Game’n Breakfast – Purrfect Team
It’s no secret to anyone interested in video game development that this is a rapidly changing industry with an unclear future. One of the main causes of this uncertainty is a globally unstable and ultra-competitive job market. Not helping the thousands of people who have been made redundant to find new jobs, the number of candidates is skyrocketing with hundreds of students graduating from video game schools. These courses, almost all of which are offered by private institutions, are also flourishing in France. Whether they are well-known or more obscure, they always come with tuition fees that rival those of engineering schools, costing several thousand euros per year. We hear a lot about these schools, both good and bad, but ultimately they are not very transparent.
During my visit to Indie Game Lyon 2025, I stopped at the stand of a certain Purrfect Brews, a game populated by cats with a cosy atmosphere. While chatting with the team behind this title, I learned that it is mainly female and that it is a project that came about during their studies, with some of the developers still in training (since graduated). Four of them agreed to take part in an interview, giving me the opportunity to bring you a new episode of Game’n Breakfast. As I mentioned last time, the monthly format no longer really makes sense if I want to keep the profiles varied and cover broader topics than just interviews with developers. You’ll find plenty to satisfy your curiosity in the articles and podcasts on Point’n Think.
So what are we going to talk about with the Purrfect Team? Their game, of course, but before that, we’re going to talk about their educational background. This article does not aim to describe all the schools that exist in France, but to get feedback from four students. I won’t name the institutions they attended, as the aim is not to point fingers, but they have the courage to be honest about their experiences. We will also see that even in this case, which one might imagine to be inclusive due to its artistic and generational components, it is not easy for women to find a place in the video game industry.
Before getting to the heart of the matter, let me introduce those who have agreed to speak.
Fanny Allen is a Master’s student in Game Design, working as a quest designer in a large French studio. A natural jack-of-all-trades, she enjoys design as much as implementation and experimentation in the game engine. As a player, she prefers Metroidvania-style cosy games with a particular focus on environmental storytelling. She was drawn to video games because, in her opinion, they are the most immersive medium for sharing her universe with an audience. The variety of professions in the industry ensures that she is constantly learning.
Amaya Papin is a programming student after completing a bachelor’s degree in game design. Her passion for video games was passed on to her by her cousins during the summer holidays. As she grew up, it became the perfect medium for her to escape into imaginary worlds. It was through a friend who was starting to study animation that Amaya decided to attend a video game school.
Anaïs Mureddu is a concept artist in the video game industry. Passionate about drawing, it was her search for an art school that led her to work in the field she is in today. She enrolled in her school with two artist friends.
Delphine Ravera, a self-taught technical game designer, currently works as a media library assistant. They devote part of their free time to Purrfect Brews. It was their older brother who passed on their passion for video games. Delphine is a fan of narrative-driven, cosy games and discovering demos. It was storytelling and production that led them to video games.
Now that we know a little more about our guests, we can move on to the heart of the interview. For once, I’m going to break with the narrative format of Game’n Breakfast and return to something closer to an interview. The aim is to make it easier to read, given the large number of people featured in this episode. Similarly, to avoid repetition, similar answers have been grouped together under a single person, but they have all answered all the questions. This question-and-answer session will be interspersed with context on the topics that interest us today. Without further ado, let’s meet the Purrfect Team!
Point’n Think: You all attended a video game school. What was your journey to getting into a school and why did you choose the one you did?
Fanny: I applied to a school after visiting a few and was accepted. I found the atmosphere there to be friendly and full of good vibes. I hoped to learn the profession of game designer without the competitiveness that I had heard about in other programmes.
Amaya: For me, the admission process was simple. After applying, I had an interview. Once I started, I had to choose the course that suited me best. However, it was more complicated at my current school.
Anaïs: I joined my school after graduating from secondary school, outside of Parcoursup. My friends and I found the school during a global careers fair, and one of them was particularly interested, so the three of us signed up for an interview, during which we each presented the drawings and projects we had done at the time.
