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Learn moreE3 2018 saw many significant events in the world of video games. One of the key moments was the announcement of Dying Light 2 at the Microsoft exhibition. Renowned game designer and screenwriter Chris Avellone spoke on stage, detailing the advantages and features of the anticipated game. This announcement generated great interest among players and critics, emphasizing the high level of the developers and their commitment to creating a unique gaming experience.
Techland Studio announced that the sequel to its action game will introduce nonlinear elements, improved parkour, and updated graphics. A key aspect of the game will be a well-developed storyline, in which players will have to make significant decisions. Player choices are expected to influence the appearance of entire districts of the city where the game unfolds. This promises to make the gameplay more engaging and interactive.
The game was predicted to be a success, as experienced veterans of the gaming industry worked on its development. Among them was Avellone, who worked on projects at Obsidian until 2015, and then participated in the creation of the narrative design of Divinity: Original Sin 2 and the script for Prey. Writers who participated in the development of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt also worked on the plot. This combination of experience and talent ensured a high level of quality and engaging gameplay, which contributed to positive expectations for the project.
The ambitious project was planned for release in the spring of 2019, but unforeseen circumstances arose that prevented its implementation.
The next time Dying Light 2 was mentioned was at E3 2019, where it was announced that the game's release date had been postponed to spring 2020. From that moment on, unusual events began to occur in the project's development and within the studio itself.
"The management doesn't understand what they're doing"
In March 2020, reports regularly appeared in the media about problems arising during the game's development. As a result of these difficulties, the project's release was postponed indefinitely.
PolskiGamedev interviewed Techland representatives to find out details about the development of Dying Light 2. Studio staff reported that the game is undergoing constant changes, and many of Chris Avellone's initial ideas have been discarded. The writer's writing was deemed unsuitable for the project by management. Furthermore, according to insiders, Avellone's relationship with creative director Adrian Ciszewski has deteriorated to a critical point. The situation at the studio is seriously concerning. While the initial focus was on story and gameplay, key mechanics are constantly changing. This is leading to low team morale, as management doesn't understand the current situation. The lack of organization at the top creates additional difficulties. The team is frustrated, as the game's vision remains unclear. Typically, a year before release, studios focus on fixing bugs, but we don't even have a basic prototype for testing.
A Techland employee, who wished to remain anonymous, shared some interesting information.
The constant changes management required for game integration significantly complicated the development process and demotivated employees. These frequent adjustments not only increased the workload but also hindered planning, which ultimately impacted the quality of the final product. The difficulties arising from constant changes undermined team morale and reduced efficiency, which could have negatively impacted the game's release schedule and its market success.
PolskiGamedev reached out to the studio's management for an official comment. In response to the anonymous employees' statements, management denied their information, stating that things are going well at the company, and the game's development continues in accordance with the established roadmap.
Avellon emphasized that there is no conflict between him and Chiszewski.
Working on Dying Light 2 is a pleasure, and I feel comfortable at Techland. We actively discussed various aspects of the game, and some of them changed significantly during development. Such changes are common for any creative project. The story plays a significant role in Dying Light 2, and it is crucial for our team that it is high-quality and engaging.
Level designer Piotr Pawlaczyk noted that creative director Chiszewski is actively involved in all stages of the project's development. He is open to discussing controversial issues and is always ready to listen to the team's opinions. This creates an atmosphere of collaboration and contributes to the improvement of the final product.
Fans of Dying Light 2 remained eagerly awaiting the release date of the sequel, which caused disappointment among fans. Furthermore, the atmosphere within the studio was questionable, adding uncertainty to player expectations.
Personnel Change – or Management Issue?
Between spring 2019 and spring 2020, 50 employees left the studio. The main contributing factors were a toxic work environment, frequent overtime, and irrational decisions by senior management. Those leaving were particularly concerned that Chishevsky repeatedly forced them to rework nearly completed gameplay sequences. This situation negatively affected the workflow and morale of the team, which ultimately led to a high level of staff turnover.
The studio quickly responded to the issues that arose The company addressed the challenges by hiring additional experienced professionals from the gaming industry. Daisy Eugene Harter became lead developer, and Marco Albino was appointed as the new head of development. These personnel changes are aimed at improving the quality and speeding up the development of game projects. Two months after an investigation by a Polish publication, Chris Avellone was fired due to allegations of sexual harassment. Avellone himself has not made any comments regarding the current situation.
Following this incident, the studio did not provide updates on the development of Dying Light 2 for six months. During this time, fans were expecting news and details on the project's progress, but no information was forthcoming. This silence sparked a lot of discussion among players and critics, fueling interest in the game and creating an atmosphere of anticipation.
