Recent layoffs at BioWare, developers of 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 layoffs. He argues for valuing employees and placing accountability on decision-makers, not rank-and-file workers.
Daus contends that laying off significant portions of development teams between or after projects is avoidable. He emphasizes the critical importance of retaining institutional knowledge for future projects. While acknowledging that "trimming the fat" (reducing redundancies) is often cited as justification, especially during financial hardship, he questions the necessity of large corporations' aggressive efficiency strategies. He points out that this justification only holds water if companies consistently release successful titles; otherwise, layoffs are simply a drastic cost-cutting measure.
Daus argues that the core problem lies in the strategies implemented by upper management, while those at the lower levels consistently bear the brunt of the consequences. He uses the analogy of a pirate ship, where the captain would be the first to be thrown overboard, suggesting that video game companies should adopt a similar approach to accountability.
