It’s only been two weeks since we last heard Warren Spector sound off about EA’s sudden decision to close BioWare, following the publisher’s acquisition by Saudi Arabia’s PIF and venture capitalist concerns. But now, the storied developer is back and – apparently – angrier than ever.
“I recently posted my thoughts about EA’s shuttering of BioWare,” Spector wrote in a post on LinkedIn. “Those of you who read my post know that I was unhappy. I remain so. The tragedy of so many layoffs the last few years hasn’t been lost on me, but for some reason, BioWare hit me on an emotional level that nothing before had. I felt gut-punched.”
Spector goes on to counter the idea that the studio was closed down as a “sound business decision” because the “studio’s glory days (artistic and commercial) were behind them” and that “businesses don’t succeed on history alone”. These reactions, more than anything else, appear to be what’s inspired Spector to take to posting again – he simply cannot agree with this assessment.
“If studio-level people leave, resulting in dilution of talent, someone is creating an environment that pushes them out. Do those culture-killers pay any price? If executives misread the market, over-hire, or make decisions that result in under-funded, over-funded, poorly-marketed games do they lose sleep let alone jobs?” he asks.
“Do those same executives suffer like developers when the needs of financial partners and private investors take precedence over the people who actually create value, let alone over the interests of players? Does anyone up there in or adjacent to the C-suite care? Is there any accountability left in this world? Obviously not.”
He then goes on to list the yearly payouts that some of the highest-level executives at EA are rewarded per annum. These include:
- Andrew Wilson (chief executive officer): $38.65 million
- Laura Miele (president)t: $13.7 million
- Stuart Canfield (chief financial officer): $11.3 million
- Jake Schatz (chief legal officer): $8.4 million
- Mala Singh (chief people officer): $8.3 million
“Tens of thousands of do-ers and makers are out of work and these people think they’re worth that kind of compensation?” continues Spector. “And if you think this is a discussion about ‘sound business decisions’, I hope you never get anywhere near running a business. Or at least that people have the sense not to go work for you.”
Back in August, we saw Warren Spector announce his intention to retire from the world of video game development. Spector’s announcement comes shortly after the last game he worked on – Thick as Thieves – had its final major update only a few months after its release. Despite its charm and low price, Thick as Thieves sadly didn’t sell what it needed to, resulting in layoffs at Spector’s studio.