It's hard to believe that over 20 years have passed since Homeworld 2, the last entry in the iconic real-time space strategy series that broke new ground with its unique form of a truly 3D movement. The highly anticipated upcoming sequel, Homeworld 3, is currently being developed by Blackbird Interactive in partnership with Gearbox Software. Prior to Homeworld 3, the developers at Blackbird Interactive created Deserts of Kharak, a land-based prequel to the Homeworld series which brought its gameplay to an entirely new environment. Blackbird Interactive was also responsible for the sci-fi job sim Hardspace: Shipbreaker, a unique game that tasks players with cutting apart highly detailed decommissioned spaceships for scrap.
Blackbird Interactive made headlines earlier this year when the company began experimenting with a 4-day workweek, while also delaying Homeworld 3 slightly in order to further protect the health of the developers. This is a refreshing sight to see in such a chronically overworked industry, and many fans on social media and message boards have expressed that they'd prefer games to arrive a little later if it allowed for improved working conditions and an overall higher quality end product. It's no secret that many games arrive in rushed, incomplete states even with developers working under extreme crunch conditions, which has forward-thinking studios like Blackbird Interactive looking for solutions.
In Game Rant's interview with Chief Creative Officer of Blackbird Interactive Rory McGuire and Associate Game Director Kathryn (Kat) Neale, they expressed their excitement about this shift to a 4-day workweek. The change appears to have been greatly beneficial to the team as they work to meet the understandably high expectations set for Homeworld 3. Blackbird Interactive has been monitoring the team's progress over the course of the change with surprisingly strong results. Rory McGuire spoke to Game Rant about the change:
We're closely monitoring all of our stats in terms of productivity and things like that. Numbers-wise, it's almost identical to where we were with the five-day workweek, except everyone is more refreshed. Everyone makes smarter decisions. Everyone's happier. And it's just been incredible for us. So we're actually going to try and share this with other developers and share some great insights."
Kat Neale also had this to say about the improved atmosphere and excitement in the studio thanks to more rest time for developers:
This is an industry that is known for crunch, and it's also a very creative industry. When it's something super creative and you want to really draw the passion out from people, it's super important that you give them time away to really percolate these ideas and get excited coming back into the office.
Blackbird Interactive has been gathering data about the change and hopes to share what it's learned with other developers, hopefully leading to a shift in the gaming industry's current culture of relentless crunch and unrealistic expectations imposed by corporate interests. Homeworld 3's team is living proof that happy and healthy developers are more focused, driven, and creative, leading to a more efficient workflow and a more polished product. Hopefully, the information Blackbird Interactive has gathered can convince other studios to follow suit, especially since the fans appear to be supportive of the change. After all, nobody wants the developers of their favorite game to be miserable.
Homeworld 3 is currently in development and will be available on PC in the first half of 2023.