What did the Monument Valley studio boss say about job security?

Ustwo CEO María Sayans said her studio had been “a little bit too romantic” about providing employees with long-term job security. She explained that high development costs made it unsustainable to guarantee permanent roles for everyone, and that Ustwo will now rely more on contractors for project peaks.

Why is Ustwo focusing on contractors instead of full-time hires?

Sayans cited cost and flexibility. Ustwo’s recent game budgets (£7–10M per project) are high, and carrying a large full-time staff makes those budgets even higher. By hiring contractors on a project basis, Ustwo can add skills as needed without long-term overhead.

Did Monument Valley 3’s cost affect Ustwo’s staffing?

Yes. During Monument Valley 3’s development, Ustwo’s team swelled to ~40 people. After the game’s Netflix deal fell through, Sayans realized the studio had overcommitted on staff for a budget that was already large. This led Ustwo to downsize to ~30 full-time staff and plan for more contracting in future.

What does “core team and contractors” model mean?

It means maintaining a small permanent staff for key roles and bringing in additional workers as contractors for specific tasks or phases. Ustwo’s core team handles ongoing development and company stability, while contractors handle extra workload. This model lets the studio scale resources up or down without altering the core headcount.

Are game studios generally moving toward contractors?

Evidence suggests yes. A 2025 Mellow report found freelance spending up dramatically – 63% more in Europe – and contractors on game projects up 21–24% globally. Many studios report using more outsourcing and co-development. While full-time teams won’t disappear entirely, the trend is toward a mixed workforce with a larger contract component.

How do rising budgets affect employment models?

As budgets grow, sustaining large permanent teams becomes riskier. AAA studios now spend hundreds of millions on games, and even smaller studios face multi-million projects. To manage this, studios either have to find more revenue (like live service or higher launch prices) or cut fixed costs. The typical solution has been to lean on contractors and shorten cycles, effectively reshaping staffing in favor of flexibility.

How has Ustwo’s workforce changed?

Ustwo trimmed its full-time staff after Monument Valley 3. It had about 40 employees at peak (during MV3 dev) and now has under 30. The studio is likely to keep its permanent team around that size, and fill additional roles via short-term contracts. This downsized core team approach is Ustwo’s new norm.

What’s the impact of the original Monument Valley’s success on Ustwo?

Monument Valley (2014) was a major success for Ustwo, making tens of millions in revenue. That success funded the studio’s growth and gave it a reputation. However, despite that strong foundation, Sayans notes even the Monument Valley IP could only carry so much financial risk. In other words, prior success helped Ustwo expand, but it hasn’t shielded the studio from today’s cost pressures.

Why are studios struggling to offer long-term job security?

The main reason is financial pressure. With project budgets rising and funding deals shrinking, studios often can’t commit to permanent salaries without risking collapse on a bad quarter. Industry reports show widespread layoffs and job cuts (e.g. the UK lost 1,537 game dev jobs in a year). In this climate, guaranteeing a career path for every developer is increasingly difficult.

What are the pros and cons of contractors vs full-time employees?

Pros of contractors include cost savings (you pay only when you need skills) and flexibility (you can scale quickly). Cons include less team cohesion, potential lack of commitment, and loss of in-house expertise. Full-timers bring stability, company culture, and accumulated knowledge, but at higher fixed cost. Ustwo believes a balanced mix gives the best trade-off: stable core plus flexible extras.

Monument Valley Studio Boss Says Long-Term Job Security Was ‘Too Romantic’ as Contractors Become the Future of Game Development

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The Monument Valley studio boss María Sayans recently caused controversy by suggesting that promising long-term job security to game developers was “a little bit too romantic”. In a Game Developer interview (reported by VGC), Sayans explained that the indie studio Ustwo Games maker of Monument Valley struggled to sustain full-time staff as rising development costs (projects of £7–10 million over several years) made large payrolls unsustainable. Instead, Sayans said Ustwo plans to rely on a core team of employees and hire additional talent as contractors when needed. This shift reflects broader industry pressures: soaring budgets for both AAA and indie games are forcing studios to rethink traditional employment models.

