“Let me cut right to the chase,” writes game producer and name behind some of the most important video games ever made, Warren Spector. “I’m retiring from game development.” Before adding, “At least I think so.” (Thanks, Aftermath). Spector possibly has the most extraordinary credit list of any game developer, with titles like Ultima VII, Deus Ex, Thief: The Dark Project, System Shock and Epic Mickey scattered among his resume. But now the 70-year-old says he’s done, with “age and health catching up with me,” and noting that with the changes in the games industry, “it’s just not as much fun for me anymore.”
Warren Spector was already a big deal in the early 1990s, long before he’d become one of the biggest names attached to studio Looking Glass and Ion Storm and the extraordinary run of industry-changing games. Working with Richard Garriott at Origin on the Ultima series, Spector was a producer behind some of the most significant innovations and bold ideas in the franchise, not least with its more out-there expansion packs and spin-off releases. Through the incredible first-person RPG Ultima Underworld, and the formation of Looking Glass and development of Ultima Underworld II, Spector split off from Garriott’s Origin and pioneered what would become known as “immersive sims,” with his production role on System Shock and Thief: The Dark Project.
Spector dissolved Looking Glass’s Austin studio, later revealing he believed it was the best chance to save the company as it struggled financially, and was invited by John Romero to head up a new studio for Ion Storm. There Spector would create one of the greatest games of all time, Deus Ex, as well as the stunning Thief: Deadly Shadows, before moving on to Disney and made what might be considered his final well-loved game, Epic Mickey.
Since then, it’s fair to say Spector hasn’t had the best of luck. Caught up in the Kickstarter-driven nostalgia developments of the 2010s, Spector joined former Looking Glass colleague Paul Neurath’s OtherSide Entertainment, advising on the astonishingly terrible Underworld Ascendant but with the goal of being able to create the never-to-happen System Shock 3. His name was then attached to Argos: Riders of the Storm, another title that would go on to be cancelled. Finally releasing a game this year, OtherSide’s Thick As Thieves would prove to be a watered-down version of what had originally been promised, and despite being $5 was such a flop that support was ended after just two months.
Given the disappointing last decade, and Spector’s age, it makes perfect sense for him to be done! Spector’s announcement states that “I’ve had a great career,” and that he “wouldn’t change a thing even if I could.” But explains that it’s time to stop.
I’m a month away from my 44th year as a developer. I’ve had the chance to work on tabletop roleplaying games and boardgames. I’ve worked on more digital games than I can remember — 17 full games, I think, and 9 or so add-on packs. Gratifyingly, some of those games are still being played 15… 20… 30 years later. And most of them have been in a genre that has had influence beyond what I or anyone else expected. I’ve run teams as small as a dozen and as big as 800. I’ve worked for big companies and done startups. I like to think I’ve helped some insanely talented people along in their careers. (That last is the most important.)
Spector notes that his “age and health” are catching up with him, noting that any health issues are his private business. But he doesn’t appear to be intending to put his feet up. The ongoing plan is to write books, deliver lectures, and perhaps do some consulting work. “I definitely have mixed feelings about this,” the creator notes. “I mean there are three games in particular I’d still like to make. But the game business has changed and it’s just not as much fun for me anymore. Plus there’s a new generation of developers coming up who deserve their time in the sun.”
Spector’s final note is typical of a game creator who has always prioritized helping others in the industry.
To all of you reading this I want you to remember that games are not a solved problem yet — there is, I hope, plenty of experimentation and innovation to come. And to all you young developers out there, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, your job is to make people forget people like me ever existed.