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

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 to address this issue, emphasizing the importance of valuing employees and holding leadership accountable for job losses.

Daus argues that significant layoffs between or after projects are avoidable. He stresses the critical role of retaining institutional knowledge within development teams for future projects. While acknowledging the financial pressures that sometimes necessitate "trimming the fat," he questions the aggressive efficiency strategies employed by large corporations, suggesting they are often unnecessary and counterproductive. He points out that this approach, while perhaps justifiable with consistent hit releases, is ultimately a drastic cost-cutting measure.

Daus concludes that the core problem lies with the strategic decisions made by upper management, while the consequences disproportionately affect lower-level employees. He uses the analogy of a pirate ship, where the captain would be the first to be thrown overboard in times of crisis, suggesting that video game companies should adopt a similar approach to responsibility and accountability.