Romeros Call Game Industry Worse Than 1983 Crash

Veteran game developers John and Brenda Romero have described the current state of the video game industry as worse than the devastating crash of 1983, citing widespread layoffs and funding cuts that have reshaped studios like their own. In a recent interview ahead of Game Republics Dark and Doomy event in Wakefield, England, the couple, who co-founded Romero Games in Galway, Ireland, over a decade ago, shared their concerns about an industry gripped by uncertainty and cost-cutting measures.

Brenda Romero, CEO of Romero Games and a lead designer on titles like Wizardry 8 and Jagged Alliance 2, drew direct parallels to the early 1980s recession, which saw video game revenue plummet by 97 percent and nearly ended the market until the Nintendo Entertainment System revived it. "I feel like the industry's in a really horrible place," she said. "I mean, we were there in the 80s for the crash, and this is definitely crashier. There are so few people that have not been affected, or their partners affected, or they're worried about being affected. It's a really difficult time right now."

The Romeros' own studio exemplifies the broader turmoil. Last summer, Romero Games lost funding for...