this post was submitted on 13 Sep 2024

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All employees of Annapurna Interactive (Stray, Outer Wilds) resign en masse after requesting to stay independent and owner said No. (lemmy.ca)

submitted 2 months ago by [email protected] to c/workreform

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[–] [email protected] 291 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Looks like it's actually the workers who bring value, and not the owner.

Funny how that works.

[+] [email protected] -72 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I mean, I'm not sure how well this particular case will prove that point. They are a publisher and they've (at least so far) insisted that they will rehire and honour existing contracts. I'm not an expert in the field but I don't see this hugely impacting any upcoming games' quality.

[–] ivanafterall 100 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

"We had to rehire our talented employees to continue making good games" would seemingly make the point very strongly that the workers bring value, not the owner?

[+] [email protected] -117 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Really not a great example for that.

This is the equivalent of a salesperson leaving the company because their branch was getting made redundant. And the parent company said that all former customers will know who to send emails to imminently (basically the other branch). So basically Michael Scott made a big deal about leaving and everyone was immediately told to just email Jim and Dwight instead.

Time will tell what happens to The 25 People Formerly Known As API. But considering that publishing inherently requires a large source of cash...

[–] [email protected] 103 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (3 children)

If this team reformed under a new brand they would have the proven track record and clout in the industry to score a lot of funding money - assuming they didn't just want to self-fund on loan (and a bank would likely be pretty receptive to that).

All the value (outside of the IP held by the company) is in the people that resigned. This is an excellent move and I hope more employees feel empowered to make moves like this to ensure an equitable share in decision making and revenue distribution.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago (1 children)

This. It's the creativity, inspiration, imagination and hard work of the employees that give the company its value, NOT the owners. Proof: all the franchises that have failed spectacularly once all the smart, creative people have left the company and the only ones left are untalented hacks.

Also, it is LONG past time we got over our child-like worship of billionaires.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 months ago

It’s the publishing company, not the game devs or writers. They are not the creative ones, just some MBA stooges.

[–] chiliedogg 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)

You do know these aren't game developers that quit, right? They're a publisher.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

That is what everyone is missing these are the publisher MBA people. They bring no value, it’s not like they are game devs and story writers.

[–] chiliedogg 5 points 2 months ago

I wouldn't say they bring no value.

But they aren't a uniquely creative team that can't be replaced either.

[–] Antoniojoe 136 points 2 months ago

People don't leave good work environments en masse. Good for them for standing up for what they believe in.

[–] poo 55 points 2 months ago

Billionaires screwing everything up yet again? Color me surprised.

[–] [email protected] 46 points 2 months ago

Publisher of Stray and outer wilds

[–] [email protected] 35 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Finally the owner who thinks he runs the company can run the company and get the job done way better than anyone else.

[–] rob_t_firefly 10 points 2 months ago (1 children)

*She.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Well, that explains the delusions.

Edit: I mean the family name, not the being female part.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago

Oh my, daughter of Larry. Can’t be good.

[–] hOrni 25 points 2 months ago (2 children)

So can they now just get together and open a new studio and work the same as if nothing changed?

[–] [email protected] 31 points 2 months ago (1 children)

They were a publisher, not a game studio. They will not be able to work as if nothing changed because they will not have the same contracts to work with.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 months ago

You got a lot of automatic down votes in the thread because too many people haven't reasoned it out that they didn't make the games. They only published the games other companies/studios made.

[–] Olgratin_Magmatoe 7 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

If they have the capital/loaned the capital, and have the willingness to, yes.

[–] iconic_admin 22 points 2 months ago

Good for them.

[–] BowtiesAreCool 21 points 2 months ago

Yikes. Doesn’t looks good for the Remedy collab.