Piers Duplock
@piersduplock.bsky.social
Senior production leader in the video games industry. Over the past 15 years I’ve contributed to 36 shipped titles across AAA and independent studios, helping teams align creative vision with production reality and deliver ambitious games.
Get ready to support Matt! He's making something really cool and bringing it to Kickstarter in a month
Matt | Try DARK ROOMS!@pmrd.net · 2d agoThe Kickstarter for my game is launching next month! Be sure to go follow the pre-launch page to get notified when it's live! 👀 Thanks!! 🤩 #gamedev #indiegame #kickstarter #darkrooms
Most studios that struggle after funding aren't dealing with a production problem. They're dealing with the absence of a producer. What that distinction looks like and why funding is usually what makes it visible: open.substack.com/pub/piersdup... #gamedev #indiedev
You Don't Have a Production Problem. You Have a Producer Problem.
Do any of these things sound familiar?
open.substack.com
This could be very powerful. A lot of the devs I speak to are very good at making games, but don't know the marketing/PR side at all. Hopefully this can help
GamesIndustry.biz@gibiz.bsky.social · last wk.Raptor PR has launched Early Gaming Growth (EGG), a communications platform designed for gaming startups www.gamesindustry.biz/raptor-pr-la...
Publishers stopped funding first-timers on potential. We went from "is this a good game?" to "are these people a good bet?" What changed, what publishers are actually looking for now, and the two paths forward: open.substack.com/pub/piersdup... #indiedev #gamedev
Why Pitch Decks No Longer Work for First-Time Game Developers
Publishers used to fund on potential
open.substack.com
Looking for people to playtest an early version of my game's demo! Send me a DM if you're interested! 👀 #indiegame #gamedev #darkrooms
Some folks have asked me what the immediate aftermath of a layoff looks like: Lots of questions and anxiety of course but it's important to not get bogged down in what happened. I've already had some project proposals and the future is a little brighter. Hopefully more to come!
A huge thank you to everyone who has reached out with support and love. It's very special at a tough time. I'm probably about to be more active from now on. So talk to me about games, about production. I'll keep taking about what I'm doing in the aftermath #gamedev #indiedev
Piers Duplock@piersduplock.bsky.social · last mo.Unfortunately I have been affected by the layoffs at Bethesda/Zenimax/Xbox today. If anyone has any need of a Producer (or knows anyone who does), I would appreciate the share. I have 15 years experience in indie and AAA, based in Canada but willing to relocate #indiedev #gamedev
🚨rare opportunity🚨 we now have some slots to offer self-publishing support for sick indie games (due to some delays for our games)!! we worked on games like CloverPit, Sledding Game, Carcass Clad, Vampire Survivors, Thronefall, Slots & Daggers etc info how we work below
Luna Abyss: 86 Metacritic, day-one Game Pass. Studio closed 26 days post-launch. Was is down to structural issues after using their game pass money? I've seen in multiple times now. Time for a Substack on the matter open.substack.com/pub/piersdup... #gamedev #indiedev #gamedevelopment
There are so many understandable reasons for it being the price it is, but surely this is now relegated to a niche market as a result. What does this mean for the next generation of consoles I wonder
Digital Foundry@digitalfoundry.bsky.social · 2mo agoSteam Machine Costs More Than $1000: Standalone and Bundle Prices for US, UK and EU Confirmed.
Publishers have asked for multiplayer for as long as there have been publishers. The problem isn't the ask, it's the yes that comes before anyone has worked out what it costs. My next article is LIVE on Substack open.substack.com/pub/piersdup...
This might be the best Xbox Showcase I've ever seen? Gears, Halo, Fable, all present and then on-top of that we also get looks at Metro 2039, State of Decay 3, Hellblade and tons more. Love it!
Summer Game Fest was one for the ages! It really delivered this year. I'm so pumped for my friends at Maverick Games, showcasing their first title I also can't wait to immerse myself in the world of Tyria once more for Guild Wars 3, but honestly, there were so many great games
The publisher loved the game and still said no? They weren't evaluating the game. They were evaluating whether you can build it, and most founders never put that on the table. Read my full piece on this topic here: open.substack.com/pub/piersdup... #gamedev #indiedev #gamedevelopment
Did you know I have a Substack where I talk about game production? Of course not, I just started it! Check out my latest post: The Survival Era is Real...But It's Not About Money open.substack.com/pub/piersdup... #gamedev #indiedev #gameproduction
A production audit isn't a general health check. It's specifically for founders who are getting close to funding conversations but genuinely aren't sure if their project is structured well enough to support them. If that sounds like you, that's exactly who it's built for. #indiegamedev #indiedev
Most founders think a production audit checks their schedule. It doesn't. It looks at whether your project holds up the way a publisher or investor would evaluate it and the gap between where you think you are and where you actually are. Walked through the whole process here: youtu.be/-jk-WwPvGOs
What a production alignment audit actually looks at
YouTube video by Piers Duplock
youtu.be
Publishers read your deck cold. No context, no backstory, no benefit of the doubt. What's obvious to you after two years means nothing to someone seeing it for the first time. #indiegame #gamedev #pitchdeck #indiedev #gamepublisher
Ask for too little and the publisher thinks you don't know your own costs. Ask for too much and you're requesting a risk the project hasn't earned yet. There's no safe side to get this wrong. #indiegame #gamedev #pitchdeck #indiedev #gamepublisher
A perfect spreadsheet doesn't mean a credible number. Publishers aren't looking at your budget. They're looking at whether the ask makes sense for what they can see in the room. #indiegame #gamedev #pitchdeck #indiedev #gamepublisher
A pitch deck isn't a document. It's a story, and stories have a sequence. Get it wrong and you lose the room before the game even lands. #indiegame #gamedev #pitchdeck #indiedev #gamepublisher
Are you pitching your game or going to pitch to publishers soon? Then I recommend checking out my latest video on YouTube, it breaks down the three mistakes I've seen most on pitch decks youtu.be/rZIJL4dxPyE #indiegame #gamedev #pitchdeck #indiedev #gamepublisher
Why Indie Pitch Decks Lose the Room Before Slide 3
YouTube video by Piers Duplock
youtu.be
Most devs I talk to know their features. Some know how long those features take. Almost none have checked whether their team actually has those hours available. Feature list plus time estimates means nothing until it's sitting next to your actual staff capacity. I recommending giving a go asap
A finished, boring, well documented game is more impressive than a flashy half built demo. Studios are under pressure to ship so we hire people who finish. Does your portfolio prove you can close? #gamedev #indiedev #production #gamedevelopment
Self direction isn’t a bonus anymore. It's expected Can you identify problems, propose solutions, execute, and ask for feedback at the right time? Does your portfolio prove that? #gamedev #indiedev #production #gamedevelopment
The strongest hireability signal in game development right now? Production thinking. Showing scope awareness, constraints, trade-off reasoning and knowing when to stop. Does your portfolio demonstrate judgment or just output? #gamedev #indiedev #production #gamedevelopment
