Baldur's Gate 3 publisher thinks developers should become pirates to clean up BioWare's act

Recent layoffs at BioWare, developer of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, have sparked widespread conversation about the current state of the gaming industry. Larian Studios' publishing director, Michael Daus, recently weighed in on social media, addressing the issue of industry-wide job cuts. He emphasizes the importance of valuing employees and holding leadership accountable for such decisions.

Daus argues that significant layoffs between or after projects are preventable. He stresses the critical role of retaining institutional knowledge for future projects. While acknowledging the financial pressures that sometimes necessitate "trimming the fat" (reducing redundancies), he questions the aggressive efficiency strategies of large corporations, suggesting they are often unnecessary. This approach, he points out, is only viable with a consistent stream of successful releases. Layoffs, he contends, are a drastic, ultimately unsustainable cost-cutting measure.

He further criticizes the strategic decisions made by upper management, noting that lower-level employees consistently bear the brunt of these choices. Using the analogy of a pirate ship, he suggests that, much like the captain would be the first to be thrown overboard, companies should hold leadership responsible for their failures. He concludes by advocating for a more responsible management style within the video game industry.