The gaming industry is currently going through tough times: many studios are laying off employees, and some are even shutting down entirely. In this context, Arrowhead's quality control manager, Dave Gallacher, voiced his sharp criticism against the leadership of certain companies.
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Gallacher has been particularly dissatisfied with Ubisoft and Embracer Group. Both have already laid off several thousand people, closed some subsidiary teams, and canceled a number of games.
"I completely don't understand why the leaders of Ubisoft and Embracer are not yet in prison for their questionable schemes. Ultimately, the victims are not them but the thousands of talented developers who are now expected to pull money for setting up their own studios out of thin air," said Gallacher.
Gallacher considers the issue of money in game development especially painful. According to him, every structural element in the industry depends on its availability, while some top executives have behaved like "greedy idiots" for years and aren’t concerned about anything, knowing they can rely on "golden parachutes" upon resignation.
Gallacher shared his opinion in comments under a post by id Software producer Andrew Willis. Willis also criticized the management of major companies and suggested that after the mass layoffs, more new and independent studios will emerge, which might change the situation for the better over time.