I've never seen so much goodwill go to waste so quickly: This week, Larian CEO Swen Wincke speaks repeatedly pursued the issue of AI. After an unpopular interview, he talked about what it was like when his studio just became successful. baldur's gate 3a meticulously crafted feat of human ingenuity – we're embracing it. He even went so far as to say that “everyone in the company agrees to a greater or lesser extent with how we use it,” which is almost certainly not true. In our latest Aftermath Hour, we discuss the myriad reasons why someone working in the gaming industry these days might not want to go against their boss's reckless orders.
This time we convene for the final show of 2025, a particularly frightening year for the world. Pretty solid stuff for Aftermath. First, let's talk about the controversy, which was unexpected to say the least. That's Larian's open embrace of AI. Vincke has spent the last few days both working on himself and doing damage control, but the turmoil continues. Will the way the studio works change? Or will those of us who oppose AI end up having to make some difficult decisions during Larian's next and obviously biggest game? divinitythe release will probably still be years away?
We'll then award our first ever Staff of the Year award to everything that defined 2025: games, trends, events, people, cats, non-topics and more. Finally, come up with a solid concept for Aftermath Muppets.
You can watch this week's episode below spotify, appleor anywhere else you want to listen to podcasts. If you like what you hear, be sure to leave a review. That way, Luke, who is still human, can be annoyed by the Muppets' antics all day long.
Below are excerpts from our conversation (edited for length and clarity).
Nathan: This is part of a larger story about instability in the video game industry. If you don't like the way AI is implemented in your studio, you probably won't make a fuss because you could lose your job. With everyone unemployed in the gaming industry right now, it's your only lifeline, and losing it can get you cooked. I'm not going to take any chances, especially since Larian is a studio where a lot of people had to move for jobs like that.
So [Vincke] It's like, “Yeah, everyone's okay,” but I don't think that's actually the case. You are the boss who speaks for everyone in your company, and your company has hundreds of employees. Come on, come on.
Chris: And many had to go through as many as 20 interviews. don't forget. A lot of people had to go through a really terrible hiring process.
Nathan: Yes, especially for writers. For those who watch or listen to the show but aren't on Bluesky, a number of writers talked about what the show is about this week The game industry's open secret Especially since Larian's job application process is an absolute nightmare. I have to do a lot of interviews. It will take many months. You will need to do a writing test that includes playable elements.
Chris: There is no compensation.
Nathan: Yes, there is no compensation. And they may not come back to you for a really long time and just let you know that they're going with someone else. This is what every writer in the industry will tell you. It seems absolutely dire.
But yeah, I'm sure there are volatile situations like this and there are bosses who want to speak up on behalf of the company and employees who want to say something if it's safe. [It’s notable, also, that former employees have come forward on social media to say they did, in fact, have a problem with AI.] And all of that brings us to the topic of AI. People are especially worried that AI will take away jobs that are already insecure. There are examples of how unstable things are and how it's already bothering them, but this is just a messed-up stew with every conceivable element of the current gaming industry's pathology.
Chris: On the surface, it's a good company. That's the most painful thing. They're technically good guys.
Nathan: Or so it was.
Chris: Where did the cowboys go?
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I don't think Larian's CEO understands how art is made.
“At this point, I think everyone at the company more or less agrees with how we use it.” [Citation needed]
