Compared to other industries, I’ve always held, perhaps a somewhat naive view that a game studio is a collective of talented artists, writers, composers, designers and developers working together to create something extraordinary.

Making money to keep the lights on is important, but I like to believe that for many studios, the collaborative process and the art of game creation matter more than maximizing profit at all costs.

So what’s is driving this move to outsource?

1. Greed by owners and investors?

2. Can't be profitable without outsourcing?

3. Other factors?

I get large publishers like EA or Ubisoft just focus on making money, but I do think there’s a strong case for greater solidarity or even unionization among smaller studios and suppliers. Look at an example from an adjacent sector -- Rhythm & Hues, the VFX studio that closed despite its creative success, largely because it lacked leverage against film production behemoths focused solely on profit.

What role do you think generative AI will play in this landscape?

Will it allow those folks who can't find jobs in the game industry to come together and create more smaller studios or empower existing smaller studios, those driven primarily by creativity and innovation, to compete more effectively and bring new kinds of games to life?