We all like to take a few things for granted.
If we consider Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, there are plenty of things we all love to take for granted, from things most of us we in the Western hemisphere usually have at our disposal, like a ceiling to sleep under, running drinkable water and food for the day, or even more complex endeavours like a good job or friends we can rely on.
So what happens when those constructs are put to test? How do we feel when we need to let go of something we hold most dear?
Let me tell you, dear reader, from my perspective it’s pretty much fucked up!
I know for a fact that everything is ephemeral, that life is about the moment, the journey, not the destination, that we should not put much stock into that which we do not control. But all that theoretical stratagems fall apart whenever we need to let go of something we have built, whether it’s a relationship or a project.
I’m no better than my fellow human person that I cross in the street every day, and as such I have my own challenges to cope with and learn from, so that from that adversity I may grow to become a better person.
Quite recently I had to let go of something quite dear to me: a professional project I gave birth to and that has taken most of my time since mid 2016. Yes, Collide was something I was quite proud of. During our journey we managed to achieve a lot (at least in our perspective) with so little. Our small team managed to receive industry accolades from big players like Microsoft or Oculus/Facebook, helped big companies like BNP Paribas and Deloitte to grow their products and services, and still managed to help independent development studios to release their projects.
And let me tell you another thing, dear reader, we had quite a ride. And yet the past tense is being used as we have arrived at the end of this journey.
As some of you may know, Collide was part of a big Portuguese IT group. Last year, that same group was acquired by an even bigger international group. With that came many unforeseen changes, and like the poet says: the rest is history.
Long story short, last week it was formally and publicly announced that we would be merged, along with others, into the group’s creative hub.
And so it happened.
It’s hard. So fucking hard. Letting go… I had been preparing for it for some time now, but reality hits like a sledgehammer, and receiving the social media notification of the public announcement felt like a blade slowly penetrating through my ribs, word after word, reaching closer to my heart.
So what’s next, you may ask? Sincerely, I have no idea. It is a new chapter, still to be written. Hopefully a great and epic one, where no Starks are killed.
Nonetheless, and regardless of what may come to pass, I am truly blessed to have shared the road with such excellent professionals. We all battled honourably and fiercely against adversity and enjoyed plenty of joy and celebration time.
Thank you so much Afonso, David, Jeff, Mafalda, Miguel, Ricardo, Thomas and every single freelancer that worked with us during this time. I’m pretty sure that new adventures are about to start.
Defining Realities 