The opinion of Creative Director Thomas Malher, as he explains it to our colleagues at Game Informer couldn't be clearer: “we are absolutely convinced that this allows us to hire the best talent. I think for us it was a little easier because we didn't know anything else. We started as a remote studio[en 2009 – NDLR].I think it's a lot harder if you're in an established studio and you have established, proven processes that are all based around being in the office, and suddenly the world stops and you need to work remotely, but these processes […] on which you depend […] require you to be in the office. I think this is a very difficult change to make. It's like changing the DNA of a studio, but we've never had to do that.”
Thomas Malher has always been a supporter of remote working, he explains. Originally from Poland, where he still lives, he was able to take advantage of this remote working method to join large JV companies and learn his skills there. It was therefore obvious to him that this was the best organizational option: *”I think it's just incredible, isn't it? You can find all these people who are incredibly talented, wherever they live in the world, and if they're really hungry, if they're really passionate, if they're willing to go for it, then they can get a job in the games industry.” *
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On the turbine at home
The Covid-19 pandemic was an electric shock for the video game industry, pushing development studios to change their organizational model to continue producing, moving from face-to-face work to remote work. However, although teleworking remains popular among employees, large groups have backtracked in recent months, including Rockstar Games, which called its flock back to its offices, which would correspond, according to Jenn Kolbe, head of teleworking. publishing at Rockstar, at “the best situation to release the next Grand Theft Auto at the level of care and quality that we know it requires”.
- Also read | Rockstar Games signals the end of remote work
Furthermore, we would like to remind you that teleworking is not a guarantee of a good quality of life at work. Moon Studios has been accused of being home to a toxic and overwhelming work culture, as Jarod explained to us, the best of us (its official title), in the article below. Which makes the statement of Gennadiy Korol, co-founder of Moon studio, resonate strangely: “you can organize yourself better, and you can take better care of your mental health, that’s why I’m a big believer in remote work”…