This week, a controversy erupted online involving Matt Hansen, the art director at Obsidian currently working on Avowed. Hansen clashed with Elon Musk over the use of pronouns in the fantasy RPG, leading users to resurface Hansen's previous comments about favoring Black employees. Musk later accused the studio of discriminatory hiring practices, and Hansen subsequently deleted his account on X (formerly Twitter).
Renowned game designer and former Obsidian co-founder Chris Avellone, who left the studio in 2015, shared his thoughts on the matter. Avellone explained that art directors often have a say in hiring decisions, which could allow someone like Hansen to prioritize certain candidates over others. He recalled encountering similar behavior in the past—not at Obsidian, but at BioWare.
I had an experience with a BioWare producer who showcased the full extent of their hiring practices, and it's a story for another day — but definitely was cause for a lawsuit.
Avellone also urged developers who were denied jobs at Obsidian to consult with legal professionals.
Based on recent news, if you were rejected from an art position at Obsidian in the past few years, call a lawyer — discrimination in hiring, esp for a Microsoft studio, can ensure you don't need to apply for a job ever again.
This has nothing to do with my personal politics, but I believe strongly that hiring discrimination for any reason isn't something the industry should tolerate. I hope you agree.
Avowed is set to release on February 18 for PC and Xbox Series X/S. Final previews of the game are available here.