produce games. This ties back to my first point in this post. Broadly, I believe game development in NA will be distributed to lower-cost regions worldwide, and AI tools will help streamline game development processes. I think salaries in our industry in NA will decrease, teams will be smaller, and there will be less specialization, with a move back to the “generalist” developer. I will share more detailed thoughts on this in my next LinkedIn post. 

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Launching a new game? Together with Mykola, we made a 24-week roadmap template: 𝟭. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗼𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 & 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀 𝟭–𝟲)   • Define your core loop (Spot → Act → Reward → Repeat)   • Build quick prototypes and test them early   • Create simple, intuitive tutorials for new players   • Add basic visuals and UI mockups   • Run small tests focused on Day-1 retention and CPI 𝟮. 𝗠𝗶𝗱-𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀 𝟳–𝟭𝟮)   • Add more mechanics and progression systems   • Expand content with new levels or modes   • Track player progression and identify churn points   • Refine difficulty and balance based on data   • Add engagement features like daily missions or streak rewards 𝟯. 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 (𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀 𝟭𝟯–𝟭𝟴)   • Combine IAP with rewarded ads   • Add offers: shops, bundles, starter packs   • Measure ARPU, conversion, and pricing strategies   • Optimize your game’s economy   • Make sure monetization supports retention, not hurts it 𝟰. 𝗦𝗼𝗳𝘁 𝗹𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵 (𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀 𝟭𝟵–𝟮𝟰)   • Launch in Tier-2 countries first   • Run targeted UA campaigns   • Continuously iterate based on feedback and data   • Start building a community through social and feedback loops   • Fix bugs, polish the UX, and get ready for global release Ship smarter. Not just faster. This roadmap gives you the structure to build, test, learn, and grow. Save it for your next launch or send it to someone who needs a clear plan. --- DM Mykola if your studio needs help testing or scaling the next game idea!

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The Creative Wales' Games Development Fund Creative Wales / Cymru Greadigol is taking steps to help grow the Welsh video games sector. The Creative Wales / Cymru Greadigol Games Development Fund has announced that 12 studios will share over £580,000 to help them develop innovative video games and immersive experiences for commercial release. The funding, offered at £10,000 to £50,000 per project, is aimed at bringing fresh gaming concepts to market. The programme encourages new creative concepts with robust market strategies, supporting businesses on their way to achieving self-sustaining growth. Recipients span the breadth of Wales, with successful applicants based in locations from Caernarfon to Pembrokeshire and with their content varying from quests set in the rural mountains, to virtual reality experiences and Welsh mythology-inspired adventures. This fund is part of a raft of initiatives Creative Wales offers the games industry, including the Scale Up Fund, which recently awarded £850,000 to 6 Welsh companies; supporting numerous studios to join a trade mission to the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco earlier this year, as well as another trade trip planned for next month to Slush 2025, in partnership with Games London. Find out more at https://www.creative.wales.

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Games could be Scotland's secret weapon... Time for a little personal reflection. Last week's article in Holyrood magazine reminded me that we're at a point of huge potential change for the #games ecosystem in #Scotland. However, to make it happen we need to act collectively, stay focused and communicate with each other. https://lnkd.in/eCAgcKFV #games #videogames #Scotland

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When Silksong released, I saw many comparisons to Baldur’s Gate 3. Both Silksong and Baldur’s Gate 3 come from independent studios, though on very different scales. Team Cherry is a small indie team, while Larian is a much larger independent developer. Yet the two have been compared, in part to how both show how so-called niche genres can reach far beyond expectations. The accessibility of BG3 was the real twist. Turn-based combat was long thought of as niche, but here it was approachable for new players and deep enough for veterans. D&D rules made it easy to get into, while environmental interactions and tactical freedom added variety. For those who only wanted story, the “give me a story” difficulty let them focus entirely on narrative. Silksong joined the conversation in its own way. Immediately upon release, it reached critical and commercial success. What was once framed as a niche metroidvania has proven to have a global audience. Just as BG3 proved that turn-based CRPGs could capture millions, Silksong has shown that a handcrafted 2D action-platformer can hold the industry’s attention. The comparisons between the two are natural. Both highlight that underserved genres, when approached with care, ambition, and personality, are not niche at all. Players reward quality and depth, no matter the genre or scale, when developers go all in. Also To those asking if Larian is considered an "indie" developer... It is debatable. I say yes, but BG3 probably doesn't fit most people's mental model of an indie game. Larian is an independent developer with no publisher with Swen calling the shots. By definition, that makes them an indie studio, and since they self-published Baldur’s Gate 3, you could also call it an indie game. But “indie” doesn’t always mean small. Larian is much larger than most independent studios, and the budget for BG3 was on the scale of major AAA productions. Probably the best way to put it is like this: They’re indie devs making AAA games. Indie refers to their independence and self-publishing, while AAA reflects the size, budget, resources, and scope of their projects. The two aren’t mutually exclusive. What say you?

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I did a panel this year at PGC London about soft launch. Last year, I worked with 40+ studios through my independent consulting gig 🙂 Here’s what I see in small dev studios that I never saw in the corporations I worked for: 1/ They are passionate One question was: when is it time to kill a game? The reality is, you never really kill an entrepreneur’s vision. When you work with scrappy developers, they may pivot, adjust, or work night and day on something new, but the game behind their vision will go out until the money is gone. They are problem-obsessed and won’t let challenges kill their idea. 2/ They are team-obsessed They deeply care about the people they work with. I’m often lucky to earn a founder’s trust and build things together. The level of trust, listening skills, and willingness to collaborate is the highest I’ve ever experienced, and I truly value it. 3/ They are fast, goal-oriented, and unconventional A question came up about channel mix. If the goal is fundraising, they won’t launch outside the US, and what they ship will be high-standard. With some developers I work with, Axon was launched two weeks after the first release because they can publish a full game experience and don’t waste money on endless testing. I’m not saying everyone should launch Axon, but it shows how much soft-launch debt exists today. Ad networks have taken over social live with it. From what I’ve seen, whitelisting is still the best market test. 4/ They are audience-obsessed They launch CRM flows during soft launch, localize their launches, and if they know they won’t scale the UK, they focus deeply on their main geo and build community there first. Some don’t do any UA at all and still scale by building market-specific games and apps based on keyword trends. They use whitelisting and portfolio audiences to leverage new products. 5/ They have values This isn’t always as outspoken as I’d like, but they’re building something real. From day one, they aim to build an IP, not a short-term copycat. Their values are used as social proof in ads and onboarding to build trust, and they genuinely value user feedback.

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