In a world where pixels and play collide, one man’s journey stands out as a testament to the evolving landscape of the gaming industry. Meet Joe Bonar, a name that might not be instantly recognizable but carries with it a wealth of experience and innovation. From his humble beginnings as a backroom coder to becoming a pivotal figure in the gaming world, Joe has witnessed the industry’s transformation over the years.
In this exclusive interview, we delve deep into Joe Bonar’s incredible career, discussing his early days tinkering with a ZX81, his adventures in the demo scene, and the serendipitous moment that led him into the gaming industry. Joe takes us through his most memorable creations, including the iconic Burnout 2 and Bomberman Live, sharing his insights into game development, creativity, and the delicate balance between art and business.
Join us as we explore the mind of a gaming luminary, uncovering his thoughts on the industry’s past, present, and future. Joe Bonar’s story is not just about the pixels on the screen but also the passion and dedication that have shaped the gaming world we know today.
How did you get into the gaming industry?
A: I was one of those backroom coders. Thankfully, my Dad was a total nerd, and he supported my nerdiness over the years by buying me a ZX81, and a 16K RAM Pack at a later date, then a Spectrum, then a Commodore 64. I was pulled into the demo scene when I joined Compunet (I wish I knew the date, maybe 1983, or is that too early?). My login name was JB16. Back then, you got what you were given. I loved downloading demos, and ended up writing them myself. As for specifically how I got into the industry, my nerdy Dad told me to get a job, and supported me in doing so by getting some stickers printed with my name, phone number, and Compunet ID on them, and I recall going to one of the many computer shows in London and handing them out to everyone. Literally Yosser Hughes, “gis a job”. Not long after, Colin Fuidge from Telecomsoft phoned me and asked me to be his assistant in the budget range there. I don’t think it was called Silverbird at the time. I owe him everything; he took a chance, and it worked out for both of us!
What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced as a game developer?
A: Making games is hard. It’s amazing that it goes right as often as it does! It’s incredible, really. I think every game has its challenges, and I’ve seen ’em all. Funny thing is, I haven’t really seen ’em all at all because we just experience new and different things to deal with over and over, but the experience we’ve gained from dealing with them in the past gives us a tool kit we can use to solve, push-through, set them aside, deal with them, etc. Literally taking something that doesn’t exist and turning it into something that does, a physical or digital representation of an idea. It never fails to amaze and delight me.
Which game that you worked on are you most proud of, and why?
A: I think I’m supposed to say that I love all my babies. But my favorite is Burnout 2. I remember when Alex and Fiona visited me at Electronic Arts Canada and showed me Shiny Red Car, which would become Burnout. It was incredible then, and destined to become even more incredible, Criterion were (and I assume are!) exceptionally talented, and Alex is one of the greatest creative forces I’ve ever worked with. Anyway, they showed me the game, and I watched in amazement as it screamed long at 60Hz and as the car weaved in-between oncoming traffic, drifting and causing mayhem. I remember asking “Why does the player do that?” To which I got the (correct) answer, “Because it’s fun!” And I said, “If you want the player to do something, you have to reward them for doing it.” (Which is something I had recently learned on an internal course at EAC.) It was then that the Burnout mechanic was born. When I left EAC, I went to work for Criterion and oversaw the port of the PS2 version of Burnout to the GameCube (I think it was GameCube…) and then oversaw the PS2 version of Burnout 2. It was in Burnout 2 that the team created Crash Mode because we had so much fun crashing and watching the mayhem. And we applied the same thinking, “If you want the player to do something, you have to reward them for doing it.” And that’s how Crash Mode came about.
What was your strategy for adapting the franchise into a video game, and how did you ensure that it was faithful to the source material?
