Making a video game isn’t a one man job, well at least making a good one isn’t. Everybody from the director all the way down to game testers, play a crucial role in determining how good or bad the game will turn out. All these people work together toward a common goal, which is to make a game that leaves an impression on gamers across the world, achieving success in both critical acclaim and sales.
However, there usually is one person who leads the development of a game or of the industry in general. Their vision is what pushes the rest to work toward a goal. It’s hard to come up with a brilliant idea, but it’s harder to convince others of the same. It takes a lot of courage and belief in an idea for one to rise above the rest and see that idea through till its completion. But it is because of some of these visionaries that gaming has reached the heights it has today.
6. Cliff Bleszinski
Popularly known as Cliffy B, is an American video game design director for the game developer Epic Games. He is well known for his role in the development of the Unreal Franchise, especially 1999’s Unreal Tournament and the Gears of War franchise.
In most fields of work, a system of seniority and hierarchy is usually followed. It is said that the more experience one has results in a greater level of maturity. Bleszinski had made it big in the industry early, proving that young blood too is needed in an industry like this to keep it from stagnating. His forceful energy directly translates into the games he makes like Gears of War. He is always happy to collaborate with others, in an attempt to draw upon influences from across the globe.
7. Satoru Iwata
Nintendo, for the first 113 years of its existence was a family run business. But when Hiroshi Yamauchi stepped down from his 53 year long reign, he shocked many around the world when he appointed HAL Laboratory president, Satoru Iwata. As a game designer and a businessman, Iwata led Nintendo through a new age of creativity and shifted it’s focus back on to the playfulness that defined its toy manufacturing era. Wii and DS, both of which released during his reign, have redefined the video game scenario, shaking the very ground Sony and Microsoft thought they stood firm on.
He eventually became a prominent figure of Nintendo’s public relations. He improved the fan base by reaching out and responding to fans through social media. He started a interview series called Iwata Asks which showcased the camaraderie between Iwata and members of Nintendo, revealing a different side of a rather secretive Nintendo.
Iwata died on July 11 2015 due to complications with a tumor, however his legacy and what stood for will forever stand strong in the gaming industry.
8. Ken Levine
Creative director and co-founder of Irrational Games. He overlooked the creation of the BioShock series and is known for his work on Thief: The Dark Project and System Shock 2. Game Informer named him one of the “Storytellers of the Decade.”
He is known for creating narrative-driven games that tend to explore sociological and philosophical themes. He chooses dynamics art styles for his games like art deco, steampunk and frontierism. Levine’s strength lies in the storytelling aspect of gaming where he explore concepts ranging from racial commentary to metaphysics.
9. Tim Schafer
Best known as the designer of critically acclaimed games like Full Throttle, Grim Fandango, Psychonauts, Brutal Legend and Broken Age, Tim Schafer is the founder of Double Fine Productions. His trademark in the video game industry lies in his storytelling and comedic writing style.
After a great stint at LucasArts, people had high expectations of Tim when he left LucasArts to join Double Fine in 2000. The next decade was a rough one for the company as they were only able to come out with two titles. However, Schafer decided to divide the Brutal Legend team into four micro-teams, setting them to work on four downloadable titles without any creative boundaries. And the results have been amazing. He stated that he strives for intergrating story into the gameplay, setting a creative goal of someday creating a video game without any cutscenes at all.
10. Chris Avellone
Some may know him as a comic book writer, but he is more famously known for his contributions to the gaming industry as a game designer who worked for Interplay and Obsidian Entertainment.
Avellone played a vital role in pushing RPG as a genre to the place it has reached today. His constant influence and inspiration in games like Fallout 2 and Planescape, a genre of gaming that puts quality storytelling and player agency before all else, has been immense.
This is a four-part article, so in case you thought we missed out on some other important people, we would most likely cover it in the next iteration or would have already in the previous one. Till then feel free to roam around the our website for more news and random stuff.
