In comments that sound so detached from reality they almost beggar belief, ex-Sony Computer Entertainment Europe boss Chris Deering – who left PlayStation in 2005 – has insinuated that those who’ve lost their game development jobs as part of the recent spate of industry-wide layoffs should “drive an Uber” or “go to the beach for a year”.
As part of an appearance on the My Perfect Console podcast with journalist Simon Parkin, he defended company executives, saying he doesn’t feel the redundancies are a result of “greed”. He said: “I always tried to minimise the speed with which we added staff because I always knew there would be a cycle and I didn’t want to end up having the same problems that Sony did in Electronics.”
He continued: “I think it’s probably very painful for the managers, but I don’t think that having skill in [game development] is going to be a lifetime of poverty or limitation. It’s still where the action is, and it’s like the pandemic but now you're going to have to take a few [moments to] figure out how to get through it, drive an Uber or whatever, go off to find a cheap place to live and go to the beach for a year. But keep up with your news and keep up with it, because once you get off the train, it's much harder.”
Deering was obviously incredibly successful in his role, leading SCEE through the launches of both the PS1 and PS2. However, these comments seem crass, unsympathetic, and out of touch. We can’t imagine anyone who’s unemployed, with real-life responsibilities, will have the money to “go to the beach for a year” as he implies – and telling industry professionals to explore an entire other industry like Uber driving is insulting.
The American executive spoke specifically about the recent layoffs within Sony, which included the closure of London Studio. “If the money isn't coming in from the consumers on the last game, it's going to be hard to justify spending the money for the next game,” he pointed out. The British team had been working on a multiplayer release, having previously led development on PSVR titles like Blood & Truth.
Deering did end on a positive note – kind of: “These things do recover sometimes a lot faster than you might think, when all is very precarious. I presume people were paid some kind of a decent severance package and by the time that runs out. Well, you know, that's life.”
In other words: let them eat cake.
[source twitter.com, via eurogamer.net]
Comments 42
What a nice guy, a real people person
I agree with him. Sick of game devs whining like they are entitled a free lunch.
These businessmen truly live on another planet. Absolutely delusional.
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Lost your livelihood? Just go chill on a beach for a year! Here's an exec that clearly cares about the wellbeing of regular employees. Who wouldn't want to work for a generous boss like that?
What a pos , I got made redundant a few years back it does nothing for your self esteem ,never mind the money worries you have, absolute gobshite.
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That's taking things out of context at its finest.
He's saying it's temporary. If you keep up with advancements in your field and do something to support yourself (when the severance package money -if there is any- runs out), sooner than later, you'll get another job. Just don't give up or feel defeated. That's the message
The multi-talented Simon Pegg also worked for Playstation!?
To be fair to him, that bit at the beginning about not adding staff too quickly is sound advice. A lot of the post-covid lay-offs probably could've been avoided if companies hadn't done that.
He should've ended there though.
Yeah way to make it sound worse than he said.
He told people to get through the hard times - as most here will have lost a job, and we retrain or we find something to get us through to pay the bills - and then he hopes that it will pick up again.
Pushsquare has been very disappointing with headlines this last week imo.
What a ***** thing to say.
@naruball
Right!! Taking this quote so far out of context highlights @Ysobad statement that these developers can be a sensitive bunch.
How many more times am I going to read stories about industry/ex-industry leaders and executives and have to type "what a knob"?
I think he does have a point. It is also quite eye opening to see how his generation thinks about these things versus people now.
The survival mentality of the early 2000's doesn't exist anymore with a more defeatist attitude now with a hint of entitlement/desperation. Not the fault of current employees either as it's been beaten out of them and companies have taken more and more advantage.
Just a fundamental change in thinking overall.
@Voltan Lol!
"Well, you know, thats life!" Haha Damn
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@naruball yes as ever, taking a quote out of context and spinning it.
He quite clearly says it in meaning just take some time away from the industry, get a different Job to tide you over but keep up with advancements and keep looking.
We can all talk about greed and all that but that's reality it's always been the same, you get a job get promoted and promoted and promoted, it's how most jobs work and what people aim for, if that's the route they go.
Most forget Jim Ryan, Chris Deering, many of the management or upper management didn't just walk into that job they went from the bottom to the top.
End of the day, he's exactly right. Sometimes jobs just don't work out, we all have been there.
People calling this guy entitled, your the ones living in dream World.
