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9K followers
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Cameron Dayton shared thisTimely message, Rob Pardo 👏 https://lnkd.in/gdSmRABFBlizzard vet Rob Pardo closed this year's GDC keynote by urging executives to cool it with the layoffs: 'The game team is more valuable than the game itself'Blizzard vet Rob Pardo closed this year's GDC keynote by urging executives to cool it with the layoffs: 'The game team is more valuable than the game itself'
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Cameron Dayton shared thisWe need a game design rockstar over here - if you’ve got some titles under your belt and know your way around a FTUI, let me know.
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Cameron Dayton reposted thisCameron Dayton reposted thisBorderlands 4 is out, and it’s the biggest and best yet! Hats off to our partners at Gearbox Entertainment for delivering the most ambitious Borderlands to date. Incredibly proud of what our teams have built to deliver a landmark year for 2K with Civ VII, Mafia: The Old Country, and finally Borderlands 4—and we've got more cooking…
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Cameron Dayton shared thisPowerful narrative and characters help you win the marathon. They can help your audience build meaningful connections to your story universe and change it from a simple tale to a lifelong relationship.Cameron Dayton shared thisThe handwringing by quarterly earnings fetishists over the $250M that Riot spent on Arcane Season 2 demonstrates a complete misunderstanding of how narrative works to drive revenue. You do not press the Narrative Button and have cash instantly spew out in return. If that's what you're expecting, you're going to be disappointed every time. And if you make business decisions based on the lack of massive immediate return, you are cutting off a potentially robust engine to help produce long-term revenue. Narrative works on an emotional level. It takes time and resources to come to fruition, and skill to do it effectively. Its purpose, beyond the specific content, is to drive four things: Attachment, Anticipation, Identification, and Investment. If you create strong narrative content, your chances are good to produce these desired results. Good narrative content gets people attached to your game. As human beings, we learn through stories, and we connect with characters. Do it right, and people will return the energy you put into it in a way that benefits your game and exposes it to other people. Fans don't do cosplay for features, and they don't write fanfic for UI, as key as those elements are to a good and successful game. It's the narrative stuff that people latch onto, adopt, and then transform into their own work for the world to see - incidentally, giving you free advertising in the process. Good narrative also builds anticipation. By providing interesting content and reinforcing it with regular followups, you get the invested player to look forward to what's coming. To want more, and to be excited about the next thing. And if they're excited about the next thing you're doing, they're not bailing to go play Fortnite instead. Strong and unique characters drive identification - the moment when a fan says "I am" about one of your characters and integrates it into their identity. That fan is then going to follow that character, and if you continue to keep the character interesting and consistent, spend money on stuff related to them. And finally there is Investment. Give players the good stuff, and they will feel invested in the experience they create with your material. They will keep coming back, because it matters to them. They will spread the word, because they want to share what they like. And all of this - if you do it right and support it and give it time - leads to ongoing participation in those precious revenue streams. So that $250M wasn't just "spent" and thus thrown away. It was invested in getting that world and those characters in front of new audiences, so they in turn would become attached and invested and ready to buy the next thing featuring that content . The money further cemented that world and those characters in the cultural consciousness, and because it was done well, it will make new fans who had not played the game and who will engage with the property going forward. And that's why you spend money on narrative.
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Cameron Dayton shared thisListen to Lorne:Cameron Dayton shared thisThe recent layoffs in the gaming industry make for challenging times indeed. However, there’s a historic benefit that can shift perspective on this for the more enterprising developers. Historically, during industry challenges, it's the more flexible independent studios that stand the chance to rise like Phoenixes out of troubled times with newer and more efficient models and more creative solutions. Out of this, we can expect a surge of small, highly skilled, and experienced independent and agile studios emerging with a fresh wave of creativity and more efficient solutions for gaming’s challenging space. In this, I'd keep my eyes on the smaller and more innovative studios that have the capability to pivot quicker and more efficiently. Always curious about other thoughts.
