Larian publishing director on mass layoffs: ‘None of these companies are at risk of going bankrupt. They were just at risk of pissing off the shareholders’
Larian publishing director on mass layoffs: ‘None of these companies are at risk of going bankrupt. They were just at risk of pissing off the shareholders’
11 Comments
Preach.
Never seen so many layoffs from an industry without some external macroeconomic factor causing it.
Just shit planning all around.
Aren’t the shareholders the ones funding though? Not saying it’s ok but I guess I’m asking what the alternative looks like? Idk much about game development.
well yes, it’s not wise to piss off the people who fund your projects.
Capitalism is a bitch.
Any publicly traded organization has a legal obligation to run the company in a financially optimized manner. If the companies referenced here made good games that sold well they would be less inclined to layoff employees.
Why is nobody questioning why these companies need such a massive staff anyway? Back in the old days you needed a programmer or two, a couple guys that do the graphics, a sound or music guy, a few administrative people. Now the credits are like 500 people long
The queation now is:
Why should anyone have to settle for games that feel unfinished or want to charge you hundreds of dollars for extra outfits even after you’ve paid $70? Why shouldn’t more games be this deep and complex?
Share prices are the real scourge of the industry. Or well, any industry really. Just look at what smart, privately led companies like Larian or Valve can do without investor pressure.
Based.
I love that people at Larian have taken the platform that their success gave them, and used it to shine a light on the problems in the industry.
They’ve really earned a place in my heart by showing integrity.
A company’s IPO is also its death warrant because infinite growth in a closed system is impossible. Once you expose your company to the parasitic “investment” class it’s only a matter of time.