Today we’d like to introduce you to Cord Smith.
Hi Cord, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I run my own game studio, Inevitable Studios, these days, but got my start freelancing for the Official Dreamcast Magazine way back in 1999. Through that opportunity, I was fortunate to meet a wide variety of talented people in the gaming industry and ultimately landed a job as a product marketer at SEGA shortly after completing graduate school at Southern Illinois University, where I earned my Master of Fine Arts in Fiction.
My path in gaming has been an unorthodox one. I contributed to the marketing of major IPs like Sonic the Hedgehog, Far Cry, Tomb Raider, and Hitman, as well as the development of titles like Full Auto, Contrast, and the only Western-developed Final Fantasy game: A King’s Tale: Final Fantasy XV.
I’ve also enjoyed a fun stint on the creative agency side of the industry, creating trailers, animated shorts, and dynamic web content.
My early involvement with Compulsion Games and the studio’s subsequent sale to Microsoft afforded me the opportunity to move to Frisco, Texas, and set up my own game studio. Even before the pandemic altered the work landscape forever, Inevitable Studios was conceived as a remote contract-based studio, allowing for contributions from around the globe.
As a collective, we are dedicated to creating games that inspire. We hope to combine the best of the narrative and action genres into meaningful stories told within original worlds.
Our first title is set to be announced in the fall of 2023, and we invite gamers and non-gamers alike to visit our website and learn more about our unique approach to development and studio culture.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Following my career has involved many moves throughout the US and Canada, as well as a lot of travel obligations. Starting in my mid-twenties, I poured everything I had into my career, working long days to span the working hours of headquarters in Tokyo (SEGA) and Paris (UBISOFT).
I’d never complain about the required effort or hours of those positions since the work, even when difficult, was a joy and a privilege. It’s simply that the wrinkle in it all was the difficulty in building a life outside of work.
I think I often had the wrong priorities, sacrificing a healthy regimen for decompression from the stress of running a studio, launching new games, or producing AAA content within tight project windows. After graduate school, I relocated to San Francisco, then Toronto, then Montreal, then LA, then Montreal, and now Frisco. Jumping fences to challenge yourself with new sides of the industry is exciting and empowering, but it can come with a cost.
Having finally met my lovely wife and “settled down,” I am as focused on our family as my game studio, and working from home allows me time to dedicate myself to both.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
This game studio was built to be a point of contrast to the endless churn of derivative AAA content in the market. It’s not that I can’t appreciate the incredible efforts and innovations within franchises like Call of Duty or Fortnite or Assassin’s Creed, but I am inspired by the original ideas represented in the indie space, and my goal is to produce games that surprise and delight and connect with players in a way that competitive combat and violent adventures fail to foster.
I love working with talented people from across the globe who constantly remind me that there is beauty, kindness, compassion, and artistry everywhere if you just know where to look. Collaborating with team members across every facet of game development is a dream for me, and although each day brings new challenges, the amazing results of these collaborations far outweigh the struggles to achieve them. 
What was your favorite childhood memory?
When I was three, my mother would place me in this tiny yellow seat on her bike and take me for long rides through the fairgrounds. I’m amazed I have any recollection of it, but I remember the smooth motion of the bike, the breeze flowing past, the soft sun, and the adoration I had watching my mom pedal us through the world so peacefully. It’s not my only childhood memory, but it’s undoubtedly my most pure. If I could live in that moment forever, I would.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.inevitablestudios.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inevitablegamestudios/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inevitablegamestudios/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inevitable-studios
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/inevitablegood
