Larians Publishing Director: The Entertainment Industrys Public Company Model is Broken

Publisher Director of Larian, Michael Douse, engaged in a conversation regarding the increasing perception that large-scale projects lack individuality. While he disagreed with the notion that a high budget inherently detracts from quality, he pointed out that the core issue lies within the structure of the industry and the mindset of corporations.

This discussion was sparked by a quote from an interview with GTA creator Dan Houser, who asserted that the industry is «too fixated on profits.» George Broussard, creator of Duke Nukem 3D, elaborated on this topic, reminding everyone that the soaring costs of development—from tens of millions to hundreds—have led publishers to avoid risks and churn out sequels of popular franchises.

Broussard emphasized that this trend began two decades ago and has only intensified: enormous budgets push companies towards safer choices, while attempts to shift towards service models frequently result in failure.

In response, Michael Douse addressed a colleague on X, stating that the scale of a project alone does not render a game mediocre; issues arise earlier at the management level.

Michael Douse

Houser’s remarks came amid discussions on the role of AI in the industry, where the Rockstar co-founder acknowledged that he and his team are utilizing new technologies but stressed that the potential of artificial intelligence is far from the exaggerated promises often made.