Delphine: I did a science baccalaureate, but when I got to my final year, I wasn’t sure what to do, so some people around me suggested studying video games. I applied to a few schools, got accepted, and avoided Parcoursup!
Point’n Tink: These schools offer several courses, such as game design, programming and sound design. Which course did you choose and how did it go? What skills did you acquire?
Fanny: I chose a bachelor’s degree in Game Design, then a master’s degree at another school. Both courses had their share of promises and disappointments (harassment, sexism, lack of competence on the part of the teaching staff, excessive workload, etc.), as well as good points (really competent and pedagogical lecturers, great encounters, really educational and cool projects, etc.). We learned the basics of game design, level design, prototyping, 3D, project management on the job… However, as with most higher education programmes, a large part of these skills had to be learned, practised or reinforced independently, on our own.
Amaya: At first, I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to go into technological arts or video game design, and I didn’t know anything about game design yet. Fortunately, the school gave us an overview of each course before we had to make our choice. What struck me the most at the time turned out to be prototyping. In my course, I learned how to create rules, level design and many other things that form the basis of a game. Later, I discovered programming and decided to continue my studies in this field.
Anaïs: I chose the four-year 2D/3D game artist programme. I was trained in various artistic professions in video games, such as props/environment artist, tech artist, character designer, concept artist, FX artist, etc. But the programme focused mainly on 3D creation. I was trained in a wide range of software and acquired solid skills in 2D and 3D in particular. I also created around ten games over the course of those four years, working in a team with the game artists from my year group and game designers who were on a different course, which taught me a lot about the game creation pipeline.
Delphine: At our school, we were able to try out the three courses (game design, game artist and tech artist) during our first month of classes (one week = the programme for one course). I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do. GD seemed very abstract to me, GA seemed fun but I didn’t really want to draw all day, and TA seemed very messy and obscure. In the end, I chose GD because I was really interested in the prospect of doing narrative design. The course was a bit complicated, but the first year went pretty well despite the sudden change of our design teacher (our main subject), which left us without any real lessons for a month. The second and third years were complicated: teachers with varying levels of expertise, who did not meet our needs at all, all against a backdrop of harassment with no action taken by the management despite several complaints and meetings with them. We did have a few good teachers who managed to raise the bar and ensure our training, in addition to all the personal work we had to do to push ourselves further. We were able to learn the basics of GD, LD, UX, prototyping, project and team management, and a little bit of 3D.
Point’n think: It seems that your training was rather uneven in terms of the quality of teaching and support. Now that you have completed your studies, what is your overall opinion? What would you like to see changed?
Fanny: I think training courses are a double-edged sword. On the one hand, I think it’s necessary to start somewhere in order to learn the basics. There are many different jobs in the video game industry, and they are complex and constantly evolving. I think it’s helpful to have guidance during this learning process, especially given the current economic climate and the competitiveness of the industry. Specialised training courses are therefore a good starting point and allow you to learn the basics under the supervision of professionals. However, I find that schools tend to be predatory, often charging too much for the level of training they provide. We often had lecturers whose skills were not necessarily up to the standard we expected for the price we paid, inefficient administration, work to be done without any support or assistance, an excessive workload, a lack of guidance on many subjects, and little support when there were problems with the course (team issues, atmosphere, harassment, etc.). Finally, I feel that the school did not do enough to prepare students for the reality of the market and did not provide them with sufficient support at the end of the course. Almost everyone graduated, so every year hundreds of junior game designers leave all the schools for only a few positions available in the industry, and many former students find themselves unprepared and left in the lurch after spending thirty thousand euros on training that will not take them any further.
