Michael Cerven

🚨 Swing and a Miss 🚨 Sony's push into live service games has been slow—Helldivers 2 saw initial success but is tapering off, and The Last of Us Online was canceled, highlighting challenges in this model. Now, Concord is being taken offline due to mixed feedback and low engagement. However, I’m glad the game isn’t dead; it will return later. In the meantime, Sony should consider going free-to-play, redesigning character looks, and incorporating characters from existing PlayStation IPs. #GamingIndustry #Sony #LiveService #GameDevelopment #PlayerFeedback #Concord #PlayStation

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As Productions Move Abroad, California Gears Up to Battle Film and TV Exodus – The Gloves Are Coming Off! California’s film and TV production game might be down, but it’s far from out! As productions flirt with international locations, the Golden State is ready to throw some heavyweight punches to keep the magic of Hollywood alive. With a powerful combination of tax credits, infrastructure investment, and a homegrown talent pool that’s second to none, California is suiting up to go toe-to-toe with global competitors. Sure, cheaper locations and irresistible international incentives have been stealing the spotlight. But here’s the plot twist: California isn’t just sitting on the sidelines. We’re rolling up our sleeves, ready to “rumble”. The goal? To remind the world that Hollywood is still the undisputed champion of content creation—no matter how far production tries to wander. The future of film in California? Bright, bold, and absolutely worth watching. https://lnkd.in/grDAwWZ3 Entertainment Partners California Film Commission FilmLA Motion Picture Association

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So sorry to hear about layoffs at Modern Wolf, with 6 staff members being affected. The news broke last night, with my former CA colleague George Willard posting the news, as well as providing information about those also laid off to support re-hiring as quickly as possible. You can find that here: https://lnkd.in/eEXWSgNQ To those impacted by these layoffs, please find a comprehensive list of resources, below: 🥇First, Discipline Games Jobs Resources: Over the past weeks I have created 9 (at time of writing) Games Jobs Resources to find jobs in a wide range of disciplines: 🎨 Art, Animation, VFX and UI: This resource contains around 1,200 jobs worldwide across all links. Link: https://lnkd.in/eu2bjadW ⚙ Engineering and Programming This resource lists just over 1,900 jobs worldwide across all links. It also talks about interview tips and questions to practice. Link: https://lnkd.in/etPj22BE 🕹 Quality Assurance: This resource lists over 450 QA jobs worldwide. This post also talks about the craft of QA and contains tips and interview practice. Link: https://lnkd.in/dwwVjZuc 📑 Game Production: This resource lists around 400 jobs worldwide. It also contains info about game production as a whole and GDC talks. Link: https://lnkd.in/gxDvFM-Z 📢 Marketing & Community: This resource lists around 400 jobs worldwide. It also gives an intro into game marketing and community management. Link: https://lnkd.in/e5MuViug 🎶 Audio and Sound Design: This resource lists around 190 jobs worldwide. Link: https://lnkd.in/eSkPSsWf 📠 Studio Support, HR, Recruitment and BizDev: This resource lists around 290 jobs worldwide. Link: https://lnkd.in/ePG57_7v ⚙ IT, Helpdesk and DevOps: This resource lists around 140 jobs worldwide. Link: https://lnkd.in/e8ZsuiZh 🎮 Game Design: This resource lists around 480 jobs worldwide. https://lnkd.in/dCv_hQXv 🥈 Second, the Ultimate list of Video Games Career Resources: This should be your one-stop shop for all information. My dear friend Amir Satvat maintains these documents, he is a legend for doing this - please check them out: https://amirsatvat.com/ 🥉 Third, If you have worked in publishing, please message me. I am looking for quite a few roles right now! ⬅ 🎖 Finally, do not give up. Ever. No matter how dark things may look right now, I KNOW you will get through this, you have got this! 👊 Remember you are not alone. If you need help, advice, or even an ear to listen, we're here for you. Always! ➡ A request to my community, please can I ask you to repost this post to your colleagues and friends, so that we can get as many into jobs as possible! And please comment if you or your studio are currently hiring - let's help each other! Much love ❤️ #layoffs #gamesindustry #jobsingames #modernwolf