How rising AAA and indie game budgets are reshaping studio employment models

The gaming industry is witnessing ballooning development budgets. AAA titles frequently now cost hundreds of millions of dollars, while even smaller studios face multi-million pound projects. For example, Ustwo’s own recent projects have cost £7–10 million over three-to-four year cycles. A Bain & Company report notes that independent studios are growing rapidly on much smaller budgets, while AAA studios suffer from “rising costs, slower timelines, and shrinking margins”.

In fact, Bain found indie revenues growing at ~22% annually (2018–2024) versus ~8% for AAA/AA developers, highlighting how big-budget games are increasingly hard to justify. To cope, studios of all sizes are reallocating funds: rather than cutting budgets, they’re channeling money into flexible, contract-based teams. This budget crunch underpins why companies like Ustwo are now questioning whether a large full-time staff is viable in the long run.

Monument valley studio boss says long-term job security was ‘too romantic’ as contractors become the future of game development

How Monument Valley 3 development costs influenced Ustwo’s staffing strategy

Monument Valley 3 exemplified the cost challenges. The game was initially funded and launched as a Netflix mobile exclusive in 2024, then expanded to PC and consoles in 2025. Ustwo CEO Sayans said the studio had already realized “a lot of the deals that had allowed [it] to launch titles on mobile with backing from major companies like Netflix and Apple” were no longer materializing. As a result, the studio determined its current development budgets were unsustainable for the scale of audience on PC and consoles. Sayans revealed Ustwo had been spending roughly £7–10 million per title over 3–4 years and acknowledged “we need to lower that” for future projects.

The high cost of Monument Valley 3’s development convinced Ustwo leadership they should have been more conservative with staffing; hiring so many permanent employees had left them overextended. This realization directly spurred the decision to reduce fixed costs by hiring more contractors in future projects.

Ustwo Games workforce changes: from 40 employees down to leaner teams

Ustwo Games’ headcount reflects this strategic shift. At its peak during Monument Valley 3’s development, Ustwo grew to around 40 full-time employees. After Netflix pulled the game from its service in late 2025, the studio began scaling down. Sayans confirmed Ustwo now employs “just under 30 people” meaning the studio trimmed its permanent staff by roughly a quarter. This deliberate downsizing aligns with her critique that Ustwo had become “a little bit too romantic” about keeping a large in-house team. Going forward, Ustwo intends to maintain a core team of essential staff but hire additional developers, artists, and other specialists on contract for specific phases of each project.

Why Ustwo Games is shifting from full-time employees to contractors

The core reason for Ustwo’s model shift is cost control. Sayans explains that full-time employees come with long-term financial commitments (salaries, benefits, pensions) that inflate budgets. By contrast, contractors can be engaged for limited periods and specific tasks, giving the studio flexibility to scale labor up or down with project needs. Sayans stated that at Monument Valley 3’s height, contractors were “always a relatively low percentage” of the workforce, a situation she now intends to reverse. She emphasized that reducing fixed headcount and using contractors will help keep cash reserves stable and budgets lower.

Essentially, Ustwo’s approach is to offload as much risk as possible: during development peaks they will only pay for outside talent when needed, rather than maintaining large teams year-round. Sayans admits she personally “hates” the industry trend toward contract-heavy staffing, but argues it’s necessary for sustainability.

What María Sayans means by “core team and contractors” model in gaming

Sayans describes a two-tier workforce model: a small core team of permanent employees supplemented by contracted specialists. Under this model, Ustwo’s permanent team handles ongoing studio management, engine maintenance, and core design, while contractors are brought in for specific development phases or skillsets (e.g. additional programmers, artists, QA) and then let go after those phases. As Sayans put it, “we’ve got a core team and any growth will come through contractors”.

This is a departure from the traditional studio model where almost all staff are full-time. Sayans insists the core team itself will remain relatively stable in size (Ustwo is “not looking to grow that” beyond around 30), and will only change as new permanent hires occur or core needs evolve.

