Spotlight On: Nick Rodriguez (Dean of Creative Technology)

Nick Rodriguez, Dean of Games and Creative Technology at MetStudios, has had a diverse career in the games industry for over two decades. He has worked for some of the biggest game publishers in the world, on an range of projects, before eventually moving into academia to pass his knowledge and enthusiasm for games creation on to the next generation.

We had the pleasure of sitting down with Nick to talk about his career, teaching, and the highs and lows of the booming games industry.

You’ve had a very eclectic career, from working on games like Croc and Alien Resurrection to collaborating with Metallica. How did these diverse experiences shape your approach to game development?

My perspective is that, while technology has advanced rapidly over time, the core principles of good game design haven’t really changed. The process of developing games has evolved, but the fundamentals that make a game exciting and engaging remain the same. Our understanding of what makes people tick, when it comes to keeping them engaged, has certainly grown, but the basics are still intact.

One constant challenge has always been building and maintaining good development teams. While keeping up with technology is also a challenge, strong design skills are crucial. Ultimately, that’s what I’ve learned over the years – good design is at the heart of creating successful and exciting games.

Your work spans from early PC and PlayStation games to transmedia projects like The Bourne Legacy. How have you seen the industry evolve, and what excites you most about its future?

I believe the biggest challenge in the next 20 years of game development will be how we handle technological advancements, especially AI. This challenge will define not only our industry but many others across the globe. However, I think the games industry is somewhat better prepared compared with other creative sectors because we’ve been using procedural AI for a long time and have integrated it into our workflows effectively.

That said, generative AI is going to be a significant challenge. We’ve already seen its impact in areas like coding, with tools such as Copilot, which are now widely understood. As generative AI continues to evolve, we’ll need to be mindful of the challenges it brings. I believe it will change a lot of things, particularly by increasing development speed.

With every technological advancement, it’s often the tools that help humans be more creative that have the lasting impact, rather than those that aim to replace them.

I am confident that humans will remain at the centre of the design process, though. With every technological advancement, it’s often the tools that help humans be more creative that have the lasting impact, rather than those that aim to replace them. I’m not convinced that generative AI will fundamentally change how games are made, despite the hype around it, but it will certainly influence how quickly we can create and develop new content.

What was one of the most challenging projects you worked on during your time in the industry, and how did you overcome those challenges?

The most challenging projects tend to be those that feel somewhat cynical in nature. Let me explain what I mean by that: when you’re asked to create a product or design sometime, but the reasons behind it aren’t entirely driven by the art or creativity, it can feel disheartening. I understand that making money is an important factor, and I’ve been fortunate enough to have many projects that have been commercially successful. That’s not the issue. The issue arises when the approach feels cynical – when there isn’t a genuine creative gap to fill or a clear creative process that led to the project.

Often, these projects are driven by a desire to enter a particular genre, usually in an attempt to compete in a space that’s already dominated by a much larger, well-established competitor. In these cases, you’re not given the resources or time to truly compete, and the design ends up being a ‘me too’ rather than something truly innovative. These are the hardest projects because, deep down, you know that the project was initiated with a certain amount of cynicism.

However, there are times when you can turn things around. What starts as a cynical cash grab can be transformed into something great. That’s always the goal but, realistically, sometimes it’s just not possible. Film licences, for example, can often feel like that. But, if you’re lucky, you might get the chance to take a licence and turn it into something genuinely cool, despite the cynicism and the limited resources you’re given at the start.

Having travelled extensively and worked globally, how has international collaboration impacted the way you view the games industry?

Having an international perspective really makes you realise, as the saying goes, that ‘there’s more that unites us than divides us’. While people in different places may think somewhat differently, and their cultures and norms vary, which can be exciting to engage with, the differences are often outweighed by the similarities. There are always moments where translation can be challenging, interesting, or even fun. But, at the core of it, games are a powerful medium for communication, and truly great games transcend national boundaries and cultures.

Games are a powerful medium for communication, and truly great games transcend national boundaries and cultures.

When you look at some of the biggest franchises in the world, particularly those from Nintendo, you can see this in action. There isn’t a culture on the planet that hasn’t been charmed by games like Super Mario Brothers, for example. It’s a testament to how great game design isn’t limited by geography or cultural differences.

