Hey there, game development enthusiasts! Let's talk about a topic that's often overlooked but can significantly impact the industry: the role of leadership in slowing down game development. Poor leadership can be a game-changer (pun intended), and it's time we shed some light on this issue.
In a recent survey, we asked developers about the reasons behind the increasing length of game development cycles. Surprisingly, many readers pointed out that the discussion lacked a crucial element: the impact of leadership. So, let's dive into this controversial topic and explore how bad leadership can drag down an entire development process.
But here's where it gets interesting... It's not as simple as labeling certain habits as universally 'bad.' What might be considered unhealthy at one studio could be beneficial elsewhere. This insight came from our recent conversations with industry veterans, who shared their experiences with poor leadership and its consequences.
These veterans described nightmare scenarios that prolonged and, in some cases, doomed the development of highly anticipated games. Their stories highlight why claims about technology, like generative AI, speeding up game development miss the mark. It's like having the fastest car but constantly changing its mechanics, drivers, and engineers; it won't win the race.
So, what are the traits of these poor leaders that slow down game development? Let's break it down into seven key categories:
Failing to Understand Realities of Game Development: Approving content and then discarding it, asking for features without understanding their implementation, and needing to see polished material early on to make decisions. These leaders lack a grasp of the development process, leading to wasted time and effort.
Poor Project Management: Issuing unrealistic timelines, not considering departmental dependencies, and failing to trust employees. This results in teams spinning their wheels or being overwhelmed by poorly scoped tasks.
Lack of Trust in Employees: Requiring sign-offs from multiple leads, ignoring workers' capabilities, laying off or retaliating against colleagues who speak up, and disregarding QA warnings. These leaders create a toxic environment and hinder progress.
Treating Developers as Interchangeable: Expecting developers to be experts in unfamiliar genres, not recognizing the institutional knowledge that leaves with departing employees, and assuming others can easily replace them. This leads to unrealistic expectations and a lack of understanding of the team's capabilities.
Slow Decision-Making: Requiring excessive approvals, leads hyper-focusing on specific points, and delaying decisions for weeks or months. This indecisiveness can grind the development process to a halt.
Providing Useless Feedback: Offering vague or unclear critiques, rejecting milestone builds without explanation, and giving direction like 'make it cooler.' This lack of constructive feedback leaves developers confused and unguided.
Demanding Sudden Changes: The classic scenario of creative directors playing a popular game over the weekend and demanding new features. This can lead to drastic changes late in the process, affecting all departments.
Vague Crunch Policies: Promising no crunch but setting deadlines that require overtime, or capping work hours, leading to unpaid overtime. These policies create a toxic work culture and burn out employees.
All these behaviors, often seen in project and studio leadership, can significantly slow down game development. It's not just about the leaders; it's about the power dynamics and the culture they create.
And this is the part most people miss... Poor leadership is not always an individual problem; it can be structural. Some leaders abuse their power, verbally harass colleagues, exclude key team members, or create a toxic work environment. These leaders often slip through attempts at positive change, keeping their positions due to personal connections.
So, how do we fix this? It's simple: listen to the developers. AI and technology can't solve these issues. We need to empower the people actually making the games and ensure they have a voice in the decision-making process. Only then can we truly speed up game development and create a healthier industry.
What are your thoughts on this? Do you agree that poor leadership is a significant hurdle in game development? Let's discuss in the comments and share our experiences!
