We chatted with Raúl Rubio, CEO of the studio, about the process of adapting to telework and the added difficulties of not being all together.
The confinement derived from the state of alarm decreed by the Government of Spain is just one of the measures that have made us completely change our daily lives in response to the coronavirus. The work environment and staff have been forced to live together at home, the so-called telework, which depending on the conditions can be more or less complex. Tequila Works, a studio in charge of works such as RiME, The Sexy Brutale or GYLT, the first great exclusive from Google Stadia, has told us in a voice from its CEO, Raúl Rubio, how this change is being in a company with more than 80 workers.
How they started working on the change: notice from Chinese partners
Now that we are entering the final phase of the population's confinement as we have been experiencing it during these first six weeks, Tequila Works is satisfied that it has adopted preventive measures from so early on. His Chinese contacts were the best mirror in which to look at ourselves in front of a stage in which, sooner or later, we would see ourselves also plunged into Europe.
“I suppose we have been lucky, to put it in some way, given the current situation. We started preparing in February for the transition to remote work, ”says Rubio. “In February, the CES in Las Vegas and, later, the GDC, were canceled. We had meetings with Chinese companies and they already told us that they were forced to take vacations or many other situations of people who were outside their country … So, we began to wonder if it was going to be able to support the entire structure of the company of face to the complete coordination in remote ”, he adds. With The Sexy Brutale there were only two teams; now, there are many more and not only in Spain, but in more countries and with a much higher number of workers in 4 ongoing projects.
"We started in February to activate new protocols, more precise measures for people who are not so expert in this … Everything aimed at transitioning. We started sending people home when the schools closed. So we spent ten days testing and sent a third of the company home. " Every three days, Tequila Works progressively sent more people home, all until, finally, the state of alarm was declared in Spain. "Two or three days before that moment we already had everyone working," says Rubio. "I've been left behind almost every day as maintenance manager," he laughs. As we can see in the image that Tequila Works itself has provided us, this is how the central office in Madrid has become after applying remote work. "If the power goes out and the differentials go, I will take care of turning on the light, restarting the servers …", he adds. The added logistics problems that may appear at the least opportune moment.
Study offices in Madrid during confinement | Tequila works
88 people divided between 4 teams: the Tequila Works organization chart
"The 4 teams (I am talking about 88 people spread over 5 countries) are working at peak performance", although he underlines the fact that they did not have to go to the crunch at any time. They work the stipulated hours because, as he assures, the adaptation has been optimal to this new methodology of work and management of his multiple projects. There are downsides, obviously.
“Before, you could talk to one person and start another conversation with another at the same time; Now, as the conversations have to be very dictated by the agenda due to the subject of videoconference invitations, etc., everything has to be very precise and get to the point. You run out of time! 30 minutes with one person; 30 minutes with another … ”he says effusively, a sign that the group's management is being, in a certain way, more difficult than the progress itself in the development of its video games. "You can no longer take advantage to tell jokes or the movie you saw last night", he adds as an example of something that is lived in practically all offices where there is an atmosphere of cordiality.
"The decisions that are made with a cold head come out better than those that are made quickly and running"
When asked if they are having problems moving forward the estimates on their agendas each week, the answer is clear: no. “Thanks to the experience with The Sexy Brutale, which is true that it was a breeding ground for our entire structure, and having had time to be able to install everything, adapt it and refine it… the truth is, no. I have noticed that the art department of a project usually begins to work much earlier than when we did it in person; It is also true that the day now ends later. We try to adapt to the reality of an eight-hour day, but we work under objectives. And yes, we pay overtime, we want everything to be fair, ”he continues. Time flexibility has also been installed in the Tequila Works template. The Madrid study is made up of members with families, people who live with parents, children or other relatives, with what this implies for everyone.
“Our transition has worked really well, really; but it is that we anticipate. In the end, decisions made with a cool head come out better than those made quickly and quickly. Yes, it is true that I, personally, as creative director, believe that you have to learn to bend and not micromanage because Kojima there is only one and we are not. I have been used to this for ten years, ”he insists.
4 ongoing projects: how things are
Tequila Works' ambition since GYLT ended has grown. The study has 4 projects currently active and, according to Rubio, one of them is finished and, due to the COVID-19 crisis, its presentation is being asked. “One is finished, on our part, but the partner with whom we work is mainly affected by this and, although technically it is finished, it is not finalized because, as I already anticipated, it is an artistic project; a project that requires a physical installation that will finally be presented later in the year, ”he says, although he did not clarify whether or not it is a video game. His presentation was scheduled for the GDC; what is certain is that it "will be interactive" for a more "scholarly" audience.
But there is more. "We are finishing the production of two of them. So, as I was saying, teleworking is very compatible with software engineering, so remote work is not affecting us. The human factor is missing, but with camcorders and a lot of rigor in our daily agenda, we are getting it to be partially compensated. In this case, we are lucky. If we had to physically remove our games, distribute them in stores … it would be a problem. As is not the case, what we save, "highlights the CEO of Tequila Works.
The Sexy Brutale
The logistical problems of physical distribution in large productions is something that we are seeing in companies such as Capcom and Square Enix, who warned on the occasion of the release of Resident Evil 3 Remake and Final Fantasy VII Remake by different statements that the sale in physical format was going to be affected in many countries by a mere logistics issue.
Let's talk about GYLT, exclusive to Google Stadia, forever?
We could not finish the interview with Raúl Rubio without talking about GYLT. The title has received mostly positive reviews in national and international media; in fact, it was one of the main claims to test Stadia technology for being its first exclusive video game. A special work, one of those that wants to tell us things through what it tells us.
“On the part of the Stadia team they congratulated us warmly. Jade Raymond (STADIA Games and Entertainment leader) congratulated us in person. It was not only the first exclusive to be launched on the platform, but also the reception was very good: a very high percentage of people who used Stadia did it with GYLT. I speak before it was included in Stadia Pro. Also, another curious aspect is that many people finish the game and, in what are the critics, the reception is also very good. We were worried about how the reception was going to be when dealing with such adult issues, but it has worked quite well. ”
GYLT talks about bullying, about a girl with a complicated life surrounded by internal fears, about harassment. A supernatural adventure in which we have to rescue Emily, but will we do it on consoles like PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch or even a PC? For now, totally ruled out, it stays in Google Stadia.
"Not right now. We have no plans to launch it on another platform. There are certain things that we would have to evaluate because they are very intrinsic to the game; even some features that are not active but are part of the game in Stadia. Although PS5 and Xbox Series X will have better support for streaming… I suppose it would be a matter of thinking about it, but I have nothing to announce at the moment ”.
