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Creating small-scope games with limited longevity has rekindled my passion for development.
Several weeks have passed since GDC, providing enough distance to process what became one of the conference's most meaningful experiences for me. My last in-person attendance was 2023, and the intervening years have left their mark on the industry.
Nearly everyone I know in game development is facing hardship. Some have weathered ongoing challenges for years, while others are newer to the industry's recent contraction—the relentless cycle of mass layoffs and studio shutdowns that shows no signs of abating. I've watched veteran professionals with decades of top-tier experience take retail and service jobs to stay afloat between endless rounds of fruitless interviews. The situation defies adequate description.
Layer in the broader political climate (particularly for those outside the billionaire and white nationalist demographics), and you're left with a pervasive sense of dread coloring daily existence. I approached the conference with trepidation—not from cynicism, but from concern about shouldering collective grief given my compulsive need to support people in distress. How do you navigate a creative industry that appears to be collapsing?
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Fortunately, I discovered pockets of resilience, creativity, and genuine inspiration. Reconnecting with colleagues—some unseen for nearly a decade—proved invaluable. Sessions on narrative and level design left me energized, already planning how to share these concepts with my students.
One presentation in particular validated my entire approach to micro-game development and delivered a surge of optimism that persists weeks later.
Adam Saltsman from Finji presented insights from a year spent creating micro-games, compiled in a collection called CorgiSpace. The term also designates Saltsman's creative methodology manifesto. His presentation explored both dimensions, detailing lessons learned and philosophical evolution through the development process. Central principles include intentionally brief games with compressed development cycles (hence "Corgi"—short legs by design), distinguishing core concepts from rigid formulas, and aligning with a tool's natural workflow to discover gameplay that feels "easy, but not obvious."
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"I like to think of an idea as the hot, glowing heart—or motivation, or reason—you started making the game in the first place," Saltsman explained, contrasting pure concepts with restrictive formulas that obstruct the goal of making choices that are "easy, but not obvious."
"A formula is maybe like a prototype, or implementation, or design doc that you are hoping somehow captures or says something essential about your idea. It might be more accurate to say it's an imprint or an impression of that idea."
"In general, ideas, if you actually start working on them, are almost always good—and formulas are almost always bad," he observed, though he acknowledged real-world complexity. He illustrated these principles through concrete examples, including Dust Bunny, a micro-game born from an epiphany during household vacuuming. He emphasized "noticing"—how discovery fundamentally enriches experiences for both players and creators.
What resonated most powerfully wasn't the frameworks or theoretical concepts, but the evident rejuvenation this practice brings Saltsman—someone juggling business responsibilities, family life, and pet care. "I've been using this approach to tuck these little games into the nooks and crannies of my schedule for over a year now, and instead of being exhausting or burdensome, it's been a relief. It gives more energy than it takes," Saltsman said.
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I've spent over a decade creating micro-games myself (and nearly as long teaching game design). It sounds elementary—a presentation affirming that hobbyist development matters, that it can be profound. That embracing small-scale, joyful expression with disciplined rigor can transform your practice. CorgiSpace isn't about taking shortcuts, but eliminating obstacles to reach what matters. Essentially, it's about improving craft through observation, awareness, and sustained curiosity.
This resonates on multiple levels for me. Time constraints have always kept me focused on compact projects (collaborative work operates differently, but that's another discussion). I've long followed Derek Yu's guidance on tight scoping to build the discipline of completing games, regardless of scale. Saltsman advocates precisely this approach.
But there's also the question of craft, and creating work with significance beyond personal satisfaction. I appreciate the freedom to occasionally produce playful experiments across any creative medium, but I also want to make things better than throwaway experiments. Even within tiny scopes that fit my demanding schedule, I want meaningful output.
That's where these frameworks prove valuable. Easy but not obvious. Work with the grain. Simple metaphors, certainly, but as a lifelong athlete, straightforward—even corny—mantras work for me. I've powered through countless brutal training sessions and grappling matches on "this is a game of INCHES" and similar athletic wisdom. A manifesto for small games, supported by genuine reflection and completed projects as evidence? A practice that energizes rather than depletes? That speaks directly to me.
So yes, despite its simplicity, this presentation renewed my enthusiasm for hobbyist development. It made me eager to experiment and embrace my small creative space for making art and building micro-games.
These legs may be short, but for the first time in considerable time, they feel strong again.
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Danielle is the editor-in-chief of Game Developer, with previous editorial posts at Fanbyte, VICE, and Polygon. She's also a lecturer in game design at the Berklee College of Music, and a hobbyist game developer in her spare time.
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