Industry vets behind Dishonored, Ultima Online, Her Story and more agree the games industry crisis goes beyond games: 'Ultimately, to fix what’s broken in the v
Industry veterans argue the games sector’s crisis stems from systemic failures, not isolated issues, citing layoffs, corporate consolidation and unsustainable financial models as core drivers.
Former Arkane Studios creative director Harvey Smith describes the current downturn as a consequence of a larger system captured by “greedy, rapacious forces,” citing Arkane Austin’s closure after Redfall as emblematic of the industry’s inability to sustain creative risk-taking.
Kitfox Games co-founder Tanya X. Short asserts that existing financial models prioritize capital returns over artistic or entertainment value, arguing that capitalism’s incentives are fundamentally misaligned with creative work in games.
Ultima Online and Star Wars: Galaxies designer Raph Koster warns that without regulation, systemic dynamics lead to market concentration, cartels, and monopolies, concentrating power and stifling diversity in game development.
Sam Barlow, creator of Her Story and Telling Lies, frames the industry’s problems as inseparable from broader societal failures, suggesting that fixing the games sector may require addressing fundamental issues in how society operates.