Why family works for teams and studios on an emotional level, and why ‘the pack’, our pack, is crucial to overcome whatever you face.

Do you remember when we were children and at school, and we did something wrong, how you felt when you got caught? I certainly do. Take yourself back there for a moment…

Innocent!? You protest! Or maybe you were just along for the ride in whatever exciting activity had dropped you in hot water. Remembering how it made you feel?

Chances are, that to a man, woman or child when going to the Headmaster, to receive whatever punishment was coming your way, innocent or guilty...

It was better done together, with a friend, or even an enemy! Fact!

Why? Because that adage 'a problem shared, is a problem halved' is never felt more powerfully than when you are in peril.

Which means, and it will be apparent to us all, that we are, in fact, 'pack animals'; we roam, we gather, we socialize, we fight, we reconcile and most importantly?

We, as a pack rally against danger!

 It's people that count, those around us in the studio, and in the industry, and the emotional connection we gain in groups.

We all have a journey, and I'm not sure about you, but if your history is anything like mine, it began as a child playing in the street. Nursery followed, then primary school, and further education, but always together with others.

Why is this important? Well, as an adult you have a choice in life, in your team, and studio.

Wolfpack or lone wolf? The latter sounds cool, right? It's always your decision, of course, whatever your status, role, or position, so is it together or alone?

What I know is this; right now, we are missing people; this crisis is tearing us from our families and our loved ones.

Because the reality is, my friend?

We crave the 'pack,' at our core, and in our DNA, we know there is strength and safety in numbers.

I have a luxury that many of you don't of being part of the RCP family.

A group of collaborating studios across Europe brought together with a collective vision, with values that drive us all to make great games, in the right way, for all the players.

The heart of the family is our people, and the tech is the tool that we use for our trade.

You see, I believe in many cases that a journey alone, 'has' to be made, but in my experience, it's rarely a choice, but rather a necessity.

May I suggest that you do have a choice? What if you could reach out to a more significant force, to lean on, to help you scale that mountain of pain you find yourself climbing?

In fact, I encourage you to do just that right now, reach out because this crisis is showing us our most significant weaknesses as individuals, and I know it will help.

If you go back into your past and remember being able to reach out to someone to come with you into battle, be it a global pandemic like right now or otherwise, I'll wager there is nothing more comforting than seeing people to your left and right.

Whatever the shape or size of that mountain you are on, know that RCP will hold out its hand and pull you up, even if the destination is more fearful than the proverbial trip to see the 'Headmaster'…