He's actually basically saying just get a temp job and keep your eyes on advancements and job opportunities and not just sit at home waiting and praying another job comes along and before you know it your out of money.
There's been a disappointing number of outrage baiting clickbait headlines on here recently. Site struggling for clicks and engagement?
What an absolute goddamn giga chad. Honestly.
The reason we've got all these astronomical failures at Sony and even the whole industry, is because there is not a person like him at the top who can say NO. Enough of this nonsense.
Give the players what they want. Enough of this crap. Life's already lonely and depressing. People want a distraction. Give them some fun. Enough of the politics. Enough of the pandering.
People are good. They don't need lecturing. Fans don't need to be the target for "being the cause of all kinds of hate". No more.
This article is extremely misleading. If you read the quote and pay attention, you will not end up with the narrative that Pushsquare is promoting here.
@Rgeneb1 Care to share 10 examples?
Also care to explain why the comments of a former industry leader on the state of job security within the gaming industry isn't gaming news?
@KoopaTheGamer The original podcast excerpt is included within the article. All of the words transcribed came out of his mouth.
@get2sammyb Yes, but did you actually listen to what the words said? I think @Bez87 summed it up pretty well.
It’s good thing he left.
@KoopaTheGamer I think we all understand what he's trying to say. But the way he said it comes across insensitive and crass — especially considering he's a former c-suite executive who's presumably spent much of his career on seven figure salaries.
Both things can be true.
No one at the bottom of the ladder, who's just been laid off through no fault of their own, wants to hear this guy saying things like this.
@get2sammyb I think the message is clearly positive, and while the examples he gave (driving uber or going to beach) aren't particularly good, I don't think most people would find this quote negative unless someone makes it sound negative.
I think AI is responsible for many devs getting fired. Its like the South Park episode where in the future all the laborers are getting paid big because high tech jobs can just be imitated but AI... going to college for any kind of computer engineering or computer design jobs now are just extinct
@nessisonett Exactly. But the (class) war is over now and we lost. 😥
I know they're you're readers so they pay your bills but anyone defending this probably also has a lot more issues than just defending this @get2sammyb 😩
"I presume people were paid some kind of a decent severance package"
I think this last sentence kind of gives you his mindset, that of an older over privileged white man who probably does not have to drive an Uber when he loses a job b/c he gets a golden parachute to live with. Not survive, live with.
For those of you not living in a 3rd world country like the US has become let me tell you about a little something called "COBRA". No, not the Sylvester Stallone film, the cost of insurance you have to pay after getting let go from your job b/c your bosses don't know how to run a company. America is the only major industrialized nation without some form of single payer universal health care, so most of us with jobs get health insurance through our jobs. And then when you get let go from your job they offer you COBRA, which costs about $400-$700 per month, in addition to whatever other bills you had. Oh, and that's for 1 person, so if you were supporting a family of 4, could be thousands of $. Per month. Every month. 🤑
https://www.cobrainsurance.com/kb/how-much-does-cobra-insurance-cost/
So is losing your job the end of the world when you may not even get your job back b/c of AI? No it is not. Would this guys world end if we castrated him and made him a eunuch? I mean he could still drive an Uber w/o those body parts right? 🤷♂️
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@rjejr I have no idea what kind of person Chris Deering is, so I certainly have no reason to defend him. Instead I'm criticising the headline and writing of this article for turning a positive quote into something with the intention of enraging people. Gotta get the clicks somehow, huh?
What he essentially said is that if you get unemployed, do not give up. Maybe take a short break and try something different, but keep updated on your own field and keep on trying again. Eventually you will get back into what you love doing. Can't get much more encouraging and constructive than that.
Also, why did you feel it necessary to attack people with the weird assumption that people who are pointing this out "probably have a lot more issues than just defending this"? That's super harsh and offensive.
@PsBoxSwitchOwner they reported what he literally said. His actual words.
@Bez87 exactly. And I think the point that you raise that they don't just magically become CEOs or whatever from the get go is incredibly important. It's the same with many (but not all) actors. They're not as out of touch with reality as many people think, because a whole lot of them started so poor that they didn't have enough to eat. That obviously stays with you.
He worded it terribly but he is correct. Been a while since I checked the stats but the average adult in America changes jobs 7 time in their life (it’s probably higher now). The days of working at one company from graduation to retirement are long gone. (And have been for at least the entire Millennial generation and we are middle aged now). And in someways that is a good thing. Gen X/ Elder Millennials were latch key kids, because the mindset was live to work. When it should be work to save/invest/prepare so eventually you don’t live paycheck to paycheck.
