NEWS: Noclip Leaves California for Greener Pastures
Sep 17 at 9:01am
Hey Patrons!
So, on yesterday's Birthday Stream I announced the news that my wife and I are moving. We're leaving the sunny skies of Oakland, California to go live in a lovely, rural house in Maryland. Our next move has been something we've been trying to figure out for over a year, so I wanted to give you some insight into why we're moving, and what it means for the future of my work.
As you are probably aware, I currently live in the most expensive housing market in North America. As somebody running a business which is essentially location agnostic, this is insane. As you know from my patron-only posts, I almost went crazy working in my apartment this past year. My wife and I live in a one-bedroom place, and my "office" is a desk beside our couch. Noclip has basically been run from the corner of a room for 12 months.
This is because we pay a lot of rent to live close to a commuter belt we're not a part of. It makes no sense. A few months back we looked at Petaluma in the north bay as a place that would give us more space for less rent, but even areas that far from major cities cost a fortune in California.
Aside from pure financial logistics, we're both satisfied with our time in California. This place was my dream home for many years. I listened to Deftones, I skateboarded, I wanted to work for GameSpot. California was my Graceland. I came here and did it. I lived this life and loved it. But the reality is we're entering a new chapter of ours lives and other things have become more important. My wife's family is in DC, and mine in Ireland. I've lived in some of the biggest metropolitan areas in the world for a decade, but I grew up in a town of 40 thousand people on the quiet, Irish coast. I've had my fill of cities that never sleep. So it's time to return to my original dream. To live near the people I love and grow a sustainable business in a cool corner of the world. So that's what's happening in Maryland.
First thing's first - Noclip is getting a studio. The home we're moving to has a large finished basement which I'll be using as Noclip headquarters. It has space for a dedicated streaming set. It has room for a dedicated voice-over booth. It has room for an edit suite, a classic game section and more. This location means I'll be able to make more streams and episodes of Danny's Disk Club then ever before. Maryland also has some of the best internets in America so I'm looking forward to a wonderful future of fiber and low-pings.
Noclip is going to thrive here too. Not only will our taxes be more favorable, but the cost of running a company in rural Maryland is significantly lower than the Bay Area. I'll still be able to contract Jeremy as camera-operator and colorist when on remote shoots, but relocation to Maryland will allow Noclip the real opportunity to grow. Something we never truly had in California. We're also more centrally located for both North American and European shoots (and general livestreams). While a 3 hour train-ride from New York for fun collaborations. Oh and did I mention there are a lot of game companies and communities in the area?
Aside from that, I'm going to be happy there. My wife and I are looking forward to living in a home where work happens downstairs, and life happens in the rest of the house. Where nature and family are right around the corner. Where life is slower, and more intentional.
I'm incredibly excited for the future. Not only will I be closer to the people I care about, but Maryland provides real opportunity for Noclip to thrive. In the short-term that will mean a lot of fun "studio building" videos and a lot more features and streams from me. In the long-term, I hope it means building a team and expanding Noclip's creative influence.
None of this would have been possible without your support. In the past year you have catapulted Noclip from an idea in my head to a business that works. Now you have catapulted my family across the country. You made this happen, my success is yours, and Noclip's future is brighter for it. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you.
If you have any questions, please stick them below. I'm more than happy to answer them. Now I've got to get back to packing - we leave in three weeks!
Danny
