Welp, this is it. Unless big news breaks, this should be the last article that GamesIndustry.biz publishes in 2020, and we can think of no better way to wrap it up than with a Creature Comforts column.
But before we get to the pet pictures, lets dig into the data. Here's a chart pulled from our 2020 Year in Numbers feature showing the breakdown of pet pictures from the first five Creature Comforts columns:
Yes, GamesIndustry.biz is a respected and credible journalism outlet, why do you ask?
There are some caveats here. First, we're dealing with a small sample size of just 457 pets, so there's only so much confidence we can have in our takeaways. Second, we recognize that the avenues we are soliciting pet pictures through -- asking for submissions on Twitter and in these columns, asking PR people to compile pics from their clients/employers -- may be biasing the results. Frankly, we suspect a much larger contingent of you has resorted to putting googly eyes on household appliances and treating them as pets, but our outreach efforts have simply missed this cohort thus far.
I mean, we can't even make a "This industry has gone to the dogs" joke with any authority, given that this sixth Creature Comforts column features 100 pets, more than half of which are cats. Clearly, more data is needed before we can draw firm conclusions.
Unfortunately, what we can say a bit more authoritatively is that we have gone through our backlog of games industry pet pictures. If you've submitted a pet pic and haven't seen it despite a thorough search of the Creature Comforts archives, there are a few reasons we might not have run it. It may have been too small or low-resolution. We might not have had all the information we needed to attribute it. We might have just messed up and misplaced it.
Or you might have submitted dozens and dozens of pictures of the same pet, which was very much appreciated and made our days nicer, but we felt we could really only run one picture per pet in the interest of fairness. (If this applies to you, please don't feel called out here; you had lots of company.)
Regardless, our supply of Creature Comforts pictures is low, but we think demand for them will remain high well into 2021. If you're able to help, please send your pet pictures -- along with the pets' names and your name and title -- to news@gamesindustry.biz.
Thank you for your help, take care, and best wishes for 2021 from the GamesIndustry.biz team.
Mei, submitted by Gaggle Studios co-founder Simon ChuPoe, submitted by Gaggle Studios co-founder Simon ChuApollo, submitted by BetaJester co-director Adam BoyneBanjo (left) and Martha, submitted by Silent Games CEO Sally BlakeBetty, submitted by Lockwood Publishing technical director Simon O'ConnorAngel, submitted by Yacht Club Games COO Sunni PavlovicYossarian, submitted by Yacht Club Games artist SandyPolly, submitted by Shannon and Ian, Yacht Club Games operations manager and gameplay programmerDurnehviir, submitted by TriplePoint PR account executive Alyx EvansArya, submitted by EA Sports senior producer Andrei LazarescuBarley and Rye, submitted by PopCap Seattle QA manager Jared KarklinsBoo, submitted by EA Vancouver senior researcher James BergEllie, submitted by Maxis Austin designer Jordan PetersonHancock, submitted by DICE Los Angeles studio project manager Catheryn GrantHarvey, submitted by BioWare Austin analytics manager Kim DormanOri, submitted by EA Galway live quality analyst JohannaHarvey Dent, submitted by EA Galway live quality analyst JohannaJemma, submitted by PopCap Seattle server engineer FranLil Mama and Mando, submitted by BioWare Austin denior game product manager Patrick DriggettLink, submitted by BioWare Austin senior systems designer Steven EngleMaverick, submitted by EA Tiburon game designer Brian WaggonerClockwise from upper left, Lord Mirin Purrywrinkle Esquire, Tsar Seamus Arntchabald 'Beefcake' Squatbuttnikov, Cleocatra Jones 'Tookie' L'Amuse-Boushh Duchess of Gourdbottom, and Empurror Napoléon Bonapaw, Heir of Thingamajig, submitted by BioWare Austin associate outsource artist Phred NewmanKora, submitted by Slitherine Ltd. social media manager Bruno BontempoLoki, submitted by Alyx Jones, dialogue editor