Larian Studios CEO urges developers to embrace piracy

Recent layoffs at BioWare, the studio behind Dragon Age: The Veilguard, have sparked a wider conversation about the state of the gaming industry. Larian Studios' publishing director, Michael Daus, has again weighed in on social media, this time addressing the issue of industry-wide job cuts. He argues for greater employee appreciation and emphasizes that accountability should rest with leadership, not rank-and-file employees.

Daus contends that significant layoffs between or after projects are avoidable. He stresses the importance of preserving institutional knowledge for future projects. While acknowledging that "trimming the fat" might seem necessary during financial hardship, he questions the excessive efficiency measures often employed by large corporations. This approach, he suggests, is only justifiable with a consistent string of successful releases. Otherwise, layoffs are simply a drastic cost-cutting measure.

He points out that the underlying strategic decisions made by upper management are the true problem, yet those at the lower levels consistently bear the brunt of the consequences. Using the analogy of a pirate ship, he suggests that, much like a captain being thrown overboard, companies should hold leadership accountable. Daus concludes that the video game industry needs a more responsible leadership model.