(re: Ken Williams – after Sierra) Everyone:
I am convinced that Roberta and I will do something again, sooner or later. I can’t tell you what, or when – but, I am absolutely, positively, with no reservations, convinced that I’m almost certain that we might, someday, maybe, possibly, do something, I think. However, I’m not sure what it will be, or when it will be.
Sorry — that comment was meant somewhat in jest — but, it more accurately summarizes the situation than anything else I might say.
Here’s the exact status: we would love to do something. Both Roberta and I are eager to do something, and have tons of ideas. Unfortunately, we also like retirement. We spent 20 years of our lives doing games. To be honest, it doesn’t matter what one does – 20 years is a long time to do it. Try to imagine your favorite meal, and then imagine eating it for 20 years straight. I love Disneyland, but if someone invited me to live there for 20 years – I might not take them up on it.
To be fair: there ARE some things for which 20 years isn’t that long a time. For instance, we’ve been married THIRTY years, and we’re really just getting started – so I don’t mean to imply that there aren’t some things that last forever. Certainly our love of making games hasn’t diminished, but the desire to “sit still” for the 2-3 years it takes to ship a hit product has. Perhaps after a couple more years of retirement we’ll be ready to “drop back in”. I don’t know. Lately, we’ve talked a lot about going to film school, or, Roberta writing a book. It would be nice to find some new way to express our creativity. Both Roberta and I would like to find something that combines all that is good about creating games, with doing something that we haven’t done before. If we did it exactly perfectly, the goal would be to do something that no one has done before. I’m into innovation, not just doing the “same thing over again with a new plot”.
I apologize for not being able to give you a straight answer. The bottom line is that we haven’t the vaguest idea what the future holds. On a different, but somewhat related, topic: I just read an article today about the Rolling Stones going on tour. Mick Jagger is much older than my dad! I doubt he needs the money. So, why is he still working? It bothers me that Roberta and I don’t have the same willingness (as Mr. Jagger (or, even Mr. Gates!)) to still be working hard after all these years. My guess (and it’s only a guess) is that at some point in Mr. Jagger’s career, he took some time off to clear his head. That might be what we’re doing now, and in a few years we’ll be hard at work making games. Perhaps, no one (except those of you who visit this website) will remember that we slacked off for a bit. Or, better yet (and, this is my preference), we’ll be doing something new that you haven’t seen before – and, that shifts entertainment some cool new direction.
Does that answer your question?
-Ken W