Game Dev Teams Are Broken. Here's the Structure That Actually Works.

Описание: Most game studios think they have a talent problem. They don't. They have a structural problem.

Chris Casanova spent 15+ years as a producer across Microsoft Xbox, Mojang (Minecraft), Relic Entertainment, Offworld Industries, and Hypixel Studios. He's watched talented teams fail repeatedly—not from lack of skill, but from organizational friction.

In this conversation, he breaks down the cross-functional team framework that eliminates handoffs, reduces iteration waste, and actually ships games on time.

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⏱️ TIMESTAMPS
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00:00 - Intro: Chris's background across Xbox, Mojang, Relic
02:59 - Why he wrote "Structure Teams to Win"
03:52 - The real motivation: fixing friction, not symptoms
06:54 - Craft-based vs. outcome-based teams explained
08:17 - Real example: How to structure a procedural worlds team
12:45 - The "biome novelty per minute" KPI framework
18:32 - Why 5-9 people is the psychological safety sweet spot
24:10 - The three layers: Product Pillars → Outcome Teams → Individuals
31:48 - Leadership challenges: Territorial leaders who resist change
38:15 - "Craft excellence" pushback and communities of practice
42:20 - The political reality of organizational change
47:15 - Detailed org structure for 70-person AA co-op shooter
53:40 - Breaking down the 6 product pillars
58:07 - What small teams (10 people) should actually do
01:00:08 - Applying principles vs. following prescriptions
01:01:06 - How to connect with Chris / closing thoughts

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🎯 KEY TAKEAWAYS
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→ Traditional craft-based silos create friction at every handoff
→ Cross-functional teams of 5-9 people ship faster and better
→ Give teams clear outcomes, not just tasks
→ Minimize handoffs = minimize loss of intent
→ Structure is strategy: How you organize determines outcomes
→ Some leaders won't make the transition (and that's okay)

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🔥 QUOTABLE MOMENTS
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"It's usually not about the talent, it's usually about alignment and clarity." (05:15)

"When you get to 10, 12, 15 people on a team, that's when you start to see cliques form. People start to fade into the background." (18:32)

"I've seen so many cases where someone's identity is 'I'm the lead of this entire department.' That is a very tough conversation." (33:20)

"Team design is the foundation for pretty much everything else. As leaders in game development, I think it's on us to address those problems." (04:45)

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📚 MENTIONED RESOURCES
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→ "Team of Teams" by General Stanley McChrystal
→ "Extreme Ownership" by Jocko Willink
→ Chris's full article: "Structure Teams to Win" on Medium

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📄 READ THE FULL BREAKDOWN
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I wrote a comprehensive newsletter post breaking down Chris's framework with additional examples and implementation steps:
👉 https://www.gamemakers.com/p/why-your...

Includes:
The 70-person AA co-op shooter org chart in detail
Specific team composition templates
How to handle resistant leadership
What to do if you're a 10-person indie team
Implementation roadmap to avoid chaos

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🤝 CONNECT WITH CHRIS
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Chris is currently seeking his next production leadership role where he can help teams eliminate friction and find their rhythm.

LinkedIn:   / chris-casanova  
Email: [email protected]
Medium:   / structure-teams-to-win  

If your studio is struggling with alignment, missed deadlines, or quality issues despite having talented people—reach out to Chris.

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📌 ABOUT CHRIS CASANOVA
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Production Manager - Microsoft Xbox
Senior Producer - Mojang (Minecraft)
Director of Live & Product - Relic Entertainment
Head of Product - Offworld Industries
Head of Interactive - Misfits Gaming Group
Principal Producer - Hypixel Studios

15+ years helping game development teams ship great games by fixing organizational structure and eliminating friction.

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#gamedev #gamedevelopment #productmanagement #agile #teamstructure #gamestudio #leadership #scrum #crossfunctional #microsoft #mojang #minecraft #relic #organizationaldesign

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