Video Game Layoffs and Departures Reach Far and Wide
Video game layoffs are nothing new. In fact, they are expected. During the season when games ship or the DLC support has run out studios will let go of people they simply no longer need. To many it seems cold and heartless, to others it is perceived as simple business. In the last few weeks there have been more than the usual amount and it may be part of a larger pattern as the realization of next gen development comes to bear and the indie scene is exploding.
The first major blow of video game layoffs came from Irrational Games, the developer behind BioShock and BioShock Infinite. Simply looking at the credits of the game show hundreds of people who were attached to the title. Buried at Sea, the 2-part story DLC that saw the player revisiting the iconic underwater city of Rapture was not even complete before Ken Levine announced that everyone but 15 people will be laid off. What made this situation unique is that it wasn’t because of costs, but because Levine wanted to return to a smaller team. On his open letter to fans on the Irrational Games site, Levine stated,
“While I’m deeply proud of what we’ve accomplished together, my passion has turned to making a different kind of game than we’ve done before. To meet the challenge ahead, I need to refocus my energy on a smaller team with a flatter structure and a more direct relationship with gamers. In many ways, it will be a return to how we started: a small team making games for the core gaming audience.”
To Levine’s credit, the team behind one of the highest profile shooters of 2013 were given time to collect their belongings, make portfolios and financial support and job interviews were arranged for the staff which is practically unheard of in video game layoffs. That doesn’t make the situation any more sad, but Ken’s sentiment is not one he shares alone.
Michael Ancel, the creator of Rayman and the ever popular cult classic Beyond Good & Evil, has a small team of 10 to 15 at Ubisoft Montpellier. During a recent interview with Edge, he states that time is the more important factor.
“Time is more important than the number of people. I think when you’re making a game, if you don’t take time to think, you can easily put yourself in a bad situation.”
Very few games make it to the top of the AAA pile and those that do are arguably some of the most repetitive content you will find on a console. Call of Duty or Battlefield will usually spring to mind when discussing a game that comes out every year with only a few minor tweaks to systems that remains largely unchanged. The amount of money spent on these games is enormous with marketing costs sometimes outspending the actual development.
After Irrational made its announcement, God of War developer Santa Monica Studio was also hit with layoffs as reported by IGN. The studio who was made famous for its God of War franchise faced disappointing sales in the latest outing by Kratos in God of War: Ascension. And then today the hammer fell again with more layoffs in a studio has finally reached profitability.
Disney Interactive laid off over 700 workers today, almost 26% of its work force. We originally reported that the layoffs were coming and while the details are still sketchy at our publishing, we know that offices in Chicago, New Jersey, Colorado and other locations will be shuttered.
The quest for profitability is always at the forefront for a publisher and developer. Without money you can’t make a game. And even a financial and successful franchise isn’t a safe bet when it comes to layoffs in the video game business. The question will be how much the trend will change with industry heavyweights like Levine and Ancel speaking out for smaller teams and more creativity than the push for the most pixels and polygons.
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