Game Design Lecturer, Teacher, Fellow of Higher Education, Neurodiversity Advocate, Mentor, and generally busy guy
The Sumo Group closures really have broken me a bit, and I need to rant about the state of things. I'm sorry if it seems I'm glossing over all the closures before this one, but so many ex-students went there, so many ex-colleagues passed through there, and so my timeline is just filled with people looking for work. We keep talking and talking about the economic factors involved, Brexit and Covid and this and that ... the thing I can't stop thinking of is that in my life I've watched the world slowly pitch into a place of despondent capitalism. Art has become more about making stars and fame than helping people escape and reflect. A drive for "truth" and objectivity has resulted, paradoxically, in people putting more stock in spreadsheets and numbers than people. I can't help but feel that if you're bleating about finance and trade deals and business decisions, you're ignoring the fact that general support for artistic and creative endeavours has declined sharply and is still declining, even in the so-called "art world". Games are ultimately always going to be the first to fall in a culture war against creativity, because games are ultimately and profoundly pointless things. That's the whole majesty of the medium: they make us feel profound feelings, they help us explore our existence by being separate from reality, but to do so they MUST bring us nothing tangible in return. The truth is that our industry will probably bounce back to some degree, but it's not any financial structures or cost systems that will save game development as a medium and an art form - it's a cultural shift to recognise the importance of expressive and explorative subjective art in the world today, and the need to support creative endeavours without the pressure of financial recompense.
Well said Alan, there have been reports of companies laying off hundreds of staff and then reporting record profits to shareholders. Which they clearly only achieved by cutting so many staff. The people who work at the company should the shareholders that they take such good care of.
Your last point really drives the issue home. I find that the core problem lies in the conflicting definitions of success between developers and investors. Developers often measure success by critical reception—how well their project is reviewed, the impact it has, and personal growth. Financial success is important but not the sole focus. In contrast, investors, especially those unfamiliar with the medium, focus solely on financial returns. They compare projects to blockbuster hits like Fortnite or FIFA and aim to replicate that level of success. This leads to decisions that compromise creativity and integrity. This lack of understanding causes many project shutdowns and funding withdrawals, fostering a fear of pursuing new ideas. Why take the risk when someone else can try it first? This misalignment stifles innovation and undermines the potential for unique, impactful projects.
Not Sumo too...and yeah, that's the problem with "paratroopers" as we call them in Spanish, butting in businesses they don't understand or even care about and expecting unrealistic financial returns,and then firing everybody and their brother if their live-service game does not dethrone Fortnite in a couple of months ...
Senior Producer at Devolver Digital & Co-Founder of SavePoint Industry Gathering
3wAs a producer, I'm feeling slighted by your attack on spreadsheets... Other than that, yes - it's an incredibly tough time for our industry, and while I've lived through a few periods of company contractions, this is the first time I've seen that there have not been many companies with open arms ready to catch those let go. The indie scene is growing though, people are setting up new small studios with the focus on Creative, Sustainable output, and I cannot wait to see what beautiful magic comes out of all this dire pit of industry trauma.