at Liquid VioletLouie (left) and Nellie, submitted by Big Huge Games COO Judith HoffmanMoogie, submitted by KO_OP community manager Marcela HuertaNaruto, submitted by CNDG 3D artist Eric von BernerBella, submitted by Phoenix Labs senior designer Greg HennesseyLicorice, submitted by Phoenix Labs senior designer Greg HennesseyRuby, submitted by Phoenix Labs senior designer Greg HennesseyCaptain Jack Harkness, submitted by Phoenix Labs UX director Isaac EppFeisty and Zen, submitted by Phoenix Labs director of production Lindz Williamson ChristyHarriet, submitted by Phoenix Labs external development manager Dave SandersonUrsus, submitted by Phoenix Labs senior programmer Brent ScriverMacho, submitted by Phoenix Labs writer Cory HerndonBellatrix, submitted by Leah McKenzieBillie, submitted by games media freelancer Aiden StrawhunJibber, submitted by games media freelancer Aiden StrawhunJiabber, submitted by games media freelancer Aiden StrawhunMochi, submitted by games media freelancer Aiden StrawhunBrodie, submitted by Airborne Kingdom designer Zach MumbachCharles Xavier (left, aka Charlie) and Akira Mun (Aki), submitted by Autistica games partnerships manager Jake MackeyCoco, submitted by Games Press technical director Steve OwenRosa, submitted by Double Eleven IT support engineer Lewis RaffertyCynder, submitted by Double Eleven Unity developer Philip LewisEllie, submitted by Double Eleven Unity developer Philip LewisDitto, submitted by Minecraft Dungeons game designer Cara HudsonTilly, submitted by Minecraft Dungeons junior environment artist Stewart MorrisonEleanor, submitted by Clarum, A Dream Sim developer Jeremy W. KaufmanEncased QA team member Lyssa Siber Moon (Lyssa for short), submitted by the Black Tower TeamGhibli, submitted by Dreamloop Games head of communications Steve StewartHenry, submitted by Big Blue Bubble marketing director Michael HammondHurley, submitted by Gun Interactive director of communications Daniel NixonJack Jack, submitted by Gun Interactive lead community developer Matthew SzepJonesy, submitted by Gun Interactive customer service lead Melissa HickmanKaya, submitted by Gun Interactive customer service lead Melissa HickmanSteve, submitted by Gun Interactive customer service lead Melissa HickmanJadie, submitted by Brett from NoodlecakeJareth, submitted by GamingTrend community manager Kay PurcellOpie, submitted by GamingTrend community manager Kay PurcellKramer, submitted by Playstark Games designer Javi GutiérrezMaisy and Noodle, submitted by nDreams finance director designate Neil Bancroft-JonesTiger, submitted by nDreams chief people officer Tamsin O'LuanaighMushu and Cao, submitted by esports host and games producer Abby SherlockSadie, submitted by esports host and games producer Abby SherlockPanda, submitted by freelance producer Myriame LachapelleBoubou, submitted by freelance producer Myriame LachapelleOlive, submitted by CescaOni, submitted by Humble Games publishing producer Erika Mariko OlsenPanda, submitted by RocketRide Games VP of business development Kirk ScottPoppy, submitted by 4J Studios lead software developer Vince FinlaysonRex, submitted by Soundcuts founder Adele CuttingRoop, submitted by Wonacott Communications PR senior account executive Nick LaTonaSnow White, submitted by Clever Endeavour community manager and QA Geneviève LeblancPoe, submitted by TriplePoint PR account coordinator Sara GrenArtemis, submitted by Seth Parker, sound designer and composer at Young HorsesAries, submitted by PUBG Corp design director JamesLink, submitted by PUBG Corp software engineer AndyLuna, submitted by PUBG Corp product manager AlisonRamsay, submitted by PUBG Corp senior environment artists BrandonSailor, submitted by PUBG Corp senior manager of IP licensing ArsenioReginald, submitted by Bossa Studios technical producer Stijn VervaetChao, submitted by narrative designer RokashiGinger, submitted by Splash Damage personal assistant Reema IshaqueNate, submitted by Splash Damage gameplay programmer Nicolas d'OffayPippin, submitted by Splash Damage lead online engineer Tristan CartledgeRocky, submitted by Splash Damage head of HR Kate LindsayTriskele (left) and and Cernunnos, submitted by Xbox Studios Quality Michelle Hyde