In a now-deleted tweet dated Nov. 24, Medievil co-creator Jason Wilson, also known as Jay Gunn, announced that he’s selling his Game of the Year BAFTA to keep a roof over his head while he looks for work.
It’s an unprecedented time for the games industry right now, and while it sounds like a dream job for anyone interested in the medium, games designers frequently face hardships from mismanaged companies. Like many roles in the industry, designers have their creative visions destroyed, are laid off en masse, and are even traumatized by poor development practices. On top of this, the financial crisis is making everything worse.
On Nov. 24, 2023, Wilson posted to X, formerly Twitter, that he is selling the Game of the Year BAFTA he won for Medievil 2 in 2000 for a guide price of £6000 (around $7550). Wilson also explained in the deleted tweet that he was recently admitted to hospital due to stress while hunting for work.
“Okay, after my stint in hospital this week, brought about by the high levels of stress, anxiety and financial worries due to my inability to even get to the interview stage for games art/design work, I am now selling my Game of the Year BAFTA to help keep the wolves at bay.”
Wilson says he’s struggling to “keep a roof over his head” and is having trouble finding a job right now, which is understandable given how many developers have been laid off this year. With so many people looking for work in the games industry all at once, competition is incredibly fierce.
To make matters worse, Wilson said he deleted the tweet as it attracted “negative and hurtful comments” that made him regret posting about his struggles on social media.
This isn’t the first time Wilson has sold off Medievil memorabilia, either. In May 2023, Wilson tweeted that he was selling Medievil’s game design bible and concept art books for an undisclosed amount. The listing featured “concept drawings, environment designs, texture plans, fold out gameplay maps, lost level design work […] Also included are my dialogue recording scripts with annotations by actors […] and gameplay level designs.”
Everyone at Dot Esports wishes Wilson all the best with his future endeavors, and our hearts go out to any games worker fighting for their stability during such a tumultuous time for the industry.
