"Respect game developers": the head of Larian Studios appealed to "greedy" publishers amid layoffs in the industry
The head of Larian Studios, Sven Vincke, criticized the heads of gaming companies for mass layoffs at the Game Developers Choice Awards ceremony. He called the constant pursuit of profit the root of the problem and called for breaking the vicious circle.
Baldur’s Gate 3
"I've been fighting publishers all my life and I've seen the same mistakes made over and over again. It's always about quarterly profit. Numbers are the only thing that matters. Then you fire everyone, and the next year you realize, “damn, I don't have enough developers.” Then you hire people again, and the cycle starts all over again," Vinke said from the stage.
According to the head of Larian Studios, this can really be avoided: "You can create reserves. Just slow down a bit and moderate your greed." Vinke stressed that companies should take more care of the people who put their hearts into game development.
Later, in a post on X, Vinke added that during his career he had met many top managers "with a kind heart," but there were enough others. He appealed primarily to publishers who are trying to double their income every year.
"Slow down and focus on improving the situation. Don't squeeze out every last drop. And respect the game developers. You will find that it brings you more joy," Vinke wrote.
For the avoidance of doubt — there are plenty of people in publishing I met who have their hearts in the right place. This message was for those who try to double their revenue year after year. You don't have to do that. Build more slowly and make your aim improving the state of… https://t.co/DTMmwst1qE
— Swen Vincke @where? (@LarAtLarian) March 21, 2024
Baldur's Gate 3 became the winner of the Game Developers Choice Awards. She won in four nominations, including "Game of the Year". The game won the Audience Award and awards for best design and best screenplay.
At the GDC 2024 developer conference, the head of Larian Studios confirmed that his studio had said goodbye to the Baldur's Gate franchise and would not make any additions or Baldur's Gate 4. Now Larian Studios is working on a new project that has nothing to do with D&D.