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Cameron Dayton shared thisCameron Dayton shared thisI have a secret business on the side that I haven't spoken much about on LinkedIn. I've been afraid to talk about it because it's in a ultra slow-growth sector. It's actually the business that started the Future House family of companies. It's book publishing. Future House Publishing publishes Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Middle Grade books. Future House Studios is in such a rapid-growth sector with game development and animation, and book publishing is in a nearly ancient sector. It started way back at the invention of the printing press. It's always been our aim Future House Publishing to reinvent publishing. We aim to apply the latest technology in data and media to discover and invent what readers want the future of reading to look like. Since inception, we've sold over a million dollars worth of books. We've launched nearly a dozen titles to bestseller lists. We've published over 100 titles. We've been featured in Publishers Weekly. At the core of what we do is storytelling. Not just "make great PowerPoints to convince your boss about your vision" storytelling, but real, down-to-the-deep-levels-of-the-human-soul-Joseph-Campbell storytelling. Stories that move people. Etherwalker is one example. We love working with brilliant minds like Cameron Dayton. Cameron comes from the game development world and has been creative director on titles like Call of Duty. He's worked for Blizzard. We like that cross-media intelligence. This is his book. There's a core connection with what we do at the Studios and what we do with Publishing. It's storytelling. I'm going to start talking about this more here and chronicle Future House's journey making media and content. We're going to launch an amazing book project soon with bestselling author Jeff Wheeler. (He's sold millions of books). Stay tuned... #publishingindustry #publishing #sciencefiction #fantasybooks #middlegrade #amwritingfiction #callofduty #blizzardentertainment #linkedin #publishersweekly
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Cameron Dayton shared thisCameron Dayton shared thisBig news! Gods Unchained has been nominated for four categories at the Polkastarter Gam3 Awards and Guild Of Guardians for two 🎉 🧐 What are the Gam3 Awards? It's the first annual event to highlight and award the best web3 games. https://lnkd.in/eAZSTPBE Please vote for Gods Unchained in the following Categories: - Game of the Year - Best Strategy Game - Best Card Game - Best Esports Game And, Guild Of Guardians for - - Best Mobile Game - Best Action Game Thank you for your time, we would love YOUR VOTE to bring the trophies home 🏆 🗓 Winners announced 15 December 2022GAM3 AWARDS | Annual Web3 Gaming Awards | Polkastarter GamingGAM3 AWARDS | Annual Web3 Gaming Awards | Polkastarter Gaming
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Cameron Dayton liked thisCameron Dayton liked thisLinkedIn Fam, It's been a roller coaster 🎢 ride in the past year in my personal life and also professionally. Having previously faced a layoff, I felt incredibly fortunate to have joined this team especially given the state of the industry. From day one, it felt like a reunion alongside so many of my former colleagues from Blizzard and Dreamhaven but I also had the chance to meet new folks and expanded my network further. Getting to learn, grow, and work with such a stacked group of industry veterans has been a truly humbling experience, and I'm so grateful for the time spent with the absolute best in the business. Thank you, Riot Games, it was a truly an honor 👊 . It’s with bittersweet feelings that I share I’m leaving to embark on my next adventure with more details coming soon!
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Cameron Dayton liked thisCameron Dayton liked thisSo! You hate networking. Well, here’s your three month window to use the holidays as the perfect excuse to check in. This is the perfect time to NETWORK. Think about absolutely everybody you’ve ever met in your entire life, from birth until this very moment. Old coworkers, classmates, neighbors, friends, your dentist, your former bosses, people you haven’t spoken to in 28 years. If you remember them and think they might remember you, reach out. LinkedIn, Facebook, email, text, phone. I don’t care how you do it. Just do it. “Hey, I can’t believe it’s been 28 years! I just came across your profile. How have you been?” “Hey, I was thinking about you today. I know it’s been forever. How are things?” “Hey, I just wanted to check in and wish you happy holidays. Hope you’re doing well!” “Happy New Year dude! How are the kids?” That’s it. Don’t ask for anything. Just check in. Make it a goal. Ten people a day. Fifty people a week. Keep going through November and December, early January. Some people won’t respond. Some will. And some of those conversations might turn into an hour of catching up with somebody you haven’t spoken to in years. At some point during those conversations, someone is probably going to ask what you’re doing these days. And naturally, they’re going to find out you’re looking for a job. Heck, maybe they are too. Now you’ve opened a door, potentially gained an advocate, and maybe you can do the something for them. Worst case, you’ve reconnected with people you haven’t spoken to in years. And at the end of the day, it might make you feel a little better too. There are a lot of people going through a lot of things right now. Just say hello. You might be surprised what happens.
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Cameron Dayton liked thisCameron Dayton liked thisThe best candidate for a critical game role may never see the job posting. Not because they are unavailable. Because they are unlikely to enter another application process where their experience is reduced to keywords, chronology, and a screening workflow. Industry data and recruiting experience point to the same conclusion: one of the strongest predictors of a successful placement is an existing relationship between the candidate, recruiter, and hiring team, not a submitted application. An application creates access to a document. A relationship creates access to context: what a leader has shipped, how they build teams, what kind of challenge would move them, and when the timing is right. That context is especially important in gaming, where senior passive talent is often reachable only through credibility built over time. Global gaming applications can vastly outnumber available openings, while senior searches may run for months. Studios that treat recruiting as a one-off transaction often optimize for response volume, and lose the people they most need to reach. Critical hiring is not a campaign you turn on when a role opens. It is a long-horizon relationship practice. At Game Recruiter, we build those relationships before the urgent search begins, so unadvertised and critical roles can reach the right people, not just the people who apply. Access through a relationship is fundamentally different from access through an application.
