The Games Game

Way In Over Your Head (December 2005)

Hi Tom,

Me and my budz made a little game together. The local newspaper heard about us and wrote a couple articles, and a VC called and invited us to a meeting. They offered us money to set us up as a company. The idea is to expand our game into a bigger project, then sell it to a big company and split the profits.

My dad says I should finish college and get a job in the industry - he says I need to start in the shallow end of the pool rather then the deep end, and maybe he's right but my budz are pressuring me to do it

My dad made me a list of questions. He's pretty smart about business.

I asked them, who's gonna be the boss, they said Ben cause he's the oldest, but I'm not so sure Ben has what it takes to manage us. We just kind of made the game. It wasn't like we were organized and he is kinda bossy but not really in a good way.

I asked Ben will he make the decisions about spending money and hiring people? What about taxes and permits? He said the VC could help him.

I asked what about selling the game to a big company, how do we do that, aren't there thick contracts and wont we have to travel to there office, what if they see we're just teenagers wont they just laugh at us? They said look at the newspaper article, we're boy geniuses and everybody will be impressed with what we did and want to listen to us

So here's my question. everybody says the best way to learn is by doing. Even if my dad and I think it wont work out and we wont sell our game, shouldn't I do it anyway just to learn? It's a great opportunity don't you think?

Hello Todd,

Your dad really is smart about business. The questions he gave you to ask your partners were right on. That's really cool that you guys were written up in the news. It is impressive that you made a game together, and it really is awesome that some venture capitalists are willing to set you up in your own company.

My guess is that your dad is totally right that the company will likely fold without accomplishing the profits your friends envision. It might even be that the VC don't really expect to make their money back. Perhaps they just want to encourage you and your friends to do exactly what you suggest - to learn about game development by doing. But it's not very useful for me to speculate on the VC's motivations.

Unquestionably, you and your friends would learn a lot by giving it a shot. But a lot of the things you'd learn from it could well be negative, since you are (as your dad says) getting in way over your heads. You might come out of it enemies rather than friends, and it might make you wary of making new friends. You might come out of it disillusioned with the workings of business. You'll probably become aware of the fleeting nature of fame, which can turn you cynical at a young age.

I know it seems like a great opportunity being offered to you, but I think your dad is right. I think you aren't ready yet. Talk to the VC, tell them you want to finish your education first. Ask them to wait. There really is such a thing as too much, too soon.