During an interview with Game Developer at London Games Fest, the Ustwo Games CEO made a statement that has sent shock/waves through the industry. Maria Sayans recently shared a perspective on studio sustainability that feels incredibly blunt: "We've been a little bit too romantic about the idea that we should have employees and give people long-term job security."

The Financial Reality of Development

Sayans explained that the current studio model is becoming unsustainable. While titles like Alba or Assemble With Care succeed on much lower budgets, Ustwo faces significant overhead. Being based in London with employees who have pensions makes it difficult to compete with smaller-scale PC hits.

The studio currently employs just under 30 people, though the development team for Monument Valley 3 reached approximately 40. With production costs ranging between £7 million and £10 million, Sayans admitted, "we need to lower that." This follows a period of instability after Netflix removed Monument Valley 3 only six months after its launch, despite it being an exclusive.

The Ustwo Games CEO on the Shift to Contractors

Because mobile no longer offers a "solid base to build a long-term business around," the studio is pivoting toward PC and consoles. They are looking to create "meaningful singleplayer experiences" for these platforms, having learned through recent ports that the audience exists.

To ensure future stability, the studio's strategy involves:

  • Maintaining a core team
  • Using contractors to handle growth
  • Focusing on the potential of the Monument Valley IP

Sayans noted that while there is potential in reinventing their IP for PC, development budgets were simply too high for a "safer break." This has led to a controversial pricing strategy where games are priced higher initially and discounted later. Sayans believes "day one players"—the core fans—will find the difference between £5 and £10 negligible.

While the logic of managing budgets makes sense, it is hard to swallow. The shift toward a contractor-heavy model is something many in the industry despise. It is exhausting to exist in an industry where management decisions often threaten the very stability of the people creating the magic.