Terry Cavanagh (developer)

After studying mathematics at Trinity College in Dublin, Cavanagh worked briefly as a market risk analyst before moving to focus on game development full-time in 2007. While he received some attention in the press for his "serious and arty" indie games, Cavanagh faced significant financial difficulties in his early career. He was reportedly close to abandoning game development when VVVVVV (released in 2010) became an unexpected success, providing him with the financial means to continue developing games.{{cite web |last1=Peel |first1=Jeremy |title=How Terry Cavanagh bet it all on the simple joy of platforming |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/how-terry-cavanagh-bet-it-all-on-the-simple-joy-of-platforming/ |website=PC Gamer |access-date=3 February 2024 |language=en |date=14 September 2021}}

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2020, he gave away 1000 copies of three of his games for free in the hope it would "offer a distraction" to those in need of it.{{cite web |author1=Heather Wald |title=Indie developer Terry Cavanagh is giving away free games to help those "in need of a distraction" |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/indie-developer-terry-cavanagh-is-giving-away-free-games-to-help-those-in-need-of-a-distraction/ |website=gamesradar |language=en |date=16 March 2020}}

Many of his titles share a primitive, minimalist retro aesthetic.{{cite web| url=http://www.avclub.com/article/avc-at-gdc-10-an-interview-with-ivvvvvvi-creator-t-39174| title=AVC at GDC '10: An interview with VVVVVV creator Terry Cavanagh| author=David Wolinsky| work=The A.V. Club| date=2010-04-13| accessdate=2014-07-23}} He is credited as a programmer for Alphaland, a platform game by Jonas Kyratzes.{{cite web|title=Alphaland|date=5 May 2011 |url=http://www.jonas-kyratzes.net/games/alphaland/|publisher=jonas-kyratzes.net}}

Cavanagh has stated that he prefers the personal nature of independent game development, its smaller scale enabling the personality of the creator to shine through in the final product.{{cite web| url=http://www.indiecade.com/interviews/terry_cavanagh/| title=Terry Cavanagh Can't Stop Making Games| last=Cantoni| first=Chris| publisher=International Festival of Independent Games}}

Cavanagh cites the 1997 Japanese RPG Final Fantasy VII as his favorite game, crediting it as his inspiration for becoming a video game developer. In 2009 Cavanagh named interactive fiction writer Adam Cadre as his favorite developer.{{cite web| url=http://www.gamecritics.com/brad-gallaway/interview-with-terry-cavanagh-creator-of-dont-look-back| title=Interview with Terry Cavanagh, creator of Don't Look Back| last=Gallaway| first=Brad| publisher=GameCritics.com| date=2009-04-18| accessdate=2014-07-24}}

• Cavanagh's game VVVVVV won the 2010 IndieCade Festival in the category of "Fun/Compelling".{{cite web| url=http://www.indiecade.com/2010/awardresults_post2010/| title=2010 IndieCade Award Recipients| publisher=International Festival of Independent Games| date=2010-10-06| accessdate=2014-07-24}}
• In 2014, Cavanagh was named to Forbes' annual "30 Under 30" list in the Games category.{{cite news | url=http://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/five-irish-on-forbes-30-under-30-list-1.1647194 | title=Five Irish on Forbes 30 under 30 list | newspaper=The Irish Times | date=7 January 2014 | accessdate=24 July 2014}}
• In 2019, Cavanagh's game Dicey Dungeons won the 2019 IndieCade Grand Jury award.{{cite web| url=https://www.indiecade.com/awards/| title=2019 IndieCade Award Recipients| publisher=International Festival of Independent Games| date=2019-10-12| accessdate=2019-10-21}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Commons category|Terry Cavanagh}}

• {{Official website}}
• [https://www.escapistmagazine.com/v2/how-vvvvvv-saved-an-independent-developers-career/ The Escapist interview with Terry Cavanagh]
• [https://thespelunkyshowlike.libsyn.com/33-making-generous-games-with-terry-cavanagh The Spelunky Showlike — Making Generous Games with Terry Cavanagh]

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Category:1984 births

Category:Alumni of Trinity College Dublin

Category:Browser game developers

Category:Indie game developers

Category:Irish expatriates in England

Category:Irish video game designers

Category:Living people

Category:Video game programmers

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