A major French union has launched a scathing public attack on video game publisher Nacon, blaming what it calls systemic corporate failure for a series of damaging studio insolvencies, including that of Greedfall developer Spiders. The accusations paint a picture of a holding company more interested in financial engineering than sustainable game development, leaving talented teams to flounder.
The Union’s Damning Indictment
The French union STJV (Syndicat des Travailleurs du Jeu Vidéo) published a blistering communiqué, holding Nacon directly responsible for the financial distress of multiple studios under its umbrella. The union’s language was unsparing, characterizing Nacon’s leadership over recent years as “years of mismanagement and strategic nothingness.” This is not a simple critique of a failed project but a wholesale condemnation of corporate strategy and governance.
The core of the union’s argument is that Nacon, formerly known as Bigben Interactive, grew rapidly through acquisitions but failed to integrate or properly support its development studios. Instead, the union alleges, studios were treated as disposable assets, left without clear creative direction or adequate resources, and then blamed when projects inevitably struggled. This model, the STJV argues, prioritizes short-term portfolio expansion and market speculation over the long-term health of the creative teams that are the actual engine of the industry.
Spiders and the Fallout from Greedfall‘s Success
The most high-profile casualty is Spiders, the Paris-based studio behind the acclaimed action RPG Greedfall. Released in 2019, the game was a surprise critical and commercial hit, praised for its ambitious world-building and narrative depth on a modest budget. Its success seemed to herald a bright future for the studio, which had cultivated a loyal fanbase with its distinct, AA-focused approach to role-playing games.
However, according to the union and corroborating reports, that success did not translate into stability under Nacon. Despite Greedfall selling over two million copies, the studio reportedly faced immense pressure on its next project, the now-cancelled Greedfall 2: Greedfall The Dying World Update 1.004 Deploys Critical Fixes for Stability and UI”>The Dying World. Insiders suggest that mismatched expectations, unclear mandates from the publisher, and potentially unsustainable budgets contributed to a development crisis. The studio was placed into judicial reorganization, a form of insolvency in French law, putting the future of its employees and projects in severe jeopardy.
A Pattern of Corporate Distress
Spiders is not an isolated case within the Nacon group. The union’s statement explicitly links the fates of several other studios. RaceWard Studio (known for RiMS Racing) and Cyanide Studio (the largest within the group, working on Blood Bowl 3 and Call of Cthulhu) have also faced significant financial and operational difficulties. The STJV frames these not as unrelated business setbacks but as symptoms of the same underlying disease: a parent company that is either unable or unwilling to provide the strategic and production support necessary for modern game development.
This pattern raises serious questions about Nacon’s operational model. Acquiring studios provides a quick influx of IP and talent, but without a cohesive vision, dedicated production oversight, and a commitment to nurturing creative culture, such acquisitions often lead to chaos. Developers are left navigating conflicting priorities, while corporate leadership remains distant, seemingly focused on balance sheets rather than the games themselves.
The Human Cost of “Strategic Nothingness”
Beyond the corporate drama, the union powerfully highlights the human toll of this instability. Game development is a high-pressure, passion-driven industry, and periods of uncertainty like insolvency proceedings are profoundly damaging to morale and mental health. Employees face the anxiety of potential layoffs, the possible cancellation of projects they have invested years into, and the disruption of their careers.
The STJV’s intervention is significant because it moves the discourse beyond standard business reporting. It frames the issue as a labor crisis, arguing that the talent—the programmers, artists, designers, and writers—are bearing the brunt of executive-level failures. The term “strategic nothingness” implies a vacuum of leadership where clear decisions should be, leaving studios to drift until they hit a financial iceberg.
Nacon’s Response and Industry Context
Nacon has historically defended its strategy, pointing to its portfolio of over 20 studios and a diverse slate of games. In response to past criticisms, it has emphasized its role in providing funding and a publishing framework. However, the union’s allegations suggest this framework is fundamentally flawed. The current wave of insolvencies presents a direct challenge to Nacon’s narrative of being a supportive home for developers.
This situation unfolds against a brutal backdrop for the wider game industry. 2024 and 2025 have seen tens of thousands of layoffs across major publishers and independent studios alike, driven by post-pandemic market corrections, rising development costs, and industry consolidation. In this climate, the failure of a mid-sized publisher like Nacon to effectively steward its acquisitions is seen not just as a corporate mistake, but as a contributor to a broader crisis of sustainability. It exemplifies a risky trend where financial operators treat game studios as speculative tradable assets rather than creative enterprises requiring careful, hands-on cultivation.
Implications for Greedfall 2 and the Future
The immediate practical impact is the uncertain status of Greedfall 2. The game was highly anticipated by fans of the original, and its development troubles are a direct consequence of Spiders’ instability. While the IP is owned by Nacon, the creative heart of the project was Spiders. The insolvency process may determine if the project can continue in some form, potentially with a different team, but the vision and expertise that made the first game special are now in limbo.
More broadly, this controversy serves as a stark case study for the industry. It underscores the critical importance of alignment between publishers and developers. Successful publishing is not merely about writing checks and marketing finished products; it involves active, respectful partnership throughout the development cycle, providing not just money but also production expertise, realistic scheduling, and creative trust. The union’s allegations against Nacon suggest a profound breakdown in this essential partnership model.
A Call for Accountability and Change
The STJV’s public blast is more than criticism; it is a call for accountability. By naming Nacon and detailing the consequences of its actions, the union is attempting to shift the narrative and apply public pressure. In an industry where corporate decisions are often discussed in abstract financial terms, the union is forcing a conversation about responsibility, management competence, and the ethical stewardship of creative workplaces.
This episode may also influence future transactions. Developers considering acquisition offers may now look more skeptically at publishers with a history of studio closures or insolvencies. Talent may think twice before joining companies under such umbrellas. The court of public opinion, as shaped by voices like the STJV, can have real-world effects on a company’s ability to attract and retain the people it needs to succeed.
The fate of Spiders and its colleagues at Nacon remains to be legally resolved, but the union’s message is clear. Sustainable game development cannot be built on a foundation of financial leverage and asset collection alone. It requires strategy, support, and respect for the creative process—elements that, according to its fiercest critics, have been conspicuously absent from Nacon’s playbook. The true cost of this “strategic nothingness” is measured not just in euros, but in canceled games, disrupted careers, and the erosion of trust within one of the world’s most dynamic creative industries.
