AAA-Action Game Studio CEO Jerry Hook Shares Industry Insights

The Here's Waldo Podcast

Jerry Hook is the Founder and CEO of Jar of Sparks, a new studio committed to creating AAA action-adventure games. He has over 20 years in the industry and was a founding member of Xbox Live during his Microsoft tenure. Jerry also led the Destiny franchise at Bungie and headed the Design team for Halo Infinite at 343 Industries. While at 343 Industries, Jerry was the visionary behind progression, e-sports, and integration with the company’s business model and partners.

In this episode…

A commonality in the video game industry is developers who aspire to start a studio. Regardless of the industry’s ebbs and flows, there is no better time to be a video game innovator. What does it take to own and operate a successful gaming studio?

Throughout Jerry Hook’s 20 years in the industry, he’s learned the one constant is change. Therefore, embracing it is imperative. However, as with any business endeavor, starting your own company is daunting, so embracing fear is also advisable. Leverage all the experiences you’ve survived — positive or negative — because they will serve as a guide. Jerry also suggests establishing cultural values the entire team can apply to their work ethic. Additionally, he advocates hiring and partnering with people smarter than you so they’ll continue challenging you. And while you’re sure to have fun as a video game studio owner, it’s vital to remember that you’re competing with other studios. Jerry recommends playing plenty of video games and studying market trends.

In this episode of the Here’s Waldo Podcast with Lizzie Mintus, Jerry Hook, Founder and CEO of Jar of Sparks, joins the show. Jerry discusses his emerging studio and the inspiration behind its founding, offers tips for cultivating a healthy team-building culture, examines the challenges industry leaders face, and provides advice for aspiring developers.