The rest of Ustwo’s production crew, however, will increasingly be freelance or co-development partners. In practice, this means projects will rely on assembling external teams as needed; some may be other studios hired for co-development, others individual freelancers. This “core-plus-contractors” strategy aims to provide stability for key roles while preventing the entire studio from being overcommitted during slow periods.

Are contractors becoming the future of video game studios?

Industry data suggests the move toward contract work is widespread. A 2025 report by the contractor platform Mellow found that game studios worldwide sharply increased their use of freelancers. European studios, for example, spent 63% more on external talent in 2025 than in 2024 (with global freelance spend up 55%).

The number of contractors collaborating with game studios rose 24% in Europe (21% worldwide) in the same period. Short-term contracts (1–3 months) are growing rapidly, indicating a preference for “modular” development teams that scale up for specific features or milestones. Mellow’s analysis concludes that “budgets are not shrinking but being redirected toward flexible, project-based roles”. In short, the data confirms that studios of all sizes are increasingly comfortable using contractors to manage risk and costs. María Sayans’ prediction that “any growth will come through contractors” reflects this broader trend. While not all studios will abandon full-time staff entirely, many are clearly rebalancing in favor of a gig-style workforce where long-term hiring is limited and outsourcing is common.

How mobile game studios are adapting to rising production costs

Mobile game development has been particularly affected by these shifts. Ustwo’s statement itself came after a strategic pivot from mobile to PC/console, because mobile publishing deals (like Netflix exclusives) became less lucrative. Many mobile-first studios are now diversifying platforms for better revenue.

For those still on mobile, cost control is urgent. Some studios increase live-service content to generate steady income, while others switch to shorter development cycles or smaller teams. Ustwo noted that porting earlier mobile titles to PC/console did not yield “crazy numbers” but showed a viable audience

so even iconic mobile games face pressure to reach new markets or be priced higher. In general, rising costs mean mobile studios can’t rely on hit-or-miss success; instead they manage budgets tightly by taking fewer long-term staff risks. Some are adopting contractors or freelance artists and coders for specific game updates or new features. In short, adapting to rising costs often means either finding alternate revenue streams (like cross-platform releases or partnerships) or shifting to more flexible staffing, even in the mobile sector.

Pixelhair insights: how indie studios balance creativity and financial pressure

Despite the pressure, many independent studios find ways to stay creative. Industry analysts note that Indies can thrive on smaller budgets and adapt quickly to player feedback. For example, a 2025 Bain report highlights that ambitious indie games have achieved major success without massive spending. Indies often keep core teams very small and rely on simple but innovative game design. Some use crowdfunding or early-access programs to secure funding in stages, thus aligning creative scope with finance. Others release games episodically to spread costs. The Bain report shows independent PC devs’ revenues growing faster than those of big studios, suggesting many Indie teams are finding economic models that work.

In practice, indie developers strike a balance by picking projects within their means and leveraging cheap digital distribution. While Pixelhair (an indie collective) might worry about funds, the industry data confirms that nimble teams can still deliver “blockbuster hits without blockbuster budgets” by focusing on innovation rather than large teams. So even under financial pressure, the indie spirit of creativity persists often precisely because smaller budgets force greater adaptability and originality.

The View Keeper analysis: what this shift means for the future of game studio culture

The pivot away from stable, long-term employment could profoundly change studio culture. Veterans fear it may undermine the traditional “studio family” model of game development. As one industry writer noted, calling job security a “romantic” notion and relying on contractors risks driving talent out of the industry. On the other hand, some see a silver lining: with fewer large in-house teams, studios may become more agile and innovative. Denis Dyack, a long-time developer, argues gamers today react negatively to big-budget titles and that smaller, original teams are key to the future.

