Recent layoffs at BioWare, the developers of 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 these industry-wide layoffs. He argues for a greater appreciation of employees and emphasizes that responsibility for such actions should rest with decision-makers, not rank-and-file employees.

Daus contends that layoffs of large portions of development teams between or after projects are avoidable. He stresses the importance of retaining institutional knowledge for future projects. While acknowledging that “trimming the fat” (reducing redundancies) is often cited as a justification, particularly during financial difficulties, he questions the necessity of large corporations’ aggressive efficiency measures. He points out that this justification only holds water if a company consistently releases successful titles. Layoffs, he argues, are simply a drastic cost-cutting measure, not a solution.

Daus ultimately places the blame on the strategic decisions made by upper management, noting that those at the bottom of the corporate ladder always bear the brunt of these decisions. 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 accountability.