I was born in Cali and raised in Houston with seven siblings. I’m currently with a wife, baby girl, and small miniature poodle. I’ve been gaming since the NES era and never stopped. Resident Evil 4 was probably the game that made me want to start developing games. Unfortunately, I gave up that dream in college because programming and drawing were too hard. I went through four different languages: C+, C++, Java, Python, and still could not grasp it. Art was never my strong suit. Thus, I felt like there wasn’t an opportunity for me. I was lost, confused, and unmotivated. The game industry in Houston isn’t big either, I would have to go to Austin or San Francisco to have any luck.

I graduated from college with a degree in organizational and leadership supervision then went on to work for a data company as a market researcher. After three years in the professional world, I started to feel really unhappy and unfulfilled. My dream was to be in the game industry, not working in a data company… I read a book called the 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss and it changed my perspective on life. It also taught me how to outsource work. I immediately hired a programmer and artist to start working on my first game called Finding Leo. I made a ton of mistakes from the get-go:

1. No scope
2. Terrible communication
3. Wasted money
4. Zero research
5. Millions more

But here is the thing, I am extremely proud that I was able to actually create a game. I lead a team to complete a full game! Even with all the mistakes I made, it was a great learning experience that I can take forward with me on future games. I took action and made something happen. Finding Leo was released in October 2017. My next game will be better.

We all heard the stories of how hard the game industry can be. People getting burnout, crunch time, terrible pay, layoffs, etc. Yet I still wanted to join no matter what. I started to go to local communities to network and build relationships. I even spoke in front of the Houston City Councils to ask for funding to grow the industry here in the city. Keep in mind that I’m a huge introvert. Before speaking in front of the councils, I was breathing heavily and sweating. That experience gave me the confidence that I can speak to anyone. I wanted to keep learning and hope, in the end, I will find a way in.

I started listening to podcast around the time and John Lee Dumas of EOFIRE podcast motivated to start my own. I already knew in my mind that people were in the exact situation as I am. Since I was on the journey of trying to learn more, why not help other people as well. Boom! Game Dev Loadout was created. A podcast was perfect because it’s convenient, you can listen on the go, during work, commute, exercise, etc. I began reaching out and interviewing people which took a lot of effort. I probably sent out over 400 cold emails and only got 80 interviews. Plus I’m a huge introvert and so it was scary talking to the elites.

Since then I’ve been receiving thank you messages from my listeners and have over 4500 listens a month. It’s a great feeling when you are helping and inspiring others. I’ve always given back to the community like feeding the homeless in downtown and volunteering at the dog shelter. And now I get to give back to the video game community that I’m deeply passionate about.

After 80 interviews with the top people in the game industry, I learn…

1. Being a game developer is NOT easy and it takes a lot of hard work. It takes time, patience, persistence, money, and more. My goal is to mentally prepare you for what’s to come because there will be failures that will make you want to give up. You are probably in that phase right now. I hope my show can give you the inspiration to keep pressing on.

2. Networking and building relationships are vital. After going to PAX and the Austin Game Conference, my enthusiasm for the game industry skyrocket. Take part in events with like-minded people. Go to local communities, events, and chat on online forums. Listen to positive media like mines to be invigorated and learn valuable knowledge.

3. The game industry is BOOMING with VR, AR, eSports, and more gaming tools on the rise. Don’t be discouraged when people say that the video game market is oversaturated. If you make a great game and market it right, it can find success. Plus even if your game doesn’t succeed, it looks great on the resume because you can show that you completed and published a game. There are no excuses so start making a game today.

By interviewing game industry professionals, we can take inspiration and model after the best. They share techniques, resources, mistakes, action steps, and personal values. We will save so much time and headaches. The best part is when my guests offer YOU to contact them! The game industry is full of amazing people that want to help so I highly encourage you to ASK QUESTIONS.

Game Dev Loadout is a top-rated podcast where I chat with game industry professionals every Wednesday morning to empower you with the motivation and tactics to a successful gaming career. You will get ACTIONABLE advice during your daily commute, workout, or ‘me’ time. Each episode details the journey of their WORST moment and lessons learned, key principles for success, and much more. Each episode ends with the LIGHTNING ROUND where I extract personal values, internet resources, and action steps for you, GAME DEVS!

This podcast is not for people who dislike interviews. I essentially ask the same questions in every episode with a few tweaks depending on my guest background. Rest assured though that the questions I ask are meant to extract as much value as possible. I value your time, and so I do my best to make the most of it. The podcast is not for people who aren’t action taker. Trust me, I know how hard it is to take action. We might get distracted by our hobbies, families, or errands. We must make it a priority for each day to push our progress.

Here is the first episode where I go into more details about the show and my background. Enjoy and subscribe to the podcast!

Let’s build a community together where we share ideas and support one another. I love hearing stories of my guests on how they got started and what they are currently doing do this day. There are so many great resources out there to utilize. We have to hustle and take action for results. I’ve been doing so much in 2017. I’ve been emailing people in the game industry nonstop to get interviews. I learned how to use WordPress and Wix, edit audio and video, tried out Facebook, Reddit and Google ads, reached out to sponsors, and now I’m going to game conferences to network and build meaningful relationships. I want to inspire you to do the same because we are on the same path.

My motto is “knowledge is only POTENTIAL power, EXECUTION is the game.” I’m happy to give you valuable content but in the end, it’s up to you to take action and reap the benefits.

I’m here for you as both a guide and as a friend.

I want to hear your stories. I want to know how else I can help you. I want Game Dev Loadout experience to be our experience, together. That’s how we all learn and grow together, including me.

Feel free to message me anytime and I’ll do my best to respond to emails. I treat everyone equally. And I firmly believe that interviewing the best people and spreading their message will inspire you to take action today. Join me on this journey to learn from the best. Cheers to more and better games.

-Tony Chan

[email protected]

Check out the podcast page to connect with the guests or the resource page to start developing your game. All the best!