I joined Critical Mass Communications a.k.a. GameSpy way back in October of 1999. And this year will be my 5 year anniversary (will I get a watch? a clock? or maybe a refrigerator magnet?).
Back then it was a tightly packed startup held together by Mark Surfas' almost mystical ability to make payroll. There was a special energy that now feels lost. Maybe that's because of the recent merger with IGN, maybe it's the loss of key personnel, maybe it's the change in management, or maybe its just because we are no longer the underdog fighting to prove ourselves?
We've won - they've lost - what do you do now? It's like all good fairy tales (anything Disney, Shrek, Moonlighting) the end of the story is when they win. No one cares about the ever after - that's because they've won, the struggle is over, and that's boring. Not to say that all ever afters are boring, August will mark 10 wonderful years of marrage to my bride ;-)
But then again - maybe we, as a company, haven't won? What if it's all a delusion? I don't know.
What I do know is that I miss that sense of working on a new frontier, on products that users actually want - I miss the small crazy/insane startup mindset.

I am motivated by
1) interesting projects
2) a sense of urgency
3) projects that end users need and want
4) a sink or swim startup mentality

so what do you do when you don't get any of that? you look around for something that can motivate you to work those occasional 20hr days again.

If you know of any opertunities, send them a link to my resume. If it's interseting & fun enough - I'll leave GameSpy. But not before then, I've got a mortgage & a family to think of ;-)