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Cameron Dayton liked thisCameron Dayton liked thisHow do you make 3D animation feel hand painted without painting every frame? Welcome to the Problem Solving Series, where Daniel Orive, creative director of Ghost Stride, breaks down how we solved real production challenges on the film. For Ghost Stride we built our own paintover projection pipeline to get the illustrative look that defines our style and makes the film feel unique. In this episode we cover the 2D side, and show how each shot is painted before it is projected back onto the 3D in Blender. Part 2 is coming soon. Watch the full short: https://lnkd.in/gFMaCPj9
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Cameron Dayton liked thisCameron Dayton liked thisThe offer is signed. So why can't your new hire start for nine months? Senior contracts carry obligations that outlast the job: non-competes, non-solicits, long notice periods, and garden leave. Enforceability varies enormously by jurisdiction, and "probably unenforceable" is not a start-date plan. If you commit a client to a leader in Q1 and the start actually lands in Q3, you've created a vacancy you thought you'd filled. Run the restraint audit before you extend the offer, not after. What's the notice period, contractually and in practice? What carve-outs exist? What's the realistic litigation risk if the old employer objects? And what does your project plan look like if you lose three to six months? The most sought-after candidates won't gamble their reputation, or their future employability, to join you faster. Respecting the restraint is part of recruiting them well. Have you ever been surprised by a senior candidate's notice period? How did you plan around it? #GameRecruiter #GameIndustry #Hiring #TalentAcquisition
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Cameron Dayton liked thisCameron Dayton liked thisSUPER proud to celebrate the launch of my 11th Call of Duty game! Massive congratulations to the team at IW, all the support studios and publishing for making this such a success!
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Cameron Dayton reacted on thisCameron Dayton reacted on thisI never did take down Drizzt. That is where my mind went when I read yesterdays news about BioWare. Back to the original Baldur's Gate, an undefeated boss on my achievements list, and a moment where D&D stopped being rules on paper and came alive. Some studios become part of your history long before you fully appreciate their place in the industry. BioWare was one of those for me. Today, I am thinking less about the business and more about being a player. About discovering games that stayed with me long after I stopped playing them. Baldur's Gate launched around the time I began my own career at EA, long before I fully appreciated how hard it is to make even one game that means something to people. And it was hardly alone. Baldur's Gate II. Knights of the Old Republic. Mass Effect (Ishimura salutes Normandy. IYKYK). Dragon Age. What an extraordinary body of work. To do that repeatedly, across different worlds and generations of players, takes an incredible collection of people. To everyone who helped make BioWare what it was: thank you. Your work mattered to me as a player. It mattered to me as a developer. The studio may close, but the worlds you built stay with us. They will outlast this week's news. Your legacy is permanent.
Publications
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Starcraft: War Stories
Simon and Schuster
See publicationCollected here for the first time is Blizzard Entertainment’s revolutionary Project Blackstone transmedia campaign. It is a compilation of tightly woven short stories, journals, emails, chats, and tweets from the research staff of a top-secret government facility dedicated to shedding light on the mysteries of this sector. More than a simple anthology, this volume is a target-rich environment of weapons data, exotic alien science, and faceted backstory—the lore foundations of the StarCraft…
Collected here for the first time is Blizzard Entertainment’s revolutionary Project Blackstone transmedia campaign. It is a compilation of tightly woven short stories, journals, emails, chats, and tweets from the research staff of a top-secret government facility dedicated to shedding light on the mysteries of this sector. More than a simple anthology, this volume is a target-rich environment of weapons data, exotic alien science, and faceted backstory—the lore foundations of the StarCraft universe.
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World of Warcraft: Paragons
Simon & Schuster
An anthology of short stories highlighting the mightiest heroes, kings, and leaders of Azeroth.
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StarCraft: Kerrigan - Hope and Vengeance
Blizzard Entertainment
See publicationBlizzard Entertainment's first digital comic book, written by Cameron Dayton, became the #1 Amazon Best Seller in Superhero Comics & Graphic Novels (Top 100 Free Listing), the # 2 Amazon Best Sellers in Graphic Novels (Top 100 Free listing) and # 1 Amazon Best Sellers in Single Issue Comics (Top 100 Free Listing) in less than 48 hours.
