Larian Studios CEO Swen Vincke took the stage at The Game Awards, not to accept an award but to present Game of the Year. He used his platform to share his thoughts on the current state of the videogame industry.
Vincke's "Simple" Formula for Success
Vincke shared that an oracle revealed to him the formula for a successful studio. He stated that studios should make games because they want to play them, not to increase market share or meet arbitrary sales targets. He outlined key points:
- Focus on the game and not purely on revenue generation.
- Treat developers with respect.
- Treat players as players, not "users to exploit."
- Avoid short-sighted decisions driven by bonuses or politics.
- Understand that if developers don't have fun, players won't either.
"They knew that if you put the game and the team first, the revenue will follow... They were driven by idealism, and wanted players to have fun, and they realized that if the developers don't have fun, nobody was going to have any fun. They understood the value of respect, that if they treated their developers and players well, the same developers and players would forgive them when things didn't go as planned. But above all they cared about their games, because they love games. It's really that simple."
Previous Criticisms
This isn't the first time Vincke has criticized industry practices. In March, he blasted corporate "greed" and the focus on "quarterly profits" that have hurt game studios.
Game Awards Acknowledges Industry Issues
Even The Game Awards host Geoff Keighley, who had previously been criticized for avoiding the topic, addressed the issues this year. A "Game Changer" award was presented to Amir Satvat for his work supporting laid-off game developers.
Ending on an Upbeat Note
Vincke ended his talk with positivity, encouraging those who win Game of the Year. He also poked fun at being told to "wrap it up" during his acceptance speech for Baldur's Gate 3 in 2023, and Baldur's Gate 3 went on to win Best Community Support at the event.
