[dead]
Show HN: I got laid off from Meta and created a minor hit on Steam
121–130 of 379 posts
Re: Show HN: I got laid off from Meta and created a minor hit on Steam
#122Nice one! Looks like peggle on mushrooms instead of coke.
I've done many games myself, including PS4 exclusive, and I haven't been able to afford anything else than 2 mins noodles for my effort. So I applaud you on "making it."
I should really talk to publishers. I don't really know how, how did you approach them? How did that initial aspect go?
Re: Show HN: I got laid off from Meta and created a minor hit on Steam
#123Hey Brian, so happy to see this! I always knew you'd knock it out of the park with one of your games!
Re: Show HN: I got laid off from Meta and created a minor hit on Steam
#124You should make a youtube series or a long series of blog posts explaining your journey from a personal perspective, the emotional ups and downs on working on this instead of getting a new job, from a technical perspective, and from a business perspective. What types of skills did you have to learn, what were the technical challenges, what pieces of code are you particularly proud of. What was your marketing strategy…
That might be challenging as large companies tend to hit people with strong NDAs which means that any reference to time at $company would need to be approved by $company. IF you don't do this then you might be rinsed by the court.
That’s not a thing. I’m not sure where you heard that. Large companies definitely don’t try to prohibit you from telling people you worked there.
Re: Show HN: I got laid off from Meta and created a minor hit on Steam
#125Incredible work, Brian! I'm in awe of what you've done in such a short amount of time. I started an indie game company (still working on our first title) and had a few related questions if that's OK?
1) If you didn't need a salary or marketing help, would you still have signed a publishing deal? My sense is most of the publisher value lies in getting paid before the game launches, and with marketing around launch, but curious if those are wrong assumptions?
2) Early Access vs. Straight Launch - any insights about why you chose to do a full launch vs. an early access beforehand? Was it something you and the publisher discussed in detail?
3) Outside of Steam's ecosystem, how much marketing, promotion, social media, YouTube, Discord, etc. stuff did you (or the publisher) do? Do you think that pre-launch work had a sizable impact on the launch and post-launch success? Or would you say it's mostly the Steam algo making the game more visible to the right buyers as the positive reviews rolled in?
Truly kind of you to share so openly here. Already sent some of your other replies to our game team
Re: Show HN: I got laid off from Meta and created a minor hit on Steam
#126Not to get too personal, but how did working on a video game affect your personal life? If you worked from home, do you have a wife/kids? Was anyone upset or disappointed you were working on a game and not getting another job at a big tech company? I don’t mean to be critical, but I’ve always faced pushback working on startups/side projects, and I’m wondering how that was for you?
It was discussed with my family (wife/kid) that this was going to be my near singular focus for a year, and it basically was. Luckily everyone was supportive because they knew how long I'd wanted to do this, and the fact that I already had a "good idea" with some proof on my hands certainly made it easier. Having traction helped convinced everyone, myself included, that it would be a worthwhile investment of time, and not just "fucking around in the basement." No one was disappointed that I was not getting another big tech job. I'd just spent 20 years in FAANG.
Re: Show HN: I got laid off from Meta and created a minor hit on Steam
#127Not to get too personal, but how did working on a video game affect your personal life? If you worked from home, do you have a wife/kids? Was anyone upset or disappointed you were working on a game and not getting another job at a big tech company? I don’t mean to be critical, but I’ve always faced pushback working on startups/side projects, and I’m wondering how that was for you?
Your partner stops you from working on startups and side projects? Come join the other 99% of us not working at a big tech company, life is still fulfilling, honest!
Re: Show HN: I got laid off from Meta and created a minor hit on Steam
#128One of the OG devs from Netpanzer in the late 90s went on to do AAA games and then compiler stuff at FAANG, is that you?
Not me
Re: Show HN: I got laid off from Meta and created a minor hit on Steam
#129Congratulations! The game looks amazing—its quality is truly impressive. I'm currently feeling burned out. I have an app idea and a prototype that I believe could turn into a viable project to support myself. However, I don't have the courage to quit my job—I’m afraid of the anxiety that comes with paying rent and insurance without a steady paycheck. I do have some savings to sustain me for a while, but I'm unsure if…
Thanks Bill :) I can relate to the first thing you mentioned, and I never really took action. Layoff was thrust upon me, with the privilege of a severance, and I had been working for decades, so I figured "why not try now?" I'm not sure if I ever would have been brave enough to proactively try, but that's just me. Video games in particular are brutal, economically, and not something I would ever recommend someone tak…
Thank you for the helpful tips! How do you gain traction or test an early prototype? Is finding a publisher more like job hunting (where there is a standard application process) or pitching to a VC (where you need to be social and build up connections)?
Re: Show HN: I got laid off from Meta and created a minor hit on Steam
#130Hey Brian, so happy to see this! I always knew you'd knock it out of the park with one of your games!
Oh hey Matt! Thanks!!!