Monument Valley Dev Says Full-Time Jobs Are “Too Romantic” in Gaming: The Harsh Reality Hits Ustwo Games

Ever dreamt of landing that stable, full-time job at a big game studio, with all the perks and security? Turns out, even for acclaimed developers like Ustwo Games, the studio behind the beautiful Monument Valley series, that dream might be a bit “too romantic” in today’s tough gaming industry.

Maria Sayans, the CEO of Ustwo Games, recently dropped a bit of a bombshell. She explained that to keep the studio afloat and competitive, they’re going to have to drastically cut down on development costs. And the big plan to do that? Leaning heavily on contractors for future projects instead of hiring permanent, full-time staff.

This isn’t just a random decision, yaar. The studio has been facing some serious headwinds. With big deals drying up and even Netflix reportedly dropping the Monument Valley games from its service, Ustwo is refocusing its efforts. Their new mission is to create “meaningful single-player experiences” for PC and consoles – a shift we’ve already seen with some of their games landing on Steam and Switch without publisher backing.

But here’s the kicker: making games for PC and console, especially new IPs, needs a different budget strategy. Sayans revealed that their typical production cycles run for three to four years, costing anywhere between £7 million to £10 million. That’s a massive budget! And she’s learned that for the PC and console market, these costs are just too high to guarantee a safe return on investment.

“We were a little too romantic about the idea that we should have employees and give people long-term job security,” Sayans admitted. She pointed out that being based in London, with all the associated costs for full-time employees like pensions, puts them at a disadvantage compared to other studios making fantastic games on much smaller budgets. To create games on the scale of their other beloved titles like Alba or Assemble With Care, they’d need to do it for significantly less money.

So, what does this mean for the future of Ustwo Games? Sayans envisions a core team that remains, but any growth or expansion for new projects will largely come from contractors. It’s a move she personally finds tough, having been in the industry for 20 years and experiencing a more stable era in the early 2000s. She wishes she could offer that same stability, but the market realities are forcing a change.

This news is a stark reminder of the evolving landscape in game development. Even successful studios like Ustwo are feeling the pinch and making tough choices to survive and thrive. It shows that while the dream of creating amazing games is alive and well, the path to getting there is becoming increasingly pragmatic, with job security often taking a backseat to financial viability.