Bluepoint Games, renowned for their meticulous remakes and remasters, has made significant strides in the gaming industry since its inception in 2006. Read on as some of their employees share more about the company’s mission and history, as well as their insights into the game development industry.
1. What is the core mission or purpose of Bluepoint Games and how is that mission reflected in your projects?
Bluepoint Games’ unofficial motto is “Work Smarter, Not Harder.” We leverage technology and strategic thinking to streamline our creative processes. Working smarter boosts our productivity, allowing us to invest our time on what matters most: delivering engaging, quality gameplay experiences.
2. Can you briefly tell us about the history of Bluepoint Games, highlighting any key milestones?
Bluepoint Games was founded in 2006 by two game engineers, Andy O’Neil and Marco Thrush. That same year, we released our first title, “Blast Factor,” exclusive to the PS3. In 2009, we published the “God of War Collection,” the first video game remaster. Since then, we have developed many successful titles, including the remakes of “Shadow of the Colossus” (PS4) and “Demon’s Souls” (PS5).
3. What advice would you give to students who aspire to work in game design and development?
Technical Artist: Make lots of games. Try to find like-minded people and make games with them. Find ways to steer your school projects towards games, or other real-time applications where able. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people in the industry doing the job you want to do and ask them for advice or guidance. Most people in this industry are very nice and love helping to foster the growth of aspiring game developers.
Game Designer: Find your passion. There are technical skills needed for sure but channel your passion through your work and portfolio. Whether that's audio, psychology, history, linguistics, whatever. Your work illustrates your personality, and that passion comes through your attention to detail and focus. You don't have to be good at everything. In your portfolio, focus on what you contributed and what you're most proud of. It's a long road ahead; make sure you have fun doing it.
4. What skills and experiences are most valuable for someone looking to join a game development studio like Bluepoint Games?
Technical Artist: Connect with other people who want to work in games or that currently work in games. Networking is invaluable. Make a point to attend game development conferences, game jams, etc. Game development is a highly collaborative industry, so people skills are just as valuable as your technical, design, and artistic skills.
"Strive to be a voracious devourer of knowledge."
Producer: Strive to be a voracious devourer of knowledge. The games industry is constantly evolving so to be at the top of your craft it requires an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to learn new things. Use resources online or speak to people in your network about the latest industry trends, what tools are being used, how the latest games have been developed. Videos of game development conferences are great for this, as well as following various news outlets.
5. What are some common challenges new graduates face in the game industry, and how can they overcome them?
Technical Artist: Never be afraid to ask questions. Everyone is learning all the time, even after you “get the job.” The transition from school life to work life can be a bit jolting for some people, but if you can get into a routine and get a good day-to-day rhythm going, the transition will go much smoother. This is especially true if you are working from home.
"Show them what you can do and what you're passionate about so they can imagine how you fit into their team."
Game Designer: Making your resume and portfolio stand out. It's great to showcase awesome projects in your portfolio, but the employer is hiring you, not publishing your game. In team-based projects, zero in on your contributions to highlight your strengths to a potential employer. Remember, you're applying to be part of a team. You don't have to be good at everything. Show them what you can do and what you're passionate about so they can imagine how you fit into their team.
6. How can students make the most of their time in school to prepare for a career in game development?
Artist: Make sure the projects you’re doing are examples of the discipline you’re choosing to pursue. If you want to be a lighter doing lighting projects, don’t spend time on an animation reel if you know you don’t want to animate. Be ready and willing to do independent projects. Your assigned school work might not be focused enough to build you a solid portfolio, so you’ll need to spend extra time developing your skills and portfolio on your own.
"Don’t just follow coursework and expect to get a job by checking all the boxes."
Producer: Don’t just follow coursework and expect to get a job by checking all the boxes. Spend time outside of class making games with other people in game jam settings or over the course of a few semesters. If you’re not certain about which discipline to focus on, try everything to figure out what you really want to do. This will also help you diversify your skill set. If you’re learning to code and want to be a programmer, don’t lean so heavily on game engines to do all the work for you. Learn not just how to drive the car, so to speak, but how it works under the hood as well. Lastly, focus not just on your craft but also your marketability and network. Make connections in the industry, go to industry events, create an immaculate resume, and establish a web presence for your work (if applicable). Make sure to get feedback from your peers on these; this will be your first impression with potential employers.
11. How do you foster a collaborative and productive work environment?
HR: I like to chat about non-work-related topics as a way to get to know my coworkers. Being in HR, there’s a lot that I can’t discuss with everyone, but I do need to know the population that I’m serving and what their needs are. I try to get to know the person, and that helps me to serve them as an employee.
Producer: Establishing a culture of psychological safety, where everyone is encouraged to speak up and offer ideas without fear of retribution or ridicule, is absolutely critical for productive work environments. Also, keeping an open mind to try new things even if there is some uncertainty is key, operating from a place of curiosity and not a place of fear. Lastly, I’ve found that offering a platform for team members to celebrate the accomplishments and achievements of their colleagues is a great way to create an environment of support and collaboration.
Interested in opportunities to work at Bluepoint Games? Take a peek at their job board and schedule a 1:1 with the SDCT’s industry relations team to prepare for future opportunities!