This suggests that an industry composed of lean, project-based teams might better satisfy players’ desires. However, there is a cultural trade-off: a workforce of mainly short-term contractors could erode the sense of career path and institutional knowledge within studios. In summary, the shift foretells an industry culture that values flexibility and cost-efficiency, but may lose some of the stability and collective camaraderie of traditional studio life.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What did the Monument Valley studio boss say about job security?
Ustwo CEO María Sayans said her studio had been “a little bit too romantic” about providing employees with long-term job security. She explained that high development costs made it unsustainable to guarantee permanent roles for everyone, and that Ustwo will now rely more on contractors for project peaks.
Why is Ustwo focusing on contractors instead of full-time hires?
Sayans cited cost and flexibility. Ustwo’s recent game budgets (£7–10M per project) are high, and carrying a large full-time staff makes those budgets even higher. By hiring contractors on a project basis, Ustwo can add skills as needed without long-term overhead.
Did Monument Valley 3’s cost affect Ustwo’s staffing?
Yes. During Monument Valley 3’s development, Ustwo’s team swelled to ~40 people. After the game’s Netflix deal fell through, Sayans realized the studio had overcommitted on staff for a budget that was already large. This led Ustwo to downsize to ~30 full-time staff and plan for more contracting in future.
What does “core team and contractors” model mean?
It means maintaining a small permanent staff for key roles and bringing in additional workers as contractors for specific tasks or phases. Ustwo’s core team handles ongoing development and company stability, while contractors handle extra workload. This model lets the studio scale resources up or down without altering the core headcount.
Are game studios generally moving toward contractors?
Evidence suggests yes. A 2025 Mellow report found freelance spending up dramatically 63% more in Europe and contractors on game projects up 21–24% globally. Many studios report using more outsourcing and co-development. While full-time teams won’t disappear entirely, the trend is toward a mixed workforce with a larger contract component.
How do rising budgets affect employment models?
As budgets grow, sustaining large permanent teams becomes riskier. AAA studios now spend hundreds of millions on games, and even smaller studios face multi-million projects. To manage this, studios either have to find more revenue (like live service or higher launch prices) or cut fixed costs. The typical solution has been to lean on contractors and shorten cycles, effectively reshaping staffing in favor of flexibility.
How has Ustwo’s workforce changed?
Ustwo trimmed its full-time staff after Monument Valley 3. It had about 40 employees at peak (during MV3 dev) and now has under 30. The studio is likely to keep its permanent team around that size, and fill additional roles via short-term contracts. This downsized core team approach is Ustwo’s new norm.
What’s the impact of the original Monument Valley’s success on Ustwo?
Monument Valley (2014) was a major success for Ustwo, making tens of millions in revenue. That success funded the studio’s growth and gave it a reputation. However, despite that strong foundation, Sayans notes even the Monument Valley IP could only carry so much financial risk. In other words, prior success helped Ustwo expand, but it hasn’t shielded the studio from today’s cost pressures.
Why are studios struggling to offer long-term job security?
The main reason is financial pressure. With project budgets rising and funding deals shrinking, studios often can’t commit to permanent salaries without risking collapse on a bad quarter. Industry reports show widespread layoffs and job cuts (e.g. the UK lost 1,537 game dev jobs in a year). In this climate, guaranteeing a career path for every developer is increasingly difficult.
What are the pros and cons of contractors vs full-time employees?
Pros of contractors include cost savings (you pay only when you need skills) and flexibility (you can scale quickly). Cons include less team cohesion, potential lack of commitment, and loss of in-house expertise. Full-timers bring stability, company culture, and accumulated knowledge, but at higher fixed cost. Ustwo believes a balanced mix gives the best trade-off: stable core plus flexible extras.

Conclusion

Ustwo Games’ controversial comments have highlighted a critical tension in today’s gaming industry: the desire to provide stable jobs versus the financial realities of high production costs. As key executives like Ustwo’s CEO note, studios are under pressure to lower budgets and stay financially lean. The emerging solution for many from AAA developers to indie teams is a hybrid staffing model combining a small permanent team with contract hires. While this approach allows studios to manage budgets more safely, it raises questions about workplace culture and career viability. Industry data confirms that contractors are on the rise across the board. As game budgets continue to climb, the trend toward gig-economy staffing looks set to continue.

The long-term effect on creativity and employment security remains to be seen, but Ustwo’s case makes clear that game developers today must adapt to stay sustainable.