The biggest industry often overlooked as a ‘serious business’ is gaming. I have been thinking about the gaming industry as I recently spent the best part of six months trying to get my hands on a PS5. Last weekend, I was one of the exceptionally fortunate forty four in the Bristol area to get one!
I’ve enjoyed console gaming since way back when I transitioned from computers to games machines. I got hold of the Sega Master System and then, shortly afterwards, upgraded to the MegaDrive. I was hooked. What I loved about gaming was the way it brought communities of people together. In the 90’s, my friends and I put on our 10 year old football shirts and we played a knockout tournament complete with trophies (and I won!) It was hilarious. Seeing all my grown adult friends in ultra tight kits and we cheered on each game as if it were a cup final.
My PS5 is only days old and I have already enjoyed it soooo much! Upgrading FIFA 21 to PS5 is quite simply a graphical feast. Each year of PlayStation improves on the last and as soon as lockdown permits I sense another tournament will be staged at Irwin HQ.
Thinking about it, gaming has been part my life since my Dad bought home a ZX Spectrum 48K. And, even now, as a family, we continue to swap notes on different games. (Well, all of us apart from my Mum who doesn’t have that many notes to compare). My Dad even has a PS4 Pro. I’m amazed when people say it wastes time. It’s not passive, it’s active, and while a movie can be absorbing, there is nothing quite like gaming. I believe that you can learn a lot from it.
Know your game
Taking your game in life to the next level is knowing how to win. Gaming has many different genres and with them come immersive experiences. For. This reason, gamers often prefer a certain game genre and some gamers might do well in a number of different genres. Personally, sports and adventure stories are my favourite. Fifa, for reasons cited, and adventure because it allowed me to experience new environments even when locked down. Uncharted on the PS4 brought an exceptional helping of adventure and mind-blowing graphics.
As an entrepreneur I love telling stories and helping people become the hero in their own story. I want to see them live the adventure. Discover the treasure within and helping them win in their environment.
Define your high score
When I used to play video games when I was growing up my success was all about the high score.
Today, success is more about completing the journey or being the last man standing. So, how would you define what success looks like for you? When would you be happy? For me, it’s pretty close to my favourite gaming genre, the adventure game, where it’s about progress and unlocking levels. It might be the same for you if you are an entrepreneur.
When you know what you want, you are more focussed. You may not get everything done in one sitting though! So, what are your goals for the week, month, quarter and year?
Know your role
For me, the best games are where the good guy is pitched against the bad guy. And then, there’s also sports games, where I love the management side of things. FIFA career mode actually feels close to entrepreneurship to me. Getting the right squad with limited resources and the goal of securing the best talent!
What you’re fighting for
Ultimately, building any great company is knowing about what you are fighting for. It could be restoring peace to a galaxy, discovering lost treasure or establishing a name for yourself. Knowing why you are in the game will help you when you struggle on a level, or when you’re trying to figure out a puzzle of epic proportions.
Learn to enjoy the journey
Clearing the level used to be the thing, but games have improved. Noes they often have open worlds where you can literally go anywhere, enjoy side missions and unlock extras. Enjoying the journey transforms our traditional gaming outlook. Entrepreneurship is rather like that, just enjoying the process. Beautiful games such as Ghost of Thishinma really unearth brave new worlds. You become immersed in the game and the experience is deeper than any movie.
After work, we play
Gaming is for life and I am loyal to PlayStation. It has allowed the next generation of gamers to stay connected through a pandemic and the audience has grown even more. For me, PlayStation is a space that allows you to tell stories on a whole new level.
For now, the PS5 sits in our living room and allows us to enjoy gaming together. Whether its Minecraft or FIFA, Rachet and Clank or writing a new chapter in Star Wars, we make sure that gaming is a social experience, not a closet one.
In the spirit of gaming, we put together a quiz to help people find out what they need to up their game. Try our FREE purpose questionnaire here. Let us take you to the next level and get a game changing message out there to establish a game changing brand.