Intellivision

55-year games industry vet helped make the first CRPG, got laid off, went bankrupt, but said "I don't care" as long as he got to keep crafting games: "A business does not love you back, unless you are a business person"

Veteran game developer Don Daglow, a pioneer of the first CRPG and MMORPG, shared his perspective on the industry at the 2026 Game Developers Conference, where he will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award. Despite facing layoffs and bankruptcy, Daglow emphasized that the craft of game development is paramount, stating that 'a business does not love you back' unless one is solely focused on business aspects.