1. The Sunk Cost Fallacy
The sunk cost fallacy is a cognitive bias that makes people continue investing in something that has already consumed a significant amount of resources, even if it’s not likely to succeed. In the case of video game development, developers may feel like they have invested too much time and effort into creating a game that they can’t just give up on now. They may also worry about the negative reception their game will receive if they abandon it halfway through development.
2. The Fear of Failure
For many video game developers, losing a game can be seen as a failure. This fear of failure can be especially intense for those who are just starting out in the industry or who have a reputation to uphold. Developers may feel like they need to prove themselves to their peers and fans, which can make losing a game even more difficult to accept.
3. Personal Investment
As mentioned earlier, video games often require a significant emotional investment from developers. They may have poured their hearts and souls into creating the game, and losing it can be like losing a part of themselves. This personal investment can make it difficult for developers to accept that their game wasn’t successful, even if objectively speaking, it wasn’t that good.
4. The Competitive Nature
Video game development is a highly competitive industry. Developers often compare their games to those of their peers and feel like they need to be the best. Losing a game can be seen as a failure in this competitive environment, which can make developers even more upset about it.
5. The Need for Control
As creators, video game developers have a lot of control over the success of their games. They can’t just blame external factors like market trends or consumer preferences for the failure of their game. Losing a game can be frustrating because it means that they were not able to exert enough control over its success.
Overcoming the Frustration of Losing a Game
Now that we’ve explored some of the reasons why video game developers get so mad when they lose a game, let’s look at what they can do to overcome this feeling of frustration.
1. Accept the Loss
The first step in overcoming the frustration of losing a game is to accept it. This means acknowledging that the game was not successful and moving on from it. It’s important for developers to remember that one failure does not define their entire career. They can learn from their mistakes and use that knowledge to create better games in the future.
2. Reframe the Loss
Instead of seeing losing a game as a failure, developers should try to reframe it as a learning opportunity. They can analyze what went wrong with the game and identify areas where they could improve in the future. This can help them grow as developers and create even better games in the future.
3. Focus on the Positive
It’s important for developers to remember that there are always positive aspects of a game, no matter how successful it was. They should focus on these positive aspects and be proud of what they achieved with the game. This can help them stay motivated and continue working towards their goals as developers.
4. Seek Feedback
Getting feedback from players and peers can be a valuable tool for video game developers. By hearing what others think about their game, developers can identify areas where they need to improve and make changes accordingly. This can help them create better games in the future and avoid making the same mistakes again.
