E129: 6 Lessons from the Worst Failure of My Game Dev Career

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What happens when your dream job becomes a political nightmare?

Making games is hard, but leading the people who make them can be even harder, especially when you realize that "doing the right thing" isn't always going to get you accolades or even support.

In this episode, Ben shares the raw details of his biggest game dev failure, a career-defining moment where he was ejected from a team after trying to fix systemic leadership issues. He breaks down the painful lessons learned about dehumanization, organizational politics, and why your self-worth should never be in the hands of your boss.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• What it actually looks like to fail as a leader, even when your intentions are 100% about helping the team and the product
• Why "dehumanizing" your opponents—even the ones you think are the problem—is a dangerous path
• How to identify the "delta" between a company's explicit culture and its implicit reality
• Why you must stop "outsourcing your self-worth" to the studio to start leading with true confidence instead of leading scared

If you're a leader in game dev who feels like you're bearing the burden of a struggling team alone and wondering if your "dream job" is starting to feel like a trap, this episode is for you.

Connect with us:

🔗Ben's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-carcich/

🔗BBG's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/building-better-games/

🔗Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buildingbettergames/#

🔗Website: https://www.buildingbettergames.gg

🔗YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZpMT-dUwQR-R4Mb4uub6Sw

If you want me to help producers or studios build better games through effective systems and leadership, you can reach me at: info@valarinconsulting.com

#GameDevLeadership #GameIndustryCulture #LeadershipFailure #GameProduction #BuildingBetterGames