Anaïs: I come away with a rather positive opinion; I learned a lot during those four years. My teachers were industry professionals, so they really trained us in their professions, which was extremely enriching. In terms of things to improve, I would say that the follow-up was not optimal, as I didn’t have a real teacher, which meant that it was sometimes difficult to contact certain lecturers. They did their best to be there, but unfortunately the reality of life meant that they had their own work to do on the side, so it’s not really something that can be improved. The administration also had its shortcomings, with follow-up that was not always very diligent, and some grades that we often received months later, so it was difficult to get feedback and suggestions for improvement. I think that many schools have this problem and could improve by providing better follow-up for their students.
Amaya: I think I came out of it with a positive opinion and enough knowledge to build the foundations of a game, but it also taught me that every subject is necessary for a game to work properly. However, some courses were a bit “light” in terms of teaching, and we didn’t get enough feedback from our teachers, which often led to misunderstandings and complications in our projects. In the field of video games, teamwork is essential, but we didn’t receive much help in this area. Often, the team was not balanced in terms of each student’s abilities and work pace, and most teachers did not take students’ complaints or comments into account. I think this is the area where I would like to see improvements, because it is necessary to learn how to work in a group to create a good game.
Point’n think: During your studies, you worked on several projects in several teams. You also interacted with different teachers and speakers. Was there a particular project or experience that you had that prepared you for your career?
Fanny: I think that all the moments in group projects where we had to work together despite differences in profession, opinion and taste were good preparation for “real” production. For me, the most important thing in video games is the ability to work as a team. I think Purrfect Brews, our final year project, is the project that taught us the most about coordinating with each other, communicating with people from other specialities, managing production times, and being able to bounce back when problems arise. That was very important for us. We had to do that on every group project. Finally, a memorable moment for us was the playtesting phases, which taught us the importance of user feedback and that they will not necessarily see the game in the same way we do. It is important to detach yourself from your design and accept feedback, especially from the players for whom the game is intended. Although it is not always easy, seeing people interact and enjoy the game remains a wonderful experience, which makes it worthwhile to iterate on the design. However, on a less positive note, we also had to deal with sexism, which unfortunately is still very present in the industry, both in schools and in companies. Insistent colleagues, dirty jokes, value judgements, belittling of our work, sexist insults and/or remarks, etc. We had to work three times harder than our male colleagues for our work to be recognised as “legitimate”. We had to choose between keeping a low profile and putting up with it, or standing up for our values but accepting being marginalised for it. Although this is becoming less and less common in the industry, we still encounter this type of reaction from time to time.
Anaïs: All my group projects were very enriching experiences that I could compare with my end-of-studies internship! I realised that the issues were the same. Time management, organisation, teamwork, soft skills [Editor’s note: which could be translated as behavioural skills], and so on, are just as necessary in group work as in real production. One particularly memorable experience was my final year project, which was a real challenge in terms of soft skills. There were 16 of us in my group and the production management was disastrous, which took me out of my comfort zone and allowed me to take initiative, resolve conflicts, express my thoughts clearly and say no. I think I grew a lot from this chaotic experience.
Amaya: Much of my project experience tends to be chaotic, due to a lack of communication and coordination between my teammates, but it has taught me how to manage myself and my work. However, the project I did with my current team, on Purrfect Brews, was the most memorable for me. This team communicated well about the tasks and needs of the project, as well as the abilities of each teammate and how to adapt them in a timely manner. It showed me how important good team cohesion is to moving a project forward. It also allowed me to appreciate working in a group, unlike my previous team, which had given me a negative impression of it. This prepared me to adapt to different teams and workflows for future team projects.
Point’n think: To conclude on your experience at video game school, do you think your training prepared you well for the realities of the job market and the industry?
Fanny: Absolutely not. Some of the speakers warned us that entering the industry would be a challenge, but we didn’t get much more preparation than that. I think some of the speakers are not very familiar with the reality of the market. Representatives from the teaching team even talked about the “mercato” on the AFJV to find an internship after completing our Bachelor’s degree, or told us that it had “never been easier to find work in the video game industry”. As a result, many of us didn’t find an internship, or found one in fields quite far removed from video games. In any case, we were left to fend for ourselves after completing the programme, and very few of us managed to find a job (even a temporary one, such as a fixed-term contract, freelance work or work-study programme). I think schools should place much more emphasis on the fact that finding work in the video game industry these days is really complicated. I also think that far too little emphasis was placed on accessibility and how to implement it, on accepting diversity (which was clearly not a subject that everyone agreed on), and on the culture of crunch and well-being at work. Very often, a very “boys’ club” mentality and crunch were encouraged by the school, which will be perpetuated in the industry.
