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A controversial games development boss has pointed the finger at remote working and other pandemic-era practices for delays to products and subsequent job losses.
Former Tripwire Interactive Chief Executive John Gibson, now owner and founder of Templar Media, identified remote work and inflated salaries as key contributors to what he described as a “video game apocalypse” across 2023 and 2024.
Gibson said the boom era during COVID-19, when many house-bound non-gamers became players, led to a massive hiring spree at high salary levels, and commented that companies with strong profits “were overpaying for talent”, citing an example in which “an engineer might be offered a million dollars for their first year.”
He said it was unsustainable and led to companies conducting massive layoffs once demand and profits fell. He now argues that there is a reset occurring "where people must readjust their salary expectations to fair, sustainable levels.”
Remote work was also cited as a factor in creating delays in development schedules. Gibson highlighted the five-year production period for Killing Floor 3, which launched last July, saying: “While working from home feels great, people are often less efficient and less creative.”
He contends that creative breakthroughs often happen during spontaneous interactions in offices, describing how “two people might have different parts of a great idea, chat in the hallway, and create a whole concept for the game.”
Gibson believes delays in developing Killing Floor 3 reflected that, saying games were “not always of high quality or were taking much longer to develop” during the period.
Office return pitched as production solution
In-person collaboration is vital in creative companies, he insists, describing a scenario involving the title Gate Zero, a debut game based on the bible and developed by his current company Templar Media, saying that the “core team on Gate Zero is relocating to our offices in Georgia” as part of an acquisition.
“Having everyone in the office will allow us to iterate quickly to finish the game,” he said, predicting that it will result in "a more entertaining and fun game for the player.”
Tripwire exit tied to controversial statement
Gibson’s tenure at Tripwire ended in 2021 after comments on abortion drew industry criticism. He posted on X: “Proud of #USSupremeCourt affirming the Texas law banning abortion for babies with a heartbeat. As an entertainer I don’t get political often. Yet with so many vocal peers on the other side of this issue, I felt it was important to go on the record as a pro-life game developer.”
The reaction from development partners was swift. Shipwright Studios announced the immediate termination of its contracts with Tripwire, while Torn Banner Studios also criticized the comments.
Following that, Tripwire issued quickly a statement saying: “Effective immediately, John Gibson has stepped down as CEO of Tripwire Interactive. Co-founding member and current Vice President, Alan Wilson, will take over as interim CEO. Alan has been with the company since its formation in 2005 and is an active lead in both the studio’s business and developmental affairs.”
