How Square Enix managed the teams behind Hitman GO and Lara Croft GO
summary
Square Enix Montreal describes hiring 150 candidates to filter for fast learners and multi‑skilled people, puts designers into constrained puzzle formats to match skills, and seats developers where their craft matters. The studio ships two mobile titles (Hitman GO and Lara Croft GO), tailors art to avoid heavy VFX, and uses three cross‑trained staff to add late cutscenes. Interviews involve five+ interviewers and hire for intrinsic motivation; outcomes are shipped products that meet scope and schedule.
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chapters (14)
- 0:00Introduction
- 1:38Developer efficiency factors
- 3:46Worst-case hiring
- 6:20Right developer roles
- 7:23Design tailored to skills
- 8:06Multi-skilled teams reduce bottlenecks
- 9:52Intrinsic motivation
- 10:36Empowering developers
- 12:01Recognizing contributions
- 13:05Developer well-being
- 16:42Summary
- 17:03Q&A: Higher purpose
- 18:53Q&A: Team fit in hiring
- 19:58Q&A: Motivating talent
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