After more than four decades in the video game industry, William D. Volk’s experience should have been an asset. Instead, it became a barrier. The video game industry prides itself on innovation. But when it comes to age, the numbers tell a different story.
More than half of the field’s workforce is under 37. Just 3% are 58 or older.
For one longtime leader, that reality became personal. After 45+ years in the industry, he began to see opportunities fade. Interviews stalled, offers disappeared and “culture fit” became a quiet barrier.
This is what age discrimination can look like.
But his story didn’t end there. He pivoted, advising startups, creating new ideas and rediscovering the joy of building something from scratch.
Experience doesn’t mean loss in value. Rather, the system failed to recognize it.
No one should be pushed out of the workforce because of their age.
Read more about his experience and find tips to address age discrimination in the link in the comments.