Here to top off this semester's series of articles focusing on London's ever-expanding video game development industry is a peek behind the scenes at London's largest game development studio, Digital Extremes. Alongside this, an interview with the studio's president, Michael Schmalz, and human resources manager, Kate Roberts.

Digital Extremes is the studio behind last spring's Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 release, Dark Sector. Since then the title has sold nearly one million copies. More recently the studio partnered with 2K Games to assist in bringing the award-winning Xbox 360 game, Bioshock, to the Playstation 3. The studio itself can be found in one of London's few upscale high-rise office buildings, with quite the 18th floor view.

Alongside Dark Sector and Bioshock, Digital Extremes are also the co-creators, or rather co-masterminds, behind the Unreal series, the world-renowned series of first-person shooter video games. Partnering with Epic games, the studio that today brings Xbox 360 owners the Gears of War series, Digital Extreme's debuted the first Unreal in 1997. Since then the series has sold upward of 10 million copies.

Speaking With the President

Digital Extremes was originally started by studio CEO, James Schmalz, on the University of Waterloo's campus. The studio later moved to London and now employs a near 100 strong staff. Brother of James Schmalz, Michael Schmalz is Digital Extreme's president.

Interrobang: What are the staff and atmosphere like here at Digital Extremes?
Michael Schmalz: Well, I think we try to have a fairly open and collaborative type atmosphere. We do a lot of things to encourage people to get to know their peers and to work in teams. We provide lunches for everyone from Monday through Thursday so that people can eat on-site here and have a chance to relax and get to know some of their co-workers. So I would say that teamwork, getting to know each other and communicating is a big focus of what we are like as a company.

Interrobang: With the success of Dark Sector, do you plan on expanding on the story or IP at all in the future?
Michael Schmalz: We have no plans right now.

Interrobang: Is it something you would be interested in?
Michael Schmalz: We'll have to see. We have some other projects that are lined up. I'm not saying that there's no chance there will be, say, a Dark Sector follow-up, but right now we're focusing on other things.

Interrobang: How does Digital Extremes go about finding new talent for the studio?
Michael Schmalz: It's difficult to find good talent. We essentially have a full-time [human resources] manager who's primarily responsible for recruiting, and we look all over the world. We have people in About our company from Japan and India and Korea and Asia, all over the world, South America. We will bring in the talent from where-ever. However, we do benefit from being in South Western Ontario and being located in close proximity to a lot of good colleges and universities that are turning out new graduates who are very capable to enter the video game industry.

Interrobang: What goals do you and Digital Extremes have for the future of the company?
Michael Schmalz: I think we want to take over the world. [Laughs] No, seriously, I think our goal is still to make the very best video games that we can and I think to raise our profile within the industry, and within our community here as well.

Interrobang: How do you plan to do that exactly?
Michael Schmalz: Well, I guess our plan is to keep making great video games. We have several video game projects that we're working on that will be unveiled shortly that we're extremely excited about.

Extreme Resources

The Digital Extremes human resources manager that Michael Schmalz mentions just so happens to be Kate Roberts, who took me on a tour of their studio. From the enormous fully-stocked lunch room that plays host to two full-time chefs, to the spacious offices, it wouldn't be far fetched to assume the studio is a home away from home, complete with shower.

As human resources manager of a studio that seems too good of a workplace to be true, speaking with Roberts I attempt to unearth drawbacks to game development.

Interrobang: What sorts of misconceptions are there with working at a game development studio?
Roberts: One is about the hours worked at the game studio. Now it is true actually that there are times when long hours are required. I think perhaps five, ten years ago it was more the norm to be working extremely long hours often, but I would say these days and the way we really like planning and we really work towards planning, that's becoming not so true, more of a myth.

Interrobang: Why is Digital Extremes so accommodating?
Roberts: It's something that makes the industry really unique, I think, and it's a really unique perk that we have. It sets us apart from regular tech companies. Maybe it's got something to do with the past and being a really fun place to work. You kind of want to foster the fun and the creativity. Maybe a full belly helps to foster creativity.

Interrobang: It's not any wasted expense at all?
Roberts: Absolutely not, absolutely not.

Interrobang: That's coming from an employee! [laughs]
Roberts: Absolutely not! [laughs]

About Dark Sector

Dark Sector is a mature-rated thirdperson shooter wherein players control lead character Hayden Tenno, a covert operative sent solo into one twisted situation involving biological warfare.

Early on into Dark Sector, Hayden is infected with the Technocyte Virus. For the harder baddies in the game, the virus has mutated normal men into freakish monsters able to kill Hayden before breakfast. However, Hayden resists the infection enough that instead, only his right arm is affected. Following this Hayden accumulates a wide range of powerful and ever-grin-inspiring abilities to slice up anything between him and the few shady figures in the game.