Anaïs: Personally, I think my training prepared me quite well for the idea that it was going to be difficult to break into the industry, thanks to our lecturers who often told us this and were always transparent about it. But I think you can never be fully prepared until you experience it for yourself. Even with lecturers explaining the job market to us, and knowing what to expect, it’s still very hard to go through it and you feel lost when it comes to finding an internship, faced with the few offers compared to the hundreds of applications. In my class, 60% of people found an internship, but I think less than 10% got a job afterwards. From my point of view, the administration doesn’t emphasise this figure enough.
Training programmes for careers in video games are quite vague, and their number has exploded in recent years. There is something for every taste, every budget and every background. The majority of degrees obtained are only valuable in relation to the school associated with them. By this I mean that we are not talking about state-recognised qualifications that guarantee equal training regardless of where it is provided. Furthermore, private schools (almost all establishments in France) are not monitored in terms of the quantity and quality of the training they offer. As we have seen, rigour and relevance are not always guaranteed. As with business schools, some see opportunities in a promising sector to make money from the future of others. In this context, it is important to gather as much information as possible before committing large sums of money. Feedback from former students is often the best way to get an idea of the quality of teaching. We cannot stress this enough: the best way to learn is to practise as much as possible. Whether on your own with tutorials or with friends during game jams, video game development is a profession that is learned through practice, even if theory is also important. All this to say that you should be cautious before embarking on this path, which can sometimes be a trap for those who are passionate about their work.
Point’n Think: During your studies, you worked on a project that you wanted to take further, and it became a side project in addition to your professional activity. Can you tell us about Purrfect Brews? How did the idea come about? What is its gameplay like?
Fanny: Purrfect Brews is a cosy game filled with mini-games, inspired by Animal Crossing. You play as a little cat who has just inherited the witchcraft shop from their grandmother, Gran-Gran, who has retired to the Bahameows. You have to make it thrive through various activities, such as planting seeds in your garden and harvesting what they produce, making potions for the little villagers, buying upgrades for your shop with the money you earn and unlocking new mini-games, but above all, exploring a cosy world.
The game alternates between phases in a 3D world where the player moves around and can interact with the inhabitants and/or activities taking place on a 2D overlay. The player has no obligations; they can choose whether or not to carry out the activities they want, in the order they prefer. We wanted our game to be relaxing and accessible, and simply offer a little bubble for people who want a soothing experience. The idea came to me at my grandmother’s house, as I watched a little cat walking among her flowers. The concept was refined and iterated throughout its development. The whole team was able to suggest changes and add a little of their personality and desires to it, so that we could achieve something more complete.
Point’n Think: What was your specific contribution to the development of the game and what challenges did you have to overcome?
Fanny: I came up with the basic pitch for Purrfect and led the team during the years of development (although the “hierarchy” is very horizontal and each of us has a say, I don’t make any decisions without the agreement of the other members). I contributed to the game design, level design, UX design and implementation of features in the engine.
One of the biggest challenges for the team, I think, was managing the team when it was larger. Coordinating so many people is not easy. We had production delays, setbacks, artistic direction issues, human issues, etc. We managed to make up for these delays by working even harder, even though some of us were really exhausted by the task. Some had to take on multiple roles to make up for the gaps we had (GDs who took care of game art, etc.). We also had to deal with sexism from some of our classmates (and unfortunately, not just other students). Our project was stigmatised as a “girl’s game” and it was said that we would never be able to complete it and that no one was interested in it. Some contributors refused to give feedback to our team because they didn’t like the project. We were given unflattering nicknames and saw the name of the project deliberately mangled to resemble another project from the previous year (even though the only thing they had in common was cats, not the gameplay or the art direction). In the end, much to the dismay of our detractors, our project was the most appreciated by the professional jury and the most successful of our class. Ha!
