Post by account_disabled on Feb 22, 2024 4:12:54 GMT -6
At this point, you can't talk about how wonderful has been for the quality of games released this year without also mentioning how completely disastrous it has been for the people who created them. But that's exactly what Geoff Keighley did during this year's Game Awards. Numbers vary, but estimates say that between six and seven thousand workers have lost their jobs this year alone. No level of studio size or success has been spared. And those who have been laid off are now forced to compete for a dwindling number of open positions. “This has been one of the most volatile periods in the games industry in the last 15 years,” said Jakin Vela, executive director of the International Game Developers Association, in an interview with Polígono.
To be clear, Geoff Keighley is not responsible for these Luxembourg Mobile Number List layoffs, and layoffs are an unfortunate but regular part of this and many other industries. But with the platform Keighley has, he has a duty to his audience to recognize the conditions under which the games that celebrate his events are held. He's done it before. In that same thread, he also acknowledged the power and visibility of his platform. "I also realize that we have a great platform that can accelerate and inspire change," he posted. "We are committed to that, but we must all work together to build a better, more inclusive environment so that everyone feels safe to create the best games in the world.
Throughout this year's awards show, Keighley and the developers spoke about the impact video games have on our culture and their radical ability to change minds and broaden perspectives. (To the extent that the show's organizers would allow developers to speak before scrapping them or, in one case, cutting them entirely.) Ostensibly, The Game Awards is about celebrating video games and recognizing the achievements of the people who created them. Video games aren't made without people, and those people are suffering right now on a scale never seen before. Not remembering that at all, even after recognizing the power of your position, is at best an abdication of responsibility for your platform, if not outright cowardice.