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Friends, In an effort to adapt and grow with our ever-changing community, I have realized that we can do better in supporting those struggling to find their place in games. Together with Hailey Rojas and Desirée R., we have refined what is to become our brand new, 16th resource on AmirSatvat.com: Hailey Rojas' #opentonetwork, her amazing passion project. This is different from our community coaching. It is meant to be our lightest touch and easiest access peer-to-peer connection point within the community. There is no expectation of a coaching conversation, but simply that you want to connect with someone and get to know them better on whatever terms you want. As a student herself, Hailey has experienced firsthand how intimidating building connections can be when starting out. This has been a passion project for Hailey, and she has already enrolled hundreds of people. Therefore, if you are currently #OpenToNetwork, I encourage you to join the nearly 400 individuals who are actively looking to strengthen their networks. This will go on AmirSatvat.com under Category 6: Community Voice. https://lnkd.in/dynRXCV9 This is not community coaching. For those formalized programs, please enjoy the four resources under category 2 at amirsatvat.com: https://lnkd.in/dQVT4U4y These resources are not mutually exclusive and I encourage you to explore both #opentonetwork and our community coaching. If you want to sign up, you can do that here: https://lnkd.in/e4X92puw To view the list of people #opentonetwork, please go here: https://lnkd.in/e9AvBNJx In a world where the power of connections is more potent than ever, it is never too late to introduce yourself and share who you are, without fear of being judged. Once again, I would like to thank our community for their constant support as we continue to improve the quality of resources offered. Finally, I would like to offer a huge thanks again, and again, and again, and again to Desirée R., Amir Satvat's Games Community's Head of Design and my dear friend, for another masterpiece - god I love this one and isn't she just crazy talented? Hire this amazing human being please - you can ping her directly on LinkedIn! All the best, Amir

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PARTYNEXTDOOR'S manager Tyler Henry recently shared gems on working PND, OVO, & more. Here are 5 of my favorite takeaways: 1) How you do anything is how you do everything Tyler shares the story of how he got his start in the music industry while in college in California. One of his first opportunities was a result of connecting with Drake's tour manager Jamilio who asked Tyler for help working a party. Tyler took the job incredibly seriously and came with a team of people that were super on point: •Tyler & his team showed up early •Each person had an assigned role  •Everyone wore black outfits as a uniform Tyler treated it like the Super Bowl - Jamilio saw his execution and precision which led to more opportunities. How you do anything is how you do everything. 2) Preparation is key Tyler talks about wanting to understand who the key players were that worked with the artists he was either currently working with or wanted to work with. He made a spreadsheet of artist and manager contacts to help understand who everyone was, capitalize on opportunities, and meet as many people as possible. That preparation and understanding of who the key players were allowed him to recognize folks in person and capitalize on what would otherwise be small moments. For ex: while waiting in line for the bathroom, he recognized an agent from the spreadsheet he made and initiated a conversation that made a last impression. Tyler also talks about being asked to help tour manage a show on the West Coast one year. Tyler knew that show was 1 of 5 and instead of just packing a bag for that one show, he packed a bag for all 5 just in case he got asked to stay on. Preparation met opportunity when he was asked to stay on for all 5 shows and after being able to because he was prepared, that was how he met PARTYNEXTDOOR. 3) Opportunities create momentum One of the biggest takeaways from Tyler's story is how moments and opportunities snowball - there is momentum in capitalizing on opportunities as doors continue opening from one thing to the next. Doing a great job in one moment can help open the next door. 4) Hard work is necessary Tyler tells the story of how when PARTYNEXTDOOR went on his first tour with Drake, he didn't get caught up in the nightlife or partying. Every night after the show, he would work on music with a small handheld mic and continue to perfect his craft. That dedication helped Party make some of the music that eventually catapalted his career. 5) Understanding your artist Part of being a great manager is understanding your artist and the fact that every artist has their own nuance. What works for 1 artist might not work for another one in terms of strategy, opportunities, workflow, and work style. It's important to understand your artist and tailor to their specific needs. Subscribe to my newsletter for more info: https://lnkd.in/eReqf9hp

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