Why Don't Many Game Developers at Major Companies Enjoy Playing Games?

“You game developers—do you actually play games?”

Similar questions are common in major gaming communities, and the underlying implication is: “This game doesn’t seem like something gamers would have made.”

This is essentially a veiled expression of dissatisfaction. Objectively speaking, however, such emotional outbursts are somewhat irresponsible. I’ve seen many industry professionals who are seasoned gamers—people who have invested thousands, or even tens of thousands, of hours playing games in specific genres and who have unique insights into game design.

However, looking at it from another angle, the claim that “many game developers don’t play many games” is not unfounded; this raises two deeper industry challenges: first, the burnout that sets in when a hobby becomes a job, and second, the widespread loss of a sense of purpose among individual employees within an industrialized system.

Burnout has become almost a universal problem among game industry professionals. An employee at a major game studio admitted that playing video games after work feels like continuing to work—especially games that require precise controls and intense concentration. When the body is exhausted, all one wants to do is scroll through short videos that don’t require any mental effort. Behind this state lies the high level of physical and mental strain inherent in game development work itself.

The more critical issue, however, is that the industrialized processes of many large-scale projects are reshaping the definition of what it means to be a “game developer.” Within these finely tuned machines, most people are merely cogs in specific positions; they don’t need to understand the big picture of the project, let alone have a deep understanding of the game itself.

Often, for a program, the core value lies in whether the code is implemented efficiently and whether the bug rate is below average;For artists, the primary goal is to complete and deliver work on time and achieve the visual effects required by management; whether or not they play games has no direct bearing on their work delivery. Even for game designers, under a highly specialized division of labor, they may only need to perform modular tasks, so their gaming experience may not be of much help.

Of course, gaming experience is still a must for many positions. Key roles such as producers and core designers still require an in-depth understanding of competing products and the target audience. However, for the vast majority of staff at the operational level, within a clearly defined, industrialized division of labor, professional skills are far more important than a passion for games.

This reality is somewhat regrettable.

In this episode of “Game & Tea Roundtable,” we spoke with industry professionals about the following question: “Why is it that many developers at major game studios don’t really like playing games—or don’t play them at all?”

▍Independent Game Developer Ye Lanzhou

More than a decade ago, when the era of smartphones was just beginning and mobile gaming was at its peak, that vibrant, dynamic atmosphere—where everything was flourishing—still feels as vivid as ever. Back then, I was the lead game designer, and I was interviewing a young man applying for a game designer position. He seemed quite energetic, but the moment I picked up his resume, I was instantly taken aback—this guy was no ordinary candidate!

So I asked him, “You used to operate a crane, and before that, a hoist—so why did you decide to get into game development?”

He grinned and said matter-of-factly, “I hear this line of work pays pretty well these days.”

Look, at the end of the day, it's just a job—dreams and passion aren't really necessary.

In today’s ultra-competitive environment, this person wouldn’t even make the cut, but back then, it really wasn’t that unusual—I have several friends who are programmers and who switched over from other industries; some used to drive trains, others worked in heavy industry, and they’re all excellent programmers. Even I started out as an editor before becoming a planner…

In today’s industrialized system, when it comes to developing large-scale games, most roles have very little to do with passion. For programmers, for example, the core measure of value is whether the code they write is efficient and stable enough, and whether the bug rate is below the department average.

The best thing about working with game developers is how easy it is to communicate with them—for example, they might yawn, toss your proposal aside, and say, “So, which game’s feature do you want me to copy?”

As for whether this system is fun or player-friendly, that’s not their top priority. As long as they can build it accurately and with few bugs, it’s already excellent.

As for game designers, having played a lot of games is certainly helpful for your job application, but in practice, the workflow places greater emphasis on your “understanding” of games, because a game designer’s perspective is completely different from that of a player. Simply playing dozens or even hundreds of games doesn’t necessarily do much to develop your aesthetic sense when it comes to games.

