Larian Studios Director Calls for Pirate-Like Management to Protect Game Developers

Recent layoffs at BioWare, creators of Dragon Age The Veilguard, have sparked widespread debate about the gaming industry's challenges.

Michael Daus, publishing director at Larian Studios, has taken to social media to address these issues. He emphasized the need to value employees, arguing that decision-makers, not frontline workers, should bear the responsibility for setbacks:

Maintaining a stable development team between or after projects is vital. Preserving institutional knowledge is essential for future success.

While "streamlining operations" is often cited as a reason for layoffs, Daus questions its necessity, especially amidst financial pressures. He argues that such aggressive cost-cutting reveals the flaws in large corporations' relentless pursuit of efficiency. This approach may seem justified for consistent blockbuster releases, but layoffs represent an extreme and flawed solution.

The root problem lies in flawed strategies set by top executives, yet lower-level employees bear the brunt. On a pirate ship, the captain would face consequences. Daus suggests video game companies adopt a similar mindset to better prioritize their teams.