Game development is a complex and intricate process, and it's no secret that it's been taking longer and longer to create games over the past decade. But what if I told you that one of the biggest culprits behind these delays is poor leadership? It's a controversial topic, but one that demands attention. In fact, when we published a story on game development timelines last September, numerous readers reached out, surprised that we hadn't addressed the impact of bad leadership.
Mea culpa, dear readers. The truth is, it's a challenging subject to tackle, as what constitutes 'bad leadership' can vary wildly between studios. What's considered a toxic habit in one environment might be a standard practice in another. To shed light on this issue, we spoke with six industry veterans who shared their experiences and insights on how poor leadership has hindered game development. Their stories reveal a startling pattern of mismanagement, mistrust, and miscommunication that can cripple even the most promising projects.
And this is the part most people miss: It's not just about individual leaders; it's about systemic issues that allow these behaviors to persist. From failing to understand the realities of game development to treating developers as interchangeable cogs in a machine, these leaders create environments that stifle creativity and efficiency. But here's where it gets even more intriguing: Could it be that the very structure of leadership in the gaming industry is flawed?
Let's dive into the seven key traits of poor leaders that consistently slow down game development, each accompanied by real-world examples and insights from our interviews. These traits include:
Failing to Grasp Game Development Realities: Leaders who skip crucial steps like 'grey-boxing' in level design, only to redo work later, or those who approve content and then discard it on a whim. For instance, 3D rigger Sol Brennan recounted how some leads rushed into art production without proper planning, leading to costly revisions.
Mistrusting Employees: Overly bureaucratic approval processes that require sign-offs from multiple leads, even those with no relevant expertise. An anonymous game writer shared how this lack of trust led to weeks of stalled work on a high-budget project.
Treating Developers as Interchangeable: Expecting developers to seamlessly switch between genres they have no experience with, or failing to recognize the institutional knowledge lost when key team members leave. Masao Kobayashi highlighted how studios often chase commercial trends without considering their team's expertise.
Slow Decision-Making: Leaders who obsess over minor details while delaying critical decisions for months, or approval processes that require consensus from too many parties. One developer recalled a lead who took months to decide between equally viable options, frustrating the entire team.
Providing Vague Feedback: Criticism without constructive direction, such as the infamous 'make it cooler' feedback. This leaves developers guessing and iterating endlessly, as seen in the documentary on the making of Psychonauts 2.
Demanding Sudden Changes: Leaders who play a popular game over the weekend and demand similar features, or those who make narrative changes late in development without understanding the consequences. The 'Dark Souls phenomenon' is a classic example of this.
Vague Crunch Policies: Leaders who claim to oppose crunch but set unrealistic deadlines, or companies that cap hourly workers' hours, forcing them to work unpaid overtime. These policies not only exploit developers but also foster resentment and burnout.
But here's the real question: Is poor leadership a structural issue or an individual one? Writer Robert Caro's quote, 'Power reveals,' suggests that leadership is not just about individual actions but also about the nature of the authority they wield. While some leaders abuse their power, others are constrained by systemic issues that prioritize control over collaboration.
AI and technology won't solve these problems. The key to speeding up game development lies in something far simpler yet often overlooked: listening to the people who actually make games. By empowering developers, fostering trust, and rethinking leadership structures, the industry can break free from the cycle of delays and inefficiencies.
What do you think? Is poor leadership a systemic issue, or is it down to individual failures? Share your thoughts in the comments, and let's spark a conversation that could shape the future of game development.
