Starting a Studio, Thriving Post-Layoff, Working at Epic Games, the Rise of UGC, Hiring Is Broken, Street Fighter: The Movie, Empathy, and Building Games for Fortnite with CEO Alan Noon of Drill Creative, Inc.
Explicit content warning
12/18/24 • 52 min
In this episode, I caught up with Alan Noon, founder and CEO of Drill Creative, Inc., to discuss his journey from decades in the game industry to launching his own studio. Alan shared how his work on UEFN at Epic Games, including shipping Deserted Domination and the big GDC reveal, plus his desire to return to hands-on game creation. After a layoff, he quickly turned the setback into an opportunity, forming Drill Creative to build games within Fortnite’s ecosystem using UEFN’s powerful tools for small, nimble teams.
We explored the rise of user-generated content (UGC), which Alan likened to the early days of the iPhone App Store, when hobbyists had room to experiment and innovate. He highlighted challenges like monetization and platform restrictions, which can limit developers’ ability to build sustainable businesses and lasting IP. Alan also reflected on the importance of empathy, collaboration, and creating opportunities, offering advice for developers to focus on tangible work, stand out, and take initiative in today’s competitive market.
Finally, Alan shared insights on industry trends like AR, VR, and AI, as well as his excitement for UGC’s growing potential. With personal stories and sharp observations, Alan delivered a thoughtful look at the evolving game development landscape.
Bio:
From a career that spans AAA to indie dev and now UGC, Alan Noon is a cross-discipline game industry veteran, having shipped on all manner of platforms including arcade, console, PC, mobile, VR/AR/XR, and class 3 slot machines. Presently he leads Drill Creative, Inc. as CEO and Creative Director, building games for Fortnite with UEFN.
Show Links:
Elimination Confirmed is Out! - Fortnite website
UEFN (Unreal Editor for Fortnite) - website
Street Fighter (movie) - Wikipedia
Valley of the Ancient - Epic Games website
Deserted: Domination - Epic Labs website
Incredible Technologies - website
Connect With Links:
Drill Creative, Inc. - website
Drill Creative, Inc. - LinkedIn
Drill Creative, Inc - Twitter/X
Alan Noon - Twitter/X
Game Dev Advice Links:
YouTube Podcasts - check out this episode with a guarantee of 100% more video
Patreon - career coaching through the Gain Wisdom membership
Game Dev Advice hotline: (224) 484-7733
website - show notes, links, stuff
[email protected] - reach out!
Subscribe and go to the website for full show notes with links
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
In this episode, I caught up with Alan Noon, founder and CEO of Drill Creative, Inc., to discuss his journey from decades in the game industry to launching his own studio. Alan shared how his work on UEFN at Epic Games, including shipping Deserted Domination and the big GDC reveal, plus his desire to return to hands-on game creation. After a layoff, he quickly turned the setback into an opportunity, forming Drill Creative to build games within Fortnite’s ecosystem using UEFN’s powerful tools for small, nimble teams.
We explored the rise of user-generated content (UGC), which Alan likened to the early days of the iPhone App Store, when hobbyists had room to experiment and innovate. He highlighted challenges like monetization and platform restrictions, which can limit developers’ ability to build sustainable businesses and lasting IP. Alan also reflected on the importance of empathy, collaboration, and creating opportunities, offering advice for developers to focus on tangible work, stand out, and take initiative in today’s competitive market.
Finally, Alan shared insights on industry trends like AR, VR, and AI, as well as his excitement for UGC’s growing potential. With personal stories and sharp observations, Alan delivered a thoughtful look at the evolving game development landscape.
Bio:
From a career that spans AAA to indie dev and now UGC, Alan Noon is a cross-discipline game industry veteran, having shipped on all manner of platforms including arcade, console, PC, mobile, VR/AR/XR, and class 3 slot machines. Presently he leads Drill Creative, Inc. as CEO and Creative Director, building games for Fortnite with UEFN.
Show Links:
Elimination Confirmed is Out! - Fortnite website
UEFN (Unreal Editor for Fortnite) - website
Street Fighter (movie) - Wikipedia
Valley of the Ancient - Epic Games website
Deserted: Domination - Epic Labs website
Incredible Technologies - website
Connect With Links:
Drill Creative, Inc. - website
Drill Creative, Inc. - LinkedIn
Drill Creative, Inc - Twitter/X
Alan Noon - Twitter/X
Game Dev Advice Links:
YouTube Podcasts - check out this episode with a guarantee of 100% more video
Patreon - career coaching through the Gain Wisdom membership
Game Dev Advice hotline: (224) 484-7733
website - show notes, links, stuff
[email protected] - reach out!