Amaya: I was in charge of scripting via the blueprint, with Delphine (who oversaw us for this part) and Fanny, mainly for the UI. I also participated in the design. My main challenges were the iterations, as the design evolved, which often forced me to go back over what I had done (that said, this is normal in a project; it’s important not to get too attached to a design or work you’ve done, as everything is likely to change constantly). I also had to make sure that my script was understandable to everyone so that we could work together smoothly. Finally, my biggest challenge was that Blueprint is not my favourite tool, and I find its logic a bit difficult to grasp.
Anaïs: Much later, Fanny contacted me on LinkedIn to contribute to the game’s UI by creating various 2D assets after the game artists left the project. I quickly became familiar with the game’s art direction because I love it! The biggest challenge was creating assets for a game we didn’t create. It was my first experience joining a production that was already underway. Each time, I have to ask for a lot of information to make sure I’m creating an asset that fits without wasting too much time. I find it difficult to get an overall view of the game, so I would say that the biggest challenge is gathering all the information I need to do a good job. Whether that means digging through the game documentation, searching through references, looking at the Photoshop files of former artists, asking questions, or requesting meetings…
Delphine: I am the lead programmer and producer, and I contributed to the GD and UX for the project. I also do a lot of debugging and bug reporting. All these roles give me an overview of the project, which allows me to identify problems or elements that need to be changed (whether in terms of gameplay, the order of production tasks, communication, etc.). I also contributed to the project’s accessibility work with my knowledge, research, observations, and contacts to ensure that Purrfect is accessible to as many people as possible. I also use my communication skills, acquired during my other professional experiences, to benefit the project.
Point’n Think: There are a lot of activities in the game that are reminiscent of a popular genre: the cosy game. Were there any particular inspirations or influences that fed into the game’s design?
Fanny: The biggest inspiration for the game is obviously Animal Crossing. However, we wanted to add a special touch to the project by incorporating accessibility features for neurodivergent and queer people. So we talked to someone studying for a master’s degree in psychology to learn more about the ins and outs of these issues and see what we could implement within our means.
Delphine: In addition to our own observations and knowledge of these issues, we attend conferences and round tables on the subject, particularly at professional events we attend.
Point’n Think: Accessibility for neurodivergent people and the inclusion of queer people are important values for the purrfect team. How do you manage to integrate all of this into your cosy game and its fantasy universe?
Delphine: The two issues are addressed in very different ways in the game. The queer aspect is mainly addressed through the narrative. Most of our characters are queer, with intertwined stories. The main character is genderless and is called Kitty. When it comes to neurodiversity and accessibility, this is much more evident in the gameplay. We have a very cosy game, in which you rarely lose or don’t lose much. Nothing is blocking, we don’t have a time limit. We’re looking into integrating controller or click-only controls because we know that’s easier for some people. We’re trying to eliminate anything that could get in the way of enjoying the game. Accessibility was something we were praised for during our studies because we were the only ones who really sought to include it in our project.
Fanny: We are trying to avoid mini-games based on reflexes or speed, which could bother people who are not very quick or who do not usually play games. We enlisted the help of a psychology student to try to understand what might be difficult for people with autism spectrum disorder or attention deficit disorder, for example. With this advice, we tried to find solutions to these problems. The game therefore offers reminders throughout to avoid having to search for information. The game design is not punitive at all; players can do what they want, nothing is mandatory. We want to create a safe place where people can fish, make potions, or chat with other inhabitants according to their desires and abilities. There is no reward other than the freedom to do what you want. In any case, we try to do what we can with the tools we have. At first, it wasn’t easy at all, but we try to have things that are gentle for everyone, neuroatypical and neurotypical alike. Accessibility was not addressed at all in our curriculum. At our request, some teachers talked to us about it, but otherwise it’s not part of the programme except for the existence of filters for colour-blind people.
