Recent layoffs at BioWare, developer of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, have sparked industry-wide conversation. Larian Studios' publishing director, Michael Daus, weighed in on social media, emphasizing the importance of valuing employees and holding leadership accountable for layoffs.
Daus argues that significant team reductions between or after projects are avoidable. He stresses the critical role of retaining institutional knowledge for future projects. While acknowledging that financial pressures can necessitate "trimming the fat," he questions the excessive efficiency pursued by large corporations, suggesting it's counterproductive except in cases of consistently successful releases. Layoffs, he contends, are a drastic cost-cutting measure, not a solution.
Daus points to flawed upper management strategies as the root problem, highlighting the disproportionate impact on lower-level employees. He uses the analogy of a pirate ship, where the captain (leadership) would be the one sacrificed, suggesting a more responsible approach to managing game development companies.
