Hey folks, let me tell you about this wild ride I've been on lately. As the creator of Dead Space and former head of Sledgehammer Games, I never thought I'd be building a brand new studio from the ground up during a global pandemic. But here I am, leading Striking Distance Studios with PUBG Corp's backing, and man, what a journey it's been so far.

building-a-quad-a-game-during-a-pandemic-my-journey-with-striking-distance-studios-image-0

Starting from Scratch in Crazy Times

When I left Activision and Sledgehammer Games, I was pumped to start something fresh. PUBG Corp came onboard to fund this new venture, and we set up shop in San Ramon, California. We were just getting our feet wet - secured office space, started moving the team in, and BAM! The pandemic hit. Talk about bad timing, am I right? Suddenly, we're this infant studio trying to create what we're calling a "quad-A" game while everyone's working from their living rooms.

What's This "Quad-A" Business Anyway?

Let me break it down for you:

  • Triple-A: Your standard big-budget, high-production game

  • Quad-A: What we're aiming for - next-level innovation and polish

  • Why quad-A?: Because we're not just meeting expectations, we're aiming to blow minds

This isn't just marketing speak, folks. We're talking about pushing boundaries in ways that'll make gamers say "holy moly, they actually did that!"

Pandemic Development: The New Normal

Developing a game during COVID has been... interesting, to say the least. Here's how we're making it work:

Challenge Our Solution
No office space Remote work with cloud-based tools
Team communication Daily virtual stand-ups and collaboration tools
Motion capture delays Ready-to-go mo-cap studio waiting for safe usage
Hiring during lockdown Virtual interviews and onboarding

building-a-quad-a-game-during-a-pandemic-my-journey-with-striking-distance-studios-image-1

PUBG Universe Connection 🤔

I can't spill all the beans yet, but here's what I can share: our game exists in the same universe as PUBG. Think of it as expanding that world in ways nobody's seen before. We're not making PUBG 2.0 - we're creating something fresh that still connects to that universe fans love.

Why We're Still Hiring Like Crazy

Even with all the uncertainty, we're growing the team. Here's why:

  • 🔥 Passionate talent is everywhere

  • 💡 Fresh perspectives drive innovation

  • 🚀 Early development phase means room for creative input

  • 🌟 We believe in building the best team, pandemic or not

We're following in the footsteps of studios like Santa Monica and Obsidian who've proven remote hiring can work brilliantly.

The Reality Check

Let me be real with you - this game isn't dropping tomorrow. We're in early development, and the pandemic has definitely thrown some curveballs our way. But here's the silver lining:

  • Early development = more flexibility

  • Remote work = accessing talent nationwide

  • No rushed deadlines = quality-focused approach

My Personal Takeaway

Building Striking Distance Studios during these trying times has taught me some valuable lessons:

  1. Adaptability is everything - When life gives you lemons, make lemonade... and maybe a killer game while you're at it

  2. Team spirit transcends physical spaces - Passion connects people, Zoom calls or not

  3. Innovation thrives in constraints - Limitations often spark the most creative solutions

So yeah, it's been a wild ride, but I'm more excited than ever about what we're building. Keep your ears to the ground, but don't hold your breath for major announcements just yet. We're cooking up something special, and when the time's right, we'll share it with the world. Until then, stay safe and game on!