For those of you who follow my writing, you know that accessibility is a subject close to my heart. For others, you’ll find the main points in this article: Disability, neuroatypicality, phobia… The most important thing to understand is that accessibility is much broader than one might think. It is not limited to motor disabilities, or even disabilities in general. Although it is an important part of it, accessibility includes all those who do not fit into the “norm”, if there is such a thing. The Purrfect Team has understood this well by thinking about neuroatypical and queer people. As I write these lines, there are still far too few games that allow the flexibility necessary for as many people as possible to enjoy them. Because, contrary to what gatekeepers may say, video games are the ideal medium for adaptation and should not be reserved for a select few. Beyond entertainment, video games are a powerful tool for learning, role-playing and experimentation. More and more studies and feedback show that video games can work wonders. While today’s options often boil down to being able to adjust the size of subtitles, it is important to support those who want to do better, be more inclusive, and ultimately be more attentive to the player. I am happy to meet developers who place accessibility at the heart of their concerns and advocate for video games for all.
Point’n Think: In the context of saturation with an exploding number of games, how do you hope Purrfect Brews will stand out in the video game market?
Fanny: I don’t think we’re pretending that our project will stand out, even though, of course, we’d love it to. We just hope to offer a relaxing and soothing experience to people who want to make magic potions in a small village full of fluffy animals. We would like to see accessibility and queer and neurodiverse representation spread more quickly throughout the industry (the process is underway, but there are still many people who oppose it), which is why we chose to shape Purrfect Brews around these themes, but we don’t think we are paragons in this area. However, we hope that with an almost entirely female team, we can inspire more girls and women to turn to careers in video games, or video games themselves. Productions need more women and diversity.
Delphine: Let’s say that we are doing our bit to bring accessibility and diversity to the heart of video games, so that more people can identify with and enjoy experiences that are tailored and designed for them. In fact, we can see the influence we have at the trade shows we attend, where many parents and children are interested in the issue of women and accessibility in video games and in our experience and feelings. Being able to guide and inform them makes us happy and motivates us to continue in this direction.
Point’n Think: Games that promote inclusivity and diversity are still a source of controversy, often unjustified. What type of player do you think will particularly enjoy the game?
Fanny: I hope that the project will appeal to everyone, without stereotypes, because who doesn’t like little cats? However, we have noticed that the project is particularly popular with young people, especially queer or neurodiverse young people, which confirms our belief that we have succeeded in creating an experience tailored to them.
Point’n Think: We feel that the production of this project carries the aura of people united around the same values with a desire for progress. Do you have any anecdotes about the development of the game, any memorable or amusing moments?
Fanny: We were lucky enough to work with someone from the Paris Conservatoire, who was responsible for the game’s music: Kim Dahye. Dahye is a wonderful composer and a really nice person, I loved working with her. Otherwise, a memorable moment for me was the first playtests carried out on people outside the training programme. Although the game was still incomplete and needed a lot of work, I found it extremely rewarding to see people enjoying a project that we had created entirely by ourselves. Those moments made all the hours of painstaking work on Unreal worthwhile.
Delphine: I think our first trade show as the “Purrfect Team” was what made the biggest impression on me. At that moment, I realised that this was us, our project, and that we belonged among the other creators who were exhibiting. Being able to talk directly to the public, present our game, spark their interest, see so many different people playing and coming back to us with their feedback was extremely rewarding. In fact, some people find us at other trade shows and remember Purrfect! It’s a pleasure to remember them and chat!
A little bonus: trade shows bring the team together, and that’s how we got to meet Anaïs in person!
Point’n Think: You’ve all finished your studies and entered the workforce while keeping Purrfect Brews as a side project. How do you manage to balance your work, your project and your personal life?
