The gaming industry has recently been rocked by news of layoffs at BioWare, the renowned developers behind Dragon Age: The Veilguard. This event has sparked widespread discussion about the state of the industry, particularly in relation to how companies manage their workforce.
Michael Daus, the publishing director of Larian Studios, has been vocal on social media about the issue of layoffs. He argues that it's essential to value employees and that responsibility should fall on decision-makers, not the regular staff. Daus emphasizes the importance of retaining institutional knowledge within development teams, which is crucial for the success of future projects.
He critiques the common corporate justification of "trimming the fat" to explain layoffs, suggesting that it reveals the unnecessary aggressive efficiency of large corporations. While he acknowledges that financial pressures might necessitate some form of cost-cutting, Daus believes that aggressive layoffs are not the solution, especially when companies are not consistently releasing successful games.
Daus points out that the strategies devised by higher-ups often lead to the suffering of those at the bottom of the corporate hierarchy. He humorously suggests that video game companies should be managed like pirate ships, where the captain (or decision-makers) would be held accountable for failures rather than the crew.
This perspective sheds light on the need for better management practices within the gaming industry, advocating for a more responsible and employee-centric approach to business operations.
