Never Too Old To Start
While researching Jonathan Blow, I came across an interesting fact that inspired even me. Jonathan Blow was 36 years old when he released his first game (Braid, 2008). Where many people would probably have given up on their dream to develop games at a younger age to pursue a more stable occupation, Blow kept working on his craft, which culminated in the release of one of the most popular Indie games ever, Braid. Taking this a step further, Blow took 8 years to release his follow-up game, The Witness. Rather than cashing in on the success of Braid and rushing development for The Witness, Blow took his time and made sure it was exactly what he wanted (or as close as he felt he was going to get).
Take Away: If you truly believe in your game, keep working on it – the opportunities are out there, but usually only go to those who have determination and drive.
Genre Bending
Braid takes side-scrolling platforms and add a time shifting twist to them, bringing us far more “puzzle” than we had before in these style games. The Witness takes the first person genre and adds a “Myst” twist to it, including some of the most challenging puzzles I personally have ever experienced. Jonathan Blow bends genres by refusing to stay within a preconceived box. It’s developers like Jonathan Blow that can help push the growth of video games, by expanding and creating new genres and experiences.
Take Away: Games have been developed for decades, yet we still see new approaches, genres, ideas, etc. Don’t be content with what’s been established – keep pushing that envelope and push those video game boundaries!