LogInCelebratory contests, exclusive interviews with industry leaders, special articles and offers – join us as we celebrate our 10th anniversary and gear up for a year of festivities ahead!
Ten years ago, the idea was born to create a place where Game Developers and Artists could share their stories and experiences. At first, there was just one person writing, then two – we were a small blog, reaching out to people who would agree to talk to a team no one had ever heard of.
As years went by, team members changed, our small family grew, the site's design evolved, we created new social media pages, we saw other teams creating clones of our platform (we're humbled, by the way), we met more and more artists, yet the idea always remained the same – every day, we look for people who can teach us something new and share what it takes to succeed in this chaotic industry. This year marks a very special milestone of our never-ending journey, as 80 Level celebrates its 10th birthday!
Shurick Agapitov, Founder of 80 Level, Founder & CEO of Xsolla: We still live in a world where the craftsmanship behind our industry often goes underappreciated, yet a passion – bordering on obsession – continues to work true miracles in making games come to life. For the decade ahead, 80 Level remains devoted to shining a light on those who stand in the shadows and fueling the creative fire that drives our community forward.
Arti Sergeev, Head of 80 Level: It's pretty difficult to describe 80 Level. I would call us a troupe of hungry bards, wandering from town to town, searching for our audience every day. Do we always succeed? We'd be immeasurably wealthy if we earned a coin for every fifth attempt. Our lutes are often out of tune, Mondays rarely go well, and the stories we tell aren't always embraced. And yet, we cherish every success, every great article we've published.
I want to thank the community, without which none of this would be possible. I thank every team member, both present and past. I especially thank Kirill, who taught me how to do this and how to push through the bad days.
The biggest thank you of all goes to every single 3D artist, animator, environment designer, tutorial creator, game developer, VFX artist, indie creator, character modeler, gamer, and anyone passionate about the game development and gaming industries – without you, your feedback, and your participation, reaching the 10th anniversary would have been impossible!
Theodore McKenzie, Head of Content: For me, 80 Level is more than just your run-of-the-mill gaming website – it's a family that invited with open arms a 20-year-old college dropout with no experience in the field and allowed him to grow both professionally and personally. Like any real family, it's not without its flaws, with members sometimes at odds with one another, yet even in those turbulent times, there's always a sense of belonging, as you're surrounded by people willing to put everything on the line for you, and who you can do the same for.
My heartfelt thank you goes out to every single reader interested in our articles, whose feedback (both positive and negative) helps us improve year after year. I'd also like to thank my mentor and friend Arti, who has built the foundation of what I am today.
To commemorate this momentous occasion in the history of 80 Level, we'd like to declare 2025 The Year of 3D, so get ready for a full year of celebratory contests, exclusive interviews with the developers, artists, and companies that have shaped our platform, special articles, exciting offers, and so much more. Thank you once again for being part of our journey, and here's to an incredible Year of 3D ahead!
Gloria Levine, Senior Editor: Happy birthday, dear 80 Level! I might not have witnessed everything that has happened in these 10 years, but it's an honor to celebrate this anniversary as a part of our small, friendly team. The 3 years I've spent here have been full of warmth and fantastic insights, they've taught me a lot about the industry and myself, and I wish the next 10 years would be even more brilliant, full of growth, new quests, and adventures.
I'd like to end my speech with the best compliment we received in 2024: "80 Level is the only gaming journalism that doesn't make me want to throw up." Let the following years keep this trend.