Larian Publishing Director Michael Douse called games industry layoffs an 'avoidable f*ck up' in a new interview, touting what he says is the Baldur's Gate 3 dev's healthy and sustainable work environment.
Surprisingly narrow minded and incorrect viewpoint.
Layoffs are inevitable, including at Larian studios. Otherwise they’re saying all video game studios just have linear growth forever which is stupid.
People downvoting have no idea what they’re talking about lol. One flop and Larian Studios will do mass lay-offs like every other studio. And no studio will make continual success after success.
See, your examples are all publically traded companies that basically only serve as moneymaking schemes for shareholders. Larian is still privately owned and founder & owner Swen Wincke recently stated in an interview that they had enough cash reserves to handle at least 1 total flop without the need to mass layoff people.
I’m much more inclined to believe him with the track record of Larian Studios recently over your armchair analysis.
Phew! So they just have to make good enough games to avoid two complete flops in a row. Which is impossible but feel free to try and argue that it’s possible.
It’s also an extremely privileged view. “Just have lots of money and you’ll be fine lol! Dumb studios who don’t make enough money to weather flops are bad!”
It’s the equivalent of the rich billionaires saying if you want a house just work hard and buy one. It’s not hard! Why are the poor people complaining?
It would be nice to not have Layoffs but it’s just reality it will happen. If you think it’s impossible you are a child or are completely blinded by corporate interests.
So they just have to make good enough games to avoid two complete flops in a row. Which is impossible
BG3 made a lot of committed repeat customers for Larian, I don’t think it’s impossible their next game will sell very well based on name recognition and good will alone. A guarantee? No. But a safe bet.
It’s the equivalent of the rich billionaires saying if you want a house just work hard and buy one. It’s not hard! Why are the poor people complaining?
If this is the source of your rage posting, that’s a lot of misguided anger to point it toward Larian. Are we gonna complain about the one-man developer who quit his job to develop Balatro? Yes he was privileged enough to have savings to dig into, but neither him nor Larian are anywhere in the same ballpark as EA, Microsoft, Ubisoft, etc. They’re just the wrong people to get mad at.
Phew! So they just have to make good enough games to avoid two complete flops in a row. Which is impossible but feel free to try and argue that it’s possible.
Are you saying it’s impossible not to have two flops in a row?
Divinity original sin 1, 2, bg3. No flops.
Old timey blizzard had hits from Warcraft 1 through WoW, and then I stopped paying attention to them.
FromSoft has put out very good games consistently.
I feel like you just want mass layoffs to happen.
Of course it is not possible to guarantee any number of games wont flop. But the fact is that they budget in a way that allows them to occasionally flop completely without having to strip their teams bare.
Where most companies (especially publically traded) just dump their earnings into bonuses or mass hirings (in the case of sudden success) some companies budget responsibly in a way that allows them to continue to have success without having to go through hiring/layoff-cycles.
Larian Studios currently seems to be one of those as does Pocket Pair.
The vast majority of these recent layoffs have taken place at wildly successful companies that were all profitable and had strong sales.
The sales just weren’t as high as they were expecting due to their own aggressive post-covid targets, so for c-levels to unlock their full bonuses they needed to harvest skulls.
I think the narrow minded perspective is coming from this comment. Yes. Of course layoffs are inevitable in business. That’s not what the discussion is about. Take a look at how short-sighted these companies behaved during the lock-down. People are stuck at home, and they’re buying more games? OMG let’s just pretend this is a trend that will never end and start expanding as much as possible! Nope. Anyone with two brain cells could tell you that was going to drop as soon as the lockdowns lifted and people could go outside again.
Avoidable? Abso-fucking-lutely.
However, I agree with you that it’s not at all a fuck up. I believe it is flat out malicious. Publishers have more than two brain cells, and they knew this was going to happen, so they took advantage of an obvious opportunity to get rid of costly, experienced employees in favor of cheap, new blood. Smart, and evil.
Surprisingly narrow minded and incorrect viewpoint.
Layoffs are inevitable, including at Larian studios. Otherwise they’re saying all video game studios just have linear growth forever which is stupid.
People downvoting have no idea what they’re talking about lol. One flop and Larian Studios will do mass lay-offs like every other studio. And no studio will make continual success after success.
Not true. They could have a decently stable developer base. That is, they don’t overhire and don’t “need” to have layoffs as a result.