Fanny: We work in phases, meaning that there are times when we’re not working on the project at all, and other times when we have a milestone to meet, so there’s work to be done. For my part, I was doing a work-study programme and working on Purrfect Brews on the side, so I had three things to do at once. Basically, I would do my day of classes or work, then I would work on my classes, and only then would I focus on our project. To sum up, I mainly worked in the evenings and on weekends when I had time, using a to-do list system. We’re a small team, so when I couldn’t finish what I had planned, I would ask for a little help, or vice versa if the situation was the opposite. While the game was still a study project, we felt the workload and a sense of being overworked. Since we finished our studies, we’ve been freer, especially in terms of scope. And above all, we’re not expected to do anything, so we can present whatever we want. We have a plan, we know where we want to go, but we have other priorities that may be more urgent. Purrfect Brews is on the side, it’s a hobby that shouldn’t take up too much mental energy.
Delphine: During our studies, we spent seven intense months working on the project. At the end, we all took a three-month break during which we didn’t touch the project. Clearly, if anyone mentioned the game to me again, I wanted to scream. So we didn’t want to do the same thing again. There are still deadlines, but this time we set them ourselves, usually to present a new version at a trade show. We work on it according to everyone’s time and motivation. It feels good.
Point’n Think: If we try to look ahead, what are your hopes for the future of gaming and your career in video games?
Fanny: I’d like to be able to continue my contract, or at least find something in Quest Design or Technical Design. However, given the state of the industry, finding any kind of contract, even outside of video games, is really complicated. I just hope to find something and continue developing small projects on my own with the team.
Amaya: None, haha! Joking aside, we mustn’t forget that the industry is really very complicated at the moment, and getting a foothold in it when you’re just starting out is really tedious. Many people end up turning away from video games because they haven’t been able to break into the industry. However, despite the scarcity of opportunities, we’re not discouraged and are continuing on our merry way, waiting for the situation to improve. To keep our skills sharp, we’re continuing to work on various indie projects, such as Purrfect.
Anaïs: I hope to continue developing my career as a concept artist in a video game world that is growing and evolving. One that offers more diversity, less sexualised female characters, and an industry where AI hasn’t replaced everyone.
Delphine: I’m happy with my current situation. My work as a cultural mediator allows me to combine my experience and knowledge of video games with public contact, while continuing a project that I particularly enjoy as a freelancer. My action/influence remains similar despite the different forms it takes.
Point’n Think: And to conclude, what’s next for Purrfect Brews?
Fanny: We want to polish the project before offering it on Steam, although we don’t have a specific date in mind, since we’re working on it in our spare time. We still have a few small improvements to make, so stay tuned, witches! ✨
Even with the best of intentions, it’s difficult to make a name for yourself in the world of video games. Large studios and certain schools are still rife with discriminatory and sexist behaviour. With the buyout of small studios and the deployment of artificial intelligence, the job market has become a veritable battlefield, with its share of collateral damage and struggles for survival. The feeding of shareholders takes bread out of the mouths of tens of thousands of workers in what is nevertheless a sector that generates billions of dollars, far ahead of the film industry. It is these financiers who sanitise AAA games, which all end up looking the same. It is thanks to initiatives such as the Purrfect Team that independent gaming allows this industry to remain an example of innovation and creativity. When we see that a studio with just a few people can steal the limelight from productions made by hundreds of people, we are entitled to question the impact of this policy of permanent growth. It is worth remembering that in order to adhere to this mantra, as exemplified by the 30% growth demanded by Microsoft (source), if revenues do not increase, it is expenditure and therefore human resources that suffer. I cannot stress this enough: the best way to ensure a healthy industry is to support those who want to do well. We have come to the end of this Game’n Breakfast and our discussion with the Purrfect Team. We will be back soon with more articles and podcasts, while we wait for a new GnB on a completely different topic. Be sure to check out Purrfect Brews on Itch.io.