Health Not Hits
For as long as I've been involved in the Christian game developer community, people have asked the question: What will it take for "Christian Games" to mature into an industry like our cousins "Christian Films" and "Christian Music"? The popular answer is that we need a hit Christian game, and then people would take notice. I understand their logic, but it always felt like a human-reasoned approach to the problem, so it would not be God's answer. God seems to enjoy subverting human expectations and chooses to work through the most unlikely ways.
I won't lie, though; hits are alluring. Who doesn't want to make something masses of people love and enjoy? Plus, it usually comes with the unspoken benefit of being admired and celebrated. I'll be the first to admit it. GUILTY! And that is the rub: pride subtly sneaks in, and our hope slowly drifts off the Lord and onto something else. And whenever we put our hopes in anything other than the Lord, it sets us up for disappointment, pain, and failure. (See Psalm 146:3, Jeremiah 17:5, Psalm 118:8, Isaiah 31:1, Proverbs 11:28, 1 Timothy 6:17)
Nevertheless, let's say our hope remains firmly focused on the Lord, and we don't allow pride to sneak into the equation. Does a hit Christian game or even multiple hit games move us closer to our goal of a thriving Christian game development ecosystem? I'm doubtful. From my observations, hit-seeking gives birth to more hit-seeking, which infects and affects all aspects of business. Just look at the broader games industry at large. It's not well!
“The games industry is chasing instant hits from ground it doesn’t water.”
In a 2024 interview, Xalavier Nelson Jr described the state of the industry by saying, "The games industry is chasing instant hits from ground it doesn't water." His observation not only reminds me of the post I wrote on Regenerative Game Development, but it is poetically evocative of the tension between two approaches before us: the path of hits or the path of health.
As I admitted before, the path of hits is alluring and exciting. It's the path that seems the most fun, and it may be. It may even get us close to our destination, but the problem is remaining there. I desire to have a long, full career in games, Lord willing, which requires stability, and stability demands health. All sustainable ecosystems are healthy.
The problem is the path of health isn't the fun path. It's hard work, slow growth, and obscurity. It looks dull and boring in comparison. Think about what it takes to have a healthy body: eating a balanced diet (including vegetables), regular exercise, and getting sufficient sleep. None of those are exciting or, glamorous or fun. Everyone wants to be healthy, but few are willing to do what it takes.
Another challenge is that our flesh desires our fifteen minutes of fame, and this path may never take you through the limelight. If it does by chance, it will be after spending considerable time walking through lonely places on the back side of mountains and journeying through the wilderness. You won't want it by that time because you've been so close to the true light, the Light of the World. You will be radiant (Exodus 34:29-35).
“[A]spire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.”
The reason all of this is on my mind is threefold. First, it's the start of a new year, which is always a good time to reflect on aspects of your life, like health—it is why gym memberships always spike in January. Second, this topic has been on my mind for several years since God asked me a question. "You've been praying for blessings and breakthroughs in your career and life, but are you prepared to steward them?" As I reflected, the answer was no; I had some places where I needed to grow and some places where God needed to do some cutting. Since then, I've been meditating on that question and continuing to check in with God about preparing for the blessings and responsibilities He has for me. Similarly, at the 2024 Christian Game Developers Conference, I felt like the Lord impressed upon me the same feeling about our community—we're not ready. To put it more positively, we must prepare to steward the coming blessings. This brings me to the third and final reason: I recently heard stories of how our community missed opportunities in a big way!
CGDC Board Member and long-time community member Phil Conrod told me that through the years, God has prompted people outside our community to attend our conference to fund Christian games. It was a burden that God had placed on them, and they acted upon it. Some of these individuals were wealthy businesspeople whom God blessed in abundant ways, so much so that they felt God was leading them to direct several million dollars into these projects.
At this point in the story, I stopped Phil to ensure I had heard him correctly. I asked, "Millions of dollars?" Yes, millions of dollars, yet at that moment in time, they could not find a single team within our community willing and capable of stewarding the opportunity.
Strangely, I don't remember these opportunities. I know I was around during those times. My only guess is that I knew I wasn't the right fit for the projects, so I may have directed them toward others in the community—not thinking much about them and utterly oblivious to their size and significance. I don't have a burning passion for making Bible-based games; however, I know many others in the community do. Still, hearing those stories in 2024, when so many people have been looking for work, landed on me with a tremendous weight and broke my heart.
Thankfully, we do not serve a God of single chances. Our community may have missed some opportunities, but God will mercifully bring more. However, we must be ready to steward them. So, at the beginning of 2025, I ask that you be honest with yourself and God about where you are. If God gave you what you are asking for, would you be able to steward it, or would you buckle under its weight?
If God brought investors into our community, what would they find? Would they find teams that are trustworthy and proven? Would they find teams that are humble and willing to lay down their plans for a time to work on a project God wants done now? Would they find individuals who do not require recognition and do not horde the blessings? What about people who do not reject and despise small beginnings? I don't know about you, but at this point in my life, I want to partner with whatever God is doing in games, even if it does look anything like I've imagined.