I swear this comment was a trolling attempt or one of the bloodsucking stockholder asshats that think linear growth is a bad thing.
Well luckily every game studio only ever makes successful games and Larian will never make a flop. Right?
Just like other great studios like CPDR. Or Blizzard… Oh…
I swear people are just idiots or have zero memory.
Except the companies aren’t doing layoffs because of a flop or a bad release.
They’re doing them explicitly because shareholder expectations of profit growth were not met.
Well luckily every game studio only ever makes successful games and Larian will never make a flop. Right?
Just like other great studios like CPDR. Or Blizzard… Oh…
I swear people are just idiots or have zero memory.
See, your examples are all publically traded companies that basically only serve as moneymaking schemes for shareholders. Larian is still privately owned and founder & owner Swen Wincke recently stated in an interview that they had enough cash reserves to handle at least 1 total flop without the need to mass layoff people.
I’m much more inclined to believe him with the track record of Larian Studios recently over your armchair analysis.
Phew! So they just have to make good enough games to avoid two complete flops in a row. Which is impossible but feel free to try and argue that it’s possible.
It’s also an extremely privileged view. “Just have lots of money and you’ll be fine lol! Dumb studios who don’t make enough money to weather flops are bad!”
It’s the equivalent of the rich billionaires saying if you want a house just work hard and buy one. It’s not hard! Why are the poor people complaining?
It would be nice to not have Layoffs but it’s just reality it will happen. If you think it’s impossible you are a child or are completely blinded by corporate interests.
BG3 made a lot of committed repeat customers for Larian, I don’t think it’s impossible their next game will sell very well based on name recognition and good will alone. A guarantee? No. But a safe bet.
If this is the source of your rage posting, that’s a lot of misguided anger to point it toward Larian. Are we gonna complain about the one-man developer who quit his job to develop Balatro? Yes he was privileged enough to have savings to dig into, but neither him nor Larian are anywhere in the same ballpark as EA, Microsoft, Ubisoft, etc. They’re just the wrong people to get mad at.
Are you saying it’s impossible not to have two flops in a row?
Divinity original sin 1, 2, bg3. No flops.
Old timey blizzard had hits from Warcraft 1 through WoW, and then I stopped paying attention to them.
FromSoft has put out very good games consistently.
This is just big names off the top of my head.
I feel like you just want mass layoffs to happen. Of course it is not possible to guarantee any number of games wont flop. But the fact is that they budget in a way that allows them to occasionally flop completely without having to strip their teams bare.
Where most companies (especially publically traded) just dump their earnings into bonuses or mass hirings (in the case of sudden success) some companies budget responsibly in a way that allows them to continue to have success without having to go through hiring/layoff-cycles.
Larian Studios currently seems to be one of those as does Pocket Pair.
Shit tier take
Well luckily every game studio only ever makes successful games and Larian will never make a flop. Right?
Just like other great studios like CPDR. Or Blizzard… Oh…
I swear people are just idiots or have zero memory.
Seriously?
Yes. See my other comments. It’s just basic logic.
My dude, circular logic and “because I think it” does not make something logic. That is some Joe Rogan level dipshittery.
Your other comments which are the same comment repeated to everyone. I also don’t see any logic, just ragebait.
Blocked by OP, lol
Don’t you see, he thought it once, then thought the same thing again. Two data points right there, checkmate!
The vast majority of these recent layoffs have taken place at wildly successful companies that were all profitable and had strong sales.
The sales just weren’t as high as they were expecting due to their own aggressive post-covid targets, so for c-levels to unlock their full bonuses they needed to harvest skulls.
I think the narrow minded perspective is coming from this comment. Yes. Of course layoffs are inevitable in business. That’s not what the discussion is about. Take a look at how short-sighted these companies behaved during the lock-down. People are stuck at home, and they’re buying more games? OMG let’s just pretend this is a trend that will never end and start expanding as much as possible! Nope. Anyone with two brain cells could tell you that was going to drop as soon as the lockdowns lifted and people could go outside again.
Avoidable? Abso-fucking-lutely.
However, I agree with you that it’s not at all a fuck up. I believe it is flat out malicious. Publishers have more than two brain cells, and they knew this was going to happen, so they took advantage of an obvious opportunity to get rid of costly, experienced employees in favor of cheap, new blood. Smart, and evil.