New Studio, New Job

At one point in 2021, an old colleague and friend, Andy Wilson, hit me up about an opportunity to start a new Sledgehammer Games studio location in Toronto. To reiterate, a colleague I worked with at Ubisoft Toronto back in 2013 on Splinter Cell Blacklist asked me to join a studio filled with Dead Space devs I worked with back in 2008. I was in. I am in. We’re currently ramping up and I couldn’t be more excited. In May, 2021 I became a Creative Director and Employee #1 at Sledgehammer Games Toronto.

The imposter syndrome I felt when I joined this team was the most severe I had ever had. Not only was I taking on a new role of Creative Director, but I was also driving the development of an entirely new studio location. As employee #1, I have a major voice in hiring, studio culture, and studio location. What this studio becomes will be a direct results of my successes and failures in this position. It’s daunting…and extremely exciting.

The takeaway I want to give you is this:

Everyone has imposter syndrome when starting a new opportunity. There’s nothing to be ashamed of. The only way to really get rid of it is to start having successes in that role. So work hard and take it one step at a time. You’re experiences up to this point are what got you this position. You can do it.