This is so unfortunate, and it's sad how quickly this will likely be swept under our attention. Heck, some outlets are already talking excitedly about what Ken Levine may be doing next.
This is terrible for the developers who saw their hardwork rewarded with a pink slip like all too many developers in the industry today. They may be able to go on to other studios(likely in other cities, states, or even countries) or form their own smaller studios to make games, but they're still going to have to fight to make the best of a bad situation. And this is certainly a bad situation no matter how 2K may want to spin it. I'm sure Levine and 2K Games can feel a bit of warmth with thoughts about all of the skilled people who have recovered from mass firings in the past to still make great games elsewhere, but the reality appears to be that this is yet another instance of people losing their jobs because of the lack of security in gaming industry jobs.
There may be many talented people who make the best of the industry's job insecurity, but it's a problem for the real people working hard for companies only to see their future suddenly uncertain and their lives likely uprooted. People working in the game industry deserve better than this, and unfortunately, the conversation after this will likely be more about what Ken Levine will be doing next. Because the people leaving are likely under contract and still want to work in the industry, so they don't get much of a voice. Their side is far underrepresented, and the loss here will probably be forgotten in a few days as people covering this will just move on and focus on the next big game.
Yet these are real people who appear to have been done a great disservice by their company, and in an industry afraid of unions and more interested in promoting the individual public faces of developers than the majority of the people who really make the games happen, this is just another instance of a problem that deserves more investigation and coverage than it gets. It's ridiculous how disposable this industry often treats people in it, and in this case, it's even happening to developers who have helped give their parent company tremendous critical and financial success. What motivation is there to invest so much in a company and its games if you know they're probably just going to toss you aside whether the result is good or not? Game developers and gamers suffer from companies treating their workers like this.
Hopefully, as suggested at the end of the article, Patrick and Alex will investigate further and not accept the usual outcome of press releases and public faces like Levine successfully stealing the focus from the problem represented in the many Irrational developers now out of a job. They may be able to make the best of a bad situation, but it is still a bad situation that deserves more attention. Our focus may usually be on the games, but those who work hard for years to make those games are important, as well.
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