---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What's funny is that by the time everyone…"
description: "\"What's funny is that by the time everyone plays the game - you know, we finish it, and then it takes a long time to make copies and ship it and get on ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93e/todd-howard-14571_funny_what-s-funny-is-that-by-the-time-everyon_1021377.jpg"
---

#  What's funny is that by the time everyone plays the game…

![“What's funny is that by the time everyone plays the game - you know, we finish it, and then it takes a long time to make copies and ship it and get on the shelves - we probably haven't worked on it for a month, two months. So, we've already taken our break, and then we're on to the next thing.” quote by Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93e/todd-howard-14571_funny_what-s-funny-is-that-by-the-time-everyon_1021377.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93e/todd-howard-14571_funny_what-s-funny-is-that-by-the-time-everyon_1021377.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93e/todd-howard-14571_funny_what-s-funny-is-that-by-the-time-everyon_1021377.jpg)

> “What's funny is that by the time everyone plays the game - you know, we finish it, and then it takes a long time to make copies and ship it and get on the shelves - we probably haven't worked on it for a month, two months. So, we've already taken our break, and then we're on to the next thing.”

[Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Creative cycles involve rapid iteration, leading to frequent breaks and new projects before the previous one fully settles.

**In simple terms:** Game devs start new work before finishing old.

Key Takeaway

Embrace iterative workflow.

Themes

creativity productivity iteration

Mood

pragmatic analytical

Type

advice motivational

When to use this quote

- game design
- software development
- marketing campaigns
- product launches

Key Concepts

Agile development project management

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you maintain focus amid rapid project turnover?
- What strategies prevent fatigue?

A Different Perspective

Risk of burnout from constant switching.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) [Ship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ship/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Video](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/video/)

## Related quotes

> [I have taken a break from the media spotlight for the past few years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-ward/i-have-taken-a-break-from-the-media-spotlight-for-the-past-few-years/)

[Gemma Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-ward/)

> [I finished touring the last record and I started recording new .I never really left the bubble, which is I think a good thing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/i-finished-touring-the-last-record-and-i-started-recording-new-i/)

[Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/)

> [“I've got to that point in life when there's very few thrills and lots of pills seems we all end up this way. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-victor-paskavich/i-ve-got-to-that-point-in-life-when-there-s-very-few-thrills-and-lots-2/)

[Stanley Victor Paskavich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-victor-paskavich/)

> [“He’d been out of the scene for a while. Life as a sexual Dominant had its perks and just as many pitfalls. He’d taken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebekah-weatherspoon/he-d-been-out-of-the-scene-for-a-while-life-as-a-sexual-dominant-had/)

Rebekah Weatherspoon

> [Actually, you have to spend a lot of time on TV. So I have taken a break from TV and shifted my focus in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/upasana-singh/actually-you-have-to-spend-a-lot-of-time-on-tv-so-i-have-taken-a/)

[Upasana Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/upasana-singh/)

> [“Mom was impressed but didn’t want me to go overboard, which was impossible, because I was still eating a lot. I just had taken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/mom-was-impressed-but-didn-t-want-me-to-go-overboard-which-was/)

[Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/)

> [I haven't taken a break after marriage. Just two days after my marriage, I was in Chandigarh promoting my Punjabi film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hassanandani-reddy/i-haven-t-taken-a-break-after-marriage-just-two-days-after-my/)

[Anita Hassanandani Reddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hassanandani-reddy/)

> ['Bigg Boss' is a game show, and everyone plays their game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hina-khan/bigg-boss-is-a-game-show-and-everyone-plays-their-game/)

[Hina Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hina-khan/)

> [Well, well. IM (and correspondence GM) Douglas Bryson once told me that he almost never plays a game that flows smoothly from start to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-rowson/well-well-im-and-correspondence-gm-douglas-bryson-once-told-me-that/)

Jonathan Rowson

> [ Obviously Javy \[Baez\] is able to control his emotions, he plays it as it should be, it's a game. That's how he plays it. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-maddon/obviously-javy-baez-is-able-to-control-his-emotions-he-plays-it-as-it/)

[Joe Maddon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-maddon/)

> [I believe a champion wins in his mind first, then plays the game, not the other way around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-rodriguez/i-believe-a-champion-wins-in-his-mind-first-then-plays-the-game-not/)

[Alex Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-rodriguez/)

> [No one plays this or any game perfectly. It's the guy who recovers from his mistakes who wins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/no-one-plays-this-or-any-game-perfectly-it-s-the-guy-who-recovers/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

> [How a man plays a game shows something of his character, how he loses shows all of it. . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-sutter/how-a-man-plays-a-game-shows-something-of-his-character-how-he-loses/)

[Rick Sutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-sutter/)

> [Everyone who plays this game wants to continue to improve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-bregman/everyone-who-plays-this-game-wants-to-continue-to-improve/)

[Alex Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-bregman/)

> [The one who plays this game the best is Iniesta: he knows exactly when to go forward and when to drop back. He picks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-roman-riquelme/the-one-who-plays-this-game-the-best-is-iniesta-he-knows-exactly-when/)

[Juan Roman Riquelme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-roman-riquelme/)

## More by Todd Howard

> [Don't define the game by the list of the features. Define it by the experience you want to have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/don-t-define-the-game-by-the-list-of-the-features-define-it-by-the/)

[Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/)

