Monument Valley boss says it was ‘too romantic’ about giving staff ‘long-term job security’, thinks contractors are the future

Ustwo Games CEO María Sayans said the studio was too focused on permanent hires and will likely grow with contractors and co-development teams.

She argued that a core team plus flexible external support can help smaller studios handle multi-year projects and reduce budget pressure.

Sayans said this model can keep cash reserves steadier, especially as Ustwo shifts from mobile development toward PC-first games.

The comments reflect a wider games industry move toward more flexible labor models as development costs keep rising.