On January 7, 2021, it became known that art director and writer Pavel Selinger had left the studio after 22 years of service. Selinger began his career as art director, but after the departure of Taylor Avellone, he took over as writer for Dying Light 2. He had previously worked on the scripts for the original Dying Light, as well as Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood and Dead Island. Selinger's departure was a significant event for the studio, as his contribution to the development of the games was invaluable.
After twenty-two years at Techland, I have decided to leave the studio. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to develop and realize my potential for such a long time. Techland, I will always support you. I sincerely hope that Dying Light 2 and the studio's future projects become worldwide hits. Farewell and good luck!
Pavel Selinger has published his LinkedIn profile, where you can learn about his professional experience and skills. The profile highlights key achievements and competencies that will help you establish business contacts and expand your network. LinkedIn is an important platform for networking and career growth, and Pavel's profile can be a useful resource for employers and colleagues.
And Another Scandal
In February 2021, The Gamer published a detailed investigation into the situation at Techland. Journalists interviewed a dozen former and current employees, who provided anonymous comments about the company's inner workings. To ensure maximum objectivity, the publication also received comments from the studio's CEO and president, Pavel Marchevka. This investigation illuminates important aspects of Techland's corporate culture and management.
Techland employees identified three key problems facing the company.
- poor development planning;
- autocratic management style;
- toxic corporate culture.
The main source of problems, according to both former and current employees, is Pavel Marchevka. He is often called the "Eye of Sauron" since he personally controls almost all departments of the studio. Marchevka actively interferes with work processes and periodically demands revision of various aspects of the development of Dying Light 2. This approach causes discontent among the team and can negatively affect creativity and work efficiency.
According to insiders, Marchevka rarely interferes with the programmers' work, which creates a certain autonomy within the team. However, it has been noted that the president of Techland tends to borrow ideas from other developers for implementation in his projects. This often forces the studio's employees to adapt third-party concepts and mechanics into their games.
Our studio operates on the principle that an idea can only be implemented if it already exists in other games, one of the employees said in an interview. This approach allows us to avoid excessive copying and draw inspiration from successful solutions, which ultimately contributes to the creation of unique and high-quality game content.
CD Projekt RED studio has attracted close attention at Marchevka. Some employees described this obsession during interviews as something resembling an illness or a psychological problem.
The studio's management actively attracted specialists with significant experience in the gaming industry, However, many of them left the company after just a few months. This was due to new working conditions and the rejection of their ideas. A striking example is the situation with Marc Albinet, who, before joining Techland, worked on projects at Ubisoft, including the Assassin's Creed series. This points to management problems and a lack of support for creative initiatives, which could negatively impact the quality of games being developed and the overall team climate.
A 30-year veteran failed to convince management to implement his ideas. Changing the minds of senior staff proved more difficult than the Earth's rotation, an insider shared.
Employees who shared information about the situation at Techland with The Gamer noted that disputes with management lead to the gradual removal of specialists from projects, and ultimately, their dismissal. As an example, they cited the situation with the studio's former development director, Pavel Zavodny, who openly expressed the opinion that the studio's head shouldn't be present at every developer review meeting. As a result of this statement, he was sent on a three-month leave, after which he left the company. This situation highlights the complex relationships within Techland and management issues, which could negatively impact project development and the overall team atmosphere.
Dying Light 2's script was reworked at least once after Avellone's departure. The studio's Chrome Engine 6, on which the game is based, is not optimized for rapid prototyping, which significantly slowed down the development process when implementing new ideas and improvements. This hinders the creation of high-quality content and affects the overall dynamics of the project.
After a year of work, the project team still has not reached a common vision for development, which has disrupted even the most basic pipelines. As a result, another 20 employees left the studio.
"We're doing well"
The Gamer interviewed Pavel Marchevka, the head of the studio, to discuss staff turnover in the context of AAA project development. Pavel noted that high turnover is normal in this field. This process is due to various factors, including development complexities and high demands on the team.
Techland has been successfully operating in the market for 30 years, and many of our employees have been with us throughout this time. We note with regret that some colleagues have decided to leave our team and begin a new chapter in their careers outside of Techland. We sincerely wish them success and good luck in their new endeavors.
Regularly reworking significant parts of a game is a common practice in development, according to Marchevka. He noted that he doesn't consider borrowing ideas from other studios' projects to be anything unusual. This shows that there is a constant exchange of concepts and approaches in the gaming industry, which ultimately contributes to the improvement of the quality of games and their diversity.
In response to a question about toxic Regarding the corporate atmosphere, the studio's director emphasized that employee opinions and complaints play a key role in creating a comfortable work environment. He noted that the company is completely free of sexism and harassment, which contributes to the development of a healthy and productive culture. This approach helps create a space where every employee feels valued and respected.
Apparently, Techland's management considers current events to be common practice in the gaming industry.
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