Game Devs in 1989 Already Missed the ‘Golden Age’ of Gaming

Nostalgia in Reverse: Game Devs in 1989 Already Mourned the ‘Golden Age’ of Gaming

The Panel Snapshot

I heard a recording from the 1989 CGDC and it really messed with my head. You got to realize that these developers were already crying about the past back then. The talk was called “The Golden Days of Computer Games” and it focused on the years 1979 through 1984. I believe that nostalgia is just a part of the human condition in this industry.

Steve Cartwright’s Tale

Steve Cartwright told a story about how he joined Activision during the early days. He earned a lot of money as an engineer so he was scared to take a game job. David Crane offered to double his pay right there which shows how rich the industry was. You can hear him laugh about those days being gone and it sounds like a modern dev.

Richard Garriott on Early Sales

I picture Richard Garriott selling his games in cheap Ziploc bags at the start. He convinced a man named Ken Williams that cloth maps would make the games better. This changed everything because it made the software feel like a real treasure. You should add value to your work if you want people to pay more money.

Danielle Bunten Berry on Freedom

Danielle Bunten Berry said she missed the days of just doing what felt cool. She felt that market research was killing the creative vibe in 1989. I see the same thing happening now with all these focus groups and data points. You must stay brave and follow your gut instead of just looking at charts.

Garrett’s Prediction

Garrett told everyone that the time of the lone programmer was ending. Big teams and huge budgets were starting to take over the whole market. You see his words came true when you look at how big companies like Ubisoft are. I think indie developers are finally bringing that solo spirit back to life.

Legacy and Reflection

The Video Game History Foundation shared this and it acts like a mirror. We miss the old days just like they missed their old days too. You need to stop looking backward and start building the future of play. I know the best time to be a creator is actually right now.