Speaking with Game File (users will encounter a paywall) at the Game Developers Choice Awards, Larian director of publishing Michael Douse gave his take on the current state of the industry, including some sharp criticism on the wave after wave of mass layoffs we’ve been seeing.
“They are an avoidable fuck-up,” Douse said. “That’s all they really are. That’s why you see one after the other. Because companies are going: ‘Well, finally. Now we can, too. We’ve wanted to do it for ages. Everyone else is. So why don’t we?’ That’s really kind of sick.”
I would imagine there are some shareholders with a significant portion of shares, but yes, on the whole BoD/executives.
There are definitely companies with psychopathic majority shareholders. But it seems like on-average it’s the board making these decisions to benefit themselves. Then they blame it on the nebulous shareholders .