Before You Quit Your Job to Make Games, Watch This | Charlie Brandick, Quetzal-Core Games

In this episode of IndieGameBusiness, we’re joined by Charlie Brandick, Founder of Quetzal-Core Games, for an honest conversation about the realities of building a career in game development. Charlie’s journey is anything but traditional. Before games, he was an elementary school teacher and aspiring professional musician. He eventually broke into the industry through a chance conversation that led to his first role as a junior game designer. Since then, he has worked across mobile, VR, AR, Disney Imagineering, and Riot Games, where he served as a Game Director on Valorant's mobile and console efforts. Today, he leads Quetzal-Core Games and is developing Soulway, a narrative-driven management sim about helping souls find their way to the afterlife. We discuss how to know whether game development is a career or a passion project, how indie developers can build meaningful professional relationships, and what Charlie had to unlearn while moving between startups, AAA studios, and indie development. We also explore how aspiring developers can gain industry knowledge, how to decide what skills to focus on, and the personal costs of building games over the long term. If you've ever wondered what it really takes to build a life in game development, this conversation offers practical advice, hard-earned lessons, and a refreshing dose of honesty. Follow Charlie Brandick and Soulway: X: https://x.com/playsoulway LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-brandick/ Discord: https://discord.gg/Q2QSQ7hFMa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulwaygame #IndieGameBusiness #GameDevelopment #IndieDev #Soulway #QuetzalCoreGames