> [I liked that line in the movie 'Shakespeare in Love': 'How is this going to work out? I don't know, but it always does.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/i-liked-that-line-in-the-movie-shakespeare-in-love-how-is-this-going/)

[Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/)

> [We do not focus test our games and never had. People ask why we don't, and I say, 'I have so many opinions in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/we-do-not-focus-test-our-games-and-never-had-people-ask-why-we-don-t/)

[Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/)

> [Time makes a bigger difference: just making a game, shipping it, looking at what you did, how you did it, what you did well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/time-makes-a-bigger-difference-just-making-a-game-shipping-it-looking/)

[Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/)

> [You never know how your work is going to be received, and to have it be not just received by the people who wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/you-never-know-how-your-work-is-going-to-be-received-and-to-have-it/)

[Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/)

> [With 'The Elder Scrolls', you're looking at a 25-year-running franchise. It has stood the test of the 'Lord of the Rings' movies becoming popular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/with-the-elder-scrolls-you-re-looking-at-a-25-year-running-franchise/)

[Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/)

> [Every year, there's a new idea we can't do and a new technology for something that excites us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/every-year-there-s-a-new-idea-we-can-t-do-and-a-new-technology-for/)

[Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/)

> [Great games are played, not made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/great-games-are-played-not-made/)

[Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/)

> ['Minecraft' is like that, where you might say to one of your friends who doesn't play games, 'Hey, just sit down and try this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/minecraft-is-like-that-where-you-might-say-to-one-of-your-friends-who/)

[Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/)

> [Your plan is not as important as your culture. That means you will run into problems that will disrupt your plan and schedule, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/your-plan-is-not-as-important-as-your-culture-that-means-you-will-run/)

[Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/)

> [The main thing that excites me is that games are successful everywhere now. Now it's successful everywhere, and that's really important for the health…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/the-main-thing-that-excites-me-is-that-games-are-successful/)

[Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/)

> [I loved playing 'Ultima.' Getting my computer in college and playing 'Wing Commander.' I hear a lot from our fans, and they are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/i-loved-playing-ultima-getting-my-computer-in-college-and-playing/)

[Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/)

> [Eventually, there will come a day where I'm not making games at Bethesda. Hopefully that's a long time away. But I want to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/eventually-there-will-come-a-day-where-i-m-not-making-games-at/)

[Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/)

> [When you start over and jump into new tech, you don't know what the negatives are going to be until you go through a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/when-you-start-over-and-jump-into-new-tech-you-don-t-know-what-the/)

[Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/)

> [People tend to look at processing power as how to gauge a piece of hardware is powerful for us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/people-tend-to-look-at-processing-power-as-how-to-gauge-a-piece-of/)

[Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/)

[Explore all 46 Todd Howard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/)

## More Funny quotes

> [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/)

[Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/)

> [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/)

[Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/)

> [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/)

[Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/)

> [It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you got something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-s-a-hard-thing-to-describe-it-s-just-this-sense-that-you-got/)

[Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/)

> [God reveals Himself through surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-reveals-himself-through-surprises/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [Sometimes I look at my awesome twitter followers &amp; think to myself, What the hell would I do without them :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/sometimes-i-look-at-my-awesome-twitter-followers-think-to-myself-what/)

[Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/)

> [The happy have whole days,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/the-happy-have-whole-days/)

[Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/)

> [Congratulations to Facebook on going public with all my private information...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/congratulations-to-facebook-on-going-public-with-all-my-private/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Why are things as they are and not otherwise?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-kepler/why-are-things-as-they-are-and-not-otherwise/)

[Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/)

> [I've been funny my whole life. This is a gift God gave me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/i-ve-been-funny-my-whole-life-this-is-a-gift-god-gave-me/)

[Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/)

> [Penis goes in , sperms cums out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/penis-goes-in-sperms-cums-out/)

[Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/)

> [If you were to send a werewolf to the moon, would he be a werewolf permanently?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-schaal/if-you-were-to-send-a-werewolf-to-the-moon-would-he-be-a-werewolf/)

[Kristen Schaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-schaal/)

> [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/)

Pancho Barnes

> [If you can connect people, you can create the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-heiferman/if-you-can-connect-people-you-can-create-the-future/)

[Scott Heiferman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-heiferman/)

> [Don't think OF the market. Think AS the market.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-fishman/don-t-think-of-the-market-think-as-the-market/)

Michael Fishman

[Browse all 39,858 Funny quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "What's funny is that by the time everyone plays the game - you know, we finish it, and then it takes a long time to make copies and ship it and get on the shelves - we probably haven't worked on it for a month, two months. So, we've already taken our break, and then we're on to the next thing.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Todd Howard"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/what-s-funny-is-that-by-the-time-everyone-plays-the-game-you-know-we/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Funny"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/what-s-funny-is-that-by-the-time-everyone-plays-the-game-you-know-we/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93e/todd-howard-14571_funny_what-s-funny-is-that-by-the-time-everyon_1021377.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93e/todd-howard-14571_funny_what-s-funny-is-that-by-the-time-everyon_1021377.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93e/todd-howard-14571_funny_what-s-funny-is-that-by-the-time-everyon_1021377.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“What's funny is that by the time everyone plays the game - you know, we finish it, and then it takes a long…” — Todd Howard",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Todd Howard",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "What's funny is that by the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/what-s-funny-is-that-by-the-time-everyone-plays-the-game-you-know-we/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/what-s-funny-is-that-by-the-time-everyone-plays-the-game-you-know-we/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
