As a seasoned gamer with a deep appreciation for the intricacies of the gaming industry, I can’t help but resonate with the sentiments expressed by Dora Klindzic and her team at Summer Eternal Studio. Their bold stance against the current state of the market echoes my own frustrations as a consumer who yearns for more than just another repetitive AAA title.
The significant job cuts experienced at numerous studios and publishing houses over the past year might not foster much hope regarding the health of the industry. Particularly for individuals who were part of the so-called “restructuring,” such as the creators of Disco Elysium, who contend that the gaming market is in a state of decline and could benefit from a crisis to enhance worker conditions.
End of the industry, but not video games
In a conversation with Mark Warren from VG247, some remarks were made by ex-employees of Za/UM studio, among them Dora Klindzic – the previous scriptwriter for Disco Elysium and currently part of Summer Eternal team.
The developer is certainly not working in isolation, as her critical stance towards the current industry condition is echoed in the manifesto published on the official website of her new team, Summer Eternal Studio. This team openly discusses the “apocalyptic” nature of the video game market and condemns the “corrupt management” and corporations that prioritize “vulgar profits” and exploit human resources with an insatiable hunger for money.
As a fervent admirer, I echo Klindzic’s sentiment: Summer Eternal may be a game-changer, but it won’t single-handedly resurrect our industry. In her perspective, the gaming industry is on its last legs, but here’s the silver lining – she thinks that video games themselves are not destined to follow suit.
Crisis, Valve and “digital fiefs”
Aleksander Gawrylowicz, one of the studio organizers, expressed a similar sentiment, anticipating another crisis (referencing the 1983 disaster that threatened the market’s future) to shed light on the most pressing issue in the industry: the excessive extraction of profits from PC games by dominant digital platforms like Steam.
I’m continuing to anticipate the second major crisis in game development, which could bring focus to a significant underlying issue – the fact that approximately one third of PC revenue for developers (from indie to AAA) goes to digital platform owners, with Valve being the most contentious instance. Visualizing a future with a larger workforce, but not necessarily replacing Valve with a community-run alternative, seems plausible. However, this dominant “winter castle” won’t crumble overnight, but we should at least initiate open conversations about potential alternatives.
Gawrylowicz additionally highlighted the demonstrations by Ubisoft workers as a potential starting point for enhancing the influence of regular employees at game studios and publishing companies. Interestingly, this could be effective due to the widespread layoffs. In more peaceful periods, it’s been challenging to persuade people to form unions, but times of crisis tend to spur innovation and combat “ingrained avarice.
As a game developer at our studio, naturally, one of my tasks is to craft an exceptional debut video game, akin to Summer Eternal. Argo Tuulik, one of our lead writers, aims to design something fresh yet familiar – not just for the sake of change, but also without trying to surpass or match the RPGs from ZA/UM’s portfolio.
In our game development journey, we don’t aim to surpass or equal Disco Elysium or compete with any company, terrestrial or extraterrestrial. We won’t set commercial success targets either. That’s something for resellers. Instead, much like artists, we will examine our work with a discerning eye, focusing on the craft itself rather than on the audience or the competition.
As a devoted admirer, allow me to share a tidbit: You might not know this, but Summer Eternal is one of three studios birthed by the genius minds behind Disco Elysium. Previously, we’ve delved into the formation of Longdue and the inception of Dark Math Games.
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2024-10-29 16:34