LogIn"They can all eat s***, I think they're horrible, and I think they're bad people."
Even if you haven't played Dwarf Fortress (which is inexcusable since the updated version was released in 2022 and you don't even have to struggle with understanding what's happening on the screen), you must have heard about it and the influence it has spread all over the industry.
You know what else you've surely heard about? Layoffs. And while the developers Tarn and Zach Adams have no shortage of money from sales and have to think about their present and future production decisions, Tarn's views on those responsible for layoffs is as harsh as ever. Wondering if the once-again-found popularity would make him feel more empathy for these people, he concluded that it's not likely:
"No, I don't f***ing think so," he told PC Gamer. "They can all eat s***, I think they're horrible, and I think they're bad people."
Image credit: Bay 12 Games
Sounds harsh but it makes you respect the developer even more. Tarn believes that layoff decisions "don't sound practical" and are "driven by greedy, greedy people trying to make some kind of venture capital thing work out." They fire workers who they "shouldn't fire because their company will fall apart, but I guess maybe that helps someone's bottom line somewhere or gets the right air inside the right golden parachute."
"There is this stench of rot at the top of things where the reasons people get laid off is because of funding structures and bad incentives and stupidity."
Image credit: Bay 12 Games
Of course, this doesn't guarantee the Adams brothers won't have to make some difficult decisions one day and let go of employees, but for now, it's nice to hear that not every developer thinks it's an "agonizing" but "necessary" step (although it's partly because Bay 12 Games doesn't have as many workers as, let's say, Blizzard.)
Despite its small team, Dwarf Fortress keeps improving, and we'll see the Adventure Mode in April. Find the original article here and join our 80 Level Talent platform and our Telegram channel, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.