Dying Light developer Techland is adopting a new work model wherein staff will either work in-office or split their time between that and remote work.
As confirmed by GamesIndustry, a spokesperson for the developer said the change would “create a more collaborative work environment.” Sources speaking to Polish site CD Action claim team leadership was informed of the change 24 hours before they had to tell their employees.
Studios enacted remote work in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over time, many opted to have staff come back to the office, either full-time (often to staff’s dismay) or with similar hybrid policies.
The return-to-office mandate was particularly tough on developers who moved to less expensive cities during the remote period, and disabled staff who found remote work more accommodating to their disability.
Is Techland’s new mandate the best thing for its staff?
In Techland’s instance, “hybrid” reportedly means overseas staff come to the office eight working days out of every two months. Employees who live near either the Wroclaw or Warsaw offices will be expected to work in-office three days out of the week.
But while the developer has two buildings, it’s claimed neither can hold the near-500 person headcount. Techland Warsaw in particular was called out for not having enough bathrooms to handle just 70 staffers.
When Rockstar called staff back to the office, it was reportedly done to make sure Grand Theft Auto 6 lands in 2025. It’s unclear if Techland has a similar underlying reason for its projects, such as its untitled fantasy action-RPG.
Even with these “big changes,” Techland said staff could still request home office days when needed. It concluded its statement by saying it “just started this process, and it’s our goal to make the transition as smooth as possible and to support everyone individually.”