So for big tech companies that can pick and choose candidates at will—since everyone’s raving about it anyway—why wouldn’t I choose someone who’s worked on a successful project? Even if you just did menial work on *Genshin Impact*, that’s still a real feather in your cap. Regardless of whether you ultimately get an offer, anyone who sees a resume like that is bound to take a second look.

When you break it down layer by layer like this, it becomes very, very common to find teams at major companies filled with people who have impressive resumes and outstanding skills, but who simply don’t enjoy playing games and have little passion for them.

As long as project management runs smoothly and upper management doesn’t cut the budget, these people will definitely be able to finish the game; but whether they can make it a success or turn a profit is another story entirely…

▍Employee at a major game company: Battery

I’m not a developer, but I started working at a game company right after graduation. I used to play games for the first two years, but after that, I really didn’t play much anymore. To put it simply, playing games at home felt like continuing to work.Plus, gaming is pretty exhausting—mainly because work is already so tiring, and playing games after work is just as draining, especially games that require quick reflexes and intense focus. Eventually, I just wanted to scroll through short videos that didn’t require any brainpower.

▍Zhihu Answerer: Three More Wishes

Here’s the thing: there are people like me who’ve been playing games since childhood and can instantly tell a game designer which game’s code he copied—but there aren’t many of us.

There’s a prerequisite: people who understand video games or have what’s called “gaming taste.” For our generation—those born after 1985—you should have had at least a Xiaobao console by second grade; from sixth grade through middle school, a computer with at least a Celeron CPU that used floppy disks; and in middle school, a computer powerful enough to run Counter-Strike. Plus, PS(if you’re in the Xbox camp, just substitute the Xbox version here), PS2,PS3, and Nintendo 3DS—your parents would have to buy you at least one of these devices, or even all of them. On top of that, you’d have to spend money on games, dedicate time to playing them, and maintain good grades while doing so—all to get into an undergraduate program, secure a campus recruitment offer, land a job at a major tech company, and ultimately work in the “gaming industry.” (The barrier to entry has dropped significantly since Unity came along; back in the day, client-based games weren’t something just anyone could afford to develop).

Even so, you might not be able to compete with the other two programmers—who either don’t play games, have a limited understanding of games limited to Dota or League of Legends, or don’t play any games at all—because the game designers will tell you exactly what you need to do. Since understanding games isn’t a plus for developers at major studios, there are few people who possess this skill.

▍Former Marketing and Publishing Executive at a Major Game Company: Mai Pian

There was actually a very clear contrast with the team I was on before. Under the same boss, there were two separate planning teams. The one I was on tended to focus on new technologies; everyone was really passionate about exploration and innovation, and we spent every day figuring out how to make the product better.

In that kind of environment, it’s virtually impossible for anyone to avoid games entirely. But the situation is quite different for another team: they’re working on a game in the company’s traditional core category. The project has been in development for several years, yet they still haven’t found the right time to launch it; the gameplay itself is rather unremarkable, and the overall pace is geared toward maintaining day-to-day operations.

I think whether or not you play games depends on the team’s atmosphere and how much commitment the project requires from you. Although the gaming industry is a career that lets many people turn their hobby into a source of income, you can’t force everyone to play games.In an environment where everyone is more dedicated, the bar for gaming skills might be set quite high, but if the game itself isn’t that great, you really just need to implement the feature. This is how things work at many major internet companies as well.

▍Zhihu answerer FreddyHu

It doesn’t matter whether you like playing games or not, or whether you play them at all. I used to care a lot about this a few years ago, but now I’ve come to terms with it. The title of this question is: Why is it that many developers at major game companies don’t really like playing games—or don’t play them at all?

Here, “target audience” refers to “development staff”—the employees who do the actual work. Take game art as an example: the primary goal of an artist is to achieve the visual effects requested by the team lead or lead artist. The same applies to creative concept designers and their teams. Therefore, your goal is to complete and deliver your work on time. “Work delivery” has no direct relationship with “whether or not you play games.”Playing games can help you meet your delivery deadlines and better understand your supervisors’ requirements. You’re free to play whatever games you like. It doesn’t matter whether your colleagues play games or not.

