The video game industry has recently faced significant turmoil, characterized by widespread layoffs, numerous game cancellations, and studio closures, alongside growing anxieties surrounding the impact of artificial intelligence. These issues have affected developers of all sizes. Amidst this volatile landscape, Supergiant Games stands out as a smaller studio that has not only persevered but flourished, notably with the recent launch of Hades 2.
Supergiant`s Unique Resilience
Founded in 2009 by seven individuals, Supergiant has responsibly grown its team to 25 members today. Remarkably, all seven original founders remain with the company. According to The San Francisco Chronicle, Supergiant has maintained its integrity by never conducting major layoffs and by consistently operating without external funding. How has this independent studio achieved such stability and success? In a recent interview, Supergiant`s creative director shed light on their strategies and discussed how they approach deciding their next game after Hades 2.
The Secret to Enduring Success
Creative director Greg Kasavin, a former executive editor, dispels the notion of a “magical explanation” for Supergiant`s longevity where many others have faltered. Instead, he attributes their endurance to a deliberate focus on modesty rather than aggressive expansion. Kasavin elaborated:
“I do attribute it to the value that we place on sticking together as a team, on keeping our ambitions relatively modest. We don`t have an ambition to grow big for its own sake.”
This philosophy starkly contrasts with many companies in the gaming sector that rapidly scaled up during the COVID-19 pandemic`s boom, only to later face mass layoffs as they retrenched to pre-pandemic staffing levels.
A History of Acclaimed Titles
Supergiant, a privately-owned entity, has an impressive track record, having released five critically acclaimed games to date: Bastion, Transistor, Pyre, Hades, and now Hades 2. The studio`s co-founders, Amir Rao and Gavin Simon, bring valuable experience from their prior roles at Electronic Arts.
Looking Beyond Hades 2
Even with Hades 2 having just launched, anticipation for Supergiant`s next project is already high. Kasavin remained discreet about specifics but indicated that the team collectively determines “what that thing is that`s gonna make the most of us the most excited.” He also shared insight into their development cycle, noting that Hades 2 took approximately 4.5 years to complete. “We don`t have 30 games left or something like that,” he remarked, emphasizing their measured pace. Kasavin summarized their philosophy:
“We just try to make each one count and learn from the experience each time and take that forward and try to do it again – that`s good enough for me.”
Hades 2 represents Supergiant`s first-ever sequel, and given its phenomenal reception, fans might hope for a third installment. However, the gaming community will eagerly await Supergiant`s next creative direction.
Critical Acclaim for Hades 2
Hades 2 has garnered widespread critical praise, with one notable review awarding the game a perfect 10/10. The review lauded it as “a game that is essential to experience, with all of its parts coalescing into a memorable adventure that you will likely lose dozens of hours to without regret.”