Meet Lloyd Campbell Iii | Games Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lloyd Campbell Iii and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lloyd, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Games are hard to make. Period. I love playing them and love the impact it has to unite communities but I never knew the amount of work that goes into creating such fun experiences. The first game I ever made self-taught, by myself, took three months and all I had to show for it was a five-minute experience. However, I actually enjoyed this challenge and I wanted to create more games.

Now, despite turning game development into a profession, it has not changed how I feel about it. I still love playing different games, creating new experiences with whatever resources we have and learning about niche skills I didn’t know existed in the industry. I maintain balance by assessing what’s necessary given the resources and deadlines. Producers have to be one of the most organized people on the team. I make a to-do list, prioritize and re-prioritize the action items and execute them. We are privileged to be in an industry where our product does not entail anyone’s life or death. It’s okay to fail. But it’s imperative we are in a healthy environment where leaders are transparent and people are allowed to grow and develop within their specialty. Games are an art form. The audience interacting with the games can notice the care and dedication the artists take to create high quality pieces.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a game developer and a games producer based in Los Angeles! I graduated from the University of Southern California, Interactive Media and Games Division MFA program. One of my aspirations is to help creatives like myself, effectively use interactive media and games to tell exciting and transformative stories. I want to tell the stories that have not been told.

This past year at USC, I was the Creative Director for my MFA thesis capstone project, Lake Minnewaska, where I led a team of 35 people on a game about a father fisherman reconnecting with his daughter. Lake Minnewaska is what I’m most proud of at this point in my career. My game is one of the first games that use fishing to talk about Black grief.

The path I have taken definitely has not been smooth, but it would be a lot rougher if I did not have supportive friends and family. I graduated from my undergrad without a job and was unsure of my career path. I double majored in Economics and Asian Studies and built up a skill set well suited for Finance or Consulting.

However, that field wasn’t my passion. I love video games. I moved back home with my parents in Minnesota and started learning how to code and work in Unity. I had to overcome my fear of coding. I applied to the USC Interactive Media and Games MFA program three months after my undergrad graduation, but I was rejected. I needed to improve.

I sought out game studios in Minnesota and found Cog Reps Inc. They developed a game called Smash Routes, where they took youth football playbooks and turned them into a mobile game. It was a wonderful opportunity where I combined my collegiate football playing experience with my passion for video games.

Though, the studio was 2 hours from home each way. And I was unpaid for the first six months. Therefore, I worked at Walmart on the weekends to pay for gas and the occasional Airbnb in case I wanted to go to work for continuous days during the week.

My parents supported me when I needed it. I earned a full-time position, moved to Minneapolis, and gained a lot more Unity and client-facing experiences. I was at a point where I needed to expand my skills as a game developer. I re-applied to USC two years after my previous attempt and got accepted! I had struggles finding my footing and just blindly going into a new field that I felt I could be successful in. I could not have done it without my family.

I learned how important it is to have a support system. I can’t be successful without an amazing group of people around me. My personal brand resonates with my experience – I want to uplift the voices of marginalized communities. It’s important for people to be told their experiences and stories matter.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
This is a tough one. There are many culturally rich pockets in and around LA that I haven’t explored that much. But I’ll do my best to give a little itinerary.

Day 1: Malibu Farm Restaurant → Leo Carrillo State Beach. Let’s make sure we take advantage of this California sunshine! We’d travel up the PCH, grab brunch and hangout at my favorite dog-friendly beach.

Day 2: The Getty Villa → Heavy Handed + The Library Alehouse. We have to hit up The Getty Villa for some amazing photos and take in the beautiful art pieces and architecture. After walking around a bit, we’d go down to Santa Monica, grab a burger from Heavy Handed and continue drinking across the street at The Library Alehouse.

Day 3: California African American Museum → Chichen Itza. I’d love to show them this incredible museum recognizing and celebrating the Black artists across LA and the rest of California. Afterwards, we’d take a very short drive to this tasty Yucatan eatery, Chichen Itza.

Day 4: Soowon Galbi. We’ve done a lot of traveling, so let’s just chow down on some mouth-watering Korean BBQ in K-Town.

Day 5: Hike up to Griffith Observatory → Pine & Crane. We’re going to burn off some of the food, hopefully, in a nice hike up to the Griffith Observatory. Afterwards we’ll struggle to find parking near Pine & Crane in Silver Lake. But we’ll understand it was worth the struggle after the first few bites.

Day 6: Coral Tree Cafe → Century City → Los Angeles County Museum of Art → Matu. I personally can’t shop on an empty stomach. So we’d get brunch at my favorite café, walk around the place where “they had it all figured out,” and then go to another awesome LA museum. And then we’d go to my favorite steakhouse, Matu.

That would be my itinerary! Of course, this is under the assumption that I’m also not working during the week. Like I said, I haven’t hit all the neighborhoods in and around LA. So I wouldn’t be surprised if this itinerary changes in the next 6 months.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Yes, of course! I really could not have been here today without the help of the 2024 USC Interactive Media and Games MFA cohort. We’d meet every week throughout the 2023-2024 Academic school year and it was always a great space to learn, experiment and vent. They helped me stay level-headed and appreciate all the the work I do on a weekly basis. Not only were they awesome in the classroom, my cohort enjoyed hosting parties and get-togethers on weekends to celebrate milestones. We grew as game developers and as people and I wouldn’t be able to tell my story without them.

Website: https://www.lloydc3.com/

Instagram: lloyd_iii

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lloyd-campbell-iii-772539104/