In tough times, it’s hardest to keep a positive attitude.

It took me a good four months to find a job after the unsuccessful launch and losing my team. Admittedly, I didn’t start looking right away because I had to sort out matters related to the company. Making games is fun, but I was the one who founded the studio, so I had to clean up after it myself. When you’re just an employee, you don’t worry about the consequences.

The last time I was in a similar situation was in 2003, when Poland was a year away from joining the European Union, and my hometown had over 30% unemployment. Back then, however, it was harder because I was alone, and my parents weren’t great at motivating me. Now, I have incredible support from my wife. Without Justyna, I probably would have broken down long ago.

In moments like these, you wonder what went wrong. After all, I worked hard. Everything I achieved over those 7 years, I earned through honest work. I didn’t cheat anyone. I tried to be a good boss to my team.

And yet… The fact that Chains of Fury wouldn’t be a financial success was somewhat predictable, but that’s exactly why I had work‐for‐hire projects. Those 7 years were survivable thanks to a fairly cautious approach and my motto: “Always have a backup plan.” But when even plans A, B, C, D, and F fail, you eventually have to accept the situation and surrender.

You can do everything right and still lose.

Various reflections start to surface. “Maybe I should be like some of those company executives who are really good at attracting investors, even if their methods raise some eyebrows?

A few years ago, when we collaborated with one such company, I was told that the most important thing is securing funds, and everything else is secondary. Their company is still operating, releasing games, but it doesn’t always end well for the developers.

“Or maybe I should emulate those who, despite failures, keep launching new projects, promising a lot to secure funding?” Some call them serial entrepreneurs, but their methods can be controversial.

Or like those who don’t always fulfill their obligations to employees, leading to tough situations after project launches.

Unfortunately, it sometimes seems like dishonest methods pay off. But then I remind myself why I joined this industry in the first place.

I came here to make games. The industry, though not without its challenges, is full of passionate people. The folks in game development are incredible.

I can’t imagine going back to IT, where I’d have to relearn how to function in a more formal environment.

Things are slowly picking up in the industry, so it looks like the new year will bring new opportunities. Martial arts taught me that falling isn’t the end of the game. If you fall, you get back up, train harder, and come back stronger.

The path in gamedev is like a Rogue‐Lite game. Like in Hades—sure, I’ve faced defeat, but no one can take away the experiences and the games I’ve released.

Recently, I hit 10 years in the gaming industry. It’s not much. I want more.