Building Careers on Sand
A few weeks ago, I watched a video from industry veteran Tim Cain. If you don’t know Tim, I’m confident you're at least familiar with his work on IPs like Fallout. He's been in the industry for a long time and has gained a deep trove of wisdom concerning the business and craft of game development.
This year has been tumultuous, with studio closures and layoffs. With all that is going on, it's easy to feel like the entire industry is falling apart and point fingers at AI and greedy executives. However, Tim makes an interesting point: the instability we are seeing and feeling across the industry, while scary, is nothing new. It’s been there from the beginning, and he believes it always will be.
As I listened, I was struck by a thought: Oh my God, we are building careers on sand!
Building on Sand
In the Bible, Jesus told a story about a foolish man who built his house upon the sand. I’m sure you know the story; if you grew up in Sunday School, you probably even know the actions to the song. After building the house, I assume he was living his life and enjoying the fruits of his labor. Then one day, a terrible storm rolled through and knocked it down.
The man is undoubtedly heartbroken; he invested a lot of time and effort in building it. Friends and relatives may have even complimented him on his craftsmanship and design choices. But in the end, none of it mattered, because no matter how beautiful the house was, it lacked a strong, stable foundation.
We understand the principle. It’s simple; even itty bitty Sunday Schoolers get it. Yet somehow, we still get surprised when what we’ve built (friendships, partnerships, businesses, careers) collapses in life's storms—only to reveal our assumptions, overlooked warning signs, and foolish decisions.
Industry Instability
In terms of the games industry, Tim points to two structural elements that create instability: art and technology. Unfortunately, those two elements are also at the core of what makes a video game a video game. Take away one strand of this DNA, and it's no longer a video game.
What Makes Art and Technology So Unstable?
Art and technology are fundamentally unstable because they are in constant flux. Art continues to change because people’s tastes change; What was popular one moment is out of vogue the next. Whole industries are built around our constant search for the new, giving birth to concepts like “fast fashion” or “throwaway fashion.”
Technology is the same; it never stops evolving. Each year, like clockwork, new, better, faster hardware components are released. Software moves even faster. Even before AI, most software moved along on quarterly, monthly, weekly, and even daily cycles. The advent of powerful frontier AI models will only supercharge the speed of software like a nitrous boost into a suped-up engine.
In short, if you’re looking for security and stability in the games industry, you’re looking in the wrong place. The game industry is sand—it always has been, and it always will be. There may have been a time when some people found a patch they mistook for solid ground, but it was only a dry, hard clump of sand.
Are We Fools?
Are we fools to want to make a living from game development? Where does that leave the children of God who work in the industry? Or those who hope to someday? Or those who feel called to it, or have been given ideas for games? Or the ones who see the industry as their mission field?
The good news is, it leaves us in the same spot the children of God have always been. You see, the problem isn’t the sand. God has been calling his people into sandy places throughout Scripture. The problem is that we start trusting the things of the world instead of trusting and depending solely on God to sustain us.
Here is a quick survey of some places we mistakenly place our trust.
Trust in Humans and Rulers
- Jeremiah 17:5: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the LORD."
- Psalm 146:3: "Do not put your trust in princes, nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help."
- Psalm 118:8: "It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man."
Trust in Wealth
- Proverbs 11:28: "He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf."
- 1 Timothy 6:17: Instructs the rich not to put their hope in the uncertainty of wealth but in God.
- Psalm 62:10: "If riches increase, set not your heart upon them."
Trust in Self and Idols
- Proverbs 28:26: "Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered."
- Isaiah 31:1: Warns against trusting in military might (horses and chariots) rather than the Holy One of Israel.
- Isaiah 44:9-10: Mocks the futility of trusting in idols, noting they profit nothing.
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
As Christians in this industry, we can put our hope in it, in a particular company, project, or people. All of it will disappoint. It’s just a matter of time. We’re dust standing on sand. The only thing we can do is follow the wise instructions of Proverbs 3:5-6. "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding."
Oh, and if you feel like God is calling you to work in games, be sure to pack your flip-flops. 😎