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Diablo III: Heroes Rise, Darkness Falls
Blizzard Entertainment
These are stories from the world of Sanctuary, a land of mystery and dread that serves as the backdrop for Blizzard Entertainment's award-winning Diablo video game series. Although these narratives focus on different characters and settings, they are bound together by the web of horror and suspense that is intrinsic to the Diablo universe.
In this gothic fantasy realm, terror is a constant. It comes in many forms, from grotesque horned demons to the deepest fears of mortal hearts and…These are stories from the world of Sanctuary, a land of mystery and dread that serves as the backdrop for Blizzard Entertainment's award-winning Diablo video game series. Although these narratives focus on different characters and settings, they are bound together by the web of horror and suspense that is intrinsic to the Diablo universe.
In this gothic fantasy realm, terror is a constant. It comes in many forms, from grotesque horned demons to the deepest fears of mortal hearts and minds. Brace yourself for this collection of exciting and frightening tales that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.Other authorsSee publication -
Broken Wide
Blizzard Entertainment
See publicationA short story introducing the notorious baneling into the world of StarCraft, and shedding some light on the zerg process of controlled evolution. This story laid some of the groundwork for my Project Blackstone transmedia campaign.
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Cold Symmetry
Blizzard Entertainment
See publicationA short story following the trials of a grizzled alien warrior, the renowned Protoss Zealot, stranded in hostile territory which was once the moon of his fallen homeworld.
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Cut Short
Blizzard Entertainment
See publicationOne of the more popular stories in Blizzard's World of Warcraft Leaders series of short stories. It introduced Gelbin Mekkatorque, leader of a diminutive people who survive the trials of Azeroth relying on their wits, courage, and unfailing good cheer.
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The Trial of the Red Blossoms
Blizzard Entertainment
See publicationTimed with the release of World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria, this short story spins a dynamic adventure while creating a rich backstory for the mysterious and deadly Shado-pan.
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Wayfarer
Blizzard Entertainment
See publicationAs part of an anthology (later collected in Heroes Rise, Darkness Falls) built around the release of Diablo 3, this short story focuses on a wandering barbarian and his battle for identity in a savage land.
Projects
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Minecraft - qCraft Transmedia Campaign
Worked alongside E-Line Media and Play Habit on character and story development for a campaign promoting the Minecraft mod "qCraft".
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Project Blackstone
See projectBlizzard's first transmedia campaign, utilizing a series of short stories, blogs, twitter profiles, and in-game storytelling to create a vehicle for agile, immersive storytelling.
http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/blog/8876314/Project_Blackstone-3_1_2013 -
StarCraft 2: Kerrigan - Hope and Vengeance
Blizzard's first web-comic, which was ranked #1 on Amazon.com for single-issue digital comics and has received a five-star rating on Comixology.
http://www.comixology.com/Starcraft-Kerrigan-Hope-and-Vengeance-0/digital-comic/DIG003258
http://www.amazon.com/Starcraft-Kerrigan-Hope-Vengeance-ebook/dp/B00BNFYKL6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1364342180&sr=8-1&keywords=kerrigan+hope+and+vengeanceOther creatorsSee project -
Advent Rising
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Advent Rising is the first in an epic trilogy of action/adventure games, presented in a stunning cinematic format to deliver an unprecedented variety of game play experiences.
Built on the Unreal Warfare engine, it offers precise, refined play-dynamics with action-packed adventure and style, wrapped in a visually imaginative universe. Advent is akin to a fast-paced action movie where the player is swept up in a continuously evolving series of sequences and events.
Working with…Advent Rising is the first in an epic trilogy of action/adventure games, presented in a stunning cinematic format to deliver an unprecedented variety of game play experiences.
Built on the Unreal Warfare engine, it offers precise, refined play-dynamics with action-packed adventure and style, wrapped in a visually imaginative universe. Advent is akin to a fast-paced action movie where the player is swept up in a continuously evolving series of sequences and events.
Working with award-winning science fiction author Orson Scott Card, GlyphX Games has created a gripping storyline that will thrust gamers and readers alike into an incredible intergalactic saga. In Advent Rising, players make decisions that effect not only what they experience in the first game, but the entire Advent trilogy.Other creatorsSee project -
Overwatch
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PC, Console cooperative multiplayer ganme
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Shadow Complex
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Xbox Live Multiplayer Game
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Undertow
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Xbox Live Multiplayer Game
Honors & Awards
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GDC Speaker
Game Developers Conference - Austin
Participated in several popular sessions discussing storytelling in games, and Blizzard's unique method of weaving narrative into their best-selling products.
Languages
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English
Native or bilingual proficiency
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Spanish
Native or bilingual proficiency
Recommendations received
10 people have recommended Cameron
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