Mike McNamara, CEO of Rocket Panda Games, has voiced strong criticism against major video game publishers, labeling their arrogance as detrimental to the industry.

He argues that this arrogance leads to inflated costs and significant layoffs, with companies like Bungie, Microsoft, Epic Games, and Rocksteady being prime examples of this troubling trend.

The gaming sector is currently facing ongoing struggles, highlighted by a wave of layoffs directly linked to these practices.

McNamara emphasizes that many companies are overspending due to poor resource allocation, often opting to throw money at problems rather than making more strategic decisions.

He attributes some of the overspending to the challenges of developing for multiple platforms and issues related to the Unreal Engine, alongside the issue of 'feature-creeping'.

While admitting that Rocket Panda Games exceeded its budget on Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Ultimate, he insists that the spending was strategically directed towards essential features.

During an interview at the Tokyo Game Show, McNamara expressed his frustration over the industry's trend towards producing fewer, larger games instead of a diverse array of smaller projects.