Recent layoffs at BioWare, the studio behind Dragon Age: The Veilguard, have sparked widespread conversation about the current state of the gaming industry. Larian Studios' publishing director, Michael Daus, has again taken to social media, this time addressing the issue of industry-wide layoffs. He argues for valuing employees and placing accountability on decision-makers, not rank-and-file workers.
Daus contends that significant layoffs between or after projects are avoidable. He emphasizes the importance of preserving institutional knowledge for future projects. While acknowledging the financial pressures that sometimes necessitate "trimming the fat," he questions the aggressive efficiency strategies employed by large corporations. He suggests that this approach might be justifiable with consistent hit releases, but that widespread layoffs are ultimately a drastic, and ultimately ineffective, cost-cutting measure.
He points out that the strategic decisions made by upper management are the root cause, yet those at the lower levels invariably bear the brunt. Using the analogy of a pirate ship, he suggests that those responsible for poor strategic decisions should be held accountable, not the workers. He concludes that video game companies should adopt a more responsible management structure.
