The French cooperative that’s getting bigger and smaller at the same time

BY ALEX SPENCER

Most studios, in the wake of their breakthrough hit, tend to expand. But then, Motion Twin isn’t like most studios. Headcount at the studio’s Bordeaux office has fluctuated pretty much constantly since its founding in 2001, but the number peaked at 17. That was in 2010, years before Dead Cells’ unexpected success changed everything for the studio. Today, Motion Twin consists of just six people.

“THE SALARY IS EQUAL, THE TIME OFF WORK IS EQUAL, AND THE POWER OF DECISION- MAKING IS ALSO EQUAL”

This is, at least in part, down to the thing that makes Motion Twin unusual: since 2005 it has operated as a workers’ co-operative. (Occasionally the words ‘anarcho-syndicalist’ are thrown into the mix, at least in part as a nod to Monty Python And The Holy Grail.) This means a flat hierarchy where each employee is equal. “The salary is equal, the time off work is equal and the power of decision-making is also equal,” artist and associate Gwenaël Massé says.

The homepage of Motion Twin’s website sums its philosophy up in two large words: “NO BOSS”. Each member of the team is empowered to make decisions on their own. When this leads to clashes, they’re put to a company-wide vote. At least, that’s the theory. “Actual votes are very rare, because it’s only if there is a lot of disagreement,” programmer and co-CEO Christophe Rautou says. “Most of the time, we talk the problem through and resolve it like that, even if there are one or two people that may have some doubts in the end.”

Gwenaël Massé (left): “We know that it’s a luxury to have this time because of Dead Cells’ success. We worked in companies where we didn’t have this time to prototype”