By This week, Square Enix revealed its goal to notably reduce its Quality Assurance staff and implement generative AI to manage 70% of its game QA and debugging. The organization further stated that it aims to “create a competitive edge in game development.” Nonetheless, Michael Douse, the publishing director of Baldur’s Gate 3 developer Larian, criticized Square Enix, labeling its strategy as “foolish.”
“QA personnel are among the most engaged gamers within any organization,” Douse remarked on X. “They are essential to your community teams and to publishing. They provide authentic feedback. They can identify what is good and what is subpar before the audience does, and they represent the most steadfast department.”
“[The] notion that QA staff can be replaced on a large scale is foolish as it assumes that interactions with them can be substituted, which cannot occur,” Douse added. “They serve as a significant advantage in vibe checking.”
Douse also highlighted that QA roles have frequently served as entry points for individuals aspiring to enter the video game sector. He warns that the loss of QA employees jeopardizes the potential of future designers and other roles.
QA is not inherently an entry-level role, but I will add that without entry points to the industry, you’ll struggle to find your lead designers. This is a misguided direction. It is vital to provide individuals with advantageous roles that permit them to grow while contributing to your growth!
— Very AFK (@Cromwelp) November 6, 2025
In a follow-up post, Douse pointed out that Square Enix plans to save $19.6 million by delegating its QA to AI. He also questioned the absence of layoffs among executives if the company is in such dire need of savings.
The targeted annual savings of $19.6 million – while a considerable sum in real-life terms – is not exceedingly significant for a AAA company. If circumstances are this bleak, where are the executive “layoffs?” I’m quite sure these games aren’t struggling due to QA, publishing, etc. https://t.co/MCJw16kBHz
— Very AFK (@Cromwelp) November 7, 2025
Reports suggest that Square Enix is presently executing considerable staff layoffs. Square Enix is not the sole gaming company adopting AI. Electronic Arts has reportedly advised its staff to regard AI as “thought partners.” A recent survey has also discovered that over 50% of Japanese game publishers are utilizing AI in some capacity. Renowned game creators Hideo Kojima and Glen Schofield have both expressed that AI tools should be welcomed in game development.
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