Ustwo Games announced it is moving toward a contractor-based hiring model following the removal of Monument Valley 3 from Netflix last year [1]. CEO and Ukie chair Maria Sayans said the studio is now focusing on PC as its primary platform after the game’s departure from the streaming service [1].
Sayans acknowledged the company had been "a little bit too romantic" about maintaining large full-time teams with long-term job security. "We've been a little bit too romantic about the idea that we should have employees and give people long-term job security," she said [1]. The studio currently employs just under 30 full-time staff, down from around 40 at the peak of Monument Valley 3’s production [1].
Looking ahead, Sayans stated that Ustwo plans to keep a core team of full-time employees, with future growth coming primarily through contractors. "I think going forward, we'll see that we've got a core team and any growth will come through contractors, which is something I hate about the industry," she said [1]. She framed this shift as part of an industry-wide change in how studios approach staffing, reflecting evolving work practices and project demands [1].
Sayans also reflected on her 20 years in the games industry and the contrast between earlier career conditions and today's challenges. "I've been in the industry for 20 years, and those of us who joined in the early 2000s, we had it very good," she said [1].
In 2019, Ustwo faced accusations of union-busting by the UK-based Independent Workers Union, allegations the company denied at the time [1]. This history adds context to the company’s current staffing and labor approach.
The studio’s next steps involve continuing this core-plus-contractor model after the Netflix removal last year, focusing development efforts on PC platforms with a leaner permanent team [1].
