Level Up! (Aug'24) - The Games Industry Newsletter

Well, it's been another busy month here at GJD HQ and across the industry, with some big headlines and announcements. Unfortunately, we're still seeing occasional redundancy announcements but after conversations at Develop: Brighton, it seems like the future's looking bright and people are staying optimistic!

Find out more about that below in addition to the usual selection of resources, industry trends and updates from the team at your favourite games jobs board ??

So, it's official. Microsoft has shut down the Xbox 360 Marketplace for good, marking the end of an era for one of the most iconic consoles ever. After first hitting shelves in 2005, the 360 was an instant game-changer, largely due to its multiplayer capabilities and huge online library of downloadable titles. But Microsoft's decision to close it down means hundreds of games and downloadable content (DLC) are now lost to the digital ether.

The announcement was met with mixed feelings as thousands took to social media to share their disappointment and fondest memories of playing their favourite games. Microsoft tried to ease the pain with a huge sale in the lead-up to the closure. This allowed gamers to grab some of their favourite titles before it was too late.

We can take solace in the fact that plenty of games have been added to Microsoft's backward compatibility service but there are still a huge number of titles that won't be available unless already purchased pre-closure. It's a sad day for sure but all good things must come to an end and the Xbox 360 will always have a place in our hearts.

Let us know your thoughts on the closure and your favourite memories of the 360!

Check out our latest roundup of games industry opportunities from some of our partner studios! ??

As always, we've pulled together some resources that you might not have heard of. Here are our top three picks this month...

The Rookies ??

Join a global community of creators and check out one of the most extensive and in-depth libraries of resources, training videos and bootcamps to take your skills to the next level.

Game Design Wiki ??

A huge collection of resources for game designers of all disciplines and experience levels. If you're making a game, there's something here for you.

Alan Zucconi ??

The well-known developer, lecturer and science communicator has built up an extensive library of tutorials and resources so you're sure to find something useful!

We had an amazing time down in Brighton for Develop a few weeks ago. The turnout for the conference was fantastic, and the weather turned out to be great! We hosted our usual meetup on the beach for TAs which was a good opportunity to network with new people and catch up with existing clients. There were some really good ideas being shared and we've had some great feedback so thank you again to everyone who turned out!

The energy at the conference was incredible and despite the current hardships in the industry, it's great to see everyone staying so positive. The general consensus is that the future's looking bright, and everyone seems to be staying optimistic that things will turn around soon.

This year, we helped organise Game Dev Heroes, which was a lot of fun. It was incredible to see such a great turnout and to witness the community coming together to highlight some of the best and brightest. Congratulations again to all the winners—you truly deserve it! Overall, it was an amazing few days with good weather, great people and plenty of free swag. We're already looking forward to next year!

Well, that's it for this month. It's been an eventful few weeks and we've got plenty more announcements to come over the summer ??. Until next time...

Team GJD ???