A Letter From Origin Systems About Being A Game Developer
Courtesy of Pioneer Dragon, Ultima Aiera is pleased to present this one-page letter from Origin Systems. Several years ago, Pioneer wrote to Origin inquiring about what was required to work at the company; this letter is the response he received.
It’s an interesting letter, explaining some of the technologies at use at Origin during that day and age (C and assembler, for example), and containing recommendations as to which skillsets a prospective candidate should pursue. As is often the case today, the letter also states that while a college degree in a relevant field can prove advantageous, it is not a firm requirement, as many developers are basically self-taught.
Anyhow…enjoy! This is another brief but fascinating glimpse into the history of Origin Systems and the mentality of the company. Ultima Aiera is indebted to Pioneer Dragon and everyone who worked at Origin for it.
“The freelance programmer who designs at home, sends his masterpiece to a publisher, and waits for the checks to roll in, is now long gone.”
Is it now? Especially considering the need for a traditional publisher, in any artistic field, is diminishing by the minute.
Well, to be fair, it’s a lot easier to self-publish content now than it was in the 1980s and 1990s. Back when this letter was written, there were precious few options for selling your own content to a wide market without working through a publisher.
Hmm…are you not revealing on purpose what year this letter was written?
As is often the case today, the letter also states that while a college degree in a relevant field can prove advantageous, it is not a firm requirement
This probably isn’t true nowadays in this age of rampant credentialism.
Infinitron:
I occasionally browse game-dev job listings, and have noticed verbiage similar to that from Origin (e.g. That a degree may be advantageous, but not strictly required) on postings at several companies (e.g. BioWare). Other times, I’ve noticed that job postings don’t list a college degree requirement (e.g. Warhorse Studios, some EA listings).
Game development doesn’t seem to have caught the credentialism craze like some other fields have.
The current game industry is either making a trade for a known power professional or is selling an illusion to recruit the newest grunts to throw into the meat grinder. Or acquiring a studio or being acquired by a studio, of course. Garriott is a power pro, we are dense cuts of beef that need to be ground and tenderized to be palatable.
Credentialism is a filter against the chaos of a broken system. It’s easier to let the universities sort out the con men and the stupid than to do it yourself in an interview.
Sanctimonia:
In my experience, credentialism tends to mean the opposite; universities are great at turning out people who test well and look good on a (very expensive) piece of paper, but who are all but useless in a real-life situation.
Good point. I’ve seen that in action, actually. Been a while since I’ve been in an office, so my memory’s a bit foggy.