Imagine: Music Fest is an adventure/rhythm game developed by Handheld Games and released by Ubisoft on May 9th, 2009. I was responsible for much of the UI, including dialog and the character customization and light show modules. I don’t have a lot to talk about on this project. I had worked with this engine and this team before, doing similar tasks that I was confident in my ability to achieve on time.

Though the biggest reason specifics are hard to talk about is how development was completely overshadowed by the downward spiral of Handheld Games. Licensed projects, our bread’n’butter for years, were fewer and father between. The iPhone promised a sea change to the market and while our leadership was able to see the rise of the mobile market, they were completely unable to capitalize on it, despite heavy investment. My team was pushed to do more, for longer, with fewer people and shorter schedules. As a result, the entire project felt like a long grind to an inevitable conclusion.

I kept working hard to not disappoint my fellows in the trenches and due to my pride in my work, but it was only a matter of time before the waves of layoffs hit me again. I still have good memories of the project and the team, but I was unsurprised when Handheld Games closed shop a few months later.