A MAZE. / Berlin 2026

Production in game development is often described through the metaphors of engineering: systems, pipelines, resources, deliverables. But beneath the spreadsheets lies another layer of work - one that is seldom named. This talk explores game production as emotional labour: the invisible cognitive and relational work that holds teams together, that facilitates psychological safety. Drawing on the concept of the “mental load” (the often-gendered work of anticipating needs, managing tensions, and carrying responsibility in the background) it questions how we might frame production as care and maintenance. Through studio experience and personal reflection I offer provocations on soft-skill matters of morale, conflict and pressure.