Agenda

Co-creator of The Last of Us and Co-Director of Uncharted 2 & 4, former Naughty Dog Bruce Straley started the independent studio Wildflower Interactive with the big intentions of building a new work culture, mentoring a diverse team, and crafting the next “playable character story” with Coven of the Chicken Foot. Spoiler alert: things didn’t go as planned. Still learning and growing after 34 years making games, Bruce Straley shares his perspective on what drives him as a contributor to our industry, how he deals with his fears and failures as a creator and collaborator, and why he continues to show up for work every day.

Takeaway

Attendees will gain practical insight into the realities of moving from AAA to independent development, including lessons learned from starting a small studio and navigating what didn’t go as planned. The talk offers an honest look at fear, failure, and creative leadership, along with actionable guidance for developers to find their creative voice, harness setbacks as growth, and become more confident, proactive contributors within their careers, studios, and the broader industry.

Intended Audience

This talk is for anyone interested in being a creator, a human, a contributor, or work with creative-types, and desires some insights on how to work in a new or small studio (or any studio really).