The point is to have a portable skill set and to be fiscally responsible. Lay offs happen, but if you prepare they aren’t the end of the world. The problem is even people with high paying jobs live paycheck to paycheck because they don’t focus on getting fiscally stable first. Pay down the student loans, save and invest, live below your means, try to stay out of consumer debt (and pay it off asap if you do go into debt), drive your car till the doors fall off. It doesn’t look glamorous sure but once you stick that out until you are stable then you can weather life’s nonsense. (Find local inexpensive things to do to maintain your sanity and to enjoy life even when on a budget.) Then you can make it rain if you want to.
Get fiscally responsible, have an emergency fund (and keep stacking it when times are good) and don’t be afraid to work a different/lower paying job to maintain medical insurance (if American) and keep building skills and education. Stay in good health (which is way more important than a job) and try to maintain your home if you don’t rent (as in weather, fire, etc). So that and while bad things suck you can weather them.
@Ryu_Niiyama
This shouldn't be the norm though in normal office jobs.
These crazy adult entitled babies at these game companies who make terrible games shouldn't be surprised though. That's how the industry works. Your income/ work is based on the success of the product you're working on.
But I'm not expecting these babies to be prepared to the consequences of adult life. They're too busy whining on X about how much of a victim they are and how everyone else sucks.
@McTwist what “normal” office job? Lay offs (not to mention firings, buyouts, bankruptcy the list goes on…) can happen anywhere (except maybe government jobs, downside is you may not get a raise in forever). Every employee is an expendable asset. That’s just how business works. Be it getting pushed out due to age, life change (many women endure this once pregnant), or just the regular downsizing/lay off cycle, no job is permanent. The fact that people forget that/get complacent are why if they don’t have a medical emergency/major asset loss (like house burns down) are why they are scrambling when things go bad. I always hope people can keep their job but I am never surprised if they don’t. Always hope for the best prepare for the worst. Always.
These things happen even if you are great at your job. Hence everything I said previously about being prepared. Imo the only really thing that can take you out of the game is if your health (physical and mental) suddenly tanks, or your living situation suddenly tanks to a level that you can’t function. As those impact your ability to be stable or go get another job.
Well, it's his right to voice his opinion. And my right is to not care about it xD
Dude left the ps industry over almost 20 years ago.... doubt his tweet holds weight...imo
I think this grandpa still believe that loaf of bread cost 10 cents.
@naruball I actually agree with you on this one, wholeheartedly.
It just so happens that it's outrageous to say anything in 2024 that may hurt some people's feelings, even if it may be exactly what they need to hear.
@Art_Vandelay glad to hear that.
I mean sure going to different jobs, but not everyone can be a Youtuber either? Not everyone can be or is good at or needs to be an Uber. By their logic it's fair to be an Uber but oh the robots take that away as well or self driving cars.
Like he didn't think that far ahead even with his further elaboration besides just the headlight Push Square has used to be eye catching and however much they have detailed here. XD
Some people wanted to become or need that software engineer money or other types of jobs for a reason.
If they aren't talented they do become that over time with effort. Whatever management is the case, what leadership in different roles at different levels.
But not everyone that gets fired or a studio shut off can deal with that.
It's up to us audiences sure as we determine the sales, the personality, the story/messaging, the advertising and gameplay are right to us of compelling.
But if they have a mindset that doesn't work and they don't try hard enough to work around trends, the niche audiences, what Indies show is possible, nostalgia, a real fair impression of a product and understand audiences while bringing something interesting to the table that is dramatically cool or familiar and solid but not awkward enough to be uncompelling then sure.
I'm fine with games that don't innovate, but I would still like to see it. If we see games that are fun of gameplay I'll pick them up. Art style works well enough to be inviting but also not hard to read HUD/UI.
Video game development is hard, art to impress people in any sense is hard until we come around to it, different people, different norms, different senses of something being compelling.
Kind of suck but that's life, although rather than uber maybe they should works on IT on non games related company.
I think western gaming company has so much excess compared to japan, korea, and now chinese gaming company, it's okay when the money is good but now when there's recession, well the excess is cut. If Astrobot only need 3 years to make with 60+ people, why spend more for making games with 8 years dev time with 300+ people.
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