As a developer, whether or not you play games, if you deliver work that meets or exceeds your manager’s expectations, you’ll receive a promotion and a raise. As a developer, if you play games every day and your work fails to meet your manager’s expectations, you’ll receive a warning or be laid off. Core team members: producers, various “Chief” titles, core designers, and creative staff.It’s still essential to understand the competitive landscape as much as possible—including the strengths and weaknesses of competing games and the target audience—so you can know both yourself and your competitors.

▍Game Producer Bingo

Question: Why is it that many developers at major game companies don't really like playing games—or don't play them at all?

I’d rather not discuss the term “a lot.” How much is “a lot”? More than half? Do most people in the gaming industry not play games? Reality isn’t that absurd.

I've rephrased the question as follows: Is it possible for developers in the gaming industry to not like—or even not play—games?

My answer is: Yes, but this is clearly not the norm.

1. If I had a choice, I’d go with the magnetic screwdriver designed specifically for computer repairs.

The computer is malfunctioning, so I need to take it apart to check it. I only have a regular screwdriver at home, but since the tip fits, I’ll have to make do with it.

Whether they’re large or small companies, when hiring, they all include requirements related to a passion for games in their job postings. During interviews, they also place special emphasis on assessing this aspect.Obviously, since we’re in the gaming industry, hiring people who love games is only natural. When someone is passionate about their work, they’re highly motivated—you don’t have to push them; they’ll work hard on their own.

Big tech companies dare to do this because they hold the upper hand in the hiring process—they have plenty of candidates to choose from. It’s like an electronics repair shop that has a whole row of spare screwdrivers to choose from, so they can easily pick the one that fits best.

Small companies have no choice but to do this. With limited staff and little room for error, every position carries significant responsibility.What if someone who doesn’t like or play games becomes complacent on the job? What if they misunderstand the requirements because they don’t understand games? A small company is like a computer geek—it certainly can’t stock every type of screwdriver, but it must have one: a power screwdriver with a dozen or so different bits, specifically designed for electronic devices.

II. A game is an engineering project, and sometimes it’s impossible to strive for perfection

If your teammates are waiting for you to log in, and this is the only ordinary screwdriver you have, would you use it or not?

If your specialized screwdriver suddenly breaks and the blade slips, would you order a replacement online and wait for it to be delivered, or would you go downstairs to the hardware store and buy a regular screwdriver to use for now?

Imagine you're the project lead for a game project. Your team of several dozen people is in the midst of intense development when suddenly two programmers are poached. You've spent a week recruiting, but the candidates who meet the skill requirements aren't big gamers. Do you hire them or not?

Sometimes, getting the job done is more important than striving for perfection; as long as you can manage the risks, even non-specialized screwdrivers will do the trick.

III. Ability Is a Prerequisite; Interest Can Be Cultivated

For entry-level recruitment at major tech companies, certain technical positions have relatively low requirements for gaming experience. There are two reasons for this:

1. Certain technical roles involve developing very low-level components and don’t focus as much on game business logic, so they have lower requirements for game experience; 2. The confidence of major companies is such that, under the influence of their overall environment, even people who don’t like playing games will come to enjoy them after working there for a while.

Of course, the confidence of these major tech companies doesn’t necessarily mean their hopes will come true. There are quite a few people who didn’t like playing video games when they were in school, and they’ve never really taken to them. But their technical skills are still top-notch, so they’ve continued to work at these major tech companies.

To summarize:

In major game companies, there are bound to be some people who aren’t particularly fond of games or don’t even play them. However, their numbers aren’t very high, and the jobs they hold don’t require much gaming experience. When a company is large enough, even though the proportion of such employees is relatively low, their absolute number becomes significant.