So I watched the episode and there were a few things that stood out to me. I don't want to delve too much into psychology, but I can't help myself sometimes. I have a pretty deep background into reading body language and interpersonal interaction so a few things really stood out to me.
The whole episode was odd when it came to the dynamics. I am not complaining. It was really, really comforting actually. For a company of 360 employees or more, the way that show played out was much more than promising. They are all in this for the long run. They are all taking pride in their work and are backed by tons of talent. I really couldn't be more happy or confident to back a game. The devs truly want a better game than we expect and that is something worth backing.
- They are not scared of Chris. Usually, there is some healthy fear of the CEO. The big boss is just that, the big boss. Employees usually have a fear of fking up. That fk up can lead to either getting fired or preventing their advancement in the company. Either way, a public podcast with the boss should generate tons of stress. It didn't though. The only explanation is that they are fully confident of their work (perhaps for the first time in their developer career) and are not concerned that they made a misstep.
- Chris is not "the boss". I mean, he is, but how many times have you been comfortable talking over your boss. There are quite a few times that the developers talked over CR. That means they have prioritized what they are saying as more important than what CR is saying. To say that is odd, is an understatement and leads into the next observation.
- Chris has hired based on talent and passion at least for the directors. The directors that came together for this show are, to say the least, passionate about their job. They are doing the best they can, not just because it's their job, but because they act like they are taking pride in their job for the first time. They can't wait to talk about what they are doing. The entire information is more blurting information than a scripted plan. The body language and gestures they used makes me think they can't wait to talk about what they are doing.
- They are bragging and not selling. You can see a sales pitch from a mile away. They incite your money, hype the product, and really push the cash flow. That never seemed the case in this show. It seemed to me that they were bragging about what they had accomplished (which, given the tech is fully warranted). The directors and producers literally can't wait to share what they are building. With a lifetime of industry behind them, they can't wait to share what they have built.