A: Back in the day, we’d say to the client “How many platforms do you want?” (Heh, not hardware platforms, but, you know, platform-game platforms!) and take it from there. Staying true to the source material was easy enough; we’d ask for everything and get as much of it as we could. I remember asking our Acclaim team to direct Kurt Russell on set in front of a blank canvas to stand, show us each of his angles, do a walk, do a run, hold a weapon, etc. And he did! We got a video back, and it blew my mind. We visited the Judge Dredd set, we visited The Fifth Element set (although we didn’t get the right in the end), the set for Batman & Robin, Alien 3 set, we’ve had source art, set photos, art bibles, models, full scripts, storyboards, etc. As movie companies realized that better source made better games, they understood more and more about giving us (and other companies) as much as possible. When we did Archer: Danger Phone, we’d get scripts, and we’d also get all the actual assets used in the show, under very, very tight lock and key, of course.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a popular franchise with a large fan base. What was your approach to adapting the franchise into a video game, and how did you ensure that it was faithful to the source material?
A: My memory is honestly a bit hazy. I feel like we might have ported an Amiga version originally? Or perhaps we took a game made by Dave Perry and Nick Bruty (two of my favorite blokes, and absolute masters of creativity, re-usability, and pure gameplay feel) and then ported it up and down across all the platforms. The story is one of the classic “we have to get this done on time” so we worked our arses off to get it ready on as many platforms as possible, with as high-quality as possible, and we did. I remember staying with the developer of the Amiga version (and subsequently ST) living with them until it was done. I certainly recall “just getting it done” without a real solid Work Breakdown like we do now; it was different times, it really was.
Contra is known for its challenging gameplay and cooperative play. What was your approach to developing the game, and how did you balance difficulty with accessibility?
A: I kid you not, I don’t remember working on Contra. Was that me? It could have been, honestly, but it just as likely might not have been. It might have been part of one of the Konami Arcade packs though, in which case we did the most faithful emulation possible, and we played it over and over, and over, to make sure it was as pixel-perfect as possible. We even used to emulate frame rates in some of the arcade games, so if it slowed down at certain points in the real arcade hardware, our games would too. That’s how much we paid close attention to the real fit and feel.
What inspired you to work on Bomberman Live?
A: I remember playing Bomberman at one of the E3 events back in the day. I was quite drunk on Miller Genuine Draft, and I think it took place in a theatre on a HUGE screen. Me and my Probe buddies (or was it Digital Eclipse at the time, again memory hazy) played a tournament, getting drunker and drunker, and moving further and further in the leaderboards. And we LOVED that game. When Hudsonsoft came to us and asked us to make it, we JUMPED at the chance. We ended up working very, very closely with the original designers of the game and had loads of in-person meetings with them as they described the most detailed rules and requirements possible to make sure it felt perfect. The “Live” part was all rolled into our work with Xbox Live (where we had a hand in how Xbox Live actually worked) and we wanted it to be multiplayer. I would JUMP at the chance to make another Bomberman Live, and I’ve got a bunch of ideas about what we could do; it’d be amazing. Mike Mika, Steve Snake, let’s get together and do it again!
What were some of the biggest challenges you faced during the development of the Alien³ games?
A: Oh my, we had so much fun making those games! I think the biggest challenge was that we started making it based on the script, which was EXCELLENT, and did all the level art, maps, etc. based on that and based on set photos. We also pulled in a lot of classic “Aliens” weapons, etc., which resulted in a COOL game which I loved working on, but which didn’t really represent the movie after all. I kid you not, I think Alien³ is a fantastic movie, and I love the Assembly Cut. I’ve watched it dozens of times, and I’ll watch it dozens more. I got to meet Sigourney Weaver, and we spoke about the profound affect those movies have had on me, and on my life, and she was so beautifully kind to me; it’s a memory I’ll keep forever. It was at the Alien Experience at The Trocadero in London. So cool. We did it twice, and got to go behind the scenes.
Alien Trilogy is a first-person shooter based on the Alien franchise. What was your approach to adapting the franchise for a video game, and how did you ensure that it captured the horror and tension of the movies?