Working internationally also exposes you to different ways of working, which is both exciting and educational. Navigating diverse work ethics and collaborating in polyglot teams is a valuable experience. In fact, the more culturally diverse your project and game development teams are, the better the product tends to be. Diversity enriches creativity, and it’s now widely recognised that having diverse teams not only leads to better products, but also better financial outcomes. It’s a key bottom-line consideration in today’s industry.

How do you balance the theoretical aspects of game design with the hands-on, practical experience students need to succeed in the industry?

It’s interesting, because I often feel that games design theory doesn’t always get fully applied in the industry. A lot of times, theories seem to follow what’s happening in the industry, rather than lead it. The study of games and the development of theoretical structures often come after the fact, almost retrofitted to existing games. I don’t think many designers are deeply aware of these theories and, if they are, they tend to use them as a light-touch framework.

The design processes that truly matter are more practical and hands-on, rather than purely theoretical ones. It’s the actual process of designing a game – understanding things like affordances, prototyping, design thinking, and play testing – that is the key. These are the fundamentals that shape good game design.

Theories like MDA (Mechanics, Dynamics, Aesthetics) or schemas are useful for analysing and understanding games, but they aren’t necessarily the driving force behind game creation. That said, some frameworks, like the PENS theory, which focuses on player motivation and is based on solid science, are valuable.

However, the industry hasn’t really established a universal framework or methodology that works across the board. There isn’t a standard equivalent, like the three-act structure in film, for how gameplay or interactivity works in games. Narratives might follow a similar structure, but when it comes to the core of interactivity, we’re still developing that understanding.

At MetStudios, your courses encourage students to work across disciplines, such as collaborating with film and music students. How do you see this cross-disciplinary approach enhancing their learning experience?

It’s quite simple, really. The workflows we teach for game design, especially those involving interactive design and real-time game engines, are at the core of most creative industries. Whether it’s for screens or projections, these tools are fundamental. Today, Unreal Engine – and, to some extent, Unity – are key workflows for most forms of visual and sequential storytelling. When it comes to visual narratives, these tools play a critical role in shaping how stories are told.

Your courses emphasise a ‘play-first’ teaching style. Could you explain this methodology and how it impacts student creativity and innovation?

Play is a fundamental human activity. It’s not the opposite of work. In fact, play and work are not mutually exclusive. I believe that play is closely linked to work. People often assume that playing isn’t working, but it absolutely is. Being playful and thinking playfully are at the core of design, concept development, and creative practice.

Being playful and thinking playfully are at the core of design, concept development, and creative practice.

There are many modes of play that help us design better products and improve how we learn. Being playful doesn’t mean the work isn’t rigorous – it simply means we’re exploring the best ways to ideate, develop, and create products that meet our needs. Playfulness enhances creativity and problem solving in meaningful ways.

What are some of the trends or emerging technologies in creative media that you’re most excited about, and how are you preparing your students to engage with these developments?

As I mentioned before, I believe that, in the future, we’ll be focusing heavily on how to incorporate AI into teaching. We’ll guide students through the ethical dilemmas, practical solutions, and the best use cases for deploying AI technologies. Additionally, we’ll teach them how to use AI procedurally, including how to generate their own large language models and how to build AI systems themselves. This is the direction we’ll be heading in going forward.

You focus on helping students to build a skillset that will allow them to stand out in the industry. What specific qualities or skills do you believe make a successful game developer today?

I’m a big believer in the work of Sister Corita Kent, especially her set of rules for working in the Arts. One of her key ideas is that ‘the only rule is work’. Do the work, and the rest will follow. What ultimately makes you stand out is doing the work consistently, and everything else flows from that.

This doesn’t mean overworking yourself to exhaustion or putting in endless overtime. It’s about doing the right kind of work – engaging in practice, creating, sharing, revising, and refining. At the end of the day, it’s all about doing the work.

Nick’s vast experience and his insights into the gaming industry reflect a career defined by adaptability, creativity, and a passion for passing on his knowledge to the next generation of game creators, animators, and visual effects specialists.

From his work with global franchises to pioneering hands-on, cross-disciplinary learning at MetStudios, Nick emphasises the importance of strong design fundamentals, the value of playfulness in creative practice, and the role of new technologies like AI in shaping the future of game development.

Nick’s advice to aspiring game creators is simple yet profound: focus on the work, stay curious, and embrace the challenges and opportunities that new technologies bring.