Subscribe and go to the website for full show notes with links
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Previous Episode
Working at Valve, Finding Mentors, Reinventing Yourself, Collecting Pinball, Grit, Nolan Bushnell, Working Under Pressure, Silicon Valley, The Enthusiasm Advantage, and Ham Radio with CEO Jeri Ellsworth of Tilt Five
Summary:
- Jeri Ellsworth shares her journey from childhood fascination with technology to becoming the CEO of Tilt Five.
- She describes her early interest in science and computers, fueled by her father's gift of a Commodore 64.
- Jeri recounts her experiences in racing, learning fabrication skills, and self-promotion to fund her racing career.
- Transitioning to computers, she opened several computer stores, experiencing both success and challenges.
- After a business failure, she moved to Silicon Valley, using her electronics skills to secure engineering roles.
- Jeri highlights her work on various projects, including chip design and collaborations with notable industry figures.
- Her time at Valve involved leading an R&D lab and facing internal cultural challenges, which eventually led to her departure.
- She acquired technology from Valve to start Tilt Five, focusing on multiplayer AR experiences.
- Jeri discusses the challenges and successes of running a venture-backed startup, including a successful Kickstarter campaign.
- She emphasizes the importance of mentors, continuous learning, and pursuing projects that spark joy and innovation.
Bio:
Jeri Ellsworth is an inventor, product creator, chip designer, and system-level engineer. Her love for invention began with building race cars before working with hardware design, creating a complete Commodore 64 system on a chip housed within a joystick, called C64 Direct-to-TV. Her combined passion for gaming and invention has fueled the creation of many cutting edge technologies, culminating in the creation of Tilt Five, the world’s first augmented reality gaming system. Her vision for the future of gaming is driving innovation for the entire Tilt Five team.
Show Links:
Tilt Five - website
Tilt Five - YouTube
Steve Wozniak - Wikipedia
C64 Direct-to-TV - Wikipedia
Valve Corporation - website
How two Valve engineers walked away with the company's augmented reality glasses - The Verge
Alan Alcorn - Wikipedia
Silicon Valley - HBO website
Stern Pinball - website
Nolan Bushnell - Wikipedia
Ham Radio - Wikipedia
2019’s Global Game Industry’s 50 Over 50 List - website
Connect With Links:
Jeri Ellsworth - Wikipedia
Jeri Ellsworth - YouTube
Jeri Ellsworth - LinkedIn
Jeri Ellsworth - website
Game Dev Advice Links:
YouTube Podcasts - check out this episode with a guarantee of 100% more video
Patreon - career coaching through the Gain Wisdom membership
Game Dev Advice hotline: (224) 484-7733
website - show notes, links, etc.
[email protected] - reach out!
Subscribe and go to the website for full show notes with links
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Next Episode
Navigating Game Industry Challenges, Job Hunting After a Layoff, the Rise of Consulting Firms, Celebrity Stories, and Starting a New Company—Adam Boyes, Founder of Vivrato
In this episode, industry veteran Adam Boyes discusses the complexities of the video games industry, from the challenges of sustaining AAA games to navigating market dynamics and the impact of large-scale layoffs.
He shares insights from his journey founding Vivrato and highlights the importance of innovation and thoughtful leadership. The conversation also covers practical advice for aspiring game developers and industry professionals, emphasizing the need for strategic thinking and resilience.
Hear behind-the-scenes stories, including memorable moments with celebrities like Sammy Sosa and Lawrence Taylor, and gain a deeper understanding of what it takes to thrive in the ever-evolving world of video games. The conversation also covers practical advice for aspiring game developers and industry professionals, emphasizing the need for strategic thinking, resilience, and curated searching.
Bio:
As co-CEO of Iron Galaxy Studios, Adam Boyes steered the company’s strategic direction, partnerships, and commitment to a people-first culture. Prior, as Sony Interactive Entertainment America’s Vice President of Third Party Relations & Developer Technology Group, he cultivated groundbreaking collaborations that propelled PlayStation’s revenue to record levels. With leadership roles at Midway Games, Capcom, and his own consulting venture, Beefy Media, Boyes championed open communication, stable growth, and premium gaming experiences in a rapidly evolving industry. His deep passion for the games industry fuels his new journey with Vivrato, where he is focused on inspiring people and forging innovative solutions that transcend traditional boundaries.
Show Links:
Adam interview - VentureBeat website
Chicago’s Deep Tunnel (the flood story) - Slate website
MLB Slugfest: Loaded - wikipedia
DICE Summit - website
MDEV - website
Connect With Links:
Vivrato - website
Vivrato - LinkedIn
Adam Boyes - LinkedIn
Game Dev Advice Links:
YouTube Podcasts - check out this episode with a guarantee of 100% more video
Patreon - career coaching through the Gain Wisdom membership
Game Dev Advice hotline: (224) 484-7733
website - show notes, links, stuff
[email protected] - reach out!
Subscribe and go to the website for full show notes with links
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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