A: There are so many fantastic stories around the game; I could probably write hundreds of words about it. We wanted to make a First-Person Shooter, and we wanted it to be an immersive experience that put the player in the center of a desperately overwhelming situation that they had to fight their way into and out of. It was mainly the movie Aliens that was the inspiration. We were lucky enough to have the full force of Acclaim’s Motion Capture Studio, which was absolutely years ahead of its time, and we had tons of fun (and challenges) getting motion captured, pre-rendered frames into the game, which I think turned out really well. I do remember when Wes Trager, the head of Mocap at Acclaim, asked us how fast we wanted the Aliens to run, and we had to understand each other. He wanted to know how fast they would run across the Mocap area so that when they were in the game, their feet would not slide. I said I didn’t know how fast we wanted them to move because we didn’t know what would feel right. We didn’t have inverse kinematics back then. It turned out we got it about right between us because it doesn’t look bad when they’re barreling down on you; it’s darn right terrifying. The game also owes a lot to some excellent level design, game design, creatures, audio, etc. And a lot of fantastic representations of the weapons we all know and love.
What do you think sets your games apart from others in the market?
A: I can’t say that they’re all set apart from others, but what we try to do is make them all feel good. There’s a difference that people will notice when something feels right. It takes time to do that; it takes iteration, and I hesitate to say it, but it takes love and passion. People feel it when you love what you’re doing, and they also feel it when… you do not.
What is the most important aspect of game development?
A: You’ve got to play your game. You’ve got to play it, and play it, and play it. If you’re an artist, you have to shepherd your art into the game and make sure it looks right once it’s been implemented. Same with design, same with audio, same with every aspect of the project. It is super, super important not to “throw stuff over the fence” and hope it turns out right. I guess that’s “ownership” — that’s the most important aspect to me.
How do you balance creativity with business needs in game development?
A: Impossibly, sometimes. Sometimes, “good enough” has to be “good enough” because the business needs won’t let you get to great. Sometimes, you have to take the extra time to take something from “good enough” to “great” because it’s so important for a particular thing. I often (always?) say that the user has no idea what we left on the cutting room floor; if they’re enjoying what we made for them. As creatives, we have to know that if we designed something that didn’t make it in, no one will know because they see what we shipped — and not what we didn’t ship. For example, we’re making a game which has gems in it. We spent a lot of time making the gems look nice even though it was difficult. Because the game is about gems. It’s not the only thing that the game is about, of course, but they’re central to the whole thing, so they have to look nice. Put your time, your money, and your polygons where the user will most appreciate them.
What are some common misconceptions about the gaming industry?
A: The classic one is that we play games all day. Because we do. But, we also spent a lot of time and energy making games, which is really, really hard. But yet, we do play games all day.
How has the gaming industry changed since you started working in it?
A: It has grown up a lot, but it’s still growing, and it still has a lot of maturity to go. I want to write more about this, but I think it would be a very long answer, and perhaps I might save it for another time.
What are your thoughts on the increasing use of microtransactions in games?
A: What people ought to be paying for is “time.” If you want to save some time, if you want to NOT wait for something, watch an ad — it saves you time, and gives us a tiny bit of money. I think that’s OK. What I don’t like is when you buy a game, and then you are served ads inside it, or you buy a game and you have to buy more bits of it. That sucks. Then again, I play Destiny 2 a lot, and I do pay for cosmetic stuff. So the whole thing about paying for time (in one way or another) is only for certain types of game? I guess what I’m saying is that it’s OK to use a microtransaction or a rewarded video, as long as it has appropriate value to the player. If there’s an alternative (i.e. wait) or simply “don’t buy the cool thing we’re offering, like a cool shiny gold hat,” then that’s OK. Because we all have to make money somehow.
What do you think is the future of the gaming industry?
A: I’ve been thinking for the last 30 years that we’re all going to end up with plugs in the side of our head playing experiences which are indistinguishable from reality. Imagine my surprise at seeing “The Matrix” when the plug was in the back of their heads! But seriously, I think that games will converge on that — where they are indistinguishable from reality, and that’ll be amazing. As to how they’ll monetize, I don’t know!
Which upcoming game are you most excited about?
