A lot of studios these days go to great lengths to make beautiful office spaces, with all sorts of features to appeal to game devs. What sort of things matter to you in a work environment? As for me, I prefer natural sunlight near my desk (maybe not quite shining directly on my desk, as it makes color hard!). Having a quiet space nearby, where I can go and clear my head is a real plus. Free snacks is a blessing and a curse, as I tend to eat (a lot?) less when I have to pay for it. Most importantly, I like it quiet enough for me to think. Or at least a good pair of well-insulated headphones will often suffice.
Our latest featured job poster, Wooga, has a really cool office setup in Berlin. Here’s one of the many images I found of their HQ while searching online:
I’ve really gotten to love my adjustable desks at work where I can sit or stand while working. I feel like it really helps me with blood flow, posture and focus.
Also, an office doggo or more is always welcome!!!
I don’t understand why everyone wants to sit in the dark. I legitimately fight falling asleep every day at Airship (I still love you Airship ) but you turn on one light, and it’s like you cranked the thermostat up to 90 or something.
I’m also the psychopath who enjoys open layout studios… I love getting to look around and see what everyone else is working on. I wanted to get into games because I hated the idea of sitting in a cubicle all day.
In my ideal works space is well lit with natural lighting and quality warm colour lights at night. No fluorescent lights!
I like having my own space that feels truly mine that I can decorate as I please with my cool figs maybe hang something on a wall. As much as I like hanging out with people it is nice to retreat to your own area as long as it’s not too cramped.
It also should be in an area with good food. I am super lazy and don’t imagine a future where I am making a well-balanced meal for my self every day haha.
I do like having snacks in the office because sometimes it makes the difference of me staying late or straight up going home.
Someone put this man in the designer pit for a few months. Put him right next to the AI designer who explains AI reactions by acting them out at full volume. “HALT WHO GOES THERE!!!”. Then give him a very tight deadline and a complex task where focus is needed. How about writing impostor shaders for an engine that doesn’t natively support the matrix or math functions needed to do so. The feature should be important enough for a few levels to live or die based on it. Like spritebased soldiers, filling out a battlefield.
Totally making this scenario up. Surely, an open office wouldn’t be used in this way!
Of the two studios I’ve worked at, the largest was 50ish, and the audio guys had their own separate rooms. Everyone for the most part was relatively quiet
So far the talk here is on material perks (for obvious reasons). Space type, food, and general comfort in the workspace. Yeah, those are nice, and in some decade past I may have said the same. Perhaps this is a given, I don’t know, but for me my Ideal Workspace is all in the People. Give me a compassionate and knowledgeable team with a kick ass attitude. A group that loves understanding and making awesome things with said understanding as much as I do, or if even possible (and still healthy) more than that and well… that’s pretty much the workspace I seek right there. Everything else is just a ^power bonus multiplier.
It’s more complicated then that of course, because people. Simpler too. I’m not sure how else to word it. If you know, you know. That’s the jest of it all.
LIT 
) but you turn on one light, and it’s like you cranked the thermostat up to 90 or something.