Gaming: An Ever-Evolving Industry With Gordon Walton

Gordon Walton is the Chief Product Officer and Executive Producer at Playable Worlds, a computer games company specializing in gamification, online games, and game development. As a pioneer in the industry, Gordon started his career in 1977 and has executive-produced multiple MMO games. He has an extensive resume, working for companies such as ArtsCraft Entertainment (formally known as Crowfall), Monumental LLC, Playdom, and Sony Online Entertainment. Gordon oversaw the development of several MMOGs, including Air Warrior and Multiplayer Battletech at Kesmai Studios. 

Additionally, he's personally developed over 30 games and led the development of more than 200 games. His numerous years of experience and knowledge have made him a thought leader in the industry, and he speaks regularly at industry conferences. Gordon also serves as an advisor for various gaming educational programs.

In this episode…

In the early days of the video game industry, game developers were nerdy hobbyists creating games for other hobbyists. However, the industry has changed significantly over the last 50 years.

Gordon Walton, a seasoned game developer, shares that during the '70s and '80s, a coder may have produced 100 lines of code per day. Today, it's much faster and more interactive. The scale is also much more extensive, from as low as five-person teams to large teams of hundreds of workers. He also explains that the one-time linear career path in gaming is a different ecosystem. Gordon suggests aspiring developers should be flexible and seek positions where gaps must be filled. Although being an expert in one area is imperative, a willingness to learn other skills always proves beneficial.

On today's episode of Here's Waldo Podcast, Lizzie Mintus welcomes Gordon Walton, Chief Product Officer and Executive Producer at Playable Worlds, to discuss how the gaming industry has evolved. Gordon shares vital elements of a successful game, insights on establishing communities, and why inclusion and diversity are essential to the industry.