A: I love the big blockbusters. I’m not totally into COD, etc. I really enjoyed God of War: Ragnarok. I love watching my daughter play through games, which she does more than me (i.e. she completes games more than me). I really enjoyed Tears of the Kingdom, I love-love-loved Death Stranding (I consider it a true work of genius, by a true genius). So, I’m looking forward to Kojima’s next game (Death Stranding 2, I think!) I’m also looking forward to the next season of Destiny 2. I have to download the new Spider-Man also. Weirdly, I don’t yet have the “new” Xbox, because I would like to jump into Xbox Game Pass and give their stuff a whirl. There’s loads to choose from there. Oh, and the new Gloomhaven game, which is essentially a physical version of a video game that was made into an RPG, which is now a video game. It’s an amazing boxed game, and I’d love to see the video game version of it.
Can you give us a sneak peek into any upcoming projects you’re working on?
A: I cannot! When I can, I will!
Can you describe your typical day as a studio head?
A: The main reason I’m not a Studio Head is the main reason I got back into hands-on Game Production here at Unity. Studio Heading is great, but it’s more about running the company, hiring (sadly, firing), finding funding, making payroll, doing taxes, etc. It’s too far away from making games. Now I’m hands on again, I’m happy. The more successful a studio is (and I’ve been lucky enough to have had some success!), the further away from games I get, and the less happy I am. Hands on is where my heart is, so close is better.
What is your favorite gaming platform and why?
A: PS5. I just love how elegant, fast, and smooth it all is. I do love my phone because it’s right there all the time.
How do you stay up-to-date with the latest gaming trends and technologies?
A: I read a lot, I play a lot, I buy the games that my friends, colleagues, and associates make. I get to work with some incredible people, who are making some incredible things, and they help me keep up to date too. I also get to keep up with the zeitgeist because of my two (nerdy) daughters who are now 25 and 27, because they recommend movies, TV shows, and of course games to play. They are both in the industry too. Poppy used to work at ESG, and just got a new job at another extremely cool video game company. Daisy is a compositor for TV and films, and she just finished on John Wick 4. Amazing.
Do you have any funny or interesting stories from your time in the industry?
A: I have so many that I could probably write a book! I think it might be interesting to about six people, but it’d be fun to try to remember my history in the industry. I will write some more soon! I promise.
What advice would you give to aspiring game developers?
A: Make something. It is the advice that parents hate. They ask me — very often — “What courses should my child do at college? At university?” I would answer, “It doesn’t matter to me (or literally anyone else) what they study as long as they make something. Make it in Unity, make it in whatever engine you choose, but take your idea and make it into a real thing, it doesn’t matter what it looks like, just make it, so that other people can see it, feel it, and play it.” That’s honestly the most important thing. From there, go to The Vancouver Film School and do their game development course. It’s absolutely World class. They have a brilliant curriculum, brilliant teachers, a brilliant facility, and they do create the best grads. Second to them is The Centre for Digital Media, although they seem to focus on a broader skill set than just games. They’re both in Vancouver, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend either of them, or hire out of them, any day of the week.
As we wrap up this insightful conversation with Joe Bonar, we can’t help but be inspired by the dedication and passion that have fueled his remarkable journey in the gaming industry. From his early days as a backroom coder to his pivotal role in creating some of the industry’s most beloved titles, Joe’s story is a testament to the endless possibilities within the world of gaming.
We’ve uncovered his thoughts on the industry’s evolution, the delicate balance between creativity and business needs, and his hopes for the future of gaming. Joe’s enduring enthusiasm for gaming and his invaluable advice for aspiring developers serve as a beacon of inspiration for anyone seeking to make their mark in this dynamic and ever-evolving field.
Thank you, Joe Bonar, for sharing your experiences, insights, and dreams with us. Your journey serves as a reminder that in the world of gaming, every pixel, every play, and every moment of creativity can lead to something extraordinary. We look forward to seeing where your passion and expertise will take the gaming industry in the years to come.
