If you happen to be living and working in Vancouver in the video game industry, consider yourself very lucky. Not only have you scored a sweet job that’s fun and challenging, but you’ve become part of the small business workforce in BC. Anyone moving to BC from other provinces will tell you how hard it is to score a “real” business/office job out in BC. BC is made up of primarily satellite offices of companies that have a base in Ontario or Quebec, American companies looking for a cheaper branch office, natural resource companies, and old folks homes. If you want to work at a forestry company or do a sales job, you’re set. But if you’re looking for a marketing or business-related job, you’re probably going to have a hard time. That’s where the high tech industry comes in.

The video game industry makes up a significant portion of the high tech industry that has boomed in Vancouver over the past 15 years (4000-5000 people estimated in Vancouver). Programmers, artists, and producers usually don’t have to look far for work. The video game industry in its heyday must have been something to see — limousines and champagne parties complete with strippers at E3 bashes, expensive company Christmas parties, big performance review bonuses, and skyrocketing salaries.

The industry looks very different today with the slumping economy. A number of studios in Vancouver have closed, or let go of dozens to hundreds of employees. Radical Entertainment has all but shut down, laying off around 100 employees. Projects have come to an end, and many game projects have been canceled. Around the world, other studios are being closed. Ensemble Studios is done, NCSoft plans to layoff more, Iron Lore closed, Midway laid off tons… the list goes on. Not only that, but stock prices for some companies are fractions of what they were last year or two years ago.

Experts around the world have been saying how the video game industry is recession proof. People like to sit at home and play videos games when there’s not much money in their wallet, and video games have good value for entertainment, compared to other mediums. Yet, we’re still seeing signs of slowdown. Video game sales in August increased the least they have in the past 2 years. We won’t be able to truly measure how the video game industry does until November or later, when fall sales start coming in and the holiday season starts heating up. Some analysts expect to see light video game sales this season.

The video industry is very incestuous, and like everyone else, I talk to lots of good friends at other studios. People seem generally frustrated at their stock price that they’ve banked on using for a mortgage downpayment… evaporated into thin air. Tons of friends have been asking me for jobs at my company lately. There’s a lot of good talent wandering the streets right now.

So a lot of doom and gloom, eh?

Realistically though, we’re very fortunate. Our industry hasn’t been hit as hard as other industries, namely auto makers. GM recently cut 800 jobs, and in the past has cut over 40,000 jobs in one year. It also seems that other companies are still looking to Vancouver to grow their business. That’s a great sign! Seattle-based Big Fish Games is opening a 4,500 sq foot studio in Vancouver, and I hear EA is going to open another Yaletown studio soon.

So what can you do?

Take a look at companies that are based outside of our economy. There are tons of companies based in Asia or other parts of the world that don’t seem to be as affected by our economic slowdown.

Be grateful for your job in the video game industry. We’re really lucky to have our jobs and all the perks that we do. Stop grumbling so much about how your job sucks!

Do a good job. Work hard. Be diligent about your tasks and try to do more if you can.

Better yourself. Are you improving your skills by staying up to date on what’s new in the industry? Remember there’s a whole batch of kids every 6 months wanting to take your job. Highlight and use your experience as much as possible to show others you are worth keeping around, and take some extras classes or online courses on the side to keep your skills up to date.

Help out your friends. Try to offer a lending hand to any buddies who are looking for work by getting them in at your studio.

Be positive!

If you’ve made it this far, thanks for reading. I can’t wait to see what the video game industry does next.