Origin Systems Developer Inquiry

Courtesy of Pioneer Dragon, The Origin Gallery is pleased to present this one-page letter from Origin Systems. Several years ago, Pioneer wrote to Origin inquiring about what was required to work at the company; this letter is the response he received:

It’s an interesting letter, explaining some of the technologies at use at Origin during that day and age (C and assembler, for example), and containing recommendations as to which skillsets a prospective candidate should pursue. As is often the case today, the letter also states that while a college degree in a relevant field can prove advantageous, it is not a firm requirement, as many developers are basically self-taught.

What I find most interesting about the letter, though, is how it hints at the emergence of a trend that has continued more or less unabated to this very day. Whereas there was a time where a single developer — like Richard Garriott — could sit down and hammer out a blockbuster game, Origin at the time this letter was written had already made the transition to larger project teams comprised of specialists in various fields (programming, music, art, etc.). That trend has continued to this very day, of course, as some game development teams now rival movie production teams for size (and budget).

Anyhow…enjoy! This is another brief but fascinating glimpse into the history of Origin Systems and the mentality of the company. The Origin Gallery is indebted to Pioneer Dragon and everyone who worked at Origin for it.